Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-08
RUSSIAN JEWS MARKET
Selling Goods In the Open ARA
Motley Gathering in she East Side
streets OF New York.
Neto Yorh Tribune.

| Net1 York Tribune
| A unique sign, among the many
strange ones of this city, is the Russian
Jewish open air market, or fair, which
is held every week from Thursday even
ing to Friday evening in that portion OF
the Tenth ward which includes Hester
street, between Essex and Ludlow streets,
and the two latter streets as far as Canal
street. This mart is of comparatively
recent origin. dating from the advent
In force of the Russian-Jewish exiles.
who seem by common consent to have
fixed upon this malOdorous neighbor-
hood, possibly drawn thither by the
plentitude of Jewish names displayed on
the signboards which afford the desired
atmosphere of fellowship. The unmis-
taxable Semitic features encountered
make a bewildering cOnglomeratIOn of
parabolic curves. In almost unbrOken
line along the curbstOnes are rudely con.
structed tables, or counters of rough
boards and ends of packing cases, on
which are displayed heaps of calicoes,
cheap prints, cotton handkerchiefs, and
other odds and ends of haberdashery,
On fixed stands outside of the stores are
piled tinware, fish, meat, and vegetables,
while rickety wagons. drawn by Gothic
steeds, and shaky handcarts pro-
PEELED by swarthy and sweaty
Muscovitish descendants of Shem, are
laden with fruit, often far more fit for
the cOmpost.heap than for human con-
sumption. Potatoes are the only attract
tive and healthy-loOking edibles to be
seen. The stands are, for the most part,
attended by women, in more or less
Oriental freedom of, or from, dress, the
older women invariably wearing brown
wigs. This curious custom is explained
by the statement that in their own coun-
try on marriage the women are com
PEELED to cut off their hair, ''to keep
other men from falling in love with
them, apparently a work of supereroga-
ton. Itinerant clothiers with their whole
stock in trade over their shoulders or
across their arms, wander from corner to
corner, seeking whom they may make
new man Of" Half-clad children and
youths with some pretension to ''style"
in dress fill in the picture.
The market is at its best, or worst &C
cOrdiHg to the view that may be taken of
it, in the early morning of the second
day; it is then most crowded, and loco
motion is difficult. The native" Qrish)
population does not take kindly to these
strangers from over the sea, and this is
manifested in may ways. Numbers of
belligereDt women, designated by the
policemen on the beat as "bums, after
earning dime OF two in scrubbing or
other mental employment, and exchang-
ing their earnings for "fOrtyrod light
ming" applied internally, occasionally
take the war; path against the children of
Israel, and with "sprig of shillelah''
drive the timid tradesmen before them I'M
til checked in their career of CONQUEST and
desOlation by the faithful guardians of
the peace, who sometimes run in" a
dozen or so of these AmazOns in the
course of day. "YOu can buy any-
thing here, from silk dress to an an
Choir, said policeman to a Tribune re-
porter who drifted through the region,
and paused to study its beauties. The
reporter saw no anchors, and concluded
that they had been weighed-at least
they were found wanting. The silk
dresses, too, had evidently been gathered
in by some more favored mother or wife
in Israel for the coming Sabbath. An
other foe have these industrious persons
Now and again health inspector makes
tour through the quarter and ruthless
ly seizes upon the overripe or unripe
fruit displayed for sale. The
owners cling to their wares and
demonstrate DANGEROUSLY, out the Off
Gals are unyielding, and carry off the
spoil to the garbage feet, while the own
nT0l down hn l.
wall their impending ruin, or 90 off for
more merchandise. All of these dealers
show permits from the Board of Alder
men when challenged, and, indeed, seem
readily to learn all the points of law
necessary for their protection or advan-
tage, though, as already shown, they
sometimes disregard the city ordinances.
The prices paid for some of the stands
are remarkable. A peddler of tinware,
for small stand outside a liquor store
at Hester and Ludlow streets, pays $40 |
per month Another, dealer in poul-
try and meat, for a basement room,
five steps down from the sidewalk |
in an old frame house in Hester |
street, pays $65 per month. The old |
clothes dealers probably have the easiest |
time. As the reporter passed, a Jew |
clad IN jumper was selecting a coat |
from a number borne on the arm of |
dealer. He finally took a light weight |
coat, which really fitted hun, and by its |
neatness threw his once light but now |
much vAriegated trousers into inharmO.
NOUS relief. AS he paid his 81 so for it,
to his wife's suggestion that be might |
have bought cheaper" he replied with |
the air of a man who appreciates his own |
worth. II never will buy for less" and
walked proudly off, feeling several /
inches taller The trade of this
unique mart seems to be mostly among |
the Jewish classes, though occasionally |
the Pbilistines and Gentiles venture to |
buy there. 1t is a strict law of the mar
ket that everything must be over and the |
stands and table, cleared and washed up |
before shutdown of Friday. Aty greedy |
or dilatorY tradesman, who should break |
the law, would be ignored by his core
ligionists for fortnight or more, as |
after sunset of Friday the Jewish Sab
bath begins, and this is held in great |
Vovr hxyfh