The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-04-18
PAWNBROKING.

There has been, from time immemo
rial, marked reticence on the part O
all people to impart any knowle igt
they might have regarding the pawn
broker. The pawnbrokers have beer
for centuries an unknown quantity, anC
the information regarding their busi
ness has been very meager indeed. The,
figure in police court circles occasion
ally, but you seldom hear of them in
society. They nevertheless cut nc
small figure in the latter position, and
If they ceased to exist their loss would
be an irreparable one to many people.
Where, then, could the impecunfous
youth go and obtain loan of fifty dol
lars on an oroide gold watchP I'm
PEELED by curiosity to pierce the veil
which has so long surrounded the craft,
a Herald reporter ingratiated himself
into the good graces of Clark street
merchant He was at first very adverse
to appearing in print, and consented
only reluctantly to disclosing the Sc
crets of his business. He invited the
searcher afDer truth to three-le gged
stool behind the counter, and then dis
appeared into the rear part of the es-
tablishment saying that he would send
his son out to give the necessary in
formation. While he was gone the re-
porter put in his time in examining the
interior of the place. The store was of
the ordinary size, but seemed to con-
tain living apartment in the rear.
The room was Uttered on all sides
with every species of truck" from
sewing machine to a silver thimble.
One window was hung with varied
assortment of pistols, knives, watches,
Jewel-cases, fowling pieces, opera
glasses, etc, and the other displayed a
like assortment of iurs, wearing ap-
parel, both male and female. Down
one side OF the room, against the wall,
ran shelving reaching from the floor to
within two feet of the ceiling. These
shelves were crammed full OF packages
OF various sizes, and all done up neatly
in MANILA paper and the contents
labeled upon the outside The show
cases contained an immense stock of
every conceivable kind of jewelry,
watches, old and new. large and small;
neckchains and preastpins; rings set
with every variety of stone ever torn
from the bowels of the earth; revolverss
and rera-glasses; everything portable
which the impecunious saw fit to part
with in order to obtain temporary loan
of the much-needed cash. On the other
side OF the room, in cases, stood musical
instruments ranging from double bass
to triangle. Fowling- pieces and rifles
were stacked in large numbers about the
place, and in one corner were piled a
huge number o. valises and sachels.
The son proved to be very intelli-
gent young man. and perfectly willing
to give the information.
The pawnbroking business is unlike
anything else / know of. 1t requires
capital, shrewdness and great iudg-
ment The pawnbroker must have. in
addition to these qualities, thorough
knowledge of the world, and must be |
up to all the little tricks the public may
attempt to practice upon him.
docs it require much capital?"
es; considerable capital is required. |
VI course, it is like any other business |
in that respect You can start in the |
pawn business in small way the same /
as you can in any other line. A down |
town stand requires nearly as much !
capital as it would to carry the same !
amount of goods -.E
You have a large stock on hand
now, Isee."
"Oh. yes, a pretty good stock, but
I've had larger one. You see, the
capital is floating one. 1t goes
and comes every thirty days, and in that |
way it does not pinch us as it would
in another line" z 20
about what proportion of pledges
remain unredeemedP''
THAT differs with the localities and
in different years. This year, in this
p ace, 1T may go up to seventy per cent,
while shop half mile away will only
have fifty per cent. Next year the fig
ures may be transposed. This year our
1nredeemed pledges will nearly reach
The iirst named figures
"Who are your cGstomersp''
''Oh, everybody. Scarcely any class
d society is free from some one who is
obliged occasionally to pawn some of
heir goods OF Jewels to tide them over
! break in their finances. You'd be as
onished to see some of thu names on
ny books-you won't see them, though.
Men who stand as high as any one in
he city. We don't have any Farwells ,
u. .Armours here, but we have people
yho are Just as prominent in another ,
way. Public men whom you would
lever dream of in this connection come :
lere and put up watches and rings for :
$50 and 800. Lawyers are noted Gus !
omers of the broker Prominent ones. Ii
whose names you see in the papers +
lay after day. who are prominent in ;
'olitics, and canvass the country for /
her party, come or send here fire. 8
uently Tor 80 and S25 loans. Well i
nown people in society do the same.
'heatrical managers become hard-up
nd leave collateral that they NAV OBJ
ain money to get out of town. il have
ad two such customers this week. s
his class of people 1 like best. They e
re ashamed to come, and are glad to {
ay just what is asked of them b
ow?'' 7
about $3.50. When more than $3.50 b
500 is wanted they do not go to the b
awnbroker, but get it elsewhere at bet n
n rates. | would rather loan out small e
inns than large ones, as the business is a
lrer, safer, and makes less trouble. II y
singular fact that but very small Il
ercentage of the customers of pawn o
lops are such through actual poverty. N
he pawnbrokers' customers include :
Iery grade of society, from the lady fe
no pawns her seal-slxin sacque to the IL
borer who ''hocks' his kit of tools. W
n exam nation of the contents and
'oks OF pawnshop will show that If
ere is as much poverty as the world is b
edited with, it certainly is not driven tt
the pawnshop. The largest class Of M
lstomers, as | intimated, comes from ~
laried people, who, by extravaganza W
play, have become temporarily en- W
Irrassed and desire small loans They
ed the money but for day or two,
I'd not wishing to make the fact known in