Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-08-06
QUEER PLACES TOLIVE.
The Example of MR.. Kennedy, Who
Made n Cheap Home for Himself
and Wife, Followed by Cooks,
Photographers, and Shoe
makers.
Philadelphia Times

Photographers, and Shoe
makers.
Philadelphia Times.
Some years ago Philadelphia poss-
essed a hunchback who would have
made a character for novel by the
late Victor Hugo. He bore the name
of Kennedy and followed the calling
of e shoemaker. He observed street
cars, like human beings, got old and
decrepidt and became comparatively
valueless, and that in the suburbs of
cities like Philadel phia there are
numerous plots of land which can be
used without asking, or at any rate
rented by payment of a merely nom
NAL sum to the owners. He there
fore concluded that he could reduce
his expenditure considerably by trans
ferring one of those worn>out street
cars to vacant lot and Transforming
it into domicile. Mr.. Kennedy exc
cuted his plans with remarkable speed.
How ne obtained the discarded We
hicle and how he got permission for
its subsequent abiding place is not
stated, but he and his better half lived
together in it for some time. The
spot where be pitched his tent was
in the neighborhood of Eighteenth
street and Locust.
A UNIQUE COOK SHOP.
Emulatinng his example, man
named "Joe" converted a cast-off car
into restaurant and for long while
regaled the inhabitants of Susquehan-
ma avenue, near Twelfth street, with
viands of a harmless and even sue
culent nature at prices within the
range of everybody. He was largely
patronized by the drivers and con-
ductors connected with the ad iacent
depot, whence his own dwelling had
at some date been driven out IN all
the glory of nicely painted and re-
spectacle conveyance. Joe" sustain
ed his reputation as dealer in gas
tronomic trlfes long enough to as
certain that the thing ''didn't pay"
One morning "Joe" and his shop on
wheels were missing, as they are
still.
A photographer transformed a
rickety car into gallery" after
much scientific joinering and artistic
patching up of gaping side boards
and gr0und-pits. The latter in par
ticular stubbornly resisted the photo
grapher's amateurish carpentering,
constantly acting as loop-holes,
through which legs lnnumerable
would try to escape. The likeness
man suffered consequence, for the
legs, as rule. belonged to the mem
bers of the tender sex, who, however,
oent upon having their pictures taken
had strong objections to their limbs
being taken instead. In time, how
ever, the artist accomplished the feat
Of providing standing room for his
patrons, among whom none were
more delighted over the circumstan-
ces than the ladies who brought their
pet poodles to be photographed. He
still earns precarious livelihood by
moving his car studio from one dis
trict to another.
A SHOE SHOP ON WHEELS.
A German boot-maker resides in a
car now stationed in the centre of a
blank lot on Nineteenth street, near
Diamond. He has done so during
the last three months. His residence,
If not genteel, is clean both inside
and out. 1t cost him upwards of
twenty five dollars, to which must be
added something for repairs. It is
partitioned off so as TO afford conven-
ience as a shop as well as home. On
entering, the visitor sees counter
with a seat on each side of the door
way. Beyond the counter is the res
pairing compartment, where the ten
ant pursues his work industriOusly.
Another partition divides the ex~
tremlty, leaving space for roughly
made seat, which is also used as bed
The interior has but little left of
the cars ancient trappiags. Ingenu-
ity has demolished them or covered
them over with boards and paint. The
exterior alone indicates the origin of
this unique cabin. Its coating of red
and blue paint is faded and dusty
its windows are decayed, for the most
part unglazed and in several cases
badly mended. Que curious feature
about it is that In addition to sign>
board, indicating the kind of trade
conducted within, there is one word
ed thus: 'Jewelry and watches" !"
The cobbler endeavors to sell trinkets
when opportunity occurs, which
must be seldom. Few pedestrians
likely to cross that lot will dream of
purchasing jewelry and watches
at such an unpromlslRg store, The
old man is chatty, polite and is said
to be a capital hand at repairing
shoes.
PERFECTLY CONTENTED.
''You seem to be comfortable here, !"
remarked visitor yesterday.
''Yes, oh, yes, y he replied. proceed
ing to explain In broken English that
things were all square ard satisfact-