Savannah morning news., 1886-05-08
CATCHING Tnp NIoKELs.
Among the FalSirs and at the Soda
Water Fountains,


Water Fountains,
For a week the city has been overrun
with fakirs, and they have mad harN est
Every minute of the day since Monday
morning they have preyed relentlessiy
and to themselves proftaOly, upon tbs
crowds. Around Camp Washington they
are thicker than flies in a restaurant.
The air is filed with tho voices
of venders OF lemonade, peanuto,
Centennial badges and medals, cneap
iewelry and other merchandise galore.
Wheels of fortune, shooting galleries,
dying horses, Coney Island races, aud a
dozen other "fakes" catch the quarters
and dimes OF the unwary peck measure
full day.
The man who adulterates two gallons OF
water, not enough To boil an egg, WIN
one sour lemon and sells the mixture Iov
ice-cold lemonade had to mark down his
goods TO cents glass to keep bis rival,
the dealer in fresh-roasted peanuts
from getting all the business
The peanuts were mostly In
stock before the war. Some OF the re-
freshment people make lavish display
on the back shelf Of ice covered wlCh rtd
mosquito netting. The ice Is 0elusion
and snare, however, fer it is really noth.
Sng more than a cube of glass which Will
eutiast schooner load of Nj aine ice.
The cane and ring men are seldom with
out two or three who will spend 90 cents
trying TO throw a one inch ring over the
bead OF a two inch stick.
The take-your-picture-w e-while-you-wait
man has done thriving business, and
the stands at which desiccated apples
and oranges are sold two for five or five
for TWO. in proportion 10 the customers
willingness TO part with his change have
been well patrOnized. Bee AMI boz: !, d
soda have been swallowed by the gallon
every day.
The wheels Ofiortune and other games
Of chance have been verltable mint5. One
of these fakes is u miniature C0ney island
race course with such starters as Parole,
Eole, Monitor, Monogram, etc. One is
Fast about as likely TO win as another,
and i've or six hundred dollare coange
hands on the races every day. The win
Ner is offered box of tin-plated watch
chains and if be does not want any of that
kind OF iewelry, ne draws 81 80. The jew
elry prize dodge is worked at all OF the va
Tious games TO evade the gsming law.
Tho soda water fountains on BrOughton
and Bull streets have done about the big
sest business. At some of the fountains
the receipts have been 800 or more day.
The lady visitors all drink SOFA. Ginger
md lemon are the faVorite fiavors. Va
nIlla and pineapple are very popular. too.
in the afternoons it is impossible TO get
within a rod Of some OF the fountains
without waiting ten minutes.
A fountain proprietor while talking
yesterday about this weeks business told
Of an old customer who came in during
the morning aud called for glass of
tgikker.n
"rhis isn't a bar, and We don't sell
IGkker' here, but we cRh give you glass
Of soda" said one OF the clerko.
The customer excused his mistake by
explaining that being near-sighted, he
mistOok the fountain for new tangled
bar. Alter trying one glass he concluded
10 take 4 second, and the clerk changed
the flavor on him from lemon to chocolate.
Be noticed that IL had different taste.
and his interest was aroused. He called
for a third and a fourth glass and got
strawberry and pineapple.
"Damme If | ever saw the like of that"
he muttered. "Yer get different kind of
speriis every time you tap the barrel"
He seemed determined to find out how
many havors there were and the
clerk changed them every time.
lie had 10 give it mp on the seventh
glass, which had coffee favor but he
Gii il reluctantly, and as he went OUT be
vowed TO himself that he would come back
and try 1t again in the afternoon. but he
did not and it was presumed that ne was
being treated for cholera mOrbus