The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-19
THE STREET MERCHANTS.
NOVELTIES WHICH HAVE MADE
BIG FORTUNES.
The Fifteen Puzzle and the Chestnut
G0ng-Dealers in All Kinds
Of Articles.


Yet he managed to patent it and every
one of the liHle articles bore the word
"DeIose." This was not the makers
name. 1t seems ne cassary to say this,
because go many people believe the
word, which mears ENTERED at Sta
TONERS Hail." or patent applied for, "
or Entered with tie Librarian OF
Congress, to be the name OF a French
firm OF vast enterprise, which seems
to manufacture everything. Ihey
called the article "trick'crsck," and
it Was simply a ribbon CT tempered
iron. half an inch in breadth aad
three inches long, which, when bent,
emitted ick.crAcky squeak. X CHI
and poor alike purchased this alb
surd plaything, and the Monsieur
Cnsse, who patsnted it, is said to
have made over 100000 francs out
of t. Whether he aflerward manu-
featured something the general public
did net think ridiculous enough to be
funny, and so lost his million, the D
is no evidence. Somehow mans
winnings always make more noise in
the world than bis losings. Perhsps
because the latter are everyday otcut-
rences. They are in the novelty busi-
nefs, at any tate.
However, the popularity of this
crick-cTack gave to young American
journalist who was then over in Paris
an idea, which he proudly CARED
home with him. Over little dinner
with few friends ut Martinellis he
unfolded it, He instancsd the man
who had made his fortune in france,
and then taid: "My idea is this;
These novelties selling ON the
sretts in al csuntii,s are chang
ing every day, ana the man
who catches the market first makes a
good hing of it every time. Now, l
propose 10 form company OF three
one to rem ain here, one 10 20 to Mel
bourne, in Austria il, snd l will take
caro OF Paris aud London. When one
picks up an thing likely to have a
RAPID sale he shall at oDcs cable par
ticulais to the other two members,
and also make a shipment that will
hold the market until the article can
be manufactured"
This did seem feasible scheme, and
the International Novelty Company
was at once formed. In year the
New York member was junior ra'tner
in law firm, the one who went to
Paris was Wi ing letters on Irish af-
fairs to Western paperF, and the one
who went to the Antipodes was tend
ing sheep on big ranch. Strange to
say the firm went busted" on one OF
the biggest success es in thtir line of
later day?. This YVES the fifteen puz-
zle. Neither the English nor the
French could see anything in it. The
street hawkers could not be got to
handle it, and although in London
it was offered for a penny there were
no buyers, snd The young firm had an
immenfe stock on hand, which they
left with the warehouses in lieu oil
rent. Their French crick-ciack was
heard on Broadway for day only, and
tbtir jumping kangaroo sold to some
extent in England, but here scarcely
at all.
swell, that fifteen puzzle 'wasn't
much any way" said a large dealer on
Anne street the other day. 81 bad
ten gross On consignment, and did
not sell ten dozen in fortnight Then
che Sur day the Herald came ou' with
two columns about the stupid thir 6,
and on the Monday following Gle AIRED
out The whole OF my stock. Then for
whole month we were selling them
as fast we could. No, nobody made
fortune out of it. For time we
sold nothing else scarcely, Sd tie
thing ever ed itself up in that way.
"ADything since? Well, there was
the waltziDg top, that had a coed run
for a short time Then came the
Waterbury watch, which was very
good as a ten cent toy. Next week we
shall have hunting case watch, with
guards ard charms and all complete,
stem winder, goes as longs as you wind
it. They VIII sell at from fifteen to
twenty-five cents and COS. ON
81 so to SIS per gross. TEEN
there's the kicking mustang
aud-what Toys for grown up peo-
pie? Yes, of course, but the only
thing since the fiji cen puzzle of that
sort is the chestnut gong That's
another thing the newspapers have
made fer us. The puzzle was manu-
featured down East, but where il
came from l haven't the slightest idea
These chestnut gongs are mtde in
Philadelphia, snd there is factory Of
400 or 500 hands getting them out as
fast IS they can. / think they are
making them at Springfield as well
How many are sold? Millions Why
l sell fifty gross day, at 70 cents 9
dozan."
1T must be making fortune fol
somebody"
81 don't know; I don't think many
fortunes are made in the business
You see q man is liable 10 get himself
overstocked, and when the public
within for such a thing has passed
away, his stock isn't worth shell
room. But when q thing is
dead here it is not altogether out Of
the market. We always flood New
York fist, and when the article gets
old here it goes out West and to the
les er cities"
Fourteenth street, from Broadway
to S xth avenue, is always alive with
vendors. There are generallya rounc
dozen or more eel ing flow ers, and tn:
florists have several ,imss called the
attention of the authorities to The fact
that many of these bawKeIs have nc
license. When 1osss are 50 deer
you can buy a bunch o.
half dozen on Twanty.fourth
street for % cant. The florist
natural Y, does not like this, 50 he
never Sc Is his waste stock. He emp
ties it in the ash barrel instead, AID is
careful to put some ashes on the top
for fear the flowers may be picked out
and sold. It does seem iggaidly, bu'
he will tell you that the street trade
very much Injuries his business. Pc
pie walk into his store and wan
flowers at very little over the ruinouf
prices they are sold at on the streets
REMARKABLE RESEMBLANCE.