Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-02
OUR NEW. YORK LETTER.
WHAT BECOMES OF THE OLD
CLOTHES OF NEW YORK.
An "Old Clio" MaSuats Clothes That
Arc Turned In by Sneak Thieves-sien
Who Sell Their Clothes-What becomes
Of the Swells' Clothes.

Especial Correspondence
NEW YoRi. Dec cI-You who have won
dered at what becomes Of old clothes or have
puzzled over the business done by the ped
dler, who gives foolish women 10 cent vases
FOR their husbands $50 overcoats. need but
to 60 to Bayard street. near Elizabeth, In
the busiest part Of New York city, to find
your questions answered on scale so vast
as to be astounding. The street is narrow,
dirty, foul smelling and hideous. 1t is one
of the two outlets from Mulberry Bend and
Baxter Bend to the Bowery All day it is
crowded blythe votaries of trade, and all night
by those of vice. In its most crowded quarter
is n small, tumble down frame building, which
seems always on the point OF falling apart
Leading to the basement below the uneven
sidewalk is flight Of stone steps, once rough
but now smooth and polished by the count
less feet OF ascending and descending visi-
tors The Lasem- ut, or cellar, runs back APP
parently as far as the house. In front it re-
csives little daylight from the street, but
everywhere else its illumination comes from
smoking gas jets. Everywhere are clothes
piled up in vast heaps out Of which come the
sallow men and pallid women who renovate
the goods and prepare them for market,
Down tho stone steps marches an army OF
clothes peddlers They are Of every race and
type Most Of them are the itinerants Of
glassware and china fame described, but b.
sids these arc clerks from tailor stores, mes
sencers from slop shops and sweaters, sneak
thieves, low fences TOR receivers 4 stolen
goods, and statesmen from other establish
nents.
Nearly every man carries on his arm tho
goods he has bought. bartered, begged or
stolen during the previous twenty-four hours
Some Is broadcloth from Fifth avenue, and
some rags from tho Five Points Each ar
ranges his load 80 as to facilitate the work OF
the boss Of this cellar. For tho buyer,
manager, bouncer and proprietor is one and
tho same person. lie Is large, muscular
and rather fine looking man with profuson
Of rich but tawdry jewelry and gems about
his person lie sits in . hea, y oak arm
chair nenr tho doorway, so as to
have tine sunlight fab upon the goods
be buys. lie wastes no words nor
even courtesy in his trade. As the would be
seller approaches, he quickly seizes and in
spects the goods, offers a price and his work
is over. If tho seller accepts. the money Is
ready for him there and then If not he turns
and es without word. The men who will
bargain and chatter by the hour with their
customers never waste time in that manner
among themselves. Though the buyer sell
dom ceases Judging and offering, be never
leaves his chair, unless it be to i" fire OUT
tramp or sneak thief Hours at a time his
nionotonous words now out to the single file
of sellers that reaches from him up the steps
to the sidewalk. The talk, though monoton-
GUS is full of interest-and grammatical err
rors. Twenty-Five for them pants. Ten
for that vessT Get out OF here, don't wnnt
no buns around. Ono aud quarter for that
coat. | refused them pants yesterday don't
work this racket second time now or III
shut you uut Of my trade altogether Two
dollars for tlat overcoat. SKIP away there,
you blank thief, l wont take your stuff
a: 10 price, and don't come around here
again; | can't afford to have tho fy cops
uosin. in my store. One dollar for that coat
and vest. Three dollars for that overcoat.
Take away that suit; don't want it. Two
and half for that coat and pants Fifteen
cents for That vest. Twenty for Them pants,
Three dollars for that newmarket One Of
the clerks said: This IL really . wholesale
secon hand clothing place Originally It
was . retail store, like . hundred others in
this part Of tho city 1t did a good business
and the proprietor prospered. When he had
enough money to carry Oh large operations
he opened Q wholesale business, which has
been CROWN: ever since. There arc only .
few other places OF the same sort In this
country, but there are . great many In
Europs
Nv here do second hand clothes come FRONT
From every place where there are men. Very
few come from the great swells. They wear
their costumes much longer than is commonly
supposed, and then give them to their ser
wants The best grade comes from middle
aged busines men. They are careless, and
spot and toll their wearing apparel In no
time. They are too lazy TO do their own
ciec ing, too independent to keep . valet to
do it for them and too proud to send their
stuH around to q professional scoure- Pawn
brokers receive and dispose of q great many
clothes, but Of second rate stun and even
lower. The first ciao STUFF 10 always r.
deemed; in fact, much Of ig is ieft there on
storage, tile men in that business taking II
possible more pains and precautions than the
great tailors on Broadway. Thieves bring .
good deal, but much less than you'd suppose.
They almost always 60 through what they
steal and empty the pockets and cut out any
makers nams, or owners initials or indelibls
ink markA Sometimes when thsy are in .
great hurry they won't 60 to this trouble.
It's only then that We run achancsof finding
anything IN the pockets or coucealsd In the
lining. Do you know that msn leave more
tnatds the Innings Of thsir vsses, coats and
ovsreoass than they loss through holss in
thsf pocksta 4 great dsal Of elc&hing