New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-27
THE CHESTNUT SEASON.
HOW THE STREET STANDS ARE MADE AND
WHERE THE NUTS COME FROM.

HOW THE STREET STANDS ARE MADE AND
WHERE THE NUTS COME FROM,
A reporter noticing tho stereoyped sameneSs Vi
the chestnut stands, the EmblemS OF l'aiS' a.
,ho aro terselv called which stand on almost every
street corner in the city at this season. set out 0" az
,ryosrgatIno tour IN ascertain more definitely, II
noesitIe how they were made and who makes them
At Mulberry-st the Italian colonial district inc III
vestigatIon started. The lower part OF Muloerrs s
contains nothing but grocery stores ana Iaserooor
shops. where one can buy beer for 8 cents a pint
These people sell for cents what others charse
for. and profit by the operation. There are many
Italians who make regular business of going around
with \ bandcart and several beer kegs which they
IN from, whatever empty" kegs they find standing
outside lager-beer saloons; they drain out all 'o
beer which may be remaining in these Kegs anu 'Ao
il down TO their customers, who buy l. Oh Nom ir
about so cents kcg. At the Five Poh's '"o
principal business IS that OF Understandings '.u
pcntering such as the manufacture OF a'A''e
,ords vendors, wagons chestnut stands etc.
On csnyInc a chestnut stand I'm front OF an Hahah
shop the reporter entered the establishment
which was dark, dingy hole, without any ''s"'
whatever except what was ODtalheu Ho"i AZ
smoking oil lamps As he entered the "ui''No %"
looked up doubtless wondering what he ""uteH 10
such a place. But when hc venhIrd 10 ASH - ''1
boss In ,, he might as we'll have spoken to the wall
NJ the shoulders. which probably meant to Imply thd'
tbev d,d not know Afer i've minutes had Deen
useIesly spent IN trying TO make them UNDERSTAND
tho bos,Y uncerCmonousy ordered the reporter ou''
At the same time leading him toward tho door
Tho next place visited large. pretentous-
looki,g establishments which boosted OF showroom
IN which were stands Of every description In the
hoc, ~ this store was the workshop. Here were
n, ton or eleven men, all busily eng" cd in maxim
chestnut stands Til, month IS the busiest IN me
ycar for the chestnut business, and In consequence
tbo men were making them as fast as they could
Tbev din not put them together a. they are Hsde'
t,', aocb man /, given certain part to make, and
T., his way two can make a stand ready 10 put
IL, in ten or fifteen minutes When all tho
mart, arc ready they put away, each SET Oh parts
!, a separate place Thus, when an oidcr ior
.I cnmcs all they have to do Is TO take odt all
bc narfs aud nail them together whch cah pe uone
inc P par Minutes They cost the manufacturer to
,moln tbcm from 30 cents each upWaNl, McOull6 10
tho quantity he makes ror TS 'o Po', .ilin tbeS
with the stand, he charges ezra III IS'ali'iS M no
, tho manuac turcr charges from Il 10 10 - 20
| oanh thus the profit Is by no means snau ono
Sd'ui ,'u,mcr as a general rule business IS not 50
b,iE but II is usually brisk enough TO employ about
siA 1u VI e ' these stands filed, is another matter Of
which the general public knows little These
Italians when me cnt..no ~ season ppens S
~ tiapkcts some bringing musical instruments with
| me- fayOrite and most popular chestnuthg glouhu
IN ,bcs, Italians Is at Fort Lee and the woods along
| -. pab.a account or the cheapncSS Ot the
| sIc "a IN, easy means OF access. When once
ia a,cd we'll on their way, the separate going
in different directions by iwGs ana ihrees Tor oe''e
LIZ them about day and half 10 separate bnshel
| 20 cbes,nuts each; for, besides getting the nuts on
The res they have TO remove the burrS when tahss
cue israbe time and labor. Tho woods In the north
| crn mart OF York, on the Bank OF the Hudson
| RIVER are also a favorte haunt OF theirs -.
| when an italian has secured a Oushel OF Chost
nuts he is well satisfied aud returns immediateiy 10
H. city 10 find a market for them where he sells az
| fem cents a quart what he pays probably something
like twenty thirty cents bushe for ana whi .,
,rnud moi have cost him ANYTHING had he not had his
fam 10 paw II an Italian sell bushel Of chesth.s
! day. as great many Of them do, ten cents quart
this take say one dollar AMI five cents tor eH
pen SEES and II will be seen at glance. thar goou ous
ness 10 lder means one dollar anu nnoS
| Ave cents net income per day.