The morning call., 1890-04-29
STREET MERCHANTS.
A Business Which Offers Fair
Profits and No Losses.
Candy Pays Better Than Cutlery-Making
Change for Merchants-Big Money in
Shoe-L ces- Collar-Buttons,

| Verify, one-half the world does not know
how the other half lives.
10 the ordinary passer-by the street-ped-
dler, with his fixed location, and with
stock-ln-trade that has nothing in the shape
| OIL novelty to attract, has poor show to
make both ends meet
| With the thousands of stores cutting one
another's Threats in the matter of prices,
each trying to sell more for less money than
| lts neighbor, one wonders where there can
lie shadow of profit for the street yender
OF such everyday commodities as suspend
ers, razorS. ties, knives, etc.
For his peregrinating brother-in-trade,
| VINO roams from street to street, and from
mouse to house, one can imagine possible
living. But that one who is tied down to
certain street corner for years should sue
| ceed III taking in a comfortable supply of
dollars from day to day on articles that can
be bought at any and every store seems an
impossible belief.
UT again some new-fangled notion that
catches the eye at once some patent cure
all that has its merits voiced under a big
blaze of light and lungs at crowded corner
atnlght, that one can readily understand
ness man would, from choice, buy, say, a
package of candy for his youngsters or
pair of scissors for his wife from one of
these sidewalk merchants rather than from
regular store?
THE TRADE IS ON THE INCREASE.
One would fancy the candy would be
blessed with an extra coat of dust-coverng
that would have no merit in the youngsters
hot SttyIa
OF scissors would be necessarily circum-
scribed. Because, remember, cheapness
does not enter into the question. Both
candy and scissors, and the suspenders he
may invest in for himself, cost just as much
as similar goods purchased elsewhere. And
sun the trade goes on and is on the in
crease.
'"Of what 1 call my high-priced stock,
all that cutlery and such dear goods in that
glass showcase there on the sidewalk"
SAID the gentleman who halls from Smyrna,
and who has occupied the same stand on
California street, just below Montgomery.
Tor the last eight years, " can't say l sell
near enough. Of course, when do sell it
tells up in the days takings. But then 1t
isn't every day.
Ny best customers for such expensive
goods are country folk, who are bound to
take in everything as they pass along, and
II they see razor that suits them will as
soon buy from me, as they are not posted
as to stores generally. My largest, steadiest
business Is, however, in my 10-cent packages
of candy. Brokers and business men get
to be regular customers. and would no more
think Of going home without lot of cough
drops Chey're 'trumps' just now, or
chocolate creams than they'd think of
swearing off their 4-o'clOck cocktail after
Change.
MAKING CHANGE FOR MERCHANTS.
Then, many's the time in day mer-
chant who wants change for S. or $40
piece will buy 10 cents of liquorice to get it.
See? Profits? All, if only made my own
candyI If | had the capital, the profits
would be worth talking about. Now, if l
net, say, So to ST day I'm doing well.
But for real, genuine profits, give ME
shoe-laces. Yes, l know they are only
cents each, but if l could only sell enough
Of them | tell you there's bonanza in
them! The trouble is so few Calfornians
wear ace-shoes Yet look at the host of
shoe-lace peddlers on the streets. Men who
sell nothing else, too, and they all make
wages Another good line? Well, specta-
below me has got quit of everything else
and is content with them as q speciality,
and he ought to know.
mol l don't think we fixed Sidewalk
merchants have in some respects as good
show as the roaming peddler. Take those
Arabians! They hight their way into house
after house with their Jerusalem goods
such as crosses, beads, etc, and can force
sales where we cannot. Made in Jerusa-
lem? Not much At least-if it wont shock
the faith of tue faithful too much-two-
thirds of the goods Are manufactured in
Philadelphia and Paris
LIKE MARK rwAIN's RELICS.
Yes; something like Mark Twain's
relics of the Holy Land. But really, next
to shoe-laces, if we only had a show in col
lar-Duttons! But what's the use of talk
ing? See that shrimp of boy across the
way? I'll bet new pair of suspenders
he's taken IN days wages already, and
it's only 3 o'clock"
Say, sonny, hOw's the cOlIar-buttOn
We'll, quietly responded the juvenile
merchant addressed Ia bright lad of 10
years., Its fair. You see it's now Just 3
O'Clock have taken in 81. I'm good for
five or six hours yet, ana hope to double
that. Hall of that is profit. That would
give me 81 for my days work. No, don't
always average that. Say about 81 % to
81 50-thats good enough, Ell?
Where's my pull? Well, see here;
there's whole lot of tony swells that want
good dinners and good coats, and good
horse and buggy once in a while to take
their best girl out for a drive in. Well,
they can't afford to be as tony inside as
they are outside. That gives me my show.
Why? Let me get inside any bank or in
Surance or wholesale house about lunch
time, and can sell bone sets till further
orders, all for 10 cents
THE COLLABORATION BUSINESS.
Then they don't last forever, thank
goodness! And besides, having cost only
dime, the wearers are not half as particular
as they would be with sets that cost more
money. tell you, sir, you'd be surprised
at the people that seem to want TO buy from
me 'on the quiet l suppose they'd feel
too. small at going into big store with
their swell appearance, and marching up to
counter and ask for set of buttons for 10
centsl
1t wouldn't do. So, don't you see.
there's the great secret of my success. In
the same way l change off sometimes and
peddle cigars-three for a quarter. Many's
the swell who'll stuff his vest-pocket at
that price if he happens to strike me quietly
In his office, or outside restaurant, that
wouldn't be seen going to a eigar-store and
asking for anything less that the best %
cent cigar you've got, please
But nobody's the wiser, except me and
the fellow who 'borrows a smoke from him
during the afternoon. Does he sufferP
That's not my business. I'm only on the
SELL"
Has Seen Chinatown.
Justin A, brother OF Senator X. F. Petit
grew, of South Dakota, has been visiting