The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-06-01
The BOWERY
Past and Present.

Belshazzer's feast, point Individually to the des-
tiny OF this notorious thoroughfare. Another
Instance OF the Bowerys decline Is the closing up
OF a welEknown clothing house in Chatham
Square. which has taken place quite recently.
The concern was once one Of the largest and
most prosperous In the city. and was conducted
ably enough TO merit the Continuance Of It's pat
ronage. but II could not wit hstand the Inevitable
tide Of decadence which overfiowed the vicinity,
and was consequently finally closed up, after a
desperate struggle for existence, a few weeks
ago.
The large dry goods merchants in Grand
street have suffered In q degree from the de-
cline OF the Bowery in public estimation and
ind It hard to get the same class Of people into
their stores as fiocked there in the earlier years
OF their existence. Even patrons who prefer
spending their money there find it hard to over
come their prejudice against visiting the vi
cinity.
There Is in fact, no lack Of evidences to prove
mat the Bowery has declined In the last few
would have been supposed to warrant, and
although the step, In view Of old memories and
associations, Is reluctantly taken, the London
and Liverpool Clothing Company feels that TO
preserve ifs reputation for successful and con-
spicuous enterprise the time has come when. be-
fore any sign Of rs sharing the fate of other
concerns has become visible, ii is well to retire
from the arena in which 1t has so long main
tanned its reputation as a pioneer and champion
establishment.
The London and Liverpool has served the pub
lie for fifteen years In the most faithful manner,
catering 70 the wants Of its millions OF custo-
mers SO correctly that it has had. although the
object Of constant imitation and rivalry. but
little to consider In the way Of competition,
and there viii doubtless be many who viii regret
2 learn that an institution which has won and
period Of time finds II prudent to
bring its long and prosperous career
to a termination; for not only has this
well known establishment been the means Of
] providing means for the economical clothing Of
the family and cutting the enormous profits Of
the merchant tailors and high-priced clothing
I daQfarQ 10 Tiaraa hrf ~ hQz dnng rUrCh 20 i'm
prove the locality in which its enormous interests
have been centred and TO keep back the tide Of
deeadence which has for several years past
threatened its prosperity.
Concerning the causes which have conduced to
bring about these results, IL may be said that
they are almost entirely traceable TO one simple
origin. Fashion, OF course. can do much 10 do
or undo n centre of business. but IL was never
upon its prestige as q mart Of fashion that the
bowery prided itself.
1t will doubtless continue for many years to be
a shopping thoroughfare of some little imDor-
lance FOR local trade. as does BECKER street with
is small haberdashery and general stores. or
Division with its millinery emporiums and small
ware or sidewalk business, but 1t might have
been more than that. a training thoroughfare
with stores carrying goods suitable to the needs
OF all classes and notable simply from the aggre-
cation Of business interests which 1t included.
Needless newspaper writers and careless
thinkers have attributed TIE downfall OF tho
Bowery to the spread Of saloons and other
cheap places Of amusement. They have de-
nounced IL as a den of thieves. a gathering
pace for the fiotsam and 1etsam Of the city's
| life an ultima thule Of responsibility into which
the better class Of inhabitant could only venture
at the risk Of not only his social status. but also
of his reputation The fact of the matter Is
that the Eowery Is, from Chatham square to
the Cooper Institute, as harmless and decent a
thoroughfare as any in the whole city, owing to
the magnificent manner In which the police per-
| form their duty and the extra vigilance they
:, display ia order to counteract the Influence OF
the exaggerated rep1rts which APP
pf ar in the papers concerning the
most trivial occurrences in its neighbor-