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

Every dog mas his day-ayc. and every thor
onrhfare too. A historic spot is the old Bow
arv with It's Kaleidoscope views of humanity, its
m.,titudtnous marts OF and pleasures
and It's reminders of things that have been. that
hove aourished. that have gone, that have had
their day.
who hears Of Division street or catharine
street as great arteries OF nowf Yet
a quarter of a century ago they were the centres
OF fashionable trade. Now the word Ichabod is
written over their walls. and the caterers to the
wants Of the fashionable crowd have moved east
ward. northward, westward-any way so long as
they could reach those whose wantsit was their
business to supply.
Now It is the Bowery whose fate { rembles in
the balance, whose glory has waned, Whole ap-
pearance is so significant of the fact OF the de-
cline Of its commercial Importance thar a gr eat
house. whose name Is known far ald Wild
almost as well as that OF the thoroughfare which
1t has been an important factor in building up,
deems il prudent to leave the historic site which
forms the basis on which It's enormous trade has
been founded, and to transfer its Interests else
where.
The London and Liverpool Clothing Company
first started in business at the corner OF Hester
ond Bowery fifteen years ago, and no one would
dream that the colossal est ablishment which to-
day stands upon the same site originated In as
unpretentious a manner as it really commenced.
Pluck, perseverance and business ability on the
part Of the management, however. soon won
for the London and Liverpoola great and lasting
reputation. Its bargains were talked of as
matters Of everyday interest; its enter prise
evoked the Jealousy OF hundreds of its less
prosperous rivals. In fact, so successful were
its methods of doing business that numbers OF
smaller concerns, desiring to secure the advan-
tages Of It's firmly established reputation,
preyed upon its clients by doing business In the
vicinity under names such as The London
.sThe Liverpool" 6 c.-titles calculated not
only to deceive and disappoint the public, but
also to bring discredit upon the great house, Of
which they were only petty and fraudulent imi
tators.
But a few years ago the Bowery was at its
zenith, and some Of the finest furniture estab-
shments to be found in the city we're TO be
found there. Two of these, situated scarcely a
stones throw from the London and Liverpool,
are nme instances Of the decay which
has fallen UPON the trade Ia this vicinity. :,
The cigar store at the corner OF Grand and
Bowery: who does not mem it in its palmy
days. what a grand stand it was for the "choic-
est brands, y and how It waned aud waned until
finally il is now no more The hotels, even the
theatres, although they still fad tenants, have
changed so much that those who have not
visited New YORK for a number OF years would
scarcely understand what subtle, devastating
influence had swept over them, leaving but the
remembrance of past prestige and trfumphs TO
keep them in the memory.
Not that there are no theatres and even hotels
on the Bowery whers goodly nntriment is pro-
vided either for body or mind, but tms has
wrought its changes, manifold and nantes {,
which, Ike the handwriting on the wal at