New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-11
FISHING FOR BANANAS.
HOW EAST.SIDE BOYS GET FREE FRUIT-oNE OF
ODD SIGHTS Or THE RIVER FRONT

HOW EASTSIDE BOYS GET FREE FRUIT-ONE OF
ODD SIGHTS or THE RIVER FRONT.
When a boy wants n thing and wants II enough TO
make an effort for it, ne usually gets II. When New
York boy wants thing he leaves the usually out ana
simply gets II. And Now York boys IKE irmt' ana
HIKING IT, they want H. and wanting it, they get It,
There ways and ways Of getting fruit-some boys
buy II but the boys OF the east side. whose homes
in the towering combinations OF beehive and pig
pen called tenement houses. have way peculiar 10
themselves, which has the merit ofbeing cheap simple
and limited as TO results only by the deXterity OF he
10y who Is working the snap The piers AT GA sup
the East River front. afford examples OF TINS WHY
Of obtaining fruit There the small but swift sailing
Norwegian steamers land when they come up from
with their holds packed full OF green bananas
which arc taken from the ship and slowed away IN
collars 10 rpen. on the voyage from CUBA many
rp,ri on the lunch and sometimes hands OF
dozen or fifteen Will show the faint unge OF yellow
in the green which tells the stevedore ana hahuers
that they will be rotten before the OF ais are ripe
With the bananas come a large quantity of thin,
smooth, soft hay used as packing. This the boys
spread ont near the strngpece Of the pier When
q steamer In and the top hay Is pitched out
the bows get pieces OF stout wire fifteen feet
long bend one end OF II into double loop. and then,
each having selected his own place, lie down on the
.taw and stretching as the srnSIaccc as they
can walt for the fruit which has begun TO rpen
As fast a, 1t Is discovered overheard It comes. and
then the fun begins fishing for bananas Is lively
while # lasts. Hooks crossed and tangled, frht
half wny mp to the sringpece slips from the loop and
drops back into the water and not nfrequently the
boys adjourn the fishing and settle dispute In boy
l-hon. When The fruit +, once landed on th" pier.
however the rights Of ownership are strcly regarded
The whole crowd wond jump the one who would
attempt 10 steal fruit which had been rescued from tho
waves In tho water it Is Hotsam, but once on the
pier It f. private property. one OF the boys lad
about twelve years old. swimming between the
sigmcr's bow and the dock. lie had stripped on
tic pier and with clothing to bother him. was
padding back and forth. paying no attention 10 the
fruit which Wa swept aside n every stroke.
Il.'s q Wholesaler" said one OF the boys. lie
won't touch nolhin' but lunches Look Az that'
lie had found under the pier hand OF at least
twenty ripe. yellow bananas. and swimming back
fastened them on rhc hook Of hi, partner. who was
waiting FOR him. The partner hauled them up, and
sang out
Hoy. Jimmy, dcrc', anuddcr bunch over dcrc by
tho mud hook"
Jimmy snam over 10 the steamers anchor and
brought back another hand" Of about fifteen, which
were disposed Of in the same way.
Another lad split piece on box cover and lower
Ing himself by the chain stood on the anchor stock
and reached for fruit which he could get I'm no other
way. lie also had II partner on the pier who took
charge 81 the captured Hoaters Stn another got
cohblestOnc and a few nails, and built nmsy raft
on. 81 pieces Of board and OH that fcullcd around
ia the open stretch OF water. and having loaded one
end OF his homemade bumsdt, brought His cargo
safely 10 land These only few Of the methods
adopted by New York boys when free fruit Is 90 be
had for the taking, and that the enterprise OF the
boys 4, appreciated is shown 10y the care taken by
truck drivers MT TO treSpass with heavy ,wheeb, on
-irndglcre when the haul Is more than usually rich.
and ali tho eyes belonging TO the owners OF the toes
are fixed on the floating sweetness so near and yet