The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-26
mr. r,urs-p,cHMoNp. VA WEDNESDAY OCTOBER &c. 1892
iInorrnte. Fully 100000 tons Of hsh an
&C - =. II Ia a "a, n ri Of In this manner.

Over fhree-fourths OF oil the nsn con-
spmed by London passes inspection at Bill
I,nesrate. As the market is city property
tbe officials for this purpose. four in num-
her are appointed by the Court OF the Fish
,,,oroers' Company, one OF the ancient but
stiII thoroughly active Guilds or Trades
Cornanies OF London. IL has fine Fish.
,,ongers, Hall near London Bridge. and
eynends may thousands yearly in prevent
inc the sale OF decayed fish. All fish con-
damned by its inspectors are Immediately
convened to a waiting barge, treated with
carboiic acid and sent 70 fertilizing works
AZ Rainham, where after being baked dry
they are ground to powder and sold NJ
about five pounds per ton TO the strawber-
nv and hop farmers Of Kent for fertilizing
purposes.
The fish steamers arrive alongside the
market at all hours Of the night and early
morning. At precisely 8 o'clock in the
morning the market opens. Long lines OF
plank are laid from the market quay over
barges and pontoons to the steamers
decks. and every ounce Of fish is brought
over these in baskets and bags on porters'
heads and backs At the same time the
railway vans are unloading on the land
ward side. But six can be cared for at
the same time. The confusion and en-
tangiement are indescribable
One who witnesses the scene for the first
time is filed with amazement that the
largest and most civilized capital in the
world will tolerate such Anticipated meth
DDS But the porters are wonderfully deft,
alert and carry incredible loads. have
seen many laden with from 200 to 800
pounds weight. They will positively frisk
under barrel Of behring's which weighs
200 pounds, and there is no question that
many OF these fellows can easily get about
the market with upward of400 pounds
properly distributed upon head and back.
These Billingsgate porters are regarded
as the strongest quickest and most ath-
letic men in London. They live in every
respect like the water rats Of the Thames
and the arstocracy of the Whitechapel
district. Their only earthly ambitions are
to eat, drink, visit penny gaffs, rat and
dog fights and excel in pugilism. They
are licensed and the strictest regulations
exist regarding their conduct, even to
the character Of language. To lose their
license is worse than imprisonment as a
criminal. Their regulations" among their
fellows, the costers, and the East End
slums are gained by their prowess and
strength here 1t is their world, their
highest, broadcast outlook, and they are
really curiosities in social or literary study.
They delight especially in odd sounding
nicknames. In my few visits to Billings
gate have already come to know and be
favorably known by "Fishy JIM" "Cocky
jim" BLACK Prince" Jack the Float"
"Happy Jack" Johnny Shoeblack,"
Jimmy Fingers" the latter because OF
his thieving propensities; Blue Nose
Nike" Gross Eyed Joe" and -Four Ale
jim" The latter is never quite at his
best unless he has drunk six or seven
quarts Of ale before breakfast! The oath
of all these Billingsgate porters, like that
of the cOsters, TO which class they have
marked aflinities, is "Gor bli me" and its
wickedness is too abhorrent for transla-
ton. They comprise two classes in their
daily market wOrk-thOse who bring the
fish from the steamers into the market,
who are called "shorers," and those who
remove the fish to the stallmens' wagons
or the costers' carts, who are called mob
bers."
The pugilists of London chiefly have
thei@ origin among the Billingsgate por-
ters They have their regular champions
at "seven stone six D." EIGHT stone six" and
"eleven stone" and Officer 100 Policeman
f. Wade, informed me that there is not a
man among them who has not at some
time or another appeared in Whitechapel
ring. Bill Goode, who fought Slayin, is
still a licensed porter here. Among many
curious characters is one Cornelius Gala
han, known as mike the Tipster." He is
ne'er-do-well and a privileged person.
He makes great ostentation OF his knowl-
edge of the state of the market. Getting
up at o'clock in the morning, he prowls
about the fishing steamers, and then just
before the market opens he slips about
among buyers and sellers and whispers
"the tip o. the day" in their ears. The
ha'penny is always forthcoming. On
Saturday afternoon, just before the mar
ket is closed for the week, they have a
game with Mike" He regularly appears
for his buffeting, and often in the rough
play that ensues poor Mike is nearly killed
Then the hat is passed, and from six to ten
shillings are Away paid the willing victim
All Billingsgate FISH are sold by auction,
and veritable Babel the place is from
to or 9 O'Clock. There are two classes of
sellers. One comprises the regular COM
mission men TO whom the fishermen con-
sign their catches, and the other is Il thor
oughly hated but most prosperous class,
known TO Billingsgate from time iInme-
mortal as "bummarees." These are really
middle men, who practice all possible arts
TO combine and force the regular commits
sion men, who have but short limit Of
time in which to sell, TO dispose of lots at
rniDous prices, and through similar com
bination often compel retailers TO purchase
a. exorbitant rates. But however interest
ing may be the interior of Billingsgate
to the casual visitor, the adjacent thor
oughfares from midnight, when the first
retail buyers begin coming, until the close
of tho market at 8 o'clock, pisvide far
more strange and curious pictures and
groupings. Upper and Lower Thames
Street, Eastcheap and Great Tower Streets,
Tower Hill, Fish Street Hill, ST. Mary-at-
Hill. st. Dustan's Hill, King William
Street. Arthur Streets, east and west, Grace
Court and Love Lane, are apparently in
sxtricably jammed with hundreds of rail
costers' donkey carts and handbarrows
There is no other place In London where
such a vast and so odd tumble of vehicles
and folk may at any one time be seen.
Over 1000 vehicles for the bringing or TAX
ing away Of fish are here. With them are
10000 coster men and women and au TN