The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-27
A HISTORIC MARKET
OLD CLOTHES IN LONDON ALL DRIFT
TO FAMOUS PLACE.

0lA Clothss Mart In u6undsAitch Attraeta
hundreds u Thousands ~ People Who
Want to Wees E1pensivs Apparel. but
Cant Pay Very Much For IN.
Down in the %unsavory and i'll favored
quarter Of Houndsditch, behind the area
81 the city where countless gold is made
and turned over. there is an inclosed
space. part of the 90 called Phil's build.
ings, which goes by the descriptive name
Of the Old Clothes Mart. Admission to
it is obtained on payment of a penny as
entrance fe.. collected by a man stand
ing at the ba; r,er that divides the street
from the emporiums beyond. The gen.
eral aspect is far from inviting, and .
first cursory glance seems to reveal only
. collection of rags and decrepitude. The
floor is nothing than tic pavement.
The roof is the sky, and in rain or sun
shine the heaps of clothes ar. exposed
without protection to the changes Of the
capricious London climate. On slushy
days they present a lamentsble appear.
ance.
There az - Inches or stalls. as in
other markets. only lines of wooden rail.
ting running along the inclosure marked
out III lengths and apportioned to the
different vendors. The goods are packed
in sacks or bundles lie posited on the
flags. and AT the open mouth OF top OF
each is displayed a sample of it, con.
tents. which is alse temptingly laid
across the rail. whenc- depend the legs
Of trousers. the sleeve, of dresses. the
frills of petticoats. the soles of boots OF
the handles of sticks and umbrellas. The
goods vary considerably. in quality and
aspect. Some are moldy. tattered OF
colorless; others are in fairly good con.
dition, clean and serviceable.
Old Clothes Mart is victualled by hawk.
ers who haunt certain suburban districts
to purchase the cast off garments of the
more modest inhabitants-those who do
not hesitate to discuss the conditions of
the business in person at their front
doors. The dealings are not carried or
in cash. The hawkers. with astute knowl.
edge of human nature. offer in exchange
c~rockery. plaster tSl.rss or even flowers
IN pots, experience having successfully
proved that a bust. a pair of vases or a
water bottle worth sixpence is infinitely
more tempting than a shilling. and the
buyer has the satisfaction of emptyin2
the barrow laden with hashv, worthless
articles at a profit of 80 per cent.
When his original stock in trade is re-
placed by wearing apparel, the hawkei
adjourns to the neighborhood of the
mart. where he finds a group Of men
calling themselves commission buyers
who bid against each other for the whole
lot. The successful competitor forth.
with distributes his bargains among the
holders of the rallied off compartments
inside. who endeavor to retail them to
the customers who have paid the en-.
trance fee. The best of these customers
are always Irish buyers. They carry of
wholesale quantities for Belfast. Dublin,
Cork and ether localities beyond the
channel. Taking into consideration the
nature and general appearance of the
consignment. it is startling to learn
or good authority that occasionally CSC
and even f40 have been paid down in
cash for one lot. Credit is never given,
and payment precedes the delivery Of
the goods.
Hats. which. as a rule, are the most de.
plorable objects. fetch but little, yet are
eagerly bought whatever their state.
They are sent to Paris for the sake OF
the silk On them and there manufactured
new mes. Coats vary more in price
than any other article, some go for a
penny, some for siypence and upward 20
E5. There was a legend on the mart that
coat was actually sold for "a tenner."
Clothes that have been worn by the
highest and richest in the land nave
found their downward way to Hounds.
ditch, not excepting those once belong.
ing to the Prince of Wales. not that the
noble owners are a party to the desecra.
ton. but because the Wallets whose per-
quisites they become know of this way OF
realizing money for them. The bargains
are advantageous to all parties. Some
OF the shabby, disreputable and poverty
stricken looking railing holders at the
mart. the men who haggle desperately
over a ~sixpence. are well to do capital.
One OF them is the proprietor of
several houses in a good quarter of Lon
don. Others have a large balance at the
bank, and others still own considerable
property in stocks and shares. They
turn over thousands of pounds in the
course of ayear, which is not surprising.
rs the mart is opened every day and Wis
tied by 600 or 700 people on week days
and by 1900 or 5000 on Sundays. A not
able particularly is that while on week
days the stalls are free and a charge is
made for the admittance of the public
on Sundays the stallholders pay a small
lee and the customers enter gratuitously.
The mart is open from II to 9. 1t is a
lounge for the jewellers in the
while those on business intent
Sock to it from great distances.
The old clothes mart Of Hounsditch is
not comprised in the list Of the 100 mar
kess mentioned il the report Of the com
Of public control. and it may
therefore continue 4 exist with ilnpuni-