The Somerset reporter., 1893-07-13


Want To Wear Expensive Apparel. but
Can't Pay Very Much For 1t.
Down II the unsayory and III favored
quarter Of HJundsditch. behind the area
Of the city where countless gold Is made
and turned over, there l. an inclo.ed
space, part Of the 50 called Pills build
ings. which goes by the descriptive name
| Of the Old Clothes Mart. Admission to
it is obtained on payment Of a penny az
entrance fee, collected by a man stand
ing at the barrier that divides the street
| from the emporiulAs beyond. The gen
eral aspect is far from inviting. and
| first cursory glance seems to reveal only
! a collection Of rags and decrepitnde Thu
| floor is nothing more than the pavement.
| The roof is the sky. and III rain or sun
shine the heaps Of clothes are exposed
without protection to the changes Of the
capricious London climate. On slnshy
days they present lamentable appear
ance.
There are no benches or stalls. as in
Other markets only lines Of wooden rail
ing running along the Enclosure marked
out in lengths and apportioned 70 tho
different vendors. The goods are packed
in sacks or bundles deposited on the
flags, and at the open month or top If
each is displayed a sample Of its con-
tents, which is also temptinglv LAID
across the rail, whence depend the leg,
of trousers. the sleeves of dresses. the
frills Of petticoats, the soles Of boots or
the handles Of sticks and umbrellas. The
goods vary considerably in quality and
aspect. Some are moldy. tattered or
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 e
the business i'll person at their froIt
doors. The dealings are not carried on
i'll cash. The hawkers, with astute knowl-
edge of human nature, offer i'll exchange
crockery, plaster figures or even flowers
i'll pots experience having successfully
proved that bust, a pair Of vases or a
water bottle worth sixpence Is infinitely
more tempting than shilling and the
buyer has the satisfaction Of emptying
the barrow laden with f1ashy, worthless
articles at a profit of so per cent.
When his original stock in trade is re-
placed by wearing apparel, the hawker
adjourns to the neighborhood Of the
mart, where he finds 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 off
wholesale quantities for Belfast Dublin,
Cork and other localities beyond the
channel Taking into consideration the
nature and general appearance of the
consignments it is startling to learn
on good authority that occasionally $50
and even $40 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. vet are
eagerly bought whatever their state.
They are sent to Paris for the sake of
the silk on them and there manufactured
into new ones. Goats vary more in price
than any other article; some go for a
penny, some for sixpence and upward to
IS. There was legend on the mart that
one coat was actually sold for "a tenner,n
Clothes that have been Worn by the
highest and richest in the land have
found their downward way to Hounds
ditch, not excepting those once belong
ing to the Prince of Wales. not that the
noble owners are 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 we'll to do capital
lists. One of them is the proprietor Of
several houses i'll a good quarter of Lon,
don. Others have large balance at the
! bank, and others still own considerable
! property i'll stocks and shares. They
turn over thousands Of pounds in the
course of ayear. which is not surprising.
as the mart Is opened every day and Wis
tied by 600 or 100 people on week davs
and by 4.o00or 1000 on SUNDAYS. \ not
able particularly is that while on week
days the stalls are free and charge Is
made for the admittance Of The public
on SUNDAYS the Stallh0ldt Is IaV "A small