New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-23
PAWNBROKERS' HARVEST
THE POOR STILL PLEDGING THEIR POS
SESSIONS

Of grace, and OF Democratic supremacy IN oruer
TO guard carefully those stray nlckeis which III
more prosperous times were wont to SIP through
their fingers by the day after day But wheh
few illustrations are given. the oep'h vi ''e
necessity to which comparatively wel-to-do people
have been reduced in regard to most ordinary
wants OF life may be estimated with reasonable
accuracy
Perhaps the first time in long series OF pros
porous years the with a diamond IN MS sni'.
front like the headlight Of an engine. ana "a.ch
chain as thick as one OF the cables OF the Brooklyn
Bridge who keeps that corner saloon. has opened
his TIL at the close Of long days VIGIL ana
found 1t practically empty 1t Is at this stage that
the pawnbroker steps In and mas MS 'i' iu'
II Is here that the shoemaker steps IN 100 anu
also the tailor and find their tls In part fuii NOT
the shoemaker who makes shoes. but rather the
shoemaker who mends them. Not the tailor VINO
makes clothes. but rather the tailor who mends
them.
The writer stood recently In the early morning
talking with a merchant tailor in Nassau-st'' whose
customers are all persons OF means, ana IN tne
afternoon and evening OF the same day he avniied
himself Of a like privilege In the shop or KNIGHT
Of the thimble" who does business uptown Inc
same In the. case of the shoemaker whom he knew.
And in the Office OF a pawnbroker
HE CAN'T BUY NEW CLOTHES.
A man comes into the tailors shop with his coat
or trousers done up In a parcel. There ne says.
"a he throws II down with disguised look. Il
want lining pu; in the sleeves
"A wear ago." says the tailor. turning to the
writer. that man wouldn't carry parcel "hu'"
less get his coat mended
But the rawnbroker has reaped the rchest mar
vest He required more capital ana more paue'oe
for the turn OF his money, u Is true put III 'ne
end he reaped the harvest. and that ~ the "a''
thing There some reduction IN the business
OF those he looked upon ordinary customers on
ha, no
,ont awn-ofIces that have been started since the
beginning Of the year. bat this falling OF mas
been more than made up by an Increase IN TRACE
from other quarters.
81 account for IT," said one OF these pawnoroK-
ers "in something the same way as the surface
cars accounted for their increase OF trahc a'ter
the elevated road built. More people began
10 use the cars than ever used them before.
Recentlv the writer walked along "Bowery-st.
Won know yer worship" a. an Enghshmhh de-
scribed II the other day. and took look al the
three golden balls which dangle from the house
tons at convenient distances from one another
man went into Simpsons pawnbrokng place
inst then He was n well-dressed man. with not
much appearance OF swagser about him. but nav
ing withal one Of these airs which seem 10 say:
| what | don't know. is not worth knowing See
What can do for you, SIT salu MI H""'"'
the manager. politely.
.you can chuck me an X that" he said. In
4 way that was candid and blur. though not
tough" as he drew ont massive gold watch ana
laid II the counter
rs ten all you want" said the manager. looking
at the watch and looking at the man
That's all" he said. lie got his SO and his ucke'
and went away.
AK ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SORT.
Then the manager turned to another person. who
an,oared IN his shirt sleeves and said What IS II?
GIVE us four see" said the coatless citizen
whose long hair when you looked a, his profile
made him seem dangerously Ike a poet He too
handel over a watch and waited. lie had not long
10 walt
81 can 10. you have 20 cents" said the manager
HANDY: but TO be candid with you. We would
ra Their not take such things at all
,.Flfry cents" exclaimed the owner. "Wih you
Just step outside FOR about Eve minutes he added
in tone Of menace.
"No" REPLIED Mr. Adam "Some other time
Meanwhile tell your pats that We don't take brass
watches" Then he turned 20 another man. who
stood quietly in corner and who handed over
pair Of diamond earrings
How much"
FIFTY dollars"
"Fry dollars, That's jus, about what we'd get
for them Il we were selling them tomorrow They're
worth more | know. bu, that is Just about what
we'd get FOR en- I'll lend you ~"
40 sir. not a cen, more"
"Bu, when pledged them before YOU gave me
"Forty-hve dollars" the manager answered begin
Ming to g; tired. ..o..,. s,rh
VERY well. said tho customer Win "e"'' 's"'
Then the monager. turning TO the reporter. SAID:
81 suppose you are looking for points about me
husinre, Now YOU have Just three types ~
men. and It doesn't need any cNtraoriinary Gl.y'r
ness 10 she them IN The brass waich i"Ho", j.
a Bowcry tough and probably thief Inc oth"r
one VINO borrowed The So On eoa , Voc. xe,s b s
up regularly and comes here at ne same uiy hhi
hour while the man VINO stood gs'' y9 IN nou Via
corner and obtained $ij on the earrings YOU cVhti
see was a harl-working. honest man. VINO mas itl
hs wife TO oncr her earrings In pawn. Yes ne
continued I'VE know h'ilc about human i,hme
yourself?'' he said all Of sudden.
no HOSTILE LEGISLATION.
"I want TO know" said the writer. what new
,oc,s,a,lon has gone into effect recently directed
against pawnbrokers"
There has been new legislation he answered.
gleefuly rubbing his hands. There was consi'er-
able talk In the last Legislature about lowering the
rate Of interest which we charge. ana some other
restrictions OF unjust character which can
not al this moment recall; but they never came to
a vote know we are ana nave ", P I,rest T,t
that Is generally done when me tines are haru
We think we are benefactors 10 humanity. ana II
Won knew all the workings of this business you
would the same yourself; 49,, s. ,,, ,oor,v
s,ore wen lighted and well ventilated. only por-
lion OF that one big building which Is occupied from
cellar to ceng are " huge saas and there are cellars
and sub-cellars and vaults packed with costly
things. ,, -. ..o...1. -, ,o,or,
worth of stun in this small place said he: AZ he
onened the door of a huge safe taller than the tall
cst man and allowed the reporter 10 enter and ex-
anime The rows OF little drawers as close together
a. Tho letter-boxes in the General POstohice. and
each one filed with hundreds OF little packages OF
tev.elrv neatly done up and addressed The whole
Mace is n network OF burglar alarms 80 our sleep
aisuGed on that s a re- sad mr. Adam
I'VE avent noticed II at all, he answered cheer
fully '"rhe small with little capital who do
hIsiness In the back streets doubt have felt
H. and II the times don't take turn for the bet
Ter many Of them will go broke our biggest bust
moss Is In jewclry, and II is done with regular
toners as rule People send us pledges by eX-
nrces from baltimore. from Philadelphia. and from
Connecticut. and we send the money back in the
way. y
a DIFFERENT STORY HERE.
A visit was next made TO NJ Cohen e. Sons. In
rt,fr Ia a DIn