New-York tribune., 1894-02-04
DIR. GREER'S PAWNSHOP.
4 START SOON TO BE MADE.


sald to provide anything like q permanent remedy
FOR temporary wants OF honest working people, who
tbroughout tho year, IN good times as well as IN
bad times, And themselves frequently, through no
fault OF their own In need OF temporary ASSIST
ance to tide the wants Of the passing hour.
Many schemes employed 10 meet !nmeoia'eiy the
wants Of those in distress are wise Jhey are heip-
,,y " n prcat measure to keep families together.
But then often nothing Is distributed but food' ana
even for this the applicant must IN many cases
have n few pennies or else ticket some, II IS
true. will be glad to get the ticket az slIt' out
the greater number would sooner pay Tor II II they
could II they haven't the five cents or can't get It
,,ov rus. navn some OF their household goods.
They must have money. But how much greater
need Is there for money on the part or those who
are willing TO pay for things ct ordinary prices in
ordinary times and at ordinary places? Ihere are
olwavs In q big city like New-York thousands OF
>,,nilics c!rcumstanced In this way. because Of
s,okness Il may be- because the head oe the family
"a ont OF work. or because all the breal-wnners in
a household may have been unable to IND employ
man, What IS 10 be done? In the first instance,
n rule they draw their credit Such people have
always been punctual in their payments when they
s.,d and the grocer and the baker and the butcher
and even the landlord stand ready to honor the de-
n,ands Of their customers for at least reasonable
time TIE landlord is the first to put down his
foot The demand, grim ana ineXoraole, OF the
agent II must have my rent" heard for the first
tine by struggling family. willing but unable to
nay will send as cold shver down their backs
nc the most biting winter blast. And 1t Is often
the case that the more deserving n person happens
10 be the less consideration IS shown him Where
such Is the case. the way the landlord reasons 1t
out is somewhat like this IF man such as
this sober capable and willing TO work can't get
work. what guarantee have for my rent in the
futureo II he had been an intemperate his
turning over new leaf might mean his fortune
and the security OF my rent The others who are
engaged in helping him out stand the strain longer
and more willing 70 subsst on promises than
IS the landlord. But there comes an end even 10
their confidence What, then. is the family TO do?
Credit is impaired and self-respect Is damaged
WHAT MOVED DIR. GREER.
Whom the writer spoke to the Rev DR.. David H
Greer pastor of St. Bartholomew Protestant
Episcopal Church. that clergyman said that con-
sderations such have beel here outlined induced
him to cherish the notion Of starting pawnshop
not of course. 10 make money, but to relieve just
such people without making them feel IN any degree
Inundated
1.-The enormous profits accruing from the high
rate Of interest which people engaged in the regular
pawnbroking business are permitted by law 10
charge have made me ask frequently II II were not
possible to have some system OF lending money
on say q basis Of philanthropy and per cent or
even less than per cent" said DR.. Greer II he
went on "in the case OF a family such as that
sroken Of which might be regarded as a typical IN
stance of the class Of people whom we Wonld
De anxious 10 reach We were enabled to lena some
money, say S25 or So. or even as high as MV' no
body would know anything about it; It would give
them heart and hope, ana might be the means OF
staying the disruption Of honest household ana
Its descent into a condition of total poverty or
charitable dependence We know through our
church committees Of SO many cases where timely
assistance Of some such character not as charity
but as q simple business transaction, would have
concluded we must begin, and begin az once.
In the Rev Dr. Greers congregation are some OF
the wea,thiest men in New-York, ana ne says lie
has talked the subject over with them, and siecu-
lated carefully upon the chances OF success uhueT-
living the project. Some OF these men are well ac-
ouaintea with the plan upon which the mont de
riA,e IN Paris is conducted, at merely nominal
rate Of per cent interest and In towns In other
European countries where similar plan tAoush
on a smaller scale, is found 20 work well anu even
20 paw fair profit. lie emphasized the ciheEehce
between 7 per cent or per cent or even per cent
as compared with the maximum charge o. 81 per
cent per annum interest, which the law allows
pawnbrokers who do business in the state OF New
York 10 charge. The scheme rs ii IS operated IN
Roston and some other cities has also been looked
into and examined carefully
SOON TO BEGIN OPERATIONS.
.'When do you expect TO begin?"
1--WE should be able to make beginnlng, he
orerate the simple pawnbrokng feature. but begin
business on the plan of taking chattel mortgages
on household effects. When we have gone on some
little time It may be possible 70 obtain charter
from the present Legislature enabling us TO become
an Incorporated society, with power on payment OF
course Of the usual license fees, 70 do business
either on that plan as pawnbrokers, loaning
money at n merely nominal rate. or 10 carry on
both arrangements at the same time ana looKihs
10 the same end Under the chattel martgage pan
we will not be obliged to pay any license ana 50
can start right in at once"
What special reason has gwen favor 70 'H''
plan?" he asked.
"V-eu" he answered, "there was more than one
reason do not believe in Undertaking anything
unless success IS reasonably assured. nave no
doubt in my mind that this matter is gong 10
succeed; but as it is entirely new to NewYork 1t
NAV be well 70 go slowly at Arst Then again. the
chattel mortgage plan will not require that we
should have whole house In which TO carry on
b,sjness or even floor or even a store with WIN
dows IN which the things pledged are dispiayeu' as
you may see In the ordinary pawnsAops' An ONCE
will be ample for all purposes"
Have you the money TO begin with?
81 found that the easiest part Of the work
Dr Greer answered. "curious 1t may appear;
and Il was welcome Information for me also 70
find that large numbers of people In dinereht pars
OF the city have for some time past ana without
each other knowing It. been thinking out plan
Of kind. we Sndll DeS4H Will Z" 90"
scribed capital 10000 and pledged capital or
SEQ 90. From this last named sum we VIII take
over $1,000 a fairly reasonable amount TO begh
with and sufficient TO show 70 what extent worthy
people will be found ready 70 avail themselves Oh
the helping hand we propose holding out to them
with nobody the wiser but themselves
MAKING A CAREFUL BEGINNING.
"Will YOU have the kindness TO give an outline
of the general plan?" said the reporter.
with pleasure" answered DR.. Greer. NOW that
Il has been definitely settled that we shall 20 on II
will be of interest TO everybody TO know. Our pro
cedure will be very simple. First, we want a Dooh-
keeper. and 1 might say we nave engaged one a,
the person of a woman. who has come TO me with
high and trustworthy testimonials. Outside OF the
mere mechanical labor expected OF her know that