New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
YOUNG TRADE ADTENTURERS
HONEST PENNIES TURNED BY LITTLE
STREET WAITS.
! A KEEN SCENT FOR BARGAINs-oDD JOBS THAT
ARE PAID FOR IN GOODS

ARE PAID FOR IN GOODS
To the casual observer the callings Of bootback
and newsboy seem to absorb all the energies OF the
juvenile adventurers OF this great city. Tnere are
scores Of boy5 however, who make their living out
side Of the ranks OF either vocation. Thrown on
their own resources. they put their wits 70 WORK
and strike out into less froquented paths.
Almost any morning. snowy. rainy. windy, promis-
ing clear, however the weather happens to be- an
enterprsing group OF these youngsters may be seen
in the City Hall Park. any of the conspicuous
news centres eagerly scanning the conrlns o.
newspaper. The newspaper nay be the JOINT pro3-
erty OF a.. or else 1t Is loan from some friend
in the news business Picture sque erough these
small. citizens look eager. excited. urged on -
keener interest by the knowledge that bread. ami
perhaps butter. certainly place to sleep depend
UPON their exertons. No man OF business
scans the morning daily moro thougntul!y, seated
at his luxurious breakfast table, than do these
would-be merchants, turned out Of their lodSinS-
PAGES after hasty meal, in the cold light OF
wintry dawn
Here's a canal-boat in," exc!aim9 one
"And a fruit schooner" says another, pointing
with a childish finger to the advertisement
81 guess that's about a. to-day" says the boy
in possession OF the newspaper proceeding 10 iou
it up.
"Iiod onr' exclaims third. II think there was
something about q fire uptown; that would be
chance
In less than five minutes ;he knot of boys that
stood SO long with their heads tosether nave van
ished. Two Of them have gone 10 the cana.-boat'
others to the fruit schooner yet another party mas
SET of uptown TO the scene of the fire. This has
been an unusually good morning, when three such
promising chances for business offer
These boys clean out the canal-boats brush out
the cabins and scrub up the decks bit ana IN re-
turn for their services they get potatoes or other
produce which the boat has happened to bring. and
~
over in the coal bin. The potatoes and Goa bo'h
are readily vended in the tenement-house districts
where the peop.e glad 10 get small. lots at less
than market price.
For helping 10 unload fruit schooner the boys
get paid in oranges or bananas and these they sell
on the streets or round at the different houses
For helping clear UP the rubbish where fire has
made havoc odd lots Of he damaged goods are
given them, such gloves. srspenders, SOCKS ETC.
and these the boys sell at few cents pair to
comrades OF their own. who are glad Of the chance
to get the artlc.es for a nominal price.
Several OF these little Arabs went into business
not .ong ago, establishing a woodyard on diminu-
tive scale in a cellar. which they rent for 81 30 a
month They get the frames and discarded boxes
from various large establishments, c6nspicuously
chemical factories and type foundries; ana
after breaking them W. sell them for kindhng
wood. Sometimes they break up boxes and frames
for the establishment. working a couple OF hours
for the privilege OF using what they can carry
away At first they broke up the frames with a
stout paving stone but late.y they have been abe
10 procure hatchets and
The cellar has no floor. and IS lighted only from
the street but it serves a depot for the kndlings
and the boys have the work divided UP among ther
the one who makes the best ped er monopozing
that department. another bringing the boxes to the
cellar the other reserying TO himself the task OF
splitting and bundlng up. To firm Of small mer-
chants similarly employed arse-hearted proprietor
gave the OF cellar rent free.
For six these venturesome spirits secure
clean, comfortable bed In the lodging houses.
Breakfast costs six cents, likewise dinner; luhch
thew get or not according TO circumstances; but no
inmate Is allowed in the lodgng-houses after the
breakfast hour unless he Is III; even theh me hos-
pital is the more likely place of refuge. The boys
are all turned out in the early morning and the
dormitories living and eating rooms maze ciean;;
and receive pure and wholesome ventilation until
Eighteen cents Is gool deal for small boy
est rate at which even the most charitable houses
afford 10 lodge them Those VINO cdnn1t ha make
usually ksnd-hear;ed and takes an interest In MS
n1ys Inry can poIaoW m nav 10 the amount as soon
better times come Their washing IL done for them
only one sut If deserving of enlargement. can
get extra clothing from the management in order
that they may be kept Clean or as near mat
condition as possible. -.
From eight to fourteen years o Of N age M are these
ments oy wneh Man Of them scour the n@s
n9oa lT faks for pieces Of IRON bolts horse
SHOES nails hoore etc. and ofttlmes, according to
account they lind dime, a nickel or even a
TO the regular venders who make a business OF
collecting it, Many business men, loath to leave
their desks even for an hour have their lunch
brought TO them, and boys are employed for this
purpose by the big lunch companies.
Washing dishes in restaurants on extra busy days
is another source Of income. and boys domestlcaily
who are g.ad have nimbe hands and feet at
their disposal for hour during the day IL man
or clear up the room, no one to hand cup OF
water or fetch bowl OF needed nOurishment from
some neighbor's kitchen. they are glad to give a
boy dime who s at once willing and intelligent
II lent lad 81 80 to set up in the lemonade
business" said the superintendent OF big lodging
house He got two big TN pals, some glasses. a
me my money back and had established for himself
a tolerab.y good trade;
asked me to lend him dollar TO go into business
with. / knew he could be trusted so | consented
without inqulrng what he meant TO do. He bought
lot of stockings at a special sac and peddled
them around the tenement-h houses. He paid
the dollar and had something over to buy more
with. He always watched his chance and the adj
saved money enough TO get him pushcart In
hop picking time whole armies OF these bows go to
the hop farms. and come back looking improved
from the country air.
Have many Of them families?"
Il don't know. They never say thing aDout them
strike out into a lie OF hardship Ike this that one
wonders how they got the courage 10 leave their
mothers. Some are truly orphans. and others worse
hardship Will develop It; the innate depravity
hears OF also has a nne chance Of cultivation but
It has been my experience that the majority OF
or relig6us bent soon flnd on. that T. pays best to
he honest and reliable II they DO work for man
this week. md do { we'll they get a job there
aEan. II they shir. piifer that ch l. eat T.
To say that honesty r. the best policy IL puttag
virtue a! a very low standard. but 1t Is proven