New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08
THE OLD CLIO EXCHANGE
IT IS TO BAXTER-ST. WHAT THE STOCK
EXCHANGE IS TO WALL-ST

One of the most interesting exchanges In the c',y
is the old clothing exchange in Elizabeth-st few
doors north of Bayard-st Here second hand cloth
ing changes hands to the value of $500 or $50"
day. accompanied by amount OF noise and com
petition which is not equaed even in the Stock Ex
change The exchange is open from Till O'Clock
D. m and between these hours the place is crammeo
TO the door with dealers buying and selling Oh
clothing hats and shoes.
The place was originally a saloon. kept by man
named Daniels, who had formerly been an o's'
clothes man himself He had experienced gooc
deal of trouble in his time from the dealers who
paid the old-cothes men just what they pleased
The idea struck him that a central exchange where
the bagmen could meet ana sell 10 tne dealeI, WIZ
would pay the highest price, Nouiu 0peIate - u
benefit of the men who carried the bag. 90
many men gathered together would natuIdLy Dl!
which would be attracted to his saloon he rentea
the whole lower floor and started the exehanse
there are rarely less than two hundred men IN lW
exchange during business hours "a nitsF f that
charge made for the privilege Oh uolis sn a
in the exchange Every dealer NOW p dysb the 81
ciofhes shoes etc can be spread out The old
clothes who have been going about nd dowg,o%n
about O'Clock with their bags OF second-ha So ,a
They make straight for me o bs bag While two Of
three dealers gather round ana exanide fscisT ex
preston Nearly all the men are Jews Inc bS1S.n.
Russian and poiygpt o,'gS littIe or no English is
iangaaees Submissive gestures OF the men make the
meaning of their remarks plain TO anyDo1y:, h, the
ss Tse w Ifs6 S sn Of disgust while he punches '
shoulders up to his ea,y ana dnaer has gone a.
high as he cares to go but without Sues max,
others who have hitherto soPd oy The dealer who
Is bargaining with bagman Is never NJ nm RE
by other dealers They 90 gSI Ta the rules q ed
auet.e which prevail in the excnange anoiber IT,
Is unsuccessful in SnynS & e aoon as dealer has
bought bundle of clothing he puts i IN f5r S the Sa
and and wet the deal with two huge glasses OF 'ass
beer This "wetting' idea has peen ma and 4, T.
Looked upon as a slight return for the prlyIegs a.
corded to the bagmen OF selling the' soo'' d"
Many Of the dealers are men who buy fO f;r "a.
ST. Louis Texas aad Mexican marA sgsS shipped
~ WewOrleans which is the distributing point 10.
the South. The dealers ship their pe[0Hi Sthng
thars al are great numbers OF old and old shoe.
sold The ma jority OF the dealers VIII guy ayyene the
attention TO enc thing and buy only old hats Or GU
shoes ~ - . .Aos, doalars many o,
them are worth $4,000 or $4,000 and the same man
may be buying an old hat for cent one n ,H
A parcel Of clothing will sometimes change Owners
half dozen times IN as many minutes the Dare
nther II the careful housewife who prdes herse,
upon getting good prices for her HUSBAND Eliza Sa-
beth-st. the next "od clio" man who called on h''
would have hard bargains 10 drive IL =
common thing for A bagman TO enter the eN,
with clothing for which he has PAID y OF =, 80, a.
realize SIS in two minutes. They may then Saa's'
hands three or fou. times, and finally fetcA ~ So,
The old Clothes purchased by the dealers II Ie,
tlnel for the home market are SEM 10 me Dir In
man tailor and carefully cleaned and repaired, IN
then figure according 10 condition ana qia4IrS IN ~
misft and cheap second hand clothing stores mos
sent TO the South or West are FORWARDED ana !,
habilitated at their destinations Old hats are -
modelled and Old shoes cobbed and sod a. ne" "
as having been worn once or twice. 81, A,,s,
When the business OF the exchange Is IN iul. D.dss
hundred arms are waving In the air. TWO nunlIe.
heads and boards waggng and as many tonsgrss
pouring forth a string OF excited remarks upon lns
value OF a bundle OF clothing. Every now anu asi.n
some money will change hands, and the Wa1sis
will struggle through the crowd for the inevttos
"schooners OF beer. All transactions are c0nducie
on a spo-cash basis. from the purchase or PAIR VI
trousers TO a bale OF good cloihing. =,
Outsiders are looked upon with suspicion. ana
wel-dressed stranger IS at once told that he Is roy
wanted and promptly escorted 10 the door oy Dais'
or his wife She is the only woman IN the pace
but her powers 'bouncer" are considerable ana
her tongue makes her dreaded by disorderly Dag
man far more than Daniels himself -
There are several stories OF money being founa IA
old clothes. Two years ago $3.50 discoyered ..
A dealer In pair OF sailors trousers carefully sewn
In the wastband. This does not often happen az.
dealer will get the chance OF finding money aSd'
oughly examined before leaving the hands OF me
first purchaser.
There are two three smaller "olt clio eN
changes on Rayart-st but the main exchange, -
Danie!ss and in 1t is sold the bulk OF New-foTH'
Cd clothes.