The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-13
NEWSB0YS OF NEW YORK
HOW THEY LIVED THIRTY YEARS
AGO AND HOW THEY LIVE NOW.
Numerous Changes for the Better,
and Morals, Manners and Appear
ances Greatly Improved.

Inc New YORK city neWSDOy IOTmS one
of class of the population without whom
many citizens would be greatly inconven-
fenced in obtaining the news Of the day.
They arise with the sun and can be met on
| the streets when the majority of people are
| sleeping soundly in comfortable beds. The
mechanic and the laborer, going to their
early toll, greet the ragged urchin with
pleasure, and later on the merchant and the
banker welcome him, because he carries
with him full information of the busy
worlds previous days doings. To see the
little chaps enjoying themselves on the pub"
lie thoroughfares while at the same time
they dispose of their papers no person
would think that behind their business
transactions in many instances, a dreadful
tale OF misery and woes lies hidden. A
great number of these little ones seen on
the streets have either lost their parents
at ali age when they could not appreciate
a fathers or mothers love, or were driven
out of their squalid homes by the debauch-
cry and drunken antics of those who
brought them into existence. From the
cradle they had seen nothing but quaITeling
and had frequently felt the strong arm of
parental brutality. Some of them have
been forced to steal in order to satisfy the
insatiate cravings of fathers mothers
appetite for liquor, and have taken to the
streets as the only way of escape from the
path to state prison.
THE CHANGE IN THE NEWSBOY
During the past quarter Of a century
a great change has taken place in the
ranks of those who make their living by
selling newspapers. In times gone by this
business was left exclusively to the youth
full, but now the halt, the manned, the
blind, the man of family and his wife, the
grandfather and grandmother, the hardy
laborer and mechanic out of employment,
and, in fact, all branches Of the poorer
classes are engaged in the work of peddling
the news of the day. Mothers, with their
children clinging to them now offer news
papers for sale, and in the downtown
streets vendors can be encountered at Snort
distances. The stairs leading to the L rail-
road stations are surrounded by men, wom-
en- and children, all anxious to earn g. few
pennies toward keeping their homes to-
gether The newsboy of to-day is quiet and
patient compared with his predecessor of
thirty or thirty-five years ago. He has not
the others ambition in the business and
does not hold the same place in the estima-
ton of his felIow-citizens. In these days
the boys are treated like ordinary vendors,
because accommodations for purchasing all
sorts of literature and news are more
abundant and can be had in many places.
In former times this was not the case, and
the newsboy could afford to show his in
dependence, which he always did when i'm
posed upon or abused, and in every in
stance he was supported by the community,
and those who attempted in any way to
Cypress him were frowned down by a ma
jority Of their fellow-citizens. "A notable in
eff nf Iuo 10 ha
boy occurred in this city in 1850, when an
attempt was made by some fanatics to
prevent him from carrying on his business
on Sunday. The newsboys' Indignation
knew no bounds at this interference with
their rights, and they resolved to make a
public protest against it. Accordingly the
following notice was issued:
Newsboys, Attention!-The newsboys of the city
OF New York, the distributors of the daily as
well weekly newspapers, are invited to as
semble in mass meeting in the City Hall Park on
Wednesday afternoon, Feb. IL, at o'clock, to
take into consideration the threatened invasion
of their rights as young citizens and prepare for
a vigorous resistance. The young gentlemen Sc
lected at a preliminary meeting as officers will
please be punctual in their. attendance. All
papers friendly to the newsboys and their cause
will please copy. It is expected that several dis
tinguished speakers will address the meeting.
BY order Of the Provisional Committee of
Safety, JAMES SULLIVAN, Secretary
Long before the hour appointed there was
a great throng in front of the City Hall,
and the steps were packed with people.
The newsboys had erected a stand for
speakers and had hired band for the oc-
casion. To prove that they had the SYM
pathy of their fellow-citizens from ten to
fifteen thousand people were present Ca
great crowd for that time), and among
them many of the most influential and re-
spected residents of this city. After
speech by the chairman, appointed by the
newsboys, resolutions were adopted con-
demning the action of the divines and lay
men who had attempted to stop the Sunday
traffic in news, and addresses were delivered
by prominent citizens in opposition to the
movement. A grand procession followed
the meeting.
HOW THE NEWSBOYS LIVE.
1t may be matter of wonder to many
people how the newsboy can possibly feed
and clothe himself out of the small profits
realized from the sale of newspapers, and,
undoubtedly, many of them would have to
sleep in the streets were it not for such
institutions as the Newsboys Lodging
House. As far back as 1866 there was a
place of this kind at No. 12S Fulton street,
where a temporary house was provided in
which the newsboy might receive instruc-
tion, where his morals, manners and habits
might be improved, and where possibly he
might better his position by obtaining a
more lucrative situation, in which by hon.
esty, industry and perseverance ne could
earn a respectable livelihood, and finally
achieve independence. 1t is well known
that many boys were sent West from this
institution, and that they returned in
time with small fortunes to thank
their benefactors. This lodging house con-
sisted of large schoolroom, furnished with
desks and forms in which boys received in
struction on Sunday, and where they were
supplied with papers and books to read and
with all sorts of games to play except those
of chance. In the schoolroom there was a
large wooden table, in the top of which
holes were pierced sufficiently large to al
low the dropping of pieces of money, and
drawer underneath contained as many
compartments as there were holes in the
table The holes were numbered, and each
opened into separate compartments in the
drawer. This was called the bank" and
into it the boys were induced to put all the
money they could spare At the end of
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