The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-08-02
NewsbOys Meet.


at Broome and Norfolk streets, which |
was remarkable gathering. A citizen |
unused to the ways of the New York |
newsboy might have thought it was a
riot. Kid Blink and his strike commit |
tee had sent the call for the meeting |
from the Bronx to the Battery, and !
from Brooklyn to Jersey City, and the |
arriving delegations choked Broome |
street from Essex to Norfolk and drove |
the neighborhood indoors. By eight |
o'clock there were 5000 newsDoys on
the block. Two thousand came from
Brooklyn, led by Racetrack Higgins,
and carrying with them huge floral
horseshoe, the gift of the Brooklyn
Eagle.
Five policemen and roundsman un-
dertook to keep the boys in check until
the hall opened, but in fifteen minutes
the roundsman had sent for help. Fiji
teen policemen responded, but they
were as helpless as the five had been.
1t was utterly impossible to handle the
boys. They were shrieking mob, and
when the proprietor of the hall refused
to open up at s because the meeting
wasn't to begin until $50 o'clock, they
charged on the door and smashed it
open.
Two thousand managed to get in,
and there wasn't an inch of room I'M
occupied in the hall. The outsiders
were good natured and yelled their
approval every time the sounds of APP
plause came to them through the open
windows.
Nick Myers of the Mail and Cypress
was chairman of the meeting, and he
struggled for fifteen minutes before he
could make himself heard. When the
boys Quoted down he stated the OBJ
ject of the meeting, and called on Joe
Bernstein, the pugilist. who used to
sell papers himself, and Reiss, the yell
low-barrel lemonade man of Printing
House Square, to keep order. Messrs.
Bernstein and Reiss armed themselves
with far-reaching switches and took up
positions. They had their hands full
for the rest of the evening.
After some exhortations from East
side politicians to hold out in their
fight and avoid violence, the boys took
| the business in hand and the fun be-
gan.
A large floral horseshoe was sent by
florist to be given to the newsboy
that made the best speech. There
were roars of applause, and in boosting
the chances of their favorites, about a
score of the boys fell to fighting. There
was some lively punching among the
little fellows, but the larger boys
banged few heads together, and then
Dave Simons, the president of the
Newsboys' Union, read set of reso-
lutions, the last paragraph Of which
was addressed to the public and read:
"Please don't buy the World or
Journal, because we refuse to sell these
papers until some satisfactory terms
can be reached. The World and the
striking railroad men, but why don't
they arbitrate with the newsboys? If
you have any sympathy with us help
us to boycott these papers by not read
ing them. Take out your advertise
ments; as no one sells these papers no
one will be able to see them.
You will find all the news in the Euen-
ing Sun, Telegram and Daily Ne,os
They give US a chance to make living.
Buy them and help US, and we will
thank you very kindly. We remain
yours humbly, THE NEwsBoY's UN-
ION"
The resolutions were adopted with
81 outs that could be heard over on the
Bowery. Simons' continued:
"We're goin' to win this fight, boys,
only we must stick together and hold
firm. The Journal and World has got
the money, but we got the situation in
our hands, and they know it. Now,
I'm goin' to ask you not to use no more
violence. Let up on the scabs."
sob, soytenly," came a voice from
the rear of the hall.
Now, | mean it," continued Simons.
1--WE can't gain nothin' by banging
these fellers around. Let's fight on
the level, and see if we can't win out
that way"
"Who's been a-talkin' to yer like
that, Dave?" inquired shock-headed
boy about eleven years old.
at goes, Shorty" replied the speak
err, San you kids are to remember it,
see?"
Shorty and the kids around him had
great laugh over the "no-violence"
attitude of the leaders, and became Or
derby again only when they were threat
ened with instant expulsion.
Bob the Indian, whose surname is
Stone, then rose to make a few re.
marks. Bob's friends greeted him eff
fusively.
"Whatcher goin' ter say, Bob?'s
queried one, and other remarks hurled
at him were:
"Speak up, Bob" "Hello, cigar
sign" "Don't take no bluffs, Bob,
but say what yer wanter."
"I'm here fer union and nothin'
else," said Bob. 81 want this strike
kept sgoin' until we get these fellers
what's chokin' us down. Say, what
dyer think Hearst says today? He
says he can't afford to sell two fer a
cent. Now did yer ever? Say, he say
he might cave If the World would give
in, but he can't sink first. Honest
amt that sickeningp Now, Pm to tell
yer that yer not to soak the drivers any
more"
"Oh, mol soytenly notr' from the
resr-ranks.
"No, you're not to soak 'em. We're
| a-Unin1 m try IN aruara fhia fhinU wit h.