The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-27
cH1cAGo's GHETTO MARKET.
Low Prices in the Hpmes of the Rus
sim and Polish lew.

| sim and Polish Jew.
From the Chicago News.)
In a corner of Chicago that is seldom
+, -SSI by anybody save the members of the
| foreign colony of which it is the centre. is
the cheapest market in the United States. q
place where fish may be bought for quar-
| ter of a cent a pound, and where ten
| pound roast of meat may be purchased for
a nickel.
| This market is situated in the heart of
the big colony of Russian and Polish Jews
| who have settled on the West Side. be-
| tween the river and HaletSI Street, where
| they have monopolized the district as far
| north as West Taylor Street, ard south to
the Panhandle tracks. Jefferson Street
cuts the Yiddish quarter right ia two, and
and the four blocks of that thoroughfare.
extending south from West Twelfth Street,
seem to have been set aside by common
| consent among the Jews who swarm in the
neightorhocd as special place Of their
own for the sale of the peculiar articles
which they like to eat, drink and wear.
On pleasant days and evenings. the keep
ers OF the small shops lining that part of
Jefferson Street move most Of their stocks
in trade out upon the sidewalk. where they
dispose them upon stands and trays that
line the outside walls of their stores. These
also stretch along the curbstone. Other
less favored merchants, whose stores are
| on side streets, and even humber vendors
who have not attained the dignity of any
stores at all, wheel open push-carts into thu
street and line up their portable EN-
poriums in the cutters. Late corners are
obliged to station their stocks of goods
further out in the street, and on Saturdays
and other busy days these carts reach in
rows upon rows almost entirely across 1t.
only a narrow lane being left for stray
teams to drive through the middle.
These carts contain every kind Of stuff
imaginable. On adjoining stands you can
buy pair of shoes and basket OF straw
berries. But both will be cheap in price
and quality The shoes are likely to be
huge, shapeless brogans. that could find no
place in any store downtown. and the pair
of them may cost 80 cents. while the
strawberries will be on the verge OF de-
cay, and may cost the purchaser as much
as 2 cents a box. This is likely to mean
2 cents profit to the vender. who has prob
able secured the spoiled berries for moth
ing from some South Water Street fruit
dealer.
The common tendency Of the times is
aped by this market in that it runs to
specialties The meat days come early in
the week. while Thursday. Friday, and
Saturday are known along Jefferson Street
as fish days. The habituess of this locality
said to be very fond of such food and
it seldom takes over an hour or two for
vender to sell every fish,f1 his cart. though
1t may be piled two feet,sdoep with perch
and herring when first he pushes his little
shop into suitable position next to
the sidewalk. As to ptomaines, that is
another matter. Fish Inspector Murray, |
acting under the orders OF the commits |
soner OF health, has made 81 raid upon the |
jefferson Street movable fish market and |
has frightened the peddlersrcinto stopping |
the sale of fish that are even slightly ON |
color" He condemned and conhscated |
about five tons that were being sold at |
give-away prices. whereaelth dealers tore
their long and luxuriant Jyhiskers while
they assaulted the Inspector with excited
words and angry gesticuiatipas. The Ghet- |
to quickly aroused itself and Joined the on
slaught upon the hated official who was
trying to deprive them Of their inaliena-
BILE right to eat unfit food. But the in
spector secured aid in wagonload OF blue
coated policemen from the Maxwell Street |
station and succeeded in having the fish
he had condemned luggsd away to the city |
garbage dump.
Since then slightly appreciable gain
has been seen in the quality OF the fish |
sold at the Ghstto's favorite market on |
fish days. but the fish have well-defined |
odor and bargain prices still prevail. While |
a quarter or a half cent pound is no
longer quoted it Is quite common to see
5-pounder sell for cents.
II don't see how human beings can eat |
the fish that has been sold by the ton in !
these markets." exclaimed doctor in the |
health department today. yet the Ghetto
folk seem TO have enjoyed such tidbits, |
and. what is even more surprising. appeal |
to have thrived on them. We are going |
to see however. if they can't live just as
BEAUTIFULLY without eating food or this