Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-03-27
OPEN MART FOR PLUNDERERS.
sss with knowledge of Public
and Police.

In the City Of Mexico there Is q
place known as the thieves market
that has a large patronage, some Of
IL coming from presumably respect
able and honest citizens. That such
6 place should exist in any city ap-
pears almost incredible, yet it con-
ducts business with the full knowl-
edge Of the police, and with that Of
every resident Of the city. What Is
more, says the Chicago Chronicle, il
is directly opposite one side of the
national palace, the winter home OF
President Diaz. and is only one block
from the Offices of the city admins
tration. And It is no small estab-
lishment, either, such as might te
overlooked, for 1t occupies a court as
large as "A city block, and il crowded
from morning to night with persons
who are looking for bargains, and
know that the place to find them IL
in the "thieves' mnrket."
Naturally the thieves themselves
do not act as the salesmen for the
stolen goods. They keep out of
sight, and either dispose OF the
stolen goods for q lump sum to the
huckstors or allow them to sell for
them on commission. In either ease
the thlef gets little. the dealer is
content with a small profit and the
goods. whoss original owner is un-
known. can be obtained for tenth
OF their valne.
To the visitors to Mexico the mar
ket is well worth a visit, even II
scruples of conscience should prevent
the purchase OF what are admittedly
stolen goods. There will be no trou-
BILE in finding the place.
Any policeman or any citizen will
direct you to it. II is just east Of
the Zoealo - the park Of the
poems and across the street
from the south front of the national
palace. Even with this Knowledge
you might pass but high wall such
ms surrounds many OF the private
homes. But al the end OF the wall
Is n huge gate, large enough to drive
n loaded truck thron~h Passing
through this gate you enter the mar
ket. II Us a hig, open court. stone
paved and surrounded by buildings
on three sides rnd bv the wall on
the fourth. Scattered o"e- This, mr.
ranged In streets. are the booths,
where the stolen goods are displayed
for sale. These stalls are crude
affairs. Usually they consist of
few boards, laid on supports which
raise them two or three feet off the
ground. Sometimes the goods are
piled up carelessly on the stone pave
ment. But over each of them is the
awning Of coarse cotton cloth, sup
ported on rough poles, which the
Mexican huckster invariably has.
Crockery, tinware. cutlery and
cooking utensils form one Of the
staples of the market. There is al
ways a demand for these among tho
poor, and so the ratero gathers
them In wherever and whenever be
can, knowing that they will find n
ready sale And it is not only the
poor who buy these things. One
restaurant proprietor in the citS
whose place is one OF the largest
thore, admitted that nearly all biz
table knives and forks as well as the
pots and pans used in the kitchen
were bought by him in the thieves
market. He Is n regular visitor to
the place, and not long ago he picked
up a bargain In the edible line for
his customers in the shape of
young pig, which some enterprising
theft had gathered in.
How long the thieves market will
exist as it does now there is none to
tell. II is an old institution, and NJ
one thinks of interfering with H..
Now and then n stranger, hearing
Of its nature for the first time, won
ders how the city authorities can al
low It to do business as ii does. But
the native Mexican and the acclim-
ntized foreigner accept II as it is.
and instead Of obieeting to II find it
very convenient place in which to
pick up bargain and save them
selves considerable money.