New-York tribune., 1902-05-28
PUSHCART MEN SCARED.
THEY RUSH TO GET OLD LICENSES
RENEWED.
YEAR-wASTE CANS SUGGESTED AS
FIRST REFORM

YEAR-wAsTE CANS SUGGESTED AS
FIRST REFORM
One had only to visit the Bureau of Licenses
yesterday to appreciate how the present agita-
tion against the growing evil of pushcarts was
bearing fruit More pedlers appeared yesterday
"a half holiday at the City HalD to obtain a
newal of their licenses than could be accommo-
dated OF the line of seventy five to hun
dred men, sixty-seven obtained renewals. On
Monday 11S pedlers applied for renewals and
licenses. In the year 1901 about 21OO licenses,
an average of 115 a month. granted TO
these men. The remarkable increase in the
number Of applicants was due primarily to the
determination of Commissioner Woodbury. of
the Department of Street Cleaning to have
clean streets in the lower East Side. Major
Woodbury. announced some days ago that the
pedlers made it difficult to cleanse the streets
properly. and that he believed every pedler
who sold at the curbstone should at once be
forced to get a license. The leaders of the
pushcart association took the hint and ordered
Its members to procure licenses without delay.
few days ago one of the officers of the as
sociation admitted that from 80 to 40 per cent
of the pedlers steadily violated the law either
by not having originally obtained a license or
by not having had their certificates renewed.
Since thu present administration into
power the number or applicants Tor licenses has
increased from average of 40 month to an
average of $50 month. Most Of these licenses
were renewals, which proves not only that under
Tammany Hall the ,ity lost 81 year from
each of hundreds of Tedlers but that an effort
is now being made by the authorities to regu-
late the business a businesslike way
bright, progressive young Jewish pedler
who stood in line yesterday at the Bureau Of
Licenses. told of the changes which were COM
ing over his trade
Things amt what they used to be-" lie said.
"A while ago all We had 10 do to keep on the
good side of the cops to tip them a quar-
ter or else take them in for glass of whiskey
We bothered about renewing licenses
This is the first time I've renewed mine in nine
years 1t used to he more bother to go TO the
City Hall than TO pay policeman quarter.
We'd lose business going down to the Hall.
Now they're after US. and so we've been gettin'
busy.
us fellows has our regular stands and regu-
lar customers. same as stores. When they drive
us out we always go back No push carter
ought to leave his regular stand"
He said that large number of pedlers
still unlicensed. His statement fully bore out
the testimony of East Size workers that push
cart pedlers persistently violated the law. either
through ignorance that ordinances concerning
punished when they transgressed law which
they knew on the statute books.
c. Warner, superintendent Of the Alfred
Corning Clark House at Cannon and Rivington
SITS, has for several weeks been making a close
study of the pushcart problem. Speaking yes
terday on this question, which he is an au-
thority, he said:
have been very much pleased with The Trb-
une's attitude on this subject | have investi-
he I'M of fiCaI
solution. The streets in this section daily
blocked by these carts. large number of the
cartmen are selling goods without license. They
interfere seriously with traffic. and what is
more important still, they are a menace TO
health. They do not observe Section Al Of the
Sanitary Code. which reads: No meat, poultry.
game or FISH shall be hung exposed for sale
open windows and doorways thereof"
The sale of FISH from pushcarts is very COM
mon, especially at Rivington and Ridge SITS. This
corner they have usurped and converted into
FISH market. The police permit this of thing
TO go The sale of fish the streets is not
permitted by law. The pushcart men litter the
streets with paper. nutshells and decayed fruits.
Since Mayor Strong's administration the ques
ton Of suitably disposing of pushcarts has been
agitated. Colonel Warng took interest in
the subject and did much to alleviate the evil.
but he could not carry out his enlightened plan
TO centralize them Policemen and pushcart men
have been at odds for years During the last
Tammany administration an ordinance regulat-
ing pushcaIt licenses was held up for so long
time that the few police who took any interest
in the matter did not know whether or not to
arrest vender found without license.
Those who are interested in the present agita-
tion should strive to do two things-to place the
pushcart business on strictly legal basis by de-
manding that all pedlers be licensed. and To en-
force strictly the Sanitary Code. which bears
the throwing of refuse IN the streets The plan
provide markets for all pushCart men is very
desirable. BY such plan the business could
be regulated and made permanent. / know that
the pedlers themselves would welcome the
change. for they said at meeting number
of years ago They added then that they would
he willing to pay yearly license of from 81 to
so under such conditions But to provide for
such n market one must first know how many
licensed pedleTs there ! am not In symnl-
thy with the plan of closing certain streets dur
ing certain hours for the exclusive use of push
carts. In 1896 one OF the city officials said that
the city had no power to so give over it's streets
| think of the first reforms should be to
place a large number Of waste cans about the
streets where the pedlerS cOngregate. This would
rid the streets of their filth and i'll Odor.