New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-05
BLACKMAIL CRUSHED OUT
PUSHCARTS PAY CITY.
More Than T1rice as Many Licenses
as Under Tdnndnu.

revenue OF the city under the Low administra-
tion by the substitution of the legal license fee
for the Illegal backrnail in the case Of the push
car. psdler. with no appreciable difference in
TIE number OF the pushcarts on the public
ss-eetR the licenses have trebled in number and
the renewals have touched figure hitherto ua-
pa-ajeled. Moreover. the significant thing IS
that the city. after many years. has simply
come into own Its revenues from this source
for years diverted into the pockets OF the ward
politician and the police protection funds now
under honest government, at last go to
swell the city revenue. To demonstrate the
actual work that has been accomplished along
this line The Tribune to-day prints exclusively
the figures and observations made by a resi-
dent Of a prominent East Side Settlement who
has for several years made 4 close study Of the
pushoa-t situation The facts and figures con
talned in this report have been embodied in
special report sent yesterday TO the Mayors
Office
Most significant OF all the interesting figures
contained in this report are those that show
the increase in the number Of licenses taken out
under the Low regime Il IS normal
parson Of the pushcart business that has sent
the number OF licenses UP from 2.013 and 2,120
n the last two years Of the Tammany rule TO
1896 under the Low government In 1900 and
1901 The number OF new licenses issued was
LII and 1.230. respectively; in 1902 the num-
2
the combined total OF the two Tammany years.
The number Of renewals for the same period was
s62 $50 and 1928, respectively Thus the
zevals IN the first year Of the reform admins
tration exceeded those Of the two previous Tam
many years combined. In dollars and cents this
means that. while the city treasury received
from pushcart licenses in the last two years OF
Van wyck $500 and IS. s.4S0. it received S21,464
from the same source last year, a gain Of more
than $4,000 over the average Of the two previ-
Gus years, and nearly 5000 more than the
amount OF the two years combined.
No one who is even slightly acquainted with
tie East Side streets VIII pretend 10 say that
this means simply a normal increase in the
business There are not five hundred more
gushcarts the East Side streets to-day than
there were in the Tamnany days. while there
are thirty-two hundred more licensed pushcart
venders. The difference is that the rake off"
Of the wardnaan and the district leader has been
turned into legitimate revenue for the city.
n the month OF June last year there were
1O0S new licenses taken out, a figure little less
than the total for 1901 This marks the time
when Commissioner Woodbury. started out on
his campaign 10 clear the streets Of the pedlers,
who were obstructing and nttering the streets |
without paying even license fee for the privi- |
iege. Residents Of the East Side testify unani- |
rnously that there has been no apparent change |
late What has happened is that the pushcart |
pedIers who had hitherto seen the proper |
blacknan collector were obliged. last year. TO /
see" the Bureau OF Licenses and the city
rrofted thereby 10 the extent OF thousands of
dollars.
IN June Of last year." comments the writer
OF the special report. 'I was at the Bureau Of
Licenses frequently. watching the unusual rush
for licenses and many applicants remarked TO
-E,E- <o- -Eo,-a /
They said that they had done business for years
under their original licenses. and seemed to feel
il imposition TO be obliged 10 take even the
tine 10 attend TO a renewal"
What this doing business under an original
license really meant is best illustrated by q
story told by P. J. McCook. OF the law firm Of
Hatch & McCooEl who two years ago had
charge Of the East Side branch of the Legal
Aid Society IN Rivington-st.
Z had a case" said Mr. McCook at that
tine 'of woman whose husband. a pushcart
pedler, had been arrested for doing business
without q license. His wife came TO ne in
great distress and no little indignation.
Ny man she said passionately. he has
been arrested an he pay his dollar 20 the
police ev'ry week, reg'lar'"
Here is the significant change. The pushcart
vendors. representing as they do the lowest
stage IN the Araericanization Of the foreigner,
|
mailing authority Of the police and district
CRATER and placed under proper control OF the
city ordinances He receives q badge, learns the
value OF II by means Of frequent arrests and
fines Il he does not have # IN evidence. and
learns that ne is responsible to regularly con-
sututed authority. and not TO the favorites Of
e corrupt city administration 1
The new system has accomplished still another | !
thing. L has neasurably sirnpliied the solution
Of the pushcart problem by placing the push !
cart men in a position where they can be easily
reached In the old days they Uttered the streets
and violated the city ordinances with impunity. |
and their licenses could not be revoked: they had |
none. In a word, from al absolutely irresponsi- |
bic class they have been changed into a licensed {
BODY. taught the authority 10 which they are &
and in this way the first step has
been taken in regulating this business. S
The great problem Of dealing with the push
arts in way TO put an end TO their
blocking traffic IN the narrow East Side streets !
I'D r1enacing health by their filth remains 10 be
ettled- The AIlen-st. pushcart market, 10 be !
made possible by widening Auen-st.-a plan
hat has been fully discussed both editorially
nd IN the news columns Of The Tribune-is be- |
lered to offer solution. How necessary this
ene6y is may be gathered from the following {
cures. compiled by the author Of this report:
on Thursday February D. Of this year. lie re
orts counting five Of the narrowest streets
n the East Side within certain restricted limits
hat is. RiVington-st., Orchard-st-. East &c
ioUston-st.. Sufoz-st and Ridge-st-. 440 push 4
arts Two counts on Rivington-st- within thir- :,
cen blocks. on other days. revealed ia anc 4JA =
1shcarts- respectively. The pUshcart venCers ! II
o into the side streets for the morning sales G
nc then come into RivingtOn-st. for the late s.
fle-Loon and evening trade The result is that | n
= 81 nf TF.a1n