The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-16
TRADE ''ON De Bum
Shining Parlors Have Caused Boot
blacking ''Perfeshun' to Go
Bump" Says Spikes.
Former Newsie Tells Of Coups in the
Days When Business Was
Good.

80 De perleSnun Went" pump tree years
ago. ;" explained Spikes. this morning, while
he waited for car at First avenue S and
Fourth street. He referred to his career
as a peripatetic boot black. Now, aged
19. he is a dapper clerk. Yet frequently he
clothes his thought in the frayed phrases of
the past. Desc here shinin parlors done
it, he continued. "If a guy kin set in a |
fine chair outen de cold or de hot sun and
get a quick shine for a nickle, he's goin' to
do it,. guess yes No boy can't chase
'roun' wild parlor, kin he? He ain
li'ble to set customers down on a nice.
padded box and trow in a parysawl n al
steam red heater all fer Ave coppers. II
don't tink! De parlors done it and de
shinin' graft is gone to the bad. Dere amt
one kid left a shinin' round the streets of
| dis here burg, not one .. ~ ...a
| But hve'n six years ago, when I was
| a-carry1n' de box-say, I'll put ye' mex:
My name hain't Spikes. He was me pard
ner. But I'm a business man now, dough
I shined shoes and yelled de papes oncet
all right. Fergit 1t, say, fergit tim
business man." .. - = .--s. !: .
| The youth had undena.bly exalted his
| exterior. He was dressed with care. His
collar was as high as his chin permitted.
His necktie. radiant in itself, framed a
large emerald which outglistened his en-
amelled shoes. -
Were 1t Five Years Ago. J" -!
Five r six years ago, den, you'd got
the 1aff If you'd said shinin' parlor. We
| was 1t den. Seventy or eighty on us
steady all day long, and bout as many
what went to school and only shined
nights. De crowd was tickest Saturday
| nights, when de town was slckin' up fer
Sunday. N say! we made good money!
I useter pile up two and tree dollars every
day. Sometimes I'd pull out $50 week.
BY hustlin', Of course. .. Yer can't be de
0f Ca b,,et lat,
The tariff for shines, explained the false
Spikes. was five cents each in that glor-
1ous era. The rate was never advanced to
ten cents even on Sundays or holidays, as
is now reprehensible practice of the
shining parlors. "a nickle fer a business
man every time-none O. dis extry fake!''
But the boys impartial tariff did not, of
course, apply to visitors from the country.
I'VE held de rubes up good The process
was aided by a badge inscribed Boot
blacks Union," which Spikes and other
leaders were able to buy for Is cents each
Spikes would "hit de rube fer dollar first
off. m course he'd make a squeal! Den
Id flash me badge. and d. udder kids d
si' Z out, What's eatin' ye, mister? Say.
We"n trow him outen de union less he
elects half!'' Usually the "rube"
would pay SO cents. but at times Spikes.
amid protests from his comrades, would
charitably compromise his claims for 25
cents.
| Newspaper Trade Morganized.
AS a business man Spikes is justly proud
of another capitalistic coup. This was an
opportunity afforded by the efforts of
Minneapolis publishers to sell their Sun
day issues freely in St. Paul. The Min
neapolis papers were sold to St. Paul
newsboys in that city for 1 cent each, so
that the boys, having to pay IN cents
each for st. Paul papers, would t'push''
the sale of the flour city sheet. Mean
while. the papers here were sold to local
newsboys at the usual rate Of 21s cents.
No sooner did Spikes learn of this ar
rangement, one Saturday night. than he
inquired how soon the 'interurban cars
{ would reach St. Paul the following NOR
ming. Seven o'clock. Too late. At 5
o'clock a. m. he hired a buggy for $3.50.
At 6 a. m. he was In st. Paul, paying st.
Paul newsboys 10. cents each to buy for
apiece. AT 7 o'clock he was back in
washington avenue, where he had a rem
devious with many business friends. To
these he quickly sold 1000 Minneapolis
Sunday papers at 21k cents each
Sometimes I'd trow in one fer nuttin'-
kind O. prize, see! to keep me trade. De
kids was on dat dey couldn't get no prizes
. at de reg lar orfices on Fourt' street,
Allowing his livery, premiums and Incl
dentals. the first Sunday rewarded Spikes
h with $l2 proht. He repeated his success
for several weeks until the local publish.
- ers caught on
Latter Day Newsles
Like other autobiographers. Spikes call:
:. his rivals Of the present day mere desener
ates. 'Dey's on the bum he muttered
;. projecting scorn at some ''newsies' across
y the street. Say, dey don't even work d.
houses" (that is, the residences). DE,
p hangs round down town and misses al
# de graft out on de avenoos. Dye evel
d sell papes to itdies? Some on 'en1 8 on
all right. all right. but some IL pay cent
a frs crack outen de box. No Idly neve
y knows dat extra Moons is only one centers
# Easy? Well. should
But s'long, mister, I spots me car
'r N say, don't fergft I'm a business mai
s now, and we don't call business graftin..
= EXCELSIOR