Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-03
FATE OF MILITARY UNIFORMS.
MANY Once Worn BY Crack European
Reoiments Sold to African Monarchs.

Many Once worn Sy S'aSn Su'oPea"
Regiments Sold to African Monarchs.
The worlds biggest old clothes shop
is to be found in the London thorough
fare of Houndsditch. 1t is presided
over by Mr.. John Hyman, who has
rightly earned the title Of the Prince OF
Old Clothes, for it is to this individual
that the Lord Mayor Of London, our
army officers, our soldiers, sailors, po-
licemen and postmen send their cos
tunes when they have no further use
for them.
Then, not only do all the old clothes
of this country find their way here, but
the firm has established agents all over
the continent, and weekly large ship
ments of the most miscellaneous gar
ments YOU ever saw reach the Prince
of Old Clothes from his representa-
tives on the continent. In one corner
YOU will see the discarded garments OF
some crack French regiment, the next
pile will consist Of jackets lately worn
by the kasier's soldiers, and lying
alongside of them will be thousands OF
dress suits purchased from the leading
German hotels.
But the snowy military costumes and
the piles of frock coats You see In the
shop one day will be gone the next
Indeed it is surprising how quickly the
goods are disposed Of, and it is here
where the romance of the whole busi'
ness lies. Mr.. Hyman is not only the
Prince of Old Clothes, but he may also
well be called the costumier to the
dusky monarchs Of Africa. The goods
are sent abroad in huge bales, each bale
containing from 200 to $50 articles
From 800 to 400 bales are sent as
rule every month.
They go to all parts of the world
Africa. Asia, India, China and far away
Japan. They are eagerly bought up by
native traders, who sell them in the
Oriental bazaars. From the baZaars
thew find their way into the far interior
of the country, and explorers and traV-
elers have often related how they have
met a native king in Central Africa
wearing a costume that put them in
mind Of a -guardsman's uniform
minus, perhaps, the belt and badly in
need of a little pipeclay, but neverthe-
less much priced by the owner.
EXPLORERS and travellers often call at
the old clothes establishment and Sc
cure a quantity of showy wearing ap-
parel. They find 1t makes ideal pres
ents for native kings and chiefs. Said
one well known traveller to the pro-
prietor the other day, "There is moth
ing like a showy military coat to get a
black king to allow you to take your
party through his country
II have visited most of the great
Oriental bazaars where our clothing is
sold" said Mr.. Hyman, "and l have
watched with much amusement our
goods being purchased by the natircs'
I have seen the blacks of Africa SOL
emnly walking about with European
waistscoats buttoned up behind Instead
Of in front and even men wearing
ladies costumes. l have seen enor-
mously big fellows wearing garments
that for the life of me I could not I'M
agine how they managed to get into
them and am afraid when they tried to
take them off some Of the stitching
must have given way"
Curiously enough, the shOwy costume
worn by the Lord Mayors of London dc
not find such ready market abroad
as the ordinary tunic Of a private SOL
dier. This is probably on account OF
it's price. After his nomination the
Lord Mayor has to purchase his official
costume-a magnificent rigout Of silk
stockings, buckled boots, gold laced
coat and cooked hat-which costs about
eco. At the end Of his term Of office
he disposes Of it to the second hand
dealer. The official costumes worn by
London's Lord Mayors for the last
twenty five years have been purchased
by Mr.. Hyman.-Tit-Bits