Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-01
CHOOSING "STRONG MEN"
FOR THE PARIS MARKETS
pecisl Correspondence Of The star.


PARIS, July %. 1909.
n QUEER ceremony has just taken
~ place at the Halles, the big central
= - market of Paris. II is COMPETE
tion OF men with abnormal strength to
he elected permanently as the ''strong
men of the market"
The Halles is large iron building COW
ering more than twenty acres of ground,
the structure being divided by covered
streets As feet long and 80 feet wide
Before five I'm the morning the COM
petitors began to arrive at the main en-
trance and notwithstanding the unseason-
able hour crowds of spectators were there
to witness the novel competition. which
was to begin exactly at five and did not
finish until nearly eleven After the ar
rival of the judges the applicants grouped
themselves around the starting point and
Wanted for the word to begin.
Each candidate must show his ability to
carry. without resting. huge sack filed
with stones weighing $50 pounds. for a.
Yards No sign of strain must be appar-
ent. nor may the men totter under their
burden. Some of the competitors got no
farther than a few steps; others who had
accomplished the feat were disqualified
because the effort left them exhausted.
When a candidate did succeed in his task
to the satisfaction of the judges he was
greeted by the crowd with wild wells of
approval
Men from every province of France en-
tered Tor THIS contest. which occurs only
once in every two or three wears When
death or continued sickness depletes this
body Of men who are employed for the
heavy lifting at the Halles then the trial
lakes place. The corps consist of 621
men.
The duties of the strong men"-the
only name ever given them-are to unload
lie sacks of -four, cases of cheese boxes
OF fresh sea fish and other produce COM
Ing TO The market. but the final aim OF
eacn man is TO handle the grand fruit"
This is the last great stepping stone in
their work. for which salaries of from
$50 10 Sl.ooO year are paid. ii is not
munificient sum for an American work
man. but for France il is colossal
Giants in stature. broad-slouldered big
boned a great muscular development skin
touShened by exposure, one can only COM
pare these men IL superb Perc1eron
horses. They are fully organized and
perform their duties like well drilled
army. Each market is divided into ten
gangs of strong men. a foreman and
assistant foreman at the head of each
squad. chief is over the foreman and
Thea this little battalion is watched over
by the project of police. Police Commits
sioner Giuchard Is their general and de-
$,
present case, judging In the examination
or the new recruits.
This corporation. il one may so call IT.
cannot be put In the category of any other
Workmens organization. Ii is the union
OF The aristocracy of labor. for IL has ex-
listed ever since the reign of Louis X who
bestowed on them their title lies Fort
de la Halles. title that antedates the
marGuises of the renaissance for II
dates from the year $50. Many of these
knights OF labor have descended from an
cestors who can be traced as far back as
The sixteenth century.
The men all act in perfect harmony
There is never any dissension among them
neither do they discuss grievances In pub
lie. indulge in strikes or make themselves
obnoxious by threats for imagined
wrongs. They are seif-respecting citizens
in every way. but if provoked by assault
they can defend themselves ably. as was
proved one night short while ago.
One OF their number started for his work
Al the Halles in the early hours of the
morning. Finding himself ahead of time
he stretched out on bench which was
placed in secluded spot the street
and soon fell asleep. Suddenly he felt
some one trying TO steal his pocket book
Instantly he was on his feet facing two
"Apaches'-the dangerous and murderous
Nagabonds of Paris. They reached for
their knives but before they could at
tack him the strong man" grabbed each
one by the nape of the neck and knocked
their heads together again and again like
two puppets in a Punch an6 Judy show.