New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-08
aEVD TO THE COSTERS
a., ondoner Has Relieved
- .,"sot Hawkers Of Much Misery.
FILLS THEM A RACE APART
:, 70 Their Jobs, They Are
~n,rb but Honest-A Word
as to the Donkeys.

a ste uhilanthroplc dssoS'otiOh WIN t"O
.,,per class in London, TO whose
81 60 moral and material he has de-
'- S. energies for a period extending
than half a century. Mr.. Ors-
..cupied A responsible position ct
- -s-ersl rostofice. from which he re-
H. 800 His way home Of an even
- him along the Goswell Road and
began 10 make himself acquainted
ne life Of the poor people who lived
rookeries which abounded fifty
,go I'M that sQuslid region. Thus
be said fO have been the first OF
summers.
,t.- time DO was very young, but he
eu OF enthusiasm IN the cause OF
,ity Still earlier. when a stripping
.r,sen. be- had been so impressed by
!. he read i'm the newspapers about
\ ,vae~ir-s ~ our troops in the Crimea
h. ran away from home. took the
r,-ward-bouud vessel 20 the East
I. vo,unteered for service in connection
= ,te hospitals. AT that period he
- into close relationship with Miss
-.-.,ca Nightingale The experience
=, obtained was a painful one for his
~ was greatly impressed by the hor-
=. NJ var as revealed in the hospitals,
I. no certainly did not regret IL. as he
4. able 60 put TO good use subsequently
i, no learned from Miss Nighungale's
,-,-ahla methods II organization.
I. result Of what he saw Of the life
80 p17--r classes in London Mr. Ors-
-, started on that active career Of
.,.rolerce fin which he has had the sup
- Of many eminent personages. The
g.aon Hall r H0xton. which IS the Gull
-rstirc result Of his efforts, is one Of
i. finest buildings Of the kind I'm exist
- and the influence IL exerts is wide
grad.
seak.rc 90 d. representative Of The
y,-tnc r1s-- Mr. Orsman. who is we'll
"a active and as keen as ever in the pur-
n Of DTS sa'f-apponted mission, said:
HOW THE WORK BEGAN.
AS Ions as Z was at the postofice I
aid Of course devote only my spare time
nv ruaI. work. but now IL has my
-avidsI attention. In these days I am
awy 20 saw there are many agencies
for p-0molr. the welfare Of the poor
Tts1 ] began. however, it was far differ
r With the exception Of the London
Iy Mission. which had already been in
1rencs Cor some years. I do not know
.Ei any organized attempt Of the kind
ng,ed And wherever I look I see evil
r,ss OF the great progress that We
ir made have always felt a special
'gest ir the costermonger class.
They are really a race apart, for the cos
gnonger Ike the poet, is born. not made.
IN are eostermongers from father 10 son
b many generations. 7 know there is a
r-non belief that when a man is down
bis luck YOU have only 20 give him a
-key and barrow and a small amount Of
-rsy 10 invest in the markets, and he
81 make a good living. Women come 10
> umetmes and say they know a case Of
deserving man who has been, say, a foot
a, .n a respectable family, and who only
SIS some such start 10 put him right. I
% reluctantly obliged 20 say in every in
nne that such a project IS doomed 10
a.re
What is needed is business ability, and
81 only business ability. but a great deal
c very special kind Of information. The
Esrmonger must know what 10 buy
I'd when He has bought his goods he must
GOV where he can dispose OF them. In
be ease % perishable goods especially only
nan gifted with a certain special apti-
s.s can avoid making a loss. Please un-
-s,aad that when I speak Of cOstermon-
g-s DO not include in that term all the
-sl who sell goods from a barrow. You
I'll never see genuine costermonger in
q City The men who sell fruit on bar
Vas there are nearly all foreign Jews
THE GENUINE CoSTER.
Ills such men who are the cause, very
Err,ly o. the periodically recurring agi-
zt1 in favor of removing the costers'
-lls from ONE place or another. Genuine
oUers the tradesmen in populous dis
1.,s DO not mind. because they make a
--ls' and ,lIs bring custom 20 the shops.
9, there s a strong feeling against the
-s1 dealers who leave some one in charge
number Of barrows and only look
r11d occasionally 20 collect the takings
I'd note what is going on. These men
iy 10 rttes. they do not reside in the
egab0rh0o5 where they conduct their
'lts and tse money they take away they
ss-d elsewhere
lae genuine c0scermonger. as ] call him.
divided into TWO distinct classes. one -
'--olary at o. regular pitch; the other
ass about selling his wares. Socially the
a-sr Is superior % the former. because
be- successful he must be more or less
sser,aal- aro have something OF q per-
-asfe manner often the man who goes
''-t hos pitch which ne leaves in charge
BIS wife an. children. The costers are
-ga. certainly. but they are not rufians.
fC the most part they are as straight as
at and you can safely lend them money.
| l hey are useful servants 20 people or
,aei means 10 is their business IN the
a. 20 clear away d large quantity or
1isha3.e goods which would otherwise
= wasted and which they retail at low
fs Buy 10 the wholesale markets
ne shops always make their purchases
Zoe early morning Therefore. when
--siments come FOO later I'm the Gay
would DO practically no bidders but
l.e costermongers.
SAVED FROM USURERS.
@ class costermongers are far more
gent than they used 20 be. years
Vas "a common thing for them 70
'e' the money with which they went
Market from small usurers, who charged
IN penny a shilling a day for &C
-naodati0n. The interest at this rate
y" out ar O. fabulous figure. But we
'org since talked them out OF such
~ No better Indication Of the improve
That has taken place in the manners
hese men as a class could be FOUND
The condition Of their donkeys-
."ileriy She state of these poor Great
vas piua5ie On the extreme. No"
=, VII hardly ever see one that is not
cared for Most Of the men, IN fact,