New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
WAR ON PARIS K|OSKS'
Tenants Have EnCroaChed 100
Much on the BoulevardS.
SPACE TO BE CUT DOWN
Wide "Terrasses" of the Cafes
Will Also Undergo Some
Official Clipping.

Paris. Feb. 2.-The pew Prefect Of the
Seine is clearly not man of half meas
ures. I'm less than a week. by threatening
the Parisans with small fine, he has
purgcd Paris Of one of the most abominable
nuisances in the shape of the litter OF
advertisements that dishgured it's pave
ments, and now his heavy hand has come
down upon the kiosks which line the
houlevards and block In too great de-
gree the space left free between the tables
and chairs set out by the cafes and restau-
rants and the curbstone.
From the Cafe Rrehant at the Faubourg
Montmartre up to the Rue Scribe, whose
corner is occupied by the Grand Hotel. all
the newspaper sellers are TO shut their
stalls for forty-eight hours. Loud and
long are the cries Of complaint az this
draconlan decree, but the need OF IT is uni
Versally recognized. and, as the shutting
Is only temporarily. Parsians will put up
gladly with the discomfort of not being
able 10 buy their morning and evening
papers this week end. while the "camelots
are jubilant. This step has been taken by
the police In order 10 enable them to mark
out the proper limits OF each stall, and
when this "delmitation" mas been effected
the chastened owners will be permitted TO
reopen within a restricted area.
Doubtless the next blow will be struck
OF the cafes. which are certainly even
greater offenders than the kiosks in chok
ing the footway. and. after clearing the
pavements OF refuse paper. the prefecture
will be able to place a few more feet of 1t
at the disposal Of the busy stream OF foot
passengers. and by degrees It will be possi-
bic 10 walk as easily from the Madeline TO
tho Porte st. Denis as II is from Madison
Square TO the Plaza, While the owners or
tho kiosks. who are greatly privileged
class. will enjoy as best they can their en-
forced holiday that portion OF the public
whose regular habit II Is TO pass several
hours each day and night on the boulevard
and in the cafes they particularly affect
will be sorely put 10 II In order 10 obtain
nows. Hitherto the ''camelots' have only
sold one or two of the morning and evening
papers. ali the great dailies being served
out at the kiosks. together with the week
lies and comic papers. All foreign news
papers are also dependent upon the kiosk.
and the English and Spanish dailies will lie
unpacked at the wholesale houses unless
some enterprising 'camelot" takes 1t upon
himself TO specialize in the journals from
abroad.
The right to set UP a newspaper kiosk is
only second in public estimation to that or
keeping a tobacco bureau. and the gift Is
In the hands OF the prefecture. Like all
close guilds. that of the newspaper sellers
is much envied and Jealously guarded. and
kiosk Is often handed on from generation
to generation as a precious heirloom with
out the administration being Informed. The
kiosk is quite feature Of Paris streets,
and its variegated display would be much
missed II ever II were altogether wiped on
the face OF the streets. The larger ana
moro fourishing businesses have quite
large stock In trade. consisting not only OF
all the daily and weekly and many monthly
French papers, but also good selection of
tile foreign press and quantities Of fashion
papers, magazines and reviews. the latter
chiefly French and English. Many OF them
also run postal cards and cheap fiction, and,
naturally, in order to show the stock TO
advantage a good deal moro space was re-
quired than tho regulation feet by feet.
IL Is these larger and more enterprising
kicsks that are likely 10 suffer the most,
and It will not be- altogether without regret
that we shall see their shows shut down.