Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-25
STREET TAXING A LOST ART.
Old Timer Recalls Some OF His Ex.
pericnces.

wherever the city throng is thickest.
knows him no more. y remnant of this
once formidable army of talking
novelty dispensers still ekes an humble
| living, but the city has no time for
them.
The cops done it," is the laconie
reply to your querulousness.
The big stick of the city police force
| has busted the sidewalks of most of the
dispensers of tin whistles. toy balloons,
pencil holders and the like. But a few
of them remain, and they're proud of
their calling. When grim necessity isn't
holding them to their jobs in the small
er villages about New York, they like
to gather up three flights OF STAIRS in
Il rickety building on Ann street. It's
their unofficial headquarters, and there
they purchase their supplies for the
day. the week or the month, according
to their financial avoirdupois.
The msblie generally considers. the
street hawker in the light of bum;
rather dereiict who is doing gust
temporary bit of work to earn few
cents for drink.
AS general impression. that is En-
roneous. ASK Colonel Bill Mcclure. me
Colonel is known along the road from
Frisco to New York. He is the dean OF
the peddlers, having been its resplen-
dent and respected leader since 1s,6
He's pretty nearly 10 now, tall anu
spare, with silky white hair falling over
II deeply tanned countenance. and As ne
talks his hsht-bhie eyes. never seem
ingly alert To what passes before them,
stare into the vacancy of theH own
creation.
H., 81
No silver tongued orator WAS ever Us
rhetorical, no gfammarian ever us
punetilions He has the thorough ae-
preciation for words that lifts them
from duh and presaie DICTIONARIES and
invests them with All the irideSceat
splendor of an Arabian Nights jewel
Tie Colonel is 4 Grand Army man.
He served all through the war with
the Twenty-fourth PENNSYLVANIA ailu
the Fourth Delaware. and not long
after, his education an asset winch csr-
cunstanees made it impossible for nm
to take advantage of. he began l'edai-
ing novelties in New York city. al
though his life has been full of ex-
periences of all sorts he was reluctant
to speak of them: his mind was too
much concerned with the tragedy OF
the peddler brotherhood
For some time" said he, I haze
endeavored with all my energy, 10 en-
list the sympathy Of all l could in oar
case. We have suffered untold agony
of mind and stomach since 1t was de-
creed that we should no longer be per
ritted to ply our trade upon the
streets.
If it were not for liberation great
al thipoS wnIlli Hot be
going on as they are. And yet there Is
not the slightest liberation shown to
US. The traffic that congests the streets
is nothing but the thousands Of vehi-
Giles of the merchants who are mel ely
conducting their business And yet
when we try to pursue ours we are ar
rested. The policeman will tell US to
get out, and get out quick.
We know our place, we are humble
men. We want only little indulgence
| 7 claim that in my career | have nitro
duced many novelties which later hdd
an extremely extensive sale, and SO my
work was meritorious. So with all OF
Us.
Take the dime savings bank. for IN
stance. The manufacturer was unable
to sell tnem: no agent would purchase
them. He let as take them and we hrst
tried them in Wall street. The desire
for those banks spread like wildflfe an
over The country. 1t is to the honor,
the glory and the perseverance OF inc
men OF the street that this very behe-
fetal novelty became so popular.
I'VE are honest, sober and industfl-
ous men. who are being oppfessed.
From some evil source has ISSUED TIC
wnrd that we shall he eXterminaleo
Will The pubic stand by ana witness
sncb needless and shameful murder!
1T was different in the old Gays. Ii
was no rare occurrence for us u fiseNe
$40 ans. $50 day. But now, when we
are in constant fear of the ponce we
are unable to concentrate. men, To-
the department and five ana Ten eehe
stores have taken away much Oh oei
M tonnage. -. -
ct have earned vast amount Oh
..,e,,a,, in my time. but the folly OF
vouth prevented my keeping IT, Anu
now | am satisfied il / can meet eA
nanses. Very few of us sell IN the CITY.
We Oh To all the fairs and celebrations
In nearby towns, and a great many VI
us go West. VIC t,t<.
ten ne -, The Colonel smiled. WeH,
we are all of clan, you know Az VI
70 haze been at it. many years ana u
we have no money the boss iahei
,hc man who is jobber for the novel
Ties ana once was d peddler himself =
trusts us. ,....;...
"I always have liked this business,
rbere was a fascination l could never
resist I love crowds; | love excitement
I have seen plenty of it, The World, $
,air IN Chicago? of course was .hefe'
but INV dear sir. to me. who has az
tracted the crowds of New York City'
| that is as nothing. .
4 remember when we sold Figs IN
Clover What, you do not recall thae!
Wen it was a game whose object 1T
was to roll the five little balls down a
corrugated board into a little pen
That made tremendous stir when II
was first put on the streets. Ana !.
is one of the pleasing memories OF my
life to think of the crowds l used to
entertain with il. e
Really. although l want money Oh
course. that was almost too easy 70
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