The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-04-17
Old CuriO Shop Keeper Has Now
Hung Up a Sign: Retiring
From Business"
HAS SEEN MANY CHANGES
IN FAMOUS OLD STREET
He Remembers Bill Tweed, Race
and Draft Riots and Old
Time Fighters

NEW YORK. April 1.-THE Bow.
cry Is about 10 lose one OF its most
interesting characters, Isaac Meyers,
who keeps little curio shop at No.
205, Is going out OF business He
was the man whose joking suggestion
made Steve Brodie famous. He has
been newsboy, peddler and shopkeep-
er on the Bowery for more than 40
years.
Meyers was born 81 years ago in
l.eonard-st, in the old Sixth. ward
the Bloody Sixth they used TO call
it," he said During the draft riots
in Civil war times IL was not uncom-
mon TO go out to school In the morn
ing and find a Negro hung to a lamp
post" He learned the three RS In
the little wood and brick school
\ house in Leonard-st. and then began
selling papers. Next he sold sporting
goods on the street, and within few
years he was able 10 become a shop
Keeper He opened his first store at
No. SO Bowery, and for 80 years he
was fixture there. His three sons,
Abraham (who died last year,, Harry
and Lewis, grew up there II was
there that his wife Jennie, who was
called the prettiest woman on the
west side. died
The wooden shack at No. 90 was
said TO be over 100 years old. Wfea
the Manhattan brt2gG ~as- abuSit III
Was torn down. Big lin. Sullivan,
\ who looked after the old timers. on
\ the Bowery, found Isaac chance TO
move his shop fixtures to No. 200,
where he has been ever since.
Into the old place at No. 90 Bow
cry one day, came Steve Brodie TO
consult Isaac on how ne could become
famous.
Jump OF Brooklyn bridge" said
. Ike.
I'm do IT," said Steve. And what
Steve always said he did Anyhow
he at once became famous.
II was around the store in Isaac's
place that such old-time ring fighters
as Joe Coburn, John Ryan and Joe
Goss used to gather TO talk il over.
And summer evenings Billy MeGlofy
and Ike would go out for a walk un-
der the few trees and the many signs
that swing over the sidewalks.
In the old days, said Isaac, race
lots were daily occurrences on the
Bowery and neighboring streets. Con-
cert saloons were open day and night
The chief social gathering place OF
the Bowery neighborhood was in the
old German Figth Regiment armory
on Hester-st., between >>sIott and
Leonard. Chatham-st. (now Park
b Row was the main avenue and the
big business street was Catherine-st.
Some OF the big department stores
now uptown were then located down
here.
New York was a lively town even
then. On election night merchants
used to have 10 sacrifice about every
thing that was movable about their
doors to election bonfires Furniture,
wagons, stoop fronts, soda water
stands, newstands. anything that
could burn and could be ripped away.
Revolvers, shotguns, rifles and even
cannon we're used TO celebrate with.
Once, remember, the street cars
1--WE had no elevated) had to stop be-
cause at a certain corner a cannon
was being fired every rev moments
sweeping the street clean. The same
thing happened on the Fourth or
July.
"Bnl Tweed was boss and city
comptroller | remember him well.
THE old fashioned horse cars car
ried people from the Battery to
Jones's Woods at East SiXty-thirdst.
Sometimes they were three hours on
the way, when the conductors and
drivers stopped in the middle OF a
run to sit under a tree and eat lunch.
In the winter time the passengers
kept their feet warm by resting them
in the straw on the floor placed
there for that purpose.
zone of the big old time leaders
on the Bowery was John J. O'Brien.
lie was very popular, but no more
so than was Big Tim Sullivan, who
came later. Owney Goeghegan In
those days kept place on the Bow
cry. Capt. Foley tried to close him
ZIP, but Goeghegan got him broke
and then held a wake with coffin
set in the place. all for Capt. Foley,
and he was popular hero for seven
days Foley was a good hearted sort
OF man and had friends.
"The Bowery was then, and is to-
day, the safest place to travel in.
still take my walk here with Max