The Washington herald., 1920-11-16
HAWKERS GRAB
new EMIGRANT.
Battery Park Shows Queer
Sights as Flotsam Pours
In Melting Pot.
ny O. O, M.INTYRE,

NEW YORK. Nov. 15.-Battery
Park swarms with an army Of
small merchants when the emIgrant
tug from Ellis Island lands its
daily load Of future citizens. Penny
candies, dried herring. hot-dogs.
buttons with the American flag.
gaudy handkerchiefs and a hundred
other tribes are Haunted by the
hawkers.
They make many sales because
they are foreign born and new ar
rivals will gladly make purchases
to be able to talk to them in their
native tongue and get directions
about the city. The emigrants hud-
die together like sheep before the
impending storm.
The towering outline of Manhat-
tan impresses them from a distance
but when they approach the Jagged
skyline of skyscrapers, deep street
canyons and the general architec-
tural immenslty they shrink with
awe. There is something pitiable
about their dumb helplessness.
Some remain In Battery Park all
day, afraid to fare forth into the
$50" "Oiiu. oNItIS the
to the elevated trains with hysteri-
cal giggles. There is a warm kind
liness about the inspectors who are
in charge and the strangers shake
hands timidly and bow their thanks
before departing.
Invariably the emigrant carries
double his weight in luggage. He
brings his own bedding, many
times his wash basin and other
household utensils and then there
Is generally framed picture of the
family group he left behind. SEN
timent runs high among them.
A motley daily collection. Young
Poles with aged parents, sturdy
blond Hollanders. Turks with rings
in their ears. red shirted sons of
Italy. hulking Lascars, Swedes. sad
eyed French and Belgian children,
orphaned by war, stolid looking
Swiss-and a host of others all
pouring into the great American
melting pot.
Since the war Long Island has
gained many residents who. to the
critical residents there. are known
as rough-neck millionaires. The
Verandas buzz with stories OF crude
social errors made by the new rich
There Is one rugged old fellow who
purchased a near-castIefncar Bay
side. There Is a magnificent estate
with private gardens and fake and
all. He has factory in, one of the
towns nearby. His WI is large.
rosy-checked and until three years
ago had never been in an automo-
bile. Consequently she is Just a lit
tie awed by the swift change. Her
husband's first name Is Mike,
from her porch the other after
noon she yelled to the nveriod
chauffeur: "Oh. Mr.. Kelly, drive
around by the shop and pick up
Mike"
Two eSclusiv' men tailors who
have never advertised in the news
papers or even permitted a sign on
thnir windows or on their doors
have suddenly had change Of
heart. Both have quarter page ads
in the newspapers and each has
placed signs on the buildings in
which they are established. The
reason-poor business And on TOP
OF this $4,000 workers in the cloth
Ing trade are idle. People are max
Ing last years winter clothes do
this season.
The traffic cop on Seventy-second
street rushed forward shouting:
Where do you think you are? Use
your bean, the trouble with you
guys Is tfat you think-Aint's il a
hne day. sir, and how is everything
downtown" He had suddenly rec
ognized deputy police commits
sioner and retired with bushes.