Smyrna times., 1933-05-31
SIDE LIGHTS OF
NEW YORK CITY
Told By Walter Trumbull in
His Own Immical Way
of Doings in City
INTERESTING SKETCHES

Nassau is still one Of my favorite
streets. Wandering down from the
vicinity of Brooklyn bridge, where
it loses its identity in Park Row,
il finally strikes Wall street and
becomes Broad. 1t does SO in two
ways-by changing its name and
widening to about twice its former
size.
Narrow and deviating no little
from the straight line, Nassau street
is one of the few Manhattan thor
oughfares where the pedestrian has
a chance. Wheeled traffic-and
there is not much of it since driv-
ers who can, avoid Nassau-moves
so slowly it really doesn't count.
Hence there are as many who travel
in the middle Of the street as use
the sidewalks.
That holds true, especially during
the luncheon recess. Then, Mas
sau's sidewalks are entirely made
quate.
When the myriad offices of the
financial district pause for midday
food, Nassau street really comes
into its own. It's an old street, but
then it becomes young. Clerks,
stenographers and other workers
connected with money come troop
ing into Nassau to eat, shop, chat
ter with friends, or parade down the
narrow thoroughfare arm in arm.
Those crowds, in the main, are
youthful and full of the spirit of
youth. They are good-looking
crowds also. In fact, this CORE
spondent rates them higher in femi-
nine attractiveness than any Park
avenue parade he has witnessed.
Nassau's attraction for shoppers
of the adjacent financial center of
the country comes through the fact
that almost anything may be bought
there. Some of the stores, though
they may be mere holes in the wall,
have barkers. Others use loud
speakers. So there is considerable
noise and confusion. Prices also
are attractive. Insofar as could be
noted in a stroll from the statue of
Benjamin Franklin-newsboys were
selling papers at the feet Of the
Great Printer-down to the sub
treasury building, not price ended
in naught or a five. The figures
were all odd numbers, suggestive
OF bargains. There were bargains
also, popular brands of cigarettes
selling far below advertised prices
and cigars that cost 80 cents each
uptown being on display at 20
cents.
Most of the Nassau street shops
z do almost all their business during
the luncheon hour. At other times
of the day they are somnolent, with
i only few languid clerks, and some
times only the proprietor on duty.
y But when Wall street and its en-
: rirons releases thousands of slaves
of finance, Nassau street springs
r into new life. Reserve forces of
clerks take their places behind
counters. The barkers and loud
speakers labor mignrily. Selling is
keyed to high speed. Customers do
not demur. Generally, they have
only a few minutes to make their
purchases. So the staccato service,
instead of being resented, is appre-
ciatpd .,---
Z --.- -----
While competition between stores
is keen, that on the sidewalks,
which forms another mart, is still
more keen. Pitchmen flock into
Nassau street between noon and 2
d. m. Almost anything may be pur-
chased right out in the open. New
sau street is the only New York
street where this correspondent has
seen cigars sold from pushcarts.
The prices are almost ridiculously
low. They are guaranteed also
statesmen being profuse in their
promises of money back in case of
dissatisfaction. But whether the
pushcart will be there when the
smoke is concluded is another ques-
tion.
Signs displayed on Nassau street
are worthy Of a column in them
selves. But there is space for just
one. It covered the whole front of
a clothing store, a section having
been cut out for an entrance. 1t
bore only two words. They we're:
"Giving up"
Abyssinia in Vigorous