Year: 1868

from L1S NtH OIh ODe'j
Among the street boys of New York
the boot-blacks are probably the most
useful and entertaining. There is much
Of truly romantic interest connected
With these dirty, ragged, huugry-look-
ing urchins, and careful observation
of their habits, characteristics and
mode of living is study not wholly
improbable.


In point of numbers this fraternity
is much larger than is commonly sup
posed. According to trustworthy es-
Inmates there are between six and seven
hundred in New York, three hundred
in Jersey City and Hobokep, and two
hundred in Brooklyn and its vicinity,
upwards of eleven hundred in all. This
average has not changed materially
within the past FIVE or six years, for
those allowed to enter the profession
by the boys already established Is
about the same in number as those
who annually retire.


THE SOCIETY OF BooT-BLAcKs.


1t is not generally known that an or
ganization exists among the boot-blacks
as vigorous in its way as any trade
union in the country. A strongly
marked professional pride and jealousy
of intruders is the probable origin OF
the system of organized labor they have
adopted. The city is divided into dis
tricta, in each of which certain num-
Der Of boys establish themselves under
leader, whose superior shrewdness OF
pugilistic skill gives him prominence
among his fellows; and so tenancious
sre they of their monopoly that nov
ice must pass through an ordeal that
would discourage most boys before he
secures complete initiation, and II
! accepted as member of the craft.


| The downtown parks and streets are
under the most perfect control, and fol
1 stranger to show himself with the I'M
lplemenfs of the profession in any o
| these well-eanvassed regions is regard
ed as a challenge for fight, which
! generally terminates in the punching
Of the Intruder, until he is glad to ge
away. But in spite of their belligeren
propensities these little fellows have
! keen sense of honor, and rarely take a,
unfair advantage of each other. W,
know of one instance in which thrash
ing was decreed boy for some viola
ton of established custom, and to Civ
him fair chance he was allowed Il
choose his combatant out Of thirty o
4 forty, each cf whom was anxious t
constitute himself the champion of. tn
lfraternity. After being pretty badl
punished, and sent home to nurse
broken head, he found only friend
~aen he returned pale and weak to NJ
laoo. seems to be an innate proper
Inefe natures to fight wheneye
sity IN their >fers. 1t is their chit
an opportunity { IN squads of ten {
delight to proceed rival gans
twenty to the district Oh -nt;l one {
and skirmish with them I. = fielc
the other is driven from tn ,lar
Sometimes rivalries exist between I


occupying the same locality. An in
stance of this kind occurred about
year ago in the City Hall Park, in
which quite miniature riot was raised
by the Irish boys against an allied force
composed mostly of Germans and 1tal
ians. The battle was so severe, and
weapons of such formidable nature
were used, that the interference Of the
police in considerable force was found
necessary to suppress it, and severa
boys were seriously injured. For som'
time afterwards the Irish held forcibl'
possession of the disputed ground, bu
the police were again appealed to, ant
the rights of the defeated party wer
restored. A compromise was then et
fected by joint committee of the tw
factions, and harmony has since bee
maintained.


EARNINGS, RULES AND CUSTOMS.


In their observance Of general an
established customs the New Yor