Tag Archives: newsboys

New Newspaper Articles!

20 Monday Jul 2020

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In honor of the beginning of the Newsboys Strike of 1899, I’ve added new first-hand newspaper articles to City Hall Park!

The Evening Post had interesting views on the strike, because—as they mention in an article about strike leadership—some of the newsboys were writing copy themselves and giving it to the newspaper offices to publish. (That same leadership article does not paint “Kid” Blink in a positive light…) The Post articles also back up one or two early events that are reported on only in one other newspaper, the Tribune.

The complete Evening Post index is here: https://cityhallpark1899.com/newspaper-articles/the-evening-post/

“Newsboy’s Swift Revenge”

09 Thursday Jul 2020

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From the July 9, 1899 edition of The Sun, a tale that could spark fan fiction:

Newsboy’s Swift Revenge

Murderous Assault Seen By A Crowd Near Bridge Entrance.

Driver of a Newspaper Delivery Wagon Stabbed in the Back of the Neck by a Youth Whom He Had Thrashed—He May Die—Assailant Chased and Caught.
A crowd of over 1,000 persons saw a newsboy attempt to murder the driver of a newspaper delivery wagon at 9 o’clock last night at Sands street, Brooklyn near the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge. “Over 500 of them pursued the would-be murderer as he fled, and, after a chase almost to the river front, were rewarded by the sight of his arrest.
Peter Peglies, 22 years old, of 29 Main street, Brooklyn, is the murderous newsboy. His victim is William Gibbons, 23 years old, of 66 Fulton street, Brooklyn. They had a quarrel in the afternoon at the Brooklyn entrance of the bridge over the number of papers Gibbons had furnished to Peglies. Gibbons managed to get in several hard blows on Peglies’s face and head before the crowd interfered and separated them to prevent further damage being done.
Peglies declared at teh time that he would have revenge, and warned Gibbons to look out. Gibbons laughed at the threats and taunted Peglies, saying that he could take care of himself easily with such an antagonist. This made Peglies all the angrier.
Shortly after 9 o’clock last night Gibbons was passing through Sands street on his way to Manhattan. In the meantime Peglies had armed himself with a knife and a razor. Knowing that Gibbons was to go to Manhattan, he lay in wait in Sands street for him. When Gibbons appeared Peglies pushed his way through the crowd after him.
When he caught up to the unsuspecting Gibbons, without a word of warning he pulled the knife from his pocket and made a vicious slash. The blade struck Gibbons in the neck, making a fearful gash. Gibbons fell to the sidewalk, and Peglies turned and ran, pushing the crowd aside.
The spectators were so amazed by what they had seen that they made no effort at first to detail Peglies. The sight of the bloody knife in his hand may have added to the disinclination to interfere. Just as he cleared the crowd and turned toward the river some one shouted that Gibbons was dying. Half of the crowd made a rush for Gibbons while the other half chased after Peglies, who was running like mad down the dark street. He was finally captured at Dock and Front streets by Policeman Lunny. The pursuers made no demonstration against Peglies when he was taken back to Gibbons for identification. Gibbons said he thought Peglies was his assailant because of the afternoon row and the threats Peglies had made, but admitted that he had not seen him before the blow was struck. Peglies was taken to Brooklyn Police Headquarters and locked up on a charge of felonious assault.
A call was sent to the Brooklyn Hospital and Dr. Parrish responded. In the meantime a policeman had partially stopped the flow of blood. Dr. Parrish bandaged the wound and Gibbons was taken to the hospital. On his arrival there he became delirious and tore the bandage off, reopening the wound. Dr. Parrish said last night that Gibbons was in a critical condition.

 

 

 

Motion Picture: A Trip Through New York City in 1911

19 Sunday Apr 2020

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Black and white images show a lot about people and places in the past, but there’s something about seeing old black & white images that have been colorized to make the image seem even more real. Thanks to Denis Shiryaev, we can do that with a film compilation about New York City.

In 1911, cameramen from a Swedish company, Svenska Biografteatern (which existed from 1907 to 1919), made travelogues of places of interest around the world, including New York City. (Other locations included Niagara Falls, Paris, and Venice.) One of the nitrate prints survived and was restored by the Museum of Modern Art. Guy Jones slowed down the frame rate to match a natural speed of movement, and added background sounds for realism. It’s this version of the film that Shiryaev colorized.

 

    • 0:08—The Statue of Liberty.
    • 0:17—View from the front of a ferry, showing the Williamsburg Bridge.
    • 0:25—The Manhattan Bridge, and river traffic.
    • 0:34—Pulling up to the dock.
    • 0:43—People on the pier, watching a steamer.
    • 0:59—Disembarking the ferry, people first then wagons.
    • 1:27—You can see several newsies, one on crutches, and a row of umbrella-shaded bootblack stands.
    • 1:49—A street view. I’m amused at the men who suddenly start straightening their clothes when they realize they’re being captured on film.
    • 2:05—264 Fifth Avenue had Harold & Co. (a jewelry store) on the first floor with apartments above, the Knickerbocker Flats (not to be confused with the Knickerbocker Apartments). Also in view is the sign for a Cook Tours office. The SO on the awning could be for the Southern Railroad office, which took over the jeweler’s space. The building no longer exists.
    • 2:16—We’re in a Chinese neighborhood. I love the kid who notices the camera and stays in frame as long as he can. (Not much has changed in one hundred plus years!) The man on crutches is not our newsie friend from earlier; he’s missing the other leg.
    • 2:38—Another street view. I think the kid in knickerbockers who runs across the street might be the same one from the previous shot.
    • 2:50—At the Flat Iron Building. Do people not care about the possibility of getting run over? Everybody jaywalks.
    • 3:09—A delivery wagon for Ward’s Tip Top Bread enters the intersection and moves south on Broadway. Ward’s claimed that its Tip Top bread was never touched by a human hand during the whole process, since everything was automated; they had a modern new factory in Prospect Park.  You can read more about the bakery here.
    • 3:19—A more residential street view.
    • 3:36—The church is Grace Church, in the bend of Broadway at Broadway & East 10th Street.
    • 3:59—I love the chauffeur and the boy sitting on the floor of the backseat; they seem to be enjoying the drive far more than the other passengers, especially the little girl in the front seat! Apparently, the license plate is registered to Mrs. Florian Lochwicz (the car is a 1911 E-M-F Touring).  You can read more about the family here.
    • 4:41—They’re only on screen for a moment, but there’s one man sitting in the back window of a trolley, and another who looks like he hopped a ride by the way he’s hanging on to the outside.
    • 4:42—A view of the New York Herald Building, showing the facade with the Minerva statue that faces Herald Square.
    • 4:46—The film cuts to the John Ericsson statue in Battery Park.
    • 4:59—A row of bootblack stands outside of an “el” station entrance.
    • 5:15—Another shot of the Herald Building, from the same perspective.
    • 5:23—A street-level view of one of the elevated trains. The MOMA identifies the corner as the one at the Bowery and Worth (aka Chatham Square).
    • 5:50—An eye-level view of (probably) the same “el” train.
    • 6:03—A view of the Manhattan skyline through the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge. One man stares at the view, and several people pass in front of the camera. The ones that have received the most attention on the internet are the three young men who are last shown, because two are holding hands.
    • 6:21—The view switches to the pedestrian approach for the Brooklyn Bridge, showing the suspension tower. Cable cars (the NY and Brooklyn Bridge Railway) run on either side of the walkway heading underneath, and trolleys & horse-drawn vehicles  travel on the outer lanes. One of the ads on the building to the right is for Calox, “The OXYGEN Tooth Powder,” sold by McKesson & Robbins, whose offices were located at 91 Fulton Street. (Calcium dioxide was the active ingredient.)
    • 6:37—A very brief view of the bridge looking at one of the suspension towers, between the cables along the pedestrian promenade and the outer edge of the bridge, overlooking the cable car tracks.
    • 6:43—Quick panorama of the city.
    • 6:49—A different panoramic view.
    • 7:03—A view taken from the Flatiron Building (Broadway is to the left; Fifth Avenue to the right). The flag on top of the building in the bottom left corner says “5th Ave Bldg.” Washington Crisps were a brand of corn flakes. Mark Cross is a luxury goods brand, primarily leather goods, that began in Boston in 1845.
    • 7:15—The Rosedale was an excursion steamer. Interesting note: in 1896 it sank in the East River at the foot of Broome Street after a collision with a ferry boat, and was raised again.
    • From 7:43 onwards, Shiryaez shows side-by-side comparisons of scenes that have been colorized and the original black & white.

Here is Guy Jones’ black & white version for comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aohXOpKtns0

“Saved From A Pauper’s Grave.”

16 Tuesday May 2017

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From the May 16, 1905 edition of the New York Tribune:

Saved From A Pauper’s Grave.

Newsboys Contribute to Buy Plot for Fellow Newsboy.

“Dutch” Johnson, a Park Row newsboy, was buried yesterday in a flower covered grave in Middle Village, Long Island. His body was saved from Potter’s Field by the pennies of fellow newsboys. Thursday night “Dutch” lay ill with pneumonia in the Newsboys’ Lodging House.
“I ain’t goin’ to weaken’ jus’ ’cause I got to cash in,” he told Superintendent Haig [sic], “but it ain’t ecksactly a happy thought ter t’ink I’ve gotter be planted up there in the Potter’s Field.”
Superintendent Heig assured him that he would not have a pauper’s grave. That night “Dutch” was taken to Bellevue, where he died a few hours later. As soon as the other boys learned of his death the hat was passed around by Jack Kelley, who stands at the Brooklyn Bridge. Jack has a persuasive voice and hands, and not a boy refused to contribute. In a few hours $36.40 had been gathered from 143 contributors, and $17 from the Paper Handler’s Union. This was turned over to Superintendent Heig, who bought a three-grave plot, enough money being left to purchase a modest gravestone. The body was buried at noon, with a few of the boy’s friends present, Superintendent Heig readnig [sic] the prayers.

“Newsboys Will Bury Comrade.”

15 Monday May 2017

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From the May 15, 1905 edition of the New York Tribune:

Newsboys Will Bury Comrade.

Raise a Fund Which Will Save “Dutch” from a Pauper’s Grave.

Frederick Johnson, who lived for years in the Newsboys’ Lodging House, at No. 14 New Chambers-st., and who died in Bellevue Hospital last Friday, will be buried to-day in Linden Hill Cemetery, Brooklyn, by his former comrades. Johnson, who was known as “Dutch” by the newsboys, died from pneumonia. He came from Germany seven years ago, but where his parents live is not known.

Superintendent Heig and John Paul, leader of the Newsboys’ Band, will superintend the funeral arrangements and the boys will act as pallbearers.

Song Lyrics: “My Sweet”

14 Tuesday Feb 2017

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“My Sweet”

Ev’ry kid on the block has a sweetheart,
A pearly he looks to with pride
And when the old moon starts a-dreaming
He flies like a bird to her side
Have you heard of Mamie Maloney
You did? well you know she’s alright.
The real thing you bet not a phoney
She’s my sweet, say she’s not and I’ll fight.

Chorus:
My sweet my sweet, the copper while passing says isn’t she neat,
My sweet my sweet, the newsies admit, she’s the belle of the street,
There’s a little cosy corner in the subway of my heart
That’s locked up you see,
And I’ve handed the key to my sweet, sweetheart.

I don’t mean to always sell papers
Although I makes pretty good pay
It’s honest and there aint no tellin’
I might be a mayor some day
Or head of the great knights of labor
For hist’ry is known to repeat.
Or Willie K. Vanderbilt’s neighbor
In a brown stone with my little sweet.

Words by William Jerome,
Music by Jean Schwartz
Performed by Joseph Cawthorn in the 1905 musical “In Tammany Hall”

“The Newsboys’ Santa Claus.”

23 Friday Dec 2016

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From the December 23, 1897 edition of The New York Daily Tribune:

The Newsboys’ Santa Claus.

“Do yer tink he’ll come ter-night?” asked a little Park Row newsboys of his companion.

“Do I tink who’ll come ter-night?” replied the second boy.

“Why, Santa Claus.”

“Say, what’s der matter wid yer, anyhow? Is yer getting dopey? What do you tink Santa Claus ud be doing down in Park Row. He’d get the grand ha ha if he come down here. He only goes among der rich folks up on der avnoos.”

“Well, he come here last year an’ took us ter der beanery an’ filled us all up wid pork and beans, an’ pie and coffee. Oh, I wish he’d come ter-night. I’se awful hungry.”

“Dat’s jest like you, Petey; you’se always hungry, an’ besides day feller wasn’t Santa Claus. He was a chap dat bet on der ‘beef-an’ horse at der races an’ made a big wad. Why, dat blokey had dough ter burn, an’ he wanter ter blow hisself. I don’t tink he’ll come ’round again cause I guess he’s broke—all dose racetrack fellers goes broke. It’s jest as bad as shooting craps ter get away wid a feller’s dough.”

“I’se awful cold. Let’s go an’ sit on der grating over der pressroom.”

“Dere yer go agin, Petey. I never seen a feller like you. Yer can’t stand notting. If yer ain’t hungry yer cold, an’ if yer ain’t cold yer hungry. Come on. You can lay on der graing an’ I’ll hustle’ round, an’ if I sell dese poipers we’ll have some buns.”

A little later the boys met again on the grating.

“I tink Santa Claus’ll come sure ter-night,” said Petey.

“Come notting”, exclaimed the second boy; “he’s got better graft den dis.”

“I wish I was up in dose stars. Santa Claus lives up dere, an’ all der boys are warm an’ have plenty ter eat.”

“See here, Petey, dere yer go agin. Yer gettin’ daffy fer sure. Get a brace on yer an’ we’ll go an’ buy some buns. I sold me poipers and we’ll celebrate.”

“I can’t get up, Chimmy; someting’s der matter wid me. I’se sick and I guess I’se going to croak. Oh, I wish Santa Claus ‘d come.”

The second boy stooped down over his sick comrade, and just as he did so a big policeman appeared on teh scene and said:

“See here, get a move on you or I will have your hides. You know you can’t stop here.”

“Dat’s all right, boss,” said Petey’s chum, “but Petey’s sick an’ I guess yer’ll have ter get der ambulance.”

The big policeman laid his hand gently on Petey’s shoulder and tried to rouse him, but the boy’s eyes were closed, and he did not move.

Just then a rough-looking man clad in a big ulster pushed his way through the little crowd that surrounded the sick newsboy and asked what the trouble was.

“Oh, Petey’s caved in,” exclaimed his cum. “He to’ght dat Santa Claus would be down here ter-night, an’ he didn’t come. Dere ain’t no Santa Claus. Dat feller dat treated us in der beanery las’ year was a racetrack feller, dat’s all.”

“Who says there isn’t a Santa Claus?” shouted the big man. “If you say that again I’ll throw you down a manhole. I am Santa Claus, and don’t you forget it.”

Then stooping over Petey’s prostrate form he tenderly picked him up in his arms, and, telling the rest of the boys to fall in line, he carried him into the warm and cheerful little restaurant a short distance away. The genial warmth of the room and a few spoonfuls of hot coffee soon aroused Petey from his stupor, and, looking trustfully up into the face of the man, he exclaimed:

“I know’d Santa Claus ‘d come.”

The man stayed in the restaurant until the boys had feasted to their hearts’ content and the orders that were filled for pork and beans, “sinkers,” mince pie and coffee kept the waiters busy. Every now and then a new lot of boys gathered in front of the beanery, and they, too, were called inside and feasted by Petey’s Santa Claus. The latter did not leave until there were no more boys to fee, and when he finally went away he left a bright silver dollar in Petey’s hand, and the latter and his chum slept in warm beds in the Newsboys’ Lodging House that night.

“Newsboys Who Wouldn’t Sing”

27 Sunday Nov 2016

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From the November 27, 1899 edition of the New York Sun:

Newsboys Who Wouldn’t Sing

Because the Lodging House Would not Let Them in Before Evening.

There was a small insurrection yesterday outside of the Newsboys’ Lodging House in Duane street, caused, as it appears, by fresh paint. Robert Gibson, 15 years old, called at The Sun office last night and gave out this official statement on behalf of the insurgents:
“Every Sunday they open the doors at 1 o’clock in the afternoon and let us in so that we can use the gymnasium and get out of the cold. To-day we were froze out. They didn’t open the door at 1 o’clock but kept us out ll day. The dudes that pay 10 cents a night got in. We only pay five cents. There’s only a few dudes. We got bunk to-night. Every Sunday night they have a meeting and ladies come to hear us sing. To-night we all stayed out and wouldn’t come in when they opened the doors and there was only about six of the dudes at meeting. There were sixty of us who stayed out.”
Supt. Heig said last night that the boys were kept out of the lodging house during the day because the walls of the stairways had been freshly painted and a number of the boys when they left the place yesterday morning had amused themselves by rubbing their hands on the new paint and then making figures with the paint on the windows and doors.
“There were only about twenty of those who revolted,” said Mr. Heig. “The boys will receive all their former privileges as soon as the paint dries.”

“A Newsboy’s Progress”

10 Thursday Nov 2016

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From the November 10, 1901 edition of the New York Tribune:

A Newsboy’s Progress.

Goes From This City to Louisville, Where He Organizes a Newsboys’ Club and Becomes A Stenographer.

“About four years ago,” said Superintendent Heig of the Newsboys’ Lodging House yesterday, “a boy named Herman Felten stopped at the lodging house. He became a regular attendant at our night school and at the Sunday evening meetings. As he had friends in Louisville, Ky., he wished to go there, and we sent him. He has since organized a newsboys’ club there of which he is the head.”

Mr. Heig received a letter from Felten a few days ago, which was as follows:

It is so long since I last wrote you that mayhap you think I have forgotten you and the Brace Memorial Lodging House. But, no; the lessons I learned and the kindnesses that I received are indelible impressions on my mind—effaceable only by the tragedy of death.

I am now no more the humble newsboy, shouting “Extree! All about the terrible murder!” but a plain stenographer. With the money I saved from selling papers I took a course in a business college and graduated, and procured a position as stenographer.

Inclosed [sic] is an extract from one of our papers regarding myself which may interest you and the boys in your charge. The personage of whom I spoke is but a second Charles Loring Brace—a man worthy to be emulated and honored, and, being emulated, makes the doer happier and of service to his fellowmen; and being of service to one’s fellowmen is a type of love that uplifts the soul to the pedestal of a better life.

This letter was written by a boy who only four years ago was selling newspapers in this city, and much less than four years ago was pursuing the same occupation in Louisville. The newspaper clipping mentioned is from one of the Louisville newspapers, and states that at the “Thompson memorial services of the Newsboys’ Home, held at the Elks’ Home last evening, many interesting addresses were made, of which the most novel was by Herman Felten, the crippled newsboy who stands at the corner of Fourth and Jefferson sts.” The paper went on to say that the address was considered remarkable from a boy so young, after which it gave the address in full.

Felten’s speech was a tribute to Judge R . H. Thompson, the one to whom he referred in his letter as a “second Charles Loring Brace.” The judge had been friendly to Felten when he was a poor newsboy and in actual want, and had helped him through his difficulties.

“‘The Evening World’s’ Guests”

12 Wednesday Oct 2016

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From The Evening World on October 12,1887:

“The Evening World’s” Guests.

Probably no playhouse walls ever inclosed a more appreciative audience than that which filled the People’s Theatre to overflowing last evening. Every one of the 3,247 newsboys and newsgirls who accepted THE EVENING WORLD’S invitation to witness a special performance of “Harbor Lights” will remember it as a red-letter occasion. They evinced an enthusiasm and a zest of pleasure that the chronic critic has long outlived. And with it was a discrimination worthy of the veteran theatre-goer. No good point of dialogue or scenery was missed by their alert eyes and ears. The tumultuous applause came in where it belonged. The heroine had their active encouragement. The villain was in imminent danger of being mobbed. At the happy denouement their joy was unconfined. THE EVENING WORLD takes pride in its 3,247 newsboy and newsgirl guests.