Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 152, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1916 — Tales of GOTHAM and other CITIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Tales of GOTHAM and other CITIES

New York’s “Uncles” No Longer Are Pawnbroker* NEW YORK. —"Your Uncle” of New York Is getting quite perky. He no longer calls himself a pawnbroker, but a loan broker, and his place of business Is not known as the once familiar "hock shop." It Is a loan office.

The old familiar three brass balls, his insignia of trade, has also been discarded. In fact, “uncle” has established himrfelf as a real broker. He has an elaborately equipped shop, furnished like a bank, with carved woodwork and hangings to give it an air of refinement, and his goods are most artistically displayed. Then many things have been done to safeguard the sensibilities of the customers, rear and side entrances being provided for who would

keep the fact that they are in sore straitsirom any prying eyes. Within are private rooms for those who would negotiate loans on precious stones, while for those who have articles of lesser value upon which they hope to raise money there are small booths ranged along the rear of the counters. A person may step into one of these and bargain with a keen and affable clerk without being seen or overheard by others in the place. The only pledges the modern uncle will accept are diamonds and baubles. But in the poorer sections of the city the pawnshops will take anything from a baby carriage to a feather bed. In fact, In these out-of-the-way places most of the articles pawned include clothing, cheap jewelry, musical instruments and the like. To appreciate the quantity of clothing pledged in this city one should frequent some of these cheaper pawnshops. During the weeklhe East and West sides are satisfied with one change of raiment, but on a Saturday night they must have their festive regalia for Sunday. Therefore they go in streams to the pawnshops to redeem their clothing. When Monday morning comes around they "hock” it again until the following Saturday. A new suit is good for a six-dollar loan. The next time it is pawned its value deteriorates 50 cents and so on, until the owner can get but $1 on it. After that he lets it go. Sold at auction the pawnbroker usually gets the money back he has advanced on it.