Here it is said by the head of the house, by the stove (it is chill
weather) in his office like a shipmaster's cabin: "Strong market on
foreign mackerel. Mines hinder Norway catch. Advices from abroad report
that German resources continue to purchase all available supplies from
the Norwegian fishermen. No Irish of any account. Recent shipment sold
on the deck at high prices. Fair demand from the Middle West."
So, by stages, on up to turn into North Moore Street, looking down a
narrow lane between two long bristling rows of wagons pointed out from
the curbs, to the façades of the North River docks at the bottom, with
the tops of the buff funnels of ocean liners, and Whistleranean
silhouettes of derricks, rising beyond. Hereabout are more importers,
exporters, and "producers" of fish, famous in their calling beyond the
celebrities of popular publicity. And he that has official entrée may
learn, by mounting dusky stairs, half-ladder and half-stair, and by
passing through low-ceilinged chambers freighted with many barrels, to
the sanctums of the fish lords, what's doing in the foreign herring way,
and get the current market quotations, at present sky-high, and hear
that the American shore mackerel catch is very fine stock.
Then roundabout, with a step into the broad vista of homely Washington
Street, and a turn through Franklin Street, where is the man decorated
by the Imperial Japanese Government with a gold medal, if he should
care to wear it, for having distinguished himself in the development of
commerce in the marine products of Japan, back to Hudson Street. An
authentic railroad is one of the spectacular features of Hudson Street.
Here down the middle of the way are endless trains, stopping, starting,
crashing, laden to their ears with freight, doubtless all to eat.
Tourists should come from very far to view Hudson Street. Here is a
spectacle as fascinating, as awe-inspiring, as extraordinary as any in
the world. From dawn until darkness falls, hour after hour, along Hudson
Street slowly, steadily moves a mighty procession of great trucks. One
would not suppose there were so many trucks on the face of the earth. It
is a glorious sight, and any man whose soul is not dead should jump with
joy to see it. And the thunder of them altogether as they bang over the
stones is like the music of the spheres.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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