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I WAS SITTING ON THE FIRE ESCAPE AT THAT TIME. I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD. WATCHING THE STEAM ENGINE TRAINS ON THE ELEVATORS RUN BY. THE STREET WAS ALLEN STREET IN NEW YORK.

NEW YORK WAS RAW AT THAT TIME. IT WAS 1895. IT WAS YET THE GAY '90S.

THE BOWERY WAS FOUR BLOCKS AWAY FROM ALLEN STREET. THE BOWERY AT THAT TIME WAS THE HOTTEST STREET IN NEW YORK.

WHEN I WAS 5 YEARS OLD I WALKED TO THE BOWERY AND SAT ON THE CURB

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WATCHING THE CABLE CARS GO BY.

LATER ON WE MOVED TO STANTON STREET 2 BLOCKS FROM THE RIVER.

AT THAT TIME AROUND 1898 THERE WAS THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR ON.

ADMIRAL DEWEY WAS THE HERO. WHEN I GOT OLDER I WENT SWIMMING IN THE RIVER.

I THOUGHT I KNEW HOW TO SWIM. SO I JUMBED IN THE RIVER. WHEN I WENT DOWN I WONDERED WHEN I WILL COME UP.

WHEN I CAME UP I MOVED MY HANDS.

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AND BIG BOYS SEEN THAT I WAS DROWNING.

SO THEY JUMBED IN THE RIVER AND GRABED ME BY THE HAIR AND SAVED ME.

FOR TWO DAYS I WAS SICK FROM THE WATER  THAT I CONSUMED.

AS I GOT OLDER I STARTED SELLING NEWS PAPERS AT THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE.

AT THAT TIME THE PAPERS SOLD WHOLESALE 2 PAPERS FOR A PENNY AND I SOLD THEM FOR A PENNY EACH.

I WENT SELLING PAPERS AT THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE THAT LEAD ME TO CHINE TOWN.

AS I GOT OLDER I WENT TO WORK ON RAILROADS.

AND DOCKS AND SHIPS.

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THE STORY I WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT HOW WE LIVED IN THEM DAYS.

WE WORKED LONG HOURS AND WE WORKED HARD.

ALSO WE ATE VERY GOOD BECAUSE FOOD WAS VERY CHEAP.

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MY FATHER BOUGHT A PAINT STORE ON WATKIN STREET COR SUTTER AVE.

WHO REMEMBERS MARX THE BUILDER ON WATKIN STREET. WE USE TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN WITH HIM. HE HAD A BROWN HORSE ON THE FIELD. ONE MORNING SOUR PAINTERS WHITEWASHED THE HORSE. WHEN HE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW HE COULDN'T BELEAVE HIS EYES.

THERE WAS A DELI. ON STONE AVE AND SUTTER AVE. WE USED TO GET A BIG CORNED BEEF SANDWICH FOR .10

THEN WE WHENT TO CARNARSIE. THEY HAD THE GOLDEN CITY PARK RIDES WHERE FOR .05 ENTRANCE FEE THE RIDES WAS FREE.

AND FOR .25 ALL DAY WE GOT A ROWBOAT. AND WE ROWED IN JAMACIA BAY.

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THERE WAS THE HUREN (Huron) CLUB (When we were in the limousine at our mother's funeral my father asked my sister Roz and her husband if they had bought a new Vulva car (Volvo). It certainly lightened the mood of the event.) ON HOWARD AVE  AND BLAKE AVE. AL McCOY AND SOLDIER BARTFIELD AND I TRAINED THERE. WE USED TO DO ROAD WORK ON HUNTERS FLY ROAD WHICH IS NOW KINGS HIGHWAY.