“THE SUBWAY WORK IN CITY HALL PARK.” July 21, 1901. The New York Tribune.
(Two years after the strike, construction of the subway was already beginning. The subway opened in 1904.)
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- Kid Blink, Manhattan leader of the Newsboys Strike, talking about the best time to have a demonstration parade.
source: The Sun. July 24, 1899.
i know that Kid Blink is supposed to have been the strike leader… but why Jack Kelly then? was Kid Blink not a cute enough name? blah.
I suppose that Jack Kelly was made up because the writers wanted more creative freedom. Though not much is known about Kid Blink, maybe they felt constrained by his betrayal of the other boys? (Though from articles after 1899, we learn that Blink was evidently still a influential member of the Park Row area newsboys.)
There is actually a “Jack Sullivan” who appears very briefly in a few articles, which I don’t know is coincidental or not. You can find him specifically mentioned in this article.
(via basisforcomparison)
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“SOME INCIDENTS THAT MADE MEMORABLE THE NEW YORK NEWSBOYS’ MOST HALCYON AND VOCIFEROUS WEEK.” July 30, 1899. The New York Herald.
(According to Racetrack Higgins, the flower horseshoe was not won by Kid Blink, but rather bought. In the article which accompanies the picture above, he said, “It’s a sin and a shame about that horseshoe. ‘Crazy’ Aborn gave it to me, after parading all around with it. ‘Crazy’s’ all right, at that. He give me the posies and I sells ‘em to ‘Kid Blink’ for seventy-five cents. It makes a man cry to talk about it. And ‘Kid Blink’ goes and has himself photographed along with the horseshoe, and gets his picture tagged, ‘The Young Strike Leader.’ Say, what do youse t’ink of it?” Though he was generally acknowledged as being a leader in the beginning, Kid Blink was never alone in claiming he was in charge of the strikers.)
source: Fulton History
6Hello readers of the Newsies History blog!
I just wanted to thank you all for following and for having interest in the real history of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 and the daily lives of the newsboys of around that time.
This blog aims to educate and help you broaden your interests. If there is anything in particular that you were interested in finding out about, please send a message to the ask box any time.
Carryin’ the Banner (but not literally)!
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“THE BODY OF A MISSING GIRL FOUND.” June 3, 1894. The Tribune.
(The ultimate demise of Jane, chambermaid at the Newsboys Lodging House.)
source: Chronicling America
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“Their Roads Not Straight and Narrow Paths, Says Mr. Ely.” March 20, 1903. The Tribune.
(I am guessing this explains why the newsboy in the beginning of the movie is snapping his fingers in his sleep.)
source: Chronicling America
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“1 A.M. near the World Building, ready to start out. Two of the sleepers. Larger boy Abraham Jachnes, 13 years old. Newsboys Lodging House, 14 Chambers St. Has not been home for 6 months because step-mother has been trying to put him into a House of Refuge. Could not get name of smaller boy, but he was younger, probably 11 years old. These boys are hanging about and snatching and occasional sleep in sheltered spots.”
Photograph by Lewis Hine, February 1908.
“Maybe This Was Jane Hanrahan.” March 30, 1894. The Sun.
(The continuing story of Jane Hanrahan, a young woman who worked at the Newsboys Lodging House.)
source: Chronicling America
