arrow lane between two long bristling rows of wagons pointed out from
the curbs, to the facades 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 entree 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.

There is on Hudson Street a tall handsome building where the fish
reporter goes, which should be enjoyed in this way: Up in the lift you
go to the top, and then you walk down, smacking your lips. For all the
doors in that building are brimming with poetry. And the tune of it
goes like this: "Toasted Corn-Flake Co.," "Seaboard Rice," "Chili
Products," "Red Bloom Grape Juice Sales Office," "Porto Rico and
Singapore Pineapple Co.," "Sunnyland Foodstuffs," "Importers of Fruit
Pulps, Pimentos," "Sole Agents U.S.A. Italian Salad Oil," "Raisin
Growers," "Log Cabin Syrups," "Jobbers in Beans