A FORTUNE FROM SANDWICHES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 75, 24 April 1909, Page 4

A FORTUNE FROM SANDWICHES.

There has just died at the ripe oM age of sixty-seven a mall of the Manic of Angelo Basso, of New York, who amassed 111 fortune amounting to UHIO.OOO by selling sandwiches. Basso was credited ,-\vith giving the "best, biggest, and most appetising" sandwich in town for the modest sum of a nickel (2'/..d). Everyone knew Basso's sandwiches, and though he had only one .-hop, it was crowded sixteen hours out of the twenty-four by .messenger boys, workgirls, business men. and others who had come a considerable distance to secure what became known as a "Basso."

, Years ago, among the many attractions held at the Mndison Square harden was a six-days' walking race. This race went on hour after hour from iniilnighl {Saturday to midnight Friday, ;many people staying there the entire week. On such occasions as these the 'Angclo HasMi sandwich, which the wi>e old Italian put on sale there, came to be ;.looked upon as a standard article. No one wanted any .sandwich but Basso's, 'and it was quite useless for anyone eUe ,t.o try and break into Ihe old man'., .trade; it was an impossibility which was recognised. <lue Basso sandwich was a lineal for an ordinary man. and two [.would satisfy *ix ehildren. These sand i;wiches were made of gooil material and very varied—ham. corned beef, cheese, sardine, beef, tongue, etc.—and it was ,Basso s boast that never during the forty years In- had boon making saml"wiches had he heeu iKviiM'il of selling even a ionn o.ie. Although the profit on the sandwiches was very small—considering their size Jlasso waxed rich, and was soon aide to ,tako a lino delicatessen i>toiv in a popular l ml 't 1,1 York, itilt though he 'sold oilier tilings pickles. tongues olives, sauorkiaut. and. in fact, every kind of "table delicacy"—lk- never ignored till' humble sandwich, hut kept up jthe standard throughout his life, mid j'wheti lie died ho left a fortune of half In million d.>ll;ii>. thnv-ijuarlevs of wliHi I hp had made spiling good sandwiches at ' a small profit.