The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-17

The ISvo Crystal Palaces or New York.
Among the many curiosities and lights which
are to be seen in New ork. in this prolific age
of wonders, the Crystal Palace occupies the
most prominent position. A structure Of glass
of such gigantic dimensions is indeed a Won
| der, and when it was at first proposed by Pax
1 ton might we'll astonish the world with its
| novelty. Such light and airy creations were
read of only in tales of Eastern enchantment
and were cassed with the tabled productions Of
Aladdin's magic lamp. But when the substan.
tial reality reared it's crystal walls above the
earth people believed, but still wondered as
they gazed. The opening of the first structure
OF the kind in London was the Inauguration OF
new era in the history of the world; and,
once its practicability and success proved,
almost every country desired to have Crystal
| Palace of its own. in which to exhibit speci-
mems of the industry of all nations. Our Crys-
tai Palace, though it may not be equal to the
| expectations that were formed of it, and is not
all that we would have desired, is yet, without
question, one Of the most beautiful sights that
could be presented to the gaze of wonder-lov
ing people With much that is commonplace
| it also contains a great deal that is well worth
seeing, and that would repay visiter amply
| for his time and trouble in coming distance
| of even thousand miles. Here are gathered
some Of the finest specimens of art-from Italy
tables of mosaic and works in marble; from
France samples of porcelain from the great
manufactures of Sevres, and those exquisite
contributions from the imperial collection of
| Gobelns; from England works In the precious
metals, unequalled in beauty of design and
| workmanship by anything Of the kind in the
| whole exhibition; from Ireland samples of those
! linens for the manufacture of which she now
| holds the first rank, and from our own country
| inventions without number, models of labor
! saving machinery for agricultural and manu-
featuring purposes It. would be an endless
task to enumerate all that is collected within
this magnificent structure we have already
described what was most deserving of notice
therein, and have spoken Of each article as its
merits warranted.
But the New York Crystal Palace is not the
only grand exhibition of industry which our
city contains. There is another, which is visit
ed daily by over fifty thousand persons, and
| which covers greater of ground than
even the colossal structure which formerly
| stood in Hyde Park. 1t is lighted by thou
| sands of thousands of gaslights at night, and
| presents q more extensive if not a more varied
collection of the products of industry than the
palace at Reservoir square. Yet thousands
pass by this great exhibition every day with
out bestowing thought or glance on the
IS - I'll, IL -
contains. 1t is open to our citizens and strang-
ers without let or hindrance, and there is no
surly doorkeeper guarding the entrance with
suspicious looks, for it is free to all those who
choose to visit it. No dav or season ticket is
required for passport; you may enter it when
you like. and leave it, as Mrs. Camp would say.
when you feel $50 disposed" This second
| Crystal Palace of which New York boasts is
Broadway-and Broadway, according to the
renowned Jefferson Bricks. "whips the uni
verse" 1t is one vast show, extending from
Union place to the Battery, and contains mil
lions of dollars worth of property. In the show
windows, which may not inaptly be compared
to the showcases at the industrial exhibition
are displayed the rarest articles of jewelry
anu NOIhs III Luc HlcldlS--W HatcVer
contributes to luxury, refined taste, and those
| more substantial productions which are required
to supply the demands and necessities of life
may be seen without cost or charge. There
too, are daguerreotypes and paintings enough
to fill large picture gallery-Sevres porcelain
statuary, and thousands of things for glance
at which you have to pay at the Crystal Pa
No ar oiJ fhaf oF
pass these by heedlessly; but this is not the
case with country visiters, who regard the
metropolis itself as one vast show-shop, and
who wander through our principal thoroughare
with eyes and mouths wide open with wonder.
To these Broadway-New York's second
great Crystal Palace-is full of attrac-
TONS sufficient to furnish them with sights
for o week at least Why after all, what
is the length Of the aisles and devious
windings of the exhibition at Fortieth street
compared with five or six miles of one con-
tinued show? Let our country friends, if they
do entertain any misgivings as to the charac-
ter Of the former, have no hesitation in coming
to New York, for they will find enough in
Broadway to repay them for their time and
trouble. BESIDES is III not the great resort, the
iavorite promenade Of the beauty and fashion
of our city? And we defy any similar thorough
fare in this country or anywhere else to turn
out such lovely women. All classes mingle
there on perfect equality--the poor, but indie
pendent and honest mechanic. in passing
through the crowd Of pedestrians who are to
be found there at all hours Of the day, jostles
the arm of the millionaire; and the modest and
unpretending work girl clad in homely garb,
rustles the silk Of the fine lady as she hurres
to her daily labor. There are, we have said,
millions of dollars worth of property exhibited
in the shop windows Of Broadway; but who
will compute the amount that is expended on
the establishment Of those windows, some of
which cost over three thousand dollars? And