The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-07-26
Kew York through Southern spectacles.

f Kew York through Southern Spectacles
NEW YORK, June y, 1866.
Civlization-parion me if keep 'still harping on
nv daughter-Il open fresh key of nails in nv next
-civilsation is the concentration of everything that
can conduce to the comfort and convenience of the
forked straddling animal" as Swift calls man; and a
city is the doublydised and rectifed quntessence
of that concentration. New York, for example, SAYS
to her visitors, "Come now; what do you want? Is
there anything in EARTH air water which you desire?
Speak out. This is pcnt up Utica no cross-road
grocery, with limited assortment of Barlow knives,
clip hats mint stick candy, fishhooks epson salts and
ten cent caieoes. This is real town. city BY the
sea whereuRto have gathered from the four winds of
heaven all manner of good things-eEery deicacy and
delight which the wealth of 0rmus and of Ind can
purchase supply. Don't be afraid to tell your wants
This is free cit and its people not squeamish Your
tastes may be PECULIAR they may be what strait
laced folk would call improper, no NATTER here IS the
place to crafty those tastes be they never so extrava
CANT so ridiculous or 50 wicked One thing alone you
will not find and need not bring, and that s bashful
ness Be not shameIaced, therefore, but cry aloud
and fear not; for here million 0bSequlous vassas
| waiting YOUR beck and nod, to or 20 whherso-
ever you wi-to fetch carry whatsoever you please
Name your article and it shall be forthcoming
Thus speaks mother Gotham to her billion guests If
they do not get what they want theirs the fault not
hers True she demands compensation for her favors
but the compensation, ali things considered is very
small The bananas and the pine-apples for example
which meet your eye every corner of the street or
brought in cart loads to your very door-think for
moment what it would cost you to 20 to the trophies
and procure them. Yet here they are placed in your
hand at price merely nominal. In like manner You
have the silks, the aces, the Jewels the furs from the
! most crowded capitals the deepest mines and the
remotes: forests of the GLOBE all packed and piled
stones throw OF your front steps, carefully guarded by
night and by day, until it please you to go and buy
them. And this IS civilization. Now, making due
allowance for all its drawbacks don't you think cyiliza
ton is upon the whole, rather good egg? If you do
not suppose you come and try it. You need stay no
longer than you choose, and if Ynu don't fancy the
| exhibition, why you can 60 home and abuse it.
The OF comfort concentrations is found in the
first class hotels of this city. In these establishments
which prominently American in their origin and
completeness you have but to reach forth your hand
to get whatever you want Unless you business
man. and desire to stock your store you find any
thing and everything you need, without going from /
under the root OF your hotel The first thing which |
strikes you on entering your is the absence of
bowls and pitchers. These emphatically "played
out'-"totn" water up stairs, even "tetchin" it /
from the hydran in the passage, is thing of the past.
marble basin with two German silver spiggOts, fur
nishes you with hot cold water you may eject.
But although the crOton water is never stopped off"
BY rise in the river, is too often the case with
James river water in Richmond, the paguy things the
spiggots-I mean especially those in the eleventh
story) sometimes won't run, but keep up devil of
sputtering Of air-very much like the gas pipes in the
editors room of the Wing Office, when Mr.. Frys gas
works are in the tantrums. What this is owing to- l
know not, any more than know where the hot water
comes from, or why man has any use for hot water
now, when the thermometers so large odd in the shade
In the dining room you have, of course all manner
Of breads Including buckwheat cakes at all seasons Of
the year, which consider specially good and re-
markable thing and every imaginable variety of fish,
flesh, fowl vegetables, fruits, ices, wines nuts etc.
from the ends of the earth, all exquisitey served
everything in fact utstop. Did say severytlng?n
did. Well then I-yes did-exaggerate. At mar
one Of the hotels of this city you get to save
your soul from perdton, single slice Of real old Vr-
ginia ham, plateful of jowl and turnp salad, or
mess of eornfed peas. Strange that these commones
neeessares of life should be unknown to the omniyer
GUS people of New York. ct such is the fact 1t is
great pity butt supposein far distant age the Viz
ginian coming hither, may discover place where he
get for instance, dish of fried chicken or loaf
of light bread. He can't now, that's certain; and to
talk about civilisation without light bread is boshl
utter and extremt iub-drub!
But it is the first floor of the first class New York
hotels that you find all the blessings of civilization
jammed in convenient juxtapositien. Barber shops
bar rooms billiard rooms bathing rooms reading
rooms, writing rooms Longing rooms, sitting rooms
wash rooms, coat and hat rooms, other rooms segar
stands card writer's tables cheese and crackers tee
graph Office, railroad ticket office, theatre ticket office
post office, bulletin board showing the hourly price OF
gold and Stocks tooth picks envelopes hat stores shirt
stores, cane stores 'potchecary shops, newspaper
writing paper, magazine novels, cartes dc yste and
Stereoscope stauds in fine very microcosm of shops
stands stores aud offices. Can you imagine anything
more comfortable or convenient? If so, say so.
For my part, can think of no improvement, except
the furnishing Of tooth brushes silk umbrellas and
Gravey tobacco by the propetors of the hotels These
will come in good time-proyided the national debt is
paid and the Morrill, tariff gives way free trade Mean
WHILE let step into the apotchecary shop and get
what? glass Of soda water Not at ALI albeit soda
With thousand different sirups can be had. The new
dea is magical marble fountain, which spurs from its
countless silver cocks all the mineral waters of the
most celebrated spas in Europe and America Setter,
saratoga Sulphur-eall for what you will Sgnor Btzs
nexhadstibe bottle is not circumstance this won
erful fountain. doubt not if you call for Dead sea nj
led sea, Black sea- any other water not excepting m
lump water, you will get it. This is great country
Richmond Wing.
j. B. Van Dein, clerk in the rebel war department