The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-03-21
Our New York Correspondence.
NEW YORK, March l6, 1872.

I suppose there is no metropolis in the world
which so thoroughly represents the heterogen-
erous character of nation, and absorbs the
products of its genius and industry, as does
this self-same city of New York. 1t is impos-
sible for any observant man to walk down
Broadway and not be interested first, in the
number of "notorieties" who will be pointed
out as '1ions" of the town; and secondly, IN
the curious obstinacy with which nature ap-
pears to preserve the peculiarities of people
from different portions of the world. 1t is
equally impossible for stranger not to feel
hat while in New York he is mere nonentl-
ty; that whatever may be the pomp and cir
cumstance of his surroundings at home, he is
here only mite in mighty cheese; yet with
al SO Independent that he can explore where
he may please, and no man, woman or child
will be the wiser. "He pays his money and he
takes his choice"
If religiously inclined, he may enjoy Meth
odst brother of the good old school; or, on the
other hand, may see the Almighty worshiped
dramatically with all the adiuncts except the
foot-lghts, and preached at by fashionable
parsons who part their hair in the middle,
wear the latest sacerdotal uniform, and look as
well satisfied as if that had fat contract with
their aris.ocratic Pensioners to drive them to
Heaven at the last convenient moment in
coach and four. If lawyer, he can step into
court and observe John Graham perform legal
gymnastics before the bar, and now and then
bushwhack the judge on the bench. If an ar-
tist, he may visit the Studio on Tenth street,
where fifty of his fellows are working for dear
life on every sort of picture, from small-sized
bumble-bee to Gignoux's last sketch Of the
Rocky Mountains. If he would like to gamble
little, why he has only to step around the cor
ner in Wall street, and be Accommodated by any
number of spruce young gentlemen, fresh from
the Fulton-street tprayer-meeting and first-class
members of the Christian Association, who in
fifteen minutes will take him in and bring him
out of stock speculation that will leave him as
cleanly picked as canvass-back duck ready
for the spit As an idler, he can lounge ON
Broadway, where fashion and frailty are the
Siamese. twins of the sidewalk; and, if his
tastes are not too refined, policeman will
show him wretchedness enough in FIVE minutes
walk from his hotel to make series Of unad-
liberated nightmares that will last for life
time.
The practical man will be attracted BY other
things. He will see in New York the genius
of his country in nutshell; and how, in ev-
cry department, machinery is taking the place
of muscle. He will go to bed in machine
which five minutes before looked like mag
niicent bookcase; he will be gently turned
out in the morning-by machinery; he goes
down stairs-by machinery; his head will be
brushed in the barber-shop-by machinery !;
his clothes are made by machinery, that gives
EMPLOYMENT to hundred thousand working
women and he may cook bachelor breakfast
on stove that is its own servant, and times
the condition of the hot rolls by clock-work.
He may even make books by machinery, for
the Journeymen Printers of New York have
formed Cooperative Association at No. 30
Beekman street, in which every member is o
cog-wheel in a system that has reduced the
price of every kind Of printing at the same
time that it turns out with rapidity the most
superb styles of work. Go whera you please,
in fact, and you will find every species of device
conceivable that can serve useful purpose as
an auxiliary to human comfort, from pocket
twne cutter to cotton gin or steam engine.
They are even building railroads by machin-
cry, and under its magic villages are springing
up with speed that recalls the fairy work of
Aladdin's lamp. 1t is only the other day that
A. T. Stewart purchased eight thousand acres of
land on Long Island, and already twenty-five
or thirty miles of streets are graded shade
trees are planted, blocks are fenced in, and a
large hotel six hundred feet long and six sto-
ries high, is in process of construction, besides
many fine brick edifces.
( Five months ago there was no communlca-
ton between the north and south side of Long
Island save by the old-fashioned dirt road
Yet before the flowers bud in May, twenty-five
miles of rail will be laid and no less than
twelve beautiful villages will be brought within
an hours ride of New York city. By machin-
cry, the work of three years will be compressed
into about seven months. A portion of the
way lies through rocky spine or ridge, which
at first seemed barrier almost insurmountable.
But at this juncture well-known railroad con-
tractor, Mr.. james N. Smith, of Brooklyn,
stepped forward and said, Gentlemen that hill
is only mile and half across I'll guarantee
to go through it in ninety days" 1t was
thought TO be an impossibility, but they let him
try. He at once put steam excavator at work
on either side and commenced operations
With ton of coal day, they have performed
the work of three hundred men and are now
within few rods of each other, putting and
l,la..;.o ,uh;la thau hnrrow deem intn the heart