The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-22
A BRIGHT SUNDAY.
Suggestions Of Winters Retreat Before the Sun
and the South Wind Of Spring.
SCENES IN THE STREETS.
Thawing Out Of the imprisoned Croton and
Clearing of the Rivers.

"a lovely day 70 "A glorious day!' "It's the NJ.
vent OF spring." These and kindred expressions
were universal yesterday. And no wonder, Tor
the day previous, with ITS cherries and murKy
atmosphere. It's pittless rain and dull gray log.
cast gloom over all and made existence almost
tntoerable. Indeed, It seemed as n nature In its
meteorological aspect had undergone another
complete revolution. The oiting FROST the freez.
ing north wind, had been compelled to give way to
an almost balmy breeze rom the southwest. 1.-THE
face OF all the earth was Gladsome," :here was
toyousness In the that was colent OF singing
birds returning and OF crocuses and co v slips on
the hillside ana In the meadows. Visions OF green
fields, OF nodding vtolets OF mnrmuring brooklets
noated through the memciy and asso-
ciated themselves with the not lar distant
iuture And all this IN contrast to the Arctic
experiences OF the past Tow weeks, with Its snow
bound ana impossible streets, its nelds of noatng
Ice obsructin2 the rivers on either side OF our
island city, making ie. ry travel proolematcal and
dif1icult and navigation dangerous. 1t was oinl-
cult at nrst to realize such sudden cnange, and
more difncu!t stlll to drink in tue FULL measure OF
Its benefits
LOOK OVER CITY, RIVERS AND BAT.
From the top OF the Equitable Building, in the
observatory OF the United states Signal station,
the writer obtained magnificent birds-eye view
OF the bay, the Narrows, the rivers and all the
country round. Almost within his grasp the spire
Of old Trinity lowered upward. and with its
SYMBOLIC cross pointed toward heaven. AS lar as
the eye could reacn across the Bay and down
through the Narrows, the water was perfectly free
| from floating Ice. Scarcely q ripple disturbed
the surface, aud the little tugs ana other
steam craft moved as easily along as on July
| day. Away on toward the Narrows the pun of
| blue smoke rs ng upward told OF some incoming
ocean steamer. which after q tempestuous voyage
| had ut last reached our welcome land.locxed
| haven. On the uplands of Staten Island were
| little patches here and there OF snow which
glinted and sparK!ed In the bright sunlight like
jewels on the frozen earth. On the New Jersey
side the dome Of the Monastery Of Jesuit Fathers
stood against the horizon In bold relief while
| further up the trees on the Palisades were waving
their barren branches, as though beckonng to
| the south wind to bring them swelling buds and
! green leaves. On the east side OF the North and
East rlves there was some ice collected, but not
enough to interfere with ferry travel. Down to.
| ward Communipaw and opposite Governors
Island there still remained an unbroken field
| All the rest was clear but this one
spot alone which In the Imagination was ike
q remnant OF the winters shroud which had been
dropped in Its nnal dissolution. The scene was
void Of that food Of golden light and autumnal
tints which are the heritage OF September; but 1t
was none the less beautiful for the clear blue sky
the dancing rays Of sunlight ana the bracing, ln-
vigorattng air told OF life and health and hope.
Looking down from the observatory on that por.
ton Vi the city devoted to trade and commerce
the thoroughfares were almost entirely deserted.
Counting house and store were closed, and that
portion OF the great metropolis which Ii the King.
dom OF Mammon was in deathlike sleep. The
streets which on week days are crowded with
hurrying. money-Retting men, and TANNED with
vehicles OF travel and trafnc, were hushed ana
silent, the busy hum Of multitudes as,ir had died
| out with the preceding night and Sabbath still.
ness relgned over all.
TEE TIDE OF FASHION.
In contrast with the slumberous aspect OF the
lower portion Of the city Filth avenue, the Mecca
| OF Fashion. presented unwonted scene or brill
| fancy. The pavement from Fourteenth street to
| Central Park was lined with moving throng OF
wealth, beauty and fashion. The sun had during
the day melted the ice and snow In the middle OF
the avenue and in the cross streets, that there
| was less driving than usual; but what was lacking
| In the way OF equipages was more than equalized
| BY the increased number OF pedestrians. The
display of toilets BY the ladies was more
than ordinarily rich and elegant. ALFRED
In silks and satins and vevets OF every hue they
noatcd gracefully BY like visions which were too
bright to last. In many instances the gentlemen
had discarded their listers and great coats and
|
obtain greater freedom in their movem ents. some
of the TAR ones carried their missals dainty In
their hands as sore Of material rcminder that the
Lenten season was but just inaugurated. But IL
they were dey0tiOnaly inclined 1t was not 10 be
and laughing eyes were evidence that their re-.
! lIgion was nos OF the gloomy or sOmbre kind.
they would put rms right nand back, ana ga r,ier.
ing up their costly trains pass over, unspoIted by
| hroh Ind
! effect. Looking out from the window OF tue
Union Clue the scene was IKE Kaleidoscope pic
ture; it was made up of the same component
parts-bits Of humanity-Dut ever changing into
new forms aud designs aud, consequently, ever
! over which the horse cars rolled as on bridges
and through which the pedestrians picked their
way.
Early in the day tue cars leading to the Central
good time. The bah was up, and there was evi.
IDENTITY nothing to interfere with their pleasure.
a snom Ds a Ss fsSs
whIch all along mas borne the weight OF merry
thousands, became weak under the influence OF
the SUMS rays, ''dangeio Signs became more and
more frequent, until. about two p. NJ, when the
superintendent In Charge gave orders to have the
lakes cleared aud to pronloit skating Tor the bal.
ance or the day. Then the crowd dispersed, and,
wandering through the Ramble and the bypaths,
talked OF the time when the hawthorn hedges
! would be in blossom when tine meadow would be
common and OF moonlight nights In the Carrousel.
THE THAwING PIPES
The milder temperature OF the past two days
has exercised O much needed influence IN bringing
about some little amelloratfOn III the troubles OF
hOusekeepers winch mad arisen from the complete
sealing UP OF rho channels through which they mad
usually drawn the supply OF water for daily use.
But even yet there ~ widespread annoyance In
this regard for the rost has penetrated the ground
so deep that It Will he some time before sufficient
heat can be absorbed by the eartn To act on the
frozen pipes leading from the mains to the
houses. Where IL was only the pipes In
the house that We're frozen the original dinicuity
has almost disappeared. and the water Is again to
be had In the usual abundant quantity. In fact III
many cases this very abundance mas been a new
source Of trouble, for the precauton or overhaul
| ing the pipes whiie they were nllcd with Ice mad
| too frequently been neglected. As q consequence
oil this neglect there was many q family yesterday
VINO nad TO Dewai their carelessness IN this re.
gard py having their nOuses and apartments sud-
denly and without warning deluged with the
stream that poured from bursted pipes. Many a
hoaseNecpcr to-day Will gaze with rueul eyes
j dresses- hats ann QLnec aneriea that NO