Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-03-08
FROM GOTHAM.
"A Hawkeye GreenhOrn's Experience in the
Great Metropolis.
NEW YORK, Feb. %, 1873.

A Hawkeye Greenhorn's Experience in the
Great Metropolis.
NEW YORK, Feb. %, 1873.
EDITOR BULLETIN:-Here I am in
the great metropolis, and I must ac-
knowledge somewhat green; but I am
received with much more honor and
courtesy than in Chicago-by the police.
| want to puff up" the cops" Of the
city above mentioned. Upon arriving l
walked to the eastern depot, and upon
reaching it sat down to rest, intending
to look i've the teown,' and not con-
tinue my journey until night, when a
great, robust, portly man, not gentle
about it either, stuck a cane into my
side and asked me where [ was going.
He must have concluded | was a HoOsier
it | thought | was aboard a train. I'd
boarded him if it hadn't been for the
ole lady who generally rules, and, pO-
lltely, as far as my temperament would
admit, | informed him, whereupon he
requested me to get aboard-and | did
llvely-a street car and wandered all
day, and it is a positive fact that those
fellows watched every move l made
and | came to the conclusion that I was
a marked man, and my hay seed look
wouldn't save me. That great, robust.
portly cop" had the audacity, the i'm
p%udence, and the impoliteness to escort
me as far as Englewood, 4. e. he kept the
train to that station.
When | reached Gotham, the gentle
men with brass buttons and tin shields
never wlnked at me, or even offered the
hand of reception. OF course | was as
tonished somewhat with this, expecting
that | should be obliged to dodge their
scrutiny. | got one of my boots polish
ed for a nickle, but it cost me a dime
before | could get the other touched
and | tried to feel indignant. but sub
mitted.
| had heard about that railroad on
stills, so this morning my steps were
upward. The stations as they are called,
are built upon iron columns as is also
the road bed, being even with the sec
ond story windows, and contain a wait
ing Dom and ticket office. After pur-
chasing a ticket | stepped outside where
L met the station agent of whom [ in
CURED for a train to Central Park. If
| was his cook he would get no shorten
ing in his pies until he could throw the
crust somewhere except towards gentle
men from Iowa. | asked him but one
more question and stopped; it being so
short it just reached my coat collar and
stopped. The locomotives are much
the same as used on land roads, except
the boiler is completely covered with
the cab. Each train consists of three
or four cars, and | understand by the
notices posted, that the company has
been running smoking cars, but it had
been discontinued as they were unprof-
liable. My ride was about five miles,
which seemed rather short. This part
OF the road runs on Greenwich street,
and only part of the distance double
track. The road is met with much more
favor by the public than formerly, and
10Y the city has granted the company
larger privileges and at the present time
they are pushing forward to completion
a double track line on Sixth Avenue
from 59th street, Central Park to the
Battery. After visiting Central Park |
returned to City Hall, uia horse cars on
9th Avenue, and it was quite interest
ing and seemed Ito a hoosier) a wonder
to ride under SO much ~trestle work. As
far as my eye could reach mot over two
miles,) | could see nothing but heavy
iron columns and cross-trestle work.
From 59th street to the Battery is five
miles, and you can imagine the immense
cost of such a structure. This, with
the building Of the Brooklyn bridge will
make a hard times MAJ stare. | found
the following item IN one of the city pa
pers: The Elevated Railroad compa-
ny have capital enough to build double
tracks from the Battery to S1st street,
west side city, and from the Battery to
6lst street on the east side, with branch
es to Grand Central depot, City Hall
and the ferries; and although met with
opposition by the street railways are in
hopes in a few months to carry passen-
gers up and down both sides of the is
land quickly and cheaply. 4 X
During the first week in February 600
tons of steel rails were rolled out for
this company, at the Rensselaer, Iron
Works"
No one asked me to dine at the Astor
House this noon, so | had to seek my
dinner elsewhere. Found free soup
houses in abundance, but the hay seed
had begun to mature, so | joined hands
with my 'ole lady and had fish in shells,
opposite the City Hall. AS | dined |
looked out upon that great building OPP
posite, and thought of Boss Tweed, and
the %extravagant ways of spending pub
lie money in this great city; and wished
| could be Mayor and hold Office in such
a temple. | think | shall not, however.
After dinner, thinking the mayor
would be pleased to receive a call from
western aristocrats, we crossed over the
street and entered the building, to as
cend to the office of his Honor. Here
we gave n upward glance, and then
struck for the ferry. | saw a great, big,
portly man, with a broom-stick, and |
concluded | didn't want my liver pierced
again, so | postponed my call until |
became a little more acquainted.
I've much more to say, but it is most
boat time, and | want very much to see
the Hub in the morning, so if this is
acceptable will write again.
ELECTRIC.