The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-06-07
MOrIey's'' Letters from New York
NEW YORK, 5, 1879.
THE EXHIBITION SITE.


THE EXHIBITION SITE.
Where the worlds Fair of 1888 shall be To-
Gated is n question of no mean proportions,
especially when the peculiar shape of New
York city is considered. 1t is not as though
an inland city, capable of expansion in any di-
re3ti on were locating fair ground. New
York is the longest and the nlrrowest city in
the New world, and no vacant ground is to be
had except at the upper end OF the islam d. At
best, the great bulk of visitors must ride a
long distance, and every half mile added to
such trip means, for many million people,
an aggregate of human discomfort. which
should not be thoughtless'y or ncediessly in
ficted. The Committee have named Port
Morris, point in the Sound, above the Har-
lem river, out of the way and accessible only
after Il long and tedions ri @. lift is seriously
proposed to locate there can promise the
Committee more attention from their fellow
citizens than private citizens usually obtain.
The Herald proposes Harlem Flats, a low,
lily drained, malarial legion, whose dcnizens
shake with lever and Rgue the year round.
Others urge Central Park itself, but Il storm
ofOpposition rises at the bare mention. West
and northwest of the park lies what is becom
ing known as the West End Plateau, II high
rocky ridge overlooking the Payk on one side
and obtaining ilne view of the Hudson on
the other. An elevation of so or 80 feet gives
a view of the Sound, the whole city and the
Bay. This spot is without controversy the
most eligible on the Island. The open lots
begin almost opposite the lower end of Cen
trail Park, and extend two miles or more in
length by almost n mile in width. There is
ample space, perfect drainage, the Park in
front for foreground and additional attrac-
ton, and this spot is prominently the most
easy of access and nearest to the heart of the
city OF any op en- space within its limits. Two
elevated roads traverse it, seven lines ofhorse
cars run almost to it, the Hudson River Rail.
road is within one-quarter mile and the river
but little further. That this ought to be the
location is clear to every impartial examiner,
and as 1t is yet comparatively unencumbered
wi h buildings, 1t seems quite certain to be
finally selected, unless private interests are
paramount to public convenience.
DECORATION DAY IN NEW YoRH.
A procession over four miles long marched
through our streets to decorate the sol
dier's monuments and scatter flowers upon
the soldiers graves Business stood still I;
New York forgot her manufacturers her com
merce, her politics; even Wall street ceased
its wild scramble after the almighty dollar,
while the tramp of armed men, and the less
elastic tread Of unarmed veterans, went by
our doors. The broad ranks, the brilliant
uniforms, glstening steel and martial music
Of citizen soldiery forced our admiration the
thinner ranks of the Grand Army, with here
and there the empty sleeve, or halting gait
and everywhere the age marks of service
called out our warmest sympathies, but the
sight that stirred our blood the deepest that
day was the tattered battle flags. Oh how
eloquGntly those Iiddled ensigns told of the
lurid glare of battle, of manly breasts barred
to the iron hail ofdeath; OfpatrOtie endurance
and march and sirge ana charge, of heroic
yielding up of life that the heritage of our fa-
theirs might be transmitted unimpaired to our
children! We vainly try to choke back the
tears that dim our eyes as those sllken rags
go futterlng by; their mute appeals sink
deeper in our souls than all the ilvertongued
oratUry Of the hour, for those ofus who know
whit battle is cannot forget how the death
angels cluster about the regimental colors,
and brood beneath their rusting folds -
War is an awful thing. God spare our land
another like the last-but spare us first the
crime of forgetting what we owe our Nations
| Dead spare us alike from sectional animosi-
ties, on the one hand, and from any degree Of
tolerance with spirit of disuuion ON the other!
/ These are the lessons of Decoration day, and
/ the growing disposition Of the people to Oh
serve the day shows how these vital convlc-
tions are sinking deeper into their hearts year
by year.
BETTER TIMES.
Times grow better Enthusiastically, Not
that men are making fortunes in a month !;
not that ordinary investments pay 10 or Is
per cent; not that ordinary business profits
are large enough to justify reckless luxury of
liVingi not that every plausible fellow can
raise Unlimited capital to develop his latest
device for making sure thousand out of an
investment Of a paltry hundred. Times are
no better that way than they were; chaps
who live only by their wits are little further
from the aforesaid wits end than formerly.
But real legitimate trade is better; the vol
ume of general business is now steadily in
creasingi prohts are reasonable, not large ;
confidence is almost wholly restored men
breathe more freely. Real estate is partially
recovering ana seems to be slowly rising in
value. In many localities rents have been
advanced this spring and lessecs have con-
sented. Capital is plenty for any solid, safe
investments interest IS lower than before in
forty years, and the margin on gold has dis
appeared. The number of unemployed has
diminished materially in the last year. Now
lei some grumbler make something else out
Of this than better times IL he can
MONEY.