Morris tribune., 1883-04-04
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.

| DPuh Or JOHN 1H0GHPWS tltG SO0Q
| Water Magnate. T3ghtRess of the
Money Mdrkot.--Ldbor Strikes
| looming sfp.-JGg Goutd and the
| IPofti Oakley HdH.-Preparing
for the ,StHaDaer Season at the Wa-
tering Pldces.-kashiQs IN PiFlas,
New loRw, March Goth, 1883.
! When the poet wrote about Spring
and its ethereal mildness, he never
could have known how beautiful
nature could make day when once
she laid herself out to do it. Sunday
last was a day finer than which the
poet, even should hts eye be in fine
phnensy rolling could not see. Life
was IV"rth living on that day. Central
Park was thronged with people, and
the roads were literally alive with
vehicles of every description from the
homely grocer's buggy to the easy
aristocratic 'andeau. The road houses
were packed with merry people who
ate drank and enjoyed life as this
beautiful day, made it to the fullest
extent On Jerome Park the white
sheeted racers were flying up and
down the track in happy satisfaction
emulating in seeming contentedness
the little boys who were riding them.
One could not help thinking little
0olored lad who held the reins over
the Fred Gebhard's great cup horse
Eole, somewhat too late. He whistled
the air "NNait till the clouds roll by,
darling" with an energy which might
have been praiseworthy had there
been any .clouds.
The fashionable world is all apoo
over the great fancy dress ball which
Mrs. William III. Vanderbilt will give
on Easter Monday. For weeks past
shrewd minds have been at work
designing new dresses, neW 4oasbina-
tons, novel make ups, ana there is no i
reason for doubling that this viii be
the greatest event OF the social season.
The number ofinvited guests amounts
to several hundred,
but there are three disap-
pointed people who We're nos asked to
one invited. 1'he newspapers are MAX
ing as elaborate preparations to
"cover'' as if the affair were political
convention instead Of q gathering of
deyotees of Menus. The female re-
porter will be here in all her glory,
and what she will not be able to gush
about the costumes will not be worth
knowing.
Decoration Day with us has sup
planted the Fourth ofJuly entirely in
importance, and the festivities In
hassa69fr 81 the day are growing II extent 7
from year II year. This season the
OCCASION will be signalized by the
opening of the East River Bridge to
he public. The Memorial Committee
Of the Grand Army of the Republic, |
opened its office and commenced the I
work of preparation yesterday. They
had confaranae with the Brooklyn |
bfidge Trustees and it was decided |
that the participants in the procession
should be the first to crQsa the struct-
Ire which spans the river, and which
IS now all but complete, excepting the
touches. The procession |
his year will be larger and finer than
ever, and one good thing about it will |
De the fact that no advertising carts
and vans will be allowed place in it.
john Mathews, the soda water
died last week, and the T
papers which make fuss about every
hing scarcely noted the event, and
yet the man was typical of an industry
which has grown 10 q remarkable ex-
.ent within the past few years. There
were nearly two thousand of his en-
Dloyees at the funeral service, show
ng to what an extent carbonized /
water is manufactured. Whisky and |
soda water are now the two staple
iaid commodities. Those who abstain
rom the former guzzIe the latter. I
I'M told by a leading druggist down
own that the consumption of soda
water amounts to at least twelve mil
ions of glasses a year. The trade is
low kept going all the year round.
Hot soda in winter is as familiar a
rink as hot whisky.
Not for long time has the money
market been so tight as it is at present,
IN d in consequence people with loose
ash have no end of opportunities of
making good and quick turns on call
oans. was told by the Secretary of
l loading banking institution that the
1ther day when they neededa block of
money they had to pay no less than
nineteen per cent. for it, and then he
had to skirmish high and low to find
t. Before Spring has fairly settled on
is there will be hard times i'm many
ines of business. In spite of the
oouyant air which everybody tries to
maintain prosperity is anything but
assured. Much if not more of it is
)nly on the surface. There is no
money in any business, Competition
shaves the margin of profit so close
that it requires millions of capital to
run a business in way to make
One large dry goods and
fancy goods house which has the
reputation of making more money
than any other firm in the same bust
ness, has had its employees in the
iress-naking and millinery depart
ments laid off since the first of Janu-
ary. They started portion of them
Dn the 18th instant, but the bulk will /
have to remain idle until the first of
April. So much for the good times
we are. said to have.
And yet the laboring classes are far