The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-11

tcrmncd 10 enlarge NY acquaintance Nilii
IL ut the first opportunity. i therefore
find myself here now, and, after day
spent in sightseeing, sit down 10 make a
few notes, hoping they may interest some
OF your readers who hold life-member-
bership in the Can't-Get-Away Club. |
can't hone 10 entertain any one else, for
whoever has travelled at all has "taken
in" Gotham az one time or another, | sup
pose.
THE GREAT BRIDGE.
First Of all. OF course, comes the great
bridge. have been over il several times,
and haven't near enough of II yet. | was
prepared for something "immense." but
that word does not begin TO describe it.
know Of none that does. IL Is cmphati-
cay the eighth wonder OF the world.
Those four great cables, so big and steady
and strong, and yet so airily light and
graceful, stretching with such a magnifi-
cent sweep between those two immense
granite towers, once seen can never
be forgotten. They look like huge
water-mains swinging through the air
more than anything else | can
think Of. Examined closely. however,
you observe their texture-thousands Of
little wires twisted and banded together
until n cable is produced probably two
feet i'm diameter. When il is remembered
that these great cables could never have
been lifted into place, that they are nearly
a mile each in length. and that they were
produced one wire at time, Some idea
NAV be had OF the amount OF work, time,
and patience consumed in their cOnStruc-
ton. In addition 10 these, hundreds OF
smaller cables one and half or two inches
through lattice the sides and inner parti-
lions OF the bridge, those parallel with the
main cables convorging TO a focus at the
top Of the towers. The effect produced is
simply enchanting. In the distance they
appear TO meet, and you seem TO be walk
ing into four labyrinthine bowers. Lit up
by the electric light at night, the sight is
dazzling. The bridge is constantly
thronged with passengers, and at night
is largely used rs a promenade, for which
it is unsurpassed. As may be imagined.
the view from ii is superb. You have the
whole East river and lower bay, with their
endless heterogeneous shipping, and the
great cities OF New York and Brooklyn
spread out before YOU rs upon map.
Governors Island lies right before you,
too; but Il recalled such unpleasant memo
rcs OF wasted enthusiasm and lost votes
that mentally struck il out OF the picture.
now 1T Is CROSSED.
The bridge IS now crossed by foot-pas-
sengers and vehicles only, the railway
being notNet completed. 1t soon will be,
however, and then the New Workers. great
desideratum-rapi transit-will be Sc
cured. The ears will be run by means OF
endless ropes. The great wheels necessary
for the same are now being Pit in position.
What the fare will then be i do not know
Ii Is now one cent. The tTamways, two in
number, are within the hOrSe-rOads and
considerably above them, while the foot
way occupies the centre, and is higher than
all the rest. From this il will be seen that
the bridge is very wide as well rs long.
Enormous rs was the cost OF this great
work, SIS, 900. one no longer wonders
at that after once beholding the structure.
The only wonder is how it was ever made
at all. and how human agency OF any sort
could ever have produced such marvellous
results. ROebling, the engineer, has built
himself a monument which will perpetuate
his name for ages TO come and stamp him
as one of the very greatest geniOuses that
ever lived.
TRIP THROUGH THE AIR.
This morning early took a trip through
the air on the elevated roads out TO Harlem
and back tO the AStor House, where | am
stopping, and ] must say that il "pro-
yincial" wishes TO have novel experience
he must do likewise. Fancy a staid, plod-
ding RichmOndcr flying rapidly over the
heads OF the people and vehicles in the
streets below. and looking into the third
and fourth-StOry windows and family Sc
crets on either hand. and then imagine his
"phelinks." Dirty garrets, handsome par
lors, tllmbled bedrooms, half-naked chill
dren, sloveny men lolling and smoking,
trim maid-ServlntS, pale, pinched-yisaged
creatures, duly singing the "Song Of the
Shirt" in the scant, gray light OF the MORN
ing-these are some Of the things to be
seen from the windows OF the Elevated
railway car, and it is a strange, uncanny
experience until one gets used to 1t. One
does get used to it. however; for most
every one else was deeply absorbed in bis
morning paper, paving no heed whatever
to the outside. Every one reads in the
cars, both elevated and surface, here
ladies as well as men. II seems to he done
to save time. i can't quite come to ii N.Y.
sell yet. however. There is a much more
interesting page 10 be read all around me.
CENTRAL PARK.
After my elevated excursion | went
through Central Park, patrOnizing one OF
the carriages Of the Department OF Public
Parks, which is decidedly the best way, as
II is the most economical. The charge is
twenty-five cents. and the circuit is made
in an hour. You are privileged, however,
TO stop at several interesting points-the
Museum Of Natural History, Mt. st. Vim
cent, the Museum Of Art, the Terrace
Bridge, and the obelisk-and be taken up
by later carriages.
THE MUSEUM OF ART.
spent = couple Of hours IN the Museum
OF Art. and was Of course well repaid. Ii
is the fashion for New York papers TO ridi-
cule the collection OF paintings and statuary
at this place, but /, OF course, being not so
wise and experienced as they, cannot do so.
There are many fine paintings and beautl-
ful statues-mOre OF the former than OF the
latter-and by "old masters" rs well as
new pupils, while the collection OF antiqui-
ties OF all sorts is endless. Our ancestors
seem TO have had little else to do but manu-
faeture pots and pans, jars and vases, sar-
cophagi. etc. Judging by the number here
gathered, and supposlng every other mu-
scum TO be ~ well supplied. II is liberal
education, however, for one TO look mt and
study these things, and in that sense at
least II is worth the trouble OF getting them
together. Amongst the statuary | looked
in vain for something OF our own artists
(Yalcnline's) work, thinking him worthy
OF being represented in this place. He may
be yet.
THE OBELISK.
The obelisk is OF course an object OF
great interest. Ii also is great work OF
art, and Is also by an Sc old MASTER" or sew
eral OF them. and very old ones at that.
- a. it, nj. foot fxxsf.
inches; through the base, seven feet eight
and fhree-fourfhs inches It's entire weight