The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
audersou gntelligenfer.
THE NEW RICH IN NEW YORK.
A Condition of Things Which May Lead to
Conflict OF Glasses.


There is no doubt about it that New
York is divided into two great classes,
the very rich and the very poor, and the
middle class of reputable, industrious,
fair.to.do people are gradually disappear-
ing. going up in the scale Of worldly
wealth or down into poverty and embar.
rassment. 1t seems unquestioned that
between these classes exists, and is rapid.
ly growing, under Intentional fostering
and nufturing of evil men, distinct,
pronounced, malignant hatred. The
sneers at Nir. Vanderbilt in the public
press meet the appreciation of hundreds
of thousands of people. Why? He is
not bad man, although he never does
any good. To men who are sensitive as
to what other people should do with their
money he appears hoggish, but while as
the representative Of corporate selfish.
ness, Mr.. Vanderbilt stands supreme,
per SO, he is an sy.going, well enough
kind Of person, not good.looking, not
educated, in no sense refined, but, on the
other hand, not evilly disposed. But
should be very sorry to be in Mr.. Van.
derbilt's boots if such times as we had
here in 1868 should be repeated, and Mr..
Vanderbilt is type Of thousands-I use
the term advisedly-who are rich beyond
their ancestors dreams of avarice.
There ara men here worth $4,000, 900
and $20,000000 of whom you know
nothing. / know one lady, living in a
magnificent house, whose life is as quiet
as that of minister's should be, who
has given away not less than $4,000, ,0OO
in five years, whose benefactions prior to
her death will reach not less than 81 ,000,.
900, who has in her homo paintings,
statuary, diamonds, precious stones
exquisite specimens of gold and silver
with costly works of every imaginable
art, an inside estimate Of which if
$l,5OO, 900, and she is not as rich rs many
of hor neighbors by several million
dollars. There are men here who twenty
years ago sold clothes on Chatham street
who to-day live at an annual expense oi
100000, who wear jewels upon their
person costing in reasonable stores $25,
900.
Come with me in q Madison avenue
car any day, rain or shine, between the
hours Of 10 O'Clock in the morning and
s or {; o'clock in the afternoon. sHd will
find you car after car costly packed with
ladies' in whose ears arc dia.no5ds worth
from $500 to $4,000 each, on whose
ungloyed hands, rcd and fluffy, sparkle
fortunes. Walk with me from Stewards
old store, ct the corner Of Ninth street
and Broadw. to Thirteenth street and
Broadway any Jay. l do not mean
Sundays, holidays or special occasions,
but ali times, and 1 will show you on
block after block women in sealskin
circulars down to their heels, worth from
$500 to $4,000 each, with diamond ear
rings and with diamond finger-rings, and
other precious stones as we'll, carrying in
their hands dainty pocket.books stuffed
with money. They represent the new
rich with which New York is filling up.
On that same street, at the Same time.
/ can show you mon TO whom dollar
would be fortune, whose trousers, torn
and disgraceful in their tattera, sre held
about their pinched waists by rope or
twine or pins, whose stockless feet shuffle
along the pavement in shoes 80 ragged
that they dare not liit them from tho
pavement, whose faces arc freckled,
whose beard ia long and struggling "a
their hair, while their reddening hands
taper at the nails like claws. How long
before those claws will fasten on the
newly rich? Mako no mistake about it,
the feeling is born, the feeling il growing,
and the feeling, sooner or later, will break
fourth. Fourteenth street, on which
there are but few residences left, and In
front Of one, leading from the door to
the curbstone, was canopy, under which
charmingly- -attired ladies, accompanied
by their escorts, went from their carriage
to the open door, through which floods Of
light and sounds of music came, stood
with the crowd-n big crowd-a moment,
and there was born this idea of an in.
evitable outbreak, unless something is
done, and speedily done, to do away with
the prejudice which not only exists, but
is intentionally fostered against the very
rich by the very poor. 1t would make
you shudder TO hear the way the women
spoke. Envy, jealously, magligant teroc.
ity, every element needed was there. All
that is wanted is leader.-Joe Howard
an The Philadelphia Press.