Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-22

Il did not occasionally strike people dead
in their shoes.
The moro the community cries out for
the removal Of the wires the moro the
JAN Of departments snd commissions re-
sembles one OF those log-rafts when tho
ice breaks up and the freshets begin.
Everybody in authority appears TO be
paralyZcd at the kopslessnsss Of the mud
die. General Newton sticks out one way
aud Mayor Hewitt another. There are
layers upon layers OF desdwood all the
wsy down. aud tina shores arc lined by All
amused community, awestruck at the
limitles log-rolling.
The attempt to put the wires under
ground has embittsred every depart
ment. Ghsstly visions Of jobs fit over
the columns OF the press. There is an
open charge that the subway commission
is in the hands Of = powerful telegrsphic
syndicate, who expect TO bury not only
every other company's wires, but every
other Compsny's charter.
Public opinion yells "Bury the
wires" but there are three or four come
psnies that object 10 being buried in the
way the syndicate has arranged
Public opinion has been bowling,
"Down with the dead poles" The
Board OF Electrical Control decided that
the poles and wires were nuisances and
must como down. The Mayor, the Cor
poration Counsel, Chief Engineers. the
Department OF Streets. and the Bureau
OF Encumbrsnces got into an additional
snarl Immediately. The United States
illuminating Company warned the bu.
resu that the wires were not dead. and
the men Of the bureau said: "Strike me
dead if touch EN-"
Suppose, rays General Newton, 81
order these poles and wires down, and
the company turns on the electricity,
which one Of the many city departments
will defend me il am accused Of man
slaughter ?"
In these dead looks there is one re-
couroe: Men rush 10 the Corporation
Counsel he pigeon-hslee the latest APP
plioaiion and waits
New York thus presents the astound
ing spectacle of n city Gagged in FROM
above with wires and tied up below with
red tape. and she lies like another Gam
son in the Delilah lap Of corporations,
minghng laughter and tears at her own
helplessness.
The latest fad hsre-a dsad-season
fad-i5 tho sending of flowers 10 tene-
msnt houses. A few good hearted but
sentimental women have conceived the
notion thst poverty will he lightsnsa Of
half its load if it can only have Posey
on the mantle and some carnations IN
the window. Ny inprsRsion is this is
mistake. Tho tsnemsRkhousc life in
New York is for the most part the most
wretchod order OF domiciliary living in
the world. The houses are vermin-in-
tested ovens. in which every order
OF vice and virtue 10 horded.
What tenement life actually needs
Is more room, moro air, more
water. more excluSiveDoss. To sprinkle
flowers on this municipal disgrace is
very much liko throwing them into the
grave. l cannot think OF a hollow mock
cry moro sxAsperatng than the hollow
mockery Of sentiment when practical re-
lief is needed. Even the Sermon on the
Mount would be robbed of its inefiable
beauty II you undertake to read 1t to n
man who was dying OF thirst. and there
must DO something trsnscendeutally
puerile in the visit Of bevy of aesthetic
danes TO a home where tho children are
suffering with the prickley heat and the
summer complaint and the mother is
worn ont with caro- and petulant with
personal distress for no other purpose
than to stick some buds around.
However, ! see that the flower mission
as stimulated another set of danes,
peg higher on the practical scale, TO
fruit mission. That is several degrees
more sensible, and promises to develop
into muttOn-pis missions and colnbeef-
hash missions before long.
IL some one would only discover q
method Of utilizing the sentimentalism
of the modern genteel woman there
vould be now and powerful social
motor added to the living instrumental
ties.
Only convince her that it is the "proper
caper" "the cheese" "the FORM" and
she II so as a missionary, or stay in town
in summer as q martyr, singing hosannas
while she burns.
There's great mass of raw material
living unused here in this direction, and
so far unworked by anybody but the
aesthetic psstorsand the champion tennis
players.
GAMBLING AT SARATOGA.
People come to Saratoga with variety |
Of objscts III view. Some come for bust
ness, others for pleasure. Those here
for business are the proprietors of the |
large and small hotels, the keepers of |
stores IN the hotel buildings, the gam
blsrs, horssmsn. bupco.shArps, pick
pockets, aud ordinary thieveA
The respectable gamblers are per
mitted to remain in this village and at
tend to their business. The bunco-men,
pick pockets, and ordinary thieves DO not
larry long. Asa general thing rAey find
their occupations gone with q suddenness
that is surprising 20 them. The largo
hotels have in their employ men who are
well acquainted with these robbers
They are quickly complained Of 10 the
police and sent admit. Tho respectable
gamblers are so orderly that the religious
visitors TO Saratoga would never believe
iOr mCNeNt thAt bkVIo 10 III luluS
like gambling going tn here.
The popular gambling resort is known
20 The Saratoga Club-Iouse, and Is
probably the finest institution Of It's kind
in this country. Ii is large and spa
,ious building, elegantly furnished, and
has beautiful grounds, an army Of
servants. and one of the finest dining
halls in Saratoga, and that is saying a
great deal. The gambling hall is itself,
IF course the most elaborate feature Of
Lhe building.
The property is owned by Albert
Spencer, who looks more like retired
merchant with fixed religious views than
ANYTHING else. He bears a striking re-
,emblsnce to General Grant when the
after was strong and healthy, and has
Iome OF the manners of that great war
nor. He is quiet and sociable but never
1ombastic and coarse. He has been
lsed 10 good things all his life and be-
isvos that everybody should live as he
loes.
Neither Delmonico's, the Hoffman
House, Hotel Brunswick, nor any OF the