Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-11
MISFITS OF,THE METROPOLIS
Points in Witch Nebraska's Big
Town Exceiis New York.
MARROW. CROOKED AND ROUGH
Its Streets DON'T Compare With
omaha's and Alleys are Conspicu-
ously Absent--A Place FOR
Men Win q Pull.
rid Bits Froin BoodIevile.

NEW YORK, August o.@tSpec1ai 10
THE BEE. IA New York lady was re-
Gently introduced to one, who formerly
made Omaha her home, aud upon be-
ing informed OF the fact, acknowledged
the introduction by making this re-
mark: "Ah, from Omaha, did you
say? Do you know that that place Is
alw avs associated in my mind with
cowboys and Indians and people of that
sortp Are there really so many
there?"
While this idea Of Omaha is still en-
tertained by a few in the east, it is u
pleasing fact to notice that, rs a gem
eral rule, New Workers are beginning TO
realize that the western cities, such as
Omaha, Denver and Kansas City, are
no longer the homes of desperadoes
and border ruffians, bnt tina: they are
the seats of a civilization a3 advanced
rs that to be found in their own cities.
In fact a careful comparison makes 1t
clear that Omaha Is abe ad OF Now York
in anyiparticulars.
The narrow and crooked streets in
the lower part of the citv are In ssrik-
us Soiui b W thuh uIothi llS IL
ways. OF course this is owing to the
fret that Omaha was laid out to be a
city, while New York, like Topsy,
lust growed." But the fact remains
as a serious drawback to New York's
con venience. The total absence of al
leys in the business portion of the city
makes it necessary to handle all the
heavy traffic of the large wholesale and
commission houses at their front doors
instead of at the alley entrances
Us is done in Omaha. This renders
a "trip through any of the streets lead
ing to the river u very dangerous I'M
~dertaking during the busy hours of the
day. La order to walk up Cortland,
Barclay or Chambers street, which lead
to ana from the principal railroad fer
ries, one must climb over or go around
a dozen or more ''skids," platforms and
trucks, and is lucky if he escapes with
out being
or a barrel of foar in transit from store
to truck. 'rA A
Broadway is ~certainly q fine street,
but | well remember of Omaha people
who complained OF the unsightly APP
pearance of small one and two story
structures on .Fhrnaln street, saying
such thing wera not seen on Broad
way, New York. 81 There are. however,
many corners on jBroadway where the
eye can take in d row of buildings with
just such a mixture bf good and bad
structures us On8aha's business street
present. and sofaei Of the old houses
look fully as bad,as the worst shanties
on Farnam street.. In fact, | think it is
safe 20 say that IND a. vepysfew years more
Farnam street will ppesent a more uni
forlnly fine architectural appearance
than does Bfoadway. ~"
The p~aveinents here are wretched. I
doubt whether there is another city in
the uaion that has Sach a miserable
collection of uneven roadwayS rs this
and 1T is not from a lack OF expenditure
that this state OF affairs exists. Most of
the paving is OF granite blocks, and was
originally level. and made Il good road
way but the constant digging up for the
purposeof repairing or laying gas pipes.
water pipes and subways, and the
careless relaylng Of the blocks has
caused Il condition of affairs which the
city government seems to be unable to
remedy. Sections of pavement are con-
stan thy heing relaid, only to be ripped
up in "a few days by ON of h num-
erous companies who have pipes laid
WiIiSli hSSu FSDtilTlngs vi SOuTSc
Broadway, Fifth avenue, and other
main thorOughfarcs are exceptions to
this statement, and the uptown resi-
dence streets are in better condition
than the lower business streets, but the
city pavements as whole are in very
poor condition.
Every body has heard of New Yorz's
police as the ''greatest in the WORLD"
and to glance at the stalwart frames and
soldierly appearance of lief force when
on their annual parade, one cannot but
acknowledge that they are a magniti-
cent body of men physically, and h
manner in which the vast thousands Of
the vicious element are kept in control
speaks well for the organization OF h
police department.. But unfortunately
there is
ANOTHER SIDE TO THIS STORY
A man with a political pull in this
city, if it is of a sufficiently strong
character, can commit almost any of
the minor offenses and esca pc arrest,
and even free himself from the grasp
of Justice when his crime is of a greater
nature. The daily history OF crime in
New York shows this to be so beyond
dispute. Possibly it is 80 in every large
city, but there is a difference between
New York and Omaha that here public
sentiment seems to acknowledge the
existence of this evil, and while cOn-
ceding its baleful effect does nothing to
remedy 1T, while in Omaha when such
A. l.-lA A. I'LL.