New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-26
CASUAL NOTES BY THE WAY.

Os~e~ ~aAF ~ - N<hS ~ 4 $780, - - =
careful investigation has convinced Captain
Smith that the rowboats at present used by the
Police Department too cumbersome He says
that the junkmen and others upon whom they have
to keep sharp eye on the rivers smaller boats,
and thus have an advantage over the policemen AS
new rowboats viii DO required by tho department
soon, the captain is having sample" boat built
on Pier A. 1t win DO smaller than the old ones
BY two feet in length, four inches ia breadth and
two inches in depth, u after q trial this proves 70
put tho boats viii be built after the same plan
Athletic exhibitions 10 the Madison Square Garden
are as unsatisfactory to the spectators three
ring circus. When the football contest is raging
nobody can see tho weghtthrowing and shotput-
tngi during the lacrosse match It is impossible to
look at the high jump or tho tug-of-war. But who
cares TO see tug-otwar1 The name conveys tho
idea OF royal battle Of sort, but It is mis-
nomer. OF all athletic contests It is the tamest,
never arousing the slightest interest in anybody but
participants. who reclne against cleais ysnk rope
and grunt SO far the races concerned, nobody
ever knew the names Of tho contestants. These
supposed 10 wear numbers by which they may be
Unidentified but they don't do It. 1t ought to be an
extremely simple matter to arrange these exhibitions
SO that they could be enjoyed by persons who pay 81
to see them as vol by the athletes themselves.
90 the outtenburg jockeys went on striker Well,
WE'LL what's going TO happen next Let US hope that
the horses Will STRIKE too, and put end to this
mid-winter travesty.
Tho number of intelligent men and women afflicted
with the lottery craze is amazing to person who IS
content TO struggle along through life 80 day
less There are hundreds Of people In New-York who
could not be happy for moment IL they did not have
the regular monthly drawing to look forward to- Some
thing 10 hope for is what makes lifo worth living
dollar. they contend. will neither mako nor break
them, so one is laid aside every thirty days for the
purchase Of one-twentieth Of o ticket II woman
draws e0, It gives her something talk about for
whole month, and persuades her to believe that az
the next drawing the capital prize Of $500 900 viii
be hers. Everybody you meet has heard of tho
who drew fortune, but nobody seems to have the
honor Of bis personal acquaintance. stu, when
people want to believe thing they going 10 be-
leve IL Their obstinacy is equalled only BY their
cupidity. So they 90 on investing aud hoping and
being disappointed bobbng up sereney at the proper
interval to try It again.
One OF those unhappy people VINO allow a scrupu-
louSnass IN regard to details to Interfere with the APP
probation Of broad effects has had HIS pleasure In
looking at large and handsome uptown church
marred By mistake in placing the figures the clock
faces in the tower Arabic numerals are used instead
Of the usual Romans, and the 8, which is almost in
variably placed upside down on DIAL is right side
tro Of the face instead Of outward, It should DO.
@The Jaw could bs forgiven says the critic, II
consistency hal been shown By placing the 8 and
the the other side up as well, or IL there had been
desire for symmetry manifested by turning around the
sensitive nature to excuse.
Strangers in NewYOzk are often impressed by the
extent and variety OF the buaness carried at street
stands and by pedlers. Some one Of an abnormally
speculative turn Of mind has announced the result
Of his studies IN this direction his belief that man
could live in New-York and supply himself with all
the necessarcs and Of the comforts Of life with
out ever going inside building except, perhaps, for
shelter. Let him, for instance, gain Ids living as
street musician his meals be easily get at street
stands where he dnd bread. fish, oysters, clans
lobstors, softshel crabs and green corn in season.
oakes, PIES milk and every kind Of native and tropical
fruit AS TO clothes, surely many dealer would
gladly bring his whole stock to the sidewalk II
10 would please Q customer. When II rains be can
stand under an elevated railway station, and no can
sleep on park bench in good weather and under
pier IA bad. On Sundays he can find rehsious ser
vices IN the Streets and on week days II he cannot
find amusement he must be lacking in habits OF OBJ
scrvaton. II he have tsSto for letters, he can buy
books IA plenty from street vendors and psper pens
this scheme its author met merchant In Fourteenth
ST with basket Of live mud-turtles' which he was
offering at cents each snd he NOV ds'qTs t s sns S
mxures OF life, are TO be had In the streets OF New
York
Police Captain Eibort o. Smith, Of the Harbor
SQUAD is happy in tho belief that tho much-talked-
Of steam launches for his navy' will be placed IN
commission about April 1. The plans have been sp-
proved and the contracts viii probably DO awarded
in a few days. A year ago $4,000 was Appropriated
for this purpose and an additional $1,000 was granted
this year There will be two Of these launches, and
n they are as handsome as the designs indicate
they viii be as fine any similar craft on the
rivers They win be thirty-tvo feet long with ave
feet beam, and win be ntted up with non-explosivo
steel boilers and compound engines, and will steam
at tho rate Of twelve knots hour. The smoke
stacks viii be adjustable, thus permitting the launches
TO 90 under piers and other low places. The cost
N ZACH Will be O., 500 They will accommodate about
twenty men each. Among the patrolmcn under cap
tain Smith there are number who can pass tho
examination for pilots for tho steam launches, aud
Others who are sufficiently familiar with steam engines
no need for additional men In the Harbor squad.