Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-12

NEW YORK, Aprn IL.
There has been a curious and a very whole
some and happy evolution in New York's civili-
cation within the past ten years. This is the ex-
tension of the lunch hour and the improved
character Of the lunch itself Busy as the typi-
cal New Yorker is, and he is about the busiest
type under the sun, not excepting that minute
pig, the ant, he has learned that in the long
run he can do more by stopping in the heat of
the days strife and taking a quiet. leisurely.
two hours lunch. 1t has become a business
maxim that it is useless to see anyone or do
any business between IL and 2 o'clock. Every
body is out at lunch. Scattered all through the
thlckest of the business districts are clubs
chop houses and restaurants, and to- these New
York adiourns at noon, not to resume its daily
toll till 2
1t should be said, however, that all thoughts
OF gain are not banished in this interval As
natural sequence TO this long rest we find a
habit of talking business at lunch in n quiet.
friendly way developing very rapidly and be-
coming characteristic Appointments are
made on that basis and very often the most
important transactions forwarded. The COM
monest invitation Is to take a bite" which
often means an elaborate and elegant meal. and
while the vlands come and 20 great plans are
made and compacts struck
The restaurant business in New York must be
gold mine, The charges in all comfortable
resorts are excessive, judged by reasonable
standards, yet how can blame the keepers
when they cannot find seats for the swarm of
patrons9 have yet to see a good eating house
In New York neglected at meal time. Every
where we meet the same crowd, the same rush
ing about of walters the same pattcr of coin
on the cashier desk. The places that charge
the highest prices are the ones that axe most
crowded. But while the prosperous New
Yorker is luxurious and even extravacant in
his lunch. 1t can be said OF HIM that he has
learned to be temperate. One sees very little
hard drinking. The old-fashloncd perpCndicu-
lar gulp Is well nigh obsolete, and there is
much less of wine bbbing than one would sup
pose. The New Yorker has business TO DO after
lunch and wishes to keep his wits on an even
keel
AsHoRT CUT TO RAPID TRANSIT.
We are told that there is more than one way
to kill a cat, which is probably true; and in
the same manner very likely there is more
than one way to get an adequate rapid transit
system. Mayor Grant at least thinks So and
so do the fifty reputable citizens who have
petltloned him for the exercise of certain re-
served powers to the furtherIng of that end
The. nifty reputable citizens asked him, in
rather mechanical way. TO appoint a commits
sion and start the enterprise on local
basis, letting the tardy legislature 60
hang. or TO conform idiom to the
march OF science. go shock. The petition in
Its cut-and-Gried completeness and its in
Simultaneous acceptance, suggests, or would
suggest but for the fact of the fifty reputable
citizens being so undeniably reputable. what
| is known as put-up job. But the commission
which the mayor chose. ostensiby upon the
spot, are brst rate men. and While the legisla-
ture RACES and the politicians imagine a vain
thing, TO wit, Doodle. it NAV be that this local
and Impromptu body will give the CITY its one
peremp!ory and vital need. a real rapid transit
system. II so, Mayor Grants star may rise
again. But his pitiless critics are ALREADY de-
claring that the short cut will only lead to a
bog. The agitation. however. has stirred the
legislature to spasm of activity on their own
account
THE MKfNLEY BILL UNDER FIRE
Rarely have the business firms of New York
been so deeply moved as by the threatened
tariff bill. Whatever the reason. the fact is
clear that the bill has excited a storm of bro
test. The hosiery trade met Wednesday at the
Merchants CLUB. one of those poked-away lit
Tie palaces where business New York catches its
breath in the battle of trade. and organized in
determined opposition to tue proposed sched-
ule so far as their specially was touched Yes
terday still more important meeting was held
at the Aston House, at which the tremendous
linen trade united In protest against the pro-
posed tariff on fax, hemp aud lutte Fifty
eight of the great linen houses Join in the
league and their influence, when thus associ-
ated, might be enormous. OF course. il NAV
be said that the absence of anv domestic linen
(for the native industry is annIhilated) explains
the ease with which the trade can unite on a
hostile program. But this is not a complete
explanation, especially IN view of the fierce
opposition to the new bill aroused in the silk
and even the wooden trade. What is obvious
Is that large forces among the business men of
New York. which is a political element that
both parties angle for very carefully abou.
election time, are furiously opposed to .ae
Mckinley bill.
TOO NEAR THE ELEPHANT.
The West Side is appalled, at a Rider Hoc.
gard vision of trumpeting elephants snor,inp,
hippopotami, gibbering monkeys ana bi.sing
snakes in its fairest domain, the MINER ana
wilder regions of Central Park. An aIong -
has Wanted itself on the pleasing naturainess
OF It's own corner of the park. But IL is NOT
such ueVo'ee OF nature as TO relish a shrink
ing OF picturesque wild beasts over the land
scape. 1t kicks vigorously Therefore at tba
schehe 10 remove the menagerie from the 9Th
avenue side. whose rich and exclusive natives
long ago stamped the institution a hubble uui-
sahce, ana put 1t down in the pretty DINGHY dell
near Sth avenue and Tooth street What j.
needed Is not mere transfer of the menarpria
from one part OF the park to another bat its
removal to one of the several spacious su-
Durban parks, where the hippopctami could
nave private swamp to wallow in and the big
Writes wander at their sweet but sedate will
over farm. they may in the liberal spoces of
the ZOO" in London. But everything in New
York seems to run to fve-story fats, even TO
the tiger cages.
The Majestic has broken the record for
maiden trips. and hepce, for the moment is
the pride of the pert. The time was not start
ling, except In promise, and the Germans saw
that the Augusta Victoria now that she has
got new screws, is gong to rule the sea. But
there is big gap yet between the best time of
the City OF Paris and her nearest rival. The
accident to the Paris, just at the opening of the
season. has taken much of the fun out OF il.
Another rich man has died and made no sign
that he had fellow men or that he owed So
eiety anything for letting him get and
keep rich. This is the late David Dows the
millionaire merchant. He didn't give a penny
to any charity. but simply divided what he was
Obliged to leave behind him among those who
would take it in default of any testament. The
estate foots up about four million dollars Wen
as MI. Carnegie says, the time is coming-and
Mr.. Carnegie is helping to hasten it-whe N the
man who dies rich will die dsgraced.
HENRY L. ELLIOT.
Davis Brooke CT Moore's Hall. Ia. accident
ally shot his brother William dad
IINrkN