The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-06-06
Letter from New York.
For The 4gis and Intelligencer.

NEW YORK, MAY 80, 1890.-This ia
truly great city. Great in philanthropy
and benevolence, great in wickedness and
crime, great in its hustle and hustle, its num-
Der of extremely rich and great in its myriads
of squalid poor. Leaving my home at Clay
mont. Del, this morning, we reached here
at 920. The ride was most delightful and
pleasant. The flower gardens and lawns at
nearly all the stations of the Pennsylvania
Railroad system, kept in superb order, lend
charm to the traveller and enhance the
pleasure of a trip by rail very much.
Our first point ofinterest was the BROOKLYN
Bridge. If there is piece of work in the
world designed and executed by man greater
than this bridge, l would like to see it.
We walked leisurely across it, after having
gone by cars to Brooklyn, stopping to OBJ.
serve any thing of special interest.
The statue of Liberty at Bedloe's Island,
seemed to beckon US for sail down the bay,
but we needed her not. The North and East
Rivers were lined with boats of every de-
scription. We met number of emigrants
who had just landed, and dirtier set it
would be hard to find. The women, with
unkempt hair and slouchy dresses, looked as
though they had been smoked. They were
jabbering away at the wonders of the bridge.
and no wonder.
Going through the the post Office, and up
Broadway, taking in such points of interest
as we could, we finally took the elevated
cars for Central Park. The elevated road has
improved greatly since my last visit. They
run four and five cars in train, and make
excellent time, considering the number of
stops to be made. The stops will average
five squares apart. What grander opportun-
ity to get to and from business by the down.
town merchants, can be imagined. Quickness
of time, high enough to be free from dust and
dirt of the surface roads, the elevated serves
purpose that is greatly appreciated, and it
carries half million passengers daily, which
is all that need be said for its popularity.
We entered the park in 9Th Avenue and
59th street, and began an inspection of its
great and varied interests. Passing along
the well-kept pathway near beautiful little
lake, where lot of Swan Boats were NOV
ing about with children pleasuring we ar
rived at and rested awhile in a rustic cedar
barrack, which affords shelter for the parties
who may be caught in a rain, or resting
place from the heat of the sun.
There were lots of children all over the
park, with gay dresses and fancy parasols,
which contrasted beautifully with the green
foliage and well kept grass.
Few flowers were to be seen, and they do
not seem to be needed to complete the perfect
beauty of the grounds.
We visited the menagerie which lie well
stocked with geological wonders. The
rhinocerus with two horns and the two hip
popotami were the finest we ever saw.
Leaving this part of the Park we drove
out the Mall, which certainly never looked
more beautiful than now. The statuary
seems appropriately placed and shows to
good effect. Passing by the tree that
the Prince of Wales planted 26 years ago when
visiting America, we drove around to the re-
mote and quiet parts of the Park, getting
from one elevated point view of the Pali-
sades of the Hudson. Ever and anon we saw
Park guards, dressed in handsome gray uni
forms, mounted on spirited horses, on their
rounds of protection. Horse back riders
have special roads prepared and are not al.
lowed to ride on the main carriage ways, 80
that we have three distinct roadside main
driveway, the horseback riders road and
the paths for pedestrians.
Driving past the reservoir we brought up
at the Cleopatra Needle or Obelisk, which is
perhaps the greatest wonder of its kind in
America. 1t is SO feet 10 height, mounted on
a solid base of granite, and is in one solid
piece. 1t is covered with ancient hierogly-
phcs peculiar to the Egyptians) and was
brought to this country at cost of one humid
red thousand dollars. The park is in its
new spring dress, the foliage of the trees, the
grass and everything is attractive and in
structive. One must conclude that as much
as man has done for this place, nature has
done more.
We have already concluded that New
York is good place to visit but poor place
to reside. The large blocks of flats now in
course of erection in the northwestern part
of the city, some of them IA stories high,
would seem to indicate that some people
think it good place to live in too, especially
when the cheapest of these flats rent at
$4,000 per year. The people swarming in
the parks and around the squares remind
one of honey bees around sugar barrel.
But is must be remembered that tomorrow
is Decoration Day and that many persons to-
day are on a vacation. And that carries me
six years old when the war began,
but l remember when some of the boys
around Hopewell Cross roads marched away.
Ii must have been in 1861. | remember the
drilling of the boys one or two days a week,
the cutting down of the flag-pole and the
rumpus it created, and the morning they left,
our loved boys of Hopewell. Let me see,
vino were they David Thomas Bowman,
Jacob Briney, Bonfeld S. Gorrell VIM. H.
Rogers, George Harrison Bowman, S. G.
Gorrel, and many others whom older per-
sons may remember, DuL VINO nave ladeO
from memory. even if ever knew them.
was young, but not too young to note the
tears of mother and sisters as news would
come of some battle; not too young to have
heard, as boy the laundering of cannon at
and the anguish of distracted
loved ones. God knows / am thankful that
| live in an age of peace. Many of our loved
brothers, sons and friends have been muster
ed out to report only at the call of Gabriel,
when he shall summon the dead to come
forth for their reward
And this Decoration Day we gather at
their graves and strew them with flowers
May their memory ever live green and fra
grant in the lives of all posterity. May we
ever value our rich inheritance purchased by
their blood, and hold it inviolable in truth
Justice and righteousness, for truly may it
be said, at is righteousness that exalteth
nation" OsCEoLA