Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-09
NEW YORK NOTES.
What Is Being Talked About In the
Great Metropolis.
KEMMLER AND THE NEW YORK NEwsPAPERs-sEN-
sATIoNALIsM RAMPAyT-woSDERFUL PRoDUo-
TON OF sTocKINas-SEw CATHEDRAL CHIMES
BICYCLING BY THE SEA


Special Correspondence Of THE EVENING STAR
New loRK. August Z.
If New York had no bad dreams Wednesday
night it was not the fault of the Metropolitan
press. The bungiing execution of kemmler
threw the newspapers into paroxysms quite as
violent and as painful to behold as those of the
condemned felon. One OF the newspapers
treated its readers to an all-day banquet of
horrors in courses, labelling the dishes. Kemm-
Ter extra No. /, and 8, and so on till by night
fall 1t had reached No. z. The only paper
which abstained from breaking the law into
very little bits by the full publication Of details
was the Ere,,ing Post, which contented itself
with the lawful announcement OF course to-
DAY IL Is very much gratted at its own superior
virtue and rebukes its contemporaries severely.
Inc general opinion seems to De that this is
the last as well the first electrical execution
tnough the narrowing details of yesterdays
extras are not borne out by scientific
ana medical testimony. 1t seems to be
true that kemmier suffered nothing con-
sciously after the current was turned on and
mat MS twltchlngs were purely muscular. At
the SAME time the scene was more revolving
than commonly attends death by hanging and
ior that reason it is likely that Gov. Hill will
leprleVe the other felons who are under sem
tence OF death by electricity till the meeting of
the legislature In January in order to avoid
similar scenes, unless the lawmaking power in
sists on their execution. There are rumors
anoat that the same corporation which fought
SO hard to prevent the execution took steps to
make II failure, but no substantial reasons
exist In favor OF such report Evidently the
scientinc part OF the execution was bungied,
but that was probably due to nervousness and
lnexperlence. 1t can be said very truthfully
that the execution shocked the whole commu-
nifty.
A MILLION STOCKINGS A nav
was told today by one of the prominent
hosiery merchants that the production of seam
less hose in this country WAS about 100000
dozen pairs daily. This seems incredible, and
yet my informant is a man of wide and accurate
knowledge OF the trade. daily production of
I,ZOO,OO0 pairs of stockings would mean 7,000-
ooo pairs each working week or $50 600 900
pairs year, an average of five pairs to each
man, woman, child bed-ridden invalid and
pickaninny in the land. And this covers oniv
one Class OF stockings, though probably the
most numerous one. OF course, the bulk is
or the cheapest qualities, those that sell in the
trade for fifty cents a dozen and Whereabouts
But now are they used, and where do they
go! 1t is almost az deep problem as the death
ana the future life of the pin. These statistics
throw strong light on the gigantic dimensions
OF the clothing trades. We scarcely nut hosiery
and underwear among the important divisions
OF ury goods, and yet the transactions are be-
yond the scope of All ordinary Imagination.
lew weeks ago company OF dealers represent
ing the importing side OF the trade alone gath
cred to confer OH how best to protect their
interests before Congress- and "a rough compu-
tahon OF the capital represented by the houses
that then joined IN action gave the stupendous
total Of 1900, 100000.
GOING BACK TO THE MUSICAL CLASSICS
1t Is evident that quiet but vigorous reac-
ton is going on in various church organiza-
lions against the secularizng tendencies of
church music in this country. Perhaps it
should be said that the reaction was not begun
yesterday-lt may date back five wears or SO
but 1t Is only recently that it has attracted
general attention. At ST. Patrick's Cathedral
and Its subsidiary churches in this city turipg
the last two or three days unique conyen-
ton has been held-a meeting of Catholic
clergy and laymen banded together for the
sole purpose of raising the standard of church
music and OF purglng the services of spurious
ana interior musical stuff. The ST. Cecilia
society, as 1t Is called, Is composed of earnest
and accomplished church musicians Its de-
hberations have been very interesting and in
structlve and very large crowds have attended
every session, despite the intense heat The
work OF the convention promises noteworthy
results OF the most beneficial nature.
81. PATRICK's SPLENDID CHIME.
The cathedral, by the way is to have a new
chime of bells Of American manufacture which
Will be by far the finest chime in the city. if
not on the whole western continent The
chime will consist of fifteen bells of am aggre-
gate weight OF 10000 pounds about three
times heavier than the Trinity chime though
there ls not much difference In the number of
bells. This means a vast difference in favor of
the cathedral chime as regards seniority, rich
ness OF quality and compass. The lowest toned
bell, to weigh $500 pounds. will be a monster,
and Will certainly produce grand effect.
THE MIDNIGHT AND MARAUDING CAT
With all its multtudinous charities whose
wlde-reaching scope seems to include all
classes, ranging as it does from the infant hos
pitfalls to the Home for Respectable Aged In
dlgent Females, there Is one field which so
far New York has neglected. No association
OF benevolent splnsters has yet united to found
shelter for the homeless cats and vet innum-
cradle swarms of them haunt the city streets
Among the rows of closely shut brown stone
dwellings, there Is scarcely area without its
skulking cat, and after dark one sees their
shadowy forms stealthily gliding up and
down the high stone stoops In search of con-
genial society apparently, for there is little
hope of substantial refreshment in these arid
regions. Where an occasional house is open
the marauding cat vaults with the swiftness
and precision of a trained acrobat into the ash
barrel the moment 1t Is put out and eagerly
grubs for any edIbles it may contain. The
chance evening caller, too, is frequently con-
fronted in the dark vestibule with the spectral
light of the two green eyes of the cat lurking
in the corner.
1t is annoying to have slippery cat creep
between your feet as you start down the steps
OF the elevated. Still more annoying is it
when the youn. Augustus Edward
Has reluctantly gone bedward,"
and, after unlimited attention, has been coaxed
to sleep to have his slumoers rudeiy broken and
his young blood frozen by the yawping of the
cat on the back fence. But perhaps neither of
these experiences Is quite alarming as that
OF the two maids who. left alone to guard their
employers house in 56th street. heard in the
dead waste and middle of the night" a
stealthy and burglarious step slowly approach
their door. 10 their great relief the creeping
step went past to the upper stories, when these
valorous guardians lost no time in fleeing
shrleklng to the street. Four ponderous police
men, assisted by few of the neighbors, boldly
entered the house and hunted the burglar to
his lair IN the fourth story. He was a half
starved black Cat whose piteous NEW told of
forgetful owners who had left it to gain by
abstemions diet the health they sought at the
seashore or the mountains
BICYCLING By THE SEA.
The Brooklyn Bicycle Club has hit upon
happy expedient by which they can stay in
town and yet have most of the advantages of
being out of town. They have taken big
comfortable house at Bensonhurst-by the Sea,
with bath houses and private dock. A tennis
court, billiard room and gymnasium will be
added to the attractions and private sleeping
rooms viii be arranged. A pleasant spin OF ten
miles along good road will get the members
there, and they can enjoy a night by the ocean
or sunday q day or two off in royal indie