Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-15
Pittsburg Compares Well With New
York and Philadelphia.
FAR AHEAD IN TRACTION ROADS.
Some Buildings Only Duplicated in America
on Broadway.
FAVORABLE POINTS OF DIFFERENCE

To stranger VINO has visited New YORK,
Philadelphia and other great centers Of
population in the East, Pittsburg appears as
type of American city somewhat distinct
from any he has yet seen. In New York he
was impressed principally with the power
of the almighty dollar. Without hard cash
could be had nothing. In the metropolitan
city nothing is ever gratis. If you ask your
way on the street. you instinctively felt fol
| the quarter which you cannot but imagine
your informant is hankering after for his
trouble From the shoeblack, who never
receives sufficient remuneration, up to the
millionaire, who never knows when he has
enough, every New Yorker spends his en-
tire strength and energy in beating his
neighbor and in amassing wealth. ''Do OF
you will be done" would seem to be the
ruling motto of the Gothamite.
Certainly strangers first impressions of
the people of the Empire City are any thing
but favorable. As to the city itself it is
magnificent, although apparently one of the
worst governed on the face of the earth. In
no other city in the civilized world would
such a deplorable muddle of municipal
affairs be allowed to exist. Rapid transit,
except on the L roads, is apparently dream
beyond the realization of the present genera
tion of New Workers, unless, indeed, some
one with at least an elementary knowledge
of municipal government takes the matter
in hand and carries it to successful issue.
All of the Streets Bloekaded.
The streets being, as a rule, exceedingly
narrow, and most egregiously ill-payed, are
almost continually blocked by the immense
traffic of the city, so much so in fact that
only last week the Postmaster General had
to give notice owing to the blocking of
traffic in the city the mails could not be dis
patched at the usual time, and in future the
boxes would close Is minutes earlier. To
make matters worse, scarcely day passes
without gang of workmen being sent to
tear up the roadways fer new pipes of water,
gas, etc, and thus is confusion worse con-
founded.
Coming from New York to Philadelphia,
the tourist is more or less disappointed with
the Quaker City. He misses the towering
buildings of the metropolis, and the mad
dening rush for gold which characterized
the inhabitants of Gotham. In the matter
Of public buildings, however, Philadelphia
can pretty well hold her own, the new
municipal building ranking, perhaps, even
above that of the Empire City. The parks
of the Pennsylvania metropolis are her
chief glory, and reflect well upon the
public spirit of her citizens. Unfor-
tunately, owing to some cause or other,
the Quaker City is generally credited with
being rather slow and uninteresting, but
this may in some degree be due to the fun
eral cortege arrangements which do duty
for transit system. In this regard Pitts
burg is far ahead of her Eastern rival,
the electric and cable cars being apparently
m In nth
points Pittsburg is undeniably creeping
ahead. Business here seems to be conducted
on a much more substantial and enduring
basis than in any of the Eastern cities, and
the general prosperity Of the city also ap-
pears to be of more solid character In
New York prosperity is of rather tickle
nature, and those who to-day ride on top
may tomorrow be crushed to earth under
the wheels. In Philadelphia progress ap-
pears to be somewhat slow and uncertain,
but in this town stranger can at once per-
ceive the progressive spirit of the people,
and can have no hesitation in predicting a
splendid future for their city.
Fine Buildings Here.
Like most other American cities, Pitts
burg rejoiees in the possession of many
handsome public buildings which could not
be equaled in England unless in towns of
twice the population. The hotels and rail-
road depots are also much superior to those
of English cities of similar size. The streets
are, however, much narrower, but in that
respect New York and Philadelphia are
equally lacking.
1t is at night that the city appears at its
best The hot glare of the summer sun gives
place to the cool and subdued glow of thou
sands of electric lights, which, being COM
paratively unused in England for such pur-
poses, present a novel spectacle to the
tourist and delight him with the city. Fifth
avenue, Smithfeld street and Liberty street
would do honor to New York, while such
structures as the Westinghouse, the Fidelity
Title and Trust Company, and the two big
bank buildings on opposite corners of Sixth
avenue and Wood street would be difficult
to equal outside of Broadway
AS regards the inhabitants of the city,
stranger certainly is treated with much
more friendliness here than in some of the
East, whose people lay more claim to polish
and refinement than do the people of Pitts
burg. In business matters, while possess
ing all the proveFbial 'cuteness of the Yam
kee, they have managed to escape that over
reaching and sharp dealing which unfortu-
nately is still to be found in other parts of
the country. The importance of the indus
tries in this part of the country, and the
favorable position occupied by the city,
cannot fail in the immediate future, to still
further increase the prosperity of Pittsburg,
and the natural well-being of her citizens
Allegheny Also in Line.
Across the river Allegheny bids fair to
follow in the lead of her enterprising neigh |
Dor. Business appears to be in most |
dourishing condition, and if present indica-
tons are fulfilled it will not be long before |
the city occupies a much more prominent |
position in business circles than it does at |
present. In public works it is not in any |
way behind. Its magnificent parks would |
not be out of place among the finest pleasure
grounds in the country. The statues which |
ldorn them are credit to the eity's patriot
SIN and Gberality. The Carnegie Library
S also a splendid ornament to the town, in
addition to being an invaluable means of
,ducation for the masses.
Taken as whole, the stranger can be