Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-14

nrURE Observation-Disclosures cHARAcrEa on
NEW YORK.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star
New YoRx, February II, 1891.
The death Of Gen. Sherman, which ct this
writing seems inevitable and TO be impending,
overshadows every other topic Of thought and
conversation. The general has been for the
past few years easily the most conspicuous citi-
zen Of New York city. With the possible ex-
ception of Chauncey M. Depev he has been the
central figure and the social lion Of the more
public and spectacular life of the metropolis.
i need not describe the unique pecu-
liarities Of q man 80 familiar to the Washington
public. II is enough to say Gen.
Sherman years ago came to the philosophical
conclusion that he had earned holiday and
meant to take it. As he remarked to q friend
in his own characteristic style, he had been
through three wars and he thought he had
earned play spell for the rest Of his life. The
grizzled old campaigner was the most uni
versally known man on Manhattan Island. No
one was more cordially received everywhere
and no man ever enjoyed being cordially re-
ceived better than he. Even under the shadow
OF death he has been the cheerful and
fatherly patron Of charming and happy
hearted women and he viii be remem-
bered with true gratitude and affection by
a multitude of the brightest young hearts Of
our age. The illness Of the general came SO
suddenly upon the town that it caught the
newspapers mapping. None of them had
day. and even then it took q day for them to
realize the fact. This perhaps, was a mercy.
as We have been spared that overflow of intelli-
gence which often aff1icts the readers of
blanket sheet journalism" We can easily
spare those too well-known bulletins and the
interminable interviews with the doctors, rela-
tives and friends
THE AMERICAN LYONS
During the week spent an afternoon at Pat
erson, N. j., the American Lyons, as it is justly
called This city is unique in American indus
try and well repays the visitor. In visiting a
number of its great silk mills we see the won-
derful strides which America is making in the
manufacture of the highest lines of fabrics. It
is not generally known that the very best silk
stockings are made in this country and that the
most fashionable retailers in New York get their
stock In these elaborate and expensive articles
from the domestic manufacturer. Paterson also
manufactures some marvellous brocaded and
most charming ribbons. The latter. however, are
now experiencing dull time, and in fact this
has been winnowing season for the silk trade
generally. The boom two years ago brought
into 1t mob of weaklings that could not stand
the first frosts of adversely and have persisted.
All the large houses however, are doing fairly
well and are looking forward to better times
Paterson is now taking the preliminary steps
toward the celebration Of its own particular
centennial. The city was founded by
Alexander Hamilton in 1892 as q cot
ton center. This scheme went awry and
the town languished for many years. until the
domestic silk industry found home there and
began to develop. This, together with other
important manufacturing interests, gave a
fresh impetus to the city. until it has reached
a population of IS 600 and is one of the largest
and busiest provincial towns in the country.
Some of the sights which meet the visitor at
Paterson reflect the distinctive character Of its
business. For example, one sees handbills of the
Italian lines of steamers, in flaming italian type
and in one Of the leading mills was shown
large photograph Of the nephew of the Japanese
emperor, who had visited the mill and subse-
quently sent this memento. There is also q
large French and German element in the city,
not to speak OF some very go-ahead Americans
In spite Of all the successes of its rivals silk is
still the queen of fabrics and those who deal
in this most elegant and aristocratic fabric
catch something of its polish and are in their
manners and surroundings gentlemen whom it
il pleasure to meet.
GRAY HEADS TO SAIL TOY BOATS.
We have parlor base ball and many other
fields in which grown people ''play dolI' in
their way. The latest freak is project that
has been seriously proposed to the park COM
missioners, namely. to build an artificial lake
in one of the parks where the members of the
New York Yacht Club and other enthusiasts in
fancy sailing craft can sail miniature boats
The idea is that by this means many valuable
facts may be learned about the relative merit
OF models and rigging. At present there 10
quite pond in Central Park where the bows
sail their boats and it is one of the
prettiest sights Of the city on bright sum-
mer's day to see the youngsters congregating
at this pond with their boats. some Of which
are exact specimens in miniature of the
best marine architecture. Now that the gray
headed sea dogs like Comm dore Gerry and
his heutenants propose to sail their craft along
side Of the boys We shall expect this particular
sport to be more popular than ever, but the
gray-headed yatchsmen must expect some
chatting II they renew their youth in this man
ner.
THE cosMoPoLITANa
There is a good deal of talk among travellers
nowadays about leaving the beaten tracks Of
travel, where one meets too many of ones own
compatriots, and discovering out-of-the-vay
hooks, wnere may be found the genuine local
color Of the country. II one is in search Of
this much-prized local color no matter of what
particular locality, he can find it by much
less expensive process than crossing the ocean
by simply coming to New York and living for
awhile in the midst Of any nation he may select.
There is the French quarter, the German, the
italian and the Polish Jew. There are many
streets in New York swarming and teeming
with tumultuous life where the language
least heard is that Of this country, and whole
blocks where all the signs are in foreign
tongue. A friend visiting in the city tells with
little surprise OF sitting down to lunch in
down town restaurant vis-a-vis to q French
man and seeing at adjoining tables a German.
an Italian, Swede and Spaniard And vet
with all his poiyglot surroundings your genu-
inc New Yorker thinks that this little strip of
land is the world. He always speaks of New
York as ''the city," as il there were but one,
and he neither has nor endeavors to have the
faintest possible conception Of the other big
cities, each with its own tee,ning life and in
tense interests. New York is little world in
itself, and this fact, while it broadens the in
habitants in some ways, often makes them
appear to outsiders rather narrow and provin-
THE WORLD OF ART.
1t seems rs if there were always an art exhi-
bition going on here. and each exhibition draws
its own crowd. OF course the Seney sale is for
the moment the talk of the town. Another
rather notable collection, largely Of French
pictures, that of Mr.. Healy of Brooklyn, is now
exhibited and to be sold on Saturday. Mean
time the regular water-color exhibition at the
academy is by no means neglected, and the
pretty constant stream of people that pour into
that Venetian structure are well repaid for
their trouble. The exhibition this year il
q charming one and it seems ~ Il the