Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-03
RECENT HOLIDAYS.
MISUNDERSTANDING LOSSES
TO NEW YORK MERCHANTS.
NE Proposed New Bridge owe, to Jersey
city-SAy 0ouId's Thrifty niness-Ac-
tors and raresis--New Theatres.

fCorcspondencc Of tho Richmond Dispssch.l
INV Yonx. January 2.--Thc beginning Of
cor holidays was like that dothe first OF
the Christmases described in "in Memo
RAM:
~ rainy cloud possessed the earth,
Aud sadly fell on Chf!stfnss-eye.
Possessed" tho carthf Indeed IL did,
and It rained oil day literally like all pos.
scssed." as the vernacular has 1t. This IL
noteworthy. Tor this reason. None bat
those immediately interested would think
Of IL, but on Christmas morning one OF
the largest retail dealers in really -desra-
bio holiday gifts said TO me; Do you
know tbek the rain yesterday was posi-
two ioA to me of thousands OF dollars?"
IND. ~ went on People generally have
vorv little idea what the complete col
lapse Of one days shopping and present
buying OF this season, and particularly
when 1t happens TO be the very last cay
before Christmas, costs US who have the
goods to sell. Why. reckon the loss right
around here--meaning in the neighhor-
hood of Union Square. including linany's
and Brentano's, aud running down Four
teenth street 70 Macy's-amounts TO more
than a million dollars" Then think OF all
the splendid shops all along Broadway.
from Fourteenth to TweDty-thrd streets.
ana then down that street, both sides. 10
Sixth avenue. Bear In mind, too. that
many present-buyers. not alone women up
sown, but the busy bankers, brokers, and
merchants down town. put off this present
buying till the last moment, ana
the rainy. muddy. and altogether dis
agreeable day " was the excuse Tor putting
IL of It'll kew-Year's," OF more likely tiil
next Christmas. 1t is true that for ten
days or SO tho shops ana stores qua an
Ill L. t.r.s ltlf
day trade does not compensate for the loss
occasioned by the unusually warm Decem-
Der The immense stocks OF thick clothing
no literally laid in. and upon which so
much money wns laid out, haze been an
salable. Nobody wanted sealskin sacks
and other furs. The persistent prevalence
of muggy, fogey, anu rainy weather
Knocked even the holiday bat business
sndwise. The hotels, too, were great
euiferers-houses that received nun
bred guests Il day opened their pest
rooms TO ten or, at the most,
twenty customers. but TINS Is usual eSeiS
year at this season. People stay at nome
for the holidays. For the same reason
the thentre audiences were thinner But
hotel men and theatre managers all say
that after New-Year's things generally VIII
boom again., Christmas-day IN the city
waslike any other Sunday. only. II posi-
bic, duller All places OF business closed
downtown car travel dull. though late III
the day and evening dlners-Out ana inca
fre-goers uptown crowded every means Oh
conveyance. Saturday was. OF course,
supplementary holiday, so businesswise
another dull day. Political ecohoiilsls are
figuring UP how much the loss OF business
and wages amount to, and asking II, alter
all, these holidays pay"
A S7O.OO0,OOO BRIDGE.
Between the plans for bridge. between wee
New York and Jersey City, TO cost SfO,OUV,-
600. and the building of the bridge itself
there NAV be many of slip. Still the
prospects ore that actual work on the
bridge will be begun before great whlle.
The corporation which IS 20 undertake
the gigantic enterprise Is moving along III
business-like way. The large capltai ne
cessery 10 build the bridge does not appa-
rently trouble it. Even should the cost OF
the structure exceed tho estimate until
il reaches 800. 600. 600. as II no doubt
will, the money would still not be
an object of great concern. Inc ousi-
ness Of the present Brooklyn bridge Is
30 enormous that capital Will be ready
enough 10 90 into it, When the bridge
over the North river comes 10 be
built it will make the East-Riyer bridge
look like foot-log over mill stream.
The latest plan proposed, and one which
the company will seriously consider II not
adopt. is that submitted by j. w. Ballet.
and two OF 800 feet each. The East-River
bridge has but one span of ,595 feet, which
will give an idea Of the relative size OF these
two structures. The North-Riyer bridge
Is 10 be 100 feet wide and contain eight
tracks. The East-Riyer bridge IS IS feet
wide and contains two tracks. One OF the
chief objects of the new bridge Will be to
bring railway traffic directly into New
York instead of dropping it off in Jersey
City. This bridge or any other one built
across the North or East rivers must be APP
proved by the War Department. and when
the company gets ready 70 settie upon one
particular plan. IL will then find out that
the public will also have something tosay.
Particularly will this DO the case should
the company show disposition TO build
few piers in the river. as the plan OF Mr..
Ballet contemplates. Engineering skill IS
quite equal TO building asuspension bridge
of length OF span required 70 cross tne
kind should be built. New York has the
finest waterfront in the world, and 1t
should not be spoiled by a single pier In
either river much less by four piers under
one bridge. More bridges will be required
before many years unless we go TO tun-
Melting, and we should not set Dad pre-
cedent Ia the FIRST one.
A NEW GOULD STORY.
When Jay Gould is fined for refusing to
serve on jury there is general rejoicing
that the majesty OF the law IS nnaily
triumphant. even against q very rich
man. There was rejoicing last summer
when Mr. Gould was assessed $40 Tor TINS
offence. but II was premature. Inc court
reporters tie other day noted that this
fine had been scratched of the books. and
inquiry developed the fact that Mr.
Gould had made affidavit to the
effect that he was SICK at the
time he was honored with a summons TO
sit on the jury, and was, on that ac-
count, unable to avail himself of the plea
sure; he would beg, therefore. TO oHer
this to tho Court as a sufficient reason Tor
his noncompliance with the summons.
and would the Court kindly remit the fine
of $275 in accordance with the statute
governing such cases. and the anlant
would ever pray, etc. Ihis is supposed 10
be the first time that Mir. Gould ever adj
mitted that he was sick, and a wicked
Wall-street man declares that at the very
time the big Spectator was drawn on
this Jury report reached the
street" that he was Ill uptown. But II
was soon Indignantly denied by Mr.. Gould,
his doctor. and all the family. Inns
incident suggests late story told OF the
little Wizard, and illustrates how careful
he is to thwart the bears IN Wall street IN
their attempts to break prices by spread
ing false reports of his Illness. Mr.. Gould,
according TO this story teller, was some
where cruising OH a vessel when storm
came up and an unusually rough sea gave
him violent attack of nal IL nlT. MIR.
Gould was hanging over the raj, acknow-
Lodging at the same time his own weakness
and the micht4ness Of Neptune, when a
fellow yoyager accostod him.
'Sony, Mr.. Gould, 10 see YOU so III"
Mr.. Gould. without changing his posi-
ton over the rail. and not forgetting his