The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-14
NEW YORK GOSSIP.
THE CHILEAN sQUABsLE's EFF CT
On THE RECRUIIING SERVICE.

Shy-A Hasty Marriage-American
Playwrights and Managers.
Copyright, 1892. By the United Press.l
NEW YORK, Feb. l3.-During the two
weeks when there was prospect Of war
with Chile, there was a decided falling off
in the number Of applicants for enlistmentin
United States army, at the recruiting Offices
in this city. There were several days
about the time Of the Presidents ultimatum
that not one recruit was added TO the stand
ing army.
This would seem to indicate that the
masses Of the people were not as anxious TO
90 TO war as they were supposed to be. But
one significant feature of these days OF
doubt. was the fact that a large majority Of
those who did apply for enlistment were
native Americans Under ordinary cir
cumstances four-fifths of the men who
enlist at the two recruiting offices in this
city are foreign born.
The foreigner who applies has usually
served in the army OF his native country
and he knows that the life Of soldier in
time OF peace is an easy one, but he also
knows from experience or observation what
It Is to be soldier in time of war. Having
come to this country to look for an easy
berth he is not going TO war If he eau help
IL. w lille there was a prospect that soldiers
might be needed, the foreigners kept away
from the recruiting offices There
was no wild rush of Americans TO
enlist, but few of them became
patriotically enthused, and applied for en-
hstment. stating that they wanted Co get
into the army in time to help whip Chile.
III there had been a war no one doubts that
volunteers in plenty would have come for
ward at the first call to arms, but it may be
interesting to note that few men cared to
join the army at this time.
oLDFoGIEs.
For metropolitan and progressive city
New y ork has II large number OF old fogies,
and they are largely of the pugnacious
order. They are not content to talk against
progress aud modern ideas, but devote time
and money to opposing everything new.
They are mostly old men OF considerable
wealth, which I'm most instances has been
thrust upon them by force Of circumstances.
When the city proposes to fence IA new
park, or repave a street, these men appear
in the guise Of taxpayers and want to know
If the Co templated Improvement is really
needed. They usually conclude that it Is
not. and then they have a chance to make
great 20 do about the taxpayers being
robbed. AT every meeting of the city board
OF es innate where money is TO be appropri-
ated for any public Improvement, some of
these old fogies are sure TO be present to
protest.
A number Of them are now engaged in
making a determined fight against the
building OF a suspension bridge across the
hudson river, to connect New York aud
Jersey City. The bridge is the biggest
thing in the way of public enterprise ever
undertaken IN the city, and 1t has thoroughly
aroused the opposition of the old fogies
They have no personal interest in the matter,
they will NOT be injured by the bridge, in
fact, they do not claim that it will damage
them cent If it Is built, but on their general
principle of opposing everything that looks
like progress, they are fighting it. They
have gone so far in their opposition as to
send committee to Washington to try TO
defeat the bill in congress granting permits
sion for the construction of the bridge
Some Of the old fogies in this city are known
TO give more Of their time to opposing mod
ern enterprises than they give to their own
business.
HASTY MARRIAGE.
The quickest courtship and marriage on
record occurred in this city last week, and
tho incident was splendid illustration of
the fact that if you don't see whatyou want
In New York advertise for it and you will
get it.
One morning the following advertisement
appeared in a local newspaper:
Wanted: A widower with two chill
dren and u small store wants a wife, widow
preferred who can take care of his chill
dren, keep house and attend to the store
part of the time"
At IL o'clock a. m. the advertisement re-
ceived an answer from a widow delivered
by messenger boy. He sent a reply by
int
view for l o'clock. They met and
exchanged references which proved salts
factory. The widower returned at O'Clock
aud suggested that the wedding take place
at o'clock that night. The widow blushed,
but consented. Two witnesses were found
aud at 8 O'Clock that night the ceremony
was performed in the study of minister
who lived near by.
AT o o'clock the following morning, the
bride had dressed her two step-cnildren and
sent them off to school. and had taken her
place behind the counter in her husbands
store and was waiting on customers, as
though nothing unusual had occurred.
A VALUABLE LIBRARY.
The city of New York owns small, but
very valuable library, which is Of no par
ticular benefit to anyone, because COM
paratively few people know of itsexistence
Different boards of aldermen in years past,
purchased books occasionally and put them
away in a room in the city hall. Their
purchases included number of rare and
valuable works, books that have long been
out of print
The little library has been added to from
time TO time. and 1T now contains a number
OF instructing volumes that can be found in
no other library In the city. At another
time the city fathers turned patrons of art,
and purchased portraits of Imauy dstin-
guished citizens painted by famous artists.
One of the most valuable of those is life
size portrait OF Lafayette. painted by Prof i.
Morse, the inventor of the telegraph.
This picture hangs In the may
or's office. There are portraits OF all
the mayors, from Clinton. the first MAYOR,
t. Havemeyer, who held the Office in 1872.
Several Of these were painted by Sir Joshua
Reynolds, and the entire collection is worth
a large amount Of money, If valued only as
works Of art. The walls of the large double
parlors in the city ball are covered with
portraits Of distinguished men, every one of
them painted by famous artist.
THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS.
The size of the Sunday newspapers is be-
ing gradually reduced. The largest of them
can now be carried in a shawl strap and
can be read in something less than a week
At one time it was expected the Sunday
newspapers of New York would soon reach
100 pages in size. but the reading public re-
belled. They were getting too much for
their money. Most OF the Sunday papers
have been reduced to twenty-fou pages
and some of them will be reduced still
more. but with the reduction in size has
come imDroVemenC In quality