The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-08-22

" ~
Much has been said from time to time
Of the absence of public spirit, of local
pride and Of neighborhood feeling in
New York. Even the men who have
made great fortunes here do not seem to
have any regard for the city that has
given them their opportunities for
achieving wealth. Men do not under
stand the causes of their success" said "A
speaker of the board of trade recently in
commenting upon the difficulty in arous-
ing public interest here in the movement
for the Improvement of the Erie canal.
on which 50 much of the prosperity Of
the city depends. The lack of public
spirit was signally illustrated in the half
hearted way in which the business men
entered Il the movement to secure the
Worlds fair for New York. Chicago
was a blaze of enthusiasm on the sub
ject. but New York entered into the
competition Ill a l~.stie-s. doA't care sort
of way, which naturally resulted in Chi
cage carrying of the priza.
The fact is that New York is a city of
markets. of ships. OF shops, of hotels and
of tenement houses. but not of homes.
The rich men may have Anansions here,
but their homes &re ii their country
honses. The Peep !" who live in flats and
tenement houses IL engaged in "A strug-
gle for IA bare existence. and have not the
time or disposition to give much thought
or care for the city. The diversity Of
races and languages represented in the
population serves only to separate t..r
people more and make then. regard tue
city with utter Indifference.
But there Is reason for believing tuat
this state of thing, is gradually growing
better. There are evidences of increased
public spirit. of a greater pride il the
city and of a larger interest in her DE-
velopnent and Improvement. Great
che1mes Of public Improvement hae4
been projected OF begun. Millions hiY.
recently been expended in the 4; ,qUi~i.
ton of new parks. and twice lately when
1t was proposed TO do something that
would injure Central park there was al
exhibition Of aroused public opinion that
prevented the outrages and would haze
done credit to IA much smaller but more
enthusiastic city.
Rich men are now contributing a lib
eral portion of their wealth to enter
prises that will increase the glory Of the
metropolis. Columbia college is being
rapidly developed into a great UNIVERSE
ty. A magnificent cathedral has been
started. A spacious botanical garden is
to be established. \ fine aquarium isto
take the place Of Castle Garden on the
Battery. \ splendid speedway for horses
is to be built. The city is to erect an
proposed shall be notable architectural
addition to the metropolis. The present
city hall Is to be gwen to the trustees If
the TilIen trust and made the home Of a
s.. 600. 900 library.
The art and natural history museums
are beng rapidly developed AMI will
soon AXE rank among the best in the
world. Monuments and statua, are beng
multiplied. and eight years after his
death the $500, eootoInb Of General Grant
IS approaching completion.
But Ill other and p.rhay, more inter-
esting way Is the revival Of public spirit
II New York being manifested. Bust
ness men arr showing an increased inter
est Ill the good government Of the city
and IL its Improvement III little thing,
AZ we'll as great. Other cities might Ill
deed copy with advantage some OF the
Of the organizations that have
formed here for the public veal. =
The City Improvement society has
bee. formed and mas started out 10 i'll
vestigate the various complaints Of citi-
and To secure, If possible, better
pavements. better street cleaning and
simile, improvements III parks, bridges
and streets u the city. Lately d muuic-
pal art society has been organized by
artists, architects ami others.
with q view Of making the city more
beautiful. They seek to improve the ar
chitecture n the public buildings, to Sc
cure artistic decoration within them and
10 prevent the erection Of inferior stat
ues aud other inartistic structures, Al
society Is engaged III marking witt
bronze tablets the places Of historical
interest. Others of d more pn~llanthrop-
ical nature are endeavoring to better tn
and condition of the tenement house
The women have organized d health
protective association, Il are endeayor-
ing TO institute reforms that shall de
crease tine death rate and make New
York a better city to live III. The latest
winch they have taken up is that
Of securing a health regulation requiring
the removal Of the refuse Of the ~ 1000
horses in the city Of New York. The
physicians comprising the Academy Of
Medicine have Lately been acting with
and courage to secure improved
quarantine protection Ii q purified va
ter supply. The chamber of commerce
and the board of trade-the moutnpieces
the merchants and banAers-Aaye late
ly exhibited increased activity and eAer-
a wider influence. AL thess thing
certainly indicate that New Yorker ar
beginning to wake " and 10 SHOW d
hyelier interest u the welfare U tie cit.