Arizona silver belt., 1894-01-06
IN THE METROPOLIS.
CITIZENS OF NEW YORK MAKING
 PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

Mucn haS been sald rom time 10 tiue # 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. ''Alen do not under stand the causes of their success, said q 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 so 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 into the movement to secure the Worlds fair for New York. Chicago was blaze of enthusiasm on the sub ject, but New York entered into the competition in a listless, don't care sort of way, which naturally resulted in Chi cugo carrying off the prize.
 The fact is that New York is city of markets of ships, of shops, of hotels and of tenement houses but not of homes. The rich men may have mansions here, but their homes are in their country houses. The people who live in flats and tenement houses are engaged i'll strug gle for Q 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 the people more and make them regard the city with utter indifference.
 But there is reason for believing that this state of things is gradually growing better Thereare evidences of increased public spirit, of greater pride in the city and of q larger interest in her de, yelomnent and improvement. Great schemes of public improvement have been projected or begun. Millions have recently been expended in the acquisi- ton of new parks, and twice lately when it was proposed to do something that would injure Central park there was an oxhihtonof aroused public opinion that prevented the outrages aud would have done credit to much smaller but more enthusiastic city.
 Rich men arc HOW contributing lib. eral portion of their wealth to enter. prises that will increase the glory of tho metropolis. Columbia college is being rapidly developed into 8 great uniyersi. ty. A magnificent cathedral has been started 4 spacious botanical garden Is to be established. A fine aquarium Is to take the place of Castle Garden on the Battery. A splendid speedway for horses is to be built, The city is to erect an immense municipal building, which 1t is proposed shall be notable architectural addition to the metropolis. The present city hall is to bo given to the trustees of the Tiltien trust and made the home of S9 ,o00,000 library.
 The art and natural history museums are being rapidly developed and will soon take rank among tho best in the world. Monuments and statues are being multiplied, aul eight years after his death the S500, ,000to of General Grant is approaching completion.
 But in other and perhaps more inter- esting ways is the revival of public spirit in New York being manifested. Busi- ness men aSe showing an increased inter- est in the good government of the city and in it's improvement in little things as well as grau. Other cities might in- deed copy with advantage some of t!ie methods of th,l organizations that have been formed here for the public veal.
 The City Improvement society has been formed ald has started ont to in yestigate the Yariods complaints of citi- gens and to secUTc, Ii possible, better pavements, better street cleaning and similar improvements in parks, bridges anj streets of tho city, Lately 2 munic. ipal art society has beon organized by leading artists, architects and others, with view of making the city more beautiful. They seek to improve the ar chitecture of the public buildings, to se- cure artistic decoration within them and to prevent the erection of inferior stat ues and other inartistic structures Am other society is engaged in marking with bronze tablets the places of historical interest. Others of moro philanthropy cal nature arc endeayoring to better the lives and condition of the tenement house population.
 The women have organized a health protective association. and are endeayor- ing to institute reforms that shall de- crease the death rate and make New York better city to live in. Tie latest reform which they have taken up is that of securing q health regulation requiring the removal of the refuse of the Go. .000 horses in the city of New York. The physicians comprising the Academy of Medicine have lately been acting with vigor and courage to secure improved quarantine protection and purified wa ter supply The chamber of commerce and the board of trade-the monthpieces of the merchants and bankers -haye late ly exhibited increased activity and exer- eised wider influence. All these things certainly indicate that New Workers are beginning to wake up and to show a livelier interest in the welfare of the city.
 Perhaps the fact that other cities are getting closer to her in the competition for business has something to do with this. It is beginning to dawn upon her citizens that unless she can unite with Brooklyn, bridge and tunnel the North river. throw more bridges over the East river, get rapid transit from city hall to Westchester county and institute other measures of public improvement, she is liable to lose her commercial supremacy, New York Cor. Baltimore Sun.
 Many of the South Sea islanders be. Neve thnt naradise can be inherited only