Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-23
BALTIMORE SHOWS.
Streets Crowded With Folks Looking at
Holiday NoYelties.
THE HARD TINES IN GOTHAH.
Moro Hungry People Than Eisswhsrs--
Professions y-Pinched--Murphy
and sprague-Univcrsity Club.
lcorrespondence Of the pIspatch.l

timore and Lexington streets are streams
of humanity. You can hardly wend your
way for the crowds that are throngins
the pretty show-windows, which display
some wonderful novelties Among tho Gu
rious varieties Is old Santa Claus coming
through an arctic snow-storm on MS
bicycle. loaded down with dolls and toys,
He Is in regular Santa Claus costume and
the snow is clogging on the wheels, and
the children all say he Is better than
Christmas-trec. a genuine live pony, and
a good-sized one, too, attached TO beau
tiful dog-cart. is the attraction in another
window. Still another are beautiful grot-
toes displayed In window as large as a
room, and one imagines he has been sud-
denly translated TO the bewilderinS inte-
rior OF Luray Caverns. 1t IS a most in
genious and astonishing spectacle. Every
body has forgotten the hard times and
the stores are crowded with our country
cousins. who are loading down with
Christmas gifts, and the scenes on the
streets are of the gayest.
NEW YORK CONDITIONS.
Speaking OF the hard times. met
former reporter OF the New York Times
at the Fifth-Avenue In New York last
week. He was q remarkably well-posted
fellow and knew every crook and turn
about Gotham. Asked IL New York. with
her bank vaults full of money, felt the
hard times, he said: THE banks may
be Qt Is true) overloaded with the coveted
millions, but the great body OF the people
here have nothing TO get 1t with. Not
withstanding," he continued. New York
Is the great money centre Of the country,
there have been as many hungry people
here during the past year as anywhere
else. A man about 65 years old, and once
q prominent naval officer. was picked up
on the Bowery In October in a starving
condition. He could not lind employment
and his inherent pride forbade anything
like begging. The physicians who ex-
amned him said there was nothing the
matter with him but the want OF food.
Thousands who dislike farm life come
here to hunt situations. They would
rather sleep on a lounge and live in New
| York than be comfortable on the farm or
command double the salary in a village
Chauncey Depew, being interviewed. said
| his experience was that a young man,
however smart, coming to New York
| without friends and influence would starve
| 10 death II Is harder to get along here
| than anywhere else because the cost of
| living Is out Of all proportion to the sala-
ries paid. Rents are high. table board IS
| nigh, and everything else. The bulk of
| the clerks Of the American News Com
| pany only get Sl2 week. The professions
mere are In hard lines. except the preach
ers, and l shouldn't wonder II their con-
gregations are standing them off TO some
extent. The legal profession, l know. is
In hard luck, and many right prominent
lawyers are borrowing money to pay Office
rent"
| "A BOON.
| The Salvation Army Is boon to many
of these well-dressed chappies YOU see
going around these free lunch counters
Ihe army receives many handsome do
nations, which Is appropriated to sweet
charlty. and constitute fund .or feeding
| ana lodging the poor. You can get lodls
ing, breakfast. aaa supper all for
cents. One of the Vanderbllts gave the
salvation Army n good many thousand:
last winter. and they raise large amounts
| Tor this fund. New York is a city Of vic.
lent eXtremes-the richest and the poor.
est in the country are here, all the line.
many idlers here who make a fine ap-
pearance on the street, and yet haven't
a dollar In their pockets Many OF them
are of fine families but regular beats
| when times ere good their friends make
up a purse and give them a dollar a day
but now they are cut down 10 25 cents
day, and many OF them eat at scent
lunch houses. where they get a cup oi
coffee for penny and a roll for a penny
which leaves cents for a piece of ham
or plate OF soup. There are thousands OF
them on Third avenue and the Bowery
supported by the churches ald charity
people, who go around and gather Ut
the funds"
| WHAT a FALL.
Perhaps no New Yorker feels the hard
times more than poor Tom Murphy, the
once powerful politician, who has faller
to rise no more. During the Grant re.
gime he was collector OF the port OF
New York. with an annual income oi
100000 from this and other sources. He
was the prince Of good fellows. He spent
a fortune in champagne; 800 day wen
for his own personal expenses. Many
hungry politicians fattened on his bounty
| In those old days. Such was To n Murphy
in his glory. Not long since he applied for
1
was refused admlttance because ne could
rot pay for II in advance.
| William SDr9gue ex-Governof OF Rhode
Island. was alother familiar fare in NeN
York, where he had large interests ir
| connection with the famous Spr lgue calico
manufactured at his Rhode Island fac
tory, which turned out some OF the mos
popular brands Of prints on the market
He is the greatest political wreck In thl'
country to-day twenty-five years as'
he was the idol OF his State. E.acted Gov
ernor at the early age of %, ne made
brilliant record as war Governor hav'
ing raised regiment at his owa expense
which he led to the front as It's colonel
Twice elected United States senator. ht
was prominently mentioned as d probabl
presidential candidate. He was worth
100000 and lived in princsly palace
All the world seemed 70 be at his feet
Suddenly the crash came; his fortuna
was swept away in a day. His beautiful
wife fled from him, and to-day he is Sc
poor and shabby that no one notices aim
HER TRIALS AND TRIUMPHs.
This recalls the trials and triumphs o
his wife, Mrs. Katherine Chase (Sprague)
the mistress OF Edgewood. the historic
mansion near Washington. which va
owned by her father. the Hon. Salmon
=. Chase, who was Chief Justice OF tn
United States Supreme Court. EcEewooS
was advertised to be sold for dobt thi
week, but the friends OF the once hand
some and fascinating Kate Chase, arounC
whose name there clusters a wealth o
memories, may come to the rescue, an'
save her property. The causes leading vi
10 the sale constitute another chapte
to the already romantic and eyenttui ca
reer OF Kate Chase Those VINO renembe
the time when Chief-Justice Chase pre-
. sided over the Supreme Court and livs
for a time at the corner OF sixth sn'
II streets, Northwest, VIII readily recall
|. his tall, slender. and handsome, and woD
derfully-clever daughter, Miss Katherine
who was the idol OF her fathers hear.
and the centre OF attraction In ierg
and brilliant circle OF society, In which to-
late Roscoe ConkliDg was conspisuou
figure. Her subsequent career. inclusini
her marriage 20 Governor Sprague. he
divorce, and her return 70 Washingto"
the scene of ber social triumpns, with Al
interesting group OF daughters, are siii
fresh In the memories OF large numoe
, OF people. Mrs. Spragus resumed he
|. maiden name OF Chase, and for severa
years has devoted her time to educating
her children.
! HOPELESSLY INVOLVED.
Recently, however. Mrs. Chase's irouble
have been augmented. and the propose.
sale Of her property ct Edgswood Il tn
elimination OF series OF mlsfortunes
In which Mrs. Chase has the sympath,
of a host OK friends. II Is understoo'
that she has been running In debt 70