Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-06-22

The newly projected Aston Hotel,
which promises to Guido in capacity
and splendor all the magnificent hos
telries that have of late years sprung
up on this island, calls attention new
ly to the inevitable tendency of New
York to become n city of hotels. This
fact, growing every year more
obvious, has been often enough
deprecated and, | think thoughtless-
ly. A commercial metropolis must be
II city Of caravansaries, for it must
make provision for the ebb and flow
of humanity through its gates. Just
in proportion as New York loses the
local and domestic aspect which has
SO long been the boast of Phiadel.
phia it becomes the centre of the whole
nation. 1t is the meeting place OF the
country, the bourse of the Republic,
the bazar of the continent. Great
stretches of downtown streets have
last all semblance of hearthstoues.
One does not look for family affairs on
Broadway. Some one HIS called that
great thoroughfare cosmopolitan
shop, with the Bay of Naples and n
French chime at one end and Flor.
entine fountain and English sheep
downs at the other. BIT it is very
hasty view which sees only the COM
mercial architecture and the transient
guests. All this intense business
activity and shifting hotel life is tied
to homes somewhere, New York,
which is not content like London to
live all the year round in lodgings, is
giving back to the whole country in
return for the wealth it pours into
her lap some of the finest and most
durable homes of the world. The
sordi1 toll of Wall street has its oh.
verse side in the palaces of the Hud.
son, the stately piles in the South and
the enriched domains in Pennsylva-
mia and New England. A full score
Of quiet counties far beyond West
chester owe all their artistic beauty
and all their values to the homes
which Broadway and Wall street have
built. New York below the Harlem
River is destined to become city of
hotels. But New York in the fields,
who shall measure its quiet promise
or count up its victories on his fin.
gers?
Some people are never satisfied. A
man wants the "New' dropped and
that it should be known as York and
nothing more, He says the utterance
of word that serves no purpose
causes vast amount of waste of time.
New York has, he opines, ceased to be
"new," but he overlooks the original
reason for thus naming the state ana
city, aad IN these stressful times,
when the "new" RACES, it would be
particularly lazy to curtail the dis
adjective. If he had
advised calling it Great York or Great
Scott, or something of that sort,
there might be some sense in the
change.
Mr.. Chauncey NJ. Depew announce,
that he Is making preparations for his
annual trip to Europe, which usually
covers n period of about ninety days. |
His arrival there will be, as usual
event of social, commercial and polti
eat significance. As soon rs he get
to London his old friend, the Prince
of Wales, will send him an invitation
or command" to stretch his knick.
erbocker legs under the mahogany OF
Marlborough House. Mr.. Depew,
will of course accept or "obey" and
set royalty i'll II roar by the recital of
II brand-new b itch of Bowery stories.
He will doubtless tell the Prince how
he achieved his proud title of the
"peach" the very highest badge of
nobility the Bowery can confer
equivalent in the eastern district of
the metropolis to the Order of the
Garter in England. |
Coming to politics, the opinions of
Mr. Depew on the Presidential battle
Of next year will be sought with the
keenest interest. He will be expected
to make the political puzzle clear and
10 pick ont the winner among all the
candidates who are entered for the
'ace. This is no exaggeration of the
position held on the other side by the