The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-06
ROOF GARDENS
OF NEW YORK
A Phase of Life in the Metropolis as
Seen BY an Observer-PIaces
Where "the Play is Not the Thing
The Water is the Main Feature.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2-When the hot
weather comes the root gardens burst
into full bloom and if an inhabitant of
Chicago should take fight on his wings
over this city he would observe six or
eight flashing spots in the darkness,
SPOTS as radiant as crowns. These are
the roof gardens ana if q giant had
flung a handful of monstrous golden
coins upon the somhra Swallowed city
he could not have beaefted the NE
tropolis more. although he wOult not
have given the same opportunity TO
various commercial aspirants to charge
a price and a half for everything. There
are two classes OF men reporters and
central office detactives-who do not
mind these prices, because they are
very Drodigal of their money.
Now is the time of the girl with the
copper voice, the Irishman with circular
whiskers and the minstrel who aad 4
reputation in 1888. To the street the
noise of the band comes down on the
wind in f1tful gusts and at the brilliant
~ Illuminated rail there is suggestion
of many straw hars.
One of the main features of a roof
garden is the waiter who stands direct
ly in front of yo1l whenever anything
interesting transpires on the stage. This
waiter is three hundred feet nigh and
seventy-two feet wide. His little finger
can block your view of the golden hair
ed soubrette and when he waves his
arm the stage disappears as if by a
miracle. What particularly fascinates
you is his lack Of self-appreciatien He
doesn't know that his length over all is
three hundred feet and that his beam is
seventy-two feet. lie only knows that
while the golden-haired soubrette is
singing her first verse he is depositing
beer on the table before some thirsty
New Workers. He only knows that dur
ing the second verse he is making
change. He only knows that during the
third verse the thirsty New Workers
object TO the roof garden prices. He
does not know that behind him are
some fifty citizens who ordinarily would
not give three whoops TO see the golden
haired soubrette, nut who, under these
particular circumstances are kept from
swift assassination by sheer force of
the human will. He gives an express
sive exhibition Of man who is regard
less of consequences, oblivious to every
thing save his task, which is TO provide
beer. Some day there may be 4 whole
sale massacre of roof garden Wat ers,
but they will die with astorished faces
and with questions on their lips. SKULLS
so steadfastly Opaque defy axes or any
of the other methods which the popu-
lace occasionally use to cure colossal
stupidity
Between numbers on an ordinary
roof garden programme, the orchestra
sometimes plays what the more en-
frightened and wary citizens of the
town call a beer overture" But for
reasons which no civil service commits
sion could give the waiter does not
choose this time to serve the thirsty.
No; he waits until the golden haired
soubrette appears, he waits until the
haggard audience has goaded itself
into some interest in the proceedings.
Then he gets under way. Then he
comes forth and blots out the stage.
In case of war, all roof-garden walters
should be recruited in a special regi-
ment and sent out in advance of every
thing. There is a peculiar quality of
bullet-proofness about them which
would turn a projectile pale.
If you have strategy enough in your
sou s-vou may gain furtive glimpseS of
the stage despite the efforts of the
walters and then with something to
engage the attention when the aGten-
ton grows weary of the mystic wind,
the flashing yellow lights, the music
and the undertone of the far streets
roar you should be happy.
Far UP into the night there is wild
ness. a temper to the air which sug
gests tossing tree boughs and the. swift
rustic of grass. The New Yorker whose
business will not allow him to go out
to nature perhaps appreciates these lit
tie opportunities to go up to nature,
although doubtless he thinks he goes
TO see the show.
This season two new roof-garders
have opened. The one at the top of
Grand Central Palace is large enough
for regianental drill room. The band
is imprisoned still higher in turreted
affair and a person who prefers gentle
and unobtrusive amusement can gain
deep pleasure and satisfaction from
Watching the leader of this band ges-
ticulating upon the heavens. His fig
ure is silhouetted beautifully against
the sky and every gesture in which he
wrings noise from his band is interest
ingly accentuated.
The other new roof-garden is Oscar
Ham1nerstein's Olympia which blazes
on Broadway.
Oscar originally made a great repu-
tation for getting out injunctions. All
court judges in New York worked over
time when Oscar was in this business.
He enjoined everybody in sight. He
had a special machine made-"Drop a
nickel in the pudge and get an in
junction Then he sent man to
Washington for $4,000 worth of nick
els. In Harlem where he then lived
it rained orders of the court every day
at u o'clock. The STRENGTHENING COM
mission was obliged to enlist special
force to deal with Oscars injunctions.
Citizens meeting on the street never
said: Good morning, how do you
feel today?" They always said: Good
morning, have you been enjoined yet
today?" When man perhaps wished
to enter a little game of draw, the und-
versal form was changed when he sent