The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-09
DUR NEW YORK LETTER.
he Trolley Car sprinkler-The Big Hat
on the Stage City Children Who
Are Not In the Parks.
Especial correspondence.1

Especial Correspondence.J
Tho question of properly sprinkling
he streets of this city without flooding
hem is one which has agitated wheel
men for long time. The work has
hitherto been done by private corpora
ION, which did not seem to care what
'eople thought of it's methods. A little
legislation ut Albany during the last
iesslon has probably caused this concern
modify its views materially, and I'M
der the new regime things are not so
bad as they were, although they are ag-
5ravating enough in all conscience.
Ihe answer to complaints has always
been that it is impossible to put water
on to dust without making mud. This
sounds very smart, but it is not little
bit true. There is one trolley line in
Brooklyn which has solved the problem
i'll manner eminently satisfactory to
the persons living along the route. A car
runs over the tracks with huge sprin-
kler on board. The outlet is small, and
Tine stream is constantly pouring from
the rear, but it is so thinly distributed
that it does mountaineering carts are. in
tended to do-lay the dust without max
ing mud, which the cyclist hates SO
heartily. If the flow happens to be lit
tie too heavy, as sometimes occurs despite
all precautions, the car is stopped every
here and there, the water shut off, and
then the motorman starts the stream MS
he sends the contrivance ahead at
high ratio of speed, thus preventing the
water from having too, much volume at
any given point.
An Example Worthy of Imitation.
Perhaps tho most interesting phase of
the work done by this company is that
it was undertaken voluntarily and with
no other object in view than to increase
the comfort of patrons of the road. Ev-
erybody knows what an awful cloud of
dust the average trolley car sucks along
after it and how much of it comes in
side and deposits itself upon the passen-
gers apparel. 1t is one of the nuisances
1nseparably associated up to the present
time with comparative rapid transit in
many OF the smaller cities, but by this
plan and running these watering cars
over the road at frequent intervals one
may enjoy n ride without imagining
himself in front of carpet beaten Be-
sides, the air is considerably cooled by
the process. The passengers of this lib
orally managed Brooklyn line have evil
IDENTIFY discovered that fact, and they
show their appreciation by going out of
their way to extend their patronage
where it is SO richly deserved The ex-
ample is worthy of emulation.
The Big Hat on the Stage.
A little bit of pantomime introduced
i'll 1.-The Circus Girl, +" at Dalgssfhenter,
is splendid object lesson IonSthe., big
hat question. Jimmie Powers and
Miss Ashley arc the actors in the skit.
Two chairs are placed one b. lind the
other, to represent the seats at d theater.
MIR. Powers comes i'll and takes his place
on the rear chair. The play is enter
tanning, and Mr.. Powers is enjoying it
highly when in comes Miss Ashley with
the biggest Of big hats on her head and
sits down right in front of Mr.. Powers.
Or course his enjoyment is over, but
happy thought strikes him, and out
he PUSHES, evidently to the box office,
for he is back again in minute, and
this time ho takes seat in front of
Miss Ashley. Deliberately he runs his
fingers through his hair until his head
looks good deal like that of u Circas-
sian beauty.
a Good Object Lesson.
And now it's Miss AstIey's turn To
be annoyed She fidgets; she fumes.
Finally sho asks Mr.. Powers to smooth
down his hair, but he only grins and
points Mt her hat. Then she, too, flounces
out and returns with coupon for the
seat in front. This is too much and
Mr.. Powers calls an usher. The whole
matter is explained in dumb show. and
Miss Ashley is given her choice Of re-
moving her hat or leaving the theater.
Off comes Miss Astley's hat instanter.
and so does that of any lady in the au-
dlence who may have CHANGED to wear
it so long. Tho pantomime always gets
hearty round of applause, and the au-
dience thoroughly enjoys the discom-
hture OF those ladies who have been
caught with their hats on.
Where Are the Children
TO tho casual visitor to the park these
fair afternoons there is no more signifi-
can't feature Of the gorgeous cavalcade
giving life and color to every bit of. high
way than the small proportion of chill
dren taking part. Omission, as it is, it
IS somehow more noticeable than all
the rest-the smart horses, tho ire
proachable traps and trappings, and
even the yernal array of beautiful
women, which this season is nothing
short OF SPECTACULAR. But where are the