The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-22
THE CLUB FOR OUR BLOCK.
AN INTERPRETING EXPERIMENT AND
TEL END OF IT.

Two years agOtTHE Sun printed n sketch bear
ing the title. Great Men on the Block and
the subtitle, ~Notablos Swarm All Over This
Metropolis followed bv Ave other titular lines:
'They May Run as High rs Eight or Ton on q
Favored Blodk-There Are Some. for Sure, on
Almost Evgry Block-A Man Who Made a
Search for Them. and Who Tells How Many OF
Them lie Found"
The narrative was that OF O sprightly citizen
living in a street on the west side OF the city,
above Eightdeth street. running from Central
Park toward the Hudson River, whose domicilo
was on the upper side Of a block wholly lined
with rather stylish apartment houses. Soon
after he took up his abode thore he learned that
a number OF notable mon lived ON the block-his
side Of it-among whom were u play-actor, q
statesman, an inventor, a pettifogRcr. u crippled
soldier of tho great war, a poet, a fiddler, n
preacher, and a mysterious individual whom
the boys called Old Phoenix"
In the narrative, these were the following
words: 1.-THE greatness Of any block In New
York is relative to tho greatness of the men
who 1.-Two upon it." Here, then, was u block
worth talking about. At the same time it was
suggested that ono could find notablcs on
almost every other block in the city, for there
must be at least ten thousand of them among us,
and that any resident Of any block would very
surely DO rewarded for any researches he might
make on the block. Tho ten thousand are scat
tered all over the city, from tho Battery upward.
The narrative that was printed in THE Sun
two years ago created great interest in the
dwellers upon tho block, most OF whom saw at
once that their own block was tho one referred
to. Mono OF them had realized previously how
rich in intellect was tho block; but all OF them
were pleased to gain the knowledge which was
impaired to them in THE SUNS narrative. The
deniEens Of the block-tho upper side OF it-then
began to make the acquaintance OF one another.
The statesman accosaed the play-actor one day:
Are you the Roscius who was spoken OF in
THE SUM- Aye. l am, by my halberd!' They
shook hands. smiled, and were friends. In like
manner the poet took occasion to accost the
fiddler. and the inventor the cripple. and the
pettifogger tho preacher. and each man the
other all along the block for n week after the
narrative had appeared in THE Sun. Each Of
the notables Was glad to meet another on the
block. There was friendship from No. /, tho
first house on the limo at Central Park West to
the next corner as you approach the Hudson,
upon which corner there was a lager beer saloon.
Thus things went on for weeks and weeks.
Whenever a dweller on tho block met another
on the block zach Of them nodded, both smiled,
the two shook hands. and words of compliment
were exchanged. II would like to hear you
| preach" said the actor to tho pastor. You'll
win fortune yet" said the statesman to the in
ventor. I'm proud that you gained your case
,a G9qet," IT,, ss'd d, the pG Ss.i to tn: RIs ow Sas !, w sniS
old Phonix to tho fiddler. And SO things went
all the time. That block was one that u Quaker
would like to live ON, for the sake OF peace. fra
terpity. and the soul. In course of time the sug-
gestion vas made hat the ~notables on the block
onght to form a club for better acquaintance.
mutual Improvement. and general cnlighten-
ment. The idea struck the block. spread from
floor to the top story OF each OF tho aportment
buildings. 1t was the talk OF the block,
and the only adversaries it had were several
middl.-aged women, who ~despisod all their
neighbors. A meeting to organize the club. at
rom of his doniicile. which was on the first
s r. 3Eo & S,1 ssad99a wss .r ls tho ,hs genial ,Ss s IInb4s
name should 10 The Club for Our Block" that
Il sho %sn o %fss should mould SS Be- eligible e for msm at ::
ship. and that there should DO no entrance fees
Or ssssssnsnts AT this frs. meeting i was as;
block than the few who had been spoken in by
THE SUNS narrative. Besides these few there
were a college professor, a sea Captain. an elcc.
a Wall street sharp. This was no, so very sur.
sands Of such people in the city. there must be
some of them on almost every block. The club
When next Saturday night came twenty men.
all of whom lived on the block. were at the clubs
mans habitation on the first floor. It was a
great occasion. Each member congratulated
every other; there were brains In the place;
there were merriment and good cheer.
After much dialogue II was agreed that the
e eiaS, should Gs aSif ias sH f4u + ! n hi Is; % ass, sEs Of ris ,as
OF members upon chosen themes should be freely
given; for example. the actor should speak of
the stage, the novelist OF literature. the states.
man Of Craftsmanship. the artist OF pictures. the
pettitogger OF Jurisprudence, the inventor OF his
latest novelty, the cripple OF his battles. and the
fiddler OF Paganlni. It was also agreed that on
the ensuing Saturday night, when the first reg.
ulariy organized session OF tho club would be
held. no speaker should occupy more than ten
minutes. Thus. in the two hours ofthe meeting,
twelve of the member of the club would have a
chance to put their talents on exhibition and Il
win the honors OF the block.
were then on hand. and the arst thing that came
out was that there was Indignation among those
yited to the meeting: They said it was a hum
bug club. made up Of all the fools on the block
The statesman. when When he sst took the III t chair; spok,
: modern Roscius' the friend Of every man on thu
. The stage is dead exclaimed the actor. Al
l performers yet in France. Italy. England. ant
3 higher dram in this metropolis OF imbooility
Harlequins and ranters We have; gawky mel
: 1lyo and an ha HoaII BY sn my T tToeSi n Ma HEn'S -F nso ail
. Pother. Ia have you to know, sirs, For how long
, engagement AS tragedian. comedian. contoTilon
r list, clown. mute. heavy villain. fop. or walkinl
GO fetch my biade!"
At this point the actor was interrupted by
member. who. springing to his feoi. cried out:
" want to answer that fellow. He's no good
can't get a job; couldn't play Metdmord, an,
@ "Orderl" shouted the statesman In the chat
There was confusion. Twenty men were o
x their feet. The modern Roscius scowled. ston
with arms akimbo, hurled defiance at the who
O gang. and stalkcd out of the club. nevertnJr,
turn.
When the Chairman recovered his r,yaso,
and the nineteen remaining men quieted dow,
there was u voice from the Chair: h Next We a,
TO have the novelist, the mutual frie aa of III
block, who Is to give his views OF cont hmporaI
h American literature"
1T is u misnomer." began tho novels
10 Letters are out of date ir. this m
notonous country. Once we had write
d of repute; philosophers, like Mr.. Emerso
n Mr.. Bancroft, hctionlsis like Mr. iryins. M
N litt6rateurs like Mr.. Poe. Duk scan the skies
our times and tell me. oh, tel, Inc, where there
% a star in our literary firmaD ont. Not a bard
It to be seen. In England, tn <re are Mr.. KipIir
& Monsieur lola and MonpLsur Lott; in German
there is q galaxy OF gen ms; in Italy, behold Ii