The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-29
TOWN Is JUST CHOCK FULL.
STRANGERS POURED IN IN sWARMS
ALL DAP YESTERDAY.

They Game on EVery hlnu OF OonVeyhhcS
That Travels on Land or Water Q and
Filled the Streets All Day and Most of
the Night - The Hotels and Boarding
Houses Unable TO Care for the Great
Throng-Thousands Expected To-day.
New York felt the effect OF the throng OF out
OF town folks who are here for the Dewey cels-
bration yesterday. as 1t has not felt IL before.
More visitors piled into the city yesterday than
have come before on ono day since the influx
began. and the result was, streets so crowded
as to be almost impossible and hotels and
boarding houses fllod far beyond their normal
capacity. An estimate based on the opinions
OF railroad and hotel men places yesterdays ar
rivals at $50. 900. bringing the total number OF
Dewey visitors now In town close on million
and a half To those who tried to make their
way along the prin pal thoroughtares north OF
Fourteenth street yesterday afternoon and last
night these figures will not seem unreasonable.
Broadway was SO choked with people during
the afternoon that many we're obliged to
take to the roadway to make any prog
ress at all. There wasn't even standing
room on the steps OF Broadway cars after they
get beyond Fourteenth street going up. or
south OF Forty second street coming down.
Fifth avenue was almost as badly choked and
around the arch and approaches. the polloe-
men had 10 work like Trojans to prevent an In
vasion OF the enclosed places. where the sculp-
tors and their assistants were at work.
TWAS a mystery to the casual observer whore
New York was going to house SO many visitors.
With scarcely enough room for them to move
about comfortably out Of doors. It was hard TO
figure where room was to be found for Thorn in
doors. The hotels were wrestling with the
problem yesterday and made more or less OF q
success OF IL on account OF the good nature OF
the visitors. Nine out Of ten Of those who apply
for rooms at the hotels ere content 10 take cots
IN the parors. II there Is nothing better to be
had What 10 even better. from the hotel mans
side. is that they are willing to pay well for
such soanty accommodation.
The railroads handled the thousands who
poured into the city in good shape. There
were some delays. but as rule trains were on
time. The railroad people figured ON yestsr-
day being the biggest day Of all for visitors and
took measures accordingly. Train load after
train load was dumped into the city and at q
late hour last night the visitors were still COM
ing. An Eric Railroad conductor said yester-
day afternoon to Sun reporter that he
had never seen such . rush over that
road before. Between Buffalo and Jersey
CITY," he said. there was scarcely q signal
station that we weren't obliged to stop at.
Places that don't hold us up more than three
times month In ordinary times had the flag
out to day. and at some Of the smallest OF them
we got as many as a half dozen passengers. l
noticed that m ost OF those who got on at the
cities and towns were men. but at the smaller
places tho visitors boarded US in families. The
country folks are turning out in great shape
for the Dewey celebration. Most of them
are loaded down with lunch baskets. appar-
emily carrying rations for two or three
days. Whore they're all going to put up I'm
sure don't know; In fact I'm not certain that
many Of them know themselves. They think
that once In New York with plenty OF food, 1t
won't be difficult natter to find some place
to sleep. Most all Of the country folks that
came down on my train had children along
with them
The country folks in tho city are not hard to
pick out as they walk along the streets. They
are recognizable by their staring eyes. holiday
clothes and lunch boxes and baskets. 1t was
one OF the sights yesterday to see hundreds Of
them walking up and down Broadway and
Fifth avenue. eating their luncheons as they
went
The hotel men and boarding house keepers
have taken advantage OF the unprecedented
number Of visitors in town to run rates up.
Scarcely hotel in the city has room left. and
even the cot room in most Of them has been
engaged. Hundreds Of people thronRed the
corridors Of the hotels yesterday trying to get
sleeping quarters for the next two DAYS. but
one after another they were turned away by
the clerks. Money was OF no use. When the
clerks said that they had no moro room. they
spoke the truth.
III had another hotel as big as this" said
the manager OF large Broadway hotel. Il
could AL 1t from roof to cellar In two or thrae
hours. We expected a big rush. but 1t has
passed all our expectations. Tho boarding
houses may have a little room left but there's
| nothing but cot room. and mighty little Of
that left in the hotels
| The boarding house people have not been slow
| to follow the lead Of the hotel men in the mat
| ter OF high rates. The price asked for a section
| Of a hall bedroom anywhere near the centre Of
activity is enough to stagser q man. The clerk
| Of Broadway hotel gave two applicants for
| rooms. the addressed OF a boarding house on
| Twenty eighth street yesterday. They may
| have something left" he said. and you'd bet
ter grab 1t IL they have"
| The men went to the boarding house and
made known their wants to the proprietress.
Il have a nice large front room" she said.
There are already two gentlemen In 1t. but I
| can put two more cots In"
How much ?" inquired one OF the mon
Five dollars apiece. Q night" said tho wo-
| man calmly.
The men looked at each other in amaze
ment. Then they asked the woman II It was
| her regular rate.
No." she said. but can get $40 night fol
that room and I'm going to getit You car
take 1t or leave 1t. Just as you like"
That class OF hotels known as family apart
ment houses have pushed rates up higher thar
any other. In one OF them yesterday a small
bedroom. which has always been rented for $l(
a week without board was turned over to
man for SO day.
Among yesterdays arrivals In town were tw,
separate parties from Chicago. which are her,
to try and induce Admiral Dewey to accept tn,
hospitality Of the m etropolis OF the West. ON
OF these parties is led by Mayor Harrison and
number OF Chicago business men. mostly
members OF the Illinois Manufacturer Asso
citation. There are about 300 in this party an,
they are stopping at the Gllsey House. The
are the bearers OF a formal invitation to tn
Admiral to participate In a celebration In hi
honor to be held In Chicago on Oct. g. Tho in
vitation will be handed to the Admiral at tn
Waldorf Astoria on Sunday morning at i
o'clock.