The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-27
BROADWAY'S APPLE TREES
STREET philanthropy COMBINED
WITH A FRUIT EXPERIMENT..

don't say that II was good PRECEDENT but
II undoubtedly turned out well-in some ways
You see, Harry the boy who tanned the wolves
that had escaped from Wall street. was the son
OF a man who had great influence In New York
city in municipal matters, man who was in
| corruptabe and rich by inheritance His name
was Reuben +. Adams Mr.. Adams could deny
his son nothing. Lucky II was that Harry never
wanted anything that he ought not TO have, and
really quite unusual I've known boys not over
sixteen or seventeen who wanted cigarettes-and
who got them too But Harry had sane mind
and his wants were reasonable
He had the makings OF philanthropist In him,
as will DO understood when say that one day he
told his father that II was shame that busy New
Workers who used Broadway should DO forced
TO walk in tho sun
How else could II be my boy1 Would you
have awnings stretched across the street?" asked
his father. fully prepared TO supply them at his
own expense II the boy should insist
"No, father; trees are what Broadway needs"
AT this old Mr.. Adams laughed long and loud.
The idea OF actually restoring trees 10 the lower
end Of Manhattan island seemed absurd TO this
man, who born and bred New Yorker, and
therefore not in sympathy with such useless
and space encumbering things as trees,
why, my boy. long ago voted TO cut away
all the trees that remained in the business part
Of the city Trees hide the signs from passers by.
trees make II moro easy for the insoent sparrows
TO live and thrive trees the abode Of unpleas-
ant caterpillars, and in the fall trees have UNI
fortunate habit OF shedding their leaves and thus
adding to the work Of the street cleaners They
do very well in the forests but do not think that
New York Is In need OF any trees Why had
letter from your Uncle Eliphalet the other day,
and he tells me that UP In Torrington the town
had row OF big ems that kept the road In shadow
all the time and the authorities cut them all down
and widened the sidewalk and put some nice,
pretty asphalt pavement where the trees had been
and now that street Ia neat and clean"
This was quite long speech for the old gentle
man. but 1t did not change Harrys views in the
least
Il don't care. papa" said he II want trees
on Broadway and all the downtown streets. and
l know that you wont refuse TO have them trans
planted there Most Of the signs are so ugly that
the trees will do well to hide them and II you plant
fruit trees they will not only give shade but fruit
Then Harry smiled at his father and the old
gentleman gave in. lie wasn't convinced. but
his son wanted something that he could give and
that settled ii.
Well, Of course, II was q long and expensive
Job to plant the trees and II necesstated tearing
up the streets but long before il became the custom
10 tear them UP lOr gas anu WdVT pipes, WIN
used TO tear up the streets of New York on windy
days. and so the people got used to it, and when
| they learned Of what was going to be done, most
Of the successful ones-who had, of course, been
country boys-thought il a good idea, and the
| others hadn't any influence anyway. And be-
sides ii was city affair, thanks 10 Mr.. Adams s
| friendship with the mayor-whose name escapes
| me-and 80, of course, no one had anything to
| say one way or the other.
AT first Harry thought il would be a 6ne idea
| 10 have cherry trees on Cherry street elms on
| Elm street. mulberry trees on the street OF that
name, and so on but Mr. Adams said that prob
| ably the Cherry street boys would pick all the
| cherry blossoms TO adorn their homes with, and
| that would blast the cherry crop, and mulberres
| were not very good TO eat so at last Harry de-
| cded TO have only apple trees OF various kinds
Expense was nothing to Mr. Adams and be-
| sides the city bore most OF the expense, and so
1t belel that by the time OF the first frost all the
| lower streets were lined on either side with good
sized apple trees that made so many successful
| merchants think OF their boyhood days That the
street vendors OF handkerchieis did rafting
business unul the feeling wore on.
must confess II looked ike rows oil gnariy
| trees without sign OF leaf on them, but the
| sparrows took 10 Them al once ana 'here was no
crotch without a nest And they made such
| eAcellcht viewing places ior Paiaues hat "heh
a certain Manila hero returned and marched up
broadway the sidewalks were perfectly clear
| Tor all the crowd were IN the trees
Some street vendors used the lower branches
to hang shoe laccs and suspenders on, but the
police soon broke lhal up lor' OF course, aVendor
| couldn't move on without leaving his wares
in tree, and the next vendor might have goods
OF totally different nature and so their wares
| would become hopeiessly mixed But the trunks
made excellent hltchlng posts and horses soon
learned not to cav the bark
In the spring all lower New York was gay with
| apple blossoms and IL was discovered that II was
| improving TO the morals OF business men to sec
so much OF beauty right in front OF them all the
time Al frst the police had a ha I'd time restrain
ing small boys from picking the pretty flowers,
but when they understood that they would turn
| into green apples In time they were willing "a
wait
Along in May, Harry was waited upon by a
body OF apple vendors, who told him that theil
business would be gone il the trees were allowed
| 10 bear iruit
The leader said: I'VE gotta fiva centa Tor de
appa not wort halt a centa. Ii appa arc tree