The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-05
PUBLIC SIGNS CNHEKDHD.
Cautions and Warnings That Are Disre-
gnrded as More Bluff.

ANYBODY who makes q study Of the various |
phases Of metropolitan life" said the vlde-awakc
man can testify that while all the rules and |
regulations pasted up In wel.known places for |
the guidance Of the public are supposed To be
vested with the sancu,y Of genuine laws, many
Of them are in reality nothing nor less than
gigantic bluffs The uniniuated. a. q rule. are
unable TO detect the gold from the dross and I'M
willingly put all on the same basis. but the man
with experience can tell at glance which means
business and which does not
Perhaps the sign with which the public IL
most familiar Is the one seen in Restaurants warn
ing patrons that the management will not be
responsible for hats wraps and umbrellas This
notice Is all very we'll In way and really does
good service. inasmuch as II predisposos people
10 be more careful Of their belongings than they
would he were there nothing in sight 70 remind
them Of the penalty lack Of vigilance frequently
e1acts But Il you should be W luckless as To
suffer the loss Of either OF the above mentioned
articles, and cared u push tho matter. the pro
prietor would probably make good the loss, nine
times out Of ten. Notwithstanding the placard
~ the contrary.
Hotels are equally p.odigal Of assertions which
are no, founded on the solid rock Of truth. as you
will find out II you ever attempt 10 test them.
In tho set Of rules found in each room OF these
big hostelrios many houses insert . clause TO
the effect that the host will be in nowise respon-
sdble for a guests mail Yet spite OF this dcclar-
alton, know for fact that the proprietor OF a
Broadway hotel recently paid one woman a neat
, liulr sum Of money which she said had been sent
her in letter which had been lost through the
| catelessncSs Of the clerk The man did this,
too. without any positive proof that tho woman
/ had los, the money He settled rather than run
| the risk Of having trouble
Another bluff is found in the elevators Of many
big buildings. goodly number ~ these lifts
are decorated with notice informing passengers
that II they do not call their floor before reaching
II. tie elevator positively will not return to tho
landing after having passed H. 10 lc, the diaiory
! offender OF. Every elevator boy, every iantor
and every real estate agent firmly believes he
means what he says when the notice is put up.
yet the man is sorry tactcian, indeed who can
not get whisked up or down the height Of half
story and put od on The desired floor.
Passengers on street ca and elevated railroads
encounter variety Of bluffs. They are positively
forbidden TO stand on front platforms. yet they
calmly ignore the order They arc forbidden 10
expectorate the floors, yet To the regret Of every
fair minded person, some Of them do that too.
On Of the lines the cars are fitted out with
sign half yard long informing passengers tina,
u they do not get their transfers when paying
their fare. or at certain Designated places, he
this also Is bluff. and the conductor who adhercs
, 10 that rule In hardened villain
There are many places such as libraries and
museums. where II Is announced IN gl1ting letters
tina, silence must be preserved here, YET scores
thcse places daily. who not only talk. but raise
tneir voices 10 u Shrek when 50 doing. II ISM
right, Of course. but they do H. because the sign
Scarcely day passes that a man in business
does no, get into stores and factories and Offices
where the notice No admittanCe siares him in the
face. II he Is a timid man he will stay out, but
many p"op, WI" heie not ps5Sio Of business
for that Is only ano her bluii,
Il am a regular caller at u select book and ar l
store up town where the visitor Is told In polite
but iocible language that there are books in
certain parts Of the store which he must not handle
yet those same books are turned inside out daily
likewise quite useless, Flor lists display il, and
jewelers. and the custOdians OF all treasure houses
but %n' n,9 "gy to Of s0 Yin the
with the assurance that even though detected
in the transgression would be pretty sure 10 be
granted immunity from punishment,
/ "rhcn there is another bluff that We all know
about. This is the notice seen III office buildings
fcrbidding bcgGars Irddars and even book
ngcnts from pursuing their calling within. In
spite Of that order there are few downtown build
ings where agents Of all sorts and even bcggars
theatres put M. big bluff too, against those
who buy standing room The ushcrs bluntly
| and decidedly forbid these devotces Of artistic
drama TO rest their weary bones on, the steps in
the aises yet II these devotccs produce bluff for
bluff they ore pretty sure To st through the greater
part OF the Performance and no power known TO
the theatre usher Is going 10 dislodge them from
their iowly but impregnable position;
Then there Is the NO smo ing bluff. The
/ places where men are forbidden TO indulge in
this pleasure are legion, yet the places where they
really do refrain from smoking are very few.
! This list Of apparent lin tatons 10 the public $
powers and privileges might be continued ndehn-
itey There are a thousand and ono things we
! arc told in emphatic and even threatening terms
| We must or We must not do, but the IN 'jo-ity OF
those instructions are found TO be nothing but
good big bluffs which can be cOunerbalanCCd
by equal aggIessivencss. Why, II you have a
mind 10 and go about IL In the right way: you
can even walk on the grass and nobody viii stoT
Keep of sign is also bluif.