New-York tribune., 1900-09-03
TOPICS IN CHICAGO.
THE CTTYs HOSPITALITY TO THE @. A.
R.-THE PERMANENT ARCH QUES-
TION-CENTRE PIER BRIDGES
'BATHHoUsE JOHN" IN
NEw-YORK.

Chicago. Sept 2 CspeciaD.-Hospitality. as
practised in the Windy City. is the sort that
exhsusts and the town breathed a sigh OF re-
lief when the sun rose upon day that is not
a part OF "encampment week"-then turned over
and took another well earned nap. Absolutely
nothing that might tend TO make the veterans
visit interesting left undone. They were
shown the nauseous stockyards; acres OF ount-
ing were displayed in their honor; due pro-
portion OF them taken ito see the explo-
sion on the lake front" and relieved of such
valuables as the hotels and restaurants had
overlooked, and. last, but not least, an EFFORT
was actually made TO keep the downtown streets
clean during their stay in the city-at all events
5000 expended for the purpose oy the
municipal authorities. What more could have
been desired? That some fifteen hundred OF the
visitors without place to lay their heaos
one or more nights was Of course. not within
the province of the entertainers, and no one
except the guests themselves could possibly be
blamed for that. But taken all in ALL the visit
OTIS seemed to enjoy ii, except perhaps the pay
rnent of their hotel bills. which were beyond
criticism IN point OF magnitude, and which dis
finctly did not make a hit with majority Of
the veterans. Among the interesting develop
ments OF the encampment is an agitation for
National organization Of associate members OF
the Grand Army of the Republic. Just why
the movement has behind It number of active
workers who promise to push the matter to
conclusion. During the encampment much dis
satisfaction with the treatment Of the railways
was expressed. and large number Of the vet
Grams have affixed their signatures to petition
asking the Commander Chief TO declare that
no more National gatherings will be held unless
q uniform one-cenu per mile rate is granted by
every railway in the country.
Now that it is all over, Chicagoans are won
der1ng what to do with the already somewhat
dilapidated Army Arch. All OF the other gew-
gaws IN plaster are TO be cleared away immedi-
ately, but the arch possesses some architectural
beauty. and its apparent solidty has suggested
the advisanility Of perpetuating 1t in marble.
Pending a discussion OF the proposition. the
arch is to remain nearly intact the weather
and the traffic under 1t will permit, and those
residents Of the city whose artistic sense has
not been entirely deadened by the architectural
and other atrocities perpetrated upon them by
local architects and builders wondering
whether the powers that be will fail TO profit by
New-Yorks experience with the Dewey Arch
and allow the hmsy structure of lath and plas-
ter 10 become an eyesore on one of Chicago's
handsomest boulevards.
According TO Miss Elma Graves fair lect-
urer from the Heath Settlement, the question Of
Chicagos most glaring, if not its only. sin is the
neglect Of the beautiful. All other evils she at
tributes to the municipalities neglect Of the
beautiful. Local criminologists fail to agree
with her in toto. The town. they admit, is in a
bad way, but they attribute the condition TO
other causes than the absence OF municipal
adornment. Once started the subject, they
make a startling prophecy. Chicago. they de-
clare, will be the scene Of the next race out
break Hordes of Southern darkies. they say,
are fiocking to Chicago. and their ignorance
Of existing local conditions and the antipathy
with which they are regarded by the more ir-
responsible element among the thrown out
OF work by the building trades strikes are likely
TO cause serious trouble. They cite in support
of their declaration the frequency with which
incpent riots have followed the commission OF
minor Offences by colored people. and think that
extra precautions should be taken TO prevent
more serious outbreaks.
Ships and shpowners seem to have taken the
law into their own hands on the subject Of the
long rnooted question Of the desrability of CEN
tre pier bridges. The lake captains have long
protested against the structures that span the
Chicago River, and the municipal authorities
have persistently turned a deaf ear to their
complaints, but II the events Of the last week
are 10 be taken as criterion, the matter VIII
soon be settled to the satisfaction or the mari
ners. The lake craft may not have entered into a
conspiracy but the facts are these: Nearly every
vessel that has passed any one OF the bridges
during the last week has done its share toward
settling the question by quietly shunting off a
large chunk Of the bridge. Eighteen such col
lisions are recorded in the Bridge Engineers Of
ace, and writs are in waiting for the return Of
fourteen vessels charged with having more or
less seriously damaged the offending bridges.
which they viii be made to repair if a court
- can be found which will convict their shippers
m OF carelessness.
~ Another shining light in Chicago politics has
entered opening wedge in that larger field
New-York. "Bathhouse John" is back from the
ehete East with many weird and wonderful
costumes and the announcement that he has at
last accomplished a long cherished desire and
taken a hand n the political game of Gotham.
Only a few weeks have elapsed since one of the
most thoroughly typical Of the Chicago Alder
men packed bag and baggage and removed to
New-York, announcing before he left that the
local field no longer offered opportunities com
mensurate with his talents And now the only
Bathhouse" shows symptoms of leaving his
native heath The entry was effected, he is re-
ported 70 have said on his return, by the ap-
pearance Of his autograph upon a bail bond in
the jefferson Market Police Court.
Yet another gas company. the Municipal. has
entered the local field Altgelds Ogden Gas
Company is yet in process of absorption bv the
bocal trust as the new concern which is incor-
porated for only S500000 sees the light Corn
pared with the $50 600 900 capital Of the People
Gas Company. it would seem at first glance that
the securing of charter by the Municipal Com
psny was a purely speculative move, and yet
its parentage appears 10 be beyond reproach,
and II is more than probable that competition
viii at last enter perforce into the calculations
OF the hitherto all powerful Gas Trust
Ingrowing nails are not pleasant things to
have in the vicinity, according to Kseper Me-
curren, Of the Lincoln Park Zoo, especially
when they affict the paws of a particularly iil
tempered mountain lion. From all accounts the
puma thoroughly agreed with HIS keeper for his
mate narrowly escaped annihilation on more
then one occasion before the cause Of the trouble
was discovered. Once the case was diagnosed
the keeper essayed TO turn chiropodist and with
the aid OF a shifting box and stick moose suc-
In tF9ey he off