New-York tribune., 1901-09-08
CHANGES IN THE BOWERY
THE FAMOUS THOROUGHFARE BECOM
ING RESPECTABLE-AN AGED
MILESTONE.

On the west side of the Bowery. nearly opposite
Riyington-st stands ancient milestone which,
in fts neglected old age still gives to the passerby
the information lone mile to City Hail. The stone
has sidewise slant, coming doubtless from age
and dizziness at the whirl Of life in which it now
finds itself for since it was set up to encourage
the traveller in the Bouwere it has seen enough
of the vicissitudes of time to turn any head NOW
apparently, the Bowery is about to enter on new
phase of its existence. and the pathetic old land
mark will either be removed or perhaps protected
bv some Of the historical societies which have
hitherto had no eyes for It's unhappy condition.
The tide of business Is turning toward the Bowsry
with a rapdity which surprises even those who
realized that the time must come when the ad-
vantages OF that neighborhood would be understood
and the reputation from the streets past lived
down
Take any one who knows the famous thorough
fare chiefly through the song which set forth that
they say such things and they DO such things on
the Bowery' for walk down the street and ne
will doubtless feel rather defrauded by its respecta-
BILE character. Above Grand-st with the eXcep-
ton OF few notorious resorts. known and avoided
by all but those who like that sort or thing the
Bowery is all that could be desired Women may
walk the streets at any hour and meet nothing
but courtesy. Children play about with the
ha b!tual cheerfulness Of young tenement dwellers
Here and there brightly lighted concert hall may
attract the uninitiated to uncommonly bad
performance of some kind, but there Is little to
satisfy the lover or the sensational beAo"
st.-that is another story. Even there the street
compares favoraby with many others that do not
suffer from equally evil regulations.
The completion Of the bridge IA going to
revolutionze the Bowery, and the first evidences
Of II are already to be found. Even without the
help Of the projected bridge the change was
ing; but it IS it viii be rapid. The small
traders. respectable enough .u. insignificant Will
be driven out TO make for large Offices. and.
OF all. for Tight manufacturing" Tho
cheaper labor comes from the East Side, and
manufacturers must keep somewhere near their
employees, for wages not sufficient to Justify
the outlay of carfare. The Powery is accessible,
wide and light. With the change in the motive
power OF the elevated road ,he greatest objection
70 the thoroughfare will he removed. and many
will follow the example OF the enterprising per
sons who taking time by the forelock and
erecting handsome buildings. The Bowery Saw
ings Bank several years ago. Led the way and put
up its imposing building * Grand-st. The Ger
mania Savnge Bank came next with its fine
buildin- at Sprng-st. Poth these buildings are
among the finest Of their kind in the city. i'm
pressive outside and in. 4 little further UP are
several new large buildings intended for the kind
OF manufacturing To- which the Bowery is SO Vol
fitted Nos. 2Z7. 229 81 and 223 We're recently
At Nos ls1 and "a Bowery handsome offices have
ing Nos. 1ia POI 2oa and 2o5 b,Very. is TO have
new ,E 9IlGnE. ~'e w NJ as1 < hall finished Similar
work IS projected all along tho street.
An ordinance passed lH"t JdHAttF ueSlsitf tftl
Cooper Square which Inakes fitting terminal for
the Vide street leading 10 IL. The great brown
building OF Cooper InstitI,e looms u1 i'1posutEly
from the moment the traveller in the Bowery turns
at Grand-st. Now he square E"~ new feature
10 recommend 1.-THE ST. -iauGeus statue OF the
founder Of the institute.
Al Dresent tie Rowery on both sides far dow>
as Grand st ~ lined with small shops. In which
every kind OF business IS represented. These small
stores are respectable. and kept by persons ot
different nationalitieF This not the case even
ten years ago. Then there were numerous dives
where now the hard working fathers Of families
are struggling To make enough 70 bring mp their
children as become citizens OF America. Any
body who is now robbed IN the Rowery may al
most be said deserve his fate. Such Joints "a
there are with or two notable exceptions are
below Canal-st Since the day when the wide ave-
nue. was the fashionable driving place o. the