Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-11-15

IAN AUGUSTA MANS
VISIT TO new YORK.
An Interesting Description of the
Hotels, Churches, Central Park,
Broadway. and the Great Shop
ping Centre of the City.
For the Spectator Vlndicator
New York, Oct. 22.-Many persons
have not the time and opportunity OF
visiting the large cities, ard an account
of the travels and observations of 9th
ers are read with interest by such; |
have frequently read such letters my
self with pleasure. During my sojourn
of a week in the great city of New
York thought letter to my home
and friends would be enjoyed by some.
Now in writing of New York one
scarcely knows where to begin. Great
er New York, as it is called, embraces
lseveral large cities and large towns, all
embraced in one municipality; and
comprising population of about
$780, 900 souls. In approaching New
Y ork from the South and West you
have to leave the cars at Jersey City
and cross the majestic Hudson on
ferry boats. [ think the time will
come in the future when bridges will
span this stream, although on account
of its width it would be a gigantic en-
terprise. They already have one large
bridge across East river connecting
New York and Brooklyn. This with
innumerable ferry boats cannot accom-
modate the immense crowds, and they
have already decided to build two ad-
ditlonal bridges, one of which is nearly
completed.
| Broadway-this world renowned
thoroughfare extending up through the
city from the Battery to 169th street,
a distance of IA miles, is one of the
most remarkable streets in the world.
The buildings are large, imposing and
magnificent; they are of marble, granite
and sandstone. A countless multitude
of people are daily seen on this crowd
ed street, while the constant stream of
street cars and vehicles Of every de-
scription passing up and down Broad
way makes crossing from one side to
the other extremely dangerous, and
not to be attempted by ladies without
the aid of policeman.
The wholesale trade of lower Broad
wap is immense, while magnificent
banks, brokers' offices, and the offices
Of the different Atlantic steamship
companies are to be found here. Mid
die Broadway has magnificent retail
as well as wholesale stores. Upper
Broadway at night is beautiful beyond
description-with its many colored
electric lights, great multitude of ele-
gantly dressed ladies and gentlemen,
beautiful stores, brilliantly lighted
handsome equipages, attended
by liveried servants-alI combine
to make picture which neither pen
nor pencil can describe. Most of the
large theatres are on upper Broadway,
the finest hotels in the world are there
aud on 5th Avenue. The Woldorf-
Astoria Hotel is on 9Th Avenue and
33rd to 34th streets-it is the largest
and finest hotel in the city. From the
guide obtained the following infor-
nation: 1t was built eight years ago
OF granite and Italian marble, is Is
stories high, has 1000 regular guests
beside 600 others who dine at the hote
every day. It has Is elevators, employs
L 800 helpers-350 On the kitchen floor
of whom 1O5 are cooks. 1t cost SO, OO0,-
600 to build the hotel and $4,000, 900 to
furnish it. They have three quarters
of million invested in wines and one
half million in cigars. Rooms are
from SIS per day upward. An ordinary
meal costs from So to $4. 1t has 1, 400
rooms, and consumes 194 tons of ice
every day. There are hundreds of
magnificent hotels here complete in
every appointment.
l neglected to state that Broadway
and the avenues while apparently run
ming Oh parallel lines are really not so,
for it crosses Fifth avenue diagonally
at Madison Square, and Sixth Avenue
at 34th street, seventh Avenue at 42nd
street, Columbus Avenue at 10th street,
then running between Amsterdam and
West End Avenues to 106th street, and
then continues on line of 11th ave-
nue. to 169th street.
PARKS.
Mayor Van Wyck said few days ago
that New York had 5000 acres in pub
lie parks, nearly twice as many acres
as London has. One cannot but admire
the wisdom and liberality of New York
in expending millions of dollars in pro-
viding and beautifying these parks, for
[ am sure nothing could contribute
more to the health and happiness of
the people. Central Park is the most
beautiful one in the city; it has 843
acres, shady groves. green lawns, fine
sdrivers and walks, and lakes and foun-
ftains, shrubbery and flowers, and seats
for 10000 people. The length of the
carriage drives are about miles, while
the walks are 293 miles. Besides these
things there are other attractions.