The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-17
MEDIEVAL CITY SURELY!
WONDERFUL SIGHT AT NIGHT
FALL FROM OUR BRIDGE.
New York's Aspect 1T sunset Trans
formation OF the skyycrapers with
Their Myriad Lights suggestions
OF Past Centuries The Bridge Itself.


OF Past Centuries Tho Bridge Itself.
Wonderful Is the sight upon which thou
AMI Of Brooklynites homeward bound
by way Of the Bridge nightly turn their
bacxs.
Doubtless II is because the tide Of evening
travel flows toward Brooklyn that the
sunset aspects Of lower Manhattan Island
and the harbor have not found a greater
place in the hearts and minds Of those who
daily cross and recross the Bridge.
A few Of those who ride on the rear plat
forms Of crowded cars face toward Man
haitian In order to watch the overwhelming
picture behind, and a foot passenger pauses
now and then midway on the Bridge to
sweep his eyes for a moment over the vast
spread of city. sea and sky stepped in sun
set light, in evening afterglow. or in the
sympathetic gloom Of approaching night.
But for the most part the half -stihed crowds
in the cars glue their eyes TO their news
papers, and the pedestrians hurry dinner
ward with no backward glance at all the
beauty they are leaving.
Whatever Is e~xtravagant or ugly In the
architecture Of the tall structures massed
upon Manhattan Island from Chambers
street TO the Battery Is lost in the dusk
OF evening, and the most modern OF cities
seems almost medieval In suggestion.
Standing on the platform Of the first
Bridge pier one sees the mountainous slope
OF the island from the waterfront TO the
grotesque pinnacles OF the tallest buildings.
II one can for a moment ~recapture that
innocence Of the eye" with which one
first viewed this scene, so much the better
for the effect.
Then no familiar structure is sufficiently
identified for its ordinary association TO
overpower the mind and destroy the IL
fusion of a vast medieval city made up, not
Of single tall. slender buildings, but Of vast
piles, each with it's score of towers or min
arets, airy g~rotesqueries OF architecture.
high domes floating b~alloon-like upon the
bosom Of the dusk, tall. narrow keeps
whose slitted windows hint Of la%nguishing
prisoners, pillarod loggias open to the
sea wind far above the noisome ave
ments. where a thousand quaint and humble
dwellings may be imagined budding.
Even the familiar shot tower. sufficiently
picturesque In its ordinary aspect, takes
on new distinction. while the rising steam
jets, which cap like great lazy banners
every architectural height, lose their Pc
culiarly modern ~connotation and harmonic
with the general strange unreality.
The seemingly close-packed mass OF
buildings hint Of narrow, cobbled streets
and alleys, netting and climbing the castled
hill that dominates the river. now perhaps
broken at the steepest points with rude
stairways, here diving beneath an arch
way to lose themselves In a courtyard.
there ending In a cul-de-sao against the
wall of some towering structure. again
borne upon low stone arches over some
hillside torrent.
The high twinkling lights in 10000 win
| dow are not TO prolong the labors OF be-
lated clerks. but 20 grace the festivities
Of dame and cavalier. for the vast medieval
city Of the November cleaning is peopled
with appropriate inhabitants, enough
knights and ladies. squires and danes,
tinseled rognes n rapiered braggarts,
strutting lords and cringing lackeys to fur
nish characters for a thousand romances
Of the modern historical school.
Behind this mount of marble with its
hundred spires slowly a the stormy
splendors OF tho sunset at the end OF a
gray November day. The waters OF the
river, alternately dun and crimson. as
they reflect the varying color OF the
sky, seem writ all over with the romance
Of those high and peopled walls.
Not ever the floating steam craft can
break the spell Of medievalism. for the
eve rejects every Inconsistency and an
achronism Of the scene and refuses TO be
undeceived A little convoy Of dingy
white oyster sloops. ducking and dancing
behind a tiny tug. may stand for any sort
Of craft belonging 20 al earlier time. The
broad sail Of a numbering sand sloop. a
! shApele.s thing Of soil and patches, seems
contemporary with tire earliest youth Of
Columbus.
The purport and purpose Of the Bridge
itsslf are forgotten n" grinding roar
81 its thousand vehicles stnkes a key IN
unison with the romantic dusk. The
hurrytng crowds have osased 10 he mere
hungry Brooklyuitse. tired With a long
commercial day. and passively lend them
salve- Co tho Imagination Of the b-holder
They think the thoughts - nVs centuries
gone, and s~hAt"yrf their Language. u u
not the tnsirh 81 to-day
A. IA. trano~i watcher catches ln the
half ulght. nov a -te-l ruriagr - N" Bridge
nov ID" gothic our,r - al enormous arch.
u 10 q gigantic ship OF a NAsi cathedral
aud the rAf 81 motor machinery l. the
suund ~ th1 Wind thrIugh the Hssins
~ ~ an organ m,ghu"r than any that
ever bruatl.i over t,r.ius mulutudus
Iryond tLs dam say majesty ~ the gothic
tower stprirl.rr ur tart Tact side - tho
ciy. along tho ~at"r'r"ut Fi"~tnT Sith
,rat rplashss ~ isit INLAND sufus.i
p,tL mlnsl-i glaan and uushtDass and
puI.tuat-l sIfi luIIlant sIafss A ~ibt