The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-02

L acre, therefore, tnere are eors ~ Heo-
sengers. Imagine an acre lot hlsd with
$50 boys. They would pretty comfortably
crowd II.
IL is difficult 20 realize the extent OF
the enormous daytime population OF the
Wal Street district. II IL crowded with
great, intricate hives OF Office buildings.
all of which are densely populated. The
largest ofice buildings In the world are to
be found within a stones throw OF the
Exchange, and many OF them have long
waiting lists OF would-be tenants.
The natural congestion on the surface
Is increased by the unusual narrovness
Of the streets th~ereabouts. Many Of them,
though lined with twenty-story structures,
are little more than alleyways.
Should all tho inhabitants Of the great
buildings on Wall Street. near Broadway.
chance, for instance. TO leave their ofices
at the same instant there would only be
standing room for about one-fourth Of them.
In other words, the population Of Wall
Street, between Broadway and Broad street,
would be sufficient to fill the street four
times over. The fatal Rowling OF the
famous Black Hole of Calcutta seems trifinG
by comparison.
The enormous volume OF mail matter
Of all Glasses which and It's way In and
out Of the Wall Street district daily Ia
another striking indication Of It's tremen-
dous activity. Tho average business man
throughout this section receives his mail
every day by eighteen different deliveries.
A delay Of cay thirty minutes In delivering
a letter is likely to be a far more serious
matter In tho Street than Q similar loss
of q day or two In Amos: any other business
activity.
The efforts Of the postal authorities TO
satisfy this demand are ~unequalled In any
other part Of the country. In a single
building on Broad street, with a frontage Of
less than forty feet. there are. for example,
three letter carriers constantly busied de-
livering the mail.
And the letter boxee 70 be found at every
corner are absolutely inadequate for hold
ing the mails, Every building OF any pre-
tension, and there are scores Of them, has
one or more mail chutes extending from
] the first TO the twentieth floor, or what
, ever Il may be, which are in constant use.
IL has become something Of an axiom
that men In Wall Street have no time even
TO eat. And this is literally true ~ far
rs the regular business hour Of the day
are concerned. From 10 TO 8. while Change
is the centre OF so many revolving dollarv.
the great majority Of brokers never eat.
Each minute Is far too valuable.
But the population Of Wall Street Ii %
enormous that restaurants are naturally
an important feature Of It's daily life. The
financial district In so bounded with great
rivers, so far removed from the residence
section that every one Il dependent upon
the public dining rooms.
There are estaurant at every turn, on
the roofs OF sky-scrapers, In cellars far
below the street level or In the interiors Of
great buildings far removed from any pos
sible daylight. There are restaurants to
cater 70 every taste and every pocketbook.
The millionaire dimes In restaurants
famous the world over whose very names are
household words. The man who has lost
practically his last dollar. the ofios boy
or the bootblack are served with dishes
for a few cents alongside the dining clubs
so crowded IA every one for space.
The most picturesque feature Of the
street Is the curious open-air pushcart
restaurants. Nowhere else are they to be
ound in such variety.
They are arranged with stoves and boilers
in winter and with ice In sumns and they
offer limitations more or lees palatable of
practically every dish Of the expansive
restaurants and for one or two cents. seldom
mere.
It Il the time-honored custom for the
| carts 10 assemble In the side streets leading
into Broad street. near the Stock Exchange,
lust before noon. Az the first stroke Of
the clock they all start in one mad rush
TO gain the most advantageous positions.
Not infrequently a cart Is overthrown
IN the hurry and a literally free lunch Ia
scattered about the street.
The menus OF push carts are amazingly
varied. You may enjoy a variety Of sau-
sages, cooked to order and served hot,
FOR a cent. The waffle wagon. from which
this pastry IL served with sugar or syrup
at a cent a portion. Ia one of the oldest
contributors to the bill OF fare.
other wagons make specialties OF soups,
still others serve some vegetable, such as
hot corn In the season. The desserts are
offered in even greater variety than the
more stable dishes. and one is simply be-
wildered by such delicacies as Ice cream.
water ices, pies, cakes and buildings. u
dreds are to be seen daily crowded about
the push carts.
Not the least important detail Of the
! mechanism Of Wall Street Is it's elaborate
system Of detective protection, A very
effective dead line has been established
at Fulton street for years, beyond which
no crook known TO the police, nor even
suspicious-looking person. Is allowed TO
pass.
As an additional precaution a soore or
more Of Central Office detectives are con-
stantly on guard at the principal entrances
TO the financial district. They usually
! congregate near the United States Treasury
building Mt Broad and Wall streets.
Millions of dollars are constantly being
carried past this point The money comes
in gold. packed in sacks and carried by
the ton in steel wagons; it is brought down.
! town in cabs or carried in ordinary travelling
bags or in tho pockets 81 the crowd which
! constantly pours into Wall street
such a thing as a hold-up ia unknown.
A cry for help in the financial section would
, instantly bring a formidable force Of armed
: detectives 20 the spot.
To men Who stand guard hero can usu-
ally tell from their ng Z perience when
! q man carries a large sum of money from
the ncrvoUSucss Of his manner or como
sign Of self. onsciouSuess, and q careful
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