Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-02
ROUND ABOUT NEW YORK.
RippIes on the Current of Life In the
Metropolis.

RippIes on the Current OF Life In the
Metropolis.
The consolidation Of the Ave boroughs
constituting Greater New York has had the
effect Of greatly increasing defaults in
taxes, and the approaching sale of property
for delinquent taxes will be the largest in
the history Of the city. Prior TO 1898, the
first year OF consolidation, the amount due
the city in arrears for taxes was S,1S9.9 969.
The amount due since 1900 is more than
twice as large that for the preceding
year. The total Of the arrears and the as
sessments outstanding against property
owners in the five boroughs Is now $u,-
493, SOS.
James Hagan, an ex-warden of the
Tombs, in New York. had one of those
unique political excursions the other day
for which the metropolis is noted.
We've got about 5000 of 'em out" said
he, to a friend to whom he was showing
the eighty cans of milk, 300 gallons Of ice
cream and 5000 complete luncheons, pro-
vided by the Amsterdam Democratic club.
And we've got more,' he added,
among these youngsters-we've got Atty
pairs of twins, all pledged to vote for Tam
many"
usual one found in a New York chidrens
procession. And yet they talk about race
suicide"
Leaving aside the vast valuations added
to 1t by consolidation, says Leslio's Weekly.
the accumulations of property on Manhat-
tan Island alone nave been astounding.
Once sold in bulk for S24 the island now
has a taxable valuation, real and personal,
of 81 90S, 755 146, Its real estate values have
risen prodigiously from the initial market
quotation. immense sums have now to be
paid for tracts in desirable localities, as
high as 500 per square foot having been
asked for sites in business sections making
6 price Of 81, 100000 for lot 25x1O0. But ex-
cessive as this figure may seem, property
on the island is continually kppreciating,
and It is probable that what seems today
to be dear will be looked back to in the
future as reasonable and cheap. Enormous
fortunes have been built up by the incre-
ment OF real estate values, the most strik-
ing example of these being the Astor es-
tate, founded on extensive purchases of
land when the latter could be had for
trifing sums. With the enhancement OF
ground values remarkable changes have
taken place in the character of the citys
architecture The structures which ap-
peared commodlous and palatial In the
early times have shrunk into insignif1cance
beside the great and costly skyscrapers of
these latter days. reared for residence or
trade and provided with every modern i'm
provement Like attracts like. and so Man
haitian, the center of the nations opulence.
and consequent luxury, is attracting to It
makers of fortunes from all parts OF the
country. No other city possesses so many
millionaires as does New York, and their
presence is no slight factor in the running
up of property prices.
Brooklyn bridge was twenty years old
last week, and, despite the occasional stories
which allege that the structure is being
badly racked by heavy traf1c, competent
engineers declare that the spans are safe
and strong today as when 1t was built. The
bridge Is the crystallized dream of John
Roebling, who wove the first steel cable at
Johnstown. Pa. Incidentally It is a monu-
ment to the enterprise of Boss Tweed,
who ended his life in the Tombs prison.
Tweed however, is given little credit. as It
was always the popular belief that he
pushed the project solely as a medium for
plunder, The fact that he stood sponsor
for the enterprise excited general hostility
to II, although Roebling first broached the
subject in 1857, 1t was not until many years
after that the undertaking was begun.
Roebling died before the bridge was COM
pleted.
A leading New York physician is RESPONSE
BILE for the statement that the increasing
eccentriclties Of men and women in the
higher walks of life, the larger number of
forpariaa and otbar dfshopaat
acts among business men; the great growth
Of so-called fads and the hold which vari-
Gus forms of religious mania acquire over
certain classes of persons are all evidences
OF the general use Of morphine. Most cases
of kleptomania, which is recognized as a
real disease, are caused solely by pro-
tracted use of morphine and ninety-nine
out OF every 100 kleptomaniacs are NOR
phinists. This physician, who is connected
with one OF the principal hospitals and who
has made a study of Inorphlnism, says
that much of the blame for the present
alarming prevalence of the morphine habit
is due to doctors who have too readily
prescribed its employment as a remedial
agent and did not take suficient care to
prevent its subsequent continued use by
patients
In statement to the Rapid Transit COM
mission John B. Mcdonald the contractor,
has announced that there remains less than
sixty days OF excavating to be done in the
subway. The board hopes to have Christ
mas holidays this year. and up to the
present time no possible delay in the open
ing of the tunnel is foreseen.
Dion L. Burrows, secretary OF the board.
said Monday: There is no new thing TO
say concerning the work OF construction
on the tunnel Mr.. McDonald's announce
ment 10 the board that there remained but
sixty days OF excavation work to be done
tends TO relieve any uncertainty as TO the
progress Of the work on the subway
THE present plan Is for the opening
Of the rapid transit railway late this year.
Mr. Mcdonald hopes to have the road
ready by Christmas and there Is no reason
to believe that the opening will be delayed,
The contract calls for the completion of
the subway to about the fall OF 1904. So 1t
will be seen that Mr.. Mcdonald is many
months ahead Of his contract"