The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-09
GOSSIP FROM NEW YORK Influence of Insurance Companies in the Financial World Rock Island in New OceanAmerican Influential in Corea
BY JOHN MARTHoL.
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livan is an uncommon man. He is an M D. as we'll His knowledge of medicine when required in some law cases brought him prominently forward in public life. His success at the bar has been sustained and l am glad to know he is willing to give his services to Tammany. When Tammany wins l should be pleased to announce that he has been appointed com missioner of taxes, a position in which he would be invaluable.
 
 A statue has just been erected in one of our parks in honor of Ericsson, who Is set down in our school histories as having designed and built the famous Monitor. He and others built the Monitor. but the idea was not his and the histories are wrong The actual inventor was Theodore Ruggles Timby an American. and still living Both Senators Platt and Depew endeavored to obtain for him the credit and the fame he deserves, by introducing bill In congress last year, acknowledging the validity of a patent granted to him flor revolving turrets for use on land and sea- In Senator Platts bill 1t is set forth that, under said patent the Monitor was built, which vessel under command of Ad- miral John l.. Worden disabled the Merri- mac in Hampton Roads on March g. 1862. Ericsson drew his plans from that patent, and has carried off all the glory thus far Timby should have his due.
 
 The late Archbishop Corrigan's friends endeavored consistently during many years to induce Pope Leo to give him d cardinals hat, but there was a party in the church which as earnestly opposed him, and he died without the coveted honor if he did covet it. I am told that the same influence will be brought to bear on the new head of the church in favor of Archbishop Farley. Wealthy Catholics think that New York Is enti- tied to the honor of having a cardinal, as 1t is one of the very richest dioceses in the world, and contributes most gen erously to the papal treasury. There are those who predict, however, that not New York but Minneapolis will have the next American cardinal in the person of Archbishop Ireland.
 Real estate on Manhattan island is rapidly passing from the possession of the many to the few. Ten years ago the city proper with the new annexed bor- ough called the Bronx, was owned by 2l0OO persons Today it is all concentrat- ed in the hands of 19O00 owners and their number Is diminishing every day. Where lands was formerly owned in lots of 25 feet front, it is now held in lots of four and five times that size, occupied by big buildings of various kinds. It no longer pays In most parts of the city to build on small parcel of ground. The As tors, William Waldorf and John Jacob, own over 600 buildings. Their general plan is to lease the land to tenants for improvements The Goelet estate con slsts of over 10 buildings. A great deal of land is occupied by railroads churches and benevolent institutions. The Trinity church property is next in extent to that of the Astors, and is worth many mill lions of dollars.
 An enterprising theatre manager an- nounces that he has corralled a band of Irish harpsts with whom he proposes to entertain the public this season. Irish harpists, an Irishman tells me, went out of fashion with the Irish snakes whom St. Patrick is said to have ban ished. Although the harp is the national emblem no one ever sees that instrument in Ireland. Who" he asks. lever saw an Irishman playing a harp in an Amer lean city?' Italians have monopoly of that sort of thing. Irish harpists" are probably imported from sunny Ma pies.
 The tipping nuisance was up for discussion in a fashionable restaurant the other evening, the participants being three young business men with incomes averaging ten or fifteen thousand a year each. A comparison of notes went to show that all three spent about S10 apiece every week in tips. To any one who knows the city and It's ways, this is very moderate for the man who goes any where. The mathematical genius among them figured out mentally that In ten years, at their present gait, everyone of them would be out not far from $10.000, the compoundlng of interest being made factor in the case A resolution was unanimously registered to stop it, and another quart was opend Then they started out, and their old waiter wore his usual polite grin as he slipped three