The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-16
GOSSIP FROM NEW YORK August Belmont Estimated to be Worth S8oOooO0o.
 How He is Like and Unlike His Distinguished Father.
BY JOHN MARTHoL.

"deestriets." There is, however, one thnig they do want and they have said so in a long resolution. That is spi- dors, each man a cuspdor to hir elf, chained to his desk, so that his nel Dor cannot walk off with it, at the Of the session. Splitting in the stree s5 Is prohibited by law, but it is all right in the hall"
 There is an immense amount of cant and humbug back of all the pretentious demonstrations, speaking, preaching and writing in the cause of pure" govern ment in this city. Not one In one thou sand adult male citizens of the richer and higher classes wants rigid enforce ment of the law It is not their interest to have it, for the all-controlling reason that it would hurt business. The great merchant who, after a big dinner, sits solemnly on the platform If Il crowd, q public hall until nine pr ten c'cleck at night. applauding reform and prdfessian- al reformers when h. gets down to It's office next morning will hand over to the policeman on the b. )ck a regular weekly bribe for allowing Eim 10 Ubstruct the sidewalk with small mountains of mer- chandise. Rigid emf f1reemont of the law would cut off an immense slice of the profits of valuable saloons, all owned by rich men, some of them by a great re- ligious corporation. That would mean lower rentals, less luxury in splendid city mansions and stately country homes
 
 There is a law against the carrying of concealed weapons in this city without a permit from the police, but like most other laws, no particular effort Is made to enforce it. As a result over eighteen thousand persons, 1t is estimated by those who pretend to know walk the streets of Manhattan with guns" in their pockets. This is about one-fourth the number of men in the regular army. But there are others. Nearly every Ital- ian earle a knife or a stilleto, while the colored brother has his razor. Po- lice Commissioner Greene promises a general disarmament but how he Is go- ing to accomplish 1t Is not very clear.
 
 Marshall Field of Chicago, has at last succeeded in becoming the owner of the entire Fifth avenue block between Thir- tieth and Thirty-first streets the only house in 1t not already his having just been sold to his agents. Twenty years ago and less, this property was in the fashionable residential quarter, the very centre of 1t. Now 1t is good for business purposes only, and an interesting ques- tion is the disposition to be made of 1t by MT. Field. Does he interd to give the metropolis another immense depart ment store? That Is thought probable. Report has it that the site is destined for great hotel which will surpass in magniicence everything nf the kind on the continent. The pgcrsrty represents an investment of thrae and one quarter millions.
 Among the old actors of a long gone day there is booked to return to us next season Tomasso Salvini-Tom Sullivan, as a faeetious Irishman re-christened him-who made his last appearance in America in 1888. Salvini made fortune on the stage, but it appears that he has not been able to keep 1t all. He is now about the same age as Joe Jefferson. Salvini and Edwin Booth were induced to appear together In this city in othello, the Italian as the Moor, and Booth as Iago Those who saw that performance can never forget it. Salvni Is stlli pupu- lar in Europe.
 Every book buyer is under obligations to R. II. Macy X Co. ihs great 4cpart- ment store firm of this city, for the gal lant fight 1t has made against the pub fishers trust in the interest of lower prices. The publishers sought to re- strain the firm from selling below the prices set by them which are mostly ex- orbitant, and the publishers have been beaten in the courts. The decision helps the author as well as the public. Little doubt Is entertained that the court of ap- peals will affirm it.
 The number of equipages in Central park and on the fashionable drives every afternoon is almost as large as during the regular town season. It Is a puzzle to many New Workers who know that the city is empty so far as rich society in ascending or descending grades is concerned, but the explanation Is easy. The great majority of those who ride in these elegant equipages are, for the most part poor relations or friends of the real owners who are away in the mountains or in Europe. They are sim ply helping to exercise the horses and keep them In sound condition. Of course they look like the real owners Why not? In New York the manners of most ladies' maids are indefinitely better than those of their mistresses, while as to good looks the mistresses are not in with them.