Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-02-17
AMERICAN METROPOLIS
INTERESTING LETTER FROM BEN BEAR
Mr.. Bear Writes of the New York of To-.
day, its WOndrOuS Growth, Theatres,
Underground Railway, Etc.
New York, Feb. 10.

Ed. Public Opinion:
l want to live up to my promise, al
though every moment of time while |
am in the city is fully occupied. 1t
seems the oftener | get here. the more
find to do. This city is growing to
such an enormous proportion, that it's
all | can do to keep posted, even
though l get here twice each year
Those who have watched things here
the past ten years can hardly believe
their own eyes. when they see build
ing after building, block after block,
being built and rebuilt. It's simply
wonderful to see rhe magnificent sky
scrapers being put up OH every SIDE
The building of handsome hotels, one
more beautiful than the other, all
strictly fire proof structures, to say
nothing of the elegant business houses.
aud grand mansions on Riverside
Drive. and upper Fifth Avenue, where
the two million dollar home of An
drew Carnegie is Just about COM
pleted. There is no apparent poverty
here. especially when it is almost
impossible TO procure seats for grand
opera to a special performance of
"Parsifal", where the prices for seats
are as follows: $1.00. $3.50, 81. so,
s5. 0C. $1,000; private boxes, $50. 90,
$50. 90, $4,000, SO. co. Comparing
these prices to ours at home it would
seem that our reserved seat tickets are
reasonable indeed. / have seen the
County Chairman" Geoge AIDES
quaint comedy, which has quite run
at Wallack's theatre. liked it, but
we have had dozens of performances
at our opera house Mt home which
pleased me much better. Every theatre
in the city is doing an enormous bust
ness, and unless you are on hand ear
ly for your seats you will have to buy
your tickets from spectators ut All
advance of 80 cents to 81 90. After
theatre, it's simply impossible to get
waited upon at any of the prominent
restaurants, such a. Delmonico's,
Sherry's, Rector's, Shanley's and
others, which are located about tnr
theatrs district. have seen some
theatrical managers and we will have
some excellent bookings for next
season. It's no harm to get in touch
with these people as find it does US
great deal Of good.
One would naturally suppose the
enormous loss to fire insurance COM
psnies at the Baltimore Are would
put good many out of business, bu,
the payment of these losses don't seem
to effect them in the least, and their
stocks have sold and are held just as
high now as before the fire. It's a
fins thing for the country that our in
surance companies are built upon a
solid money foundation. II get a
days time before l 60 home, / want
to go to Baltimore and see the ruins
The serious sickness of Senator
Hanna is talked about in hotel lob
bies, and everywhere he is spoken
of in the highest terms by everybody,
and all whom l have heard speak of
him wish that he might recover, as
the country needs just such men of
his character.
The great underground railway svs-
tenn, which connects the down town
districts with upper Harlem will soon
be completed and it goes without say
ing it will be the grandest work and
the completion of an enterprise..which
will bring untold comfort and benefit
to the entire city's population. Every
body is looking forward to the day
when the first train will be run and
it certainly will be gala day" for
New York.
| have done a good deal of work
since came here and have lots to do
yet. find this is Americas head
quarters, and one can learn more
here in one day than in otherscities in
week, or a month for that matter.
1 hope I haven't tired you out. but
l simply wanted to remind you and
your readers that I ain among the liv-
ing and that my thoughts are of De-
corah and its new hotel enterprise.
Yours truly.