East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-10-27
NEW YORK LETTER

HLH IOUN LII
New York, Oct 27.-Of all the
means of transportation that the ex-
pansion of Greater New York has
caused to be improved. modernized.
and in many cases created, in none
has there been such a striking advance
as in the ferry systems The new
style of ferry boats has made a large
section of the old North river resem-
BILE a scene from Fairyland at night.
The larger number of the boats, all of
the new ones. indeed are double
decked, albeit the Pennsylvania rail-
road system is the only one so far
that receives and debarks its passen-
gers on the level of the upper decks,
but the others will do the same when
the tracks at the terminals are raised
in accordance with the plans of the
officials.
The boats are all lighted with cleo
tricity, some of them most brilliantly,
and so profuse and bright are some of
them that the boats appear to be a
blaze of brilliance. Just above the
Erie terminal on the New Jersey
shore there will sometimes be a dozen
of these illuminated floats crossing
and recrossing in a half-mle length
of the river. No show or special cele-
| bration presents so beautiful and
| charming a picture as do these boats
of burden pursuing their daily work.
The boats ar very speedy, the swift
est, the Scandinavia, making 20 miles
an hour
As to Telephone Competition.
A striking illustration of the effect
of competition upon the manners and
methods of large concerns when oppo-
sition appears on the field, or gives
notice that it is coming, is afforded by
the telephone company that has long
monopolized the field in this city. 1t
is shown, more especially, in the mat
ter of collecting its monthly bills.
Before the opposition, or inde-
pendent line was heard of, the bills
were sent out by mail on the first of
the month, each bill bearing the le-
gend that prompt payment was imper-
atively necessary. A few days later a
collector called, and pressingly asked
| for the money. If he was not paid at
once, a sharp dunninng letter was re-
ceived not later than three days later
If this did not bring response al
once a still sharper letter followed
| this one containing the information
| that if the money was not forthcom-
| ing in so many days the service would
be cut off. All this occurred before
the middle of the month.
This style of collecting has been
! bravely altered. The bills come leis.
urely along the first week of the
month, and are left by polite gentle
man. who never whispers WORD
about payment. If not paid at once
after quite an interval, a reminder
couched in the politest language, /,
mailed, asking a remittance for what
ever is overdue, and saying nothing
| about the advance payment.
jerome in the Llmellght.
The Individual in the present mu
! nicipal campaign who attracts tn,
most attention and awakens the mos
. sympathy, is William Travers Jerome
IN his tone, rafting dash for re-clec
uon as disirict attorney, simply on hi.
merits, unsupported by any political
organization, Condemning an pDuuca
organizations, indeed, and ready t
punish all offenders of either party
no matter what their political pul
| might be.
The latter part of the above sen
tence is what takes the fancy of tn,
people. The sincerity of the utterauc,
doesn't need to be proved. The,
know it Is true. Well, Jerome is Jc
rome, sui gencris, like unto nobody
else on the face Of the earth; and {
may DE possible that he may accom-
plish what no other man in the me
tropolis could do challenging, as h,
has done all the political Inachines il
the city.
Boys Who Haven't Had Chance.
The New York board of education il
paying attention to the under dog il
the battle of life. 1t has set apart
school especially for the education o
children who have never had fai
chance; children who have alway
been abused. Such as these alway
strangers to kindness, grow up will
the idea that the world is all agains
them and they slide away from pros
pective blows; they skulk from any
body who takes notice of them; the.
look upon society as their natural AM
eternal enemy; hence they become tn,
continual nemies OF society, expect
ing nothing at its hands. and contrib
uting nothing to its welfare.
SO when these boys-big, some o
them-and 13 or IA years old-go I,
school, they are kept with the smalle
children, as their intelects have be
come dulled, and they have indulge
in truancy because they were rldi
culed as little boys. The new schoo
will gather In those boys OF about tn,
same age and It Is thought will put al
end to the truant schools. The "unde
dog" school has the good wishes o
every lover OF his kind.