New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
GOSSIP OF THE BOROUGH.
Happy Family Dine in Station
Ticket Office TAINTED a Bath.

One of the women ticket agents, who has
surface station on the Brighton Beach division
of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, is a
widow with two children She is obliged TO be
at her post all day. but has devised plan
whereby she not only has her children with her
q part of the time but also is able to have a
warm dinner with them every day She has a
little set of dishes in the station, and the chill
dren bring the materials for the dinner each
day A fire is built in the little stove. and in
q short time the widow and her little ones are
sitting down to an attractive. if not elaborate,
meal They seem to be exceedingly happy to-
rether, and the patrons of the station have
taken great interest in the happy family Far
from neglecting her duties in preparing her meal
and visiting with the children. the agent is one
of the most attentive and courteous on the line.
AS q rule, the agents the elevated lines take
thar luncheons with them, but in some cases
the lunch pals are sent down the line" from
their homes about meal time and are cared for
and delivered by the guard on the trains.
Persistent efforts on the part of leading resi-
dents Of E1atbush to get Park Commissioner
Kennedy TO recede from his decision not to allow
the Interborough Company to destroy some two
hundred. large handsome shade trees in order
that storage yard may be built along Ocean
ave-, In connection with the proposed subway
70 that section Of the borough, show how little
sentiment there is in favor of the preservation
Of trees. The railroad company declares it can
not lease the proposed subway unless the storage
yard can be placed just at the point indicated.
Park Commissioner Kennedy, with commendable
hrmness, refuses to assent to the plan for the
storage yard, which would necessitate the
strtIcfion of two long rows of big trees Instead
of trying to force the Interborough Company to
modify its plans and build the storage yard in
another place. which is entirely practical accord
ing TO engineers, residents of Flatbush. who
see nothing beyond the fact that perhaps they
may not get their subway right away, are at
tempting TO coerce Commissioner Kennedy
They tried to persuade him that 400 large trees.
which took. perhaps, quarter Of a century to
develop. didn't amount to much anyway
pared with q possible delay in the completion Of
their subway.
John whaIley. the arboriculturist Of the Park
Department, whose duty it is to care for all
trees in public places, says he gets greatly dis
couraged the little interest taken by the
average person in the preservation and develop
ment Of trees The asphalt pavement, which is
extending all over the borough, the ulti-
mate death Of the trees 10 which it is adjacent
unless a strip of open ground some four feet
wide is left between the curb and the walk
This is rarely done. An association to develop
sentiment in favor Of trees should be organ
lied.
Speaking of public interior baths in
uectfon with the completion Of the in Duff
Aeld-st. near Concord-st.. one Of the attendants
tells a story to show that their life is not one
entirely untrammelled by care. They have TO
deal with the vagaries and ignorance. and even
viciousness. of various sorts of people. 1t seems
that not long ago man applied for a tub bath
al the Montrose-ave. baths. Soon after he had
gone into the bathroom the attendant discovered
water streaming under the door When the at
tendant got in he saw the stranger standing in
the middle Of the with the water running
from both faucets and pouring over the sides OF
the tub. The bather explained that he thought
the entire room was FOR bathing, and he was
waiting for the water to get deep enough on the
floor so he could swim
Another day a man came in and asked
for q bath thinking that il was something
that he could take away with him. Cues
lions brought out the fact that friend had told
him he could get free baths down the street
Not having much of a grasp the English Ian
guage he didn't understand just what BATH
was But he comprehended the meaning or
free" and decided it was another example Of
the unparalleled generosity of this country. OF
which he had heard much in the old cOuntry.
When the nature Of a bath" was explained 10
him he decided he would take one anyway. and
has been regular attendant ever since.