Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-05

RippIes on the Current of Life I'm the
Metropolis.

Metropolis.
| New York has set out to discover some
thing more interesting to residents gen
orally than the north pole. This Is whether
the streets and the sidewalks belong to the
people or TO the stores and factories OF to
the contractors who are engaged in the
construction OF new buildings Mayor Nc
Clellan wants the information and some
remedies warranted to effect a cure. Ac-
cordingly he has appointd a special conf
mission OF prominent citizens to investi-
gate conditions and devise rules to be en-
forced by the city. especially on streets
where a great deal OF building is being
done. When they report he promises to
move vigorously for suppression Of existing
nuisances, so far as they can be sup
pressed There can be little building car
ried on in New York we're the contractors
absolutely forbidden to encroach on the
streets.
Plans we're filed last week for the new
terminal buildings now under construction
for the New York & New Jersey railroad
which is tunneling under the North river.
There win be two buildings in Church
street, from Cortlandt to Dey street, and
from Dey to Fulton street Each will be
twer ty-two stories above the surface.
There will be space for 1900 Offices, and
| when completed II is said the terminals
will constitute the largest office structures
in the world They will be examples OF
italian Renaissance. Possibly by July l.,
and positively before the end of next sum
mer, IL present prospects hold good, trains
will be running through the two tubes.
This will be the first connecting link be-
tween New York and the Jersey shore by
an under-river tunnel. The Pennsylvania
tunnel will furnish second. The McAdoo
tunnel has it's New Jersey terminal close
TO the Lackawanna depot I'm Hoboken.
Fifth avenue Is gradually losing Its glory.
1t is no longer possible to ignore the fact
that New Yorks proudest street has be-
come street of trade. Art galleries, an
tique dealers and Partisan costumers were
the first to invade It from the southern
end. Residents moved farther UP, but
hotels and great business houses left them
no peace. The skyscraper apartment house
hobnobs with the exclusive club and the
private houses of wealthy men, lordly
chateaux and marble villas must bear with
what grace they may the intrusion OF new
Corners.
The traflc on the street has increased
enormously since the automobile has be-
come the rival Of the horsed carriage, and
congestion Is common occurrence in spite
OF the endeavor to restrict the use Of the
roadway to pleasure vehicles and light
carts. To widen the forty-foot street 80
as to accommodate three parallel lines of
vehicles going in opposite directions the
city has decided It necessary to take six
rect from the side pavements. and to give
the necessary room for foot passengers Is
ABOUT to order property owners to remove
any structures jutting from the building
de 81,
ings constructed under old privileges
granted years ago by the aldermen are
to be compulsorily abolished under the de-
cision OF the supreme court just given that
such improvements have been illegally
made One splendid building of a trust
company has great columns and marble
steps which II may be compelled to de-
stroy as an encroachment upon the ave-
nue.. II the alterations are carried out as
intended. changes must be made in dozens
of private houses that must impair the
: architectural character Of the street. when
: Fifth avenues character is entirely
changed It is difficult TO see what other
street Of the city can take the place Of the
richest residential street in the world.
Frightened by the whistles OF tugboats,
a horse drawing hanson in which, was
Miss M. Thornton of the Hotel Gerard,
dashed down West street the driver help
less in his seat having lost the reins
After running more than half a dozen
blocks the horse was caught by Policeman
Gross OF the Charles street station. who
was dragged two blocks and stopped the
animal Just in time to prevent II from
crashing into a Christopher street car.
During her ride Miss Thornton was hys-
tericaL but when she found herself safe
she made inquiries as to the injuries of the
l policeman. He had not only received nu-
merous decorations, but his uniform was
torn, AS a reward for his bravery Miss
Thornton kissed hip twice.
THANK you for the reward" said Cross
blushingly.
Then Miss Thornton hastily called an.
other cab and was driven back to the pier
where she boarded the liner Caronia, none
the worse for her exciting experience
: There is renewal OF the police cam
: paign against fake" fortune tellers. and
several arrests have been made An ex
I, ample OF the influence these magic per
: sons WELD over weaker ones was described
recently by a policeman. He came across
. a poor woman who was reduced 70 poverty
: by following a fortune teller's advice
The woman lived at the top Of a five
story tenement She had five children, an,
:, while her husband was at work in a swea
" shop she took in work and helped to &C
, cumulate a tidy sum. One day she re
= ceived a fortune teller's card and un
= known 10 her husband visited the clair
: vOyant. The seeress questioned her abou
: her means and CLEANED enough informa
ton 70 convince her that her visitor hat
l. 500 and was easy"
= While in dream" the clairvoyant ad
vised the woman TO go 10 a certain hous
% In the neighborhood, where she would NEE
/ a man who would put her in the way o
10 increasing her fortune fvefold. The sub
w. ject invested in worthless stock and los
T. all.
A man who must have weighed NOR
=. than 300 pounds got on a Columbus avenu
IL surface car pretty well uptown the othe
day. Other passengers climbed aboard he
A. hind him. so that he had time to reach IN
Ia middle Of the car before Il started Whe
l. II did start. II was with a sudden Jerk q
d the kind that delights the soul of the Nev
Is York motorman. The fat man toppled Tx
as collapsing tower upon slender big