The Jersey City news., 1906-08-06
Stay-at- Homes Obliged to
Swelter Under the Fierce
Rays of Old Sol and in
Tenements.
GREAT ARMY FLEEs THE TOWN
TRAFFIC INCREASED BY MANY
THOUSANDS SINCE NEW EX-
CISE LAW WENT. INTO EFFECT
MONEY FLOWING OUT OF
THE TOWN.

Yesterday was thus far the hottest one
of the summer, and those who We're
obliged to remain in town sweltered Old
Sol beat down fierce rays and it was
lucky that it happened on Sunday when
few were obliged. to work in the streets.
The unfortunate occupants of tenements
suffered severely, but only one case of
heat prostration was reported. The at
mosphere was laden with humidity that
thinness. 1t seemed that nearly half the
city's population sought the seaShore and
mountain resorts TO get whatever breeze
there was going. After the early morn
ing army departed, the town appeared
almost deserted until the evening hours.
when thousands of women and children
from the tenements sought the various
local parks and any other old place
where they could get a whiff of fresh
air. After the stone stoops had cooled
off they were regarded as grand-stand
seats, and as the army of pleasure seek
ers who went out of town in the morn
ing came trooping back the contrast to
the deserted appearance of the city at
noon was indeed great. 1t is probable
that at no time in the past history of the
city has the vicinity of the Pennsylvania
ferries been one of such great activity as
it presented last night During the day
the army gradually embarked. But at
night comes the rush for home. This
crowd is made up principally of fathers
and mothers with tired children in their
arms What is said of the Pennsylvania
ferries in this respect applies III big
measure TO the other ferries, and the pro-
portion is almost equal. Not until long
after midnight do the ferry cease
bringing back the crowds who have spent
their Sundays out of town, and every one
of them is crowded to the limit. The
trolley companies are also doing a land
Office business. Their equipment is tax
ed to the limit. The ferryboats are stin
running on the usual schedule time of
fifteen minutes headway. There is some
grumbling at this.
Since the Sunday closing clause of the
excise law has been rigidly enforced by
the police, the usual Sunday ferry traffic
has been increased by from 5000 to
6,000 passengers on the four ferries of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, 1t is be-
lieved that this amount was increased oy
over thousand yesterday. 1t is gener-
ally conceded that the new excise law is
driving out at least $4,000 from Jersey
City and vicinity every Sunday that
should be left and circulated In the city.
Most of this is gobbled up by the few ia
yored West street hotel saloons in the
vicinity of the various ferries Much of
this money was the property of stay-at-
home wage earners, who, though able to
supply themselves with liquid refresh
ments through Saturday night purchases,
resent any effort to infringe on their per
sonal rights in the matter.
Very few excise arrests were made in
this city. Most of the saloonkeepers
obeyed the orders of the police, though
there We're not few insiders who
knew where to getsall they wanted. The
Hoboken and North Hudson lids were
pretty well raised