Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-12
ROUND ABOUT VIEW YORK.
Ripples on the Current of Life In the
MetrouoIfs

efforts OF Wall street was pulled of within
ten days by Belmont. Ryan and other
magnates OF the traction interests OF
Greater New York. The surface. elevated
and underground street railways were con-
solidated and capitalized at $226 10000
Prior to the consolidation the companies
in the merger were capitalized at s117Ooo.-
900. Thus by grouping the various trans
portation systems i'm a holding company.
lin the interest of economy" the promoters
inflated the value of the property S1OS Co.,.
COO, most OF which fattens the already fat
purses of Belmont. Ryan & Co. As against
the average capitalization of the steam
railways of tho United States of $4,000 a
mile, the merger of New York City's
transportation capitalizes It at 100000 a
mile. And yet the merged companies did
not pay for the construction of the subway
and cars and power house are not compar-
able in cost with the equipment OF a steam
railway.
The announcement is made on expert au-
thority that the new 100000 criminal
court building on Center street is crum-
bling and is we'll on its way to ruin.
1t is further declared that parts of It
are kept in place only by being buttressed
here and there by strong beams Of oak.
1t was built on filled-in ground. which
was formerly occupied by the collect pond.
and the foundations are sinking and the
condition OF the structure daily becoming
worse and worse The sinking of the
foundation has put the walls out OF plumb.
The fioorings have cracked, interior arches
are incapable of the work for which they
were intended and one sees on every floor
assures in the blocks forming the gal
leries
1t Is a matter of a little time, II is con-
coded by those having to do with the
building, by the mechanics and others who
are constantly tinkering and patching. un-
til the stairway and galleries will have
TO be torn down and rebuilt, If there is
not such a sinking of the foundations as
will necessitate the demolition of the en-
tire structure to prevent its collapse.
"Old Charlie" Miller, the richest waiter
in the country, who has served patrons
at the Astor house for thirty years, retired
to live from his income which he will de-
rive from $4,000 most of it saved from
tips and judiciously invested. Miller was
one of those men, rare In his class, who
held close to his money. There are dozens
of walters in the Waldorf. Holland, etc.
who make $500 a month, but only a few OF
them have the knack of saving their
money. Miller worked for $50 a month. He
has been putting in ten hours a day ever
since 1876. With his tips he has bought
the Brooklyn flats and is sending a
nephew to college. There are two other
rich walters in the Astor house rotunda-
Henry Briggs, at the oyster counter. and
Mowen, at the roast beef counter. Briggs
is said to be worth $4,000.
The usual group Of politicians and trans
lent guests, swelled by sudden rush Of
between the-act "thirsts'' from the thea
tiers. were ranged along the bar of the Fifth
Avenue hotel. Before them stood a long
row of "balls'-high and low.
A short man in fur-lined coat wandered
up to the brass rail. He crowded close to
the man his left if to make room
for another on his right.
Suddenly in the vacant place reared a
massive Great Dane dog, towering full
foot above his masters head. The dog
rested his front feet against the rail and
looked nonchalantly up and down the bar.
"A little rye for mine" said the man.
Wrought" said the Great Dane.
Shake hands with the barkeep, Dan"
suggested the man. Maybe he can spare
you a drop"
A black paw was promptly stretched half
way across the bar. 1t was grssped in all
cordiality from the other side.
We've don't serve dogs in glasses!"
exclaimed the astonished bartender
Never mind; Dan isn't proud. He'll take
a drop or so right off the mahogany" re-
piled the man in fur. Then to the dog,
"Lookin' at you!'
red tongue licked up the stray drops.
"Ah-h!' said the man, THAT helped"
''Wough. Wough" the dog assented.
The crowd: well, wouldn't that freeze
you?"
The County Medical society is doing eX-
cellent work in bounding down the assorted
charlatans who are carrying on the trades
of murder and theft in the name of the
medical profession Following the ex-
posture Of the Force of Liners" who
claimed to raise the dead, the attention of
the public has been called to the absurd
ity of the claims of a man that magic
boots" which he has been selling for from
$500 to $3.50 a pair, would cure various dis
eases. 1t is astonishing that so many per-
sons (some of them prominently have given
up large sums of money for a thing that
had ''humbug' written all over it.
There is gloom in Bellevue hospital for
little Smoke, the water spaniel that has
done duty at the gate for the last four
years. was crushed under the wheels Of an
ambulance while saving a child from being
run over and was so badly injured that
the doctors had to chloroform him to end
his sufferngs.
An ambulance driven by Jack Russell
came speeding through Twenty-sixth street
with a dying patient. Smoke heard the
changing OF the bell when the ambulance
was as far away as Second avenue. and, as
has been his custom since he became the
unofficial gatekeeper, he darted out of the
gate house to meet the ambulance and
warn Frank Nugent, the gatekeeper. to
swing open the gates. Russell was flashing
the horse, which was galloping at top
speed, while DR.. Hunt hung onto the rear
seat as the ambulance swayed to and fro.
Just as the ambulance crossed First ave-
nue. little girl came out through the gate
and walked right into the center OF the
street Russell saw the child and pulled
with might and main on the lines TO check
the horse, but IL was going at such rate
that it was impossible for him TO draw up.
When the ambulance was within fifteen
feet of the child Smoke darted into the
street and made lunge for the girl. The