The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-31
News Bureau.)


New York, N. Y, Dec. 31.-The most
prosperous in its history is New York's
opinion of the holiday season that
has just closed. Never before have
the great hotels been SO cySwded;
never have the big department stores
known such rushes Of eager buyers,
and not since the times of ancient
Rome, If then, has there been such
lavish expenditure of money as the
premier city of the new world has ex-
perienced this Christmas-tide. The
general advance in the possession of
the good things of this world, so
widely shared, has brought here hordes
of persons, not only from all parts of
the United States, but from Mexico,
Cuba and South America as we'll, t.
leave portion of their gains in the
struggle of life here in this city, which
seems about to become serious rival
of Paris as a cosmopolitan pleasure
resort. So great was the demand for
articles suitable for gifts that at least
two large stores were practically sold
out several days before Christmas, and
this condition applied, rather oddly,
more in the departments where only
expensive goods were on sale than In
those where the prices were lower.
Something new seemed to he the uni
versal want, and II something new
were offered the price seemed to be a
matter of no moment. From gold plat
ed lamps with real stained glass shades
at $500 and $1,000 up to the last try
in the the products of the jewellers art
at figures so large that one would risk
his reputation for veracity merely to
mention them, there was no difficulty
to sell. One dealer in precious stones
who has comparatively small shop
in Fifth avenue made purchases in
Paris in the fall which he thought
would last until spring. Among the
things In his show cases were neck
laces of pearls, dog-coliars of diamonds
and other ornaments Of almost price,
less value, but buyers were not lack
ing. One large pear-shaped pearl pen
jant on a platinum chair went over
the counter for $4,000; dozen other
pearls perfect in size, color and contour
were taken by society leader to add
to her necklace, and she paid $125,000
for them; and ring of emeralds and
diamonds went to young millionaire
for a present to his actress friend,
and $4,000 changed hands for this
single bauble. To the man in the
cfr IN fh1 1x,I4 1>D
with his hands or his head, the great
wonder is where does all this money
come from, and with this question
comes another, perhaps more pertin-
ent, how will it continue to come. The
truth is that with the great influx
south especially, New York has ceased
to be self dependent. So long as the
mines give up their ores prodigally,
so long as the wheat and corn are
gathered in in abundance. and while
the cotton crop is profitable, so long
will this city thrive and luxuriate in
prosperity. But it is almost APPALLING
to speculate on what would happen
were the rest of the country to cease
its lavish outpourings. The enormous
hotels, the over fine restaurants, the
opera and the scores of tn aters all
have their Golfers overflowing now,
and it is to be hoped that there will
be no interruption of the happy cond;-
lions that prevail There is, however,
another side to this state affairs, and
that is from the viewpoint of the man
that lives here permanently. To use
slang, "he isn't in it," If he wishes
to hear the opera or to visit theater
he finds that the best seats are not Oh
sale at the box Office, but have been
sent to hotel stand, where they are
disposed of at advanced prices. To
get what he wants he must compete
with some ultra-rich out-of-town man
who, as he is here for lark, doesn't
care what he pays. To buy jewel,
to ride in cab, to sup at one of the