The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-02

the NlcuW NeQefIan0S, knew n0tnlnZ III
Anthony Van der Donck's pride and OF
Grizzlies candle dipping. 1T has been
a custom for a time to which the
memory of man runneth not back TO
the contrary"
Would it not be well for you. SIR.
Blake" said his honor, whose old
head is still upon young shoulders, to
consult with Mr.. Haswel! and from the
height given by his so years endeayo-
TO gee into the past?"
The younger man assented. Report
to me-" said Mayor Gilroy. ION The
morning of the It'll"
At the time appointed Mr.. Blake aD-
peared in the mayors private Office.
but his report was indeed a meager
one. Even the octogenarian knew
naught except that the mayors lamps
had burned long before the introduce
ton Of gas. There was, therefore. lit
tie history Of and absolutely no author
ity for the custom.
The mayor reflected for the space
of five minutes. when he said: What
does a great city like this do when a
well established custom is found
short on history and lacks in authority.
She makes history by legalizing cis-
tor. You will see II it that a resolu-
ton is drawn up and presented at the
next meeting of the board Of aldermen
Of this city, which shall make legal
the erection and burning Of these
lamps so long as Manhattan shall con-
tinue to be inhabited by man"
The following ordinance was accord
ingly drawn up and passed without
opposition by the board of aldermen of
the city of New York:
Resolved, That the commissioner
Of public works be and he Is hereby
authorized and directed to erect W.
lampposts and have lamps placed
thereon and lighted in front of the res
idence Of the mayor of the city Of
New York, and also in front Of the res
licences of all ex-mayors of the said
city. Adopted by the board of alder
men, May 16, 1898. Approved by the
mayor, May 25, 1888"
In passing this ordinance the board
OF aldermen concerned itself not with
the past. Let the past alone with their
unauthorized illuminations. We TO-
have solid ground upon which to erect
the lamps of our officials.
The f1eeting nature of life and the
migratory character of all New York
ers have made this entitled privilege
only a slight drain upon the finances
of the city. Instead of "a lamps which
would now be burning, were the AZ
mayors of the city still represented in
their former homes, there are tonight
only Is, including those of Mayor Nc
Clellan.
The oldest are the plain gas lamps
over the house of the late Daniel Tie
man They were erected in the year
1854 and are not decorated with the Of
fetal eagle. From this it would appear
that the incubator from which a pair
of these fowl is usually taken when a
new mayor is elected was not establish
ed until some time between 1854 and
1875. At this time the lamps of Mayor
Wickham were installed, and upon
them are to be seen these little yellow
fowls placed dos a dos, as though ig-
noring each others existence.
Not long ago one of these old gas
lamps took a crick in it's back, which
gave it the appearance of n%oddingly
drunkenly to it's fellow across the way.
The little dimly gilded eagles on top
seemed about to slide off, and both
lamps gave to Greater New York the
character of a very poor housekeeper.
Suddenly the crooked post disappeared.
For a whole week only one vague
CLEAN fell upon such of the late may
or's family as went up and down the
front steps of the house in Lexington
avenue. Then once again the duality
Of h custom vas re-established. The
two small birds, with their wings out
stretched, turn their backs upon each
other. The dizzy lamppost stands up
straight and the old-fashioned lamps
have taken a new lease of life. The
two small gas jets Guido, no doubt, the
oil lamps which they superseded by
about as much as they are outdone by
the electric lamps now furnished to the
mayors.
For some reason unknown to the
mayor himself the city's incubator
failed to furnish the usual pair of per-
oxided fowls for his lamps. Though
these lamps are modern, good in de-
sign and burning electricity, they lack
the symbol of authority. Doubtless
Mayor Low had other things to inquire
into but he should have upheld tradi-
ton and insisted upon his full rights.
The official lamps should not have been
accepted without the gilded eagles.
Uniformity might have been expect
ed in the lamps as we'll as in the birds,
but to each mayor would seem to be
granted the widest latitude in design.
Mayor Grace's are of iron and SIM
pie in design Mayor Edson's resemble
the handsome astral lamps which
use to ornament the drawing room Ia
bles of our grand mothers. A wood
en- nightcap, or extinguisher, covers
each of Mayor Grants AT DreSent leay-
ing all to the imagination.
Two tall gas lamps burn at the door
of the late Mayor Hewitt, but, as no
record can be found that the city had
anything to do with their erection or
maintenance, it is probable that that
uncompromising official, while ac-
cepting the honor. preferred to erect
and maintain his own lamps.
Being only three doors apart the gas
lamps of the late Mayor Cooper and