Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-08
ROUND ABOUT NEW YoRK.
RippIes on the Current OF Life In the
Metropolis.


RIppIes ON the Current of Life In the
Metropolis.
One Of the most Infamous swindles OF re-
cent history was brought to a close in
New York few days ago when the Anal
dividend Of Is cents on the dollar was
paid TO the 1900 victims OF the Franklin
syndicate. Three men-Miller. Ammon and
Schlessinger-originated and operated the
swindle. They offered profts of 10 per
cent week. or $40 per cent per annum TO
people who entrusted them with money.
Their bait was the claim OF inside in
formation about stock market deals which
would enable them to make the poor rich
and the rich poorer. But the game worked
in the old reliable way. 1t made the poor
poorer and enriched the rich, and gave
a bundle of the swag to the managers OF
the game. The record shows 3.1oo victims.
! Probably there were thousands OF others
who did not acknowledge being taken in.
Known claims aggregated 10000, though
1t is said the swindlers took in at least
$4,000. On the known claims two dvi-
dends have been declared. aggregating
rs cents on the dollar.
Miller served four years in Sing Sing.
Ammon is doing time there now. Schlcs-
singer ned to Europe and died
There was bad news from Albany for
New York millionaires who maintain fine
establishments in New York City and es-
cape the tax on personal property by de-
claring that they are nonresidents. The
state senate passed bill providing that
personal property shall be taxed, not where
the owner legally resides, but in the tax
district where the property is located. The
opt,nn lie aIa -. ~
claim that they do business outside the
state and so escape the personal property
tax. but who actually store their goods
in New York and I'LL orders there. This
property will be taxed II the bill is made
a Law.
The ferry boat service of New York
gives employment to upward Of 10000 men
on the boats and in the ferry houses. The
Pennsylvania alone has 800 and the Erie
and Jersey Central about 500 each. There
are more ferries on the East river than
there are on the North river, and they
carry a larger number of passengers But
with the exception of the Long Island
City they are not train ferries. They run
on the stage coach principle and can take
their own time. In the Hudson river
there are seven or eight ferries within a
distance OF two miles operating from DIFF
ferent points and crossing each others
routes at different angles This explains
why ferry boat pilot must be a man az
skill. nerve and quick action. As a matter
of figures, IL is interesting to know that
the Long Island ferries exceed the travel
over any ferry by 80 per cent. They aver
age 100000 passengers year. The Ho-
boken ferries come next, with 100000 The
Erie follows with about 5000, 600 which is
also the figure OF the Brooklyn Ferry COM
pany. The Staten Island ranks next. The
pennsylvania is somewhat down on the
list, with a total of 100000 The total
passengers on all the ferries is something
like 0o,Ooo,oOO each year. And the lives of
these the river pilot holds in the hollow
of his hand.
Old Boreas kicked UP his highest friskers
iast saturday This didn't prevent the
runoernecks from gathering in the vicinity
OF the Flatiron building to view the differ
ent styles in hosiery. Policeman O'F1a-
herty, who guards this crossing and whose
duty it is to keep the rubbernecks on the
move and at the same time to act as a
wind shield for the women saw a great rise
In silks Saturday afternoon and charged on
the crowd. Shame on yez. Git out OF
here!' he Numbered. Haven't We no re-
spect for the women? Look the other way
or by the powers I'll take away yer sight"
So he chased 'em all off the corner. and
then as the wind abated he got sight of the
heads. They belonged to the three Chinese
commissioners who are here to study things
American, and. like all high caste orientals,
they were dressed in gorgeous silks. That
. was the last that was seen or heard of
Mr.. OF1aherty for an hour.
The new PETERBOROUGH Metropolitan COM
pany, organized under the laws of New
York state to consolidate the subway and
surface lines of New York City, plans the
issue of $226. 100000 of bonds and preferred
and common stock-this to take the place
OF existing stocks aggregating Sill, 900 900.
Much OF the latter figure represents no cap
ital investment whatever. and considerably
more than sl25000,oo0 of the new issue will
be a capitalization merely of estimated
franchise values.
In the false bottom of a trunk brought
to this country by Isak Heitzler, a second
cabin passenger on the Red Star line
steamship Finland. the customs officials
found more than $4,000 worth of negotia-
BILE Austrian bonds and securities. As
Heitzler could not satisfactorily explain
how he came into possession OF the fortune
he will be held on Ellis island until an in
vestigaticn .s made.
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