The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-29
Stray Topics From Nev York

by the touch system, can as a rule
 write the letter on the machine much
 faster than the girf who has full use
 of her eyes. This Ia only one of the
 fields that the association has opened
 to the blind to mako them self-sup-
 porting. They have taught them to be
 switchboard operators, basket, broom.
 mattress. bead lace and hat-frame
 makers.
 When William K. Vanderbilt erected
 his mansion at the corner of Fifth Av-
 enue and Fifty-fourth Street, ne de-
 cided to engage French architect to
 design it. The plans were drawn and
 were highly satisfactory to the mill
 lionaire, but one stipulation entered
 into the bargain that made Mir. Van
 derbilt reject the plans. and seek the
 services of an American architect. The Frenchman would not sell his plans, even to New York's multi millionaire. unless statue of the architect was placed in the house. Mir. Vanderbilt would not agree to this. and the plans were sent back to the Parisian. An American artist was then sought out to do the work. but no one was found that offered as satisfactory plans as the exactirg and eccentric Frenchman. Consequently Mir. Vanderbilt was ob- liged to send for the Parisian, and agree to his demands The statue has been placed on the roof, and Is in . kneeiing position.
 Those who were esdetained at the in- migration station on Ellis Island over December 25. were given Christmas trees and celebration that made many of them believe they had actually reached the fairyland that they thought awaited them in America. There were number of Jewish people among the others, who seemed only too glad to get the small presents. although their brethren. who had been longer in the country. have been trying to have the Christmas exercises eliminated from the public schools as being too secta- rfan in character. Another curious l fact was that the Jews devoured some of the Christmas mince pie with a great deal of relish. despite the fact that 1t contained some Ingredients that wore not in accordance with their re- ligious diet. In justice to tisem. how | ever. t should be said that the mince pic was a new treat, and they did not know of what 1t was made. Ir According to the most reliable sta : | tistics, a wave of crime has been sweeping over the city that has brought down q heap of criticism on the police | department and has caused the Goth antics to give their windows and doors
 an extra try ct night to see If they are | sioner Bingham. indignantly, denied the | increase in the number of hurglaries,
 and declared that fully. 25 per cent of | the number reported to the police were | fakes, in order to collect the burglary | insurance. However. many of the in l. | surance companies are giving up as l Cast as possible. this branch of their | business, and it Is generally believed that the thefts are increasing as is l customary during period of financial | depression.
 | A bsdraggled carrier pigeon arrived Tn New York the other day on it's way | to Cooper Square. By the time Ii ! reached the Battery sea Wall, however | 1t was so exhausted that 1t dropped to | the ground near the Aquarium. where | it was picked up by passerby. At
 tached to. the brass ring .encircfing the I pigeoA's leg was a thin strip of wax
 paper. bearing the following inscrip- | tion;
 | "Introducing Beauty, record-break- | CT. Left Charleston, S. C.. bound for Cooper Square, N. Y. If am in trouble | give me a square meal and pass me l along."s
 l Beauty gota q square meal. and .tben | was tossed into the air for the Hast lap of It's 7O0-mile journey.