The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-09
SEEING new YORK'S EDGES
ABOUT MANHATFAN,s RIM ON
THE ANTIOUATED BELT LINE.

Client Drivers and Cars Pass Through
Newer New York-Crowded Life on
the East side-The West Side Piers.
No ~megaphone shouts out the Interest
ing sights along the route Of the old Belt
line. whose existence was recently threat
ened. The passengers are not on board
for the sake Of glaring at the edges Of
Gotham. around which they slowly circu-
late. There is no incentive to Joy riding
In these Anticipated street cars.
tn riders are not many, and they might
be suspected Of using the old cars merely
as a means to another end in t~ransporta-
ton. Usually they begin to get aboard
as the car nears a transfer station. At It
they bundle out. Then the almost de-
serted car starts again on it's way to ao-
cumulate more passengers for the next
point Of transfer to lines more in accordance
with modern ideas Of travel.
1t has been possible with paint and var
nish to rejuvenate the appearance Of the
cars. but the ancient drivers are still the
oldest specimens of their kind that New
York Possesses. In these days Of uni
formed motormen, the derby hats. outa-
way coats and other individual details of
the dress these veterans wear attract a
degree Of attention they would formerly
have escaped.
1t does not happen that only your driver
has a grizzly beard. You may tell this
by observing the groups in front of the
stables at Tenth venue and Ffty-fourth
street. All the drivers gathered there are
just as old as the g~raybeard who. by guild
ing the dilapidated animals drawing the
particular ark in which you are seated,
exhibits his efficiency in the almost lost
art Of driving a street car.
These old men provide all the antiquity
Of the earlier stages Of the journey for the
traveller who begins the ride at the upper
end Of the town. Tenth avenue has lost all
the characteristics of Manhattan's middle
g which 1t at one time possessed. with
the exception Of these cars.
Only when the monotony Of the ride Ii
interrupted by the appearance Of q weary
looking horse does the neighborhood begin
to show some Of the original houses that
were constructed there in the '40s. As this
auxiliary steed helps the two others to
drag the car up what is called Murray Hill
further to the east there is a view Of a
row Of low. broad. red brick houses. the
wooden shutters now destitute Of paint
and tightly closed. with the look Of hav-
ing maintained this secrecy for years. As
q matter Of fact the houses are used now
for manufacturing. and in the front rooms
with their closed windows goods are stored,
while IN the rear Of the houses there have
been built extensions which bear but little
relation to the plan Of the frat buildings
Passing them the car. which Ia able on
the dow grade to spurn the auxiliary
horse, seems to 60 on Its way gingerly
past the excavations for tho Pennsylvania
tunnel, although this apprehension may
exist only in the mind Of the passenger
who observes he decrepit machine Of
transit in which he sits and contrasts Is
with the mighty kind that is to be housed
in the cavern.
The monastery outlined on the Hoboken
hills against the sky, the broad spaces in
front OF the three blocks Of piers for the
English steamers always covered with
boxes or hogsheads laid out in geometrical
lines to await their transfer to the ships
and afording Fairgrounds that the children
OF the richest might envy, IN occasional
corner between a pier and the river wall
that forms too fine q swimming pool to be
r~esisted-these ate sights OF a downward
Of to-day to the traveller.
About the piers on which one reads the
names OF such Southern towns as Charleston
and Savannah there Is emphasis given to
authentic natives that hang around nj al,
times. Even on SUNDAYS, when West street
dvells in a ouiet,Ide dist,,rbed oniv NV the
.assemblaees at the niers os tha H,yds ~
River boats. there are alwavs 9ro,,ns ~
neqroes about the niers ann;a ~ them IN
the modest uniform 81 the lon oshorama IN
and others in dandised anpsreI that dnea
NOT in the least ;nterfera w;th thai n,rd;oII
in terco,Irse With thar fr;ends AVA o"i"i"i
Tbev are much mora decorat;va than !
INV ~ the other ranas aean a1ono a. ha
edge NJ the c;tv mniesa 4 r. the Craelrn
and Armanians c,,stered 81 tha utSeas
carve ~ the ronte ~. i,ttar s aun ent
a. nict,resona No the nem.s 1h ~
q I'M ear an The eatinr homes and the sr mmarn
The stol;d ionIin9 sh;n nes slooery
Rrit;sh origin fhat strnii fva ~ tmo VI
a;deuaft ounnsite Eth tho w Ey two along
the;r bo.ts maY %n s,,hsta~ saIe piaces OF
wnrtbv Int thev dc not IA 20 thu fintnuusss
W IN nn. 'iey oo ho' aoo 70 ue interest
VI r. ~ he trin down tho w.s,.rn s;d. =, -.
ronta iacks cnjor thers Il an i,me Oh me
disierenra when the ark has .o"ndaS the
Rattarr enJ tha northn.n nouhIeo ne
uara X. aeaforins man y Wy oegins.
nnrn.ra have the ,nm;st apahIn on une
M a;1or fron fnre;1n narts iooh Vi
LIZ Tban ara swartby apd d,s
o,nas roitr ,hin ao,d - sny eyeo ano
OCNzbclOihdly tIiti BOIu TtbkS CuJI In JQelT /