East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-01-15
NEW YORK LETTER


will go out of the subway-buildine
business, IL the recommendation
made in the annual report Of the
public service commission, to be sent
to the legislature on Monday, are
carried out. Private ownership OF
new underground tubes and the con-
struction of them by private capital
is regarded by the commissioners as
the only means by which the rapid
transit problem now confronting the
metropolis may be satisfactorily set
tied.
When the last subway was built,
the city sold construction bonds to
the Belmont interests and with the
money obtained built the tube, which
was then leased to the Belmont in
terests for operation. By this meth
cd. the operating company not only
obtains the profits from the opera
ton of the subway, but also gets in
terest on the money used in its con-
struction. This method Of "munici-
pal ownership" is very satisfactory
to the vested interests" but it is no
longer available. Under the consti-
tutional debt limit provision the city
cannot sell bonds at the present time
for any large amount.
The Lovers Line.
The "bread line" we have with us
always, but the lovers line is some
thing new in Gotham. It is to be
seen at city hall, where every day
scores of young couples gather in
line, awaiting their turn at the mar
riage license window. Under the new
law which became effective the first
of the year, all applications for con-
nubial bliss are required to appear
before the marriage license clerk
and bare their whole past lives be-
fore being given the magic piece of
paper which will enable a clergyman,
magistrate or alderman to marry
them.
Doubtless the law was intended as
an aid to morality, but In its appli-
cation 1t has been quite the reverse.
The present arrangements for the is
suing of marriage licenses make II
appear that the city officials consid-
er matrimony a huge joke. Many
couples are required to stand in line
for hours and to serve as the butt of
coarse jokes and vulgar filings from
the city hall hangers-on and loafers
before being given a chance at the |
license window.
Getting Rick Quick.
One of the most interesting dis |
coveries of scientific investigation is
embraced in the truism that suck
er is born every minute. 1t was this
biological fact that led C. R. Flag
ley Six avenue green grocer, to add
a side line to his business. out of
which he made small fortune. Now
the postah inspectors have "got next
to the game" however. and have is
sued a fraud order against Flagley,
who operated under the name of the
National Turf Information bureau.
Fagleys scheme was not original.
No plan for separating credulous
ones from their cash ever is. The
green grocer represented that he was
In a position to obtain inside infor-
walton on certain horse races, and
that he would send the information
absolutely free to anyone who would
agree to divide with him the profits
Of a wager.
This. on the face of it, looked fair
enough. and hundreds OF suckers all
over the country bit at the bait pre-
sented so alluringly by Fagley in his
advertisements.
But Fagley had a string to his phi
anthropic offer. He was bound to
win. although many of his clients
must lose. He furnished the names
Of different horses to different per-
sons, so that no matter which horse
won, a certain portion of his clients
we're bound to divide their winnings
with him. If 10 horses were entered ;
in race, and he had sent "informa-
ton" to 500 clients fifty of them
|
profits to their F'benefactor." 1t was
, ridiculously easy way of playing
he marks, and IL the postoffice in
'pectors had not interfered with the
game Fagley would doubtless have
become a millionaire in a short
ime.
Henceforth, all who write to the
institution known as
he National Turf Information bureau
will have their communications re-
urned marked fraudulent" BY
his sign they may know that a green
grocer named Fagley will hereafter
,e forced to depend upon the profits
rom the sale of green groceries for
/ living. And all because he used S
proper forethought and by the aid l
" his clients played all the horses
'ntered in a race to win, instead Of
packing only one or two.