The sun., 1908-08-23
NEW YORK-COsM0P0LIs.

1
ton. In our town memories hke rats are
chased away by the ever rising food Of
progress. There is no room for ghosts In
New York Thus Union Square to-day is
lees interesting than that pretty ooign.
Stuyvesant Park. More vital ie Madison
Square, with It's prov Of q bizarre stone
snow plough. the Flatiron-Fulle Building
| cleaying Its way northward; with the Giralda
tower on the Madison Square Garden,
| Saint Gaudenss Diana OF the Cross Cur
rents, and the memory Of the oheery old
Fifth Avenue Hotel. Badly posed. never
,, theless the marble court house 10 still q
thing Of beauty. Tho loftiest building In
New York blots out section Of the eastern
slry; tho Metropolitan Life Building with its
tower. Another -Campanilel Beautiful 1t
10, not because Of its stature-the loftier
Paris Eiffel Tower ID an iron soarecrow-but
because OF its lines. watched II from my
uptown eyrie while It was being built; saw
It's long legs and ribs gradually soar into
space like one Of Wells's Martians on their
tripods. Down the vista OF Madison avenue,
it's side streets barring with sunlight the
tracks Of the electric cars. the Singer Build
ing LITE out Of the ruok and mass Of the
crowded skyline; the Flatiron strives jeal-
ously for fret placs in the race to the Times
Building; but the Metropolitan is the lord
Of middle New York and the tallest building
in the world-until surpassed.
To enjoy the delicate and massive draw
Ing Of the Times Building as etched against
O southern sky--now ardent, now fire
tipped, jewelled or swimming in the be-
witching breath Of q summers day-one
must study 1t from the north. A silhouette
In the evening-and often like childs
church Of chalk lighted at Christmas-it
fiushes rosy in the morning. and during the
afternoon the repercussion Of tho hot sun
waves browns 1t in an inoandesoent haze.
The fronds Of stone ranging below 1t sup
port this bell tower as II itiwere an integral
part Of them. 1t, too. aspires northward
where tho park blooms an emerald oblong.
On its pinnacle tho city below wears the
precise. mapped out look and oheokered
image 1t has from o balloon or pinned on
a land surveyors chart. What q New
York; Clubs that are palaces. hospitals
that are cities ,palatial theatres and churches
more romanesque than Romo or duelling
In terms Of Gothic with the ecclesiastical
masterpieces Of the Old World!
Why lnger on the Great White Way
or In the luxurious glass houses lining aud
lighting this slippery. glittering region;
region OF mediocre plays. indigestion, head
aches and the moral herrihgbone Of dry and
dusty to-morrowsl Rather let us wonder
why Washington Square has in part es-
capped the rage Of the iconoolssts. II looks.
on the north side like an early novel Of
Mr.. James. Some Of lower Fifth avenue
ia still natural. But woe! When you pass
north Of Fourteenth street, where are the
mansions OF .yesteryearf Tho pave over
which once passed the trim boots Of q van
ishing aristocracy now holds multitude
Of Yiddish workers from the ugly factories
along this part Of the avenue. men who
talk In O harsh speech and block prog
ress from - to o'clock every week day.
Occasionally Mark Twain. in White and
always smoking. goes by. not . phantom
but reality who makes US believe the past
was not nightmare. However, II Mr..
Howells can admire the new Rome and
take II In tranquil doses. why should We
selfshly resent the destruction Of our pleas
ant memories to make way for such alien
shapes3 Or despair because the Order Of
the Golden Fleece is rampant in our busi-
nees and political worldf Or grow excited
over the anatomy Of the new architecture?
Let US be thankful that the old stupid bour-
aenis hrownstone will soon he thing Of
the past; TINT the new business houses are
seeking note Of individuality In their con-
structlon. Nor need we be shocked re-
cause Of the anachronism OF q pawnshop
under basilica. This Ia the New World:
older orders arc changing. Why not arohi-
tecture-and manners, too. In the fierce st.
vitus dance after the dollarsp
Palaces again fll your eye on Fifth avenue
lad ~, thn ~ fha
Park. Jewellers who transact business in
the quarters Of Venetian doge; shopping
palaces; booksellers that handle an army
banks that look like Greek temples. hotels.
the waldorf-Astoria, Plaza. Gotham. Savoy.
Netherland or 81. Regis, that are on nod
ding acquaintance In midair with the Bel
mont. the Astor. the Singer or the Metro
politan buildings. Wander block west
ward and you will encounter tiny miracle
Of early Florenhne. the Herald Building,
challenge Of beauty to the big department
stores. Ugly but useful the elevated rail-
ways that 60 spidering up and down tho
city; while In its bowels We spin through
labyrinth. whether to The Bronx or Jersey
or Long Island or the upper West Side.
Another halt after admiring Saint Patrick's
Cathedral IL enforced before the Vanderbilt
mansion a vision Of an Old World chateau.
From Sixtieth street Already begins. the Ar.
oady Of multimillionaires and them that 20
about In sight seeing coaches. Pass tho
Metropolitan Museum. the obelisk. Mr.. Car
nsgie's comfortable house; 60 over to River
side Drive and from thefSoldiers and Sail
ors Monument look down the river and ask
yourself whore there ID lovelier or more
impressive sight. Or. looking northward.
nste that first jut Of the Palisades, like the
profile OF sullen monster with the river
broadening. hurrying. glistening. and the
wide ding Of the panorAgna-littls wonder
your vocabulary makes for Extravaganza
Sound. color. form. substance. In what
rainbow region 10 locked the secret Of their
verbal trsnsposition' We are not over
proud Of our Palisades. In Germany they
would rival the Rhine soenery-but hero,
In America. We haven't the time to visit
them or bestow moro than passing word
Of praise. The much mooked Hudson
River School Of landscape painters had
at 1eaat tha c,otrare of rood tastA