The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-14

New York. Dec. 13.--With almost a fortnight for Christmas buying stIlI ahead, the public hero Is today flooding the shopping districts in crowds that of late years have rarely appeared about the stores till a few days before the holiday. That Gotham Is glad and means to celebrate her joy in unusual ly lavish purchases of presents Is clear ly indicated by every condition throughouts the great gift market places today. Salesmen, shop girls. cash boys and floor walkers have been doubled trlpled and quadrupled In number in the emergency forces that now man the breastworks of the heap ing connters which the shoppers are storming in constant crowds. Every available thtng on wheels has been im- pressed into the delivery service of the merchants. and men and horses are al- ready dolng duty distributing their Chrlstmaa gift hordes from end to end of the island.7 It is many years since New York city has thrown itself into the spirit of holiday generosity with as much feFvor. and the memory of last years hittes pinch in presents Is add ing relish tc- this merriest of Christ, mas outpursts.
 SkSMard spurt.
 That the sky line Of Manhattan Is- land win be raised aud reinforced by mighty crop of skyscrapers during the coming six months is assured to- day. With the favorable consideration by the aldermen of the Municipal Art Society'S Recommendation against re- strtctlng the height of these office le- viathans and with the rising boom in | building operations fresh energy is now being devoted to throwing up ad- ditional tiers in New York's already imposing bulwarks of skyward strue- ture Therar auth critics are impress ing the administration here with the idea that light, air and freedom from congestion can alone be secured by building from eacn ground foot far in to the heavens. For the speedy ac- eOmpIlshment of these lofty feats an army of engineers, contractors and steel workers already stand prepared. The only dissenter to the scheme of making Manhattan almost as tall as 1t Is wide is Ed. Croker, the fire chief who loudly protests against fighting damea by aeroplane. With each square Inch Of the island worth more than its weight In gold, however. 1t seems scer- tain that no force can now stop this glLV mushroom BEOWtA4s
 Seahaeu Suited.
 Rejoicing in shore surroundings that rival those of guests in the swellest hotel or club In town several hundred sailors are today comfortably installed in the new Seamen's Institute in the heart of Gotham's shipping district. For weeks the public here has watch ed these old seadogs flock ashore and be- gin to settle Into these luxurious quar- ters which have just been opened by the American Seamen's Friend Society. Whether Jack ashore could or would be able to appreciate and adorn such accomm odations as every other travel CT can obtain has been an interesting question to people here. All doubts of the sailors right to be harbored like other men have vanished today, how ever, when inspection of the modern skyscraper is made. Without excep- ton the men. from stokers and stew ards up to captains. have left their quarters without a sign of disorder or dirt, and many a regular hotel proprie- tor may envy the superintendent who has hundreds of these model seafarlng guests each night. No one doubts to- day that Jack-ashore may be housed with all the comfort and responsibility that has formerly been denied him.
 Putnam's Passing.
 Directly opposite the Madison Square Garden, whose doom Is still in doubt. the famous old Putnam House is to- day being marked for slaughter by A wreeklng crew. Long before the more modern garden" across the way was even planned this historic hostelfy was place of prime resort for the men of politics and public life of generation