The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-04-18

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arise from the very cause OF its size
and population, All large cities, nc
matter where and how they are To-
Gated, have some troubles, but New
York seems to have more than any
other city, The magnitude and mul'
tiplicity Of New Works troubles and
difficulties is primarily due to the pee.
Iuliar location OF the city aud the I'M
Iavoidable distribution OF the popula'
Ition over one peninsula and number
OF islands, Bridges and ferries, and
even tunnels are, in a way, good
enough means OF connecting bodies
Of land separated from each other BY
rivers or arms Of the sen, but all
these connections become as mere
trails for marching army when they
are expected to offer means for con.
veying millions Of men, women and
children from one part OF the city to
another within a space OF about two
! hours,
The traffic problem is undoubtedly
New York's greatest bugbear. For
fully half century New York has
| had TO contend with this problem and
although some relief was obtained
from time to time by the extension
and development Of the various means
OF iuterurban passenger-traf6c, the
difficulties continued to grow in pro-
portion to the increase OF the business
and the population Of the city.
The building OF additional subway
lines would undoubtedly give much
relief, but unfortunately a peculiar
combination Of conditions makes the
construction Of additional lines prac-
tically impossible. Under the law
suhways canno, be built by private
capital and the City is unable 10 build
subways because il has no money and
cannot even borrow enough, having
almost reached the limit OF its per-
missible indebtedness, Efforts are in
progress to so change the laws that
subways may be built by private cap
ital or that the city may disregard the
debt-limit law in borrowing money
for subway purposes.
Two interesting celebrations were
held here the other day. One was a
champagne dinner in honor Of wo-
man who had been servant in the
same family for fifty years, without
ever asking for day off or for an in
crease in pay; the other was ban
quet with liquid refreshments and
speechesin honor of the 2l3th birth
day of Lady Jennie" who is said to
be the oldest elephant in captivity in
this country, The authenticity of the
fifty years devotion OF the loyal SER
want is beyond dispute, but there is
some suspicion as to the exactness OF
the date OF LADY Jennie's birth.
The ice-trust has been busy all
winter in preparing for the coming
summer season and is now in a posi-
ton to raise the price of the useful
commodity it controls to any amount
ii may chose to exact The harvest
of natural ice has been reduced to a
minimum and, to add TO the paucity
of the ice supply most of the ice fac
tories were kept closed during the
winter. The result is an absolutely
inadequate supply of ice. which has
already given an excuse to the trust
of raising the ice prices 100 per cent,
Further raises will be made from time
to time, as the trust sees fit, A fine
prospect for the poor consumers.
A certain Justice Of the Peace in
Belleville, N. J., who makes a spec
ialty of performing marriages, is a
firm believer in the effectiveness Of
advertising. Finding business in his
particular line somewhat dull lately,
he decided to advertise, Among the
inducements held out by him in his
advertisements are a present to the
Bride, an air of solemnity at the cere-
mony, ushering the prospective bride
and bridegroom into his parlors to the
strains Of wedding march, his
daughter and granddaughter both be-
ing good musicians, and a large floral
bell under which the ceremony is per-
formed. That surely should be
enough to fetch them"
In this era Of political grating and
official corruption it is quite refresh
ing to read of some town where such
official crookedness is at low tide.
Judging from a story that made its
way into the papers the other day,
STANFORD, CON- must be such model
town. A member of the Common
Council, who had been elected on the
reform ticket was orrested for steal
ing milk nfront Of stores. How re-
freshing that sounds. Official grating
must indeed be an unknown offense
in that fortunate town, if members of
the Common Council have to resort
to stealing bottles of milk Just ina
gine a New York alderman doing
such a thing.
The Professional Chauffeurs club Of
America, which has its headquarters
in New York City, has gone on record |
as favoring any movement that will
put chaufeurs, arrested for violating |
the sneed ordinance nerrannntl.L nrt |