Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-02-24
AMERICAN METROPOLIS
ClrY'S WONDERFUL DE-
VELOPMENT.
Interesting Description of Method of
Removing Heavy Snow Falls,
Prosperity Along Theatrical
Lines, and Rapid Growth
of City.
New York, Feb. 20, 1909.

New York, Feb. 20, 1909.
My Dear Editor:
1t has been my custom for some
years past to render few comments
on the new situations and develop
ments, as they seem to me, in this
great and really wonderful city.
The important situations since 1
arrived here have centered them
selves chiefly about the new city
regulations, putting out of existence
as much of the old time graft" as
possible. Just to show how they
INDUCED in the graft method, let
me relate the late system in the
matter of clearing the snow falls in
this city. In conversation with
personal friends l gathered the fol-
lowing information of past and
present conditions: 1t seems that
the city gives to various contractors
certain contracts for clearing away
snow, by paying them for each cart
load delivered to specified place.
For each such cart load, the con-
tractor received so-called "snow
ticket" and after the work is done,
these tickets have a cash redeema-
BILE value. On receiving the amount
from the city the same is distributed
among the laborers employed to
clear the snow away. This method
has cost the city for the last two
snow falls the sum of fifty-eight
thousand, seven hundred dollars
Cs5S.700) per inch for the total
area of New York City; in other
words the snow storm of January
18th and 14th of this year cost the
municipality $275,0OO. Perhaps
this is hard to believe, as our seri-
Gus storms at home cost the city of
Decorah practically nothing, but the
fact remains that the above figures
are correct and an actual expendit-
ure by the city However, when
looked at from city political stand
point, it is just one of the means of
distributing money to the poverty
stricken class.
But this way of appropriating
money has not been effective as in
tended, for the reason that the con-
tractors have cashed in the snow
:. ,-- s.,n. 70 nav tho ca ma t---
the employees. This matter has of
late been looked into, and thor
ough investigation made by COM
missioner Edwards, and as a conse-
quence the laborers who are deserv-
ing of the meagre sums they earnest
ly worked for are in the future to re-
ceive the sums justly due them, as
the city itself will control the pay
ing. l simply mention this as it has
been of great interest to the gen.
eral public, and / myself couldn't
help taking interest, and l think
perhaps 1t will be of some little in
terest to your readers.
New York City has also started
another movement toward the bet
terment of moral conditions, which
to a nonresident seems quite Pc
culiar, in that most everyone has
an idea that New York is growing
worse instead of better. This fact
is shown by the change that is TAX
ing place in theatres and especially
vaudeville. i have observed this, as
it is somewhat in my line, as you
know. To some little extent, with
Manager Weiser, / attended to some
of the bookings for our theatre at
home and | have come in contact
with some of the theatrical man
ayers during my stay here.
Formerly. there were no Sunday
regulations, and the people INDUCED
more in going to vaudeville Sunday
nights than to church. To remedy
this evil the city has adopted regu-
lations whereby all performers must
appear in street dress, and deliver
acts of only educational or benefic--
lal nature. By these laws all the
lowering elements have been shut
out. and great deal of good ac-
complished. These laws are strong
ly enforced. and if inspectors find
the acts are in the least out of the
way the performance is stopped at
once. This is indeed quite a change,
from former days, and it shows,
even in a big city like this, with all
its temptations, conditions are ad--
Vancing to much higher ideal.
Speaking of theatrical business.
reminds me that things theatrical"
are prosperous here, as all per-
formances are patronized to capac-
ity and at many theatres 1t is an
lmposS1bility to procure seats for
less than month in advance. This
is fact at the Empire Theatre.
where Maud Adams appears in
What Every Woman Knows" and
had 1t not been for my acquaintance
with the theatrical profession,
could not have procured seats for
the performance, which l enjoyed
Immensely. In fact, all theatres are
packed to the doors, and it evil
dences prosperity.
This city certainly has eyery an
pearance OF good times and plenty
OF money, as it seems they do moth
Ing else here but spend money. It's
wonderful. and to get an idea of
what is going on here one must
come and see it. Buildings are
going up in great numbers, and Is
story structures are being replaced
by 80 to 40 story sky scrapers. Just
within the last few days. four
western men (St. Louis people) have
purchased site on Nassau and Pine
streets (down town district) to
erect a "a story Office building. a
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