The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-12-27
TIE-UP
In Traffic In New York On
Account Of Snow
And Most Everyone Is Using
The Subway Now
Countless Loving Couples In
The Metropolis
viii Now PatrOnize The New
Gfetna Green
Other Topic Of Interest From
New York City

New York, Dec. 24-Although Tue
recent snowstorm did not amount to
much, 1t caused considerable trou-
BILE and delay in the enormous traf-
&c of the surface lines throughout
the city. Never are the subway lines
more thoroughly appreciated than aft
er a heavy snowfall, which always
has tendency more or less to de-
moralize the surface lines of trans
portation. Such tie-ups are the most
powerful argument in favor of under
ground traffic lines, which are prac-
tically uninfuenced by weather con-
ditions. In view of that fact the an
nouncement that there Is good pros
pect for the extension Of the Inter-
borough subway system by branch
line connecting Times Square with
the new Pennsylvania station has
caused universal satisfaction. 1t is
expected that the connecting line can
be completed in about eighteen
months.
1t Is not at all improbable that
countless loving couples in and around
New York will patronize the new
Gretna Green founded by an enter
prjsing Justice Of the Peace at the
village of Fairfield, Connecticut, has
the most lenient marriage laws
among the Eastern States and does
not exact any onerous conditions be-
yond the payment Of small fee for
q marriage license. A citizen of Fair
field, who combines the business Of a
druggist with the public office of JUS
tice Of the peace, has built bower Of
evergreens in his store, where he pro-
poses to officiate at weddings of
eloped couples. To make the cere-
monies more impressive he has in
stalled phonograph which will play
the bridal chorus from "Lohengrin"
during the wedding ceremony. He
has also announced that he will give
every bride pound of candy and ev-
cry couple married by him free ride
In his new automobile. If that offer
should not prove strong enough in
ducement, nothing will.
Country life in New Jersey is full
of surprises. The other day the wife
OF q farmer near Californ, N. j.,
stepped into her parlor and found to
her surprise the heads of team Of
horses stuck through the bay window,
eating the flowers and plants of her
little winter garden. The team had
run away and had come to stop
when it crashed through the bay win
dow Of the parlor.
Alderman Nicoll has taken the war
path against a form of graft which
costs the public thousands of dollars
every year. He has started a move
ment to compel the taxicab compan-
les to reduce their fares to more rea-
sonable figures. He has ascertained
that one can ride In a taxicab In Lon
don or Paris for fifteen to sixteen
cents mile while in New York the
rate is about fifty cents for halt
mile. The higher cost of labor in this
country has something to do with
the higher fares, but the principal rea
son, says Mr.. Nicoll, is the perfectly
legalized form of graft that has grown
up in recent years by reason of the
sale to private corporations of exclus
i've rights in the public streets. Mr.
Nicoll has ascertained that nearly ev
cry prominent hotel and restaurant ir
the city charges the taxicab compan
les from $4,000 to $4,000 per year fol
the exclusive right of occupying the
stands in front of their hostelries. The
taxicab companies, of course, indem
nifty themselves by making the public
pay for these exorbitant tributes lev
led by the hotel and restaurant men
Mr.. Nicoll has not yet indicated hoV
he proposes to stop this graft.
That the shares of some private cor
porations In this city are extremel.
valuable becomes evident from th
fact that two shares of Tiffany G Co
the famous concern In the silversmitl