Milford chronicle., 1910-12-09
LIFE IN NEW YORK
How It May Run In a Deep Rut
In the Matter of Locality.
LAMENT OF A MAN WHO MOVED
The Homesiekness That Came With
Working Uptown After Twenty
Years Of Routine Travel to and From
and In the Downtown District

N'N ~ bVe DOWNTOWN District
---
Ihere are thousands ana thousands
OF men in New York city whose busi.
ness has been confined to one district
Tor twenty years or more. whose daily
routine seldom fucuates, who are
punctual In travelling by a certain
train every day in the week. who reach
their offices. barring tie-ups, at a regu-
lar hour and take up their daily grind
ana hold to it until the hour Of closing
Many or these men uncOnsciously get
70 know and make friends Of people
whose names they never learn. They
become attached to localities I'm a
strange sort Of way and do not realize
how strong is the attachment. Here
Is the story Of one of them into whose
life there has come a change through
moving that startles and surprises
MIN and throws quaint light upon ]
some Of the city's people.
IN the twenty years that I was ,
downtown" the man said in telling his =
experience, Il was in the habit. wealth
er permitting, Of taking wall, after I
the luncheon hour every day in some ?
street between City Hall and the Bat g
terry. l have footed every bit of I'M 81
puilt ground in that territory. What C,
marvellous changes have come In those d.
twenty years! How many signs on 81
buildings have changed in that time, -,
10" many houses have been pulled -.
town. How many new ones have gone
lp' some Of them towering sllvward %
0 take the plaD eS of the landmarks? nc
Il got 10 know the lower end of Be
own so we'll I could shut my eyes and
lake mental picture Of many Of the ca,
locks and see the names on the build eff
igs. If | wanted any article. from Tn
ioelaces TO anything elaborate. knew Of
Iactly where to get them. II some
lrticular dish were desired | knew ~
here It could be served and Just what POI
would cost cas-
a great city never stands still # keT
as restless as the great deep But to {
e man who becomes a part of II the
es not think until he gets away from new
part or it where he has done busi- case
IS what the changes are. When I san,
gan my strolls there We're no tun- o,,..
S under the two rivers. In the 49,.
'rs that have drifted away great G''''
dyes have been constructed be- uISe'
zen Manhattan and Long Island.
Toes not seem long since / used to -
r the restless puff Of the coal fed
motives Of the elevated system. %
so gradually did the Old order pass
{ ! do not distinctly recall when
present system was installed.
ne changes that took place i'm
ness firms were interesting. Many q
" times I have seen the name Of
man who established trade taken
n and that Of his son or sons take
place. So frequently were tbe
e people met in the same place
at the same hour that we nodded
We passed. although none of us
the name of the nodder.
OF long ago the business with II
n am connected made a jump
Nn. Never until took nv trans
Nh had ! any occasion 10 wall, i'm
N're'i whore our new building
= Ihe first day ! went out TO cha
con ! had to search for a res
nj. II seemed odd / saw peo-
never saw before. I read signs gair
# my fool habits-I never road cove
, Many Of the vehicles thar
were quite unlike those [ used
downtown. plus
nd to change NV bour ana n,,,. clos,
Hlihg TO business For awhile
watch the street signs 10 know.
10 get of. How I missed the
lr call of the guard of the car
always came down in the same
the makeup Of the elevated
lhe one always boarded at
ne hour.
'hat makes me think. | came Is fro
" by their faces most of tbe G
gers who boarded that train ot
-hoh. knew where most NJ
OF on. Now that | am IN NOW, lot OF
5 In new section / miss on III to
eoIie with whom Travelled for V
10 they miss me, I wonder? C,a,,.
the many whom I came 70
loWntown-how they will he II
ihere is the old street preacb- work
used TO stand on a soap box
an street or on the stone stems T.
lstom house and talk to people Caps.
ummer days and again in tbe -,
Y Detokened the coming Of an vi
Then there were the Lenten driving
zen | spent part of nv hour G.,
y or in old st. Paurs. I came
the regular attendants on Sol
rvices so that the strangers Xmas
conspicuous. There are no
eachers in the new district to 0oi
have gone. wonder wbv raising
lie district of the great civ Ho
eed spiritual direction as weII dren's z
wntown districts. w
lew town omono Us ,ae 'na' allow to
ew buildings. reading new Gen
lrlng new voices, but all in Leather
old New York And when
the old walks I have .tal,o,, Nuo