Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-12-21
life IN new YORK
How 1t May Gun In a deep Tut
In the Matter OF Locally.
LAMENT OF A MAN WHO MovED
The Inconsistencies That Came With
Working Uptown After Twenty
Years of Routine Travel to and From
and In the Downtovsr District.


Years of Routine Travel to and From,
and In the Downtown District.
There are thousands aud thousands
OF men in New York city whose bust
ness has been confined to ono district
for twenty years or more. whose daily
routine seldom fiuctuateS. who are
punctual in travelling by certain
train every day In the week. who reach
their Offices. barring tie-ups. at 4 resu-
lar hour and take up their daily grind
and hold 10 il until the hour Of closing.
Many OF these men unconsciously. get
TO know and make friends OF people
whose names they never learn. They
become attached TO localities in n
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
him and throws n quaint light upon
some Of the city's people.
I'm the twenty years that l was
downtown" the man said in telling his
experience, II was in the habit. wealth
er permitting, OF taking a walk after
the luncheon hour every day in some
street between City Hall aEd the Bat
terry. 1 have footed every biz OF I'M
built ground ia that territory. What
marvellous changes have come I'm those
twenty years. How many signs on
buildings have changed in that time,
How many houses have been pulled
down, How many new ones have gone
up, some Of them towering skyward.
to take the places OF the laudmarlsg
Il got TO know the lower end OF
town so well could shut my ewes ami
make a mental picture OF many of the
blocks and see the names on the build
ings. II wanted any article. from
shoelaces 10 anything elaborate. knew
exactly where TO get them. II some
particular dish were desired I knew
where II could be served and just what
it would cost
"A great city never stands still. It
is as restless as the great deep. But
the man who becomes a part OF Il
does not think until he gets away from
the part Of il where he has done bust
ness what the changes are. When
began my strolls there were no tun-
nels under the two rivers. In the
years that have drifted away great
bridges have been constructed be-
tween Manhattan and Long Island.
1t does not seem long since 1 used 10
hear the restless pun Of the coal fed
locomotives OF the elevated system.
yet so gradually did the old order pass
that I do not distinctly recall when
the present system was installed.
The changes that took place In
business firms were interesting. Many.
many times L have seen the name OF
the man who established a trade taken
down and that OF his son or sons take
Its place. SO frequently were the
same people met in the same place
and at the same hour that we nodded
as we passed. although none OF rs
knew the name OF the nodder.
Not long ago the business with
Which I am connected made a iunp
uptown. Never until 1 took my traps
uptown had I any occasion to walk IN
the street where our new building
stands. The first day / went out TO
luncheon l had to search Tor a res
taurant. 1t seemed odd. 7 saw pec-
pie never saw before. read signs
one Of my fool habits-I never read
before. Many Of the vehicles that
passed were quite unlike those l used
TO see downtown.
mad 10 change my hour and route
Tor coming 90 business. For awhile I
had 10 watch the street signs TO know
Where 10 get OF. How / missed the
familiar call OF the guard OF the car
Tor always came down in the same
car IN the makeup Of the elevated
train-the one always boarded nj
the same hour.
And that makes me think. I came
to know by their faces most OF the
passengers who boarded that train ar
my station. I knew where most OF
them got OF Now that am In new
quarters In new section I miss an
these people with whom 7 travelled for
years DO they miss me. I wonders
And the many whom came 10
know dowatown-how they win be
missed. There is the old street preach-
er who used 10 stand on a SOAP box
near Wall street or on the stone stems
" SA~ NN9t'i4 Hou>t ana l1ik To people
IN the summer days and again ia the
DAYS that betOkened the coming OF au-
tumn. Then there were the Lenten
days when i spent part OF my hour
at Trinity or in old St PauTs I cane
20 know the regular attendants on
those services So that the strangers
became conspicuous. There are no
street preachers in the new district 10
which l have gone. wonder why
the middle district of the great CITY
doesn't need spiritual direction as well
as the downtown districts.
"And so It seems sometimes that
aIn IN new town. among new people.
seeing new buildings. reading new
signs, hearing new voices. but all IN
the same old New York And when
think or the old walks / have taken
downtown. the old buildings that /
passed so often that they became as
familiar as the faces I met and never
knew by name, Of the strolls along
the two rivers. Of the craft I saw so
OFTEN coming and going-when ] think
OF all these there comes over me that
sort OF feeling that a boy has Wiz. he
misses hfs mother ! think Il e. called
homesickness."-New York Press.