Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-02-15
Ben Bear Writes Very Interesting
Letter From the Great
Metropolis.
THE NEwsPAssENGER STATIONS
The Big Department Stores, the Ice
Skating Kinks, Navy Yard, Hos
pital Ships, Queensborough
Bridge, Etc.
New York Office of Ben Bear
6S7 Broadway, Feb. IL, 1911.

take pldce In tn1S WONDERFUL city, L
find such startling alterations, that
it seems that parts of the city are
torn away, and replaced by entirely
new constructions. l arrived on
this my list business trip, by way
of the New York Central lines, at
the Grand Central Station and found
it all torn up and being replaced by
a massive structure of steel, con-
crete and stone. One would be sur
prised to find that with all this re-
building, the trains continue to en-
ter the station and the passengers
are. taken care of through temper
airy construction, without trouble or
delay. The novel feature of this
new station will be the doing away
with staircases and steps, and the
installation of gradual ascending
paths, so that accidents are entirely
avoided and less strain of climbing
will be felt by passengers. In fact
the new station has been construct
ed to provide every possible COM
fort for travellers and others using
the station 1t will interest you to
know that the new Central Station
will connect with the Subway, the
Hudson Tunnels and the Long Is
land Subway, so you can enter New
York City without coming to the
street, and pass over to the state
of New Jersey and Long Island,
something not dreamed of twenty
years ago. The station will undoubt-
eddy be- the grandest in the world,
even SURPRISING the Pennsylvania.
7 oh Ho
of seeing the new Pennsylvania
Railroad Station, which is complete
in every detail The main hall of
the station covers about full block
square, and not a pillar sustaining
the great building it seems, for it is
covered by an immense dome at
least 100 feet high, and which pre-
SCENTS a sight similar to the Memo
pictures one sees occasionally in
the Chicago Sunday paers. The sta
| ton Is more than two blocks in
length, as to frontage, and six blocks
are used for the entrance of trains.
/ was particularly impressed by the
arrangement for bringing the trains
into the city, through one tunnel,
and sending them out of the city
through the second tube tunnel. The
system is SO perfect that trains can
be sent through the tunnels every
two minutes took the train
through the tunnel to the Jersey
side, just to experience the sensa-
ton of riding in railroad under
the water. The tunnels are so built
that one hardly realizes that he is
going under water.
Passing out of the Pennsylvania
Station. the new Gimbell building
Immediately attracts attention. This
store is twelve stories in heigth, ov-,
er a block square all occupied as a
department store. took the time
to go through it. as it is a matter
of education, and found 1t marvel
Gus. To give you some little idea
of the immensely of the concern,
need only state that the 8th floor
is occupied by the piano depart
ment, and / venture to say there
were at least 400 pianos on exhibit
ton, of every conceivable make. The
departments of carpets, rugs and
furniture occupy another whole floor
and an immense variety of all lines
such as departments stores carry is
to be seen. 1t is reported that the
firm is already doing a million dol
lars worth of retail business each
month, and they only opened for
business last November. They en-
ploy more than 5000 clerks, and
have buyers in all the larger cities
in Europe. 1t certainly Is one OF
the sights of New York, and nice
place for any one to visit who may
come to. the city. Other big depart
ment stores are in the same locality,
such as Mays, Sacks and Nc
Greery's and they all are doing
wonderful business. It's contin-
uous rush from $3.50 in the morn
ing till $3.50 p. m.
One of the novel features which
came to my notice the other evening,
was the Indoor Ice Skating Rink,
where ice, through artificial means,
is kept in perfect skating condition.
OF an evening one sees at least
thousand or more boys and girls,
young men and young women, skat-
ing around the rink, to the music OF
the band, and they seem to enjoy
the exercise fully as much as we do
at home on the Upper Iowa, now
called "Oneota." When the weather
is cold enough Central Park is used
for skating, as is also the Bronx
Park, and notice is given on the
subway and elevated stations when
the ice is in condition for skating.
Having heard quite good deal
about the u. s. Navy Yards, and es-
pecially the Hospital Ship, stole
couple of hours from business the
other day and saw the sights in that
line. On entering the Brooklyn
Navy Yards, one Is questioned as to
his business, and when the officer
is satisfied that the person is merely
sight seeing, he gives the sailor at
his side a permit to pass the visitor.
One finds the Navy Yards cover a
space of about half a mile square,
on which there are immense build
ings, used in making guns and steel
devices in the Navy, and one can
readily understand why 1t is that
Congress is liberal with Its appro-
priations for the Navy, after passing
through these immense shops and
foundries. The most interesting
feature to me was the Hospital
Ships, which l went through, and
found to contain operating rooms
as fully equipped as the best city
bosnitals strictly sanitary and with