Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1911-03-30
LIFE IN NEW YORK
How It May Run IL a Deep Rut
In the Mat c! 'c-9'ity.
LAMENT OF A MAT WHO MOVED

Tho Homesickness That Came With
Working Uptown After Twenty
Years Of Routine Travel to and From
and In the Downtown District.
There are thousands and thousands
of men in New York city whose bust
ness has been confined to one district
for twenty years or more, whose daily
routine seldom fluctuates, who are
punctual in travelling by certain
train every day in the week. who reach
their Offices. barring tie-ups, at Il rcsu-
lar hour and take up their daily grind
and hold to 1t 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 a
strange sort of way and do not realize
how sfrong is the attachment. Here
is the story OF one Of them Into whose
life there has come II change through
moving that startlcs and surprises
him and throws a quaint light upon
some of the c,ty's people.
I'm the twenty years that ! was
downtown" the man said in telling Ms
experience, II was IN the habit, wealth
or permitting, CT taking IL walk after
the luncheon hour every day in some
street between City HALL ana the Bat
terry. | have footed every bit of I'M
built ground in That territory. What
marvellous changes have come in 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
mp. some OF them towering sisywarL
to take the places of the landmarks?
II got to know the lower end @,
town so well could shut my eyes ana
make a mental picture of many of the
blocks and Sec the names on the build
ings. II l wanted any article, from
shoelaccs to anything elaborate, knew
exactly whore to get them. If some
particular dish were desired l knew
where 1t could be served and just what
it would cost.
"a great city never stands still. II
is rs restless as the great deep. But
the man who becomes part of 1t
docs not think until he gets; away f.nIl
the part Of 1T where Il, l.i + suai
ness what the changes u. IN
began my strolls there - L, t;!..
ncls under the two rive "a I'll,
years that have drlftod ava. ssa.;;:
bridges have been constructed be-
tween Manhattan and Long Island.
1t docs not seem long since l used I,
hear the restless puff of the coal fed
locomotives Of the elevated system,
yet so gradually did the old order pass
that do not distinctly recall when
the present system was Installed.
"Tlle changes that took place ir
business firms were interesting. Many,
many times have seen the name of
the man who established 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 us
knew the name Of the nodder.
Not long ago the business with
&hich am connected made a jump
uptown Never until took my traps
uptown had any occasion to walk in
the street where our new building
stands. The first day l went out to
luncheon had to search for res.
taurant. 1t seemed odd. l saw peo-
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 I used
to see downtown.
II had to change my hour and route
.or coming to business. For awhile
had to watch the street signs to know
where to get off. How I missed tbe
familiar call of the guard of the car
for always came down in the same
car III the makeup of the elevated
lrain-thc one always boarded nj
the same hour.
And that makes me think. came
to know by thei: faces most of the
passengers who ] a'.s1cd that train Mt
my station. / Ines. where most of
them got off. Now that am in new
quarters In Il nov lection l miss MI
these people with whom Travelled for
years. DO they miss me, wonder?
And the many whom came to
know downtown-how they will be
missed! There is tho old street preach
or who used to stand on a soap box
near Wall street or OH the stone steps
OF the custom house and talk to people
In the summer days and again in the
days that betokenel the coming of au-
tumn. Then there were the Lcnten
days when T spent q part of my hour
at Trinity or in old st. Paul's. came
to know the regular attendants OIL
those services so that the stranger.
became conspicuous. There are nc
street preachers in the new district to
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 1t seems sometimes that
am In n now town. among new people,
seeing new buildings, reading new
signs, hearing new voices, but all III
the same old New York And when
think of the old walks have taken
downtown, the old buildings that !
passed SO often that they became MS
familiar rs tho faces / met and never
knew by name, of the strolls along
the two rivers, of the craft saw so
often coming and going when think
Of all these there comes over me that