The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-10-10
MAYOR STILL LETS EN- SKATE
MANHATTAN AVENUE PROTESTS
THEORETICALLY.
Complains Of Dediam. Baseball and Craps
--GaynOr Goes IN to See-Consu,ts a
Cop and Tens Two Little Girls
They Must skate. Not COnEreEate.

committee of Manhattan avenue
residents called on Mayor Gaynor yes
terday to say that since September 10,
when the Mayor suggested in a letter to
thirteen -year-old Helen Roth that the
right sort of policeman might wink at
roller skating in the streets. their part of
town had been turned into skating rink
The spokesman. Capt. John NJ. Thomp-
son Of the Ninth Regiment, assured the
Mayor that that block in which Capt
Thompson lives. in Manhattan avenue
between l0ith and lO5th streets, had no
children of its own but had long been pes
tered by the progeny of other regions
who came to the Manhattan avenue slope
to skate. After the Gaynor letter was
written. said the Captain. the number Of
skaters increased amazingly. Some Of
them came from mile away. he said. and
when they weren't skating they were
gathered at the top Of the slope near the
Captains home and behaving most sin
fully.
Pebbles had been thrown at gro wnups.
the spokesman deposed. doorbell handle
had been pulled of and the chi ldren had
played baseball and shot craps on the
asphalt Forty-seven property owners
had signed petition to have the nuisance
stopped and the committee prese nted the
petition to the Mayor with the statement
that many others would have signed if
there had been time to ask them.
We'll" said Mayor Gaynor. what are
we going to do about itf"
Well" replied the captain. Central
Park is onl v 900 feet from Manhattan
avenue; why can't the children skate
there? ?"
Mayor Gaynor observed that the park
was congested alreedv. Capt. Thompson
was OF the opinion that Manhattan avenue
was more congested than the park. Fin.
ally the Mayor said:
Il needn't hear any more now. TIL ere
does seem to be something wrong. I'll
investigate"
The committee didn't suppose that the
Mayor would go right to the centre of
infant depravity, but he did. He rode
uptown in his automobile with Lieut..
| Billy Kennel and stopped AT l03d street
and Manhattan avenue. There hestood
up in his machine and hailed Policeman
| Theodore Ridder.
what do you think Of tho way the
children act up here?" the Mayor wanted
| TO know. DO you think it's disgra ceful?"
| "Oh. not so bad" said the policeman.
There's been nothing wrong that I've
seen."
"H-m-m-m.-, mused the Mayor. I'D
| like to see the little girl that wrote me the
letter about roller skating.
! He got ont Of the automobile as Helen
Roth approached with her chum. Flor
ence Silverstein. He took on his hat.
shook hands with the two girls and told
them they were nice looking children.
And he added:
Il think it's all right for you to skate
: in the street provided you keep moving
one way or the other and do not congre-
gate. talk loudly and disturb the people
who live in the houses.
The little girls their blue checked aprons
fingered and said nothing. The Mayor
said good by and departed
When the Manhattan avenue dwellers
heard about the Mayors call and what he
had said 10 Helen Roth and Florence sill
verstein there was an informal meeting
on the sidewalk in front OF the home oi
DR. Backus at III. The main speaker
seemed TO be j II Trant of l2l Manhattan
avenue. He said that since the Mayor :
letter TO Helen Roth was written the chill
dren had baen Haunting il in tho faces OF
adul's who told them to stop their no -
and go away. and had shouted, "Oh. th'
Ma vor said we might skate Mr. 1ran'
further remarked that property all over
the city had deprecated in value because
tho Mavor let the streets be playground
In Mr.. Trant's opinion Policeman Md
der was kidney footed cop who didn 7
dare to tell the Mayor wha. he reall!
thought of the dismal doings on Manhat
tan avenue
In addition TO GAot Thompson the com
, mitteemen who called on the Mayor wer
Robert A. Ferguson, a builder. OF III
Manhattan avenue; Dr. Backus and Franz
. | (, Cool;