The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-21
Neu Year in Gotham.
By GOTHAM KNICKERBoCKER

Dear old New York, which has such
dreadful reputation for evil. but which
really isn't evil at all. compared to some
other large cities OF the world Is prepar-
Ing for its annual manifestation Of bad
ness-New Years eve.
Many shocking sights are to be seen
| along Broadway on that night, but they
don't ring true. They appear very, very
amateurish- Somehow one knows that
tho stout lady at the table in Martin 5
is not in the habit OF becoming pleas
antly intoxicated every night In the week
Now she Is waving champagne glass IN
her hand. laughing Historically and in
sisting that she be allowed to dance on
the table (Which wouldn't support her
weight for a second), as she fondly be-
lieves they 90 In Gay Paree." When
she Is home the dear, matronly person
probably has three or four children and
hard working stock broker husband to
look after.
Tho gayy- dressed young woman with
the diamond d-bedecked silk hose promi-
nently displayed. whom you meet with
several male companions. in varying
stages Of happiness. In the Cafe de
Paree. probably spends her week days
making pot-hooks In a law Office. Her
escorts may be millionalres, but 1t isn't
likely, The great probability Is that they
are OF the species Moo Yorkus, peculiar
animal the habitat Of which is any New
York business Office, where 1t tolls for
some twenty odd dollars per week, and
then delights to blow In" eighteen OF
that twenty odd" along Broadway on
Saturday nights, subsisting for the next
week on the few dollars left
Oh, yes, there are many interesting
sights on the Great White Way on
New Years eve or any other eve or
morning. Last New Years eve / re-
member very well, for, who could forget
such en- experience AT 9 o'clock on Jan
uary ] the thoroughfare was crowded
with men and women In evening clothes
! any progress and TO cross the street ex-
cept where q traffic policeman retgned
was impossible: Young women gayly
footed horns. their escorts laughed and
walked. half danced along, wearing fools
caps and ringing cow bells.
Before the brilliantly-llghted entrance
Of lobster palace. just below Forty
gowned women. their escorts In evening
clothes, paused, laughing and talking o'er
the nights events before entering their
respective motors. II was now 4 O'Clock
and the crowds had thinned out consid-
eraoty A policeman stood near the
grouP-in fact, there were policemen
every dozen feet for the length OF the
white Way"
In zIg-zaggy fashion plain. ordinary
person (Which IN New Yorkese means he
had no money made his way down
Broadway. His battered derby rested on
hia right ear. he had lost his collar In
| the evenings mix-up. and he was earn
esuy and eNcitedly talking to someone
whom no ono but himself could see
Making progress thus the lnebrlated per
son approached the chattering group AS
ne was still too deep in his monologue
TO notice the breakers ahead, a police
man sprang forward and showed the fash
ionaple ones to either side. crying Gang
way plea se.'
Astonished. the group broke apart, and
through the lane thus formed the conver-
saiional drunk made his way Then
the policeman laughed. those who had
witnessed II laughed and the victim OF
the incident. at first Indignant finally
laughed. too
Apparently everyone had had somo-
thing. II not considerable, to drink. Ev
eryone was In good hunor, however. even
the overworked policemen. who don't as
rule take kindly 10 such festive occa
slons. Quarrels on the street were moi
infrequent but the police managed 10
pacify tho majority OF those belligerent-
ly inclined. Some bad 10 be locked up, 10
make huniilating eEplsna tions IN a police
court the next morning. New York
magistrates don't accept the New
Years" excuse for being drunk and dis
orderly any more.
Before a fashiona bls hotel stood an i'm
posing looking person IN dark blue uni \