The Washington herald., 1920-02-22
New York City
BY o. o. Mcintyre

New York, Feb. 2l.-Tlmes Square
is the greatest amusement center
on earth and yet II has been called
"the loneliest spot in the world"
Despite its illumination--the wrig-
gly kids, the cat and the ball. the
woman and the umbrella and the
rain storm and the giant bull from
Durham-the stranger can rPwhere
be more lonely. The PERSONS who
are willing to provide social diver
sion for the visitor want to do 1t in
their own way and to their ulti-
mate advantage.
To battle against the perils of the
lonesomeness of New York's Great
White Way, the InterGhurch World
Movement is gathering up its
forces. First 1t made a survey of
the district. The church plan is
to erect a church home center in
the Times Square district which Will
come into competition with scores
of theaters and picture houses.
1t is Times Squares tremendous
transient population that has given
it the appellation the loneliest, spot
in the world" There are few
more than 500 families living in 100
city blocks between Twenty-eighth
and Forty-eighth streets and Park
and Eighth avenues. In this same
district there are ninety hotels with
Recommendations for 26,S24 persons
daily.
| Thus in a year there are 100000
of temporary dwellers in the region
| of which Times Square is. the hu-
man. II not the geographical CEN
ter. There are forty-fivef theaters
i and ten motion picture houses In
this district with a seatinf capac-
lity of $4,000 persons and an average
weekly attendance close to 1000, 900
men. women and children trying to
forget their cares in mental relaXa-
tion. Against this mass Of amuse-
ment places there arez thirteen
/ Protestant churches, four Roman
Catholic churches and two Jewish
synagogues. The total church
membership Is 16.5OD.
> On a recent Sunday evening. by
actual count, standing room was at
a premium in every theater offering
/ a Sunday concert, and in the
churches of the district were 1877
persons. The Sunday sacred" the
atrical concerts are to comply with
the State Sunday theater law. Song
and dance artists. quartets. and
| girl and music stuff are not per-
missibIe
| The hours of play. when 1000. 900
men. woinen aud Chillren are seeking
relaxation. the Chuikh believes. are
definitely character forming. To meet
this situation "a large auditorium is
proposed as part of the home center.
In which Illustrated lectures and NOV
ing pictures could be given and reIiGi-
Gus pageants and educational dra-
matte productions staged.
| They are discussing the old Eden
Musee in West Twenty-third street
the ether day in one of the Fifth av-
enue clubs. And all the old timers
! recalled "Ajeeb." which wassthe name
given In the home of the famou wax
[ works to the Oriental image that
I played chess and challenged all COM
| erS. Many New Workers who are not
yet past middle-ag will recall testing
their skill against Ajceb as well as
| the visitors from almost every city ia
the United States. Very few can
| boa st OF having beaten him. This is
not surprising since the inside work
ings OF Ajeeb were for a time none
other than Henry n. Pillsburg, the
one-thne champion at checkers and
chess. When Pilsbury got tired Of
his cramped quarters inside the Turk
I MS pidCt was ldhtn Dy L. j. Hill, OF
| Boston.
Ajeeb was about four feet high
seated, and was made in the form OF
a f1ercely BEARDED individual dressed
in traditional Ottoman garb. lie sat
cross legged upon a big sduare box.
Any visitor to the Eden Musee was
! privileged to try his chess playing
skill against Ajeeb for p cents. When
a move was made the Turk would
move his arm in the jerky manner of
al automaton. His hand would fall
upon a chess piece. ne would lift it,
drop 1t upon a square of the board.
and the first thing the challenging
expert knew the siIeht Turk had de-.
feated him with ease which sma c6ed
of the Black Art. The uncanny<fnan-
ner in which Ajeeb workedSand his
marvellous skill duped many expert
! chess players and some learned lee
| lures Were delivered on how the
! wheels operated