The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-08
Frederick Haskin's Letter
NEW YORK TO WELCOME STRANGERS,

Welcome Stranger" moyemar, +
are going to see>to that. They ha,s
already organized "Welcoms
Stranger" committee which IL hn.s
mobilizing the public-spirited ~
wsfl AZ those who are not into nm.
grand promotion army. The Mer.
chants association is preparing "a
demonstrate the city's uneouslsd
shopping facilities the Automohils
club Of America will seek to direc,
motorists to New York by descrih.
ing the unsurpassed smoothnass
of its roads, while the steamshin
companies will supply their pas.
sengers with similar information 4
concerning the various dazzlins
opportunities that await the yisi.
tor. Even the porters and brake,
men on the railroads will be In.
structed to sing Manhattan.
praises.
New Joys in Travel
Travelling in the direction Of Nev
York will doubtless become like :
sightseeing ride without the seen
cry. Instead OF haranguing forget.
full porters the process will BE- r..
versed and you will have to be
constantly poised for flight
to escape a flood Of particulars on
the noblest metropolis in the world
II you ring for towels, the porter
will seize the opportunity to De.
scribe the wonderful though often
bewildering plumbing of the best
New York hotels. she walters in
the dining cars will dilate upon the
epicurean delights of the city's res.
taurants and taverns. And, in
punching your ticket, the conduc-
tor will probably throw in a word
or two about the wisdom OF buy.
ing your theatre tickets anywhere
but at the theatre box office.
Then, if one suggestion submit.
ted to the Hotel association is car
ried out, just before your train
pulls into the station, man wear.
ing an authoritative cap will come
through the car. after the manner
OF the baggage conductor. and ask
II you have made a reservation at
any New York hotel. If not, be
will hand you a little folder con-
tanning the names of a large num-
Der OF hotels, together with their
explicit locations and schedules OF
prices. If any one of the number
happens to be crowded on that par
ticular day, its name will be
crossed off the list.
At the present time, it seems,
there is a lamentable lack Of
knowledge among railroad en-
|! ployes concerning the capacity and
sterling service Of many of the
city's best taverns. Time and
again, it is charged, strangers on
their first visit to New York are
, informed by porters that it would
be useless for them to attempt to
! get in the large hotels, which ARE
/ filled to the brim with big con,
vention," and are directed instead
to lodging houses and more or less
Questionable places. The porters
are well acquainted with these, be.
! cause they are paid a fee for each
guest recommended to them.
But the responsibility of The
Welcome Stranger" rcommtttee
does not cease with the establish
ment Of the visitor in a safe and
becoming place of abode. 1t feels
in duty bound to steer his subse
Quent wanderings about the city;
to see that he appreciates the best
side of New York and to guard
him as far as possible from petty
thievery. People who have their
wallets stolen on the third day
/ they are there seldom cherish any
desire to return second time,
| while even the pleasant memory
Of an excellent Broadway comedy
cannot eradicate the painful i'm
preston of taxi fare that was
three times what it should have
been.
Thus, while half of the corAkit-
tee is devoting its time to interest.
ing visitors in all the worth-wh
features of New York-its art mu-
seums. its music, its educational
activities, its extraordinary health
record and its gaiety - the other
half will be waging a campaign
against dishonest taxi drivers and
unreliable public porters. In other
words, a gallant effort is going to
be made to make New York live up
to its new reputation for beauty
and virtue.