Smyrna times., 1933-10-11
SIDE LIGHTS OF
NEW YORK CITY
Told BY L. L. Stevenson in
His Own Immical Way
of Doings in City
INTERESTING SKETCHES

Many a weary financier steal
away from Wall Street these aft
erEoons and rides one or more rount
trips on the Staten island ferries
Some merely sit quietly watching th'
marine panorama. Others pace th'
decks either through nervousness o.
because Of a desire to obtain exer
else in the fresh air. Not infre
Quently business conferences arr
held aboard the big city-operateC
boats which run from the Battery tC
st. George. There Is either a chance
meeting or an appointment, and
while the ferry is slipping by Gov
ernor's island and the Statue oi
Liberty, a problem is threshed out
or some agreement made. In the
past, according to a financial dis
trict friend, deals running into mil.
Hons have been consummated on
the upper bay. In common with all
the other passengers, the financiers,
whether or not they intend to re-
turn TO New York, Immediately get
or the boat at St George. It's the
rule that everybody must pass
through a turnstile and drop an
other nickel.
Musicians aboard the Staten is
land ferries aren't doing so well
this season, no matter how hard the
coins in the tin cup are jiggled un-
der the noses of passengers, the re-
turns are light. The musicians have
to pay the holder Of the concession
for the privilege of playing on the
boats-the holder of the concession
having purchased it from the city.
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
are the best, because on these days
the crowds aboard the boats are
merely riding for pleasure or bound
for the Staten island beaches. Asked
as to the nberality Of the Staten is
land commuters, the yiolinist made
a gesture with his bow, and his
right shoulder went up at the same
time.
1t is on the Staten island ferries
that the bootblacks have the art Of
kissing down to a degree I haven't
heard anywhere else. The way they
say, "shoe sinner" gives the i'm
preston that snake is about to
strike. And the look they give
when no tip is forthcoming is worse
than the hiss
Was told Of a former Wall Street
man on whom evil days had descend
ed, such evil days indeed that his
clothing was actually on the point
of a disintegration. An old friend
told him Of an opening into which
he would just fit. But he didn't
dare make the application because
of the state Of his wardrobe. In des-
peration, he went through his eff
fects in an effort to find some
thing he could pawn. In an old
trunk he discovered a small Bible.
Thinking he might fRd inspiration,
he opened it-and found a $50 bill
1t had been placed there by his
mother when he left home 10 years
ago. He hurried out, purchased a
suit at a Fifth avenue sale, got the
job, and is now coming back rap
idly. His great regret is that the
thoughtful mother died last year.
Barron Collier, who controls the
street car, elevated and subway ad-
yertising, believes in boosting the
President. His latest series of cards,
under the familiar caption, "As
Right as Roosevelt" reads: Buying
what you can is good way to put
Into circulation your confidence in
the nations new leadership of faith
and action"
Samuel z. Hendricks, whose mem
ories Of New York go back 65 years,
told me the story of the Irishman
working on the Navarro apartments,
the famous Spanish Flats" New
York's first Of its many apart
ment houses. The Irishman climbed
down to get can Of beer. When
he was back on the seventh-floor
framework again, he fell through
and ended up in the basement. For
tunately he lit on a pile Of sand.
"Are you hurt, Mixer" asked an
anxious fellow workman. I'm not
hurt" was the response. "But I split
the beerw
g. 1883. Bell syndicate.-wNU Service.