The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1935-07-23
In New York
BY PAUL HARRISON

New York, July ga man at
the New York Schools of Music has
invented a practice saxophone
which make no more noise than a
person humming. This should go
down to posterity as neighbor-
saving device.
With all the talk of criminal
coddling, nobody has done any
thing about the sign on the attrac-
tive new building that is the wo-
mems prison down in Greenwich
Village. Instead of saying "jaiP'
or 'prison" or even something
quaint like Eye Wemayle Hoose-
cow" the neat little sign simply
announces: 40 Greenwich ave-
nue."
Thus It is outwardly (the bars
don't show unless you look closely
at some of the upper windows)
as respectful as any of the near
by apartment houses, such as "25
Waverly Place" or "16 Washing
ton Square" Personally am for
calling a Jail a Jail especially
afterw happening to witness the
sheepish retreat of a nice young
couple who wandered into the
prisons lobby the other afternoon
to ask the price of some apart
ments.
Flat Price
I think, too, that the co-opera-
tive apartment plan ought to
be explained in more detail to
prospective Manhattan residents.
The mere adjective scarcely ex-
plains that you can buy an apart
ment as you might a house. and
thus become part owner of the
building, paying. only operating
costs which are divided among the
tenants.
A retired merchant and his wife
came here recently with the idea
of living in New York for a year
or two and paying an annual rent
al of perhaps $1,000. Their first
stop, when they started out aim
lessly to find a dwelling, happened
to be cooperative building. Saw
suite of cubicles that they liked
and asked the price. "Only twelve
thousand dollars" said the agent,
who meant selling and not rent
ing. The prospects looked at each
other, walked out, hailed taxi
for Grand Central station. and
went right back to Wichita.
STAYED on
The army. navy and marine
corps are after me, and am sulk-
ing around through alleyways at
night like an urban SANDING. and
wearing false whiskers along
Broadway by day.
In a recent column I said, 1.-THE
Darrell House on Forty-second
street is the toughest spot in the
rialto. Soldiers and sailors, most
" 4" These seem to have been
fighting words, for I have been
receiving notes couched in undip-
lomatic language protesting an i'm
piled slur on the moral tenor of
our uniformed forces.
OF course it wasn't, so intended.
For every soldier, sailor and ma
rine who bends an elbow at the
long bar. or sits at table with an
Eighth avenue debutante perched
on one knee, or joins in the roll
licking songs and lustry stories,
assume there must be thousand
enlisted men playing at chess in
the YMCA's or pursuing the con-
templative life in the public IL
braries.
rendering Evidence
A couple of correspondents even
have disputed my statement about
the relative toughness of the Bar
rel House. I hope they will re-
member that the Rialto. is the rela-
lively small Broadway theater dis
trict; also that clip joints, not be-
ing open to the public. don't count.
My attention first was called to the
saloon when, during a stroll. was
almost bowled over by a civilian
making a rapid exit with a marine
hot on his heels. The marine land
ed-a stiff right--and had the situ-
alton we'll In hand.
Since the adjoining rowdy cab
aret was closed, recently. only q
little actual bouncing Is done. al
though q professional thrower-
outer is on duty each Saturday
night. Obstreperous enlisted men
usually are Gained by their fell
lows, on appeal from the man.
agement. Scarcely oftener than
once an evening is anybody conk.
cd by a beer stein.
II would be less than accurate
10 say that the Darrell House Ia
tough because OF the patronage
Of 2our uniformed forces The
same number OF college boys
might prove lot more dlsordcrly,