The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-02-23
In New York
By PAUL HARRISON


 New York-All around the town: On First Avenue is hotel with 90 rooms, hot and cold water, flor farmers only" It caters to truck growers who drive to the city before dawn, bringing in their produce.
 One gardner who never has to pay a hotel bill is Joe Benedeto, owner of the last remaining farm on Manhattan Island. It's right on Broadway, at 214th street. Joe raises spinach and beans. And then children Speaking of overnight accommodations, on First Avenue there's a large area of sidewalk gratings under which run huge steam pipes. It's warm spot, and scores of derelicts gather there after midnight to sleep. They must pay rent, though bribes to the watchman of a few cigarets, a container of coffee, or buns begged from some bakery.
 A Jewish restaurant on 31st street has @ Chinese chef On Henry street works a tailor named Ripps BrOoklyn's Raymond Street jail isn't on Raymond street in Brooklyn .. New York takes second place to Jersey City for density of population Cars are painted red and yellow Question most frequently asked at the police booth in Times Square; "Whats the best show in town?" Odd Jobs
 Among the city's oldest jobs is worm gathering. On rainy nights in the spring men go through the parks picking up nightcrawlers which they sell to bait dealers, who sell them to fishermen Professional pickets are having a busy season, what with scores of strikes and union protests against unfair" employers And know a man who Knows a man who makes living modelling tou- pees. Seems that lost of bald headed men are sensitive about trying on toupees themselves.
 Lots of restaurants, particular ly those in the financial section catering to regular clienteIes of substantial citizens, are operated by people who came here from small towns to offer real home style vittles to city folks. Ellen Johnson, from Bay City, Mich., is one. Arrived ten years ago and put all her savings into a tiny lunch counter. Now, at noon, busi- nesmen whose time probably IS worth lot of money patiently stand and wait for tables in her restaurant.
 once an Illinois farmer named Thompson came to the city with his wife and happened to have Q Declared irritably that he could serve better food at half the price. "Why don't your" asked Mrs Thom pson. So they gave up the farm, started restaurant in Q basement, and the business devel- oped into today's huge chain of Thompson cafeterias.
 Dining Cars
 Those diners which are so nu- merous in most cities are of Manhattan origin. once they were ambulatory lunch wagons, were dragged about by horses, and were called owl cars. The Wo- mems Christian Temperance Un- ion had an idea that such cheap lunch places might help keep men out of saloons, 50 the ladies bought some carts and horses and assigned them to Madison, Union Herald Squares. Several years later a company began manufac" turing diners, first remodeling them from old trolley cars. Today, of course, they're very grand and no longer mobile. A new one may cost as much as $2O,0O0.
 So much counterfeit money is printed and passed here that the government has Q detail of opera tives permanently assigned to Q bill of any denomination for Q chase. And several theater ticket agencies have installed machines which check the authenticity of serial numbers on currency.
 Decoys
 I'm saddened by the news that that police department has or- dered the entire fleet of sight, seeing busses out of the Times Square district. They've always been part of the scene and sound of the tceming crossroads. Bus leaving now for Chinatown and, da Bowery! See Chinatown, folks! Bus going right out!'
 Inside the cars. old ladies who are hired ns "shills,'' or decoya, knit complaccntiy and await e sig nal from the ballyloo men to va- cate their plaeeS and sit in an. other bus. I've heard a legend of one woman who hes sa. in China town buses for eight years, earn ing her dollar day by pretendipa to be q tourist. But siae alwayl has to get out before the bus stars, and never yet has she snen