The Standard Union from Brooklyn, New York • 20

10 THE DAILY STANDARD UNION: BROOKLYN. SUNDAY. XOVEMREK 3t, 1002. Brooklyn's Unlucky Bridges. Mining Coal in Brooklyn.

M. "i.rT...n I. min- Improvised Ferryboats Called Into" But the Voyage Was Not Regarded as a'Pleasure Trip. Since cool tnln(ng on the dumps has become profitable, business has been good for the elderly German ho mukes these tools In his quaint little smithy on Troutman street. I don't make any profit on these dump hooks, he explained in German for he speaks no English, It takes me an hour to make one, and I sell it for ten cents, and then there is the Iron, and the wood, and the fire.

But still he goes on making them and so helping many a poor family to prepare for the cold of winter. Coal mining on the dumps goes oil till the sun's light has paled and the early evening has set In. Then the long procession begins to straggle home, well laden and rejoicing. Perhaps in some Brooklyn households an especial offer of Thanksgiving will go up next Thursday for tho discovery of coal deposits In Brooklyn hich are free to ev ery one. The visitor went out to the street, past a quartefof sturdy young men who were lounging tm a pile of boards and drink- Whon you come to the Grand street bridge, you touch a subject that Is sore one all the way from Maspeth to Grand street ferry.

There 1b Just enough of a bridge there to make people feel annoved whenever they look at it. It seems "that the old bridge, built in 1ST4 or thereabouts, was officially declared Inadequate In 1889. The new, modern, Improved, up-to-date, perfected biidge has been, an ornament to the landscape since August, 1900. Tho one good point aoout it is, the people declare, that It is not an obstruction to navigation. On the contrary, It has promoted the expeditions of the hardy mariners of those patts.

"The bridge Is open for traffic at the noon hour now," said a bystander who was watching the work of laying the stone abutments on the Queens County side. But it was funny for awhile to see the boats running. You see, each sa- Young and Old Flock to the Anthracite Deposits, and One Han Hade a Dollar in an Hour. ET out of here, this is my bunt No, taint, bunt; go and your own Hey, Jimmie, heies where you get lots of It It was nearly 4 oclock, of children not long out of school caim scampering down to one of the city dumps near the banks of Newtown Creek. Some had pails, some had dish-jians, some had battered and nondesi npt utensils; all boie receptacles of some kind, and all carried some kind of implement or weapon with which they began to dig furiously in the soft ground.

Older people there were, too, who had been plodding along Industriously foi some time, turning over the mnterlal deposited from the carts and rapldlv filling up kettles and bags Away oft in one secluded corner a family party was digging away methodically. man, wife and children, with as matter-of-fact an air os' If' they wehc hired bv the dav. What are you digging for asked a puzzled passer-by. Diamonds! answered the woman, her black eyes dam Ing under the shadow of the Bhawl which covered her head Slack diamonds, to lie sute anthracite which had gone into the rubbish of Wasteful households, and would never have been utilized If it had not been foi the scarcity and high puce of coal Nothing distressing about the sight; the people looked well fed and well clothed, and the Novembei sun was warm enough to keep them all comfortable in their work. It was surprising how quick the returns weie.

Twenty-five cents an hour is not bad pay for unskilled labor, and almost any ten-vear-old boy can realize that muih by mining coal on the dumps, at the piescnt rrice of fuel. Most of the people who weie scattered about over tho three or four acres of ov-dump were getting a supoly for thelp own homes. Jlut the business instinct German Blacksmith An Interview With a Respectable Workingman. tfie receptacles for the coal. One very' small youngster was delightedly brandishing an old fish knife with a huge blade, and getting plenty of fun If not muih fuel Some had toy hoes, such as are seen In the hands of children on the beach.

There were trowels of all shapes and sizes, but the favorite implement, and the one usually affected by the mln-eis with a businesslike air, was an lion fork, set ih a stout two-foot handle and having a peculiar curve like the talons of a bird of prey. Business Good for It Is the Fashion for Those Spanning Newtown Creek to Have Something the-; Hatter Witk Them Now ROQKLYN has hard luck enough in connection with Its bridges over the East Illver, what with overcrowding, and delays, and fires. But particularly bad fortune seems to attend the people who have occasion to cros bridges Queens County. There ate five of them spanning the pellucid Newtown Creek at oddly enough, three of these five have been out of prdor at different times during the past two weeks. People whose business depends on regular crossings of the raging flood are getting so used to occasional delays that resignation, rather thaji exasperation, Is their customary attitude.

On top of this, It Is a matter of only a few weeks, when the Manhattan avenue bridge to Hunters Point, which bears the most traffic of any, torn down to make room for struction of a new viaduct. However, In this case a substitute is be pio-vlded, a temporary bridge spanning the creek at Oakland street, only a block awav, so there will not be the Inconvenience that would follow- a total cessation of the means of travel. The bridge which 's giving the most trouble is tlint at Gtanrt s'rcct. This Is an old story It is, in fact, note tha.i two years since- this brldf- nas oeen In proper operation. The "Perny Bridge, so called, at Meeker ayenuc, and the Greonpoint Ave-nue Bridge, have also been calling attention to themselves during the past two weeks Something ailed the Green point Avenue Biidge on Tuesday of last week.

I. was nothing serious, simply enough to THE FENNY give tho structure an excuse for lns'stlng on its rlght3 as a New to an Creek bridge to bother people for a -chile. This Is i fine biidge, and the draw Is operated by electricity, the controller rerembllng that on the ph.tfnrm of a trolley ca. A liit'o further up the stream the Pennv Bridge discovered about ten days ago that its centre pin, or some othei vita! part of Its anatomy, didn't feel Just right It In-- off for a few days while biidge surgeons operated upon it. Peo-pli walked aiound, or took boits across tne billow main Some of those who took a bolt over walked around when reining back Increase of appetite fo aquatic adventures did not seem to grow wnat fed on One man who made the voyag" told a Standard Union r-1 c-rter that the boat seemed altogether too pnpulai He nniit exarMv rxelu she, but he didnt like too inurli rom-pmv wiie-n his ventuious back flung out its purple wings on that partuul.it gul.

enchanted Residents in the n- rhbnrhond th interest the reooi that this hildge is to be closed again ion while the drive-wav Is lcplantec' How eve-, it is nail this will not interfere with foot passengers, and truck diivers have no fuen is anvvvay, ro tncy don count New Headworker at the Maxwell House. RNEW headworker has assumed his duties at the Maxwell House, 245 Concord street. His name Is John II. Chase, and he comes from the University Settlement In Manhattan, where he had charge of the Boys Clubs and the summer camps at Lake Hopatcong and Fort Montgomery', on the Hudson Mr. Chase Is a graduate of Amherst College, 1896, and of the Union Theological Seminary.

He has taken a great Intel est In settlement work, which consists In living In the crowded parts of the great city, studying the needs of the develops amid any surroundings. A keen-faced man was superintending tho labor of several others. Dishes were quickly filled and emptied into laigo bags I believe I would like some of this coal myself," exclaimed one visitor, in surprise, inspecting eome of the bright lumps I have hard work to get coal, and then it is not very good. "This is good coal, the sharp-faced man remarked quietly. Of course it has to be washed.

I will sell you one of those tags for a dollar. The bag apparently oulil nold about three bushels Why, are you digging this for sale I sell a good many bags Will you take one Van you make any money it --c. ---It i 1 cC7- v-v AT A CITY DUMP CCAC CICCERS CE3IDE NEWTOWN CREEK "Well, I have filled a bag in an hour Others tore out this statement The miners tools were as varied ns is conducted under the auspices of the Brooklyn Guild What this wotk is was well expressed bv Dr Woodbury In h's last report as head resident when he said that To appreciate what Maxwell House is doing foi Its evening club3 one must know the i eople nnd he f. miliar with the work To evening members, t(vo-forty-fiv Comod has a real meaning It Is here that the tedious hours of the office, the shop nnd the factory are forgotten, and the luxuiy of relaxation, filendship, fresh ideas and new plans may be enjoyed without the ex 's-slve tax of an uptown club The good or THE COOKING CLASS bud that a man does is thought out in the Idle houi To put voung men and women at their best, thev must be given wholesome, busy, cheerful evenings aftei the day work-and tills is what we try to do at the Mnwvc 11 House There are iun i lubs In connection with this house, and those who become V- I 3 file A fax arc'. 'M 1 Yf jOHNH.

CHASE. interested belong to some one of those sub-organ billons. Dr. Woodbury, In his last annual report, mentions the Victoria Club, the pElmore Club and the girls gymnasium Class as meeting on Monday night The Elmore Club, besides listening to several lectures, gave a very sue cesffyj dramptlp perfprmgmp entiyetj contractor. There have been strikes, and they have struck quicksands, and have been delayed In getting materials.

But I understafid the bridge will be ail right In a few weeks. The onl trouble now.ythey say, Is that one, end Is tw-o Inches' lower than the other. "When will the bridge be was asked of the engineer In 'charge, in 'his oUte at the Brooklyn end of the bridge. "Come aroCbd In about a month an 1 mry have sm to tell you. vas his cheerful reply.

What about the Grand street bridge?" was the question propounded in, the Bridge office In Manhattan. Commissioner Llndenthals secretary was reading a lfrtter, and he replied to the reporters query: "It has been two years since this brldg was started, and. In spite of the fact' that the Commissioner has done everything lit his power to hurry the work along, the bridge Is not complete This letter that I have jn my hand now is copy of a communication that was forwarded to Bernard Rolf, of 39 Coitlaffdt street, Manhattan, who has had the contract for the building of the bridge Thfe, communication la to the effect that he must at once secure bids and give the remainder of the work to bridge bulldlnr Aims that are competent, and will be satisfactory to the Bridge Department. Thlsi letter was written on the ITth of this month, and although we hardly expect an answer at the present time, I am sure It will not be long before we receive one. "Ihe llrnc given in the contract was days.

It is now about 700 days AVENUE BRIDGE Lncc work on the bridfe ne started. That Is 400 day? overtime, every' 1i for whi-h Mi. llolt la liable to pay $ri0. This money, you know, he continued, "will be held Inik bridge IS i finished. Mid constitutes 30 per tent.

lot all moneys paid over to the rtjtfeient tontraetori. IVe have now paid, out minus, of course, the 30 per tent which wb holci back. At the time this bridge is approved it will He with the heads of the department dirt ctly concerned whether the last larga payment shall be made As pear as I can see, aside from a umber of details, such as putting up the nand rails and some light tfonvvork of a sunll ir nature, which would take some Utile time, the bridge is finished. There III then, In all probability, another snoit delay while the Bfldga Connhlxsioner passes on the work When asked, to state at about what time the nridge would be opened to tha I ubllc he said he did not knoV and "refused tc gue's." At Mr. Rolfs office, a request was made for a statement from the ton-tractor's point of view, but he did not avail himself of the opportunity.

The Grand Street Board of Trade has been very active In. the matter of tills bridge, said I. S. Remson, of 740 Grand street. "Its closing has been injurious to the business of this section of tlia Eastern District, and we have a committee which has been Interviewing officials and making reports to the Board.

"We have not heard much about It Blnce the original contractor failed, and the completion of the contru-t was let to another man. I am glad, to hear (here is a prospect that the hrllgy will be finished and opened soon, for it js a matter of importance to the business men of Grand street. Up to the hour of golig to press, the Metropolitan avenue br! Jo-, leading but to Jamaica, the only one of the be bridged not heretofoie mentioned, Is still doing duty FAMILY CQAL MINE Vlv.J;Pp Ing fiom a pail Say, boss," said one.i stepping forward, "can! you spaie 1C Amts for some beer AVe are respectable) vo-kmg men. but work is dull just and we have nothing to do He looked dean enough and spoke with the easy assuranre of He got the 10 cents. Peihaps-it would bPttor have been given to some (patient woman with a rhawl over her t-ad to buy a dump-hook from the quaint old German on Troutman street.

Pt-rhaps the patient woman would prove tol.be the wife of the respectable working1 man. Who know a k-ndergniten a lavguo lor the protection of animals, a pqmy provident fund, and Inst, but not by any means least, a circulating library Arroiding to the last report, there were Vlfi depositors in the Penny 1iov'dent Fml. The following schedule of events nt the Maxwell House during a single season is taken from the report of Raymond Ingersoll, one of the nuzst successful headworkers the institution ever had. It shows the great variety of nttractionn which are offeied to those whose resources for wholesome amusement are nof usually diverse Sociable and dance given by tlm Henry dav Club Debate on Neftro Disfranchisement ty the same organ.zatloa Entertainment and soi ieble by the Mothers Club Talk on political campaign methods bv Mansfield Allen, under the auspices of tho Heniy (lay Club Programme nnd so--labe given by the Mens Club Farce, 'Mv Tuin Next, by the Dramatic Club Maxwell House fab Matinee, Christinas sketch given by the ehlldion New Year eve sociable. Euchre and sociable bv the Hen-y' Clay Club Ptereopticon on 'Modem Factory Life by rnold Shinklln.

of Davton, Donkey partv and sot table by the Motheis' Club Tableaux and Salmagundi party by the Hand-to-Hand Club Two-act comedy by the Dramatic Club, entitled 'Mr Bob' Elmore Club eudne Henry Clav Club smoker Serial and dance by the Maitha Washington Club Talk on the telephone and telegraph Clifford Durm Cotlli'on bv the lluury Cl ly Club Mithers Club sociable Address upon to III conditions by Profcxi.vor Herbert low Apron and necktie party by the Elmoie Club Talk on Democracies by Raymond Ingersoll, under auspices of Elmoie Club Address on wireless telegiaphv by Clifford Dunn Musicnle and dance by the Martha Washington Club Cobwtb party by the Motheis Club Talk on Robert Loins Htevenson by Robert Matthews, under the auspices of the Henry Clay Club Vaudeville programme given by the Elmore Club, and an aeolian lecital given by the Martha Washington Club These ere the public events of a vea and serve to show the kind of woik Maxwell House Is doing Beautiful plrtuies bang on tne walls of Maxwell Hou-e, nnd a constant efioit Is made to sui round everybody- who cornea tlieie with wholesome influences The clubs and kindergarten classes take In everybody from the smallest toudlei to men and women of the most mature 1 levatlng amusement, combined with Instruction, is piovlded In the most attractive fonns, and it takes amazingly. The woik Is supported by the mtmbus of tho Brooklyn Guild Association and by voluntary contributions from those why appreciate what Maxwell House does to elevate and Improve the neighborhood in whirh It Is located The officers and trustees of the Biook- lyn Guild Association are: Jeiomo W. I Coombs, president; Guy Du Val, vice-president, Robert V. Mathews, secretary; William Cary, treasurer, Mrs. F.

L. Cranford, kindergarten manager, Josephine Brink, Mary E. Butterick, Mary W. Chapman, Edwin II. Wheeler, Monroe Hewlett.

Raymond V. Inger-soll, J. Herbert Low- Edward Merritt, George Foster Peabody, Almira B. Tubby. The Maxwell House Board of Governors are Jerome W.

Coombs, chairman; Mrs. Alfred Barnes; John Carroll, Emma J. Herbert Low, Edwin M. Wheeler, Dr. H.

W. WoodbeH-y. House resident, John H. Chase, head worker; Mrs. alary Rave, housekeeper.

"Uncle Josh Debates weie also indulge! in bv this club. Tuesday night was the tine set apart for the meeting of the Martha Washington Club, the Sunshine Club and the Young Mens Class Everybody In Maxwell House lias something to do, anil the irttia Washington Club gave several successful entertainments during the seison One of these was a conceit bv the students from Eiasmus Hall. Wednesday night wi'nessod the meeting of the Motheis Club, and the Henry Clay Club for the men. its activites are mostly of a social nature Music 1ms always been piomlnent in the Maxwell House curriculum. The first meetings held In Brooklyn for the stalling of the Peoples Hinging Classes assembled at the Maxwell House On Thursday evenings an ouhestra has met in the gymnasium, and It has been so thoioughly trained that it has given ex- client music for the diversion of those who visit the house, and also several verv successful concerts Dancing Is another feature of this Institution, and Is much enjoyed by olel and voung The regular Tilduv dances occur every two woeke, at which all the house members are welcome On alternate Finlays the gymnasium being free, lectuies entertainments and neighborhood meetings are arranged for that evening Saturday, ns well as Tues-dnv and Thursday evenings, are set ai art for the work of the Young Mens Gymnasium Class, which has been doing excellent work The gymnasium Is on th" flist door of the building and Is well equipped This feature of the work Is ro popular that there are always more applicants than can be accommodated.

The kitchen gaiden teaches the little gills how to build a kitchen fire, set a table, sweep room, and cook a dinner. In the most approved style. The Brownlo Club is for little boys, who are taught chair caning, with some gymnastics thrown In by way of variety. Besides these various organizations there Is a sewing school, a Hand-to-IIand Club, TV0jk(njr Jh yerjr much th? "Allie line at Another Oolored Fireman. BRIDGE.

THE GREENPOINT loon had its boat lut you hed to eloa.er In whose bridge work has The fare was nothing, 'rade with the liquor bont you rode' This been a hoodoo to the Fulcher is the second colored man to be appointed in this department, and both of them weie taken from the civil service Int, showing that merit and not favoritism won for them their appo'nt- ment. The leading men of the colored race in, Brooklyn have been persistent in their erdeavora to have the young men of the.r iree participate In the Civil Service examinations, -but thev have generally fail- e-1 to do so, although there piomiscs to be a big influx along this line in th future as the recert appo'ntment of colored men from the list hns given much encouiage-mrnt to the voung men. Doth of the colored membeii) of ttie Fire Depai tment aie Brooklynites, though they were born In the Routh Fulcher, the now appointee, halls from North Carolina, but he has lived here for seme time, and Is favorably known In Afio-American church and society circles He worked for the firm of Jour-ncay Burnham as doorman for seven ymrs, leaving when John Cor.klln, of the above named firm, began business for himself In Fulton Btrect. i He remained with Mr. Conklin until the firm failed, nnd from there went to the 1 employ of Mr.

Houseman, of Carroll street, as trainer of his road horse, where he gave high satisfaction. He is a member of several secret and beneficial societies, and has a large humber of friends who are of the opinion that he will reflect ctedlt upon himself and hjs tace as a member of the Eire Department tt preater New Yoik. fcrrjlllIE possibilities for vo-ng colored a creditable positions ilkiS in the city employment were strongly evidenced during the past wci Alien Jacob Fulcher was appointed as a fireman in the Fire Depai tment and as signed to No. 61. He st and when the Commissioner tame to his name he ordered his appointment.

people there and surrounding them ith all the refining and elevating Influences which can be brought to bear upon them. The new headworker Is a native of Atlanta, his parents having goi to the South soon after the war as teachers among the blacks. At 14 ears of age he went to New Mexico, where he remained until he came East to enter college. Mr Chase since graduating has taught physics and chemistry in the Springfield (Mass.) High School, and has lectured tlis New York Board of Education couise on the street games of children. In speaking of his plans for work at the Maxwell House, Mr Chase said that they weie not fully matured, but he would for one thing strive to get up contests among the organizations at the Maxwell House and those of other similar Institutions In Brooklyn.

He says he has found these i extremely popular and helpful In Man- hattan, and thinks that the same results i might be achieved here, 1 He Also believes In amateur dramatics. They -were taken up with great zest by the young people In Manhattan last In-ter, and he lpoks for similar experiences here. F. R. Conant, who trained the children at the University Settlement Is coming over to do the same fo the stais of the Maxwell House, and a good deal of wholesome entertainment Is confidently expected.

The Maxwell House was the gift of (hq late Henry W. Maxwell, The work now Vwlttt carried on (here Itft great success.