Read "New York Sketches. Stories Told by an Artist in New York" by Stephen Crane online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
A PHASE OF NEW YORK LIFE AS SEEN BY A CLOSE OBSERVER.
When the hot weather comes the roof gardens burst into full bloom, and if an inhabitant of Chicago should take flight on his wings over this city, he would observe six or eight flashing spots in the darkness, spots as radiant as crowns. These are the roof gardens, and if a giant had flung a handful of monstrous golden coins upon the sombre-shadowed city he could not have benefited the metropolis more, although he would not have given the same opportunity to various commercial aspirants to charge a price and a half for everything. There are two classes of men -- reporters and central office detectives -- who do not mind these prices because they are very prodigal of their money.