Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-03
THE STRAND BY NIGHT.
Impressfon Produced by 1t UpOm q
Country Gentleman.

Country GenlleInan.
ASHAMED" writes to the London TELEGRAPH
after q visit to the capital. know London very
well from books, especially from Gays .sTrivia'
and Pierce Egan's "Tom and Jerry" and from
personal experience as well, and do not expect
to ind such q mighty city free from vice and
sin. But when ! have been in London
before, the Strand at least was passable
even by gaslight, for decent women; but
I say most emphatically it is not so now.
The first night arrived, my wife being tired
with the journey, said would 60 for 9 walk.
smoke cigar and look around. did so. 1
walked to the end of the deserted embank-
ment, and gazed upon the silent river, and
the the
beneath the plane trees as If it were in the
heart of the country: Then an idea seized me
tSs e. q" sd
may see it for yourself any night-a veritable
pandemonium. This was certainly not my
bowling anarchy broke loose.
hardly know how to begin, or the words It
is At should use, to tell what the Strand APP
the peace around us, or even with the street
as used to know it. It was very mnch lighter
than the s Stand used ITO to be formerly The
ding to and fro, as If bent on some expedi-
ton Of intense haste. Hansoms were rushing
next moment there was block of carts and
carriages, almost locked close together. from
curb to curb. ! would not have dared to cross
the shouting continued and the lights blaSed
and the people hurried by-no rest, no pause.
no peace, not for q moment! stood by the
street corner and held on to the iron post and
tried to realize the facts Of the procession; and
as looked and listened to the hideous cries,
said said t9 To- myself 'surely cannot let my wife
tangled itself and became platn-too vileiy
as at the as Of
years old some OF them were vending vocifer.
sold even In secret. I had heard of these dis
tressing publications., and I knew they were
to to- be , obtained i In London; but I had no
p p ae1 tSe grsnd at nish
suppose girls and boys no bigger than them
sumo their prurient horrors out of sight of
parents and guardians. 1t is an awful shame
SIR SIR when you come to think Of It, this fouling
don't care what the motives of the people may
be who SOW such printed poison broadcast. No
aWed by in she oe II
of night. While was standing by the post a
girl of about II, most ragged and dirty, pushed
about the aev t6ns soH illustrates. St. %s w paper
woodcut frontispiece Of burlesque hussies,
such s1. as one sees in comic operas. 1 am sure
her heels came little fellow, street urchin,
not higher than my elbow, bawling out an
other s precious ny leaf concerning Satan in his
In this matter, you see, is to find words to tell
You what saw and heard, and at the same
standing by the post ten minutes before eea an
evil looking fellow sided up to me, and,
taking a small package from underneath his
impulse was to knock the fellow down. 1
thought he wanted to rob me. However, 1
looked down at the villains parcel, as big as
label outside printed in French saying what
kind of cards: had heard of these precious
pra a a,G before years ago at college
gross things vended in the public street under
the eye of the police. got rid of the scoun-
Lord Campbell's act with some sharp words.
All the same, he was audacously impudent,
and wanted to know who was that should
Had any authority at Scotland Yard not
kind Of card trade. or by means of the litera-
On that same occasion, sir, saw mere mites of
children, little more than toddling babies, SELL
ing fusees and running to open cab doors within
an hour of midnight; and / saw pale women,
with children in their arms, i1nportuning the
passers-by for aims. and slouching villains with
purses and pick pockets If they had the chance.
Presently the crowd increased and the Strand
became almost impossible. The theaters were
evening dress and ladies with lace wells over
their heads hurried along seeking for cabs. All
the while nile. the young men and old men, girls
sale, pushed their wares into the faces OF deli
cate mothers and wives, and fair young maid
ses Soss ssn ks
man, accompanied by a lady, both in evening
dress, hail a lettering hanson. The gentleman
wheel TO protect the aady's dress, when a burly
ny cab" said he Your ea1sS replied the gen,
cab: ketched it. I run near ALT a mile to
get 1t, and wants g pence for my trouble"
The ca6man stood upon his perch looking down
~, but firmly pushed the fellow aside handed the
lady in, and gave the address to the driver, who
on the pavement. Then the gentleman, white
same time saying: you did not fetch the cab.
sh Prys
shreked the cab opener after the retreating
travellers; II knows wot you are, and your flash
Moii." At that moment a policeman came
along; and tho fellow, under the very nose of au-
thority, repeated his stale trick of extortion.
or decency In this main London tborousbat aies
The sellers Of obscene literature, the beggars.
the thieves, the idlers swearers and BIAS
6y at win. and there was no one to say them
may" think ink tina. that night must have seen
The thieves and extortionists must be known
TO the police. The vendors and printers Of
nagrant obscenity could be clapped into gaol,
If the magistrates would only give the
word. What TO do with the poor bedizened.
gaudy creatures, those relics OF womanhood. I
cannot tell. I got back to my hotel, and told
my wife. as well az l dared, all had seen.
Next night we went out together, and could not
avoid some repetition Of the sights and sounds
which have tried to describe to the best of my
feeble power Of words. Next morning noticed
my wife in tears She wept to think that hon
est London folk should live and breathe in such
an atmosphere OF sin and misery. am more
case-hardened than she, and yet think that
something might be done by your ministers Of
state and magistrates TO mitigate the Danteso ue
horrors Of the Strand by night.
The He'll Gate Explosion.
FLOOD ROCK TO BE BLOWN UP NEXT WEEK.
All the dynamite cartridges, about ID, 900 in
number, weighing 275, 900 pounds, with which
Flood rock, at He'll Gate, is to be blown up,
have now been placed in position, and the work
Of removing the machinery and buildings,
which have been in use on the rock since 1876.
to the mainland at Astoria progresses az Quick.
~ as 80 men and tugs can get them away.
Lieut. Derby, the superintendent of the work.
said yesterday that the explosion would take