The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-29
SUMMER CORRESPONDENCE.
Mrs. Helen NJ. Cougar Continues Her In
teresting Description of London Life.
Family Life in Germany-The Good Whole
some Ways of the Fatherland-SOme of
New FORKS Chief Millionaires.


LIFE IN LONDON.
A Night View of the Great Metropolis-Its
tChurches and Popular Benevolences.
Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal
LONDON. Aug. 20-Taking cab at o'clock
in the evening, we are driven through the
markets of the working people and the slums
For many miles there are portions of tie city
that are given up to sales of eatables on the
streets; the streets are thronged with swaying
shouting, lounging, fighting mass of humanity;
there are stands where the choicest marketing
can be secured, and others where stale meats,
vegetables and refuse garbage are sold to the
most miserable of humanity; women were fight
ing, using bones of unwrapped meat for weapons;
mothers, Keeling drunk, holding their babies up
side down, while numerous little toddlers are
curled up in some doorway or nestled close to
an old wall, fast asleep, liable to be trampled
upon and manned for life by the wandering
multitude. The streetpreacher and the social
ist harangue the multitude, and the whole
scene is a pandemonium. For. nearly four
hours we rode through these scenes
and our obliging driver assured US
he had not shown us 1.-THE of what could be
seen had we more time in which to see. 1t is
quite necessary to witness these things if two
fifths of the world would know how the other
three-ffths live. London is city of 100000
souls, nation within a nation of 10000, OOo
She has the two very dangerous classes who
wreck governments, namely, the very rich and
the very poor. It is officially stated that one
out of every five of her inhabitants dies a pau
per. JUST now what to do to employ the unem-
ployed is the problem that is vexing the political
and social economist. The London press re-
ports that during one week of the current month
1888 unemployed and paupers have been as
sisted by public funds alone If a man gets
steady employment at common labor he is most
fortunate to earn S. per week for the mainte-
nance of his usually large family; skilled labor
is quite as poorly paid accordingly. Meat and
bread are more expensive than in New York
cannot believe that all wise Creator has SO ad-
justed law that there is necessarily this IN
harmony between population and subsist-
ence. Wherever there are grinding monopo-
lies there are also impoverished masses. The
public house is everywhere and crowded
to overfowing by both men and women; the
deadly work goes under royal and social sane
tion and the fruitage is the large class that
finally fills the ranks of mobs and revolutionists
For the purpose of stemming the swelling tide
Of degradation caused by illadjusted human
law, there are numerous magnificent charities
that speak well for the great-hearted men and
women Of London. According to recently is
sued directory there are over 1000 of these in
the city alone. The total amount in voluntary
subscriptions, donations and bequesrs averages
each year nearly 500. 600, 900 The institution of
Hospital Sunday" in which collections are
usually made in all the churches for the hos
pitfalls, has just been observed. Non-church
goers have an opportunity of giving on Satur-
day to this fund by depositing in boxes held on
PROMINENT street corners by 1900 ladies, who
Volunteer for the service This effort adds about
$50, 900 to the fund. To give Is quite as
much expected of those who have of this
debts Begging is so Systematically
done that it is not unusual, at frst-class hotels
that after you have been refreshed at table dhote
the contribution box is passed for this or that
charity That my readers may know the pecu
liarities of some of these institutions have been
privileged to visit-@one that has about two hun
dred orphans-upon inquiry into the laws regu-
latng the admission of wards, I find that only
the Legitimate children of gentlemen" are
permitted within it's walls. Thus we see the
milestone of ''class" around the neck of crime
and charity alike.
The homes of the poorest classes of working
people, in all large cities, are cherries and bru-
talizing. Several families are not unusually
huddled together in one room. For the purpose
of giving these people amusement that shall
rest and refine them, and. at the same time
keep them from the public house, which is open
a good part of the Sabbath band Of philan-
thropic women open a public hall from 2 to
o'clock, where these people may freely come and
listen to music, Rotations, short talks, or
read the illustrated papers that are placed
about the seats. long table extends down the
center of the room. laden with fresh flowers,
which are given to the people as they go away.
AT first these people struggle in without the
least regard for personal appearances; soon they
begin to comb the hair and tidy up the dress; the
ragged coat is buttoned up, pinned over. to
hide shirtless bosom, and there is an apparent
attempt on the part of all to appear we'll as
they can in their garbs of extreme poverty. The
coarse-visaged. hard listed washerwoman tried
to refine J sr speech as she talked to me, and all
about could be seen the good influences exerted
by this ministry of the angel of charity. At An
earlier hour In the day the children of these peo-
pie are entertained and instru ted. There are
many similar enterprises throughout the city.
The Peoples Palace is a new and most COM
prehensive scheme for improving the condition
of the toiling millions at the East End of Lon
don. 1t will embrace a well-defned plan of
rational relaxation, technical and trade schools
and workshops, where the sons of workingmen
may master some trade and receive good edu-
cation. Five acres of ground have been selected
and the cornerstone of the building laid. The
structure will cover one and one-half acre.
There will be gymnasium swimming baths a
public hall with seating capacity for $1,000 read
ing-rooms. library, tennis court, bicycle and
race tracks, with indoor games and amusements
of every description The buildings are de-
signed to accommodate 20. 900 students. Consid-
cred apart from its recreative objects. it will be
the university of the East End and the center Of
technical education for London. The elevation
shows quasi-oriental structure of red brick
and white stone On either side of a large
gilded doom will rise lofty minaret, and semi
circular portco, carried on columns Of long,
bold, sweeping range, will add to the imposing
effect.
Besides all these many schemes, there are
many remedies being proposed for the purpose
of relieving the overplus unemployed Gov
eminent organization of unemployed labor is q
recent scheme proposed by the Fabian Society
of political economists steps for discouraging
immigration from the agricultural districts; pro-
nosals for settling large Numbers of neonIA on