Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-23

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speed, hi are at full stop a. soon as
the engi, reaches the farther end OF tho
platform The carriages are emptled
and file and are off again before the
astonishI stranger has time 70 think
what il all about Here, II anywhere,
the copsrtmcpt carriage, with two
doors mach compartment, lie absolute
ly necesry,
Londs has twenty-five hundred miles
Of street
n, CARS OF THRsE STREETS.
mako large share of civic expendi-
tnre is essential not only that the
public ways shall DO kept reasonably
clean. at also that they shall be well
payed. Poor paving is costly. London
came this conclusion long ago, and
she eablished an example which our
Amerhn cities should, but DO not fol-
low. .ondon is as well floored out
Of dors "a indoors. Her pave
ment whether Of macadam, wood,
asphS, or stone, are smooth and dura-
bio. [ il astonishing that in the United
State-with the possible exception OF
Waslneton--we have never learned to
Law seet-paving properly. The blocks
are enerslly much too large and almost
invaably TOO far apart. As If to make
slovoly construction as bad rs possible
we ST tho blocks without foundation,
placing them on loose earth and leaving
themto luck and frost. Paving to be
eflici nj must be scientific. a strong
pavir oinust be tuilt, not dropped.
Th9London pavements are built on
firm suudatiors Of graded and unyield-
ing cment The traffic Of Oxford street
(wodD. or Of Cheapside (asphalD would
destpy Boston's best pavement in day.
II there is one thing we have to learn OF
theEnglisi it is the science Of road
mailing. The pavement of Washington
street, as I saw it in September would
disrace the meanest thoroughfare IN
Wlitechspcl.
dode.n London would DO impossible
without the most perfect paving that
mn h4ve yet learned 10 construct. HE
pssorger transportation service by ON
Minus and cab could not have reached its
pnsnt development without good roads.
By rood roads London grows. In the
qreaer part Of London streetcars are
forbidden. There are one thousand
stret-cars in the metropolis, and l22
mile Of street-car tracks. But the lines
are bstrlcted TO the districts south OF the
Thames, east Of Whitechnpel. north Ct
"tb CITY," and west OF Kensington. If
strc6 cars we're excluded from Boston
eouh of the Roxbury line, and forbid
den,o cross the bridges from South Bos-
ton Charleston. and Cambridge, You
void have a suggestion OF London s
potion in these matters.
ROADWAY, New York, was until hall a
dozen wears ago the one great American
steet with a character of its own, 1t
bd no horse-cars. Now it has ceaseless
ppcessions of these unlovely conye-
nancos. and il is like all the rest OF our
peat thoroughfarcs. One OF the charms
q the London streets is that that they
re carless. The heavy London omni-
has nav not be q thing of beauty, but 1t
picturesque. and it has character OF
Is own. II is really an imposing sight
as it bears down upon You IN the DUSK
etfull on top" The lively cabs, too,
plying hither and thither, make d.
yertinp feature in the eyer-movlng
panorama of the London streets. There
are 1000 handsomcs, 1000 GROWERS
or four wheeled cabs, and 2,OOO omni-
buses in the metropolis. g,
All private carriages. ominibuses and
cabs are required TO carry lights at night:
The lamps show white in front and rcd
behind. There IS
NO SIGHT MORE INTERESTING
10 the stranger, or, for that matter, to
the well seasoned Londoner, than Plea
div after dark, between Hyde Park
Corner and the Istnmiam Club. Mid
vav the road dips, so that on both
sloUes. YOU see double-lines of lights
Going and coming. The reds are leav-
inc YOU; the whites are swiftly APP
proaching. 1t is a sight which never
fails to arouse the admiration OF the
visitor.
The yehicular traffic Of the London
streets is the most remarkable III the
world, by reason Of its volume and va
rietv. 1t pours along, east and west
north and south, from the days begin
ming to the day IS end. But it is perfect
Nv controlled. Tho rules of the road arr
clearly defined, and they are rigidiy EN-
forced bv the police, who are no respect
era OF drivers, and who will take
cockaded coachman's name as quickly
as they will take claimants mum
her. Police control of the traffic Is ab
eolute. 1t must be 80 TO make TN
streets of London passable for pedes
TRANS or drivers. Constables are sta
toned at fixed points, having for thel
sole duty the regulation OF the traihc
Keen TO the left is the rule heavy AM
slow-roing vehicles next the curb stol
when the constable signals with out
stretched arm The policeman arr
nets like the semaphore OF railway SIC
nal-silently and automatically controi
the movements Of q thousand Veihcles
Disobedience results IN a summons 1
Police Court and fine.
There are 1900 policemen IN Lor
don. They are large, well-made, stronj
men. and they do not carry blndgeon:
They are very civil fellows: The UNI
formod autocrats of New York and
cher American cities l wot OF shoul
take lessons in department from III
London "bobbies.
There are 100000 dwelling house
in London. The factories, shops, an
offices are legion. 1t follows that the
Supply OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
10 this wonderful London is to be classe
among the greatest business unde
takipgs Of the age. Thirty years az
there were twenty gas companies
London. Amalgamation has reduce
the number to three. The returns
the three companies for the year lSS
show that the amount Of capital investe
in their undertakings IS El4.3oO,o 81
The receipts of the three companies wer
in 1889. q, 4Os. 1913, of which 81, 1902.
came from gas sales TO consumer
f210. 429 from receipts for public high
inc ESQ. $40 from rents of metars an
stoves. Lao, 257 from the sale Of +
siduals obtained from the carbonizatio
Of the coal used for the production
cas-. and Gl7,74l from "miscellaneo'