davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

layers Of tan, to prevent noise and vibra-
ton. Trains run in each direction every
two or three minutes. There are no
cinders; the locomotives consume their
exhausted" into the water tanks of the
TENDERS. The carriages are lighted with
gas. Trains enter stations at full speed, but
are at full stop as soon as the engine
reaches the farther end of the platform.
The carriages are emptied and filled, and are
off again before the astonished stranger has
time to think what it is all about. Here, if
anywhere, the compartment carriage, with
two doors to each compartment is abso-
lutely necessary.
OF course. the American travelling in Eng
land will grumble at the absence of the
check system although there is a sort of
check system in operation between the ter
minal stations), and no amount of safe
guards for human life seem to compensate
him for this. The English luggage system
you are accustomed to it, but it is certainly
nuisance until you discover that
you are always expected to take your
trunks with you on cab or q
railway 'bns." Then you adapt yourself
to circumstan es. One feature of the En-
glish railway service you cannot fail to ap-
preeiate, and that is the porterage system.
An army Of uniformed pOrters awaits the ar
rival of every train. The porters are strong.
alert. pleasant-mannered fellows, and few
coppers will secure you the utmost of per-
sonal attention. Cabs in plenty are always
found at the arrival platforms of the termi-
nal stations, and at the intermediate sta
tions they are in waiting at the doors.
London has 2500 miles of streets. The
care of these streets make up a large share
of civic expenditure. 1t is essential not
only that the public ways shall be kept rea-
sonably clean, but, also. that they shall be well
paved Poor paving is costly. London came
to this conclusion long ago, and she estab-
lished an example which our American cities
should, but do not, follow. London is as
pavements, whether of macadam, wood,
asphalt or stone, are smooth and durable.
It's astonishing that in the United States
with the possible exception of Washington
we have never learned to lay street-paving
properly. The blocks are generally much
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

controls the movements of thousand vehi-
cles. Disobedience results in a summons to
police court and fine.
There are 1900 policemen in London.
They are large, we'll made, strong men, and
they do not carry bludgeons They are very
civil fellows. The uniformed autocrats Of
New York and of other American cities l
wot OF. should take lessons in department
from the London ''Dobbies." The incivili.y
and clubbing in which so many Of our police
men seem to delight would not be suffered
in London, where, indeed, custom and the
law sometimes err on the side of the civilian
offender.
There are 100000 dwelling houses In
London. The factories. shops and offices
are legion, 1t follows that the supply, of
full London is to be classed among
the greatest business undertakings Of
the age. Thirty years ago there we're twenty
gas companies in London. Amalgamation
has reduced the number to three. The re-
turns of the three companies for the year
1889 show that the amount of CAPITAL in
vested in their undertakings is el4. SOC, S96.
The receipts of the three comnanes WERE
in 1889, "a, 1913, of which s., $50, 224 came
from gas sales to consumers, e2l0, 429 from
receipts for public lighting, ESQ, $40 frcm
rents OF meters and stoves, FL. 149 257 from
the sale of residualS obtained from the car
bonlZatlon OF coal used for the production
OF gas. and 917,741 from miscellaneous
sources" The companies paid for coal in
1889, el 500, 800. The cost of labor came to
e44S.8S4 being an increase of Ell, 500 over
the cost for the previous year, This in
crease in the labor cost is nearly all ac-
counted for by the changes in working the
retort houses, during the last three or four
months of the year from twelve hours to
to eight hours shifts.
Six years ago the quantity OF coal carbon
lied by the leading gas company was 1900
600 tons per annum. This has now increased
to 100000 tons, The total annual quantity
Of gas made by the company and distributed
to the public has risen from 5000, 0OO. 900
cubic feet to nearly $4,000, 0OO, 900. The
greatest days consumption, which during
the winter of 1923 was o. 0O0, 600, was last
winter upward of 105, 1000, 600 of cubic feet,
and on that one day the quantity of coal
used was 10. 146 tons, or at the rate of nearly
40 tons per hour. The price of gas, which
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25
EMPEROR AND FAMILY AT THE cHR1srMAs Tree

royalty keeping the ball in motion till
O'Clock, when the Emperor and Empress.
together with their royal guests, re-
pair to the dinipg-saloon for an En-
giish Christmas dinner, with turkey and
plum pudding as the allimportant features.
This year the young Crown Prince viii be
permitted to remain at table with his father,
the Emperor, until dinner is at an end, but
the other little princes must 60 to bed at Z
O'Clock, as they are still considered too
young to have healthful habits broken in
upon by permitting them to sit up late, even
on Christmas eve. In another room dinner
Is served to the attendants. 1t never lasts
longer in either room than one hour and
thirty minutes.
All the theaters in Berlin are closed on
Christmas eve, and even Santa Claus seems
to have Abandoned the good old habit he
once had OF paying annual visits to the chill
dren of the German capital, though in the
provinces good boys and girls await with
pleasurable anticipation and anxiety the
visit which they know will be made to them
by the Christkindehen Christ child. In
Berlin nowadays there is little OF no mys-
terry about Christmas gifts, and the children
generally know who to thank for them
On Christmas morning there are religious
services in the Cathedral at 10 o'clock, after
which the boys of the CADET corps of tile mil
itary school. OF such of them as have not
gone home to spend the day with their own
parents, visit the castle, where an entertain
ment is provided for them. 1t is always sure
to be of most enjoyable character, and has
become very popular with the cadets.
Young ladies of the noble families are also
invited to be present, and their presence
adds greatly to the interest Of the occasion.
Christmas eve celebrations, however, in
Berlin are always much more elaborate and
generally participated in than are celebra-
tions OF Christmas day, although the day
throughout the German Empire is, of course,
kept from morning until night as holiday.
Copuricht, 1890
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

gardens, manor houses. farms. private parks.
Where there was meadow last year,
there is now paved street; where there
was an orchard, there Is now block Of
model tenements:" When the century
ton Of England; now she has at least Is
per cent of 1t. The mileage of her streets
has Increased skiold since the century
began; her houses have increased ninefOld.
Within a decade splendid new avenues have
crowded lanes; Twenty Eve thousand
buildings have been erected in twelve
month. The pressure Of traffic in the
streets Is SO enormous that new out
lets and extensions have constantly
to be made. To- day. all roads by
land, all routes by sea, lead Londonward.
When Londoners undertake to improve
their metropolis they do the ayork thor
oughly.. One Of the most important, diff
cult and successful municipal improvements
known IN this century was the construction
OF the Holborn viaduct. Few to-day who
traverse that wide aud handsome avenue
leading from Newgate street at the prison
corner to the eastern end of Holborn proper
realize what public spirit and engineering
skill have accomplished in bringing into ex-
istance as we see it to-day the most
Meeting ancient London with the west.
Until twenty years ago all vehicles
and pedestrians going east or west via
Holborn and Newgate street were forced to
descend steep hill and then cross Earring
ton street, which covers the course of the
inclosed Fleet River, and then climb cor
responding grade on the other side. At q
cost OF SIC, co., 600 level roadway was con.
strncted here, bridging Harrington street,
and forming one Of the finest avenues in
Europe. To accomplish the result many old
buildings were demolished Field lane was
swept away, aud with it Fagin's rockery.
The houses on Snow Hill were taken down,
and with them the Saracen's Head, which
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

are fifteen feet above the level of the street.
and the lines are carried ont on an i'm
mense brick viaduct, crossing above the
line of another railway, and below the
line of third. The roof of the station
contains two and half acres of glass, and
in the entire edifice there are 100000 of
bricks, 5000 tons of iron and $1,000 cubic
feet of dressed stone. Extending along the
front of the station is the Midland Grand
l Hotel belonging to the railway company.
This is splendid structure, designed by
Sir Gilbert Scott. the architect of the houses
OF Parliament. 1t is built of rich red brick
and bath stone: its style is ornate gothic
Its frontage is 600 feet, its height seven
stories, and it faces the terraced carriage
drive 400 feet long, leading to the railway
station. 1t is an imposing edifice and en-
excellent hotel.
There are ten huge terminal stations in
London. Beside these there are 400 railway
stations within the metropolitan area The
underground lines alone carry In a year not
l-ss than 125. 100000 passengers. The un-
dergroand lines are of inestimable con-
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

venience, but in the older portions their
atmospheric conditions leave much to be de-
sired. When electricity supersedes steam as
a motive power. travelling by the London
UNDERGROUND" will be as pleasant as
it Is now convenient. The Underground
systems are double-tracked, and they extend
over what is called an 'outer" and an lin
ner circle" connecting, with one exception,
all the railway lines of the metropolis, and rum
ming into the subnrbs-above ground-ni
many directions The construction and ex-
tension Of the underground railways of Lon
don have been the results of series OF engi-
neering achievements second to none in
daring, in skill and Importance of any known
In the century. The lines have been built
beneath crowded streets without disturbing
the surface; they have crossed above and be-
meath sewers and gas and water mains they
have tunneled under blocks Of commercial
buildings and private dwellings ;thev burrow
under the entire length of the Victoria en-
bankment, pass within the precincts of the
Temple, beneath palaces and bridges ami
parks and gardens, within few feet Of the
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

room, with the second-best behind, and the
other bedrooms. lumber-room and nursery
are on the two upper floors, according to in
variable rule. Having seen one of these
houses you have seen nearly ALL The gen.
eral arrangement is the same throughout
London.
Nineteenth century houses in London had
Until within the last decade. but little ex-
terror attraction. The material of construc-
ton was generally rough yellowish brick,
which turned grimy brown after year or
two. unless, as frequently happened. it was
covered with painted stucco. Even in Bel
gravia to-day stucco still rules. But it hap
pens that in the transformation of Chelsea
and kensington and Campden Hill,
near Holland House, red brick and
terra the Gotta aa are appearing in place
What London needs is color, and she is get
ting it now in many of the better parts. The
good fashion of red bricks is coming in
again. Pity that it ever went out Chelsea,
for INSTANCE. is becoming handsome, even
where the great landlords are rebuilding
rents are more than keeping pace with the
improvements. However, London domestic
architecture Is improving in form and color.
Even the old lines ara giving place to new.
have heard people in the United States
refer to London as the "effete" capital of
an "effete monarchy"-as an "old fogy
city where everything is done after the
fashion of hundred years ago. With such
compliment ignorance l will not trifie.
There are some among US who seem deter
mined not to understand England and the
English. As for lone hundred years ago.
well, there were giants in those days." and
very good fashions" tool But London,
instead of being effete, is full of life and
energy. No city equals her in force and
splendor, in intellect, in wealth. in capacity
for noble deeds and real enjoyment.
London grows not by spnrts and spasms,
but steadily, with increasing vgor. You
expect our younger American cities TO grow.
and to brag about their growth as youngsters
will. But here is the worlds capital of in
tellect, wealth. commerce and art, centuries
old, sustaining 100000 of people every day,
and growing notwithstanding in all her
strength as well as in stature. See London
reaching into the fields, here rod and there
mile, swallowing labOrers' cottages, kitchen
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

too large and almost invariably too far apart.
AS If to make slovenly construction as bad
"a possible we set the blocks without foun-
dation, placing them on loose earth and leav-
ing them to luck and frost. Paving to be
efficient mnst be scientific. A strong paving
must be built, not dropped.
The London pavements are built on firm
foundations of graded and unyielding ce-
ment The traffic of Oxford street (wood)
or OF Cheapside (asphalD would destroy
Boston's best pavement in a day. If there
is one thing we have to learn OF the English
1t Is the science Of road-making. The pave
ment OF Washington street, as I saw 1t In
September, would disgrace the meanest thor
oughfare in Whitechapel.
Modern London would be impossible with
out the most perfect paving that men have
yet learned to construct. The passenger
transportation service by omnibus and cab
could not have reached its present develop
mint without good roads. By good roads
London grows In the greater part of Lon
don streets car are forbidden. There are
1000 street-cars in the metropolis and 10
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

can mind will admire London for its d.
mansions. 1t may be well to appeal to
American imagination at the star: by put
ting in black and white the square mileage
Of London, and any number of figures and
percentages expressive of its dimen Sions, its
teeming life and daily work, bnt at present
l am not automatically inclined, and l
hold that there are more interesting
things than decimals. But there are
several figures easily given without
the risk of running into dryness. Thus:
London covers about 120 square miles. Chi
cago. with true American love for big figures,
claims, am told. dozen more square miles
than this. but what can she show for it as
compared with London? Besides, one is not
talking of suburbs. Within the area OF Lon
don dwells population greater than that
Of ireland, and more that equal to that of
Scotland and Wales together. The three next
largest cities Of the world combined could
not make an equal showing of heads. The
average daily floating population of the me-
topols by the Thames is greater that the resi-
dent population Of Washington, and equal
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25
Mrs. Frank Lesiie.s Necklace.

Eyes. have some very fine diamonds. I
have, above all else, the finest pair of soli-
taire earrings in the world. The two
stones weigh thirty-six karats. They are
so nearly alike in color, size, weight and
general appearance that they cannot be told
apart even by an expert. You know when
you have fine horse and then match him
with mate equally without flaw or blemish
the value OF one becomes quadrupled. So,
too, 1t IS with these ear-drops. Then have
nee lace that to me is very interesting, as
much for the intrinsic merit of its 5000 gems
as for the historical associations linked with
It's eventful past. That necklace belonged
to one of the favorites of Catherine de
Medici, the former figuring in history as
a famous prisoner. Pendent from
the necklace is diamond dove,
with wings outstretched. This dove
Is so set that its wings are capable of NOV
ing up and down, revealing tiny secret
chamber, wherein. 1t is said, was concealed
the fatal potion whose insidious pnwer was
too often exercised against those whose only
crime was that of sutton who had failed to
win a blackened and deceitIul heart. Con-
firmatory of the uses of the secret chamber
In the 0utstretched wings of the dove / saw
last year In Europe picture of my famous
favorite of Catherine de Medici; and, would
you believe, over the neck the artist had ex-
tended his fair sisters hand,A completely
c0ncealing. in very suggestive fashion, the
poised dove. In one sense / do not like this
necklace and seldom wear it-there Is some
thing uncanny, something grews0me about
it?-Mrs. Loslie's Interview in the Detroit
Free Press
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

miles of street-car tracks. But the lines are
restricted to the districts south of III.
Thames. east of Whitechapel, north of .the
city" and west Of Kensington. If street.
ears were excluded from Boston south of the
Roxbury line, and forbidden to cross the
bridge from South Boston. Charlestown and
Cambridge, you would have suggestion of
London's position in these matters.
Broadway. New York, was. until half
dozen years ago, the one great American
street with a character of its own. II had
no horse-cars. Now it has ceaseless pro-
cessions Of these unlovely conyeniences,
ana V IS ike all the rest of our great thor
don streets Is that they are carless. The
heavy London omnibus may not be thing
OF beauty. but 1t is picturesque. and it has
character of its own. 1t is really an impos-
ing sight as it bears down upon you in the
dusk, full on top" The lively cabs, too,
plying hither and thither, make diyerting
feature in the ever-moving nanorama of the
London stress. There are 5000 .,soms.
1910 ""srowlers,' or four-wheeleu cabs,
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25
1t is sight which never fails to arouse the

1t is sight which never fails to arouse the
admiration of the visitor.
The yehicular traffic of the London streets
is the most remarkable In the world, by
reason of its volume and variety. 1t pours
along, east and west, north and south, from
days beginning to the days end. But it is
perfect Y controlled. The rules of the road
are clearly defined, and they are rigid.y en-
forced by the police, who are no respecters
coachman's name as quickly as they viii
take cabman's number Police control of
the traffic is absolute. 1t must be so to
make the streets of London passable for Pc
destrians or drivers Constables are sta
toned at fixed points. having for their sole
duty the regulation of the traffic. Keep to
the left is the rule heavy and slow going We
hicles next the curb; stop when the consta-
BILE signals with outstretched arml The DO
liceman's arm acts like the semaphore of a
railway signal-siiently and automatically
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

writer never asks "Where shall stop?" for
he never stops; he never sees his way to
the end. AS for describing London within
the limits of newspaper article, the task
is simply impossible. London is wonderful;
but the longer one knows the place. the
longer one lives in it, the more the wonder
of it grows. Jotdown here and there some
account of the impressions made upon you
here and you will accomplish all that is
within your power in the way of describing
London as it is.
OF all mans achievements, London is the
most astonishing. Doubtless, man could
have wrought a greater wonder, but, doubt
less, he has never done so. Not by its size
alone does London arouse the admiration of
those that know it. 1t is the epitome of
human eRdeavor. All that man has wrought
for the good or i'll of his fellow-man you will
find here. London is more than city; it
is more than kingdom; it is world.
If it be true that in America we esteem size
as the first of attributes. surely the Ameri-
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

however, to the conclusion that it is beslsr
to be in style than to be happy. In the
meantime the four unknown but fortunate
gentlemen who are in the vangu ard of the
fashion are undoubtedly rejoicing over that
fact.
The square beard which is divided In the
center. of which Mayor Grants is an excel
gentlemen who do not feel that their faces
will permit their wearing any other. Their
action is highly applauded by NJ. Poujol.
who lays down the fundamental principle
that in growing a beard one must not go
against nature. II the latter insists upol
having the hair grow in certain directions,
it is merely the part Of folly to ATTEMPT to
turn them any other way. But the fortunate
man who can train his beard in the way in
which he wishes it to 60 is not bound by
any such restrictions. lie can always fol-
low the style.-N. Y. san.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25
A Correspondents Impression of
a Very Interesting Me.
tr0pOlis.
Ep1roME OF HUMAN ENDEAvoR.
The Metropolis Above and Below
Ground - Railways, Subways,
Tunnels, Viaducts-Typical Lon
don Houses-A General Survey
of the Capital = Magnificent
Improvements That Are Noticed
on Every Side.

Hat is one thing to write ones impressions
III of London; it is another thing to at
u tempt a description of the immense
metropolis. The first is matter which can
be achieved with some diligence; the second
is an effort in which no one has ever yet
succeeded. In any attempt at describing
London one is embarrassed by the range
presented for his choice. "Where shall l
begin?" be asks. There is no companion
70 this question. Concerning London, a
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

arated from the foot pavement, or sidewalk,
by an iron railing. A large block of stone,
raised q step or two above the sidewalk.
covers third, or a fourth, of the area, and
gives access to the front door, which admits
one to hall that extends from front to
rear. The front room on the ground floor is
the dining-room, and behind this is a
smaller apartment sometimes used as a
breakfast-room and sometimes as a study.
The stairs Ia the house are stone,
floor above the dining-room is the " first
floor" and the front room, which occupies
at least one-half Of the story and extends
across the entire width of the house, is al
ways the drawing-room. The smaller apart
ments behind, communicating with folding
lodgers bedroom, whereas, in better
time, it was thrown into the drawing-room
on occasions Of festivity. Over the drawing
room, and Of equal size, is the best bed
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25
HOW STAGE PEOPLE KISS
Some Honest About II and Others
Only Make Believe.

1t is quite as true in the dramatic as in
other professions that kissing goes by
favor" Those who. like Mr. Henry Miller.
deny that the actual kiss is necessary in
theatrical representation are of the class of
thoroughly domesticated men who are al
most too good to be on the stage, or they have
the misfortune of being temporarily with
some leading lady who. according to their
opinion, is not worth being kissed.
Mr.. Miller took the ground IN recent in
teryiew out West that the ladies of the
stage did not like being kissed by every
actor who happened to be placed In the
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

dren of the ruling house of an empire famed
for its military prowess and greatness. They
keep this up till 6 o'clnck in the evening.
when the whole family accompanies the
Emperor to another room, known as the
"blue parlor."
Here the attendants of the palace and the
court officials, about $50 in number, are as
sembled. The Emperor addresses them, re-
ferring particularly to the character of the
holiday season they are enjoying and wishing
them all much happiness. Then he dis
tributes presents among them, and the room
remains scene of merry making, with