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

cent, had LAST year advanced TO 10 per
cent
/ have heard people in the United
States refer TO London as the "effete
capital OF an "effete monarchy as an
cold fogy city" where everything 10
done after the fashion OF hundred
years ago. With such complacent igno-
rance will not triGe. There are some
among us who seem determined not to
understand England and the English.
As for 4" one hundred years ago well.
"there were giants in those days, and
very good fashions" too But Lon
don. instead OF being effeie, is
FULL OF LIFE AND ENERGY.
No city equals her in force and
splendor. in intellect, in wealth, IN ca
pacity for noble deeds and real enjoy
ment.
London grows, not by spurts and
spasms, but steadily, with increasing
vigor. You expect our younger Ameri-
can cities to grow, and to brag about
their growth as youngsters will. But
here is the worlds capital OF intellect,
wealth. commerce, and art, centuries
old. sustaining five millions Of people
every day and growing constantly
growing in all her strength as vel as IN
stature See London reaching into the
fields. here a rod and there mile, swai-
lowing laborers' cottages, kitchen gar
dens. manor houses, farms, private
parks. Where there was mea-
dow last year there is now a
paved street where there was an or
chard there is now a block of model
tepemepts." When the century began
London had per cent. OF the popula-
ton of ENGLAND, now she has at least ID
per cent. of it, The mileage OF her
streets has increased skiold since the
century began her houses have IN
creased nine-fold. Within a decade
splendid new avenues have appeared on
the sites Of crooked alleys and crowded
lanes. Twenty-Five thousand buildings
have been erected in q twelve month.
The pressure Of traffic in the streets IS
so enormous that new outlets and extern
sions have constantly TO be made. 10
day all roads by land, oil routes by sea-
lead Londonward.
When Londoners undertake to i'm
prove their metropolis they do the work
thoroughly. One of the most important,
difficult, and successful municipal i'm
proyements known in this century was
/ the construction of the HolboTn viaduct.
| Few to-day who traverse that wide and
handsome avenue leading from Newgate
street at the prison corner, TO the east
ern end Of Holborn proper realize what
public spirit and engineering skill nave
accomplished in bringing into existence,
as we soc it to-day, the most direct OF the
great highways connecting ancient
! London with the west. Until twenty
wears ago all the vehicles and pede5-
| frians going east or west Uid Holborn
and Newgate street were forced to de-
scend q steep hill and then cross Earring
ton street, which covers thecourse OF the
enclosed Fleet river, and then climb q
corresponding grade on the other side.
Alta cost of $40, 900, 600 level roadway
was constructed here, bridging Earring
ton street and forming one OF the finest
avenues in Europe. To accomplish the
result many old buildings were demo.
hshed. Field Lane was swept away, and
with it Fagin's rookery. The houses on
Snowfall we're taken down, and Win
them the Saracens Head, which you re-
member in Nickleby." Then a via
duct was constructed l 400 feet in length
and eighty feet in breadth, extending
across the valley, crossing Harrington
street by q handsome, massive bridge OF
iron and polished granite. Only at TINS
bridge. midway of the structure, do you
appreciate the fact that you are on
an elevated street, for on either band are
enormous commercial buildings, railway
stations. churches, and hotels. Other
streets connect with the viaduct 10y easy
gradients.
If HoIborn viaduct is remarkable
above ground, it is even more remarka,
bic below the pavement Here the hrs'
extensive
CONSTRUCTION OF sUBWAYS
in London was attempted and success
fully accomplished. these slbways ar
intended for carrying all the works tina
underlie a metropolitan street. AT th'
very bottom is the sewer. Above th'
sewer is u subway containing gas an'
water pipes and electric wires. when
ever IT is necessary to repair or altar an,
of these pipes or wire lines, tn
work is performed in the sub
WAYS without disturbing the surface
the street. Even the sewer could be re
uaired or rebuilt without lifting the pave
, ment. The subways are built OF bnck
They are eleven feet six inches high AM
seven feet wide. They are ventilated D.
r shafts connected with the trapped guliie
in the roadway with the periorate
lomp.posts. and also with flues let int
, the narty-wals of buildings. ANY "a
p that NAV escape is thus carried OIL an
! sufficient fresh air is obtained for Ia
= workmen. The subways are lighted b
8 gratinps fitted with "globnles OF the
glass" and they can also be lighted b
D incandescent electric-lamps.
The construction of the Holborn VII
p. duet subways led to the construction
, others, especially when large new stree
. | were cut through old and inconyenier
p parts of the metropolis, Queen Nict'
{ ria street from the Bank OF England
/ the Times Office, Shaftesbuy avenu
e the Charing Cross road, Northumberland
avenue. and the embankment are amor
s the chief thoroughfares thus supple
d with subways, and the system Is a
yanced whenever opportunity offers.
Subways are sadly needed in Amer
! can cities. Where subways are paw
y ments can be kept in excellent CONDITION
> provided they are properly put down
y the first instance. Here, then, Is econ
4 my. There is economy, too IN uihe al
q labor saved in the actual work OF PIP
q wire. and sewer laying or repairin
= Subways more than pay for themselve
,, but our city fathers III the United stat
= do not appear to understand this.
just Like Him.
= philadelphia Times.l
4 He certainly wasn't handsome, but
bad q loving heart.