Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-08-29

HI OdPlth1-A Not
Remarkable for Length, but Over
Which Passes an Enormous Traffic
The Cabdrlvers, Benevolent Organ
ization-An Example of the Desper-
ate Struggle OF EngIand's Toilers
Against Long Hours and Low
Wages.
LONDON, Aug. II.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
We have seen 1t affirmed somewhere that
the shortest street in the world is Mansion
House street in this biggest city in the
world. 1t is just as long as the front of
the Mansion house, and the Post Office
directory for '91 locates in. it, in addition
to the mayoral establishment, single bus
mess Office, that of the Equitable Assu-
rance society. By curious coincidence
this shortest street is also, for London at
any rate, the busiest street. About 1t are
massed the great moneyed institutions of
this realm, and it is the heart through
which courses, in mighty tides of traffic,
the life blood from such arteries of this
vast metropolis as Cheapside, Princes
street, Threadneedle street, Cornhil, Lom-
bard street, King William street, Queen
Victoria street and Walbrook. What most
impresses you in this shortest and busiest
of London's thoroughfares is neither the
towering dignity of the Royal Exchange,
where the fortunes of empire have so oft
en- trembled in the balance, nor the mod
est, retiring grandeur of the Bank of
England, in which centers to 30 large an
extent the wealth of all the continents.
Both of these are in full view, and 1t is
impossible as you look at them not to
| WELD. But such reflections as these are
| only transitory, whereas that which en-
crosses and absorbs you ia the ever chang
ing and never diminishing panorama Of
life and activity passing before your gaze.
Especially will you be struck with the
mammoth proportions of the vehiculal
traffic converging at this center, and il
business or pleasure should require you tc
GROSS this surging little thoroughfare, you
will think yourself fortunate to not be
"struck" literally. No one can be sur
prised, after little experience in front Of
the Mansion house, when he is told tina
the number of people run down by vehi
cles in the city of London averages abou
five thousand a year. You only wonde
that more do not meet this fate, and thinl
with fearful apprehension how liable yol
are to be so overtaken yourself.
In this ever shifting and never endin,
scene of vehicular activity the leadin,
mart ia PLAYED by cabs and omnibuses, ant
we propose in this letter to throw q ittl
lipht upon the lives of those who operat
these conveyances, especially the busmen
| and not overlooking a class which worl
under harder conditions and for less pa
than either of those mentioned, viz. tn
| London tram men. There are cabs run
ming in this metropolis to the number O
about eleven thousand, and as owner
have to contribute to the national exche
ouer license fee of two pounds q yea
/ for each conveyance, and drivers five shi
{ linos a year, it will be seen that from
| governmental point of view they are ratt
ar a paving Investment. The British go,
ernment, by the way, is not at all bacl
l ward in exacting tribute from those VIII
, | would keep the wolf from the door b
serving the public or dabbling little
, the smaller branches OF trade. 1t is
i fact so far reaching in it's tax system as
q almost Justify the fear of the sggrieve
Britisher who said that, as things we
" going, It wouldn't be long before hcen
> would be necessary for the legal selling
o q cast off suit of clothes. But the Lo
don cabman is quite as e1acting in tribu
as the British government. Probably 1t
>, from this source that he takes his cue al
'8 finds a quieting plaster for his conscienc
The visiting American who has not be,
. overcharged would be almost as much OF
8. curiosity as Darwin's missing link, al
re both he and the rare csbby in whom
IF confded would make drawing cards I
a the worlds fair. Perhaps, though, {
- London species is no worse than his tri
D. elsewhere That he is not dishonest
ls the low, vulgar sense is pLpable enou