Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-02
London by Gaslight.
Graphic Description of Styles and Scenes at Night
in the Worlds Metropolis
LONDON, December 3rd, 1896.

| 10 The unsophlsticated American, (the
modern cliff dweller whose habit is
among anything from ten 10 twenty
story buildings) London from cursory
superficial introduction seems somewhat
OF a dire and dismal disappointment,
especially at this time Of the year, when
king fog holds undispu,ed sway for
ninety days, and old Sol is as much Of
an occular curiosity as undlluted Tactical
fluid, or absolutely fresh hen fruit. The
rolling houlevards and stately buildings
OF our londest imaginations resolve
| themselves into toriuous, comparatively
narrow, crowded streets while the build
ings seldom attain hight above six
stories; and although they are solid, sub.
stantial structures, built to last, they
lack the architectural detail so prevalent
! in the modern American edihces. Every
thing Is begrimed by SCOT, smoke, smoke,
everywhere; it throws its pail over
everything, leaving a deposit behind,
that in the course of eighteen months
compels sell respecting brand new
ireestone building or statue, to assume
the same dsreputable aspect as that
worn by its older neighbors. However,
London was London, before America
was thought OF, and consequently from a
modern improvement standpoint, labors
somewhat under the disadvantage oil
having been laid out for eight or nine
centuries on lines that positively pro.
hibit such sacrllegious innovations as the
gay and festive reckless trolley car, the
sky scraping buildings. the mammoth
palatial stores OF the Siegel. Cooper
order together with other up to date
American institutions
But London grows on one, and after
a weeks acquaintance one gets Impress
ed with its wealth. solidity, vastness, an.
tiquity and wickedness. The time TO
take in London, SO to speak, at this sea-
son of the year is between the hours OF
4 p. M, and the last bus. Under the
gaslight 1t is truly stirring sight, The
roar OF the ever restless traffic, the
hurrying pedestrians, besiped and top
hated, all hurrying for nome or on
pleasure bent, the cries OF the street
touts, together with the reSplendent
shop windows, colored illuminated re-
volving pictorial advertising signs, and
general pandemonium, all have a ten
dency under the artificial glare of the
gas and electric light to make the unso-
phisticated Ulahnian pinch himself to see
whether he is awake or not
The Mormon Elders first natural de-
sire on arriving in London is TO get out
and see somewhat OF his surroundings
and DO London c., If London does not
do him ere he gets through. So he
leaves historic $50" with its aesthetic and
cultured surroundings and MES himself
to the Angel" which is not such de
vout proceeding as appears on the face
OF ii, as the aforesaid angel oil lslington
is nothing more or less than what is
vulgarly termed pub" (saloon) from
whose bibuluous precents depart the
buses for the city and elsewhere. II
the Elder should be brand new he is
very much conscious OF wearing brand
new silk hat and imagines all the world
has Its eye on him, which fancy is in
tensifed by a street arab audibly inform
ing his bosom friend that there goes
Baron Rothschilds las latest style silk
hats on Penton street are somewhat
conspicious;) whereupon he promptly
takes the wrong side OF the sidewalk
and concientuously collides with all
pedestrians with charming impartiality
meanwhile proiusely apoigizing. The
latter proceeding is absolutely unnec-
Cesary, however, as none thinks OF
apoligizing over a trihe like that in Lon
don, On arriving at the Angel, buses
OF every color OF the rainbow greet his
vision and his ears are saluted with,
ERE We are. Sir Bank, Oxford Street,
Plccadilly Circus, Kings Cross, etc,
penny all the way"
A ride on the top OF bus into the
city proper is very interesting. One
gets up stepway at the back and takes
a seat in one OF the eight double seats
on top, buttons an oilskin lap robe
around him and prepares to take in the
sights. The lap robe (save the mark is
a very useful institution, serving as il
does the double duty OF keeping out the
wet and cold and further If perchance a
wheel should come of saving one from
injuring the London pavement with
ones Uranium. The conductor appears
upon the scene and ferociously presents
what appears to be nickel.plated re-
volver at your head. You are going to
throw up your hands, when it dawns on
you that the alleged firearm is simply a
ticket punch with bell attachment.
Very sheepishly you hand over one OF
those mGssives pennies aud receive a
| ticket in exchange.
One OF the FIRST points of interest
passed en- route is the old Sadler's Wells
rheater, and already the crowd is form
ing outside to storm the pit and gallery,
from where 4 CORY drama may be seen
| for the munlfcent sum OF twopence
| -four cents What a change from the
days when Mrs. Siddons, McCready,
Booth and other oldtimers, nightly held
its boards!
The bus drivers are great characters
and splendid Jehus. The way they
| thread their heavy vehicles through the
| traffic is only surpassed by the volumin
| Gus amount OF artistic slang with which
| they salute any luckleSs truckman or
cabby who bars further immediate pro-
| gress.
AT the bank Of England you Chamber
down and proceed to 20 it on foot, and
| certainly II is good point to start from,
as It is the biggest and most dangerous
| crossing IN London. Here all the main
arteries OF the city converge at one COM
mon centre. Right opposite you is the
| Mansion House the official residence oil
the Lord Mayor; to the LETT the ROYAL
| Exchange; behind YOU the bank ol
England; to the right Cheapside Queen
! Victoria street, opposite which are King
| William street, CUrnhill and Lombard
street, all contributing their quota OF
traffic and pedestrians to swell the con-
! fusion aud blDckalR that ,poull h. I,,t