The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-24

have sought to overcome it by going about
ike Diogenes with lanterns in their hands.
the London County Council has tackled it
through the Meteorological Office and the
Fire Department. Preliminary to more de-
cisive measures, this pest Of fog is to be
made to give an account OF itself. Every
ire station will hereafter be an observa-
tory, and 1t is hoped that when we know
the length and breadth and the risings
and fallings of this monster. some way will
be found to rout and destroy il.
Londoners at first were inclined to smile
at this movement, but since the sanction
of America has been put upon it incre-
du1ty has given place to hope. Owing to
various humiliating facts, chiefly to the
long-continued laundering in South Africa,
the Englishman has lost faith both in
himself and his own countrymen. To in
spire him with wholesome confidence in
any great measure of Improvement you
have to show him that what is proposed
is thought well of by his go-ahead cous-
ms across the Atlantic. The London press
is well aware of this fact. Hence, on this
fog-suppression business, it speedily secured
an interview with one of the experts of
the United States weather bureau. This
&C., ANAAa SAAOaSA ~ 6p0dh z
of the scheme and since hen Londoners
have been much more inclined to expect
good from it. This is the great project
by which the l.. c.. c. signalized last week.
This week it has set in motion another
mammoth enterprise.
SUBWAY FOR TRAFFIC.
Under all the main t~horoughfares there
are to be subways for the relief of traffic.
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two ways. Not only will much of it be
diverted from the streets, but the streets
will be more passable to the traffic they
still retain. There will be less tearing up
by gas and water and electrical companies,
for the intention is that these new subways,
besides being used for traffic, shall be a
channel for those multitudinous pipes and
wires which at present are laid just be-
meath the roadway. Such a work will re-
quire years for its contamination, and a
fabulous capital, but the best proof that
the Council is in earnest in this project
is that it is expecting to expend a million
pounds or so in a subway under the new
avenue it is building from Holborn to the
Strand.
This new thoroughfare, by the way, runs
through one of the most historic parts of
London, and the manner in which the L. c..
C. has recognised this fact shows con-
clusively that it undertakes these great
schemes Of Improvement in no vandal
spirit. 1t will make a new London in time,
yet will preserve as much as it can of the
old London. Upon this point its chairman,
Mr.. Torrance, says: Whenever possible
buildings of historical interest are pre-
served, but when it is absolutely necessary
to abolish them the greatest care is taken
to preserve the most interesting portions.
In excavating, too, vigilance is exercised to
secure and preserve any objects OF archae-
illogical interest which may be brought to
the surface, a reward being offered to the
workmen who find such things" 1t is worth
noting as well that in connection with its
great clearance schemes the l.. G. G.. has
striven to safeguard, not only the London
of the past, but the London of the present
and future.
In all it has had to buy out more than
ninety public houses. Not merely the
buildings, but the licenses and goodwill
a had to be paid for. In many instances
those thus driven out Of business were paid
a bonus of $l5, 900, and in one instance SO, 900
was the figure, though the average was
much below this. All these drinking Ii
censes the Council has squelched. 1t could
nave recouped itself by keeping them, or it
could have sold them, but it has declined
thus far TO have any direct interest in that
traffic which is one of London's greatest
curses. In this cause it has sunk more
than a million dollars. That's the way
the money goes" is the comment of some
indignant ratepayers, but surely it's a good
uau ~ II baIpS 70 roaEa I ondon sober
INSUFFICIENT ROOM.
In the not distant future the London
County Council will be housed, no doubt,
in a building worthy of it, like the Hotel
de Vile of Paris. AT present it's rented
offices at Spring Gardens. leading from
Trafalgar square into ST. James's Park,
are beggarly inadequate. The office staff
numbers no less than 500, and the total
number of employees doesn't fall far short
of 1900. The different departments of the
Council are managed by twenty-eight large
committees. The chairman of the bridge
committee is Will Crookes, a former dock
laborer, who is so much of an expert and
so useful that his services one year Sc
} cured him the honor of reelection the next.
On many Of the committees experts are ap-
pointed from outside the Council. A nota-
BILE instance is the technical education COM
mittee. More or less under the supervision
of this committee are the 1000 evening
classes now In operation in London for the
diffusion of technical knowledge, and the
l.. c. c., through this committee. is ar
ranging to open in the metropolis a large
college for the training Of school teachers.
The L. C. c. is rapidly municipalizing the
enormous tram and bus service OF the city,
and is doing its work so well that, besides
reducing fares in many cases, it is MAX
ing a good profit on its ventures, and is,
at the same time, improving the condition
of the conductors and drivers. On the
lines acquired by the Council the average
fines of employees have been reduced from
eight pence halfpenny per year TO five
pence. They work their men only six
days in the week, and pay them as much
as they formerly got for seven days work.
This branch of the Councils business is
managed by the highways committee, and
Mr.. Torrance has just said that this
committee has vast schemes in progress
and under consideration. 1t aims at revo-
luton. 1t will not rest until every dis
trict in London is properly served with
1t is convinced that horse pow
er is doomed and hat the power of the
future is electricity" Rather late in the
5av ApoarioopS mill think 70 a,,o,,o,