The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-02
REHOUSING OF LONDON
How the Poorer People Are Crowded
out by the More Prosperous.

interviewer Not a few. indeed m1intain
that SOLUTION OF the problem OF over
crowding must come first, because while
Sums and .Tookeries' exist wholesale
It is hopeless 10 teach the Industrial CT
any other class the lesson OF decent
home life. II IS 4 gigantic. an almost
heart-breaking puzzle, as the American
phiiantrophist George Peabody was
among the first 10 realize from his obser-
vations OF the English capital thirty years
ago and more.
Since then London has seen other indi-
viGual efforts n similar direction through
the agency or .Ths Guinness Trust and
Others; while Lord Rowton's movement
has been especially directed 10 the we'll
being OF unmarried vorkingmen- They
made brave efforts in the same direction,
and the London County Council moved
great step forward when some years ago
It swept away that awful labyrinth OF
Shoreditch and Bethnel Green, and erect
ed thereon the splendid Boundary estate
for the working classes which the King,
when Prince Of Wales, inaugurated. All
these effects. benefcent as they have
been. are more tentative. little more than
surface scratches on the sver-prcssing
problem Of London; NO room 10 live"
The Increase Of Lcndon's population in
ten years has been just under one million
and the census returns Just issued dis
close some disazreeabls truths. For ex-
ample, London contains nearly 10000 ten
ements OF one room. and OF these nearly
200 contain six or more inmates" It
is horrible TO think Of RefoTners get
what consolation what they can from
the fact that tensments Of two rooms
show "a slight increase" and that this
centrifugal dispersal OF town populations
IS shared by al the great old and pros
porous towns.
Even II rehousing on the requisite scale
were within sight, that would only be the
beginning OF the solution. The question is
inseperabIy connected with that OF tran
sit-rapid, cheap, and certain. As regards
rapidity, the facilities OF London arc in
many instances in a really dsplorable
state. The congestion OF street traffic
has been a CRYING scandal for years; and
those who are vulgariy described IS the
authorities" seem Incapable OF dealing
with it in a practical and business Ike
spirit. Foremost among them is 4 Po-
lice comissioner, but perhaps he is not
much 20 blame, because his powers IN this
respect are extremely limited He can
order traffic to be passed along certain
routes when some OF the main arteries
are sbIocked''-as they generally are by
alterations ard repairs" But Parlia-
rnent has given him no wider jurisdic-
ton than this. and he cannot map out
any comprehensive Scheme, applicable 70
London as whole. for the regulation
OF traffic, conhning heavy vehicles 20 par
ticular thoroughfares, and leaving others
more or less for the swift hanson, the
Ieisurely four-whee led cab, and the ium-
bering omnibus
An illustration VIII commend itself 70
everv American visitor who knows his
London. Il is supplied by the lines OF
roads extending from the Bank Of En-
gland 70 Charing Cross. This. he VIII re-
call embraces Cheapside, the south side
of the island on which ST. PauIs Ca
theIdarl stands; the precipitous descent of
I.udgate Hill and the comparatively mar
raw gateways OF Fleet Street and the
Strand. As az least three-foUrths of the
cast 10 west traffic OF London. going both
WAYS. is condemned 10 crawl along this
route from the mighty brewers draw
and contractors lorry 10 the nimble volt
urstte and bicycle It is surprising that
the man in a hurry prefers 70 talse his
chance as a PEDESTRIAN II he happens %
be II Lombard street and wants 70 keep
an appointment At the Cecile OF the afe.
ropole2 Yet. running parallel most 81 the
way with this typical route IS the mag
niscent Thames Embaukment-b-oad
level. and most carefully rlaiuta.ned-
which a. far as relieving traffic, goes
might almost as vel not exist at all. And
further. the Thames steamboat service IS
Z service pour rire, From north 70 south
across the various bridges and indeed II
every district OF London the same story
os ineptitude ard nuddIe Is repeated
a-aIn ard again
On the store OF cheapress certainly the
Lordouer and the stranger within his
safes have less ground f0r conrlaint
Speaking generally. Il nay Re said that
YOU can travel about London from the
heights Ct Tfamstead il the north .
those OF Sy5euham CT the south and from
ths confines OF Epping Forest IL the
east 70 Kew in the west. AZ a surprisingly
snaH expenditure O. money. Some O..
the omnibus routes indeed a-e almost
rrarveIs q chea7ness. But 70 thls--S. at
+ :achea one cast-iron condition You nus;
Re q person of leisure 70 whom kali a1
hour il either scale IS Ct 10 consequence
Ard here comes n the harsh1ess amount
l--. - fact. 10 cruelty. % those wE9,
hzvfnr 10 earn thel- daily bread are con-
PEELED - the overwhelming problem q