The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-14
The Optimist Goes Stunning
Search for Horror in Whtcchapel, London-None Found
Referred to Jack London.

oh, say" said I, please don't give me
any more Of these Sunday school streets.
l want to see arnag and murder and
rapine. Tve got to write a letter to America
depicting the horror OF Whitechapel. I'll
willingly risk my life in going through some
OF the murderous streets, but another half
hour Of this Philadelphia neatness and
quiet will AFFECT my nerves.
And then l learned that things are seldom
what they seem.
This is considered the toughest street
in London" said one Of my friends. whose
books on cockney life nave made him an
authority on the subject. when Barrie
o Maarten Martens through this street
some years e they had a detective in ad-
vance and a detective behind them who told
them to be as cautious "a a Scotchman
and a Dutchman could"
Well, but aren't there just "a dangerous
streets US this in the sw full East End, in
Whitechapel?" asked !.
They both looked at me in astonish-
ment.
What's the Use Of trying to entertain
you2" said one, we've been in the East End
ever since We alighted. We've been In
Whitechapel, in the East End all this warm
afternoon and here you are asking for some-
thing worse. Your palate is out OF order
But" said /, ~the streets are cleaner
than those on the East Side in New York"
That's the lookout OF the New York
Street Cleaning Department. 1t doesn't
concern London" said one.
But the children look happy"
That's owing to the mercy Of God, " said
my other friend.
And it looks as il they were being cared
for" l continued.
You think that because you're an ire
pressible Optimist. We've taken you through
the saddest part of the British Kingdom
and you say thai it is better than similar
ism, mann"
But we've not been in danger Of assault, "
said 1, ignoring his slur. I've not seen a
black loo or heard an angry word, or even
an oath, this afternoon"
Because we've minded our own business.
You 20 through here in evening clothes
and pull your overcoat about you every
time you pass a man and you may be ripe
for the mortuary at st. Columba's in a few
hours
well, but Jack London came over here
and saw it, and he pictured it as a hell on
earth"
Jack London would be able to find a
'Hell's Kitchen in heaven because he has
q trained scent for that sort Of thing, but
! YOU must remember that he dug UP every
| dreadful story he could snia out and
dumped them all in one locality. The most
dreadful place on the face OF the earth is
, In Jack LondOn's book. Probably il you
wrote a book about the East End there'd
be a rush of emigrants to it from all parts
of the earth. Something between your
optimism and his pessimism would be the
right thing"
l couldn't help feeling disappointed
(the sensational part Of mel that l had
witnessed no murders. not even a wife
beating or eye backing and if | had not
afterward s~ubstantiated the fact that l
had really been in WhitechapelI would have
had a suspicion that my friends. being
humorists. had been stringing me-.
II begins to look "a il sightseers were
going to nave all the fostering sores oil
civilization removed and veil have tC
look TO our imaginative literary men fol
our Whitechapels Of the future.
Perhaps it is better for the East Endei
and the East Slider, but it is going to MAKE
it very tame for summers.