Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-09
ONE VIEW OF GLASGOW
Typical of Scotch Character.
Grand, Gloomy, Peculiar.
RESEMBLES PHILADELPHIA
Its Strange Flights of Fancy in Art
and Architecture.
ITS MEN FAMOUS IN HISTORY
Sad Condition of Its Working
Classes-Sickening Sights
in Its Slums.
BY WILLIAM f.. CT RTIS.

as many hills as Rome, and some of the
streets are steep as those of Seattle
or San Francisco The principal business
thoroughfareS run at right angles on the
flat that borders the banks of the river
Clyde. and others are parallel. like steps
or terraces, up and down the hills.
Glasgow resembles Philadelphia more
than any other American city. being one
of the greatest workshops in the world.
The people do not boast much as those
of Belfast, although they have more to
bray about but it would he an injustice to
say they place their lights under bushel
baskets.
l find that the Scottish people are quite
as apt to magnify their offices any
other portion of The kingdom but they
have many more reasons for vanity than
their personal appearance. They are not
beautiful to look upon. and they have
never been used as examples of refinement
or fashion, but they have almost all the
other virtues.
Glasgow Manufactures Everything.
1t is asserted that Glasgow manufac-
lures everything that the human race de-
SlreS. fancy this is an eXaggeration, but,
as figure of speech, it applies with great
appropriateness Perhaps more different
kinds of machinery and articles of use--if
not OF ornament-are made in Glasgow
than in any other community of human
beings. The list runs from the wooden
toothpick to the armored cruiser IndOm-
liable. which has recently smashed the
| record of all seagoing vessels by bringing
the Prince of Wales from Canada across
the ocean, in less than three days, at an
average rate of twenty-five knots an hour.
The people of Glasgow are we'll aware
the the 1ndomitable was built in one of
Sh1nE3rIS
visitor to the city has been reminded of
that fact with such frequency that it be-
comes rather mOnotonOuS.
Glasgow is the second city in Great
Britain in population. wealth and activity.
Ii is one OF the greatest of all cities and
strictly utilitarian, for they dig the money
out of the ground and find it in the noise
and the smoke. Its history is a romance
of industry and commerce. Its enterprise.
energy and administration have never
been surpassed, and the sterling, subStan-
tial integrity of its business men has
given ii equal fame
Few of the great cities of the world are
so substantially built and the solidty of
its walls has occasionally been tempered
with refinement of taste: but within the
three square miles of black stone struc-
lures in which its crowded population is
confined there is very little OF the artistic
to admire. The streets are wide and we'll
paved, and there are many costly ex-
amples of commercial architecture. There
are abundant evidences Of wealth and
prosperity. but artistic effect has been
forgotten or subordinated in most in
stances TO durability. The dark gloomy
tenement houses constructed is not
easily susceptible of ornamentation.
Fantastic Glasgow Art.
Where an attempt has been made at
ornamental display the result is rather
fantastic than otherwise. as Illustrated in
the city hall. or city chambers as they
call it, which is more glorious than the
temple of Solomon. 1t contains two and
half million dollars worth of satin
wood and cedar jeWeled windows. ala
baster. marble and brilliantly coIored
mosaic in balustrades. staircases. CORR
doris. amphitheaters of debate and banquet
rooms. and everybody brags about it. The
city chambers is a notable building but
it is much out of place in Glasgow as
organ in boiler shop. The character
of the people and. the rest of the build
ings do not justify such lavish outlay
i'm carved stone. pinnacles and painted
walls.
st. Georges Square. upon which the city
chambers front, an open plaza of about
four city blocks in size. is sort of ZOO
logical garden of statues of great men
and great women. too. Among them
Queen Victoria sits coquettishly on the
back of prancing bronze stallion. a sim
gular conception for the sculptor of Il
woman of her dignity and girth. 1t seems
to llave been the studied purpose of the
city fathers to collect all their Statuary
in this one square, and they have sue
ceeded in making it notable for the num-
Der as well as the variety of the eftigies.
In the center. upon lofty column of
Corinthian design. so high that you can
not see the figure. is statue of Sir Wal
ter Scott. Beside him is the late Prince
Albert looking rather effemnate as well
insignificant in comparison with the
overshadOwing poet splendid pose and
dignftied expression seldom equaled
found in sitting statue of James
Watt 1736-1S19p. a native of Glasgow. who
invented the steam engine in the machine
shop of the university.
Men Famous in History.
Another famous Glasgonian is Sir John
Moore. the hero of Quebec. and the theme
of that martial poem which every school
boy has rected. Not drum was heard:
not funeral note" Sir Colin Campbell
U4ord Clyde also a native of Glasgow,
who relieved the siege Of Lucknow and
led the charge of the Six Hundred; Thorn
as Campbell, the poet: Sir Robert Peel.
Robert Burns. Thomas Graham, Mr.. Glad
stone and a dozen others are here in
bronze or marble, sitting silently upon
their pedestals and watching Glasgow
grow. But that which pleaSeS people
most, l think, is d noble figure of DR..
Livingstone. the African explorer who
was not native of this city, but was
born in a humble abode in the suburban
village of Blantyre. He educated
here, and studied medicine at Anderson's
College. 1t is said he used to walk ten
miles a day from his fathers home back
and forth to his medical lectures. five days
in the Week-and that is the stuff of which
explorers are made. The surgical case
which he carried for several years in
darkest Africa. now hangs in the window
of a dealer in surgical instruments in this
city. to whom it was given by his son, Os-
we'll Livingstone, q classmate in the med-
cal department of the university.
1t was great disappointment to the
people of Glasgow that DR.. Livingstone
could not be buried here. but the nation
claimed him and his dust was reverently
deposited in Westminster Abbey.
Flights of Architectural Fancy.
1t is difficult to conjecture why the
architects of the city, during the early
part of the nineteenth century when most
of the churches were built. should have
INDUCED in such fantastic designs for
their spires, when the severe lines of the
temples of worship from which they rise
do not justify it. One might expect such
flights of architectural fancy in an orient
al city, but they seem eccentric in sub
stantial community like Glasgow l can
not describe them: they are too many and
too elaborate. but there seems to have
Neon rivalry church arphitarts