Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-11-10


and caretakers occupy that beautiful
tract, with the city all around
ii. And thousands and tens OF thou
sands of people are walking the
streets or living in miserable tene-
menuts. l expect I'D be a Socialist if
l stayed long in London and thought
much about such things as this. With
all the train and intellect the Eng
lish statesmen have not solved the
land problem in England, and they
never wild solve it until they upset
the table.
1t is a great thing to be able to
speak the language. and not have to
rely SO much on holding up your fling
srs and making faces. We have been
for so many weeks among the Dutch
and the French that 1t is a positive
pleasure TO just listen to the con-
versation around US and know that We
can understand. A h.tle knowledge
Of foreign tongue leads to many
mistakes. | heard a Frenchman in
the London hotel giving his account
of he's day s experience to am English
lady. Amony other things he said he
went TO a linen store and left an
order for table linen and added, land
| viii have my entrails on It," OF
course he meant his initials but he
had been careless with his dictionary.
And yet it is very hand for US to ur-
derstand The ordinary London cab
driver or workman. His accent is
so different that 1t is almost like an
other language. And even an educat-
edEnglishman will give you a direc-
ton like this: go to the next
turning on the left bear a bit
to the right until you get
to The top of the
street" Which means in American
go to the next corner, turn to
the left, then a little
to the right to the end o
the street. never can understand
why the English people generally MUIR
der Their language as they do. But
perhaps am like the little American
girl | met in Germany. She had
learned German at home and | asked
her how she got along in Berlin. Not
very WE'LL" she said, they talk such
bad German"
The transportation in the center
of london is confined entirely to
buses and cabs. There is too much
traffic and the streets are too mar
row for street railways. In the outer
parts of the city number Of street
cars, or trans" as they are called,
are operated. Every bus and every
tram has seats on the roof and they
are Che choice seats on the vehicle.
From one of these top seats is the
place to see London and the traveller
has the advantage of not only being
able to note the sights on the pave
ment and the walks but he can look
IN the second story windows and see
how people live. There are no great
sky scrapers in London, the business
houses usually being six stories or
less in height. The residences are
nearly always three or -four stories
and either built flush TO the
stae et, with a garden or count in the
rear, OF back from The street and the
yard enclosed by a high stone wall.
The Englishman goes on the old prin-
ciple that an Englishman s house is
his castle, and puts up high walls be-
tween himself and his neighbors. A
front porch, or an open lawn in front
of a private house would be regarded
as freakish or an evidence of insan-
ity. On the other hand there are
MANY public parks and pretty green
squares in London which are breath
ing spots for the congestion of hui
mainly within this great city.
The City of London" which has a
Lord Mayor is the little old city
which is the hub of the whole bust
ness. It is the section of the banks
and the great institutions Of finance
and is about the size of Hutchinson,
but solid mass of stone structures
and marrow streets. Only about 30
900 people reside there. The London
of the present is London county,
covers about, 900 square miles and
Is therefore about the size of Reno
county. That is the area in which
5000, 900 people live. 1t is governed
by County Council, elected by the
taxpayers, and a very active body
which is doing much to improve the
conditions. London has fine water
and visitors are even urged to drink
ii, something new in Europe. Taxes
Or "natesp as thew are called. are