Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-12
IRA VELS IN PHILADELP PHLA
SOUTH BROAD STREET
BY Christopher Morley

0NE Of the singulary futile and freakish
~ little literary" magazines that flourish
among desicca ed women and men whose
minds are not old enough for the draft
proudly raises the slogan that 1t Makes no
compromise with the public taste
What l like about South Broad street is
that it does make compromise with the public
taste, every possible compromise. In the
course Of a three-nlile stroll from the City
Hall down to the South Broad Street plaza
one may see almost every variety OF human
interest. IT is as though South Broad street
had made up its mind to see all phases Of
life before leaping into the arms OF Uncle
Sam At League Island. It is like the young
mans last night with the boys before enlist
ing.
s.DRoAD and Chestnut" is a Philadelphia
- phrase Of great sanctity. 1t is uttered
in the same breath of awe as the New York
cr's Broadway and Forty-second" as though
the words summed up the very vibration and
pulse Of the towns most sacred life. And
vet why is il that Broad street seems to ma
more at ease, more itself, when it gets away
from the tremendous cliffs Of vast hotels and
ofrce mountains" our Philadelphia streets
do not care to be mere tunnels, like the
canyon fumes Of Manhattan. We have a
lust for sun and air.
50 when Broad street escapes from the
shadow Of its own maEniheence It runs just
a little wild. In it's sun-swept airy stretches
perhaps it abuses it's freedom a little, 1t
kicks UP its heels ana eets into its old clothes
Certainly as soon as one gets south OF l.om-
hard street one sees the sudden change. Even
the vast and disnihed gray facade OF the
Ridrway Library does not abash our highway
for more than a moment. 1t dashes on ne
tween n vast clothing factory and the old
Southern and Western Railroad station
II indulses itself in small clothing stores,
lemonade stands and all manner OF tumble
down monkey business. 1t seems to say. i
can look Just like Spring Garden street II
want to-"
perhaps IT is because William Penn on the
civ Hall il looking the other way that
South Broad street feels it can cut up with
out reserve.
IV,AE Rideway Library ought to be able to
daunt this friskins hum6r for more
solemn and repressive erection was never
MANNED But what a fascinating place 1t is.
though fear not much of South Broad street
ever takes the trouble TO open those IRON
gates marked Pull Perhaps II they hao
b.en marked "Push" the public would have
responded more eagerly. But who are we TO
discuss the subtleties OF advertising psy-
cholosv? As l pass the long, heavily-pillared
frontage of the library ] seem to hear the
quiet deliberate ticking of the clock In the
cool gloomy reading room, ana smell the
faint, delicious Inusty fragrance of the old
volumes II is no small thrill TO step inside
ana revel In the dim scholarly twilight OF that
palace OF silence, to pore over the rare books
in the glass showcases and explore the
alcoves whore the marvellous collection OF
chess books is kept. Those alcoves look out
over a little playground At the back, where
the SHADY benches would be an ideal place
for d solemn pipe but alas no men are ad-
rnitted The playground is reserved for
women and children.
VERY different is the old railroad station
v across the way, now used freight
depot Built in 1852 it was Philadelphia's g
crack terminus fifty years ago, and as one
studies the crumbled brownstone front one
thinks OF all the eager and excited feet that
must have passed into the great arehed hall
Now II is boarded UP In front. but inside
IL is crammed with box cars and vast cases
stenciled "Rush-Militarp Supphes-U. 8.
Army" Sixty freight cars can be loaded
there at time. One thinks what emo
tions that siass.roofed shed must have seen
IN Civil War tines. suppose many train
Of men in blue said sood-by to mothers and
swssthsarts along those platforms That
theueht WAS. with me Al ! stood inside the
eid STATEN. which In spite OF its bustle of
freight 81 filled with the haunting sadness of
AL places that are old and decayed and echo
lzlng with the wnispers of long ago Does ~
n r.. ."