Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-27
BOSTON STREET
ODDITIES, LONG
FAMOUS, TOGO
City Will Straighten Crooked
Thoroughfares and Widen
Many Others.
BUT THE BAG REMAINS

BOSTON. Oct. 27.-Boston city officials
are working on a plan to cut a straight
broad artery through the network of
crooked streets in the western part OF
she business district.
This would not ordinarily be state
.aent TO cause any great excitement, for in
-he course of its history Boston mas
-ravely considered no less than one hun
.ired proposals to simplify the maze OF
ics street system.
The latest plan. however. has been APP
nroved by the Legislature and is now be-
fore the town council.
It really begins to look as if Boston
night eventually see this particular
proposition through.
The proposed channel would involve
he widening of some of the streets 1t
ouId follow. and the cutting through OF
;1me new strips of street to make con-
tinuous. straight thoroughfare.
It would provided a short cut through
the district south of Boston Commons
and it would attract a large amount Of
traffic which now overcrowds the numer-
ons narrow streets and lanes.
CROOKED STREETS
TYPICAL OF CITY.
Boston still expects some day really to
straighten its streets, and any citizen
viii tell you just how it ought TO be
done
Meanwhile the crookedness of the thor
ougbfares is a by-word, and a sort OF
trademark Of the city.
A visitor can have all the exercise and
excitement he wants simply trying to
find the shortest route from a hotel to
an office building.
In some parts of the most congested
shopping district. walking in a straight
line is next 10 impossible, for the side
walks are so damned with would be
pedestrians that the only way to travel
with any speed is to wriggle in and out
among the slowly moving throng.
ANY one who becomes skilful at this
business of wricgling can advance at
least four blocks an hour and at the
same time ACQUIRE a suppIeness which
comes in handy when lodging taxicabs
and wagons.
The best place to observe traffic at
It's sIowest is on Washington street,
where the narrow sidewalks are lined
with lunchroOmS. thearers, Office build
ings. and innumerabIe shops. from little,
crowded stalls to big department stores.
Anything which any BOsto ian might
want is to be found on this street, and
presumably half the Bostonians are here
all day, struggling. always with dignity
and tolerance. to fill up their Boston
bags so that they can seek the subway
and the evening paper.
cor Is ONLY
SALVATION IF LOST.
One of the peculiar things about Wash
ingtOn street is that the other side al
ways looks only half as thickly popu-
lated as the side you picked OUT 10 travel.
and. of course when you dodge a few
automobiles and traffic cops to cross
over, the side you were on looks more
desirable.
After hopping back and forth a few
times you conclude that the mob is about
evenly divided.
The best course then seems to be to re-
tire TO side street where navigation is
less interesting, but more speedy, and
where you either get lost in the maze of
turnings or walk a few blocks only to
come out on a blind alley.
At this stage OF the adventure only
policeman can solve the mystery and give
you q fresh start toward the original
goal.
The traffic police are one Of Boston's
most efficient institutions
After the police strike last winter. 400
of the old force remained loyal and the
Others-1,1 52 men-gave up wearing
white gloves in the day time and retired
from public life TO become chauneurs.
lunch room prOprietors and watchmen
on private property.
In their places Boston has taken on
1 200 men, all but about twenty five of
them ex-seryice men.
Most Of them had been in action over
seas.
The old force ran to heavyweight,
middle-aged -swingers.
The new recruits are largely 1.-THE,
young and full Of pep.
1t is said that the setting-up exercises
which they take in the morning at head
quarters would have finished the old
guard for the day instead Of putting them
in trim for work.
BOSTONIANs DEMAND
BAG AND FAMILY TREE.
new traffic organization has been
formed and at busy crossings from one
TO four young traffic officers handle the
streams Of cars and passengers with
brisk dispatch.
From the stiff, jerky gestures of the
hand and arm with which one Of these
officers directs traffic, 1t looks at first as
If he had lost an arm and was swinging
a wooden one.
Closer study Of the motions show,
however, that the mechanical stiffness ac-
centuates the command as no gracefully
curved gesture could.
It has been recommended that the best
way to feel at home in Boston is to learn
to talk BostOnese, to carry a Boston bag,
and to dust off your family tree for ready
reference.
The language Of Boston is not difficult
10 master, though a native of a distant
States does usually have some trouble in
learning to say "bluebry" as if he meant
II, and it is discouraging when a desper-
ate attempt at the broad "a" has to be
repeated before it is understood.
The Importance Of a working knowledge
Of the Boston dialect is really lessening.
possibly because the New England &C
cent is being too rapidly diluted with
other brogues.
Thus, the official way Of pronouncing