Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-10
TRAVELS IN PHILADELPHIA
Walking West on Chestnut Street
While Snow Is Being Cleared
BY ROY HELTON
71HE snow lay dead white on the p,

In1b snow lay dead wh1tc on thc pave
rnents, but out among the wheeltracks
under the busting of brief, late furry, it
had taken on the delicious hue of iced ginger
bread. As passed north by the spire of ST.
James's. looked up and saw faint new
fallen nimbus on the heads of Christ and the
Fishermen, and generous mantle of white
on the Sculptured waves of Galilee. But down
on the sidewalk the going was rough. One
needed to keep his eyes firmly on the foot
way as he tramped north and turned into
Chestnut street
On the approach of the old arched bridge
gang of men was Travelling with the snow
We're trying to fill up the river, smiled
the policeman who seemed to have charge OF
the operation, but We can't seem to make
much headway."
As he spoke one of the carts slowed back
ward, dumping its white burden over the
bridge rail, and there was momentary
heavy splash down below among the gray
sheets of broken ice. Then few large Jumps
came bobbing up and drifted sullenly down
stream toward the police boat at its mooring
by the old watchtowcr. The wagon rigbted
itself and the men fell to work with their
shovels
LNVEN under its kindly cover of white. the
~ east bank of the river is ragged and dis
ICputuDle, LUJ Inc west SnOTc, at onesthut
street. is built up into q neat arailed embank
ment that suggests the possibilities OF green
lawns some time with pleasant space to
walk in, and brings one poignant regrets that
at least some little length of this river. once
so comely, has not been spared. here IN the
heart of the town between the three bridges,
for a park along the water.
AT the west end of the bridge at the bot
tom of it's hill is commonly a great confusion
of wagons and trucks, one or two always
showing under their yellow pawlings those
piles of transparent bags filled with onions,
like great heaps of huge brown pearls.
The snow here is no longer the color OF
gingerbread, but back-blacker than choc-
olate cake.with the incessant grind of wheels,
and there is much hearty dispensing of wild
epithet, as the trucks and carts and trolley
cars engage and wrangle under the eyes OF
the quizzical hill horses who gaze out through
the fence of the coalyard.
Here at the corner ! passed Il gang of
laborers on their way TO the freight yards
brawny, laughing negroes with feet cncased III
ponderous wrappings of burlap. Picking her
way among them there passed me a dainty
young lady, footing carefully across the drifts
in low shoes and sheer silk stockings.
OPPOSITE the white tumbled yards of
beside whose doorway manned triton rides
on decapitated seahorse. For many years
this old figure has gazed up into the weather,
ard the pelting of the winter rains has at
length brought q pathetic, futile nobility to
the gesture of the sea gods lifted face. L
thundered vainly at the shop door to find
out about him. No one answered. so | gazed
in All about the shopwalls was hung a col
lection of ancient pictures in heavy old bat
tered frames. and beyond them few shelf
rows of books piled and iostlcd together. But
the room was not without its touches of light
ness the ceiling bore dazzling modern
fresco, the door to the inner room was
crowned with u canopy of scarlet and gold,
and behind some loose boarding peered forth
the purple edge Of freshly painted snow
scene. There was no one in sight to explain
all these mysteries, and / turned reluctantly
from my peep hole at the door.
At WOODLAND AVENUE, Chestnut
Astreet frankly abandons itself to debauch
of gasoline there is no end to the hOoting OF
horns aud the grinding of gears. SO far in
deed has this passion consumed the staid soul
of the street that one sees. not far from the
corner, a movie palace turned into modern
garage. Where the flaming posters of Mary
and Charlie once flanked the arabesque door
tations to come in and stock up on gas and
oil.
''Oh monstrous and obtuse people, cried
!, a tear freezing my wind whipped
cheek, "who abandon the whirring of the
four reels for the rafting of the four cylin-
ders, and hold the pleasure Of doing in the
dark at Mazie's elbow of less account than
lingering the cold knob of gear shift outside
in the slush of the street.
= But these melancholy maunderngs were
rudely broken in upon by the pop of large
soft SNOWFALL, and looked down at the sum
mons. into the faces of sly little girl and a
rosy checked brother who We're out with
shovel and broom.
| do you want to buy some snow, mister?
Upon my intmation that the investment
was a poor one, the little girl piped up, But
| our snow is free'-a fact which she proceed
| ed to demonstrate rather emphatically by
| hurrahing a large white gift at my head. The
| challenge was not to be evaded and when !
went on a few minutes later there were little
| icy rivulets careering down my neck and 1
felt a pleasant glow on my cheeks.
| DEYOND the MooresQue vista and patient
ID lions of Hamilton Court the prosperity of
| West Chestnut street rises to its crescendo
| in q group of broad mansions with black
| Tudor beams, or tall granite bays and bas =
| tions massive enough for fortresses. Beyond
| them here and there may be seen few old
! fashioned yellow houses with all the quiet
half rural charm about them that belonged
to their palmy days, when this part of the
street was still a suburban road and the
great folk had need of swift coaches to get
into town. In one of them in particular,
where q tall tree has grown up close beside
the wall one feels something of the old coun =
try atmosphere in that pleasant unresented
neighborng with the things of the ground
AT FORTIETH STREET I stepped north
n into Ludlow, where one sees in the win
doys of the little houses the revealing signs