Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-06-02
GLASGOW TO Be
SUNLESS CITY
Scottish Metropolis Providing
MunicipaIb-0wned Homes in
Suburbs for Working Class.
IS SECOND CITY OF BRITAIN
Though Inland, Glasgow ~ Dominates
the Worlds shipbuiIdlng Industry
Pioneer In Municipality.
Owned Public Services.


Owned Public Services.
Washington, D. C.-ciiasgow, Scot
land, whose officials have announced
that they will wipe out one Of the
last of its slum districts and provide
instead municipally-owned homes in
the suburbs, thus bids fair soon to
become one Of the few sunless great
cities. Something Of this Scottish me-
tropOlis, which in many ways is one OF
the most interesting cities. in the world,
Is told in bulletin just issued from
the Washington I'd. c. headquarters
of the National Geographic society.
"Glasgow is inland. yet it dominates
the worlds shipbuilding industry and
has turned out more Of the great ships
that daily carry the pleasure seekers
and business men, the mails and
freights, and the grim steel engines
Of war than any saltwater rival" says
the bulletin. "And in spite Of Its Off
the-sea location on stream across
which, century ago, a child could
wade, the tonnage Of ships that now
berth at its quays and docks Is two
thirds that Of New York. I
Incidentally, Glasgow. though its
name may not be quite as familiar as
-other British towns, Is surpassed In
size in Great Britain only by London;
and with it's more than a million in
habitants, 1t is barely Outranked by
only two other cities in the far-fung
British empire and Bombay.
It is in easy reach Of becoming the
second city under the British flag.
Made tho Sea Come to 1t.
"How Glasgow, relatively a small
community on shallow stream-as
daring and more successful than Ma
hOmet with his mountain-made the
sea come to it, Is one of the most fas-
cinating Of the romances Of engineer
Ing. For long time freight for the
city was brought in ships to a point
40 miles down on the Clyde estuary
and carried the rest Of the way on
pack-horses and in carts. Later a port
was established 10 miles away; but as
The city grew the need for port at
It's door became more apparent The
situation seemed hopeless but in 1913
engineers hit upon the scheme Of mar.
rowing the channel. and making 1t dig
its bottom deeper.
1.-THE plan worked. The pitifully
meager 2-foot depth of those days had
become. 8 feet by 1886. % feet by
1900, and is now 26 feet-sufficient to
accommodate the huge modern ocean
liners. Picks, welded by wading lnen,
started the loosening Of the river bot
tom in the old days; then came horse
drawn harrows. In late years explo-
sives and the most modern of steam
dredges have helped keep the channel
to its depth. Though Glasgow's water
way Is where the river Clyde has flowed
for ages, it has been truly said that
it Is as artificial as the Suez canal
Except where there are commercial
quays and docks, practically every foot
Of the Clyde waterfront from Glasgow
to the estuary Is now taken up with
the worlds greatest and busiest ship
yards:
"Glasgow's fame has gone farthest,
perhaps, because of the wonderful rec.
ord Of its city government and the
somewhat unusual municipal enter
prises which it has conducted for its
inhabitants. Its numerous municipal-
ly-owned and operated services might
we'll have drawn the charge of Boil
shevism' had they not proved success
full business ventures long before that
term was invented. The city took
over, its water works at an early date
and developed them. 1t has operated
its own gas works since 1869, and
even rents cook stoves TO household
ers for small fee. Since 1892 the
city has not only lighted it's streets
from acknowledgements electric en-
cheering stations, but has also fur
nished current for industry and for
lighting dwellings. The streer rail-
ways have been owned since 1877: and
operated since 1894 by the city.
Municipal Wash Houses.
'.There are score or more Of city.
owned bath houses and wash houses
where family washing may be done
with modern facilities; and since 1870
the city has conducted municipal lodg-
Ing houses. There is also municipal
family home where children are as
sured good care while their parents
are at work. In the provision of pub
lie markets, libraries, parks and play.
grounds, the city was pioneer. A
number Of bands are kept busy pro-
viding music in the parks during the
summer.
Enthusiastically. it might be said that
Glasgow made the steam engine, and
the steam engine made Glasgow.
James Watt made his great inventions