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Chapter III-Winter 1903-1904: Wintering in London—Sights and Scenes of the Great City—A Trip to “Gay Paree,” the Fashion Capital of the World
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four years in europe with buffalo bill 35 chapter iii—winter 1903–1904 Wintering in London—Sights and Scenes of the Great City— A Trip to “Gay Paree,” the Fashion Capital of the World We left Burton, our closing stand, at eight-thirty a.m., October 24, by the Midland Railway, and arrived at St. Pancreas Station, London, at twelve-thirty, noon. Having considerable heavy luggage, we experienced some difficulty in getting it transferred to King’s Cross Station, Metropolitan underground railway, as baggage wagons are not waiting for you, like birds of prey, in the States, such work being done by “outside porters,” with push carts. While it would have cost at least $2.00 to have our luggage transferred in New York, it only cost a half crown (62 cents) in London. However, every railway porter who handles your luggage expects a tip—in fact, the tipping system is so much in vogue that all public servants, to use a “flash” expression, “have their mitts out.” Waiters in first class hotels and restaurants receive no wages at all. On the contrary, they usually pay for the privilege of working by dividing their tips with their chief or head waiter. The service of the Metropolitan underground railway is not so good as the Boston subway. Soft coal is used, which makes it very dirty, and the cars are old fashioned, but there is no overcrowding, and I believe they can 36 four years in europe with buffalo bill handle more people in a given length of time than we can by our system. There are no surface tramways in London proper, the Metropolitan covering practically the entire business section with an inner and outer circle. The “tuppenny tube,” Yerkes’ new system,1 running from Shepherd’s Bush, West London, through Central London, to the Bank of England, is up-to-date, and even ahead of the Boston subway. Electricity is used for motive power, and the cars are built on the American plan. Large double-deck ’buses or stages, drawn by two horses (they have since been almost entirely superseded by motor ’buses), take care of the passenger traffic on the surface in Central London. The top of the ’bus is a good vantage ground from which to view the sights of the city. I felt more at home in London than in any part of England. There are American shoe stores, American quick lunches, American pharmacies, American barbers, American dentists, American bars, American this and American that, with the irrepressible American himself on every hand “blowing his horn,” and his money at the same time—a verification of the immortal Lincoln’s words, “He who bloweth not his own horn verily it shall not be blown.” 1. On Charles Tyson Yerkes, a controversial Philadelphian financier who came to London from his Chicago base in 1900 with the backing of considerable American investment and played a leading role in the development of the London underground system in the opening years of the twentieth-century, see Franch, Robber Baron. [54.234.184.8] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 07:17 GMT) four years in europe with buffalo bill 37 After getting comfortably settled in a flat in the West End of London I started out to see the city. I asked a “bobby” which ’bus for Piccadilly Circus? He said: “You’ll see the name on the ’bus.” Then I commenced reading the signs on the ’buses as they hove in sight: “Grape Nuts,” “Fry’s Cocoa,” “Mellin’s Food,” “Pear’s Soap,” “Carter’s Little Liver Pills,” etc. Finally, when a ’bus was a block past, I discovered in the least conspicuous place in small letters, “Piccadilly Circus.” At last I got the right ’bus, but when we got to Piccadilly Circus there was no circus there. Here in “Ole Lunnon” they have a fashion of calling a circle or centre, from which several streets radiate, a circus, hence Piccadilly Circus, Ludgate Circus, Oxford Circus, etc. 14. Paris office and advance staff. 15. George Starr (top) and Jule Keene. [54.234.184.8] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 07:17 GMT) four years in europe with buffalo bill 39 It will not be surprising to those who know me to learn that the first place of amusement I visited in London was Maskelyne & Cook’s Egyptian Hall, of thirty years’ standing, in Piccadilly. They presented a refined entertainment of magic and mystery. The feature of...