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  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 08/21/1912

    89 Anson Street

    Barrow in Furness, England

    c. August 21, 1912

    Well My Dear Boy,

    Your most full and welcome letter received yesterday stating you had been aut rideing with Dr. Cushing in his new Catalic [Cadillac] car. For my part I think it is to heavy a car for its power. I am inclined to think that Dr. C. wants you to mention going with him so he could then accomadate you at the same time it would be for his own advantage. But I hope you don't need to do it. I still think that everything will turn out for the best.… And you are young and healthy, no home cares pressing on you, father and mother strictly happy and well, no anxiety except for your welfare. Therefore you are free to follow the way you think best for yourself.…

    Well I had good time in London. Came back well satisfied. Spent 2 weeks their. It is certainly a dence city and I think I found aut when their how I am such a good speller etc. I was going by the Chancery building.… Well their is not so large a collection of curiosities as some of the places but what they have are very interesting and it is very interesting to notice the spelling a good deal like I spell now. So I judge from that that I was not born soon enough but their writeing is perfect. Just as nice as print and decorated with pictures to give further impresion to the writeing. Here is where the Doomsday Book is kept. A larger book much like a large family bible. It contains the ancient transfers of estates. It is in glass case keept covered from the light to preserve it except for visitors to see and on very special accasions to take photagraphs of its contents.

    In those days very heavy tax was on swans and the big fellows keept them for pleasure. And the parchments show how many each one had and the colour the bills of the swans wher painted.… And the documents of John Hancock etc, etc before the rebellion are their. In fact the city seems like it was full of aincient things the old manuscripts that the bible are taken from and the first one printed.

    I had good visit through the Tower of London, an old looking building on the Thames but full of old ancient and modern things and well guarded by soldiers and police. Here is where the king's and queen's jewels are kept, corronation robes, etc, ancient armour etc. Your diamond would not look much beside them. In the King's crown one is as large as an egg. Said to be the largest in the world.

    And in contrast with all this splender is the place where all the criminals were kept and between the 2 places in the court yard is the brass plate showing the place where King Henry the 8th had Lady Jane Gray and others of his wifs (R.D.: wives) beheded (R.D.: dear O, Dear, O what spelling). He was a wicked old rascal. Wheir the prisoners was kept in dark rooms at least not much light. Their is some fine speciams of work carving etc on the walls. Such as you see arround water tanks in the States that is done by bums.

    I took in the Latin American Exibition in the south part of the city. Much the same thing as the St. Louis Worlds Fair. But I think not half as good. But on Sunday I had the sight of my life visiting Petticoat Lane Market. This market is only open on Sundays. It is held in the streets by the people of all nations selling all kinds of trash. Dirty looking people with dirty stuff and conditions. The slums between Hopkins and the city will give you some idea of the conditions. If you can imagine them jamed tight with people. I thought at the time that disease bugs are not as powerfull as the doctors would make us believe or everybody in that neighboured would be destroyed by them. The policeman who directed me to the place told me if I had valuables on me to be carefull as it was the worst part of London. He said he wished he had been of duty. He would have taken me through. He had brother on the police force in Chicago.

    I had good visit next day through Burshire Cymitery an old one filled up long ago with…Wesley, Cromwells etc. In that neighbourhood was Bethnal Green Museum. Their is many fine large exhibits in here of all kinds especialy foods, fruits etc. This would interest you. Their was one pecular exhibit made in a rope…with human hair. It weighs 5 hundred weight and is 700 feet long. Took 6 years to make it, used up all the spare hair in one province of Japan by a decree of the ruler. It was intended to raise some heavy weight and during its making steel wire came in use and the hair one was never used.

    I finished up the day in Hyde Park listening to a Catholic priest speaking on socialism and he was certainly good. They had taken his church from him but he did not care. He had lots of money without preaching Catholicism. They have offered him good places if he will quit socialism but he says never. This corner of the park near the marble arch is reserved by statuet for free speech and they are protected by policemen. Some of them denounce King's governments etc, etc.…

    I had trip next day through the Brittish Museum. It would do you good to see them things in the places. Some 400 years before Christ ancient writeings on stone, barks, parchments, skins etc. George Washington's original letters to the English governments about setting up goverment at Washington D.C. All about the Potamac, the good land surrounding it etc etc. I saw Carnigee's London residence. It is not much.… They adjoyn Hyde Park.

    Well their is lots of nice places in London but I don't think it as any advantage of New York. The residences are no better than business buildings, are not as good as large or as High. The highest buildings are flats or mansions so called named Queen Ann's. They are 14 stories and the Thames is a dirty old river. They would feel proud of the Hudson. I think I learned one thing in London and that is don't invest in tram lines or street R.R. as the motor buss can do the business so much cheaper and better.

    Now I think as far as writeing is concerned I have told you lots about London but when I see you can tell you more as it is easier to talk then write.…

    Your affectionate Father

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