Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-11-21
PHILADELPHIA,


u" nf'ecsot correspondent.
PHILADELrHIA, Nov. 10.
The Police force Of this city is fast losing ali
hold upon public confidence. 1t Is as costly us ii
is inefficient, -that is the worst of II. Knock
downs and rObbcries are matters of nightly occur
renee, and 1t is safe to say that filled as the papers
are with accounts Of burglarics, not fonrth Of
those that happen, ever get into print. The au-
thorities at the Central Station to which ncwspa-
per attaches have to go for their information have
had of latc, strangely secretive and non-commttal
ways. And the refusal of the authorities to give
Information is the strongest possible proof of cor
rnptlon. night or two ago was passing 9Th
and SAMSON streets, when pistol was fired in n
tavern ut hand. A crowd collected and soon an
other shot was heard, with screams of MURDER"
&c. squad of policemen came up after time,
entered the house, and shortly after left, telling
the people on the pavement that nothing was
the matter-ony two blackguards fighting, and
1t wouldn't much matter ii they Killed each
other !"-and coolly walked off olive or six great
hulks of them) without making an arrest. All
this saw for myself. The next morning heard
that one of the men in the house was Jim Hag-
gerty notorious gambler and thief land it re-.
quircs no great penetration to divine why no ar
rests were made But the incident will show not
only how corrupt, butahow bold in its corruption
the police force has become. II is plain that
the city will not be secure till it Inns Mctropol-
| tiu Dbuiu vi IOnct-uDsOlutely removed from
| politics, and the whole system OF peace giving.
As it is, no man is sure OF his position from day
to day, and though there are many good officers
in the service, 1t is, as whole, slpshod and in-
| effective.
The grand gasworks Inspection humbup is
one of the entertaining topics of the week. The
election for trustees of the Point Breeze works
| shortly comes before Councils these trustees
have then to elect n chief engineer Mr. Manuel
| the present engineer would like much to be re.
u elected. and the In or,l,t |.
tous to serve the city trustees Of the gas works
conceive the clever idea of getting up grand en-.
tertainment to Councils, heads Of departments
&c., inviting in fact everybody who will be likely
to influence the voting. This g blow out' was
givin on Tuesday on the Point Breeze grounds
1t was necessary of course to give some cover te
1t, so the invitations read that the party was in,
vited to inspect the improvements, &c, and tt
carry on the joke some 10 or 20 minutes wer,
given to poking about the sheds and railway
tracks, and then the company adjourned t, lool
into other matters. These were to investigate tn
improvements that might possibly have been mad,
since their last meeting in the manufacture o
pate dc fois gras,-chicken salad, -red seal cham
payne and the like. The inspection OF thes,
points was profound and searching. And nov
, comes tue question,-who is to foot this littl
bill? OF certainty not the energetic Manuel
1 of II certainty not the ambitious and unbane trus
tees. Who then Why the city of Phiadelphia
We not only pay an exorbitant price for poo
article Of gas, but we also pay for these joll,
loafers, their mugglings, and their guzzlings''-
ms one of Dickens old ladies says. The thing dt
2 serves a thorough showing up and no doubt wi
= get it from our papers. Do they ever do sue
!, bold, bad and impudent thing in Wiuingtoni
Ii The death of Mr.. Fredk G. Packard So lon
IS connected with the American Sunday Schot
. Union is matter of great regret in the religior
e community. He was buried Yesterday I'll
= OF his death was cancer, from which he Ell
dured untold sutfering,-not allowing it howev,
10 interfere with his active duties almost to ii
ct very last. He had been editor of the periodical
10 and books published by the g Union lur lhrt
. years, and it is stated That over 5000 books co,
rs erng editions of several millions OF copies-pas
~ cd through his hands in that time He wto
y many books for children himself, but was a vel
modest man, and his hamc never appeared ms n
author Ills life was one of remarkable bcaut
and usefulness.
There is at this writing considerable of a sno
lbs storm here. first Of the season, and unpleasa
it reminder OF what Is before us. Ah when will Il
d. time for peaches and waterlnelons come rom
:. again and, good sirs,-it is not only snowir
re butt is blowing it is making itself dsagreeab
generally out of doors; and in fact it is Just ii
sort of night 10 stay at home in. INDEX