The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-26
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
Iron ADDITIONAL LOCAL ITEMS SEE OUTSIDE PAGES.


The PENN SQUAREs-THER PROPOSED M
PRovEMENT. Yesterday afternoon the Commit
tees OF Law, Finance, and City Property of Phi
ladelphia Councils convened in the Mayors
Office, to consult to the propriety of obtaining
legislative enactment for the improving and
building up of the Penn Square. The EVENING
TELEGRAPH some time ago gave detailed plan
on which it was proposed to proceed in the i'm.
ProVements. The Academy Of Natural Sciences,
The Library Company of Philadelphia The
Of Fine Arts, and The Franklin Institute
were represented by Messrs. N. B. Browne,
John Welsh, Frederick Fraley, s. V. Merrick,
Edward Shippen, Henry @. Lea, and other
Mr.. Eli K. Price favored the plan, and sub
mitted statement to the effect that the plan of
the city OF Philadelphia, as laid down by
Thomas Holmes, the first Surveyor-General,
and adopted by William Penn, had laid upon 1t
i've public squares, on which were no lots num-
bered for first purchasers; but on the eastern
for public uses.h On the western the same
words. On the centre square we're the words,
"Centre Square, ten acres" These were to be
kept open, and not built upon. That not to be
kept open, but 10 be bUah upon.
The first use made of the Centre Square was
to build q Friends Westinghouse on the south
west section in 1856, then natural forest of
oaks and hickories.
On the goth of October, 17O1, the Friends
Meeting. House was yet standing on the Centre
Charter Of that date to the CITY of Philadei.
phia; for thereby the Proprietary granted to
the inhabitants OF the city, until taken IN for
building, the use of his vacant lands, with this
proviso-"That nothing herein contained shall
debar me or my heirs in time to come from
fencing In all the vacant lands that lie
which nend gs5s Be adf dyded
from the land by me allotted for the Delaware
side, by straight line along Broad street
from Edward Shippens land, through the
Centre Square by (to) Daniel Pegg's land:"
Franklin's Charters and Laws, l742, p. 80;
Whar. R., 479.
Works were begun, and erected in the centre OF
Centre Square.
'No written deed Of conveyance" continued
Mr. Price, "appears to have been made by Will
liam Penn of any of the public squares to the
city or State. They were but dedicated to public
uses in laying out the plan OF the city," Mr..
there can be no 1isk in respect to the publics
right in the squares for there is no dedication
upon condition to revert, and the required
legislation will be so framed as to have the con;
current authority and consent of the State and
the city. If it should be thought eXpedient to
make productive of profit the two great busi.
ness fronts of each OF the squares, as they Will
become IN the future, by adapting the lower
story for places of business, the legislation de-
Vised will provide that the rents shall subserve
the public purposes of the institutions If taken
in whole or part by them; and if in part by the
city, that they shall be applied to maintain OF
extend kindred objects of public use.
Alter some further discussion, adjourned.
IMpRovEMENTs.-West Philadelphia will wit
ness very material improvements this season.
The erection of ten dwellings on Walnut street
west of Thirty-fourth, has been commenced
and 1t is in contemplation to build sixteen more
on the same street, All of these will be first
class houses. A handsome dwelling, to bC
26 by SO feet, Is TO be erected on Walnut street
east of Fortieth, and preparations are being
made for the building OF six dwellings on Lud
low street. At Twentieth and Tioga street
two fine houses are to be put up, one of which
10 tn he OCCuDlp0 HOOr
and public hall on the second floor; the othe
will be used as a dwelling. The sizes of thest
are-ironts % and 26 feet, depths SO and rs feet
In the city proper, among the improve
ments about to be made, the following are de
serving of mention;-A church is to be erected
on the southwest corner OF Hancock street anC
of Cd feet and to be 80 feet in depth, the mate
rial to be brick. 1t is designed for the WORSHIP
of a Roman Catholic congregation. chapel !
TO be erected at Twelfth and Oxford streets, Il
be SO by 6S feet and one story high. On th
southwest corner of Tenth and Market streets
stoTehouse is to be put up for Messrs. Ellis
Co., druggists, which will have front of % fee
on Market street, and be 100 feet deep. II wi
be four stories in height, with French style Q
roof. This will add very much to the appear
ance of the neighborhood, lately improved b
the erection of handsome storehouse TO
Messrs French, Richards & Co., on the north
west corner of Tenth and Market streets.
FRE.-Last evening, about 118 O'clock
FIRE was discovered IN the glue and curled-ha
manufactorg of Kesser & Delaney at the s. /
corner of Hancock and Jefferson streets. Th
flames were found consuming the floor imm'
diateIy over the boilers, and had already charIe
the ioists. Had it not been for the prompt di
coyery, e would have had a very disastror
conAagration to record, The factory is in
very thickly settled neighborhood, with cOtto
factories and dwellings, roundabout; is four-an
a-half stories high, and extends from its fort
feet front on Hancock street along Jefferson
Mascher. The damage Is small.
DRECroRs OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.-At
meeting of the Board of Directors of the FIJI
Department, officers for the ensuing year we
elected, as follows:- President, Samuel s. Ston
Delaware Engine Company; Yice-President
Samuel B. SaVin, OF the Northern Lber
Engine Company and George w. Dull, of u
RESOLUTION Hose Company; Treasurer, Lewis
Rush, Friendship Engine Company; Seer star
M w. Blake. A Committee was appointed
wait upon the Mayor, and request that u
police ropes may be promptly brought to fire
a,d uspd whenever necessary,