The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-20

of honest and enterprising men who are in no
way connected with ordinary stook7jobbing
transactions. II there is any mode by which
the temporary success of similar schemes can
be prevented hereafter, or IL any new checks
can be devised to prevent national banks
from rendering them wilful assistance, Con-
gress should not hesitate to apply remedy
for such manifest evil. The effects Of oontrac-
tions and ex pansions Of the currency upon all
monetary transactions have been SO frequently
illustrated, that it is fearful to contemplate
contingency in which the power of materially
reducing the circulating medium can be lodged
in the hands Of a small body of desperate and
corrupt spectators.
Another marked feature OF the New York
stock speculatons consists in the evidence
afforded that great corporations are system
atioally managed in a manner designed to
iDjure their credit ard to diminish their reve
nues, so that bear stock operators may grow
rich on the ruin OF stockholders. II one-half
of the allegations made under oath against
the present and former managers of the Erie
Railway are true, they are indifferent to the
interests of the important public work COM
mitted to their charge, aud mindful only
of the opportunities TO enrich themselves
by squanderipg its revenues and by specula
tions based ON the depreciation of its stock
This is species of rascality only one degree
less infamous than the scheme to create an
artificial financial stringency, the main differ
ence being that, while the latter results in the
robbery of an entire community, the former
robs only the members Of particular corpo-
ration. A large portion of the wealth of the
country, however, is invested in public works
of various kinds; and it would be a national
calamity if any considerable number Of Ameri-
can railways should fall under the control OF
dishonest managers.
The true object of stock boards is to faoili-
tate the purchase and sale of stocks, bonds,
and other securities. 1t is not possible, and
perhaps not even desirable, that the wild rage
for speculation which they sometimes enoou.
rage should be checked. But modes should
certainly be devised for preventing stock-jOb
bers from making open war upon the inancia'
interests of the nation, and from running the
innocent stockholders of useful public works.
The Size and Wealth of Our City.
THE annual report of the Board of Tax Rsvi-
sion was made yesterday to Councils, and
published also in the The EVENING TELEGRAPH,
and contains many points of interest. 1t is of
value as a record of the growth of Philadel
phis, and as it is the official standard which
governs all apportionments, We will look at
some of the information it contains. The
assessed value of the city is given according
to the different wards and of them, so far as
real estate is concerned. the Sixth ward is the
richest. Her real property is valued at $43,-
516 401. The poorest is the Twenty first,
which owns but S., 068, 576. This difference
is due not only to the szesof the wards, but
also to the greater increased value of property
caused by improvement. The next item
assessed is the amount of money out at in
terest. In this the Fifth ward exceeds all
others, she having $5,306,405 at interest,
while the poorest ward is the Nineteenth,
which has but $40, 1923. In horse flesh
the Twenty second ward, Germantown and
Chestnut Hill, greatly exceeds the others
in the cost of her equipages. She
has $l79,650. Next to her comes the
Fifteenth ward, while the Eighth, which
is reputed to be the wealthest in Philadelphia
only has sec, 400. The excess of the Twenty
second can be explained by its being a region
of magnificent distances, in which a carriage
is essential to visiting. But why the Fifteenth
keeps such large excess we are at loss to
guess. In the Third ward there are but
| $4,000 worth of horses. In its furniture the
Eighth ward exceeds but $500, 900 any other
Her household goods are valued at 1881 ,004
Next comes the Fifteenth, and the poorest is
that stronghold of Democracy, the Seventeenth,
which has its furniture valued at Sic, 4S2. In
carriages the same relative importance of the
wards exists as in the case of horses, the
Twenty second leading off with 800, ,2l5. In
the Eleventh ward they return only $500
which is just one carriage to about nineteen
thousand population.
Having thus glanced at the wealth of the
various portions of Philadelphia, let us see
which of the political subdivisions has the
most voters. The Twentieth ward takes the
palm here. She has 10, l03 tsxabes, and at
the rate of seven inhabitants to one taxable
which is about the average-has population
of &c, 900 souls. The smallest is the Twenty
eighth, with 1865. The Fourth ward has a
total of 4101, which is hardly consistent with
her late majority. The total is 1877, ,490,
which would make a population of about
900, 600. souls in Philadelphia.
! A curious little fact iu regard to the num-
her of watcbas ownad m philadalnhia ia hU