The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-05
DEMO CRATIC HOSTILITY TO MA YOR
FOX-THE HOUSE OF CORREC-
TION - THE STREET. CLEANING

CONTRA CTS.
One of the most interesting features of the
proceedings of Councils yesterday is the
prominence given to the feeling of hostility
entertained towards the Mayor by some of the
Democratic Councilmen, who are evidently
determined to assist in overruling his vetoes
on all subjects which are not of a strictly par
tisan character. Yesterday, when he returned
to the Select Council without his signature
the bill vesting the authority to execute leases
of property held in trust by the
city in the Superintendent of the Girard
Estate, it was passed, notwithstand-
ing his veto, by vote of 10 to .,
three Democrats, Duffy, Hockey, and Plum
ley, voting with the majority, and only one
Republican, Smith, voting with the minority.
In the Common Council his veto met with
still more ignominious treatment.
A few Democrats who an
nounced that they did not intend to
sustain it desired postponement of its con-
sideration, but notwithstanding the plea for
delay, the bill passed over the veto by a vote
of 80 to 4. Other demonstrations of Demo-
cratic hostility to the Mayor were also made
during the session. Thus, Mr.. Hetzell (Dem. },
in discussing the bill for the payment of the
street-cleaners, said:--"If tile Mayor can be
believed, he will not sign the BILL" and Mr..
Nickels Dem. }, in discussing the same sub
ject, said the Mayor has not performed his
duty; he is too weakened to do it, and has
thrown it upon Councils to refuse payment of
the claims, which / hope they will do
The expectation that report would yester-
day be made in reference to a site for a
House of Correction proved fallacious. The
chairman of the committee stated that he had
been unable to get the report signed by
sufficient number of the members. We un-
derstand that Notwithstanding the favorable
opinion formed of the Clark farm, located
near Holmesburg, which was visited recently,
q portion of the committee are inclined to
prefer the Pierson farm, located near Torres
dale, on the Delaware river, which was
examined some months ago. Each of the
farms contains about two hundred
acres. There is no material differ
ence in their price, the former being held at
three hundred and fifty and the latter at three
hundred and seventy-fve dollars per acre. 1t
is claimed by the advocates of the Pierson
farm, however, that it is more accessible, as
it can be approached either by the river, by
turnpike, OF by railroad, while the chief com
munication with the Clark farm is by rail
road. 1t will be exceedingly unfortunate if
diversity of opinion on these comparatively
unimportant points causes another protracted
postponement of action. The public will be
more ready to excuse slight error in the
choice of a site than the continued delays
which have made former municipal legisla-
tion on this subject ridiculous, inflicted a
grievous burden upon taxpayers, and rem
dered Philadelphia the paradise of loafers and
bummers.
vigorous but unsuccessful effort was
made to secure the payment of the outstand-
ing claims of the old street contractors. An
ordinance making the appropriation asked
for was indefinitely postponed in Common
Council by vote of twenty three to fifteen
The question of fact whether these con
tractors rendered any substantial service
whatever in some wards was raised; and they
certainly should not be paid for doing no.
thing Aside from the removal of offal from
dwellings, the whole business of street clean
ing, as practised in Philadelphia, is humbug.
The mere pretense of cleaning the streets is
rarely made except when the accumulation of
garbage is so great that the value of the
manure collected is equal to the cost Of
gathering it up and carting it away. This
imperfect sort of street-cleaning should be
done without the expenditure of single dol
lar by the city, by simply giving to farmers
or dealers in manure the privilege of scraping
up offal once or twice year. At all events
when contractors notoriously neglect to dis
charge the duties they assume, their claims
should be resisted to the bitter end, not only
in Councils but in the Courts.
One of the marked features of the times is
the increased interest in the new styles .oi
street-paving. The desire for deliveranct
from the cobble-stones constantly grows il
intensity. Experiments are being tried il
various parts of the city of the different new
styles, and their respective merits will soor
be tested. The prevailing tendency is alsC
illustrated by the passage yesterday of ordi
nances for the laying of vulcanite pavement
for the laying of the Miller improved wooden
pavement on Green street, and for tram
waying several streets A still more i'm
portant proposition is under consideration
in Select Council. 1t is an ordinance provid-
ing that every horse shall be taxed five dol
lars annually to raise fund to be appropri
ated to the improvement of the streets of the
city. No definite action has yet been taken
on this subject, and some other means foi
obtaining the necessary revenue may be de-
vised but 1t is evident that If this citv does