The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-21
THE UNIVERSITY AND THE CITY.

YESTERDAY, in Select Council, after an animated
discussion of the ordinance to sell portion of
the Almshouse property to the University of
Pennsylvania, which passed Common Council
last week, was deferred for three weeks. There
was a very vigorous opposition to the project in
Select Council, and we hope that before the
matter comes up for discussion again, the mem
bers will give it their careful consideration, so
as to be able to speak and vote upon it intelli-
gently. The great bugbear with some of the
members appeared to be that in selling the
tract of ground to the University at the proposed
price, one hundred and sixty thousand dollars for
twenty acres, the city would not realize
as much for it as under other circumstances
Leaving out of the question the duty of the city
to deal with the utmost liberality in case of
this kind, we believe that the amount offered by
the University will be acknowledged to be a
fair equivalent for the land under existing cir
cumstances. AS Mr.. Smith of the Twenty
second ward remarked, the opposition to the
measure was based upon fictitious values and
there was no one to offer dollar for the land
until the University proposed to purchase it.
The very fact of the University having made IA
proposition of this kind Immediately put up
the value of the land, and Councils should not
seek to take advantage of the circumstance in
dealing with an institution of learning which is
an ornament to the city, and which should re-
ccive all possible encouragement from the pub
lic So long as the Almshouse remains where
it is the Blockley property will be deprecated
in value and the location of the University
buildings on portion of the tract of land will
be the first and most effectual step towards pro-
curing the removal of the AlmshOuse and en-
hancing the value of all the property in the
neighborhOod,
A few years ago Councils agreed to give the
! Penn Squares to certain institutions for nothing
| upon very uncertain understanding that the
public were to derive some benefit from the
operation. The same objections that existed in
that case cannot be urged against the selling
of section of the land on the west bank OF
the schuylliil for fair valuation to the Univer-
slty OF Pennsylvania, and it does not become the
CITY oi Philadelphia to put itself in the position
OF land specuator in an affair of this kind.
The University has received very little encou.
ragemcnt and support at the public expense, and
considering the important influences that such
an institution eXerts in a community the least
that can DC asked Is that the dealings of the city
with it shall be conducted in a spirit of libe.
rality.
The question in the minds of some member,
of Select Council seems to be n certoiu ir,,oo
diate advantage to the treasury in dollars anc
cents that might possibly be gained by the dis
posal of the land in question in some othe
manner. The real merits of the case. however
are above and beyond all this, and the exac
amount of money that the city will gain is a com
parativcly small consideration. The Universit
authorities are eXerting themselves with energ
to raise their institution to the highest RAM
among the colleges of the country, and the cit
zens of Philadelphia are Immediately intereste
in their efforts. New buildings, with amp
grounds have become imperatiyely necessar
, If the University is to make any decide