The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-22
APPALLING SPECTACLE.


of Women's Rights In Linc-Gorgeous Dis
plny-The Why's and Whcrefores of the
spectacle.
This morning the citizens of that portion of
our city in the neighborhood of ChesnLt street
were fairly taken by storm aud perfectly
astouuded by gorgeous display in nature and
extent far surprising anything which has been
viewed in these parts for years. At about IL
o'clock procession of the woman Fighters,
their friends and accompaniments, in loose
undress uniform, passed over q short route, en-
braciDg the principal thoroughfares of the city.
No notices having been published beforehand,
the store-keepers along the line of march were
totally unprepared for such an event, and con-
sequently the display of bunting and bright
colors was rather meagre.
The first intelligence which we obtained of the
procession from shouts of "Here they
come!" from small boys or picket duty on the
tops OF lamp-posts and telegraph poles. Hurry
ing to the front, the procession was discovered
passing up Chestnut street in the neighborhood
of THE EVENING TELEGRAPH Office. On pass
ing Third street the strangers, for such they
were, stopped to gaze upon the afora=1i. uews-
paper building, and medtated visit to the
establishment, but the sudden slamming of the
office door at about that time changed their in
tentions.
On inquiry it was ascertained that the line
was formed of members of medical college at
Florence who had just arrived at Walnut street
wharf, and were on their way to visit and attend
clinic at the Philadelphia University of Medi-
cine, on Ninth street, below Locust. The cause
assigned for the absence of all music, brass
bands, or drum corps from the procession, was
that the musicians were all too much used up
with the Inauguration ceremonies this week at
Harrisburg, and were too tired to attend to any
more engagements until after Sunday.
The uniform of the participants was peculiar.
The members of the female persuasion wore
breeches of some thin sort of material, of fash
ionabe shape, 1. G., wide at the top and narrow
at the bottom. short cloak was also worn,
buttoned tight up to the chin and falling in un-
n n aist
Short hair and hats were the fashion. To
looker-on the general makeup gave an appear
ance OF hoops or crinoline worn around the neck
in place of the waist. as If the wearer had acci-
dentaly slipped through little too far. The
men, on the contrary, wore long hair and had
fhaven faces 1t was thought that several red
and yellow feathers were noticed stuck through
the mems hat-bands. There were in all some
thirty couples In marching up Chestnut street
on the sidewalk, it was noticed that where
man and woman composed the same couple,
the woman invariably took the outside or the
gutter side of the pavement
On passing the Mayors Office, the officers and
employees on duty at the corner were for the
time being perfectly dumbfounded by the sight
They were undecided whether they had any
thing to fear from the advancing host or not
The great crowd of spectators by which the pro-
cession was accompanied added greatly to their
wonder, and some feared that riot was in
progress; that some brave citizen had fomented
a disturbance, so that the rights Of citizens
might be attended to, or that the police force
should be entirely remodeled, or that the streets
should be cleaned, or that robbers and muir
derers should be more severely punished. Some
of the officers were observed to slide out the
back door and make for Walnut street; others
went up stairs to consult the Mayor When
these latter reappeared on the street with his
Honor, the whole crowd had passed on.
On reaching Ninth street the head of the
procession turned to the left, and proceeded
down Ninth to the Philadelphia Medical Col
lege, below Locust street. In front of this build
ing the procession halted and an envoy was
sent to reconnoitre and demand admittance pre-
vious to taking the place by storm. The autho-
rites deeming peaceful policy most advisable,
| opened their doogs and received the conquerors.
After they had all been swallowed up in the
| capacious openings, our reporter proceeded to
| interview the several heads of the college, and
| ELECTED the following information, which was
most readily and politely given by those in
| CHARGE
The anomalous specimens which had lust
reached the building were students of medical
| college for both sexes, at Florence New Jersey.
who by permission after application had come
| to the city to attend clinic and see the sights
| generally. The medical doctrines taught at this
| college are somewhat eclectic. All drug medi-
! cines are abhorred, and sleep, light, clothing,
| electricity, magnetism and the like are relied
upon as the sole curative agents The lady pro-
fessors and most of the pupils wear the peculiar
| dress, but some have not yet attained to that
| point of female excellence. One or two such
were noticed in the line of the procession accom-
| panylng Lnelr weaker 6lSJerS. BOtn male and
female pupils attend the same college, are in the
same building and class-rooms, and together
| listen to the same lectures
| After being admitted to the college the speci-
| mems, both male and female proceeded to eX-
anime the really valuable museum of the college,
| which they did arm in arm. Here all sorts of
| curiosities, both human and otherwise, are dis
| played, and the visitors were much pleased with
| the sights, and passed remarks upon all of them
| without the slightest hesitation We sincerely
hope the faculty of the Philadelphia University
| do not entertain any ideas of entrapping the
living specimens into their glass cases for the
instruction and warning OF future visitors.
| The college clinic which took place from 12 to
| 3 to-day was witnessed by the whole force We
| do not suppose there was any trouble among the
| gentlemen students who regularly attend the
| clinic from the fact that the ladies who were
| their fellows for the time being so near APP
preached in character and dress to the nature
| of men that no one could tell the difference
Without being Extensively personal, we can say
| that the personal beauty of the ladies is not
| such as would cause suspension of the class
business, by reason of 1irtations or love affairs
between them and the gentlemen. Another dis
play will be made by the same parties this after
| noon on taking up the line of march for home.
A few reserved seats to witness the spectacle can
: yet be Lad.