The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-01-06
Philadelphia CORRESPONDENCE.

Through nearly all the days, for three
weeks past, the skies have been as.
blue, the air as balmy, and the sun as
warm and genial as in the pleasantest
of October days. And the people,
with but little business and plenty of
leisure, have been just in the right
condition to enjoy and appreciate such
"spell of weather. " 4
We are very quiet people in this
goodly Quaker City, and don't make
much of tatmuIt on account of Ell
ther good or bad times. We are Sc
rene philosophers, of the Franklin
school, and, though we may play with
lightning, it must be acknowledged
that we haven't the lightning "git "
in business and enterprise that is so
rnarvelously displayed by our neigh
bors, the Gothamites. .[.zs,..,s II
Still, after all, Philadelphians feel a
commendable degree of pride Of birth
and position. A city, of geographi-
cal dimensions the largest in the
world, having an area of twenty-five
miles in length, along the Delaware
river, and fourteen miles in width,
with the population of a million, CONF
bining the largest and most important
manufacturing interests Of any place
in the United States, will certainly
justify little boastful pride and self
congratulation. -..-t...s. /.
1t must be confessed, however, that
as an importing and jobbing empori-
um Philadelphia is on the wane. We
1 shall never be able to successfully
complete with New York in these re-
spects. This must become, and in
deed now is, the great manufacturing
city Of America. Such is its destiny.
/ Commerce and trade have their laws,
which are as inexorable as those of
philosophy and nature. 1t is but an
idle effort, the attempt to turn bust
ness from its natural channels. You
remember, some years ago, the futile
attempt of Ohio City to draw Cleve-
land across the Cuyahoga, and to make
itself the big city. The result. was,
commerce would have its own way,
and this little spiteful suburb utterly
lost its identity in the spreading great
ness and enterprise of its rival. H.
So,natural position, resources, facil-
tiles, and the. requirements of peculiar
Industries and trade, give a distinctive
character to the great cities and com
mercial ports of the world. During
the lastfquarter of a century Philadel-
phia has undergone a great change
4 The dry goods, and other jobbing in
terests, in ratio to our growth, have
relatively diminished, while our man
ufactures have immensely increased,
and thus we are rapidly falling into
the line of0our manifest destiny. The
growth of this city during the past
seven years has been unprecedented.
Last year we put up twelve thousand
seven hundred and eighty buildings,
/ while New Y ork built but about six
thousand; /; and now we have thirty
thousand more than New York. Our
dwelling houses are Of less size, gen.
orally, and of less expense than theirs.
We have not the show and gorgeous
elegance Of New York, neither have
we any tenement houses, and UNDER
Eground cellar arrangements, for pack
ing away human beings, thus making
good subjects for crime and conta-
,gious diseases. s a. aagg
to1This is healthy city, the healthiest
of all our large towns, and every yeal
is improving in this respect. This ad-
4 vantage may be attributed largely to
our many parks, public squares, and
superior sanitary regulations. l
would like to tell you about Fair
mount Park. Some day 1 may. write
I Eyou a full letter on the subjeetif you
would wish to have it. We have re-
Gently had five millions of dollars ap-
propriated for an addition to the
grounds, and now the Park extends
up on both sides of the Schuylkill
five miles, to the mouth of the Wissa-
hickon, and on through that beauti.
ful and romantic valley for the dis
tance of another five miles, affording
a drive which for extent, for river
and landscape scenery, is the most
charming and picturesque to be found
, in this country. Paramount greatly
exceeds Central Park in natural ad
, vantages, and when completed viii
4 not be far behind IN artistic finish anG
beauty.
e There are many points of interes
e in this old city, of which may giv'
n you descriptions in subsequent letters
r There is the State House, which stand
/ to-day, in outward semblance and in
: ternal arrangement, just as it stood il
!, the days of Washington and of th'
: fathers. There is Girard College il
its stately magnificence; the Eastern
Penitentiary with its sombre look ant
huge walls; the Cathedral, the mos
beautiful church building on this con
tinent; the vast number of public in
stitutions, Colleges, Libraries, etc.
ETC., all worthy of special mention.
And, besides, there is Christmas
Just notO here. 1t may be that yol
have Christmas in RaVenna. dom
suppose it can be claimed as exclu
sively Philadelphia institution; bu
of one thing l am sure, there is ne
other city in the Union, not even Bos
ton, that "makes " SO much of Christ
: mas. l wish you could see the gaiety
J, filling the stores and crowding the
;, streets, the rich and wonderful dis
plays of Kriss Kringle's peculiar
}, wares, and enjoy the freshness OF thu
sidewalks covered with spruce an6
pine trees, with holly and laure
!, wreaths. For the entire week it ha'
= .-z..al - a. ouch tho vhnln n0nula