Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-12-22
PHILADELPHIA.

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Special Correspondence Of ase Commercial.
THE PENNSYLVANIA AND CAMDEN AND AsrBoY Rail-
ROADS PHILADELPHIA AND NEW YORK - THE
GRAND CENTENNIAL cELEBRArIoN-sIx SWEET
YEARS OF ANT1cIpAr1oN-TuE swINDLEs m THE
SCHOOL BOARD.
PHILADELpHIA, Doc. 10.
We have been some little agitated here by
startling story to the effect that our great Penn
sylvania Central r. R.-the pride of every
properly balanced citizen - was in process of
of being sold out to New York, If indeed the
bargain had not already been effected. The
paper that published this sensation did not
think It important that proof, names, facts or
figures should be given in support Of Its truth,
but certain part Of the public, greedy for
horrors Of all sorts, swallowed this one with it's
customary avidity.
The preposterousness il there is such aword,
of this charge should have been quite apparent.
Capital is continually seeking investment, and
as Pennsylvania Central stock is among the best
in the world, it is natural that it should he in
especial demand. Further, New York, as our
great money centre, might be supposed to grad
ualIy obtain the control Of considerable portion
of Il. But, on the other hand, there is perhaps
no pubic uhttbT Ill WulCn IunniDiphin ipoip
such a very near and intimate interest as this.
It s the citys great artery, leading to the West,
the heart whence she draws what produces
the most Of her prosperity and wealth. Our
people are excessively jealous OF 1t, and proper
tionately proud of the advantages afforded by it
over New York communication with the interior.
Individual buying and selling is Of course beyond
CONTROL but to say that the city by any concerted
and deliberate action would surrender its hold
upon the Central Road is simply ridiculous.
Again, we have just agreed, in concert with
the Railway Company, to establish Philadelphiaa
Line Of European steamers. What for? Is it
only to bleed our merchants for New York's
ultimate benefit? to have the scheme finally
fail, and the foreign lines thus made doubly
strong? For, pushed to the verge, that is the
effect Of such talk. II the Pennsylvania Cen
tral is to be controlled by, and run in the genuine
interest Of New York, any offer on the part Of
the company to start Philadelphia Steamship
Line would be cruel snare and weak delusion.
This is all too manifest to require extended
argument.
But another story now begins to claim the
Railroad has leased the Camden Amboy Road,
and that SO far from cur great way to the West
paving tribute to the 'Metropolis" it will have
in all probability unsurpassed depot OF its own
under the very shadow of Castle Garden. There
is the best of reasons for supposing tins version
Of these marvellous doings to be the true one.
There is more in the whole matter than has yet
appeared, but the story will soon be published,
and then the gnllible individuals who believed
that Philadelphia was about to sell out her great
railroad to New York, will admit their error.
How the sword Of the Preacher" over and ever
recurs to us in our pilgrimage to the Spirit Land
-as our Long Haired Friends say Here for
instance is the Grand American Centennial Gel
ebration come, before its time, to distract us.
It is six years off but that is not too long time
for the Yankee Nation to fret and stew. France,
D. fxot,, IN bar md ralpbratiOn
in less than two years and the world has seen
nothing like it, at least since the time OF tho
Pharaohs. So, / do think the movementof Con-
gress on Wednesday and Thursday last was rather
premature.
the advantages and claims of Philadelphia as the
most appropriate ground for such celebration, -
they really make one feel ashamed. Anything
more feeble than Mr.. Morrell's or Mr. Myers It
would be hard toproduce. It is disheartening to
hear members talk, as Mr.. Morrell did, Of our
noble charities. and the regularity Of our streets,
and the superiority Of our marketing especially
of our butter. Abundant ''pure water" too.
That, together with the rich golden butter and
the unrivalled garden sass may contribute to the
possible visitors comfort at the probable exposi-
with the real point at issue. And what was not
merely trivial In these speeches was mostly only
Buncombe.
OF course 1t is right to have this celebration,
and of course it win be held in Philadelphia-
despite the New York grab-all only contend
that it is q bore to have to contemplate the mat
ter 30 far in advance. I touch upon it even te
this extent only under protest. just consider
that for six years this will be an ever-increasine
weight suspended over us a six years work, tt
culminate after all in one little week something
to be talked about and to get up new nothings t.
write about during all that blessed time It i,
depressing thought. And, like as not, when
the gorgeous spectacle is in full bloom not sou
who now breathes will be alive to see it. an
so well grounded in my statistics however, tina
l take that last statement back !; take it bacl
morally that is,--letting it practically stand t'
impress on weak minded Congressman how lont
time years is-to look forward to-.
No. it is all very sad Whether looked at as
long tribultaion to patriotic congressman, or II
| Jealous metropolitans as an ever increasing
aggrayation to letter writer's Or IN its numeron
other painful aspects, it is sad business. l cal
see only one ray of light amid the general gloom
There Il at least period set for the completion
of the State House pavement. Venerable them
for pleasantly, hate to use ye but this is o.
entirely fresh application. Yes, for evident rea
SONS, the pavement by 1876 must be finished.
am not saying, mind, that this, even this, make
| up for six years of q very peculiar kind of dis
| comfort, only mention it as one OF the certain
ties. 1t is fine thing to get hold of something
certain, and 80 drop it.
Falstaff says something about its being har
lines when Thieves cannot be true to on
another. may not have the exact words, bu
that was Shakespeare's loss, in living before tn
times of expressive slang, and not my fault 10
not having the book handy. But the truth OF I'll
legend, however expressed, came to my mind
reading the grand expose in the School Boar
recently. 1 suppose no one who knows anythin
about 1t doubts that the controllers have, in man
cases, very close interest in the various cor
tracts made for books and school supplies The
give services without money and without pric
=. I..x- x.f
the make. Therefore it is painful to see or
honorable member showing up another honorabl
member. Or a members personal friend in I'll
book trade, which comes to the same thin
There is certain inconsistency in it. 1t is b
sides very short-sighted policy, for there is I
saying how soon the virtuous party of to-da
may be tripped up. Perhaps the gentleman wi
lies grovelling now on account of overcharg'
on harmless geography books, may next week
next month take it into his head to carom {
party No. 1, oD account Of building improvement
| or patent desks, or blackboards-or on one
the innumerable other items Of school expend
ture. How would it be then with No. 2 2 and
he was Shakespearean student would not Il
regret Of old Falstaff come to him?
As to the extent of these recent overcharge
of which some hint has been given, nobot
seems to have any positive information. o.
controller said, indeed, that he supposed $s
had been paid, over the retail price, on til
J "speaker" in question. but it is not likely th
| figure is at all near the mark. Inc deception
i similar ones have been running on for year
, through succeeding generations of controller
J and their friends in the ''trade." And-for som
. body has to pay of course-for all this, the ia
I payer settles.
, In fact, the ''jobs" put up and tolerated in O
/ School Board, pass belief-even the few of the
that are known. Here is only a little one, thai
l heard of to-day, entirely by accident. Until I
a Gently, the Grammar schools have been suppli
0 with an arithmetic compiled by Prof. yogdt
: late of the High School, and an unsurpass
: authority on such matters. Vodges' Arithm
tic" was a standard work, and it was as cheap
it was good. 1t was so cheap in fact, that the
was no sufficient " margin" for operators.
d they withdrew it from the Schools, and substit
4 ted the sUnited States Arthmetic,"a high
8 priced, but less valuable book, published in a
D other city, I think in Boston. This is an 'ow
a true tale," and think you will agree with me,
L a not over" creditable one to the Philadelpl
: school controllers. INDEX
Q "A New York correspondent asserts that e
: ployment has been unusually slack for all 30
: Of female work people during the fall, and tn
consequently look to the approach of eevt
weather with dread. Claflin b Co. discharg
n large numbers Of cloak-makers early in I
II season; the book trade has been very slack, a