Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-08-04
PHILADELPHIA.

THE MILLION DOLLAR FIRE AND PAID FIRE
sYsTEM-BAsE BALL AND ITS cRITIcs-A CHANCE
FOR sHowMEN-DEsEcRATIoN OF THE " OLD
wALNUT'-ARE WE NATION OF sHoPKEEPERs!
THE PUBLIC BATHS. sHoo FLY" AND THE
WAR IN EUROPE.
| Special Correspondence of He Commercial
| PHILADELPHIA, July goth.
| had barely sent you a letter detailing some
of the advantages of our Volunteer Fire Depart
ment, when practical illustration was given of
the efficiency Of the system. Instances are not
wanting any day in the week, to be sure, but,
fortunately, million dollar fires are not quite
that common. 1t cannot be pleasant thing for
| the Messrs. Newhall or the Insurance companies
to know that the loss at our last great fire was
just about twice what it might have been, il our
plan for putting out fires was what it should be.
The injury to life and limb deserves also trifie
of consideration. The men wounded Gone of
whom is since reported dead) were exposing
themselves in perfectly reckless and uncalled
for manner. If the force had been under proper
control, there would have been no such disaster,
because there would then have been trained
officers who would have known where danger
lay, and what should have been done to avoid it.
read not long since that in ten years experience
of Paid Fire Department, in London, not a
single fatal accident bad happened to fireman.
I suppose it is quite within bounds to say that
twenty firemen, at least, have been killed in
Philadelphia in that time-and that in city
scarcely third as large as London.
1t may be incidentally mentioned that Messrs.
Newhall have been known as great advocates of
paid system. Whether they are gratifed or
not with this handsome proof of the correctness
of their theory, is point upon which have not
been informed. AZ in everything else there
could, doubtless, be good deal said upon both
sides of the case.
The Newlalls are famous cricketing family /;
to hear the name is at once to think of cricket ;
and when one has got that far, the transition
to base ball is as easy rolling off a log. And
indeed no aid to reflection is required, for the
! town is, so to speak, wild upon base ball, and
will think of nothing else. Redson,-the victory
of the Athletics over the Redstockngs,a at Cincin-
natl 1t is in vain to quote reproachfully
"pleased with tickle, ratified with a straw" to
our youth. Go off their head in this matter Of
base ball they mill, and we, as the abstract and
brief chronicler of the time. have nothing to do
but follow. 1t may be low Plane, but if the
people are congregated on that plane, humble
individuals who write for newspapers must get
|
what is going on.
The special grievance of the Fraternity in
this section is the recent tone OF the newspapers
} 1t has become the fashion to condemn the whole
business as being corrupt and mere instrument
of betting men. There is reason to believe that
, this is very unfair treatment. OF course there
is betting it is pity, but men will bet Oh any
thing. More money is bet on elections. proba-
bly, than on anything else But to talk ot tsu such
ing game, is only foolish, and everybody who
knows anything of the sport, knows it. The men
are as proud Of their skill and of their success,
J as people in any other business. and they do
their best all the time. Not only 30, but the
people who are looking on know the game, and
would speedily resent any deliberate intent to
lose These ball critics must be nearly related
to the reliable gentleman who is at present send
ing dispatches from the seat of war. The ac-
, counts Of the mimic and real contests alike. |
, fear are written up in the newspaper office, and
} without knowing anything special of what is
going on upon the field.
But have YOU ever permitted yourself to reflect
what business this ball playing has become! Fifty
centsis the regular admission price at big games
{ and the balance-or win oriinaire e'-gather
the stamps in at the rate of twenty-five cents a
, head. Crowds of six and eight thousands have
been seen on the grounds at 18th and Columbia
Avenue, half dozen times this season, and any
: kind of game will draw two or three Thousand
/, people. The latter audience would produce at
| least $500 which would be very fair receipt for
Y a theatrical performance. Tue greater games
| frequently net as much az 520oD and S3OD0, and
in at least two matches played here this season
i | those between the Athletic" and tho "Cncin-
| natl " and Atlantic" clubs --produced S50OO a
day. This is ahead of even operatic receipts, and
4 when il il reflected that there is no expense to
il speak of-no advertising, no prinsng-ne
salaries except 900 a week or so to the players
) the matter assumes majestic proportions indeed
! 1t is no wonder that showmen have had theil
attention drawn to very attractive a field. II
y is rumored that Leonard Grover intends to trave
< with crack nine next summer lie has beel
, heard to say that there il more money in thl'
thing than in all the circses you can shake
/. stick at. This was before his disastrous New
# York Beethoven Jubilee, however. 1t is possible
u he may have grown little shy Of speculation
d since then.
t. And speaking Of the show t,lsiness what d
l. you think they are doing to the Walnut Stree
Theatre But you would never guess, and tn
al Philadelphia papers are afraid of Hemphill
t. and of being cut off from his free list, that the
f. would never tell YOU. Tie Walnut--the !" Oh
ID Walnut" mind you,--that looked like a dramati
of temple and not like the market houses it is tn
as fashion nowadays to erect for Iheatres-th
g. Walnut is having part of its stately front knoeke
ID out and paltry shops being built at ethe
x corner of the structure. What are we comm
to to? The shops will be poor places, hardly bi
/. enough to sling cat in Gf the proprietors d
sire to indulge in that amusement, yet for til
sake of 1900 or S400 year the owners vii
at forever, ruin the appearance OF the oldest an
ci- one of the finest theatres in the coui
N. try. The action of the Academy
No. Fine Arts Directors in selling the
nd splendid old property to All. FOX for i
EN- bare leg and burnt cork show was hardly wor'
.es than this. The acting manager of the Waliil'
it is said was engaged in the highly respectful
las and lawful business of pawnbrolaiis before
100 turned his attention to the Dramatic muse. Ill
,st fact and his perfect right to do what he pleas
with his own, explains the nattet--as far AZ
ost can be explained.
ap- If the Public Bath that has been opened he
| ;at Iar 1a1 1r,,ara mn 4
an followed by adequate measures towards lawn
md and refreshing the Great Unwashed why, then
the is well enough but if that poor little box thir
cal feet long and twenty broad is to furnish our
a tire accommodations in that line. all this talk
ind Free Bathing becomes mere bosh. The ba
es- that has been tloated, holds about the same
lation to what is really needed as Mr.. Traii
Mr. chances for the Presidency compare with his CT
nee tainty of getting it. And there is no stateme
or even hint that the other baths will be bui
the People are supposing or hoping they may be, |
re- that ia ALL There has been clamor on the 81
ry. ject-especally raised by citizens doing busin'
on the wharves or living along the Schnylkll a
20 who desire to have public privacy respected-a
~ the authorities have thrown out this apolc
'l aei for Free Bath just as on another occasion
SOP y the BY what is ;t sop was rrpG 5S,
9r 9, from our City Fathers, let us see if there is
.. au be laughing or storming at this latest joke.
tys- OF course there is considerable war talk, e'
sue yet. The Lager Beer shops are overilowing "
patriotism. Third street, from Callowhill up
perfect volcano of mingled beer and praise
lists Faderand, on saturday night, or ior !
rom matter, almost any night. Inc chap now
Jal., could write good, taking AR to len pm
md, Preusse would stand ialr SHOW oil , acnelv CIV
immortality, and of drowning Shoe Fly" on
b at the market. Most certainly IN the iattercase
and "uncaled for lags the veteran on the stage
and as the Sunday School books say, if Il
re- should be no other result of this war; il it she
!. at have the effect of brandishing the melody lnC
ing, as 'tShoo Fly, from the minds and lips of /
sive and boys II will not be fought in vain
tho INpE!
for
Mr. The Chiuese and the Crspins.