The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-17
Grertius telegraph
SATURDAY. JUNE II. ls7l.I
THE PROFITS ON WOOD PAVE
MENTS.

DoAhB Ai1huO " loICo hPpA eAao Ot1y hu luUOu-
mite number of contracts for laying wood
pavements in our principal thoroughfares, the
magnificent profits that have been realized in
New York making the holders of some half
dozen or more rather dubious patents for
plank roads anxious to commence operations
in Philadelphia at as early q day as is
possible. The plank-road people have their
advocates in the Council chambers, and there
are doubtless those among the representa-
tives of the Taxpayers of Philadelphia who
would be only too glad to follow the example
of the New York municipal legislature, and
pass ordinances for the laying of wood pave
ments dd Snfnitum on receiving fifty cents
per square yard. This was the stan
dard price in New York for q
wood pavement ordinance, but there
are probably some among our municipal
legislators who would willingly take less
rather than be disobliging. We are happy,
however, to believe that there are enough
honorable men in both chambers to refuse
their sanction to any suoh clear swindles as
have been put upon New York in the interest
of the wood pavement people, and in order
that our Councilmen, and our citi-
zens generally, may understand what
magnificent job they are expected
to authorize and pay for, we invite attention
to few of the details that have been made
public recently with regard to the cost of
laying wood pavements in New York. The
first thing the party desiring a contract had
to do was to pay fifty cents per square yard
into the hands of the agent of the Common
Council. If this was done the necessary
ordinance was passed; if not, the Councilmen
were oblivious to the necessity of laying wood
psvements in the desired localities 1t is
estimated from reliable data that any of
the wood pavements now before the public
can be laid for $3.50 per square yard and yet
enable the contractors to pocket a handsome
profit. The prices paid in New York were
$3.50, $5, and $3.50, or one hundred per
cent. more than the real value of the work
performed. In all, about 438,787 square
yards of wood pavement have been put
down in that city, at a cost to the
taxpayers of $2,504, 452'50. 1t is esti-
mated that fair price for the work
done would have been $1,221, ,462'5O,
30 that the contractors were enabled to
swell their bank accounts to the extent of
$1,2S1, ,939 80, for the privilege of doing
which they paid to the Common Council
$296, 100 so; or, as there are forty members
$7417'74 per man. Since Tweed has OBJ
tanned absolute power in New York, the
Council is ignored, and all the perquisites go
into the pockets of the .sBoss" and his satel-
lites, at which the Councilmen complain, and
in their complainings give the public clue to
the mystery Of the wood pavement contracts
of Gotham. We commend these facts
and figures to the thoughtful consideration of
the citizens Of Philadelphia, for it is not at all
impossible that they may be invited to pay for
the luxury of plank roads in the same style
that New York has been. Of course, the
above statement has No reference to the real
value of wood pavements, which may or may
not be worth to the public what it actually
costs to lay them. If an article is good for
nothing, it is not worth having at any price;
and an inspection of some of the wood pave
ments in this city that have only been down
year or two, will convince most of our tax
payers that it will be more profitable if their
money is invested in something else.
YESTERDAY Berlin was repaid for the in
dignities it suffered at the hands of Napoleon
Bonsparte when he marched into the Prus-
sian capital at the head of his victorious
army, and with the bravest and best of the
sons Of Prussia marching as captives in his
train. That hour of humiliation, which
broke the heart of the brave and beautiful
Queen, the mother of the present Emperor
of United Germany, and which beheld
Prussia practically blotted from the
map of Europe, has never been
forgotten; but with all the patience of the
Teutonie race the day of vengeance had been
waited for, and when it arrived blow was
struck which more than squared the account
between the Bonapartes and those who had
been compelled to wear their yoke. Yester-
day the wonderful campaign which has
placed the France of to-day in perhaps an
even worse condition than the Prussia of
1906, had an appropriate ending in grand
triumphal entry into Berlin of
the Emperor at the head of the army
which, less than a year ago, marched out to
repel most wicked and unprovoked attack
The path of the conquering heroes was strewn
with flowers, and the Berlinese, wild with en-
thusiasm, as well they might be, gave the
men who have fought 30 well for Prussia and
Germany such a welcome as has not been
extended to any army in modern times. The
people of Prussia and of Germany certainly
have good reason to rejoice, for the folly of
Napoleop III did for them what they had
hitherto failed to do for themselves; and not
only are they free from all fear of interference
on the part of France, but they stand before
Al--E