The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-23
PHILADELPHIA SOUTHWEST.

That eectlOn OF our beautiful CITY lying Webs
of South Broad street is as singularly favored
by nature for building purposes a. Chat occu-
pying tho same relative position to North Broad
street. the rapid development OF which has so
astonished and grattfed our citizens. And here
1t is but proper the public mind should be dis
abused of the impression that the land of this
section is low and difficult of drainage-quali-
ties which, when acknowledged, vastly tend to
deprecate 1t by undertaking its suitableness in
popular opinion for Improvement. The truth
is and visit of any doubling one tolt will give
it confirmation, that this district is remarkably
we'll adapted for building purposes; me ave
rage surface above the highest ude, OF Soutn
Broad street and the land, lying west OF 1t IS
t1centl.fUe feet: and it is not less than fifteen
squares below Washington avenue that you must
90 before encountering an abrupt descent from
this grade.
The impression frequently exists that the
southwestern section is low, even IL the line of
Broad street is not; thus exposing the whole
vicinity to the unhealthiness OF depressed aud
mperfectly drained streets. But the very con-
trary is the fact; for no part westward, even to
the Schuylkill and for three miles south of South
street. is either low in surface or imperfectly
drained. 1t is particularly dry elevated, and
| everywhere underlaid by a most remarkable
stratum of fine sand and gravel, rendering Ouild-
| ing cheaper and drainage more complete than is
possible in any other section of the city. If this
be all true the natural inquiry is, "Why is itnot
| improved more rapidly?"-and TO this we may
| find partial answer in the fact that building
| capital went to that section north which had
| been rendered inviting and popular through mu-
nicipal aid, and which experienced no drawback
! to its improvement. Broad street north
| paved, Broad street south ignored, though capa-
| BILE of being rendered as beautiful as the upper
half. But the greatest of all impediments to the
| advancement and prosperity OF this section has
always been, and is to-day, the Philadelphia,
! Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad Company
! and from pure contumacy on its part.
The history of the efforts for the opening of
| Fifteenth street which for the past decade
have been put forward is one of contemptuous
ingTaitude on the part of this close corporation.
| Close it is. 1t has enriched itself in the traffic
| of city, has had great municipal favors
| shown it, and has monopOlized entire streets
| to the detriment of the public and the deprecia-
| ton of property. Before this company settled
| itself where it now is Fifteenth street was not
| only laid down upon the plan of the city, but
| was curbed and ready to be opened; and as an
| acknowledgment that it soon would be opened.
| the present depot was built to suit the location,
| when the thoroughfare was given over to public
use. But having raised its depot and carried its
| fences on either side of it up to Sixteenth
! street. the corporation turned deaf ear to the
| appeals that its embargo of the street might be
raised, holding to the pernicious old saying,
| always resorted to in the defense of an unjust
| occupancy
| Possession is nine points Of the law"
as early as 1S6! the Legislature passed an act
| requiring the opening of the street, and ap-
| pointed commission of three gentlemen to
execute the law, but this they failed to do; for
| when 1t came TO the question of damages COun-
|
them, and thus killed the Improvement in its
| infancy. Since then the Legislature has been
| requested to pass compulsory acts, but the com
| pany always succeeded in staving off such legis
| laion. Committees of Councils have at various
| times been appointed to consult with the officers
| of the road relative to the much-needed opening
| of this important thoroughfare, but what, in the
| light OF modern municipal legislation, is not at
| all to be wondered at, the arguments Of the
| company always proved little stronger than
those of the people; and whenever the subject
member who opposed the opening:-"When he
| got his pass?" Finally in 1869, after spirited
campaign on the part of the people, Councils
passed an ordinance authorizing the street to be
| opened in 1872.
| Here then, is a great section of the CITY, well
favored by nature TO be made beautiful and
valuable, cut off from direct communication on
the line of an important thoroughfare in order
| that wealthy corporation might occupy public
| property, not by any right but from suferance,
as standing ground for dead roling-stock and
rubbish. Had it not been for this obstruction,
the thoroughfare in question would have been
built up mile beyond its present terminus;
| passenger railway would have gone its entire
length; and its natural advantages, coupled with
an easy accessibility to the centre of the city,
would have invited enterprise and capital in
that direction. That section of Broad street
lying below Washington avenue, with its
attractive boulevard, would have been lined
with fine edifces, and rendered even more beau
titul as promenade than North Broad street.
with the same outlay of money; while the pro-
perty of the road ITSELF instead of suffering any
depreciation in value, would have been greatly
enhanced, in common with that adjacent to it,,
and all by an improvement which could have
cost the company the only inconvenience of re-
moving the fences, some old tracks, and brace
of rickety frame sheds. Such a short-sghted,
niggaTdly policy can be accounted for upon no
other ground than despicable principle which
prompts some people to abstain from doing any
service that may enrich their neghbors, even
though 1t may prOportionately enrich them
selves-a principle that deserves, and undoubt-
edy receives, the hearty contempt of all sensible
people.
1t is estimated by builders and others compe-
tent to judge, that this obstruction of Fifteenth
street has caused a standing depreciation in the
yalae OF the property south of Washington
avenue OF 10 per cent
FIRES LAST MoNTH.-The report of Captain
McCuskeT, of the Fire Insurance Patrol, for
the month Of December, shows the following
statistics. There were 80 box alarms, 80 silent
alarms and false alarms.
The causes were as follows: Accidents, 80;
carelessness, 49, incendiary, 10 supposed in
cendiary, 6; unknown, false alarms, 2.
Style of dwellings-16 tive-story, 8 four-story,
1856 three-stOry, l three and half-storv, two
story, one story, all brick; one and half
story, all stone; l three story frame dwelling, 6
two-story frame buildings, l one and n half
story frame, 10 one-story frame, l one-story
brick, lot of hay one steamship.
The buildings were used as follows: dwell
lngs, 16; brush factory l; trunk factory, l; cac-
penter shops, 2; railroad shed, l; grocery store,
J. brick yard shed, l; stables, 3; coal office, l;
barns, 2; cotton mills, q bone turning establish
ment, /; oil house, l. country house, /; cigar
store, l; oil refinery l. shoe stores, 2; leather
betting establishment l; plumbing house, Il tin
ehop, - paint shop, /; steamship, |; blacksmith
shop, soap factory, l; store house, l; sash fac
tory,ll; bolt works, l; furnishing store, l; shoe
factory, l; tobacco factory /; public buildings;
l beer saloon, /; wash house, l; woollen mill