The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-13
MONDAY, MARCH Is, 1871.
THE PROPOSED COMMISSIONS.

THE PROPOSED COMMISSIONS.
The public indignation which has been ex-
cited by the infamous project to place the
government of the city of Philadelphia in
the hands of all-powerful and irresponsible
commissions, will undoubtedly make itself
heard at the meeting to be held at Horticul-
sural Hall tomorrow evening. 1t is scarcely
necessary for US to urge the solid men of
Philadelphia to attend this meeting and to
protest, by their presence at least, against
the attegnpt that is being made'to hand them
over to the tender mercies of a gang of
thieves-for such the commissions will un-
doubtedly prove to be if they ever get into
operation. The people of this city are, we
are thankful to believe, fully
aroused to the importance of
checking the conspiracy against their liber-
ties in its incipiency, and it will be their own
fault if the Legislature is not made to under
stand that there are some outrages which will
not be tamely submitted to. The importance
of the meeting tomorrow evening is SO well
understood that it is almost superfuous for
us to dwell upon it, but we will call the atten-
tion of the gentlemen who will speak upon
the occasion to one or two points which are of
more than ordinary importance.
The sixth section of the bill for the crea-
tion of the Board of Public Works is as fol-
lows-
to the streets, lanes and alleys laid out the
public plan to be opened, and such as they may
deem necessary for the public inter ests to take pos
session of, and to cause the same to be paved,
curbed, and, when necessary, cuverted: Provided,
possession a Of any street, ROAD avenue or
highway until they have given or rendered
se ens rosas and oOened or on
to be opened, the bond OF the city OF Philadelphia
to executed @ BY the side &c, OF SAID board at
board conditioned for the payment OF such damages
as the owners Of said property may be awarded by
opening streets and assessing damages therefor;
and for that purpose the Board Of Public Works is
hereby authorized to issue the bond OF the city Of
Philadelphia, executed az aforesaid"
1t will be seen that this makes it obliga-
tory upon the commissioners to cause all the
streets, lanes, and alleys on the city plan to
be opened, paved, curbed, and, when neces-
sary, to be culverted. We would like to know
how many of the citizens of Philadelphia have
any adequate idea of the magnitude of the
task thus entrusted to the half-dozen gentle
men named as Commissioners of Public
Works? The city plan covers the whole
county of Philadelphia, and all the streets are
laid out upon it in order that trouble and con-
fusion may be avoided in the future when the
streets come to be opened. If the streets are
not laid down, any person who may build
house in the rural districts, which it may
be necessary hereafter to remove to make
way for a street, will be able to obtain
damages. If the streets are laid down,
however, it his duty to build his house upon
the line of street, and he will place it else
where at his own risk. By far the larger por-
ton of the county of Philadelphia consists of
farm lands, which will not in the ordinary
course of events be cut by streets for many
years to come; and yet this bill makes it the
duty of the commissioners to set to work and
open streets to an indefinite extent in every
direction.
There are now about 900 miles of streets,
alleys, and lanes open for travel. Some of
these thoroughfares are paved, curbed, and
eulverted, and others are not, and probably
will not be for some time to come. When
we say that the number of miles
of streets already opened do not
equal one-fifth of the number upon
the city plan, we are very far within the
mark. 1t may be safely asserted that so, 900
miles of streets are yet TO be opened, paved,
curbed, guttered, and culverted. This is
fact that speaks for itsels, and does not re-
quire comment.
Previous to the last election in New York
there were 10000 men upon the city pay
rolls, every one of whom, as a matter of
course, voted the straight Tweed ticket.
With so, 900 miles of streets to be opened in
this city, our Commissioners of Public Works
will have opportunities that viii make
Tweed think New York but poor place to
operate in after all. Leaving out of con-
sideration the magnificent opportunities for
absolutely unrestrained plunder, the Com
missioners of Public Works can have 100, 900
meu upon the city pay.rolls at the
next election, and can consequently elect
any ticket they may choose to put
mp. Some of our readers may imagine that
this is an exaggeration, but we can assure
those who are inclined to take roseate view
of the situation that the men for whose spe-
cial benefit it is proposed to create these
commissions will take care to colonize eyerv
ward In this city to sufficient extent to carry
the elections, even if it should be necessary
TO have DOC, 600 men in theirpay in order to ac-
compish their ends and perpetuate their power.
Let the commission bills pass the Legislature
and receive the assent of the Governor. and
the citizens of Philadelphia will have abso-
lutely no relief except by revolution.
IsrC lurrxrx ha l..