The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-13
a SAD SUR.JECT.

published in our advertising columns on
Saturday, is a singular document. 1t is a
last final charge along the whole line to over
come the majority of nearly 10000 votes by
which Penn Square was selected as the site
for the public buildings.
Much has been said by some of the very
signers of this remarkable document about
tricks and deoeptions practised upon the
people, in advance of the election, by the
Building Commissioners; but "for ways that
are dark and for tricks that are vain" this
protest of theirs is peculiar"
1t starts out with the declaration that
''m0ny Of as" voted for Penn Square. How
many? Come now, gentlemen, own up; how
manyp We will answer for you: Two, or
perhaps three; certainly not flee. Messrs
latham, Fell, Bullitt, Cope, Franciscus, Du-
tilh, Lombaert, and Claghorn certainly did
not sign as among the ''many of us who voted
for Penn Square" Everybody knows why
they favor a downtown locality. They
have a right to express their opinion and
did express it in October last; but
they we're beaten, and as fair men they ought
to content themselves to remain beaten.
The two, or perhaps three, signers who
voted for Penn Square confess that they did
so upon the conviction, based upon the reso-
luton of the commission, that the buildings
would be erected upon the squares, and not
upon the streets; and yet the language of that
resolution was in these simple and unmis-
taxable words: -''The commission is en-
powered by act of Assembly either to locate
separate buildings upon the four squares or
one building at the intersection, as the ma
jority of the commission may deter
mine." Now suppose the commits
sioners determined to build upon the
four squares, might not thousands of citizens
who favor the intersection claim that the
resolution indicated the selection of that site,
and that departure from it was an imposi-
tion upon them? 1t is we'll known that to
every man whose name was upon the assess
ment list in October last coffin circular was
sent, purporting to contain a fair diagram of
Broad and Market streets as they would ap-
pear when blocked up by the public buildings,
in which the streets were narrowed instead of
being widened, and which altogether was
very unsightly Misrepresentation of the plan
subsequently adopted by the commissioners.
1t was this publication, magnified upon the
house walls and in the daily papers, which
induced the commissioners to declare that no
action had yet been taken upon that subject.
This was their simple duty to the public and
to the thousands of voters who favored the
intersection, and who had a right to be pro-
tected against the misrepresentation of the
Washington Squarites. We are very sorry to
find that gentlemen of acknowledged intelli-
gence should have been convinced" by the
language of that resolution, that the buildings
were not in any event to be placed upon the
intersection.
But, says the lament, ''to occupy the inter-
section would disappoint the expectations of
those by whom Penn Squares were selected
as the site for public buildings" We don't
believe a word of it, and until those advo-
Gates of Washington Square can rail" the
10000 majority out of existence we will
never believe it, We are of opinion that
certainly nine out of ten of the persons who
cast their votes for Penn Square would to-
day vote for locating single grand building
in the centre, in preference to four incon-
venient and more expensive buildings
upon the four squares, and, more
over, we believe that since the
removal of the trees and the consequent de-
velopment of the immense area of ground at
Broad and Market streets, at least twenty
five per cent. of the persons who
voted for Washington Square would
to-day vote for the centre of Penn
Square. Certainly very few Masons could be
induced ever again to encourage the planting
. of trees or erection of building which
would effectually obstruct the present
southern view of their temple at Broad and
Filbert streets.
The tear dropped by these protestors over
the inconvenience of celebrating the CEN
tennial anniversary is really very touching
it is indeed! Just to think of it Broad
street will be obstructed, and the boom-a.
laddies will be compelled to wheel to the
right or left, ''as the case may be, !" instead OF
going straight ahead forward, guide left,
and there may be ew blocks of unsightly
granite or marble on the thoroughfare, or q
CARLOAD of bricks. What twaddlel Would
not the construction of four buildings cause
just as much confusion, and be even more
unsightly. II the Washington Squareites
with Mayor Fox at their head, would with
draw their opposition, this grand edifee
would in 1876 be the most attractive