Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-04-27
q, - PHILADELPHIA. a =
our SAT RDAY LETT ER.

What the Park has Done for the City-The
Mad Bull Excitement -An1usements n The
Cushman Season, Etc.
Especial Corres ,ondence of the Commercially
PHILADELPHIA, April H
The boiling Republican of this Section have
shown their hands, and pretty showing 1t
makes. The gentlemen who have determined
to join the Cincinnati movement, have had
meeting at which all were not honestly outspoken
like Col. VIM Is. Thomas, who is leader In the
affair. but at which the animns OF the whole
matter was nevertheless sufficiently shown,
Thomas squarely affirmed that he was going TO
Cincinnati to do all he could to break up the
Republican Party, and no objection was taken
to that position, nor was the rebel refused an
honorable place in the delegation. Common
sense Indicates that il the delegation was com
posed of genuine Republicans, II would not
tolerate euch sentiment as this in its ranks.
But it meekly acquiesces under the speclous plea
that this was an independent movement mWmon
every man was entitled TO his own opinion-and
the incident gives the entire delegation its proper
tone or course Mr.. Mcclure is a ringleader In
the movement. He said very few weeks ago,
as positively as il was for man to say anything,
that no would not oppose the election OF zen;
Grant, but that signifies nothing now,-and did
not signify anything to some of us at the time
lie said it. 1t is astonishing how honest men
had their eyes shut up by this petty demagogne.
IL should have been AZ clear as the sun 10 every
body that McClnres fight in the 4th district was
really battle with the administration, but the
point was not clear to a great many who have
persisted up to the present time IN DeheVng In
him., Now they see him as he Is and curse
their stupidity In the Governorship contest 1
am not sure that it is proper to call the ANTI
Hartranft element an opposition. 1t il 80
rfdiculously trihing that il does not enter INTO
political calculations at all. The Press stated
what there was of it, but the lead so unWlsely
taken was not followed, and 1t is fair to presume
that Col. Forney has discovered by this time
that he made mistake. The course OF the
Press in regard to Hartranft was three days
wonder but it has already been forgotten.
Important action in the Park management has
been taken this week. The Committee of FL
nance of CITY Councils and the Park Commits
sioners, met in consultation last Saturday, at
which meeting arguments were made TO
induce the Committee to introduce an
ordinance into Councils empowering the
raising OF aloan of 80 000, 600 to pay for proper
ties already included within the Park limits. On
Monday evening. the Committee, at its regular
meeting. agreed to report such an ordinance,
which was accordingly offered in Councils yester-
day. and ordered to be published. resolution
to make II the special order OF next week was
defeated, but there il no doubt of its final pas
sage At the consultation meeting, Mr.. Me-
| Michael, OF the Park Commission, made strong
| argument which evidently produced an immedl-
ate impres sion upon the Committee, as it has
since done upon citizens generally. Those who
| came to scof remained to pray under the veteran
| orators pleading which was indeed uuanswera-
| BILE. Those attached lands must be paid fol-, and
the only question is whether Councils will reim-
| burse the owners promptly and quietly, or be
sued for the money and have to pay it with law
| suits added. Besides paying these just claims
money s needed for the Improvement OF the
| more accessible parts of the Park those adjapent
/ to Paramount, and which are the portions most
/ used by foot travellers and the poorer classes
| generally. Mr.. McMichael said he wished partio-
| ularly to deny the statements made in several
| quarters that the Commissioners intended to
further extend the Park boundaries the money
asked for was not for any such purpose, but only
to pay debts honestly contracted and for needful
| improvements.
Some very interesting facts illustrative of the
value of the Park and of the rise of real estate
since it's establishment, were offered at this
meeting Apart from its inestimable worth AZ a
health giving agency, for purposes of pleasure
aud recreation to the cOoped-up denizens OF
the city, it could be proved that in mere dollars
and cents, the Park was the best investment
that Philadelphia had ever made. give you a
few Of those figures which certainly do show
some wonderful results. In 1863, the assess
ments in the 10Th, Goth, 24th and 2Sth wards,
which are those that are contiguous to the park,
wore $31 ,25S, AL in 1872, the assessments for
the same districts were $l02 ,O99, 2S3 an in
crease in three years of $40, $40 842. But this il
really the least part of the story. The total in
crease in the city for the period named, was
S46, ,27S, GAL. thus showing that nearly one hall
| of the whole amount was deriyable from four
tire city, and those the wards that surround the
Park Improvement At the present tax rate
$40. $40. $40 will yield sum in ten years, sufi
to pay the entire cost OF the Park, not to epeal
of still further increases in the value Of property
These are surely very startling and gratifying
| facts.
We have a fresh variety of the mad anima
excitement. This time it is not of a canine, bu
of bovine character. Mad Bull! has taken tn
, / place of the cry of Mad Dog! / suppose anyhod
, would rather be pitched by the bull than bitter
by the dog, but it is annoying to have to max
the choice. The constantly recurring casualtie
, resulting from the driving OF steers and cow
through the streets, has raised a genuine eN
citement upon the subject and the authoritie
! may perhaps feel themselves called upon +
i forbid those practices in the future. This WI
3 | bs damaging to a very large interest, but Ill
must be preserved at any cost, and it Is now cor
stantly imperilled from this cause. Within th
present week there have been four bloody stree
| conflicts of the kind, in which furious anima
have wounded eight persons, Of whom at leas
= | two haye died. Some decisive action IN the ma
I ter is certainly needed.
: The Cushman Dramatic season, al the Qhes
n nut Street Theatre, haa 40 far been very grea
= | success indeed Miss Cushman has played Qlee
. 2 katherine In Henry Wit all the week, an
:, y next week will act Lady Macbeth, OF which pa
y she is doubtless the greatest representative sn
y Mrs Siddons. Nearly all the seats for this wee
= we're sold before the opening night, and the $50
T. of next weeh WILL Perhaps be the same, az
string Of people neatly square long btnou wal
ing their turHs this morning an hour before Il
ticket office was opened. l think the manag
n might have "kept it up" a little more proftab
- by postponing other performances for the pre-
"a ent. "Henry VIII ought to be good for tS
10 weeks and the cast might be varied by preser
rn99 ing Miss Cushman az C,potsRas Rolsey, pa
4 she has often played with effect. 1t must
" honesty be said though that 'Henfy Wit
not a very good acting play. The character
the Queen is grandly drawn, and the King a.
H. Cardinal are fine studies, but the play is n
particularly interesting Further, Kdthe'i
Il has 80 little, comparatively, to do in
~ drama that the hrst FEELING OF almc
j., every spectator after the curtain fa
IL is one OF disappointment. Reflection serV
to show, however. how fine the AFT
lts been, Miss Cushman il apting With wpndef
ed spirit and power, considering her advanei
il years She remains the greatest American
tTess, but there is pain in seeing her, too, and
IA, | noting the inevitable ravages OF time. 81
70 genius should never grew old. Great hopes w
az. formed OF the support Miss Cushman was
nm have from MIR. Couldock as Cardinal Woods
- but they have not been made good. Could
was engaged at Miss Oushman'a express desi
AZ she saying that the two he'd played the parts
N gether many times in yeats past, and that
oT had meyer seen a Hoolsey she liked 80 mu
os- This was high recommendation, and Mr. Ct
dock was secured by Messrs. Pugh and Day
aad port, straight. But he has made signal fail
on from some cause. He seems to be entirely bT
en- down.
There are no other amusement matt erl