Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-05-25
philadelphia.
Qua aAruRDAxLsr1ER.

The Am oucA In baltlmoroi Etc Etc-
Especial Correspondence OF the Commercially
PHILADELPHIA, May 25th.
A chronic complaint Of the Letter Writer is
that there is Nothing going on, but there has
been much going on here this week, that it
Is difficult to do justice TO all the topics that call
for remark within the limits Of a single comm u
nicaton Affairs have been indeed uncommonly
lively, and what with the great fire. tue Reform
Convention, the meeting Of the Centennial Com.
mission, the Odd Fellows meeting, the Boat
Race, etc, etc, there has been no lack OF sub
jects for talk or speculation.
As regards the fire, the interest has settled
finally upon two points, the great superiority Of
our new fire Department over the old system,
and the inferiority Of granite as building ma
terial. Apparently one Of the most durable Of
substances, granite proves to be, when submit
ted to intense heat, most untrustworthy ma
terial. In the burning of the Jayne building,
this week, 1t cracked and flew almost like 30
much pine wood. II was Incredible to see how
little resistance was made to the flames by this
apparently indestructible material, and 1t ls de-
cldedly below par in Philadelphia this week Tor
building purposes Not long since, think it
on the occasion OF the first Jayne hre, Mr..
Mullett the Government architect, asserted that
brick the best tireproof material and granite
the worst, and further stated that the bonded
warehouses on Dock street were the safest build
ings In the United States. There was rather
disposition to pooh-poOh Mr.. Mullett at that time
but we now hee that he was very right in some
respects -
The Centennial Commission aeems to have
finally settled down to work. Although good
many people find fault that it does not know
exactly what 1t wants. am afraid such critics
do not reflect sufficiently upon the immensity of
the work in hand. Necessarily the organization
Of such a scheme must be slow. IL it was only
a question Of mammoth exhibition to be got
ten up by this city, the matter would be- simple,
no matter how ambitious the project might be,
but the American Cenienpial proposes TO con-
slider Philadelphia and Pennsylvania no more
than any other city aud State. in the Union, and
furthermore expects to invite the cooperation
Of all the nations Of the earth TO make tins ex-
position the most notable OF anything Of the
kind in history. II we are to believe entbusias-
tic members Of the commission, the American
exposition ID to Hurpass those Of London and
Paris, and is to be altogether of such d character
AB will ''strlke the wide earth breathlesB and
amaze the very faculties of eyes and ears
Whether all these fine schemes will be realized
or not, it IL certain the design is as vast ar can
well be conceived. and il is no matter for wonder
that things should be a trihe mixed up just at
present. Far-sr-
The trouble seems TO be now--perbaps an un-
ayoldahle one-that matters are dressed upon
the attention Of the commission out OF time and
season. year, two years, hence will be time
enough to determine upon the classlhcatons OF
subjects, exhibition details, DC, and yet we lind
illy-Dalanced commissioners coming before the
body with such matters before the foundation Of
the scheme is fairly laid. The bottom work of
all is the financial question There has been
considerable talk OF raising the necessary funds
by popular loan, but nothing has yet been deter
mined on. 1t must be settled, however, before
the plan can have any solidity. Then the hearty
cooperation of the other States must bs secured.
UntIl the finances are settled and State cooper
alton IL attained, it is folly to talk of plans for
the buildings and other details. The commission
is at work, but is to be feared that in some re-
spects il is working wrong end first. IL is dis
posed to put the cart before the horse.
started though by speaking of the lmmensity
OF the work, ana we Will charitaby allow that to
cover all s1ort comings In the short time in
which it has been IN operation the commission
has struck some doughty blows The address
to foreign nations Which II Will submit through
favor of the President to foreign powers is buzI-
ness like and to the point. One cannot help
thinking that it must meet with hearty response
from all nations friendly to the United States.
These sections of the foreign address have a
more practical look than anything that has yet
been presented to the public. One section says
the date Of opening will be the 18th of April,
1876, and the date Of closing Oct. 18th. The
Exposition will therefore extend over period
OF six months. Certainly every WllmingLonlan
ought to be able to get to town at least once III
| that time. Other sections say that formal ac-
ceptations Of the invitation OF the United States
| are requested previous to March 4th, 1874, and
that ali articles intended for exhibition must be
in Philadelphia by Jany. LIST, 1876 all OF which
| il within the limits OF the simplest comprehen-
But it is hard, as yet, to get up any enthu-
siasm in the matter. People critcise and approve
but they do not take TO 1t al something in which
i thay have an immediate and personal concern.
| 1t is 30 far of and cold Four years why clear
/ fifth Of all the people whS are working In II,
and reading and writing about it, will De IN their
| graves when the grand exhibition doors are at
last opened. More or less distinctly all, except
the very young, feel this and il ID sort of damp
or on the general hilarty. About this time
In 1874 we shall begin to feel little more peck
ish. Those Of us VINO are left then will think
that two years isint 30 much to bridge over, bnt
| Just now the gap seems disheartening.
The reform local nominations were the talk OF
i the day on Wednesday, but appear already 10
/ have fallen into the sers and yellow leaf. Suoh
q short lease Of active life tells the story more
strongly than any labored effort could. The fact
IL, the scheme is utopian and impractical Doubt
| less abuses do exist in our Municipal govern
| ment, and beyond doubt there are many good
| citizens VINO deem that corporations own
| affairs are the most important that can concern
| them. Possibly it may be the fact, too, as the
leaders in this reform movement asserts thai
local and national affairs have no necessary re-
lationship, although great deal may be said oI
| the other side on that question,--but above and
beyond every other consideration is the fact tina
such diversion as this, II 1t have any effect a
| all, will but weaken the Republican vote ant
give the election to the Democrats. That it hal
any chance Of success, no one who has the leas
| ACQUAINTANCE with our politics can be found u
admit and all It can do must be in the direction
have indicated. But it is not thought that i
| can even effct much in that way. The gentlemen
| who have been named are rreproachabe mem
| bers of society, but in no manner known o
familiar to the people whose votes they ask, ant
| the movement is foreordained to sink in tn
measureless domains of tizzledom. Coming di
, | rectly to the root of the matter, there il N
| reason or excuse for these fantastic demonstra
tiOns. Let the citizens who believe the cit
government is going wrong, attend the primar.
meeting as they are in duty bound to do an
sending men of the right stripe to the nomins
, ting conventions, we should have candidate
} above suspicion or reproach. 1t is not playin
, an honest part to neglect this duty and attel
, | wards to attempt TO break up the party, whic
| with all it's faults constitutes the real reforI
phalanx.
These letters have at different times allude
| to the dangerous condition of the bridge owe
q the Schuylldll at Girard Avenue. 1t is a dil
4 grace and reprosch to the community, and &
a any time these two years has been in danger {
a falling any minute. Its condition has been n
secret during all that time, and yet nothing h,
a been done 10 strengthen the wretched concert
i | or to keep people from using it. 10 add to IL
a horrd farce an order was issued one day tn
week to close the bridge during the progress
the Bigler-COulton boat race. There il ghas
ty sort of humor here. The main thoroughfal
OF the Park admitted to be 80 insecure as to |
! closed on q certain occasion, yet opened wit
. the chance Of sacrificing hundreds of lives eve
y other day Of the year Can you point me TO al
!. ''bloated monarchy" that would permit such
thing The race in question made sensatiC
in sporting circles Tne Bigler Brothers won, b'
| H. ia admiftad that il Coulter had had his ecu