Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-11-02
PHILADELPHIA.
OUR sATuRDA LETTER.


We have had a more than usually busy week. |
Perhaps the one subject that has excited more
attention than any other is the Horse Disease, - |
that wonderful complaint with the many headed |
name. People have bitterly grown to appreciate |
what they owe to the Horse, and how important |
an element he is in our social economy. Since |
this widespread equine afil ction has set in we
have at least slightly realized the patience of the
noble ANIMAL and the obligation society is under
to him. Up to the present week, as had in-
formed you, Philadelphia has been exempt from
the disease. The first case was noticed on Sun.
dly last in the stable of Kramer Co., furniture
dealers on Appletree street. At the same time
it broke out suddenly in Camden, and rapidly
spread. On this side the river, however, Il Q
disease made very little progress for some days,
and on Wednesday morning there had been
scarcely % cases reported. On that day, how
ever wednesday, affairs took sudden tHrn
for he worse, and the disease appeared simulta-
neously in almost every portion OF the city. III
has increased 30 rapidly that its full effect can
not be measured but a well informed person
in such matters told me to-day, that there were
probably 600 sick horses at present in the city
The great majority Of those are but slightly at-
fected and no deaths have yet been reported,
which encourages hope thatHthe visitation may
be slight after all. In New York. however, the
worst results were not visible until the horses
had been suck some days. We have had the ad-
vantage of the New York experience in trea'-
ment &c and should be able to come out o I
the trouble better than they did.
The Passenger Railway Companies have, al
in other places, been the greatest sufferers.
Strange to say, too, the stables that are
by general consent the best arranged, the
airiest, and every way the most complete.
(that is to say the West Philadelphia stables Of
the Market Chestnut and Walnut Street Lines)
bay "a IA tnAt numbar of Higk lDraes There
are about 100 cases in all in these stables. was
in the Chestnut and Walnut establishment last
evening and found al much cleanliness and care
generally az is exercised in private stable, and
yet the horses are getting rapidly sick. The
whole thing il very mysterious. The Superin-
tendent of this line does not believe as thor
oughly in the carbolic and other disinfecting
theori as some horsemen, but in Difference to
tho prevailing prejudice in the matter the sta
| bes are perfumed to that degree that it ID hard
| to get your breath in them | have only to add
now that the Pennsylvania II. II has taken time
| by the forelock in getting permission OF tho
| Councils to shift their freight out Market street
| from 18th by means of locomotives, il the
disease should interfere with their teams.
The laying of the corner stone of the new
| Academy OF Natural Sciences at 18th and Race
| streets on Wednesday afternoon was an inter
| estng and important event. have spoken to you
from tune to time of this prof set which has finally
| been com nenced in an earnest and business
| like way. The Broad street Building was not
/ HatlHIht ID y btIuCAuTo lOr uluhoumS bNou
| at the time of its erection. and the increasing
/ demands upon it's capacities have left it far be
/ hind the age. There is almost as much yalua-
BILE material stored away in 1t for want OF oppor-
i tunty for exhibition as there is in he cabinets,
/ and the case daily grows worse. In the new
| Academy, room will be provided for the accumu-
| laton Of science for the next fifty years This
| il one of the acknowledged great collections of
| the world Gin tho department of birds it is said
| to be the very finest KNOWN and it is entirely
| fitting that it should have housing worthy of
| it.
The launch of the second steamer Of the pro-
jected Philadelphia aud Liverpool Line-the
| "OhiO'-was also an event. IL went hand
somely off, unmarried by any OF the awkward
| bitches that spoiled somewhat the launch OF
the d" Pennsylvania" in August last. The re-
manning steamers Of the line, the Indiana
and Illinois," will be ready for launching hy
the middle of December and January, and about
the last mentioned time, the " Pennsylvania
will make her first ocean trip. Messrs. Cramp
II Sons are pushing this important piece OF
| work through with neatness aud dispatch.
| The week has been an uncOmmonly lively one
| in amusements, the Rubinstein concerts, and
the production of four new plays, three OF them
for 1.-THE first time on any stage, and two OF the
| number by native Philadephans, giving an
| exceptional interest to musical and dramatic
matters. Az for Mr. Graus concert troupe, it
more than fulfilled the public exoectaton, hu-
binstein and Wieniawsk proved themselves to
| be artists in the highest meaning Of that abused
finest Pianist that ever played here. He is the
| equal of rhalberg, Weh or Gottschalk In Ex-
| ecutige power and thorough mastery OF the i'll
strument while he is further endowed with
, sympathetic and ideal qualities which render
MS playing al tender aud as emotional as 1t ID
, brilliant He is also very original and strlk-
ng composer. His Concerto in d. Minor
| W i,h he played here twice, and which he gener
ally chooses as an opening piece before strange
! audience, il fine work for the Piano as has
| lately been heard. Our amateurs are enthused
| over it but it is too mu3h for average fingers
Herr W.eniaw Xxi fairly divided tho honOrs,h by his
A vo N playing with the great Pianist. He al we'll a
- | ltubins o N IL poet no less than an exc cutant
, | But with the memory of o o Bull upon us caudo
| write with the excessive raptures expressed oye
"a nis playing. Certainly ii is very fine but thos
who have heard Ole Bull can recall better. Nov
with Rubinsten their no demurrer. Possibl!
Lizst may equal or excel him, but no perform
ance we have had here has ever done so, The vo
cal portions Of the concerts we're not remarkable
Madame Liebhart and Madll'e 0remeny are no
| phenomenal singers, but their efforts gave
- | pleasing relief TO the instrumental perform
u u ances. The concerts were very successful in
~ deed. so much 80, that an early return oil til
| troupe is announced.
"a New plays have been produced at all til
~ theatres At the Walnut the London success
n "Pygmahon and Galatea,' was brought out las
is night and made hit. 1t is by W. S. Giber
,s author of "'rhe Bah Ballads one of the funnie'
II books of late years That the man who coul
IL write those whimsical verses should also col
~ ceiye and work up so admirably the classic
1ss story of Pygmaon and the Statue is not lit
~ nv strange. He gives proof of a very rare vers
ID tty OF the three original pieces produced onl
~ one gives sign OF aught but the very shorte
I life nor is that to say that the comparatively su
10 i. ces-ful one il a work of much real merit.
as | speak of Mrs. Latitte Johnsons comedy
au Fun" acted at Woods Museum. 1t is a rath,
lively affair, more of farce than. comedy, wit
a good deal Of go in it but of no literary mel
whatever. "Blunders" at the "Chestnut' al
To- Bohemia at the ''Arch' are very sorry dram
~. tic attempts The first is by Mr.. E. r. Coate
ne who has been writing poetry for the Sund
'ss newspapers with becoming industry for lol
hu time, aud the last named is the work Of M
30 Frank Murdoch, an actor at the Arch Sire
en- Theatre, aud nephew of Mr.. Jas Il. Murdoc
ar The arch" has had grudge against the new
hB papers for some time, owing to alleged unfa
81 ness in the granting of notices., and Mrs Dr
rk appears to have given young Murdoch perm
Gk sion in this piece to do all that in him lay
ok- make the journalists an object Of loathing a
Ie, contempt. All the young gentleman has 81
ho ceeded in doing. however, has been to ma
himself appear very silly and the honored Al
Street Stage very ridiculous. There is an
tempt made in the piece to peraonity certa
=, newspaper men Of the city but it is trivial a
tue childish one 'Runders" has really go
ihu comic idea at bottom - that of a lot OF peol
oiy being devoted to callings for which they have
mn real fitness, and the CORtretenpS resulting the
les- from-but the author had not the skill to get
lhg material into practical shape. The charact
, ll, come aud go in an aimle5s manner that Is