Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-12-21

The Sale OF the sully Coliection-The Ice .ock
ade-Amusements-The 0pera-Tne New Va
riety Theatre, Etc.
Special Correspondence ofHte Commercial:
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 20.
The Phoenix Iron Co. has won a decisive victo-
nv in the vexed question of the new Girard Ave-
nne Bridge The Keystone Go. made mighty
efforts to secure the contract but without avail
Or Wednesday, the Councils Survey Committee
held final meeting ON the subject and agreed
to report favorably on the Phmnix Co 's bid, and
vest erday Common Councils awarded a contract
to Mesars. CLARK Reeves II Co., for an Iron
Bridge to cost in the neighborhood OF million
and a half of dollars. To be sure the Select
Branch has not yet ratified, and some people
say II will not but the Phmnix Co. have never
theless the inside track and some definite shape
has at last been given to the project. The
trouble in Select Council is that some members
held that the advertising for proposals
was irregular and not sufficiently ex-
plicit upon the point whether Iron or Stone
was to DO used. Many Councilmen as well as a
large proportion of the public, would pre-
er to have stone bridge built, but time is an
important element in the case. and an Iron
bridge can be erected much more speedily than
stone one. The great chances are that the
plan now prominently mentioned will, be finally
adopted. II is to be IS feet wide (instead of 100
It. as at first proposed) and is to be finished
within twenty two months. There is to be no
woodwork whatever about the structure.
Edwin Forests will, published this week,
gave the public sad excitement. As most read
ers are aware, Mr.. Forrest leaves his whole for
tune, a few email legacies excepted. to the
founding of an asylum for aged or disabled
actors and actresses to be known AZ " The Ed
| win Forrest Home" The estate is thought to
be worth at least 81, 100000, and may greatly
| exceed that amount; the claims against 1t OF
every kind are less than $50 ,000 and the entire
large balance is to go towards the benevolent
purpose mentioned, The novelty of the thing,
no less than the favorable light in which it shows
| Mr.. Forrest al man and citizen, have made
| this striking bequest the topic OF the day. For
| rest was man little understood, for all that he
/ was 80 prominent and constantly before the
/ public. The world voted him hard and unsym-
| pathetic. l have before tried to tell you what
| a lonely life he led, but his will shows more
clearly than any other words could do the rea
| tenderness of his heart. would not give much
| for the sensibilites of any man who can read
/ that document without emotion. And yet, it il
| hard to say it, Mr.. Forests cherished scheme
| the scheme that does him honor, and that will
| make him many friends now that he no longel
them, scarcely seems practical one Doubtless
there are some, old, poor, and disabled actors
| but l do not see how the home
is to be populated with such
l am at a loss in casting my eye through thu
Profession to Lick out persons who are deserving
of the charty-and who would accept it. |
seems like spending monstrous sum for a lit
tie end. II now Mr.. Forrest had established
home for old people, giving the preference =
l actors Wlere u
cante then the scheme would seem practical. U
| course, as ii is. the Home can be built, and tn
| Farm he donates can be TILED, but to fill tn
Institution or give it flourishing look it mus
| take in many persons who have no just CLAIM
| upon such benefits. These thoughts must strik
men even while they honor the generous mo
| tves OF the great actor IL is class affair :
| there is something unpleasantly exclusive in thu
idea. Everything however may depend upon tn
| spirit shown by tho Executors and Managers
4 lfal, In.
| geninus for administration, such as few peopl
| possess
Judge Thomp son was the recipient Of one G
| the handsomest testimonials last night ever oi
fered to u professional man in this CITY, Ou
300 members of the Bar united at the Continent
al Hotel in a complimentary banquet to the n
| tiring Judge, and the quality OF tine attendanc
and the respectful and aifectionate manner
which he was referred to by various eminer
| speakers must have made it a proud hour f6
a him. It is fine thing to be able to beleoe in
man right through toknOlD that he ID honest to IL
| core aud that he will do the right and true thin
4 | il he die for it. Such man is Judge Thoml
| son and the Same can be said OF all our Judges
Our State and city have pure and able Judici
. | ry and it is a blessing scarcely to be over est
j, | mated. Well was it that the legal gentlema
insisted on this point last evening. comm
{ | nifty cannot go far wrong when It's Bench IL D
q yond reproach. The Philadelphia Lawyer HI
passed into proverb and never were so mar
4 Philadelphia lawyers seen together before.
u was really a remarkable event and one that d
= | serves all the comment it has received to da
An occurrence less gratifying was the auctl'
sale of Mr. Sullys collection OF paintings, he
, | this afternoon. There were many line works
= | this gallery, some that the veneraDle artlst =
u teemed 80 highly that he refused to part WI
| them during his life time. With these inner p
y. lures there were naturally some of less vaue,t
+ accumulation of an old studio. Bnt the emu
A collection, if not from intrinsic value at lea
Id for association, was OF the greatest lhteIe
One would have thought that such gale
ia | would have brought great Inquire, anu u
w. | there would have been general composition
secure souvenirs of the illustrious artist. A
=, il Sully had lived in London or New YORK the
m ,n might have been-living here as he did all
70 life, winning the first pace in his speclalty
American art-there was not 1t is mortifyi
on to have to report the fact. Several OF the nm
OF pictures among them the original Of the "Que
ng Victoria" were withdrawn, no satisfactory b
being offered. The highest price obtained
Ira $50 for a group of Ave heads. You Will ag
". that is a pfiful showing, when we hear ey
or, day of fashionable portrait painters being al
rai to command $400 and $500 for single cahV
ke' The entire collection OF 1870 pictures brout
NO something over $4,000, not much more than
rs. apiece. These pictures were not All 1y 9ullyi,
the bulk OF them were, and they had all recei'
the mark of his Judgment. The result 'is II
ols short of disgracetnl' Perhaps the sale was
ne sufficiently advertised, 80 as to bring puy
en from other sections, but that fact scarcely
the cuses the art-oving people of this city. lnde
the question very seriously arises whether tn
by can be any real love of art in community
SO abused a memorable opportunity.
les The annual furry about an :" Ice Blockade
nm beginning. Itis undoubtedly question III c
NJ cern to merchants, but there does not seem Il
" FOr alarm fIhara ia a0naidafH