Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-08-17
philadelphia.
OUR sATuRDAY LETTER.

Hartranft, Forney and Mcclure = he Child
ren's Excursions Rifle Shooting Opening of
the Theatrical Season, Etc
Special Correspondence Of he Commercial:
PHILADELPHIA, August l6.
The launch this week of the initial steamer of
the Philadelphia and Liverpool line was a nota-
BILE event. 1t had two-fod significance. Not
only is this line designed to furnish direct COM
munication between Europe and this port, but
the vessels are tho only American built and
ownedsocean steamers. 1t is an almost incred-
ible fact that all the lines running from New
York and Boston.are owned abroad, and that all
the ships have been built abroad. This re-
proach upon American labor and capital we may
hope now to see cleared away, and Philadelphia
takes the first step in the reform notwthstand-
ing the noisy boasts aud vauntings OF the ME
tropolis." There has been no halting or uncer-
tainty in tins scheme since it was first broached.
Our merchants and the Pennsylvania Il. II. Co.
have acted In harmony and with decision, and the
result is that the line il already an accomplished
| fact.
1t was unfortunate that the launch itself could
not have been an unqualified success. De-
| spite every precaution the vessel did not glide
| fairly into the water, but stopped when about
| half down the "ways" and had to be hauled
| into the stream by tugboats. The launching
| OF a ship of 1900 tons burthen is a great
| engineering task. II is not only beset with
| difficulties, but for few critical moments the
whole vast structure and every soul on board
| of her are in peril. This peril beset the
| ''Pennsyvania," nor can it yet be confidently
| affirmed that she completely escaped 1t. With
| her length nearly half in the water she stuck
fast. The tide was luckily not running strong
| but the vessel was nevertheless turned consider
,,aA 1la gfra
| ing and other complicated dangers attendant on
such an accident may be readily conceived. Final
w the ship oated aud we all hope fervently that
/ everything may lie found to be we'll. The reason
given for this mishap ls rather an unsatisfactory
/ one. 1t is stated that the grease pread upon
/ the ways to facilitate the downward motion OF
| the ship had become melted and dried up by the
heat but it is more logical to suppose that there
| was something defective in the workmanship.
The rcene at the launch was most exciting and
| impressive. The interest felt was general and
| in the northern part of the city sort of half
/ holiday was observed. The crowds around
| Cramps ship yard, and at every point where a
| view OF the ceremony could be had, were tre-
| mendous the entire community appearing to
| turn out in honor of the occasion. No such launch
| has ever taken place IN this city and probably
not in the country. When the " "Pennsylyania
| finally floated, the cheers and waving of flags,
and handkerchiefs, the firing Of cannon and
shrieking of steam whistles made up scene
and general effect long to be remembered.
| The conviction OF one of the most notorious
| of the Fourth Ward gang of bnllos and despe-
| radoes, Mr. Robert Lister Smith, is another
event of the week. and one upon which citizens
are congratulating themselves. This individual
| has been endowed by his particular friend,
| Alderman McMulleu. with the sobrtquet of Rob
ert the Devil and he well deserves the title.
| How many men he has shot and robbed and
matreated generally is not known with
any exactness but desperate AZ his
offences have been he has always, until
now, managed to avoid punishment. lie made
n brutal assault a few months ago upon MIR. Ii
G. Thayer, a gentleman connected with the
Merchants Transportation Co. He was bailed
of course, and of course Jumped the ball-fur
nished, by the way, by his friend McMulen-
| and strong efforts were made by the thieves
party to induce Mr.. 1hayer to compromise the
matter. lie stood firm, however, and the re-
suit il Listers capture and conviction. 10 bt
sure, his sentence is but years imprisonment
and small fine, and it may very well be that he
will be pardoned in short time. Altogether
what an extraordinary view of human nature
this Fourth Ward crowds presents. Here, fol
instance, is McMulhn, just come out from
Deaths Door, going with renewed zest INTO the
matter of the Mace D Baldwin Prize Fight
About the first letter he writes after it is deter
mined whether he shall ever write again, is t
encourage those disappointed gentlemen, to tel
them that their money is all right, (he ID stock
holder and referee) and that he will arrange tn
time and place where they can break the law
afresh with impuhity. Are such creatures of tn
same flesh and blood as the rest of us
| There is very noticeable change in the po
| litcal atmosphere hereabouts. Greeleylsm ha
evidently spent its force 1t has scored it's top
most notch and is now most clearly and palpa
bly, on the decline This is felt on all hands no
only by Republicans but by " "Liberals an
Democrats, who scarcely know what to make o
l | the prevailing apathy regarding their candidat
: as compared with the excitement of few week
back. But that feeling was fictitious, 1t was nc
= a genuine enthusiasm, and now that the excite
n | ment is over and we get back to first principle
and begin to sterny realize what would be tn
inevitable results OF triumph of the monstrou
coalition, the precious " reform cause lose
votes ,every hour. Whether the immediat
: cause of this revulson is in the Republican tr
umph in North Carolina or wherever it lie
10 there can be no mstaking the fact. AS relate
!" to the State contest. too, " treason has done il
worst" If all the present signs hold good, Ge
s. Hartanft will be elected az surely as the sun vi
# rise tomorrow, and Col. Forney has played
Q desperate game to no purpose. He would {
IF well to remember the two mottoes-found in Il
IL ''Faery Queen" as think. 1t is well enough
)f ''Be Bold, but there IL corollary with deal
I'd meaning in it bidding the adyenturer " BE n
IL too Bold" As for Mcclure he is, if may
D. allowed the EXPRESSION played out. Sometlm
as the homliest words are the most forclble, al
r. those words exactly expresses the Colonels mt
Of ancholy condition. He has neither influence n
Ie following Talk to the men in his SENATOR
n district if you wish to get his measure correctl
u, The festivities attendant upon the 26th AM
10 yersary of the Philadelphia Rifle club have be-
largely attended and greatly enjoyed this wee
They were held at the Schuetzeu Park, on Fa
Lane, .near the Norristown Railroad and col
menced ON Monday, lasting four days. Il
affair thus partook of the character of festiv
and the unusual value of the prizes offered, ga
it additional interest. These prizes, amountil
, | to several thousand dollars, were distributed Ii
'H evening and commemorated in handsome SUI
-, of money and in valuable gifts, the skill of 4
~, participants in shooting, bowling, &c The G'
"e man element predOminatedi in the festival, and
49,, women and children freely took part, series
,a ~, very pleasant days were spent at the Schultz
m, Park
'in There have been two of the poor cl
~, dren's excursion given this week, and third
I ~ arranged for tomorrow. The excursions all
ta to' now to Rocltland in the upper Park steambt
TO- trips not being found advisable az short riC
a., by rail into tho country. BY taking all the p
w ties to the same place the committee has the
'" vantage of tents and various fixtures ready
,ol | hand, nor is there any necessity for chan
l. a | from day to day when the scene ID new to et
hH successive party. Rockland is beautiful 81
,cfs and answers every purpose admirably Inc III
/, T. now amounts to 81, ,000 and as it is hardly p
sible to spend the whole sum upon eXcursl'
ita this year. the question has arisen what TO
orc with the surplus money 1t will probably elt
~ be held over until next summer, as the nuc
oc, of a similar charity in the hot weathsr, or d
ded among the various children's "homes'
the city.
rise The amusement season has opened. althol
rather prematurey. A fortnight ago it looked
| 1 l,a Lnt, M and thea