Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1873-10-04

Spec al Correspondence of the Commercial
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 8.
The Masonic Festivities have been kept up du-
ring good portion Of the week, and have serv-
to make things lively with us. A great number
OF strangers have remained in town and the no.
tells, especially after nghtfal have presented
an unwontedly cheerful appearance. This re-
union has conclusvely shown that Philadelphia
is very deficient in hotel accommodations.
There are plenty of second and third rate hous-
es, but first class establishments are too few
We shall Ii ave to mend matters before the Gen.
tennial Tho Masonic event Of Monday, was the
dedication of the Grand Chapel at the Temple I;
on Tuesday, tho "Asylum" was dedicated and on
Wednesday the principal ceremonies terminated
with procession of the Knights Templar. The
dedications we're, of course, 'caviare to the gem
eral" but they seem to have excited great inter
est among those concerned The parade on the
other hand interested everybody The Knights
offer greater opportunity for display than the
regular Masonic body, and when great num-
Der of them are seeu to gether, as in the pro
cession OF Wednesday the effect is pleasing and
nspiriting. All is done therefore the Temple
is thoroughly consecrated; and nobody is bit
the wiser as to what it is all about tn an they
were before There is something mysterious
about it, even il the secret when discovered
should prove to be self-evident.
Financial matters are mdch improved and the
feeling of security in being hourly strengthened.
The failure of Beni, Bullocks Sons, early in the
week had depressing inilutnoeSAs the solidity
OF the house was unquesli ned, and it was
feared that when so rich firm should top
pie there might be reason for smaller b. uses
going. 1t was room demonstrated however,
thatt he Bullocks, at the very timeof their
suspension, we're as rich as ever they
we're aud that their only trouble was immediate
inability TO negotiate paper and securities which
ordinarily, and in fact, are as good as gold.
This assurance soon gave renewed tone to the
III lrket which no subsequent events have suf-l
feed to impair. The statements Of Messrs e
w CLARK q Co., and DeH iven & Bro. are highly
satisfactory and show that there was no inherent
weakness in those firms. There are no signs
of the furry extending among the mercantile
classes Considerable Inconvenience has been
felt, owing to the scarcity of currency, but even
that trouble is being remedied by the banks
which are becoming daily m1re Ii ,eral in their
payments.
The death OF Oll OharleeJ j. Bddle, editor Of
the Age and one of our most respected citi iens,
shocked the entire public this week; and es
pecialy the newspaper fraternity. Dol. Bl1dle
was not man who moved much in general 80
ciety. He was retiring in his tastes and hal not
very many intimate friends He was differently
constituted from Col Forney or Mr.. McMlchael,
both OF whom have an enviabe faculty of max.
This is a m4tter of temperament, aud although
il il desirable from one view in pablo man, it
has itH peualty like every other advantage The
man of great vivacty aud social inclination has
little privacy; his life s given to the world
some men like that-other men, such AZ Col.
Bdde, best like home fe-the society of kim
lred and close friends. Bat this reserve implies
ioss of repu' ation-for we cannot have every
thing at once Col Biddle's talents were quite
az evident are those Of the gentlemen l have
named for illustration but you would lear the
namo of Forney or MeMichael twenty times
where you hearl that of BID lle one. II say
that he the best political writer on tho DEM
ocratic side in PhEdelphia may not be saying
much, but he was one Of the best anywhere
Hts character at all points was beyond reproach
An impressive meeting of the Bur was held On
Tuesday TO express proper respect for his
memory.
With all the evident Justice upon the side OF
the Reform Association IN the Fairmsunt Bridge
case Judge 5harswood has given decision az
irmiug the award of the contract to Mr.. W
VI Wylie You will remember that the point at
issue was that severa builders had bid consider
ably lower than Wylie but that councils had
nevertheless gwen the contract to the higher
bidder. Some OF those who bid under him have
the charge brought against them with soma
fairness Of not being competent to do the work
properly, but at least one concern whose bid
was lower Messrs Sellers, Costigan, " Co are
admittedly as trustworthy as Mr.. Wylie, there
having been no attempt to impngn their rela-
bility or style OF work. The Reform Association
very properly applied for an injunction but
Judge Shlrswo ID has seen fit to deny it. He
basis his refusal OH a legal technicaity for
yhieh few people viii have any sympathy the
facts are sufficiently clear and cannot be explain
sd away. To say that MIR Wyhe will get his CON
tract is not to admit that the thing is right.
Things are done every day in city government
that are not right and the Tammany manage
mont did not make might right by long ways.
This Wye business is essentially and all
1alI futiat nf In lap
yers c4nuot blind sensible people to the fact
The Panic served this end am ing oth3rs-of
Irving all thoughtsa a1f politics out OF peoples
ueads. So dull season immediately preced-
ing an election has not been known for years
When the notices for "Grand Rally" Tonight
we're published good citizens stood in half
awakened m inner and said, why to be sure.
there s to be All Election" This unwonted quiet
IS very grateful would 1t were always 30! One
reason OF the apathy is doubtless the conviction
hat the f ection il mere form. There is no
semblance or thoul Ia of a struggle, strictly speak
ing. The Republicans will walk quietly o'er the
Course. not polling ful vote but ona every
way snili ieut for tho work in hand
We shall have plenty of lectures thls winter
Mr. Pugh is ont with his ''Star Course an
nouncament, promising membar OF the strand
ard notables such as Go lgi, Sumner, Fhlllps,
Miss Cushman aud Nrs Livermore. and also
several novelties such as Thomas Mast (the ar
tist Of Hrpers Mr. Edward Jenkins (the auth
or OF 'dinX's BIby') DIR. Dlo Lows &c. The
horticultural IL III Series" offers strange OPP
position This list IN ;udes Wiikie Collins, Mrs
Stone Henry Ward Bsecher, Charles Bradaugh
and others of less note. It il much the strongest
counter attraction tha has yet been offered to the
''Star Course" It is pityit should have opened
Iamely, with Rev Newman Hail. last evening,
Hall is a very weak case of False Pretence, per-
maps is even of a lower grade than IalmaSe II
that be possible. He failed entirely here two
Years ago and why any manager should want to
try it again / cannot imagine. "the religious
element" is poor thing to depend on i'll pop
ular entertainment. The other nights on the
horticultural Series" may bring the course up,
and hope they will, for the list IL hrst rate
one Mr. Pugh's Second Series will consist en-
tirely OF Scientific Lectures, and the Hall people
also promise an extra course upon Astronomy,
to be beautifully illustrated So it will be seen
the future is bright in this direction.
Amusements generally are brsk-that Is I'D
variety, and average excellenco-although in
some instances money is not being make as rap
idly as desired The panic has had the natural
effect of causing people to curtail their indul-
gence in luxuries easily to be dispensed with
the plainest evidence OF retrenchment being WIS.,
ible in the results of the Opera Boutfe season,
which must have lost good deal of money fo-
the management. This is hard luck, for the
troupe is a very good one. Aimee 10 not only
an admirable artst-decidedlv the best we have
had here in her line-but she is also an
interchangeable worker. She sings every night,
and the fatigue Of such constant labor ls scarce
ly to be understood by persons not familiar with
| the requirements of such task The 18th Ave-
nue. Company, at the 'Chestnut" is one OF the
a 1. lii. IdF Nnd