Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-05-10
FIRST EDITION..
PHILADELPHIA.
OUR sAruRpA LETTER.

i THE TRIAL TRIP OF THE STEAMER 'pENE6YLYA-
MIA FINE SUCCESS IN ALL REsPECTs-THE
MEETING OF THE oRNTENNTAL COMMISSIONERS
MUSIC IN THE PUBLIC sQUAREs-END OF THE
MARKET STREET RAILWAY TRoUBLE--rHE MAN
| WHO DREW THE HAVANA CAPITAL PRIZE-THE
THEATRE TICKET oAsE, ETo.
Special Correspondence Of ae Connero idL
PHrLADEL PHIA, May 9th.
The town is very jubilant over the SUCCESS Of
the "Pennsylyania," and it has good right to be-
1t looks upon the noble ship as something pecu-
liarly Philadelphian made here and paid for
here and as being the pioneer craft in the
promised revival in American commerce. That
this great work should have been inaugurated
in our port certainly gives cause for congratula-
ton. New York has persistently sneered at the
idea of Philadelphia supporting line of Euro
rean steamers, but we are at least building such
merchant fleet as no country need be ashamed
of, and its support is believed by men who know
best, not conjectural. AS far as the credit of a
community goes our line built and owned in an
American city is more TO the real purpose than
. dozen lines sailing into one Of onr ports but
built abroad and controlled abroad. That is the
relative position now OF Philadelphia and New
York and 1t Is not difficult to see who has the
best of ii.
The Pennsylvania sailed on her trial trip
on Monday morning and returned at noon on
made an average speed of IL and 2-1Oth knots
per hour, and consumed All average of 80 tons of
coal per six hours The speed was much greater
than is called for by the contract, and the
amount Of .coal consumed much less than the
contract. These are the central facts Of the tri-
al and they give unbounded satisfaction to every
one concerned. The speed made at times was
very remarkable. For instance in going down
the Delaware. having the tide with her, the
Pennsylvania made IS miles an hour, and in
coming up, against wind and tide, she ran II
miles an hour. This is better time than the fast
est river boats can make. She also made the
extraordinary time Of II miles an hour at sea
when running to Barnegat from Five-fathom,
Bank Lghtship Aud this was all done without
forcing the machinery or without any desire or
effort to work the vessel beyond the legitimate
capacity. Neither was she fully laden, and it is
thought with full cargo aboard, fully submerg-
ing her screw that she can even surpass the time
shown in this excellent record. Enough has
been seen, however,.to prove that the Pennsyl-
Udntd is one of the fastest ocean steamers
atioat. Competent judges also pronounce her
one of the stanchest, and say that her appoint
ments are perfect throughout 30 all that is of
our minds.
The centennial scheme is attracting renewed
attention this week from the facts that the Ma
tional Commission is in session, and that the
Board of Finance held a meeting yesterday
The Commission is full of confidence as be-
comes it. SO confident it is that it treated very
summarlly amotion of commissioner Pruyn
Vi NOW IOfh, pTOflulnB tOF LH6 fdiblDR OF large
additional sums of money by the Financial board.
Several gentlemen thought there was enough
money in hand to warrant work being imme-
diately commenced. That was not Mr.. Pruyn's
view. He held that more money would be i'm
mediately required II work was now commenced.
His resolution was defeated however, by the
decisive vote of SO to 8. 30 whatever the Com
mission may need it is not deficient in pluck. 1t
is little difficult to get the hang OF the action,
for gentlemen were soon on their feet pledging
their various localities for substantial assistance
and explaining why such help had not already
been forthcoming. On this latter point Mr.
Mexican of the Ledger made .emark which |
remember insisting on, in substance, in this
correspondence mouths ago, when the Centen-
nial project was first mentioned. Speaking of
the lack of subscriptions in some localities Mr.
Mexican said it was difficult to move the people
of this country in any matter not Immediately
at hand. He struck a keynote there. Sectional
jealousy is also largely answerable and at home
the Wannamaker-ish quackery is to be held to
account. There has been more buncombe than
business in the meeting OF the commission thus
far, yet it has served to revive our tagging hopes
Anything is better than stagnatiOn. II the COM
misHionerB, however, could only tell us that
something had been done in their States, it
would be better than delivering patriotic speech
es. At present, it is known that nothing has
been accomplished outside Of Pennsylvania, and
with the exception of the State appropriation and
the Railroads, that very little has been done
apart from Philadelphia. This is the grim fact /;
a comfort. There are branches, though nothing
has grown on them as yet.
The movement to furnish free concerts in the
city squares during the summer months will ad-
nit OF good deal being said upon both sides
The objection made in some quarters that the
city has no right to spend the money of tax pay
ers upon 'luxuries," while many practical things
continually need attention, cannot be said to
have much weight. Everything is practical that
adds to the comfort and enjoyment OF the peo
pie. The Squares themselves were provided for
this purpose, and the strict utiitarian might
contend that they are useless and should
be built upon. Undoubtedly, music will be a
great rest and pleasure to many people who
cannot afford to pay for such privileges, and
public money thus spent in moderate sums is,
from that point of view, wisely expended. On
the other hand there il fear that improper char
acters may be largely drawn to these concerts.
Some Of the squares have never borne the best
of characters and a lady would scarcely venture
into any of them of an evening, The concerts
are to be given late in the afternoon and early
in the evening. The fear can no more than
hint at may not be justified, but there are grave
doubts. Day concerts would obviate the diff
Guilty, at least in large MEASURE but the classes
for whom the music is designed, can only attend
in the evening. Those are the pros and cons,
as see them at least, in brief. The experiment
is to be tried and it is to be hoped it may be full
ly successful
There is prospect OF an adjustment of the
Market street Railway troubles. The Market
st, company gained another apparent tri lmph
in the Common Pleas on Saturday last, in the in-
junction forbidding the Union Line to form
loop at the foot of the street to connect their
tracks. The trouble in all these decisions how
ever has been that there is nothing substantial
in them, Regarding this last one everybody
knows it is owing to mere verbal error in the
drawing of the BILL and that the Ridgeway par
ty can have it readily corrected. The Union
Line has had its act passed and signod, and al
though Mr.. Morton has made gallant fight it is
evidently a fruitless one. Finally, therefore,
the Market street company proposes to let the
cars OF the Union Line run over the present
tracks from Front to Ninth street. thus avoiding
the necessity of another double track which
would make the busy street well nigh impassi-
BILE. The Union managers win-in everything
but self-respect. There are some people who
| would not pocket the tolls they will collect at
the expense of every principle of honor and up
right dealing.
You have heard of Penistan, the fortunate Ii
quor dealer who drew prize OF half q million
| dollars in the Havana Lottery. Some of the
papers have gone on the tack that while this was
good enough for Penistan, it was a misfortune
| for the city inasmuch as we shall all of us now
become Lottery gamblers 1t might just as fair
ly be said that hereafter no lottery tickets will
be sold in Philadelphia all the laws of chance
| forbids the idea of such thing happening twice
in any locality. Penlstan, himself, is not proud
of his notoriety and has expressed himself feel
ingly on that point to the reporters The papers,
| by-the-way, in working up this matter, have