Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-04-05
VOL. VIII.--NO. 2OlS
FIRST EDITION.
600 p. M.
PHILADELPHIA.
OUR sATuRDA GLITTER

| CANT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND THE IL
QuoR BUsINEss-nss oUsHMAE, ESQ
Special Correspondence Of aas Com naercidt
PHILADELPHIA April 4.
Governor Hartranft will have a rare chance
for the exercise of theyeto prerogative, of which
privilege he seems to have lively appreciation,
in case what is known AZ the Fire Salvage"
project comes before him.
This is measure designed TO line the pockets
of certain speculative gentlemen, at the ex-
pense of the city, the Fire Department and the
Insurance Companies. For pure and unadulter-
ated ''cheek" 1t surpasses anything that has
been done by the present Legislature, extreme
as that statement may appear. The scheme,
in brief, is to incorporate company which shall
be entitled to q clear third Of all the property It
NAV save from destruction by fire. There Is
not coupled with this astounding grant any pro-
position looking to tho extinguishment Of fires
by the "Salvage" Company. That important
part of the work is to be performed, as here
tofore, by the Fire Department, who
are to be aided and protected in their
labors by the Police Department,-th
entire expense TO be borne as usual by the city
As far as appears the only service which the
''salvagists" deign to promise for such an un-
heard Of grant is that which may accrue from
the establishment OF an improved alarm tele-
graph, the patent OF which Is controlled by the
parties and which it is claimed will much simpli-
| ~ the business of extinquishing fires. That is
all very well, but the demand made by these pa
tentees is most extraordinary. Yet the bill has
been favorably reported in at least one branch
OF the Legislature and although from q common
sense point of view it seems unlikely to pass yet
it is possible the Governor mayshave anopportu-
nifty to utter decisive mo"
Another suck opportunity is Afforded his Ex-
cellency in matter right at his hand Ooi.
Mcclure has succeeded in having the "Oonti-
mental " passenger railway bill passed both
houses. Il was shameless peice OF legislation,
and cannot believe the Governor will sign the
BILL The " Continental is only another pkme.
for the +" Union" Other persons are named as
corporators but the management in the end is
the same, being controlled by Rdgeway, Kemble,
McGrath and Mcclure. This was the great
" spec Of the Session, and now that it is passed
the members don't care anything about the Ap-
preparation bills, nor how soon they go home.
The Union Line az at present constructed, trav-
erses nearly every part of the city, and with
the immense added franchises given them
under the farcical continental" preteIt,
| it will have an questioned.monopoly OF an en-
tire City railway system. Ostensibly the "Con-
tinental" was to be q simple North and South
road, upon 18th and Goth, streets, but Il is
found TO have the privilege OF using any East
or West streets to form connections and also TO
| be allowed to lay q track on Filbert from i2Oth
to 7th streets and on any street west Of 7th thus
making direct circuit with the down town "Un-
| ion" branches "Your schemes are glass the
sun shines through them AS Richetieu says
But though they may be clear. enough, we can
The question Of opening Spring Garden street
| to the Delaware river is again being seriously
pressed, The improvement is one thatis loudly
calied for by residents Of that section, and as u
is certain to be carried out sooner or later, It
would seem to be the part OF wisdom to attend
| to the work now and before property increases
| still further in value. That grand thorough
| fare like Spring Garden Street should come to
| an unnatural stop, but six squares short OF the
river,is not credtabe to the city. II the street
| was opened, ferries would be established at the
foot OF it, and the travel and trafhc that would
ensue would very shortly more than pay all the
/ expenses. There has been an ill-advised attempt
i to decry this movement the argument being that
few holders of land were at the bottom OF the
agitation, desiring to secure large damages
Il for the appropriation OF their property. But
i there is nothing in the charge, Such holders
i there may be, but they are very few in compare
Il son to the many thousand to whom main
street from river to river would be an acoommo-
/ dation. Spring Garden is destined to be the
greatest business street north Of Arch, and
| provision should be made for it's rapidly growing
| importance.
The former topic suggests the proposed
Alms-house removal, which project seems
| to DO slowly taking shape. Public sentiment is
favorable TO achange, but the question is at once
| 30 large and 80 removed from the matters IN
| which people take immediate interest that IL IL
difficult to obtain decisive action. Still It Is gen.
erally admitted that the almshouse is now vers
| much out OF place. The growth OF the Western
Section has extended almost to the forbidding
wells Of the Poor House, the improvements
being, strange to say, among the nnest, II NOT
| the very finest, in Philadelphia. With the Alme
House removed, these fine stretches Of suburban
residences and gardens would extend across
Darby Road and down to the Schuylkill. A site
much more desirable for thepurpose can be eb-
I.tained at a distance, for which the proceeds OF
| sale Of Blockley would not only pay, but
| would leave a surplus OF several millions IN tht
Treasury. The figures in tbs case, as prosen'
| ted at recent meeting Of Committee OF Ooun
cils are very interesting as showing tne lui
mense rise in the value OF real estate in this VI
| cinity in recent years. Aboutk 40 years age
Blookley was purchased by the city for S67, ,OoO.
| II then consisted OF 1888 acres. 1t is now de
| creased to 16O acres the remaining 70 naVlng
| been sold to Railroads whose lines carried then
through an edge of the grounds, and
to the University Of Pennsylvania. Ih'
, ground remaining is valued loo At Sz3,
900 an acre, or S4,VOO,oVV lor ~. IN
Of the whole tract when the almshouse was built
was but little more than the value OF two acre
at the present time. Such being the novel cas-
it il not likely the removal will be long delayed
somewhat important politicel movement
to be noted The colored men OF Philadelphis
OF whom there are 80, 900. are naturally impatlen
Of being any longer ignored by the political lead
I ers. They fairly claim that they have helped, !
| they have not even won, tho recent Repubhca
successes, and that they have just claim to tn
| practical recognition OF the party. This recoe
7 | nition means, OF course, share not onl
l of the hOnOrB but OF tne reWAfdb
9 success. The leaders Of the Equity Republ
9 can Club" which body held meeting last nigh
contend that coloTed men should be given a Jui
Q proportion of Police, Postal, Clerical, and FIR
= Department appointments; not 30 much for th
, pecuniary advantage as in acknowledgment
| that Equal Rights ID fact and not mere sci
timent At present they claim it is not fac
l. MT WeArs "a remarkable black man OF whol
d haye-heretofore spoken to you), made Il
IS principal address last night, and dwelt upon IL
q points have Just mentioned with convincin
ls force. He was particular to say, to
,, that this movement was In no wise to
d interpreted as a break from the Repub
u cans party but rather a. Q protest which he WI
e sure would be needed. No one said MIR. Wear
/ | could deny the services the colored man M
y / rendered. and not to stand upon their siE
II MIA right was to be unworthy Of freedoI
y The Republican party, he thought, had the bral
Of the country and he desired to see his brethr'
~ always under that banner but they must tea
W the managers that the colored rank and
. were not to be imposed upon. IL is certain th
the movement has weight and that it inca
business"
,l- There is an act before the Legislature Allo
On ing druggists and apothecAries to sell wines,
in auors and alcoholic preparations only under me
n, stringent regulations than have hitherto be
Dr. enforced In fact, as the case stands there IL
atrippency whatever. 1t is q matter OF comm
knowledge that liquors Of all kinds can be
cd tanned OF apothecaries, the purchaser paylnt
sr | higher price than he would in tavern, but
on fecting the trade in respectable" way: unt
the fiction that the liquor is for medical p
A. laaa hNFd dFrlfTef fiata