Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-09-19
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
OUR sATu RDAY LETTER.

PHILADELPHIA. Sept 18.
The results OF the Pennsylvania Railroad In
yeatigation have attracted great attention. A
committee of stockholders was appoint
cd at meeting some time since to
make complete examination OF the
affairs of the Company. The committee
was composed OF gentlemen unconnected in ev
cry way with the management Of the road, and
was not TO be governed by the official reports
issued by the company. 1t was to have access
to accounts and documents OF whatever nature,
and was to return to the stockholders an exhaus-
tive and conscientious opinion upon the value
OF the road and the principles of its manage
mont. The movement was set on foot to salts
fy large proportion of stockholdera who had
become increasingly dissatisfied OF late years
with the apparently " cut and dried manner
of presenting the company b reports, and with the
disposition shown by the authorities to smother
inquiry. The WORK is now done. No question is
entertained of the trIAtworthness of the report
and il the action had been taken years
ago the company would have been the
stronger for it. OF course there has never
been any doubt of the great wealth and practi-
cal involability of tho company, but it was also
felt that it's resources were rated too high and
that too little stress was placed upon its liabili
ties The truth is always good even when it
hurts and the credit of the Pennsylvania Rail
road will be the better for this investigation.
The committee having this important work in
by item, and with an nnsparng touch. Many
OF these Investments they declare to be of less
value than the company has given
out in it's reports Some stock is
rated one fourth lower than previously and some
as much as one-half lower In one instance
tho value IS stated to -, 225, 900 less than the
Co. estimate. Other important depreciations
are in the cases of the Allegheny Valley, the
Philadelphia and Erie, and the Baltimore and
all IL.
are rated much lower by the Investigating Com
mittee than by the Company. On the other
hand the committee does full justice to the
solid resources OF the road and sees clearly that
its usefulness and opportunities for making
money are but Just unfolding. And it proves
indspntably that the company can pay 10 per
cent. dividends and yet make a handsome profit.
| The Investigation was good thing and stock
| holders are better satisfied.
| Speaking of the Pennsylvania II. Il. 1t is not
| likely to carry its new stock yard and abattoir
project through without some opposition, even
| though it does not get 1t from the press. The
| feeling against this movement III very decided
in West Philadelphia, and the Board of Health
haA boen unable to ignore the protests which
| have reached it from that quarter. Many Of the
wealthlest and most influential of our citizens,
| men who are not in awe of Col. Scott and his
| Lieutenants, live in that section, and their con-
victione upon this drove-yard business are &c
positive that it il possible sentiment may be
papers, which will compel the Com
pany to desist. The press has been
absolutely silent on the subject, which is no mat
ter of surprise to those who have watched the
course of similar events. The Board OF Health
however, through the influence mentioned has
passed series of resolutions declaring that sucl
an enterprise as is projected would be highly
prejudicial to the health and comfort OF a large
class Il citizens, and directing the attention ol
the company to the question whether rura
rna oil naIS Sunul1 hp
select for its purposes. The company had bet
ter not press this matter Should it succeed il
moving its yards and slaughter houses to thu
scluylkill the nuisance would speedily be foun'
such an intolerable ono that the outcry woul'
be general and the back track would have to b.
taken, with loss both of money and prestige.
number of crimes OF more than ordinarll
shocking character were perpetrated this weei
One of these was Of such peculiar kind tina
the news of it has spread over the country an
concerning the people of Delaware especially
your readers have doubtless been informed o
the facts. The reference is to the malpractice
case resulting in the death of Mrs. Vandegrii
caused by that uncomfortable quaek "Dr.
Buchanan of the "American University of Phi
adelphla" on Pine street above 9th. Buchana
is in prison, and il he could be kept there for
term of years people who know his record woul
be well satisfied. IL it not abominabl
that such men should be permitted to pre-
upon the ignorant and unsuspecting Thel
pretensonB and utter want of characte
Y are exposed over and over again, yet they sti
taunt themselves in the face OF society unabatet
and rope in their victims as unconcernedly rs
they had not been repeatedly proven, not onl
unworthy of all credence, but, persons wit
: whom it was absolutely dangerous to deal. Th
|, ignorance of patients is no excuse. 1t ie not
be expected that the general public shall hay
the same knowledae of such rascahties as thot
| before whom the facts are brought professional
People read and forget They think, in fac
" nothing about doctors until doctors are needle,
| aud then they are ept to take any man who cal
= himself doctor to be one. In the case of stral
i gers q mistake may be made in Ignorance by I'll
a most Intelligent perssns Much as has been sa
q about this sham "University, THE discussion hf
d made little impression upon people out of Phi
o adelphia. The most respectable and intelligei
}, citizen of Delaware, or other surrounding Stat
q might fall into such trap without any impeacl
d ment of their prudence or good sense. 1t is
l. be hoped that at least one of the scoundres
h now finally put out of the way. clearer i
d stance of criminal malpractice, it is stated,
rt not on record than the Buchanan -Vandegri
Is case.
a Other aggravated crimes were the murder
g James Tozler of his wife, and his subseque
l. suicide on Monday afternoon, and the murder
Ie Francis Carton of his wife on Tuesday eyenln
Y. Is there anything more shocking in all the hid
y, | ous round of crime than wife-murder lt is
"a offeDse 30 foul and unnatural, that the oTdina
4 man,-even the common man, with all the vic
~ and weaknesses of poorly nourlshed nature,
az ~, fails to comprehend it. The wives in both the
!; instances were faithful hard working creature
i weighed down with child troubles, and every OF
er kind OF trouble under the sun. Carton kick
III his wife to DEATH because, coming home at mi
US night and ordering supper the poor worn Q
ts woman did not move briskly enough to suit hi
IL, ls there not hitch someYhere in the doctri
ld OF our friends the Universaliets? At last, can
Dy be possible that such brutes enter the other i
r. abreast of those who have done their full duty
nc this
", You will remember the scandal caused by A
ne David II. Houston, Republican candidate
ID Congress in the 3rd District, and Special Irel
OF ury Agent stationed at Washington, leaving
ne post without permission and going to Euro
with the Wandering Base Ballers. Secy. Br
tow promptly removed neighbor Houston
this little performance and now his Distr
ha thinks him unfit person to go TO Congre
al. in which they are very probably in the right
III large and earnest meeting was held on Tuest
ai. at which MIR. Benz. L. Berry WAS put in no
' aa nation and Houston was firmly rel
,or dated. Whether Houston Will insist VI
Of also running is yet to be seen, but the
y, ~ cent action of the Republicans of
ad District is in the right direction and deserves
,e ,sa succeed. Politics generally are very quiet
ain yet II it had not been for the Beecher
. raa Louisiana excitements we might haye been
wv ther advanced, but the deferred period OF
election has also had something to do with
apathy. 1t will seem strange to have no "
a ber election. For the first time in the hist
of the State, the election this year falls IN
my vember, the same day that New York and
merous other States vote.
ear The annual exhibition of the Pennsylva
II etv haa hpan all X