Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-07-03
FIRST EDITION.
OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER.

new Public Buildings. number of National
and State dignitaries will be present at the lat
ter ceremony, including, it is hoped, President
Grant, who has expressed a desire to attend
The Free Masons are to have the whole conduct
of affairs, and good many persons want to
know why such programme has been arrang
ed2 The power Of the "ancient order" is con-
clusively shown in this incident. Masonry pre-
dominates in the commission and among the
CIVIC authorities, and thus what should be all
observance of tho whole public Qncuding tax
payers of whatever mind on the subject of se-
cret societies) is made to advertise and glorify
practices which very large portion Of the COM
munlty seriously disapprove. Without intending
any dispafagement OF Free Masonry it may be
fairly claimed that such celebration as this
should bo made Oh perfectly free and open
ground. Many Masons are themselves of this
way OF thinking.
We were all startled at learning, this week,
that the Centennial Board of Finance had
awarded the contract for the erection of the
Centennial Hall and the main Exposition Build
ing to Mr.. II. j. Dobbins, for the sum of
@2,5000OO. This, 1t seems, was the lowest bid,
although there were other bidders whose cati-
mates did not greatly vary from those which
were accepted. = bidders in whom the public
have more confidence than III Mr.. Dobbins. This
gentleman is well-known builder, but at least
one piece of work which he has had i'll charge
has not answered public expectation, and people
have natural doubt of the wisdom of the Board
of Finance in this instance The building re-
ferred to as having been constructed under Mr..
Dobbins direction, is the House of Correction,
which is not yet finished, although the time ret
by the contract has long expired, and which is
admitted by all to be most unsatisfactory
piece Of work. 1t is fairly asked, How are we to
expect contractor who failed in a limited job
such as that to completely fill the bill in such
an undertaking as the Centennial Build
lngs The question is complicated by the
knowledge that Messrs. Clark, Reeves Il Co.
were bidders, a firm known to be capable OF do
ing the work within the limited time remaining.
The announcement of the Dobbins award is re-
ceived in an ominous manner. The Ledger,
generally 80 quick to comment on Centennial
mattefs has not word to say. The T,hgdph
is the only paper to approve the award and does
1t IN very lukewarm way the others are si-
lent with the exception of the Inquirer, which
takes strong ground against the decision OF the
Finance Board. There il every Indication of
trouble.
We are to have a new race course, or to put
it more sedately, in the current phrase, driving
park IL il called the "Bemont," and it is to be
situated in Montgomery county about mile
from the outskirts of Paramount Park. There
are not more than 400 MEMBERS each of whom
subscrlbes @25O The track IL to be mile long
and sixty feet in width, aud it is expected all
tho arrangement, will be perfected by this time
next yee % Trials & Of 3f.e mi snG"d e
The gambling and1owdy element IL all that can
be urged against the sport, and it is possible
belmont may succeed III keeping it out OF
sight
The American line of steamers is coming in
for a fair share of the summer travel to Europe.
The ships are already popular and have estab-
shed reputatlors inferior to those OF no other
line as passenger VESSELS. The 'Pennsylvania'
sailed to-day with So cabin passengers and 1856 in
the hteGrage, and the ''Iinos," which sails this
.lsr ls.pf
gagged. 1t is doubtful if any of the ships built
and owned abroad, yet which condescend to do
American trade can make a better showing.
The rates OH the Philadelphia line are very rea-
sonable $3.50, currency, is charged for the
round trip tickets good for six months, the hold
or being privileged to return on any of the com
panys steamers. The Cunard line charges
nearly double this rate for passage on no better
ships and with no better accommodations.
Haverford College is to Orthodox Friends what
Swarthmore is to tho Hicksites. Together
they cover the entire ground occupied by the So
cety and the fact of both being in the vicinity
of Philadelphia proves this city to be the head
quarters OF Friends. Haverford held its com
mencemert yesterday, coming in ut the close of
the educational festivities. Ten graduated,
among them being Samuel Il. Hilles and John
G. Bullock of Wilmington. Mr.. Hilles delivered
the Latin Grafton aud Mr.. Bullock the yaledic-
tory address. Haverford seems to be i'll high
state Uf efficiency, but it ii NOS conducted ON the
byeleil, lub
department these features being marked
at Swarthmore. The college can accommodate
| about sixty students at present, and 1t ls pro-
| posed shortly to enlarge It..
| The Walnut street bridge project received a
decided setback this week by the Finance Com
mttee of Councils, before which body it came foI
| confederation. But two votes were given IN sup
| port of the loan asked for, while III members OF
| the committee voted against the measure. II
| was found impossible to convince the committee
| hat Hot. ifx
It may not be, in the sense that better paving
and street cleaning and the reconstruction of tile
/ Bedford street district are necessities, but II
/ cannot be seen that Acknowledged civic wants
| are any more certainly attended to than those
| pronounced not necessities. Free pubic bathi
| are necessity the word its best mean
ing-yet we do not get them, and 30 OIL
through a painfully long, list. Nov
| as to this bridge, it would accommodate
| thousands of citizens, and add immensely to the
Improvement Of West Philadelphia. To be eurt
such persons can use the Chestnut ST., Bridge
and to be improvements must go ON at one rate
or another even without the Walnut Stree
Bridge. But the existence of the Chestnu
Street Bridge does not settle the question. Tina
is not the argument used i'll laying out streets
where it is not thought to the purpose to den,
citizens a thoroughfare on the plea that ampl'
ones can be found square to the right or lei
of them. People want those thoroughfares alt
they want their own too. The fact is the pub
lie generally does not appreciate the growth ant
Importance of West Philadelphia. bridge a
every street would be none too many
The opening of the Geological Gardens in thu
Park was pleasant event of the week. Thu
enterprise has from the first been managed IL
the most efficient yet undemonstrative manne
and the result is 1 real credit TO all concerned
You are aware that it IL the work of an incor
porated society Which entered upon it with NJ
idea of money making but simply to advance
knowledge, and to offer innocent recrea
tion to the people. 1t is supported b,
subscriptions and it is the intent, tile hop
at least, to gather here collection of beasts
and birds which shall rival that of the famou
gardens at London. AS it is, the collection i
very fine one, several times larger than that o
any meuagerle over seen in Philadelphia, al
though as yet it is wanting in the wilder ami
mails which are the chief attraction of sucl
shows An exception must be made in favor o
the monkeys, there being already very flll an'
valuable collection of those creatures. Aslati
and African consgnmen.s, including lions, Il
gers, hyenas, &c, are now on the way hther, an'
il is Thought by some that the opening should
; have been delayed until their arrival. The gar
dens, as far as arranged. however, are in sucl
! thorough ORDER and 80 many fne specimen
have been secured, that it was thought pity t.
lose the height of the out door season. Th
general verdict approves the decision for an ear
ly opening. prairie dog village is leading
feature of the exhibition, and is said Il
be entirely unique in shows of the kind
Sixteen acres are at present lalI
: out in walks. the cages, dens, bear pits, NC