Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-04-15
philadelphia.


| sloN-THE CENTENNIAL WATER ,sUrpLY-A
| SHOCKING TRAaEDy-MEETINa OF THE AMERICAN
| STEAMSHIP Co.-AN UNFAvoRABLE REPoRT-
DEATH OF COL. JAMES PAaE-''MuLBEnRy sETI-
| ERs"-'"rHE TWO oRpHANs'--THE GREAT MORAL
| SHOW RIVALRY, &C.
| Special Correspondence efths Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, April ..
Tho miners strike il the principal topic with
ns at present. 1t has become local matter not
only through tho intimate relation between this
city and the coal trade but because Of the per-
sonal feeling established in dspatching onr
popular First Regiment to the riotous regions.
Previous to tho ordering outof Colonel Benson's
command one hundred especial policemen" M
they were called, had been sent into the coal
region to aid in preserving order, and this il
another element i'll tho case tending to make
our feeling in tho revolt ~ much a personal as
n business one. Tho 'pocemen referred to,
however, do not appear to have distinguished
| themselves. There il considerable misappre-
| hension on this point, the mon in question not
being special officers sent by Philadelphia as
municipality but force engaged by operators
| and owners here to aid in the protection of their
property at the mines. The menSwere nndiscip-
| lined and without money, arms or supplies.
Naturally the movement was n failure, and one
not very crcditable to tho movers in it.
The promptness OF tho militia in responding
to this latest cali for their services makes the
friends OF tho soldier boys very exultant, not to
say vain glorious. It is indeed no little feat to
get several hundred men together in u few hours
time, to uniform and arm them, and to get
them OFF music and all complete, almost before
the public was aware that a call had been issued.
These "citizen soldiers" were Of course about
their everyday affairs, and had no more notion
of going to war than of going to China. They
had to bo hunted up Individually and large
proportion of them made everything else suit
to the emergency; dropped work where it stood,
and started for tho armory. 1t was
big thing; no doubt about it. In say
ing, however, that they left town COM
The men were all right-spirt. discipline and
organization perfect; but there was bad man
agement somewhere in the quartor-master's de-
partment. Thus the troops were sent off at this
very incement season OF the year without blan-
| kets 1t was fonnd impossible to get these es-
sental articles, and there was no time for delay,
SO serious risk had to be taken. good deal
of indignant comment has been excited. 1t is
| generally agreed that the G fovernor has acted
with comnlendable promptitude and decision. A
wavering q euncertain policy at snch juncture
would have been disastrous. No matter who
may be right or wrong in tho present
conflict il is clear that peace must he
preserved and the rights Of property respected.
The military was the only force that could be
entirely depended on to keep order, and Gen
TIartranft proved himself once more the right
man in the right place.
Tho question OF tho water supply for tho
| OenEeHDlhl hTDuhus IL UtCDHlilb u VItSrilb huu
important one. At meeting Of the finance
committee of Councils, recently, it was urged
that II definite assurances on this head could
not soon be given to European depositors the
neglect might have an nnfayorable effect on
the receipt of goods for the exhibition. The
water needs of the Exposition will be 30
great and varied that no question con-
nected with the Exposition needs a mt re
speedy settlement The point mainly discussed
at the meeting referred to was whether the City
| Sbnul1 prpt n furnish tha watnr the EX-
position or the Commissioners should erect their
own works. II funds were plenty with the
Commission fancy the point would not have
been much raised, for the deslrableness of
the Exposition having it's own water supply is
clear enough. There would in that case be no
isk whatever. On the other hand there is al
ways risk of drouth, more or less severe, with
tho City water works, and although they would
5sst s.nsa " ssps1 sa rate n aesH n
water works, il they arc built, need be
but simple and comparatively inexpensive.
Tho stand pipe need not bo 30 large, AZ water
will be needed only on the ground floor. II
cannot BIO said yet which plan will be adopted
although the Commission is evidently anN-
ious to have its own works.
A tragedy OF more than usual horror has
marked the public intelligence of the week. A
German named Loy1e, machnst in the Bald.
win Locomotive works. making good wages and
living very comfortably, first cut his wife's
throat and then his own. Tho woman died I'M
mediately and tho murderer expired within
few hours after being taken to hospital
A distressing incident Of tho crime was the
presence of II little boy, son OF the murdered
woman, who barely escaped immoatlon himself
at the hands of his nfuriated step-father. There
; is remembrance to carry through life The
, incentive to all tho wretchedness was Jealousy.
What cause, or fancied cause, the husband hat
is not known, but he left three lines of explana
ton of his bloody conduct in Which he says he
, tn1 IN ifppr nt m n
men," Thus il embodied a prevailing socla
idea.
! The death of Colonel James Page excited 8
great deal Of painful interest. Scarcely any
| Philadephan was better known than Colone
Page, and although he had outlive.
I nearly all of his contemporaries he still
was kept constantly in the pnbi.
view until quite recent period. Tho secret Of
this lay in his temperament which was essen
tally youthful and joyous. Young and middle
aged men delighted in the society of tile patri,
a arcl to the last, for he had that precious gif
. of elasticity of spirit which is given to but one
!. man in a Thousand. Most mon lose long before
they reach their three score and ten their sym
. pathy and forbearance with YOUTH but Col. l'ag'
? did not, and consequence he was making
. . fresh troops of friends at every stage Of In
. . career When nearly so years old he was n
:, . fond Of company, Of frolic, and OF all kinds o
!. youpr man, or course this trai
> alone docs not explain his reputation. bn
y Colonel page was a man of fine abilities and hat
. filled many positions OF public trust and honor
n He had been Postmaster. Collector of the Port
y President of Councils, was prominent IN mn
l. tary matters and Free Masonry. Everybod
= liked him and he is sincerely mournod.
. Tho annual meeting of the American Steam
J. ship Go. was held this week and the report o
the business for the past year was not AZ favor
able as the friends OF the enterprise conld wish
1t was shown, in fact, that tho Philadelphla am
Liverpool steamers had been run at considerahl
ia, tt.n, npf Tnp
a. tho figures, and to let down AZ softly a
70 possible, but there WAS no evading I'll
IS central result of serious losses, confessed t
+. amount to something like 1000, and proba
v bly, amounting to much moro If the figures cou
II be read "between tho lines" We know, @
40 course, how hard year it was for all kinds G
p. business. and that imports largely feii OIL uhde
h the general pressure of economy. Many oeea
O.. steamers have been entirely Withdrawn INT
I better times, and the best established lines vi
Il, hardly claim to have mace much money. Thei
70 il the best reason for hoping and believing th'
the Philadelphia Il Liverpool line will share IL
profits of returning season Of prosperity.
little breeze was raised at the company meet
by n protest Of some stockholders again
IL tho policy of reseryipg space Oh the steamer
oy for Western freight. 1t was stated that OF
m n merchants often could not ship their goods, b
Ill cause the vessels were engaged by distant slil
e. pers. In answer to this it was averred that
or tho ships depended on local freighta they wou
N often sail empty, and that it WAS simple ma
10. ter of self protection to negotiate for freish
OF that were certain. This il a very nice 1uestlo
Or but it may be affirmed generally that the Pen
10 sylyania railroad, which is the real support
the steamship enterprise, desired Its estabis
ment for this very purpose OF accol
modatnE freight 1sro"sht sast pyef nyebo
MA induced its corporation in the enterprise, a
nd not any special regard for Philadelphia shipper
20. But some plan ought certainly to be devised
his which both classes OF customers can be prope