Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-01-23
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.


cnEAsE-ExEcUrIoY OF HErDEsBLUT-DEATH OF
PROMINENT orTIzENs-THE OPERA AND OTHER
| AMUsEMENTs.
Special Correspondence Of the Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. %.
The news that the contract for 80 important a
part OF the Centennial Building as machinery
l1all' was likely to be awarded to Wilmingto
mans created quite commoton here yesterday.
There has been great competition for this CON
tract, for although there may not be ''millions
it it," as the latest piece Of slang goes. yet it was
doubtless worth struggling for. But Whining
| tou carried because hers was the lowest bid.
| Why was it the lowest Z is the question heard
| to day. Among other reasons, possibly because
mechanics can live more cheapy in Wilmington
than in Philadelphia. and because the whole
cost of production id considerably loss in the
| former place. The difference in taxation tells
| here, too, at every step in manufactures.
There IL general feeling, apart from the fact
that contracts should go to the lowest bidder,
that awards of this character will strengthen the
Centennial as "a, national pti,sa1 enterprise. rise
does not mean to monopolize the
| advantages of the Exposition The exhibition
| has to be held in some one place, and Philadel-
phia IL naturally that place. but our true inter
est in it is greater than that of every city or
section. The country begins to realize this fact,
and as emphasizing it the award to sister State
comes in most aptly. The report on Exposition
affairs made this week served also 70 direct at
| tention to the great enterprise. The Commits
| sion show the progress made to have been very
satisfactory, fully up to, If not beyond, the point
| expected to have been reached at this time.
There is now an impression, apparently well
| founded, that Congress will at last give the pro-
| ject material aid and comfort. Congressional
| committee is expected here tonight to inspect
the grounds and buildings, the progress made,
and the prospects generally, and there cannot
| he much doubt but that its report will be OF
| character that Congress will SEQ its way clear to
| voting such a sum of money as will place the
| Exposition at on sound financial basis.
Citizens fond Of figures had grand treat Of
| fered them yesterday in the report of the City
| Controller on local finances. 1t contained
more figures in given amount OF space than
| any document of recent times. Insurance budg-
cts and Bank Statements are nothing to 1t. IL
was all figures up and down, cross ways ana
" catty-cornered; /" and the reader given to oral
and written arithmetic must have seated himself
| to it's perusal with uuaccustomed delight. Nor,
| | must hasten to say, was 1t dry reading to any
| body, whether the possessor of a head for fig
| ures or not, who watches the growth OF the city
| with intelligent interest Phadelphia's debt,
| we here find ii set down, is !64 $50. 403, not to
you will say but the controller offsets it by tho
| statement that, at the same time, our
assets are than s12 2.O0O.OOO in excess
| of our liabilities. 1t Id not very close reasoning
| which argues BtaDlllty from tnib cOuphrlbol Vi
municipal and personal affairs. Ii ever 30 rich,
| q great and increasing debt must throw cloud
| over our credit and place orr securities at
| heavy discount, to the sore loss and distress OF
| many people doing business with the city. The
| individual has no ouch resp onsblty as this. He
| is considered solvent il his means oyerbalance
his indebtedness, but he has no outstanding OBJ
legations from this relation on which creditors
suffer constant loss. Thus the parallel is seen TO
be in no way just. Beyond this, the painful
fact is that our debt is constantly increasing
There is no " retiring ebb, and the most hope
full soul cannot see the prospect OF one. we
grow steadily richer but our warrants have to
submit to speadily increasing "shave at the
same time. The payments for 1874 were $16,
,099 and the receipts 8l1, ,7l2.3l7. This might
appear as it should be, but by further reading Of
the report another face is put upon the matter.
In point of fact the receipts were less than the
expenditures and the balance was only effected
by the addition of two millions and upwards to
the Floating debt" 1t WAS in view OF this
showing which it was known would have to be
made-tbat councils recently ordered an in
creased tax rate. The present year will show a
different result but through desperate means.
There is no true remedy but in economy and
| retrenchment
"Justice" was again '' satisfied" this week by
the straugling of one man for the shooting OF
another. The world is in many respects behind
what it should be after such heightened expe-
rence but in respect, surely, does 1t need
enlight1nent more than in this. How Godfrey
i Kulnle should have justice done him by the ex-
, ccntion of Frederick Heidenblut may be known
, in the world to which both men have wandered,
but it must remain a mystery here. what IL
capital punishment but revenge the carrying
/ ont of tile old law, ian eye for an eye tooth
! for tooth" which were long ago told was
. the law of the Heathen and not OF Christian
I men? Heidenblut killed Kuhnle more than a
wear ago, and though condemned to death short
, | ly afterward his case has been kept under ad-
/ visement until now. 1t was thought to prove
him insane but committee OF experts appoint,
| L., n rfr unffd
, mnd 10 that under the law nothing renamed
to be done but what has been done. Great
credit is given Sheriff Elliott for having con
e Quoted the execution IN 80 quiet ana seeli,ls y
1 La manner. A select few were all who
: attended at the laws vindicaton, and had it moi
been for the newspapers no one to speak OF
q would have known that Justice was satisfied al
+ all. or course the principal performer ID exclu
: ded for the claim is always made that capita
4 punishment is not revengeful act. upon the IN
q divilual but an example to the rest OF society
@ But how can it be an example when no steps ar'
| taken to make il such? 1t iB doubtless q goof
a thing to have the public spared public execu
l. tons, but from the Law view none others ar
@ logical or coherent. hanging such as this o
q | Heidenbluts serves no purpose Whatever, 10
the criminal classes which it is desired TO III
N struct them by know nothing about it. The
ls do not read the newspapers and the papers CAV
d the only intimation that the murderer had goh
II to his account. On the other hand public exc
~ cuious create the very lawlessness ana inul 81
epce 10 deith which they seek to avert. Capl
,e tai punishment is to be condemned on all sides
l. The deaths of number of well known ctizen
nd have been recently reported. Mr. j. IL. Scho
. | macker the piano forte manufacturer was ON
r of these persons and the event created especif
ie feeling in musical circles, following as it did 8
CLOSELY the decease of Mr.. Julius Lee the musl
~ pubhsher. These gentlemen were UNIVERSAL
tso known and much respected The politician
or we're excited by the death of VIM. IL. Fagen,
~, member of the Legislature and whose demise
II was thought might affect the Senatorial contes
4 Ii did not however, as Wallace proved to hay
"a. more of margin than he was credlted VIII
nd rhe death of Mr.. Jesse Parry was also an ever
nv m local neurology. Mr.. Parry was one OF OF
ht hest known book publishers. He was VIII
he Matthew Carey many years ago, and afterware va
he with Carey IL Baird and Abraham Hart. Inc
te AS a member of the firm Of Parry * Mcmillan ]
I'd | passed Judgment on some of tho most ValuaD
~, hooks which have issued from our press. VI Ia
''' fer years Mr. Parry has been of the firm OF j..
4, Iinuiucott & Co. He is said to have had be
"a ter general knowledge of the book business tha
~ any other person in Philadelphia
W, It has been rather lively week in amus'
nn ments. The Kellogg Opera has done exceedln
NV iv we'll. No new works have been given, but q
IA. familiar operas are probably the best, and u
~ kellogg repertoire is now by dint OF much re
VI rtition 30 well in hand that anything the ma
agelaeut undertakes is pretty certain 10 oe We
done. Kellogg grows stout put sne - Juss ,a.