Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-07-24
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
our AruRpAY LETTER.

SpeeiGi Correspondence Of the Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, July %.
| The city is unwontedly active for the time OF
year, and it Ia the general remark that there
have boen rarely as many signs OF business at
this season. The centre OF this buetle is, OF
| course. in the neighborhood of tho heavy COM
| mission houses, agencies OF tho New Eng
land, Philadelphia. and Gloucester mills,
&c. Tho wool men are also very busy.
| Those heavy dealers must take their holidays
either early late in tho season. for at the very
| tmo the retail uaie ID dulest theirs ia ut it,
height The jobbeIs aud wholesale dealers are
| now laying in their stocks, but thcr busy time
with the country merchants will not set in for
| several weeks yet What il called tho Fail
| Trade is expected in the best seasons TO com
rnence about the middle of August, but not
| much business has been done of late years be-
| fore tho fret of september. By that time this
| extra hustle which wo now SEQ ON Chestnut
Street, from ith Street East, and along Front
Street, will have largely subsidized, and tho
wavo OF uahc, changing character, Will have
moved out Market Street and up Third Street
| The city generally looks lively for tho time If
| year, for tho reason that an unuoually small
| number OF people are passing the summer out
| of town. Scarcity OF money has had much to do
with this result. and tho exceptional coolness
| of the season has perhaps had even more. Tho
| city il probably at this time as pleasant place
and many people have already returned homo
| from their holidays who expected to remain
out until tile end of August. All this makes IL,
evident mari; on social movements. The near
| at home resorts, Atlantic City and Cape May,
have not been illedup mt any time and although
there will doubtless be some hot weather yet
which will send the easlly moved crowd out for
few days, the story OF the sea side season is
already told. AS II business, summer hotel
keeping seems to grow steadily worse, yet the
victims somehow hold on.
Mayor Stokley called a special meeting Of
Councils yesterday to consider the bill providing
for the improvement Of the Park. To tho gen.
eral astoniehment, Common Council defeated
tho measure There il to be another
meeting and thero are hopes that the
body will reconsider its llladysed action
and in onjunction with the other chamber pro-
vide for thus much needed Improvement, Tho
Park is sadly in want OF immediate attention,
and il variety of necessary work is not put up
on it at once it will present but sorry aspect
during tho Centennial year. Tho Wholesome
fear of "iobbery" does not appear to apply TO
tho Park commission, mado up as it is of honor
able gentlemen and with business system so
exact that rogueries such as abound in the Gas
Trust aud Highway Department are there i'm
possible. 1t Is incredible that Councils should
desire tho world to visit our Park in IT'D present
condition, yet membars know that work must be
done this summer or Fall or be left undonc.- A
rare contrast to Paris aud Vienna We sllall make
if allowed to remain in our pfotent down-at'the-
heel state.
The work OF regeneration in u smaller way
has been began on Independence Square, and
how authorizes which zee tho necessity in the
lesser matter should not recognize it in the
greater one is strange. Independence Square
has for years been II barren and unlmproved
spot, but at last 1t is TO be rcjuvonated. Tho
ugly wall aud railing ~ to be removed,
aud tho surface Of tho Square terlaced
down to II stone su-base about II foot
in height. series Of wide flights of steps will
l,oI thn fbp .,i1pa
The wallis will 10 paved with flag stones, bor-
dered by curbT, and the grass thus protected.
In the centre of the main walk, midway between
the door of Independence Hall and Walnut St,
will stand Story's statue Of " Liberty" now
about leaving tho artists hands i'll Home, and
which is said to DO tho finest peice Of American
sculpture vet produced, not even excepting
Powers +" Greek Slave" or Crawforda Ameri-
Ca You will hardly recognize the familiar, dm'
Ky neighborhCod. when You visit it about Octo-
Der ist.
Tho loss Of tho steamship "Abbotalord, f." rum
ming in conjunction with tho American Line
from Philadelphia to Liverpool. was IL startling
event to our people, although the great horror
of ocean disasters WAS most happily lacking.
The "Abbotsfold went ashore in u fog at
point known as Crommaos Bay Oh the Coast of
Wales. Tho sea was quiet and the passengers
wero got on without trouble, and all baggage
and personal effects wore saved. The thlp was
in charge Of pilot at the time Of tho accident,
which by maritime ethics clears the officers and
owners of all blame. II thero had been heavy
sea how different might hayo been the story
But although tho passengers are safe
the ship and cargo, valued at sGO0,0OO are
lost. Tho " Abbotsford" had no proper connec-
Iion with tho American Line being III private
hands, Messra. Peter Wright ~ Sons, lt Is I'M
derstood, being tho principal owners This
firms interest is fully insured, and it is believed
the cargo ID also insured up to its full value.
Tho vessel was run in association with tho
Pennsylvania and her nister ships, TO i'll
sure weekly service to Liverpool, and as
MessrH. Wright 4 Sons were agents of both con-
Germs the alliance was a mutual one and gave
satisfaction. peraons Ignorant OF, or losing
sight Of, tlIcse facts were foarfn wheu tho news
of tho wreck was first received that tho credit
| of the American Line might suffer. but it took
only short time 10 dlt abuse tho public mind oil
any such idea.
| The swimming match on tho Delaware excitod
| great attention. 1t was tho talk of tho day. For
one thing, it offered ready excuse for taking a
| holiday on the water and thousands of people
| went to Chester to the start whllo other
| thousands repaired TO Gloucester to assist at
| the iinlsh-whch did not come Oft, at least IN
| the manner anticipated Variety Snowman
| Fox. learning wisdom from hs distln-
| gushed associates, Nlessre. Jarrett and
| Palmer took excureionists on barge,
| charging tho modest fee OF 5l.00 TO Ches-
| ter and return. and had 2500 pensioners on
| him at that rate. All tho managers WILL go into
| the Summer Excursion business before long.
|
| a course Of five or Elk miles Coylo might, no
doubt would have won but tho Engshman
had the most staying power. An essay might
be written on the text, which in fact epltomiles
tho old discussion between nerve and en-
durance. If we could but effect union or
the distinctive American energy and British
Drawn, we should havo perfect manhood.
The Christian Union published an article a
few weeks ago relative to tho frigate " Constl
tutlon" familiarly known aB " Old lronsides,
which has had the effect Of creating renewed IN
tereet in this patriarch Of our navy. Mr. Beech
ers paper WAS wrong, however, in slpposing
that the old craft was being broken up because
it wAs of no further use. IL was Oh that suppo-
slton that the fiuOn's protest has been second
ed in numerous quarters, but the fuct IL thai
tho government IL feilttug the - Constitution
for the Centennial and ~ fully alive TO the duty
of preserving every timber OF the famous snip
I" Old lronsides' il now at the Navy Yard under
going her repairs, which will be so effected ar
to retain tho original appearance of the ship Us
far as possible.
The lmmonsty of tho building operations 60
ing on in Philadelphia at this time must excite
tho astonishment of any person who looks into
the subject. Nothing like it has ever been seen
in an American city. The Centennial buildings,
the new Public buildings, tho Post Oiice en-
gaze their thousands of artisans. Tho two
mammoth Centennial hotels, the new ''St. Ste
phensn hotel on Chestnut street, st. George
: hall at 18Th d Arch. the nbattoir work, the
bridges building at Callowhil st. and South st
| -.,,Ga,, o,La, thonsarla And ihia il but fraC