The daily gazette., 1875-06-14
Blocking up Streets.

a great city snoulu he'eh oiio" 40
streets to be blocked up by any COM
pany, no matter how large it may be.
This will do for small towns; but it is |
certain to prove injurious to great cities
containing a half million or more Of
people. Such cities are supposed to be
{. able to take care Of themselves. 1t IS
stated in the papers that the City Coun-
ell of Philadelphia has received letter
from President Gowen, Of the Reading
Railroad, on the subject of obtaining
certain rights along the river FROM for
the location of ship yards and other i'm
provements. Mr.. Gowen's proposition
is likely to be rejected, as it certainly
should be, and the following clause OF
his letter is interesting
"It may not be unknown to Jour
bodies that the Reading company have
secured very valuable river front be-
tween the town Of Chester and Marcus
Hook, which is amply sufficient to ac-
commodate all of its shipping business,
and to which it, as well as the building
of ships, could be removed, If proper
facilities are not granted bJ the consti-
tuted authorities of the City OF Phlla-
delphia"
"If, however, it is determined by Coun-
ellis that no large manufacturing or 9TH
er industrial establishments shall ever
be opened in this city unless they can
be crowded within the space OF one SIN
gle block upon the city plan, it will be
necessary for them to remove their busi.
ness to another locality, where they Will
not be hampered for room, and where
there is some probability of their being
able to carry on their works without In.
reference by any of the authorities OF
1 the place"
The above letter was referred to a
proper committee.
Mr.. Gowen knows that the large tract
Of land he proposes to occupy as q ship
yard, machine works and coal yard, has
valuable river front, and in the coul sc
of time may become worth millions Of
money, hence his desire to use it, as well
as for the convenience it affords, and the
improvements already erected. But the
city of Philadelphia is now so large that
by the increase of her own population
her people will soon cover the whole lot
with buildings fo- their own purposes
that will be far more productive ant
profitable to the city than Mr.. Gowen'
company would make the site he crave
to have vacated by streets.
Suppose he should move the works o
the Reading Railroad Company to Ches
ter or Marcus Hook, on the Delaware
Philadelphia would still supply the need
of most of his four thousand laborers
A. 1. l. a4oI
ers; and in the end that city might b.
the gamer, since the ground Mr.. Cover
wants would doubtless in time be occu
pied by smaller establishments, employ
ing several times the nummber of work
men; and this. too, without injury to tn
trades people by having tho streets thu
blocked up and they being required
travel quite a mile sometimes oat {
their way coming and going to certai
points on the river front that they shoul
be allowed to have direct access to. Sue
cities as Wilmington and Chester migl
make the sacrifice Mr.. Gowen asks, b,
Philadelphia should not
Now, if Mr.. Gowen will influence h
company, (which is doubtless the mo
independent and wealthy in the cou
try to lease or purchase the Wilmin
ton and Reading Railroad, which it
a fully able to do, and make the Delnwar
near the mouth Of the Christiana, Il
site of his coal shipping operations,
could be supplied with any amount
land he needed, and OH the most hber
terms. He should consider this matt,