Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-11-27


BRIDdE-PRoposITIoNs FOR REBUILDING-QUAR.
REL BETwEEN STREET RAILWAY CoMPANIEB-
THE MOODY AND sANRRY REVIVAL UNEXPECTED
SUCCESS OF TIE MovEMENT-TJIE HOUSE OF oo.
hserIoN-EfrEor OF THE NEWS OF vIof
PRESIDENT WILSON'S DEATH-LYINd IN sTATE AT
INDEPENDENCE HALL, &c. &c.
Special Correspondence Of the Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 26.
People have hardly had need to ask one an
other 'what's the news y this week. OF courss
they did it from force of habit, as they are like
ly to continue doing indefinitely, hut they al
knew what the news was very we'll. 1t has beer
long, indeed, since so many exciting incidentt
have crowded together as in the interval since
my last letter. The wonderful revival, and the
burning Of the Market street BRIDGE with all the
municipal hustle, and the complications atten
ding it, have been in themselves matters to OK
cite the public in an unwonted degree. Their
the news Of Vice President Wilson's doath pro
duced direct local effect and we have had, also
the Thanksgiving holiday, the discussion of the
important Tax question, the decision in the
House of Correction case, the pushing of the
shameful Gamewell job through one branch OF
Councils, and other topics, to attract attention
The Centennial excitement ia OF course con.
stant, permeating and enyeloping all city inter.
ests. 1t can be seen therefore that the most
listless person has to give ear in these times to
the manifold movements around him.
can recall no recent local matter which has
provoked such general comment and interest as
the Market Street Bridge disaster. house OF
store burns and it ia tho affair OF the owners OF
the insurance companies, or at most OF the work
ing people who may be thrown out employment,
but the destruction of a main avenue of com
muncation like this affeots every citizen,
measurably, and is very serious affair to thous-
ands of persons in the habit of using it. 1t il
easy to say that short detour only is needed in
order to CROSS the Schuylkill at Chestnut Street,
but the sum Of that extra labor cannot be easily
calculated neither can the losses and ncouven-
ience to the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Adams
Express Co., the numerous transportation COM
panies and tho business firms dealing in coal,
lime, lumber, grain and produce all Of whom
depended solely on the the Market Street Bridge,
Even with the trestle work which has been
pushed forward with such marvellous rapdity it
will not be possible to carry freight 30 rs to
answer the proper demands of trade. There is
to be but single track, and delays in shipments
must be continual. The disaster emphasizes
two facts very strongly first, the folly of sub
jeeting all these immense interests to wooden
bridge while the thoroughfare, as a true part OF
Market street, should have been az substantial
and mpreguable as the street itself and, SEQ
ond, the miserable judgment which made
Chestnut st. Bridge what it Is. IL that
thoroughfare were as wide again as it liz, and il
the approaches were reasonably graded, the
situation at present would be much more endur-
able.
Aud now,, what of the new Market Street
bridge Tie old bridge was yet smoudering
when the Mayor called Il meeting of peraons
more directly interested to consider this ques-
tion. He assembled these citizens on Sunday
morning, from which novel fact the urgency of
the case will be understood, and at the same
time he also called special meeting OF both
branches of City Councila to meet at an early
hour the next day; also most unusual proceed
ing. But these consultations have as yet come
to nothing for the Pennsylvania Railroad would
have run its trestle-work across in any case. In
point of fact, serious question is raised in the
matter Of reconstruction, and although the af.
fair s urgent it is not an easy thing to decide a
at once. The problem is whether to build tenn
porary bridge, or one suitable to the growing
needs OF the cty,-such bridge as shall stand
for centuries, and be always adequate to the de-
mands made upon it From one view this is q
direct opportunity for such work, on the other
it s necessary that communication should be
opened for the Centennial season, and bridge
such as here Indicated could rot be constructed
in time. Yet again, it must not be supposed
that by q &" temporary" bridge id meant any such
makeshift as the Railroad company ID now erect
ing. Nothing less than bridge that can
answer all present needs, az well as accommo-
date the Centennial traffic will do and the con-
temporary structure, answering apparently all
needs, the city would agree Immediately after the
Exposition to erect a permanent bridge such at
is demanded of Market street? 1t is an awkward
question to settle but the immediate need IL 80
urgent that there can hardly be any doubt but
that the "temporary' structure will be erected
gradually growing to be called "permanent. "
fhaye left myself scarcely any space to speak
OF the trouble between the Market and Chest
nut Street Railways, growing out of the lire
. .,ntf .Nf At,nn rtln1 n
the manner in which the Passenger Railway
magnates lord it over our streets Immediately
after the burning of the bridge, President Col
ket, of the Chestnut Street Road, offered MIR.
John s. Morton, President Of the Market Street
Line, the use OF the tracks of the former COM
pany, to connect with Market street by turn
outs on 32d on the West, and 23d street on the
East. This action was thought entirely fitting,
and the liberality of the Chestnut street COM
pany WAS generally applauded. But after Mr.
Morton laid his additional tracks and was ready
to cross the river at Chestnut street Mr.. Colket
suddenly backed water. 1t is supposed that
the weeks experience has shown him the value
of the Pennsylvania Railroad depot business,
and that desiring to keep that traffic, or a great
part of it. he thought better of his agreement
with Mr.. Morton. He refused to connect with
the Market ST., Line except at 34th street, thus
forcing President Morton to carry passengers tC
the depot beyond where they want to alight, and
making an even thing between itself and the
NarK9U d., lIlne Vi lllo fhiudpio PatioiioBo
| Morton insists on the original understanding
| and Coket gives notice that he will apply for al
| Injunction. Fair play is jewel and public
sympathy is entirely with the Market Street
| Line. The quarrel brings freshly to mind the
| fact that Mr.. Coket's company has, somehow
always had the reputation OF being the closest
| and most illiberal of all our street roads.
As for the Revival fear to be thought extrav-
| agant in simply stating things as they are. The
| success has been truly wonderful,-far surpass
| ing the hopes of the widest enthusiast. MOI
only has the attendance, and the spirit shown
outrun all expectation, but the harmony o.
church, press and populace on the subject II
complete and satisfying. When say the sue
| CESS is wonderful l refer to such results al
| these as to spiritual effect do not see how We
| are to gather much data, for it is not likely tina
| a tithe of those who arc induced by the meet
| ings to lead purer life will give any public
| evidence of their bettered condition they
carry that renewed heart into theil
homes, but the world knows nothing of it, cal
only Judge of the result, after considerable
| time, by the better tone of society. 1t is pool
| wisdom TO expect a showing of handH-so man,
| converted sinners on such date, 30 many On sucl
/ another The retiring man is more modest IL
| this matter than in any other, and it is only tht
/ vacant ones who are heard-(as a dear old coun
| sellor of my youth used often to declare il
| Friends meeting)-" blasting on the barrei
mountains OF an empty profession. The peo
| pie who are always at one extreme or another il
| feeling, now that evidence in plenty is in as re
CARDS the interest in the revival, take refuge II
| the doubt that there is more curiosity than re