Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-01-30
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.



DELrniA AND THE PETROLEUM TRAFFIc-THI
REMOVAL OF THE NAVY YARD TO LEAGUE ISLAM
| CONDITION OF THE STREETS, &o.
Special Correspondence of the Commercial.
| PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 80.
1t has been lively week in politics, the time
having arrived when both parties were to make
their nominations for the election under the new
| Constitution falling next month. The election oil
delegates to the nominating conventions was
held in the early part OF the week, and on Wednes.
| day and Thursday the conventions met and de-
| cded upon their numerous standard bearers fol
| the short canvass between this and the elect n
This ia the FORM the fact being Of course thai
the CANVASS has been stretching over the whole
period since the early Fall Individuals ambi
tious to serve the municipality az Police Magis
trates have indeed been maneuverng for these
nominations in many instances, even since the
new State code provided the places. Not few
of these "early birds" have succeeded, and
others have found partial profit in "stsnd-
| ing" for the positions. 1t is the custom with
| these small politicians to "name" themselves
for anything aud everything in the way OF Office
whether they have any chance OF ultimately
| winning or not. As the game narro~s down the
| stronger ones prevail, in one way or another,
over the weaker ones to retire. 1t is in this
I
| age of profit. Sometimes they are not Of
| enough account to buy off, again they may be-
| They take their chances, and il they lose in one
| bout they may win In another. You may say it
| is precarous way of earning living, and so It
would seem to be, but there is kind of provi-
dence over these men for they often make more
| money than men who work great deal harder.
There has been particularly good chance for
this kind of financering in the contests for the
new Police Magistrate positions. There are
fifteen of these places, making thirty candi-
dates, and for each one there has been much of
the underhand working Just now referred to.
The sum Of this agitation has been enough to
keep the political element in a turmoil, apart
from the nominations for City Council and
School Directors, which also were made this
week. very fair class OF men have
been put up for the last named .po.
mother party has done itself much credit
in the Magistrate nominations. 1t hoped
that citizens OF the first standing, and with
knowledge OF law, would have received these
credentials. but the fact il that very few of
those nominated answer these requirements.
The nomine es are for the very great part politi-
cal hacks in whose hands the administration Of
local justice will be no purer or more intelligent
than under the old aldermanic rule. This re-
suit Is depressing from the start 1t would
seem as though conscientious voters cannot here
allow themselves to be bound by party,
but must take the tickets OF both
parties and choose the best men
which nominated them Even with this a mum.
ber OF the districts must either go without
Magistrate or have installed person utterly un-
worthy of the trust.
The visit of the Congressional Centennial
Committee was significant eventn Exposition
history. Tie person familiar with public affairs
knows that 1t is not the movement making the
most popular stir which is always most to be de-
pended on for results. II is the quiet taking in
hand of the few who have the power which tells.
1t is true of course, that the leaders
may be induced to certain lines OF
action by the earnest expression of
popular will through public meetings and the
press, but they quite as likely to be inau
enced by the systematic action of men OF wealth
and position who do not make any parade of
their actions. This kind Of influence is now be-
ing brought to bear upon Congress and also upon
the capitalists OF New York, and there is pros
pect OF substantial response from both these
quarters. The Centennial project WIS never
seen in as bright light as now, and the Con-
gressional visit nstiHes the most ssngpins % sx
rare good fortune of bringing to-
gether at this time some of the most
eminent citizens of this and other States, nclu
ding the President and various members Of his
Cabinet. The occasion WAS a meeting Of the
Saturday Club, a social organization, but the |
visit of the Centennial Committee fell in 30 apt |
ly and Mr.. Uhids' hospitality was extended in |
30 lavish a manner, that the party in question |
national rather than local one, and the |
Exposition was indirectly brought into peculiar |
prominence. Such reunion it is hardly too |
much to say, worth mcre in u downright |
practical sense than all the public subscription |
meetings that have been held since the begin |
nng.
Great excitement has been raised in the nu-
merous class interested in the shipment and |
sale OF petroleum by the news that an effort is |
making in the Legislature to divert this trade
from Philadelphia to Pttsburg II it succeeds
the latter city will become the refining and dis
tributHg centre which this now is, and Balti-
more-by the way of the BALTIC. Ohio r. R.
will be the exporting depot of the country. 1t |
s that road which ID the animating spirit OF this
movement and the Pennsylvania road which |
now transports the bulk of the oil to this
city is naturally interested in keeping the
trade in its present channel. On the
other hand it is claimed that Pittsburg can be
made more economical refining centre than
Philadelphia and that all questions of partiahty
as to location must give way to material interest,"
The idea s to run the crude petroleum by |
Regions to Pittsburg. The wells lie very much
nearer that city than to Philadelphia. but hither
to transportation has been much cheaper tha
way than to the West, notwithstanding the great
er distance here But il this pipe system can be
Perfected the expense to Pittsburg would
be trivial compared with rail-
way transportation TO Philadelphia This ID
the case in little, and it, can be seen that there
is enough in 1t to justify the fears OF our snip
pers and merchants. Petroleum is at present our
leading export, and diversion Of the trade would
prove a serious disturbance to vast amount of
Invested capital.
Another current matter of interest is the rec
ommendation of the Naval Committee of the
House of Representatives for the dsmantling of
the present navy yard and the construction OF a
establishment at League Island.
This measure has been talked about for years
and now seems to have taken a definite shape
The removal of the present yard would
greatly hasten the improvement OF that section
of the city, which must always remain in a back
ward state as long as that great waste place is
set down in its very midst. The river avenue
could then be heightened along the city front
instead of being blockaded is now the case,
and commerce would gain a new and valuable
footbold. When the Navy Yard was established
in its present location it was quite out OF the
business part of the town, but shipping and trade
now beat upon it's confines in all direc-
tions. League Island is manifestly
the proper place for sucn an
In the feverish condition OF
Congress at present it is doubtful if anything
will be done in the matter at this session, but
there i'd a general impression that sooner or
latcr-and in no event at very distant day-the
of the Naval Committee will be
acted upon.
The streets have rarely Of late years been in as
wretched condition as now. The CONTINUOUS
snow, rain and freezing spells have rendered
highway and byway perilous to the pedestrian;
mn. ,,nrot nf walking ia ice covered