Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-12-11
FIRST EDITION.
philadelphia.
OUR sATuR DAYL LETTER.

/
| sIoN-AMusEMENTs, 6c.
| special Correspondence Of the Commercial.
| PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 10, 1875.
| Ihere is universal feeling of distrust ovel
the action finally taken in the matter of tho Tax
hate for the coming year. have dwelt sufH
ciently in my letters on the double fact OF the
| unpleasantness Of high tax and of the neoes
sity for rate sufficient TO enable the CITY
to honorably meet its obligations, and
nothing more need be said on those points at
this time, but the singular action Of Councils
must be referred to. Apparently appealing to
the most thoughtless and superficial public SEN
timent-the cry for so-ealled economy which is
in reality the most reckless extravagapce-Cou
c;ls have determined on rate insufficient for
our expenses, and which must inevitably result
in increasing the city debt very materially dur
ing the year 1876 The rate fixed on is 1880
which however includes the 25 cents on the S10O
levied for the especial use of tho Public Build
ings Commission. Therefore $2.05 is all that
remains for general purposes and it
has been demonstrated that such rate
ls entirely Insufficient The Indignation
over this action OF Councils is excessive, and it
is rendered more bitter from the fact that Com
mon Council forced the concurrence of the So
lect Branch by delaying action to the limit Of
time allowed by law, thus compelling Select
Councils to coincide with the 49, .05 rate, or fall
back, in default, on the legislation for this year,
making 81 the rate, which would have placed
the city III an even worse predicament The
open secret OF this action,of Councils is that it is
q bid OF certain members for reelection on the
plea OF retrenchment ; but a more forlorn ap-
peal to intelligent voters was surely never made.
mans first duty is to pay his debts. but the
City Father, like the gay fellow in Rhhelieu, ex-
claims,-"with all my hear, where shall bor-
row the money!" Our way out OF the woods
seems darker than ever.
The Rapid Transit fever has spread from
New York to this section, and an ordinance is
now before Councils asking that permission be
given company to make a tunnel under Broad
street for the purpose of permitting swifter rail-
way travel through the city. The chief parties
Interested are ex-Sheritfs Leeds and Howell, but
what they propose to do exactly is not under
stood at this stage of the game. Anyway it
comes to this, that after owning all the streets
this ring of speculators now propose to "squat'
on an underground territory. There
can be no pretense that the city
needs any such extraordinary help
in transportation as this. In New York the
case is widely different, the peculiar shape of
Manhattan Island necessitating some method for
relieving the pressure of street travel. The ap-
parent needlessness OF such street helps here,
however, impels the conviction that there is
some most unwholesome speculation in this
tunnel project. The parties offer to pay toll
to the city of one cent for every passenger car
red over their road, but that is small consid-
GRAFTON for 30 questionable and unprecedented a
1t has been determined that census of the
city shall be taken shortly, possibly some time
during the present month. This important and
proper action is in connection with Centennial
affairs, 1t being thought the right thing to have
an exact inventory Of the population of Philadel-
phia made prior to the opening Of the exhibition
The Centennial Committee of Councils have
gone into the subject with energy and it is ably
seconded by Mayor Stokely who offers to use the
police force in furtherancs Of the project The
value OF an organized force like the police in
such a matter will be appreciated. The Police
man knows his " beat" more thoroughly than it
is known by any other person, and as whole
the force can make the returns required with
all necessary promptness. 1t is pro-
posed to make the whole enumeration
in one day; the policeman is to leave
a blank to be properly filled at each house in
the morning and is to call for the same in the
evening. The principal difficulty in this plan is
in the CASES of, people who cannot read and
write, but it is believed that by ample advertis-
ing of the scheme, with particulars Of the time,
and what is required of citizens, will enable the
through the problem. If it s known in any sec
tion, however humble, that these papers are to
be left, what their purpose is and how they are
to be used it il thought reasonably certain that,
filed by the time the policeman makes his Sec
ond visit. So, now, guesses on the population
Of Centennialvilo are in order You might Of
fer premium to the reader who comes nearest
to it,
One of the principal concerns of Hicksite
friends in this section is Swarthmore College,
on the West Chester Railroad, a few miles be-
yond the city limits. Swarthmore was founded
by Friends, and they are justly proud of an in
stituton which has taken high rank among our
10.
BILE for its practical dealing with tho question Of
coordinate education of the sexes. The eleva-
ted character Of this college has brought 1t pu-
pills from distant sections and it s altogether an
honor to this community and to the religious bo-
dy which established it. The 18th annual meet |
ing of the stockholders was held this week at
the Race Street Westinghouse and the report
offered was highly encouraging. The purchase
money (S26,000) fors the West Dale estate has
been paid, and after largely increasing the Ii
history, there remains in the Treasurer's hands |
a balance of over $4,000. Friends pay as they |
go. There are 23S students in college at this |
time |
The Orthodox branch of Friends has been |
moved. as citizens generally have been, by the |
news of the death of Alfred Cope, highly es- |
5eemed member of one of the Oldest and best |
known Philadelphia families. The shipping firm |
Of Cope & Bros, is identified with the best busi-
ness interests of the city, its famous line Of Liv
most prominent transportation company between |
England and the United States. Alfred Cope |
was son of Thomas P. Cope, one Of the |
''Brothers" who did 30 much for Phlladelphia |
commerce, and the gentleman just deceased
ably administered the business founded by his |
father and uncle. The donation of S25,0O0 by |
Alfred Cope to the Geological Garden, under |
certain wise conditions relative to the exclusion
of liquor, &C., from the garden, will be remem-
bered. He also gave $40, 900 to the cambridge |
street colored school, and his charities of all
kinds were numberless The colored school gift |
was made 30 quietly that the fact has only trans
oired since his death. 1t ia good to know OF
such men.
After all the indisputable evidence in the
Brown murder case the jury rendered verdict
Of second degree" So that while the insanity
plea saved the murderer from the gallows, it
could not deter verdict that the crime was that
IF murder The decision is thus inexplicable
II the man was insane it was not murder at all
{ he WAS not insane a clearer instance OF pre-
neditated murder-or crime in the first degree
was never brought before jury. Yet Judge
Mitchell said the verdict WAS satisfactory one.
What he meant by that the people who DO not
often read murder trials, but who have followed
his case with interest," would very much like to
know.
Great preparations are making for the visit OIL
Congressman to the Centennial Grounds on the
nth inst Tho invitation of the Commits
sioners has been largely accepted by members,
and the Judges of the Supreme Court. Heads
IF Departments at Washington, and other nota-
1ilites, will Join the Excursion. The distin-
4 ,,t,tH a do ut |