Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-10-09
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
OUR sATuR DAY LETTER.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct 8.
The question of questions with this communi'
ty is that concerning tho purity and suliciency
OF the water supply. 1t is not sensational
| question: and it IL difficult to induce people to
regard it gravely, yet it is not too much to say
that municipal prosperity of every sort depends
on it. have esteemed it OF such importance that
whenever occasion has offered have not hesi-
tated to discuss tho matter fully in these letters.
Readers are thus familiar with the causes of wa
| ter scarcity, with the circumstances loading to
| the appointment Of a Board of Engineers to de
wise ways and means for relief, and with the diff.
iiculties 1t has had to encounter in the work. An
important chapter Of the history has here to be
referred to-a report OF this Board of Experts
| embodying somo OF the conclusions arrived at
The report, which is very careful and detailed
WAS presented TO City Councils yesterday | will
note as briefly as possible it's principal points.
First, ar to tho purity OF the supply, 1t il adj
vised that that the water be conveyed from the
dam at Flat Rocka considerable distance up the
Rverttbrougha conduit which would cost about
$1,000 900. The water at Flat Rock is purer
| than at Paramount and the manner of transit
wonld preserve 1t from deterioration. Or il this
il nor done sewer from Manayunk could be
constructed to carry all Impurities into the river
below Fairmount dam Either OF these means it
is claimed would effectually preserve the purity
OF the supply. Next, as to the increased guam
tity OF water demanded, it is advised that ma
chnery OF greater power no used that the Bel
mont works be- enlarged; that the Delaware Res
eryor be raised six feet that new works be
erected at Sardner's Point on the Delaware and
at Flat Rock on the Schuylki and, most i'm
portant of all perhaps. that the East Park Res
ervor to be speedily finished and connected with
the other distributing centres. Thorough study
and calculation convinces the Board tlat these
improvements will meet every demand of a
growing population for a term OF forty years at
least.
For the further future another plan is seen to
be necessary and tho Board finishes it's advisory
work with recommendations ON that head. II Its
suggestions are followed the whole Fairmount
system will he in the end abandoned, and water
will be supplied by aqueduct after the Croton
method IN New York. The source proposed is
the Perkiomen creek, which the Board proves
by records of rainfas, &c, for many years to be
able to furnish 200 0OO0 gallons of water daily
and even in the dryest weather. The supply is
fuller and moro constant than that of the Croton,
and the water of better quality. An aqueduct OF
the capacity of 200 100000 gallons daily would
cost sl2, 900. 900. Tho Board has made it clear
that the Schuylkill will serve yet for many years.
but the assurance for the permanent supply .s
very satisfactory
The revival movement is fairly started al
though church people not entirely united ON
it. There promises, indeed to be considerable
criticism of the work, and this despite the fact
pledged in support. Methodsm is the right
bower OF the movement, If l may put 1t in 30
worldly manner-that church always laying
great stress on revival work. Next in support
comes the Baptist, also democratic church
Tho only churches not uniting, i'll name, the
High Church Episcopaliaua, the Luthcrans, the
Unitarians and the Unversallsts But this gen
eral classification does not tell the whole story.
Some of the denominations while subscribing
pro t0rmd are in reality very lukewarm; the
m mi bpi tn a rpO al
though fearful of saying much, lest their mo-
tivea should be misunderstood. None of them
wish to bo thought OF az hiudering possible
good, while at the same time they have
doubts of the result and feel naturally sore that
thoy are alset.asidein in this unceremonious man
ner and made TO play \ numerous second fiddle
to tho central performance of u couple of lay
men. Much of this feeling il moro than
childish envy, but for much OF it, too, there Id
good cause. Many OF tho ministers overiidden
by the private managers in this uncermonious
way are men in all respects the Supporters of Mr..
Moody, who has given no proof OF any special
Inspiration. or talents much above tho ordi-
nary. Vehement preaching Of the American or
der is novelty across the water, hence the
SUCCESS there; and the enormous al
vertising tue movement thus received
creates curiosity hero. But there are hundreds
Of vigorous Methodist and Bapat preachers
who could do the same thing ii they had the
same bolstering by rich men, aud the same
amount of attention directed to them by the
newspapers. There was mystery for time IN
the announcement that Messrs. Moody and San
key could do nothing in Philadelphia until they
had ASSURANCE OF substantial unanimity
among the churches in regard to their visit,
There was vagueness about this at which
everybody wondered, for it docs not appear that
there was any such unanimity in London or 9th
or cities of Europe. Now it appears that this
agreement means that the churches are expect
ed to raise the money to defray expenses, and
furthermore that they are desired to close their
week day meetings 30 as not to interfere with
tho services of the Revivallsts. In effect, say
the opposition, the whole church system is to be
made the bob for Mr.. Moodys kite. There il a
certain force in all this, but considering the mis-
cry aud wickedness in the world are not all help
full methods worth trying? 1t is, believe, in
tho earnest hope of such good that many unite
with tho promised revival who on personal
grounds might strongly oppose it,
One of the most interesting evont5 in tho
whole history OF the local stage was the produc
ton this week at the Arch Street Theatre of
Tentyson's drama of "Queen Mary" The
reading world know. that the Poet Laureate has
consented to an adaptation of his work for
London theatre, but the piece has not yet been
produced, and Mrs. Drew has had tho enterprise
to forestall not only the London presentation
but all tho other adaptations which are being
hurried through. With all this there were no
evidences OF haste at the Arch: the play was
very handsomely set. had been thoroughly re-
hearsed, and vent of the first night with great
I>ub " WIS uOb " buCCebb. fBW |
persons WHO have read the drama, and who |
know anything of stage requirements, believe it |
possible to make a version which VIII keep
place in the acting drama, but it would DO easy |
to imagine much better arrangement than the |
one given at tho ''Arch." 1t is an exasperatng |
piece of botchwork passages are transposed in |
the most haphaZzard manner, and what little |
action the drama has is destroyed. With work |
so written it is folly to expect to follow the AL
thor without change. MIR. Stephen Fiske, the |
dramatist III reviewing has in a mistaken spirit |
OF loyalty striven against what must |
often have been an Impulse towards interpola- |
ton, but he made fatal mistake therein. II |
the mountain will not come to-'the proverb is |
somewhat musty;" but it is the clear right of the
adapter in such to write i'll parts of scenes
in order to preserve continuity. BY not allow |
ing himself to do this, and ut tho same time in |
being necessarily forced to cut out more than |
one-half of the play, Mr.. Fiskes adaptation be |
comes 80 obscure that it frequently has no
meaning whatever. "Queen Mary" at the
arch" is only interesting, therefore, as nov |
city, although probably the most intelligent
treatment would not greatly better the case.
80 The committal OF the Engineer Evans, who |
caused the lamentable collision between the |
Frankford car and Pennsylvania Railway train, |
ta await the action of Grand Jury-and the man |
damus compelling the Mount Moriah Cemetery
Co. to show cause why it refused to allow the
body of the colored man Henry Jones to be
buried in it's ground, are events which have
much interested the people this week. In the
Railway case the verdict was coupled with very
earnest Judgment upon the question OF Railway