The daily gazette., 1877-10-31
From The ". Y, World.
Has Philadelphia a Tweed
STARTLING CONCLUSIONS FROM A
COMPARISON OF HER DEBT
WITH NEW YORK,S ---..

w I1h w L Ofbh'o
PHILADELPHIA, October 29-At a
Democratic Association this evening Mr..
Joseph I'll. Reall said:
u desire to callyo attention as briefly
as possible to some important facts con-
cernlng the government of Philadelphia,
facts which cannot be known to her peo-
pie or change in administration would
have long since taken place. The opera
tions in New York of the Tweed Ring,
which was composed of the adherents OF
both political parties, have been theme
of wide discussion. 1t committed the
greatest roberies ever known. The peo-
pie OF New York were swiudled in the
grossest manner and they still suffer the
results. But few dollars have been re-
covered, or ever will be, and yet the
startling fact is that our city has been
robbed to greater extent than New
York, as the figures shall give will show.
The actual debt of New. York upon the
first day of August this year was $91 ,651,-
615.21. That of Philadelphia upon the 1st
of lastJ January S72 S92, ,372, ,78 or but$1S, ,0O0,-
900 less than New York, though the lat
ter city owns between $500, ,000,0 900 and
$250O00.0O0 worth of corporation proper
ty against $82, ,55O, ,66O.7S owned by Phila-
delphia, or in other words, New York
has 1925 for every dollar she owes, while
Philadelphia has only $1.10. In the lat
ter's valuation $25, 900 900 is put down for
water and gas works, and S15 ,000, 900 for
pqblic parks. fhe people know of how
much value these Investments are COM
pared with this estimate. New York has
100000 more people than Philadelphia,
many times the transient residents she
has double the amount of taxable proper
ty to be protected, many miles more of
improved streets, a most expensive dock
department and many other causes for
greater debt higher rate of taxes and in
creased expense but notwithstanding all
this, the expenses of the departments of
Philadelphia nearly equal those of New
York That city decreased her tax rate
this year 10 mills, while Philadelphia
raised hers the same amount, land in
creased the valuation of property.
"I have stated that the debt of ew
York is $9l ,651 ,6l5 81, and that of hia
deIDhia $74,S92 372.7S Upon comparing
thes figures it will De seen that our debt is
greatly out of proportion, and yet the ex-
pert VINO has tor six years been carefully
examining the robberles of the New York
Ring publiahed the opinion that fully $25.-
100000. was stolen and probably 500, 900, ,0Oe
We will assume that S35 0o0, 600. was tha
amount; deduct this SUN from $9l ,65l ,615.
81, and we have $56, ,65l ,6l5.2l, as New
York's honest debt, or SIS 5000,0 900. less
Than that Of Philadelphia. Now, these fig
ures prove concluslvely that this city mas
been terribly piunderej. IT New York's
honest debt is but $56,00e 900. the same
ratio would make Philadelphia $40 ,000.-
600, and shows that our peopls have been
swindled to the extent of 1872 900, and
probably more These are frigntfuily large
figures, but any one who knows the operas
tlons of the Ring OF Philadelhia will not be
surprised at their euormity. A Republican
newsp tper of last Sunday contains the fol-
lowing:
80 Ihe wealth of ten of the leading ring
sters is SIS, ,000 900, all made in seven years
At the beginning of that period all of them
com blned could not have mustered enough
to dig the cellar of one of their present
houses.
"Anl these are but an Insignificant part
of the vast horde who have become rich at
the expense of the city. Heads of depart
lnents, con ractors aud their hundreds of
hangers ON have been robblng this city for
a score of years each years escape from pun
isnment emboldening them to increased
frands. we know Of over-costly water mains,
over costly sewers, over-costly reservoirs
anu over costly grading and over-cosly paw
ing. Time aud again has the public press
exposed enormous frauds in each depart
mant, but the rascality has continued un-
ahated.