The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-01-26
COMPARATIVE FIGURES.
Extraordinary Extravaganza in
Philadelphia's Public Buildings.
PROMINENT CITIZENS PROTEST.


They Urge the Repeal of tho Act Great
ing the Building Commission, and
Back Their Arguments with Some
Startling Statements.
HARRISBURG, Jan 26.-The committee
on municipal affairs of the senate yester-
day afternoon had before 1t representatives
of Philadelphia city councils, trade organi-
cations, business interests and newspapers
who appeared In behalf of Senator Pen
roses bill abolshing the public buildings
commission of that city.
Mr.. 4. n. Etting, chairman of the coun-
ellis committee, after recting the requests
made in the memorial already presented
to the legislature, said that the delegation
was present to prove that the mayor was
right whom In his measure vetoing the re-
cent appropriation to the com. ission he
declared that the people of Philadelphia
were almost unanimous in their desire for
the abolishlaent OF the commission. Moth
ing short of the total abolition of the COM
mission and the placing of its work in the
hands of the department OF public works,
Mr.. Ltting said, would i'll the Judgment
of the committee, satisfy the people OF Phil
sdelphia
Some Startling Comparisons.
Comparing the expenditures on other
works of similar character the speaker
showed that the Philadelphia postoifice
with cubical capacity of i,00o,000 feet,
had cost but "A coo 900; the Pittsburg gov
srnmenl building, 3,O0o,000 feet, 81 $4,000,
The item Of dressed stone for inside use
iiIhe Philadelphia public buildings had
cost VI 50o,0a0, or within $i0,000 of the
total cost of the Baltimore building; with
a capacity of 1,5D,0pD Cubic feet, within
f2oo, ,0O0 of the entire cost of the Pittsburg
federal buildin9; lacking less than n
million of the total cost Of the Pittsburg
municipal building and one third of the
total cost of the Philadelphia postoiiice
Despite this enormous expenditure the
City Hall Of Philadelphia Is but half lin
ished.
This item, Mr.. Etting contepded, was by
no means exceptional. For heating appa-
ratus $45i GOO had been expended already
md s50,bD more was asked. In contrast
Baltimore had expended one-sixth, Pitts
burg onc-iifth and the federal government
For the Philadelphia po-toftice, one half of
this amount.
The exterior walls of marble alone had
cost more than the entire expenditure for
kuy one OF the federal buildings in iiulti-
bricks for the inside walls had cost II 80,
e00, which amount was but $apoNoD less
than the entire cost of the Baltimore build
Ing, so, onJ less than the Pittsburg struc-
turo and onethird Of the cost Of the Phila-
dsiphia postotlice.
Numerous similar comparisons were
made between the sums expended for fit
ting mp rooms, electric lighting and other
purposes
MIR. Etting then took mp the contract be
tween the commission and the racouy iron
and Metal company, pointing ont hat al
though the city paid for the labor and
metal used BY the company, ii paid to the
company profit Of ID yen oent. on the to-
tai amount veniurcd, which included cap
hal furnished b The city
Very Expensive Doors.
As illustrations of the commission, ex-
traraganc"s, the speaker said lie had
found that I,+?l hours of work had been
done by the company which the coutIis-
sion paid for At the rate of thirty-iiv cents
psr hour, whether skilled or unskilied.
r. Two bronze doors in the turret had cost
$500
Coal. in 1881 had cost the commission
k2s,ia0, While $4,000 had been expended
for he labor vi converting ii into heal, or
al the rate Of ~ ncr ton During five Years
past the commission had paid 30 Per ton
for It's farI while tho fItE,rtnapi of nll,
lie safety mid btit - IN tlh,.. ,i6n,,r.
slIeIpd rft,$fyupai,ce4 Nj ltifiIy declared
due 10 the commission > cf.pn vio.,is
tion nj til5 act OF assembly requiring Il to
advertise for prol,u.,l. beiurt nah if,., con
trncts
The speaker declared that hr was pre-
pared TO prove mai the commission know
fngly and willingly disrtHardrd tie pro-
visions of tb. att,tp con,tiIItien and ,be
arci,inu of TIM .,l,sreue r,,trt. III ies,,i35o
c.rtilirates Of i,Idei3fe,,ness 10 tbt a,nonIT
nf si 0ilJ NjO uFtar briup aa ,iSrfl tho- -iirh
arti,lf vas illeual
|Affrr tuf,Iiy ve,ra os eynnrirnpa y he
cpnlifIll9f the peuItio of philH,ieIihi3, arc
NOR. .irnilulY onpoStd 10 ills an ,.r4atiuu
tie commission tLan ~ tbr tina of ils
pasaaYe and attbat time hp n plft5.gva4in.
tense We regard il AZ he no4 M Ana,..
ON nac1 on The .tntnte hooks. The rie.tt ta
fill vatstiiies in ifs avn baily la biitut,c
the city into deht by certificates Rna ~
quisilions 10 maHdanus the city into pay
nssnt these are he most extraordinary
powers ever conferred on a commission
That is moi all They have he right To
destroy the t,No most interesting buildings
In Philadelphia the wings Of Tndppen-
dcnce hall-aHd | have here d protest
against this power OF destruction from the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania >
Mayor Stuart was warmly received 'y
All interested assembly His address WAS
brief bat pointed The city, hl said, sul-
f,,red from, thi. commission ~ him WAS cttu-
trary to all tie princ! les and hot es of
municipal governments. II was IA bohg in
which thc people hase no veice OF its
members appointed twenty one wears ago.
,,1,ror /, =, tl,Inu, tlt,,it.
-, ,h,,, 49,, ,,,,,f.,,,i =. - -
had the Original bill been drawn that one
of The members appointed nj that time,
nW $. stokes" had never been found.
.sThere is such a decided public sentiment
today concluded the ninyor, THAT were
any rnndidnt. before The nroulp on i he poI