Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-16
MEN OF THE MAYORALTY CAMPAIGN
Congressman William Vare Who Is Said Have the Chance
of Lifetime to Prove Himself of "Party Caibre."
A Personal Sketch
BY HERBERT S. WEBER

know everybody in the old 1st Ward At 21
he was member Of the Ward Republican
Committee, The boss of the ward was one
Mart Slack The Wares fought him for
the leadership of the ward, and in 1896 cap
tured 1t from him, siding with Durham
against Dave Martin. Durham was grateful
The ward was later divided into the 1st
and S9th Wards. William moved into the
upper end to lead the new 1st and George
and Edwin remained to control the 39th.
They all doomed the Neck" and gained
many improvements for the section Their
leadership quickly spread to the 26th, the
I'd, the S6th. And as each came under their
control it was benefited. 1t was in many
ways democratic leadership that thcv as
sumed. Each kept on being zone of the
boys" at ward meetings Their leadership
was to spread to all South Philadelphia and
Southwest Philadelphia, with strong follow
ings in other parts Of the city. 1t is per
sonal feeling; indeed, Congressman Vare's
is said to be the largest personal following"
of any man of his political rank in the
United States.
City Contracts
They got street cleaning and repair con-
tracts, and the gratitude of Durham was
shown by the fact that their street contract
bills grew from s195OOO in 1902 to s95OOOO in
1904. They got the South Broad Street Bou
leVard. They came to the point where thew
divided the city contracts with McNichol,
More than $27,OOOOOO in city contracts went
to McNichol in ten years. More than s13.-
100000 went to Edwin H. Ware and his
agents in the same period. From 1909 TO 1912
McNichol and Ware divided the city" Nc
Nichol took the work north of Market street
and was paid H223,s651S and Ware took the
work south OF Market street and drew S7OS1,-
oeZ'oZ' Enormous awards of damages in
favor of owners of swampy land were made
along the Ware boulevard Edwin Ware Is
said to have netted $1,000, 900 clear proft
through having paid 10 cents a cuhic vard
for dirt to companies dredging the river and
selling it to the city at So cents a yard for
'hlling' the low places in League island
Park. The dredging people delivered the
dirt themselves so not a cart had to be put
to work by the contractor.
But it is said the Wares serIousIv re,ra+
having taken the Gang side in the gas
lease night They sided with Durham who
mad been grateful to them And in the rev
olulon OF 1905 they learned, in being involved
IN the worst OF Gang scandals. what ~
meant to use their power for the reward Of
a Durham. -
William Ware was 81 years old then. Sum
pose that by that time he no longer yas
closely identified with his more wasItb,,
brothers contracting interests Was bo
young enough to profit by the lesson ~ see-
ing an infuriated cltizenry rise aeaipst biu,
and his confreres and remodel his noI,t,oaI
philosophy accordingly? The mind sets, a.
lts mold but men have been known 10 chance
their philosophy later in life than 81
ne APPARENTLY believed the people thoug,+ /
ne had changed in the next sIx wears
presented himself as a candidate Fo. No
at the primary Of 1911. The weaItbte, hro+to-
oHered to seek no more CITY contract. -
lhat MS brother William should MOI ~ a.,
peeted OF ravoritism. People said. ..tTa 10.
MADE his money; now he wants 70 A. tSo
right thing" But. where did he 90. ,tan
became a slogan for those who wanta5 -
know why William Ware was spch -
man II he had not been in the contra,ti,I.
business. He said he had made Il a. Ians
speculation. Al iaha
His First Defeat
II was the brothers arst dafss.
won the primary by a vote of about 1os AN
70 wares so'Oo0 The Wares suiked ana ~
the maJorities in their wards dut,5,. - -
GENTLY TO permit Blankenbure h, -
election. William Ware went - c. - ''is
This is the shelf" for some beata, 1szse ess
but he evidently thought OF conerass - 80
comparatively youthful age OF Is as : No.
@ Identity himself with the reiuvenaft,,.. -
aaenees II the Republican party Il -
syiYania BE was nov 10 put ne s..,.-,
q his power upen state issues. whies -
ne ss-st g most clever ana farassIss -.
- -ssa ga eye ana s1asp q tie eIls as4az