Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-12
FORMER MA YOR BLANKENBURGS CAREER
FROM POOR BOY TO RULER OF GREAT CITY
Bimsenburg AmericaniSm
Keep cool head!
Keep your powder dry!
Stand by the President!
FORMER MAYORS CAREER


the early eighties. He was elected Mayor
N November, 1911, over George II. Earle
Ter term of four years. He has been
best described by the trite expression
eThe Old War Horse OF Reform and
this phrase described his great public
nctiylties better than any other COM
biratlon Of words in the English Ian
EuoKe
Al the outset of his administration he
wna hampered by an inimical Council,
controlled by the Organization dominated
ny McNichol and the Wares. Many Of
his Recommendations to improve the tax
alton system were Ignored by Councils,
but the aggressive advocate OF good gov-
crnment was able, despite the Orgariza-
ton opposition, to eliminate the police
and firemen from politics and place the
letting Of contracts upon an honest
basis. system employed successfully
by the Organization to retain them In
Two Of the greatest public improve
ments undertaken by Mayor of Phila-
deiphia were begun by Mayor BlSnl<en-
burg, These are the Improvement Of
South philadelphia az a railroad center,
tho sbolition Of the grade crossings and
the Building of municipal piers in con-
nectlon with the Belt Line. This project
is to- cost $50 900. 900. Of which the city
VIII pay fi6,000,000 and the balance win
be carried by the railroads.
Grade Crossings to Go ....
This single act would insure the
Blankenburg administration a perma-
nent place among the administrations
marked for great public progress An
the grade crossings in South Philadel-
phia are to be abolished under the plan,
made an open gateway for all steam
railroads entering the city. Great
freight yards are to be built IN the cN-
trenle southeastern section Of the city
away from the residential districts, and
the Belt Line Is to extend along the
river fronts where, for mile and s4
half above Greenwich Point, municipal
piers are to be constructed on the Della
ware River.
The second monument TO this admin
istration is the passage by the Legisa-
ture of acts enabling the city to build
subways and elevated railways for leas-
evolved by the Department Of City Tran
sit. department created by the Blank
enburg administration. When the
scheme is carried to its completeness
street and run elevated arms TO Darby
and Frankford thus giving Philadelphia
the very best rapid transit facilities,
All the departments were thoroughly
organized under Mayor BlaukenburE and
the business of the city placed on the
same efficient and economical basis as
that OF well-organized private cor
pcration.
High Ideals in Practice
As q Mayor. known before he entered
politics. he carried into office the high
ideals which inspired him to vigorous
warfare for so many years. He refused
70 dismiss men from office to create places
for those who had aided his cause, and
from the first won the enmity OF poll
ticisns demanding the "spoils OF victory"
{ Certain, men who had followed him in
the memorable fight against George II.
Earle and before. deserted him when he
became Mayor and became his most
carping and petty critics.
There are not many men who Will
carry ON hirty years war almost
alone against great political odds FOR a
civic ideal, aud that Is why Rudolph
Biankenburg was admired even by his
most vigorous political opponents.
Z Most persons who have tried It will
Omit that the most unremuneratiye un-
frtaking one can enter into Is TO at
'npt to reform political conditions. Like
----s. other forms of virtue. Il appears to
be ts own reward.
But Rudolph Blankenburg had been
more than thirty years lie was the sole
survivor of those hundred business mon
who, in the days Of McManes and the
gas trust, suddenly discovered that there
might be way to right the wrongs the
people were suffering from under what
was called boss rule. This does not mean
that all Of those .reformers have passed
TO the Great Beyond. But 1t does mean
that those who are still with us long ago
retreated in disgust or under feeling OF
hopelessness for the cause, or that some
OF them may have received a change OF
heart and returned to the old party.
Never Faltered In Course
The thirty years TO Mr. Blankenburg,
however, made him more persistent than
ever TO see his ideal Of a clean econom-
ical. competent government for city and
state realized. lie was sangulue 10 the
end.
Since he first entered into active work
for his ideals in public life Mr.. Blan<en-
burg was fortunate i'm witnessing an
nrIrn IL hn "a
Undreamed. This reawakening placed
him In the Mayors chair,
Mr.. Blankenburg was born in the town
OF Hillentrup. In the principalitv Of
Tdppe-D Detmold, near Hanover, Germany,
on February 16, 1913. His father. the
Rev. DIR. Louis Blankenburg, was the
pastor Of the chief church German lie
formed) in the town, which lies in the
heart OF a beautiful farming country.
and there the great retorlner OF Phlld-
delphia, with his seven brothers ana
sisters was educated. He had at first
private tutor, and subsequently went TO
the gymnasium, as is the custom in most
German towns. His studies, however,
were planned with view OF having MN
enter the ministry, but these Ideals,
which were not his, never we're carried
out.
Emigrates TO America
His tutor had emigrated 10 the United
states The great Civil War had made
known rather more Intimately than had
heen the case the size and character of
the New World. His tutor settled in New
Jorrcy. and his letters appear TO have
excited the lively interest of his former
pupil Ih 1866. at the close Of the great
struggle that ended in uniting the coun-
try. young Blankenburg, then, youth OF
fWenfy-two. bade farewell TO the old town
ia Germany and came TO the United
states. He visited his old tutor, who
brought him TO Philadelphia and in
trodlced him to a mercantile house,
knowing what kind of citizen he has
been during the last thirty years, those
Who know him can readily imagine what
how ne rose in his business until he
became a proprietor of "A large business
81 his own Is likely TO lack novelty. II
IA eufilc.ent TO say that In 1876 he estab-
liahfd the manufacturing and importing
ha<iness which he personally carried on
+uccessfnlly until two years ago when
ha retired from active business
rha centennial Exposition Of 1875 APP
nAarE 10 have been responsible Tor the
awakening of the philanthropic instinct
fn Mr. Blankenburg, as 10 was IN
.lr.rc9r sense the cause of many reforms,
PARTICULARLY In commerce, Industry and
AT. A this country At least. IN the
brief Biographies of this civic champion
4 ie about this time that he Is supposed
~ have come to the front in the field
Which since has growu 70 such impor-
- noe ali over the country, ana now Is
r.|..,n nllfxed under the name OF sociology.
Factor In Organizing Charities
Thtv did not call Il by that high
.onntlng and somewhat elastic name ~
IErrs detected note OF warning In
INe wastefulness OF charities In this CITY
liz with others, set about this reform
..fout this time. and the result was the