Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-02
JOHN WELSH DOMINANT
FIGURE OF CENTENNIAL
Head of Finance Board Faced Great
Obstacles and Had to Carry Exhibi-
tion Project Through Disastrous
Panic of '73

TN DISCUSSING the problems confronting
the hackers Of the Sesqui Centennial Ex-
hibition, John Wanamaker recently MADE
the declaration that without the. work OF
John Welsh the great Centennial Exhibition
held here in 1876 would probably have been
impossible. His remarks were caused by an
old photograph of the members Of the Board
of Finance, who carried the burden OF all
the preparation for the Centennial and who
faced conditions far worse than any that
confront us today.
Mr.. Wanamakcr is the only surviving
member of that Board of Finance Of which
John Welsh was chairman. In the days
immediately following the Civil War Phia..
delpha had few business men who inspired
the confidence and respect of all classes of
people as John Welsh did. He was not
public man, using that term in its reference
to activity in politics. but he was very
public spirited man.
TT Is not only for the Centennial that
L Philadelphia of today should remember
John Welsh. His work there undoubtedly
brought him more fame than anything else
he did. but one act Of his has had a more
lasting value. though it is an act that IL
remembered by very few. This was his part
in establishing Fnirmount Park as the great
est playground for the public in the country.
Some time before the Centennial was
thought of the great Pratt estate, which
covered all Of what we now know of as
were some tentative suggestions that this
estate should be bought by the city and be
turned into a public park. and John Welsh
at once approved of this suggestion and
tried to have it carried out. The project
fell through, however. owing to n lack Of
general public interest, but Welsh was SO
convinced that it was the proper thing to
do that he bought the estate himself for
$500. and said that he would hold it
until Philadelphia realized that it should
for G
Mr.. Welsh held the estate for several
years, and in tho meantime those who were
Interested continued to stir up public opin.
ion until there was enough popular demand
TO mako the city authorities take action.
Then when definite move was made for
the establishment of the park Mr.. Welsh
sold the Lemon Hill estate to the city for
exactly what he paid for il without taking
advantage Of its ris" in value meanwhile.
THE WclShcs were n fine old banking
L family in this city. and in the days of
John Welsh the house was known as S.
W. Welsh. John Welsh at that time lived
nj the southeast corner Of Eleventh and
Spruce streets. and for many years was an
active vcstryman in Old st. Peters Church
when Bishop White. the first Protestant
Episcopal Bishop in Pennsylvania, was rec
tor. His brother. Samuel Welsh, was also
veStryman there. and those two members
of the family were noted for the philan-
thr0pic work they did in connection with the
church. while the other brother. William,
was equally prominent for his interest in
Girard College.
When the project for the Centennial Ex-
hibtion was first hroachcd it met with plenty
of people who believed that the scheme
should be carried through, but very few of
them were willing to undertake the details
and nobody seemed to have any idea of how
the necessary money should be raised. The
idea was only an idea until John Welsh was
persuaded TO join the Finance Committee
and accept the chairmanship Of it.
TT WAS Mr.. Welsh who put through the
L tremendous job Of organizing nation
wide machine for the selling Of stock at $40
per share to people all over the country
Through his banking connections he was
able TO persuade Leading tnanciers in every
city to represent iii" Centennial organiZa-
tion. and these men got together local COM
mttreS t" stir up interest in their SECTIONS
Of the country.
Mr. Welsh then organized n great ma
chin" in Philadelphia to prove that this city
was willing to raise as much money as il
asked anybody else 10 contributc He
formed an army of sub committees each
one representing trade or profcsSiOn and
he named to those committees the most
prominent men in their individual fields of
work.
Subscription books were Immediately cir
culat"d and SO subscriptions began to pour
in. The work Of selling stock progressed
quit" rapidly at first The state Of New
Jersey bought 500 900 worth of shares and
New Hampshire, Connecticut and Delaware
bought SlO,OOU worth each; the City of
Wilmington bought 5000 and New York
City made up list totaling about $3.50
OOO
Tn THE. very midst OF these activities came
L the failure Of Jay Cooke, which brought
ON thr disastrous financial panic in 1879,
This was enough to discourage any one but
Mr.. Welsh, and the other members of rho
Financial Committee" continued to work dog.
gedly in spit" Of this obstacle.
1t was their aim to open the doors free
from debt. and with the panic cutting off
large sour"" Of their supply Of money. the
members Of the Board Of Finance from their
own pockets paid for great deal of the
preparatory work which had to go on in
spite Of the panic.
AS the panic subsidized and money began
to circulate again the board had the mint
in this city issue memorial medals which
were sold At 81, s.. 50 and s. each, and n
good deal Of revenue was raised by this
means.
Pennsylvania appropriated million dol
lars TO th" exhibition, and Philadelphia np-
propriatcd one million and half and n so
erected the Callowhill and Girard avenue
bridges over the SChuylkil costing about
two ana half millions.
Tn THE spring of 1874 bill was intro.
duced in Congress TO appropriate four mil
lion dollars rs tn" Shar" Of the rest Of tho
country, but the representatives from thc
West voted solidy against il and it was
defeated.
Mr.. Welsh and his associates were con-
frontcd with the statement that they must
be able 10 asSur" the financial end of thn
project before Congress would make an an.
proprati"n, and this meant additional work
II was accomplished, however, and the Con.
gress Of lSI5-lS1G passed bill appropri.
ating Il million and half dollars
The 90 operation Of Congress finally meant
the end Of the troubles of the Board az
Finance. but Mr.. Wclsh'S work during the
preceding years had been so notable thar
president Hayes, wishing to show the coun.
try's appreciation, made him Minister TO
England in lSIS Mr.. Welsh accepted this
appointment with good deal Of misgivng
and he had not been in the position luny
before he realized that the subtorfugog Of
diplomacy were not TO his liking, and he
resigned
II is interesting to know that the hostess