EVENING LEDGER- PHILADELPHIA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1014. T f BOARD OF VIEWERS IMPROVEMENT OYER THE OLD ROAD JURY One Fault of the System Is That Several Scissions Cannot Be Held at Orie Time by Members of Body A. recent newspaper Article reviewed the three years' service of the Board of Viewers, a body of nine men appointed by the Board of Judges In October, 1911. and whd took the place of the old rond Jury. These men aro William H. Shoemaker, Hh Word! Francis H. Cantrell, 2lst "Ward! Charles W. lloRer, 15th Ward! Al fred Orat, 8th Ward! William J. Kerns, 31st Ward; Hobert U, Scott, Hilt Ward: Jntnca M. Haxlott, 1st Ward! Louis Sai ler, 47th Ward! J. Parker Norrls, Jr., ?lh Ward. The article boos Into somo detail In re gard to awards, that they aro fewer In proportion than beforo and heard more epcedlly, that fewer appeals to higher courts have resulted and that city of ficials manifest greater confidence, as well as owners. In tho awards made. It goes Into dctnll In regard to mct Ings, and suggests that It proper accom modations could be furnished all the members could meet or at lpast two meet ings at a tlmo could be held and moro business disposed of; and winds up as follows! "As tho members arc not bound by tho testimony of so-called experts employed by suitors, ono of tho greatest services it could render would be to discourage and utterly wipe out this costly" and wasteful process and conflno tho hear ings to a speedy determination of the actual "value of tho properties affected, for tho essential purposes of tho act cre ating tho board Itself was to establish si Jury of exports." FAULTS IN THE SYSTEM. All this sounds most Instructive, but the account falls of usefulness because It does not nearly cover tho situation. Naturally, In tho- choice of the board politics figured In tho Indorsements, nnd attorneys famlllar with road law cx- U pressed guarded opinions ns to the cflect tho now departure would havo In tho premises. It Is true that as a whole the board has won not a little gooUwlll on. tho part of litigants and lawyers; more dignity has been imparted to the hearings, and the rulings of tho board in the main liavo been along the lino of protection to all who come beforo them, and Inslotenco that witnesses should not be bullied, but heard. One of the great faults of tho system la that three sessions cannot be held at once, or at least two, with three members each sitting. This would greatly expedite mat ters, and dispose of cases probably as fast as awards could be paid. AH that would he needed would bo three modest rooms Instead of tho hall of the board of Educa tion, too large for one, and not suited for two meetings at tho same time. It must in all justice he said that In many proceedings tho board, having ar ranged with attorneys, holds meeting' after meeting with only a series of smnll delays; sometimes those representing cases not appearing at all, oven after cases havo been scheduled weeks, ahead. Having reserved tho time for a particu lar case, nnd others not being ready, they can only adjourn. Tho Board of Viewers has succeeded to the mind of owners and city omcials In formlng-a -belief that there' Is'n'tt ole--ment of fairness in awards, to both par ties; Suh 'awards are tinned upon 'the testimony of owners, builders and real estate men called as experts in the mat ter' of values. "The market value Imme diately beforo the taking, or the'ehanga of 'grade: and the market value Imme diately after" both sides offer such tes timony. ' THE DIFFERENCES OF EXPERTS. Now, In regard to its yaluo. It. Is fre quently said by judg-es from" the. bench In summing up land damage cases that leal estato men called as experts differ o widely that It could be wished there was eome other way of getting beforo the Jury the market value of the prop erty' beforo and aftor the chango upon Which tho action is based. It may be imperfect, but at present It is tho best way. Why has thii board been able to show euch successful results If not by the ovi rienco offered before them by experts? Such men make a study of tho real pltuation; they are by no means In fallible, but they aro most useful. The board winnows the chaff from tho whe.it, and through tho presiding ofHcer on each board, who Is also a member of the bar, oft$n rule Very severely as to the eligibility of witnesses presented by bath sides. It- is manifestly asking too much of Ruy-set of men to servo on such a board, and that their most Important function should be to buy and sell real estate, and tq be able to form opinions themselves as to .values all over the city, ' If 1 a matter for congratulation that the change In the old road Jury system has brought about much chango for tho bet ter In three years. With the desire to spin out hearings, so that the members could receive $2 i apiece for one moro meeting, obvious attorneys we're not slow to see that it was "not !" in shorten the hearings. All that is now cast mi) cnn t,- It some! of tho members of the board were, inexperienced at first, thnt ndi. Won la nqw succeeded by experience use ful both to the city and the citizen. iiEsson. MEN ACCUSEDS CAiyiPAIQN TO STEAL BLOCK OF HOUSES BH About Bernc-Tingr Them Hece by Piece, Police Declare. If Is not necessary to be a, modern Bam eon to steal a brick house, and It was learned today that two enereetin men Jn steal a block of houses if they have he, time. Such a wholesale theft was -prevented, accoi-airoj to the police, by the arrest of Frank Bovla and Thnnun Kelly, who gave their addresses as 13th and Buttonwood streets. The prisoners proved to be frail-look ing aspirants for suoh a task, and, by a -ange coincidence, the ' evidence aBlMt them was etvsn by Krsdsrlek Cuulbody. a reiiresentntlvn of ih. rv pjnenwealth Title and Trust Cewpny ItoeiMn Meier as they were leaving a ifaeajit house at 1 Hamilton street. according to Ueler, was armed a hatchet. a body said that nearly tba whoi2 tvr hi hwum uwuvq wjr (He trust COW- pag on Hamilton street. from1 tttfe to 83 d J"" trlpBd of MAttla the Ut mouth. The vandals bad takae Idas. MM ftxturw na ripped up the Aaar. wWe they chopped lata small pita tm4 MM for Madlln? wood. Thy dt4 not oe at anything tht was oalUd, bolted ejtiniud. As ok brick sx salable, U it 'said that part of ektmaava ,. j&bjMi ttiiaslag. ' I tie real otutt raid hd uot wteg)4, Oeodbody Mid, th wnute block of houses vuuM bans Imsa wium m a few 4aya. in gtuua.ta dm natptAy Ut . Thy wr h44 tu tttv bM efc by tsjf j-feteh. t th Ohb u4 Buttuiiwuixl iU'Stt IS.UifWiJ. BRILLIANT SPECTACLE MARKS MADE IN AMERICA BAZAAR Arabian Night Fete, Tableaux and Dancing at Horticultural Hall, Tho Arabian Night fete and tableaux, followed by a ball and dancing 'competi tion for tho benefit of the American Hos pital lu Paris, to be held tonight In Horticultural Hall, will mark the final feature, with the exception of tho Fashion Show tomorrow at tho Ultz Carlton, of the most brilliant and most successful charity affair ever held In this city. It will be a long. tlmo beforo tho memory of the. "Itadd In America Bazaar" fades from the minds of thoso who participated In It. . Last night the hall was thronged with thoso who came to tho Ambulance Ball, and many were the disappointments when it was announced that the pleco de "resis tance of the affair, the Dance of the Eight Kisses, to have been given by Miss Frances Hoar, of Boston, nnd Vinton Friedley, would not tnke pln'co because the arrangements for the performance were not satisfactory to the dancers. Give, the D.mco of tho Eight Kisses on the common level of a ball room floor In the glaring light of a. brilliantly Illumi nated chandelier? Shades of Tcrpslchorel It could not bo done. According to Mr. Friedley, who the nudlcnce suspected of having temperament, to obtain a real artlstia effect, a specially arranged stago and Boftly Blinded spotlights wero essen tial concomitants of tho performance. Slnco these could not be produced on tho Instant, the Banco of tho Eight Kisses was left entirely to tho imagination. But 'twas a merry carnival, nevertheless. Two Shetland pontes, given by Miss Anne vnuclaln, were won by Judgo Mor ris Dallctt and Jlrs. D. H. Turnbull. If tho Arabian Night Feto comes up to expectation, It will make Leon Bakst and his colorful creations look like anemic Japanese prints. Tho program will In clude the Arabian Night Fete, 11 tableaux vlvnnts and n, number of special dancing features. With an eyo to making tho poseurs fit tho pictures represented as nearly as possible, Carroll S. Tyson has spent much tlmo and thought on the tableaux, with tho result that Mrs. Chnrlton Henry will appear as. "Madame Lebrun"t Miss Prls cllla Bohlen ns tho "Boy with tho Bab bitt"; Mrs. W. Frazler Harrison, Mrs. Antelo Dovereux and Mrs. Alexander Brown as "The Music Lesson"; Mrs. Howard II. Henry, Ocorgo D. WIdenor and John R. Fell as "Harlequins"; Mrs. Paul D. Mills nnd Mrs. Charles A. Munn, Jr., as tho "Daughters of the Duke of Marlborough"; Miss Hannah .Randolph nnd Maurice Roche ns "Please"; Mrs. Thomas Rldgway as Lndy Connyng liam": Mrs. I Kearsley Mitchell ns a "Oreok Lady"; Mrs. John R. Fell ns "Madame Rccnmler": Mrs. Gardner Cns satt ns tho "Lady With the Peacock"; Miss Angelica Brown as "1830," and Mrs. Honry W. Harrison as "Merry Christ mas." An ovcrturo composed by Livingston Lt Blddlc, entitled "Longing," and an ad dress by Mrs. Lawrence Townsend und a song, "Belgium Forever," to bo nung by Mrs. Franklin Townsend, will preside' tho Arabian Night Feto proper, of which Mrs. J. Mitchell. Kearsley will bo queen. Miss' Lillian Emerson, a pupil of Pav Iowa, who has appeared boforo King George nnd Queen Mary, will dnnco dur ing the intormlsslon, and Mlsn Perot and Mr. Taylor, professional cxpononts of the modern dances, will give exhibitions dur ing tho supper, which will be served Im mediately aftor the performance at (3 per plate. SNEAK THIEVES ACTIVE Steal Jewelry Prom. Three Homes In Abscnco of Families. The pollco wero asked today to re cover Jewelry stolen last night from three homes lrrthe-nbsence of -members' of tho families. ., , A sneak thief obtained Jewelry valued at' JGO from tho homo of Mrs. C. E. Go lightly, 1318 Vino street Another entered tho apartments of A. S. Campbell, 3311 Spruce street, and escaped with Jewelry worth $73, while a third entered tho home of Edward Frederick, S30T Jasper street, and carried away Jewelry valued at $7.31. TO MAKE NAVY SUPPLIES HEBE Government Officials Expect Favor able Ileport on Inspection. Government omcials In this city ex pressed themselves today as certain that a report favorable to Philadelphia would bo. modo by the Board of Survey of the f Navy Department which yesterday made mi inspection 01 mo, pianc at me. Quar termaster's Department of the Marino Corps, Broad and Washington avenue, to determine what facilities tho estab lishment has for the manufacture of navy supplies. n Tho Inspection was ordered by Secre tary Daniels following the recommenda tion of Major General Harriett, com mandant of the Marino Corps, that the plant be commissioned to make uniforms for the navy in addition to its present work of supplying tho Marina Corps. General Baroett said such uniforms could bo made more economically at the local plant than elsewhere. Judgment for Auditors In an opinion filed in tho Municipal Court today, Judge Casstdy dlrecte'd judgment for HSOJS with Interest from December 3, 1913, be entered In favor of the National .Freight Bureau, In its suit against D. p, Martin Company. The claim was under two contracts for tho auditing of freight bills of tho Martin Company. We believe that the success of this company Is largely due to a fine feeling of business regard that seems to exist between our customers and ourselves. While we aim at increased sales, we discov ered long ago that the best way to enlarge tonnage was to think a little more of our customers' needs than of out; djnt n? ed. for business. We want a pur chaser to trust us j and the constant aim of our servicer is to' justify his confidence. Chute1 Prices Egg W05 Stote $7.25 tfu STLSO.j iea $540 2c added If carried ? GEO, B, NEWT0N COAX, CO, 1537 CHBSTNCT STREET LEGISLATION FOR IMPROVED HOUSING STRONGLY FAYORED Senator Vare Pledges Sup port to Measure That Will Relieve Condition of the Poor. Legislation for better homes for tho tenement poor will have the backing of Senator Edwin H. Vare, who tpday said ho would support any measuro that might bo Introduced In tho ncxtLcglslature pertaining to housing. Should the' mem bers of Councils' Finance Committee re fuse to grant appropriations for tho new Division of Housing and Snnltatlon, It was learned today, another housing measure will bo Introduced. Civic workers who fought to havo tho present department created are planning to introduco another measure, which, It passed, will give dwellers In tho filthy, wlndowlcss, bathtublcss, unventllated and brlckless tenements some relief. The net which created tho present divi sion had tho support of Senator Vare, as well ns Senator McNIchol. Senator Vare said today that In view of the un certainty of tho new Division of Hous ing and Sanitation ever being placed iln actual operation something ought to bo done. ' "A great deal of the opposition to the act which created the now Division of Housing and Sanitation," said Senator Vare, "comes from property owners who nre of tho third class. I moan tho man who lifts a little house, owns mony. has a mortgage on it and has to pay taxes and other bills in orderVnot to floso his house. This man Is Opposed to the net because of tho many clauses nnd drastic rulings. "If the present act Is too drastic, some thing must be done for our poor. I feel certain that when tho next Legislature convenes ono of the first matters taken up will be tho homes of our poor. There Is no doubt thnt n now act will bo In troduced which will bo fair to tho little property owner ns well as the, womon, men and children who live in somo of the broken-down tenements. "I nm for bettor homes nnd you can't make thnt too Btrong.i I believe In fair play to both sides. When tho Legisla ture meets apd a legislator Introduces a measuro for bettering conditions I will support It, nnd will also do everything In my power to brlng'Some relief to thoso who havo been pictured ns living In dirty and unventllated tenements. The noxt Legislature will positively not ignore tho present tenements." The consensus of opinion among cortaln Republican Organization men was that if nothing was dona fdr the tenement poor during the next session of the Legislature It would hurt tho Organization during the coming mayoralty election. To continue to Ignore tho poor, it was agreed every where, would hurt tho candidacy of every candidate running for offices on tho Re publican ticket. INDORSED Br C. J. RHOADS. Charles J, Rhoads, president of the Federal Reserve Bank and a prominent member of tho Philadelphia Housing Commission, today Indorsed the Evcnino LBDcmn's stand for better homes In the congested quarter. "Somo of the houses In which persons live," said Mr. Rhoads, "aro in a dis graceful shape. Tho nouses ought to bo reconstructed. There Is no question In my mind that a groat deal of the sick ness and death toll in the congested quar ter Is due chiefly to tho present living conditions. . "Thete should be wj.ndo.ws In every; house. Not on'o window.) huVsevernl of them. There aro thousands of little girls and' boys In Phllndeiphln' today who are living In houses which are surrounded by dirt and filth. Filth nnd bad environment do not help tho child. If the children had a courtynrd where they could play with their little friends I believe there would be less Juvenile dtllnquncy. I be lieve the Evening LEDaen deserves great praise for showing the effects on the hu 'man system as a result of the present tenement houso ovlls. "Since the Evening LEDcmn began to show the effects of the presont housing conditions many persons have become In terested In the subject. Our lawmakers must stop and consider this Important problem. This Is not a matter which can bo discussed or dismissed In a few min utes. Our future citizens who live In the tenements must not be ignored. I trust that the men In whose power It Is to bring about a relief will take the Initia tive ana uo something ror Philadelphia's poor, who musn't be forgotten." n Books, Cards, Calendars for Holiday Gifts DAYLIGHT BOOK STORE 17th and Chestnut Sts. THE I BOOKSHOP Store Opens 8:30 A. A Christmas Shopping Point of View It Is fair to say that this Store offers the best oppor tunity of comfortable and safe shopping ever known The construction of the building; The entrances and exits; The excellences ot hydraulic elevators; The great wide-open spaces; The constantly replenished stocks. Notwithstanding the large sales of these days there is no depletion of stocks and no nervous wreckage of our attendants. With so many fine things not to be had in any Other store for this year, wc have added many things for Christmas presents as moderately priced as possible, for goodness of quality. One thing certain, the buyer here gets value for expenditure. Signed December 16, 101U The Christmas Fashion Sale Is Helpful For instance, there are suits at $10, which not long ago sold for much more and which would make particularly good gifts. They include serges, cheviots, broadcloths, usually black or blue, and in long and short coat styles. Other suits at $15, many newly reduced ; serges, gabar dines, broadcloths and cheviots. Lots of short coats; a few fur trimmed. We still have, some of those famous evening frocks at $16 ; charmeuse, taffetas, chiffons, crepes de chine, in evening colors. Besides cloth dresses for street and house wear at $15, these being mostly velvet or serge, the latter sometimes com bined with charmeuse. A few are altogether charmeuse. There are hundreds such dresses and suits in the clear away now going on, and any one of them is a good investment for Santa-Claus. (First Floor, Central) A MESHybag will fiftd"f avor in her eyes. And hero is a fine lot of mesh hags to choose from: Gun metal mesh bags $4 to ?19. s German silver mesh bags, $1.75 to $18. Gold-flHed mesh bags, 10 karat frame and chain, $30 to $75. Gold-plated mesh bags, $8.25 to $53. German silver vanity cases, $1 to $5.75. . German silver party boxes, $5. German silver fitted mesh bags, $6 to $18. Another shipment of special German silver mesh bags, $2 and $2.75. (Main Floor, Chestnut) YoungWomen Want ing Suits at $7.50, $10 and $15 will please notice that for these prices there are several groups of splendidly tailored Winter suits, made in simple, girlish styles, yet very new in their lines. By good rights they should be marked much higher, and all of them have been. The materials are service able, good-wearing cloths, in pretty blues, browns, greens and blacks. They are all interlined to make them warm enough for after-Christmas weather, and the sizes are 14 to 20 years. (Second Floor, Chtatnst) The DressShe Meant to Buy for Herself is probably here among these boyed dress goods patterns. They include all such wanted woolen materials as serges, challis, poplins, crepes and mohairs and others from $2.28 to $10. Cotton dress patterns, al ready boxed, from 76c to $2. (FtMt Floor, Ce(ant) M. WANAMAKER'S ffmtitfc A GoorlBlack Silk Is a Welcome Gift Wanamaker black silks especially, on account of their Ijigh reputation for reliability and general trustworthiness. Messalines start the price list as low as 85c a yard, and from there the choice extends through crepes de chine, crepes meteor, satins, chiffons and velvets up to a dis tinguished all-silk faille, made in France and used by the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. It costs $4.50 a yard and has the splendid old-fashioned characteristic of wearing like iron. (First Floor, Cliratout) , About Exclusive Lillian Corsets If you have some intimate woman friend, or if there is some woman in your family who wears French Lillian cor sets, you may feel pretty sure that a new Lillian will be an acceptable gift. No corset so far has been made that is finer in lines and workmanship than the Paris Ljlltan. Prices are $8 to $20. If the corset shouldn't fit, the owner can exchange it after Christmas. (Third Floor, Caeatnut) Two Charming Christmas Waists One is of cream-colored shadow lace, with rolling col lar, vest and half sleeves of embroidered chiffon. This costs $6. The other is white or flesh colored qrepe de ohine wsith the crispeet.of tuaked organ die collars and ouffs. Price, $5J5Q. (Third Floor, Central) JOHN WANAMAK iiirHimwmmragfnnmnrrwri ytfiCM. qgjnffliiiiff ' ' A MAN Likes What He Likes for a Gift And the things he likes about as well as anything'are in the Men's Wear Store. Such things as Redleaf silk reefers front London. Itedleaf room robes from London. Quilted silk house gowns from Japan. Houso coats of silk or double-faced cloth. Silk pajamas. Silk shirts. And neckties in a bewilder ing assortment, including a complete showing of the latest styles of London wear. (Mnln Floor, Market) Store Notes A new toy for tho rising young architect is tho "Erector"; ita'busi ness is to build sky-scrapers. Fourth Floor, Market. Quaint creatures in bronze frogs, turtles, lobsters, etc., that tho finest house-cleaner can't break aro inN tho Japanese section. Fourth Floor, Central. You can spend a "day in Bo hemia" in tho China and blass Section ; tho fancy gilt-edged glass waro catches many eyes. Fourth Floor, Central. Education is getting close to recreation; desks- with a school room look aro in the Toy Store. Fourth Floor, Market. 4 Tho soap-bubble outfit ia only n dime; but the demonstrator draws gray-bearded men; wo aro never too gray for the bubbles! Fourth Floor, Market. ' Electricity is good to homo life; go to Housewares and see, what it's doing for tho cooking, the heating, tho lighting.-the wash ing, tho ironing, and so on.' Sub way, Floor, Central. Five More Boxes of Good Blankets ' Ninety per cent wool-filled, cotton - warped, double - bed si2;e, better than usual for the money, $5 and $6 a pair. New Wool-Filled 'Comforts and mighty good for the money $5 and $6 each. Choice of sateen or cambric coverings. (Fifth Floor, Market) fUT glass vases and plateaus at $5, complete. The last lot, newly unpacked. This is the first Christmas we have been able to sell them for so little. JXfEW Oriental Rugs That Look Like Pictures, $9 to $21 Cabestans, Shirvans, Anatolians, Daghestans (in cluding some Chichi types) in rich, exquisite designs and in colors that glow as with a natural life. Size 3 ft. x 4 ft. 6 inches, Unbaled Tuesday, newly on sale tomorrow morning. , (Slain Floor, C'acituut) If Baby Needs a Christmas Dress there is some very fine batiste flouncing with wide ribbon-run beading made especially for the purpose. You simply cut out the neok and sew up the seams of the kimqnp sleeves and the sides, and there is extra embroidery for the trimming. Neatly boxed and $1.26 a drasp pat tern. For children from 8 to 6, (First Floor. CKtatt) 2 tiilllHllljJI) HIIIHMI..IIM. ,m III iiii ! II. WiiajF iJBil'jipiu ji qnWBH ' ' inibWrnrili' Store Clopea 6 P M, A" t "HIS," said he, "is the velour hat Pve been looking: for." It was a pleased man who came upon our collection of Austrian velour hats. He said he had been all over town and had been shown velour hats' of various grades, but nothing so fine and soft nnd richly colored as these we got from Vienna. He bought one for a gift, and you might wisely do the same. Prices are $5 to $8. (Mnln Floor, Market) J The Lamp That Clings Another shipment of the new electric lamp, adjustable at any angle, that stays where it is put; it holds on tighter than a barnacle. A vacuum base is the secret. You can ' fasten it to your shaving . glass, or your desk, or on the headboard if you want to read in bed. ' The price is $2. (Houicrrnrra, Sulivrnjr Floor, Centrnl) Upholstery Gifts for the Home such as Beautiful couch covers, rdnging in price from $1.50 to $32.50. Bedspreads, in Marie An toinette, Cluny and filet laces, $8 to $65, with especially good sets in Marie Antoinette at $8.50, $12 and $17.50, and in scrim at $10, $15 and $10.50. (Fourth Floor, Chentuut) (Fourth Floor, Central) A Woman Always Wants Dainty Stationery Latest of fancies is the new "Versailles' with its flnriy ribbed surfaea and the deli cate tints of buff, pink, him, gray, violet ai$ white, U lu put up in attraetlv Uixm. 35c to $3.50, sad th errejpo)Bc card i ami m 5 for fdyffljpZ iMaut FJei 9bMnt) WP"9PWfctf MR ri i k . mm.