1886.1 "Jl- [Rothrock. 



view to the health, comfort and security of the citizens of Phila- 

 delphia; among others, that no street or alley is ever to be laid 

 out of a less width than twenty-five feet. If any house now 

 standing on a street narrower than that shall be taken down, the 

 owner, in rebuilding, must set it back to that regulation. Every 

 new house shall have a curtilage of at least 1 44 square feet of 

 open space. There must be a parapet wall of brick or stone 

 between the roofs of all houses, extending through the cornices, 

 to prevent the spread of fire. A Board of Building Inspectors 

 was also created, to see that all buildings are safely erected, and 

 in accordance with the strict requirements of law. A Board of 

 Revision of Taxes was established, to compel equality of valua- 

 tion for taxation, and to supervise all assessments of property. 

 A Survey Department to lay out plans for streets, culverts, etc., 

 was also created, to which was attached a registry bureau, in 

 which must be registered every deed or conveyance of real 

 estate before it can be recorded, with a plan of the premises 

 conveyed, so that no property shall escape taxation. And if 

 there be conflict of claim of title, it can be promptly known, as 

 no careful conveyancer passes any title without a certificate of 

 search. He also prepared most of the sections of the Park Act 

 of 1868."* 



How active and efficient his exertions in behalf of our Centen- 

 nial Exhibition were is within the memory of most here tonight. 



In 1852 Mr. Price published a memorial sketch of the lives of 

 his parents. It appears that he was the sole author, though the 

 name of his brother Philip also appears on the title page, and 

 he helped to print and to circulate the book. Though in this 

 volume Mr. Eli K. Price states that he was not then a member 

 of the " Society of Friends," it is very certain that their moder- 

 ate and just principles were the directing power of his life. This 

 little book (pp. 192) is a most tender tribute to the memory of 



♦These quotations, also, come from the valuable " History of Chester County," 

 to which allusion has already been made. It is among the very best works of 

 its class that our county has yet produced. 



