Rothrock.] O J4 [Nov. 19, 



intended to act, as a judge with conservative tendencies 

 would do. 



His paper on this subject, read March 1st, 1872, is one of in- 

 tense common sense, with here and there passages, which are 

 eloquent from earnest conviction. To the average thinking man 

 his argument will always have great weight ; for it is in sympa- 

 thy with human longings which no philosophy can ever moderate 

 or change. 



Having himself been a most active participant in the measures 

 which led to the consolidation of this city, Mr. Price was by 

 unanimous vote of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, oh 

 October 28th, 1872, requested to prepare "The History of the 

 Consolidation of the City of Philadelphia." The dedication is 

 to the venerable Horace Binney, and bears the date of December, 

 1872. It is a duodecimo of 1 40 pages. To give a clear idea of the 

 increase in population around the original city, he inA r estigates 

 the early charters. The city, as contemplated by its founders, 

 was to contain 1280 acres — exactly two square miles. The first 

 city charter was not granted until October 25th, 1701, though 

 its charter as a borough was about seventeen years older. On 

 March 11th, 1789, a second city charter was obtained. 



Step by step, outside of the city proper, the following districts 

 were incorporated, and in the following order: Southwark, in 

 17G2; Northern Liberties, in 1771; Moyamensing, in 1812; 

 Spring Garden, in 1813; Kensington, in 1820; Penn, in 1844; 

 Richmond, in 1847 ; West Philadelphia, in 1851 ; Belmont, in 

 1853. 



It is enough to say that each district had its own police force, 

 and that to escape arrest, for the time, it was simply necessary 

 to step across an imaginary line from one district into another. 



A meeting in behalf of consolidation of these disjointed mem- 

 bers of the body politic into a compact city, whose government 

 should be better and less expensive, and whose further expan- 

 sion should be unlimited, was held on November [6th, 1849. It 



