While Democrat John F. Street drew about 1,500 people at an impassioned rally in a South Philadelphia church, Republican Sam Katz campaigned in Northeast Philadelphia, shaking hands at shopping centers.

Standing in front of a roaring crowd at the Tindley Temple Church at Broad and Fitzwater Streets, Street wiped perspiration from his brow around noon as he talked about Democrats who have unified for the final race.

They fought hard during the primary but pulled together for the general election campaign, Street said. He offered special thanks to former Democratic mayoral candidates State Rep. Dwight Evans and Marty Weinberg, whom Street knocked out of contention in the primary.

"Marty Weinberg is a true Democrat," Street said. "Marty Weinberg understands that a Democrat on his worst day is better for this city, for you, than a Republican on his best day."

Street's supporters yesterday included Mayor Rendell and former Mayor W. Wilson Goode, both of whom kept the crowd excited.

"Will you help John Street? Will you help him? Will you help him?" Goode shouted as supporters rose to their feet and answered: "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Some pumped their fists in the air as they chanted, "Street in '99."

Street told the crowd that "politics is the closest thing to nature I have ever seen. The weak become food. We have no intention of becoming food in this election."

At the end of the stage, Street's son, Sharif, hollered support as well, and earlier urged the crowd to work hard in the next week.

"That work is going to make my father the next mayor of the city," he said.

In Northeast Philadelphia, Katz casually chatted with voters in a Shop Rite market and came away with many promises of support. He was joined by his wife, Connie, his son, Phil, and State Sen. Frank A. Salvatore (R.,Phila.)

"This is a bipartisan campaign," Katz said. "We have reached out to every sector of the city. That's what Philadelphians want.

"My opponent's message right now is about partisan politics. The weakness of his message and the insipidness of his candidacy I think is becoming more clear."

Katz said he senses that people are ready "to try something different."

At the supermarket, Susan Orth, 37, said she was undecided but was leaning toward Katz. Orth, who was with her two children, Angela, 11, and Daniel, 8, said she liked Katz's support of school vouchers.

"The one thing I did like is that he wasn't standoffish," Orth said.

Another shopper, an 80-year-old woman who has been a Democrat for years, said she had never voted for a Republican. But she shook Katz's hand and promised to support him.

"I just like his way of doing things better, that's all," she said, declining to give her name. "I like what he's going to do for the children."