History of Philadelphia 1609-1884 [1]

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H ISTORY OF

PHILADELPHIA. 1609 -1884.

BY

J.

THOMAS SCHARF

IN

and

THOMPSON WESTCOTT

THREE

VO

Vol.

L,

U

lVl

E

I.

PHILADELPHIA.: L. ti.

EVERTS 1884. E.M.

& CO.

S.

—

>H

936271

Copyright, 1884, by L. H. Everts

t

PRESS OF J.

B.

LIPPINCOTT

& CO.,

PHILADELPHIA.

&

Co.

PREFACE. In presenting

this

History of Philadelphia to the public no apology

is

necessary.

As

a

record of events, as an exhibition of men, as a chronicle and exposition of institutions and resources, the

work

tory record, in

This

pality.

is

in this particular field,

it is

believed, will be found a complete

and

satisfac-

every department, of the growth, development, and expansion of a munici-

its

asserted with a thorough

knowledge of what has been done elsewhere since

the revival of public interest in and enthusiasm for local details, and with a consciousness also

of the suspicion of arrogance and self-assumption naturally incidental to such pretensions.

accomplish so much, and with such a degree of

self-satisfaction,

the labor, expense, and responsibility involved, very

has been no holiday task.

need be

little

said.

The proof

is

To Of

presented

In their preparation more than twenty times the compass of material,

in these volumes.

expressly procured and arranged, in addition to the great collection of books read and examined for

collateral

information, was digested, condensed, and, in the pertinent newspaper phrase,

" boiled down" to the present limits.

In no sense of the word

is

this

work founded upon,

built up out of, or repeated from, any previous one on the same subject, or any of

It

is

new book,

a

treating

its

theme

in

a new, comprehensive, and

exhaustive research, thorough examination, and the most authentic

critical

original

its

branches.

manner, after

comparison of the best authorities, and

documents and authoritative records.

This digesting and assimilating

process has not, perhaps, been carried as far as exigent critics might demand, but in this busy

and bustling world there

not time enough to polish the front of a city hall as nicely as

is

one would a mantel ornament of Parian marble.

The

proprieties of style have, however, not

been neglected, for carelessness in that respect would have been equally unworthy of a theme so

and of the

dignified,

A

liberality

and beauty of form of the publishers' work.

history so comprehensive in

must

details,

necessarily

have

its

its

objects

limitations

and and

scope,

and embracing such an infinitude of

defects, because of the impossibility of dis-

cussing fully a great variety of subjects without occasional errors.

from them by making the work

to escape

themes, and

playing

all

The

and summing up instead of

dis-

the facts.

events,

repetition.

would have been easy

by avoiding dangerous or controverted

so gliding swiftly over the surface, generalizing

desire to leave nothing untold

of men,

less copious,

It

and

which could

in

institutions in Philadelphia has

any way throw light upon the history

made

it

impossible at times to escape

Facts, which fall within the proper cognizance of the narrative of general events,

will sometimes reappear in another shape in the records of institutions or in special chapters.

But the tale to

fault will claim the reader's indulgence, because intelligent persons prefer a twice-told

one neglected or half

told.

;

:

PKEFACE.

iv

Several of the themes or chapters of the homogeneous whole have been treated by those

who have some

In the diversity

particular association or long acquaintance with the subject.

of writers there will of course be variety of opinions, but they

make good

the poet's description,

"Distinct as the billows, yet one as the sea,"

and may not be the worse

for each offering a reflection, according to its turn to the light, without

marring the unity of the general expanse. aid and invaluable stores of material

on the History

of Philadelphia, which he has been diligently collecting for the past thirty years,

and which have

Without Mr. Westcott's indispensable

been used in every department of this work, of this great city in the satisfactory shape in the following pages,

Mr.

it

it

would have been impossible

now

to present the history

Indeed, as has been frequently stated

assumes.

"Westcott has devoted a lifetime to the faithful, industrious,

intelligent pursuit of this history

;

and

few records have escaped him, and he has supplemented their

evidence with recollections of a trustworthy character, and with testimony from a thousand

none but the most indefatigable antiquarian would seek or could procure.

sources, such as

Mr. Westcott has maps,. plans,

etc.,

also contributed to the

work many valuable and unique drawings,

which are now printed for the

also been constantly consulted

by

from the

proofs,

page

time; and during

and items, he has read and corrected

to the Consolidation of the City, in

" Charitable, Benevolent, and

it

1854;" "Music, Musicians, and Musical Societies;" " Military Organiza-

tions,

Armories, Arsenals, Barracks, Magazines, Powder-Houses, and Forts

State,

and Government Buildings

Bridges, Public Landings and

if

" Court-Houses, Prisons, Reformatory

;"

and Correctional

Wharves ;"

" Telegraph,"

and many other minor

subjects.

authors would be unjust to themselves, and to the city whose history they have written,

they did not acknowledge, in this place, with feelings of profound gratitude, the cordial aid

extended to them and to their undertaking by the press and people of Philadelphia. given the fullest

Important and valuable assistance and information have been received

from the following persons,

To Frederick D.

to

whom

also particular recognition is clue

Stone, librarian of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, for valuable

randa and suggestions made to the authors during the progress of their work Leach, for biographical sketches

Rev.

and

its

W.

They have

encouragement throughout, and have helped materially in elaborating and

perfecting the work.

to

" Municipal,

and Almshouses;" "Public Squares, Parks and Monuments;" "Roads, Ferries,

Institutions,

The

the

the chapters on " Progress from

Religious Institutions and Associations ;"

;"

all

Besides the very efficient aid thus rendered during the

to the last.

various stages of the work, he has specially prepared for

1825

its

engaged in the preparation of the special chapters, and

all

besides furnishing important suggestions, facts, first

first

portraits,

progress he has

and

details in regard to the press

and

;

to

memo-

Frank Willing

libraries of Philadelphia

B. Erben, for the preparation of the hist6ry of the Episcopal Church in Philadelphia

institutions

Church, and

its

and church work

;

to

Martin

institutions, societies, schools,

I. J. Griffin, for

and church work;

to

the history of the Catholic

Bishop Matthew Simpson,

of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. William Cathcart, D.D., of the Baptist Church,

Rev. Charles G. Ames, of the Unitarian Church, Rev. Church, Rev.

W. M.

Rice, of the Presbyterian Church,

W.

J.

Mann, D.D., of the Lutheran

John Edmunds, of

the Congregational

PKEFACE. Church, and Rev. Chauncey Giles and T.

S.

Arthur, of the Swedenborgian Church, for essential

in the preparation of the history of their respective denominations;

assistance

Hoeckley, for his chapter on " Clubs and Club Life

many

the Athenseum, for

many

;"

kindnesses

to

kindnesses of various sorts

;

Lloyd P. Smith,

and courtesies

in

to Albert

H.

Charles R. Hildeburn, the librarian of

H.

to Isaac

on the intricate and important subject of

his complete chapter

of Philadelphia

;" to

Shields, attorney-at-law, for

"The Municipal Government and Ridgway Library, for

librarian of the Philadelphia

smoothing the way, and contributing to the work the

under his charge, including

details for the history of the libraries

who

valuable documents; to William Perrine,

and use of

free access to

work

contributed to the

the chapters on " Progress

from the Consolidation Act, in 1854, to the Civil War," "After the Civil War," and "Educa-

Rev. Jesse Y. Burke

tion ;" to

Mitchell,

of "

for sketch of the Pennsylvania University

kindly revised the chapter on the " Bench and Bar

who

The Bench and Bar of Philadelphia," who

;" to

;

to

furnished valuable Civil Lists, and, with a kind-

ness and courtesy not to be forgotten, allowed the authors to extract all that they

able

and

work S.

;

to

Wm.

B. Atkinson, M.D.,

who

Hon. James T.

John Hill Martin, author

wanted from his

revised the chapter on the " Medical Profession,"

D. Gross, M.D., LL.D., who read the proofs of the same

to Charles

;

A. Kingsbury, M.D.,

D.D.S., for materials on Dental Surgery and Institutions; to Lewis D. Harlow, M.D., for sketches of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Medical Colleges

chapter furnished by her upon

R. M. Johnston, who Dearden, A.

J.

"The

Distinguished

Bowen,

Roman, John W.

Women

to Miss

J.

H. C. Whiting, and John A. Fowler,

Stokes, George

;

to Clifford P.

May

Forney, for the

of Philadelphia;"

prepared the chapter on " Literature and Literary

the history of insurance in Philadelphia S.

;

for

much

Men

to Professor

;" to

Robert R.

valuable material on

MacCalla, Charles E. Mayer, Edward

Hawkes, Walter Graham, William

Hollis,

John M.

Vanderslice, and John Magargee, for valuable assistance in the preparation of the chapter on " Secret Societies and Orders."

Among

others to

whom

acknowledgments are

especially

due may be mentioned the

late

H. Shinn, Nathaniel Tyler, Professor P. F. de Gournay, John Sartain, Samuel W. Pennypacker, Dr. W. H. Burke, Professor Oswald Seidensticker, James J. Levick, M.D., Rev. W. M. Baum, D.D., Frederick Emory, and Professor W. H. B. Thomas, Edward

Spencer, Charles

who have furnished much valuable information and assistance. The publishers have most liberally met every desire, in respect ings of portraits, maps, and other illustrations

;

they have spared no expense or effort to

the mechanical execution of the volumes equal to difficulty

while the work was in progress.

Philadelphia, March

1,

1884.

of letter-press and engrav-

its

subject,

and they have helped

make

in every

CONTENTS OF VOLUME CHAPTER Topography op Philadelphia

.

I. .

.

CHAPTER The Geological Structure, Vegetation, and Animals

.

.

.

.

III.

CHAPTER

.

CHAPTER

V.

...

CHAPTER

"William Penn

•

VI.

CHAPTER ....

VII.

CHAPTER

VIII.

"William Penn as a Law-Giver and Statesman

17

...

.

.

....

.

52

72

.77

.

87

.

CHAPTER

IX.

Pounding the Great City — Penn in Philadelphia—His Administration

CHAPTER —

94

X.

Rapid Growth of the Province and City " Asylum for the Oppressed of all Nations" Movements of William Penn, 1684-1699

—

.

.

30

61

...

of Philadelphia

...

.

IV.

Discovery and Occupation of the Hudson and Delaware Piters by the Dutch

The Planting

1

...

.

The Swedish Settlements on the Delaware

.

II.

op the Site of Philadelphia

CHAPTER The Indians

I.

113

CHAPTER XL Manners and Customs

of the Primitive Settlers

CHAPTER Penn's Administration, 1699-1701— Pennsbury

City, 1701-1750

XII.

Manor— The Proprietary Returns

CHAPTER The Quaker

129

to England.

157

XIII. 174

.

fii

———

CONTENTS OF VOLUME

viii

CHAPTER

I.

XIV.

....

Benjamin Franklin and Philadelphia

CHAPTER Local History and Growth, 1750 to 1775

Part

XVI.

Prom the Stamp

A'ct to

the Declaration of 267

CHAPTER Philadelphia during the Revolution.

243

.

.

I.

218

XV.

.

CHAPTER Philadelphia during the .Revolution. Independence

PAGE

Part

II.

XVII.

From July

1776, to

4,

the End op the British

Occupation

322

CHAPTER Philadelphia during the Revolution. Part Declaration of Peace, Jan. 22, 1784

XVIII. Prom the American Reoccupation to the

III.

.

.

CHAPTER Growth

.

22, 1784,

to the Passage of the

1794

.

CHAPTER

433

.

XX.

Philadelphia from 1794 to the Close of the Century

CHAPTER

CHAPTER War

From the Treaty

of

Ghent

to the Close of the

476

.

50"

.

530

XXII.

of 1812-15

CHAPTER

.

XXI.

First Years of the Nineteenth Century to the Trial of the Embargo Act in 1807

From the Embargo to the Close of the

386

XIX.

of Philadelphia from the Declaration of Peace, Jan.

Embargo Laws of

....

.

.

.

XXIII.

Quarter-Century

.

.

580

.

CHAPTER XXIV. Progress from 1825 to the Consolidation, in

1854, of the various Corporations, Boroughs, and other Municipal Bodies, which now in their united form constitute the City of Philadelphia

Districts,

...

.

617

CHAPTER XXV. From the Year

of Consolidation, 1854, to

the Beginning of the Civil

War

.

.

716

CHAPTER XXVI. The Civil

War

'

.

.

....

.

735

.

CHAPTER XXVII. Philadelphia after the Civil

War

....

.

.

833

ILLUSTRATIONS OF VOLUME

....

page

......

458

PAGE

Almshouse, Friends' Old

191

Franklin at the Age of Twenty

Andre, Major J

381

Franklin, Benjamin

Arms

op

Penn

80

Arnold, Gen. Benedict Association

Battery

389 .

.

.

.

.

.215

Franklin's Birthplace

I.

220

219

Franklin's Certificate as Member of Assembly, and Receipt for Salary

240

Franklin's Grave

459

Govern-

Franklin's Press

229

ment, and Speakers of Assembly, from 1682 to

Gallatin, Albert

Autographs of Governors, Deputy Governors, Presidents of

Councils, Assistants in the

128

1700

Autographs of Penn and Attesting Witnesses

to

Germantown Academy

.......

580 255

Girard, Stephen

the

630

Ill

Girard's Dwelling and Counting- House in 1831

Bank Meeting-House

121

Goddard, William

285

Barry, John

304

Gordon, Patrick

178

234

Great Seal of Pennsylvania

Charter of 1682

Bartram's House Biddle, Capt. James

Bouquet,

.......

Henry

British Barracks British Stamp

....

.

Cadwalader, John Caricature of Coebett

.

Carpenters' Hall

.

.

.

... ...

.

Chestnut Street in 1803

Chew, Benjamin

... ...

.... .

Chew Mansion Clarke's Hall and Dock Creek Continental Currency

.

Cooper's Prospect

.

252

Head-Dress for the Meschianza

253

Henry, Alexander

271

Holme's

295

Court-House, Town Hall, and

Market

in 1710

Map

Horticultural Hall

511

House where Jefferson wrote the Declaration of

345

356

Independence Hudson,

320

Henry

336

Independence Hall

.

.

831

Indian Autographs

.

.

187

Kane, Dr. Elisha

322

...

K

De

60

Letitia House

41

Lindstrom's

Dickinson, John

276

Lindstrom's

Duche, Rev. Jacob

291

Logan, James

....

.

.

of

......

522

MAcrnERSON Blue,

227

Main Centennial Exhibition Building

391

Map

Fort Casimir or Trinity Fort 'Fort Wilson," Residence of Jajies Wilson

70 .

.

401

of

Delaware Bay and River Col.

73

282 845

A

494

....

Market-House (Second and Pine Streets) McLane,

177

161

Evans' Steam Carriage

....

39

725

74

.

Machinery Hall

"Weekly Mercury"

318

Delaware Bay and River New Sweden on the Delaware.

London Coffee-House

Ferguson, Mrs. Elizabeth

... ...

109

of

521

Fac-Simile of

.

609

292

.

.

.

Evans, Oliver

Duche's, Rev. Jacob, House

245

in 1778

Lafayette Arch

Map Map

53

...

.

Independence Hall in 1876 (Interior)

.

.

96

847

.

Keith, Governor Sir William

.

108

...

290

49

.

380

and Surrounding Ter-

ritory

43

.

122

....

Holme's Portraiture of Philadelphia

Delaware Indian Family Delaware Indian Fort Diagram of Indian House

Obverse and

803

of Philadelphia

Independence Bell

Vries, David Pietersen

1712,

498

frontispiece

Cooper Shop Volunteer Refreshment Saloon

in

Reverse

.181

....... .

557

631

.

.

.

.

.

Allen

841 71

213 375

ix

ILLUSTKATIONS OF VOLUME

I.

page

Meade, Gen. George G

PAGE

812

Plat of Operations on the Delaware

306

102

Poor Richard Almanac, 1733, Title-Page op

237

Memorial Hall

844

President's Chair, and the Desk upon which

Meschianza Procession

379

Meschianza Ticket

378

Provincial Currency

Miles, Gen. Samdel

308

Reed, Joseph

280 106

277

Meeting-Place of the Piest Assembly at Upland

.

Declaration of Independence was Signed

....

......

.

317

.

197

.

279

Residence of Lord Howe

.

351

RlTTENHOUSE, DAVID

.

263

rlttenhouse observatory at norriton

.

261

Sanitary Fair Building

.

815

278

Schuylkill Club Emblem

.

233

Mount Pleasant

390

Scull & Heap's

Mud

361

Seal of Philadelphia

in 1683

321

Seal of Philadelphia

in 1701

Mifflin, Thomas

Monument

to

mark the

Site of the T:reaty-Thee

Morris, Robert

"Morris House" (Samuel ington's Residence in

B. Morris'

House,

Germantown

Wash-

in 1793)

Island in 1777

Nixon, John

Map

of Philadelphia in 1750

Second Street north from

Oath and Signatures of Governor Markham 's Council in 1681

....

94

Edward

Mayor)

(First

Shippen,

425

Slate-Roof House

Paine, Thomas

309

Slave Advertisements

Paoli Monument

349

State-House in 1744

Patterson, Gen. Robert

755

Stewart, Capt. Charles

258

Stone Prison

Oswald, Col.

Eleazer

Penn, John

1800

Shee, John

338

Oath of Allegiance

Market about

Penn, William

77

St. Augustine's

Penn's Burial-Place

82

St. Clair,

.

.... ....

.

14

.

Ill

.

173

.

511

.

307

.

158

.

147

200, 256 .

207 748 202

Catholic Church

.

Gen. Arthur

667

437

Penn's Brew-House

153

Stuart, George H.

Penn's Clock

163

Stuyvesant, Governor Peter

Penn's Treaty-Tree in 1800

104

susquehannah indian

Pennsylvania Hall

651

Thomson, Charles

274

Pennsylvania Journal

2S1

Thomson's, Charles, Residence

275

Philadelphia Arcade

618

Title-Page of Frame's Poem

223

Philadelphia Bank

536

Unite or Die

303

Pillory

201

Walnut Street Prison

.

.

.

.

Plan of Fort Mifflin

.

.

Plan of the Battle of Germantown Plan of the Town and Fort of Christiana Plat of Approaches to Germantown

.

68

33

....

267

Washington's Headquarters at Valley Forge

369

360

Washington Guards

563

363

Welsh, Hon. John

354

Wharton Mansion

Plan of British Fortifications around Philadelphia in 1777

830

64

353

.... .... ....

842 377

Whitefield, George

238

Willing, Thomas

276

HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA. CHAPTER

actual living frame from inanimate remains, giving

I.

accurately all the details of race, age, sex, complexion, frame, general conformation, and individual peculi-

TOPOGRAPHY OF PHILADELPHIA. " Pulchra duos inter sita Stat Philadelphia rivos

but to show also with firm and irrefutable demonstration what was the lesion under which the vital powers were extinguished, what organs were arity,

;

Inter quos duo aunt

niillia longa via. Delawar hie major, Sculkil minor ille vocatur; India et Suevi6 notus uterque diu. JEdibus oruatur multis urbs limite longo,

Quse parva emicuit tempore

magna

in dissolution.

Hie plateas mensor spatiis delineat acquis, Kt dotnui recto est ordine juncta domus." Thomas Makin, In laiides Pen-nstjlvaniif jwnrn,

—

HlSTOKY,

as

men have come

to learn,

and queens, of

is

1729.

not simply

and parties, nor must it rest with recording the hattles and movements of armies and the proceedings of parliaments and assemblies. To satisfy intelligent inquiry, the annals of kings

and how their disorder came to be climaxed An era or an epoch is as the life of a man, and must be studied with the aid of the scalpel and the microscope. In no other way can an accurate and vivid reproduction of the past be effected. Esaffected,

brevi.

factions

pecially should the historian avoid interpreting a past

age by the feelings, sentiments, and experiences of the He must, as nearly as possible, assimilate

present.

himself to the times and the men he is describing, analyze their shortcomings and prejudices in the same

should present a pic-

atmosphere and light that engendered them, and

and show how external circumstances and internal relations have reciprocally acted one upon the other to mould character and determine events. The court, the forum,

enter into the period as if he belonged to it. Thus, as Taine has acutely said, " through reflection, study,

to instruct as well as

amuse,

it

ture of the country and the people,

the public assemblage are not to be neglected, but the full history

of a country or a period cannot be written

until we have accompanied the people to their firesides,

and seen how they lived, ate, dressed, thought, spoke, and looked. The historian should be an artist, full of sincerity, full of imagination, and even a degree of sentiment for his work, but that work must be founded in the first instance upon close, accurate, exhaustive study of the age, the men, the manners and customs, and all the private concerns, as well as the public performances of the community which is dealt with.

which

is

In the pursuit of such inquiries nothing

relevant can be trivial, for history resembles

which must be so conducted as to enable us not only to reconstruct an a post-mortem examination,

Note.

—The author wishes to state in advance that not only the present

chapter, but

much

of all that succeeds

it,

has been prepared in associa-

and habit we succeed by degrees in producing sentiments in our minds of which we were at first unconscious we find that another man in another age necessarily felt differently from ourselves we enter into his views and then into his tastes, and as we place ourselves at his point of view we comprehend him, and in comprehending him find ourselves a little less ;

;

superficial."

The historian who holds this opinion of his duty and his task must always look with peculiar pleasure upon all that concerns the birth, growth, and development of cities, for it is in these congregated and crowded communities that man is seen working at most freedom from the restrictions and limitations of nature and evolving the greatest results from that complex and co-operative force which we call society. Civilization itself is the product of civic and social life, and depends for its continuance upon the maintenance of society in a healthy civic condition. The city is the fountain of progress it is the type, how;

tion with

Thompson Westcott, and with the indispensable

aid of his

manuscripts, his collections of material, his researches, and his extensive publications on the subject of the history of Philadelphia.

He has

to the faithful, industrious, and intelligent pursuit of few records have escaped him, and he has supplemented their evidence with recollections of a trustworthy character and testimony from a thousand sources, such as none but the most indefatigable antiquarian would seek or could procure access to. Such aid, such cheer-

devoted a lifetime this history;

such fruitful products of untiringindustry in special investigation cannot fail to make the present work luminous in respect of that intimate local information and those obscure but essential par-

ful co-operation,

ticulars into 1

which

so

few

histories descend.

ever,

and exemplar of the

State,

though often

its fore-

runner.

The city of Philadelphia must always be an object of particular and inexhaustible interest to the student of American history and American institutions. Pecu-

—

and initial institutions, a city which was made and did not spring spontaneously from the

liar in its origin

concurrence of circumstances and surroundings,— it yet took its place at a very early day as the focus of 1

—

—

HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA. American tendencies and aspirations, and became the centre and the birthplace of the United States as an independent Commonwealth. In the military and in

tion of country. The Delaware empties at a distance below into a wide bay, but the Schuylkill has a true delta, comprising several mouths. When the Swedes

the political history of this nation Philadelphia occu-

came upon the spot these outlets were still more numerous than now, and it has been conjectured, not without probability, that in some prehistoric period some one of the main debouches of the stream was from Fairmount, or some point between that and the

an asylum of peace and the home of pacific industry, but it became not only the sport and the prey of contending armies, but the arsenal of the war-making power of the continent during seven years of eager and fluctuating contest. The greatest of deliberations were pies the foremost place.

It

was founded

as

carried forward to national conclusions within

and from

its

ven-

were derived those impulses to sublime action which attain even grander proportions as they recede in the vista of time. Here, too, American industry was first fostered in a peculiarly national and American way, until a continental policy grew out of local practice and the successes which attended local experiment. Philadelphia has besides a history of its own, which catches in a pecuerated walls,

liar

manner the

it

as a centre

light of the genius

In

loci.

many

spects of constitution, institutions, municipal rule

law, construction, manners

and customs,

re-

and

dissimi-

it is

from other cities and possesses a physiognomy all its own. It is the aim of the present work to give the history of Philadelphia with accuracy and intelligence, omitting nothing that will contribute in any

lar

degree to illustrate

importance, and

its

its

origin

and growth,

its

peculiar local features,

a portrait of the city as it

was and

as it

national

—

is,

to paint

in

which

every lineament shall be truthfully portrayed and life and vigor enough to make its acknowledged by all. If these objects can be attained by zeal, sincerity, and faithful, patient, and exhaustive research, the author has no fear of the reception which awaits his formidable undertaking.

represented with fidelity

"Philadelphia," says the worthy Dr. James Mease, "Picture" of the city, published in 1811, "lies

in his

on a plain nearly

level,

and on the western bank of

the river Delaware, in 39 degrees 57 minutes of north latitude, and 75 degrees 8 minutes of longitude west of London.

It

is

about one hundred and twenty miles

distant from the ocean by the course of the river, and sixty in a direct line

;

its

mark ranges from two

elevation above low-water

to forty-six feet, the highest

part being between Seventh and Eighth Streets from

This topographical description

Schuylkill."

is

not,

however, so accurate as that of Mr. Makin, the learned schoolmaster, quoted at the head of this chapter, and

which his successor, Proud, the historian, has rendered into stanzas after the style of Alexander Pope, " Fair Philadelphia

Betwixt two

and

so on.

This

is

next

is

rivei'B plac'd,

rising seen,

two miles between,"

not precisely what Mr. Makin says,

but it will serve. The peculiarity of the site proceeds from the fact that the city, placed upon the western side of one great river, lies almost immediately upon the delta of another stream not so large, yet of considerable length and volume, and draining a wide sec-

first

Falls of the Schuylkill, eastward across to the Dela-

ware at or about Kensington, by the beds of the strea ms, creeks, and coves now or formerly known by the names of Frankford, Cohocksink, Pegg's Run, Gunner's Run, etc. 1 If this were the case really, Philadelphia would properly be described, so far as the original city is concerned, as occupying the upper part of an island in the delta of the Schuylkill, where its several mouths empty into the Delaware. The range of hills and mountains in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania is invariably from northeast to southwest.

The streams of

these sec-

on the other hand, flow in a general course from northwest to southeast. They are thus forced to cut through the ranges transversely in their course to the sea. What the Potomac does at Har-

tions,

per's Ferry and Point of Rocks and the Susquehanna between Harrisburg and Port Deposit, the Delaware

repeats at the "

Water-Gap" and the Schuylkill

at

Fairmount. The Potomac, in bursting through the South Mountain of Maryland and Virginia, needed In the same the waters of the Shenandoah to aid it. way the Schuylkill is reinforced by the Wissahiccon

The it cuts through the Fairmount barriers. Delaware and the Susquehanna neither of them have risen as far west as the loftier and broader breastworks of the Alleghanies, their upper streams passing to the eastward of these ranges and descending almost on north and south parallel courses from the neighborhood of the noble table-lands of central New York, where the flattening out of the mountains has enabled an easy artificial stream for commerce to be constructed from the great lakes to the Hudson River. before

The Schuylkill

rises in the eastern foot-hills

mountains, and, fed by

many small

of these

streams and forest

makes a tortuous way through an uneven counDelaware, with which it mingles by mouths so obscure and insignificant that the Dutch called it " hidden river," and the early Swede cartography confounded it with the minor coves and creeks which indent the western bank of the Delaware in so many places from the Horekill to the Neshaminy. Leaving

rills,

try to the

the rity,1706, the approach of Falls' Eun to the head which flows into Frankford Creek, and the ponds nnd hollows stretching across on the line of Pegg's Run, are marked iu such relief as to give a topographical plausibility to this Idea. A canal was at that time cut across part of the peninsulain such away as toshowadesign l

On

Hill's

map of

of Wingohocking,

to unite the

two

rivers at that point.

An

original cut-off of the Schuyl-

account for this insignificance of the river's mouth where it actually and finally empties into the Delaware. The assumption that there was such a cut-off, however, must be left where it belongs,

kill at the Falls -would

in the

domain of pure conjecture.

,

TOPOGKAPHY. out the it is

strictly alluvial country,

we may assume

delphia County to consist of gentle ranges of hills running from northeast to southwest, separated by valleys or low plains, and cut transversely by numerous streams flowing from northwest to east and southeast, except where the water-shed deflects them into the Schuylkill, in which case their course is from a little east of north to a point or two west of south.

This of course are

many

shown

is

the general description only.

There

exceptions, the character of which will be

farther on.

Each of these streams, cutting

through the ranges of high ground, had its own conterminous valley, and these valleys interrupted and

broke up the

blufl's

bordering on the Delaware, which

These bluffs, must be remarked, on the Delaware side had the

otherwise would have been continuous. it

The

that

the general topographical characteristic of Phila-

true characteristics of river dykes or levees, the result,

from the Atlantic Ocean, 125

city is 96 miles

miles in a direct line northeast of Washington, and

85 miles southwest of New York. north-northeast,

miles

;

is

Its greatest

length

22 miles; breadth, from 5 to 10

area, 82,603 acres, or 129.4 square miles.

surface between the rivers

The

Delaware and Schuylkill

varies in elevation from 30 to 300 feet, the alluvial

however, having originally no actual relief above the line of high tide, while in the district west of the Schuylkill the face of the country is undulating to a degree which is almost rugged in contour and romantic in aspect. The valley of the Wissahiccon and the reservations made for Fairmount Park have long been celebrated for their effective scenery and the fine composition of forest and stream, rocky flats,

deep vales, and wild ravines. Penn's original city was laid off in the narrowest part of the peninsula between the Delaware and the

hillsides;

— the

in part at least, of glacial action.

They rested upon and were higher than the land back of them, so that the original ground upon which Philadelphia stands did not drain to the river directly, but backwards to the smaller streams, which broke through the dyke at intervals. In the tide-washed flat lands near the debouch of the Schuylkill the minor streams originally flowed indifferently between the Delaware and the Schuylkill, with openings into both rivers, like canals. When there was a freshet in the Delaware that river must have overflowed by Hollandaer's Kyi and half a dozen more such estuaries into the

Schuylkill Rivers,

gravel,

regular-shaped urn or vase, so to speak,

Schuylkill.

Delaware and the Schuylkill on Market Street was 10,922 feet 5 inches (2^^ miles). The distance from north side of Vine Street to south side of Cedar (or South) Street was 5370 feet 8 inches, being 90 feet 8 inches over one mile. Excluding the width of streets the space was divided thus From Cedar to

The true latitude and longitude of Philadelphia we give from a compilation made by Prof. B. A. Gould for one of the numbers of "The American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac." The data are determined for the observatories in each case (Independence Hall being here taken) Philadelphia, N. Latitude, 39° 57' 7.5"- (MS. communication from Prof. Kendall) Longitude E. from Washington (U. S. Coast Survey)

which

thus formed,

is

belt of the

—and

ir-

^f::;:;: