CHAPTER XXX.

PHILADELPHIA.

Advantages of Philadelphia-Building and Loan Associations-Consolidation of the City-Topography of the City-Its Buildings-Manufactures London Coffee-House- Carpenter's Hall-State House - Independence Square-United States Mint-Eastern State Penitentiary-County Prison -Houses of Refuge - Wills Hospital-Deaf-and-Dumb Institution-Institution for the Blind-Blockley Almshouse-Wagner Institute - Polytechnic College-Franklin Institute - Guaranty Trust and Safe Deposit Company - Hotels - Masonic Temple-Academy of Natural SciencesCity Hall. - Callow-hill Street Bridge-Water-Works-Laurel Hill Cemetery -The Park.

WHA

THAT ancient Jerusalem was to the Jew, what Mecca is to the Mussulman, what Paris is to France, and Boston to New England, Philadelphia is to Pennsylvania. Hither are brought her coal, her iron, her oil, and her agricultural productions, the latter especially rendering her markets the best and richest in the Union. Here, too, are brought the products of foreign climes. Here congregate her best artists, manufacturers, merchants, jurists, statesmen, and wisest philosophers.

The laying-out of the city has already been described. The place selected by her wise Founder was well suited for the site of a great city, which was constructed upon a grand scale, in which no improvement could well be made, except that some of its streets are too narrow. Especially is this the case with Chestnut Street, the great promenade avenue of the city. Unlike Boston, where half the land on which the city is built has been rescued from the Ocean, Philadelphia had an excellent territory on which to build, and enough of it. Unlike Boston, again, where millions have been spent to straighten and widen streets, Philadelphia, having been properly laid out,

has probably never expended a thousand dollars for that purpose. Her two great streets, Broad and Market, the former running north and south, the latter east and west, were the glory and beauty of the city, which have both been marred by the erection of the new county edifice. Another of the excellences in the plan of Philadelphia consisted in reserving breathing-spaces for her population, which comprise her numerous ornamental squares, such as Rittenhouse, Independence, Franklin, Logan, and others. Under the large and shady trees which adorn these squares, her citizens find comfort and shelter from the scorching rays of the summer sun, and are fanned by gentle zephyrs.

Another advantage which Philadelphia possesses over other cities consists in her having more dwelling-houses, according to her population, than any other large city in the United State. Although her population is less than that of New York, yet her dwellings considerably outnumber those of that metropolis; and while, in that city, several families occupy the same house, in Philadelphia nearly every family has a house to itself. This happy state of things resulted from the plan adopted early in the settlement of the city, called ground-rents. The plan was this: The proprietors at first, and afterwards societies called "Building and Loan Associations," rented the land for building-lots. The person who rented the lot was to pay so much to the owner, annually, as rent-money; and, when he was able to pay for the land, he was to have it for a certain sum stipulated in the contract. Thus every individual who could raise a small amount was enabled to secure a home of his own. After the proprietary government ceased in the Province, some of the large land-owners pursued the same course. Then followed the plan of associations with the above name. They were not, however, building associations in any respect, as they erected no houses, but simply loaned money. They have been well termed "Banks without vaults, moneyed concerns without expensive buildings or highly-paid officers; and no stockholders, aside from depositors, stand ready to devour the lion's share of the profits. There is no great fund of money to tempt the thieving president, or the burglars, his brothers.

A two hundred dollar safe will hold the company's assets and books; and a slender bank-account represents the capital." Each depositor becomes a shareholder by paying one dollar a month. The association becomes virtually to them a kind of savings bank, in which they place entire confidence. The middling class of people, both men and women, become shareholders in these associations. The money thus paid in monthly by the depositors is freely offered to the highest bidder, whether man or woman. Any member can borrow on his share, if he has been connected with the association but a single month. The system is carried on with great simplicity. Vast numbers of the houses that line the streets of Philadelphia have been erected by people of small means, through the instrumentality of these associations. This plan has generally worked well, and contributed largely to the comfort and health of the citizens of Philadelphia. In these days of extravagance and failure, when thieves creep into all bodies, occasionally one of these associations, through mismanagement, has become bankrupt; but, in the main, they have been safe and successful.

Philadelphia, as above described, steadily increased in growth until the limits fixed in the original charter had been overleaped, and the portions of country beyond filled with beautiful residences. Soon these became separate municipalities, possessed of regular charters, and entitled to all the rights and privileges of the original city, which was bounded on the north by Vine Street, and on the south by South Street, reaching from river to river. One of these new cities was on the south, divided from old Philadelphia by South Street; others on the north again, separated from the old city by Vine Street. This was unfortunate for all these cities, and led to many difficulties, mobs, and fightings, as the law-breakers in one city had only to cross a street into the next, when they became beyond the reach of the police of the municipality where the offence was committed. These quarrels prevailed especially among the firemen of the different cities, and gave an unenviable reputation to Philadelphia, especially abroad, as being a disorderly and mobocratic city.

These evils were remedied by Act of the Assembly, Jan. 1,

1854, which extended the boundaries of the city, so that they embraced all the other cities, suburbs, and districts in the county of Philadelphia. The present city extends from Darby Creek to Poquesink Creek, and is bounded on the north-east by Bucks County, on the north-west by Montgomery County, and on the south-west by Delaware County. The territory included within these boundaries comprises one hundred and twentynine and one-eighth square miles, or about eighty-three thousand square acres. It is twenty-three and a half miles in length; and its average breadth is about five and a half miles. Many creeks flow from it into the large rivers, as Pennypack, Poquesink, Frankford, Darby, Cobbs, and Wissahickon. Respecting the beautiful scenery and original inhabitants upon the latter, novelists have given us a number of romances. These streams afford much water-power, which has been utilized by many industrial establishments. The topography of the city is much diversified. The southern portions are nearly level, while the northern abound in hills and dales. The population of the city in 1780 was but thirty thousand, and it is now estimated at over eight hundred thousand. The assessed valuation of taxable property is more than six hundred million dollars, affording more than ten million dollars annual income. Its paved streets would reach more than six hundred miles in a straight line, and are lighted by ten thousand lamps, and underlaid by one thousand miles of gas and water mains.

To a stranger arriving in Philadelphia, the buildings present a very peculiar and unique appearance. His first idea would be, that they are magnificent and splendid police-stations, or miniature prisons. They are chiefly marble fronts, or of pressed brick, especially up to the second story, with marble steps. The windows have strong, heavy wooden shutters painted white, which are so constructed as to be securely barred on the inside. Thus the peculiarity of the exterior is more than compensated by the safety and protection afforded to the inmates against burglars and robbers. No city in the Union opposes such substantial barriers to the nightly depredations of these light-fingered and gentlemanly assassins as does Philadelphia. A short stay in the city convinces a stranger,