USA > Pennsylvania > A gazetteer of the state of Pennsylvania : a part first, contains a general description of the state, its situation and extent, general geological construction, canals, and rail-roads, bridges, revenue, expenditures, public debt, &c. &c. ; part second, embraces ample descriptions of its counties, towns, cities, villages, mountains, lakes, rivers, creeks, &c. alphabetically arranged > Part 64
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'The Philadelphia society for pro- moting agriculture, was instituted in 1785. It holds stated meetings at its rooms in the philosophical hall, where it has a cabinet and library. It for sometime published many communi- cations in the newspapers ; but of late years, its labors have been communi- cated in octavo vols., five of which have already been published. It has been highly serviceable in the promo- tion of agriculture and improving the breed of cattle.
The musical fund society was in- corporated in 1823, with the design of
families, and the cultivation of the art of music. Its hall will accommodate 1000 persons. The society includes 50 professors of the first eminence, and 300 amateur members.
Literary Journals. Four are pub- lished quarterly, viz. American Quar- terly Review, American Journal of the Medical Sciences, the N. Ameri- can Medical and Surgical Journal, the Biblical Repository and Theological Review .- Seven monthly, viz. the Protestant Episcopalian and the Ch. Register, the Museum of Foreign Lite- rature and Science, the Lady's Book, the Casket, American Sunday School Magazine, the Christian Advocate & the Reformer. There are also several weekly journals of less note.
There are at present printed in Philadelphia, 7 daily newspapers, four morning and three evening. The American Daily Advertiser, the Uni- ted States Gazette, the American Sen- tinel, and the Pa. Inquirer, (morning). The Phil. Gazette, the National Ga- zette, the Daily Chronicle, (evening). At each of the offices of these papers, except those of the American Daily Advertiser, and the Daily Chronicle, there are published weekly, semi- weekly, or tri-weekly papers, con- taining the principal articles in the daily newspapers, without the adver- tisements. The Philadelphia price current is published twice a week ; the Saturday Evening Post, Saturday Evening Bulletin, Mechanic's Free Press, Columbian Star, Philadelphian, Pennsylvania Register, the Friend, Philadelphia Recorder, Album, Phila. Souvenir, weekly. The Ariel is issued semi-monthly, and the Advocate of Peace and Independent Balance, occasionally.
Institutions for education. The most important of these is the University of Pennsylvania, which occupied, until lately, the building erected by the state, with the view of presenting it to General Washington. He having declined to accept it, it was purchased by the trustces of the university, in
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1798 ; and was torn down in 1829, and two more appropriate edifices have been erected for scholastic pur- poses upon the site. This institution originated in an academy and charity school, in 1750, which was chartered and endowed with lands and money from the proprietaries in 1753. In 1779 the legislature gave it a new charter erecting it into a university, placing it under the direction of a new board of trustees, and made libe- here annually.
ral provision for its support. The first provost of the college was at the same time removed, and the Rev. Dr. John Ewing was appointed. These proceedings were dissatisfactory to the friends of the old college, and upon their frequent petitions, the legislature in 1789 re-established the college. But the inconvenience of two similar institutions in the same city being soon felt, they were finally united in 1791, under the title of " the univer- sity of Pennsylvania."
The university has a department of arts in which there are at present 4 professorships ; one of moral philos- ophy, one of mathematics, one of natural philosophy and chemistry, and one of the languages. There are 3 classes, the senior, the junior, and the sophomore. A department of medicine, whose school, the most ancient in the U. S., is not surpassed in usefulness and reputation by any in the world. The first lectures were delivered here in 1765, by Dr. John Morgan, on the theory and practice of medicine. In the following year, Dr. Wm. Shippen delivered lectures on anatomy, surge- ry and midwifery. The students are now annually between 4 and 500. A foundation of six gratuitous student. ships has been established. The ana- tomical museum, founded by the late Dr. Casper Wistar, is extensive and valuable. There is a department of law, and also of natural science, but their chairs are unfilled.
The Jefferson medical school was instituted in Philadelphia in 1825, under the charter of Jefferson college, at Canonsburg, Washington co., and
was empowered by the legislature to confer the usual degrees in medicine. It possesses a commodious house, built expressly for its use, has been tolera- bly supported, and has a high and growing reputation. A liberal bene- fice foundation in the college, bestows annually a gratuitous course of lec- tures on 10 students. Its anatomical cabinet is also valuable. From 100 to 150 students attend the lectures
The law academy was established in 1821, under the auspices of an in- corporated society, composed of judges and members of the bar, denominated " the society for the promotion of legal knowledge, and forensic eloquence." The academy has about 50 students, besides honorary members. Forensic exercises are held once a week, under the direction of the provost and vice provosís. It is contemplated at some future day, to erect chairs of the va- rious branches of jurisprudence, and to annex the institution to the univer- sity of Pennsylvania.
The academy of the Protestant Episcopal church in the city of Phila- delphiia, was incorporated and endow- ed 29th March, 1787. Its funds have been increased by a liberal bequest of Andrew Doz, and of the late Mr. John Keble. The funds of this institution are exclusively devoted to procure for youth gratuitous education.
The Friends' school was the first institution incorporated for promoting literature in Pennsylvania. The char- ter was granted by Wm. Penn, in 1697, to " the overseers of the schools." This body consists of 15 persons, who have under their care 14 schools, in different parts of Philadelphia. In the school house on Fourth, below Chestnut st., the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, Mathematics and Philosophy are taught. Lectures on Botany, Mineralogy, and various branches of science are delivered here. It has an observatory, with some valuable astronomical and philo- sophieal instruments, and a library, containing some rare works.
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Public schools for the instruction of ||casterian system of education, or that the poor, have been established on the most beneficial footing. Various at- tempts had been made by the legisla- ture to give effect to the 7th article of the constitution, which directs " that the legislature shall, as soon as con- veniently may be, provide by law, for the establishment of schools through- out the state, in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis," but unfor- tunately, they proved inefficient, until the enactment of the law of 3d March, 1818, and its supplements. These erect the city and county of Philadel- phia into a district, denominated " the first school district of the state of Pennsylvania." The district is divi. ded into sections, of which the city of Philadelphia is the first ; the Northern Liberties and Kensington, the second ; Southwark and Moyamensing, the third ; and Penn t-ship the fourth. Over these a peculiar system is estab- lished. A number of directors is an- nually appointed for each section re- spectively, by the corporation of the district in which it is located, who re- ceive no compensation, but are exemp- ted from serving as jurors, abitrators, overseers of the poor, or managers of the alms house, and, except in time of war, from militia duty. From these directors, " the controllers of the pub- lic schools for the city and county of Philadelphia," are elected ; and that board at present consists of 9 mem- bers. It is their duty to determine the number of schools in each section ; to prescribe suitable forms of instruc- tion ; to superintend such schools, to fix the expense of conducting them, and to draw on the county treasurer therefor. Their proceedings are an- mually published, and their accounts examined and settled by the auditors of the county. The several boards of directors, are required to establish the schools determined by the con. trollers, to appoint teachers, to provide all things necessary for conducting the schools, and to have the particu- lar care and management of the same, in their respective stations. The Lan-
of mutual instruction in its most im- proved form, is prescribed by law for these schools ; and a model school on this system has been established. Indigent children, boys between the ages of 6 and 14, and girls between the ages of 5 and 13, approved by the controllers or directors, as the case may be, are admitted into the schools, where are taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and the geography of the U. States ; and the girls are instructed in sewing and knitting. Ten schools have been established in the city and district, at which 4657 pupils were educated during the year ending Feb. |1831, at an expense, including fuel and books, of $18,150 28, and during the same period, $5374 43 were expend- ed for school furniture and real estate, for further accommodation of the schools.
The residue of the county, compri- sing the country districts, is divided into 4 sections, and classed as follows ; the t-ships of Oxford, Lower Dublin, Byberry and Moreland, make the 5th section ; the t-ships of Germantown, Bristol and Roxborough, the 6th ; the t-ships of Blockley and Kingsessing, the 7th ; and Passyunk, the 8th. In these sections, during the last men- tioned period, 714 pupils were at school, at an expense of $8576 04. The average expense of educating each pupil in the city and county is stated at $4 per annum.
The system allotted in the latter sections differs from that in the former. Directors are chosen for the several sections, by the court of quarter ses- sions ; under whose direction the chil- dren are sent to suitable private schools. The funds are provided by the controllers, as in the former sec- tions ; and provision is made by the law for the erection of a section or sections, for the purpose of establish- ing one or more schools upon the same terms and under the same regu- lations prescribed for the first four sections. And the power to erect a new section is given to the court of
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quarter sessions, to be exercised upon the petition of twenty respectable tax- able citizens, resident within the bounds of the proposed section.
To these schools, the Sunday schools rank next in importance. It has been ascertained that there are within the city and Liberties, beside those in other parts of the county, 125 Sunday schools, at which 14,581 scholars are taught by 1429 teachers. " The Sun- day and adult school union," was es- tablished in this city in 1816. This institution is not confined to any sect or district, but extends to the remotest parts of our country. Sixteen years only have elapsed since the formation of this institution, and the number of pupils belonging to the several schools connected with it, is estimated at 400,000, and the number of teachers at 60,000, and that of the schools at 6600, extending through every state and territory. This institution prints and circulates works which the direc- tors deem adapted to promote piety and morality, many of which are writ. ten expressly for the society. Its affairs and funds are under the direc- tion of a board, consisting of a presi- dent, vice presidents, a corresponding secretary, recording secretary, trea- surer,'and 36 managers, 24 of whom must reside in the city of Philadelphia or its vicinity. The receipts of the society for the year ending March, 1832, were $118,181 19. The ex- penditures, $117,703 31.
The Philadelphia society for the support of charity schools, originated in the voluntary meetings of a few young men, in the year 1799, for the instruction of indigent boys in the evenings. When the labors of these philanthropists became known, many others joined with them; and in 1801, they became strong enough to resolve sum of 1900 per annum.
to open a day school, at an expense of 600 or 800 dollars per annum. Ar- rangements were making to open in the autumn, when a singular circum- stance placed the institution upon a solid and permanent foundation. Mr. Christopher Ludwig, an old and re-
spectable German citizen, died in the month of June of that year, leaving the residue of his estate, estimated at $12,000, to the first association of per- sons who should be incorporated for the purpose of teaching gratis, the poor of all denominations, in the city & districts of Southwark and the Nor- thern Liberties, without respect to the country or religion of their parents or friends. When the will was published, several associations were attempted, but all gave way except this, and that of the trustees of the university, who forming themselves into a society, ap- plied for a charter. A like application was made by the Philadelphia society, which then formed a more perfect constitution, and assumed their present name. The governor (Mckean) sign- ed both charters at the same time ; and as the act of incorporation was not completed until the charter was en- rolled, it became all important to the applicants to reach Lancaster first, where the office for enrollment was then held. The trustees hired an ex- press rider, but Mr. Joseph Bennett Eves, the president of the society, be- came himself its messenger. Both left Philadelphia at 12 o'clock on the 7th September, 1801. Mr. E. reach- ed Lancaster in 7 hours, (66 ms.) ; the express gave in, after proceeding part of the way. The charter of the soci- ety is dated Sth Sept., 1801, and the society has received the legacy. Their school is in Walnut st., near 6th. Since the commencement of the establishment, near 9000 scholars have been admitted to its benefits ; and it educates annually, an average number of 400, half of which are girls. Its capital stock and real estate amount to about $36,000, producing besides the use of the schools, a nett
The Adelphi school, supported cx- clusively by the society of Friends, is situated in Cherry street, and is de- signed solely for the education of col- ored boys.
The free schools for the education of negro children, were founded by Dr.
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Bray and his associates of England. There are a boys and girls school. " The Pennsylvania society for the promotion of public schools," was es- tablished in 1828, and has already spread much information throughout the state; having furnished a number of teachers for schools on the plan of mutual instruction.
There are besides these we have mentioned, very many other, but more limited associations, for education ; among which we may name the Aim- well school society, established in 1796, for the free instruction of female children, by members of the society of Friends. The Philadelphia Union society, instituted in 1804, for similar purposes, by ladies, members of the Presbyterian church. The free schools of the United Episcopal churches, and of the German Lutherans and Calvinists. There is also a free school annexed to the university of Pennsyl- vania.
Many lectures are given on the sciences and the arts, by eminent pro- fessors; and the private academies and seminaries in which the Classics and Mathematics are taught, arc very numerous, not only in the city, but in the villages of the county. In Frank- ford, Lower Dublin, Bustleton, and Germantown, there are academies in- corporated by the state.
The following table shows the num- ber of banks in the city and county, and their respective capitals.
NAMES.
LOCATION.
| CAPITAL.
Bank of U. States, City of Philadel. $35,000,000
Bank N. America,
do.
1,000,000
Bank of Penn.
do.
2,500,090
Bank of Phila.
do.
2,000,000
Farm. & Mech. B.
do.
1,250,000
Commer. Bank,
do.
1,000,000
Mechanics Bank,a
do.
1,000,000
Schuylkill Bank,a
do.
1,000,000
Girard Bank,
do.
4,000,000
Girard Bank,b
do.
1,500,000
Bank of N. Liber. North. Liberties.
'200,000
Bk of Penn tsp.a
Penn Township.
250,000
Bank of S'hwark,
Southwark.
250,000
Kensington.
250,000
Kensington Bk,a West. Bk Phila b
City.
Man. & Mec. Bkb |North. Liberties.
MoyamensingB. b Moyamensing tsp. Germantown.
Germantown,
129,500
The bank of the U. States employs,
we believe, about seven millions of its capital in Philadelphia. The bank owned by the late Mr. Girard, is wind- ing up its affairs, and the institution authorized under the name of Girard's Bank, and those marked b, have not yet gone into operation, (May, 1832.) Those marked a, have had about half their authorized capitals paid in.
There are 9 Marine Insurance com- panics in Phila. some of which also insure against fire, viz. : Insurance Company of North America, incorpo- rated 1794. Capital, $600,000; in- sures against fire. Of Pennsylvania, incorporated 1794. Capital, $500,000. Union. Capital, $300,000. Phoenix,
incorporated 1804. Capital, $480,000. Delaware, incorporated 1804. Phila- delphia, incorporated 1804. Capital, $400,000. U. States, incorporated 1810. Capital, $200,000. Marine, incorporated 1809. Capital, $300,000. Atlantic, incorporated 1825. Capital, $300,000.
There are six companies incorpora- ted for the insurance of property against fire only. 1. The Philadel- phia Contributionship, established in 1752. All persons insuring with the society, are members during the con- tinuance of their interests, that is, whilst the premium for insurance is in deposit. 'This is commonly known as the " Hand in Hand" company, from the device on their badge. The de- posit is subject to an apportionment of loss. The profit is derived from in- terest on the capital, which consists of the aggregate amount of deposits. 2. The Mutual Insurance Company, formed in 1784, in consequence of the refusal of the former association to in- sure houses before which trees were planted. With that exception, it is constituted like the preceding onc. The profits of both companies accu- mulate, and are not divided. 3. The American Fire Insurance Company in- corporated in 1810, with a capital of $500,000. 4. Fire, Association of Philadelphia, incorporated in 1820, composed of the members of several of the engine and hose companies.
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We believe this company had origin- ally, no other capital than the credit of its members. The directors are per- sonally liable for losses arising from insurance, when they amount to more than the capital stock. The accumu- lations of the company are now, we understand, alono, sufficient gurantee for its engagements. 5. Pennsylva- nia Fire Insurance company, incorpo- rated with a perpetual charter in 1825. Capital authorized, $400,000. It makes insurance either permanent, or limited. 6. Franklin Fire Insurance company, incorporated in 1829, with perpetual charter and authority to in- crease its capital to $400,000.
The Pennsylvania company for in- surance on lives and granting annui- ties, was incorporated in 1812, with a perpetual charter and a capital of half a million of dollars. It makes all kinds of contracts in which the contingen- cies of life are involved.
The commercial institutions of Phil- adelphia under the state polity are, the wardens of the port, appointed by the governor, consisting of ono master warden and six assistants, who are em- powered to grant licenses to pilots to make rules for their government, and to decide differences between them and the owners and masters of vessels ; to direct the mooring of ships and the manner in which they shall lie, load or unload at the wharves. An appeal lics from their decision to the court of common pleas, provided it be made in six days. The several inspections of produce intended for exportation, viz. beef and pork, flour, shad, herrings, butter and lard, flaxseed, shingles, lum- ber, ground black oak bark, and do- mestic distilled spirits. The chamber of commerce consists of an association of merchants formed in the year 1801, with the design of aiding the trade of the city, by giving effect to such rules and regulations as may from time to time be established with respect to commerce, and the adjustment of mer- cantile differences between each other. The Exchange has heretofore been holden in a plain, but spacious building
Min Second street, N. and near to Wa !. nut street. But at present a building is being erected upon a very appro- priate site near the Girard bank, in style, dimensions and accommodations, more accordant with the wealth of the mercantile community, and the taste of the citizens of Philadelphia. It is the enterprize of a joint stock compa- ny, to which the late Mr. Stephen Gi- rard was a very liberal subscriber.
In speaking of the public institu- tions of Philadelphia we must not overlook those, established to guard against fires. So effectual are these, that the destruction of a building by this element rarely occurs. This im- munity from danger arises from the prohibition now co-extensive with the city bounds to erect wooden buildings, and to the ample supply of water, and the ingenious and abundant means of applying it to the extinguishment of fires. Twenty-seven fire engines and 16 hose companies have been estab- lished, principally by the youthful and enterprizing inhabitants of the city and Liberties, whose gratuitous services, distinguished for promptitude, perse- verance and intrepidity, cannot be equalled by hired laborers. The hose is a leather pipe of about 22 inches in diameter, through which the Schuyl- kill water from the hydrants is con- veyed to the fire, or to the engines om- ployed in its distribution. Of this, each hose company has about a thous- and feet, divided into sections of about 50 feet cach, connected by brazen swivel screws. And generally, the engine companies have a small quanti. ty of hose. For the introduction of this excellent invention, the city is in- debted to Robert Vaux and Reuben Haines, Esqrs.
·
The city councils usually appropri- ate $5000 to be distributed among the fire companies within the city limits.
The transition from a description of the hose companies to the water works, is from effect to cause. The water works of Philadelphia, at once the source of safety from fire, of health, and of many pure pleasures, are
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the laudable boast of her citizens. The practicability of watering the city from the Schuylkill river or from the Wissahickon creek, had long been known to the inhabitants, and did not escape the sagacity of Franklin, who bequeathed his accumulative legacy al- ready noticed, for that purpose. The first attempt was made in 1797, after a plan proposed by Mr. Latrobe, con- sisting of a reservoir on the E. bank of the Schuylkill, from which water was thrown by a steam engine into a tunnel, through which it flowed to a second engine house, to be again raised by a second steam engine into a reser- voir, from which it was distributed by pipes through the city. This work was accomplished in despite of many difficulties in January, 1801. Ten years experience, however, demon- strated this mode to be insufficient to yield a steady and adequate supply of water, and the city councils sought oth- er means to obtain it. Recourse to the Wissahickon, then proposed, was abandoned, because of the magnitude of the cost, estimated at $359,718; and it was resolved to increase the number of the engines on the Schuyl- kill, at a point above the city, and to throw the water into a reservoir 105 feet above the level of the tide. This plan too, notwithstanding the enor- mous expense of its completion and support, was soon discovered to be in- adequate. A fortunate suggestion, probably caused by the water works at Bethlehem, induced councils to re- solve on the erection of a dam and water wheels at Fair Mount. The in- terfering rights of the Schuylkill nav- igation company were obtained, on condition that the city would make the locks and canal on the W. side of the river, and the rights of the proprietors of the water power at the falls, 4 miles distant, were purchased for $150,000. On the 19th April, 1819, the work was commenced by Mr. Ariel Cooley, who contracted to make the dam, the locks and canal, the head arches to the race, and the excavation of the race from a solid rock, for $150,000.
This contract has been successfully completed. The dam, built with great judgment and in the most permanent manner, runs in a diagonal manner up stream, and when nearly over, runs the rest of the distance at a right an- gle towards the shore, so as to join the head pier of the guard lock on the western side, by which means a large overfall was created, and the rise above the dam by occasional freshets much abated. The whole length of the overfall is 1204 feet, the mound dam 270 feet, and the head arches 104 feet, making the whole extent of the dam, including the western pier, about 1600 feet, and backing the wa- ter up the river about 6 miles. The water power thus created, is calculated to raise into the reservoirs by 8 wheels and pumps, 12 millions of gallons per diem. The lowest estimate of the quantity of water afforded by the riv- er in the dry season, is 440 millions of gallons per 24 hours, and it is found by experience, that 30 gallons on the wheel, will raise 1 into the reservoir. Hence it is obvious that there is a large surplus power, which might be em- ployed in manufactures, but which the city wisely retains for future occa- sions.
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