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urned shortly to the eastward; when that barrier was partially de stroyed the river flowed down its present course to the present Fairmount works, or thereabouts, where it turned shortly to the eastward again, in consequence of a great barrier there-being the great Fairmount, then extending in elevation quite across Schuylkill; he thinks the identity of strata on both sides proves this former union. Until it was broken away, the Schuylkill then run out by Pegg's

run.'

Such was the yielding character of the mud soil on the western side of Second street, where Sansom's row is built, that, to keep the houses from falling by the sinking of their western walls, they had to rebuild several of those walls, and to others to put back-houses as buttresses. To keep their cellars dry they dug wells of 28 feet depth before coming to sand. They went through considerable depth of turf filled with fibrous plants. Mr. Grove, the mason who saw this, told me he actually saw it dried and burnt. When they first came to the sand there was no water, but by piercing it the depth of the spade water spouted up freely, and filled the wells considerably.

The same Mr. Grove also told me that in digging at the rear of Thatcher's houses on Front below Noble street, all of which is madeground redeemed from the invasion of the river into Pegg's marsh, they came at 28 feet depth to an oak log of 18 inches diameter, laying quite across the well.

To these subterrane discoveries we might add that of a sword, dug out of Pegg's run at the depth of 18 feet, resting on a sandy foundation. It was discovered on the occasion of digging the foundation for the Second street bridge. Daniel Williams was at that time the commissioner for the superintendence, and was said to have given it to the City Library. This singular fact was told to me by Thomas Bradford and Col. A. J. Morris, and others, who had it so direct as to rely upon it. On inquiry made for the cause, a blacksmith in the neighbourhood said his father had said a Bermudian sloop had once wintered near there, although the stream since would scarcely float a board.

SPECIMENS OF THE BEST HOUSES.

As the style of former architecture in its best character is passing away, I have herein endeavoured to notice a few of the last remains of the former age, to wit:

Hill's Map of Philadelphia certainly shows both of the water courses as nearly united. The mill of Naglee, at Front street and Cohocksine swamp, has never dug its well quite through the mud deposit, although very deep.

Two large houses on the south side of Walnut street, a little west of Third street, originally built for Mr. Stiles.

One of the excellent houses of the olden time was the large house on the north-east corner of Union and Second streets, built for William Griffith, who dwelt there at the same time; it was then sold to Archibald M'Call-it had once a fine large garden extending along Union street. At that house General Gage used to make his

home and have his guard, he being related to M'Call's wife.

The house at the north-west corner of Second and Pine streets, built about 75 years ago for Judge Coleman, was a grand building at that time; it having a five window front on Second street, a great high portico and pediment, a fine front on Pine street, and a large garden along the same street. It is now altered into several stores

and dwellings.

There were two fine houses on the site of the present Congress Hall Hotel, opposite to the Bank of the United States; the one next to the Farmers and Mechanics' Bank was built for and occupied by John Ross, a lawyer. The bank was the residence of John Lawrence, and when the British possessed Philadelphia, was the house of Adiniral Howe.

The present Gibbs' house, on the north-east corner of Fourth and Arch streets, was a very large and superior house, having a long range of windows on Fourth street.

'The house at the north-west corner of Vine and Third streets, owned and dwelt in by Kinneer, presenting a great array of windows on Vine street, was long deemed the nonpareil of that end of the town. It is now down and a bank occupies its place.

Markoe's house, south side of High street between Ninth and Tenth streets, was when built called "the house next to Schuylkill," in reference to its being so far out of town. It was of double front, is now standing, and altered into stores. It had a whole square of meadow about it. It was remarkable for being the first house with marble lintels over the windows, and for that cause was visited by hundreds every sabbath, as a wonder of unusual grandeur; now it is Lut a common house.

Edward Pennington's great house at the north-west corner of Crown and Race streets, was one of the most respectable and most substantial of its day-built for Edward Pennington about the year 1760. When erected, it was so far out of town, as to have the chief of its adjacent fences of plain post and rails;-and being on the most elevated part of the town-which gave rise to the name of Crown street, as the crowning or topmost elevation, it was a very conspicuous object, from the closer built parts of the then city;-it having also, before it, a descending green bank along the southern side of Race street, falling into low wet meadows-down the western side of Fourth street, until it reached the head of Dock creek, then terminating near the corner of Fourth and High streets.

The house and grounds were erected out of the funds accruing

from the Pennington estate in Goodnestone manor, in Kent in Engand, formerly belonging to Isaac Pennington, a distinguished preacher and writer among the early Friends in England. The same who was also father-in-law to William Penn.

During the war of the Revolution, this house was the residence of Colonel Johnson of the 28th regiment, the same officer who afterwards commanded at Stony Point, when it was surprised and taken hy Gen. Wayne,--as his conqueror.

RARE OLD HOUSES.

THE only house of size now in Philadelphia with gable end front on the street, is to be seen at the south-west corner of Front street and Norris' alley. It formerly had a balcony and door at its second story, and its windows in leaden frames; one of which still remains on the alley side of the house. It is a very ancient house. It was, in the year 1725, the property and home of Samuel Mickle, the same unnamed gentleman who talked so discouragingly to Benjamin Franklin when he first proposed to set up a second printing office in the city.

The house on the west side of Front street, second door north of Walnut street, pulled down a few years ago, was remarkable for having in its foundation a large brick on which was scratched before burning "This is the sixth house built in Philadelphia."

A house of Dutch style of construction, with double hipped roof, used to stand, with gable end to Second street, on the south side of the Christ church wall. It was but one and a half story high, built of brick. In the year 1806 it was pulled down, to build up the present three story house there. In the ancient house they found a big brick inscribed "I. G. S. founded 1695." This is now conspicuously preserved in the chimney of the new house, and visible from the street. In the rear of the same new house is preserved a small section of the primitive old wall.

A very ancient house of two stories and double front used to be occupied, in Front street below Chestnut street, on the bank side, by Dorsey, as an auction and dwelling. An ancient lady pointed it out to Mrs. Logan, as a place in which the Assembly of the Colony bad held their session.

The north-east corner of Front and Walnut street, till a few years ago, had a curiously formed one and a half story brick house, having a double hipped roof.

The houses on the west side of Water street, north of Carpenters'

stairs, vis-a-vis Norris' alley, present the oldest appearance of any now remaining of the original bank houses.

There were two ancient and singular looking houses on the north side of Chestnut street, back from the street, where Girard has now built a new range of three houses, near to Fifth street. They were marked 1703, and at an early period was the residence of Mr. Duché, who had a pottery connected with it.

At the north-east corner of Vine and Second streets there stood, about 45 years ago, a large old-fashioned house; it originally stood on a hill ten feet higher than the street-had a monstrous buttonwood tree before it, and a long and high garden down Vine street.

Many years ago there was a range of low wooden houses on the west side of Front street, extending from Combes' alley nearly up to Arch street, on much higher ground than the present; they were often called "Sailor's town," being boarding houses and places of carousal for sailors. Mr. Pearson, the late city surveyor, and John Brown, remembered them in their early days.

Something like a similar collection of one story houses occupied the western side of Third street, and extended southward from Race street. They got the name of Hell-town, for the bad behaviour of their inmates. Two of them still remain, one of brick, and one of wood, and present a strange contrast in their mean appearance to other houses near there.

In 1744, the Grand Jury presented them as disorderly, and as having acquired such a name for their notoriety; an orchard lay between them and Cherry street.

"Jones' row," so called in early times, was originally a range of one large double house and one single one, forming an appearance of three good two story brick houses on the west side of Front street, adjoining to the south side of Combes' alley-now the premises of Mr. Gerhard, and greatly altered from its original appearance, by having what was formerly its cellar under ground now one story out of ground, and converting what was once a two story range of houses into three story houses. It once had a long balcony over Front street, and the windows were framed in leaden lattice work, only one of which now remains in the rear of the house. This house was razed in 1837, and I have the leaden frames of its windows-certainly the last in the city. The present elevation of the yard ground proves the fact of having cut down Front street and Combes' alley eight or ten feet

This row was built in 1699 for John Jones, merchant, he having a lot of 102 feet width, and extending quite through to Second

street.

The best specimens of the ordinary houses of decent livers of the primitive days, now remaining in any collection, are those, to wit: On the north or sun side of Walnut street, from Front up to Dock street, generally low two story buildings. Another collection extends from Front to Second street, on the north or sun side of Chest

nut street. They appear to have avoided building on the south or shaded side of those streets. In both these collections there is now here and there a modern house inserted, of such tall dimensions as to humble and scandalize the old ones.

CHURCHES.

THE following facts, incidentally connected with sundry churches, may possibly afford some interest in their preservation, to wit:

The Presbyterian and Baptist churches began their career about the year 1695, and so far united their interests as to meet for worship in the same small building, called "the Barbadoes-lot store"-the same site where is now the small one-story stocking store, on the north-west corner of Chestnut and Second streets. The Baptists

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first assembled there in the winter of 1695, consisting only of nine persons, having occasionally the Rev. John Watts from Pennepeck as their minister; for then, be it known, the church at Pennepeck was both older and more numerous than that of the "great towne" of Philadelphia. At the same place the Presbyterians also went to worship, joining together mutually, as often as one or the other could procure either a Baptist or Presbyterian minister. This fellowship

The valuable lot is since occupied by some four or five stately houses. It was long a city wonder that so small a wooden shop should occupy such valuable ground. It was probably with the intention of running out its hundred years for the sake of its title. A belief of that kind made me cautious to say much about it in the former edition. As a part of the property of the "Barbadoes Company," their interests in Philadelphia had been neglected, and eventually, probably, abandoned. It may be seen by the minutes of council of 1704, that at that time the London members of the Society of Freetraders "complain that their books and papers, &c., are broken up, and they pray relief against their agents here, and a right knowledge of their interests." Finally, they gave their whole remaining interests to the Society for Propagating Religion in Foreign Parts. A Society still existing.

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