4; Associate Reformed, 2; German Reformed, 3; Lutheran, 5; Independent, 2; Dutch Reformed, 2; Roman Catholic, 12; Friends, 7 ; Jewish Syn- agogues, 3; Mariners, 2; Universalist, 2 ; Unita- rian, 1; New Jerusalem, 1; Moravian, 1; Disci- ples of Christ, 1; and 12 of various denominations for colored persons. Only a few of the church edifices make pretensions to architectural beauty. Very many of them are without towers or stee- ples to distinguish them from the general mass of buildings. St. Stephen's Church, (Episcopal,) situated on Tenth Street, is a fine specimen of Gothic architecture, 102 feet long and 50 feet wide, with two octagonal towers 86 feet high. Christ Church, built in 1691, and enlarged in 1810, is the oldest church edifice in the city. It is situated on Second Street. It has a spire 196 feet high, erected in 1753. in which is a chime of bells. ' St. John'3 Church, (Roman Catholic,) situated on Thirteenth Street, below Market, is an elegant Gothic structure, with square towers on each of its front corners. The First Presby- terian Church, fronting on the S. side of Wash- ington Square, is the handsomest church of this denomination. It is in the Grecian style of archi- tecture, after the model of a temple on the Ilis- sus, having a portico ,of six Ionic columns in front. The Fifth Presbyterian Church, on Arch Street, is also distinguished for the beauty of its architecture. There are also other church edifices which are neat and handsome structures.
The United States Mint in Philadelphia was founded in 1790, and first occupied the building where the Apprentices' Library now is. In 1830 it was removed to the fine building which it now occupies, on Chestnut Street, below Broad Street. This edifice is of white marble, 123 feet long, having a portico of 6 columns, and 60 feet in length in the centre of its front, on Chestnut Street, and a similar one on the opposite side, which looks out upon Penn Square. Visitors are admitted to witness the interesting processes of assaying and coining the precious metals, on the forenoon of every day, upon application to the proper officers. The.United States navy yard is located in the S. E. quarter of the city, fronting on the Delaware. The enclosure contains about 12 acres. Some of the largest vessels for the U. S. service have been built here. The Eastern Penitentiary, in the N. W. section of the city, not far distant from the Girard College, is one of the most imposing structures. It occupies a square of 10 acres, which is enclosed by a wall 30 feet high, upon the angles of which, and at the en- trance, watch towers are erected, from which all parts of the enclosure can be observed. In the middle of this area is an octagonal tower, from which the ranges of cells extend on every side like radii, and from which the passages lead- ing to them can all be inspected by a sentinel posted at the centre. Each cell opens in the rear into a little yard, 18 feet by 8, surrounded by a wall 12 feet high. The discipline of this peniten- tiary is that of solitary confinement, each pris- oner being kept in his separate cell and yard both day and night.
There are several theatres in the city, of which the largest are the Chestnut Street Theatre, the Walnut Street Theatre, and the Arch Street The- atre. Peale's Museum, founded by Charles Wil- son Peale, in 1784, occupies the upper story of an edifice on the corner of Ninth and George Streets, 238 feet long and 70 feet wide. This is one of the most distinguished institutions of the kind in the country. |
Philadelphia is celebrated for its excellent markets, having the advantage of various and abundant supplies, not only from the interior of its own state, but also of New Jersey', lying across the Delaware. As a fruit market it is among the best in the world. The principal market-place is in Market Street, extending along the middle of the street from the Delaware to Eighth Street. There is another market further AV., in the same street, between Schuylkill Seventh and Eighth Streets; and there are four or five others in dif- ferent quarters of the city.
There is quite a number of public squares in the city, which are generally ornamented with fine shade trees, and laid out in other respects with much taste and beauty. Penn Square lies about in the centre of the city proper, and is intersected by the two great streets, Market and Broad Streets, which divide the city into its four quarters. Independence Square, in the rear of the old State House, has been referred to above. Washington Square, not far from this, is a de- lightful public ground. Franklin Square is be- tween Race and Vine Streets, having Sixth Street on the E. In the centre of this square is a beau- tiful fountain. Other squares are Logan Square, also between Race and Vine Streets, and Ritten- house Square, between Walnut and Locust Streets.
Among the principal hotels of Philadelphia are the United States Hotel, Jones's Hotel, AArashington House, Columbia House, Congress Hall, Franklin House, and the Morris House, all in different parts of Chestnut Street. Besides these there are the Madison House, the Mer- chants' Hotel, the Mansion House, the White Swan Hotel, the Indian Queen, and many other excellent houses in various parts of the city.
Philadelphia is abundantly suplied with water from the Schuylkill River. The present water- works are known as the Fairmount Waterworks, the reservoirs being constructed upon the summit of a small mount which had received that name, on the western border of the district of Spring Garden, near the eastern bank of the Schuyl- kill, and about two miles from the centre of the city. These works were the first of the kind erected in this country, and, for simplicity of design and entire efficiency, are not exceeded by any that have been since constructed. The reservoirs, which are 4 in number, occupy about 6 acres upon the top of this mount, at the height of 100 feet above the water in the river, and 56 above the most elevated portions of the city. They are 12 feet deep, lined with stone and paved with brick, laid upon a bed of clay, irt strong lime cement, water tight, and are capable of containing more than 22,000,000 gallons. One of these reservoirs is divided into three sections, for the purpose of filtration. The water is forced up from the river by a power obtained from the river itself, a dam being thrown across, 1600 feet in length, and a raceway cut in the solid rock, 400 feet long and 90 feet in width, by which a machinery of eight water wheels, operating an equal number of forcing pumps, may be driven night and day. Each of these pumps will lift about 1,250,000 gallons into the reservoirs in 24 hours. The machinery is covered by a build- ing of stone, 238 feet long by 56 feet wide. The water is carried from the reservoirs to the city in 3 main iron pipes, one 20, another 22, and anoth- |