"South Second-street," and "North Second-street”—___ the jumbling of so many sounds, and streets, and names confounded me. Why, I thought, have so many "second streets;" and should I ever visit Philadelphia, I should never be able to find my way through the eternity of streets. I asked those who had often been in the city, but received no satisfactory explanation. But the whole mystery vanishes after coming to see the city in reality, and that which I looked upon as the most intricate and puzzling, proved quite the reverse, and instead of retarding one's progress, is the means of quickening our speed. In the first place, Market-street is the index of Philadelphia: take Market-street away, and total anarchy would ensue-it runs from east to west, quite through the city, that is, from Delaware river to the Schuylkill, precisely two miles; this is called the width of Philadelphia. It is equidistant from the northern and southern extremities of the town, and cuts it into two equal parts, so that Market-street holds the balance of Philadelphia, on this as well as some other accounts.Beside Market-street, a number of others, running parallel with it, at equal distances on each side of it, constitute the length of Philadelphia, and make it upwards of three miles. All these streets, with Market-street, (we must not forget that,) run as was said, from the Delaware on the east, to the Schuylkill on the west. These streets are crossed by others, which run from north to south, precisely at right angles, which lays the city out into exact squares, eight squares to a mile. These last streets run parallel with both rivers. Beginning at the Delaware, we have first Front-street, then second, third, fourth, and so on to what is called the centre square. The streets then commence at the Schuylkill in the same manner, first, second, third, and so on to the centre square. That part of Second street therefore, which lies north of Market-street, is called north second, and that part which lies south, is called south second, or third, or whatever it be, though it is nothing but a continuation of the same street. These distinctions, with those living east and west of the centre square, are all that are used. Those streets running parallel with Market-street, are bu: a l nes kin. sid for Th the: san to 5 the sta! ing ing at! reet names y" sec 66 phia, I eternity in the But the city in st intriinstead ckening e index ad total t, quite to the e width hern and called after the names of the trees which grew there when the city was laid out, such as Chesnut-street, Pine, Walnut, Spruce, &c. Of all these streets, Market-street is the most interesting to a stranger, as in it is the greatest market in the United States. The market-house, which is nothing more than a roof supported by pillars and quite open on each side, begins on the bank of the Delaware, and runs one mile, that is, eight squares in length ! It must be understood, however, that the market house stops at the edge of every square, (so as not to interfere with the cross streets,) and begins on the next square, and so on, leaving an interval for every street: but on marker days, of which there two in the week, a strong chain is drawn quite across the street, at each end of the market-house, and no horse or carriage is permitted to pass these intervals, as well as the whole market, are then occupied by both buyers and sellers, to a degree beyond belief. No one, who has not seen it, can form an idea either of the variety, abundance, or neatness, of the Philadelphia market. That of Baltimore was plentiful indeed, so far as it went, but yields greatly to Philadelphia, both in neatness and abundance. Nothing can exceed the whiteness of the benches and stalls; the. meat, which consists of every sort, is exquisitely neat, cut with the greatest care, smooth, and disposed upon tables, on cloths as white as the whitest cambric. The butchers wear a white linen frock, which might vie with a lady's wedding dress. The vegetables excel in neatness and perfection, and consist of the whole vegetable kingdom; fruit of all sorts, and fish of every kind, besides a variety of game, butter, cheese and milk. Here, for the first time, I saw milk brought to market in churns. These churns differ in size, but are as white as a curdthey are uniformly bound with copper hoops, as bright as sand and hands can make them. Every one who comes to sell, has one particular place assigned him or her in the market, from which they never move. The butcher uation of stands at his table, the woman sits in her stall; no movse living ing except that of the citizens, who are coming and goare used. ing continually, from early in the morning till nine o'clock at night. The whole of this mighty scene is conducted nto two lance of ounts.ing parit, conupwards t-street, the DelThese north to city out hese last ng at the d, third, square. he same e centre hich lies and that third, or reet, are with perfect order; no contention, no strife or noise presenting one of the most interesting sights perhaps in the world. Imagine a double row of the finest looking vegetables, a mile in length, viz. on both sides of the market-house, with every thing else that can be named for the table; and then the butchers' meat, filling the whole length of space between; the multitude passing to and fro; and you may form some idea of the market of Philadelphia. Although there are but two days in the week which are styled market-days, yet there is market every day except Sunday; but this is trifling, compared with the set days-indeed there is a market on Sunday morning, for milk only. Market-street is so wide as to afford a passage for carriages on each side, independent of the footway. Besides this market, there is one called New-market, in the south part of the town, which is very considerable, and every thing, I should say, is cheap. Towards the close of the day, you may buy good veal for four cents per lb. and often cheaper. Having disposed of Market-street, I shall drop a few remarks upon the city generally. The most business, as well as most fashion and opulence, is found in Chesnut street, next to Market-street, south, and parallel with it. The ware-houses are principally upon the Delaware river. Very large vessels can come up to Philadelphia; these ascend the Delaware--very few are able to ascend the Schuylkill, it being much smaller than the former. That part of the city adjacent to the Schuyl kill is very thinly settled, and the streets near it are mostly unpaved: all the others are paved with stone, and the side-walks are neatly paved with brick, are wide and well lighted. The profusion of merchandize which lines the streets and windows is incredible. Dry goods are strewed along the side-walks, near the store doors; flannels, cloths, muslins, silks and calicoes, are hung up over the doors in whole pieces, hanging down on each side to the pavement; others are placed in rolls, side by side, on boxes standing each side of the door; barrels of sugar, coffee, raisins and fruit, stand out of doors. are intermingled with shoe-shops, book-stores, merchant tailors, where clothes are ready made; add to these jew These elle war ceri the of t and mos caps icine look diffe to th pose of P dow whic glitte toni large C relig Chri for ans. 1 for 1 for two chur a un a co cal i hous state inst corr lic וי aise Taps in ooking of the named ag the passing market days in 13 mar 1. com. ket on to wide , inde here is town, should Du may aper. Da few ness, as hesnut. with it. are riv. Iphia; ble to han the Schuyl e most. and the de and h lines ods are $; fan up over side to by side, s of su These erchant se jew. eller's shops, china-shops, saddlery, tin, iron and copper ware, to say nothing of millineries, upholsteries and groceries. The windows are low, large, and project into the streets some distance. These windows (or the most of them,) are from eight to eleven or twelve feet wide, and from four to six feet high. Some are filled with the most splendid plate, glass and china ware; some with caps, ruffs, bonnets and ribbons; others with liquid med icine, contained in vast glass bottles of every colour, and look exceedingly beautiful at night. The windows have different rows of shelves on the inside, from the bottom to the top, and upon these shelves the articles are disposed. But it is at night that the wealth and splendor of Philadelphia appears to the best advantage; the windows being lighted with numerous lamps and gas-lights, which, with the lamps in the streets, and the lustre of the glittering wares in the windows, present a scene of ase tonishing beauty.-The houses are principally of brick; large, well built, and many of them elegant. Churches.-There are in Philadelphia 74 places for religious worship, viz.-8 for Baptists, 1 for Bible Christians, 1 for Covenanters, 10 for Episcopalians, 5 for Quakers, 1 for Free Quakers, 5 for German Lutherans, 2 for German Reformed, 2 for Jews, 4 for Catholics, 1 for Menonists, 1 Mariners Church, 13 for Methodists, 1 for Moravians, 1 for Mount Zion, 17 for Presbyterians, two for Reformed Dutch.-Besides the markets and churches already mentioned, there are, in Philadelphia, a university, 2 colleges, 4 academies, a city court-house, a county court-house, a carpenters' hall, a philosophical hall, a dispensary, an hospital and offices, an almshouse, an orphans' asylum, a museum, (formerly the state-house,) a masonic hall, 16 literary institutions, an institution for the deaf and dumb, 10 banks, a house of correction, a dramatic theatre, a medical theatre, a public observatory, a public prison, a fish market, a customhouse and offices, a post-office, 13 insurance offices, 15 breweries, 16 taverns, 74 boarding houses, and 4 public baths, 27 charitable institutions, 26 societies for the promotion of religion and morality. The Philadelphia library alone contains 24,000 volumes; the total number in all libraries is 65,000; 7 weekly papers, 11 daily papers, besides quarterly and monthly journals; 5000 looms, 30 cotton factories, 3000 females employed in the tailoring business. Besides these there are numerous articles manufactured in Philadelphia; in short, every thing that is either useful or ornamental. To describe them would fill a large volume. But the glory of the city is the water-works. Fair Mount Water Works.-What is called the water works, are two reservoirs on the top of a hill, which supply the city with water. This scheme unites both beauty and utility, and is one that none but Philadelphians would have thought of. In 1819, the sum of $350,000 was voted, to carry the plan into effect, and was undertaken by A. Coley, Esq., who died when he had nearly completed the work. In the first place, a dam is thrown across the Schuylkill, in a diagonal line. By the power of this wa ter, several wheels are put in motion, which, by the aid of double force pumps, is conveyed upon the top of a vast hill, into two reservoirs, which communicate with each other. From these reservoirs, the water is convey. ed by leaden pipes under ground, to every part of the eity, by means of hydrants. The reservoir nearest the Schuylkill is 316 feet by 139, 12 feet deep, and contains 3,000,000 gallons. The other (divided only by a few feet,) is nearly as large. The city uses one million gal lons per day. These reservoirs, in shape, have the ap pearance of a square, so smooth, so limpid, so large, and, overlooking the whole of the city, the Delaware, the Schuylkill and the surrounding country, to which we may add two beautiful bridges over the Schuylkill, yields a most delightful prospect. The plan of supplying the city of Philadelphia with good water, has at different times engaged the talents of Drs. Franklin, Rush, and Muhlenberg. The present plan was suggested by Latrobe, though the necessity was perceived by Dr. Franklin. Previous to this, the city was watered by means of steam, also a contrivance of Latrobe's, but this mode proving ineffectual, was abandoned. I saw the old wa ter-works; they were at the centre square of the city; * Taken from the picture of Philadelphia published by Cary & Lea moth blin is th pla of th of s delp and whi seun four cros adm fore to m met ey my ly d deed mida led n whe is st ed b one's not f form ped and s 3wor that disp! look look: has a black while If an haste |