New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-21

TRADE sALE-WH lHLf SAY OF MIR. GREE-
LEY
From Our Own CcrefpoDders-
PHILADELP alA, Sept 10, 1859.
You remarked the other day that people crowded
70 see Blondin rick himlelf at crossing Niagara on
tight rope, because they had a sneaking expec'a'
ton Of being furtb or gratied b. seeing him break
his neck and you suggested the probability thar lie
would continue bis folly until he did go You
touched the string Of an inveterate human nhrmiy'
Disguise il as we may, it is the truth II not go
WIN is it that thousands go 10 see an execution
when they have chance TO do go, but because
thew know the wretch will have his neck broken
Why 10 witness the folly Of balloon voyage, II not
for its peril 10 human life : Or why to any other
Of the morstrous eccentricit!es which draw crowds
lust in proportion to the danger they involve 70 lie
or limb Strange too, these exhibitions, Ike hres
railroad accidents, or suic des, are epidemic put
folly always was 90, and always VIII be, VINO lhe
initiative faculty 20 predominates in the human
organization. Blondn's trick of walking over
river has been followed bya counterpart mere OF a
man walking under one. 1t had been extensively
advertised that on Thursday last a man named VIII
son would cross the Schuylkill by walking on the
bottom, under water. Here was new sensation
decidedly and just az they 1Ocked TO see Sam fatcn
TO see Wilson 20 to the bottom of the Schuylkl
The deed was to be done at Paramount, just below
the Wire Bridge. have lingering suspicion that
the city railroads were at the bottom, not OF the
river, but of the whole afair-for all their cars
ran for hours before the appointed time, 80 crowd
ed that sixty and seventy were packed IN where
there really was room for only twenty. Their har-
vest of dimes must have been tremendous. Then
other thousands went out afoOt, until both sides OF
the river. wharyes canal boats RATS sheds, and
every other spot where there was standing room
was black with people. The dust was choking;
vet into this Jam the women forced themselves In
countless numbers aud the crush of hoops was
horrible. Probably fifteen thousand persons were
crowded into the limited space from which good
view could be had. At last Wilson came forth,
looking like the devil in harness. He wore an In
dia rubber suit which reached up to his neck. and
over this was a copper Jacket covering his breast
and shoulders and reaching to his throat, while
his head was cased in copper helmet. 10 this
was attached long hose connected wItbtWO pumps
on board boat through which he was TO be kept
supplied with fresh air. submerged rope was
stretched across the river, to guide Wilson on his
watery way. The boat accompanied him on the
Journey and when all was ready he started In
about 20 minutes he had successfully performed
the task all the time out of sight, and his path In
dicsted by line of air. bubbles on the surface of
the water. He then recrossed tAs river in the
same way. But while this EXHIBITION excited
high public interest it seems to be nothing more
than the well known submarine armOr which has
been often used by divers 10 examining sunken
wrecks.
Books are now open for subscriptions to the
stock of line Of steamers between this port and
Liverpool 1t is said by those who best know that
the money will be forthcoming and the boats built
-four wheel steamers on the Randall plan, and
warranted to beat Cunard. There are some GU
riOus facts in cont ection with this subject which
are worth recording. The imports here by our
own packet. ships have been steadily increasing,
saw from an annual average Of 1913, $50 600 in 1897
to one or SIG, 900 600 in 1858. Most Of this is
done by Copes four ships, whose aggregate tun-
mage is A, 200. Viii @ We had eteuuers running
hence to Liverpool, they increased our dlrect il'
ports sc, 500 600 annually, all which we mao pre-
riously imported through New-York AS 1t now
stands. many millions are entered at New York Tor
Philadelphia account while many New York i'm
portipp houses have branches here, who, though
having but small stocks on hand, can yet replenish
themselves by telegraph and railroad at a few
hours notice. Hence, of the immense imports at
New-York. Philadelphia annually distributes many
millions 1t is the transport of this great bulk of
freight over the New.Jersey Railroads that gives
them 40 large an income, while it contributes to
make profitable q line Of outside steamers between
The two cities, which arrive and depart with full
cargoes as regularly as the cars. Hence the open
ing of the new line of steamers to Liverpool VIII
Companies and TO small extent diminish the
emoluments of some of your importers. 1t must
be n long time however, before IL can be put IN
operation. The money must be first raised, and
then shipbuilding takes quite as much time.
The progress of improvement in our suburbs has
affected mighty changes all round Philadelphia.
The Old canal beds have long since been filled up,
and the breast works thrown up for the defense of
the City during the Revolution, have long ago been
Ieyeled down. Now the battlefield of German
town finds its time coming. Railroads and passen-
ger cars have sent thousands swarming out into the
fields about il. to build suburban residences aud
plant gardens. Farms have been converted into
fOwn-lOts at fabulous prices. AT last the very spot
on which the fate OF the battle OF Germantown WAS
decided, Chew's Mansion, with wide fields and an
cestral trees has come into market as building
lots 1t was into this house that British regiment
threw itself after the Americans had surprised and
actually got possession of the enemy's camp. A
council of war, held on horseback, decided that
Chews house must be cleared, and no enemy
left in the rear. The advancing column, which
ought to have supported the other in possession OF
the enemys camp, found it a difficult task to dis
lodge Them and the delay in doing it was fatal to
us. The British, recovering from their surprise,
rallied and drove back the unsupported column
which had gained so great an advantage, and Ger
mantown was lost when actually in our grasp. The
action at Chew's house was long and bloody. The
green sward of its ample lawn was streWed with
our men, who fell in numbers under the FIRE of the
British from the upper windows. This classic
ground is now advertised as being subdiyided
into lots to suit the views Of purchasers" won
der if it will "suit the views of any of them to
let the fine old mansion stand, with the bullet.
marks in its venerable doors and windows, or Will
the march of brck-wOrk leave us no other memo
rial of the iron age than our now almost solitary
memento, lndepel dence Hall
Il, nf hNnt oh bar