The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1867-01-29
City Items for Country People

My DEAR You've FRIENDS IN POTTaR N ear
the close of September, 1866, Just as those
long, dismal rains were giving place to the
golden sunshine of October, and the trees were
preparing TO assume that endless variety of tints
so characteristic Of our beautiful Northern for
ests, left the dear old hills and valleys e
sparkling streams and singing birds of Potter.
and came to live in Philadelphia. l was duly
impressed with the supposed grandeur, and
consequent happiness, of CITY life ; yet it was
With feelings Of sadness that | left the pleasant
rural scenes to enter my new sphere. My du-
ties in the office Of an excellent, and Justly eel
ebrated physlClan-were not arduous, and in
my leisure hours began to think of my friends
far away, and Judging them by MYSELF, thought
perhaps they would like to hear something
about the various Interesting placse 70 be seen
in this place. Accordingly | determined to
write a letter, and here il is. If YOU please,
we will take a rapid survey of the general ar
raugement of the city, and make a few visits.
If you are interested in this, | will, at some
future time, tell you about the Police and Fire.
Departments, Gas-Works, dc.
Philadelphia is situated between the Della
ware and Schuylkill rivers, extending South TO
within about one mile of their lunction-the
remainder of the distance being somewhat
swampy-and north several miles, the whole
county being included under city government
a large portion Of the town, and by far the
most beautiful-by way of shade trees, fine
dwellings and spacious grounds-4ies west of
the SchUylkill.
The streets running east and west are named;
those north and south numbered, commencing
at the Delaware The buildings are numbered
in a manner remarkable for convenience, and
worthy our attention, as a few moments study
will make it all plain. Let US suppose our
selves in Market Street.-The great business
thornughfare connecting the two rigers-near
the Delaware, aud going west As we pass
Second Street we observe that the first house,
south side, is numbered 200, after Third Street
800, &c This is done without reference to the
number of doors in the square just passed. AS
streets generally have two sides, the even num-
bers are uron the south, and the odd upon the
north side. Going north from Market Street
and emitting intermediate alleys, we cross Arch,
Race, and Vine Streets succesSlvelv As we
pass each, and see the numbers, 100, 300, and
300 we conclude at once, that these streets are
numbered both ways from Market. By this
arrangementany person possessing affair amount
of intelligence after learning the names given
above, and Chestnut south of Market, can read
lily find most of the places we are to visit For
example, 1920 Arch-call there, when you are
in town-is the tenth door above T. e. west of
Tenth Street, and south side.
With your permissi IN, we will first go to the
State House, a brick building, the various di-
visions of which occupy the entire space be-
tween Fifth and Sixth Streets, south side Of
Chestnut At one end is the central Fire and
Police Telegraph Office, of which ! will speak
at another time. Most of the rooms are occu-
pjed by the court and various county Offices.
We enter the principal. door, and turning to