The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-09-26
Quaker City Correspondence.
PnILADELPuIA, Sept. 16. 1871.

paper, omitted one or two incidents III
the life of Mr. Girard, that had intend
ed to have mentioned, and will add them
now. 1t is automatically related that
when one of the younger (London Bar
ings was in this city, he expected to
please and surprise MIR. Girard by riding
to his farm at Passqunk to tell him that
the Voltaire had arrived safely from
India. When he came to the farm
(which is now densely covered with brick
structures,) "whcrc is Mr.. Girard? ?" said
Barring. "In the hay loft sir "Tell
him Mr.. Barring wishes to see him imme-
diately on particular business" Girard
came down covered with perspiration and
dust, with his sleeves rolled up above his
elbows. "What is it Mr. Barring ?"
"Good news, the Voltaire has come safely
to port" "Oh Mr.. Barring, is that all ?
my ships always come safe. am very
busy with my hay good day Mr.. Barring"
He then went back to his hay loft he
loved so well. His domestic relations
were said not to be happy. In July
ITO, he married Miss Lunn, native Of
Philadelphia, and it is related that Mrs.
Grard showed signs of insanity, and her
department afterwards became so marked
that she was admitted on the 2lst Of
August 1900, to the Pennsylvania Hos
pital, where she died on the 18th Of
September 1915, having been in confnc-
ment 25 years. Seven months alter her
admission to the hospital, she gave birth
to daughter, the only child Of Stephen
Girard, which died in infancy leaving the
man who before his death had accumua-
ted ten millions of dollars, childless, and
Il stranger to the real pleasures of domes-
tic life. lie donated largely to the cor
poration of the city, and to numerous
charitable institutions He bcqueathed
large sum for the endowment and sup
port Of the college. lie gave 100000
to the city to improve Delaware Avenue,
docks, aqucducts &c. to the Penn
sylvania Hospital 100000, Pennsylva-
MIA Institution for deaf and dumb, $20,-
900, Orphan Asylum of Philadelphia,
10000, for public schools on the Lam
caster System $4,000, to the Mayor,
Aldermen and citizens of Philadelphia
$4,000, with the interest Of which to
purchase fuel for the poor during the cold
weather, to the society for the relief Of
poor and distressed masters Of ships, their
widows and children (of which society he
was member,) 100000, to the trustees
of the Msonic loan at his dcccasc s2O,-
600, and many other bcqucsts for public
purposes including the munifccnt one Of
S2000,000 for the college which ! have
formerly mentioned, and in addition to
which he gave large sums to his brothers,
sisters, nieccs and nephews residing both
hero and in Bordeaux France. 1t has
well been said that he did more for the
city in which he made his fortune than is
yet recorded of any other man unless it
be George Peabody. His remains were
honored with public funeral, hut per-
haps enough in relation to Mr. Girard
and his fortune.
Philadelphia is a leading Manufacture
ing city, the most extensive one in this
country, and considered second to none
in the world with the exception of Lon
don The Baldwin Locomotive works
arc the most extensive OF the kind in the
world The same is true Of the great
tubing works Of Morris 4 Ta,kcr and
there are other manufacturing establish
mcnts that are entitled to be placed in
the same category. The amount of iron
worked up here seems incredible. The
amount Of coal brought down from the
mining districts and then rcsoll and dis
tributed to different parts Of the country
is enormous. Ten railways converge to
this point and have their termini here,
among them is the Pennsylvania Central.
1t is the largest railway organization in
the world. | am tod the company rep
resent capital of S75,000,000. their
lines nearly span the continent they exert
controlling power over the great high
way to the Pacific, their lines likewise
reach into Virginia. They are now
trying to lease perpetually, all the direct
lines from here to New York, embracing
the Camden and Amboy, New Jersey
Railroad and Transportation Company
and the Delaware and Raritan Canal.
About three fifths Of the stockholders Of
said Companies have voted to ratify the
lease that has been made, but the minori.
ty have caused an injunction to be served
on the Companies to stay proceedings.
The matter is now being argued at Tren-
ton before the Chancellor of the State
Both parties are represented by great
array of legal talent. 1t is for the inter
est cf Philadelphia that the injunction
should not be dissolved 1t is in point
of fact breach of faith on the part OF
the Pennsylvania Central, to attempt to
lease lines, which if successful would
make the termini of their mammoth liue
at New York, to the damage of the
business interests Of Philadelphia. Had
it not been that the corporation of the
city stepped forward and took large
proportion of the stock, it scarcely could
have been built to Pittsburgh, and the
state legislature has always fostered and
helped them on.
Philadelphia is now sure OF an indepcn-
dent steamship line to Europe the con.
tracts are let and accepted, and work
already commenced. Four iron steam
ships are to be constructed at $500, 600
each, and to be built in our own ship
yards and owned here. The Penn.
Central r. r. subscribed 100000 OF
stock, the merchants OF the city took the
balance. The city has n long water
front and deep harbor. The Delaware
is about three quarters of mile in width
abreast the town, and very seldom freez-
es sufficiently to interrupt navigation.
Last winter was reckoued n very cold
winter here, but the ferry boats made
their regular trips through the winter
There is point few miles below the
, city, called the "Ilorse Shoe which
occasionally freezes over, but the corpo-
ration have two huge ice steamers which
soon dispose of any accumulation Of ice
! Some three or four miles below the city