The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-09-29
FROM THE CENTENNIAL CITY.
A TRIP TO PARAMOUNT PARK.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. ls, 1874.


tion will occupy less space. Three years
ago the past summer, the wealthy and
benevolent of this generous city, inaugur.
ated series of gratuitous excursions for
the children of the poor, embracing their
mothers or attendants and have been
kept up at intervals of about three weeks
each successive summer, including the
past one. TO round up the charitable
move the present season, some Of the phil
anthropists Of the town, set on foot pro.
ject, and Immediately subscribed the
means, nearly thousand dollars, for the
purpose Of giving an excursion to the
aged and infrm poor Of both sexes. That
interesting and novel occasion, occurred
on the fourth day Of the present month.
The place selected for tho gathering, was
at poin, in the park called Rockland .on
gently sloping and grassy lawn, shaded
| by sturdy oaks and other trees, that
stud the sloping, and at some points the
prccipitous banks,o the beautiful Schuyl-
kill, that stretches itself through the en-.
tire length Of the great park, Of three
thousand acres did not 60 out until
afternoon. The scene that there met the
eye, was both interesting to the reflective
and touching to the emotional feelings
There were to be seen the bent forms, the
whitcned heads and faded faces, on which
time had set his seal the aged man shorn
Of his strength, vivacity and comelincss,
and With dimmed vision aud fatering
step and the woman, from whose brow tho
dew Of youth had long since been exhaled
and from which the bloom of early wo.
manhood had disappeared, but with an
added sacredness that youth cannot claim
neither can middle agc appropriate. They
were taken from all parts Of the city, by
street cars to the Fairmount landing
thence by steamboat, excepting those who
were quito iniirm they were transported
through the park driveways, in large ON.
nib, ses, drawn by two spans Of horses
each ; not few ofthe old people had ever
before been in the park, and expressed
themselves much pleased and gratiiied,
with the trip aud surroundings,
The patriarch Of the party, was lO8
years Of age the present month Andrew
Anderson, born near Marsailles in France,
Sept. 10, 1776 lie was seated on bench
with large number Of persons around
him, eagerly gazing on the centenarian.
He exhibited cane that was two hun.
dred years old and remarked he had been
a sailor the largest part Of his life. and
had been in nearly every fort on the
globe. and said he knew Stephen Girard
when he (Girard) had not II shirt to his
back" lie is an inmate of q Catholic
charitable Institution, in North 18th St.,
below Ok ford. had the pleasure of in.
tervicwiug ccnetarian, Thomas Taylor
l02 years of age, born in London in
IiI2. SAID ms fnther was field officer
under Wellington, and was shot ut the
battle Of Salamanca in 1872. This aged
veteran, said be followed Wellington al
! through the pcninsular campaign, was
wounded in the ankle, at the battle OF
Badojos, in April 1878; was at the bur
ial of Sir John Moore. and at the battle
of Waterloo, June Is, 1915 was lieu.
} tenant in the SSth Connaught Rangers.
{ He informed ne that his wife was sixty
two years of age. \ son Of Dr.. Sidney
, Moody, formerly of Middlebury, marrcd
Q one his daughters. He is a very intelli
! gent and apparently very religious man
l and member OF an Episcopal church OF
S Lombard ST., and resides at No. l4l-
South st. lie also remarked he had al
r ways avoided rum shops. Another cen
l tartan was found, James lleadly,age lOl
4 born in New Jersey he was from tn,
e "Old Mems Home" in West Philadel
pha, and said he moved a quarter of al
# acre of grass the Thursday previous, ant
t remarked he thought exercise better thai
b pills took the liberty to interview an
t other veteran of % years he said he ha,
i never had headache. or a toothachc, no
had he ever worn spcctaclcs was sol
Il dicr Of 1872, and received a pension.
recognized him. having seen him yea
ago at n meeting Of the soldiers OF ISL.
- - He was born in this city, and resides i
70 Buttonwood ST, above 10Th. Anothc
D. old man aged 30 years, Alex Lindsay
: said he walked the day before from RoS
- borough to the deaf and dumb asylum i
- the city. distance Of six miles Arthu
.. Vincent at the age Of S3 from ScotlanC
- - had rcvcr before been in the park ,ueithe
- had be eyer before tasted ice cream. Br
:, I must not particularizc farther. spaC
~ forhiis
., Tacie were IA larger number Of wome
>? .har men; quite number OF the latte
n n were between 90 and 100 years Of az
v Some of the older ones were from 5
., LuLcs Home Among the excursionis
~ were sixteu FROM tine old Mems llom
y West Philadcl ,hi,. nnd n number Of ol
- ladies from the + nn Widows Asylum
- There were also aged people from Il
y Baptist Home, aud other Homes, al
Y charitable institutious There were lik
20 wise sixteen from the industrial home I,
~ the blind ut Doth and Race sls. incudir
:. 70 Mr.. Paryin the blind "wag," who SAL
~ -, many of their best pieces. Paryir ~ar
!" - his inimtabe laughing song. McClur,
a. Cornet Band were in attendance, NJ
80 played some Of their most inspiriting nil
y A number OF clergymen were preser
y. :. among them Rev. DR. Harper Of II
,s North Broad St. Presbyterian churc
"' and likewise Rev. James Neill Of Gra
NJ, T.. church, who is the best pulpit or
all tor in Philadelphia,-in my opinio
N, There was likewise a large attendance b
IT. sides the aged The refreshments co
%. sisted Of 2200 tongue sandwiches, 500
,st Dutch cakes, 2iG ginger bread 400 quar-
tn rice pudding, 200 ofsponge cake, $50
he grapes, 400 quarts of milk, barrels
C. apples, besides any quantity of lee crea
re and coffee.
ch Dr. Harper delivered brief adlr,
nc just before the G 'se, among other thin
III he said it was the greatest sight Of
by life, and that one old Indy had just 50
er- to him, it had been the harpiest day
NJ, her life, and further remarked that I
lily religion OF the bible was the only one ii
ed builds homes for the aged and almshous
arc and tlat this - a haaut;Ti,l l;Co ,b.t ~