The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-15
"REMINISCENCES OF OUR CITY
A Glimpse Into the Past of the Numerous
anufactures of Our City.
PART II,

of Wilmington which have proved inter-
esting to those of the present generation.
Early in June it displays all its lowell
ness, then the forest trees that shade these
walks are dressed in their full verdure;
the declivities are crowned with variety
Of wild flowers of every color and hue;
| the vines in their different shades of green
| nre twined around the trees: the birds arc
singing mclodiously; the water falling
over he dams and sprinkling its sprays
around, dashing and foamlng through tho
| flood-gates like mineral waters sparkling
| with fixed air, fishes sporting in the sti cam,
| while schools of young people of every ago
| are skipping along the banks, climbing
| the rocks and fancifully decorating with
| wild flowers. Here and there picnic
| parties amusing themselves i'll the neigh.
| Er.''" = ,vcnI,
Swimming and bathing were amuscmeLts
| ho.> nu,I .Uf lnG1a than hal century
| hundreds of boys wele taught to swim, by
kind hearted old man late deceased,
named Isaac Kendall.
We are just below that building long
knownsas tho old Barley Mill, near tho
creek. On this spot in 1877, stood the cot
| tuge of Archibald Hamilton Rowan, IL dis
tinguished Irish gentleman who opposed
| the government ut home, and joined tho
United men," although he said ho never
favored rebellion, but only reform, He
was for years an exile in Wilmington. He
made spruce beer and wheeled it through
the streets in a barrow. At another time
he set upa calico printing establishment.
Many offers were made him to return.
stating that he need only to ask pardon Of
the king and it would be granted. llo do
clared he would never bend his knee to
ajesty.
Fishing among the rocks and streams
was an amusement enjoyed by numbers.
Isaac Jones had snuff mill on tho
Brandywine. He and bis family were
regular attendants at old Swcdcs' Church.
We now return to the old barley mill,
and must tell you more of it, Fifty years
ago calico printing establishment was
set up here by A. H. Rowan, the irish
gentleman previously mentioned. This
place had long been used by John Flcnl-
ing for cleaning barley. A long bio ach
'rcen over the race was managed by an
En- Ilishman callcl Rockburn, and tho5u
were superseded by carGliny machinery,
then owned by one OF our worthy townS-
men, Joseph Bringhurst. Spindle max.
ing is now carried On and the machine
shop conducted with good order and de.
cOrum, by II woman regularly taught tho
art of making spin'lcs by her father.
Since his deceasn sho has hal the business.
The Brandywine is an extremely crock
ed creek. flow ing over and through rocks
and through hills and da!es in fanciful
curves varying in depth. Within few
miles of town you can cross over five |
bridges four covered and oAe wire fOoiway |
where you ascend n ladder and step on
slender boards, that lork with your !
weight, and tho only support isa wire net
as thick ai your fngar In some places
plates are pushed over by holding on to a
rope In others boats are used. Near tho |
head of this race, Caleb Seal and Joseph |
Shallcruss, a century ago were Partners |
in II mill, whore the neighbors sont their |
rrists and waited till they obtained their |
flour. 1t may have been the first mill on
tho creek, for tho Indians still held their
possessions in places and livel in wig
vans the ruins of which remember.
We must next dcsccnda ravina Of solid
rock through which livu!tt runs that
has worn the stones smooth, and it Is
nearly dry. Many runblegs on ,hrSa
banks remember Rattlcsnako Run. 1t
commemoloteS reptiles that tlourished
here in the days OF 'au!d lang synr." In
later years they and "coprCrh"adS' were
scarce. The general aspect Of this place
is extremely picturesque, exhibiting pleas.
ant wiudings Of he stream, thick!y wood
ed hills, lofty cliffs and valley filled with
odorlrcrous shrubs and patches Of wild
tiowcrs ditfusing their sweetness in tho
air as they Put forth blossoms in tho
siGok5 rising among una trees from cot.
tages interspersed on tho brow of the hill,
and the old paper mill burst upon your
sight.
Here eve: ything is full of life; camor Of
mills, humning of machinery, din OF busy
mon hurrying to and fro, waters roaring,
rending OF rocks resounding through the
lofty heights; for it Ii On the border of
kingly stream, that gives tho power Of
motion to a vast amount of machinery
above md below, where thousands of
men, women and children, are employed,
besides scores of animals and numberloss
.EelAsieS freghted with manufacturing
commOdi iC' destined to n distant market.
They return laden with the raw mater
ial. produce and merchandise Here tho
farmer has a market ut his door, and tho
laborcr can earn bread enough and to
spare. Hero the poor man may become
rich, rich in The comforts of life, but per.
hHps here, too, the rich lilan may become
poor.
From ono fa!nilarly acquainted with
the reg ion half n century you may expect
to hear how things were in gone by days
The s ore house Of memory could furnish |
incidents of deep interest for II long nara.
tive, were it in skilful hands; ns it Is not n !
brief and simple story must suffice OF this
old mill in operation before the present
century.
Along tho curve of the Brandywino Creek
about two miles from the city Of Whining. |
ton, where the stream forms n scnii-rirce
for nearly mile, was situated the estate of
Joshua and Thomas Giln, at which tho
water power had been formerly apprupri-
atcd o the manufacture Of -four and va
rious other objects.
But on the revival of trade ana some Of
the manufactures Immediately after tho
American Revolutionary war, it was con
vcrtcd into tho making OF paper, which |
was established there in lho year 1887, and
continued by the usual process into tho
commencement of tho present century.
They invented tho process Of kng paper
in a continuous and Cndles length. 1t
was the ir,t establishment of his kind in
America All of the machinery was made
on the spot, and fell into no in 1877. On
t he 22nd of February, 1922, an ovrrwh1m-
ing flood extended over all that part of tho
and by it the creek rose t. tho
height cf more than 20 feot, which cnll -el
or ruin of most Of tho estab
llahmcn $ and on this estate TO carry away |
to great extent the dam. tho races, ma
rninely and suinc of tho buildings
In addition to this, in tho month OF
April, 1929, one Of tho principal mills with
he machinery in it was destroyed BY fire.
These extensive calamities were follow-
81 by further freshut, which took place
,ver all the country, in tho spring Of 1888,
by which thcse works were more cxtnrl-
sively njurcd than by the former one, for
being tho lowest down on the creek they
were more exposed to the food The largo
bridge below them, on The Philadelphia :
.ond was carried away on both occasions. ,
rhe proprictors of these mills having ,hls .
continued the Brandywino manufacture
If paper On tie estate for exactly fifty
TearS.
Fine Cigars. s
Tho city market cigar is one of the finest
cent cigars in the city. Manufactured by :