New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-29
PHILADELPHIA SUBURBS.
SOME MAGNIFICENT ESTATES NEAR THE
OLD YORK ROAD.

PhiladelphianS take pride in speaking OF their
city of homes where the great apart
ment houses and family hotels are less in de-
mand than they are in other large cities, and
where great numbers of the inhabitants enjoy
the blessings which come to the man who has
his own vine and fig tree. The long rows of lit
tie, tidy, well kept houses cannot escape the
notice of the visitor, and those who remain
in the city only long enough to see independence
Hall. the Mint and the most noteworthy sights
get glmpses of the white trimmed, board shell
tered homes which the tourist always associates
with his recollections of Philadelphia.
But the city has also its quota of large and
beautiful homes, and new buildings which rank
in beauty with the handsome homes of other
cities are being erected In all the residence
parts.
The Philadelphia water question, which con-
tnues to force itself the attention of the
people, and the improved means of travel have
caused the residents of the Quaker City to look
beyond the city limits for homes, and the con-
sequence has been the development of much
land in the suburbs and the conversion of coun-
try lands into building and garden sites.
In the early days of the city many fine resi-
dences were built along the old York Road,
which the popular drive, the connecting
link between New York and Philadelphia.
On either side of the road, in spacious grounds,
stood the homes of many of Phadelphia's
important merchants and manufacturers, and
there, also, many small farms, the product
from which carried to the city markets.
Electric cars now rush along the old York Road,
but it is still the avenue by which may
reach some of the important suburban homes.
One of the first houses that attracts ones at
tenton the way to Jenkintown by the old
road is the colonial house, the east side occu-
pied by ]. B. LppncOtt The house is about
eighty years Old stands back from the road and
may be reached by the Logan station on the
Bound Brook route. Beyond this house, the
highway near the Branchtown station is the
Joseph Wharton place. large, handsome stone
building surrounded by fine grounds. and near
this is the old vine covered Lucretia Mott house,
which is still an object of interest to visitors to
that neghborhood.
The trolley line goes past Ashbourne Church
and thence to Jenkintown. The Wanamaker
place, with its great, rambling house and well
kept, undulating grounds is reached from the
old York Road by a narrow hilly highway
known as Washington Lane.
This is the road" said the guide. "by which
Washington brought his troops from George
town 1 don't know where he was taking them
to, but here's where he passed"
A rustic bridge leads little stream and
to the house. few steps from the gateway is
the Chelton station, and beyond this the road
ascends and leads past many fine houses which
occupied by their owners all the year. past a
number Of schools, and then becomes broad and
imposing. The lane of the past becomes the
broad avenue of the present, and one comes face
to face with the modern palatial country house.
The first of these is the house OF Peter A. 3.
Widener, which commands extensive views
the range of the Chelton Hills. This house was
built by Horace Trumbauer of Indiana lime
stone in the style OF the later italian Renais-
1t is 325 feet long and 215 feet deep. Its
main hall is two stories high and is finished in
colored marbles; the dining room is lofty apart
ment and the library, which is fifty feet square
is deliberately decorated in dark oak and godr
and the ceiling ornamented with categorical
paintings.
On the second floor is the picture gallery, so
feet long and % feet wide. containing Mr.. Wide
ners collection of old masters. The Italian gar
den the axis toward the avenue, with its
fountains and decorations, is one of the features
OF the place.
On the opposite side of the is the
finely wooded estate, the beauties of which have
been brought out by the landscape gardener.
The entrance is between two high granite
columns surmounted by globes, and of
beautiful shaped pine trees which skirts
the avenue adds beauty TO the picture. The
30 feet deep the material being Green River
limestone. The first floor contains, besides the
drawing room and other large apartments, a