Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-13
'S |u.Il[ llELIU0
FROM BRIDGE PATH
"cabin End" From First House
< Franklin Lived In to Go
to Congress Hall
TO ENRICH OLD COLLECTION

Congress- Han. in the Independence
fall group. with It's collection Of early
American relics, is to be enriched by
the pane,ed. cabin end" from the
ancient house in which Benjamin
Franklin. according to tradition. first
found lodgings when he came to Philn-
dclphia as boy.
The old house IL in the path Of the
Delaware River Bridge and doomed to
demolition. The tiny street in which Il
stands Is known as Augusta place. or
l,rookes court. and it is just off Spring
street west Of Front.
cabin end" Ia paneled wall.
This particular example of early
Colonial cabinetmaking Is on the north
wall Of the front room. or parlor, Of
tho house. 1t surrounds the ancient
fireplace. Tpon each side Of the mantel
nre cupboards. Between the cupboard
and the wall furth"st from the front
door Is a door shutting of the stairs.
-Four steps, with a, quaint Colonial
hand rail, lead up to this door. Just
bcyond the door the steps turn sharply
to the right and on up to the second
story. 49,. ....
House Built in l74o
The, old dwelling is No. III. It is
believed to have been built in 1749. In
those days the neighborhood was the
finest in the city. Broad. green lawns
swept down from the ancient house to
the high bank Of the Delaware River.
Sailing ships, riding at anchor. were
IN piair, view, and tales are told OF
hrawling pirateS who. frequently in.
vaded the neishborhood. coming from
tayerns during shore leave from the
nirate ships, to the indignation Of the
citizens, who declare such things
shouldn't be allowed.
So Benjamin franklin; tradition has
Il. arriving in Philadelphia. with his
loaf of bread under his arm, found
lodgings in the genial old house. His
room was in the attic, and from his win.
dow he had lovely view Of the river.
view. The hospitable old place shelters
the family Of Mrs. Eleanor Maloney.
Mrs. Maloney is keenly alive to the
historic value Of the place and points
out the old cabin end. the cupboards
with their hand wrought strap hinges
and locks and the broad planks- in the
parlor floor. As customary in the days
when the old house was built. these
floor boards are Of long leaf yellow
pinc, in odd widths. Some are foot
wide, none less than eight inches. To-
ward the WlnuOW TUG. HOOr udS Sdgge0
q bit from age. But there is not q
creak in q board anywhere.
There are just two houses on the
street." Next door on the corner Is
another r8pe old Colonial dwelling that
in Its later days became a tavern. The
doorway, pane ed, Is a fine example
of Colonial work Of the kind. The door
itself has in the upper panel two bulls
eyes, one of which still. contains a speci-
men Of early Colonial glass, dark in
color, with the bulge in the center left
there when the glass was own. -.
This rare bit of glass was cracked
badly ast week by boys ut play. The
original knocker, which had survived
the years, fell pray to q collector with
the eye Of connoisseur, who spied It
not long ago. It vanished the. follow.
Ing night.
Wilfrd Jordan, curator Of Inde.
pendence Hall, is making arrangements
10 get possession of the relics for in
sta lation in the Ha as soon as the
orders goes forth for tearing down
the houses. This is not expected for
year,