above Fourth street, and still keeping within the line of Southwark and beyond the bounds of city surveillance. The managers were Hallam and Henry.

To evade the law the bills used to read-"a Concert of music," after which will be presented gratis a lecture or dialogue on the vice of scandal, &c., giving a few lines of the play.

As a parting measure, in quitting their former theatre for the last mentioned one, they, in 1759, announced their regard to church by proposing to give the play of George Barnwell "at their theatre on Society hill," as a benefit to the College of Philadelphia, “for improving the youth in the divine art of psalmody and church music," meaning thereby to help to buy an organ for the use of the charity children in the old academy.

While the British occupied Philadelphia, they held regular plays in the Southwark theatre, the performers being officers of Howe's army, the box tickets at one dollar, and the proceeds used for the widows and orphans of soldiers. Major André and Captain Delancy were the chief scene painters. The waterfall scene, drawn by the former, continued on the curtain as long as that theatre lasted. It was burnt down a few years ago.

When the theatre was erected in Chestnut street in 1793, it received and retained the name of the "New Theatre," in contradistinction to the Southwark theatre, which afterwards generally was called the old theatre. Mr. Wignell was first manager.

"Jack

There was a small wooden theatre, about the year 1790, on the wharf up at Noble street; it was turned into a boat shed. Durang," as Scaramouch, is all that is remembered by those who saw the company of that day.

The reminiscences of the "old theatre" of 1788-98, as furnished by my friend Lang Syne, are to the following effect, to wit: "The old theatre (Southwark) was the only theatre with a regular company, all Stars,' in the United States, or at that time in the new world. The building, compared with the new houses, was an ugly ill-contrived affair outside and inside. The stage lighted by plain oil lamps without glasses. The view from the boxes was intercepted by large square wooden pillars supporting the upper tier and roof. It was contended by many, at the time, that the front bench in the gallery was the best seat in the house for a fair view of the whole stage.

"The stage box on the east side was decorated with suitable emblems for the reception of President Washington, whenever he delighted the audience by his presence; at which time the Poor Soldier was invariably played by his desire. 'Old Hallam' prided himself on his unrivalled Lord Ogleby in the Clandestine Marriage, and Mungo in the Padlock. Old Henry' was the pride of the place in Irishmen. An anecdote is related of his being one night in a passionate part, and whirling his cane about, when it flew out of his hand into the pit, without doing any damage; on its being

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handed to him, he bowed elegantly and said, in character, 'Faith, whenever I fly in a passion my cane flies too.' Another; that, on being hit with an orange from the gallery, he picked it up, and bowing said, That's no Seville (civil) orange.'

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"A gentleman of this city, known familiarly to the inhabitants generally as Nick Hammond,' used to play for his amusement in Jews. Wignell's Darby was always beheld with raptures. Hodgkinson was the universal favourite in Tragedy, Comedy, Opera and Farce, and was supposed to be one of the best actors of All Work,' that ever trod the boards. His Robin, in No Song No Supper, and Wignell's Darby, in the Poor Soldier, were rivals in the public taste, and have never been equalled here. Does none remember? About this time Wignell and Reinagle being about to build a new theatre, the corner stone of which had been laid at the north-west corner of Sixth and Chestnut streets, and Wignell having started for England,' to beat up for theatrical forces, Hallam and Henry made arrangements to retire from Old South' to New York, where an immense pile of stone work was put up opposite the Park, for their reception, as a theatre. The old company went out, and the new company came into public notice, in the winter of 1793. The only house on the other side of the gutter' at the time, was Ooller's Hotel, which was fired by flames from Ricketts' Circus, (erected some years afterwards,) and both were burnt to the round one evening."

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CUSTOM HOUSES.

AMONG the earliest remembered Custom Houses, and Collectors of Customs, was William Peters, Esq., father of the late Judge Peters; then succeeded Abraham Taylor, Esq.-these kept their offices at their own dwellings. Next followed John Swift, Esq., who had his residence and office in the house now Henry Pratt's, in Front below Race street. He continued in office from the year 1760 to the time of the revolution. The first collector after the revolution was Frederick Phile, who had his office in Second street above Christ church, vis-a-vis the Sorrel Horse inn. From thence he removed it to the corner of Blackhorse alley and Front street. After this the office was held by Sharp Delany, Esq., who dwelt at the south-east corner of Walnut and Second streets, and there did the business of the port of Philadelphia, within my recollectionthese were "the days of small things." Its next remove was to something greater, to wit: to "Ross' buildings," a collection of two

street.

or three good houses on the east side of Front street below Walnut As business increased, the government of the United States. finally determined on building the present large Custom House in south Second street. In providing for that location they pulled down a large expensive house, not long built there by Doctor Hunter, as a laboratory, &c.

There was a tradition that the very old buildings which till lately stood on Walnut street, at the south-east corner of Third and Walnut streets, had been "the old custom house," but I never had any facts to sustain the idea, until they were confirmed to me by direct facts from the aged Mr. Richardson of the Mint.

Delany's dwelling house, adjoined his custom house, as above; and at the rear of his house, fronting on Dock street, stood a house of lath and plaster, marked 1686, a real primitive!

BANKS.

"Gold imp'd by thee can compass greatest things."

OUR city enjoys the pre-eminence in this department of finance, as having been the first city in the union to establish a bank. The first permanent bank was that of the North America in Chestnut street, although it is also true that there was an earlier one called "the Bank of Pennsylvania," established by some patriotic gentlemen in 1780, for the avowed temporary purpose of "supplying the army of the United States with provisions for two months"-creating thereby a specie subscription of £300,000, by about ninety persons, and the two highest subscriptions by Robert Morris and Blair McClenachan-£10,000 each. The particulars of this bank may be seen in Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania, vol. ii, p. 250.

The Bank of North America, founded in 1781 by Congress, began its career of specie with coin sent out from France, at the instance of Robert Morris, by Mr. De Chaumont-it was landed at Boston. This fact was told me by Mrs. Morris not long since. She also told me that the same generous friend, Mr. De Chaumont, extended to her an annual pension, by which she was enabled to live without assistance from others. From the government her husband had so nobly served she received no succours. Coin sent to this country to pay the French army, and not a little left among us by the British enemy, was sufficiently present to form a starting specie basis.

On page 248 of my MS. Annals in the City Library is an exhibition of a small "one penny bill" of the Bank of North America, of the year 1789. It is to be sure a small exhibit of a National Bank, but it had much greater concerns; and its history, as an

eventual restorer of sound credit and a good circulating medium, is already familiar to the public. The little bill reads

"The President and Directors of the Bank of North America promise to pay to the bearer, on demand, one ninetieth of a dollar. "August, 1789. TENCH FRANCIS, Cashier." But it was issued to supply change at a time that coppers were debased, and had to be rejected. The corporation of New York

issued similar little bills.

The next Bank, the Pennsylvania, was originally located in Lodge alley, (the same now called Bank street) in a three story double front brick house, which had once been a distinguished lodging house by Mrs. Sword and Mrs. Brodeau. To rear the present stately marble bank, they pulled down several houses which had themselves once enjoyed the reputation of "great things" in their early day. The facts concerning them is all that is intended in this notice, to wit:

On Second street, on the south-west corner of Lodge alley, stood D. Griscom's house, of antiquated construction, called in an old Almanac "the first built house of brick erected in Philadelphia;" adjoining to it, southward, stood the house of James Logan, Jun., bought of Thomas Storey, who derived it from the first owner, Edward Shippen, Sen. It was a large house of double front, and a great display of dormer windows, with five or six steps ascent. These two buildings occupied the whole present front of the bank. The latter had "the privilege of the wharf on the dock, at Dock creek, for ever!" On the Lodge alley, westward of the former bank there, stood the Masonic Lodge. The house which had been Shippen's and Storey's was thus described in 1707-8, by Samuel Preston, in his letter to Jonathan Dickinson, then in Jamaica, to wit: "In choosing thee a house I am most inclined to Thomas Storey's-it adjoins to David Lloyd's, [originally Griscom's, directly opposite to Norris' slate-house]-it is most like Edward Shippen's, [where is now Waln's row] but larger-a story higher, and neatlier finished, with garden, out-houses, &c., [down to Dock creek] and I know it will suit, or none in Philadelphia. The rent is prodigious high-he asks £70. I offer £50, and rather than fail will give £10 more."

The present Girard's Bank, built originally for the first Bank of the United States, was erected upon what had been the rear of Pemberton's fine garden, upon ground much lower than the present Third street. The Philadelphia Bank occupies the site of an old inn called the Cross Keys, an antiquated house, with double hipped roof, fronting on Fourth street, and having a range of stables at the Fourth street side. It had a heavy brick portico at the front door, and the house stood out far upon Chestnut street pavement.

Where the present Bank of the United States now stands was once Norris's house and gardens, once much distinguished as a beautiful place "out of town."

Leed's Almanac, printed by W. Bradford, New York, 1694, says, it is now eleven years since Andrew Griscom built the first brick house in Philadelphia.

NORTH END.

In early times, "North End" was the common name given to the Northern Liberties, when having its only road out Front street. In the present notice it will include the region of Cohocksinc creek over to Kensington, and westward over the former Campington. The object is to bring back to the mind's eye" its face of nature, ere banished and estranged" by improvement.

The whole region was originally patented to Jurian Hartsfielder, in 1676, by Governor Andros, of New York government. In ten years afterwards he sold out to D. Pegg his whole three hundred and fifty acres, extending from Cohocksinc creek, his northern line, to Pegg's run, his southern line. That part beyond Cohocksinc, northward, which came under Penn's patent, was bought, in 1718, by J. Dickinson, (say 495 acres,) at 26s. 8d. sterling, and extending from the present Fairhill estate over to Bush hill. Part of the same

estate has been known in more modern times as "Masters' estate and farm," and some of it is now in possession of Turner Camac, Esq., who married Masters' daughter.

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The primitive state of the North End, near the Cohocksinc creek, is expressed in a petition of the year 1701, of the country inhabitants (one hundred and fifteen in number,) of Germantown, Abington, &c., praying the Governor and Council for a settled road into the the city, and alleging that "they have lately been obliged to go round new fences, from time to time set up in the road by Daniel Pegg and Thomas Sison," for that as they cleared their land, they drove the travellers out into uneven roads, and very dangerous for carts to pass upon. They therefore pray a road may be laid out from the corner of Sison's fence straight over the creek [meaning the Cohocksinc, and also called Stacey's creek,] to the corner of John Stacey's field, and afterwards to divide into two branches-one to Germantown, and the other to Frankford." They add also that Germantown road is most travelled-taking thereby much lime and meal from three mills, with much malt, and a great deal of wood, timber, &c. At the same time they notice the site of the present long stone bridge and causeway over to Kensington, by saying "they had measured the road that is called the Frankford road, over the long bridge from about the then part of the tobacco field, to a broad stone upon Thomas Sison's hill near his fence, and find it to be three hundred and eighty perches, and from thence to the lower corner of John Stacey's field to the aforesaid tobacco field three hundred and seventy-two perches,

The name was spelt Tison in another place.