MISCELLANEOUS FACTS.

"Made of odd ends and patches."

THE following facts have no proper connexion, and have here been brought together, because they had no proper affinity with any other subjects treated of severally under appropriate heads. They are shreds and patches and odd ends, here wove, into a Mosaic pattern-to wit:

Miscellanea.

1683, Jan. 28.-The speaker of the assembly ordered, that each member absenting himself without good cause, should pay a fine of 12d. sterling each time..

1685, March 16.-Nicholas Moore, (former speaker,) for contempt of the authority of the house, was expelled.

1689, March 13.-John White, a member in prison in New Castle, was ordered to be set free and to take his seat, but he was again seized by the sheriff, John Claypole, and borne off!

1695. The Judges were allowed 10s. a day for their services. John Claypole alone was declared a man of ill-fame, and the governor was requested to remove him.

1701.-Juries were to be paid 8d. a day, and witnesses 2s. each. Members of assembly in after years received 4s. 6d. a day.

1702.-Solomon Cresson, going his round at night, entered a tavern to suppress a riotous assembly, and found there John Evans, Esq., the governor, who fell to beating Cresson.

1704, August 16.-The violence of the wind and rain prevented the members of assembly, out of town, from attendance. Such members usually brought their dinners with them.

October 15.-The assembly was required to meet on Sunday. They organized, and adjourned to Monday.

1706.-The wolves had increased so greatly near to Philadelphia, as to endanger the sheep.

1721.-Sundry persons in Philadelphia agree to receive, in payment of goods, &c., the dollars called Lion dollars at the rate of 58., the English crown at 7s. 6d., the English shilling at 1s. 6d., &c., proclamation money.

Four brick tenements on the west side of Front street, and with lots extending through to Second street, fronting on which are two tenements, all rent for £70. per annum, and pay £12. ground rent, bounded on the north by Clement Plumstead. who lived at the north-west corner of Union and Front streets.

1722. The mineral water in the Great valley, 30 miles from Philadelphia, is discovered this year; and great praise is bestowed on the Bristol spring.

A public paper of the merchants at Jamaica, of July, 1722, states "that the reputation of a place, (Philadelphia,) once famed for the best flour in America, has become so corrupted, that housekeepers are scarcely persuaded to look on Pennsylvania flour." In consequence of this and other representations, an act for better inspection was passed.

The names of the grand jurors empanelled, gives one a good idea of the first inhabitants; and their original signatures to recommendations to tavern licenses, might now help many a descendant to a means of knowing the writing of their first progenitors in Philadelphia. These are still on file in the Mayor's court.

In 1722 and '23, interest was reduced in Pennsylvania from 8 to 6 per cent.

When blackbirds and crows were numerous and destructive, they gave premiums for their heads-by the act of 1704, they gave 3d, dozen for blackbirds and 3d. for crows.

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By an act of 1719, they compelled all paupers in Philadelphia to wear a letter P upon their right shoulder, to prevent them from street begging, &c.

The act for establishing a ferry to Daniel Cooper's land, was passed in 1717.

1726.-There are advertised two gray stallions suitable for a coach. 1727.-Lord De la Warr, after whom Delaware is so named, so spells his name in signing, with the other lords, the declaration of King George's death.

A lion, the king of beasts, is exhibited in Water street at Is. a sight.

The king's birth-day was celebrated this year, (1727,) at the house of Wm. Chanceller, sailmaker, in whose gardens twenty-one pieces of cannon were placed and fired. Some incidental circumstances have shown that he was the friend of Sir Wm. Keith, the governor, and had from him the first grant of keeping gunpowder stored for safety.

The first loan office was opened in 1728.

1729.-J. Kempster and J. Coals were compelled to kneel at the bar of the house of assembly, and to ask pardon for offence.

1730, Nov. 5.-Monday night, one Bradley going home alone, in liquor, fell into a ditch at the upper end of Market street, where he was found dead the next morning, having been drowned in six inches of water.

It is worthy of remark, that in this early day so few co-partnerships should occur in business. In a list of 120 chief houses in trade, only two instances occur of signatures by firms.

1730. The house of assembly ordered that a flag should be hoisted on proper days upon Society hill-such as Sundays and

holidays, &c., and that Edward Carter be paid £10. for such hoisting, &c.

1736. An ox is announced as to be roasted whole, for public entertainment, in the Northern Liberties-at J. Stennard's.

Mr. Derring, dancing-master, advertises for scholars. John Salomen, Latin and French teacher, advertises in Latin for pupils.

1736.-A servant man going into the river, "under Society hill," to wash, slipped beyond his depth and was drowned.

At the same place a man, attended by his wife, came to drown himself to get rid of her: but after casting himself in, at which sight she was a calm spectator, some officious persons near there rescued him, and compelled him and his wife to go home together!

1738.-Peter Poole, of Manatawna, hearing a noise in the brook near his house, supposed it was a deer in the water, and shooting at it, killed his own mother, Anna S. Poole! This family probably gave name to Poole's ship-yard and bridge.

1738. The mayor acquainted the city council that several of the barbers of the city had applied to him to take proper measures to prevent persons exercising that trade on the first day of the week, called Sunday, and the mayor desired the opinion of the board what measures to adopt,-whereupon the board orders that they be notified to abstain from so working on that day, according to the law of the province before existing, and preventing working on that day.

1739. One of the houses at the south-west corner of Front and Walnut streets, (held by Edward Bridges as a dry-goods store) is said to be "commonly called the Scales."

A camel is this year exhibited, the first ever shown here.

1746" Firms" in trade now first begin to appear-say Hamilton, Wallace and Co."—" Steadman, Robertson and Co."

A storekeeper in Wilmington-say Joseph Peters-advertises his list of store goods in the Philadelphia paper. He does this often in several years, even till his death, and then his successor does the

same.

In 1746, Thomas Kinnett advertises to teach the noble art of defence with the small sword, and also dancing.

In consequence of that advertisement, an article soon after appeared, signed Samuel Foulke, in which he says, "I was indeed surprised at his audacity and brazen impudence in giving those detestable vices those high encomiums. They may be proved so far from "accomplishments," that they are diabolical. This is a freedom of assault by friend Foulke, not now practised with other men's advertisements! The other does not appear to have made any defence, although so accomplished to defend himself!

1748. The coin of the day is called pieces-of-eight-pistoles and cob-dollars.

1749.-A proclamation of Charles Willing, Esq., the mayor, commands all barbers and peruke-makers from working at their trades on the sabbath-day.