Wednesday, November 9th,1898, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Philadelphia, Windsor Hotel, Wednesday night, Nov. 9/98.

I go back to Sunday Nov. 6^th. It was rather a dull morning. After breakfast, we walked 5^th Avenue. We saw people were flocking out & in at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, & as it was only 10:30 & our church did not go in till 11, we had a look inside St. Patrick’s. It was teeming with worshippers. A second, or maybe 3^rd, mass had finished & another about to begin. We did not stop, but the interior is an attractive sight. We went to the 5^th Ave. Collegiate Church[1] & enjoyed the service, & as I had a full printed programme, it saves me recording the service. I fancy I made notes on it, & they will speak for themselves. We got out at 12 & the street was now alive with fashion & the style is certainly superb in N. York, & especially on 5^th Ave. Several churches are all within a very easy distance of each other. We made our way for a walk towards the Central Park & spent awhile there viewing the animals again. Then we made our way back, had dinner, & Albion did not care to go to church again, & as the Presbyterian Church on 5^th Ave. began service at 4 o’clock, he went to Hoboken to see his friends, & I went to church & was very pleased with the service. I was 5 min. late, unfortunately. I miscalculated my distance (& no cars run on 5^th Ave.) & the minister for the day, Dr. Styker of Hamilton College, had just begun first lesson. It was the parable of the sower, & also read Gal. 6^th, 1-9, then prayer, hy. 678, “Nearer O God to thee, hear thou our prayer &c.”. Text, Gal. 6 & 7^th, “be not deceived &c.”, & a rich exposition followed, the fairly large audience listening eagerly. I enjoyed it much. Prayer, hy. 892, “he that goes forth with weeping &c.”. It’s a paraphrase, Ps. 126, sung 3 stanzas, benediction. The choir were males only, 7 fine voices & a grand organ. I wasn’t charmed with the interior, tho’ vastly grander than we see in England, but not so fine as some I’ve worshipped [9:26] in during my journeyings. The pulpit was draped. The old pastor – emeritus – died just a few weeks ago in Ireland, Dr. Hall. They have a successor, but he must have been away. After service finished, 5 o’clock, I went & had my tea & began writing, some letters & part diary, & after Albi came home, 9 o’clock, we chatted a while & each retired to rest. We have rooms separate, but next door to each other. Were we to occupy the one room, they make no reduction, so we enjoy sleeping separate, 2 dollars (8/4) for rooms only, per day. This is the style in America some places, & you get your food as you please, & where you like.

On Monday morning, Nov. 7, it was very fine. A sharp air tho’ a little windy, but this soon ceased. We breakfasted, had a “shine”, wonderful business this, & took car straight away to see the wonderful tomb in which Ulysses Grant[2] lies. It occupies a pretty position on the left bank of the great Hudson. We got off car at 116^th Street, Boulevard, & hereabouts are some very grand buildings which we carefully viewed. Grant’s tomb lies on a site, open, & 120^th St. leads down to it. I was very much delighted indeed. It’s such a worthy memoriam of the man. Lovely white granite, grand steps, Corinthian pillars & a massive dome. The building is enormous in size. I took a shot, Albion in view, & I am certain it will come out good as the sun was on it. We entered, open to all, & oh, the loveliness of the interior, plain but pure white marble up to the moulding where dome begins, & in the center is a circular well, large & deep, & you look over & down, & there are 2 caskets, one in which he lies, & the other ready for Mrs. Grant, Ulysses S. Grant, Julia D. Grant, & there is a grand marble stair case down, but it leads out at one of the sides & chain across the entrance. I did enjoy the scene & it was a very sepulchure [sic].

[9:27]

After we got outside, I took a snap of what I thought a pretty view of the Hudson from the rear of the tomb, & in it will be found Albion on a raised lawn. A flag staff with stars & stripes floating will also be seen. We next made our way to Morningside Park on a hill side, put me in mind of Beamont Park at Huddersfield for position only. The beauty of this park is charming. The walks & terraces are magnificient [sic] & the foliage in good preservation yet, & from the terrace above, which is termed Cathedral Heights, a very grand view is attainable. You look across the park over a fine street, on which stands a terrace of good houses, & we were above their roofs. A little off is an elevated railway which is as high as the houses, & they are not low. It was such a fine day too that everything looked so well. Here we took 2 snaps & we each appear in them. Columbus College is on the heights, a very fine structure, & the front is very much after Grant’s tomb, & it also has a dome similar. Then St. Luke’s Hospital, a particular[ly] fine building. I was told to be sure & see this, especially its front, & really splendid it is. I got 2 photos. Could not get the elevation in one, so had to go back & into the new cathedral grounds, & stand on a high pile of granite blocks to be above the hording[3] surrounding the work of erecting the cathedral going on. I fancy we will get a good impression. It was sunny & the stone white, or maybe marble, I fancy it is. Albion sits on a marble block. This is the first we took of it. Then this to be world renowned cathedral[4] which is being erected on Cathedral Heights. Only so many of the massive pillars & portions of the crypt are to be seen, doubtless there’s much done below & unseen, but it’s a shapeless mass at present. They’ve been a long time at it & 25 years is the time allowed for its completion. We were here at 12:45 p.m. 113^th St. West is the locality where I am now writing about.

[9:28]

I’ve got all these places & buildings fairly well impressed & localised on my mind, & should I ever see reference made to them in newspapers, then I shall feel familiar. We next took car at 109^th St., Columb[i]a Ave. for 59^th St. & 8^th Ave. These cars here run beneath elevated railway, centre of the street. Nice locality, & Columb[i]a Ave. is a fine street, shops either side, very great width, 87^th St. off is a very grand looking residential St. in vicinity of parks (see plan of city). These cross streets that are numbered here run E. & West, East to the fine Central Park & West to the Hudson River, & both are close at hand on their respective sides. You can see down the streets as you pass the opposite banks of the Hudson, New Jersey side. Our object was to get to the zoo again as it was bright & sunny, & the previous visit we hadn’t the Kodak, & I was sorry & anxious to get some of the animals on pictures for Charlie. We left the Park at 2:05 city-wards & into 5^th Ave., where I snapped a view East side of 5^th Ave., 2:15 p.m., from 57^th St. E., just at rear corner of Vanderbuilt’s grand mansion out of which the Duchess of Marlborough was wed. I should have taken it but sun was on opposite side & the stone hereabouts is dark sandstone, & would not show well. I noted several of these houses were having the masonary chisled [sic] to make them look new again. Painters too were at work. On Columb[i]a Ave. above referred to is what London calls circus, & a very open fine one this is, & in center a great statue in honor of Columbus. We transferred here to 59^th St. & took car to a near entrance at zoo corner of park, & the car crosses 5^th Ave. here. I did tell you that no cars run on 5^th Ave., cable cars these.

On 5^th Ave. is now being finished one of the finest buildings possible to imagine, all solid white granite. It stands on 54^th St. E., & is the [9:29] University Club,[5] & sculptors and carvers are busy on its front & sides, college coats of arms & mottos, most beautiful work, & the grand entrance is also under the chisel. Also, the entrance is on 54^th St. I can shew you all these positions by plan. We soon passed the 2 mansions of Mrs. Sloan, some wealthy lady. The chiselers were dressing all the stonework & some beautiful tracery there is about it. 640 & 642 5^th Ave. is the locality, & the two are joined by a center entrance, very elaborate, & then to the flags, an open way, a few steps, low & easy, & I should say in width 30 feet, & the causeway here is so very wide. The houses look in consequence very imposing. We rested after this big morning’s sight seeing & had dinner, & towards 4 o’clock went along the southern portion of 5^th Ave., & at this hour, the style of N. York society is to be seen, & we fell right in the way to see it. This end is given more up to shopping & hotels, & some very fine stores are here, & all as throng as fairs.

We came upon the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on 5^th Ave. & 34^th St. E. 17 stories above ground & such a building. I can’t describe it now, yet the impression the first sight of it made upon me. I had heard it was the largest & finest hotel in existence. I verily believe it now. It appears the millionaires of N. York own & run the principal hotels, & as money is apparently no object, every thing that can be obtained is there. The 34^th St. portion is the richest in architecture, pillars no end, towers, many of them. Its entrance has 11 arches & a canopy the whole length of these arches, all ornamented iron. This comes out & over the causeway to kirb [sic], then flush with the building are 12 great polished granite pillars & entrance between each, & a carriage drive also for patrons or customers to the swinging doors, & the throng that goes on is amazing. I asked permission to go in & view, freely & cheerfully granted, & a guide if we desired, but as I did not care to go up, we [9:30] respectfully declined, as we saw there was quite as much to be seen on the ground floor as would take all the time we cared to spare, & besides, we were bound to view the great stores of Siegel & Cooper, & they close at 6. Well, the glittering & gorgeous fittings of this establishment is beyond all comprehension. It has to be seen to be grasped & such rooms for sizes, grand to look into, & we had free scope, but then we were only 2 of the crowd, & how many more were like ourselves we don’t know, however, I felt pleased I had seen such a hotel sight.

As we moved along 5^th Ave., we came across many more grand hotels, clubs &c., that fairly dazzle you. To look into them, one would think the N. Yorker of wealth lives in perpetual splendour. We got to Siegel & Cooper’s great store. If you remember, I told you what an immense one they have at Chicago, but for splendour, N. York out shines Chicago store & verily like a great fair. It’s commonly said hereaway that these places are just assembly halls for women & just go to spend time & see fashions. We were in at 6 o’clock & a bell, electric, rang & in 3 minutes all were out. No cash can be received after that bell rings. We had done our business luckily before 6 o’clock. In the center of their ground floor is a very monster fountain enclosed in a circular ornamented masonary building, & in its center a huge figure of America, I should say 6 times life size, gilded from crown to feet, & holding in one hand outstretched the eagle & the other a wand, & water playing all around. Then on the outer circle are chairs all round, must be many scores, & little tables, & here coffee, tea, ices, & such like light refreshments are partaken, & we had our share. After leaving this store, we made for hotel. Albion went over to Hoboken to spend an hour with his friends, & I did my writing & enjoyed rest. Albi came back about 10 & we soon retired.

[9:31]

Tuesday morning, Nov. 8^th, was very fine. After breakfast & a “shine” we took car for Cook’s, Broadway – got car at hotel door – to see if any letters, & enquire about my trip to Philadelphia, Baltimore, & Washington. Got all information required. Also a letter from Willie & I did refer to it in a few lines which accompanied my diary contribution posted by the “Cymric”. We were not far from the Hudson River, or North River, as it is more commonly called, & walked down Warren St. to it. Cook’s is on Broadway & Warren. This was election day in all the states for governor of state, & only 2 of Cook’s staff were present. In fact it was much a holiday with many, favours greatly worn & great excitement discernable. Well, I took a snap shot of the great steamer “Priscilla”, one of the Fall River boats that run during summers to Fall River, & there rail connects to Boston & vice versa. She was laying the next pier or wharf to the “Cymric”, 38 pier. I have included in the shot another steamer called “City of Brockton” of Fall River. If they come out they will be interesting to everybody, wonderful looking craft, the “Priscilla”. I got a few particulars of her from a big framed photo hanging in the Windsor Hotel smoke room, Philadelphia.

Length over all 440 ft. 6 in.

“ on water line 423 – 6

Breadth over guards 93

“ of hull 52 – 6

Depth molded 21 – 6

Draft 12 6

Register tonnage 5,292 tons

Licensed to carry 1,500 pass’rs

Lighted throughout by electricity.

Mr. Sinclair at Salem was very anxious I should see through one of the Fall River boats, but the season is over & too late to view them. It was my intention to sail up the Hudson too, but boats are now laid up.

[9:32]

Next we went to see the “Cymric”, the White Star liner, & the largest cargo steamer afloat. We went on board & saw all through her, but I was greatly disappointed, so plain & moderate saloon accommodation, only the dining saloon for all purposes except smoking & library. No 2^nd but much steerage. She is purely a cargo & cattle steamer & does not pose as a first class pass’r steamer, & her saloon fare is only 65 dollars or £13/10/10. She has lots of cargo space & was well filled then with general cargo, a great quantity of boxes of Wright’s bacon & hams, tubs of butter, barrels of beef & pork &c. &c. Cattle not then on board, but were making preparations. Painting was going on all over the upper deck, & we had to have a rub with turps.[6] The passenger steamers sail from 45 pier, & we read on 38 pier, “White Star line for twin screw & cargo steamers”. “Campania” was laying at Cunard pier 40, between 38 & 45, but no visitors are allowed on board the Cunarders till the day before sailing. We made our way to 45 to enquire if the 2 boxes from Andorinha had been received, not yet! We next took ferry across to Hoboken, New Jersey, across “Hudson”. Great big craft, these ferrys [sic] carry dozens of waggons as well as hundreds of passengers. Albion was, & had been, anxious I should go over & see Mr. and Mrs. Brash, Scotch people. Mr. Brash is a past captain, but now disabled, & is an official watchman, & he was on the Andorinha & took kindly to all the lads & had them over at his house. Albion was sure I would like them & indeed they made a very favourable impression. They live on Washington St., 1105 (Hoboken) & were quite pleased when we presented ourselves. Albion wrote them a note the night before, telling them we would be over. Mr. Brash was out at the time but soon came in. He retired to rest till about 4, when he would have to start for a steamer & be there about 6. We all enjoyed each other’s company. A sister of Mrs. Brash‘s who lives in Toronto is presently with them & her 3 daughters also. Very nice people & seemingly well to do, [9:33] & we spent a very pleasant time, longer much than I had bargained for, as they persisted I should go & see their nephew & his wife, Mr. & Mrs. Reid. He is an engineer & runs a business in N. York. He came home soon after we got there & all had tea. Mrs. Brash also came down. Mrs. Reid’s of Toronto’s daughter plays the piano very sweetly, & she entertained us a long while with familiar Scotch songs. They were all extremely kind. Mr. Reid was sorry we had not got on the “Campania”. He had some men working on her & no difficulty would have been experienced had he known. He intends to introduce the chief of Majestic to me next Wednesday. He does the White Star work as well as Cunard. I had to promise to go over again on my return from Washington. We left about 7:30, fully an hour to hotel. On our way we observed such excitement, bone [sic] fires in the open & main streets. Such would not be allowed in Great Britain, & crowds every where & a noisy rabble they are. On the ferry they were very amusing, dancing, trumpeting fog horns &c. &c. N. York side was quite as bad until we got into better streets, & then crowds were watching the lime light flashes on canvas which was fixed on several buildings en route, & the figures of results, & other amusing sentences were every few seconds flashed from the “World” tower. A flash or search light was going all night. It was 8:45 when we got to hotel. I had to arrange about my needs for my journey & soon got all prepared & we each retired to rest. On Wednesday morning, Nov. 9^th, we got up about 8, I did so, Albi likes the blankets yet & I don’t call him till I am nearly ready. I get his key at night then goes in & rouses him. After breakfast & a “shine” we got [9:34] ready to start for the Pennsylvania railway ferry. Took car & transferred to 23^rd St. which runs right to ferry. The railway company run this particular ferry to serve their traffic as their depot is on the other side of North River at Jersey City. We left hotel at 11:30 & got the 12:30 boat over, a monster steamer. It was a lovely day & all looked well. We had hoped to see the “Cymric” start, but too late. She would leave at 12 punctual. The agent, when getting our tickets, said that for the Majestic, if we were on board at 5 to 12, we would be in time, but at 12 too late, so punctual are they. The train left Jersey City at 1:14, Washington & back 1^st class 10 dollars. Albion stays with Mr. & Mrs. Brash the while I am away. I had a pleasant ride to Philadelphia. Got there at 3:12 & went to Windsor Hotel in Filbert St. & got A1 quarters. It is very near to Broad St. station & 2 minutes from City Hall – see both in the souvenir of Phila. which I posted you last night from there. I was soon out viewing as it was so delightfully fine. I took Arch St. car to Fairmount Park & enjoyed about there till dusk. Walked around the reservoir which is on a mount, & saw the many statues that adorn the parks. A very grand monument stands in a large circus to the memory of Washington. I got a snap. It is dark bronze, & the light wasn’t too good, so I doubt results, however, it is a souvenir of Phila. I went to Lemon Hill, one of the oldest parks, & saw the old log house that Grant used during the rebellion, 1864, & in which he wrote many of his famous despatches, & a fine monument to Morton McMichael, one of Philadelphia’s pioneers. The parks are so situated that they all run into each other & comprise 3,003 acres. A river side drive through parks of 12 3/10 miles. Then the drives in [9:35] & around the parks are many, & I saw great style in driving, very fancy “turns out”. It was nearing 5 o’clock. I walked on & saw where summer entertainments go on. Houses with round about horses & such like, & refreshment buffets, boats for pleasure &c., but all over, for the season is closed. Hundreds of seats all piled up under sheds, & the great elevated tower to view city closed also. Gardeners were doing up the flower beds for spring & I felt sorry I was out of time. A most beautiful place it must all be during the summer & when all is in full swing. A fine statue of Alexander Von Humboldt stands on a mound in one of the parks & is a fine piece of workmanship, erected by German citizens, born September 14, 1769, died May 6, 1859. I had to be thinking of returning & I took car, Girard Ave., from Bridge to 12^th St. & there transfer for Filbert St. I got back about 6. Supper began at 6 & after this I went out to see the fine streets in city & had a good view, bought 2 souvenir books & posted them at p. office for home, & got 4 p. cards & sent them off also. I got back to hotel about 9. One fine drug store I visited, Evans’s, & described it on Andrew’s post card. I wrote up part diary & was rather late in getting to bed, & hadn’t over restful a night in consequence. The journey from N. York was very nice, some pretty country scenery & much water, & by the way, I noted a high building going up in Philadelphia as I was going to park, & the whole of the interior was iron, a complete skeleton. I saw in N. York, too, buildings are framed with iron first then the stone work follows. This, Thursday, morning it rained in torrents at Philadelphia, greatly to my disgust, & tho’ I tried the cars even to the zoo in the park, again I had to desist & return to hotel. I got dinner at 12:15 & left for Baltimore where I am writing this, & got here at 3:20, left Phila. at 1:24 & staying at the Hotel Rennert.

[9:36]

Now this contribution will be the last I can mail before my arrival home, & as “Campania” sails on Saturday, I intend posting this here tomorrow morning to make certain of catching her. I will add a line in the morning by way of a bit letter, & the rest of my diary will be written, all being well, between tomorrow & my arrival at No. 7, home. The writing this diary or journal has been such a customary duty, I shall feel strange when the time comes that I have to cease.[7] Some other occupation will doubtless take its place. It is now 10:35 & I promised myself this afternoon that I would have a good rest & retire early but the vow is already broken.

Good Night !

[9:37]

[1] The 5th Avenue Collegiate Church is the oldest place of worship of the Collegiate Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the City of New York, organized in 1628 under the Dutch West India Company. It is the oldest Protestant organization in North America with continuous service. As new churches were built and more ministers were called, to what was then known as New Amsterdam, the Collegium system developed: a ministry of colleagues who rotated among the several Dutch Reformed Churches on Manhattan Island. Though the Collegium practice ceased in 1871, the name continues.

[2] Eighteenth President of the United States (1869-1877) and the symbol of Union victory during the Civil War.

[3] Scaffolding

[4] Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, groundbreaking in 1892, opened 1941.

[5] The University Club was founded in 1865 by a group of recent college graduates who hoped to extend their collegial ties. After several moves, the club took over an existing town house at 26th Street in 1883 and Madison Avenue, where it prospered.  At that time, however, Manhattan’s social center was beginning to move uptown. In the early 1880’s the Vanderbilt family built half a dozen large mansions along Fifth Avenue from St. Patrick’s Cathedral at Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Street, up to the Grand Army Plaza, between 58th and 60th, securing the strip as the most imposing residential address in New York.  One block in this section, however, the west side of Fifth Avenue from 54th to 55th, remained nearly unimproved. It was occupied by St. Luke’s Hospital, set well back from the street and surrounded by a large lawn. In 1893, St. Luke’s announced that it would move up to its present location on West 113th Street, setting off speculation as to who would acquire the site, and for what purpose. The University Club, with its membership limited by the size of its building, was looking for a larger space, because it had nearly 600 people on a waiting list to join. It acquired the St. Luke’s site and proceeded to build what remains the most imposing of the city’s social clubs.

[6] Turpentine.

[7] Inserted on facing page: “After arriving home, the very sight of pencil or pen, or the thought of writing any thing whatever, caused a shudder & feeling of repugnance, such a slave to my diary had I been, I appreciated relief”.