Faux's Memorable Days in America, 1819-20; and Welby's Visit to North America, 1819-20, part 2 (1820)Faux, W. (William)
History
Faux's Memorable Days in America, 1819-20; and Welby's Visit to North America, 1819-20, part 2 (1820)
Faux, W. (William)
United States -- Description and travel
[10] Franklin did not present a library to Philadelphia, but he is
properly regarded as the founder of the Philadelphia Library, which he
called "the _mother_ of all the North American subscription libraries."
Conceiving the idea of establishing such an institution, he drew up a
plan (1731), and solicited subscriptions among his friends. By March
following, twenty-five persons had paid their subscription of forty
shillings each, and an order was sent to England for books. Franklin
continued to take an active interest in the enterprise, aiding in
selecting books, and from time to time donating volumes. The
Philadelphia Library now occupies two large buildings, and contains over
190,000 volumes.--ED.
[11] In his will Franklin left £2,000 (still due him for his salary as
president of Pennsylvania) for the improvement of the Schuylkill River.
Learning that that work of improvement was likely to be delayed, he made
a codicil revoking the bequest to the Schuylkill improvement, and
devoting it to a scheme of continuous benevolence--£1,000 each were
given to Boston and to Philadelphia; under the direction of a certain
board of selectmen, small sums (not exceeding £60), were to be loaned to
young married artificers at five per cent interest. He estimated that in
a hundred years the principal would be vastly increased, and the greater
part was then to be devoted to public works. However, many borrowers
were unable to repay, and their security proving worthless, the sum at
the end of the first century was far below Franklin's expectation.--ED.
[12] The cent is about the value of one half-penny; one hundred is four
shillings and sixpence sterling.--WELBY.
[13] The traveller's route westward was by way of the Lancaster Turnpike
and the Pennsylvania Road, through Bedford and Greensburg to Pittsburg.
For this route, see Harris's _Journal_, volume iii of our series, note
3.--ED.
[14] Cove Mountain forms the western boundary of Franklin County. The
road crosses it about fifteen miles west of Chambersburg. Scrub Ridge
lies parallel to Cove Mountain, a few miles to the west.--ED.
[15] For Bloody Run, see Cuming's _Tour_, in our volume iv, note 18. It
is now Everett, Bedford County. The battle was not with the natives, but
between a band of enraged frontiersmen and a party of Indian traders who
were illegally supplying the savages with firearms.--ED.
[16] For the early history of Greensburg and Pittsburg, see volume iii
of our series: F. A. Michaux's _Travels_, note 16; A. Michaux's
_Travels_, note 11.--ED.
[17] A brief account of the founding of Washington and Canonsburg
(Jefferson) College may be found in Harris's _Journal_, volume iii of
our series, note 31.--ED.
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