Of this
description is offered for sale, it is by no means understood, as in
England, that the _land_ on which it stands is included in the purchase.
They have a method of removing these buildings _entire_. A house
_travelling_ in this manner through the streets of the city is to a
European a truly grotesque and extraordinary sight.
During the time the British troops had possession of this city in the last
war, they were much distressed for fuel, and obliged to cut down all the
wood they could meet with; upwards of a thousand acres of peach and apple
orchard were destroyed, belonging to one family. This destruction of the
trees has materially hurt the prospects for three or four miles on the
Pensylvania side; the opposite Jersey shore (except the plantations) is
one entire forest.
Philadelphia is at present supplied with water from pumps, placed in
different parts of the city; but a company of adventurers are bringing
water from above the falls of Scuylkill, in the manner of the New River in
London: but mean to improve on sir Hugh Middleton's plan, by making their
aqueduct also serve the purposes of inland navigation.
The inhabitants are in general very fond of theatrical representations;
their new theatre is an elegant building, from a design the subscribers
obtained from London, where the principal scenes were painted by
Richardson and Rooker.
