able for its size than its architectural beauty, was in a great part destroyed by an accidental fire in 1818, but rebuilt in the same year. The present officers of the Grand Lodge are-John B. Gibson, Esq., R. W. Grand Master; James Harper, Deputy G. M.; Thomas Kittera, Senior G. Warden; Samuel Badger, Junior G. Warden; Bernard Dahlgren, G. Secretary; Joseph S. Lewis, G. Treasurer. Besides the institutions of which a brief account has been given, there are in Philadelphia upwards of one hundred and fifty societies, for even the names of which we have not room,-which afford to their members, or to strangers, assistance, relief, comfort, or protection. Most of them are mutual benefit societies, associations of tradesmen and mechanics for the support of each other in sickness and infirmity. The joint stock is commonly derived from weekly or other payments of small sums by the members. There are also among this number several societies for the relief of foreigners in distress. Such are the German Society, the Society of St. Andrew, the St. George's Society, &c. Franklin Fund. Among the charities of Philadelphia, may perhaps be enumerated the bequest made by Dr. Franklin to the corporation of the city, for the purpose of lending small sums "to such young unmarried artificers, under the age of twenty-five years, as have served an apprenticeship in the city, and faithfully fulfilled the duties required in their indentures." The legacy amounted to $4444 44 cts., or £ 1000 sterling. No loan to one person is to exceed £60, nor to be less than £15. The interest paid by the borrower is five per cent., and he is required to give a bond, with two sureties, for the repayment of the money. The present amount of the fund, including interest due, is $ 17,596, being an increase of $ 13,152. Dr. Franklin calculated, that at the end of one hundred years it would amount to £131,000 sterling, or $581,640, of which he recommended that £100,000 should be applied to public purposes, and the balance of £31,000 left to accumulate for another century, at the end of which period he supposed that it would amount to upwards of four millions of pounds sterling, or upwards of seventeen millions of dollars, which is to be divided between the inhabitants of Philadelphia and the government of Pennsylvania. The sum of three thousand dollars, United States three per cents., was bequeathed to the corporation for the same purposes, by John Scott, a citizen of Philadelphia. Bequests to the Poor of Philadelphia. Several funds have been created by benevolent persons for the relief of the poor. 1. "The Fund for supplying the necessitous Poor with Fuel," has arisen from legacies given by different persons, and consists of $1932 88 cts. United States' three per cents., two shares of the stock of the Bank of Pennsylvania, and fifty shares of the City Loan; the interest of which is annually distributed in wood. 2. The Fund for the relief of persons in the City Hospital, during the existence of Yellow Fever, was created by a legacy of £1000, given for the purpose by John Bleakley, Esq., by his will, dated the nineteenth of April, 1802. 3. The Fund for supplying the Poor with Bread, arises from bequests made by William Carter and Petty, of one hundred dollars each, the interest of which is laid out in bread, which is annually distributed by the guardians of the poor among the necessitous. One of the greatest benefactors of the public charities of Philadelphia was John Keble, who derived his own education from the charity of the "Blue-Coat Hospital" of London. By his will he bequeathed the residue of his estate, amounting to $103,114, to the Episcopal ministers of Philadelphia, to be distributed to pious and charitable purposes, according to their judgment. PART VII. COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONS-BANKS, INSURANCE COMPANIES, CUSTOM-HOUSE, INSPECTIONS, &c. Of the Banking Institutions in Philadelphia, the most considerable is the Bank of the United States, Which was established by Act of Congress, on the 10th day of April, 1816, and chartered until the 3d day of March, 1836. The bonus to the Government was 1,500,000 dollars. Its capital is 35,000,000 dollars, divided into 350,000 shares of 100 dollars each of these the Government subscribed 70,000 shares, and is therefore one-fifth proprietor of the bank. The capital is divided between the parent bank at Philadelphia, and the different offices of discount and deposit, or branches established in various parts of the Union. The present distribution of these branches is as follows:-At Portsmouth in New Hampshire, at Providence in Rhode Island, at Boston in Massachusetts, at Hartford in Connecticut, at New York in New York, at Baltimore in Maryland, at Washington in the District of Columbia, at Richmond in Virginia, at Norfolk in Virginia, at Fayetteville in North Carolina, at Charleston in South Carolina, at Savannah in Georgia, at New Orleans in Louisiana, at Lexington in Kentucky, at Louisville in Kentucky, at Chilicothe in Ohio, at Cincinnati in Ohio (now in agency), and at Pittsburg in Pennsylvania. The stock of the bank was divided, according to the last report made to Congress, in the following manner, on the 7th of July, 1823: Foreign 35,017 President, Directors, & Co. of Bank U. S. 38,239 United States of America 70,000 350,000 The general administration of the bank is entrusted to a board of twenty-five directors, of whom five are annually appointed by the President and Senate of the United States, and twenty are annually elected by the stockholders. The branches are managed by a board of directors, annually chosen by the parent board, and consisting of from seven to thirteen members. The directors of the present year (1824) are Appointed by the President and Senate, 1. Nicholas Biddle, of Pennsylvania. 2. Manuel Eyre, of ditto. 3. Henry Eckford, of New York. 4. E. J. Dupont, of Delaware. 5. John M'Kim, Jun., of Maryland. Elected by the stockholders, 1. John Bohlen. 2. Daniel W. Coxe. 3. Joshua Lippincott. 4. R. M. Whitney. 5. Thomas Cadwalader. 6. Richard Willing. 7. Alexander Henry. 8. Joseph Hemphill. 9. Samuel Wetherill. 10. Lewis Clapier. 11. Paul Beck, Jun. The officers are Nicholas Biddle, President. Thomas Wilson, Cashier. John Andrews, Assistant Cashier. The officers of the different branches are Pittsburgh, George Stevenson, Cashiers. E. Wentworth. Peter Bacot. James Hunter. Charles S. West. Edward Shippen. James Harper. James Correy. William Creighton, Jr. Abm. G. Claypoole. Cincinnati, George M. Jones, Agent. Description of the Banking-House. This building is formed on the plan of the Parthenon at Athens, so far as it could be consistently with the different purposes for which it is designed, and dispensing of course G |