“ The Pennsylvania lines give Philadelphia more direct communication with the productive Middle West than is enjoyed by any other Atlantic port. The general offices of the Lehigh Valley Railroad are in the city. The Baltimore and Ohio enters where Chestnut Street crosses the Schuylkill. The tracks of the Pennsylvania are nearly all elevated or below grade, the Baltimore and Ohio below, and the Reading partly above, partly below, but mainly at grade. The Delaware River admits of the entrance of ocean vessels, and is navigable the entire length of the city's frontage, 18 miles. ”

“ At the present time (1903) there is under construction a subway system of four tracks from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, with an elevated extension along Market Street from the Schuylkill to the city line. Twelve public and twelve railroad bridges cross the Schuylkill, and one railroad bridge the Delaware; and among these are some of the finest structures of the kind in the country.
It is possible to characterize with tolerable accuracy the various sections of Philadelphia. The business life centres around Market Street. ”

“ The industrial development of Philadelphia has been greatly aided by the favorable location of the city for commerce, and especially by its proximity to raw materials. The city has the advantage of superior railroad facilities. The great Pennsylvania Railroad system, with 10,484 miles of owned and leased lines, and the Philadelphia and Reading Railway, with $140,000,000 capital and 1457 miles of track, terminate and have home offices near the City Hall. ”

“ The Centennial Exposition of 1876 brought many noteworthy structures into the park, the most important that remain being Horticultural Hall, with a fine exotic collection, and Memorial Hall, where are exhibited the Wilstach Art Collection and the display of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of industrial Art. A trolley line, below grade, eight miles long, extends to the chief points of attraction. A speedway, one mile in length, is being completed. The Schuylkill is frequently the scene of regattas, and there are handsome stone boat houses on its eastern bank. ”

“ The residential portions of the city seem to be as clearly divided by Market Street as are the business interests. South of that thoroughfare, on Chestnut, Walnut, and Spruce streets, centring about Rittenhouse Square, is the aristocratic residential section of the city. North of Market the upper portion of Broad Street, with portions of other streets between it and the Schuylkill, forms another important residence area. North of this comes the residential section occupied largely by textile operatives. ”

“ In this region are located most of the slums of the city, though the peculiarities of the building plan permit them to exist in the rear of the best residential sections. West of the Schuylkill, Market Street continues to divide West Philadelphia into two distinct residential portions; for the northern the character is largely determined by the proximity of the main freight yards of the Pennsylvania Railroad, whose employees, together with employees from the downtown business district, constitute the bulk of its population. ”

“ In this industry Philadelphia has a special advantage, owing to its proximity to abundant resources of coal and iron. It is noted particularly for the manufacture of locomotives, the Baldwin Locomotive Works, on North Broad Street, having a yearly capacity of 1500. For years Philadelphia has been the foremost shipbuilding centre in the country. Many warships of the United States and also a number for foreign governments have been built at the Cramp shipyard, which occupies some 52 acres in the Port Richmond section. ”

“ The art schools of the Pennsylvania Academy also are the oldest in the country. The School of Industrial Art and the School of Design for Women are well known. Bryn Mawr College (q.v.) , near Philadelphia, is one of the foremost women's institutions of the United States. ”

“ Wheat and flour are also exported extensively. In 1901, 37,833 head of cattle were shipped, and there were also considerable exports of meat and meat products. Coal and copper are other important exports. The largest import is sugar, amounting in 1901 to a value of over $15,500,000. Imports of unmanufactured silk were valued at over $8,000,000. Among other leading imports are goat skins, fabrics, bananas, etc.
Philadelphia is a great manufacturing centre, ranking third in the United States in value of products. ”

“ Of educational institutions the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel Institute, the new Boys' High School, Girard College with its early Grecian structures, and the Roman Catholic High School are architecturally of importance.
Parks. The system embraces about 4000 acres. Public interest has been aroused of late in the development also of parkways. William Penn expressed the desire to make Philadelphia a ‘greene country towne;’ and his surveyor Holme placed on the plan, near its four angles, rectangular open spaces, now Logan (northwest) . ”

“ From this time on the city has grown more rapidly, extending southward to the junction of the two rivers, westward far beyond the Schuylkill to Cobb's Creek, and northward in two main branches, the easternmost following the Delaware to Poquessing Creek, eighteen miles from the southern limit, and the westerly through the suburban region stretching ten miles along the Wissahickon—a tributary of the Schuylkill. In the western and northern sections of the city large areas of open country still exist. ”

“ The city's greatest pleasure ground is Fairmount Park, rich in natural beauties. The Schuylkill divides it into East Park, with over 633 acres, and West Park, with 1323 acres. Along the Wissahickon is the Wissahickon Valley extension of 1010 acres. The acquisition in 1812 of five acres on Morris's Hill, the original Fair Mount, for water-works and park purposes, led to the formation of the park. ”

“ Foreign languages are taught only in the higher schools. There is some special and experimental manual training for seventh and eighth grade boys, and cooking and sewing instruction for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade girls. Through private bequest and municipal legislation there are available 358 free scholarships in the University of Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr, Lehigh University, and various medical, art, and scientific colleges. Night and summer vacation schools are conducted.
At the head of the higher educational institutions is the University of Pennsylvania (q.v.) ”

“ With structures representing interests that are not strictly utilitarian Philadelphia is well supplied. The Masonic and Odd Fellows' temples, on North Broad Street, rank with the best society structures on the continent. ”

“ The largest classes of European descent are German, Irish, English, and Italian. French, Greeks, Armenians, Russians, Bohemians, and Poles are present in much lesser numbers. Though some tendency to congregate is shown, there are few well-defined foreign colonies. In 1800 the population of Philadelphia was 28,522 ”

“ The mayor, who is elected every four years and is ineligible for succession, appoints directors of the Departments of Public Works, Safety, Health, and Supplies, subject to confirmation by Select Council. ”

“ The Ridgway Branch, an excellent example of pure Greek architecture, contains one of the most valuable reference lists in the United States. Other important libraries of the 100 in the city are the Mercantile (1821) , general circulation and reference; Carpenters' Company (1736) , architecture and building; Friends' (1742) ; American Philosophical Society (1743) ; Academy of Natural Sciences; Franklin Institute, scientific; Hurst, law; College of Physicians; University of Pennsylvania, Apprentices', Pennsylvania, Presbyterian, and Baptist Historical societies ”

“ There are more than 100 dispensaries, homes, asylums, orphanages, etc. The College Settlement, Society for Organizing Charity, Working Women's Guilds, Flower, Fruit, and Ice Mission, various children's aid, protection, and country week associations do good work. ”

“ Work is now in progress to deepen the river to 30 feet. The Schuylkill River is navigable eight miles for vessels of light draught and is being dredged to a depth of 22 feet. The general export and import interests, including the Port Richmond coal wharves, are located mainly on the Delaware. Eleven transatlantic lines enter the port.
Early in the nineteenth century Philadelphia was first among United States ports in foreign commerce, but its relative importance declined, until in 1901 it ranked fourth. The imports for that year were valued at $48,043,443, and the exports at $79,354,025. ”

“ There are more than 1560 miles of streets, of which some 900 miles are paved with brick, stone, or asphalt, 225 macadamized, and the remainder unpaved. The mileage of sewers is 951 and of water mains 1319. ”

“ The legislative function is exercised by Select and Common Councils, the former consisting of one member from each of 42 wards, the latter of one member for every 4000 voters. Select Councilmen serve three years, and Common Councilmen, two, without pay. ”