Description of Philadelphia and its People, 1778
On the Neck at Philadelphia, June 2, 1778.
From: 1778 C.E. To: 1778 C.E.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
“Description of Philadelphia, its People, Etc.” from Letters of Brunswick and Hessian Officers during the American Revolution translated by William L. Stone, 1891.
[From Captain H.]
On the Neck at Philadelphia, June 2, 1778.
Several weeks ago, the army being ordered to put on board the ships their unnecessary baggage, I sent, among other articles, all my books, journals, charts, sketches, and note-books. For this reason you will not in this letter receive anything from me in relation to my winter campaign.
Philadelphia is, in its way, a very pretty city. Ninety-four years ago not a house was to be seen, and now there are between twenty-five hundred to three thousand. Indeed the fire-insurance companies have policies on 1993. This will give you an idea of the growth of the place. The rectangular streets and the sameness of the houses—which, as a rule, are but two stories high, though a few are three stories—present a laughable appearance. After we had had possession of the city for four weeks, and when the vessels arrived from New York, everything put on such a bustling air, that, as the inhabitants said, one would not have known the city in time of peace.
Two out of every three houses contain shops (not shops like those in Hamburg), but similar to those of G—sche. A broad stone placed at the side [front] of the houses makes walking very comfortable; and I must acknowledge that the arrangement of the streets is better than in Göttingen, The gutters do not empty directly upon the stones; consequently, in rainy weather, when you need these stones the most, you are not compelled to leave the sidewalks and wade about in the middle of the street. In the summer almost every householder stretches a piece of canvas across two upright poles placed on the street, and thus you are enabled to walk in the shade.
The merchant, or rather the shopkeeper, whose trade formerly was confined within narrow limits, is a laughable creature. He can only be compared with the librarian of a circulating library. For instance, should certain wares be in fashion and have a great sale in England, he will push them in Philadelphia, although he may know nothing about them! Recently, while walking in Second Street, I ran across a tobacco-dealer who had painted on a swinging-sign a German and English inscription. The English one read as follows: “Tobacco sold here as good as the best imported;" while the German one read: "Tobacco sold here as good as the best of English."
Mechanics and artisans are very scarce. The ablest mechanics are hatters, shoemakers, and tailors. Of artisans, the best, and I may say the only ones, are saddlers and goldsmiths. Workers in ivory, steel, iron, stucco-work, bone, embroidery, silk, gold and silver ware are entirely unknown. All of those articles are sent on here by the English; and, in fact, whatever they choose to send is most welcome. "In connection with all of this I may mention the unbearable self-conceit of the Americans, and especially the Philadelphians, who imagine that no country is more beautiful, fortunate, rich, or prosperous than their own; and this, too, although it is still in its infancy.
The reason for this scarcity of mechanics and artisans is easily given. Wages are so high that goods cannot be sold at a price sufficiently remunerative to get back the outlay of money for work performed. A man, for instance, importing goods from England can therefore sell more cheaply than a merchant here manufacturing his own goods. Why workmen's wages are so high can also be explained. Journeymen are difficult to be obtained simply because they can make a more agreeable and easy living by following agriculture. If a man works three hours a day at the latter occupation, he has twenty-one hours remaining in which he can sleep, yawn, breakfast, promenade, gossip, etc. He cannot, however, lead this blissful life in the workshop. You can therefore judge for yourself what the future of American culture will be. As long as there is enough land to be had the peasant will not become an artisan.
Stone, William L., translator. Letters of Brunswick and Hessian Officers during the American Revolution. Joel Munsell's Sons, Publishers., 1891.
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