The. Philadelphia Library, is a plain spacious brick structure, decorated in front with a statue of the cele brated Dr. Franklin, placed in a niche over the door-way. This statue was executed in Italy, and was the gift of the late William Bingham Nearly opposite stands the Hall of the American Philosophical Society, containing the rooms appropriated to the use of that institution, and those occupied by the Athenxunt.
4cadcmy cf Fine A neat brick building for the exhibition of the statues and paintings of the society.
University of Pennsylvania.—A large brick building, originally erected by the State of Pennsylvania for the dwelling of Pi csident Washington. It was afterwards purchased by the Trustees of the University, who have added to the main building a large and commodious wing, containing the room for dissections, and several spacious lecture rooms, used by the medical school.
Pennsylvania Hospital.—This building will be parti cularly described, when we come to speak of the benevo lent institutions of the city.
The Masonic Hall, is a large edifice in the Gothic style, containing an elegant saloon for assemblies, and various other apartments for the use of the Grand Lodge of the State of Pennsylvania, and the various subordinate lodges of the city.
The other public buildings worthy of note are the Pub lic Alms House, the United States 1\lint, United States Arsenal, Merchant's Coffee House, Widow's Asylum, Orphan's Asylum, Carpenter's Hall, the Custom House, a handsome edifice recessed from the street, with a base ment story of marble, and a niche in front containing a statue of commerce ; 2 Prisons, a Circus, and the New State Penitentiary now erecting in the suburbs of the city, for a detailed description of which, see article Phila delphia Penitentiary in the present number.
While on the subject of public buildings, it may be proper to notice the Market Houses, and the two Bridges erected over the Schuylkill. There is perhaps no city in the world that exceeds Philadelphia in the quantity, vat iety, and excellent quality of the provisions offered for sale. In butcher's meat, poultry, vegetables, butter, and the various articles of country produce, it stands unri valled in the United States, and probably in Europe.
The Market Houses in High street extend from the river Deleware westward, near three quarters of a mile.
The market nearest the river is exclusively devoted to the sale of fish. At the corner of Market and Second streets stands the building, now the rendezvous of the city watch, and formerly the court house. It was erected in 1708, and is one of the oldest houses in the city.' In addition to these there are several other large market houses in different parts of the town, well supplied with excellent provisions.
The Permanent Bridge, over the river Schuylkill, is situated at the west end of Market street, and is the great thoroughfare to the country west of Philadelphia. It is a strong, elegant, and convenient structure ; built by a company incorporated in the year 1798. It occupied 6 years in building, and consists of 3 wooden arches, sup ported by two stone piers, with abutments and wing-walls. The western pier is sunk in a depth of water unexampled in hydraulic architecture. The top of the rock on which it stands being 41 feet and 9 inches below common high tides. The difficulties encountered in the course of the erection of this pier were so great, as materially to retard the progress of the work, and at one time were deemed insurmountable, nsurmountable, as almost to occasion an abandonment of the undertaking as impracticable, but by repeated ef forts and most persevering exertions, the mason work under water was completed in a firm and durable man ner. The platform for travelling rises only 8 feet from a horizontal line. There are two passage ways for waggons, with foot walks of 5 feet in width, elevated above and separated by chains from the carriageway.
v The bridge, as well as the one next described, are cover ed with substantial roofs. The length of the bridge is 550 feet, of the abutments and wing walls 750 ; whole Tength 1300 feet ; height from the surface of the water 31 feet. The cost of the erection was S275,000, including the purchase of the scite.
The Upper Bridge crosses the Schuylkill just below Fair Mount water-works, and about a mile above the Per manent Bridge. It is 50 feet wide at the abutments, 35 feet in the centre, and 340 feet span of a single arch, with lamps and footways. The span of the arch is said to be 90 feet larger than that of any other known to exist.