altogether depriving its inmates of the feeling of independence, provides for disease and declining years a refuge and maintenance. Orphan Asylum, Instituted by a society of ladies, in 1814, to provide for the support and education of poor children deprived of their parents. The Asylum is superintended by twenty-four managers, chosen annually by the contributors, who pay each two dollars per annum. A payment of thirty dollars creates a membership for life. The lot of ground on which the Asylum stands, at the north-east corner of Cherry street and Schuylkill Fifth street, was presented to the institution by Messrs. Ralston, Archer, Richards, and Wetherill; and a building was erected in 1817. On the morning of the 24th of January, 1822, this building was consumed by an accidental fire, and twenty-three of the little inmates perished. The sensibility of the citizens of Philadelphia was awakened by this lamentable occurrence, and private subscriptions to the amount of nearly 28,000 dollars were obtained, which, with a liberal grant of 5000 dollars by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, enabled the managers to rebuild the edifice. The present building, standing on the site of the former, has been constructed with a view to security from fire; and the arrangements for the convenience of the inmates are very judicious. During the year 1823, fifteen children were admitted, four were bound out, and two died, leaving in the Asylum eighty orphans. The income of the institution, during that year, from the permanent fund was $1616, and the annual contribution from 500 subscribers, $1000, while the expenses of the family amounted to $3526 25 cts.; from which it appears, that the necessity still exists for a continuance of that charity which has heretofore been so liberally dispensed. The institution is under the care of two directresses, a secretary, treasurer, and twenty-four managers, elected annually. The officers for 1824 are-Mrs. Maria Dorsey, First Directress; Mrs. Letitia Buchanan, Second Directress; Mrs. H. Markoe, Treasurer; Miss Gratz, Secretary. St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum, An institution for the education and support of orphans of Catholic parents, was incorporated in 1807. The Asylum is in Sixth street, near Spruce, adjoining the Church of the Holy Trinity. Seventy-three orphans have received support and education from this institution since its establishment, twenty-eight of whom are at present in the Asylum, under the care of Sisters of Charity, who receive no compensation for their services. The institution is supported by donations and annual subscriptions. Its officers are-Rev. Michael Hurley, President; John Keating, Sen. Vice-President; Rev. Francis Roloff, Chaplain; Anthony Groves, Treasurer; and Joseph Snyder, Secretary. The Asylum for Indigent Widows and Single Women, Was instituted in 1817 by a society of ladies, and provides a comfortable home and a decent maintenance for females in reduced circumstances. The Asylum is a neat substantial brick building, on Cherry street, between Schuylkill Fifth and Sixth streets. The income derived from annual contributions and life subscriptions, is about $2000; and the number of inmates is about twenty-five. The government of the institution is vested in a first and second directress, a treasurer, secretary, and twenty-four managers, who are chosen annually. The present officers are-Mrs. Martha Duncan, First Directress, Mrs. Mary Yorke, Second Directress; Mrs. Mary Hodge, Treasurer; Mrs. W. L. Hodge, Secretary. The Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, Was established in 1820, for the benevolent purpose of educating and imparting knowledge to this unfortunate class of persons. In the following year, it was incorporated by the Legislature, who liberally granted the sum of 8000 dollars, and directed that the sum of 160 dollars should be annually paid, for four years, by the state treasurer, for each indigent pupil taught in the school, provided that the annual payment to the institution should not exceed 8000 dollars. The building at present occupied by the pupils is that large and convenient edifice at the corner of Eleventh and Market streets. The foundation of a building intended for the permanent seat of the institution was laid in June, 1824, at the corner of Broad and Pine streets. Besides the care of the intellectual and moral education of the pupils, the managers of this noble institution have exerted themselves to instruct them in useful branches of manufacture, that they may be qualified on leay F ing the Asylum to maintain themselves in honest industry. The profits derived by the institution from the manufacture of different articles, during the year 1823, amounted to $151 70 cts. The number of pupils in the institution, on the 18th of June, 1824, was seventy-six; and the expenditure, during the year 1823, was about 8500 dollars. The affairs of the institution are under the direction of managers, chosen annually. The present officers are-Rt. Rev. Bishop White, President; Horace Binney, Roberts Vaux, Thomas Cadwalader, and Dr. Chapman, Vice-Presidents; H. Williams, Secretary; and John Bacon, Treasurer. The Philadelphia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, Arose from a controversy between the directors of the Pennsylvania Institution and Mr. Seixas, the first teacher in that establishment, in consequence of which the latter was dismissed, and with the assistance of his friends commenced another institution. The school is established at the north-east corner of Market and Ninth streets. Its affairs are superintended by a board of managers annually chosen, and it is supported by private contributions. In 1823, the legislature of the state granted one thousand dollars to the institution. The number of pupils at present is twelve. The officers for 1824 are-Robert Patterson, President; Samuel Richards, Moses Levy, Vice-Presidents; Henry Simpson, Secretary; William Lippincott, Treasurer. Christ Church Hospital, An institution for the relief and support of aged females of the Episcopal Church, was founded by Dr. John Kearsley, formerly an eminent physician of Philadelphia, who bequeathed a considerable estate to the rector, wardens, and vestry of the United Episcopal Churches, for this purpose. Subsequent bequests and contributions have augmented the funds of this valuable charity, which supplies food, lodging, and medical attendance to about sixteen females. The institution, which was for a long time established at No. 111 Arch street, has recently been removed to a new and convenient building, erected for the purpose in Cherry street above Third, sixty feet in front and forty in depth. 1 Eye and Ear Infirmary. An institution under this name was established in 1822, and promises to be extensively useful to the poor, It is located at No. 4 South Seventh street. The number of persons under the care of the surgeons, in 1823, was one hundred and seventy-six; of whom one hundred and eighteen were cured, thirty-one relieved, four were found incurable, the result of twelve cases was unknown, and ten remain. The managers for 1824 are-James Gibson, W. Meredith, C. N. Bancker, M. Eyre, R. C. Wood, T. Keating, G. B. Wood, J. K. Kane. Lunatic Asylum. This institution was established with funds furnished almost exclusively by members of the society of Friends belonging to the yearly meeting held at Philadelphia, which embraces within its limits the eastern part of Pennsylvania, the states of New-Jersey and Delaware, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The present site of the Asylum is near Frankford, about five miles from Philadelphia, and was purchased in 1814, at a cost of about $10,000. The cost of the Asylum, with the out-buildings, was about $45,000. The building for the reception of patients is of stone, and consists of a centre edifice, three stories high, and about sixty feet square, and two wings, each about one hundred feet long, twenty-four feet wide, and two stories high. The wings are divided into rooms, about nine and a half feet each by ten feet, with a passage or hall ten feet in width. Each room has a window, and a transom over the door. The sashes are of cast iron, but resemble wood work so much, that the difference is not easily perceived. Several of the rooms are so constructed as to admit rarefied air from stoves in the basement story, and having a ventilator in the ceiling opening into the garret, can be made perfectly dark, and have the advantage of heat, when necessary to keep patients continually in them. The house was opened for patients in May, 1817, under the direction of a board of twenty managers, a committee of whom visit the house weekly. A physician visits the house daily, and consulting physicians attend from Philadelphia when necessary. Occupation is provided for the patients whenever the state of their minds will admit of it, and one of the objects of the institution seems to be to keep from the minds of the patients any idea of restraint or confinement. The number of persons admitted into the Asylum since it was opened is 141, of whom 49 are said to have been discharged recovered. 8 without improvement. 1 went without consent of his friends. 19 have died. 32 remained, on the 8th of March, 1824. 141 The expenses during the year 1823, for the supplies of the establishment, amounted to about $3800. No persons are admitted as visitors to the apartments occu pied by the patients, unless introduced by a manager. Near relations, or particular friends of patients, are excepted from this rule. The Clerk of the Contributors is Clement Biddle; the Treasurer, George Vaux. Provident Society. This valuable institution, from which the greatest public benefit may be anticipated, was established for the purpose of enabling persons in indigent circumstances to support themselves by their own industry. Its operations commenced in February, 1824. During the first eight weeks of its existence, it gave employment to 1400 persons, the greater part of whom performed the work given out to them at their own houses. The house of industry, established by this society, is in Market street, a short distance west of the Centre Square. One of the rooms is devoted to the instruction of children in the profitable business of manufacturing straw into hats, &c. while in the intervals of labour they are instructed in reading and writing. Female Society for the relief and Employment of the Poor, Was instituted in the year 1793, and affords employment to industrious females. A house of industry has been established by this society, in which they employ poor women in spinning wool and flax. The females thus employed re |