Rose half past six. A delightful morning after the rain. Had a walk down
street before breakfast.
The horses are protected from flies by netting or thongs. Called upon
Mr. Hulme and met with a very gracious reception. After showing me
through the lower part of the house and the curious filtering machine,
also the mode of getting the water cool, he walked with me to the Mint,
where I saw the bar of silver gradually lengthened out, then punched and
then put into a machine to letter the edge, then placed under the die
and then very quickly ejected in a complete coin. Also a curious process
of extracting gold from silver; it only appeared like a dirty sort of
revolving vessel, much like a milk basin and the man said its value
exceeded 6000 dollars. Thence we went to a saw mill, with machines that
planed and grooved the boards leaving them quite ready for laying down.
Thence to the water works where the river Schuylkill forces up its own
water (rather reddish) into three large reservoirs. Then descended,
found five large water wheels at work and preparations for two others.
We came back in a stage coach and were charged only 25 cents for both.
Went to enquire about the Frankford stage which leaves at nine. Went
into a large Quakers' meeting house--both Pilling and John Wood in town,
but could not manage to meet them. Visited the Exchange, a handsome
edifice built of white marble. Another balloon in the sky.
Walked towards the shipping, found much wood used though there is much
coal of a kind very black and shining like pitch, and giving out heat
without blaze. The evening was truly beautiful, the sky so clear that
the stars seemed nearer and the moon as if it imparted heat as well as
light.