Another great era of public benefit, now but little considered, was the formation of the Germantown turnpike-a measure got up chiefly through the exertions of Casper Haines. The common road through Germantown, before this time, at the breaking up of the winter, as well as at some other times, was impassable for wheel carriages. To that cause it was that the most of the marketing, going through the place to Philadelphia, was all carried on horseback with side panniers and hampers, and the most of the horses were ridden by women. Think what a relief they have had since those days! It is a well known fact that horses and carriages have been swamped and lost! In going through the town, (now all well paved,) their horses would enter the mud to their knees at every step, and not being able to progress faster than two or three miles an hour, and then often endangered. Now what a change do we witness!-No men or women now on horseback with marketing, but going with easy spring dearborns at five and six miles an hour, as easy and safe as if in state carriages. Even wagon loads of hay can be seen sometimes passing in a trot! The young farmers now know almost nothing about former difficulties and poor returns; and they are not sufficiently aware that the fine barns and fine houses, as they have since seen them, have all been the result of clover cultivation and improved husbandry. We aim, therefore, to keep these facts "before the people," that they may thus know "the rock from which they were hewn."

I ought to take this suitable occasion to explain why it formerly was, that great country stores could be so well sustained at Germantown and Frankford, and out on Lancaster road. It arose from the extreme badness of all great roads leading into the city, in particular seasons. To avoid such, farmers bringing produce could sell out their whole loads to Rex, and others, on Chestnut hill, or at Stoneburner's, Fry's, and Miller's, in Germantown. In return they could get salt, fish, plaster of Paris, clover and grass seed; all kinds of groceries and dry goods. Such stores were granaries for all kinds of grain, and received and cured hogs and beef. They all made money. You might see a dozen country wagons at a time about their premises. All this continued until turnpikes insured safe passages into the city; and then the stores began fast to decline, and finally to give up, or to contract themselves into small affairs.

The present aged Jacob Keyser was told by A. Cook, a primitive inhabitant, that he could well remember Germantown street as being an Indian foot-path, going through laurel bushes.

John Miller, Esq., a respectable gentleman and a magistrate, dwelling in Germantown, in the house now belonging to the Chanceller family, kept a diary of passing events, during the time the British occupied that place and the city of Philadelphia. He was a strong whig, and eventually lost a great deal by the continental money. From his MS. book of twenty pages, quarto, I select the following notices, to wit:

Sept. 18th, 1777, he speaks of much alarm among the people from the expected approach of the British, and the apprehended capture of Philadelphia. He and his wife go to the city to consult with their children there, to settle to what places they should remove for refuge. They determine to wait a little.

September 19th. On a second visit to the city, found his son-in-law, Mease, and family, had, in the interval of a day, fled from their house at four o'clock in the morning, and had gone towards Trenton. He finds there, that great numbers had fled the last night and this morning. The roads were full of persons going away.

September 20th. He states that the roads are still full of poor people flying off from their good homes, to fall perhaps into greater danger. To-day, his wife went to the city to endeavour to save some of the furniture, left behind by her daughter.

September 22d. The news and reports, of to-day and yesterday, are all uncertain. They heard a cannonading up the Schuylkill; cause unknown.

September 23d. The alarm this morning is great. The militia are returning in great haste; tell us the British passed the Swedeford last night, and are since in full march for Germantown. From this news many fled this night. Among them was Doctor Bensall and family, which went to Horsham. He left a well furnished house and a large shop of medicines, which the enemy, as he was a known whig, destroyed, or carried off.

September 25th. The British army entered Germantown at eleven o'clock, and encamped around them, and occasions much fear, especially from the foreign mercenaries. They burnt and destroyed all his fences, grain, potatoes, turnips, &c., and endeavoured to inveigle away some of his negroes. To his person they were complaisant, and readily gave him a safeguard to keep his effects in door, from harm. A heavy rain fell at night.

September 26th. The morning was cool from the rain. General Lord Cornwallis marches into Philadelphia in great state, the incidents of which were inscribed in pompous language, and at much length, on the Coffee House books.

September 28th. He hears that his daughter's family, which had gone to Summer Seat for refuge, had to change their place, and were going to Lancaster for greater security. Her husband, Mr. Mease, was with the camp. This day, for the first time, General Howe made his entrance into Philadelphia, and made his call upon Lord Cornwallis, then at Richard Penn's mansion, in High street, near Sixth street. [The same afterwards Washington's residence.]

September 29th. The army seem all quiet-have a fine seasonare hourly destroying the property of all within their reach.

September 30th. This day, and at other times, he speaks of visiting Galloway in the city for a pass, to visit his daughter, but is always refused or put off.

October 2d. He hears the attack begun on the Fort at Mud

Island. He mentions hearing, from day to day, for near two months after this, the heavy cannonading continued on that fortress-(so gallantly and long defended). It sensibly shook the ground, he says, at Germantown!

October 4th. He returned to Germantown this morning from the city, and finds that a hot engagement had occurred between the two armies at Germantown. His poor wife was alone, up two pair of stairs, when a cannon ball passed through a window very near her.

October 6th. Great numbers came out from the city to satisfy their curiosity respecting the battle of yesterday. After the battle, the Hessian camp is placed just by him, and makes him much dislike their presence.

October 7th. Several were executed for desertion and others were flogged for offences. An aid of General Knyphausen, (one Copenhouse,) robbed him of a Map of Pennsylvania, and otherwise behaved unlike a gentleman. In the evening, a great number of the Highlanders were encamped up town,-and the following morning were again moved off.

October 10th. He notices the army to be in great motion this morning; and it is the opinion of some, that Washington is approaching:-others say, (so uncertain is the news!) that he has crossed the Delaware.

October 11th. He notices the first white frost. Before day light the soldiers went off to try to surprise the Americans, and by eight o'clock, A. M., returned without falling in with any of them.

October 17th. Orders came for all horses in Germantown and the environs to be sent to Philadelphia by eight o'clock, with their harnesses. About five hundred were so sent and appraised, but only tories received their pay! His horse was exempted by the kindness of Sir William Erskine. At this time, his house being marked for the quarters of General Sterne, it is occupied below stairs by his aids; and next day, there came a great suite of his officers, and fixed their sentinels around the house-filling the stables with their horses ;but in an hour, much to his joy and comfort, came an order for their return, and to say, he would not come.

October 18th. Three regiments marched as high as Barren hill in quest of rebels, as they said. In the evening he heard thirteen cannons and volleys of small arms,-which proved afterwards to be a feu-de-joie from the Americans, for the capture of Burgoyne's

army.

October 19th. The army is in motion at day light, to march from here and not to return. By ten o'clock, they were all gone for the city. In about an hour, the American light horse appeared, and soon had some skirmishing down the road. They took three or four prisoners and some wagons.

October 20th. A part of General Wayne's division marched down through Germantown, and returned in the evening. He speaks of several American officers as being entertained at his house as friends:

such as General Reed, Colonel Bradford, &c., and then, as returning to their camp in the afternoon.

October 23d. A part of General Washington's army began to march by ten o'clock at night through Germantown, and continued till day-break. They formed on the heights near the city and drove in the pickets. The enemy not venturing out, the troops withdrew, as they did not wish to attack the city. They hear the cannonading at the fort, and two violent shocks of explosion, shaking the earth, which afterwards proved to be the Augusta man-of-war blown up, &c.

November 10th. Several parties from our camp pass through town to forage. Several deserters from day to day from the city confirm the scarcity of bread, &c., there. The cannonade at the fort is still very heavy, and still shaking the very earth.

November 11th. A hard frost, and next day seems to begin the first of the winter-snow having fallen all the preceding night.

November 15. The weather clear and cold. They can see from a house in Germantown, by the aid of a spy glass, two men-of-war, closely bombarding the poor little fort, which has held out nobly since the 2d October, and only yielded at the end of seven weeks.

November 17th. Several women of the British camp were caught last night plundering the gardens, and were carried to head-quarters, to look and feel very awkwardly.

November 20th. Several women came from the city to look up a little provision for their families. Desolation and famine seem to threaten us.

November 22d. In the afternoon the British burnt the house of John Dickinson, Esq., (the same now known as J. P. Norris' house,) also the tavern of the whig lady, Mrs. Nice, at the Rising Sun, and several others in that neighbourhood, on the Germantown road. They also burnt the house of Jonathan Mifflin; Peale Hall, Francis' place, &c. This to their great shame!

November 25th and 26th. There was much alarm in Germantown, from reports that it was the purpose of the enemy to burn this place. It was even said, that the party for this purpose was resting at the Rising Sun. In consequence of this fear, he conveyed away a trunk of valuables as far as Chestnut hill.

November 27th. There appeared a great and surprising northern light-as red as blood.

December 4th. The enemy were much in motion-had pressed yesterday numerous horses, wagons, &c.

December 5th. The whole of the enemy's force, last night and this morning, passed through Germantown on their way to surprise General Washington at Whitemarsh. They did much damage as they went-wantonly burning and destroying houses and property in the night time. At ten o'clock, A. M., was heard a heavy firing begun on Chestnut hill, and lasting for two or three hours. They returned on the 8th instant.

December 6th. The enemy and our light horse place us in much danger, as they patrol our streets alternately.

December 10th. He finds many of the inhabitants of the town deploring their losses. Several had sent their goods for safety to Chestnut hill-where the enemy took some and burnt the rest. He, however, found that his trunk, which had been left at Mr. Bush's house, had escaped the pillage, although the house itself had lost much, while occupied as the temporary quarters of General Howe and his attendants. [This house was, since, Lentz's house, at the fork of the road.] When they returned, the night of the 7th, down the Old York road, they spared neither friends nor foes, but burnt and robbed all along the road. They carried with them about forty loads of wounded. Mrs. Bush was so frightened by the violence of some towards her son, Dr. Bush, then a wounded officer in bed, in threatening to stab him, &c., that she miscarried with her twentieth child, and was interred at Philadelphia, on the 21st December.

December 20th. The navigation at Philadelphia was stopped for ten or twelve days by the ice.

In January, 1778, the weather being severely cold, the British army goes into winter quarters-often sending out foraging parties to rob the country around, and on market days to protect the country people bringing them produce.

The 19th of May, a large detachment of British marched up the Old York road; and next day a second party came through Germantown, and had a skirmish. They returned about five o'clock, P. M. in some haste, with several wagons of dead and wounded. The Indians killed seven British horsemen on the banks of the Schuylkill. May 28th. A large detachment of the enemy came up and returned, without permission to do any harm.

June 3d. The British army came up and went through the town by break of day, and returned by nine o'clock, A. M. They rob gardens and steal fowls, as they pass along.

June 6th. They came up again in force and returned by nine o'clock, A. M.-having with them a few wounded in a skirmish.

June 10th. The enemy came up again by different routes, and joined forces at Allen's lane, (now Mount Airy,) and returned before nine o'clock in the morning-effecting nothing but the plundering of gardens, &c.

The English commissioners came up strongly guarded as far as Chew's house, and returned just after the above force.

June 13th. The army marched up for the last time, and got as far as Mount Airy. They returned in two hours.

June 16th and 17th. They are embarking and making all preparations for a departure from Philadelphia; and on the 18th, the Americans again took possession of the city. Laus Deo!

The foregoing, it will be observed, speaks more of the preda tory aggressions of the enemy, than was generally complained of, by others. We give the facts as they have been told us.