South Chester Borough.

of Samuel A. Crozer, a brick structure, fifty feet in length and thirty-three feet in width, was erected on Second Street, below Lamokin. It was dedicated in August, 1879. The Rev. Dr. Griffith, of Upland, preached the dedicatory sermon. The church has about seventy members, and the Rev. Samuel Christian is pastor.

African Methodist Episcopal Bethel Church. - This society was organized in the old school-house on the public grounds in May, 1871. A lot on Engle Street, between Second and Front Streets, was purchased of John M. Broomall, the consideration being one dollar. By the exertions of William Murphy two thousand dollars were subscribed and used for the erection of a brick edifice twenty-five by thirty-eight feet. It was dedicated June 6, 1872. The first pastor was the Rev. G. T. Waters. He was succeeded by the Rev. W. H. Davis, Henderson Davis, John M. Davis, John W. Norris, and Thomas H. Moore, the present pastor. The church has at present one hundred members.

Bethany Mission. - The First, Second, and Third Presbyterian Churches of Chester united in establishing a mission called Bethany in South Chester. The corner-stone of a brick chapel, thirty-five by sixty, was laid by John Wanamaker, of Philadelphia, on the 25th of June, 1884. The box deposited in the stone contained a Bible, copies of the papers in Chester and South Chester, a paper containing the names of the ministers of the Presbyterian Churches, names of the former and present Sunday-school officers, and the names of the teachers. On the day when the corner-stone was laid Mr. Wanamaker addressed the audience, and concluded by subscribing one hundred dollars towards the building fund. Subscriptions followed rapidly, and over a thousand dollars were contributed in a short time.

Auvergne Mills. - Norris L. Yarnall erected a stone mill two and a half stories in height for the manufacture of Kentucky jeans, at the foot of Flower Street, in 1868, which was in operation till Oct. 3, 1873, when it was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in the fall and winter of that year, and manufacturing resumed there in April, 1874. Additions have been made from time to time to the mills. The present main structure is fifty feet in width by one hundred and twenty in length, an engine-house twenty by twenty feet, a picker-house thirty-two feet square, a dye-house sixty-five by seventy feet connected there-with. The machinery consists of eighty-eight looms, four sets of woolen cards forty-two by forty-eight inches, and two self-acting mules with six hundred and seventy-six spindles each. About six thousand pounds of cotton and wool are used weekly in the manufacture of twenty thousand yards of cloth.

River Mills. - These mills, located at the foot of Jeffrey Street, were built, in 1872, by Capt. James Jerome, and were operated by him for the manufacture of cotton warp until 1875, at which date they were rented by Charles Roberts. In 1871, Mr. Roberts began the manufacture of cotton yarn in the building belonging to the water-works, now used as the Cocoa Matting Works by Edward S. Worrell. In 1875, Mr. Roberts removed to the River Mills. One of the buildings is sixty-six feet in width by one hundred and fifty feet in length, two stories in height. The necessary out-buildings comprise the engine- and boiler-rooms, dye-house, picker- and finishing-room. The other mill is fifty feet in width by one hundred feet in length, two stories in height, and has in connection therewith an engine- and boiler-room, dye-house, and dry-room. The machinery consists of one hundred and fifty looms, five thousand five hundred cotton-spindles and eighteen cotton-cards, one thousand woolen-spindles, and two sets of woolen-cards. The power used to drive the machinery is supplied by three engines, one of ninety horse-power, one of forty horse-power, one of twelve, and five tubular boilers. One hundred and sixty hands are employed. Eight thousand pounds of raw material are used weekly, from which is produced thirty-six thousand yards of tickings, cheviots, and Kentucky jeans.

Trainer's Mill. - The Chester Improvement Company awarded a contract in May, 1872, to Samuel Montgomery to erect on their land a building for a cotton-factory sixty feet in width by two hundred and thirty-eight feet in length, two stories in height. The contract price was fifty thousand dollars, and the buildings to be completed by Nov. 1, 1872. The property was occupied by D. Trainer & Sons, who placed therein eleven thousand spindles, fifty-four spinning-frames, forty-six cards, and nine speeders for the manufacture of fine yarns. The engine that drives the machinery is a two hundred horse-power Corliss engine. The mill has a capacity of spinning three thousand pounds of yarn weekly.

Wyoming Mill. - The mill building was erected in 1873, fitted with machinery by Samuel Montgomery, and operated by his sons for several years, when it was purchased by John Roberts and Abner Coppock, by whom it was operated about two years and a half. It then remained idle several years, and on the 10th of October, 1882, it was again put in operation by Joseph Byram, who is the present occupant. The mill has fifty-eight looms, one thousand spindles, and two cards, driven by a sixty horse-power engine. Three thousand pounds of cotton are weekly made into cotton yarn, and thirteen thousand yards of cotton cloth are made weekly. Fifty hands are employed.

Centennial Mill. - This mill was established by Simeon Cotton, in May, 1876, at which time he had completed the main building, one hundred by fifty feet, at the foot of Second and Clayton Streets, and manufacturing was commenced therein May 11, 1876. Three thousand six hundred spindles and thirteen cards are used, and sixteen bales of cotton are manufactured weekly into seven thousand pounds of cotton warp.