Radnor Township.
porches run entirely around the mansion, and the building and surroundings cost over eighty thousand dollars. The mansion stands in the centre of a beautiful lawn, and is approached by a fine macadamized road. The parlors present a most luxurious appearance, and the large and elegant dining-room is where the 'Aztec Club' took their annual dinner before the death of Gen. Robert Patterson. A handsome billiard-room or hall is near the mansion, and there are ice-houses, servants' quarters, stables, gas-house, etc. The mansion is well supplied with fire-escapes, and the heating. arrangements are excellent. There are a smoking-room, card-room, private parlors, etc.
"Adjoining Bellevue Mansion on the west is a lot one hundred by three hundred feet in size, purchased by Mr. Theodore Gugert, of the firm of Bergner & Engel, who is erecting an elegant cottage, and west of Mr. Gugert's property is the lot owned by Dr. Egbert, a young physician of Radnor township, who is also building a fine stone cottage. Dr. Egbert has medical charge of the young Indian girls at the Spread Eagle Hotel, near his cottage. The hotel building, owned by Mr. Childs, is an old stone structure built in 1795, and has been loaned by him as a country home for the young Indian wards of the Lincoln Institute, eighty-five in number, who are under the care of Mrs. Belangee Cox. The children have plenty of comforts and conveniences, and every opportunity for out-door exercise, without being interfered with by outsiders. They have plenty of freedom, but still a strict watch is kept over them.
"Leaving Spread Eagle Hotel and returning, we come to Conestoga road or the old Lancaster pike, and at the intersection of the pike and Wayne Avenue stands the old Baptist Church, and it is said Gen. Anthony Wayne is buried near there.1 A number of elegant building lots, owned by Messrs. Childs and Drexel, are in the vicinity of the Baptist Church, and they can be bought for from eight hundred to fifteen hundred dollars each, having fronts of one hundred and fifty feet and considerable depth. Near by, at the corner of old Wayne road and Bloomingdale Avenue, may be seen the spacious and substantial reservoir, which cost thirty thousand dollars, and has a capacity for three hundred thousand gallons of pure spring water, of which there is an abundant supply on the estate. The reservoir stands four hundred and fifty feet above tide-water, and is supplied by extensive and costly water-works. There is a fine ascent to the reservoir and an elegant promenade on top, provided with rustic seats. At the corner of Bloomingdale road and Wayne Avenue stands a superb cottage, owned by Childs and Drexel. It has a very fine lawn, with evergreens, carpet gardening, etc. Nearly opposite, on Bloomingdale Avenue, is the very superior cottage of Robert Smith. No expense has been spared on this cottage and the surrounding grounds. There are several very handsome cottages on Bloomingdale Avenue, which is a popular promenade leading to the reservoir.
"Leaving Bloomingdale Avenue and going northeast on Wayne Avenue can be seen a number of new brick and stone cottages on either side. They are very superior and provided with all modern conveniences. Some have fronts of eighty-five feet by two hundred and fifty feet deep, and will be sold for five thousand five hundred dollars, clear of all incumbrance. Each cottage is by itself, and there is plenty of privacy.
"Crossing Audubon Avenue, with Windemere Avenue to the right (on which there are several available building lots), we approach two new and handsome stores, opposite Wayne Lyceum Hall, one to be used
as a drug-store and the other as a bread and cake bakery and refreshment saloon. Again striking Lancaster Avenue, we approach the costly, well-built Presbyterian Church, near Wayne Lyceum Hall, and of which
the Rev. William Kruse is pastor. Near by are two splendid cottages, nearly finished, with lots seventy-five feet front and three hundred feet deep. They are built of brick, with slate roofs, ten rooms, wide porches,
fine lawns and luxuriously fitted up. Just east of these is the fine cottage of James Pinkerton, paying-teller of the Bank of North America. Mr. Pinkerton's lot is two hundred by three hundred feet, and his cottage is the picture of comfort.
"Now comes one of the great attractions of the estate, the Louella Mansion and magnificent surrounding grounds on the north side of Lancaster Avenue. The mansion is a splendid stone structure, with eighty rooms, and is surrounded by a spacious porch that looks on as finely cultivated a lawn as can be found in the surrounding country. The mansion has a front of one hundred feet, and is a very imposing-looking edifice. There is a lawn front on Lancaster Avenue of one thousand feet, and an abundance of shrubbery, shade trees, flower-beds, etc. Louella Mansion is a very popular summer resort, and is conducted by Miss E. R. Boughter, who rents the establishment from Mr. Childs. East of the Louella Mansion is the old shade ground on which stands the old Carpenter homestead, or "Maule Farm." Opposite Louella Mansion, and south of Lancaster Avenue, stand the water-works, containing a large retaining pond from which the water is pumped into the reservoir. Adjoining the Louella grounds are extensive livery stables, with stall-room for one hundred horses, and near by is a commodious wagon-house. The stabling arrangements are under the care of Mr. Charles R. Wetherell, the competent and experienced lessee.
"Reaching Aberdeen Avenue, we find several very superior brick cottages, with elegant terraced walks in front, and graveled foot-ways. Several of these cottages are occupied, and all of them are in a finished condition. These cottages are built on large lots and finished in first-class style. They contain from nine to twelve handsomely-papered rooms, side vestibules, stained-glass windows, broad porches, and spacious stair-ways. The heating arrangements are excellent, including low-down grates in the parlors. The kitchens have circular boilers, ranges, hot and cold water, etc., and all the rooms and passage-ways, from the first floor up, are finished in imitation of hard wood. Bathrooms and water-closets are on the second floor, and all the bedrooms are provided with inside shutters. There are sliding doors between the parlors and dining-rooms and between the vestibules and parlors. These cottages rent for three hundred and sixty, four hundred and eighty, and six hundred dollars per annum, according to size, and will sell from five thousand two hundred and fifty dollars to seven thousand two hundred dollars each. They can be purchased on easy terms. A number of smaller (frame) cottages, on Wayne Avenue, north of the railroad, will be rented for twenty dollars per month, and can be bought for three thousand dollars each.
"Back of St. David's Station, Mr. Manley, of the firm of Manley & Cooper, is converting an old stone country farm-house into a first-class cottage, and the surrounding lot is being laid out in elegant style. The lot is one hundred and fifty by three hundred feet, and the cottage will contain fifteen rooms. Near St. David's Station is a charming piece of woodland, which will be utilized as a grove for pleasure parties, picnics, etc.
"All the buildings that have been erected at Wayne since Messrs. Childs and Drexel took hold of things there have been put up by Messrs. Wendell & Smith, the well-known builders. It may be mentioned here that no particular style of houses are required to be built at Wayne, and parties purchasing lots can erect any kind of building they choose, or make any disposition of their purchases they deem proper."
Mills. - As early as 1710, William Davis owned a grist-mill which was located on or near the site of the mills now owned by Tryon Lewis. A year or so later Hugh Williams was credited with the ownership of this mill. At this late day, however, it is found impracticable to trace the history of this ancient mill-privilege down through its successive owners, but we believe that it was the first enterprise of its kind established in the township.
The only authentic sources of information respecting the early mills and manufactories of Radnor are a few worn and faded assessment-rolls of the dim past. From these rolls it is ascertained that the mills, etc., and their owners during the years indicated below were as follows:
1766. Thomas Thomas, grist-mill; Joseph Miles, grist- and saw-mills; Adam Siter, tan-yard.
1779. George Fetterman, grist-mill; John Evans, saw-mill; Levi Lewis, grist-mill; Adam Siter, tanyard.
1782. William Bailey, fulling-mill; Abram Evans, grist-mill; Levi Lewis, grist-mill.
1788. Benjamin Davis, grist-mill; Adam Siter, tan-yard; Levi Lewis, grist-mill.