CHANGES IN THE NAMES OF STREAMS IN AND ABOUT PHILADELPHIA. [THE following is believed to include all the streams of any magnitude within the boundaries of Philadelphia as the same were noticed from the discoveries by the Dutch and Swedes up to the present period. Many of these streams are obliterated. For convenience' šake the descriptions are made with reference to localities which now exist. The sources from which information is obtained are to be found in patents, deeds and old maps, the dates of the latter of which are as follows: Roggeveen's, 1678; Peter Lindstrom's, a Swedish engineer's map of the Delaware river. 1654-55. The original map was taken to Sweden. A copy was procured many years ago by the American Philosophical Society. It is peculiar in this, that many of the names are in the Indian, Swedish and French languages. A copy of this map. differing in several matters, particularly in some of the names, and omitting the French names altogether, is to be found in Nya Swerije, by Thomas Campanius Holm, published at Stockholm in 1702. Another copy of Lindstrom's map is in the History of New Sweden. by Israel Acrelius, 1759. and this also has some changes in regard to names. Other maps referred to are those of Thomas Holmes (Penn's first surveyor), 1685; Scull & Heap, 1750; Reed, 1786; John Hill, 1796; Varlo, about 1798; Nicholas Hill, 1808; Mellish, 1816; Ellett, 1839; and some others not necessary to be named.] Amesaka run. See Darby creek. Asoepecka sea. On Lindstrom's map, In the Delaware river, in front of the present city, between a point which might have commenced about the mouth of Gunner's run and extended to Frankford creek, a shoal or bank is marked with dots, to which is assigned the following names: Foglesand, Mer Asoepecka, Sable des Oisseaux ou Alsoepecka. Foglesand in Swedish means "bird-bank." Sable des Oisseaux may be interpreted "blackbirds," so that the bank would be "blackbird bank." The Delaware in front of this bank is wide; hence it may be supposed the title Mer Alsoepecka ("Alsoepecka sea") was applied to that portion of the river opposite the bank. M. S. Henry thinks that Alsoepeck should be Assiscupeck ("a muddy stream"). It may be mentioned that Ashopock is the Indian word for "hemp.' Beaver creek, flowing through the Almshouse grounds, and emptying into the Schuylkill opposite Pine st. Called Beaver creek and Beaver run in a patent by Penn to Varels Landers in 1692. Blanson's run. See Darby creek. Boon creek or Church creek runs west by south from the junction of Kingsess and Minquas creek. It received its name from Andreas Boon, one of the original Swedish settlers. It was also one of the routes to the church at Tinicum; hence its name of Church creek. Botanic creek flows into the Schuylkill on the west side, opposite the upper part of Point Breeze and below Eastwick's, formerly Bartram's Botanic Garden, from the proximity to which it obtained its name. Bow creek, southern boundary of Philadelphia city, flows from Darby creek, along the north-eastern side of Tinicum Island, and, after a short bend nearly due east, enters the Delaware opposite Hog Island. It is called on Lindstrom's map "Booke, Eller Kyke Kylen," "La Rivière de Hetres ou d'Eglise." "Boke" is Swedish for beech tree, and "Hetre" is French for the same; " Eglise' is French for church, and Kyke" is evidently an abbreviation or misspelling of the Swedish "Kyrke"-church; so that the stream sometimes called Beech creek and Church creek. was Brier creek empties into the Schuylkill on the west side in Fairmount Park below Sweet-Brier Mansion. It is so called on the map of H. P. M. Birkenbine, Byberry creek. See Poquessing creek. Cobb's creek. See Darby creek. Cohocksink creek [obliterated] is called in various patents Cococksink, Coxing, Cogogsink, Coxon and Cohocksink or Mill creek. M. S. Henry, in his Dictionary and Gazetteer of Words and Names in the Delaware Indian Language, defines the name to be Cuwehockin a "pine lands." The name Mill creek was given to it from the fact that on this stream, built the Governor's (Penn's) Mill, and afterbetween the present Fifth and Sixth streets, was ward the Globe Mills. One branch of the Cohocksink commenced near the Ford road, west of the Lamb tavern, and there was branch which rose above the present Glenwood Cemetery. The stream flowed generally southeast, crossing Broad street above Turner's lane, and crossed the latter about the line of Twelfth street. It continued to a point between Fifth and Sixth streets, where it widened into a lake, into which also flowed a stream which rose in the lands of the Gratz estate, probably above Jefferson st., and flowed eastwardly. The latter was called Coozaliquenaque in the patent to Daniel Pegg in 1684. From the pond or mill-dam, flowing east and south, the Cohocksink emptied into the Delaware at Brown street. Church creek. See Boon creek. Church creek. See Darby creek. Cresheim creek. See Wissahickon. Dam creek [obliterated] ran into Hollander's creek in a direction south by west, and had its source near the Buck road. It is so called on Scull & Heap's map. Darby creek empties into the Delaware river opposite the lower end of Tinicum island. It is the lower portion of a stream which rises in Haverford township, Delaware county, and flows with some irregularities and curves in a southerly direction until it reaches the Blue Bell Tavern, on the Darby road. The upper portion of this stream was called by the Swedes Kara Kung or Kakaron, Carkoens, Carkons, Carcoens, Carcoon and Chargoes-all supposed to be corruptions of Kara Kung. Mr. Henry thinks that this name is derived from a mortar or mill in which the Indians pounded their corn, and that it was given to it after Governor Printz built a mill upon this stream, which was probably about 1643. On Holmes' map this creek is called Mill creek. The name was shortly afterward changed to Cobb's creek, after William Cobb, an Englishman, who became owner of the old mill-Port Reading creek rises near Haverford College, in Delaware county, flows through Haverford township, and empties into Cobb's creek between Haverford road and Church road.-Indian run is composed of two branches, one of which rises in Lower Merion, near Ardmore station, and the other north of Elm station, on the Pennsyl vania Railroad. They flow south, and unite a short distance before reaching Cobb's creek, into which they flow.-Blanson's run rises in THE principal determinations of the position Fixed and Movable Feasts, Fasts, etc., 1879. of the equinox do not differ from the mean by as Maunday Thursday... Jan. 6 much as one half of a tenth of a second of arc. AMONG the numerous asteroids, two have been 28 found, No. 122 and No. 167, which move around the sun in exactly the same path, one being 180° 29 behind the other. Epiphany........... Valentine's Day Shrove Tuesday.. Ash Wednesday. St. Patrick's Day. Palm Sunday................ Good Friday... Easter Sunday. Whitsunday. " Trinity Sunday.. 8 No man knows what the wife of his bosom is -no man knows what a ministering angel she is -until he has gone with her through the fiery trials of this world. I BEAUTY, thou art twice blessed: thou blessest 2 the gazer and the possessor. A sweet disposi tion, a lovely soul, an affectionate nature, will speak in the eyes, the lips, the brow, and become the cause of beauty. 30 IT is a delightful sensation which a new pas sion begins to stir up within us when the old one is not yet entirely departed. Thus at sunset we take pleasure in seeing the moon rise on the op Venus and Saturn near the new Moon Feb. 22 posite side of the heavens, and rejoice in the and 23. double splendor of both luminaries. Darby township, and empties into Cobb's creek near Paschallville.-Naylor's run rises in Marple township, and flows south and east into Cobb's creek.-Hermsprota creek empties into Darby creek near the intersection of Amesland road and a road leading to Hog island, a short distance above Bow creek.-Pusey's run empties into Darby creek above the junction with Cobb's creek, near the borough of Darby.- Amēsaka run (patent to Neals John, 1684), Ameasaka (patent to Mounce Jones, 1685), rises in Philadelphia, and runs into Cobb's creek near Mount Moriah Cemetery. Below the Blue Bell Tavern a creek joins with Cobb's creek, which was called the ecks (meaning "nasty, muddy"), the Muckruton, and Amesland (after Amas-land," the land of the nurse"), which was given by the Swedes to the country immediately south of it. Below this junction the creek was called Darby creek, from the town or village of Darby, near by. It was also called Church creek, because at one time it was a convenient road of travel to Tinicum church.Muckinapattus creek rises in Darby township, Delaware county, flows south-west, and joins Darby creek west of the junction with Bow creek. Muckinapalis means "land that is lower than the surrounding country."-Stone creek rises in Springfield township, Delaware county, and flowing nearly south enters Darby creek not far from its mouth. yacht Onrust (Restless), who explored the river, it is believed, as far as the mouth of the Schuylkill. On his return to Holland, Hendrickson accompanied his report with a map, on which the river now called the Delaware was designated as the riviere Van der Vorst Mauritius. But Mey had already chosen as a name the Zuydt or South river, in contradistinction from the Nord or North river. The Dutch also called the stream Nassau river, Prince Hendrick's river and Prince Charles' river. When the Swedes came they called it Swenska riviere or Swedish river, and it was also called New Swedeland Ny-stream, or the river of New Sweden. The English gave it the name of De la War, which has been modernized into Delaware. This name was given because they supposed that Thomas, Lord de la War, who touched at the bay in his voyage to Virginia in 1610, was the discoverer of the river, and as early as 1612 Captain Thomas Argall, of Virginia, speaks of it as the De la War river. The name was therefore given to the river before that which was assigned to it by the Dutch, but the claim that Lord de la War was the discoverer was untenable, inasmuch as Hudson had entered the river in 1609. The bay of the Delaware was called by the Dutch New Port bay, also Godyn's bay, after Samuel Godyn, a Dutchman, who made a purchase of land in 1629 from the Indians, extending from Cape Cornelís or Hindlop (Henlopen) inland thirty-two miles and two miles in breadth. Dock creek [obliterated] was so called by the early settlers because it was the place at which a public dock was situated. It was composed of Dark Woods run [obliterated] had its source in a spring which rose north of Girard College, and flowed through the western portion of the college grounds until it emptied in a large pond called Dark Woods pond, in the neighborhood of Brown street, about Twenty-sixth or Twenty-two seventh. The stream ran south-west, and emptied into the Schuylkill river not far from the Lincoln monument and a little west of the present steamboat-landing in Fairmount Park. Delaware river was discovered by Henry Hudson, an Englishman in the service of the Dutch East India Company, in the yacht HalveMaan or Half-Moon, of eighty tons' burden, on the 28th of August, 1609. Various Indian names have been assigned to this stream. Heylin, in his Microcosmos, or description of the world, published in 1622, calls the river Arasapha, which seems to have been derived from Arasaphe, "it goes fine," meaning a river at all times navigable and useful. Poutaxat was another Indian name sometimes applied to the river, but supposed to be more applicable to the bay. It means round or broad, and is applied exclusively to bays. Makerish-kisken and Mariskitton are corruptions of the name which in early deeds is written Mochijirickhickon. Mochijirick means "large and great," and hickon "ebb and tide;" so that this name meant “a large river in which there were ebbs and tides." Another name was Lenape Whittuck. Lenape means "Indian,' and hittuck "a tree." Kit-hanne, meaning "the largest river," was also applied. After Hudson, the first explorer was Captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, who, in 1613, entered the river in the yacht Fortune, called the eastern cape Mey and the western Cornelis, another of the western capes being called Hindlop or Hinlopen, which latter name was subsequently transferred to Cape Cornelis. The original Cape Hinlopen, near the present town of Lewes, lost its designation as a cape altogether. Mey, on his return to Holland, left behind him a Captain Hendrickson in the branches, one of which commenced between Fourth and Fifth streets, north of Market, and ran south by east, crossing Market street west of Fourth, and Chestnut street about the line of the present Hudson street, and by the latter south in rear of the property of the Board of Brokers, where it was joined by a branch which began west of Fifth street, below Walnut, and flowed toward the north-east. It crossed Walnut street between Fourth and Fifth, near the building of the Schuylkill Navigation Company, and crossed Fourth street opposite Thomas' auction store. These streams, thus united, flowed eastwardly, bearing to the south, and formed the body of Dock creek, the course of which may be traced by the street of that name. Not far from the Delaware this stream received the water of another branch, which began at about the site of St. Peter's church, at Third and Pine streets, and crossed the square bounded by Second, Third, Spruce and Pine streets until it struck the head of the present Little Dock street, along which it flowed to the north-east until it reached the main stream. This branch was called Little Dock creek. The Indian name of Dock creek was Cooconocon. Dublin creek. See Pennypack creek. Eagle creek. From the junction of the Kingsess and Mingo creeks a stream runs east for a short distance, and empties into the Schuylkill below the first bend in the river. This might seem to be a continuation of Kingsessing creek, and it has been so called on some of the maps. On Lindstrom's map it is called Ornebo Kyl, La Riviere de Nid des Aigles ("the river of the eagle's nest," or "eagle's nest river"). From this title was obtained the modern name-Eagle creek. Falls creek enters the Schuylkill near the Falls, ECLIPSES IN 1879. 20 6.1 9 26.3 1 43 2 30 9 27 9 49 6.4 3 18 10 12 10 37 6.5 4 611 011 25 0.5 4 32 5 011 5112 19 6.4 I 44 2 21 2 58 I 13 2 II 7 9 O 46 6.2 1 41 6.0 2 4215.6 4 59 5.3 57 5.5 6 49 5.7 8 45 6.2 29 39 21 6.3 2 40 9 40 9 59 6.4 3 18 10 17 10 37 6.5 3 58 10 56 11 17 6.5 4 19 4 41 11 38 6.5 45 27 O 0 0 236.3 7 5 51 6 15 0 46 1 10 6.1 In the year 1879 there will be three Eclipsestwo of the Sun and one of the Moon. First: An Annular Eclipse of the Sun, Jan. 22, 1879, invisible at Philadelphia. This Eclipse will be visible in South America near the time of sunrise, thence throughout the South Atlantic, southern half of Africa, a small portion of Southwestern Asia and the Indian Ocean. Second: An Annular Eclipse of the Sun, July 19, 1879, invisible at Philadelphia. This Eclipse will be visible in the South Atlantic, throughout Africa except the extreme south, in the southern part of Europe, in South-western Asia, and throughout the Indian Ocean. Third: A Partial Eclipse of the Moon, Dec. 28, 1879, invisible at Philadelphia. This Eclipse will be visible in the North Pacific Ocean, where about one-sixth of the Moon's surface will be darkened. (The dates of the Eclipses are changed from astronomical time to civil or Philadelphia time.) MARCH. VENUS and Mercury near the new moon 23d and 24th of March. 3 37 5 6 40 7 8 7 36 8 9 I 34 I 59 5-9 2 27 2 55 5.6 MISS MITCHELL, who has had for some years astronomical celebrity, now edits a column in the Scientific American. A CONTRIVANCE has been invented in London by means of which the rate of any clock can be controlled and kept from accumulating error in the clock. THE number of asteroids is now so great that it is not surprising that one or two are occasionally lost. With the aid of computation and very imperfect elements, two or three have been lately rediscovered. THE Supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. To most men experience is like the stern-light of a ship, which illumines only the track it has passed. HUSBAND and wife have so many interests in common that when they have jogged through the ups and downs of life a sufficient time, the troubles which at first galled often grow easy and familiar, and unless the temper, or rather the disposition, and the heart of either be insufferable, what was once a grievous yoke becomes but a companionable tie. below the mouth of the Wissahickon, and near the creek, extended from Holt or Hell creek into the Falls tavern. Float creek. See Holt creek. Frankford creek is formed by the union of three streams. One of these, now known as the Wingohocking, is so called in a patent to Griffith Jones, 1684. It is called Winconico in a patent to John Goodson, 1701, and Wincokoe in a patent to Griffith Jones of the same year. Wingohocking is defined by Heckewelder to be "a choice spot of land for cultivation, a favorite place for planting, fine land;" whilst Mr. Henry says it means "lands in a hollow or valley." In modern times the Wingohocking has been called Logan's run, from the fact that it flowed through the grounds of the seat of James Logan at Stenton. The Wingohocking rises near Mount Airy, curves generally to the south, and passing through Germantown runs eastwardly until it unites with Tacony creek near Rowland's saw-mill. The Tacony rises in Montgomery county near Shoemakertown, runs south-west and south, crosses the line of the former Bristol township, and formed the boundary of Bristol and Oxford townships. -Rock run enters into the Tacony south-west of what was formerly Whitaker's factory.-The Little Tacony rises near the Township-line road between Dublin and Oxford, runs nearly south through Oxford township and is joined by one or two brooks, and empties into the Frankford creek east of Frankford. The stream is now called Frankford creek from the junction of the Tacony and Wingohocking, and enters the Delaware near the U. S. Arsenal. Tacony is called Toaconik in a patent to Robert Adams, 1684: Taoconinck in a patent to Griffith Jones in the same year. Little Tacony is also called Tackawanna. Mr. Henry says Tacony is derived from Tekene and means "woods" or an uninhabited place." Into Frankford creek near the Delaware empties a stream called Freakeatah. Frankford creek derives its name from the village of Frankford, adjoining. On Lindstrom's map it is called Aleskins Kylen, La Riviere des Anguilles Ecorchees (meaning "the river of skinned eels"), the origin of which can only be conjectured. A portion of the creek east of the junction of the Little Tacony is called Questioninck in a patent to Eric Cock and others, and Quissinuaminck in a patent to Thomas Fairman, 1688. Freakeatah. See Frankford creek. Green Tree run rises in the upper part of the late Roxborough township and runs nearly parallel with Green Tree lane, and empties into the Schuylkill near the intersection of that lane and the Ridge road. Gunner's run. One branch, called Threemile run, rose near Woodpecker lane and Broad street, and flowed east by south, crossing above Fairhill, meeting near Germantown road, having a branch through Harrowgate Garden, and a branch with two forks, one of which runs above and the other below the Norris estate. Pursuing its way south-westwardly until near the Delaware, it makes a sudden bend south-east, and enters the river between the Dyottville glassworks and the Kensington water-works. This stream was called Tumanaramaming in a patent to Thomas Fairman in 1702, Tumananarmings an Reed's map, and Gunner's run by Scull & Heap It received its name from Gunner Rambo, a Swede, who lived near it. Hay creek, the eastern part of Hollander's Delaware at some distance north of Greenwich Point. Hollander's creek, according to the map of Lindstrom, made a clear course through from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, making the lower part of the Neck an island, which was further divided by other streams, so that there were three islands at the lower end of what is now considered fast land in Philadelphia, in addition to League island. The westernmost was called Manasonk or Manayunk. It was adjoined on the east by Drufwe island, Isle des Raisins or Grape island, which was immediately north of League island, and is now known as Greenwich island. North of Drufwe island was another, which has no name. Upon Lindstrom's map Hollander's creek is called Hollandare Kylen, La Riviere des Hollandois or Dutch river. this is probably an error. It is more likely that the stream was named after Peter Hollandaer, a Swedish governor, who succeeded Peter Minuit as commandant at Fort Christina in 1639. But Holt creek flowed into Hollander's creek west of Dam creek. It was sometimes called Little Hollander's creek, also Hell creek. It formed a curious loop in the upper portion, which encircled a piece of ground that might be called an island. The lower part of this loop was called Float creek. Inckhorn's creek runs into the Schuylkill river on the west side, near the bend, north of Penrose Ferry. The original name was Andreas Inckooren's Kyl, from the residence of a Swede of that name near it. Indian run. See Darby creek. Jonas' creek was a stream with two branches nearly opposite each other in the shape of a cross. The branch from the east, in a patent in 1684, is called Jonas' creek; Jones' creek by Varlo. The main stream was called Spack creek in a patent to L. Cock in 1685, and Sneak's creek on Heap's map. Kingsess or Kingsessing creek intersects Bow creek about halfway between Darby creek and the Delaware. It flows in a north-easterly direc tion, and empties into the Schuylkill nearly opposite Girard Point. This Indian word, according to Mr. Henry, is derived from Chingessing ("the place where there is a meadow ") or Chincessing (" bog meadow"). Land creek empties into the Schuylkill on the west side, between Penrose Ferry and the bend of the river. It bears that name in a patent to Benjamin and Enoch Bonsall in 1795. Little creek was north of Rogue creek, ran a short course, and emptied into the Schuylkill on the east side in 1750. Little Tacony creek. See Frankford creek. Logan's run. See Frankford creek. Malebore's creek emptied into Hollander's creek east of Ship brook, and no doubt received that name from Malebore, an Indian chief, whose name is signed to some of the early deeds to Penn. One branch of this creek rose near Fifteenth and Sansom streets, and ran southwardly to a point south of Pine street and east of Broad, where it was joined by a branch from Spruce street between Seventeenth and Eighteenth. Farther down were branches from Eighteenth and South streets, from Spruce and Twelfth streets, and from Eleventh street between Spruce and Pine. The united streams ran south |