ge that fertile and forest-clad land
can give to one who would exchange the heat and pavements of a city
for rural life. From Glenolden it is but a short distance to Norwood
and to Moore's Crossing, where the company are erecting turnouts,
engine-houses, etc., and from here, eight miles from the city,
numerous trains will run to Philadelphia to accommodate the workingmen
who, it is believed, will come out to live on these cool and breezy
uplands.
[Illustration: CROZER SEMINARY.]
From Moore's we soon get to Ridley Park, which was described at length
in a former Number. The two stations at Ridley are models of beauty in
their way: the principal station spans the road-bed, wide enough here
for four tracks, and is probably the most picturesque in the country,
as well as very convenient. Crum Lynne Station is remarkable for
the beautiful sculpture of the capitals of the pilasters to the
architraves of the windows, the architect having designed each one for
this building, using the flowers and fruits and birds and animals of
the region for his ornamental work, instead of the usual cornice and
frieze and capital of Grecian architecture.
But the train sweeps us away from Ridley limits, past Leiperville with
its primeval railway, and on to Chester. As we round the curve and
rush through the woods we see on the left the broad river with its
three-masted schooners, ships and steamers, and on the right the
spires and houses of the town; and first and predominant the Military
School of Colonel Hyatt. This school was incorporated by act of
Legislature in 1862, and is devoted to both civil and military
education. The studies and drill are so combined as to secure good
mental and physical culture; and to ensure good military instruction
the State and the United States have contributed arms of all kinds.
Scholars come from all parts of the country, and even the West Indies;
and as the standard of scholarship is high, the graduates compare
favorably with those from other institutions.
Chester is one of the oldest towns on the line of the road by actual
years, but one of the youngest in growth. First called by the Indians
_Mackaponacka_, and then by the settlers _Upland_, it had a justice of
the peace court in 1676. Its court-house was built in 1724. Its first
newspaper was published in 1819. For many years Chester dozed away in
dignified quiet as the county-town: its court-house and jail gave it
all the honor it required. But th
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