4 2 
the way to important changes. At that time "Germantown 
and Chestnut Hill Railroad" entered the town on east-side, 
and it, with the lines of stage coaches passing through the 
village, were the public conveniences for traffic with the outer 
world. 
In July, 1859, by way of Main Street, came "the 
Germantown Railway Co." and by trot, trot, with "slow 
degrees," and 40 minute intervals, its cars passed up and 
down the "Turnpike," paying little attention to time or tide, 
as no one was in a hurry, and rains, with the overflow of 
streams, were permitted to idle off at their own convenience. 
In November of the same year, "The North Philadel- 
phia Railway" came by way of Columbia Avenue, Broad 
Street, Pulaski Avenue, Manheim Street, Wayne Street, and 
east upon Chelten Avenue, where its depot stood adjoining 
the "Chronicle Building, — now "Vernon Hall," but this 
enterprise was not successful and after years of service and 
ill support, its "dummy engines" and cars were withdrawn. 
The truth was, the times "were not ripe" and would not be 
forced. Except politically, there was practically no change 
in the order of things until after the "period of reconstruc- 
tion" which followed the "Civil War." But wisely or un- 
wisely, or whether or not it was desired, a change which 
could be "felt" came, and this change dates from the grading 
of Main Street in the year 1877. The dirt road which had 
been "piked" in the year 1801, no doubt was a one time 
improvement, but neglected and out of repair, it was con- 
tinued a source of annoyance to its users, and a hindrance to 
the progress of the town. 
During "Centennial Year," however, everyone locally 
wakened, and the great exhibition created by John Welsh of 
"Spring Bank," if it did no more, stirred Philadelphia, and 
Germantown like "a strong man rising from sleep" roused 
itself, a host of workmen with picks and shovels, with batter- 
ing rams and strength, invaded its territory, graded and 
paved with Belgian blocks its well-known highway, elevated 
some of its houses, leaving others depressed, raised such a 
