43 
clatter and bang, that the echoes continued until the horse- 
cars were drived out, and trolleys came rolling in, giving the 
contented, happy, dear old easy-going town, such a shaking 
that it has not had a chance to doze since. Alert in spite of 
its inclinations, the town's enlargement continued, new streets 
were opened, old streets were changed and rebuilt, a new 
railroad entered to open up "West-side," two trolley lines in 
addition to that of Main Street came unbidden, "land associa- 
tions," in parts took possession, and for better or for worse, 
we are what we are this day, possessing as yet the most 
beautiful town I know, but apprehensive, fearing the en- 
croachments of a pressing, unsympathetic, unrelenting future. 
But the greatest and most important of local improve- 
ments was not the change in character of Main Street, — it 
was the development of "West-side," of "Pelham," of "Sedg- 
wick," and the like, but supremely that of Fairmount Park, 
the Wissahickon section of which extends through German- 
town's western territory, and which cleared and renaturated, 
has influenced the whole city of Philadelphia. 
To follow the changes, to show some of the causes for 
gardening results, is now our province, but let the reader be 
generous, for the work is large, and must necessarily be 
superficial. 
After the death of Bernard McMahon in 1816, the 
nursery was conducted by his widow, — and before leaving 
"Rising Sun," the last foreman with Samuel Maupay was 
Frederick Knapp, who came to Philadelphia from Germany. 
Associated with Knapp while at Maupay's was Joseph 
Campbell, who after opened a floral establishment upon 
Germantown Road in the near neighborhood. Ernest AWo§ 
Dressier conducted a number of "hot-houses" upon a lane 
near "Plank Road," at a spot which is now Fifteenth and 
Venango Streets, and when Knapp left Maupay's, he leased 
this place from Dressier, — Dressier retiring to follow the 
"produce business." 
For several years "Amos" was a well-known character 
of Lower Germantown, one whose originality and sociability 
