USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Boston notions; being an authentic and concise account of "that village," from 1630 to 1847 > Part 19
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Nore. Page 195; m'y, in the 10th line from the bottom should be er- rased, and the word und inverted in the 'Th line after Anthology.
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THE BOSTON LIBRARY SOCIETY.
Was incorporated June 17, 1794. The object of the soci- ety was to make a collection of books in the sciences and general literature, for popular use ; more particularly of those works which from their costliness or peculiar value are not generally found in private collections and cannot conveniently be obtained by individuals of moderate for- tune ; that plan has been diligently and successfully pur- sued and their library numbers 11,000 volumes ; including a good selection from French authors : the shares in this Library originally were not transferable, and at the decease of a holder, his share was bequeathed to the living members ; as the society owned the Library building in the centre of the south range of dwellings on Franklin Place, the surviv- ing share-owners, raised the price of shares to twenty five dollars, with an annual tax of two dollars for the increase and preservation of the library. The shares are now trans- ferable and do not cease with the death of a proprietor : their Library in Franklin place is open on Thursday forenoons and afternoons of Saturday, for the delivery of books to pro- prietors.
THE ATHENEUM, WITH AN ENGRAVING.
For several years a number of Boston literary gentlemen who conducted a literary publication called the Monthly Anthology, issued proposals in 1806 for a public reading room at 10 dollars per year to subscribers, which received a large number of names to sanction the undertaking ; on the popularity of the offer they concluded to add a library : in a little time the donation of books for the institution amounted to over one thousand volumes, when they transferred their trust in the Anthology Reading Room and Library, to Trustees ; -their rooms were first opened in Congress street, after that to Seollay's buildings, and in 1810 on Common street north
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of the Chapel burying ground, and in 1822 they removed to Pearl street.
This popular and important institution was incorporated in 1807 : its grand and ennobling plan and feature for the establishment of a rich collection of Marble Statuary, Busts, and a gallery of choice paintings by celebrated ancient and modera artists and printers, is steadily approximating to the wishes of its generous projectors : in addition to its splendid aad valuable collection of books at this time rising 37,000 volumes they received from Hon. James Perkins, the prin- cipal building and land on Pearl Street on which the Atheneum has stood for the past 25 years ; as a princely donation for the benefit of the arts and the people of Boston ; in 1826 the most enterprising proprietors made up a sum of $45,000, for building suitable halls for a public exhibition of paintings and sculpture, to be open during the five warm months of the year, which has afforded a choice treat to every one fond of the arts; price of a single ticket for ad- mission 25 cents, and for the whole season 50.
The price of a share in the Atheneum property is $300, which entitles the o vaer to three tickets of admission : a ticket for life is $100.00 and annual subscribers pay $10,00 per year. The proprietors and life subscribers, can intro- dace any number of strangers to its benefits for a month, if they reside at a distance of 20 or more miles from Boston. The reading room and library are open from 8 A. M. to 9 P. M., six days in the week and on Sunday evening. As the silver plate deposited under the corner stone ot their new edifice now completing, gives so particular an account of its funds and capacities, we close our observations and give room to their better record.
THE NEY ATHENEUM BUILDING .- The ceremony of lay- ing the corner stone of this edifice, on Beacon street, designed for the use of the Boston Atheneum, took place April 27th.
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at 10 o'clock, A. M. Hon. Josiah Quincy, one of the p:o- jectors of the institution, delivered an address appropriate to the occasion, replete with valuable facis; he said that the Athenaeum property, re.il and personal, was valued at $342-030; its library numbered 37,000 volumes, with a choice collec- tion of paintings and statuary. Under the corner stone was placed a copper box, containing a copy of the city newspa- pers, several statistical works, coins in circulation in this country, etc., and a silver plate, bearing on one side the following inscription. -
"The corner stone of this building, dedicated to letters and the arts, by the proprietors of the Boston Atheneum, was laid on the 27th day of April, in the year of our Lord one . thousand eight hundred and forty seven, and in the forty-first year of the institution, which, founded by the exertions of William Smith Shaw and the other members of that Associa- tion of ingenuous scholars, " The Anthology Club," has in later days been enlarged and adorned by the generosity and publie spirit of many contributors, and especially by the munificence of James Perkins, Thomas Handasyde Perkins, his brother ; James Perkins, his son, and John Bromfield. Whenever this stone shall be removed, may it be only to improve and perpetuate the Institution. And on the reverse of the silver plate,
PRINCIPAL ENDOWMENTS OF THE BOSTON ATHENEUM
BEFORE THE YEAR 1847.
The sum of forty two thousand dollars was raised for the general purposes of the Atheneum, by voluntary subscrip- tions for shares created in 1807.
James Perkins, ia 1821, gave his own costly mansion in Pearl street, which from that the has been the seat of the Institution.
In the same year, the sum of twenty-two thousand dollars was raised by voluntary subscriptions for shares.
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THOMAS HANDASYDE PERKINS (beside his earlier, and later donation) and James Perkins, the younger, seconded in 1825 the liberality of the brother and father, each giving eight thousand dollars; and the sum of their contributions was increased to forty-five thousand dollars by other subscrip- tions, obtained chiefly through the efforts and influence of Nathaniel Bowditch, Franceis Calley Gray, George Ticknor, and Thomas Wren Ward.
AUGUSTUS THORNDIKE, in 1823, gave a choice collection of casts, of the most celebrated ancient statues.
GEORGE WATSON BRIMMER, in 1838, gave a magnificent collection of books on the fine arts.
JOHN BROMFIELD, in 1846, gave twenty-five thousand dol- lars as a fund, to be regularly increased by one quarter of the income, of which the other three quarters are to be annually applied to the purchase of books forever.
The sum of seventy-five thousand dollars, for the erection of this building, was raised by voluntary subscriptions for shares created in 1844.
OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1847.
President, Thomas Greaves Cary. Vice President, John Amory Lowell. Treasurer, Josiah Quincy, Jr. Trustees, William Turrell Andrews, Edward Wigglesworth, William Hickling Prescott, Eaoch Hale, George Stillman ilillard, Samuel Austin, Jr., Amos Binney, Charles Amory, Oliver Wendell Holmes ; Secretary, Henry Tuke Parker ; Librarian, Charles Folsom. Architects, Edward Clarke Cabot, and George Minot Dester.
James Knox Polk, President of the United States.
George Nixon Briggs, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Josiah Quincy, Jr., Mayor of the City of Boston.
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THE STATE LIBRARY.
In the eastern wing of the State House, comprises upwards of 7000 volumes; and is open every week day during the session of the Legislature, excepting Saturday afternoon ; for the benefit of the members of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial departments, with other officers of State : if its accommodations extended to the private citizen, and that too on all week days, it would be a medium for conferring a great benefit on the public at large.
THE BOWDITCH LIBRARY,
Was founded in 1839, and at this time has 2,500 volumes. It is a free public institution for the use of all, who will com- ply with its regulations, but yet without cost : it is kept at Dr. Bowditch's house, 8 Otis Place.
THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY,
Was founded March 11, 1820 : it was established for the mutual benefit of young merchants, under 21 years of age : the conditions of membership, are the presentation to the library of some useful volume, and to pay two dollars per year for the support of a library and reading room, which is open every evening during the winter season, except Sun- day, and three evenings per week during the warm season : this institution is made prosperous by scientific lectures during the winter evenings and the generosity of the mer- cantile portion of the community.
THE MECHANIC APPRENTICES LIBRARY,
Was founded Feb. 22d, 1820, under the supervision of the Mass. Charitable Mechanic Association ; this institution is re- puted as having done much good in disseminating knowl- edge and information among the industrious craft; and if a liberal construction should be placed on what it might pro- duce, of benefits to the young aspiring mind by its foster pa- rent, their renewed lights of science would attract our youth by its radience and illume the path of many who may oth-
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erwise grope their ways in the labyrinths of ignorance ;- their library has 3.000 volumcs.
BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY, WAS FOUNDED IN 1830, AND HAS ABOUT 1500 VOLUMES.
Public Circulating Libraries are located in various parts of the city, where books are let to subscribers and non-sub- seribers ; strangers generally to leave in pledge the value of the volume.
PERIODICALS PUBLISHED IN BOSTON.
1. Daily Subscription Papers .- Boston Daily Advertiser ; Boston Courier; Boston Post; the Boston Daily Atlas ; Daily Evening Transcript ; Boston Daily Journal ; Daily Evening Traveller; Boston Daily Whig. Aggregate daily circula- tion, 16,372; square inches, 15,438,804; yearly value, $106,076.
2. Daily Penny Papers .- Boston Daily Times ; the Bos- ton Daily Mail; the Boston Daily Bee; the Boston Daily Sun : the Boston Daily Star ; the Chronotype ; Boston Daily Herald ; Boston Daily Eagle; Aggregate daily circulation 36,800 : square inches, 22,640,700 ; yearly value, $110,400.
3. Semi-weekly Papers .- Boston Semi-weekly Advertiser ; Boston Semi-weekly Courier; Boston Press and Post; the Boston Semi-weekly Atlas; Boston Shipping List ; American Traveller ; Boston Journal. Aggregate semi-weekly circu- lation, 14,062; square inches, 13,865,484; yearly value, $58,748.
4. Weekly Papers .- Boston Weekly Messenger ; Boston Courier ; the Boston Statesman ; the Boston Weekly Atlas; Boston Journal; American Traveller : Boston Weekly Whig; the Boston Notion; Weekly Bay State Democrat ; the Boston Weekly Mail ; the Boston Weekly Bee; the Boston Weekly Sun ; Streeter's Weekly Boston Star ; Even-
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ing Gazette ; Thursday Messenger; Uncle Sam; The Yankee; The Flag of the Union ; Satirist ; New England Farmer; Massachusetts Ploughman; Boston Cultivator ; The Liberator; The Emancipator; The Prisoner's Friend : Advent Herald ; Boston Investigator : The Odd Fellow ; Olive Branch : Christian Alliance and Family Visitor; The Boston Recorder; New England Puritan; The Youth's Companion ; The Well-Spring; Christian Watchman ; Christian Reflector ; Zion's Herald and Wesleyan Journal ; Sabbath School Messenger; Christian Witness; Christian Register ; Christian World; Trumpet and Universalist Mag- azine ; Christian Freeman ; Boston Pilot ; Foreign Protes- tant Telegraph ; New England Washingtonian; Massachu- setts Temperance Standard ; Weekly Eagle; Eastabrook's Public Chowder; Petit Courrier des Familles et des Pen- sions. Aggregate weekly circulation, 223,270; square inches, 168,048,978; yearly value, $334,895.
5. Semi-monthly .- The Common School Journal ; Gospel Teacher ; Friend of Virtue; The Orphan's Advocate ; The Literary Museum ; The Journal of Music ; The Musical Ga- zette ; The Boston Thomsonian Medical Journal; Genius of Christianity. Aggregate semi-monthly circulation, 19,100 ; square inches, 9,013,100 ; yearly value, $31,700.
6. Monthly .- City Crier; Typographic Advertiser; Manu- al of Health ; The Day-Spring; The Macedonian ; The Young Reaper; The Missionary Herald ; The Congregational Visitor : The Baptist Missionary Magazine ; The Sabbath School Treasury ; Guide to Holiness; The Sabbath School Teacher; The Episcopal Observer ; The Religious Magazine; The Child's Friend; The New Jerusalem Magazine ; The New Church Magazine for Children ; The Universalist Mis- cellany ; The Ladies' Repository ; The Mother's Assistant ; Temperance Journal ; The Temperance Offering ; American Ladies' Album; Unitarian Tracts ; Littel's Living Age ; The
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Magazine of Horticulture ; The Journal of Health ; The Sym- bol ; The Mechanic's Apprentice ; The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal ; Clark's Bank Note List ; Willis's Counter- feit Detector ; The Law Reporter; The Illustrated N. E. Magazine. Aggregate monthly circulation, 216,300 ; square inches, 126,773,100 ; yearly value, $127,190.
7. Bi-monthly and Quarterly .- Christian Examiner ; Uni- versalist Quarterly Review ; Quarterly Journal ; Christian Review ; Brownson's Quarterly Review ; North American Review. Aggregate circulation, 8,600; square inches, 33,016,100 ; yearly value, $24,500.
8. Annually .- Adams' Boston Directory ; Dickinson's Boston Almanac; State Register ; American Almanac ; Farmers' Almanac ; Spofford's Almanac ; The Housekeeper's Annual; The Unitarian Annual Register. Aggregate circu- lation, 278,000 ; square inches, 265,045,300 ; value $31,565.
THE MASSACHUSETTS HUMANE SOCIETY.
This Society was established Feb. 23, 1791. The object of its formation was to resuscitate life in any person who by any accident may appear suddenly to be inert and lifeless ; to encourage all rational means for restoring them to anni- mate life : and to award medals of Silver or Gold to all per- sons who may be the cause of saving any of his fellow creat- ures from drowning or other sudden death.
MASSACHUSETTS FIRE SOCIETY,
Was incorporated June 25th, 1794. Its founders establish- ed this society on the broad basis for affording relief to un- fortunate sufferers by fire in any part of the State, and to re- ward the inventor for any useful machine for extinguishing fires, and to patronize any one making extraordinary exer- tions in such a time of calamity, &c.
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THE MASSACHUSETTS CHARITABLE MECHANIC ASSOCIATION,
Was instituted March 15th, 1795. This institution com- prises many hundreds of our most ingenious and respectable mechanics, and as a society has done much for their indi- vidual benefit in raising the various useful crafts to an hon- orable standing in the community, and achieved important results and benefits to the public at large, by a triennial con- centration of the best productions of genius in every depart- ment of the useful and fine Arts; by a great and glorious FAIR, which once in every three years fills the eye with de- light for its grandeur, and the heart with patriotic impulse and gratitude, and their own coffers with a fair compensation : and this year, 1817, their fifth fair will be opened with a gen- erous display of the neatest handy-work of artists and arti- zans in every department of choice work accomplished by man or woman ; in Faneuil and Quincy Hall.
THIE PROVINCE HOUSE, 1679.
This is a large brick building in the rear of Stores oppos- ite the western end of Milk street : it is of three stories ; fifty feet back from Newbury (Washington) street : it had a pret- ty lawn or garden-plat in front, with an iron rail-fence ; at the gate of which, two large oak trees imparted an agreeable shade and beauty to the place : the house was ascended by a flight of about twenty stone steps : a cupola surmounted the roof, which supported a bronzed figure of an Indian chief with a Bow and Arrow as a vane : (which "when he heard ' the bell ring for dinner, invariably fired off his arrow and 'came down for his lunch : " this was told to small men and women; many of whom have narrowly watched for that event, only to be grievously disappointed :) the face of the house was decorated with the King's arms, richly carved and gilt ; this work is preserved in the hall of the Historical So-
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ciety : the estate was a gift from the State, to the Massachu- setts General Hospital, and the trustees of that institution leased it for 99 years : places for trade and business have been erected on its front garden-plat; preventing its being seen short of entering Province-house court : on a rail which surmounts the balustrade over the portico, are these letters and figures, 16. P. S., 79, which probably gives the date of its erection.
FIRES IN BOSTON.
1759, Nov. 14th. A fire commenced a little south of Oli- ver's bridge in Water street, and swept off all the buildings to the lower end of Water and Milk streets ; ten or twelve dwelling-houses and a number of stores and shops were des- troyed.
1760, March 17th. A fire broke out at the west part of the town, called New Boston, destroying a Carpenter's shop and dwelling-house.
The next day a store on Griffin's (Liverpool) wharf took fire : the chamber was a laboratory used by the British sol- diers, and the powder therein, demolished the building with some injury to the limbs of a few persons, and fright to some thousands-for the extremities of the town moved by the shock.
March 20th. A fire broke out from the dwelling-house of Mrs. Mary Jackson & Son, at the Brazen Head, Cornhill ; (Washington street,) three or four large buildings on the street were consumed : all the stores fronting Pudding Lane (Devonshire street) with every dwelling-house, but those fronting on King (State street) and a house of Mr. Spooner's on Water street to Quaker Lane (Congress street) ; and from thence, only leaving the house of C. Waldo, it burned down every house, shop, store, &c. to Oliver's Dock [ Liberty Sq .: ] a change of wind carried the fire into the lower part of King
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(State) street and destroyed the corner, opposite the Bunch of Grapes tavern (New England Bank) and all the buildings but two, in that direction to Long Wharf : in the direction of Congress street it took every house but the Julien corner at Milk street, and from thence to the bottom of Milk street ; and every house but three to Fort-hill; with all the buildings from Oliver's Dock to Mr. Hallowell's ship-yard, with his dwelling-house ; the Sconce of the S. Battery, with all build- ings on Wendall's wharf : so that from Pudding-lane to the waters edge, not a building was to be seen but those before- mentioned : beside which, it consumed a large ship and 8 or 9 other vessels : the aggregate loss, was the Quaker meet- ing-house ; 133 dwelling-houses : 36 barns: 63 stores: 66 shops : total, 299 buildings : relief was necessary to be had for many of the unfortunate sufferers, and voluntary contri- butions were made to the amount of £22,107,1s.6d .- the loss was estimated at £71,112,7s.3d .- 438 of these sufferers petitioned the " gracious parliament " for relief, but its an- swer was as silent as a whisper from the dumb.
1774, Aug. 10th. At 11 o'clock at night a fire broke out in a large brick dwelling-house belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Campbell in Fish street, five or six doors from Mountfort's corner at the foot of North Square : the lower part of the house was in full blaze before its tenants were aware of it : several escaped by the windows, naked and burnt : five per- ished in the flames, three women and two children.
1787, April 20th. A fire commenced in a malt-house be- ¿ longing to Mrs. Patten in Beach street : the wind from the N. E., with great velocity carried flakes of fire to a great distance, firing many houses at the same time : in fifteen minutes the spire of Hollis street meeting-house, nearly 50 rods from where the fire began, was seen to blaze, and in a short time the whole edifice was burnt to the ground : 100 buildings were consumed, about 60 of them elegant and
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costly : both sides of the main street was laid waste from Eliot to Nassau street.
1791, July 30th. A fire commenced in the Rope-walk of Mr. Edward Howe on Milk street, and quickly communica- ted to a cluster of six others, 600 feet in length, one of them two stories ; all filled with hemp, tar and other combustible materials ; the wind at first was from the east, blowing the immense cloud of smoke and flame to the westward, where immense devastation of property would have occurred; but it soon veered to the south, and swept off 96 buildings in its path to the sea at Russia wharf : the amount of loss was es- timated at about $210,000.
The Selectmen were desirous that Rope-walks should not be built in the heart of the town, and generously tendered to the suferers the use of the flats on the west of the Common; to build there, rent and taxes free : they there built six which were burnt down, Feb. 18th, 1806 : five were re-built and again burnt in 1819. They had now been in quiet posses- sion of the land about twenty-five years ; long enough for the rights of " a squatter," to be judicially maintained ; and they then contemplated laying the whole out in handsome house lots.
The hubbub which that produced in this " City of Notions, ?? was not of the most pacific nature ; the land was part and par- cel of our beautiful common, and if buildings were there erected, the western view of the country would be shut out, and the air over the Common vitiated by eternal smokes from some quarter: the citizens detlared that not one stone or brick should lay upon another, if any one attempted to build on that ground; under these circumstances they were induced to submit their claim to "a board of referees ; "' who awarded them fifty thousand dollars for a relinquishment of their claim, and the town authorities paid that amount for their neglect of seeing to the public property and maintain-
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rights judicially to what it owned : That lot is now the splendid Flower Garden, comprising an area of twenty- four acres ; to become in time the pride and beauty of Bos- ton, and which we hope may be preserved for the enjoyment of the citizens at large, and from being over-run as " water flats,"' or its value lost or diminished by "land sharks. "
For an account of the Common, see page 17.
CHARLESTOWN BRIDGE, 1786.
The ever busy and enterprising people of Boston, not yet recovered from the dire effects of a seven years' war which was but closed in 1783, undertook a remarkably important and expensive public work, and one quite problematical as to its favorable results :- that of erecting a Bridge across the deep waters between Boston and Charlestown : it was the first ever attempted in America : John Hancock, Thomas Russell, Nathl. Gorham, Eben. Parsons and others, were in- corporated for completing that grand project March 9, 1785 ; and on the 17th of June, 1786, it was completed and opened for passengers : salutes of 13 guns were fired from Bunker and Copp's hill at sunrise : the eight bells of Christ's Church gave a merry peal with national airs ; and great preparations were made for a day of social joyful festivity : at 1 o'clock the proprietors assembled at the Old Town House, and they, with the branches of the legislature and citizens, were es- corted by the military for a dedioption of the bridge, when a salute was fired from the Castle : on their arrival at the bridge, the military opened right-and-left for the procession to pass through, as far as the draw of the bridge, which was up; the president of the corporation directed the draw to be lowered : when a salute from Copp's Hill with shouts from 20,000 freemen made the welkin ring : the procession again formed, and ascended Breed's Hill where another salute
Per
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greeted them, and perhaps best of all, a plentiful dinner "nt for the gods," on two tables of 320 feet length each; 800 sat down to the feast and the flow of wit and sentiment, closed the scene of festivity and sobriety at 6 o'clock.
The abutment on the Charlestown side, from the landing was 100 feet : space to the first pier 16 1-2 feet : 36 piers at equal distances to the draw 622 1-2 feet : draw 30 feet : 39 piers on Boston side 672 feet : space to the abutment 16 1-2 feet : from that to the landing 45 1-2 feet : whole length 1503 feet.
The bridge is on 75 ranges of piers, each composed of seven heavy sticks of oak timber united by a cap piece, with strong braces and girts; the piers connected to each other by large string pieces and covered with four inch plank : the bridge is 42 feet wide, with a railed foot-passage of 6 feet on each side : the centre of the bridge is two feet higher than at the ends : the whole lighted by 40 handsome lamps : 4 strong stone wharves connecting with three piers each, are built at the sides of the bridge to add to its strength, and for a convenience in landing lumber, &c. : the floor of the bridge, at the highest tide, is four feet above the water ; which generally rise from 12 to 14 feet : the longest pier is 47 feet : the cost of the bridge about $50,000, divided into 150 shares : the tolls doubled on Sundays, and forty years allowed for the extent of the charter; paying yearly to the College at Cambridge, $666,66 in consideration of their in- come-loss from ferrage, which was in their own right.
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