History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 81

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 81

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Fall River Herald .- In 1872 a conference of lead- ing Democrats of Fall River was held to consider the advisability of establishing a daily paper to represent the interests of the party and the workingmen of the city. Accordingly, a subscription-paper was circu- lated chiefly among the Irish Democrats of means, and in a short time stock to the amount of six thou- sand dollars was taken and paid for. An office in Nichols building on Pocasset Street was secured, and the necessary materials purchased. On July 2d the first copy of the paper was issued, under the name of The Border City Herald, with Mr. William Hovey, later editor of the Boston Transcript, and now editor of the Sunday Budget, in charge of the editorial de- partment. The paper sprang into immediate favor both among readers and business men, and its success was assured from the first issue. Instead of confining itself to the narrow channels of partisanship, an inde- pendent position was assumed, and Democratic pro- clivities set aside whenever any false course was per- ceptible in that party. With success came that negligence so characteristic of people who have not much on their minds, and the result was that the monetary affairs of the concern were improperly man- aged. Several times was the project of dissolving the company broached in the meetings of the stockhold- ers, but the wisdom of the clear-sighted members prevailed, and the question effectually disposed of forever. A debt of over five thousand dollars was in- curred by the directors, which no one could see a way of lifting. A new and more energetic board of direct- ors was chosen, who personally managed the affairs and applied for articles of incorporation in 1877, which were granted, and the name changed to Fall River Daily Herald. A good system of economy was at once inaugurated, money raised to meet the out- standing obligations, and the company placed on a sounder footing. The new lease of life infused into the Herald at that time has brought it to its present ex- cellent standing ; so that the stock, which sold for forty dollars per share in 1876-77, cannot now be had for one hundred and fifty dollars.

Mr. Hovey was succeeded as editor by the late Judge Lapham, whose ponderous editorial articles afforded great pleasure to the old-line Democrats, among whom he was the leading light. He contin- ! 29, 1879.

ued in charge until his duties as justice of the Police Court became so onerous that he was compelled to re- sign. Mr. Walter Scott was the third editor, followed soon by a New Jersey journalist named Trellease, whose stay was exceedingly brief, because of his ir- regular habits. George Salisbury, now editor and publisher of the Fall River Weekly Advance, was ap- pointed his successor, but receiving a more advan- tageous offer, he shortly afterward resigned to accept a similar position from Henry Sevey, who at that time was running a one-cent paper on Pleasant Street called the Daily Journal and Democrat. Mr. Ernest King, an associate at one time of Horace Greeley, and publisher of a paper in Connecticut, was next called in as editor, and filled the position acceptably, when he asked to be released, on account of a difficulty with the directors, who held that the paper was amenable to the laws under the copyright act for publishing an article on the Irish question written by Charles S. Parnell for the North American Review. The seventh editor was William B. Wright, a young Boston journalist, who caused the paper to assume a new and more vigorous tone. He stayed two years, when he, too, January, 1882, resigned. The vacancy remained unfilled for a few weeks, until Mr. Joseph E. Chamberlain, at that time editor of the Newport Daily News, and former managing editor of the Chicago Times, assumed charge at the invitation of the direc- tors. The paper has made a great gain in circulation and influence within the past year. It is Democratic in politics, and independent and fearless in its man- ner of discussing public topics.

The Advance was started as a licensed victuallers' organ in March, 1879, by a person named Trellease, and soon afterwards fell into the hands of Salisbury & Newell, who continued to run it until August, 1881, when Mr. Salisbury purchased his partner's interest in the concern, and has since run it as its sole pro- prietor and editor, entirely changing its character and tone, and making it an independent, chatty, and amusing family and news paper. Starting as a small six-column, patent outside sheet, it has gradually de- veloped into a nine-column paper, all filled with bright, fresh, and interesting reading-matter. It is a paragraphic and witty paper, which is quoted far and near, and its jokes and stories are reproduced as largely in the old country as at home. Mr. Salisbury, the editor, is an Englishman, who has only been in this country about nine years. He has built up a big and a jolly paper, and is a prime favorite with the paragraphie fraternity all over the country. The Advance is a weekly paper, published every Saturday, and has a large and steadily-increasing circulation and a good advertising patronage. The Advance is illustrated by humorous cuts, and makes a specialty of racy and laughable storics.

The Daily Record was established Dec. 12, 1878, by W. O. Milne & Co., and was discontinued July

336

HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

The Fall River Daily Sun was first issued May 11, 1880, by the Fall River Sun Publishing Company, with Earnest King as editor, and was published until March 24, 1882.

The First Stage Line between Fall River and Providence and Fall River and New Bedford was established in 1825, Mr. Isaac Fish being proprietor of the former, and I. H. Bartlett of the latter. The terminus of each line being at Slade's Ferry, which was crossed by a horse ferry-boat. This primitive craft was succeeded in 1847 by the steam ferry-boat "Faitt," and this by the " Weetamoe" in 1859. This ferry continued in use until the completion of the bridge in 1875.

Fall River and Providence Steamboat Com- pany .- The Fall River and Providence line of steamers was established by the Iron-Works Company in 1828, and was owned and operated by that corpor- ation until 1880, when it was organized as a separate company, with a capital of one hundred and ninety- two thousand dollars.

The first steamer on this line was the " Hancock," put on in 1828; she measured ninety-eight tons, eighty-nine feet long, eighteen feet beam, and about six feet depth of hold, and was commanded by Capt. Thomas Borden. The "Hancock" was succeeded by the "King Philip" in 1832. The " Bradford Durfee" was placed upon the route in 1845, the " Canonicus" in 1849, the "Metacomet" in 1854, and the " Rich- ard Borden" in 1874. Two steamers, the "Richard Borden" and "Bradford Durfee," ply regularly be- tween this city and Providence. The steamer "Canon- ichs" is used for the summer season. The present officers are as follows : President, Jefferson Borden ; Clerk and Treasurer, Robert C. Brown ; Directors, Jefferson Borden, John S. Brayton, R. B. Borden, Nathaniel Lindsey, David A. Brayton, Jr., and H. M. Barnes.

The Fall River Line .- The first steamboat com- munication between this city and New York was in- angurated in 1847 by the organization of the Bay State Steamboat Company with a capital of $300,000. The first steamer commenced her trips in May of that year. This was the " Bay State," three hundred and twenty feet long, with a tonnage of sixteen hun- dred, commanded by Capt. Joseph I. Comstock. The alternate boat was the steamer " Massachusetts," which was chartered until the completion of the " Metropo- lis" in 1854. This steamer was three hundred and fifty feet in length, with a capacity of two thousand two hundred tons.

The conception of the organization of this favorite through route of travel between Boston and New York, via Fall River, was largely due to Col. Richard Borden, by whom also the railroad was projected and mainly constructed. Other business men were inter- ested in this latter movement and aided in its develop- ment, among whom were Andrew Robeson, Sr., who was its first president, his successor, Hon. Nathaniel

B. Borden, and David Anthony, who was treasurer. Jefferson Borden was also most prominent in the management, and shared with his brother Richard in the organization of the steamboat line. Until 1846, there had been no communication direct from Fall River by steam or rail with either Boston or New York.

The Bay State Steamboat Company in course of time passed into the control of the Boston, Newport and New York Steamboat Company, and, the Old Colony Railroad Company having in the mean time extended their road from Fall River to Newport, that city (1864) was made the eastern terminus for the boats of the line. Soon came another change, the steamers becoming the property of the Narragansett Steamship Company, then under the control of James Fisk, Jr., and Jay Gould, of New York, and the eastern terminus was re-established (1869) at Fall River.

About two years later this line passed into the pos- session of the Old Colony Steamboat Company, which was controlled by the Old Colony Railroad Company, thus forming the now famous " Fall River Line," be- tween Boston and New York. Among the older boats operated by this company were the "Senator," the "Governor," the "Katahdin," and the "State of Maine." The present steamers are the "Old Colony" and "Newport" for winter service, and the palatial steamers "Bristol" and "Providence" for summer travel. A new palatial steamer has just been added to this line, bearing the appropriate name of "Pil- grim." This is one of the finest and largest steamers plying on the Sound.

The present officers of the company are as follows: President, Charles F. Choate ; Clerk, George Marston ; Treasurer, John M. Washburn ; Directors, Charles F. Choate, F. B. Hayes, Uriel Crocker, Samuel C. Cobb, Fred. L. Ames, Samuel L. Crocker, John J. Russell, Jolın S. Brayton, T. J. Borden, R. W. Turner, George Marston, William J. Rotch, and Elisha W. Willard.

Clyde's Philadelphia and New England Steam- ship Line .- This project was inaugurated in 1876, when a line of steam propellers was started plying between this city and Philadelphia, thus opening a new and direct route between Philadelphia and Boston.

Voters in 1830 .- In the years of 1830 and 1832, when Fall River was a village of three thousand in- habitants or thereabouts, the following-named citizens were legal voters in the town, who are yet residing here, and perhaps others :

Allen, Rodolphus II.

Borden, Melvin.

Boomer, Nathaniel.

Borden, Thomas.

Bliss, Iliram.

Bowen, Abraham.

Blossom, Barnabas.

Brightman, Cory D.

Borden, Amasa. Briggs, Zephaniah T.

Borden, Isaac. Brown, Joseph D.

Borden, Laban. Buffinton, Oliver. Borden, Leander. Collins, John.

FALL RIVER.

337

Davol, Stephen.

Olney, David.

Roll-coverer's shop destroyed

Davol, William C.

Read, William V.

Earl, Benjamin.

Lindsey, Joseph F.

Butchers'

Fish, Isaac.

Sanford, William.

Soap-boiler's shop

French, Job B.

Smith, Iram.

Frenel, Stephen L.

Strange, William.

Bake-houses

Freelove, Thomas.

Terry, Church.

School-house

School-rooms besides

Grinnell, Oliver.

Terry, Brightman.

Hall, Abiathar.

Tripp, Noel A.

Hart, Jonathan.

Vickery, Caleb D.

Marvel, William.

Wilson, Job T.

Mason, William.

Winslow, Frederick.

Negus, Seymour.

Wordell, Charles

The following-named persons then residents arc now living out of the city :

Allen, James S.

Leonard, Daniel.

Cook, Paul.

Winchester, John P.

French, Asa P.

Wood, Leonard.

This list does not include those citizens of Fall River who were then citizens of Tiverton, R. I.

The number of families residing within the burnt district at the time of the fire was 225

Persons belonging to those families. 1334

Persons in addition, employed or doing business in the burnt dis- triet, but living out, about.

600

Custom-House .- The district of Fall River-em- bracing, besides this town, the other towns adjacent to Taunton River-up to April 1, 1837, was called the District of Dighton, with Dighton as the port of entry. In 1834 the custom-house was removed to Fall River, and the name of the district changed to Fall River.

In 1840 there were belonging to this district one hundred and thirteen registered, enrolled, and li- censed vessels, and the tonnage was eight thousand eight hundred and nine.

The following is a list of collectors : Hodijah Bay- lies, 1789-1809; Nathaniel Williams, 1809-23 ; Her- cules Cushman, 1823-25; Seth Williams, 1825-29 ; William Wood, 1829-33; Horatio Pratt, 1833-34; P. W. Leland, 1834-42; Charles J. Holmes, 1842 -45 (deputy collector, J. E. Read) ; S. W. Leland, 1845-49 (deputy collector, Jonathan Slade) ; Samuel L. Thaxter, 1849-53 (deputy collector, Benjamin Earl) ; S. W. Leland, 1853-61 (deputy collector, Jon- athan Slade) ; Charles Almy, 1861-65 (deputy col- lector, Samuel R. Buffinton) ; James Brady, Jr., 1865 -83 (deputy collectors, Samuel R. Buffinton, Isaac Borden, Edward T. Marvell).

The customs-office was in several different places after its removal to Fall River, always in rented rooms, until June 29, 1881, it was removed to the new government building, temporarily occupying the southeast room of the second story. The building not being completed made very uncomfortable work for several months, or until the office was removed to the north rooms, which were assigned as those for the public business.

At the time of the great fire of 1843 all papers pre- vious to 1834 were burned. The books were mostly saved, dating back to 1789.

Blacksmiths' shops

Machine- 6.

Carpenters'

Reed-maker's shop 46

Shoemakers' shops

Plane-maker's shop

95 Hotels.

Churches (Methodist and Christian Union).

Cotton-factory (Old Bridge Mill).

Banks.

3 Carriage-factories.

Cabinet warehouses

Marble-factory

Tannery

Livery-stables.

Dry-goods establishments destroyed ..

17 11 Clothing

Grocery and provision establishments, including 3 or 4 crockery stores connected

24 6

Ilat- and cap-

Book - and periodical-stores destroyed ..

3 Hardware- 6 "

11 Milliuers' shops destroyed.

Mantua-makers' shops destroyed.

Apothecaries'

Jewelers'

Harness-makers' "

Stove- and tinware-shops "

Brass-foundries

5 G 3 3 3

Custom-House and Post-Office Building. - In 1873 Congress appropriated $200,000 for the erect- ing of a custom-house and post-office building in this

$526,485

Whole amount of insurance

175,475

Excess of loss.

$351,010

Stage-office

Printing-offices

Lawyers'

Physicians' " 66

Barbers' shops

Whole amount of loss on buildings. $264,470

66 other property.

262,015

Custom-house

Post-office

Auction-room

Counting-rooms

Dentists'

Cigar-factory

1 1

Restaurants

Athenæum

Turner's

Painters' shops

The Fire of 1843 .- The year 1843 marks a mem- orable epoch in the history of Fall River. On the afternoon of July 2d of that year the town was vis- ited by a most devastating conflagration, which in a few hours laid nearly the entire village in ruins. The fire originated in a small carpenter-shop on Borden Street, near Main, which when discovered was enveloped in flames, and the fiery element was already threatening adjacent buildings. A mo- ment more the surrounding buildings were on fire, and the strong wind blowing from the south was hurling the crackling flames and burning cinders into the very heart of the village. The flames leaped from building to building with such amaz- ing rapidity that all attempts of the hand-engines and " bucket brigade" to subdue them were unavail- ing, and for seven hours the fire raged and was only checked when the wind suddenly changed and blew in an opposite direction. Twenty acres were burned over in the heart of the village, extending from Borden Street on the south to Franklin on the north, embracing the following property :

Number of buildings burned, not including the smaller ones 196

Of which there were used as dwelling-houses, and occupied by one or more families each ..

Boot- and shoe-stores destroyed.

338

HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

city, the appropriation being limited to this amount. In 1875 the limitation was repealed, and an additional sum of $40,000 appropriated. In 1876, $25,000 was appropriated; in 1877, $20,000; in 1878, $70,000; in 1879, $85,000; in 1880, $50,000 ; and in 1881, $28,000, making a total appropriation of $518,000, of which $132,856.65 was expended for the purchase of land. The building was designed and the plans completed in 1875 by Mr. William A. Potter, supervising archi- tect, to whose professional ability it is certainly very creditable. The building was begun in September, 1875, and was occupied by the custom-house in June, 1880, and by the post-office a few months later.

The government structure has a frontage on Bed- ford Street of one hundred and twenty-five feet, and on Second Street of eighty-four feet. It is three stories elevation, with a steep, high roof, the total height from street curb to line of roof being ninety-two feet. At the two flanks, and facing on Bedford Street, are circular pavilions, which project from the body of the building, and between these, on the ground-floor, are the entrances to the post-office, through five broad archways. The main features here are the large monolithis of polished red granite, each in one block, five feet by three feet six inches, finished by elabor- ately-carved capitals of gray granite. A noticeable amount of carved work of a high order is displayed upon the Bedford Street front, in red and some in gray granite.

On the Second Street frontage the entrance to the custom-house is the prominent feature of the design. This entrance-way, with its arches, polished columns, massive buttresses, corbels, crockets, copings, etc., is a masterpiece of architecture, occupying a space twenty-nine feet in breadth, and two stories in height. The main body of the building is gray rock-faced ashlar, laid in regular courses. The mullions and reveals of the windows, the interior of the arcade entrances to the post-office, and other prominent points are of gray granite finely dressed. The band courses, sills, lintels, cornices, water-tables, etc., are of red granite, similarly face-finished.

The entire ground-floor is occupied by the post- office, the second floor by the custom-house, while the third floor can be used for the United States courts whenever required. This is one of the most complete and elegant government buildings in the United States.

The City Hall .- The first town-house was estab- lished at Steep Brook, the then centre of business in 1805. In 1825 a new town house was erected on land now occupied by the North Cemetery. In 1836 this building was removed to Town Avenue, and occupied until the completion of the new town hall and mar- ket building, erected after the great fire on Main Street. In 1845-46 the present City Hall building, built of Fall River granite, was erected in Market Square, at an expense of sixty-five thousand dollars, including lot, foundation, sidewalks, furniture, etc.

It was considered a model public building for the time, solid and substantial in its construction, and judiciously arranged with a lock-up or town prison in the basement, a market on the first floor, and a large town hall, with offices in front, upon the second floor. The hall was one of the best in the State, and more commodious even than the far-famed Faneuil Hall of Boston. With the growth of the city, however, more office accommodation was required, and in 1872-73 the building was entirely remodeled and rebuilt, with the addition of a mansard roof, tower, clock, bell, etc., at a cost of two hundred thousand dollars.

Educational .- The first church edifice in ancient Freetown was erected within the present limits of Fall River, and was used for religious purposes about ninety-eight years. Adjacent to this church edifice, and upon the same lot of land, stood a school-house where the children of former generations were taught to read, write, and spell. So long has that house been gone that all traditions concerning it have been si- lenced, and have passed from the minds and memo- ries of men. Secular knowledge and divine instruc- tion were doubtless for a time imparted under the same roof, as some of Freetown's earliest ministers were also employed to officiate in the capacity of town school-master.

The following are extracts from the town records :

"On the first Monday in February, 1703-4, Voted, that a man should be chosen to endeavour to bring a man into town to educate and instruct children in reading and writing, and dispensing the gospel to the town. Exceptance,

" JOHN REED, JR., Town Clerk." Again we find under the date of May 15, 1718 :

" At a legal town meeting in freetown, Voted,-To set up a school to learn children to read and right, and made a choyce of Jacob hathaway agent, to seek for a schoolmaster.

" JOHN REED, JR., Town Clerk."

Hathaway was not only a wrestling Jacob but a prevailing Israel, for five months later we find upon the time-worn record was entered,-

"October, the 8th day,-Voted, to allow thomas roberts 36 pounds for one years service, to keep the school at three several places, the public "february, the 14th day, 1720-21,-Voted and agreed, to seek out for meeting-house, Walter Chase's, also at or near Jobn howlands. . a school-master for the present year, inasmuch as the last year's school- master, Roberts and the town did not agree.

"JONATHAN DODSON, Town Clerk."

" freetown, May, 17th day, 1721 .- Voted, to leave it in the prudence of the Select Men to agree with William Gaige or with Wm. Caswell to serve the town as a school-master for the term of one year."

" freetown, July 19th day, 1721 .- Voted, 30 pounds be raised on the inhabitants to pay the town's school-master."

" freetown, July ye 16th day 1722 .- then at a legal town meeting, voted, William Caswell 30 pounds in consideration of his serving the town, to keep school in the town one whole year, the said Caswell to be at all cost of boarding or dieting himself: Said Caswell being present did agree to serve. Voted, the school to be removed three times in the year, the first remove to be at the meeting house, the second remove to be at the lower part of the town, thirdly to be removed to the upper part of the town. Voted, the school-houses to be set at the middle of each half of the town from the meeting-house or centre.

" JOHN REED, Town Clerk."

To carry out the last clause of that vote a school- house had to be built at or near Steep Brook. In

339

FALL RIVER.

1725, William Gaige was employed to keep school one year for thirty-two pounds and board himself.

William Caswell served as school-master for the years 1726-28 for thirty-eight pounds per year, and boarded himself, and in 1729 his wages were raised to forty pounds.

July 10, 1727, the town voted to build two school- houses, one of which should be eighteen feet long and fourteen feet wide.

In 1730, William Gaige was again the town's school-master at forty pounds per year.

In 1733 we find the following record of a vote passed November 2d of that year :

"Voted, the sum of 50 pounds to Mr. Israel nichols, to keep school in said town, always excepting Saturday every week."

In 1738, " Voted Mr. James Ward 66 pounds to keep school one year. " JOSEPH REED, Town Clerk."

In 1738 sold two school-houses at public auc- tion, one brought five dollars and the other two dol- lars.

Dec. 17, 1744, James Mead was dismissed from serving longer as school-master.

Nov. 13, 1745, the town made choice of Shadrach Hathaway to keep school one year, and he to board himself. Ambrose Barnaby, town clerk.

Shadrach Hathaway was a graduate of Yale Col- lege. His gravestone bears the following inscrip- tion : "In memory of Shadrach Hathaway, M.A., died December ve 3d, 1749, in ye 33d year of his age."

Up to this date, all that was done about schools in · Freetown, that part now Fall River received about one-half the benefits of, as it constituted about one-half of the town. East or New Freetown was annexed in 1747, and then Fall River was considered about one- third of the entire township.

A school-house standing near the meeting-house 1

1 " In the pulpit of that meeting-house in what had been the centre of Freetown, now just within the most northerly limits of Fall River, the gospel was preached for nearly a century by the following divines, sev- eral remaining but a short period. as it was found to be an exceedingly difficult matter to ' dispense the gospel to the town's exceptance,' and taking exceptions to anything and, in fact, to almost everything that a minister could do or say seemed to be the darling project of many of the people, instead of accepting or submitting to anything whatever. Jar- gon and contention was the rule, peace and quiet the exception.

" The patience of one of these preachers having become exhausted, tradition asserts that he with warmth once proclaimed from the pulpit that he never before in all his life saw such a set of heathen and such incorrigible sinners, when, suddenly recollecting some others of the same sort, he checked himself with the words, 'God forgive me, for I must and will except Taretown,' meaning Tiverton.

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History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 81

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1818

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818