USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Brockton > History of Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1656-1894 > Part 57
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1890, July 27. Shoe factory belonging to Isaiah A. Beals on Main street. Loss $1,030.
1890, July 31. Wax factory of Oliver O. Patten on Centre street. Loss $587.
1890, August 13. Cigar store belonging to E. N. Thayer & Co. at the corner of Main and Bartlett streets. Loss $500.
1890, August 16. Dwelling house of William H. Tobey on High street occupied by Alton W. Snell and Mason Simmons. Loss $425.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1890, August 24. Dwelling occupied by Frank Alexander on Florence street. Loss $175.
1890, September 24. The "Standard Rubber Manufacturing Co.," on Summer street. Damage $569.
1890, September 25. Dwelling house owned by Catherine Moore and occupied by Charles F. Averell. Loss $500.
1890, November 23. "Satucket block" owned by Embert Howard and Bradford E. Jones, on the corner of Main and West Elm street. Loss $850.
1890, December 1. Dwelling house of Sherman Allen on Montello street. Damage $450.
1890, December 2. Edward Malley, dwelling house on La Foye street. Damage $800.
1890, December 2. Averell & Thayer's shoe dressing factory on Crescent street. Damaged $3,000; insured for $1,000.
1890, December 3. Marble works of Fred Hanson on Railroad Avenue. Damage $707.
1890, December 18. Church belonging to the Unity Society on Warren Avenue valued at $13,000. Damaged by fire $1, 100 insured for $8,000.
1891, January 5. Dwelling and store of Charles V. Lendh on Main street, Campello. Loss $575.
1891, January 23. The "Home Bank" building corner Main and Church street, occupied by Jameson and others. Damage $8,400.
1891, February 2. Stable of George G. Snow on Holbrook Avenue. Damage $687. Insured $750.
1891, February 12. Dwelling of H. H. Chamberlain on North Mon- tello street. Slightly damaged. $125.
1891, February 19. Business block corner of Crescent and Main streets owned by Henry L. Bryant, and occupied as an Armory, Court House, etc. Damage $1,550. Insured $35,000.
1891, February 24. Dwelling of Michael O'Reilly on Grove Avenue, Campello.
1891, March 2. Market building owned by Charles Saunders, occu- pied by Frank Berkley. Loss $175.
1891, March 21. Dwelling owned by Edwin B. Rich and occupied by Edward P. Perkins. Loss $137.
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FIRES.
1891, April 2. Stable belonging to Ellery C. Wright, Campello. Damage $475.
1891, April 2. Dwelling of Henry A. Soule, Campello. Loss $270
1891, April 2. Dwelling of George Churchill, Campello. Loss $187.
1891, April 2. Shoe manufactory of Whitman & Keith on Clifton Avenue, Campello. Damage by fire to the extent of $9,000 on build- ing and $80,000 personal. Insured for $90,000.
1891, April 2. Shoe manufactory of Preston B. Keith on Clifton Avenue, Campello, unoccupied. Damage $5,000. No insurance.
1891, April 2. Shoe manufactory of Mitchell & Millett on Clifton Avenue, Campello. Damaged by fire $11,500. Insured.
1891, April 2. Stable belonging to Daniel N. Keith on Clifton Avenue, Campello. Damage $300.
1891, April 15. Business block belonging to Daniel S. Howard on Main street and occupied by Miss Tripp. Damage about $500.
1891, April 26. Ice house belonging to W. C. Flagg. Slightly damaged.
1891, May 6. Building occupied by the Dow Manufacturing Co., and owned by Domenio Hall on Huntington street. Damage $4,700. . 1891, May 7. Barber shop occupied by C. L. Barbera in the old " Gazette building," owned by James Luddy. Loss $185.
1891, May 23. Dwelling house of D. Morey and occupied by C. Clark. Damage $655.
1891, June 5. Business block owned by Mrs. Abby H. Packard on East Elm street. Damage $6,500. Contents $4,600. It was occupied by McCann Brothers for storage of furniture, and used as a Lodge Room for the Ancient Order of Hibernians
1891, June 5. Business block belonging to Francis E. White and occupied by Miss L. W. McKay, and the Enterprise Publishing Com- pany, etc., on Main street. Damage $675.
1891, June 22. Dwelling of Thomas Doonan and belonging to F. B. Washburn Company, on School street. Damage about $300. In- sured.
1891, July 3. Last manufactory owned by the Brockton Last Co., on Perkins street. Damaged by fire $240. Insured.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1891, July 3 A dwelling house belonging to Nathan Keithi on Jackson street, Campello. Damage $75. Insured.
1891, July 3. Dwelling house of Susan Brady on Eliot street. Damage $190. Insured.
1891, July 4. Business brick block owned by Rufus P. Kingman, Esq., and occupied by Howard & Caldwell clothing dealers. Slightly damaged by a fire cracker on the awning.
1891, July 6. Dwelling house belonging to the Tolman Estate on Pleasant street. Damage $1,500.
1891, July 14. Dwelling of John Murphy, owned by W. F. Field on Montello street. Damaged by fire $525.
1891, July 16. Brick school house on Union street, Centreville. Damage $812.
1891, August 11. Dwelling house of Thomas Burns, ownd by De Witt Clinton Packard, Esq , on Centre street. Damage $358.
1891, August 14. Dry house of O'Neil & Howes on Court street, owned by Eben G. Rhodes. Damage $450. Insured.
1891, August 21. Dwelling house owned by J. R. Perkins, Esq., and occupied by James Reed. Loss $475.
1891, August 31. Stable belonging to Timothy Leary. Loss $85. 1891, December 1. Dwelling house of Edward Hayes. Loss $125. 1891, December 5. Dwelling of Joseph Svymkieweiz, near Pearl street. Loss $3,000. 1891, December 6. Barn belonging to George A. Packard, corner Pearl and Pleasant streets. Loss $600.
1891, December 6. At the same time a store and dwelling-house. Loss $2,000.
1891, December 21. Dwelling of Lon Weston. Loss $1,852.
1891, December 25. Brick block occupied by Huram Wade and others. Loss $510.
1892, January 12. Steel shank, and leather case factory, owned by A. W. Hayden, occupied by N. C. Umberg and the Royal Case Com- pany. Loss $75.
1892, January 30. Boys' club room, owned by John Donahue, Cen- terville. Loss small.
1892, February 18. Business block, owned by Home Bank, corner of Church and Main street, occupied by M. A. Hatch. Loss $100.
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FIRES.
1892, February 27. Wood dwelling owned by Mrs. S. W. Sturte- vant, and occupied by C. R. Skillings. Loss $437
1892, March 2. Shoe manufactory owned by Albert Barrows, Cam- pello and occupied by him. Loss on building $9,000, on stock $59,493.
1892, March 2. Scandia Shoe Company. Loss $10,600.
1892, March 2. Dwelling owned by Daniel Lynah and occupied by E. Leonard and J. Wade. Loss $1,396.
1892, March 2. Dwelling owned by J. Colby and occupied by him. Loss $175.
1892, March 2. Dwelling owned by C. C. Peterson, formerly Wm. Snell, and occupied by Stetson & Richardson. Loss $2,500.
1892, March 2. Dwelling owned by L. W. Allen and occupied by him. Loss $150
1892, March 2.
Dwelling owned by Mrs. Horace M Bryant. Loss $142.
1892, March 2. Dwelling owned by Matilda Bryant and occupied by E. A. Morse. Loss $206.
1892, March 2. Dwelling owned by G. N. Greeley and occupied by E. Leonard. Loss $1,500.
1892, March 2. Dwelling owned by C. M. Kingman, occupied by J. F. Dean. Loss $1,500.
1892, March 2. Dwelling owned by Gardner J. Kingman. Loss small.
1892, March 6. Building owned by George A. Ord, occupied by owner and P. Barrett, Columbia street. Loss $1,255.
1892, April 6. Building owned by William Faunce Everett, occu- pied by owner. Loss slight.
1892, April 9. Building owned by Oscar A. Campbell, and occupied by W. Porter and D. Baxter.
1892, April 9. Building owned by Albert Keith for hotel and stores, and occupied by Mrs. George H. Taylor, as Hotel Tremont, 1082 Mon- tello street and 36 Perkins Avenue. Loss $328.
1892, April 21. Building owned and occupied by Manuel DeNeves, Tremont street. Loss small.
1892, April 25. Building owned and occupied by David Moran. Loss $347.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1892, May 15. Dwelling owned by Misses A. W. and E. Astile and occupied by Paul G. Habig, near Cary street. Loss $1,500.
1892, May 29. Business block owned by Josiah E. Packard and occupied by Theodore S. Bailey, clothing store, 160 Main street.
1892, April 24. Building owned by A. W. Hayden, Main street, and occupied by N. C. Ruberg and the Royal Case Co. Loss $6,699.
1892, June 8. Stable owned by A. E. Woodward, and occupied by A. F. Poole. Loss $195.
1892, June 15. Dwelling owned by Bradford E. Jones and occupied by W. F. Chadwick. Rossiter street.
1892, June 19. Building owned and occupied by A. Cranston Thompson. Lost $185. Mill on Railroad Avenue.
1892, June 20. Business block owned by Sylvanus B. Curtis, on Main street, occupied by Augustus C. Chandler. Loss small.
1892, July 18. Dwelling owned by Thomas A. Baxendale, occupied by W. H. Carll, and Charles H. Shannon, on Pleasant, corner of Glen- wood streets. Loss $2,513.
1892, July 22. Dwelling owned and occupied by Mrs. Thomas Brennan. Loss $275.
1892, July 26. Dwelling of Thomas P. Stiff, Chester Avenue. Loss $175.
1892, July 31. Building owned and occupied by Bennie C. Leonard, near Marshall's corner. House and barn. Loss $4,200.
1892, August 5. Dwelling-house of E. D. Bachelder. Loss small. 1892, August 22. Barber shop owned by Ira R. Hurst and occupied by C. F. Allen. Loss small.
1892, August 24. Brick dry house, owned by the E. G. Rhodes estate, and occupied by O'Neil and Howes. Loss $100.
1892, September 14. Building owned by Louis Lattinville, and occupied by Henry P. McWilliams. Loss $135.
1892, September 23. Building owned by Horace Richmond and occupied by William A. Snow. Loss small.
1892 September 23. Hotel and store owned by Louis Lattinville, and occupied by Eli King. Railroad Avenue. Loss small.
1892, September 30. Bakery and dwelling owned by Mrs. Dennis Harding, and occupied by Michael D. Murphy as a bakery, 586 Main street. Loss small.
625
FIRES.
1892, October 6. Clothing store, building owned by the Henry French estate and occupied by J. F. Sullivan on Main street. Loss small.
1892, October 27. Last manufactory building owned by Elmer C. Packard on Crescent street and occupied by the Brockton Last Com - pany. Loss on building $3,305, loss on stock $6,700. Total $10,000. 1892, October 27. Shoe manufactory belonging to Edward Sheehey, on Crescent street. Loss $1,000.
1892, November 24. Dwelling-house of Orrin S. Reynolds on Pleasant street. Loss $2,000.
1892, November 26. Dwelling and store 755 Main street owned by William Field, and occupied by Frank H. Young, Loss $1 50.
1892, November 29. Dwelling owned and occupied by Charles
Howard, Church street. Loss small.
1892, December 16. Fire at 36 Green street, frame dwelling occu- pied by A. M. Bridgman, John Barbour and Harry L. Marston. Loss small.
1893, January 3. Fire in frame building corner of Main and Chest- nut streets owned by Gardner J. Kingman, and occupied by J. New- man and others. Loss small.
1893, January 4. Fire in frame building on Crescent street owned by C. S. Pierce and occupied by E. L. Bonney as a box shop. Damage $1,320.
1893, January 6. Fire on Pine Avenue, building owned by C. Thornell, and occupied by J. Briggs. Loss $25.
1893, January II. Fire in frame building off Auburn street, Cam - pello, owned and occupied by J. Edward Eaton. Damage $673.
1893, January 16. Fire in frame building, corner Warren Avenue and Spring street, owned by Mrs. Anna Littleton, and occupied by Joe Wing and a club room. Damage $515.
1893, February 6. Slight fire in A. M. Herrod's factory on Main street.
1893, February 12. Fire in brick block owned by Daniel S. Howard, on Main street, occupied by P. S. Dolan and others. Loss $675.
79
626
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1893, February 27. Fire on Montello street, Campello, building owned by A. B. Marston, occupied by A. B. Hastings as a bakery, and J. C. Coombs screen maker. Loss $20.
1893, March 8. Fire in the shoe factory of Enos H. Reymolds, on North Main street. Loss $13,000.
1893, March 14. Fire on Warren Avenue, building owned by Mrs. L. T. Bird, and occupied by E. Kendrick. Loss small.
1893, March 15. Fire in block corner of Main and Centre streets, owned by George E. Bryant, and occupied by the United States post- office, stores, etc. Loss $2,400.
1893, March 17. Dwelling-house owned and occupied by . Patrick Feeney, on Skinner street. Loss $851.
1893, April 7. The brick block belonging to the F. B. Washburn company, at the corner of Main and School streets, and occupied by Gurney Brothers, Tolman Brothers and others. Loss $11,955. The Commercial Club and the Howard Club occupied rooms in this building as well as the Southern Massachusetts Telephone company.
1893, April 11. Fire 34 Galen street, building owned by C. C. Mac- Corry, and occupied by J. W. Alger and C. W. Rines. Loss $3, 150.
1893, April 12. Fire in house owned and occupied by Alvin Hawes, on Pleasant street. Loss $119.
1893, April 16. Fire in dwelling on Main street, owned by I. Mit- chell occupied by J. Robertson and Mr. McFaun. Loss $450.
1893, April 16. Fire in frame dwelling house on East Ashland street, owned and occupied by S. F. Allen. Loss $450.
1893, April 18. House occupied by E. J. Fleming, on Cedar street, owned by Michael Dineen. Loss small.
1893, April 26. Dwelling-house on Court street, owned by R. Taber and C. Torrey and occupied by E. Guertin and W. Coy. Loss $55.
1893, April 26. Blacksmith shop on Torrey street owned by Frank Bedraski and occupied by him. The fire extended to his dwelling-house. Loss $2,163, paid.
1893, May 13. Fire in dwelling house of Lester Keith on Perkins avenue and occupied by H. Shepard and Mrs. Dewhurst. Loss small.
1893, May 30. Fire at the corner of Hunt and Sylvester streets owned by J. Hunt and occupied by F. Kamiski. Loss paid $1,078.
627
FIRES.
1893, June 2. Fire in frame factory owned by Marcus Leach and occupied by Charles A. Eaton and others. Loss $43.85.
1893, June II. Fire in two- story frame dwelling house on River street owned by Dennis Sullivan and occupied by D. Reardon and P. O'Brien. Loss $550.
1893, June 12. Fire in two-story frame building on West Elm street owned by A. P. Poole and occupied by Oscar Lowney and A. P. Poole. Loss $1,653.
1893, June 30. Fire in "Kingman Block" corner of Main and Market streets, Campello, owned by Preston B. Keith, Esq., and occu- pied by F. L. Braconier and others.
1893, July 6. Fire in three- story frame building corner of Spring and Walnut streets, owned by David Donnelly and occupied by J. J. McCay and others. Loss $25,741.
1893, July 6. Fire in building owned by E. W. Holmes and occu- pied by himself and others on Centre street. Loss $90.
1893. July 15. Slight fire in dwelling of John Burke. Loss small.
1893, July 16. Fire in barn owned by Rose Martin on Torrey street. Loss $350.
1893, July 17. Fire in the tack factory owned and occupied by William W. Cross off Pleasant street. Loss $16,767.76.
1893, July 18. Fire at 51 Albion street owned and occupied by L. J. Goodridge. Loss $30.
1893, July 18. Fire in stable on Winter street owned by G. H. Ackerman. Cause, lightning. Loss $350.
1893, July 21. Fire in Woodward & Wright's last factory on Per- kins avenue. Loss about $50.
1893, July 28. Fire in frame dwelling house No. II Huntington street, owned and occupied by Albert Decoster. Loss $550.
1893, August 2. Fire in frame building on North Mulberry street owned by George Farwell and occupied by D. Desmond. Loss $686.
1893, August 9. Fire in stable 29 Thacher street owned by Fred F. Rogers. A valuable horse was burned, also. Loss $300.
1893, August 15. Slight fire in the tenant house owned by N. Hay- ward and occupied by Edward Norris. Damage small.
1893, August 23. Fire in frame factory owned by Frank E. White on North Main street, and occupied by Smith & Wade. Loss small.
628
¡HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1893, September 8. Slight fire in dwelling owned and occupied by P. J. Corbett at 102 Florence street.
1893, September 17. Fire in stable on Pearl street owned by Fred Packard. Loss $1,870.
1893, September 26. Slight fire in dwelling house owned by D. W. Field, and occupied by T. Crovo and T. Hildred.
1893, September 26. Fire in an unoccupied frame building owned by David Remillard on Perkins avenue. Loss $225.
1893, October 7. Slight fire in a dwelling owned and occupied by H. Sampson on Laureston street. Loss $32.
1893, October 13. Fire in dwelling on Williams street owned by N. Cary and occupied by Mrs. Young and others. Loss $55.
1893, October 16. Fire in a two-story dwelling on East Main street owned by Mrs. Lattinville and occupied by J. Leplente and B. Vellen- cour. Loss $65.
1893, October 19. Fire in a two-story dwelling on Montello street owned by C. Creedon and occupied by John Buckley and others. Loss $225. Cause, rats and matches.
1893, October 20. Fire in a cottage house on Court street owned by Mrs. Ann Dalton and occupied by her. Damage small.
1893, October 30. Slight fire in a two-story dwelling on Howard Place owned by C. E. Brackett and occupied by him and N. C. White. Damage $24.
1893, November 13. Fire in frame stable corner of Winter and Dyer streets owned by George P. Albee. Loss $350.
1893, November 19. Slight fire corner Church street opposite the Brockton Railroad station, owned by Eli King and occupied by him as a boarding house.
1893, November 27. Fire in frame dwelling house on Lawrence street, owned by Rufus C. Kimball and occupied by Michael McCarty. Loss $675.
1893, December 21. Henry T. Anglim dwelling house and barn corner of Pleasant and Belair streets. Loss $1,600.
1894, January 24. This day will ever be remembered as one on which the most showy and largest conflagrations that has occurred in this city for a long time. It commenced in what was well known as
629
FIRES.
the " City Rink," situated on " Robinson's Court." The building was owned by John A. Jackson, a well known builder and (ex-Alderman of Brockton). From the rink the fire spread rapidly to the north across Green street directly toward the First Congregational church, taking in its way a tenement house owned by Hon. John J. Whipple, Mayor of the city, and occupied by Harry L. Marston, Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, John Barbour, Dr. Frank L. Weir; a dwelling occu- pied by Mrs. Daniel Tolman, George Tolman and F. E. Wentworth ; a house belonging to Mrs. Caroline Porter. The Congregational Church was soon embraced in the immense conflagration, the flames making rapid progress in the destruction of the old land mark, a fine wooden structure erected in 1852 at a cost of about $30,000, on the site which has been occupied since the settlement of the old " North Parish " of Bridgewater. This building stood on the same location. where three other church edifices have stood since 1738, on the corner of Main and Pleasant streets. At eleven o'clock P. M. the tall and graceful spire fell toward Main street with a crash, and the bell which had so often called the citizens to the services of the sanctuary, and in solemn tones tolled the deaths of many of the towns-people, was soon destroyed, and many is the number who will miss the old clock face on the hill, as it was above the tallest buildings of the city, marking the hours as they passed. The business places of Messrs. A. P. Hazard, G. E. Bickford and a building owned by Fred Richmond on Main street were more or less damaged by fire at this time. A new brick block in process of erection on the east side of Main street was quite severely damaged by heat, breaking the plate glass, etc. The Savings Bank at the corner of Court and Main streets was damaged some, as well as the " Porter " church near by the Bank on the north, which caught from sparks from the other buildings. Fire engines were present from Boston, Taunton, and Fall River, their steamers doing good work. The steam fire en- gine from Avon did especially good service in protecting the Savings Bank brick block. The total loss at this fire was estimated at $35,000.
1894, January 29. Shoe factory formerly owned by Jay B. Reynolds, now the property of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, and occupied by George Knight as a machine shop, and Wendell, Leach & Co. as a shoe factory, and Parker & Silva. Loss on contents $7,600 ; on buildings $2,000.
630
HISTORY OF BROCKTON .:
1894, January 30. Dwelling house on Hervey street, owned by Andrew F. Packard and occupied by the owner and W. P. Williams. Loss $700.
1894, February 7. Dwelling house on Williams street owned by W. L. Hayden; occupied by D. Mulloy, George Vittum, William Mc- Kay. Loss $50.
1894, February 16. Building on Palmer street owned by J. Willis Marble, occupied by E. Marble, and Charles Cautcher. Dwelling, stable and bottling establishment. Loss $3,500.
1894, February 18. Dwelling corner of Main and Arch streets owned by Nathan Howard, occupied by A. R. McDonald. Loss $525.
1894, February 24. Stable on Menlo street owned and occupied by A. T. Benson. Loss $500.
1894, February 25. Leather bleachery of A. G. Tinkham on Pack- ard street.
1894, March 27. Fire in business block of Mrs. G. A. Goodall, oc- cupied as dwellings and stores by A. A. Barrett, jeweler ; Mrs. Good- all; clothing store of J. J. Newman ; Irving Tenney as a bicycle store ; John Cross, shoemaker; etc. Loss $2,500.
1894, April 20. House owned by Thomas A. Baxendale, 228 Pleasant street, occupied by Mrs. Edward Southworth, and William Smith. Loss small.
1894, May 5. Fire in the Episcopal chapel. Loss small.
1894, May 8. Stable on Quincy street, owned by James Farrell. Loss about $700.
1894. May 9. House on North Mulberry street, owned and occupied by Bernard Donohue. Loss $400.
1894, May 10. House on Boyden street owned by New York, New Haven & Hartford R. R. Co., occupied by William J. Powers. Loss $1,000.
1894, May II. House on corner of Court and Boyden streets owned by Morris Callahan. Loss small.
1894, June 12. Fire in wooden block corner Main and Hervey streets, owned by W. H. Shaw and W. C. Carey, occupied by E. A. Shaw, grocer ; E. A. Dakin, druggist; Mrs. Baxter, restaurant and other families. Loss $300.
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MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
CHAPTER XXIX.
MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
CASUALTIES AND MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS .- In or about the year 1725 Henry Kingman came from the West Parish (now West Bridge- water) and settled on the spot where the late Seth Kingman lived and died. He was about twenty-one years of age, and unmarried. Soon after his arrival at his new home, he proceeded to the woods for the purpose of cutting fencing, about ten or eleven o'clock A. M. While in the act of splitting a large oak log, it split prematurely, and the axe entered the calf of his leg, nearly severing it, only a small portion of flesh remaining on each side to connect the parts ; the bone was cut off entirely. It was a bitter cold day, and all he had to bandage with was his small handkerchief, in which was his luncheon. This he used as best he could ; tied up the wound, and dragged himself to a small bridge, where he remained till evening, when, by the merest accident, some one heard him cry out for help, and even then passers-by supposed it was only the wild animals in the woods, which in that day were quite com-
mon. At last some person found him ; a litter was made on which to carry him home ; and when he reached his boarding-place a messenger was dispatched four miles or more to West Bridgewater for a physician. A long time must have elapsed before one could reach him, as the snow was deep and very bad traveling. But, strange as it may appear to the reader, the parts grew together, and he afterwards became an efficient officer in the army.
1727, October 29. The shock of a violent earthquake was severely felt throughout New England, which lasted for several days.
1739, February 5. The first meeting of the North Parish was held to-day. Timothy Keith, moderator ; Robert Howard, clerk ; who con- tinued to hold that office thirty-two years in succession.
1748. Indian corn sold for thirty-two shillings per bushel ; rye,
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
forty-six shillings per bushel ; wheat, three pounds per bushel ; flour, ten pounds per hundred.
1749. This summer the most severe drought ever experienced by the oldest person then living. In the last of May the grass was all burnt by the sun; the ground looked white; the earth was dried to a powder at a great depth, and many wells, springs, brooks, and rivers were dried, so that fish lay dead on the bottom. The pastures were so scorched that cattle grew poor. Hay had to be brought from England to supply their wants, which sold for three pounds ten shillings per cwt. Barley and oats were so much injured they scarcely saved enough for seed. Flax was a total failure. Corn rolled and wilted. Herbs of all sorts were destroyed. During all these troubles government ordered a day of fasting and prayer ; and on the 6th of July copious showers of rain fell to refresh them, and things looked brighter ; and what was fort- unate for the people, the next winter was very mild. After the plenti- ful rains a day of public thanksgiving was ordered.
1751, June 17. Severe hail- storm. Hailstones large as English wal- nuts were in abundance, breaking glass and doing other damage to a large amount.
1755. Summer very hot and dry. Hay scarce and high.
1755, November 18. Shock of an earthquake, shaking down chim- In Boston and vicinity buildings were prostrated by the shock. neys.
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