USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > East Boston > History of East Boston; with biographical sketches of its early proprietors, and an appendix > Part 49
USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > East Boston > History of East Boston : with biographical sketches of its early proprietors, and an appendix. > Part 49
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On the 6th of September, 1638, the general court ordered : " There is a ferry appointed from Boston to Winnetsemet Nod- dle's Island & the ships ; the person to bee appointed by the magistrates of Boston." 1
On the 1st of Dec., 1638, it was ordered that no canoe should be used at any ferry upon pain of £5.
On the 7th of October, 1641, " It was voted that Winnet- semet ferry should have but 3ª to. Boston, & that both ferryes
1 Mass. Records, Vol. I. p. 241.
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HISTORY.
[1832.
should have liberty alike ;" also, " The ferry from Boston hath liberty to carry to Noddle's Island & the ships, as to Winnet- semet, according to the former order." 1
Six years afterward, the following entry appears in the Reg- istry of Deeds : - " Samuel Maverick & Anna his wife together with John Blackleach and his wife granted and sold to Richard Bellingham & his heirs 'a messuage called Winnisimet with the appurtenances ; also his interest in the Ferry.'"
It came into the possession of Samuel Bellingham, son and heir of Richard Bellingham, in 1695, and entered into a marriage settlement, under which it remained till 1716, when it became vested in Edward Watts and Anne his wife as joint-tenants.
In 1728 a marriage settlement was entered into between Anne Watts and Thomas Greaves, by which the "ferry farm " was conveyed to him; and then, by a tripartite division of the Watts estate, Samuel Watts had allotted to him "the ferry farm of 220 acres," and also " the sole privilege, benefit, and advantage of keeping the ferry called Winnisimmet, and the property thereto appertaining." His son, Samuel Watts, at the death of his father in 1771, took the ferry property. He died in 1791, leaving several children, who conveyed the Winnisimet farm by deed to Henry H. Williams, the father of Thomas Wil- liams, who claimed the exclusive right to the Winnisimet ferry, both on the Boston and the Chelsea side. The right was pur- chased afterwards from Mr. Williams and the city by the Win- nisimet Company, the remonstrants against the granting of the petition to establish a ferry from Boston to Noddle's Island in 1832. Thomas Williams was afterwards the lessee of Nod- dle's Island, and occupied it for farming purposes.
The ground on which the Winnisimet Company opposed the petition was the belief that the right to run a ferry to Noddle's Island already belonged to them by the various grants here quoted. It was, however, adjudged by the board desirable that a ferry should be established between Noddle's Island and the city proper; the petitioners were therefore licensed to keep the said ferry with steam or other good boats, they giving bonds with good sureties according to law for the faithful perform-
1 Mass. Records, Vol. I. p. 338.
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THE FERRY IN OPERATION.
1833.]
ance of the duty and service of said ferry, -" the fare or fer- riage not to exceed those taken at the Winnisimet ferry, and the board to have free power to establish hereafter any addi- tional ferry or ferries between Boston and Noddle's Island, or between any other place or places within the limits of the city, whenever they deem it expedient so to do."
A bond was given, according to the above order, in the penal sum of five thousand dollars, with the petitioners as principals, and Messrs. Robert G. Shaw and Daniel D. Brodhead as sure- ties. It having been notified to the committee of the board by the grantees that it was their intention to apply to the next legislature for an act of incorporation of themselves and their associates as owners of the whole of Noddle's Island, and they having signified a wish that the bond with the above penal sum might be given by such corporation, if created, it was agreed that the bond of William H. Sumner and others, the petitioners, should be given up on the production of a proper bond by the corporation.
The first boat put upon the route was a small wheel-boat, which was purchased by General Sumner at Newport; it was worked by hand, and was capable of carrying about twenty-five persons ; this was first used as a ferry-boat on the 1st of May, 1833.
In the autumn of the same year, the steamboat "Tom Thumb," a miniature vessel, which had been used on the Chel- sea ferry, commenced running on the East Boston ferry. These boats received and discharged their passengers from a narrow pile wharf, which was built by the East Boston Company; it extended out into water deep enough to allow the Tom Thumb to float at low-water. This wharf was on the north-west end of Smith's head, where Weeks's wharf now is; the distance from this to North Battery wharf on the Boston side was about three eighths of a mile.
The Tom Thumb was soon taken off for repairs, and the hand-boat was again put on. The Tom Thumb was taken round to Jeffries' point, and up, through a creek which separated Camp hill from the rest of the Island, to what is now Sumner street, opposite the sugar-house; here a purchase was rigged around a large elm-tree, and the boat was hauled upon the land
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HISTORY.
[1834.
sufficiently to undergo the necessary repairs. It was again launched into a pond made by the rising of the tide on Feb. 22, 1834, and in the succeeding March commenced running again on the ferry. This tiny steamboat, carrying with diffi- culty any thing but a few footpassengers with their baggage, with perhaps a light vehicle without its horse, presented a remarkable contrast with the large ferry-boats which were soon afterward put on, capable of carrying, with their living freight, the heaviest wagons and teams. As the Tom Thumb was displaced by the " Maverick," the "East Boston," and the " Essex," so the insignificant Noddle's Island has grown into the present " Island ward," perhaps soon to be the " Island city ;" the very name of Noddle's Island sounds strangely now, except to the antiquarian and to the generation which is now rapidly disappearing from our midst.
The Tom Thumb was intended only for a temporary boat until the company could build larger ones better adapted to the demands of a rapidly increasing population. Large steam- boats occasionally landed passengers at the Island on public or festive occasions. According to Mr. Guy C. Haynes, the first horse and chaise ever seen in East Boston was brought over on September 25; this is interesting, as there was at this time no regular conveyance for teams to the Island; the chaise, and, he believes, the horse (both of which belonged to him), were brought over in the Tom Thumb; before this, Mr. Dunbar had brought over several working horses by means of a scow. During the repairs to the Tom Thumb, a new boiler was put in, made by Mr. Thomas B. Stillman of New York, which cost $750. The total cost of the Tom Thumb to the company, as taken from the treasurer's books, was $9,789.89, up to the year 1837, when she was sold for $2,107.27, making the actual cost $7,682,62 ; the treasurer was authorized to make the sale by a vote of July 20, 1835.
In October, 1833, the company contrac'ed for a steamboat for the use of the ferry between Boston and East Boston, to be placed on the route as early as possible in 1834. The boat, the " East Boston," was built by Mr. Benson Clock on East Sum- ner street, at the south-east end of the sugar-house, where the track and workshops of the Eastern Railroad were afterwards
553
FERRY REGULATIONS.
1834.]
erected. The boat was launched August 9, 1834. The cost of the boat was $12,829.32, and of the machinery and extras (for which $7,350 had been appropriated), $6,915.03; in all, $19,744.35. The boilers and engine were made by Mr. Thomas B. Stillman, at the Novelty Works, New York.
After ineffectual attempts to obtain a ferry landing on the Boston side on Commercial wharf, an arrangement was effected in the spring of 1834, by which Lewis's wharf became the Bos- ton landing. Messrs. S. White, D. D. Brodhead, and Gardner Greenleaf were appointed a committee of the East Boston Company to report rules and regulations for the government of the ferry, subject to the approval of the grantees. This com- mittee reported the following regulations for 1834, which were adopted : -
A boat to leave one side or the other as often as once in every fifteen min- utes.
The boats to be exclusively employed on the ferry, and not to be taken off for other service, unless by a vote of the directors.
There is to be no delay at the landings; and, at least one trip to the Island after sunset.
Free tickets to be allowed to the following persons : -
President, directors, and other officers of the East Boston Company; of the East Boston Wharf Company ; of the East Boston Timber Company; of the Boston Sugar Refinery ; of the Merchants' Marine Railway.
The building committee and agent of the Maverick House Company.
The officers and agents of such other companies as may commence works or buildings at East Boston, and to such other persons as by vote of the directors may be allowed free tickets, or may accompany them to view the company's property.
The privileges of free passage to the foregoing companies are to cease after their respective works are completed. -
Rates of Toll. For transient footpassengers, six cents cach ; tickets in lots not less than one hundred, at five cents cach. For residents, or persons em- ployed on the Island, three cents each.
Heads of families residing on the Island may compound for toll at a yearly rate of two dollars for each person composing the family.
The master of the boat to receive the tolls, and to account for the daily re- ceipts accurately to the superintendent once every week.
On May 13th, the following letter was sent to Messrs. W. H. Sumner, F. J. Oliver, and S. White, grantees of the ferry from Boston to Noddle's Island : -
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" GENTLEMEN, - I have been ordered by the directors of the East Boston Company to forward to you a copy of certain regulations for the government of the ferry, such as would, in their opinion, be suitable for its regulation, and conducive to the interests of the various parties concerned in it. I accord- ingly enclose a copy, and hope that they may meet with your approval. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, " A. BINNEY, Clerk of E. B. Co."
On May 26th, the clerk read the following reply : -
" To AMOS BINNEY, clerk of the East Boston Company : -
" SIR, - We have taken into consideration the proposals of the East Boston Company for the regulation of the East Bos- ton ferry, communicated to us in your letter of the 13th inst., and have the pleasure to reply, that, interested as we are in the lands at East Boston, we are desirous of favoring its settlement by as low a rate of ferriage as the receipts will allow. We therefore accede to your request for the present season. When the contemplated bridge 1 and road are completed, the whole subject will require supervision.
" We are respectfully, your obedient servants,
W. H. SUMNER, STEPHEN WHITE, FRANCIS J. OLIVER."
In September, 1834, the company contracted with Messrs. Vaughan and Pierce for a ferry landing on the East Boston side. Until the ferry slips were finished, the "East Boston," at high-water, used to run up along-side the East Boston Wharf, and the passengers would disembark by climbing up on the wharf; at low tide, the boat would run to the little pile wharf built at Smith's head for the Tom Thumb.
During this month, the company contracted for a new ferry- boat, to be built on the same model and of the same dimen- sions as the " East Boston." This boat, the " Maverick," was built by Brown and Bates, on Central square, and was launched
1 Free bridge and road to Chelsea.
555
NEW COMPANY PROPOSED.
1835.]
January 28, 1835. The cost of the boat was $8,816.72, and of the boilers and machinery, furnished by Mr. Thomas B. Still- man of New York, $6,940.20 ; total cost, $15,756.92. As Mr. Clock demanded an extravagant sum for giving up the draw- ings and models of the "East Boston," Messrs. Bates and Brown were allowed thirty dollars, in addition to their contract, for laying down the model of the " Maverick."
The company thus had two ferry-boats, large and commodi- ous, having excellent cabins both for gentlemen and ladies. On the 27th of May, 1835, they commenced their regular trips, opening a direct communication, by means of Chelsea street and the Eastern avenue, with the towns intersected by the Salem turnpike. The account of the celebration of this im- portant event, and of the opening of the Maverick House, has been given in the preceding chapter. In this way was Boston connected with East Boston, in a manner more durable than by constructing a tunnel under the bed of the stream, or by span- ning the waters by a magnificent bridge, both of which schemes were entertained in times past. Thus were the inhabitants of the old crowded hive in Boston tempted to enjoy the sea breeze in a four minutes' sail to East Boston; "and the mer- chant, weary with the toils of a sultry day in the old city, to hie to the new; and, sitting down by his vine-sheltered dwell- ing, to drink the fresh and cooling breeze, with his warehouse and vessels in full view." It will be borne in mind that, at this time, many lots had been sold, and several fine houses were either finished or in process of erection on Belmont.
In September, 1834, the directors of the East Boston Com- pany voted that Messrs. J. Binney, White, and Oliver, be a committee "to consider the propriety of forming a new com- pany to hold and manage the ferry and bridge and roads, and other property connected therewith; and, in case they think it expedient to form such company, then to report a plan for its organization."
In December, 1834, this committee reported that they were of opinion that it would be for the interest of the stockholders that such a new company should be formed, and they presented a sketch of a plan in accordance with which they recommended the formation of a new company, as follows : -
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HISTORY.
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" The new company should purchase, -
"1. Of Benj. T. Reed and others, their right and interest in the Chelsea free bridge, as grantees by their act of incorpora- tion.
"2. Of William H. Sumner and others, their right and inter- est in the ferry between the city proper and East Boston, with the ferry-boats and landings, and the privileges granted to them by the mayor and aldermen of Boston.
"3. Of Amos Binney, all his right in the new road now being constructed from the Chelsea free bridge to the Salem turnpike.
"4. Of the East Boston Company, the plat of ground laid down on the company's plan as a public garden, and also all said company's interest in the property before named.
" The directors of the East Boston Company for the time being should be the directors of the new company, and should have full power to regulate and manage the ferry and other property, and the affairs of the company generally, - it being their duty to make division of profits, should there be any after paying the expenses of keeping the property in repair and mak- ing such improvements as they may think necessary. But they shall never so diminish the rate of tolls on the ferry as to reduce the income of the stockholders to less than six per centum per annum on the amount of their capital stock.
" The property should be held by trustees, as joint-tenants, and certificates of the interest of the respective stockholders in the trust property should be issued in shares of one hundred dollars each."
These were read, and accepted unanimously.
It was then voted, "that the East Boston Company will assign their right and interest in the property proposed to be held by the new company for the sum of $66,000."
It was also voted, " that the superintendent and treasurer be a committee to call upon gentlemen, and ascertain if there is a disposition to form such a company, and to prepare subscription . papers for that purpose on the basis reported by the committee."
On January 15, 1835, the superintendent reported that a company had been formed to purchase the property mentioned in the report of the ferry committee at the last meeting, for the
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THE FERRY UNPROFITABLE.
1836.]
sum of $66,000, and that the amount would be paid as soon as the necessary papers could be prepared. These papers the so- licitor of the company was requested to prepare.
It was therefore voted, "that a dividend of $66,000, being $12.50 per share, be declared and made payable by the treas- urer, so soon as he shall have received funds from the pur- chasers of the ferry property, to persons holding stock."
In 1835, the East Boston Company had advanced and paid in cash the sum of $85,611 for boats, drops, slips, tanks, wharf, and ferry landing, and had also made a grant of, and conveyed for the support of the ferry, a tract of land measuring 562,500 square feet, worth at that time not less than ten cents a foot, amounting in the whole to $141,861. All this, then, was con- veyed to the new company for $66,000, and they divided it into one thousand shares, at the nominal value of one hundred dol- lars each.
The ferry property, as above enumerated, was conveyed to the new company, in a complete state for commencing opera- tions as a ferry, the East Boston Company discharging all bills and expenses incurred in effecting such completion, amounting to several thousand dollars. The president of the company was authorized to execute a deed of the public garden, and the treasurer to make a bill of sale of the boats and other per- sonal property, under the agreement with the new ferry com- pany.
The undertaking was not profitable, and during the first year it sank more than $22,000. Discouraged at such an unexpected result, the association would have discontinued the ferry, to the great detriment of the Island, had not the East Boston Com- pany come forward and sustained it. The Eastern Railroad Company afterward located their road at East Boston. Their act of incorporation contained an express provision "that they should use the ferry then established, or some other ferry, to convey their passengers to and from Boston ;" and, in order to avoid the delays incident to an ordinary ferry under the control of another company, they purchased, in December, 1836, a ma- jority of the stock of the ferry association, paying $51,000 for 510 shares. They were forced to do this, as the East Boston Company, to protect themselves, had from the beginning agreed
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to make no conveyance of a wharf lot on the Island without a condition " that no ferry should ever be established or run from the premises."
Upon the railroad company becoming thus interested in the support and management of the ferry, new and increased ac- commodations were provided, both for the railroad passengers and the public. A new slip was built on the East Boston side, for the exclusive use of the railroad, and, soon after, the rail- road company built two new slips on their wharf on the' Bos- ton side, one for their own boat, and the other for the public ferry landing, both approached by a wide and convenient ave- nue from Commercial street. The railroad company obtained the right to run their own boat to their own slip for the convey- ance of their passengers only; but the freight was still to be carried over the public ferry, by agreement. Still the ferry did not support itself; its expenses far exceeded its income.
In September, 1837, the treasurer of the ferry company asked a loan of the East Boston Company of $6,000, to enable him to meet the demands against the former. It was voted to ad- vance it, provided the Eastern Railroad Company would do the same. In consideration of the importance of sustaining the ferry company as then carried on until the railroad was in operation, it was voted, on December 1st, to loan one half of the amount required, if the railroad company would do the same. The latter company having agreed to do so, the East Boston Com- pany did the same, it being understood by all the parties that said sums, "for which notes shall be given, shall be loaned solely on the pledge of the property of the ferry company, and that neither the Eastern Railroad Company, nor any other shareholders in the ferry company, shall ever be liable in their individual capacity for the payment of any such sums as may be advanced."
By virtue of the indenture of December 19, 1836, two direc- tors to be chosen by the East Boston Company, joined to the directors of the Eastern Railroad Company, were to constitute the board of directors of the East Boston Ferry Company.
The two companies allowed equal sums for the maintenance of the ferry, and had each advanced $15,000 for this purpose up to May, 1838; the railroad company were the largest stock-
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NEW FERRY ARRANGEMENTS.
1839.]
holders in the ferry property. It was thought that an additional boat was necessary for the accommodation of the passengers of the Eastern Railroad, which was opened in August, 1838 ; but it was thought best to try the experiment with two boats until their insufficiency was proved; the railroad company, not being able to purchase one of the old ferry-boats, were after- wards compelled to employ one of their own.
In 1839 it was agreed that the ferry property should be con- sidered as joint security for the East Boston Company and the Eastern Railroad Company for the debts due them; and that neither company would bring suits on any notes or demands against the ferry company for advances made to it, nor attach its property, except for notes or demands on the joint account.
In April of this year an arrangement was made for the tem- porary management of the ferry between the three companies. Without affecting any rights or privileges they then had under the " ferry indenture " of December 19, 1836,1 the East Boston Company agreed to maintain the ferry, furnishing the funds, paying all expenses from March 1, 1839, to June 1, 1840, meeting all outstanding debts due on the latter date, and pay- ing, on or before that day, to the treasurer of the ferry com- pany $8.77 for each day's deterioration of the property by use, and an annual rent of $1,250 for the landing on Lewis's wharf. The railroad company were to enjoy all their actual privileges, and to have any further accommodation not incon- sistent with the ordinary travel; the ferry-master to manage and direct all matters as the directors of the East Boston Company should request. The railroad company were to pay as before for tolls and ferriages, but to be entitled to the same rate of de- duction on burden carriages as persons occupying stores and wharves at East Boston. All other travel was to be at the rates agreed upon by the East Boston Company, and no permits were to be granted beyond June 1, 1840. All the income during this time was to be at the disposal of the East Boston Company for the payment of expenses, this company supplying all deficien-
1 Between J. Binney, W. Fettyplace, and B. Lamson, trustees of the ferry company on the first part, the East Boston Company on the second part, and the Eastern Railroad Company on the third part.
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cies ; any excess of income over expenses was to be applied to paying the interest due on debts from the ferry company to the East Boston and Railroad Companies, and any excess beyond this to be retained by the East Boston Company for their own use. All the debts, dues, and demands against the ferry com- pany up to March, 1839, were to be discharged, so that the com- pany should be free from debts, excepting those due to the East Boston and the Railroad Companies. The East Boston Com- pany were not to be considered as standing insurers for the boats.
This arrangement was agreed to by the three companies ; and it was believed that under it, after the end of the year, the ferry would more than sustain itself. It was continued beyond the time specified until September, 1841, when the Eastern Railroad Company notified the East Boston Company that they intended to proceed to annul the indentures, and to collect the debt due from the ferry company by judicial process, un- less some satisfactory arrangement could be made by the parties concerned; and to put an end, by giving ten days' notice, to the temporary arrangement by which the East Boston Company agreed to conduct the ferry.
The reasons for this movement were, that the capital of the ferry company was more than exhausted, and that, from many shareholders transferring their stock in it to parties wholly irre- sponsible, the railroad company were liable for its heavy debts. They therefore thought that the indentures ought to be an- nulled, though this would involve a loss to them of all their stock and a portion of their debt. To save the expenses of a suit, the railroad company proposed that the two companies should receive from the trustees a conveyance of all the prop- erty, real and personal, and the franchise of the ferry ; and, in consideration of such conveyance, to discharge their demands against the ferry company, and to reconstruct the ferry upon the following terms and basis : --
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