History of East Boston; with biographical sketches of its early proprietors, and an appendix, Part 61

Author: Sumner, William H. (William Hyslop), 1780-1861. cn
Publication date: 1858
Publisher: Boston, J. E. Tilton
Number of Pages: 883


USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > East Boston > History of East Boston; with biographical sketches of its early proprietors, and an appendix > Part 61
USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > East Boston > History of East Boston : with biographical sketches of its early proprietors, and an appendix. > Part 61


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e


d ] el e- as er. ed. ph- to


684


HISTORY.


[1852.


and soft layers, or veins, alternately. At the depth of about thirty feet in the rock, a small spring was reached. As the augers descended, small springs were found in seams, and the volume of water began to increase. At the depth of one hundred feet in the rock, the springs were found much more powerful, and at this stage of the work the water had risen up and filled the large excavation to within about thirty feet of the surface of the street. The augers were from a platform about twenty feet from the surface, and about this time a pump had to be kept in constant use to keep the water down. There was found a vast difference in the toughness of the rock ; some days the auger would bore six feet easily, - the next day perhaps another vein would be struck, so very hard as to enable the gang with their greatest effort to sink not over two feet. Such strata were always indicated by a change of color, being much darker, - the soft rock much resembling chalk, and nearly as soft. Finally, at the depth of 157 feet and 10 inches, the auger having suddenly dropped down 3 inches in the rock, there was a great increase of water, and the company decided to go no deeper, and ordered the pipes to be arranged and the well cov- ered up."


These recollections of Mr. Pierce, although only general, are still interesting and valuable as being the only reliable infor- mation on the subject. The rock or ledge spoken of is a slate rock, which seems to underlie the whole of East Boston, and extending across the channel appears again in Boston and the other neighboring towns. A little fact connected with the well under the Maverick church may give opportunity for a lit- tle geological speculation. Says Mr. Fettyplace, who lived in the square : " When the refinery depended chiefly or entirely upon this well, it was taxed so hardly as to exhaust the sur- rounding springs and force in the salt water."


The extent to which the refining of sugar is carried on at this establishment would seem almost incredible to those unac- quainted with its history and capabilities. From 1842 until early in the year 1852 the amount annually refined was about the same as prior to that period, under the superintendence of Mr. Woolsey, namely, about seven million pounds. Since 1852, a complete renovation in the machinery and apparatus


685


MAVERICK WATER POWER COMPANY.


1832.]


has been made, so that a successful competition can be carried on with the best sugar refining establishments in the country. The quantity of sugar refined per annum, at the present time, is about twenty-five million pounds, or twelve thousand five hundred tons. To accomplish this vast amount of business, a force of about two hundred men is required, and the annual consumption of five thousand tons of coal. Of course, the expenses are very great ; for instance, the comparatively small item of ferriage alone, amounts to twelve hundred dollars a-year. The capital is now $500,000, and the market value of the shares is about at par, or $1,000 each.


MAVERICK WATER POWER COMPANY.


Prominent among the plans of the East Boston Company, was a proposition to create a water power at East Boston, traversing the Island from east to west. In December, 1833, General Sumner, and Messrs. Oliver and Lewis, were appointed a committee on the part of the East Boston Company, with full powers to negotiate for the sale of the lands and flats necessary for the creation of this water power.


The Maverick Water Power Company, on certain conditions to be hereafter mentioned, proposed to construct and maintain for ever a permanent stone dam of two sufficient walls, to be filled solid with earth between them, to run from the east point of Camp hill to the point at West Wood island, on or near a line surveyed by T. P. Saunders in 1832; and also a dam across the cove from West to East Wood island; the first area would enclose about 186, and the second about seventy acres. The dam was to be at least forty feet wide, properly railed, of a sufficient height, and to be maintained as a public highway by the new company until it should be accepted and maintained by the city. At suitable places proper floodgates were to be constructed to admit and retain the water at the highest known flood-tides. From the pond thus created were to be maintained two canals or sluiceways, one to run nearly in the direction of the old creek, the other in a direction between Bainbridge and Decatur streets to the water on the west side of the island, -as represented on the plan of Sept. 1,


58


686


HISTORY.


[1834.


1834 ; the largest canal, between Bainbridge and Decatur streets, was to be about 180 feet wide. All the necessary privileges were to be granted by the East Boston Company as then agreed upon, under suitable restrictions. These it is unnecessary to narrate particularly, as the project never was put into practical operation. Upon the petition of Messrs. Stephen Locke, Ben- jamin Lamson, and Joseph Ripley, an act of incorporation was granted on the 5th of April, 1836, to the " Maverick . Water Power Company," with authority to hold real estate to the amount of $75,000, the whole capital stock not to exceed $100,000. The water power was estimated as equal to forty mill powers; but it was feared that the new company would be unable to accomplish its work with the proposed capital ; it would also interfere with the location of streets, and with the views entertained by the East Boston Company of the future necessities of the Island. The project was therefore abandoned. The plan of streets, etc., on the Island was changed, the canal site was built over, and the lots in section two were renum- bered.


MERCHANTS' MARINE RAILWAY.


William Gardner and others, in 1833, wished to purchase lands and flats of the East Boston Company for the purpose of establishing a marine railway. These persons not accepting the terms of the company, other gentlemen applied for the land for this purpose. On March 27, 1834, on the petition of Messrs. William Savage, John Binney, George Hallet, and others, an act of incorporation was granted, constituting the " Merchants' Marine Railway " at East Boston, for repairing ships and ves- sels ; with power to hold real estate to the amount of $50,000, and a capital stock of $50,000, with liberty to increase the same to a sum not exceeding $200,000. On March 30, 1835, addi- tional authority was given to purchase and construct hydraulic docks, and all other machinery and improvements necessary to build and repair vessels. It was contemplated to establish inclined planes enough for six ships at the same time. The site was to have been in section two, comprising the upland between Border and New streets, and the flats bordering on


687


MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL COMPANY.


1834.]


Sumner street from Liverpool street to the old steamboat landing, or between Allen's mast-yard and the present Weeks' wharf.


In April, 1838, the East Boston Company offered to sell the water lot at $20 the front foot, and to take pay for it in the stock of the railway company. This railway was not built.


In March, 1839, another company, consisting of B. T. Reed and others, had it in contemplation to build a railway as pro- posed by Messrs. Savage, Binney, and Hallet and others, and on nearly the same site. The lot was offered to these gentle- men for $5,400, provided a company should be formed within three months to construct marine railways equal to those on Commercial street, payment to be made in the railway stock at par, clear of. all assessments. The proposal was not accepted, on account of pressure in the money market. There are now on this lot three separate railways; Cunningham's wharf and the landing of the People's ferry form part of it.


MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL COMPANY.


On November 5, 1834, the superintendent of the East Boston Company submitted a proposition from Mr. Joseph Mariner for the purchase of the lot in section three, marked "D" on the plan of September 1, 1834, and of twenty-three lots of upland near the same, for manufacturing purposes. He was accord- ingly authorized to sell this land on such terms as he should consider expedient.


This land was purchased for the "Boyden Malleable Iron and Steel Company," which was incorporated March 6, 1835.


The petitioners for the charter, Messrs. George Darracott, Joseph Mariner, and William B. Dorr, and their associates, were authorized to manufacture all kinds of iron and steel ware, and to plate, paint, and enamel the same; with power to hold real estate to the value of $100,000, and personal estate to the amount of $200,000.


On May 8, 1835, the company purchased land bounded as follows: On Lexington street 553 feet, seven inches ; on Marion street 700 feet; on Monmouth street 218 feet, eight inches ; on


688


HISTORY.


[1835.


Meridian street 766 feet, reserving the two streets, Eutaw and Trenton, each fifty feet wide; and lot 155, on the corner of Lexington and Marion streets, one hundred feet square : and the land between Meridian and Border streets, and the continu- ation of Eutaw and Lexington streets, marked "D," with the flats in front, subject to the usual ferry prohibition.


These were 286,818 feet of upland at ten cents a foot . $28,681.80 Lot No. 155, 10,000 square feet at twelve and a half cents a foot 1,250.00


Flats


. 1,000.00


$30,931.80


On the 12th of December, 1835, the company had built ten houses, which entitled them to a deduction of fifteen per cent. on the cost of the land on which the houses were built, accord- ing to the terms of sale then established by the East Boston Company; they received this discount on the cost of 231,568 feet, or on $23,156.80, which amounted to $3,473.52.


They also erected a solid wharf, with granite walls. Their foundery building was commenced November 10, 1834, and the roof was put on December 27 of the same year, only seven weeks after. The hammer and the trowel were not allowed to rest on the Sabbath, such was the haste of the company to occupy their new building. The foundery building was of brick, two hundred feet long, fifty feet wide, and two stories high, with an attic; the engine-house, eighty feet by forty, was also of brick, two stories high, with an attic, and contained a steam- engine of forty-horse power. Besides their foundery at East Boston, they had property in New Jersey connected with the business.


The operations of this company commenced in 1835, and were continued for some years, employing at times about three hundred workmen, and making about fifteen tons of malleable iron castings in a week. The erection of their dwelling-houses commenced early in 1835, and in the course of the year they formed quite a village of mechanics, occupying between thirty and forty houses in the third section, the rent of which in Bos- ton would have been from seventy-five to three hundred dollars each.


Speculation entered into the plans, and, as is often the case,


689


SHIP-BUILDING.


1834.]


defeated its own ends. It was found to be an unprofitable concern, and, on March 13, 1839, all the unfinished stock and materials on hand were sold at auction. The real estate, con- taining about 470,000 feet of land, with the foundery building, and thirteen dwelling-houses, was sold on May 28, 1839, for $42,000; and the company was dissolved. The factory and wharf in front were purchased by Noah Sturtevant, Esq., who for a time used them for his soap and candle factory and oil refinery ; the premises are now improved by Morrell Cole, Esq., as a linseed-oil refinery.


The whole real estate was appraised, bought in by the stockholders, and resold to Messrs. Sturtevant and Noble, who obtained a greater part of the property at a very low price. Mr. Noble bought the New Jersey property; and Mr. Sturtevant and Mr. Ebenezer Atkins the factory at East Boston, with five hundred feet of wharves and water lots for about $20,000, which now being occupied for wharves and ship-yards is esti- mated by the purchasers as of much greater value.


SHIP-BUILDING.


Ships built at East Boston are found on every sea, and in every port, nobly sustaining the fame of their constructors. The Island, being situated at the head, and in the most pro- tected part, of Boston harbor, surrounded by deep water, and at a point in which centre railroads from all parts of the country, affords unusual advantages for the transportation to its several yards, of timber and all other necessary materials from the States or the Canadas. These facilities have been improved in a most wonderful manner. Docks and ship-yards, workshops and timber sheds, lie along the sloping shore between the spa- cious wharves. Iron founderies, forges, and machine-shops make the air merry with the clatter of hammers; and a busy crowd of workmen give life and animation to the place. At East Boston can be obtained every thing necessary for the construc- tion of vessels of every description, from the fishing yacht to the ship of three thousand tons, from the steam-pile driver or the powerful tow-boats to the magnificent ocean steamer, the masterpiece of human skill. To the skilful workmen of the


58 *


690


HISTORY.


[1834-39.


Island, wood and iron are alike. White sails, of the most ap- proved cut and rig, vie with the strong engine in bearing the vessels over the water; and, in foreign ports, the name of East Boston is a passport of a vessel's good qualities to all ship- owners.


The first vessel built in East Boston was the ferry-boat " East Boston." She was built just east of where the sugar-house now stands, by Messrs. Clock and Upton from New York, and was launched August 9, 1834. The second was the " Mave- rick" steam ferry-boat, built by Brown and Bates, and launched January 28, 1835. The third ferry-boat, the " Essex,", was the fourth vessel built, being launched November 4, 1835, and was constructed by the builder of the Niagara.


The first square-rigged ship launched from the shores of Nod- dle's Island was the Niagara, on the 24th of September, 1835, a merchant vessel of four hundred and sixty tons, from the yard of Brown, Bates, and Delano, Central square, and owned by Stephen White, Esq. This ship, whose keel was laid October 8, 1834, was built of white oak timber and plank brought from Grand island, in the Niagara river, via Erie Canal, to Albany, and thence in coasting vessels to East Boston. The third ferry- boat, the Essex, which was launched on the 4th of November, 1835, was built by the same persons who built the Niagara, in the same place, and of similar material.


With the launching of the Niagara, a new era was inaugu- rated in the history of East Boston. From that time to the present, this important branch of industry has been steadily increasing, subject of course to the temporary depressions in the business community ; until now, in this respect, the Island exceeds all other places in the State, if not in the country. Here have been launched the largest merchantmen in the world, the finest modelled, most capacious, and swiftest ships which sail the ocean. Here also was built the first iron steam-ship constructed in this country.


From 1835 to 1839, nothing was done in ship-building; but in 1839, Samuel Hall, who had been engaged previously in this business in Marshfield and Duxbury, removed to East Boston and established the enterprise on a firm basis. In April of that year he commenced the work of preparing a ship-yard about


691


SHIP-BUILDING.


1839-52.]


where the west end of Maverick street now is. In May he laid the keel of the " Akbar," the first ship that he built in East Bos- ton. She was built for Captain Bacon, and was launched on the 8th of October, 1839. From that time until the present, Mr. Hall has been engaged in ship-building, and has built some of the largest, fastest, and best ships that ever "skimmed the seas." The names of these (as well as those of the other builders) appear in the list which will be given in this chapter ; here it is enough to mention the " Game Cock," the " Oriental," the " Wizard," and the " Highlander." Mr. Hall has built eighty vessels, of all kinds, at East Boston.


The next in point of time, as well as in the extent to which he has prosecuted the business, stands Donald Mc Kay. He moved to East Boston in 1845 from Newburyport, where he had built several fine vessels. His first ship built in East Bos- ton was the " Washington Irving," built for Messrs. E. Train & Co.'s line of Liverpool packets. The fame of Mr. Mckay's vessels is too well known to need mention. The " Sovereign of the Seas," " Romance of the Seas," "James Baines," and the " Great Republic," are but a few of the ships which secure his reputation.


Mr. Daniel D. Kelley commenced building, it is believed, in the year 1848. Only a portion of his attention has been given to building, he having done repairs during the last twelve years amounting to $400,000. Among his vessels are the " Edwin Forrest," of eleven hundred tons, and the pilot-boat " Fanny," which made the passage from Boston to San Francisco in one hundred and seven days, which, for a boat only seventy-one feet long, is unprecedented.


Messrs. Jackson and Ewell commenced building in East Bos- ton in 1848 on Border street. Mr. Ewell has retired from the firm, and the yard is now carried on by Mr. Jackson. Several very fine vessels have been launched from this yard. The " Queen of Clippers " and " Meridian " are among them.


In 1952, Paul Curtis, one of the most enterprising and skil- ful of the Medford ship-builders, came to East Boston from Medford, and purchased a lot fronting three hundred feet on Border street, and extending to the commissioners' line, and has now one of the largest and most convenient yards on the


S n It it


3


692


HISTORY.


[1839-53.


Island. He commenced his first ship in East Boston in the spring of 1852, and has built some very fine vessels, among which are the "Reporter," the "John E. Thayer," and the " Golden Fleece."


In 1853, James E. Simpson purchased a wharf lot on Mar- ginal street, on which he has built a dry dock for repairing vessels. The first vessel was taken in on the 14th of March, 1854.


In 1854, the Messrs. Boole purchased the upland and water lot on the north-east corner of Webster street, opposite the estate of Dr. Jeffries, and established there their ship-yard.


In later years, other names have been added to this list, and have increased the business and fame of the Island.


The discovery of gold in California gave a wonderful impetus to the ship-building interest; in a short time a magnificent fleet of clipper ships was built for the fast increasing trade of the new State, and for the flood-tide of emigration which set to California. " Month after month, ships surpassing in beauty and strength all that the world had before produced, were built and equipped by private enterprise, to form the means of communi- cation with the new land of promise. Our most eminent ship- builders and most enterprising merchants vied with one another to lead in the great race round the Horn. The established rules which had for years circumscribed mechanical skill to a certain class of models were abandoned, and the capitalist con- tracted only for speed and strength. Ships varying in size from 1,500 to two thousand tons were soon built and sent to sea, and their wonderful performance's, instead of satisfying, increased the desire to excel, - to be first upon 'the world of waters;' and this desire has known no abatement even to the present day. The Flying Cloud (Captain Cressey), built by Mr. McKay, on her first passage not only made the quickest run from New York to San Francisco ever known, but attained the highest rate of speed on record. Her passage was made in eighty-nine days, and she ran in twenty-four consecutive hours 374 geographical miles. Such sailing as this astonished all nautical men, and immediately gave a world wide fame to East Boston clippers. Mr. McKay, not satisfied with this triumph of nautical skill, and believing that perfection in modelling had not yet been


693


SHIP-BUILDING.


1853.]


attained, determined that he would benefit from the informa- tion gained from past experience, and build a clipper which should outsail the Flying Cloud. He carried this idea into execution, and produced the Sovereign of the Seas, of 2,400 tons, then the largest, longest, and sharpest merchant ship in the world. She did not make so quick a passage to San Fran- cisco as the Flying Cloud, yet although she was dismasted, she beat the swiftest of the entire fleet of clippers which sailed about the same time, seven days ; and, on the homeward pas- sage, made the greatest runs ever recorded. In twenty-four con- secutive hours she ran 430 geographical miles, or fifty-six more than the greatest run of the Flying Cloud ; and in ten consecu- tive days she ran three thousand one hundred and forty-four miles, and in eleven months her gross earnings were $200,000." 1


Mr. McKay next built the Great Republic (1853), the largest merchantman in the world. In the construction of this mam- moth vessel, 1,500,000 feet of hard pine were used; 2,056 tons of white oak; 336} tons of iron ; 15,653 yards of canvas in a suit of sails ; and 50,000 days' work upon her hull. She was towed to New York ; before she left that port, she was burned at the wharf; but her top-works were rebuilt, and she has been a very successful ship, and was in the employ of the English and French governments during the Russian war. Her greatest speed has been 413 miles in twenty-four hours. On a late voyage she made the trip from New York to San Francisco in ninety-one days, which, notwithstanding the light winds experienced, is one of the quickest runs on record. An extract from her log shows that she reached the equator in fifteen days and nineteen hours after leaving New York, - a feat altogether without parallel. She logged on some occasions as much as nineteen knots an hour.


The Flying Cloud and Sovereign of the Seas have been spoken of as vessels of remarkable speed; but these are not the only ones whose sailing qualities secure our admiration. The following clippers, built at East Boston by Donald McKay,


1 Mr. McLean, formerly of the Boston Atlas, to whom the writer is indebted for information on this subject.


1


694


HISTORY.


[1857.


sailed from New York for San Francisco, and made these extraordinary passages : -


Tons.


Passage.


Tons.


Passage.


Flying Cloud,


1,700


89 days.


Bald Eagle, 1,600


107 days.


Flying Fish,


1,600


92


Empress of the Sea, 2,250


118 66


Staghound (via Val-


Sovereign of the Seas,


2,400


103 66


paraiso), 1,550 112


66


. The Westward Ho (of 1,700 tons) sailed from Boston to San Francisco in 107 days, and the Staffordshire (of 1,950 tons) in 101 days. These passages show an average of 103 days and fifteen hours; which have not yet been equalled by the same number of ships by any builder in the world.


While these instances are given of the speed of a few of M'Kay's vessels, those from other yards equally demand our praise, but no statistics are at hand.


A notice should here be given of the iron steam-ship "Le Voyageur de la Mer," built at East Boston, and launched on the 25th of February, 1857. For several years iron has been extensively used, in Europe, in the construction of steam ves- sels of the first class for vessels of war, and for general mari- time purposes; but, notwithstanding the superior quality of American iron, both as to ductility and toughness, it has been but little used here as a principal material in ship-building, owing to its high cost as compared with English iron, - yet a cost which bears but a small proportion to the intrinsic value of our metal, when subjected to the severest tests in comparison. It is a remarkable fact, that to the Pacha of Egypt belongs the credit of developing a new branch of ship-building in this country. The honor of applying this material for the first time to the construction of a first-class vessel, belongs to East Bos- ton. The contract for building this splendid vessel was given to Mr. Geo. A. Stone, a young man, and a native of Boston, who, connected with a business house in this city, had been for several years a resident of Syria; the contract was given to him after a visit to Alexandria, where he had a personal inter- view with the pacha. The models and details of the ship were funished by Samuel H. Pook, our distinguished naval construc- tor, who has done full justice to his high reputation.


.


695


SHIP-BUILDING.


1857.]


She is 1,300 tons burden ; her length is 216 feet, breadth of beam thirty-seven feet, and her depth is twenty-two feet. The iron used in her construction is of the best quality of hard rolled American iron, made for the express purpose by William Schell and James Hoven of Norristown, and Verree and Mitchell of Philadelphia ; each plate having been submitted to the most careful examination before it was accepted. Her stern posts, stern and counter timbers, are solid forgings of the best scrap iron. The work of moulding and riveting the frame and plates was done by Messrs. Holden and Gallagher, of East Boston. Owing to the thickness of the iron and weight of the metal, it became necessary to make machines especially adapted for cutting the plates, punching the rivet-holes, and moulding the form. Three thousand plates were required for the hull; the weight of iron is 881,000 pounds, and no less than 300,000 rivets have been used; these rivets were heated to a white heat when put in, and, being counter-sunk upon the outside, ham- mering has so combined the rivets with the plates that a per- fectly smooth surface is presented to the eye, broken only by the lap of the strakes. The iron-work of her outside varies from three eighths to three fourths of an inch in thickness. Her frames are of iron, in the shape of a right angle, with a base of three inches, to which the outside plates are riveted, and a per- pendicular of six inches. Between the perpendiculars, she is filled in with hacmatack frames, and is, inside, more thoroughly built than any wooden ship of her size, besides the addition of the usual strength of iron outside: She has two flush decks, and her machinery and boilers are below water-line. The wood- work was executed under the direction of Mr. Augustus Samp- son, and will bear comparison with any work of the kind ever before completed in this country.




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