History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 61

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 61

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MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURES. - The list of the more important manufactures of Salem is now fin- ished, but the miscellaneous manufactures are large in total and comprise most of the domestic industries and manufactures, with the employment of a large number of operatives, There are two iron foundries, employing about twenty-five men and producing a large amount of castings for the different manufac- tories of the city and county ; eleven machine-shops, most of which manufacture machines under patents ; and one boiler-shop. The total value of the product of the metal-working establishments of the city is about seven hundred and twenty-five thousand dol- lars.

The building trades are well represented, Salem being a centre for the district in this respect, and the total value of the building products is in the vicinity of three hundred thousand dollars.

Boxes, to the value of thirty-five thousand dollars, are made ; stone-work, of a value of thirty thousand dollars, is produced ; and the printing and publishing interests have a value of production of fifty thousand dollars.

DEFUNCT INDUSTRIES .- The Salem Laboratory Com- pany .- Among the few industries which have been relinquished in Salem, the manufacture of chemicals was the oldest. The manufacture of chemicals was begun on Lynde Street early in the present century, and continued by the Salem Laboratory Company, incorporated in 1819, which continued the manufac- ture above allnded to, removing the works to North Salem. A considerable amount of chemicals were manufactured up to 1884, when the company was dissolved on account of decreasing profits and other considerations. The buildings have been partly de- molished, and one has been utilized as a currying-shop.

The Cooperage Business .- During the years of the commercial prosperity of Salem, and especially at the times of the West India and West African trade, the cooperage business of Salem was quite extensive, ten or twelve firms being engaged in the manufacture of fish butts, molasses and rum hogsheads, etc. With the decrease of the commerce the business declined, and is almost extinct, there being now only two shops, employing six or eight men, and turning out a few hundred lead kegs and half-barrels yearly.

Gum Copal Cleaning .- Another very important in- dustry during the time of the trade with the west coast of Africa was the cleaning of gum copal and other varnish gums, carried on at Hunt's wharf.

Nearly all the varnish gums used in this country at that time were landed at Salem, and in a rough state. The business of preparing these gums for use grew to considerable proportions, but the imposing of a duty on the rough gums cansed the business of cleaning them to be transferred to Africa, so that al- though small lots have been cleaned within six years, the business is now entirely extinct.

THE COAL BUSINESS .- The principal industry of Salem, outside of the direct manufacturing interests, is the transshipment of coal, for the most part to the factories of Lowell and Lawrence. During the year 1886-a year below the average in the amounts of coal received, owing to great coal strikes-the amount of coal brought to Salem was 184,163 tons, at an average valuation of five dollars per ton. The coal was brought in three hundred and sixty-three sailing vessels and thirty steamers, whose aggregate tonnage would probably be as great as that of any year in Salem's palmiest commercial days.

The coal trade of Salem has been established since 1850. In that year the Salem and Lowell Railroad was completed to Salem, and coal began to arrive at Phillips' wharf for the mills in Lawrence and Lowell. A business of one thousand tons was done the first year, and the amount rapidly increased till, in 1871 and 1872, two hundred thousand tons was the aggre- gate. In the former year a coal-pocket was built, but in the latter the road was leased to the Boston, Lowell and Nashua road and the larger part of the business transferred to Boston, and under the later regime of the Boston and Lowell the business has been still further decreased. During 1886 the aggregate of tons landed at Phillips' wharf was 26,645, mostly brought in small vessels of one hundred to five hundred tons capacity, the gradual filling up of the docks prevent- ing the entrance of larger vessels.

The greater part of the coal coming to Salem is landed at the Philadelphia and Reading Company's pier, situated a short distance below Phillips' wharf, and built in 1873. The pier consists of a wooden - walled bulkhead, having a coal "pocket " with a capacity of eight thousand tons, and a long bridge connection. The bridge is about fourteen hundred feet in length and the wharf seven hundred feet. The depth of water at low tide is eleven feet. Most of the coal is brought in the iron steamers of the company, whose average capacity is 1660 tons. They run at regular intervals during the greater part of the year, the round trip from Philadelphia, including loading and unloading, taking about two weeks, although, under especially favorable circumstances, it has been made in one. The coal received from the steamers and sailing-vessels is temporarily stored in the pocket and shipped away by rail as fast as cars can be pro- cured. Most goes to the mills of Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill. The total amount of coal received at the pier in 1886 was 106,247 tons.

Besides the coal received for direct transshipment,

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a large amount is received for the supply of a con- siderable local and district demand. There are thir- teen retail coal dealers in the city, mostly situated on Derby Street and along the South River. The total shipments of coal received by them during 1886 were 53,861 tons.

Owing to the precarious state of the demand for labor in the coal business in Salem, and also to the transient nature of the labor itself, as no special train- ing is needed for coal handling, and many take to it as a makeshift, it is difficult to ascertain how many receive support from the pursuit of that grimy call- ing. It is safe to say, however, that three hundred men, in round numbers, are employed by the coal trade of the city.

THE HORSE-RAILROADS .- The Naumkeag Street Railroad .- The benefit that the establishment and growth of the two horse-railroad companies running from Salem has been to the city is almost inestimable. It has turned into the coffers of the Salem merchants money that has in former years gone to Boston ; it has made Salem, in fact, what she is in position, the centre of the southern part of Essex County. It is safe to say that it has doubled the retail trade of the city.

The first act of incorporation of a horse-railroad in this city was obtained in 1862, under the name of the Salem Street Railway Company. The road was built to South Danvers (now Peabody), and the first car run July 8, 1863. In the same year the road was extended to Beverly, the line being opened for travel on October 28th. In May, 1864, a branch was built to South Salem, and five years later, June 4, 1869, a North Salem branch was put in operation.

The old Salem company, however, proved an un- profitable investment, and in 1875 a new company, known as the Naumkeag Street Railway Company, leased the property of the old road, and, by careful management and display of considerable enterprise, soon establ shed the scheme on a paying basis.

The first extension of the tracks under the new company was to the " Willows," the picnic ground of Salemites for generations, the line being opened June 10, 1877. A year or two later several of the heavy stockholders of the road purchased a tract of land there, and erected a "Pavilion " and theatre, besides making a small park there, and this, with many im- provements made on the public land by the city, was opened as a summer resort on June 10, 1880.

The opening of the "Willows " was one of the great factors of the success of the Naumkeag road; immense crowds of people were attracted to the place, as many as eight thousand people being on the grounds on some occasions, and, for the most part, transported by the horse-car lines.

Dating from the opening of the " Willows," and especially since 1883, the extension of the rails of the Naumkeag Street Railroad has been steady and rapid. In 1883 the Beverly track was extended to

the Gloucester crossing; a little later a branch was laid to the northern side of Harmony Grove, which, however, has since been given up as not being profit- able.

In the spring of 1884 a line was projected to the town of Marblehead, whose transportation facilities by railroad were very meagre. The line was com- pleted in August, 1884, the first car being run August 18th, and being received with great enthusiasm by the Marbleheaders. The line has met with good sue- cess, although it was prophesied that it would prove unprofitable during cold weather ; the use of stoves in the cars, however, removed that objection, and the cars have a good patronage all through the winter ..

The increasing traffic on the line between Salem and Beverly, together with the foreseen extension to Wenham, led the directors of the road to have another line through Beverly constructed. It was built through Rantoul Street, and connected with the Cabot Street line at the Gloucester crossing, the line being opened on June 16, 1886.

The line in Peabody was then extended through Lowell Street previous to July 2, 1886 ; and on August 21st the Marblehead tracks were extended through the town to Franklin Street.

The greatest addition to the road was consummated, however, in the connection of the Beverly tracks through North Beverly to Wenham depot and to Asbury Grove, the latter branch, however, being used only in summer. The road, about seven miles in length, was completed May 23, 1886, and formally opened on the 26th. This road was a great stroke of policy ; it accommodated an immense local trade, bc- sides "booming " building interests along the line.

On June 1, 1886, by legislative enactment the Naum - keag road assumed the franchise of the old Salem Street Railway, and, with the purchase of the Salem and Danvers in the spring of 1887, assumed an entire control of the local traffic.

The Naumkeag Street Railroad Company at pres- ent has a capital of $250,000 of paid-up stock, di- vided among forty-nine stockholders, with a net debt of $257,959.52, and total assets of $636,240.23. The road has a length of 30,119 miles, of which 7,785 miles were the original property of the Salem road, and 8,800 miles that of the Danvers road, making the extensions made by the Naumkeag Company during their occupancy 13,534 miles.

The consolidated road has at the time of writing 105 cars, 390 horses and 112 employes, with an annual pay-roll of $69,340.50.

The Naumkeag system is divided into four branches, each with its stables, ears and superin- tendent, but under the direction of the superintendent of the main branch. The latter includes the tracks in Salem, Beverly. to the Gloucester crossing, Peabody and to the "Willows." The stables are situated on Webster Street and at Beverly Cove. The Danvers branch includes all the old Danvers track, and has

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stables in Danvers and Peabody. The Marblehead branch includes the Marblehead tracks and stables on the road, and the Wenham branch includes the tracks below the Gloucester crossing, having stables at Wenham, near the town hall.

The total earnings of the consolidated road for 1886 were $190,468.50, with a total expense of $154,977.79. Besides the extent of the Naumkeag tracks, connec- tion is made at Peabody and Marblehead with the Lynn and Boston Street Railway, whose lines extend the entire distance to Boston, making a distance of some thirty miles in diameter reached by the road.

Salem and Danvers Street Railroad-In the fall of 1883 a party of Salem, Peabody and Danvers capi- talists formed a stock company for the purpose of constructing a horse railroad from Salem to Danvers. They were incorporated May 15, 1884, under the style of the Salem and Danvers Street Railway Com- pany, with a capital stock of seventy thousand dol- lars, afterward increased to one hundred thousand dollars. The construction of the road was pushed rapidly, and five miles of track were built and the road equipped at a cost of $62,783.24. The road was opened for travel June 25, 1884, and during the first three months of its operation the net income was $5239.93. In the spring of 1885 a connection of the Danvers track with that of the Naumkeag Street Rail- road in Peabody was begun and completed July 9th, the cars running from Salem through Peabody to Dan- vers and vice versa. Several branches to Tapleyville and other parts of Danvers were also built, so that the road had access to every part of the town, and con- trolled all the local traffic.

It was feared by the Naumkeag road that the pro- posed filling of the South River would give the Dan- vers road a location through the heart of the city, and a movement was made to get control of the road, which was accomplished in April, 1887, the Na- umkeag road paying one hundred and sixty-five dol- lars for a small balance of stock, and assuming the debt of the Danvers corporation.

The road is now running in conjunction with the Naumkeag system, cars of the road being run through from Danvers to Beverly.

RAILROAD COMMUNICATION .- The steam railroad communications of Salem are excellent, the Boston and Maine Railroad, Eastern Division, formerly the Eastern Railroad, which was opened in August, 1878, and the Boston and Lowell Railroad, which has a terminus here, give rapid and cheap transportation to every part of the Eastern New England States and Canada. There are twenty-three regular trains to Boston on the Boston and Maine daily, with twenty- two extras and eleven Sunday trains, and a nearly equal number of trains going east. The trains on the Boston and Lowell road are also frequent.

The freight facilities are equally good, and the amount of business transacted at both stations amount to a very large sum annually. 11

RETAIL TRADE .- The retail trade of Salem is large, especially in the dry-goods line, and has greatly increased since the extension of the horse-car lines. The dry-goods trade includes eighteen firms, and the stores are large and handsome, including three which occupy the entire blocks in which they are situated. The largest clothing-store east of Boston is also estab- lished here, with largestores devoted to other lines, and Essex Street, the centre of the retail trade, is lined with stores that equal, if not surpass, auy in Essex County.

CHAPTER IX. SALEM (Continued). MISCELLANEOUS.

BY WILLIAM T. DAVIS.

IN the preparation of the history of Salem, several writers have been engaged, each confining himself to the special department assigned to him, and thus ne- cessarily leaving untouched some subjects, the omis- sion of which would make the history unfinished and incomplete. This chapter, therefore, will include a reference, to the government of Salem as a town, to its organization as a city, the adoption of a city seal, the earlier and later water-works, the witchcraft delu- sion and to such associations and organizations as have not been treated in the departmental work.

The settlement of Salem may be dated 1626, when Roger Conant, with his companions, leaving Cape Ann took up his temporary residence at Naumkeag, as Sa- lem was then called, or it may be dated September 6, 1628 (old style), when John Endicott cast anchor in Salem harbor, as governor of the colony, sent by the Massachusetts Company, in London, of which Matthew Cradock was governor, to make a permanent settle- ment on the shores of Massachusetts' Bay. As the city has inscribed the date 1626 on its seal, it is per- haps useless either to inquire how completely the set- tlement hy Conant was abandoned, or to question thie claim of the earlier date.

Salem, like Plymouth, was never incorporated as a town. At the first meeting of the Court of Assistants, held at Charlestown, August 23, 1630, it was recognized as a distinct plantation or town, and with Mattapan was exempted from the common charge for the sup- port of Rev. Mr. Wilson. Its character as a town was not questioned after the arrival of Winthrop in 1630, but its boundaries were nndefined, and those, of course, were to be settled by the General Court of the Colony. Thus, at the Court held on the 4th of March, 1634, it was ordered that " Mr. Nowell and Mr. Mayhewe shall set out the bonnds betwixt Saugus (Lynn) and Salem and betwixt Salem and Marble Harbor;" and at the Court held on the 3d of March, 1635-36, it was "re-

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ferred to John Humfrey, Esq., and Capt. Turner, to set out the bounds betwixt Salem and Ipswich." On the 13th of March, 1638-39, it was "ordered that the bounds betwixt Salem and Linn shall begin at the cliffe by the sea, where the water runs, as the way lyeth by the ould path that goeth to Linn at the south end thereof next to Linn & the whole pond to bee in Salem bounds; & from that part to run upon a straight line to the island in the Humfreys pond & from that island to run upon a straight line to 6 great pine trees marked, called by the six men that layd out the bounds, the 6 mens Bounds ; & from these trees to run upon a straight line unto another little pine tree marked by the side of a little hill beyond the trees, to run upon the same line so farr as of bounds shall reach, into the countrey."

At first Salem included within its recognized limits Beverly, Danvers, Manchester, Peabody, Marblehead, Middleton and parts of Topsfield, Wenham and Lynn. Beverly was incorporated October 14, 1668, and a part annexed to Danvers, April 27, 1857. Danvers was in- corporated June 16, 1757 and divided into Danvers and South Danvers, May 18, 1855, the name of the latter being changed to Peabody, April 13, 1868. Manchester was incorporated May 14, 1645; Marble- head, May 2, 1649; Middleton, June 20, 1728; Wen- ham, May 10, 1643; Topsfield, October 18, 1650. A part of Salem was also annexed to Swampscott, April 3, 1867, and the boundary line between Salem and Danvers was changed March 17, 1840.

At a General Court held March 3, 1635-36, it was ordered that "whereas, particular towns have many things which concerne onely themselves, and the or- dering of their own affairs, and disposing of business in their own town, it is therefore ordered, that the freemen of every town or the major part of them shall onely have power to dispose of their own lands, and woods with all the privileges and appurtenances of the said towns, to grant lots, and make such orders as may concern the well-ordering of their own towns, not repugnant to the laws and orders here established by the General Court; as also to lay mulets and penalties for the breach of these orders, and to levy and distrain the same, not exceeding the sum of xxs. ; also to choose their own particular officers, as constables, surveyors for the highways, and the like; and because much business is like to ensue to the constables of several towns, by reason they are to make distresses, and gather fines, therefore that every town shall have two constables, where there is need, that so their office may not be a burthen unto them, and they may attend more carefully upon the discharge of their office, for which they shall be liable to give their accompts to this Court when they shal be called thereunto."

In accordance with the above act of the General Court the Town of Salem chose, at a meeting held on the 19th of the 4th month (June) 1637, a committee of twelve " for manadgin the affairs of the town." A part of the record of this meeting is lost, and the ac-

tual election of this committee is not found on the town books. The deficiency is, however, supplied by the town Book of Grants, which contains the follow- ing entry :

" The 20th of the 4th moneth, 1637.

"A towne meeting of the 12 men appoynted for the busines thereof whose names are here under written:

Mr. Hathorne.

Daniell Ruy.

Mr. Bishop. Robt. Moulton.

Mr. Connaught. Mr. Scruggs.

Mr. Gardiner. Jeffry Massy.

John Woodbery.

John Balch.

Peter Palfrey. John Ilolgrave."

Mr. Hathorne was William Hathorne, Mr. Bishop was Townsend Bishop, Mr. Connaught was Roger Conant, Mr. Gardiner was Thomas Gardiner.and Mr. Scruggs was Thomas Scruggs. This committee was the prototype of the Board of Selectmen of a later period. There had been previously chosen, on the 16th of the 9th month (November), 1635, a committee consisting of Captain William Traske, John Wood- berry, Mr. Conant, Jeffry Massy and John Balshe as "overseers & Layers out of Lotts of ground for this presinet of Salem, but are to have directions from ye towne where they shall lay y" out, and in leiwe of y" paynes they are to have 4d. the acre for small lotts, and 10s. the hundred for great lotts rightly & exactly laid out & hounded; and 3 of these may doe the worke."

There had also been appointed in the latter part of March, 1636, a committee of thirteen, whose names are not given, who were called "the towne represent- ative," but the committee of twelve above referred to seems to have been the first committee with the hroad powers delegated to it of managing the affairs of the town. The meetings of this committee are called in the records town meetings, and by their direction in- habitants were admitted, lands granted, raters were chosen and the general business of the town was con- ducted. At the meeting of the committee held on the 20th of the 10th month (December), 1637, John Endicott appears as a member, and on the 29th of the Sth month (October), 1638, Mr. Fisk, but whether John, or William, or Phineas, does not appear.

At a general town meeting held the 31st of the 10th month (December), 1638, seven men were chosen " for the managing of the affaires of the towne for a twelve moneths, viz. : Mr. Endecott, Mr. Hathorne, Mr. Conant, John Woodbury, Laurence Leech, Jeffry Massy and John Balch." Under date of the 11th month (January), 1639-40, it is recorded that "the ould Seaven men continewed still." The next year the committee consisted of the same persons, and in 1642 of Mr. Endicott, Mr. Hathorne, Mr. Massy, Peter Palfrey, Laurence Leech, Mr. Gardiner and William Lord. In 1643 Henry Bartholomew was substituted for Mr. Leech, and at the meeting at which the new committee was chosen, held the 4th of the 10th month (December), 1642, it was ordered "that the seaven men chosen for the managing of the affaires of the towne, or the greater number of them, shall meete to-

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gether monethlie one the second day of the weeke, in the morninge, to begine the second day the weeke next being the 11th of the 10th mo., 1643, upon the penaltie of tenne shillings, to be leavied one the whole or upon such of them as are absent wth out just ground."

Up to this date while the meetings of the freemen of the town were called general town meetings, those of the seven men were called particular town meet- ings. After this date they were called "meetings of the 7 men," or "town meetings of the 7 men." In 1644-45 the same persons served as the committee, and in 1646 eight men were chosen, viz .: Captain Hathorne, William Lord, John Hardey, Mr. Corwine, Sergeant Porter, Samuel Archer, Ed. Batter and William Clerke. In 1647 William Hathorne, Edmond Batter, George Corwin, Jeffry Massy, John Porter, Henry Bartholomew and Emanuel Downing made up the board of seven men, and about this time their meetings were sometimes called meetings of the "townsmen."

From this date the seven men were called select- men, and the following is a list of selectmen down to the incorporation of the city in 1836 :

164S.

Jeffry Massy.

Wni. Browne.

Wm. Hathorne.

Walter Price.

Edmond Batter.

Wm. Browne.

Edmond Batter.

1660.

Thomas Gardiner.

1654.

Wm. Browne.

Roger Covant.

George Corwin.

Wm. Browne.

1690.

Thomas Lathrop.

Roger Conant.

Walter Price.

Heury Bartholomew.

Jolie Porter.

Roger Conant.

Wm. Browne.

John Putnam.

John Pickering.

John Porter.

John Gedney.

Thomas Latlırop.

1649.

Richard Prince.

Edmond Batter.

Henry Bartholomew.

John Hathorne.

Wm. Hirst.

Wm. Hathorne.

Jeffry Massy. Edmond Batter.

1661.

George Gardiner.

John Corwio.

Daniel Andrew.

Roger Conaot.

1655.

Wm. Browne.

Wm. Browne, Jr. 1671.

John Price.

1691.

Henry Bartholomew.

John Porter.

George Corwin.

Jacob Baroey.

John Porter.

Wm. Browne.

Israel Porter.

Thomas Fliat.

Walter Price.

Jeffry Massy.

Roger Conant.

George Corwin.

Joho Pickering.

Benjamin Marston.

1650.

Thomas Gardiner.

Walter Price.

Edmond Batter.

Johu Hathorne.

Josiah Wolcott.

Wm. Hathorne.

Jno. Gedney.

Edmond Batter.

Walter Price.

1682.

Manasseh Marston.

Emanuel Dowing.

Edmond Batter. 1656.

Wm. Hathorne. Wm. Browne.

Walter Price, Jr. 1672.

Jobn Price.

1G92.

Roger Conant.

Thomas Gardiner.

George Corwin.

Wm. Browne.

John Hathorne.

Samnel Gardiner.

Walter Price.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 61

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538