History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 86

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 86

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The thick-sprung reeds which watery marshes yield, Seem polished lances in a hostile field.

The stag, in limpid currents with surprise,

Sees crystal branches on his forehead rise ;

The spreading oak, the beech and towering pine, Glazed over, in the freezing ether shine.

The frightened birds the rattling branches shun,

Which wave and glitter in the distant sun.

When, if a sudden gust of wind arise,

The brittle forest into atoms flies,

The crackling wood beneath the tempest bends, And in a spangled shower the prospect ends."

The " Lakes of Lynn," as Mr. Lewis felicitously calls the chain of beautiful ponds that lie upon our inland border, are a charming feature of the land- scape. And during these latter years the eligibility of their romantic borders for retired aud tasteful res- idences has become most fully recognized. From them is annually reaped an abundant winter harvest of ice for summer nse-collectively some sixty thousand tons. And in various ways they are made to supply the wants and add to the comforts of the people, es- pecially Birch and Breed's Ponds, through which comes our public water supply. The principal of these picturesque lakelets, with their areas, are as follows :

ACRES.

Birch Pond

Gold Fish Pond.

116

Breed's Pond.

Holder's Pond

Cedar Pond. 43

Lily Pond.

Flax Pond. 75

Sluice Pond. 50

Floating Bridge Pond. 17

BIRCH POND is an artificial reservoir, or storage basin, formed in 1878, for the purpose of an additional supply of water for public use. It was made by car- rying a substantial dam across Birch Brook Valley, on the east of Walnut Street, near the Saugus line. A considerable part of this pond is in Saugus.

BREED'S POND is also artificial, and takes its name from Theophilus N. Breed, who, in 1843, built a dam across the valley a few rods from Oak Street, on the north. He thus procured sufficient power for the iron works he established on Oak Street. On the 15th of April, 1851, during the memorable storm by which the light-house on Minot's Ledge was carried away, some forty feet of the dam were demolished, and out rushed the water in a current ten feet in depth, with such impetuosity that large rocks were carried across Oak Street into the meadow below. The dam was repaired and Mr. Breed continued his business, which was iron- casting and machine work, five or six years longer, and then the works were closed.

. In 1860 the dam was broken, and the water suffered

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to escape, leaving a bed which remained a noxious bog, where rank vegetation flourished and noisy rep- tiles congregated. In 1863, however, the dam was again repaired, the pond restored and other business commenced. Finally, after an interval of idleness, in 1870, the city purchased the property as the first step towards securing a suitable public supply of pure water. Repairs were made about the pond, the Pine Hill Reservoir was built, pipes were laid in the streets, the pumping engine was set up on Walnut Street and then, on the 27th of February, 1873, the water was sent coursing through the distributing pipes. The reservoir has a capacity of twenty million gallons and is one hundred and seventy-seven feet above sea level.

CEDAR POND is in the northeast section of the city, near the Peabody line, and by a small stream connects with Sluice Pond.

FLAX POND was first, looked to for a public water supply. It was in 1869 that it became apparent that something must speedily be done in that direction. It was found that this pond, with its adjunets, could furnish a daily average of three million gallons, but objections were made as to its use for domestic pur- poses on account of impurities. A temporary arrange- ment, however, was made for its use in cases of fire. Pipes were laid, and on the 8th of December, of the year named, the water was sent coursing to the hy- drants in various parts of the city. And that was the first time the city received a supply from any source, by aqueduct, for any purpose. This arrangement con- tinued till a supply for all needs was secured from other sources. Flax Pond, from the earliest times, has yielded its waters for many useful purposes. The principal stream that it sends forth is Strawberry Brook, which, in its course to the ocean, has carried mills, supplied tanneries and done many other useful things, besides answering as a highway for the ale- wives to reach their spawning-grounds. This pond, likewise, is to a considerable extent artificial ; and its name was derived from the circumstance that much of the flax which in former times was raised herea- bout was taken there to be duly rotted.

FLOATING BRIDGE POND .- This lies in the direct line of the old Salem and Boston turnpike, and the bridge by which it is crossed floats upon the surface, a circumstance that gave rise to the name. This pond is of great depth, so much so that in former times it was spoken of as " without a bottom." The bridge lies flat upon the surface, and, as carriages pass, the water is forced up between the planks, so that some portions are always wet. Stacey's Brook, which dis- charges at . King's Beach, has its rise in Floating Bridge Pond.

GOLD FISH POND .- This is a small gathering of water and occupies what was formerly a brambly bog. It is on Fayette Street, near Lewis, and close by the spot on which Edmund Ingalls, one of the very first settlers, established himself in 1629; hence it was

sometimes called "Ingalls's Pond." It was likewise called " The Swamp," in view of its swampy condition and uncomely aspect. But in 1870, at an expense of about three thousand seven hundred dollars, such improvements were made as rendered it one of the chief ornaments of that part of the city. Especially has it a most attractive appearance at evening, in the Instre of the electric light. About 1840 it began to be called Gold Fish Pond, the name originating in the fact that in it had then appeared large numbers of goldfish, supposed to have been the offspring of five of the species which some boys procured and let loose there in 1837. These fish became so abundant that in a few years the youth of the neighborhood gained many a dime by peddling them about town from buckets of water.

HOLDER'S POND is a pretty little woodland lakelet among the rocky hills, with wild, tangled paths upon its borders, as sequestered as any misanthrope would desire, for his musing hours. And in winter it af- fords, like all the other ponds, a fine surface for the skater's sports.

LILY POND is upon the north of Boston Street, and near the Peabody line, a portion lying within the limits of St. Joseph's Cemetery. It no doubt acquired its name from the splendid growth of white lilies that year after year, before the multitudes of juvenile dep- redators began to make their descents, adorned its surface, and perfumed the air around.

SLUICE POND .- At the time the matter of estab- lishing publie water-works in Lynn was under discus- sion, the waters of various sources were analyzed, and it was found that those of Sluice Pond were the pur- est. This little lake lies near the northeast border, in what used to be called Dye Factory Village, but now Wyoma. It is of irregular shape, and with it, by a gentle little stream, Cedar Pond is connected. The waters of this pond have for many years been utilized for mechanical purposes, the sluice-way through which they passed giving the pond its name ; it was, how- ever, formerly called Tomlins's Pond. A small stream connects its waters with Flax Pond, so that Cedar, Sluice and Flax form links to the chain that reaches the ocean by way of Strawberry Brook.

SPRING POND, the main body of which lies in Sa- lem, though the famous mineral spring, from which its name is derived, is just within the Lynn border, has an interesting history which would more properly be given elsewhere. Then there is the little pond, if it can properly be so called, near the centre of the Common. This was formed in 1835, by intercepting the waters of a little brook that pursued its weedy way across that pleasant publie ground. Improve- ments were made and the fountain placed in 1871.

Nothing need be added, perhaps, regarding the mill- ponds that have from time to time been formed by individual enterprise and for individual emolument, though they have added to the prosperity of the place and done their part in the way of beautifying. That

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on Federal Street was formed as early as 1655, was dug by hand, and is still supplied by water from Flax Pond, coursing along the canal, tapping Strawberry Brook at Park Street, and running on through a part of Marion. Then there is the twenty-acre mill-pond near the foot of Pleasant Street, formed by Mr. John Alley, in 1831, by running a dam from his wharf to the marsh.

The territory of Lynn presents an interestiug field for the geologist. Here are literally hills of por- phyry of various colors, red and a beautiful purple predominating, which would, were the stone not so difficult to work, afford an inexhaustible store of handsome and cheap building material. It is now, however, beginning to be used to some extent, in the rubble form. The beautiful walls of Saint Stephen's Church are chiefly composed of it; also those of the First Universalist Church, in Nahant Street. There are likewise large deposits of green stone and syenite. In blasting for the pipes of the City Water-Works up the hill opposite the pumping station on Walnut Street, beautiful dendrites of manganese were found in abundance. Enormous boulders of granite are found in the woods and upon the shores; but these are now fast disappearing, for building purposes. There are also veins of quartz; and there is a tradi- tion that some of the early settlers found gold, in small quantities. The eminent geologist, Agassiz, long had a summer residence at Nahant, and many interesting facts have been brought to light by his researches. The rugged battlements of rock that frown along the shores of the peninsula, upon which he so loved to gaze, and whose mysterions construc- tion he so loved to investigate, we are assured, stood there in solemn majesty ages before Europe emerged from the chaotic mass.

In an examination of the geology of Lynn, Saugus, Swampscott and Nahant would naturally be in- cluded. But in this place nothing more than a mere suggestion or two can be madé as to the various in- teresting formations. It is profitless to speculate as to what the condition of the formations and deposits was ages ago, or to endeavor by present appearances to trace the operations of nature in pre-historic times. It may, however, be noted as an interesting fact, touching the history of Essex County, that geological researches long ago led to the belief that at a remote period the Merrimac River, after enter- ing Massachusetts from New Hampshire, instead of pursuing its present course, and discharging its waters at Newburyport, followed a more direct line, and cast its contribution into the Atlantic at Lynn. Supposing that to have been the case, and that it had continued to the present time, where now would have been that line of thrifty Essex County border cities and towns, Lawrence, Haverhill, Bradford, West Newbury and the others that so adorn the whole extent of the beautiful valley; yea, and New- buryport herself?

Lynn cannot now boast of a lordly stream like the Merrimac, but she can boast of her bright little Saugus that traverses her western border-a modest little river, to be sure, but one which has largely con- tributed to her prosperity during her whole history, by furnishing eligible mill-sites and other manufac- turing privileges, and by yielding abundance of va- rious kinds of excellent shore fish. Tons of eels have sometimes been speared from beneath the ice during a single winter, and the clam-banks near the mouth have yielded of their abundance many a nu- tritive meal for the humble board of the poor as well as savory addition to the luxurious table of the rich. Indeed, the extremity of poverty, at least in the mat- ter of food, was never so keenly felt by the settlers hereabout as by those farther inland, the sea, like a faithful parent, being always a good provider. In addition to all these benefits may be mentioned the facilities for salt water bathing, and boating sports. And now, with its tributaries of pure water, this gen- tle river of Saugus is about to swell the volume of Lynn's public supply.

It was upon the border of Saugus River that the ancient iron-works, said to have been the first in America, were established. And in a romantic glen, a stone's throw from the bloomery, it is alleged, a band of pirates concealed themselves, after quitting their bloody traffic upon the seas, remaining undis- turbed till a King's cruiser appeared upon the coast, when capture and swift retribution overtook most of them.

Lynn, as before stated, is about ten miles northeast of Boston, the metropolis of New England. Includ- ing Swampscott and Nahant, which, though they have now become separate municipalities, still seem to be mere territorial outposts, the seashore line measures about six miles; and inland from the sea the line measures about five miles. The main body of the city, or rather of the business portion, occupies a plain, with the sea in front. But there are some di- versities of surface, Sagamore Hill and the Highlands being airy elevations, crowned by many fine resi- dences.

It can hardly be said that the soil of Lynn is nat- urally fertile. It is stony, and in many places the descent towards the sea is so considerable that the droughts of summer often have a serious effect. Nevertheless, such an abundance of rich manuring material is day by day thrown up by the sea, and the means of irrigation are so near at hand, that the la- bors of even the indigent husbandman need not be in vain. Farming was, of course, the chief occupation of most of the early settlers, and it is stated by Gra- ham that in 1637 there were thirty-seven plows in the whole colony, most of them being in Lynn.

In the early times of the settlement the woods, the beaches and marshes furnished irresistible attrac- tions for the sportsman. Feathered game of various kinds was found in the woods, upon the beaches and

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

marshes ; cod, haddock, bass and halibut sported in the offing; and the woods furnished a good share of wild meat.

Of feathered game very little is now fonnd. The fish, or rather the fishing interest, was chiefly taken away by our undutiful children, Nahant and Swamp- scott, when they departed; and, of course, in the sketches of those places, some account of it will ap- pear. As to furred game, there is now almost liter- ally none in the woods. Occasionally a shame-faced sportsman may be seen shying from the forest at evening, possibly with a poor little rabbit, but most likely empty-handed.

William Wood, the author of "New England's Prospect," who has already been spoken of as a resi- dent of Lynn, was inclined occasionally to give his descriptive passages in numbers. He did not, prob- ably, aspire to the character of poet, though, with as good grace as some others, he might have done so ; and perhaps, having called him the first historian of Lynn, we may as well also call him the first poet. Of the flora of this region he disconrses briefly in numbers, mentioning among the trees, the oak, cy- prns, pine, chestnut, cedar, walnut, spruce, ash, elm, maple, birch and some others of smaller growth ; naming also the "diar's shnmach," the "snake- murthering hazell" and "sweet saxaphrage, whose spurnes in beere allays hot fever's rage." Most of these kinds are still common in Lynn woods, though the chestnut and one or two others are not often seen. The hemlock, one of the most graceful native trees of New England, he does not allude to, except- ing, perhaps, under some other name.

Mr. Wood mentions some of the fruits of this "In- dian orchard," but does not go much into particulars. Blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries and whortleberries are still common in the woods and meadows. One of the best known shrubs at present found is the barberry, the root of which was formerly mnch used in dyeing, as it imparts a beautiful yel-

low. It bears an acid berry, of bright scarlet, from which an excellent preserve is made. It is, however, no doubt an exotic, and akin to that which in Eng- land is called the pepperidge bush. The early settlers introduced some plants for which after-generations had little cause to be thankful; among them the white-weed, now known by the more dainty name of field-daisy, and the wood-wax, that beautiful pest of pasture land. But the barberry seems to hold a doubtful rank. Its prevalence, more than a hundred years ago, became so injurious in the pastures that the law interposed to check its increase. It, however, requires such a peculiarity of soil, that to this day it has not spread over a great extent of territory. Even in most parts of Massachusetts a barberry bush was never seen. The General Court, in 1753, ordered that all persons having barberry bushes growing on their lands should extirpate them before the 10th of June, 1760. And the surveyors of highways were required

to destroy all growing by the roadside within the specified time, or the towns should pay two shillings for every one left standing. The reasons for this order were that those bushes had so much increased that the pasture lands were greatly encumbered ; and it was imagined that "a steam flew off" from them that blasted the English grain. So it appears that left-handed thanks were due to the people of other lands, in the early days, for questionable gifts, as well as from us of this generation for the gift of the sarcastically-twittering English sparrow. But then it should be remembered that the many nobler gifts from abroad far outnumber the few of doubtful value.

In the woods and fields, the tangled dells and damp vales, along the weedy rills and upon the rocky heights, may still be gathered wild flowers in great variety, from the brilliant cardinal to the shrinking violet. To sum up in a terse sentence of Mr. Lewis, "The forests, fields and meadows are rich in the abundance and variety of medicinal plants, and the town presents a fine field for the botanist."

Very few parts of the New England coast present so many interesting and at times sublime features as those within and about Lynn. Here bold and jagged cliff's of greenstone, feldspar and other adamantine forma- tions rear themselves as impregnable barriers against the inroads of the ever-assaulting ocean ; there, broad beaches of fine, gray sand, so compact and hard that carriage wheels scarcely make an impression, with ridges of the wonderful up-castings of the sea-shells of curious shape and glistening stones of every color and form. In pleasant weather and during the warm season there are many attractions for the pleasure- seeker in promenading, boating and fishing; and for the health-seeker in refreshing breezes, quiet retire- ment and the restoring sea-bath.

The principal beach is that which joins Nahant to Lynn, and has, from early times, been known as Long Beach. It is nearly two miles in length, and forms a gentle curve. The early geographers spoke of it as a very curious formation. To the first settlers it seems to have been the scene of weird mystery, awe-inspiring and not unmixed with undefinable ap- prehension. Its hollow moanings warned, its gentle murmurings relieved. Mr. Wood thus alludes to it,- "Vpon ye south side of ye Sandy Beach ye sea beateth, which is a sure prognostication to presage stormes and foule weather and ye breaking vp of Frost. For when a storme hath beene or is likely to be itt will roare like Thunder, being hearde six myles." The roaring is not, however, always indica- tive of an approaching storm, as it arises from the violent driving in of heavy seas by out-winds. The wind may change and the threatening cease. Long Beach was a favorite sporting-ground with the In- dians, and gambling groups sometimes assembled here, for the Indians were great gamblers, often risk- ing all their possessions, even to papoose or squaw, upon the turning up of a shell or fall of a stone. The

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Indian sagamore dwelt upon the neighboring height that overlooks the beach, and from there was accus- tomed to view the athletic sports of his people, which took place on the sandy plateau, sometimes being un- able to restrain himself from joining in the contests- the same picturesque height that still bears the name Sagamore Hill, and is now crowned by commodious dwellings, stores and other marks of refined and busy life.

Upon these beaches and along the rocky indenta- tions of this rugged coast the sea has, from time to time, cast up from her mysterious store-house won- derful specimens of the deposits there. And they have also been the scene of some most appalling ship- wrecks and other marine disasters. Government has done something to lessen the dangers, and still much needs to be done. Egg Rock towers up in the offing, eighty-six feet above sea level, and has an area of some three acres, on one-third of which is a shallow layer of soil. It is a precipitous cliff of feldspar, in- capable of being landed upon, excepting at one point and during a calm sea. Upon this lonely rock, which is a couple of miles from Long Beach, a mile from Nahant and three miles from Swampscott, a light- house has been erected, which for the first time shed forth its hospitable beams on the night of September 15, 1856.

From time to time the territorial integrity of old Lynn has been raided upon. As already remarked, Lynnfield was set off in 1814, Saugus in 1815, Swamp- scott in 1852 and Nahant in 1853. But as to the lat- ter, some two centuries ago, it was in danger of being severed from the parent, for it was in 1688 that Ed- ward Randolph, who has been called the evil genius of New England, petitioned Governor Andros for the gift of Nahant, indulging, no doubt, in the pleasant dream of erecting a sort of baronial establishment for himself there. His choice of a seat certainly indi- cated good taste, if not a love for fair dealing. The town was notified of the petition, and great excite- ment ensued, it being well known that the petitioner had much influence as counselor, secretary and per- sonal friend of the Governor. He had been sent ont to report on the condition of the colonies, and was justly reputed to be unfriendly to their interests. There was no doubt of his high prerogative proclivi- ties, nor of his being one of the chief instruments in annulling the beloved old charter. He himself says that he was regarded at Boston "more like a spy than one of his majesty's servants," and speaks of be- ing welcomed, on his return from a brief absence, by "a paper of scandalons verses." The nature of these "scandalous verses" may be gathered from the fol- lowing extract :

" Welcome, Sr. welcome from ye easterne shore, With a commission stronger than before

To play the horse-leach ; rob us of our ffleeces, To rend onr land and teare it all to pieces : Welcome now back againe; as is the whip, To a ffoole's back ; as water in a ship.

Boston make roome ; Randolph's returned, that Hector, Confirmed at home to be yo sharp Collector."

It can well be supposed that Randolph was by no means a favorite with the people of Boston, for among his other imprudent-or take the word as more exactly expressive without the "r," -attempts at acquisition, he petitioned to have a house-lot on Boston Common set off to him.

Such was the man who, in 1688, petitioned Andros, who had just about as much love for the colonies and for abstract justice as he, to grant him the beautiful peninsula of Nahant. The Governor undoubtedly was inclined to comply with his favorite's petition ; but decency required that the matter should not be con- summated with unseemly haste.

On notice of Randolph's petition, a town-meeting was held, and a vigorous protest, setting forth the right of the town to the peninsula and the damage that would ensue from the granting of the petition, was addressed to the Governor and Council. But Randolph was persistent and renewed his petition, de- nying the right of the town to the land, and even go- ing so far as to declare that Lynn never was an incorporated town, "and so not endowed with a power of receiving or disposing of such land." To this a spirited rejoinder, signed by seventy-four of the principal inhabitants, was for- warded. But it is not easy to say what the result would have been, had not the successful uprising of the people presently consigned both Andros and Ran- dolph to the Fort Hill Prison, in which uprising the people of Lynn naturally took an active part, Rev. Mr. Shepard, the minister, heading the phalanx which marched to Boston, arriving there, as Randolph graphically said, at about eleven o'clock, "like so many wild bears." This Randolph affair formed a lively episode in Lynn's history.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 86

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