USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II > Part 90
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Population. - When the town was incorporated the population numbered 1,353. The growth of the town has not been as rapid as some others, yet its progress in this direction has been a healthy one. In the year 1855 the population had in- creased to 1,801; in 1860, to 1,937; in 1865, to 1,968; in 1870, to 2,645; in 1875, to 3,099; of the latter, 1,476 were males and 1,623 females. In the same year there were 506 native voters and 125 naturalized voters.
The inhabitants are actively engaged in agricul- tural, mercantile, and mechanical pursuits. Large quantities of fruit and vegetables are produced for the Boston market. A great many of the citizens transact business in Boston.
At the present time there are 606 houses in the town, of which 72 belong to non-residents ; 245 citizens liable to do military duty ; 283 horses, 244 carriages, 4 oxen, 173 cows, 11 heifers, 379 swine, 165 dogs.
The following manufacturing business is carried on at the present time in the town; three tan- neries, four currier-shops, one shoe-stiffener (inner soles and heels), one machine-shop for making machinery of all kinds, one shop for making knives for splitting leather, two shops for making piano- forte actions, one shop for making gold rings, one shop for making piano-forte cases, one saw-mill for mahogany and fancy woods, one watch-hand fac- tory, one felting and wool-wadding factory, - hav- ing in all a capital invested of some $100,000.
As but a few streets were laid out at the incor- poration of the town, and those were in an imper- fect condition, the growth of the population has necessitated the laying out of many new highways, and the repairing and altering of old ones. The present number of accepted streets is forty-four, many of which are fine avenues and are frequent resorts for walks and rides.
The town is partially surrounded by several hills, or wooded eminences, which are named Mount Pisgah, Horn Pond Mountain, and Zion's Hill, located on the north and west, and Taylor's Moun- tain in the eastern section near the reservoir. The underlying rock is sienite and dolerite, in which occurs a bed of copper ore. Through the centre of the town flows in a devious current the Aba-jona River, which, starting from Wilmington, empties into the Medford Pond, one quarter of the latter being located in this town. Cutter's Brook is one of its branches, and the outlet to Wedge Pond. Wedge Pond, in the centre, is noted for the abun-
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WINCHESTER.
dance of water-lilies, whose white blossoms cover its surface in the summer season. It is said that the swallow makes its earliest appearance on the borders of this lake. An attempt was made in 1860 to change the name of Wedge Pond, and after much deliberation it was christened Echo Lake in September of that year, with appropriate ceremonies. The new name was short-lived, as it was not generally satisfactory. It is now known by its original name, and is quite a noted place of resort for boating and sailing during the summer season, and for skating in the winter. Several of the prominent citizens have their residences on its borders, among whom is Admiral Henry Knox Thacher, a distinguished officer in the naval service, now upon the retired list.
When the town was incorporated Alvin Taylor was the postmaster for South Woburn, and he was continued in the office under the new town. He was followed by Horace Holt, Josiah Hovey, J. A. Coolidge, and the present incumbent, George P. Brown. The business of the office has greatly increased, having nearly doubled within the last six years, so that the number of mails now sent and received daily is thirteen.
Lyceum Building was erected soon after the in- corporation of the town, by private enterprise, and the large hall has been used for religions services, lectures, concerts, and entertainments of all kinds, it being the only large hall suitable for such pur- poses. The lower part of the building is occupied by stores ; the upper stories are used for various purposes.
Masonic Hall is in the upper story of Brown and Stanton's building, on the corner of Main and Pleasant streets, and is very handsomely fur- nished.
Livingstone Hall, opposite Lyceum Building, was formerly called Union Hall, and is now oc- cupied by the Grand Army Post and the Reform Club as their regular place of meeting.
The Knights of Honor Hall is in the upper story of Richardson and Tyler's building on Main Street, and is appropriately fitted up for their uses.
At the opening of the Boston and Lowell Rail- road, in 1835, a depot was established opposite Lyceum Building (then in South Woburn). The depot remained in that location until 1872, when the present one was erected some distance further sonth. The location of the station in this place gave rise to long and earnest discussions, protests
in town-meetings and otherwise. It is neat in design and finish, and an ornament to the town.
Convenient station-honses on the line of the rail- road are established in the southerly and northerly sections of the town, - the former being named. Mystic, and the latter the Highlands.
The railroad facilities have kept pace with the progress of the town, and now some thirty-six pas- senger trains stop daily at the centre station, and a less number at the branch stations. There are two hundred and thirty-eight season-ticket passen- gers to and from the several depots.
A branch railroad, to connect with the Boston and Maine Railroad at Medford and run through this town to Stoneham, was laid out several years ago, but after being partially built was abandoned, and the land given by the owners for this purpose was taken back by them. It made an ugly scar upon the land, without accomplishing any good results. Since then a branch has been built which extends to Stoneham, and connects with the Bos- ton and Lowell Railroad at the Highlands.
The Mystic Valley Railroad is partially con- structed, and passes through the westerly section of the town. It will give additional facilities for transportation of freight and passengers, and bring within easy reach of the city quite an area of de- sirable land for dwellings and farms.
In May, 1855, the town received five hundred dollars in an anonymous letter, to purchase a town clock to be placed on the Congregational Church edifice, and to be the property of the town. It has recently transpired that the gift was from Ebenezer Smith, then a resident of the town, but since de- ccased.
In March, 1860, ground was broken for the laying of pipes by the West Cambridge (now Ar- lington) Gaslight Company, and the principal streets were piped, and gas introduced about Sep- tember of that year.
A savings-bank was opened August 28, 1871, and has continued in successful operation to the present time. It has about five hundred and fifty depositors, and is carefully and prudently managed.
At a town-meeting, April 7, 1851, a committee of ten was appointed to purchase a lot of land for a cemetery, not exceeding ten acres, to make out a plan of the same, with the estimated cost, and report to the town. At a town-meeting, Septem- ber 15, 1851, the committee reported that they had purchased a lot of land containing about ten acres, situated west of the canal, and over against
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Wedge Pond, at an expense of two thousand dol- lars, and that to fence the same and prepare it so far as needed for use would require an additional thousand dollars. The committee further recom- mended that the money presented to the town by Colonel Winchester be appropriated to the pur- chase and laying out of the land described for the cemetery ; that the town sell its interest in the old cemetery, and apply the proceeds to the improve- ment of the new cemetery, the repayment of the Winchester fund, and for such other use as the town may dictate. The report and recommenda- tions were adopted, and the committee authorized to carry out the same.
The cemetery was designed, and laid out in lots, under the direction of the committee, by Amasa Farrier, of Stoneham. The spot selected contains ten and a half acres, and is well adapted to the purpose, being thickly covered with pine and forest trees, interspersed with hill and dale. At the con- secration an address was delivered by Rev. R. H. Neale, D. D., with other appropriate services. Four hundred and sixty-nine lots have been laid out, of which two hundred and ninety-seven lots have been sold, leaving one hundred and seventy- two unsold. The cemetery is under the charge of a committee of five, chosen by the town, and an appropriation is annually made, of a sufficient amount to keep the grounds in proper condition, which amount has averaged $ 382.77 per year. The cemetery fund, February 28, 1880, amounted to $5,286.56.
Fire Department. - In the year 1850 the town bought a hand fire-engine and apparatus at a cost of some fourteen hundred dollars. It was located in a house near the Congregational Church, and was manned by volunteers for several years ; after- wards the company received a small compensation for their services. At the town-meeting in March, 1870, it was voted, on motion of C. O. Billings, Esq., to purchase a chemical engine called the Babcock Village Machine. Its cost was seven hundred dollars, and it was named the J. F. Dwinell, in honor of a well-known and prominent townsman. This town was almost, if not the first, to bring this machine into use, and although at first it was ridi- culed by many, and looked upon with little favor, yet it steadily gained in the public estimation after its introduction, and no city or town can now well afford to be without it. In 1873 the town bought a steam fire-engine and fixtures at a cost of some $5,400. It was named Alex. Mosely, in honor of a
prominent gentleman. At the same time there was purchased a horse hose-carriage at a cost of $1,000, which was named in honor of P. Waldmyer.
July 10, 1874, the following vote was passed by the town : "That the selectmen and engineers be and are hereby instructed to supply on the present steam fire-engine lot such additional ac- commodations as will house the town horses and all the fire apparatus in a style in keeping with the present building, and that the horses be there stabled." In pursuance with the foregoing vote an excellent house was erected, containing all the accommodations necessary to a large fire depart- ment, at a cost of $5,400. The old building which the steamer had occupied was altered into a commodious stable, at a cost of $375. In 1874 the town sold the hand-engine, purchased four hose-carriages, which, with the hose and the houses for them, located in different parts of the town, cost some $4,000. In 1875 a hook-and-ladder truck was bought, at a cost of $650, and named J. W. Huse, in honor of a worthy townsman who died in November, 1878. The number of men connected with the department is sixty-seven ; an- nual expense, about $3,000, $1,000 of which is for the use of water. The expense of the fire department for the past thirty years has been $52,453.62. The value of the fire apparatus, in- cluding houses, is $21,847.
The first public action taken in regard to the introduction of water for domestic purposes into the town is in the record of the town-meeting hield November 8, 1870, when a committee of nine was appointed to consider the subject, consisting of the selectmen and six others. This committee made a partial report at the town-meeting held Novem- ber 27, 1871, and asked to be, and was, discharged. At the same meeting O. R. Clark, D. N. Skillings, M. A. Herrick, T. P. Ayer, and J. F. Dwinell were appointed a committee to investigate and report as soon as practicable the question of supplying the town with water, and were empowered to employ assistance, and make examinations at the expense of the town.
After further consideration of several projects for water-supply, at a town-meeting, August 2, 1872, D. N. Skillings, M. A. Herrick, J. F. Dwinell, T. P. Ayer, and Asa Fletcher were ap- pointed a committee to further investigate the whole subject and cost of construction, and report to the town ; and said committee was authorized to procure the necessary surveys.
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WINCHESTER.
At a town-meeting, held April 21, 1873, the committee made a partial report; and at an- other, held June 20, 1873, the committee made a supplemental report, which was accepted. It was then decided to accept Chapter 277 of the Acts of the Legislature of 1873 by a vote of one hun- dred and twenty in the affirmative to none in the neg- ative. This act allowed the town "to collect the water of and on the territory lying along the easterly side of the town of Winchester, being in the towns of Winchester, Medford, and Stoneham, extending eighty rods south of the north line of said town of Medford and including all the natural water-shed of that territory, by means of dams, aqueducts, pipes, pumps, reservoirs, or such other structures as may be necessary and convenient for the preservation and purity of said water, and may convey the said water from said territory by any convenient route, and distribute the same in the manner and upon the condition and terms set forth in said act; pro- vided, that none of the water tributary to Spot Pond be taken by virtne hereof."
This act embraced the plan recommended by the committee for the supply of water, and at a town- meeting, held July 7, 1873, it was accepted and adopted by the town as the most feasible and proper method of supplying the town with pure water. It appeared in the report of the committee that the North Meadow gathering-ground, where the reservoir is located, has an area of four hun- dred and fifty-two acres, which will give a daily supply of 676,050 gallons of water, or forty gallons a day to more than 16,000 people, or more than four times the present number of inhabitants. The territory includes the westerly slope of the Bear Hill range, and the whole of Dike's Meadow, so called. If the time should arrive that more water would be required, a dam can be built at the outlet of the South Meadow, which has an area nearly the same as the North Meadow, and the water added to that of the North Meadow. The two basins, when united, would give a supply of 1,363,650 gallons per day, or forty gallons per day to 34,000 people.
At the town-meeting, July 10, 1875, David N. Skillings, Moses A. Herrick, and James F. Dwineli were chosen water commissioners.
The first work at the reservoir was done July 15, 1873, by N. Fitzgerald; C. Linehan became the con- tractor, September 6, 1873 ; work began, Septem- ber 8, 1873 ; began storing water, December 5, 1873. Water was let into the pipes, September 20,
1874. Total length of the dam, 675 feet, including overflow; length of overflow, 34 feet; greatest height of dam, 30} feet ; area of full reservoir, 60 acres ; length, 4,400 feet; greatest width, 1,450 feet ; greatest depth, 23 feet ; total capacity, 259,000,000 gallons. Total length of street mains laid to March 1, 1878, 74,679 feet.
Walter H. Sears was the constructing engineer, and George H. Norman the contractor for furnish- ing and putting in place all the necessary pipes, hy- drants, gates, and other appurtenances constituting the system of distribution. The pipe laid is what is known as the wrought-iron and cement-lined water-pipe. The total cost of construction of works, pipes, etc., necessary to the introduction of water to March 1, 1880, is $168,800.72; for the main- tenance of the water-works to the same date, SS,785.33. The debt incurred on account of the introduction of water is in water bonds to the amount of $160,000, held mostly by the state of Massachusetts, and payable in different sums and at intervals, from the year 1884 to 1895 inclusive. The whole number of services, March 1, 1880, is 463; the whole number of water-takers is 571; amount of water-rates for the year ending March'1, 1880, $7,700.66.
Since its introduction the inhabitants have con- tinued to receive an abundant supply of water of an excellent quality, and the system of distribu- tion has continued to answer its design.
Military. - The town, under the calls of the president, in 1861 and 1862, furnished for three years sixty-two men, at an average cost of $43 per man, town bounty ; in 1862, sixty men for nine months, at an average cost of $82 per man as town bounty, and an average subscription bounty of $12 per man ; in 1863, 1864, and 1865 the town fur- nished one hundred and ten men for three years and twelve men for one year, at an average town bounty of $115.70, and an average subscription bounty of $58 per man, -the two hundred and forty-four men costing, in all, $29,497.40, or an average cost of $120.90 per man.
This sum was raised as follows : by money hired for a term of years, $7,810.05; by taxation, $13,891.35 ; by subscription, $7,796. All was raised and expended, and the men obtained without any expense to the town, no town officer or other person having received any pay for the time and expense incurred in raising the men or performing any of the work incidental to raising volunteers, neither did any subscriber ask to have his subscrip-
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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
tion refunded; and so promptly was the money forthcoming that the town always filled its quota promptly, and was never at any time behindhand. The war expenses for five years amounted to the sum of $42,771.39.
Out of the two hundred and forty-four men, fourteen were substitutes, three from the state en- listments for the South, twenty-two nine-months men were from Reading, fifteen from the state at large, twelve re-enlistments, and one hundred and seventy-eight from this town. Of these last named, ten died in the service of their coun- try. The roll of honor is as follows : George W. L. Sanborn, Aaron D. Weld, Josiah Stratton, Francis A. Hatch, John Fitzgerald, Joshua T. Lawrence, Francis B. Bedell, John Gordon, Jeffer- son Ford, and Ira Johonnott.
Educational .- No school-house appears to have been built in what are now the limits of the town before the year 1790, and though a public school was some years appointed to be kept, it could be accom- modated only in some private house, and then only for a few weeks in the course of the season. Other years the children who attended school had to be provided with a private one at the cost of the parents, or travel to the centre of Woburn and Medford, some two miles distant. At the incor- poration of the town there were only two school- houses within its limits, - one in the Centre (formerly South Woburn), and the other on the Medford road, near Symmes Corner (formerly Medford).
The town at its first meeting chose O. R. Clark, Charles Kimball, and William A. Dodge a commit- tee to build five school-houses. These houses were built during the ensuing year, and were respec- tively called : the Hill, from its location ; the Wy- man, from an honored townsman of that name ; the Rumford, from Count Rumford, a native of Wo- burn; the Washington, from the street of that name; and the Gifford, from S. N. Gifford, who was so active in securing the incorporation of the town. The whole cost of these houses, exclusive of furniture, was about $6,500. These five houses, together with the two first mentioned, comprised all the school accommodations of that day. A high school was established at the outset in the old school-house in the Centre, although the number of inhabitants did not then and has not since re- quired it.
The school system was also inaugurated upon the most liberal footing and upon the wisest
scheme, including every grade, and managed not by districts and district committees, but by tlie whole town. In 1853 the Mystic School-house, on Bacon Street, was built to take the place of the old one in that locality, at an expense of some $1,800. In 1854 a primary school-room was fitted up in the Gifford School-house, at an expense of $800. In 1857 the Adams School-house was erected, at an expense of $2,000. In 1863 this school-house was enlarged by the addition of an upper room, at an expense of $700.
In 1865 a new high-school house was erected on Dix Street, near the old one, which had become unsuitable for the purpose. The total cost of the building, land, furniture, etc., was about $17,000. This house was dedicated November 4, 1865. In the same year a new grammar-school house was erected on Washington Street, on the site of the Gifford School-house, which had been removed to a locality on Main Street. This house, with the land and furnishing, cost about $16,000. The house was dedicated November 5, 1865. In 1875 the Adams School-house, being found insufficient for the accommodation of the children in that section of the town, was sold, and a new one erected on Swanton Street, at an expense of about $12,000. It was named the Chapin, in honor of Dr. Chapin, who for eleven years served upon the school board.
In 1878 a new school-house was built upon land belonging to the town, on Highland Avenue, to accommodate the children living in that neigh- borhood. It cost, complete, about $ 1,500. There are fourteen schools, all keeping ten months in the year, and nineteen teachers. The number of chil- dren in the town between five and fifteen years of age, May 1, 1879, was 580. The average number of scholars in all the schools for the year ending March 1, 1880, was 530. The ten school-houses now in use are valued at $57,500. The amount expended upon the schools for the past thirty years, or to March 1, 1880, is $208,672.20; and for new school-houses, $66,272.20, or a total of $274,944.40, - nearly three quarters of a million dollars. Up to the year 1867 the committee re- ceived no pay for their services, but since then they have received a small stipend. Of those who have rendered valuable service upon the school board, special allusion should be made to Dr. Alonzo Chapin, whose term of service exceeded that of any other, and who was also a trustee of the town library for several years, and took an active interest
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in all town affairs. Dr. Chapin was born in Spring- field, Massachusetts, in February, 1805, and grad- uated at Amherst. He was mission physician to the Sandwich Islands from 1834 to 1837. Re- turning to America, he continued in the practice of his profession, and settled in this town in 1850. It was while upon the school board, in Decem- ber, 1876, at the age of nearly seventy-two years, that he was suddenly stricken down, and called from the work lie so much enjoyed, and in which he had so many cheering words for teachers and children and for his co-workers, to another and better sphere of usefulness. He devoted to the interests of the schools all the knowledge and ex- perience of his ripened years, and the memory of his good words and works will long linger in the history of the town.
Public Library. - The Winchester Library As- sociation was organized March 20, 1848. It was formed with a view " to increase the general moral- ity, intelligence, and happiness," by the establish- ment of a public library. It was first located in the store of Dr. Youngman, and supported by the voluntary contributions of its members. The As- sociation voted, February 19, 1859, to offer the library, containing one thousand volumes, to the town, as the nucleus of a public town library, upon certain conditions. At the annual town- meeting, March 28, 1859, the town voted to accept the offer on the conditions specified.
The Winchester Agricultural Library Associa- tion was formed March 26, 1857, " for the pur- pose of procuring and maintaining a library of agricultural papers and such other works as may tend to the improvement of agriculture." No meeting of the association was held after April 9, 1857, and nearly all the shareholders signed a paper relinquishing their right to the library, and presenting the same to the town to. be incorporated into the public town library. A board of trustees was chosen in March, 1859, consisting of three gentlemen, who at once caused the books to be examined, arranged in proper order, catalogued, and under proper restrictions thrown open to the use of the residents of the town. An appro- priation of two hundred dollars was made for its expenses the first year. At the end of the first year it appeared there were 396 borrowers, who had taken out 4,400 books. Since then the town has from year to year made liberal appropriations for the expense of carrying on the library and for the purchase of new books. For the year ending
February 28, 1880, there were 1,029 borrowers and 21,445 books taken out. The library now numbers 4,532 volumes, and is located in the sec- ond story of the brick building on Main Street, near the Centre, owned by Richardson and Tyler. The amount expended upon the library since its establishment in 1859 is $10,469.24.
The following named citizens of the town have served as senators in the state senate from the dis- trict of which this town was a part : Frederick O. Prince in the year 1854; Oliver R. Clark in 1861 and 1864; Abraham B. Coffin, in 1877 and 1878 ; and as representatives to the General Conrt, Fred- erick O. Prince in the years 1851, 1852; Zacha- riah Richardson, 1853; Joseph Stone, 1854; Cephas Church, 1855; Aaron D. Weld, 1856; Alvin Taylor, 1857.
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