History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 54

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 54

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or three years after the great manufacturing enter- prises were started, had no post-office of its own, its thousand or more inhabitants depending upon neigh- boring post-offices or other means for the conveyance and delivery of letters.

Its first United States post-office was established in ›1824, the postmaster being Jonathan C. Morrill, a trader in the village. He was appointed by Presi- dent Monroe, and remained in office about five years. His annual salary varied from $78 to $362. The post- office was kept in his store, first on Tilden Street near Merrimack Street, and afterwards on Central Street near the site of the Boston & Maine Depot. In the store on Tilden Street the board in which was the aperture for admitting letters from the street, is still preserved and labeled " Post-office, 1824."

Mr. Morrill, after leaving the post-office, became an agent for Waterville College, and for a Bible so- ciety, and died in Taunton, Mass., in 1858, at the age of sixty-seven years.

In 1829 Capt. William W. Wyman was, by Presi- dent Jackson, appointed postmaster of the town. His salary varied from $625 to $1000. He kept the office first on Central Street and afterwards in the City Government Building, which was erected in 1829- 30. Captain Wyman served four years. He died in Lowell in 1864, at the age of eighty-two years.

Rev. Eliphalet Case, a Universalist clergyman, was, in 1833, appointed postmaster by President Jackson. He was an ardent Democratic politician. His salary varied from $1537 to $1404. During this administra- tion the office was first in the City Government Build- ing, then at the corner of Merrimack and John Streets, and afterwards on Middle Street. His term of service was eight years. He died at Patriot, Ind., in 1862, at the age of sixty-six years.

Mr. Jacob Robbins, an apothecary, was appointed postmaster of Lowell by President Tyler, in 1841. His salary varied from $1304 to $1547. He kept the office throughout his administration near the corner of Merrimack and Middle Streets. His term of ser- vice was four years. He died in Lowell in 1885, at the age of eighty-seven years.

Mr. Stephen S. Seavy, the fifth postmaster of Low- ell, was appointed by President Polk in 1845. He had been a clerk in the office about ten years. His salary varied from $1734 to $1850. The office was kept in the same place as in the administration of his predecessor. His term of service was four years.

Mr. Alfred Gilman, paymaster on the Hamilton Corporation, was appointed postmaster by President Taylor in 1849. His salary was $2000. He served four years, and is still living, at the age of seventy- seven years. He retained the office where it was dur- ing the service of his predecessor.

Thomas P. Goodhue was appointed postmaster in 1853, by President Pierce. He had been a trader in Lowell. Having held the office only about six months, he died, Oct. 6, 1853, at the age of fifty years.

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Mr. Fishicr A. Hildreth, an editor, was, on Oct. 21, 1853, appointed postmaster by President Pierce. He was in office seven and one-half years. His salary varicd from $1460 to $2000. He died in Lowell in 1873, at the age of fifty-five years. During his administration the office was removed to Merrimack Street, near the site of the present office.

Mr. John A. Goodwin, an editor, was appointed by President Lincoln in 1861. His term of service of thirteen years was much longer than that of any other postmaster of Lowell. He retained the office on Merrimack Street. His salary varied from $2000 to $4000. Hc died in 1884, at the age of sixty years.

Major Edward T. Rowell, an editor, was, in 1874, appointed by President Grant, the tenth postmaster of the city. His salary varied from $4000 to $3100. He retained the office on its present site on Merri- mack Street. He is now one of the proprietors of the Lowell Courier and is fifty-three years of age.

Col. Albert A. Haggett, paymaster on the Middle- sex Corporation, was appointed to the office by Presi- dent Cleveland in 1885. His salary has varied from $3300 to $3200. The office is in the Hildreth Block on Merrimack Street. His age is fifty years.

The present postmaster, Willis P. Burbank, was appointed by President Harrison February 4, 1890.

The United States Congress, in the session of 1888- 89 appropriated the sum of $200,000 for erecting in Lowall a new post-office, thepresent post-office build- ing, on Merrimack Street, being the property of the heirs of Mr. Fisher A. Hildreth. After a long contest in regard to the site of the new building the Postmaster- General decided, in 1888, upon the lot on which now stands St. Peter's Church.

The money-order system was established in Lowell post-office in 1864, and free delivery in 1866.

The working force of this office in 1890 was: one postmaster, one assistant postmaster, eleven clerks, twenty-five regular carriers, five supernumerary carriers, two special delivery boys.

LOWELL FIRE SERVICE .- The data of the follow- ing notice of the fire service of Lowell have been mostly obtained from an account of this service written by Mr. Frank N. Owen and published by the Lowell Firemen's Fund Association in 1888.

In 1825 there were in the village of East Chelms- ford (now Lowell) threc fire-engines-one owned by Thomas Hurd, the manufacturer, near the site of Mid- dlesex Mills ; the second by the Merrimack Company, and the third was kept at Middlesex Village. These engines were of very simple construction, the water being supplied to them, not by suction, but by buckets in the hands of the people who gathered at the fire. They were, doubtless, used at the fire at Hurd's Mills in June, 1826, the most destructive fire of those early days.

From the incorporation of the town of Lowell, in 1826, to the time of the organization of the Fire De- partment, in 1830, ten or twelve citizens were annually

appointed as fire wards, who, in case of fire, carried an official staff and were clothed with high authority over their fellow-citizens. Disobedience to their commands was punishable by a fine of $10. The town also had an organization called The Lowell United Fire Society, each member of which was required to keep a leathern fire-bucket, which, upon an alarm of fire, he must seizc and rush to the rescue.

At a town-mecting in March, 1829, the sum of $1000 was voted for the purchase of the town's first fire-engine. Before this several of the corporations had purchased fire-engines for the protection of the corporation property.

The engine and hose first purchased by the town cost the sum of $822, for which an engine-house was erected on the site of Barristers' Hall, on Merrimack and Central Streets. Not long after this the engine- house was removed to Hosford Square.

The legislative act creating the Lowell Fire De- partment was passed February 6, 1830.

At the fire in the winter of 1830-31, by which one of the Merrimack Mills was burned, the engine be- longing to that company froze up and became unser- viceable.

Up to 1832 in case of fire the city's engine was not manned by an organized company, but by such of the citizens as were present and were willing to serve at the pump. But in 1832 a regular fire 'company was organized, with Charles Gregg as captain, and theser- vice of this company was demanded on the day after its organization at a fire which occurred in the Apple- ton Mills.

From 1832 to 1836 a board of eight engineers had control of the Fire Department. But in 1836 Lowell became a city, and the department was regularly or- ganized under an officer called chief engineer.

In 1838 the Fire Department possessed ten engines and one hook-and-ladder truck. Eight of these en- gines, however, belonged to the manufacturing com- panies.

In 1843 there were thirteen engines, four of which belonged to the city. The number of men upon the rolls was 615.

On June 27, 1842, the City Council voted to pay the firemen twenty cents per hour of actual service. Be- fore this time the only compensation had been ex- emption from jury service and abatement of poll taxes.

Up to 1860 alarms of fire were given by ringing the church-bells. This custom was attended with great inconvenience and delay, because it gave to the fire- men no notice as to the part of the city in which the fire was to be found. But in 1860 a steel bell was procured and hung in the tower of the police station- house. The sound of this bell could be easily distin- guished from that of others in the city. The number of closely succeeding strokes on this bell indicated the ward in which the fire was to be found. This de- vice rendered the service much more prompt and effi- cient than before. The first steel bell soon cracked

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and was replaced by another, which long hung in the tower, but has very recently been removed to the tower of the new engine-house on Middle and Palmer Streets.

The first steam fire-engine owned by the city was purchased in 1860, and though clumsy, it did good service until 1866. In 1861 a second steamer was purchased, and in 1866 two more were added.

The introduction of city water in 1872 afforded a means for extinguishing fires of incalculable value, giving, as it did, a plentiful supply of water close at hand in every part of the city. The number of hy- drants in 1873 was 499.

While the water-works were in process of construc- tion the electric fire alarm was introduced, the City Council appropriating $15,000 for this purpose. This device superseded the use of the steel fire-bell. The first alarm sounded by the new system was given for the fire in Ayer's City, August 24, 1871.

The number of hydrants available for extinguish- ing fires in January, 1890, was 819.

In December, 1889, there were in the Lowell Fire Service 144 firemen, five steamers, nine hose-carriages, three hook-and-ladder trucks, two chemical engines and one protection wagon.

The chief engineers of the Fire Department have been Charles L. Tilden, 1836-37 ; Jonathan M. Marston, 1838, '43 ; William Fiske, 1839; Joseph Butterfield, 1839; Josiah B. French, 1840-11; Stephen Cushing, 1842 ; Jefferson Bancroft, 1841-45; Aaron H. Sher- man, 1846-49 ; Horace Howard, 1850-52; Lucius A. Cutler, 1853 ; Weare Clifford, 1854-59, '65-66, '69-72; Asahel D. Puffer, 1860-62; Joseph Tilton, 1863-64 ; George W. Waymoth, 1867-68; George Hobson, 1873-77 ; Samuel W. Taylor, 1878; Reuel F. Britton, 1879-80; Edward S. Hosmer, 1881-83, '85-86, '88-89 ; Thomas J. Farrell, 1884-85, '87.

Of the chief engineers, Weare Clifford should re- ceive special mention. He was born in South Hamp- ton, New Hampshire, January 25, 1816, and came to Lowell in 1834. In Lowell he was the proprietor of an establishment for dyeing, first on Lawrence Street, and afterwards on Adover Street. He early became a member of the Fire Department, first as a fireman from 1840 to 1816, then as foreman till 1850, and then in 1854 as chief engineer for twelve years. His whole term of service was thirty-two years. He died while in office and in the midst of his years, on March 10, 1872, at the age of fifty-six years.

LIBRARIES OF LOWELL .- The City Library .- This, the free public library of the city, is one of the few libraries of the country that owes its existence entire- ly to municipal action. It had no nucleus in a pre- viously established library, and it has never received gift or endowment in money from an enthusiastic lover of books or philanthropic, public-spirited citi- zen ; in fact, it inherits nothing from the past, but sprang into being through the passage by the City Council of an ordinance, on the 20th of May, 1844,

Elisha Huntington being mayor. This action seems to have been prompted by certain resolves of the State Legislature about that time, authorizing cities and towns to establish and maintain "school " libra- ries, and appropriating funds for that purpose, the amount coming to Lowell being about twelve hun- dred dollars. The library was instituted as the "City School Library," in accordance with the legis- lative resolves. The ordinance provided for a board of seven directors, consisting of the mayor and presi- dent of the Common Council, ex officio, and five other citizens, and the first board was constituted as follows : Elisha Huntington, mayor ; John Clark, president of Common Council; Homer Bartlett, Rev. J. B. Thayer, Josiah G. Abbott, Julian Abbott and Abner H. Brown. These gentlemen held their first meeting on the 7th of June, 1844, and voted "to use the west sec- tion of the entry of the city hall as a room for the library." At that time the " old " city hall, at the corner of Merrimack and Shattuck Streets, had an entry running from an entrance from the alley at the east end of the building to the passage connected with the main door in present use on the Merrimack side. The " west end of the entry," therefore, meant the apartments now occupied as the office of the overseers of the poor and the store of J. H. Guillet, and here the library was opened to the public on the 11th of Feb- ruary, 1845,-" from 2 to 5 o'clock every afternoon, and from 7 to 9 every evening, Sundays and holidays excepted." Josiah Hubbard was installed as libra- rian, and an annual fee of fifty cents was required for admission to the privileges of the library. Messrs. Bartlett and Abbott resigned their positions in a short time, and Dr. J. W. Graves and Nathan Crosby were elected to serve in their places. At the meeting in September a committee was appointed "to ascer- tain the terms upon which Messrs. Bixby and Whit- ing (leading booksellers in the city at that time) will dispose of a part of their circulating library." This committee made a favorable report, and the proposed purchase was afterward consummated at the cost of $126.63. It was also voted to procure "Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia," "if it can be got for $150." The mayor was soon after " requested to draw on the city treasurer for the sum of two thousand three hundred dollars, . . . the same being a part of the library fund and being appropriated by the directors to the pur- chase of books for said library."

Thus equipped, with a board of earnest, enthusias- tic directors, a fair supply of books and a librarian who was continued in office for thirteen consecutive years, our library was launched upon a career of usefulness which has continued with ever-increasing progress to the present time. This first board of directors was a fair example of those that have followed. Men of the highest character and intelligence have taken both pride and pleasure in serving in this position, and to this is largely owing the fact that the affairs of the library have all along been conducted so judiciously

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that in reviewing the past very little is seen to criti- cise or regret.

For many years there was no change in the library management. The number of subscribers fluctuated from ycar to ycar, and the attention of the directors was much engaged in efforts to increase the list. Can- vassers were occasionally employed, who were some- times paid a very high percentage on their receipts. With the idea that the word " school," in the legal title of the library, might deter some from seeking its privileges, from the erroneous opinion that it was for the exclusive benefit of the schools, an amend- ment to the ordinance was obtained in 1860, which eliminated that word and caused the title to read "City Library." In the process of incorporation, this got to read the "City Library of Lowell," which remains the full legal name of the institution. From time to time various boards of directors had recom- mended that the annual fee be remitted, and the library made free to the public, and in 1878 the mat- ter was brought to the attention of the City Council. A committee reported strongly in favor of the pro- ject, but it was defeated by a heavy vote, upon the pleas of prudence, economy, and a quite general opin- ion that the small annual payment prevented none who desired the privileges of the library from becom- ing its patrons.

Upon the completion of Huntington Hall, in 1853, the old City Hall was remodeled; the lower floor, upon which the library had been situated for nine years, was transformed into stores, and the two upper floors were assigned to various city offices. The library was placed on the upper floor, at the eastern end of the building occupying its extreme width, being in part the rooms now used by the School Com- mittee. Here it remained for another nine years, until the late Hocum Hosford offered it a home in the new building which he was about to erect on Merrimack Street, for Masonic and business purposes. His offer was accepted, and removal was made to the new quarters in 1872. These apartments were very pleas- ant, and in every way a great improvement upon the former ones. They also appeared very commodious, and to provide sufficient space for the growth of many years. But books increase in number very rapidly in a library which makes any effort to keep abreast of the public demand, and it was not very long before it was found necessary to add to the shelving capacity, which had been thought so spacious. This process of addition to the book-storage facilities has been continued at lessening intervals, until it does not seem possible to find room for another 500 volumes. Meanwhile, a remedy unexpectedly presented itself : the City Council determined to erect a city hall upon the site held for several years for that purpose, at the intersection of Merrimack and Moody Streets, and also upon the same lot a " memorial hall," which is to contain quarters for the library, adapted to the ex- pected growth of fifty years to come. The architect

of the proposed building for library purposes is Mr. Frederick W. Stickney, at whose office we have ob- tained the following description :

The new library building will extend eighty-nine feet on Merrimack Street and 121 feet on Colburn Street, the main entrance being on Merrimack Street. The entrance hall will have marble flooring, with a stair-casc eight feet wide, leading to Memorial Hall above.

The first floor will contain a delivering-room 27x27, a catalogue-room on the right 37x27, a reference- room on the left 27x43, with a smaller reference-room 18x28, a reading room for periodicals 37x38, two fire- proof book-stack-rooms to take 150,000 volumes and the librarian's room 18x37.

The second floor will contain Memorial Hall and ante-rooms.

The basement will contain a reading-room for news- papers 37x38, a repairing-room, a store-room for bound volumes of newspapers and an unpacking- room.

The year 1883 saw the beginning of moment- ous events in the history of the library which, in later years, had suffered to some extent from its "politi- cal " connection with the city government. This un- fortunate relation had at times caused men who had little or no interest in the institution to seek positions on the Board of Directors, and had occasioned changes of librarians and assistants, to the serious interrup- tion of systematic work. To remedy this condition, in some degree, the ordinance was amended, in the year mentioned, to provide for six directors, one from each ward, each to serve for three years and two to retire annually. In the same year the annual fifty cents fee was abolished, and the library made free to all. A free reading-room was also established. This important action was followed, in 1886, by a further amendment of the ordinance, by which the choice of a librarian was removed from the City Council and placed in the hands of the directors, the superinten- dent of schools was added to the ex officio members of the board and the other members were to be no longer selected by wards, but chosen at large. Upon the coming of Charles D. Palmer to the mayoralty, in 1888, he at once saw the benefit it would be to the library to sever the last connection with the ever-shift- ing elements at the City Hall. Largely at his sugges- tion, therefore, an act was passed by the State Legis- lature to incorporate a board of trustees, consisting of the mayor ex officio and five citizens appointed by him and approved by the aldermen, each of whom is to serve for five years, and one to retire annually. To these trustees is committed the entire manage- ment of the affairs of the library.

In this same year a special reading-room for women was established, which has met with a fair degree of success.

When the library was made free, considerable al- teration in the rooms was required, and the library

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was closed for several months. Advantage was taken of this interval to rearrange and classify the books according to the system known as the " decimal," or Dewey, classification. This plan serves its pur- pose admirably. By it the books are so grouped that all the works in the library upon any subject are found catalogued together in the card-catalogue, and somewhat less minutely subdivided in the printed finding-lists. The largest number of sub- scribers under the annual payment system was less than 1800, and the number of books loaned in the last year of that system was 51,000. Since the library was made free the number of borrowers has increased to not less than 5000, and the average circulation for the last five years is 115,334.

The librarians of the City Library have been Josiah Hubbard (from June 7, 1844, to January 5, 1857), J. J. Judkins (from January 5, 1857, to January 4, 1858), Eliphalet Hills (from January 4, 1858, to September 13, 1859), H. W. Palmer (from September 13, 1859, to January 2, 1860), Charles A. Kimball (from Janu- ary 2, 1860, to June 29, 1864), George C. Edwards (from June 29, 1864, to January 6, 1868), Marshall H. Clough (from January 6, 1868, to January 6, 1879, and from January 5, 1880, to July 2, 1882), Joseph A. Green (from January 6, 1879, to January 5, 1880), Frank P. Hill (from July 11, 1882, to January 8, 1884, and from January, 1885, to October 1, 1885), Henry S. Courtney (from January 8, 1884, to January, 1885), Charles H. Burbank (from October 1, 1885, to the present).

Of late years the educational idea has been promi- nent in the conduct of the library. It has come to be realized that a library of the extent of ours is called upon to perform a higher work than to provide chiefly for the entertainment of its readers, though that branch of its numerous functions is by no means neglected. But supplemental to and fellow-worker with the public schools, the library is beginning to find its highest degree of usefulness. By the aid of the intelligent teacher, the scholar's labor is greatly lightened and made more interesting and profitable, while those who have left school can continue their education in the library to the highest point if so in- clined. The relations of the library with the schools is constantly becoming more intimate, and the in- creased conveniences expected in the new building encourage the most hopeful prospect for future results in this direction. Artisans and physicians, mechan- ics, architects, engineers and working people of all sorts constantly resort to the library for the latest in- formation in regard to their respective callings, and every effort is made, not only to provide for, but even to forestall their wants.

Beginning without a book nearly half a century ago, the City Library has now upon its shelves not less than 40,000 volumes, many of which are of great and increasing value. Besides the greater number of practical worth, there are numerous books of consid-

erable bibliographical interest, including a few incu- nabula, representatives of the art of the most famous early printers and engravers, and rare works of art and literature, to enumerate which in the compass of this article would be impossible. The reference-room is unusually well supplied with cyclopædias, diction- aries and general books of reference in all depart- ments of knowledge, and this most important branch of the library is being constantly strengthened.

Catalogues .- Very soon after the organization of tbe first board of direction, and books began to be acquired, measures were taken to prepare a catalogue, and this seems to have been ready when the library was opened to the public, as the only copy preserved in the library bears the date of 1845. It comprised about 3000 volumes. Ten years thereafter, in 1855, a supplement was issued, and a second supplement, without date, followed before 1858, in which year the second complete catalogue was published, the library then containing 10,000 volumes. A supplement to this catalogue appeared in 1860. One year later, very few catalogues remaining unsold, preparations for a new edition were made with much care, and the plan adopted called for "following the examples of the catalogues of the Boston Public Library and the Middlesex Mechanics' Association," which had just appeared. The work of compilation was undertaken by Mr. Julian Abbott, for the compensation of $150, " the city to furnish stationery." The agreement was made March 27, 1861, and the copy was required to be ready for the printer October 1st. The result was an excellent catalogue, which, with three supple- ments, issued respectively in 1865, 1869 and 1870, re- mained in use until 1873, when another complete cat- alogue, on the basis of its predecessor, was thought to be necessary. Supplements followed in 1875, probably in 1878, as the only copy of the second sup- plement preserved is dated 1879, but styled " second edition," and a third, dated 1879. When the library was made free and the classification of the books begun, advantage was taken of the closing of the library to commence the preparation of a card cata- logue, consisting of at least two entries, under the author and the subject of each book. The author cards are arranged by themselves on one side of the room, and the subject cards are placed together on the other side. The subject cards are enriched by copious references to works containing mention of each particular topic, thus bringing to the attention of the reader information he might not easily find, and placing before him all the resources of the library in almost every department of human knowledge. A printed catalogue of a library of considerable size is not only costly, but it is out of date before it is published, as it cannot contain the newest books-the very ones most sought for. But a card catalogue gives the last book added to the library, as soon as it has been made ready for use. It was at first designed, however, to reproduce in print the entire card cata-

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 54

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1226

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226