USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > South Boston > History of South Boston : formerly Dorchester Neck, now ward XII of the city of Boston > Part 13
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CHAPTER XVII.
STREETS.
THE laying out of streets at Mattapannock receiv- ed little or no attention previous to its annexation to the town of Boston. The main pathway from Dorchester to the Point, which was originally trod- den by the Mattapan cattle in going daily to and from their pasture, had in the course of time become a public street ; but the proprietors or owners of the land, who do not seem always to have fully agreed with the town authorities in regard to keeping this street and its fences in repair, held the "pasture " itself in common till the year 1718.
At their meet- ing, held November 26th, of that year, a vote was passed to fence their several lots, but nothing seems to have been done respecting any passage way or street besides the said " Causeway over to Dorches- ter Neck," which was then represented to be " defec- tive and out of repair." The plan of Mattapannock, drawn in 1776, by the British General Howe, and which has been engraved for this work, shows that little change had then been made in the public high- ways of the place. In 1804, as stated in a previous chapter, many acres of land at Dorchester Neck had been purchased by several distinguished and wealthy citizens of Boston, and the project of annexing the Neck to the latter place was started by them, and warmly advocated or opposed by others according as they were interested in the matter. We find that the people of Boston proposed, as one of the first conditions of annexation, that their Selectmen should have liberty, without compensation to the
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land-owners, to lay out all necessary " streets, public squares and market places." It would seem that the want of this foresight in their ancestors, which then aude and which still makes the streets of Boston more crooked and irregular than those of almost any other city, was beginning to be understood and felt. it all events they were determined, as shown by their proceedings in this instance, to secure for their descendants, in the city which might grow up over the then fair fields and verdant pastures of Matta- pannock, the blessing of regular, wide and commodi- oas streets. This condition was accordingly intro- duced into the Act of Annexation passed by the Legis- lature; and to show that it had reference to the future, rather than to the present, it was likewise provided that the town of Boston should not be obliged to complete the streets thus laid out, sooner than the Selectmen might deem expedient. A plan of the streets, was very soon after drawn by Mr. Mather Withington, a distinguished surveyor of Dor- chester; and after various meetings of the Seleetmen of Boston and the proprietors of South Boston lands, it was approved by all parties, and the Selectmen proceeded formally in February, 1805, to lay out the streets. Those thus agreed upon and laid out were, as far as they went, and in their general ar- rangement, nearly the same as we now find them.
First, Dorchester street was to run from the old Causeway road, at the division line between Dor- chester and Boston, north 63 degrees cast, not to the water as at present, but to Broadway. It was to be 80 feet wide. From the northerly end of Dorchester street they marked out a noble avenue, destined to be one of the finest streets in our city, and now the pride of our peninsula. It was to run
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" southerly 843 degrees east to the sea or salt wa- ter, and northerly 24 degrees west until it meets the line of the Turnpike," also 80 feet wide, and was called BROADWAY. North of this, and parallel thereto, were our present First, Second and Third streets,-a large portion of the westerly end of the first one not then reclaimed from the salt water. These were each 50 feet wide, and varying from 3102 to 220 feet distant from Broadway and from each other. Southward of Broadway, and com- mencing at and running westerly from Dorchester street, were four streets, parallel to Broadway, reaching to the Turnpike, and thence bending in a direction parallel with the line of South Boston Bridge to the sea. These were then and are still called Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh streets; they were to be 250 feet from each other, and the one nearest to Broadway 276 feet therefrom. On the easterly side of Dorchester street, besides the streets mentioned, numerically named,-were Eighth and Ninth streets, making six streets here south of Broadway, parallel to it, cach 50 feet wide, and 250 fect from each other. These streets were to extend easterly to the water, some of them reaching it by passing on the northerly and some on the southerly side of the Heights, and some traversing over them and extending to the Point.
Intersecting these, and forming cross streets, were laid out six public ways west of Dorchester street, beginning 500 feet from the Turnpike, and running exactly at right angles across Broadway, all to be 500 feet apart, 50 feet wide, and reaching from the Dorchester boundary line north to the sea. East of Dorchester street, and also at right angles with Broadway, were ten other streets, 50 feet wide, and
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from 376 to 680 feet apart-all running from the salt water on the south-some of them across the Heights-to Boston harbor on the north. All these were designated by the letters of the alphabet-A street being the first from the Turnpike, and Q street at the Point near the water. In addition, were two short streets near Dorchester street,-one running parallel with the cross streets and called Old Har- bor street, the other at right angles with them and called Telegraph street.
Such was the original plan of the streets as agreed upon by the Selectmen of Boston and the proprie- tors. In 1809, the latter by deed appropriated to public use certain additional streets. A plan of them was made by Stephen Badlam, Esq., which plan, together with the deed, was deposited in the Suffolk Registry of Deeds office. By this deed, Dorchester street was continued north to the water, and some change was made in the course of Fourth street from Dorchester to G street. But the principal feature of the deed was the laying out the twenty-foot streets, as they have been called, which were marked in the plan half way between the existing length- wise streets-viz., between First and Second, be- tween Second and Third, &c., to Seventh street. This deed was signed by thirty-eight proprietors of South Boston lands-Gardiner Greene's name being at the head of the list.
Soon after the Selectmen had laid out the streets in 1805, the proprietors had a plan of them printed, and made use of it in their sales of land. They con- tinucd to use it for many years, and very little at- tention seems to have been paid to the matter by the town authorities. No deviations from the origi- nal plan were authorized by the Selectmen, yet it 17*
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was found that encroachments had gradually been made upon the streets, and their original location was in some instances changed. In consequence of this, and many doubts existing as to the correctness of the printed plan alluded to, a petition by Jona- than Hunnewell and others was presented in 1825 to the Mayor and Aldermen, requesting that a sur- veyor be appointed to "ascertain the true bounds and levels of the streets, by comparing the true with the printed plan." The year following, a committee on the subject reported that the matter was deserv- ing attention, and accompanying their report was a resolution that Mather Withington and S. P. Fuller be employed to compare the plans and report the variations, and to suggest measures for reconciling the differences-also to ascertain the expense of " affixing monuments of cedar posts at the corners of the several streets," and of deciding upon their rela- tive elevations. The report was accepted, but no part of the measures recommended was probably complied with.
About this time the original plan of Mr. With- ington was lost. Fortunately, he was still living, though quite aged, and he was employed by the Mayor of Boston to draw another plan of the streets as originally laid out. This was furnished by Mr. Withington, and is in possession of the City as an attested copy of Mr. W.'s original minutes. In 1828, when the North Free Bridge was complet- ed, it became necessary to open a new street from the south end of it to Dorchester Turnpike, which was accordingly done, and the new opening called Turnpike street. In 1831, the Board of Aldermen ordered that Second street, parts of which bordered on the northerly shore, " be made passable from
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Turnpike to Dorchester streets," and in 1836 this street was filled up and graded its whole length.
In 1837, an important movement was made in re- gard to the streets. In consequence of supposed encroachments upon the public highways, arising from the sales of land by the unauthorized plan already referred to, and from other causes, a committee was appointed by the City government to cause a new survey of the streets to be executed, conforming as nearly as practicable to the plan of Mr. Withington. Messrs. Stephen P. Fuller and Alexander Wads- worth, well known surveyors of Boston, were accord- ingly employed, and made an actual survey-and the plan was drawn and completed by Mr. Wadsworth in 1841. It appeared by this survey that encroach- ments had been made upon the public streets in al- most every part of South Boston where buildings or fences had been put up; and also that the location of some of the streets had been changed materially from the original plan, particularly in the distances between the streets crossing Broadway, from A to F, and in the northerly termination of First, Second, Third and Fifth streets, and the easterly termination of A street. Mr. Wadsworth's plan, however, did not conform strictly to the original one, but adopted some of these changes; yet according to it the en- croachments were quite numerous, and in 1844 the City Marshal was directed to notify the individuals and corporations concerned of their existence, and that the City claimed full right to remove them from the premises whenever it should be deemed expedi- ent to complete the streets. The list of encroach- ments, according to Mr. Wadsworth's plan, then made out and published, numbered no less than nine- teen cast of Dorchester street, and eighty-six west
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of it. Some of these have since been wholly or par- tially remedied, and others still remain in the same state.
Besides this new survey, much was needed to be done in regard to the streets in South Boston. The population was continually increasing, the taxes raised in the Ward were augmenting, and complaints were becoming frequent that the City was spending far less upon the streets, for the comfort and con- venience of our citizens, than they were fairly enti- tled to claim. In consequence of this and other alleged grievances, a public meeting was held in 1847, and a committee appointed to memorialize the City Government upon the subject. This was faith- fully and ably done by the Committee, and 750 copies of the Memorial presented by them were or- dered by the City Council to be printed. (See Ap- pendix I.)
This Memorial was not without its effect upon the City authorities. The southerly fort, on what was called Dorchester Heights, was soon after purchased . by the City, at an expense of $112,000, and laid out for the use of the public forever. It has since been beautified with grass plats, gravel walks, and shade trees, is enclosed with an iron fence, and its summit affords one of the finest prospects in the United States.
The construction of public sewers, which had alrca- dy been commenced in the more thickly-settled places, was afterwards prosecuted with vigor. In 1848, $1500 were expended upon a sewer in Dorchester and Second streets; in 1849, $1400 upon sewers in Broadway and Fourth streets; in 1852, was laid a sewer in the lower part of Third street, costing over $1200; in 1853, sewer in First, Second, I, and II
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streets and Broadway-$2813 48; in 1854, sewer in Fourth street, from G to Dorchester street-over $1200. These are only a portion of the items of expense in the way of drainage, which has been car- ried on extensively in our streets, and has contribu- ted to the comfort and health of our citizens.
Much has also been done in the way of paving the streets. Turnpike street was first paved, from Fourth street to the North Free Bridge. In 1849 Fourth street was paved from B to Cstreet; and in 1851 and 1852, it was paved the whole of the remain- ing distance from Turnpike to Dorchester street. Broadway was begun upon in 1850, and paved from B to D street; in 1851, from Dorchester to E; in 1852, from D to E, and also from Turnpike to B; and in 1853, from Dorchester to K. In 1854 and 1855, parts of A, B, C, and First and Second streets were paved. All the paving, except in Fourth street west of Dorchester Avenue, has been done with the cobble or rounded stones, with suitable crossings of flag stones.
In 1849, Fourth street was widened between Dor- chester and G streets, at an expense for land damages of $4089 20. In 1855 and 1856 First st. was complet- ed from A to E street. In 1852, Broadway and Fourth street were graded, at an expense of $3000. In the same year, the City Marshal was ordered to notify all owners and abuttors on Broadway and Fourth streets, from Dorchester to Turnpike street, to pave their side-walks with brick or flat stones; and after- wards the Superintendent of Streets was directed to pave all which had not been done, and charge the same to those who had neglected it. In 1852, an order was passed that Quincy, Gold, Silver, Athens and Bolton streets-being a part of the twenty-foot
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streets laid out by the proprietors of land in 1809 -be accepted by the City. In 1856, a further or- der by the City Government so far modified this ac- ceptance, that the abuttors were first required to relinquish all claim upon the City for damages in regulating the grade of these streets. In 1852, on the surrender of the Dorchester Turnpike as a toll passage way by the Turnpike Corporation, the por- tion of it in South Boston, from Fourth street to the Dorchester line, was accepted by the City. In 1853, the owners and abuttors on Broadway, between Dorchester and K streets, were directed to pave their side-walks with brick or flat stones.
The alterations which have been made, from time to time, in the grade and level of some of the streets, has been a source of much inconvenience and expense. Great changes have in this respect been made in Broadway. It has been lowered many feet between Dorchester Avenue and B street, elevated between C and D streets, and again lowered from D to F street and above Dorchester street. On the easterly side of the hill it has also been raised at different times. Strong efforts were made, a few years since, to have the knoll a little westerly of A street, in Broadway, removed by the City; but stronger rc- monstrances against it prevailed. Had it been done, a full view from its westerly end, up this fine avenue, for nearly three fourths of a mile, might have been enjoyed.
The " twin hills," as they are called on General Howe's projection of the "Neck," have interfered not a little with the rectangular course of some of our streets, and their 'continuous track across the peninsula. One of these hills, afterwards immortal- ized in American history as " Dorchester Heights,"
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has since had a portion of its summit crowned by the water reservoir, as mentioned in another place, and new avenues around it, and new walks through its capacious and commanding Park, have been found necessary. The other has been obliged to yield, with a more ignoble result to itself, to the march of improvement, and is destined, like the less pre- tending Nook's Hill which it once overlooked on the west, to disappear before the peaceful but effective attack of the pickaxe and shovel. Deep excavations through it have for several years past been connect- ing portions of streets which it had served to sepa- rate, and none of them will much longer be obliged by it to turn aside or stop short in their regular course.
The City lands, near the Point, on which the pub- lic institutions have for many years been located, have also interfered with the orderly and convenient arrangement of the streets in that part of our ward. These, too, are in a fair way to become opened to public travel, and to afford sites for private dwell- ings, churches and school-houses. In 1854, the old stockade fence enclosing them was removed, and Broadway, Second and Third streets laid out through the lands and ordered to be graded. The grade of Broadway was changed, in order to preserve the beautiful elevation at this place. Some of the grounds were prepared for the market, and subse- quently sold. Among the first sites which were se- cured in the new territory, was one for the present Baptist Chapel, which was done by a party of spirit- ed and benevolent gentlemen of South Boston; thus placing Religion in the position which it is hoped may ever be granted to it in similar undertakings among us-that of a leader and pioneer.
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In 1855, the Committee on Public Lands were re- quired by the City Council to consider the expedien- cy of laying out a portion of these lands for a Public Square, and were also directed to set apart from them a lot for a Market Place.
When the present plans in regard to all our streets shall be fully carried out, they will not suffer by comparison with those of our finest cities. Extensions will be needed, as the solid land is from time to time made to reach further into the water; and are even now required over the new territory which a recent annexation has transferred from Dorchester. The larger ones are also fast becoming beautified and shaded by the taste and labor of individuals and the efforts of our efficient Tree Association.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MANUFACTORIES.
SOUTH BOSTON has long been famous for its exten- sive manufactories. Before 1800, Dix & Brinley had Chemical Works on the shore near where Boston Wharf was afterwards built, the workmen coming over from Boston in boats. In 1811, the proprietors of the Essex street Glass Works erected large build- ings on the same shore, and to supply the necessary workmen sent an agent to England. Before his re- turn, the war with that country broke out, fuel could therefore not be obtained, and the project failed. Among the number who came over from England about this time, was our respected citizen, THOMAS CAINS, Esq. He possessed the art of mixing the
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materials to make flint-glass, and understanding all the other branches of the business, prevailed upon the proprietors to put up a small six-pot flint furnace at South Boston. This was the first successful at- tempt of the kind in this part of the country, and Mr. C. may be considered as the father of the flint- glass business in the Atlantic States.
Without attempting to mention or trace down the many business projects which have been undertaken in South Boston, we will proceed to particularize a few of the largest now or very recently carried on here-several of which are unrivalled, in their pe- culiar branches, in the United States.
South Boston Iron Works. - These extensive Works have long been the pride of our Ward, and have added greatly to the growth and prosperity of this section of the city. For a more full account of them. the reader is referred to an obituary notice, in another chapter, of CYRUS ALGER, Esq., who for so many years was at their head. The Works consist of a large brick gun-shop, a moulding and casting building, a pattern and cleaning shop, with other necessary and extensive buildings-situated on Foun. . dry street, near the westerly end of Broadway.
Union Works .- Next adjoining southerly to the South Boston Iron Company's Works, is a large. manufactory which was occupied for a time success- fully by Seth Wilmarth. Mr. W. made a contract for building thirty locomotives for the Erie Railroad. Some difficulty occurred in regard to the payment, which obliged him to suspend operations, and the extensive shops are now unoccupied.
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Adams's Printing Press and Machine Shop .- North of the buildings occupied by the South Boston Iron Company, are a number of work-shops, in exter- nal appearance not very attractive ; but the produc- tions of the workmen in them have exerted a more wide spread and beneficial influence than perhaps those of any other works in the country. We refer to the Adams Printing Press manufactory. For
nearly a quarter of a century power-presses of dif- ferent sizes have been sent out from this establish- ment, not merely to all parts of our own country, but also to the old world, where their superiority to anything of the kind there manufactured is univer- sally admitted. The Adams Press is by far the best ever invented; indeed, it is the only one now in general use for book printing. Truly we may feel proud of having for one of our citizens such a public benefactor as Mr. Isaac Adams.
These works were commenced here in 1836, by Seth Adams, the well-known sugar refiner-a bro- ther of Isaac-for whose inventions and improve- ments the printers are also much indebted.
The works have since been much enlarged, to meet the necessities of the Company. In addition to Printing Presses and other book machinery, they manufacture Sugar Mills, Steam Engines, both sta- tionary and marine-Steam Boilers, &c. The firm give employment to from 100 to 150 men.
Mr Adams last year obtained, by a special act of Congress, an extension of his patent on the printing press; and it may be here mentioned, as a most sin- gular as well as complimentary fact, that his petition for an extension received the aid and support of all the leading Publishers and Printers in the country.
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Mr. A. has recently bought out the interest of his late partners, W. B. Dodge and G. H. Everson, and is now sole proprietor.
The Fulton Iron Foundry .- Situated on Dor- chester Avenue, just at the main entrance to South Boston, is the large brick building of the Fulton Iron Foundry Company-surmounted by a cupola and bell. George C. Thacher, who with his brother Thomas Thacher and William G. Billings originated these works, and who until recently had the manage- ment of the same, was formerly connected with Mr. Cyrus Alger in the Foundry business. In 1835, having left Mr. Alger, he, in company with Thacher (Thomas) and Billings, commenced building a Foun- dry on the site of the present works, and in 1836 they formed themselves into a Corporation, the act for which was passed that year by the Legislature. A year had scarcely elapsed, before the original building, the success of which at the time of starting seemed to some doubtful, was found to be entirely inadequate to meet the demands made upon the Company for work, and a large addition, more exten- sive and commodious than the original building, was erected. In 1842, the old building, with the addition, being still too limited for the steadily in- creasing business, which under the successful man- agement of Mr. George C. Thacher had accumulated to an unexpected amount, was removed, and in its place the present pleasing and appropriate structure was erected. In a few years the Company found it necessary to still further increase their facilities for supplying the demands made upon them for work, and from time to time some three extensive addi. tions have been made, the last of which (from its
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size a Foundry almost of itself) is believed to be the most substantial and convenient of the kind in the country, making the establishment one of the most perfect in the United States.
The land occupied by the Company extends over an area of upwards of three acres, bounded on the rear by the channel, affording admirable facilities for reception or delivery by water, and in the Foundry building itself may be found almost every conve- nience at present known for a successful fulfilment of any order for all kinds of iron castings.
The enormously large and difficult castings for the engines of the United States Steam Frigate Saranac, which was being constructed by Jabez Coney, were cast at this establishment, the quality and perfection of which, excited the admiration of all experienced in such matters, who had an opportunity of examining the same. The Company are now successfully pro- secuting the casting of iron in all its different branches.
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