USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > South Boston > History of South Boston (its past and present) and prospects for the future, with sketches of prominent men > Part 11
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MEMORIAL OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF DORCHESTER AGAINST ANNEXATION.
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in General Court assembled :
The memorial of the subscribers humbly showeth, that the Inhabi- tants of Dorchester in Town Meeting, being legally assembled on the 23rd of January, in the year of our Lord, 1804, Pursuant to an Order of Notice to consider of the petition of William Tudor, Esq., Praying the Peninsula called Dorchester Neck may be set off and incorporated with the town of Boston,
102
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Voted, to Remonstrate against granting the prayer of said petition, and chose the subscribers a committee for that purpose.
They therefore beg leave to state, notwithstanding the representation of said petition, respecting the quantity of Land in Said Peninsula, the time in which it was incorporated with the Town, the relative situation thereof with respect to the Town of Boston &c., are just, yet, severing the same from its ancient connection, connected and strengthened by mutual and long timed friendship, must cause feuds and animosities naturally tending to weaken the bands of society and to discourage the spirit of industry and enterprise of which the inhabitants of Dorchester are not wholly destitute.
And they further state, that since the incorporation of the Town of Dorchester, the Town of Milton, all that was originally Stoughton and parts of other Towns, have at different periods been set off from the first Mentioned Town, and though the remainder is nearly ten miles in length, it contains little more than 7000 acres of Land, the southwesterly part is well known to be extremely rough, barren and of little value, and the only improvements which can now be made to advantage, are on that part which lies in the northeastern portion of the town. Should Said Neck, which may more properly be called the Head of Dorchester, containing nearly 600 acres of land, first in Quality, inviting the citizens of all Countries to its extensive shores, be annexed to Boston, already the successful rival of every town in the Commonwealth, the remaining part of the inhabitants of Dor- chester must lose their balance in the scale of government, and for want of proper objects to draw the spirit of enterprise and industry into action, and means to regain their former station, must remain in the background of their fellow citizens, with a large number of poor to support, many roads to maintain and new ones to make, and no diminution of their town charges.
And though the prosperity and magnificence of the town of Boston will ever be viewed with pleasure, and its commerce and manufactories be aided and cherished with avidity by the inhabitants of Dorchester, yet they conceive part of the advantages resulting from the contemplated bridge justly belongs to them, and should the same be enacted agreeably to the request of William Tudor, Esq., and Gardner Greene, or otherwise, all the advantages contemplated in the petition would rush into existence under the patronage of the town of Dorchester.
And, as the inhabitants of Boston are unwilling to receive that without compensation, which the inhabitants of Dorchester hold in the highest estimation, and will relinquish only with the greatest reluctance and deepest regret,
The subscribers, therefore, in behalf of the town of Dorchester, humbly pray the Honorable Court to take the subject into their wise consideration, and not to grant the prayer of said petition, but if the Honorable Court shall otherwise determine, that it may be done under such regulations and restrictions as shall give to the town of Dorchester a just proportion of the advantages.
( Signed ) Ebenezer Wales, Stephen Badlam, Samuel Withington, James Robinson, Jr., Ebenezer Tolman, Lemuel Crane, Thomas Mosely, Edward W. Baxter. Dated at Dorchester, January 25, 1804.
IO3
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
A memorial was presented to the selectmen of Boston by those in favor of the movement. It read as follows :
MEMORIAL OF THE PETITIONERS IN FAVOR OF ANNEXATION.
To the Selectmen of the Town of Boston :
GENTLEMEN, Whoever has attentively considered the geography and territorial extent of the town of Boston, which, within its utmost limits em- braces but eleven hundred acres, must be convinced that the present bound. aries are too scanty to admit the erection of a large copital, subject to the same municipal jurisdiction, and from its present flourishing condition,th at the period has arrived, when sound policy points to the expediency of making provisions for surmounting this disadvantage.
X: X
The adjacent towns of Roxbury, Cambridge and Charlestown cannot be supposed to consent to surrender the most valuable portion of either of their respective townships, and the seats of their busiest population, to effect this purpose, great as it assuredly is in a national view. But on the southerly quarter of the town, and most advantageously extending upward of two miles along the port. lies a tract of land almost uninhabited, and comparatively useless, comprising 560 acres, which, if united to Boston, would give that town a superiority which no other capital, New York ex- cepted, can boast of. This peninsula, bounded by the harbor, which it so much contributes to adorn, exhibits such a variety of ground, and excel- lence of location, as to fully answer the purposes contemplated.
The flats, which at present separate it from the southerly side of the town, admit of their being easily bridged, and the communication might in a few months be completed at an expense insignificant when contrasted with the important benefits necessarily resulting from that project. And when to this statement is added, that the three avenues leading into Boston have become such crowded streets as to be extremely inconvenient, and oftentimes hazardous, from the numerous carriages of every description that hourly frequent them, it will be admitted that the opening of a new passage through the least busy part of the town, and thereby creating an easy, pleasant and short intercourse with the country is an object worthy of the public attention, happily conducing to promote the health, by the exercise and relaxation of her numerous citizens.
The totally unincumbered part of this isolated district of land lying at the distance of 884 yards, and on the side of its nearest approach only 600 yards, admits of executing a plan, whenever it shall be thought eligible, of another section of Boston, in which regular and wide streets and sym- metry in the buildings, favored with air and aspect, might combine their effects in gradually raising a most desirable circle of suburbs. While the present town would always continue the great focus of business, this quar- ter of it could provide for the surplus of population, and furnish the inhabitants with suitable sites for houses and other buildings, at prices greatly beneath those in the town, which have at length become exorbitant, and consequently detrimental to an increase of new citizens, and dis- couraging to those arts upon which an infinite variety of trades are de- pendent.
IO4
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Impressed with these motives and with a view to reciprocate advan- tages, we pray you, gentlemen, to take the opinion of the inhabitants at large of the town of Boston, upon the subject of this memorial, and upon the merits of which we invite their candid discussion, and to assure them that we shall and do cheerfully consent to the annexation of all our lands lying upon the peninsula aforesaid, to the town of Boston, upon the single condition that the inhabitants will procure a bridge to be erected between Boston and Dorchester Neck, and as evidence of this, our consent, we herewith transmit to you a copy of our petition to the Legislature of the Commonwealth, to enable us to carry this, our purpose, into immediate and complete effect.
We are, with sentiments of great respect, gentlemen, your faithful, humble servants, &c.
( Signed ) William Tudor, Gardner Greene and other proprietors of lands at Dorchester Neck.
The committee of Dorchester citizens reported at the town meet- ing held February 16, 1804, that the remonstrance had been sent to the Legislature, but notwithstanding this, the joint committees of the Legislature had reported favorably on the petition for annexation. At this town meeting the statement was made that $6,000 might be ob- tained if the town would cease its opposition to the petition.
John Howes, an influential citizen of the town, discountenanced any such agreement being made, and as a result the meeting voted not to accept the $6,000, and the selectmen of the town were empowered to act for the town in opposition to the petition of William Tudor and others.
The Dorchesterites fought hard at the State House against the petition, and William Tudor and his co-workers continued to show wherein great good would result, not only for Boston but for Dorches- ter Neck itself.
The Dorchester citizens, refusing to accept $6,000, the projectors of annexation raised the amount to $20,000, but still the town would not withdraw their opposition.
At the same time that the petition for annexation was before the General Court there were also bills for the consideration of that body to authorize the building of a bridge from Boston Neck, (Dover and Washington streets) across the South Bay to Dorchester Neck, and also a bill to provide for the construction of a street from Rainsford's Lane to the bridge.
March 6, 1804, after considerable debate, the Legislature passed the bill annexing Dorchester Neck to Boston. It read as follows :
BILL ANNEXING DORCHESTER NECK TO BOSTON.
SECTION I-Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- tives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that that part of Dorchester lying northeast of the following lines, beginning at
105
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
a stake and stones at Old Harbor, so called, from the southwest corner of land formerly belonging to John Champney, running north 3712 degrees west, to a large elm tree marked "D" on the southwest side and " B " on the northwest side, standing on land belonging to the estate of Thomas Bird deceased. then running on same course to a heap of stones on the southwest side of the road : thence crossing the road, the same course and "B" on the other side upon land of Ebenezer Clapp, jr .; thence on the same course until it comes to Boston Harbor, with the inhabitants thereon, be. and they hereby are annexed to the town of Boston in the county of Suffolk : and shall hereafter be considered and deemed to be a part of Bos- ton : provided that the said tract of land, and the inhabitants thereon, set off as aforesaid, shall be holden to pay all such taxes as are already assessed by said town of Dorchester, in the same manner as they would have been if this act had not been passed.
SECTION 2-And be it further enacted, that the proprietors of said tract shall assign and set apart three lots of land on the same for public use, namely, one lot for a public market place, one lot for a schoolhouse and one lot for a burial ground, to the satisfaction and acceptance of the selectmen of Boston; or in case the said selectmen and proprietors shall not agree upon the said lots it shall be lawful for the Supreme Judicial Court, at any session thereof in said county of Suffolk, upon application of said select- men. to nominate three disinterested freeholders within the Commonwealth and not inhabitants of said town of Boston, to assign and set off the three lots aforesaid by metes and bounds; and the report of the said freeholders, or any two of them. being made and returned to and accepted by the said court at any session thereof in said county, shall be final and binding upon the parties ; and the lots of land by them assigned and set off as aforesaid, shall henceforth rest in the said town of Boston forever, without any com- pensation to be made therefor by the town; but if the person or persons whose lands shall be assigned and set apart as aforesaid, shall demand compensation therefor, the same shall be apraised by three freeholders, to be appointed as aforesaid, who shall also assign upon the other proprietors the sum or sums which each shall be holden to pay to the person whose lands may be thus assigned for public use; and the report of said free- I olders, or any two of them, being made and returned to, and accepted by said court, judgment thereon shall be final, and execution awarded as in cases of reports by referees under the rule of Court.
SECTION 3-And be it further enacted, that the selectmen of said town shall be and are hereby authorized to lay out such streets and lanes through the said tract as in their judgment may be for the common benefit of said proprietors, and of said town of Boston, and reasonable attention being paid to the wishes of the proprietors : and in case of disagreement between the selectmen and proprietors, or either of them, the same proceedings shall be had as are provided by law in other cases for laying out townways ; provided only, that no damages or compensation shall be allowed to any proprietors for such streets and lanes as may be laid out within twelve months of the passing of this act; and provided also that the town of Boston shall not be obliged to complete the streets laid out by the select- men pursuant to this act, sooner than they may deem it expedient to do.
106
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
It was a long and bitter contest, and resulted in Dorchester not only losing a portion of its territory, but they were chagrined when they realized they had also lost $ 20,000 which had been offered them for a cessation of opposition.
With the passage of the bill, March 6, 1804, the name of Dorches- ter Neck was changed to that of South Boston, and comprised every- thing east of what is now Dorchester and Ninth Streets.
South Boston at the time of its annexation to Boston comprised about 560 acres of land. The number of inhabitants was about sixty and of poll tax payers there were nineteen. There were about thirty- one owners to the territory, only nineteen of whom lived in the district.
BOSTON HARBOR
MF
HENRY NEWMAN'S LAND
JOHN CHAMPNEY
NEREMITH LOTE
JAMES BLAKE HEIRS
JUDGE TUDOR & Co's LAND
EVERETT MASON
E.C.AP
FORMERLY
STEPHAN HK.CIN SON
BIRD
FOSTER'S
GOULD'S
53MUH
CHAMP- NEY'S
HAWES LAND
LE.
ETT
HENRY
LAND
AMASA CLAP
GovLy
LAND
PR SCOLLAY
VAS EVERETT
E CLAP
BENJAMIN CLAP
SAND BLANTVAS
OOKCHESTER
aIR
OLD HARBOR
SOUTH BOSTON LANDS AND OWNERS. (From a Drawing made shortly after Annexation.)
The following is a list of proprietors with the amount of tax :
STATE, TOWN, AND COUNTY TAX IN 1804.
Names
No. Polls
Poll Tax
Value Real Estate
Real Estate Tax
Total Tax
Blake, James .
$ 7,000
$ 43 68
$43 68:
Bird, Jonathan 3d .
I
I
75
15,400
96 10
97 85
Bird, Sam'l and Ezekiel .
2,700
16 85
16 85
Bird, Thomas.
6oc
3 74
3 74
Bird, Jacob
I
I
75
I 75
Bird, Elijah
.
I
I
75
I
75
Clap, Lemuel .
I
I
75
3,700
23 09
24 84
Clap, Jason ( Brick Yd) .
2,000
12 48
12 48
Clap, Mary (widow )
2,700
16 85
16 85
Cobb, Samuel
3,300
20 61
20 61
Champney, John
2,200
13 73
13 73.
Deluce, John
I I 75
800
4 99
6 74
Everett, Moses Esq.
6,000
37 44
37 44
Farrington, John 2d
I
I 75
7,800
48 67
5ยบ 42
4
GARNIER GREENE &CO
H. NEWMAN
JONATHAN BIRD
MENNY Ed
CAP) (CLAR)
JOHN HAWES
NEWMAN
COL. CLAP
BAY
CAPT GRAVY ICHANTE NEY
CAPT.LIN VELCIAP
ARTS- SRN
BIRD
THEIRS
WID MAN
CLAP PHNOWE
E CLAP
ELIJAHCLAP
TOWN OF DORCH ESTER
MOSES EVERETT
JAS BLAKE LAND
DEACON
EZEKIEL BIRD
HAWES
KRONER
(NOLONISTEN NOCH(A)
MOSES EVERY
19
MEZ
SCAN ka"
5
TUDOR
SPRAGUE
EVERETT
5.2015
HUNPHREY
IO7
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Gore. Jeremiah
500
12
3 12
Gray, John
1,200
7 49
7 49
Gould. Abraham
I I 75
27,000
168 48
170 23
Harrington. Rufus .
I
I
75
Soo
4 99
6 74
Harrington. James
750
4 68
4 68
Harrington. Jas. (grdn.)
Soo
4 99
4 99
Hartshorn, Oliver .
750
4 68
4 68
Higginson. Stephen L.
1,800
29 95
29 95
Leeds. Thos. .
I
I
75
600
3 74
5 49
Loring, Israel
I
I
75
Soo
4 99
6 74
Marshall, Moses
I
I
75
300
I 87
3 62
Munroe, Thomas
I
I
75
I
75
Newman, Henry
I
I
75
10,600
66 14
67 89
Payson, Samuel
1,300
8 II
8 II
Robbins. Edward .
3,000
18 72
18 72
Spear. Lemuel
I
I
75
2,500
15 60
17 35
Spear. Aaron.
I
I
75
400
2 50
4 25
Temple, James
I
I
75
12,600
78 62
78 62
Tileston. Onisepherus
I
I
75
I 75
Williams. David
I
I
75
500
3 12
4 87
Woodward, Joseph.
I
I 75
15,800
98 59
100 34
19
$33 25
$ 1 39,200
$ 868 61
$901 86
I 75
Tudor. Wm. Esq.
Immediately after annexation, land values took a decided jump. Lots of land that could have been purchased in 1803 for $40 an acre, sold in 1804 at $400 and $500 an acre and the sales were quick.
Two of the land owners who lived in South Boston were never reconciled to the annexation, although one of them had a farm of fifty- two acres, which was thereby greatly increased in value.
CHAPTER XVI.
BOSTON SOUTH BRIDGE-FIRST TO SOUTH BOSTON.
Town reached only by boat -Legislature petitioned for a bridge - Boston willing - Dis- pute as to whether it should be from south end or north end of the town - The act to incorporate the Proprietors of the Boston South Bridge- Street completed to connect with the bridge- Bridge opened for the first time with a great demonstration -Some residents still dissatisfied.
T HERE was no direct way to reach Boston from South Boston, previous to the annexation, except by crossing in a boat. It had not been found necessary to erect any bridge, either temporary or permanent, as there were only ten families at the Neck and there was but little travel. From Dorchester to Boston the way was over Rock Hill to Boston Neck.
To accomodate those who might wish to cross from the Neck to the city at the point where now is Dorchester Avenue, or Federal Street bridge, small boats plied across from the foot of Nook Hill to Windmill Point in Boston, and there was also boat service from Rainsford's Lane (now Dover Street) to the foot of Fourth Street.
When William Tudor and others petitioned the Legislature for the annexation of Dorchester Neck to Boston, they also petitioned for a bridge to connect the two places, to provide a shorter route than by water. Their petition asked for a bridge from the foot of Rainsford's Lane to the foot of Fourth Street, to be known as the South Bridge.
The town of Boston was asked by the petitioners to sanction the annexation proposition " upon the single condition that the inhabitants of Boston will procure a bridge to be erected between Boston and Dor- chester Neck."
Then ensued a dispute which kept the citizens of Boston aroused for many months. They did not object to the annexation or the build- ing of the bridge, but they opposed the conditions upon which it should be annexed and the location of the proposed bridge.
Finally, January 31, 1804, annexation was agreed upon by the Bostonians with the provision "that the place from which and the terms on which the bridge should be built, shall be left entirely with the Legislature," and the Boston Representatives were authorized to favor the measure.
Then it was proposed that the bridge be built from South Street in the town of Boston to the foot of Nook Hill or thereabouts. The joint committee of the Senate, February 14, 1804, on the petition of Mr. Tudor and others, reported " that the petitioners have leave to bring in
109
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
a bill authorizing them to build a bridge from South Street in Boston to Dorchester Neck, as set forth in the petition ; agreeable to such rules, regulations and conditions as shall be prescribed by the Legislature."
But there was a great deal of opposition to the building of the bridge at that place. The people at the south end of Boston wanted it built from Orange Street (now Washington Street). This created still more excitement and discussion on all sides.
The south enders organized for the purpose of agitating for the change of location, and proposed, if their wishes were granted and the bridge built from Rainsford's Lane (a point where now is the corner of
BOSTON WITH WINDMILL POINT. (FROM DORCHESTER HEIGHTS.)
Washington and Dover Streets), to construct a suitable street from Orange Street to the head of the proposed bridge.
Accordingly a petition was presented to the General Court to in- corporate certain persons for the purpose of building such a street. The petition provided that "no liberty be granted for the erection of any avenue to South Boston north of this bridge, unless at some future period the increased settlement of this part of the country should be such that the public exigencies should require the same."
This resulted in a compromise between the Dorchester Point pro- prietors and the south enders, and for a time the south bridge was given up.
IIO
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
The joint sommittee of the Legislature reported favorably on the compromise, February 23, 1804, and the bill to incorporate the south enders for the purpose of making the street was read for the first time, and Thursday, March I, it was passed to be engrossed.
Tuesday, March 6, 1804, Governor Strong signed the three very important bills that marked the first step in the establishment of South Boston -annexing Dorchester Neck to Boston, incorporating the pro- prietors of the Boston South Bridge, and incorporating the Front Street corporation.
The bridge bill was as follows :
BOSTON" SOUTH BRIDGE. CHAPTER XLVII. An Act to Incorporate the Proprietors of the South Boston Bridge.
Whereas the erecting of a bridge over the flats and channel of the southwesterly part of Boston, from the land belonging to the town of Boston, or some place contiguous thereto, to Dorchester Neck, would be of great public utility : And William Tudor, Gardner Greene and others, are desirious of an act of incorporation to empower them to build said bridge, and have subscribed a sum for the executing and completing the same :
SECTION. I. Be it therefore enacted, by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that William Tudor, Gardner Greene, Jonathan Mason and Harrison Gray Otis, Esquires, so long as they shall continue Proprietors as aforesaid, together with those who are, and shall become their associates, shall be a corporation and body politic, under the name of The Proprietors of the Boston South Bridge, and by that name shall sue and prosecute, and be sued and prosecuted to final judgment and execution and do and suffer all other acts and things, which bodies politic may or ought to do and suffer ; that said corporation shall have full power and authority to make, have and use a common seal, and the same to break, alter and renew at pleasure.
SECTION 2 referred to the organization of the Proprietors.
SECTION 3. And be it therefore enacted, that for the purpose of reimburs- ing the said Proprietors of the said bridge, the money to be expended in building and support of the same, and, if indemifying them, a toll be, and is hereby granted and established for the benefit of said corporation, according to the rate following, viz: For each single horse cart, sled or sleigh six cents ; one person and horse four cents ; each wheelbarrow, hand- cart, and every other vehicle capable of carrying like weight, two cents; each single horse and chaise, chair or sulkey twelve cents; coaches, chariots, phaetons and curricles seventeen cents each ; all other wheel carriages, or sleds, drawn by more than one beast eight cents each ; any cattle or horse passing over this bridge, exclusive of this rate, or any carriages or teams, two cents each ; swine and sheep six cents for each dozen and at the same rate for a greater or less number ; in all cases the same toll shall be paid for all carriages passing said bridge, whether the same be loaded or not loaded ; and to each team one man and no more shall be allowed as a driver to pass free from payment of toll ; and at all times when the toll gatherer shall not attend to his duty, the gate or gates shall be left open ; and the said toll shall commence at the day of the first opening of the said
III
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
bridge for passengers, and shall continue for and during the term of seventy years from the said day, and be collected as shall be prescribed by said corporation.
SECTION 4. And be it further enacted, that the said bridge shall be built of good and sufficient materials, not less than forty feet wide, and well covered with plank or timber, suitable for such a bridge, with such rules on each side for the safety of travellers and protection of foot passengers, and said bridge shall be kept accommodated with not less than twenty lamps. which shall be well supplied with oil, and lighted in due season, and kept burning until midnight : and there shall also be made a good and sufficient draw or passageway, at least thirty feet wide in the channel over which said bridge shall be built, proper for the passing and repassing of vessels. through which vessels may pass, free of toll, and shall also erect at said draw. and continue in good repair, a well constructed and substantial pier or wharf on each side of the said bridge and adjoining to the draw every way sufficient for vessels to lie at securely ; and the said draw shall be lifted for all vessels without delay and without toll, except for boats passing for pleasure : and it shall be lawful for the proprietors of the said bridge to make the leaves of said draw twenty feet long instead of the width of the bridge : and the said bridge shall be kept in good, safe and passable repair for the term of seventy years, to be computed as aforesaid, and at the expiration of said term shall be surrendered in like repair to the Commonwealth, who shall be deemed the successor of said corporation ; and at the several places where the said toll shall be received, there shall be erected by the said corporation, and exposed to open view constantly a board or sign, with the rates of toll and all the tollable articles fairly and legibly written thereon in large capital letters.
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