USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Medford > History of the town of Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1630, to the present time, 1855 > Part 6
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Medford has always kept its roads in very good condition, and the blue gravel found here has made it comparatively
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
easy. May 15, 1758: "Voted £10 for the repair of the roads." This is the first vote of the kind on record. Till this time, each citizen had worked out his "highway tax " by himself or hired man. Straightening and widening roads became each year a more imperative duty, since the first ones were little better than cow-paths. Seventy years ago began conversations on the expediency and importance of opening new routes for travel between this and the neighboring vil- lages. March 9, 1761 : Many inhabitants of the town peti- tioned the Court of Sessions for a road across the marshes at " Labor in Vain ;" thus connecting the eastern part of the town with the Boston road. The petition was granted, and the Commissioners laid out the road and assessed the damages ; but it was concluded not to build it. March 5, 1787, the town voted, " That Benjamin Hall, Esq., Gen. John Brooks, and Thomas Brooks, Esq., be a Committee to petition the Court of Sessions to obtain a new road through a part of Col. Royall's and Capt. Nicholson's farms." This was never obtained.
Dec. 7, 1795 : Voted to measure the route from Jonathan Brooks's Corner to Lexington. This road was not accepted. Voted to erect sign-posts through the town.
Nov. 18, 1801 : " Voted to choose a Committee to oppose the opening of a new road to Charlestown."
May 10, 1802: A Committee was chosen "to lay out a road between Medford, Stoneham, and Reading, through the woods ; " also to see if a road from the meeting-house to Joseph Wyman's was feasible. Purchase Street was opened many years after, according to this suggestion.
Sept. 13, 1802: The Court of Sessions direct, "that the road from Jonathan Brooks's Corner to West Cambridge shall be widened, Medford and Charlestown paying for the lands taken." Labor of a man on the highways, one dollar for eight hours ; and two dollars for a team. In 1819, one dollar and twenty-five cents, and two dollars and fifty cents.
May 7, 1804 : The town chose a Committee " to stake out the private ways in the town." The intention of the town doubtless was, that those avenues, paths, or range-ways, through which the public have a right of way, should be marked out and recorded. It is very important that these rights should be preserved, and as important that they should not be unjustly claimed. Settling near a river gave superior facilities for transportation in early times ; and, therefore, free
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ROADS.
access to a landing place was important. This accounts for so many of these " private " ways in New England. Nov. 9, 1846: The town chose a Committee of three, to ascertain what right of way exists for the use of " Rock Hill Land- ing." The owner of the land denies all rights ; and a suit is now pending, amicably to settle the question.
As soon as ship-building laid its first keel in Medford, the town felt a new impulse, and began to increase in numbers by a new ratio. This required new streets ; and from 1810 to the present time they have been constantly opening, either by municipal authority or by private experiment. These may be seen, and will be preserved, on the map of Medford, now just completed.
The only streets named in the records before 1843 are Main, South, Union, High, Purchase, Cross, Ship, Park, Salem, Fulton, and Forest.
It has become a fashion to lay out small townships or dis- tricts anywhere within twenty and thirty miles of the capital. Private gentlemen open roads through their grounds, mark off many acres into small " lots," publish a map of the un- born city, and on the appointed day begin to sell the little enclosures at public auction. Many people are thus happily tempted to desert the city, and live in the more healthful country. By these means, the number of public roads has been doubled, in some towns, within the last twenty years. The town of Medford is not without such enterprise, and such results. Edmund T. Hastings, Esq., originated for West Medford a beneficence of this kind in 1845; and, in conjunction with Mr. Samuel Teel, jun., has opened ten new streets ; and, within nine years, there have been erected thirty-five dwelling-houses within the enclosures and the neighborhood.
A similar outlay has been made (1852) by a Company whose enterprising agent, Mr. T. P. Smith, was promising great improvements in buildings and orchards, when death suddenly took him in 1854. The streets there are named Harvard Avenue ; Bower, Monument, Myrtle, Marian Streets ; Gorham Park, Lake Park.
Mr. John Bishop has done the same thing on his paternal estate north of "Gravelly Bridge," and also on the deep forest south of Pine Hill. This last he calls Bellevue. On the first area, several dwelling-houses are built; but on the second, none. He has pierced the woods by streets, which
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
allow us to ride at ease among tangled shrubbery and ancient oaks, where, as children, we were forbidden to venture, for fear of being lost. Some hundred years hence, when this lovely spot shall have been occupied with country villas and beautiful gardens, the fathers may sit in a pavilion on Pine Hill, and tell their children how the rich fields below them were an impenetrable forest.
A similar show of diagrams is presented by Mr. Bishop on his lands east of the "Fountain House ; " and, we trust, cor- responding good results will hereafter be experienced. This was done July 13, 1853 ; and, in honor of the Indian chief, he has called it "Sagamore Vale." In former times, they built houses, and then laid out roads; now, they lay out roads, and then build houses.
The large farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres, be- longing to Messrs. James and Isaac Wellington, situated on the eastern border of Medford, was divided into lots and parallel streets, Nov. 1, 1854. Its nearness to Boston, and the facilities of travel by railroad, offer tempting situations for suburban residences.
In 1854, twenty small houses were built on one street in East Medford ; ten on one side, and ten on the other. They are all of the same size and form, equally distant, very near together ; and each house is opposite a space left open on the other side of the street. The settlement is called Williams- burg, after the builder and owner of the houses.
The " Edgeworth Company," in Malden, on the eastern border of Medford, has commenced a promising settlement.
From earliest times, the town chose annually a "Surveyor of Highways," whose duty it was to superintend the repairs of the public roads. He had full power to decide where and to what extent repairs should be made. As population and streets increased, several surveyors became necessary ; and they received compensation for their time and labor. After the brick Alms House was built in West Medford, near the Lowell Railroad Depôt (1812), Isaac Brooks, Esq., who had taken the deepest interest in the matter, proposed to employ the male paupers in repairing the highways. This plan was adopted ; and, under the guidance of a general surveyor, the keeper of the Alms House went forth every day with his picked men and horse-cart. As this procedure converted the Alms House from a place of ease to a place of labor, it had the magical effect of thinning the number of male occupants.
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ROADS.
The annual cost for repairing the roads had been from two hundred and fifty to four hundred and fifty dollars.
In 1814, the town opposed the opening of a road from the Charlestown Road, at the foot of Winter Hill, to Cragie's Bridge in East Cambridge. A long and warm debate con- cerning this project prevailed for a considerable time ; but, at length, the patrons of the measure succeeded, and the road was opened. For twenty years, it proved to be, what the town foretold it would be, an almost unused highway. Even now, it diverts very little travel from the better and shorter routes through Charlestown.
In 1818, the town voted to expend one hundred dollars in repairing the roads ; in 1831, voted three hundred dollars ; in 1840, voted one thousand dollars ; in 1850, voted fifteen hundred dollars. Appended to the vote of 1840 was this prohibition : None but inhabitants shall be allowed to work in repairing the roads; and each inhabitant shall have the same right and opportunity of working out his highway tax.
In 1831, the Lowell Railroad was laid out through Med- ford, creating no small opposition in some quarters, and as warm advocacy in others. Its charter is dated June 5, 1830, and bears the names of John F. Loring, Lemuel Pope, Isaac P. Davis, Kirk Boot, Patrick T. Jackson, Geo. W. Lyman, and Daniel P. Parker. The number of directors was five ; the number of shares, one thousand. The act provided, that no other railroad should, within thirty years, be author- ized leading to any place within five miles of the northern termination of the road. Its stock has, at times, maintained a higher premium than that of any other company ; and the road has caused fewer deaths than any one so long and so much travelled.
1832: The town chose a Committee to sell the Alms House and lands adjoining to the corporation of the railroad ; and also to see that said road be no obstruction to travel.
The construction of this road through Medford has added vastly to our wealth and comfort. It has doubled the price of land upon its borders. It has induced the building of the new houses in West Medford, and promises to make this beautiful portion of the town a rival in population to the older East. For the small fare of fifteen cents, it presents each day a dozen opportunities for going to Boston, and as many for returning ; and occupies about fifteen minutes in
8
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
the passage. Rival roads have lately deprived it of some of its former exclusive advantages. This was the first railroad made in New England for public travel. Its cost was enor- mous, and its rails were all laid on granite blocks. These have been found to wear the machinery of the locomotives and cars so rapidly as to induce a substitution of wooden sleepers. The longest freight-train, drawn by one engine, that has passed loaded over the road, numbered one hundred and sixty-three baggage cars.
The " Medford Branch Railroad " was incorporated March 7, 1845 ; and the names of the petitioners are James O. Cur- tis, Henry L. Stearns, Jos. Manning, jun., Daniel Lawrence, Nath. H. Bishop, and Andrew Blanchard, jun. Jan. 22, 1845 : The town passed the following : " Resolved, as the sense of the people of Medford, that it is expedient that the prayer of the petitioners for a railroad to connect Medford with Boston be granted."
By the act of incorporation, " the capital stock shall not consist of more than one thousand shares at one hundred dollars each." The Act further stated, " If the said railroad shall not be constructed within two years from the passage of this act, then the same shall be void." It was readily finished, and proves to be a most productive and convenient road.
The " Stoneham Branch Railroad Company " was incorpo- rated May 15, 1851; Thaddeus Richardson, Amasa Farrier, and William Young, named as the corporation. Section 7th of the Act has the following condition : "The construction of the said road shall not be commenced until the capital named in the charter shall have been subscribed by responsi- ble parties, and twenty per cent paid into the treasury of the said company." This road was commenced and graded from Stonehanı into the bounds of Medford, where its further construction suddenly stopped. That its proposed course through Medford may be changed, and the whole road then completed, is probable.
The streets in Medford are, in most places, furnished with sidewalks and ornamented with elm-trees. It is cheering to see the spaces at the meeting of some roads occupied with trees. The delta of four hundred feet at the meeting of Grove and High Streets, in West Medford, was the first example. The trees were planted, and the fences made and maintained, by Hon. Peter C. Brooks. The town granted him permission, Nov. 22, 1822. A legacy of five hundred dollars
RAILROAD STATION
GUERRELAN
BOOT & SHOE STORE
ROOMS
F. H KIDDER
-
--
AL RAWSON DEL
FT STUART
O R WILKINSON, DAG
InMAM me DASP
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BRIDGES.
from Turell Tufts, Esq., was expended, according to his directions, in planting ornamental trees on the roadsides. May this growing charity of a good friend of Medford be imitated by many hereafter! Others, from motives of taste and profit, have adorned our highways with forest-trees, whose summer shade will soon shelter the fashionable lady in her morning promenade, and the weary animals in their noonday labor.
Streets in Medford have received the following names : High, Main, Forest, Salem, Ashland, Oakland, Washington, Fountain, Fulton, Court, Cross, Park, Pleasant, Purchase, South, Middlesex, Water, Ship, Canal, Cherry, Webster, Almont, Cottage, Ash, Oak, Chestnut, Grove, Garden, Paris, Chaplin, Mystic, Brooks, Allston, Vernon, Irving, Auburn, Prescott, West, Laurel.
Appropriation for highways from Feb. 1, 1850, to Feb. 1, 1851 $1,500.00 Appropriation for highways from Feb. 15, 1854, to Feb. 15, 1855 $1,800.00 Expenses of street lamps for the same times . $323.75
BRIDGES.
The bridge across Mystic River, in the centre of Medford, is the first that was built over this stream. This primitive structure was exceedingly rude, and dangerously frail. March 4, 1634 : The General Court, " holden at Newton," make a grant of much land in Medford, " on the north side of Mystic River," to Mr. Mathew Cradock, merchant in Lon- don. This distinguished friend of the pilgrims never came to this country ; but his agent and representative, Mr. Nicholas Davison, conducted an extensive fishing business in Medford, on his account, and probably was the person who first sug- gested the erection of a bridge.
Mr. Cradock's agent (Davison) commenced the building of a bridge over the river in 1638. The place selected was that where the present bridge stands ; that being the most easterly spot, where the marshes, on the south side of the river, would allow safe roads to it. The builder exacted toll. It was the first toll-bridge in New England. The town prose- cuted the builder for his " hindrance of boats," and for " tax- ing cattle that go over that bridge." The bridge was long,
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
because the banks of the river at that place were low ; and on both sides was swamp.
In 1639, we have the following record on the subject of a bridge : " At the General Court, Boston, the 22d of 3 mo. (called May), 1639, Mr. Mathew Cradock is freed of rates to the county, by agreement of the Court, for the year ensu- ing from this day, in regard of his charge in building the bridge ; and the county is to finish it at the charge of the public. Mr. Davison and Licut. Sprague to see it done, and to bring in their bill of charges." This record further proves that a bridge had been commenced at this early day by Mr. Cradock ; that it was not finished by him; that he received exemption from taxes by a vote of the General Court, because the bridge was so built and so placed as to be a public benefit ; and, finally, it proves that the bridge was finished at this time, and at the expense of the Province. Four years after this, we have the following record : " Gene- ral Court, May 10, 1643: It is ordered Mr. Tomlins should have £22 to repair Mistick Bridge, to make it strong and suf- ficient, for which sum of £22 he hath undertaken it." This extract proves that the bridge very soon needed repairing, and that about one hundred dollars were necessary for the work. The bridge therefore must have been important, as a public way, to have received such large attention from the General Court. The frailty of the structure must have been remarkable ; for, only three years passed before it again de- manded the care of the General Court. The record is as follows : " At a General Court, at Boston, for Elections, the 6th of the 3 mo. (May), 1646, Ralph Sprague and Edward Converse appointed to view the bridge at Mistick, and what charge they conceive meet to be presently expended for the making it sufficient, and prevent the ruin thereof, or by fur- ther delay to endanger it, by agreeing with workmen for the complete repairing thereof, and to make their return to Mr. Willoughby and Mr. Burrell, and what they shall do herein to be satisfied out of the treasury."
These frequent draughts on the provincial treasury began to alarm the government, and the following record shows the steps taken accordingly : " At a Session of the General Court, the First month, 1648: It was voted by the whole Court, that Mistick Bridge should be made and maintained by the county at the public charge." This movement created alarm through Medford, because strong fears were entertained
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BRIDGES.
that the county would let the bridge go to ruin. No penalty for non-performance of duty was imposed. Mr. Cradock's agent, therefore, sent his petition, the nature of, which can be ascertained only by the following reply : - " General Court, 28th of the 7th mo., 1648: In answer to the petition of Nic. Davison, in the behalf of Mr. Cradock, for the repairing and maintaining of Mistick Bridge by the county, the said Mr. Davison being sent for, the evidence he can give being heard and examined with the records of the General Court, it appears that the General Court did engage for an exemp- tion from rates for that year, and finishing the same on their own charges, which accordingly hath been done."
We may infer from these proceedings, that the bridge was very likely to be out of repair, and that Mr. Cradock's work- men and business required it to be strong and safe. Five years roll away, and the county appears to have done little for the safety of the bridge. The indefatigable Mr. Davison, urged on doubtless by Mr. Cradock, appeals once more to the supreme authority. That the General Court should now feel determined to put an end to this standing annoyance, we cannot wonder. Probably by consultation with Mr. Davison, they came to the following financial conclusion : " 28th of 3d mo., 1653 : Upon a petition presented by Mr. Nicholas Davi- son, in the behalf of Mr. Cradock, in reference to Mistick Bridge, it is ordered by this Court, and hereby declared, that, if any person or persons shall appear that will engage suffi- ciently to build, repair, and maintain the bridge at Mistick at his or their proper cost and charges, it shall be lawful, and all and every such person or persons, so engaging, are hereby authorized, and have full power, to ask, require, and receive of every single person, passing over the said bridge, one penny, and for every horse and man sixpence; for every beast twopence, and for every cart one shilling ; and this to continue so long as the bridge shall be sufficiently maintained, as aforesaid." This order of Court proves to us, that the county had not kept the bridge in repair ; that Mr. Cradock probably used it much in transporting heavy loads ; and, finally, that the bridge was at first constructed to allow the passage of heavy burdens in ox-teams.
Put all these legislative orders together, and the inferences drawn from them, and we have a very satisfactory history of the first bridge in Medford. We can see, in our mind's eye, a rude structure, sufficiently wide to allow but one cart to
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
pass at the same time, and so poorly put together as to be endangered by every high tide and by floating ice. We can furthermore see that the bridge was placed where the present one stands ; and, lastly, we may say, that to Mr. Mathew Cradock, of London, our fathers were indebted for this great convenience.
The next step of interest, relating to Mystic Bridge, was the appointment of a Committee by the County Court to de- cide what bridges should be built and maintained. They report as follows, May 15, 1657 : -
"In obedience to an order of the County Court, held at Charles- town, Dec. 30, 1656, we, whose names are underwritten, meeting at Cambridge, March 2, 1657, to weigh and consider what bridges are fittest to be built and maintained at the county's charge, after due examination of things, we find the bridges of this county, already erected and to be erected (as we conceive), to exceed for number and charge all the other counties within this Colony ; and, withal, considering the great necessity of bringing in all that are alike use- ful, which would amount to such a charge that we question the county's ability to maintain and bear the charge thereof; and hav- ing some experimental knowledge that towns will be more cautious in laying ont their own costs than the counties, both in building and repairing, do therefore conclude, according to our weak apprehen- sions, that as few bridges should be built at the county's charge as pos- sibly may be ; only those two bridges, i. e., at Billerica and Mistick, to be finished at the county's charge, and for time to come maintained in repair by the towns and precincts in which they are, and those towns that are forced to build bridges more for the passage of others than their own benefit may have help from the county, by this honored Court's appointment ; if their burden in building bridges exceed their sister towns, and in case any town shall propound to this honored Court for erecting of bridges contrary to what is here present, - we are ready to give further account to this Court why the county should be no further charged that way. And, whereas it appears to us that Concord, Sudbury, and Lancaster are at a greater charge in bridges for the public use of the country than some other of their neighbor towns, we conceive it meet that they be abated as follow- eth : Concord and Lancaster all their rates, whether paid or to be paid, to those two bridges above named, and Sudbury the one-half of their rates to the said bridges, and their abatements to be satisfied to the undertakers of those bridges, or repaid again to such as have paid, as followeth : i.e., Chelmsford, two pounds; Billerica, one pound ; Charlestown, ten pounds ; Meadford, two pounds ; and what these shall fall short of satisfying those above-mentioned abatements, made up out of the county stock, either fines or otherwise, as the Court shall please to determine.
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BRIDGES.
" Provided always, we think it meet that no stop be made of any the above-said abatement, so as to interfere or obstruct the perform- ing of the present engagement respecting those bridges.
" Ralfe Mousall. Hugh Mason. Edward Goffe. Joseph Wheeler.
Thomas Noyes.
Edward Johnson. William Condrey. Abraham Hill.
Jno. Prescott. John Parker."
"April 7, 1657 : This return being made to the Court, it was accepted by the Court, who order that this return of the Committee shall be presented to the next General Court, by the Clerk of the Court, for their confirmation and settling thereof.
" THOMAS DANFORTH,
" Recorder."
This report of the Committee was accepted, and it placed the question of the bridges on its true basis.
The plan of taxing the county, or the towns that use it, for the support of Medford Bridge, was productive of con- stant trouble to all concerned, and led to lingering lawsuits. It being the only bridge over Mystic River, it must be used by many travellers from Salem, Saugus, Andover, Reading, &c. Woburn was obliged by law to help support it, and they of that town constantly complained and objected.
Woburn records, of Oct. 28, 1690, say : "Serg. Mathew Johnson, Serg. John Pierce, chosen to meet the Court's Committee, and treat with them about Mistick Bridge." The same records, of May, 1691, say : " The selectmen met with Malden men and Reading men to consult about defending ourselves at the County Court ; being warned to appear there about Mistick Bridge."
1693: Woburn grew very emphatic, and said : "Woburn was not concerned in the presentment of Mistick Bridge ; neither would they do any thing in order to the repairing thereof, except by law they were forced thereto." In 1694, Woburn was again cited by order of Court, and threatened with a fine of £5; yet was inflexible, and put itself in the posture of defence. The question was tried at Boston, and, after able attorneys had spoken on both sides, the Court decide as follows : -
" Middlesex, ss. - At the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, holden at Charlestown, Jan. 23, 1694.
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
" Whereas, there was an order of the General Court, in the year 1691, referring to the settlement of Mistick Bridge to the County Court of Middlesex, the said Court ordering the repairing of said bridge to be by the respective towns of Charlestown, Woburn, Malden, Reading, and Medford, according to their wonted manner, till the Court make further provisions, and the defects of said bridge having been presented to this Court before the late law respecting bridges, this Court order that the said respective towns do forthwith make sufficient repairs of the said defect of said bridge, upon pains and penalty of £5 fine, to their Majesties for their respective defaults of each of the said towns; and then to make return of their doings therein to the next General Sessions of the Peace for Middlesex ; and that for the future it shall be left to the determination of the law."
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