USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 41
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The sum collected and paid into the treasury of the city in 1920 was $1,451,186; bonded debt outstanding, $2,580,500; temporary loans out- standing, $400,000; tax overlay (1919), $15,000; total credits, $3,184,- 000 ; treasurer's balance, $323,783; balance net debt, $2,280,000; present borrowing capacity, $177,773.
Until the great shipping, fishing and ocean trade had virtually left Salem for other ports of the world, its population was almost entirely
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Haw thorne Nasto
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BIRTHPLACE OF HAWTHORNE
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English blood, but times changed, and in a few years other nationalities settled there, so that today it has a mixed population, some of almost every race and division of the human family. The United States census gives the total population from 1850 to the present date as follows: In 1855 (no government report at hand for 1850), 20,934; in 1860, 22,252; in 1870, 24,117 ; in 1880, 27,598 ; in 1890, 30,801; in 1900, 35,956 ; in 1910, 43,697; and in 1920, 42,529.
Salem's many well known men include Alexander Graham Bell, in- ventor of the Bell telephone system; Nathaniel Bowditch, the great navi- gator; Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of "Scarlet Letter," etc .; General James Miller, of Lundy's Lane, collector of customs in Salem when Haw- thorne was surveyor of the port; Joseph E. Worcester, author of "Wor- cester's Dictionary" and other works; Story, Benson and Rogers, cele- brated sculptors.
The first practical system to supply Salem with water was con- ceived in 1796. Those interested in the scheme met at the old Sun Tav- ern. As a result, a charter was secured March 9, 1797, under the style of the "Proprietors of the Salem and Danvers Aqueduct." This pro- vided that the towns of Danvers and Salem should have the right to place conductors into the pipes for the purpose of drawing such water there- from as might be necessary, "when any mansion, house or barn or other building" should be on fire, without paying therefor. This company was legally organized April 7, 1797. William Gray, Jr., was president, and Jacob Ashton, vice-president. The fixed capital was $10,000, divid- ed into one hundred shares of $100 each. At first, the system consisted of a large hogshead sunk into the spongy ground near Brown's and Spring pond, pine logs with three-inch bore, and a reservoir on Gallows Hill, ten feet deep and twenty-four feet square. This work was finished in the spring of 1799, and water was supplied to families at five dollars per year. In 1802 a new fountain was constructed, and water was piped to Gray's Wharf and sold at a shilling a hogshead. In 1804 the old logs were replaced by new ones with five-inch bore. About 1817 another reservoir had to be made to meet the demands. In 1855 there were not less than sixty town pumps in various streets. In 1834 another com- pany was incorporated, but owing to the old company cutting the water rates, it never operated. That year the first iron water pipes here were laid at a cost of $5,000. This company was later reorganized and con- tinued to make improvements until 1860, when it had in use forty miles of pipe, thirty-six hundred takers, and reservoirs holding over a million gallons of water. But still there was not enough water, so the citizens had a bill passed by the legislature, calling "for the necessary steps to procure from them the power to establish city water works." This was accomplished, and contracts were let in February, 1866, for the con- struction of such water-works. About one million dollars had been spent before these were completed. Wenham Lake was the chief source
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for obtaining the water. As the decades passed by, the city grew, the demand for more water and better water caused improvements to be made until the present time, when the water department now shows the area of Wenham Lake to be 251 acres; watershed of Longham Brook, 1,716 acres; daily pumping capacity, 25,000,000 gallons; 65 miles of pipes ; size of reservoir, 400 square feet; capacity of reservoir, 20,000,000 gallons ; elevation above high water, 142 feet. A canal from the Ipswich river furnishes much of the water used by Salem.
The Salem Fire Department consists of the following permanent members: One chief, one deputy chief, eight captains, two lieutenants, one surveyor of motor apparatus, one mechanician, one aid to chief, and 32 members or privates ; total force of 79. The apparatus consists of a Reo roadster, a Buick roadster, triple combination pumping engine, com- bination engine, combination chemical engine with Booster pump, two combination chemical engines, city service ladder truck, aerial ladder truck, steam fire engine, hose wagons; fire alarms, about 400; value of property involved, $1,212,000; amount of insurance, $1,000,000; amount of loss by fire, $55,265.
It costs the city $38,000 per year for its electric lighting, the same being paid to a private corporation under a ten-year contract that expires in 1926.
The Public Library was secured. through the acceptance of the gift of the heirs of Captain John Bertram, 'who bequeathed his late residence on Essex street in 1887 to the city of Salem, provided they should incor- porate and raise certain funds. This was carried out by the issue of bonds amounting to $25,000. The library was thrown open to the pub- lic in July, 1889. There are now over 70,000 volumes. This property is in the hands of seven trustees, six elected for life, and the acting mayor making up the list. There are now three branches of this library, situated in different sections of Salem.
One of the most valuable, as well as famous, institutions in the city of Salem is the Essex Institute. This institution, centrally located, was formed by the merging of the old Essex Historical Society and the Essex County Natural History Society, in February, 1848. The Essex His- torical Society was founded by incorporation in 1821, a century ago. The other society was formed in 1836. In the Institute there are now in round numbers a half million volumes, exclusive of booklets and periodicals. Its museum contains an immense collection of rare and beautiful paintings, engravings, medals, coins, currency and relics. In the rear of the Institute building proper one finds a well-preserved build- ing erected in 1684, an old-time shoe-maker's shop, and many other inter- esting objects. During the winter months scientific; lectures are given by the Institute ; also a series of concerts. To be appreciated, one must need visit and revisit this wonderland of books and works of art. The location of the Institute is Nos. 132-34 Essex street.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
EAST INDIA MARINEHRE
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ABOVE, OLD EAST INDIA MARINE HALL AND PEABODY MUSEUM, SALEM. BELOW. MARINE ROOM, PEABODY MUSEUM
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The Peabody Museum, with its unique collection of treasured objects from various parts of the globe, was organized in 1868, having received funds by the generous gift in 1867 from the philanthropist George Peabody, a native of Danvers, this county. He was born in 1795, and died in London in 1869. The object in his gift was to "Promote Science and Useful Knowledge in the County of Essex." A recent account of this institution, in brief, is as follows:
Under the instrument of trust, East India Marine Hall (erected in 1824) was purchased and refitted and the Museum of the East India Marine Society (begun in 1799) and the Natural Historical Collections of the Essex Institute, (begun in 1834) received by the trustees as permanent deposits, were placed therein. Other rare and valuable collections have been added, especially the Marine and Oriental departments. The institution contains departments known as the Entrance Cor- ridor, Marine Room, Hall of Natural History, Hall of Ethnology, the Weld Hall, etc. About seventy thousand visitors are to be seen here annually. It is sustained wholly by the fund set aside by the generous Peabody, who "never did things by halves." This museum is located at No. 161 Essex street, and is in charge of "The Trustees of the Peabody Museum."
The following score and more of institutions are situated in the city of Salem, all speaking well for the citizens of the place: Associa- tion for the Relief of Aged and Destitute Women of Salem, Bertram Home for Aged Men, Salem Association for the Prevention of Tuber- culosis, the Esther C. Mack Industrial School, Educational Institute, Peabody Academy of Science, Plummer Farm School and Reform for Boys, Ropes Memorial, Salem Athenaeum, Salem Marine Society, Salem East India Society, Salem Hospital, Salem Seamen's Orphan and Chil- dren's Friends Society, Young Men's Christian Association, Woman's Friend Society, and Salem Young Women's Association.
The district Custom House for the ports of Salem, Beverly, Marble- head and Lynn is located here. The present Deputy Collector is Will- iam J. Sullivan; Inspectors, Daniel F. Connolly and Charles Luscomb. It should be stated in this connection that before 1819, during the pros- perous earlier years in Salem, there was no government building for the accommodation of such officers. This has been a port for the collection of customs since about 1658. In 1683, Marblehead, Beverly, Gloucester, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury and Salisbury were annexed to the port of Salem by the Court of Assistants, and it was decreed that this port and Boston "shall be lawful ports of the Colony, where all ships and other vessels shall lade or unlade any of the plantation's enumerated goods, or other goods from foreign ports, and no where else, on penalty of the confiscation of such ship or vessel, with her goods and tackle, as shall lade or unlade elsewhere." For thirty-four years the custom house was located at the corner of Gedney Court, the building having been erected in 1645, and styled the French House, on account of several French families having once resided there. Like post offices, this Custom House was moved from one place to another. In 1789 it was where later stood
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the bank building in Central street; Major Hiller was then collector of the port. In 1805 it was removed to Central building; in 1807 it was in Essex street; in 1811 at the corner of Essex and Newbury streets; and in 1813, in the Central building again. In 1819 it was moved to the government building erected for that purpose, at the head of Derby Wharf, as now. It was very much greater in size than has ever been necessary for the customs of this port. One record, however, shows that down to 1886 there had been collected as duties in this port, since the establishment of the Union in 1789, more than $25,000,000. The largest amount ever collected in a single quarter was in 1807, when it totalled $511,000. In 1886 there were collected only $28,700 in duties. The amount collected in 1920 was less than $1,000. Perhaps the most im- portant personages connected with this Custom House have been Nathan- iel Hawthorne, surveyor from 1846 to 1849, and "New England's most distinguished soldier," James Miller, who was collector from 1825 to 1849.
On account of the many articles on the free list of late years, this Custom House, really a branch of the Boston district, has not collected a large amount in duties. The number of vessels entering from foreign ports in the last year was nine and of domestic vessels one, while those clearing this port were three foreign vessels and eight domestic. The total amount of receipts in way of customs in 1920 was $639.02, while the expense of collecting these duties ran far in excess of the receipts. A vast amount of lumber comes to this port, but as it is on the free list no duty is collected on it.
The subjoined concerning Salem's foreign trade and other commer- cial interests is extracted from an article written in the eighties, by Charles S. Osgood :
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Salem was one of the principal points for the distribution of foreign merchandise, over eight million pounds of sugar being among the' imports of the year 1800. The streets about the wharfs were loaded with goods from all parts of the country. It was a busy scene, with the coming and going of vehicles, some from long distances; for railroads were then unknown and all transportation must be carried on in wagons and drays. In the taverns could be seen teamsters from all quarters, sitting around the open fire in the chilly evenings, discussing the news of the day, or making merry over potations of New England rum, which Salem in the good old times manufactured in abundance.
All this has changed. The sail lofts, where on the smooth floor sat the sail- makers, with their curious thimbles fastened to the palm of their hands, busily stitching the great white sheets of canvas that were to carry many a gallant ship safely through storm and tempest, to her destination in far-distant harbors, and that were to be reflected in seas before unvexed by the keel of an American vessel, are deserted, or given over to more prosaic uses; the ship-chandlers' shops are closed and the old mathematical instrument-maker has taken in his swinging sign of a quadrant, shut up his shop, and, as if there was no further use for him here, has started on the long voyage from which there is no return.
The merchandise warehouse on the wharves no longer contains silks from India,.
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tea from China, pepper from Sumatra, coffee from Arabia, spices from Batavia, gum copal from Zanzibar, hides from Africa, and the other products of far-away coun- tries. The boys have ceased to watch on the Neck for the incoming vessels, hoping to earn the reward by being first to announce to the expecting merchant the safe return of his looked-for vessel. The foreign commerce of Salem, once her pride and glory, has spread her white wings and sailed away for ever!
The early, long continued and staple trade of Salem was in the product of the fisheries. The harbors and rivers swarmed with fish, and the supply was so plentiful that large quantities were often used for fertilizer. From 1629 to 1740, Winter Island seems to have been the headquarters of the Salem fishing trade, and that trade was the staple business of Salem down to a much later period. In 1643 the merchants of Salem were trading with the West Indies, with Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands. Between 1640 and 1650, the commercial career of Salem received an impetus, and her vessels made voyages not only to the mother country, but to the West Indies, Bermudas, Virginia and Antigua. Her wealth was great in propor- tion to her population, and Josselyn, writing in 1644, said: "In this town are some very rich merchants." In 1663, William Hollingworth, a Salem merchant, agreed to send one hundred hogsheads of tobacco from the river Potomac by ship, from Boston to Plymouth in England, the Isle of Jersey or any port in Holland, and thence to said Island, for seven pounds Sterling per ton.
From 1670 to 1740, the trade was to the West Indies and most ports of Europe, including Spain, France and Holland. From 1686 to 1689, inclusive, Salem is trad- ing to Barbadoes, London, Fayal, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Antigua. The great majority of her vessels are ketches from twenty to forty tons, and carry from four to six men. Only one ship appears among them, and her tonnage is but one hun- dred and thirty tons. In 1698-99 registers are taken from two ships of 80 and 200 tons, a barque, three sloops and twenty ketches. The ketch of those days was two- masted, with square sails on the foremast and a four-and aft-sail on the main- mast, which was shorter than the foremast. The schooner, which gradually sup- planted the ketch, first appears in our Salem marine about 1720.
In 1700, the foreign trade of Salem is thus described by Higginson: "Dry, merchantable codfish for the markets of Spain, Portugal and the Straits, refuse fish, lumber, horses and provisions for the West Indies. Returns made directly to England are sugar, molasses, cotton, wool, logwood and Brasiletto-wood, for which we depend on the West Indies: Our own produce, a considerable quantity of whale and fish-oil, whale-bone, furs, deer, elk and bear skins, are annually sent to Eng- land. We have much shipping here, and freights are low."
In 1788, our ships sailed to and from India, visited Calcutta and Bombay; the last-named place furnished the first cargo of cotton shipped here from abroad. The ship "Hazzard" entered from Calcutta with a cargo of sugar, cigars and cordage, the duty being $16,876; a year later one landed and its duty was $27,000. The trade between Indian Ocean ports and Salem was great for many years. Sumatra and Java Islands shipped much to Salem. Again, the trade with Manila was im- mense. One cargo of sugar amounting to 789,000 pounds, 64,000 pounds of pepper, 30,000 pounds of indigo, was landed in Salem in 1797. The duty on this cargo was $24,000. There was also trade with China as early as 1804.
October, 1797, the first of many ships that sailed to Manila reached that port in safety and loaded up with sugar and indigo, mostly. One ship, called "St. Paul," made twelve voyages between Salem and Manila-the first being in 1838. This journey required an even hundred days when "the sea was right." The last known ship between these two places was in July, 1858, when the "Dragon" made the trip with a large cargo of hemp.
The Isle of France, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Cape of Good Hope and the Aus-
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tralian trade, as well as that between Salem and the Feejee Islands, constituted a large commerce for many years. Nathaniel L. Rogers' owned the first ship that sought and obtained entry to the port of Australia, at Sydney, in 1832. The trade between Salem and South America was quite extensive. The brig "Katy," Na- thaniel Brown, master, cleared for Cayenne in April, 1798, with fish, flour, bacon, butter, oil, tobacco, candles and potter's ware. From 1820 to 1860 this South American trade was constant. Between Salem and Buenos Ayres the trade was of much magnitude. From 1816 to 1860, inclusive, there were one hundred and twenty- one arrivals at Salem port. The season of greatest activity was between 1841 and 1860. But Salem also had a trade in far-off Africa. On the west coast of that continent, commencing in the fall of 1789, a large trade was carried on in the sale of New England rum. Later, much gunpowder and tobacco were transported to West Africa from Salem. This trade was mostly between 1832 and 1864. During that period there were over five hundred entries at the port of Salem. The early trade between Salem and West Indies was mostly in the product of the fisheries- sugar, cotton and tobacco being taken in exchange. Trade with Spain and Portugal commenced in 1700 and continued until after the War of 1812, after which but one entry was made, that of a cargo of salt from Cadiz to Salem. Then Salem had a good trade with points along the Mediterranean sea, including Genoa, Naples, Leg- horn, Messina, Smyrna, etc. Salt, wine, brandy, figs, raisins, almonds, candles and soap were imported from these ports to America. This trade was chiefly between 1800 and 1810. Another excellent trade was established between Salem and Nova Scotia, commencing about 1840, the vessels being largely English boats. By this trade, wool, coal and plaster were largely imported to this country.
Salem was first in New England to sail a vessel to California, after gold had been discovered in 1848. This was the brig "Mary and Ellen," by Stephen C. Phil- lips. This boat was bound for the Sandwich Islands, via San Francisco, but both vessel and cargo were sold in the last-named city. In 1833 there were one hundred and eleven vessels from Salem engaged in foreign trade, but early in the eighties. there were only a dozen vessels known as Salem boats engaged in such trade. While the foreign trade was largely lost to Salem, its tonnage has really increased by her coasting trade. In 1870 there entered the harbor at Salem 1812 coasting vessels, having an aggregate tonnage of 213,514, and 1237 vessels measuring 203,- 798 tons entered for the year ending June 30, 1878. In 1885 there arrived 1569 vessels, with a tonnage of 270,000. The first passenger steamboat to enter Salem harbor was the "Massachusetts," running between Salem and New York City, July, 1817. It is claimed upon quite reliable records that Dr. Nathan Reed of Salem was the real inventor of steam navigation, and not Robert Fulton. He peti- tioned Congress in 1790 concerning his discovery, stating that he "made application of steam to the purposes of navigation and land carriages." He also invented the first machine for making cut nails. Robert Fulton improved on the steam naviga- tion idea of Dr. Reed, and now has the credit of being the original inventor. But. Fulton's success came sixteen years later, on the Hudson river. Dr. Reed was a member of Congress from Maine in 1807, and was chief justice of the Court of Common Pleas. His trial 'trip with the world's first steamboat was in the summer of 1789, between his iron works at Danversport and the Essex bridge at Beverly. Governor Hancock was among the few gentlemen who were invited to make this. trial trip. This marked a wonderful era in the world's transportation affairs.
In 1629 the "Home Company" sent six ship-builders to Salem, of whom Robert Moulton was chief. Salem Neck was used for a ship-yard. Richard Hollingworth came as a ship-builder in 1635, and in 1641 built a. three hundred ton ship. From 1629 to 1640, Salem had but little ship-
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ping of her own, but matters soon changed. From 1659 to 1677 four noted ship-builders were located here, one being Jonathan Pickering, who had a land grant at Hardy's Cove.
A famous vessel was built here by Retire Becket, who named it "Cleopatra's Barge," of one hundred and ninety-tons burden. Its owner was Captain George Crowninshield, who "spared no expense in her con- struction or in her appointments." She was built for a pleasure trip to the Mediterranean, and was a wonder to the people of Genoa. In point of beauty, luxury and magnificence, it stood at the head of all boats of that time. She was launched October 21, 1816. Pages might be written on ship-building in Salem, but other works extant have covered this interesting topic. The ship-building enterprise has long since been aban- doned in Salem.
Salem's Industrial History-The United States census in 1880-a half century and more ago-gave Salem a total of manufactured products $8,441,000, of which the leather industries comprised nearly one-half. In 1887 there were in Salem thirty-one manufacturing enterprises. The leather industry in this city had a slow growth. The first to engage in leather tanning was Philemon Dickinson, who was in business in 1639. The first tanneries in Salem were located on lands now bordered by the north side of Washington Square and by Forrester street. Excavations for basements less than forty years ago brought to light numerous half- rotted tan-vats. On Liberty street have also been discovered in late years, decayed tan-bark and rotting cattle horns. In 1768 Salem had four large tanneries in operation. It was about that date, possibly a few years earlier, when Joseph Southwick, a preacher-tanner of Danvers, in- troduced the first horse turned tan-bark grinding mill. Late in the eighteenth century the tanneries of Salem were found operating on the North River. In 1850 there were eighty-three establishments, of which thirty-four were tanneries, as many currying shops, fifteen shops carry- ing on both branches of the trade, and two dressers of morocco; 550- hands were employed, and the output was about $870,000 annually. These were mostly small tanneries, working from four to a dozen men. each. In 1885 Salem had fifty-four firms dealing in leather manufacture, twelve tanners and fifteen curriers, twenty-one tanners and curriers, and six morocco dressers. The 1880 census states that Salem had fifty-two plants, 910 employees, capital invested $1,167,000, and products amount- ing that year to $4,209,000. Of later years' the city has not depended so much on its tanning industries as it did a hundred years ago, the manufacture of shoes having come to be a very profitable industry. A recent directory names the following as leading concerns in the various. industries in Salem: Shoe factories-B. F. Bell & Co., J. Brown & Sons, Cass & Daley Shoe Co., Derby Shoe Manufacturing Co., Daniel Glover & Sons, J. T. Hopkins Sons, Salem Shoe Manufacturing Co., Salem Turn
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Shoe Co., Don D. Sargent Co., Stevens Soft Sole Shoe Co. Also a Casket factory by A. M. Joly ; the Salem Elevator works, Salem Hat Bleachery, and the New England Overall Co., the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Com- pany, oil refineries, etc.
After the leather and shoe business, the records of the city, indus- trially, show that in the eighties the cotton manufacturing business was next of importance. The cotton factory famous in Salem as well as throughout the country was incorporated April 5, 1839, as the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company. Its original capital was $200,000. The first plant erected on modern plans was that constructed in 1847, at which time the capital stock was increased to $700,000. The first cotton mill was 460 feet long by 60 feet in width, contained about 33,000 spindles and 643 looms, with a weekly capacity of 9,400 yards of cotton cloth. "The Naumkeag" was looked upon as among the finest cotton factories in the United States. The capital was increased after ten or a dozen years, and another mill building, about the same size as the former, was built and equipped. By 1886 the company had a capital of $1,500,000. It con- sisted as a plant of five main buildings, with machine shops, warehouses, etc., attached or near by. The total number of spindles was 100,000, while the number of looms was 2,400. These mills were propelled by two monster Corliss steam engines, and lighted by 2,200 gas jets and 650 incandescent lights, the plants for both kind of lights being on the premises. During 1886, there were made in these mills 18,750,000 yards of cotton cloth; 16,000 bales of cotton were consumed annually. There were then employed 1400 operatives, and the pay-roll amounted to' $420,- 000.
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