USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lawrence > Quarter-centennial history of Lawrence, Massachusetts, with portraits and biographical sketches > Part 12
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XII.
WATER WORKS-FIRE DEPARTMENT-NAV- IGATION.
The Legislature of 1848 incorporated John Tenney, of Methuen, Alfred Kittredge, of Haverhill, and Daniel Saunders of Lawrence, and their associates, as the Lawrence Aqueduct Company, with a capital of $50,000, empowering them to take water from Hackett's pond in Andover, and convey it for distribution and use in Lawrence. The scheme was found to be impracticable and abandoned. The subject of a water supply continued to be more or less agitated, but nothing was done till 1871, when a number of citizens petitioned the City Council to take some steps to provide the city with a supply of pure water. The petition received favorable action, and Mayor S. B. W. Davis, Alderman James Payne, and President A. C. Stone, H. J. Couch, and Cyrus Williams of the Common Council were appointed a committee to make investigation of the subject matter, have the results arrived at recorded for the benefit of a future city government. The committee visited Lowell and Providence, made extended in- quiries and decided that the water supply of Lawrence must either come from Haggett's Pond, North Andover Pond, Policy Pond in New Hampshire, or the Merrimac River, and the committee unhesi- tatingly recommended the latter.
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In 1872 an act was obtained from the Legislature authorizing the city to take water from the river at any point in Lawrence or Me- thuen, and convey it through pipes into and about the city. The act was submitted to the voters of Lawrence, and was accepted by a vote of 1298 to 830, wards one and six giving majorities against it. A joint special committee on water was appointed from the City Government, consisting of Aldermen James Payne and James A. Treat, and President L. D. Sargent, H. J. Couch and George W. Russell from the Common Council to obtain surveys, plans and esti- mates of the cost of works needed to furnish the city with a suitable supply of pure water. This committee was allowed $8000 or less. Mr. Payne was made Chairman of the Committee. Mr. L. F. Rice of Boston, was engaged to make a preliminary survey. The com- mittee reported that the advantages of the Merrimac for a water supply were so obvious that the passage of an ordinance creating a Board of Water Commissioners was warmly recommended.
In April 1873, Mayor Tarbox approved an ordinance creating a Board of Water Commissioners, and on the 8th of May, Wm. Bar- bour, Patrick Murphy, and Morris Knowles were created Water Commissioners. Mr. Barbour was made Chairman and Mr. Murphy Secretary. The Commissioners gave their attention as to the best system of distribution. The Holly or direct system had many friends and gave much satisfaction. The Commissioners finally decided to combine the Holly system and the Reservoir system, the former for fire purposes, and the latter for all general purposes of supply. Wal -. ter F. McConnell, of Boston, was engaged as Chief Engineer, and Baldwin Coolidge and Charles H. Littlefield as Assistants. James P. Kirkwood, of Brooklyn, was engaged as Consulting Engineer. Sur- veys were at once begun on the farm of Samuel Ames, where the Pumping Station and Filter Galleries are located, and on Bodwell's Hill where is the Reservoir.
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MOULTON BATCHELDER,
City Marshal ; office at Police Station. Residence, 18 Bradford St. Has been in Lawrence twenty-two years. Born at Plainfield, Vt., Dec. 7, 1836 ; has one child. His early life was spent upon a farm. For six years prior to 1862 he was watchman at the Washington Mills, ~ at which time he enlisted in Co. C, 40th Mass. Reg't. Commissioned first-lieutenant in the 6th Reg't in 1864. Returned to Lawrence and was appointed on the police force, serving in various positions until 1873, when for two years he was keeper at the house of correction in this city. In 1875 was assistant marshal till July, when he was ap- pointed marshal. Was marshal in 1876 day officer in 1877, and was again appointed marshal in 1878.
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
The lowest bid for constructing the reservoir was from J. B. Dacey & Co. of Boston, and Patrick Kiernan of Chelsea, and they were given the contract, breaking ground November 12th, 1873. But little was done that winter, but in the March following work was resumed. The contract called for the completion of the reservoir by the first day of October, 1875, but it was not quite completed at that time.
The water is pumped from the river by two of I. P. Morris & Co's engines, and is discharged into a force main thirty inches in diameter laid in the center of Ames street, extending to the reservoir, a distance of five thousand feet. Emery's Hill was tunnelled for a distance of 900 feet, the north end of the tunnel being a few feet south of Lowell street. The tunnel is six feet high, seven feet wide, egg shaped, with flattened bottom, and is built of hard burned brick laid in hydraulic cement, with a well or man-hole at either end to give free access, and to enable pipe to be lowered, should repairs be necessary. The force main is carried across Haverhill street just east of the house of Asa M. Bodwell, and enters the reservoir bank at the northwest corner. It goes through this bank to a point opposite the centre of the mid- dle bank, where it turns and is carried along the middle bank to the overfall where it is turned upwards and the water is discharged, the stream being turned at will into either basin of the Reservoir. The Reservoir is of rectangular form, 730 feet long and 411 feet wide, and has a total capacity of 40,000,000 gallons when full. It is twenty- five feet deep. Each basin is 263 feet by 300 feet, measured on the bottom on the line of the skewbacks.
The street mains are all of cast iron pipe, and range from six to thirty inches in diameter. The main line of distribution is in Ha- verhill street, where a thirty inch pipe is laid to Broadway, then a' twenty-four inch pipe to Hampshire street, and thence one of twenty inches to the Common, where it is still further reduced to sixteen inches, and at Jackson street the pipe is further reduced to twelve
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inches as far as the Spicket Bridge, where a ten inch pipe is used in Beach street till it meets the ten inch main in Prospect street. This is the main line of distribution, but there is another by which the water may be taken from the Reservoir through Ames, Canal, Water and Lawrence streets.
Besides the duplicate Reservoir distribution, the plan of direct pumping is added as a perfect guaranty of unbroken water supply, and for the purpose of extinguishing fires. The latter feature. how- ever, has not as yet been tested. It is not known at this writing whether the mains would bear the strain of forcing water through them directly from the pumps with a pressure supplied for fire pur- poses, though the Reservoir pressure alone is sufficient in most places to enable the fire department to do good service with hose directly attached to the hydrants ; in the future they will be more fully devel- oped. The Lowry hydrant is in use. It is a flush hydrant, and is set, wherever practicable, in the streets directly over the main, and in fact is a part of the main. The salaries of the commissioner who put in the works and the pay of the inspectors, laborers, engineers and staff amounted to $63,128.54 ; travelling expenses, $4,264.41 ; cost of distributing reservoir, $275, 151.44 ; pumping station, $161,923.30 ; engines and boilers, $116,851.51 ; pipe laying, $76,480.17 ; pipes, etc., $374,558.23 ; tunnel, $22,357.88 ; furniture, rent, etc., $1,998.78; engineers' instruments, $1,462.71 ; legal expenses, $585.00 ; station- ery, $506.60 ; drawing materials, $502.22 ; printing and advertising, $1,449.89 ; house services, $10,191.02 ; land damages, $27,000 ; general construction, $20,940.05 ; maintenance, $4,719.34. Some unpaid bills swelled the total cost to $1, 192,967.84.
May 9th, the term of office of the commissioners expired and they made a final report to the City Council. The care of the works is now vested in a Water Board consisting of Milton Bonney, President, R. H. Tewksbury, N. P. H. Melvin, Albert R. Field, David T. Porter. The Superintendent is Henry W. Rogers, Registrar, Geo. A. Durrell.
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WILLIAM E. HEALD,
Chief Engineer of Lawrence Fire Department ; office at Washington 5 Engine House, Lowell St. ; residence, No. 330 Haverhill St. Born'at Temple, N. H., 1839. Has resided in Lawrence since 1860. Learned the bottling business at Lynn, where he worked during 1855 and 1856. - Worked in Salem at the same business during 1857, 1858 and 1859. Carried on the bottling business in Lawrence from 1860 to 1877, under the firm name of Wm. E. Heald & Co., 34 Hampshire St. Married Lucinda A. Jordan of Waltham, Me., in 1865 ; has one child. Joined the fire department in 1861 ; was assistant foreman several years and was upon the board of fire engineers in 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876 and the present year.
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
At this writing there have been laid about 2,500 service pipes. The number of water takers on the first of January last was 5,739. The corporations comprising the Lawrence Reservoir Association are supplied with city water at sixty dollars per million gallons. The bonded water debt of Lawrence is $1,300,000, and it is hoped that in a few years the number of takers will have become so much in- creased, and the cost of maintenance reduced so that the water works will become self-sustaining. Even if it should not quite do this, the citizens have abundant cause for congratulation that they have a generous supply of pure water.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Tivo employes of the Merrimac Machine Shop, Thomas Scott and N. S. Bean, were foremost in giving to the world the steam fire engine. It took some time for the public to find out the merit of the inven- tion, but this was discovered at last and gladly accepted. The first one built here was called the Lawrence, and this was purchased by the city of Boston. The Amoskeag Company bought the invention, and the machines of that company are now too well known to need mention.
The first fire engine in use in Lawrence was the Essex, bought by the Essex Company, and manned by workmen in their employ, Mr. Henry Goodell foreman. The Essex was soon followed by machines of larger capacity, and by hose and hook and ladder companies, until at the introduction of the steam fire engine, the department was well equipped. In 1866 the city had four engines, with 6000 feet of hose. The department has now five steam fire engines, and one hook and ladder company. Each company has a separate hose carriage in- stead of having its hose pulled along behind as formerly. The water works now enable the department to do good service with hose directly attached to the hydrants. The pumping system is intended to give force enough to largely dispense with the engines, but this has
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QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
not yet been effected. When the pipes have been subjected to pres- sure to see if they will bear the necessary force, this feature of the water works will be utilized. The pressure, however, from the reser- voir alone is found useful. The fire engineers for 1878 are Wm. E. Heald, Albert Emerson and J. B. Campbell.
. July 31st, 1869, was completed the Fire Alarm Telegraph. It was erected by Mr. Stevens, of Boston, at a cost of $8000 to the city. This has added materially to the efficiency of the department. Since that time the wires have been considerably extended, and many new alarm boxes have been put up to better convenience the people in giving prompt alarms. There are at present thirty-two fire alarm boxes, and the numbers now range from box 2 to box 51.
NAVIGATION.
The year 1877 marked the greatest advance yet made in naviga- ting the Merrimac. In June 1848, the steamer Lawrence, Capt. Shep- ard, came up from Newburyport with a delegation from that place and adjoining towns. Since that time sundry efforts have been made to navigate the river, but with little success. Gen. Butler's efforts a few years ago to remove obstructions met with some success, and last year Mr. E. M. Boynton took hold of the matter with great energy, and made a marked advance. Many obstructions were removed, boats built for transporting coal, lands leased of the Essex Company for a landing place and coal yard, and several thousand tons of coal were delivered in this city direct from Newburyport before winter set in.
This year there have been numerous drawbacks to the enterprise. "The channel at Mitchell's. Falls proved to be neither deep enough or wide enough to guarantee safe transportation and efforts are still being made to improve it. Serious doubts are still entertained as regards utilizing the river for the carrying of freights, but it is more than prob- able that ere long a safe and available route will be opened from this city to the sea for the conveyance of passengers and pleasure parties.
ALBERT EMERSON,
Blacksmith, 341 Common St. ; residence, 6r Tremont St. Has been in Lawrence twenty-four years. Was born in Dover, N. H. in 1831. Learned his trade and worked in Dover three years. Came to Law- rence in 1854 and engaged in business under the firm name of Bry- -ant & Emerson, the partnership continuing seven years. Mr. Emerson has carried on business at his present location since then. Married Emeline E. Lord of South Berwick, Me., in 1851 ; has six children. Attends the Unitarian church. Was a member of the common council in 1861-2, alderman in 1863 and 1867, a member of the board of fire engineers in 1869, and is a member of the Board of Engineers the present year.
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XIII.
ORDERS AND SOCIETIES.
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No one thing perhaps shows the hand of human progress more than the increase of societies and organizations for the practice of the principles of benevolence and charity. Most of these organizations are private to the extent of having peculiar signs and grips-trade marks to prevent the intrusion of the uninitiated and scandal-mon- ger,-but none of them requiring any obligation that in any way con- travenes with civil or religious liberty. Among the oldest of these are the Free Masons, who claim an antiquity that dates back to the days of King Solomon. True, Masonry did exist in the early ages of the world. The, building of temples required skilled labor. It was a branch of industry peculiar to itself. A workman upon these build- ings must be familiar with every tool known to the masons' art, hence those competent to ply this vocation early found the need of organi- zation, for to find continuous employment they must needs migrate from state to state and country to country. The organization be- came powerful and strong. But nowhere in the records given to pos- terity from the earliest date down to the seventeenth century of the Christian era is there found any account of a secret organization being long in existence and flourishing, that had for a corner stone the amelioration of mankind through that heaven born principle,
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charity. Secret societies, for divers purposes, have flourished to some extent in all ages, but as they at present exist the main idea is modern. They grow as civilization, education and religion pave the way. As superstition gives way to reason men learn more and more of that stereotyped phrase "the fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man." Societies now take root and grow founded solely upon the fraternal side of man's nature. Without contingent or sinking fund, they pay thousands of dollars to friends of deceased members with even more promptness and certainty than that of ordinary business firms. And these fraternal organizations are not alone confined to the male portion of society. Women are organizing on an equal basis with the men and are paying money into benefit funds, to be used in evening up the home comforts of the abodes of sickness and death with that of their own. It has long been held that women were a failure as organizers, not possessing the requisites by nature. But be this as it may they have ever been accredited with a desire to. know all the secrets, and a little incident connected with the early history of our city may be cited here :-
To Ward Six belongs the honor of convening the first secret society meeting held in the city limits. . There were a few masons living on the original territory, then Andover. This territory had been known for a hundred years as the "Moose Country." There were not over a dozen buildings in what is now Ward Six. There were the four. houses that stood on the corner of Broadway and Andover streets, viz. : the Webster House, the Saunders house, Plumley house, and the house now occupied by Mr. Bunker.
On the Lowell road, about forty rods west of the Turnpike were two houses owned respectively by Mr. Caleb Richardson and Theo- dore Poor, and half a mile further west, a few rods apart, the house of Theodore Barnard and another dwelling house. A half mile be- yond this was the house of Major Benjamin Stevens, and upon the road leading to West Andover was the house of Capt. James Stevens.
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D. F. ROBINSON,
Manufacturer of Machine Card Clothing, 620 Essex St. Residence, 268 Haverhill St. Came to Lawrence in April, 1847. Born at Fre- - mont, N. H., Dec. 1829. Commenced business April, 1857, and has continued it until the present time. Married Eliza Ann Norris, 1851 ; and has one child. Is connected with the Second Baptist Church, and is superintendent of its Sunday School. Was a member of the common council in 1866. For many years leader of the Lawrence Brass Band.
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
In the extreme southwest part of the ward was the house of Mr. Goldsmith, and on a road leading from Frye Village to what is now North Andover, was a house known far, and near as the "White Dog House," so called from the fact that in early days no rum was allowed to be sold in Andover, and to evade the law, the proprietors of this house procured two diminutive white lap dogs, and charged for show- ing the dogs, throwing the "blackstrap" in. The thirsty very cheer- fully paid for seeing the dogs, and tradition has it, that they just as cheerfully accepted the accompanying bonus. West of Turnpike, a little distance south of the Lowell road, was the Moses Town's house. A part of the chambers of this house were used by St. Mathew Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, as a Lodge room, and in order to make an ante-room, quilts were hung across the room, thus partition- ing it off. Mr. Town's servant girl being like her mother Eve, blessed with an inordinate curiosity, one evening secreted herself behind the quilts, in order, if possible, to obtain the secrets of the order. In this position she was discovered by the Tyler, and it is borne upon the archives of the Lodge that the damsel made but three steps from her place of concealment to the bottom of the stairs, and she shunned the company of Free Masons for ever after. This was the first Ma- sonic Lodge room in what is now Lawrence.
Though women are still precluded from the secrets of Masonry the Order ranks first as a secret one, its age if nothing else giving it priorty.
Grecian Lodge, the oldest Lodge in the city dates from the 14th of December, 1825. It was started in Methuen. In 1838 the charter was surrendered, to be re-organized in this city in 1847. The semi- centennial was observed in 1875, and the historian was Charles H. Littlefield. The present officers are M. M. Chandler, Master ; Chas. H. Littlefield, Secretary ; J. R. Simpson, Treasurer.
Tuscan Lodge commenced work December 29th, 1862. The fol- lowing May a charter was granted, and it has continued successful
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and prosperous since that time. Wm. Fisher, Master ; Frank O. Kendall, Secretary ; Rufus Reed, Treasurer.
Phoenician Lodge was instituted November 5th, 1870, and has been quite successful in making new members. The present officers are, Andrew C. Stone, Master ; C. H. Moore, Secretary ; S. M. Stedman, Treasurer.
There are three organized bodies in the higher order of Masonry. The Council was chartered in 1868. Mt. Sinai Royal Arch Chapter was chartered October, 1867, and Bethany Commandery Knights Templar in 1864. The whole number belonging to the Masonic Order in the city is over 800.
ODD FELLOWS.
Another powerful secret Order is the Odd Fellows. They also number in the city about 800 members, having three subordinate Lodges and two Encampments. The cardinal principles of the Order are Friendship, Love and Truth, and a feature of the benefi- ciary part of the Order is that the Lodges pay to sick members weekly benefits, not as a charity but as a right, quarterly dues being assessed upon the membership to keep the fund good. They take the name of Odd Fellows because it was odd at the time the Order was started sixty years ago, for men to band themselves to- gether for such a work of love. The basis upon which the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows is founded is peculiarly American, though Orders by the same name have had an existence in the Old World. Odd Fellowship was comparatively new in this country in 1845-46, though many comers to the new city had been initiated into the mystic tie.
In 1847 United Brothers Lodge was established, but owing to an expose of the work shortly after, and a general distrust about that time against all secret societies, for several years few new members were
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
1.0.O.F.
. ODD FELLOWS BUILDING.
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added. Ten years later its beneficent workings became more and more visible, old prejudices softened and there has been a steady stream of slow but healthy additions ever since. Three years ago the members erected the fine building corner of Essex and Lawrence streets for their 'especial use, and it is a monument for the stability and strength of the Order. The first story is used for stores, the second for the Public Library, and the upper portion for Lodges and Encampments. Officers United Brothers Lodge, Thomas Hadfield, N. G. ; J. O. Battershill, Secretary : A. H. Poulson, Treasurer. Num- of members, 330.
Monadnock Lodge was instituted in 1867, with fifteen charter members. It has had a prosperous career throughout." A ten years' history of this Lodge has been published this season making a hand- some volume, compiled by C. B. Smith, a P. G. of the Lodge. The officers are Wm. K. Foster, N. G .; H. M. Chadwick, Secretary ; Wm. F. Birtwell, Treasurer. . It has 267 members.
Lawrence Lodge was instituted in 1869. It has had a steady and healthy growth since its organization. . The officers are James Pat- terson, N. G .; John Edwards, Secretary ; L. H. Benson, Treasurer. Membership 201.
There are two Encampments, higher branches of Odd Fellowship. These are the Kearsarge and Lawrence, there being about 200 mem- bers in the city that have taken the patriarchal degree.
The Knights of Pythias is a secret Order having for its object the care of sick and distressed brothers, and they also have an additional degree, recently adopted, whereby a certain sum, one, two or three thousand dollars is paid to relatives of deceased members as they may elect at the time of taking the degree. Quindaro Lodge has a membership of 100, being chartered in 1870. The officers are, Amos Southwick, C. C. ; G. H. Robinson, V. C .; H. F. Hildreth, Keeper of Records and Seal.
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WILLIAM WALLACE COLBY,
Undertaker. Place of business at 286 Common St. ; residence, 254
- Jackson St. Has been in Lawrence since November, 1849. Was born in Eaton, (now Madison) N. H. Received a common school education, spending his early life on a farm. Married Elizabeth A. F. George, Nov. 26, 1840 ; has nine children. Attends the Free Bap- tist church, and has been deacon since 1849. Commenced business at Haverhill, manufacturing shoes, 1838-1849. Came to Lawrence in the latter year, and worked at manufacturing sash and blinds for several years. Mr. Colby was a member of the common council for 1864-5. Superintendent of cemetery, 1871-2, and for the past four years has been in the furnishing and undertaker's business.
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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
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In 1875, Merrimack Lodge, Knights of Honor, was instituted. This was the first secret Order that had insurance as a chief pillar. Each member in this Order upon taking the third degree is assessed a certain sum to assist in forming a benefit fund to be used to the extent of paying $2,000 at the death of each member. This fund created by all the subordinate Lodges is managed by the Supreme Treasurer, who has jurisdiction over the Lodges throughout the coun- try. The officers of Merrimack Lodge are T. F. Tucker, Dictator ; H. A. Harris, Reporter ; N. H. Berry, Treasurer. Membership, 180. The plan worked so admirably that a second Lodge of the Knights of Honor was instituted in the spring of 1877. It was given the name of Adelphic Lodge and has at present a membership of 125. The Officers are D. M. Spooner, Dictator ; A. C. Curtis, Reporter ; C. F. Crocker, Treasurer.
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