Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America., Part 11

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America. > Part 11

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

East Boston through Revere, and directly over the extensive and attractive beach in the latter town. This had long been a famons pleasure resort, but was difficult of access, and the new road proved a great convenience to the people.

It is unnecessary to pursue further the movements and fortunes of the steam railroads of Essex County. All the different lines, found in operation at the Centennial year, have been described, and this fully advances to the condition of the present day our history of the means and manners of travel and transportation.

But there was yet one more thing to be done in the line of passen- ger conveyance. The stage-travel of sixty years before had not yielded wholly in one direction. That portion of it that lay, as it were, inside of the denser communities, had been bequeathed in sue- cession to the cab, the omnibus, the hack, and the barge ; and these, with greater or less accommodation, and a rate of speed about in inverse proportion to their resemblance to their honored ancestry of the turnpike. But a forecasting spirit easily perceived, that if to a light style of carriage the advantage of the railway could be conjoined, an amount of travel could be served, with a given expenditure of force, greater than had yet been seen.

Considerations like these led to the contriving of the horse, or street railroads of the most modern day. They had their origin, practically, about 1855, which cannot be far from the date of the first lines opened in Boston. And as a large and influential class in Lynn were all the time kept on the alert by their opposition to the Eastern Railroad, so they were not long in seeing that a horse railroad could be brought from the capital, through Chelsea and Revere, and prove no small or weak regulator of the freaks and follies of the great steam corporation. Efforts were immediately begun to obtain a charter, but very stout opposition was met, more, probably, than any one had looked for. Yet it was at last secured ; and then the opposition shifted its ground, and coutested the path by the inch. For the charters of these roads had included a provision not before employed : that the road should not proceed in or through any town till its location had been approved by the municipal authorities. And in the present case it happened that a line, perhaps intended as a rival, had also been prayed for through Malden and Saugus, and some attempt at a mutual understanding had been had during the pendency of the bills, both of which were finally passed, that of the Lynn road dating April 6, 1859. But these attempts seemed to end in poor success ; for no sooner were the two in the field, than the managers of the Cliftondale road used such influence in Saugus, that the seleetmen there refused a location to the Lynn and Boston road over that part of the turnpike within their limits. The others retaliated by a similar effort with the town of Revere, by which the Cliftondale line, which desired to eross a small corner of the town, was driven to locate round it, being thus compelled to build a costly track through an extensive swamp, and steer yet wider of all chance of paying neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the Lynn road was built close up to the lines of Sangus, though with constant opposition from that town ; and from that time till a conciliation was at last effected, a set of omnibuses stopped the gap, and carried the passengers from one waiting ear to the other. The track was located over the old Salem Turnpike, from a point in Chelsea to Lynn Hotel, from thenee over the Common to Park Square, and so through Market, Broad, and Lewis streets, to a terminus at the foot of Ocean Street. ' The turnpike had to be somewhat widened for the purpose ; and altogether offered so many unpleasant features to the case, that it was claimed, and almost admitted, that only the por- tion inside the city of Lynn would ever pay ; yet this proved to be an illusion. The passage to Boston was of a kind quite welcome to a large class ; and patronage to. the whole road was found to take very encouraging proportions. The first regular cars ran on June 1, 1861 ; Isaae Stebbins, Esq., of Chelsea, being president of the road, which had been built under the care of Charles Porter, of Malden. The Cliftondale road, its natural and inborn antagonist, struggled with

adverse fortune for a few years ; but nothing seemed to be in its favor, and at length it ceased its trips altogether. After a time, the Lynn road was made sensible of many and urgent applications from the north-castern sections of the city for a branch accommodation, to cover the lines of communication so well occupied by coaches of all descrip- tions. The company did not show itself over-anxious to respond to such calls ; yet after a time, a branch was indeed located and built through Union and Chestnut streets from Central Square, and a one- horse car set to run upon it. This, though well so far, was only such a concession as stimulated the feelings of the Woodend people still further; and before long, the formation of a new company was announced, under a charter dated April 19, 1873, and granted to M. V. B. Mower and others. They proceeded to locate and build from the branch terminus, at the old " Wood Corner," through Essex, Chatham, and Maple streets, to the church at Gravesend. Arrange- ments were also made for the use of the branch track in Union Street, and the main one in Market Street; and the Lynn and Boston cars were withdrawn, and the " Lynn City Street Railway " began operations with commendable vigor. They soon carried an additional track to the boundary line of Swampscott, and continued to prosecute their business with good fortune and success.

We have dwelt somewhat at length upon the circumstances at- tending the commencement of this horse railroad, partly for the sake of exhibiting a good example of the general fortune of these enter- prises, and partly because this was the special case of their first intro- duction into Essex County. For the other corporations of like sort, successively established in other sections, a less detailed account must be held sufficient. In 1862, an Aet of incorporation was ob- tained, and a horse railroad built from Salem to South Danvers, now Peabody, and the first car to the latter town was run July 8, of the following year. Immediately the road was extended to Beverly, and was opened October 28, 1863. A branch was built to South Salem ( Ward V. of the city), in the following year, and was opened May 10; a branch to North Salem (Ward VI.), in 1869, and opened June 4 of that year. An extension to Salem Neck and " the Willows," a pleasure resort, about a mile and a half from the heart of the city, was opened for travel June 10, 1877. The entire road is now operated by the Naumkeag Street Railway Company, which was incorporated in 1875, and assumed the lease of the Salem Street Railway, March 1, of that year. The capital stock of the Naumkeag is $70,000, and of the Salem $150,000. A. C. Goodell is president, and Dr. William Mack, treasurer of the leasing corporation.

The " Merrimac Valley Horse Railroad " was chartered in 1863, with a renewal obtained in 1866. The company organized with William A. Russell, president, and James H. Eaton, treasurer, and these have never been displaced. The road was first built from Lawrence to Methuen, and opened for travel in 1867. Then an extension in the other direction became necessary, and the road was carried through to North Andover in 1868. During the next eight years, the steady growth of population and business on the south side of the river came at last to the making of an urgent call for an exten- sion in that direction. This was finally made in 1876. The road has since been running all these routes, mostly with half-hour trips; and though subject to much cost in their construction, has paid all indebt- edness, and at length become able to divide profits with the share- holders.

Three other roads exist on the Merrimac, of which, however, we can only give brief descriptions. The "Newburyport and Amnes- bury Horse Railroad Company " obtained a charter February 29, 1864, issued to Col. Eben. F. Stone, of Newburyport, and others. Authority was given for locations in Newburyport, Salisbury, and Amesbury, according to local permission ; this has thus far only been applied to a route crossing the river from the first-named place, and thus reaching the villages of Salisbury Point and Amesbury Mills. The line of this road can hardly be surpassed for beauty and general

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

charm of scenery, running as it does a part of the distance by the Newburyport ship-yards. and along the banks of the Merrimac, and then crossing it over the Chain Bridge into the little manufacturing towns on the north side of the river.

Next we have the " Merrimac Street Railway Company," incorporated June 3, 1870. The corporators in this case were Franklin Brickett and others, having leave to build, as might be located, in Haverhill, Groveland, and Bradford. This road, which really passes through portions of all these towns, has also a remarkably choice and lovely surrounding, as, indeed, almost any route must have, near the fine old river of Essex County.

The last is the "Kenoza Street Railway Company," incorporated April 24, 1873. This gave Alfred Kittredge and others, corporators, leave to build from the Boston and Maine Railroad Station, in Haver- hill, to the Soldiers' Monument, thence to Kenoza Lake, and to any other point in the city, and not beyond the State linc.

We do not need to note carefully the many scattered and only partly successful efforts for the establishment of new and additional lines. An important extension has been long debated in the city of Lynn, and will probably be realized before long. So of others in all the denser municipalities. We have discussed, with some care and much sincere research, the progress and development of travel and transportation in the county. We have shown how, from the ancient settler, paddling his canoe on the Ipswich or Merrimac river, to carry his wife, or bring home his corn or pumpkins, to the horse-car, shoot- ing along with its load of fifty, or the steam-train, with its load of three hundred - how iu this wonderful change there is shown the mental and social development of a great, broad, and advancing people, and in a clearer and more convincing light than perhaps iu any other phase of their civilization. For so we must regard it ; and if one shall ask if yet there may not be further advance, -as great as this, that condenses Endicott's two days' travel into less than an hour, - we will only answer, that as Endicott foresaw nothing of the kind in his day, so now, no more can we.

CHAPTER VII.

HISTORICAL NOTICE OF SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.

Our historical sketch of Essex County will not have full or sym- metrical perfection, without some remark being devoted to the growth and welfare of those public institutions here located, that have a breadth of purpose and a scope of working beyond the limit of any single township or community.

The first of these broad, public organizations, is seen in the

Essex Agricultural Society,-an institution which, as says its elo- quent historiographer, Dr. George B. Loring, in his address of 1868, has been "identified with almost every active movement for the advancement of Essex County for the last fifty years."

The origin of the Essex Agricultural Society was, primarily, in the mind of that truly great man, Timothy Pickering. He had been deeply engaged in all the proceedings that led, through the Revolu- tion, to the establishment of American liberty. He came to the day of his country's deliverance, with a keen seuse of her need in all things belonging to the development of her resources, and the utiliza- tion of her products ; and he wisely judged that no stronger agency could be appealed to for an improving influence in these directions, than that of association, and of joint exertion in each locality for itself. He would, therefore, see the first class of all, the farmers, and those of his own conuty, combined together in one solidified effort for the best advancement, improvement, and elevation of American agriculture.

Filled with this idea, the spirit of Pickering moved upon the hearts of those within his counsel, and the result of his advice and his admo- nition was, that on a day, namely, Feb. 16, 1818, there came together at the tavern of Cyrus Cummings, in Topsfield, the old central town, then in the glory of her stage-coach celebrity, "a meeting of farmers and others, inhabitants of the county of Essex," intent on forming a society for the promotion of such objects as those ahove indicated. Ichabod Tucker and David Cummings, both of Salem, were made moderator and secretary, and in the permanent organization that immediately succeeded, Col. Timothy Pickering became president, aud thus the visible, as he already was the poten- tial, head of the new institution, and the man who, of all others, would, for the love of it, give himself to the labor and the care that all its interests demanded. Several vice-presidents were set iu his company : William Bartlett, of Newburyport, Thomas Kittredge, of Andover, John Heard, of Ipswich, and Ichabod Tucker, of Salem. Leverett Saltonstall, of Salem, was made corresponding secretary, and David Cummings remained in charge of the records, while Nehemiah Cleveland, of Topsfield, became the first treasurer.

Launched iu this style on the sea of exertion and of usefulness, the society immediately received from all parts of the county the most enconraging evidences of good feeling and assistance. Public exhibi- tions were not at once projected ; for it seemed as if the members desired first to know themselves fully, before attempting any official acquaintance with the public. Thus, the president gave an address before them, May 5, 1818; and again, Feb. 21, 1820, he spoke before them, according to a vote of the trustees. But the next autumn, Oct. 5, 1820, they undertook a veritable "Cattle Show," and carried it ont with so good and well considered a plau, that it has never been found necessary to alter or amend it. This show was held (as where else should it have been) in the same old, time-hon- ored town of Topsfield. A prudent affair it was, too; offering no premiums outside the line of strict agriculture, nor making these so large as to excite cupidity or stimulate corrupt effort. The whole amount offered in premiums was only $182, divided among four classes of competitors : 1. Working oxen and neat live-stock. 2. Fat oxen and swine. 3. Indian corn and potatoes. 4. Mauures. But we shall be glad to notice that while the entries were no doubt somewhat numerons, and widely distributed, prizes were actually taken in Newburyport, Ipswich, Salem, Middleton, Saugus, Newbury, Danvers, Marblehead, Beverly, and Byfield Parish. The address on this occasion was delivered by Dr. Andrew Nichols, of Danvers.

This was the model marked out then and ouly very slightly varied from since. The list of classes has, indeed, been materially enlarged ; but the principles on which the awards have been made, and the avowed relation of the institution to the public and its interests, have never changed at all. The dairy and forest trees were first put into the competition in 1821; domestic manufactures in 1822, thus enlist- ing the sympathy and co-operation of the women of the community ; while horses were not thought best to be admitted till 1832. Three prizes were set before them that year, of $20, $15, and $10; and the first one taken was by an "iron-gray colt, three years old, of John O. W. Brown, of Newbury."

The influence of this society and its proceedings on the farming industries of the county, from that time to this, canuot but have been powerful and beneficent. The talent of almost the best brain in the county - as good as any, certainly - has been constantly engaged in its active forces, and in commending and demonstrating the worth of those forces to the people. Among its presidents we find, constantly, such men as Leverett Saltonstall, James H. Duncan, John W. Proctor, Allen W. Dodge, Joseph How, and William Sutton ; among its sec- retaries and other officers, such as Daniel P. King, Daniel A. White, Benjamin Merrill, Andrew Nichols, Joseph Story, Henry Colman. George B. Loring, and Francis Peabody. The greatest and best of the county have never stood aloof, but scem always to have felt

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

that if this field contained any duty suitable for them to do, it was nothing short of an honor to them to be allowed to do it.

Certain peculiarities have always appeared in the poliey and man- agement of this society. Unlike almost every other of its kind, it has never admitted, at its exhibitions, any trial or show of the speed of horses. No trotting or racing has ever been considered at all, nor at all allowed. Horses have been shown for breed, and for beauty, but never for speed. This has not been adhered to without some contests, for the lovers of the race have felt no little regret at being debarred in Essex, from what they enjoyed so freely in other counties. But the wisdom of the course thus far insisted on, has appeared in several good results : notably in this, that the funds of the society have been enabled to accumulate to a comfortable capital, under which they need not fear to attack any high and worthy enterprise proposed for the good of agriculture ; while it is quite as sure, that of the other societies that have gone into the business of the turf as part of their policy, not one can be found that is not now heavily involved, to say nothing of having no margin for useful operations.

The singular fidelity of this society to its county and its general advancement is also seen in the cireumstanee, that out of the fifty- nine successive orators who have stood before the members on exhibi- tion day, to instruct or to encourage them, not one has been called from any point outside the county. Every one has resided in Essex, and the greater part have been native to her soil. And to-day not a boy in any of her high schools but may feel that whatever other for- tune may betide him in the future, he may at least hold this as his birthright, that by even chance it may come to his turn finally, to sit with the farmers of Essex, at their harvest festival, and stand before them as the orator of truth, of hope, and of a pure and lofty ambition.

To some extent, this society has to face the danger of a possible separation into northern and southern portions. Many, no doubt, would favor such a division to-day ; but good reasons have thus far been found, sufficient to influence the majority to keep the venerable framework unbroken in its excellence. It is unquestionably true, that even in our dense community, the movement of a large agricultural material across the breadth of the country, is often troublesome; but it may always be prudently inquired whether, in case of division, a worthy exhibit would be seen on cither side, and whether the real use- fulness of the institution would not be practically gone.

With these thoughts we leave this excellent foundation of the fathers, on which the sons so well are building. Through a long day of usefulness and honor, it has indeed been gnided to the present ; and no good citizen can fail to trust, that, through a day yet longer and more blessed, - a day far reaching under the skies of the future, - it may continue to be borne forward, full of symmetrical beauty, full of the praise that comes by noble and worthy effort, full of the high esteem and affection of all who stand by the way, and are witnesses of its goings.

By a chance not often to be enjoyed, we are able, legitimately, to grasp at onee quite a number of the institutions of the county in a single history, and present a satisfactory showing of their own origin and progress, while we proceed to sketch that of the

Essex Institute .- After the death of the Rev. William Bentley, D. D., of Salem, in December, 1819, it was found that he had, for forty years, continued to colleet and store up documents and material of historical information relating to this part of New England. Mr. George A. Ward, of Salem, with some others, coneeived the idea of saving this material by the means of an association ; and Dr. Bentley's executor appearing to favor such a plan, a society was formed April 21, 1821, which took the name of the Essex Historical Society, with Dr. E. A. Holyoke, of Saleni, as its first president. Measures were soon taken to proeure incorporation. Twenty-six prominent citizens of Salem signed the petition, with the venerable Dr. Edward Augustus Holyoke at the head ; and an Act was passed in response, approved June 11, 1821, incorporating Dr. Holyoke and his associates under

the above society name. On the definite organization under this charter, Dr. Holyoke became president, and the annual meeting was fixed on the date of Endieott's first landing at Salem. The applica- tion for the charge of the Bentley papers having now been made, met with disappointment; for the executor, under some influenee not favorable to the new organization, listened rather to different voices, and the papers were distributed elsewhere. But the society was not dismayed, but began to develop as a thing of mueh energy. They went on collecting documents, manuscripts, and data of all kinds bear- ing on loeal history, having first their storehouse in Essex Place, then in the Salem Bank Building, and again in Lawrence Place. Mean- while they signalized their being and their objects by an oeeasion of very rare interest. In September, 1828, occurred the two hundredth anniversary of the landing of Endicott. Arrangements were exten- sively made, and on the 18th of that month the day was grandly celebrated by the society, with a procession with military escort, cere- monies at the North Church, and a banquet at Hamilton Hall. The Hon. Joseph Story pronounced an oration on the occasion, and the attendance was notieed of many strangers, and some of the first dis- tinction in the land.

At a date a few years later than the above, there arose in Salem a strong feeling in favor of the more definite and organized study of natural history. This, at length, enlminated on Saturday, December 14, 1833, when, at a meeting of those favorably inclined, there was first formed the

Essex County Natural History Society .- Dr. Andrew Nichols, of Danvers, was made president, and Mr. John M. Ives, of Salem, secretary, a constitution adopted, and a circular, appealing to public sympathy, ordered for circulation. The next spring, April 16, 1834, they met in Topsfield, to complete the working organization, when an interesting oceasion was had, speeimens being frecly exhibited, with apparatns, &c. Dr. Andrew Nichols, Mr. William Oakes, of Ipswich, the Rev. John L. Russell, of Salem, and many others contributed to the interest of the day. Before long, the advantages of incorporation were seen, and an Aet for this purpose was procured, being approved Feb. 12, 1836. It provided for a capital of $10,000 real, and $20,000 per- sonal, property. The activity of the society was good, and the col- lections speedily increased ; being first kept in Essex Place, then in Franklin Building, then in Chase's Building, and afterward in Pick- man Place. And here, as to a closely correlated branch of study, the attention of the society became drawn to the delights of hortieult- ure ; and this led, very soon, to the arrangement of a public exhibition of fruits and flowers, which was held July 11, 1834, and these ex- hibitions were continued weekly during the summer seasons, for many years afterwards. The first general exhibition, which continned for several days, occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 14 and 15, 1841.

Soon after this, the society began the editing and printing of some of its more extended essays and discourses, making the " Journal of the Essex County Natural History Society." One volume only was issued, in three numbers, dating in 1836, 1838, and 1841. These contain valuable matter from John L. Russell, Henry Wheatland, William Preseott, Andrew Nichols, and Thaddeus W. Harris; and lectures and other allied efforts were continually made. It had fre- quently been suggested that the Essex Historical Society, which had a collection of books, portraits, and other relies, could as well perform its legitimate work, united with the Natural History Society. The thought pleased both sides. It was studied carefully through 1847, a joint committee appointed, and their report concurrently accepted, Jan. 14, 1848. A new incorporation, approved Feb. 11, 1848, was accepted as a basis, March 1, 1848, and the constitution being pre- pared and adopted March 8, 1848, the result was the definite formation of the society first named, the Essex Institute.

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Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America., Part 11

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett Number of Pages: 450

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450