USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Milton > The history of Milton, Mass., 1640 to 1877 > Part 6
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NATHANIEL HOUGHTON. EBENEZER HOUGHTON.
BENJAMIN CRANE. EBENEZER TUCKER.
46
HISTORY OF MILTON.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 27, 1754.
Read & Ordered that the Petitioners serve the Clerk of the Town of Brain- tree 1 with a copy of the Petition that they shew cause [if any they have] on the tenth day of April, if the Court be then sitting, if not on the second Wednesday of the next sitting of the Court, why the prayer thereof should not be granted.
In Council March 27. 1754 Read & Concurred
Sent up for Concurence, T. HUBBARD Speaker.
THOS. CLARK Depty. Secry.
In Council April 12 1754. Read again, together with the Answer of the Town of Braintree, and Ordered that Sylvanus Bowen Esq with such as the Honble. House shall join be a Committee to take this Petition and Answer under Consideration to hear the parties, and Report what they judge proper for this Court to do thereon.
Sent down for Concurrence -
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 12 1754 Read & Concurred, and Capt. Spurr & Mr. W". Bowdoin are joined in the affair.
T. HUBBARD Spkr.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
The Committee to whom was referred the Petition of Nathaniel Houghton, Benjamin Crane and others, having fully heard the Petitioners and one of the Respondants viz. Mr. John Adams [one of the Select men of Braintree], on the affair, and considered the same, are of opinion that the respective prayers of the several Petitioners are reasonable and ought to be granted accordingly.
SYLVANUS BOWEN per order.
1 BRAINTREE'S REMONSTRANCE.
To his Excellency William Shirley Esq. Captain General in Chief, and the Honble the Council and the House of Representatives in General Court assembled by adjournment March 27 1754
Whereas Nathaniel Houghton, Benjamin Crane and Ebenezer Tucker inhabitants of the town of Milton, together withi Ebenezer Houghton au inhabitant of the Town of Braintree have petitioned your Excellency the Honble Board and House of Representatives that sd Ebenezer Houghton with his estate, and the lands of sd Nathaniel Houghton Benjamin Crane and Ebenezer Tucker which lye in the Town of Braintrce may be an- nexed to the Town of Milton. Wc the subscribers Selectmen of Braintree in behalf of and at the desire of said Town humbly beg leave to offer the following reasons why the prayer of said petitioners should not be regarded.
First - Inasmuch as sundry of the inhabitants of the Town of Milton many years past, purchased a large tract of land in the Township of Braintrcc, and have since by or- der of this Honble Court had it annexed to the Town of Milton, which, if repeated, we humbly apprehend will be very hurtful to the town of Braintree -
Second - The representation of distance of the Petitioners Dwelling from the place of Public Meeting in Braintree we humbly apprehend not to be just. For altho there is no Open way laid out, yet there is a beaten private way free for Persons, three or four miles nearer than the way referred to in said Petition.
Third - As instances of Persons Dwelling's being in one Town or Parish and part or most of their lands being in the adjacent Town or Parish are to be found in almost every Town of the Province; and that complying with ye desire of sd Petitioners will be at- tended with many Inconveniences particularly by encouraging to be annexed to larger and more Wealthy Parishes in order to pay smaller sums to the support of the Gospel, which we humbly conceive is the principel cause of sd Petition :
For all which reasons it is humbly moved that your Excellency and Honrs. would dis- miss sd Petition
Braintree April ye. IO, 1754
JOHN ADAMS SAMUEL BASS SAMUEL NILES JUNR.
47
BOUNDARIES.
In Council April 17, 1854: Read and accepted, and ordered that the prayer of the Petition be granted; and that the whole estate of the Petition- ers mentioned in the Petition together with the family of the said Ebenezer Houghton be and hereby are to all Intents & Purposes annexed to and accounted as part of the Town of Milton.
Sent down for Concurrence
THOS. CLARK Dptv. Secry.
In the House of Representatives April 17 1754 Read & Concurred T. HUBBARD Spkr.
Consented to
W. SHIRLEY.
SECOND ACCESSION, 1754.
This section of about three hundred and forty acres, thus an- nexed to Milton, was bounded on the north by the south line of the first accession ; on the south by Blue Hill river ; on the west by Dorchester (then Stoughton, now Canton) line ; and on the east by a line commencing at the stone post on the southerly side of Hillside street just east of the Hunt house, and running in a south-easterly direction to the Blue Hill river.
This tract contains Hoosic-Whisick or Houghton's Pond,- a sheet of water beautiful in the landscape, and valuable as a future supply of pure water for the inhabitants of the town.
Thus, fifty and ninety-two years after the establishment of the town, these lands were annexed to our southern borders. This explains the very irregular character of the boundary in that section of the town. The accession of these two tracts of land increased the area of the town to eight thousand eight hundred and forty acres.
In 1868 a section of about four hundred acres was taken from the north-west corner of Milton, with land fron Dedham and Dorchester, to form the town of Hyde Park.
CHANGE OF BOUNDARY ON THE EAST.
April 16, 1885, on petition of the towns of Quincy and Mil- ton, the boundary line between the two towns was changed and modified as by the following : -
ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
An Act changing the boundary line between the town of Quincy, and the town of Milton in Norfolk County.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows :-
SECTION 1. The boundary line heretofore existing between the town of Quincy and the town of Milton is hereby changed and established as pro- vided in section two.
48
HISTORY OF MILTON.
SECT. 2. Commencing at a stone bound-post standing in thic northerly line of Beale street, at a point distant two hundred and forty feet westerly from the south-east corner of land of N. H. Beale ; thence easterly, following the northerly line of Beale street, a distance of four hundred and ciglit and five-tenths feet, to a stone bound-post standing in the present boundary line between the towns of Quincy and Milton. All the land to the south of the northerly line of Beale street, lying between the said stone bound-posts, is hereby set off from the town of Milton to the town of Quincy. Continuing from the last mentioned stone bound-post on Beale street, the new boun- dary line shall run north thirty-four degrees, twenty minutes west (mag- netic), following the present dividing lines between said towns, a distance of two thousand seven hundred and ninety-five and three-tenths feet to a stone bound-post; thence by the same course a distance of one thousand and twenty-nine and five-tenths feet to the southerly line of Squantum street ; thence running in a northerly and easterly direction, following the easterly line of said Squantum street, about seven hundred and twenty feet to a stone bound-post, standing on the south-easterly line of said street ; thence running north six degrees eight minutes east (magnetic), a dis- tance of three thousand and fifty-one feet, to the north-west corner of the stone-wharf at Neponset river, owned by one Faulkner; thence by the same course to the centre of the channel of said river. All the land on the easterly side of said line is hereby set off from the town of Milton to the town of Quincy, and all land on the westerly side of said line is hereby set off from the town of Quincy, to the town of Milton.
SECT. 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved April 16, 1885.]
The change thus made is indicated on the map of Milton; by comparing this with the Historical Map the land surrendered to Quincy and the land received from Quincy may be seen. About one hundred acres of mostly tide-marsh land were given to Quincy in exchange for about sixty acres of upland. The town of Milton was shortened about half a mile, but was made more compact, and secured a more sensible eastern boundary, which is now terminated at the river by the ridge, the location of Bray Wilkins' Penny Ferry, 1638. By this exchange the Faulkner house, the Shields house, and three tenement-houses opposite Mr. Faulkner's, all on Granite avenue were gained, and none lost.
PRESENT AREA OF MILTON.
The surrender of four hundred acres to Hyde Park in 1868, and forty acres to Quincy in 1885, leaves to the town of Milton a present area of about eight thousand and four hundred acres.
49
TOPOGRAPHIC.
CHAPTER IV.
TOPOGRAPHIC.
M ILTON is situated on the south side of Boston, separated therefrom by the Neponset river, which forms the divid- ing line between Boston and Milton for the distance of four miles. Before the organization of Hyde Park the river formed the natural boundary of the town on the north, for its entire length.
The village of the Lower Mills is about six miles south of the State House. The extreme limit of the town in length is now six miles, and in breadth three and a third miles.
The curvature of the river causes great variation in the width of the town. The average width does not exceed two and one-half miles, while five and a quarter miles is a fair average of its length.
The extent of territory inclosed by these lines is about eight thousand and four hundred acres.
SURFACE.
One of the striking features of the town is the absence of level tracts of land. There are literally no plains in Milton. Little patches of level ground are found, but of limited extent.
The surface presents to the eye the highly pleasing picture of a rolling country, rising to gentle elevations and sinking into open, breezy fields, and broad, low, green meadows, with lines of lofty trees shading the pathways, and forest-covered moun- tains skirting the southern boundary.
About one-third of the township is covered with woods. This gives it a rural aspect, and invites the dwellers of the great city near by to its pleasant retreats.
East Milton is the largest village ; next in order is the Lower Mills, and then Mattapan. The villages of the Lower Mills and Mattapan are closely allied with the citizens of Boston on the opposite shore of the river, forming with them mixed municipalities of united interests and sympathies.
Lately the greatest increase in population has been near the river in the region of Central Avenue Station, where, within
50
HISTORY OF MILTON.
thirteen years, forty-one houses have been built, or are now in process of building. The first house in that section was erected by John Bater, in 1874, on Maple street. Now there are thir- teen houses on that street, ten on Eliot street, and seventeen on Central avenue; and the speedy occupation of that whole section so near the station and so favorable for building purposes seems probable.
THE SPIRIT OF THE TOWN.
The spirit of the town, or its peculiar characteristic, is revealed in the motto of the municipal seal, -
" Deus nobis hæc otia fecit,"
" God has afforded us this quiet, or these pleasant things,"- and the aim seems to be to preserve the rich gifts of the Great Giver in their native simplicity and attractiveness. Nature in her rude magnificence and quiet beauty is left ascendant. Wild flowers are suffered to bloom in their season along the path- ways. The woodbine and clematis mantle the walls, and fes- toon the wayside shrubs and trees. Elderberries and barberries give sweet flowers in Spring and graceful fruit in Fall. The golden rod and wild aster, with numerous wayside flowers, set out in bright array the roughness of nature.
No steam or street cars come far within the area of the town, introducing the air of business, and disturbing the singular quiet. The lawyer may leave his briefs and the merchant his counting-room, and in half an hour's ride from the great city reach a country as rural, and, in parts, almost as wild, as the interior of Vermont or New Hampshire.
SHADOWS.
This picture, none too bright, is nevertheless shaded by the apparent danger, that, in the enjoyment and satisfaction of these pleasant homes, we may forget the duties we owe to those about us, and underrate the amenities of social life so necessary and helpful to all.
The sparsely inhabited town, near a great city, in which all social, intellectual and religious wants are easily met, and the "most cultured may find satisfaction, seldom attains the unity of feeling, the deep interest in the welfare of the community, and the social, intellectual and religious opportunities enjoyed by the village wholly dependent on its own resources for these demands.
The strong city church, with its able and popular preacher, attracts from the country around those who may conveniently
51
TOPOGRAPHIC.
attend it. The large, excellent schools draw pupils from the home school; lectures and various means of intellectual improve- ment, the very best, are at hand in the city; home interests languish ; families and individuals are left to themselves; while the union of the whole influence and strength of the town in devising for its interests, social, civil, educational and religious, would make everything bright and beautiful, and in full har- mony with the glories of nature.
OCCUPATION.
In the vicinity of the river manufacturing is carried on to some extent. Otherwise the inhabitants are sparsely scattered over the town, and are engaged in various industrial pursuits. Most are occupied as agriculturists, supplying from their highly-cultivated grounds, hay, grain, fruits and vegetables for the excellent markets near at hand. Some furnish milk for the city's demand; some are devoted to the production of green- house flowers and plants; and many, while absorbed in the busy marts of trade and commerce at the neighboring metropo- lis through the day, when the hours of business are over, by quick and easy lines of travel, reach their quiet, peaceful and often elegant homes, where the breezes that sweep from the hills bring health.
SOIL.
The soil is generally a deep, heavy loam, retentive of moist- ure and plant food. This quality of the soil, and the supera- bundance of stones, large and small, make its cultivation laborious and expensive. The farmer, who, at every ploughing, brings to light a fresh crop of stones, notwithstanding annual removal, asks with a show of impatience, "Do stones grow ?" The principle is ignored, which a moment's reflection would suggest, that within these inorganic bodies every particle is at rest, thus excluding all inherent power of growth; and that growth can only be from additions to their external surface by incrustation or conglomeration.
The porphyritic and syenitic rocky formations underlying this whole town and cropping out at different points, especially in the Blue Hill range, throw off boulders, which by the action of the elements become subdivided; these subdivisions, in turn reduced to finer portions by disintegration, are scattered over and embedded in the ground, by the gradual mouldering away of which a strong and healthful soil is accumulated.
Ruskin, in referring to a region similar to our own, makes the following truthful observations : -
52
HISTORY OF MILTON.
It is remarkable how this intense purity of the country seems to influ- ence the character of its inhabitants. It is almost impossible to make a cottage built in a granite country look absolutely miserable. Rough it may be, neglected, cold, full of aspects of hardship, but it never can look foul, no matter how carelessly, how indolently its inhabitants may live; the water at their doors will not stagnate, the soil at their feet will not suffer itself to be trodden into slime. Do the worst they can, there will still be a feeling of firm ground under them and pure air about them, and an inher- ent wholesomeness which will need the misery of years to conquer. The inhabitants of granite countries have too, a force and healthiness of char- acter about them, abated or modified according to their other circumstances of life, that clearly distinguish them from the inhabitants of less pure districts.
CROPS.
The hills of Milton are moist and springy, and the meadows and valleys rich and well watered, suitable for all herbaceous crops. Grass is a staple. Two and a half or three tons of hay per acre is not an unusual yield on newly prepared ground. I have known in two well-authenticated instances, a return of over one hundred bushels of shelled corn per acre. The pear is well suited in this soil, escaping the blight; if properly cul- tivated, abundant crops of large and fair fruit may be obtained. Apples seldom fail to yield a biennial crop, and the canker- worm, though troublesome in the east part of the town, is kept in check by various appliances. The small fruits, especially strawberries, are cultivated with good success. Flowers and flowering plants and shrubs find a congenial soil; with but slight expense and care they may be made to spread their beauty and fragrance around our homes, and to speak, in their own language, and enrich the life of every passer-by.
CLIMATE.
The climate of Milton is changeable as in every section of New England. Heat and cold are sometimes extreme. The east winds, during the winter and long spring, laden with moist- ure direct from the ocean, and often attended by snow or rain, are exceedingly disagreeable and hard to bear. But these same rough currents coming in during the heated term of July and August are refreshing, and send strength and vigor through the system.
Mr. Charles Breck, our veteran Town Treasurer, has for thirty-eight years kept a daily record of the temperature in Milton. From this record we learn that the extreme heat is about 98° above zero, and the extreme cold 15° below. The mean temperature varies between forty-four and fifty-one de- grees. Mr. Breck's record is subjoined.
A TABLE
Showing the Range of the Thermometer at Milton Centre, Mass., from January, 1849, to July, 1887, showing the Mean Temperature for each month and year, by CHARLES BRECK, Milton.
Jan.
Feb.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
Sept.
Oet.
Nov.
Dec.
Average of year.
1849.
21.56
19.46
. 34.56
40.59
52.53
66.54
70.23
68.93
62.51
50.95
45.25
31.07
47.03
1850.
29.04
31.89
33.12
43.40
52.32
67.54
70.49
67.94
62.00
52 69
42.34
27.90
48.37
1851.
28.50
30.87
38.00
46.00
56.55
69.06
69.74
67.51
61.20
53.60
36.63
24.37
48.50
1852 ...
22.63
26.33
33.93
41.29
59.25
65.66
73.15
66.00
64.63
51.01
39.28
37.08
48.35
1853 ...
28.37
30.33
36.50
45.58
56.53
66.37
69.93
70.37
63.38
51.70
43.66
29.12
49.31
1854 ..
26.30
25.49
31.58
43.71
61.50
66.00
74.00
68.00
62.50
53.71
43.48
27.00
48.60
1855 ..
30.55
22.60
33.60
44.50
54.90
66.00
72.82
66.42
62.33
53.43
42.50
32.88
48.54
1856 ...
19.79
26.34
28.54
46.86
54.48
68.03
74.41
68.67
63.36
51.60
39.15
25.70
47.24
1857 ...
17.50
35.00
33.62
40 38
54.98
63.93
71.15
68.35
62.99
50.25
42.53
34.25
47.73
1858. ..
31.87
23.50
32.17
44.50
53.46
67.58
69.38
66.50
62.13
53.64
36.25
29.50
47.54
Average 10 years
25.62
27.18
33.56
43.68
55.65
66.67
71.53
67.86
62.71
52.75
41.10
29.88
48.12
49.31 Warmest Year, 1853.
47.03 Coldest Year, 1849.
1859.
26.79
: 30.42
39.27
43.29
58.88
64.35
69.60
67.87
59.41
47.07
41.15
25.51
47.80
1860 ...
28.55
27.51
38.24
43.69
55.40
65.18
69.81
69.91
59.85
51.67
44.01
28.46
48.32
1861 . ..
23.92
33.92
35.51
44.61
54.13
65.43
71.17
66.92
60.83
54.80
40.41
33.06
48.72
1862 ..
26.13
25.39
34.75
44.49
58.25
63.83
68.75
68.93
62.88
55.22
43.29
31.36
48.60
1863 . .
32.12
29.06
29.94
44.51
57.49
62.18
70.33
72.00
59.53
53.09
44.61
28.20
48.59
1864 ...
28.25
31.51
36.69
43.51
57.83
66.74
71.67
72.00
59.56
48.23
41.70
30.44
49.01
1865 ...
19.51
28.76
40.36
49.86
50.08
68.51
70.72
69.72
67.18
49.17
42.38
32.58
49.74
1866 ...
24.10
29.76
33.85
48.45
54.93
65.36
74.20
65.00
62.70
51.38
43.78
30.06
48.63
1867 ...
20.79
34.64
31.61
46.63
54 24
66.41
68.95
70.03
64.43
51.36
40.35
24.69
47.84
1868 ..
24.49
21.68
35.22
43.53
52.50
62.08
72.85
70.14
60.63
47.48
38.51
27.68
46,39
Average 10 years
25.46
29.26
35.54
45.25
55.37
65.00
70.60
69.25
61.72
50.94
42.01
29.20
48.16
49.74 Warmest Year, 1865.
46.39 Coldest Year, 1868.
TOPOGRAPHIC.
53
54
RANGE OF THERMOMETER. - Continued.
Jan.
Feb.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dee.
Average of year.
1869 ..
31.35
31.46
30.82
46.54
55.41
64.36
69.59
67.56
63.31
49.66
37.23
31.61
48.24
1870. ..
34.64
25.50
31.30
46.50
56.23
68.88
72.33
72.67
62.57
54.87
43.56
32.72
50.15
1871 ...
26.57
28.78
42.98
48.14
57.70
65.50
69.91
71.32
58.63
52.38
37.03
28.19
48.92
1872 ..
28.20
29.81
26.52
45.50
59.58
68.03
73.90
71.96
62.59
53.05
39.70
23.87
49.11
1873.
25.49
28.38
34.19
44.96
57.06
67.01
72.51
68.11
62.61
53 16
34.16
32.91
48.38
1874 ...
31.79
27.69
36.56
40.18
53.37
66.38
72.07
66.00
63.05
52.48
40.73
30.26
48.38
1875 .. .
20.05
23.60
31.30
42.69
58.43
66.88
70.27
70.75
60.94
51.62
34.98
31.01
46.87
1876 ...
33.28
31.60
35.73
45.71
58.72
70.51
75.12
70.90
61.24
48.02
42.43
24.92
49.85
1877.
.
25.08
33.92
37.66
47.05
58.03
65.98
71.58
71.59
63.98
52.21
46.08
37.85
50.84
1878.
29.08
32.33
41.85
51.24
57.44
66.93
73.21
70.02
65.28
56.56
40.30
31.57
51.31
Average 10 years
28.55
29.30
34.89
45.85
57.19
67.04
72.04
70.08
62.42
52.40
39.62
30.49
49.20
51.31 Warmest Year, 1878.
46.87 Coldest Year, 1875.
1879
24.70
25.21
35.45
45.14
62.75
63.36
71.07
68.70
61.76
58.90
40.99
35.06
49.71
1880. .
36.16
32.82
36.25
48.13
66.02
69.86
72.82
70.50
64.50
53.45
37.92
27.29
51.35
1881.
22.44
26.28
37.79
44.55
59.01
62 48
69.93
71.08
67.53
54.78
42.80
38.80
49.95
1882 ...
29.19
31.20
37.16
43.79
51.54
66.09
72.14
70.06
64 53
56.03
37.36
29.22
49.32
1883 ...
24.09
29.10
30.76
44.26
57.93
70.55
71.91
67.41
61.26
48.58
44.63
30.17
48.55
1884 ...
25.19
34.49
35.66
45.16
57.80
68.33
69.88
70.30
67.01
53.96
41.70
34.12
49.72
1885 . .
29.04
21.95
29.77
49.00
54.92
70.40
73.42
68.64
61.31
54.40
44.76
34.35
49.38
1886 ...
28.38
26.85
35.54
53.65
59.20
65.73
71.45
67.60
63.56
53.15
44.40
29.98
49.98
1887 ...
26.99
28.40
33.16
45.80
62.20
67.87
Observations taken at sunrise, and at 1 P.M.
HISTORY OF MILTON.
55
TOPOGRAPHIC.
Average of Thermometer, - Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, -for 39 years.
YEARS.
Winter.
Spring.
Summer.
Fall.
1849
1849-50
31.00
43.05
68.66
52.34
1850-51
29.09
46.85
68.77
50.47
1851-52
26.16
44.82
68.27
51.65
1852-53
31.92
46.20
68.89
52.91
1853-54
26.77
48.93
69.33
53.23
1854-55
26.72
44.33
68.41
52.75
1855-56
26.33
43.27
70.37
51.37
1856-57
26.06'
42.99
67.81
51.92
1857-58
29.87
43.37
67.82
50.67
1858-59
28.90
47.14
67.27
49.21
1859-60
27.19
45.77
68.30
51.84
1860-61
28.76
44.75
67.84
52.01
1861-62
28.19
45.83
67.17
53.80
1862-63
30.85
43.98
68.17
52.41
1863-64
29.32
46.01
70.13
49.83
1864-65
26.23
46.76
69.65
52.91
1865-66
28.81
45.77
68.19
52.62
1866-67
28.49
44.16
67.80
52.05
1867-68
23.62
43.75
68.36
48.87
1868-69
30.16
44.25
67.13
50.07
1869-70
30.58
44.07
71.29
53.66
1870-71
29.35
49.60
68.91
49.34
1871-72
28.73
43.87
71.29
51.78
1872-73
25.91
45.38
69.21
50.31
1873-74
30.79
43.37
68.15
52.08
1874-75
24.60
44.14
69.30
49.18
1875-76
31.96
46.72
72.17
50.46
1876-77
27.97
47.58
69.72
54.17
1877-78
33.08
50.17
70.15
54.05
1878-79
27.16
47.78
67.71
53.88
1879-80
34.88
50.77
71.06
51.95
1880-81
25.50
47.11
67.83
55.04
1881-82
33.06
44.16
69.78
53.32
1882-83
27.47
44.31
70.02
51.49
1883-84
29.95
46.25
69.50
54.22
1884-85
28.37
44.24
70.84
53.49
1885-86
29.86
49.46
1886-87
28.44
47.10
68.27
53.83
42.56
68.59
52.92
56
HISTORY OF MILTON.
From the observations of another citizen who, since 1860, has made a record of all meteorological facts at 7 A.M., 2 P.M., and 9 P.M., daily, first for the Smithsonian Institute and afterwards for the U. S. Signal Service, we learn that the annual average of rainfall and melted snow for Milton is forty-one inches.
During the period of this record the range of the thermom- eter in Milton has often been thirty degrees and upwards, and in three instances forty-five degrees, within twenty-four hours.
In the night of March 24, 1884, occurred as wonderful a freak of the weather as is often experienced. For a week pre- vious the daily mean temperature had been 46°. 7'; Saturday night at 10 o'clock the thermometer indicated 43º above zero, and there was no change until after midnight; at six o'clock Sunday morning it had fallen to 12º above, with a high north- west wind, and a furious snow-storm. In six hours and per- haps less there was a fall of thirty-one degrees, aggravated by a driving snow-storm. This is an extravagant specimen of the fickleness of the Milton climate.
Mr. Charles Breck remembers the "Cold Friday," Jan. 19, 1810. The day before had been very warm and pleasant, with southerly winds and the thermometer at 60. Toward sunset was the appearance of a coming storm like a heavy thunder- shower. A little later it burst upon a part of Massachusetts with terrific violence, in a snow-squall, with the power and fury of a tornado. Desolation marked its course. The cold increased with great rapidity. At midnight of Thursday it was at zero, and in the morning of Friday 20° below, and much lower in many places; which, attended with the violent wind, rendered exposure impossible.
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