USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Topographical and historical description of Boston > Part 3
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The south-east corner of Bedford and Rowe streets was oc- cupied by the Rowe Street Baptist Church, of which Dr. Baron Stow was long the pastor. The society removed to Clarendon street about 1867, and the building was turned into a store.
On Bedford street, about 1868, in a house near the corner of Rowe street, there was on exhibition for a time Du- chesne's " Model of Boston." This most valuable model
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was made about 1815 by Joseph Duchesne, a French artist, resident here. It consisted of little wooden models of every building in the town, done to a scale, all painted like the originals. After Duchesne's death these models were lost, - were recognised by a Boston captain at some place in the West Indies; then brought back here, and by the zeal of Rev. E. E. Hale exhibited once more. In 1869 they were deposited with the Mass. Historical So- ciety. Unfortunately, a few days before the Great Fire they were removed to some store, presumably within the burnt district, and have since never been seen.
P. 492. Castle Island. The memorial slab which was placed in 1703 at the entrance to the old fort is described by Shurtleff. A full account is in the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society for January, 1879. There is no doubt that only a portion of this slate slab has been seen of late years, and that the full inscription given in the text is merely the conjectural reading of the late Charles Folsom. It is, however, certain that substantial accuracy is ob- tained in this version.
P. 498.
Castle Island as a fortification has long ceased to be of value ; in fact, a single sergeant at times represents the garrison. Its position, so near to the Marine Park at South Boston, rendered it desirable for the City to obtain the use of the island for park purposes. Hon. P. A. Collins, as a Rep- resentative from Boston, secured the passage of an order to this effect, but it was vetoed by President Cleveland. In the last session of Congress, however, Mr. Collins's successor, Hon. Joseph H. O'Neil was more fortunate ; and the following resolve was passed and approved : - " Resolved, &c., That permission be, and is hereby, granted to the City of Boston, in the state of Massachusetts, through its park commissioners, to improve and beautify Castle Island, situated in said city, and belonging to the United States, in connection with a public park to be laid out on land adjoining and connecting with said island,
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with the right to said city of Boston to make such exca- vations and fillings and erect and maintain such structures as the Secretary of War may, from time to time, approve : Provided, That this resolution shall not be construed to pass any title in said island, but that the ownership and control of the said grounds shall remain entirely in the United States, and shall be subject to such changes and uses for military or other purposes as the Secretary of War may direct, and that the bridge from the harbor line to the island shall not be constructed until the plans for the same have been approved by the Secretary of War."
P. 577.
The Graves. Shurtleff says these rocks are supposed to be named from Admiral Graves. Winsor, however, (Me- morial History of Boston, vol. ii, p. 1.,) states that they are so named on the old manuscript chart prepared for Gov. Andros about 1687. He adds, "evidently the name had been given them nearly a century before the Revolution ; perhaps from the earlier Admiral Thomas Graves, who was mate of the Talbot in 1629, and master of the first Boston ship, (the Tryal), in 1643."
P. 592. Old public buildings. Shurtleff says that there were only four churches and the two State-Houses remaining of those built before 1800. One church, the Brattle-street meeting-house, dedicated in 1773, was removed in 1872, to make room for stores. On the other hand, the Old State House has been restored thoroughly and given a new lease of life. This building was vacated by the Leg- islature in January, 1798. In 1803, the town of Boston bought out the rights of the State and the counties of Suf- folk and Norfolk for $9,100; and the building was used for business purposes. In 1830, it was repaired and used as a City Hall, being so occupied till March, 1841. It was then again leased and used for stores and offices ; a mansard roof was added, doors put in, partitions and stairways added. Still the main walls and floors were
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preserved, and even the roof-timbers were kept in place. In 1876, when the leases expired, a strong effort was made to have the building removed. A petition, said to represent millions of money, will be found in the Pro- ceedings of the City Council, (1876, p. 238), asking for this removal. The Council, however, decided to renew the leases for five years. In 1881, the Council voted $35,000 to be spent in restoring the building to its first condition, especially the exterior and the two halls for- merly occupied by the Legislature. Two offices on the west side were leased, the basement and easterly half of the first floor were reserved for a City department, and the rest of the building was leased for ten years to the Bostonian Society. This association was formed to col- lect and preserve historical relics relating to Boston ; and it is obliged to keep the Memorial Halls open daily to the public. The building was re-dedicated July 11, 1882, when an oration was delivered by William H. Whitmore. A memorial volume was issued by the City, containing many notes and illustrations, the fifth edition being in 1889.
The Old South Church. This building fortunately still stands, but is no longer used as a church. In 1869, the Society worshipping there bought land on Dartmouth street whereon to build a new church. In 1872, it voted to sell the old building to the Massachusetts Historical Society to be kept as a historical relic, and to be used for " occasional divine worship." The money however could not be obtained. The question of sale and removal caused great dissensions in the society, and the public was also greatly interested. The right to sell the land was settled in 1876 by the Supreme Court, and it was sold October 11, 1876, to R. M. Pulsifer and others who desired to preserve the building. The deed provided that the edifice should not be used for any business or com- mercial purpose for thirty years, and for the like period
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should not be used for any purpose whatever on Sundays. By chapter 222 of Acts of 1877 the Old South Association was incorporated to hold the building " for public, his- torical, memorial, educational, charitable and religious uses and none other." The historian of the Old South Society, Mr. Hamilton A. Hill, adds (vol. ii, p. 546), " But the parties interested have not availed themselves of the law for whose enactment they asked twelve years ago, and the old building has never been opened upon the Lord's day for any purpose whatever. Should anything be attempted at any time in the future under the sanctions of this law, it will, of course, be competent to the Old South Society to take measures to test the question of its constitutionality."
The Old South Association, in Boston, consists of the Gov- ernor, the Mayor of Boston, and the Presidents, respect- ively, of Harvard College, of the Massachusetts Histor- ical Society, of the American Antiquarian Society, and of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, ex-officiis, who are also managers. Two more managers are to be elected annually by the City Council of Boston. Addi- tional managers are elected by the society. The corpo- rators were William Gaston, John Lowell, Samuel E. Sewall, Edward Quincy, Samuel A. Green, Henry Lee, Martin Brimmer, and John D. Long.
I am informed that Mr. R. M. Pulsifer bought the land for about $400,000, taking a mortgage from the Associa- tion. Mrs. Augustus Hemenway contributed $100,000 towards paying the debt ; other friends contributed gener- ously, and the proceeds of rents, admission fees, enter- tainments, etc., given in aid, have reduced the actual indebtedness to less than forty per cent. of the cost. It seems therefore certain that there is no longer any danger that this historic edifice will be destroyed for lack of funds for its support.
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P. 600. The Old Province House. As a view of this building has been frequently engraved of late years, it is well to state how much reliance can be placed on it. The first pic- ture was drawn and engraved by Lossing in his " Pic- torial Field Book of the Revolution," in 1851, vol. i, p. 474. It was undoubtedly correct, except that the foreground was imaginary. At this time the cupola was wanting. In 1872, S. A. Drake, in his " Old Land- marks of Boston," p. 235, gave an improved version, adding the cupola and Indian, copying from old views of Boston. In Winsor's " Memorial History," vol. ii, p. 89, this last engraving was copied with a little more embel- lishment. The current view, although substantially cor- rect doubtless, must be accepted with these reservations as to its authority. The Indian which surmounted the cupola as a vane, was made of copper, by Dea. Shem Drowne, who also made the grass-hopper on Faneuil Hall. The Indian held his bow and arrow ready to shoot, and it was the local jest that at twelve o'clock daily he fired the arrow and went down to dinner: an event often watched for by children and suburbans. He is four feet, six inches, high, weighs forty-eight pounds, and measures four feet from his elbow to the tip of the arrow. Some forty years ago, during alterations to the building, the Indian disappeared, but only into the careful custody of the late Dr. John C. Warren, whose heirs presented it, in 1876, to the Massachusetts His- torical Society. (See Proceedings of that Society XV. 178.) In this safe haven it is hoped he will long remain. P. 626-638. As Shurtleff has so much to say about the Franklins, it seems proper to add something about Franklin's famous bequests to Boston. Besides his bequest of £100, the interest of which was to purchase silver medals for scholars in the Boston schools, he gave £1000 for an accumulating fund. A like sum was given to Philadel- phia, and now that the term of one hundred years has
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nearly expired, his heirs, descendants of his daughter Sarah Bache, have given notice of their intent to claim the sum with its increment. It will be of interest perhaps to read the terms of his will, as given in Parton's "Life," ii, 589.
" I have considered that amongst artisans, good apprentices are most likely to make good citizens, and having myself been bred to a manual art, printing, in my native town, and afterwards assisted to set up my business in Philadel- phia by kind loans of money from two friends there, which was the foundation of my fortune, and of all the utility in life that may be ascribed to me, I wish to be useful even after my death, if possible, in forming and advancing other young men, that may be serviceable to their country in both those towns. To this end, I devote two thousand pounds sterling, of which I give one thou- sand thereof to the inhabitants of the town of Boston in Massachusetts, and the other thousand to the inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia, in trust, to and for the uses, intents and purposes hereinafter mentioned and declared.
" The said sum of one thousand pounds sterling, if accepted by the inhabitants of Boston, shall be managed under the direction of the selectmen, united with the ministers of the oldest Episcopalian, Congregational and Presbyterian churches in that town, who are to let out the same upon interest at five per cent. per annum, to such young married artificers, under the age of twenty-five years, as have served an apprenticeship in the said town, and faith- fully fulfilled the duties required in their indentures, so as to obtain a good moral character from at least two re- spectable citizens, who are willing to become their sure- ties, in a bond with the applicants, for the repayment of the moneys so lent, with interest, according to the terms hereinafter prescribed : all which bonds are to be taken for Spanish milled dollars, or the value thereof in current gold coin ; and the managers shall keep a bound book or
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books, wherein shall be entered the names of those who shall apply for and receive the benefits of this institution, and of their sureties, together with the sums lent, the dates, and other necessary and proper records respecting the business and concerns of this institution. And, as these loans are intended to assist young married artificers in setting up their business, they are to be proportioned, by the discretion of the managers, so as not to exceed sixty pounds sterling to one person, nor to be less than fifteen pounds ; and, if the number of appliers so entitled should be so large as that sum will not afford to each as much as might otherwise not be improper, the proportion to each shall be diminished so as to afford to every one some assistance. These aids may, therefore, be small at first, but as the capital increases by the accumulated interest, they will be more ample. And, in order to serve as many as possible in their turn, as well as to make the repayment of the principal borrowed more easy, each borrower shall be obliged to pay, with the yearly interest, one tenth part of the principal, which sums of principal and interest, so paid in, shall be again let out to fresh borrowers."
" And, as it is presumed that there will always be found in Boston virtuous and benevolent citizens, willing to bestow a part of their time in doing good to the rising generation, by superintending and managing this insti- tution gratis, it is hoped, that no part of the money, will, at any time, be dead or be diverted to other pur- poses, but be continually augmenting by the interest ; in which case there may, in time, be more than the occasions in, Boston shall require, and then some may be spared to the neighboring or other towns in the said State of Massachusetts, who may desire to have it; such towns engaging to pay punctually the interest and the portions of the principal, annually, to the in- habitants of the town of Boston."
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" If this plan is executed, and succeeds as projected, without interruption, for one hundred years, the sum will then be one hundred and thirty-one thousand pounds ; of which I would have the managers of the donation to the town of Boston then lay out, at their discretion, one hundred thousand pounds in public works, which may be judged of most general utility to the inhabi- tants ; such as fortifications, bridges, aqueducts, public buildings, baths, pavements, or whatever may make living in the town more convenient to its people, and render it more agreeable to strangers resorting thither for health or a temporary residence. The remaining thirty-one thousand pounds I would have continued for another hundred years, as I hope it will have been found that the institution has had a good effect on the conduct of youth, and been of service to many worthy characters and useful citizens. At the end of this second term, if no unfortunate accident has prevented the operation, the sum will be four millions and sixty-one thousand pounds sterling ; of which I leave one million sixty-one thousand pounds to the disposition of the inhabitants of Boston, and three millions to the disposition of the government of the State, not presuming to carry my views farther."
" All the directions herein given, respecting the disposi- tion and management of the donation to the inhabitants of Boston, I would have observed respecting that to the inhabitants of Philadelphia, only, as Philadelphia is incorporated, I request the corporation of that city to undertake the management, agreeably to the said di- rections ; and I do hereby vest them with full and ample powers for that purpose."
Of course Franklin's benevolent design did not succeed. Apprentices ceased, and even before that, the applicants were by no means men after Franklin's pattern. The fund, owing to bad debts and lessening applications, did
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not increase in the presumed ratio. The Boston Fund on Feb. 1st, 1890, amounted to $368,741.12. The Phila- delphia fund is reported as amounting to only $100,000.
Notice has recently been given in both cases, that at the ex- piration of the term of one hundred years, the descend- ants of Franklin will claim the whole money. The record of all the grand-children of Richard and Sarah (Franklin) Bache was published in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register for October, 1854, (Vol. VIII, p. 374). There were thirty-eight then, and one half were then married and had issue.
Public Parks. It seems impossible to let this book appear without no- ticing our system of Public Parks, which has come to life since Shurtleff wrote. In 1869 the necessity of parks was agitated, but in 1875 the City Council passed votes calling for prompt action. Chap. 185 of Acts of 1875 empowered the mayor to appoint a board of three park commissioners with authority to buy lands or take them by right of eminent domain, for park purposes. No ex- penditure of money could be made until an appropriation, sufficient to cover the estimated expense, had been made by a two-thirds vote in the City Council. The city was authorised to borrow money to an amount not exceeding the actual cost of the lands. This act required an accept- ance by a popular vote, which was done accordingly on June 9th. The result was 3,706 yeas and 2,311 nays, and the act was accepted.
The first board, holding two, three, and four years respec- tively, were Charles H. Dalton, William Gray, jr., and T. Jefferson Coolidge. Mr. T. J. Coolidge resigned De- cember 11th, 1876, and Charles S. Storrow was appointed. In 1879, Mr. Storrow was re-appointed March 31st, but resigned May 19th, of the same year, when Henry Lee was appointed. The board continued to consist of Messrs. Dalton, Lee and Gray until May 1884, when Mr. Gray failed to be confirmed in the Common Council.
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In 1885 the board was reconstructed. In February, the Mayor appointed Benjamin Dean (for two years) to fill the vacancy in Mr. Gray's place; and also Patrick Ma- guire for the new term of three years. May 11th Mr. Dalton resigned, and the vacancy (one year term) was filled by John F. Andrew. These three gentlemen con- tinued, by re-appointments, until 1889. In 1888 Mr. Ma- guire was re-nominated, but the Aldermen refused confir- mation. Under the amended charter, the incumbent held over.
In February 1889, Isaac Fenno was appointed for the re- mainder of Mr. Maguire's term, and April 15th, Thomas L. Livermore was nominated for the three year term, Mr. Andrew's time expiring. Mr. Livermore was refused con- firmation, but the mayor again nominated him, May 6th, and he was confirmed May 13th.
In 1890, Mr. Dean's term expired and Francis A. Walker was appointed for three years.
The first enterprise of the Park Commissioners was the Back-Bay Improvement, comprising "about 100 acres of marsh-land and flats, flowed by tide-water, and including within its limits the open basin into which the two streams known as Stony brook and Muddy river empty, carrying in their flow the drainage of a large portion of West Rox- bury and Brookline." For this purpose a loan of $450,000 was voted by the City Council in July 1877. This project was favored mainly on the ground that the public health required the filling-up these lands and the regu- lation of the brooks and sewers. It was hardly supposed that the territory would ever meet the popular demand for a park.
In 1879, petitions were presented to the City Council in favor of a park at South Boston; for taking the Arnold Arboretum ; and for a great park in West Roxbury.
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In 1880, an act was obtained (Chap. 144 of that year) allowing the City to lease to Harvard College, the Arnold Arboretum, after taking that and other land.
In 1881, a strong and successful effort was made to begin the grand system of parks so continually recommended by the commissioners. The matter was fully discussed in the City Council ; and, late in the year, one of $200,000 for Brighton being rejected, orders were passed as fol- lows : -
For West Roxbury Park $600,000
" City Point, South Boston 100,000
" Charles River Embankment 300,000
" Muddy River Improvement 200,000
" East Boston Park . 50,000
" Arnold Arboretum 60,000
$1,310,000
To be paid for by loans.
At that time, the Seventh Report of the Park Commission- ers shows, that they had received to Dec. 31st, 1881,
Loan .
. $450,000
Appropriations
. 640,161 68
$1,090,161 48
and had expended
Back Bay . . $899,568 08
Sundries .
.
13,063 52
Cash on hand
· 177,530 08
1,090,161 68
In 1882, the Commissioners completed the lease of the Arnold Arboretum to Harvard College in perpetuity ; and bought East Wood Island, East Boston, containing about 81 acres, of which 57 acres were flats.
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Late in 1882, application was made to the City Council to change the terms of the appropriations for the West Roxbury and South Boston parks. The original orders were for buying or taking lands to the amounts stated, " in assessed valuation." It was soon found that the asking price for land far exceeded the assessed values, and in 1882 the Council, by a two-thirds vote, struck out these words. The commissioners were thus enabled to buy lands at their discretion, until the money should be exhausted. In 1883 the Commissioners reported that they had secured 324 acres for the $600,000.
In 1883, the boundaries of the proposed West Roxbury Park were somewhat enlarged, and as there had not been money enough voted to buy even the amount first in- tended, a farther loan of $500,000 was voted at the close of the year. In this year also, the restriction, " in assessed valuation " was also removed from the appro- priation for Muddy River, and it was announced that the cost would probably be doubled, say to $400,000.
In April, 1883, an additional $120,000 loan was voted for City Point Park.
The Commissioners reported that the West Roxbury Park was opened to the public, May 1st, 1883 ; that the Muddy Brook business had been re-named Riverdale; and that work was in progress on the other parks.
In 1884 and 1885, work was pushed forward, the money in hand being still unexpended, and the cost of maintenance being necessarily given by annual appropriations.
In 1886, the City Council petitioned the Legislature for power to borrow more money for parks, as the newly established limits for debt and taxation, prevented any farther increase. By chap. 304 of Acts of 1886, power was given to the city to appropriate $2,500,000, one-fifth to be expended annually, by the Park Commissioners. This loan was to be outside of the provisions of chap. 178 of Acts of 1885.
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At the meeting of the new City Council in January, 1887, orders were promptly passed to this effect. Three annual payments have been utilized in 1887, 1888, and 1889. That for 1890 is now being expended.
By the 15th Report of the Commissioners, (for the year 1889), it appears that the total expenditures to Dec. 31st, 1889, were $5,938,770.70
Of these six millions, one half is represented by outstanding debts, viz. Gross Debt $3,835,000.00
less Sinking Fund and cash 546,179.93
Nett Debt $3,288,820 07 and in 1890 and 1891 there will be spent of money borrowed one million more.
In 1888, the Commissioners advised a farther appropriation, especially for the purchase of the Jamaica Pond lands and the construction of park-ways to connect the Back- Bay Park with Franklin Park. An act was obtained from the Legislature, (chap. 362 of Acts of 1889), allow- ing the city to borrow $600,000 more, for park purposes, outside of the debt limit.
In 1888 and 1889, various attempts were made to pass orders in the City Council utilizing this power; but they failed, because the Commissioners were said to wish to spend the money as they had advised, and the City Coun- cil desired to have more local parks. A demand for a park in Charlestown was vigorously presented, and Brighton preferred a similar claim.
Finally, February 11th, 1890, the City Council passed the . necessary order allowing the Commissioners to use the $600,000.
By chap. 271 of Acts of 1890, the City was authorised to borrow $200,000 " for the purpose of procuring and con- structing one or more public parks in the Charlestown dis- trict of said city." October 13th, 1890, the City Council
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passed the necessary orders for establishing a new park in Charlestown.
In 1886, (12th Report) the Muddy River improvement, then termed Riverdale, is charged with cost of land, $95,- 851.12. The Back-Bay Park stood at $1,560,000. In the subsequent reports, these two are combined under the title of "Parkway." In the 15th Report, for 1889, the disbursements are as follows : -
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