USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Volume of records relating to the early history of Boston : containing Boston town records, 1784 to 1796 > Part 29
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Resolved that the Inhabitants of Boston will cordially acquiesce in the Continuance of the Embargo until in the opinion of Con- gress the Objects Contemplated by that measure shall be fully Accomplished ; which Passed Unanimously.
Then the meeting was Dissolved -
[421.] Friday May 16th Instant 10 O'Clock A : M :
The Town Met according to the Adjournment of March Meet- ing - On Motion
Voted, That the Vote Passed on the 7th. day of May Instant, Prohibiting Fish from being Exposed to Sale on Faneuil Hall Market Square be reconsidered, also -
Voted, That whatever remains unacted upon the Article of the Warrant and all matters relative to the General State of Faneuil Hall Market be referred over to the Selectmen, they to Act thereon with respect to regulations, as they Judge most for the interest of the Inhabitants
The Committee appointed to Consider and report on the Several matters within Submitted to them have attended that Service and Report as follows - Vizt.
364
CITY DOCUMENT.
That the respective Salaries of the Town Treasurer, Assessors and Town Clerk be the Same as they have been the Year Past, That is to Say for the Town Treasurer £200-for Each of the Assessors £130-and for the Town Clerk £200 ,, --
That There be Allowed and paid to James Thompson £12 ,, - Lawful Money in full compensation for Extra Services Mentioned in his Petition -
[422.] On the representation of Josiah Waters Esqr. In- spector of Police, requesting an Equitable compensation for his Services. Your Committee on Mature Deliberation have thought it expedient to recommend to the Inhabitants of the Town to grant him an Addition of Sixty Pounds for the Present Year to the Salary Allowed him the Year Past- Your Committee Appre- hends that at the time this Officer was appointed It was unknown to the Inhabitants, that the Duties of his Office would have occupied so great A Portion of his time, as from experience they find it Necessarily does, they suppose it was from this Consider- ation that his Salary was originally fixed at £120 ,, -,,- Your Committee are Convinced from their own knowledge and Constant testimony of the Inhabitants in general, That the whole time of the Inspector of Police, Sundays And Nights not ex- cepted, is Casually employed in the Discharge of his duty, And that His Services are of great Importance to the peace, Safety and happiness of The Town, Such Consideration as these have induced your Committee to recommend that the Salary of this Officer for the ensuing Year be fixed at the Sum of One Hundred and Eighty Pounds - all of which is Submitted
Dr. John Coffin Jones Pr. order-
[423.] The aforegoing Report being read and Amended, the Question was put - Vizt. whether the Same shall be Accepted, Passed in the Affirmative, whereupon -
Voted, That the Sum of two hundred Pounds be allowed and paid to Joseph Russell for his Services as Town Treasurer the Present Year, the same to be paid him in Quarterly payments as it shall become due, and to Commence the first day of Marclı Last -
Voted, That the Sum of Two hundred Pounds be allowed and paid unto William Cooper for his Services as Town Clerk the Present Year, the Same to be paid him quarterly, as it shall be- come due, and to Commence the first day of March Last. -
Voted, That the Sum of One hundred and Thirty Pounds be allowed to each of the Assessors for their respective Services for the present Year the same to be paid them Quarterly, as it shall become due, and to Commence the first day of March Last -
365
BOSTON TOWN RECORDS, 1794. .
Voted, That the Sum of One hundred and Eighty Pounds be allowed and paid unto Josiah Waters Esqr. for his Services as Officer of the Police the Present Year, the Same to be paid him Quarterly, as it shall become due -
[424.] Voted, That there be allowed and paid To James Thompson, Twelve Pounds in full compensation for his Extra Services as mentioned in the foregoing report on his Petition -
Voted, That all matters and things Unfinished at this Meeting, be referred over to the Next General Meeting -
Voted, That The Thanks of the Town be given to the Honble Thomas Crafts for his good Services as Moderator of this meeting
Then the Meeting was Dissolved -
At A Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston duly qualified and legally warned in Public Town Meeting Assembled at Faneuil Hall On Friday the 4th. day of July Anno Domini 1794. 9 O'Clock A : M :
Warrant for Calling the meeting - read -
William Cooper -
was Chosen Moderator by A hand Vote -
[425.] The Committee appointed the Last year to make Choice of A Gentleman to deliver an Oration on the Anniversary of Independence. Reported
That they had made Choice of John Phillips Esquire. Who has Accepted - On Motion
Voted, That the oration be delivered at the Old Brick Church 12 O'Clock; Liberty therefor being Obtained -
Voted, The Gentlemen the Selectmen Acquaint Mr. [John Phillips ] with this Vote. - .
Adjourned to the Old Brick Church to Commemorate the Inde- pendence of the United States.
AN ORATION
was delivered by John Phillips Esquire at the Old Brick Church, On Motion -
Voted, That the Selectmen be and hereby are appointed A
366
CITY DOCUMENT.
Committee to Wait on John Phillips, Esquire, and in the Name of the Town to thank him for the Spirited and Elegant Oration this day delivered by him, at the request of The Town, upon the Anniversary of the Independence of the United States Of America, in which, according to the institution of the Town, he Considered the feelings, manners and Principles, which led to that Great National Event, and to Request A Copy thereof for the Press - on Motion
[426.] Voted, That The Gentlemen, the Selectmen, be and hereby are appointed A Committee to apply to Some one Learned and able Gentleman to deliver an Oration on the 4th. July Anno Domini 1795. That day being the Anniversary of the Independ- ence of the United States of America; Wherein the Orator is to Consider the feelings, Manners and Principles which led to this Great National Event, As well as the Important and happy Effects whether General or Domestic which already, and will forever flow from that auspicious Epoch -
Then the meeting was Dissolved -
[427.] At, A Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabi- tants of the Town of Boston duly qualified and legally warned in public Town Meeting Assembled at Faneuil Hall on Saturday the 2ª. day of August A. D. 1794. 11 O'Clock A : M :
Warrant for calling the Meeting - read -
Honble. Thomas Crafts Esqr.
Chosen Moderator By A Hand Vote -
The Article in the Warrant -read, as also the Petition for call- ing A meeting, and after some consideration and debate, the Town came into the following resolutions - Vizt. - '
Whereas, A Number of the inhabitants of this Town actuated by A desire of releiving the distresses of the Unhappy Sufferers by the Late Fire, met the 1st. Instant and Passed A Vote to Request the Several Clergy to deliver A Sermon upon that Sub- ject on the Ensuing Sabbath And to recommend to their Several Congregations to open Subscriptions, and Committees to be ap- pointed in the respective Parishes for affording relief to those who have met with Losses from this melancholy Event -
Voted that the Proceedings of said inhabitants meet with the Cordial approbation of this Town-[428.] And that it be recommended to all the Inhabitants of the Town to Aid in furthering the Charitable Views adopted at the said meeting,
367
BOSTON TOWN RECORDS, 1794.
And that it be Urged upon the Committee thereby to be ap- pointed to exert themselves to excite the benevolence and Procure the Assistance of Every description of Persons, and to Adopt such Measures as shall make the Charity as Extensive and Effect- ual as possible, And the money so collected shall be appropriated in such A manner, as may Appear most eligible to the Committee appointed to distribute the Same, - And the said Committee are further directed to Report at the Next Town Meeting, The Amount of Money's Collected and To whom distributed - Also -
Voted, That the Selectmen be and hereby are appointed to write Circular Letters to Invite Our Brethren in the Neighboring Towns To Join in Alleviating the great Losses Sustained by our Fellow Townsmen in the late Calamitous Fire-
Then the Meeting was Dissolved
[429.] At a meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabi- tants of the Town of Boston. duly qualified & legally Warned in Public Town meeting Assembled at Faneuil Hall on Tuesday the 12th. day of August Anno Domini 1794. At 10 O'Clock A : M :
Warrant for Calling the Meeting - read - -
Honorable Thomas Crafts Esqr.
Was chosen Moderator by A hand Vote -
The first Article in the Warrant Vizt. to receive the Report of the Selectmen relative to A Street laid out between Atkinsons Street & Hutchinsons Street so called, and whether they will approve of the Same, As also A report of the Selectmen - Vizt. In Consequence of A Great desolation made by Fire in This Town on the 30th of July Last at and Near Atkinsons Street - The Selectmen Met and proceeded to the Spot, and laid out A New Street for the better accommodation and convenience of the In- habitants which is bounded as follows Vizt. on Atkinson Street 43 forty Three feet, Then running Easterly to Hutchinsons Street Twenty five feet, Eight Inches, then running on Said Hutchinsons Street forty Three feet and then running Westerly to sd. Atkin- sons Street [430.] Two hundred and fifty one feet Eight Inches as is now Staked out - were read and Considered - Whereupon ---
Voted, That the Town Accept & approve of the doings of the Selectmen in the laying out of the Said Street, -
The Second Article in the Warrant - Vizt. Whether the Town will appropriate the marsh at the bottom of the Common
4
368
CITY DOCUMENT.
for any other of the Towns Lands for Rope Walks for the Ac- commodation of the Sufferers by the late Fire was -read and Considered - Whereupon - Voted, That. the Honorable Thomas Dawes Esq". Mr. Ebenezer Dorr Mr. William Brown Doctor Dexter Deacon Wright Honble James Sullivan - Esq". Mr. Joseph Russell Mr. Joseph Woodward Honble George Rd. Minot Esq".
Be and hereby are appointed A Committee to Confer with the Gentlemen Owners of the Ropewalks Lately Consumed by Fire, and that A Survey be taken of the Marsh, at the Bottom of the Common, and also Part of the Land on Boston Neck, that may be Sufficient for Erecting the Like Number of Rope walks, as [431.] were owned and Consumed, and report at the Next Town Meeting - which the Selectmen are Requested to call after the Committee have Completed the Business. -
Then the Meeting was Dissolved -
At A Meeting of the Freeholders and Other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston duly qualified and legally warned in Public Town meeting Assembled at Faneuil Hall on Thursday the 28th day of August, Anno Domini 1794. at 10 O'Clock A : M : -
Warrant for calling the Meeting - read -
Honorable Thomas Crafts Esqr. Was Chosen Moderator by A hand Vote -
The Report of the Committee to whom was referred, the Busi- ness of Appropriating the Marsh at the Bottom of the Common for the accommodation of the Ropemakers who were Sufferers by the Late Fire was read and after Debate -
[432.] Voted, That the Same be recommitted and that the Committee confer with the said sufferers and report A Specific quantity of Grounds for their use, and Terms upon which the Same be granted -
Resolve of the General Court Passed June 19th. 1794. requir- ing the Inhabitants of the Town and Districts within this Com- mon Wealth to take or Cause to be taken an accurate Plan of their respective Towns and Districts, was read and Considered - Whereupon - Voted, That the Gentlemen the Selectmen be, and
369
BOSTON TOWN RECORDS, 1794.
hereby are appointed A Committee to Carry Said resolve of Court into Execution. --.
Article in the Warrant - Vizt. Whether the Town will Lease A Part of their Land on the West side of the Neck for the pur- pose of Erecting A Wind Machine for the Grinding and Bolting of Grain &c - read - Whereupon it was moved and
Voted, That this Article be left with the Selectmen to Act thereon as they may Judge best
Article in the Warrant - Vizt. Whether any measures shall be taken to Prevent future damage to the Town by the Erection of Wooden Buildings within the Same was read & after debate -
Voted, That William Tudor - Esqr. John Codman - Esq". Perez Morton - Esqr.
[433.] Be A Committee to consider of this Article and to Report thereon as soon as may be -
Adjourned to Monday Next being the First day of September -
Monday Sepr. 1st at 9. O'Clock A : M : The Town Met Accord- ing to Adjournment -
The Committee appointed to Confer with the Gentlemen Owners of the Ropewalks Lately Consumed by Fire, and to take A Survey . of the Marsh at the Bottom of the Common &c That might be Sufficient for Erecting the like Number of Ropewalks As were owned by them and consumed - have again Considered the Sub- ject committed to them, and after repeated Conferences with the Parties concerned, report the following Votes to be Adopted by the Town Vizt.
Voted, That there be granted to the Persons hereinafter named, being Late owners of Ropewalks consumed by Fire. A Peice of Marsh Land and Flats at the Bottom of the Common in Boston- Including the whole or such part of Fox hill as may fall within the bounds hereafter Specified to be held by them severally in such parts and upon such Terms and Conditions as are herein set forth [434.] The whole of said peice of Land, being bounded and Containing as follows Vizt. Beginning at the westerly End of Ridge hill five hundred feet from Beacon street and running directly towards Eliots Street. as far as the Towns Land Extends on the West side of Pleasant street, So far as to leave A Space of Fifty feet, between this Line, and the End of the rail fence projecting down from the Burying Ground on the South side of Common, Then Extending in Width Three hun- dred feet from the Point at which the aboue Described line may
370
CITY DOCUMENT.
Strike upon Pleasant Street, being bounded Westerly throughout by A line run Parallel with the line first described & beginning At the Head of the Towns land at the Southerly part of the marsh, and running in A northerly direction Until it shall meet with A line drawn from the westerly End of Ridge hill parallel with Beacon Street, As is more fully described On A Plan taken by Mr. Osgood Carlton, August the Twenty Ninth 1794. And that the Said Grantees be Authorized and impowered to Extend the Limits of the Land hereby granted - Fifty feet over the Flats, they relinquishing the same space on the Easterly Side of said Land, or to alter the said Limits, so as to Extend across the said Marsh in A Diagonal direction Provided they do not in Either case come Nearer than fifty feet to the End of the rail [435.] fence Afore- said, Nor run Northerly so as to cross the Said line to be run parallel with Beacon street. - Reserving however Sixty feet in Width across the Southerly End of said Peice of Land for A Road from Pleasant Street down to the Channel --
Voted, That the first fifty feet of said peice of Land in Width reckoning from the Easterly side thereof being Lot Nº. 1. On the Plan aboue mentioned - be and hereby is granted to Isaac Davis to hold to him his Heirs and Assignes forever -
That the Second fifty feet thereof in Width, being Lot Nº. 2. On said Plan be and hereby is Granted to Jeffry Richardson to hold to him and his Heirs and Assignes forever. -
That the Third fifty feet thereof in Width, being Lot Nº. 3. on said Plan be and hereby is Granted to Samuel Emmons to hold to him and his Heirs and Assignes for Ever. -
That, the fourth fifty feet thereof in Width being Lot Nº. 4. in said Plan be and hereby Is Granted to William Mc. Niel & Archi- bald Mc. Niel to hold to them, their Heirs & Assignes forever. -
[436.] That, the fifth fifty feet thereof in Width being Lot Nº. 5, on said Plan, be and hereby is Granted to John Codman and Richard Codman to Hold to them, their Heirs and Assignes forever. -
That the Sixth fifty feet thereof in Width being Lot Nº. 6. on said Plan be and hereby is Granted unto Edward Howe to hold to him and to his Heirs and Assignes forever, Reserving however a right in the Town to carry Sluices and Drains through the said Peice of Land to the Salt water in any Direction, forever. - Provided Nevertheless, and All the grants aforesaid are upon the following Conditions, Vizt. First, That neither of the said Grantees, nor their Heirs, nor Assignes, shall at any time here- after Erect Or Cause to be Erected, Any Ropewalk upon the Lands Where these Late Ropewalks were Consumed by Fire - Nor any Part thereof -
371
BOSTON TOWN RECORDS, 1794.
Second, That there Never be any other buildings than Ropewalks Erected on the Lands hereby Granted Nor More than Six of them --
Third, That the Heads of the Ropewalks to be Erected thereon be Placed at the Southerly End of the said granted Lands, - That they shall not be more than One Story in height, Nor the Eaves more than Seven feet from the floor, Excepting forty feet from the head of Each Walk, for a Store wch. may be two Stories high. They to be built with brick & Covered with Slates -
[437.] Fourth, That the Grantees aforenamed Erect within the Space of Two Years from the Present time, at their own Expence, A Sufficient Sea Wall in the Opinion of the Selectmen for the time being, the whole length of the Said Granted Lands, On the Westerly side thereof at A distance not Exceeding Thirty feet from the Same, -The right of Property in which Wall, if Erected without the bounds of the Grant, shall be in the Town.
And Nothing in the foregoing Grants shall be considered as conveying to the said Grantees, or either of them, any right of Passage in any direction Across the Common, to or from the Granted Lands. -
Voted, That the Selectmen in the Name and behalf of the said Town be and hereby are Authorized, and requested to Execute good and Sufficient Deeds to Each of the aforesaid Grantees of the Lots Respectively Granted to them as aforesaid, upon the Conditions, and with the restrictions, and reservations, herein- before described, and that they insert in each of the Deeds so to be Executed, A Covenant on the part of this Town that they will not build . any Ropewelk on the Common, nor ever hereafter Grant any part thereof for the purpose of building such Walk. -
[438.] Voted, That the Selectmen lay out A Road Sixty feet wide from Pleasant Street along the Easterly side of the Lands hereby granted, over the marsh toward Beacon Street in order to meet A Road that may be opened from West Boston Bridge, all which is Submitted. -
Thomas Dawes +r. order -
The aforegoing report having been largely Debated and amended, The Question was put Whether the same shall be accepted and it Passed in the affirmative -
The Committee to whom was Referred the Consideration whether any Measures shall be taken to prevent future damages to the Town, by Erection of Wooden buildings within the Same - Report -
372
CITY DOCUMENT.
That the Existing Laws, Passed at different Periods Vizt. 1692 ,, 1700 ,, and 1760 ,, are Completly Competent to the object of their Commission, but Unfortunately Never having been enforced, excepting those parts of them relative to Widening the Public Streets and opening New ones, They are now become Impracticable if not absolute. [obsolete ?]
Your Committee therefore proposes that the Representatives of the Town of Boston be instructed [439.] To Obtain from the Legislature, A revision of the Laws Referred to, and to Procure A New one, Containing most of the principles of the former Acts, -in which may be included all the Powers Vested in the Select- men as to Widening the Streets and Opening New ones, and which may Enact That no Public buildings of any kind shall be hereafter erected but of Brick and Stone and tiled or Slated, and to be without Wooden Gutters unless the same shall be Cased with Either Tin or Iron Plates. -
That no Dwelling House, or other Building Exceeding One Story shall be built with Wood - That no Livery Stable, Rope- walk or buildings for any Manufactory shall be Erected at any time, in any Part of the Town, but in such Places as the select- men shall approve, and be Constructed of such materials As they shall Adjudge to be most for the Public Security, and least Sub- ject to Conflagration - all which is Submitted -
Willm. Tudor Pr. order-
And that A Clause be inserted to Subject the Town at large. to A heavy Penalty for every building Suffered to be Erected Con- trary to the Law -
[440.] The aforegoing report having been read and debated, The same was referred to the Next Town Meeting, for further consideration, and that previous to said meeting The Report be Published for the information of the Inhabitants -
Voted, that all matters unfinished be referred over to the Next General Town Meeting.
Votec, That the thanks of the Town be and hereby are given To the Honorable Thoms. Crafts Esqr. for his good Services as Moderator of this Meeting --
Then the meeting was Dissolved -
At A meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston Duly qualified and legally warned in Public Town Meeting Assembled at Faneuil Hall, on Friday the Tenth day of October Anno Domini 1794 at 10. O'Clock A : M : - -
373
BOSTON TOWN RECORDS, 1794.
Warrant for calling the meeting - read -
[441.] Honorable Thomas Crafts Esqr. Chosen Moderator by A hand Vote -
The Votes being brought in for A Fire Ward in the room of Thomas Tileston deceasd. it appeared That Major Andrew Cun- ningham was chosen A Fire Ward. Unanimously -
The Article in the Warrant to consider and Adopt the most Equal and commodious mode of raising the Town's Proportion of the 80,000 Men ordered to be detached from the Militia of the United States by Congress at their Last Session was read, whereupon
Voted, unanimously That the Officers Commanding Companies in the Boston regiment and other Corps, be and hereby are Authorized to Offer to Every Soldier who shall Voluntarily enroll himself in the Detachment ordered to be raised out of this Town as their Proportion of 80,000 men ordered to be detached from the Militia of the United States, by Congress at their Last Ses- sion, the Sum of Five Dollars as A Bounty to be paid him at the time of his Enlistment and the Town Treasurer is hereby Author- ized for to borrow for the Town a sum Sufficient to pay the said Bounty and is directed to pay the aforesaid sum of Five Dollars to Each man Enrolled upon [442.] the Certificate of the Officer to whose Company he belongs, and when the said Detachment shall be Called into actual Service, Each man shall be allowed a Sum in Addition to the pay Allowed by Congress, to make his monthly wages Equal to Ten Dollars r. Month. -
Article relative to further Grants to School masters - read - whereupon -
Voted, That this Article be referred Over to the School Com- mittee, with A request that they would take. the Same into their Consideration and act thereon as they Judge reasonable -
Then the meeting was Dissolved -
At A Meeting of the Freeholders and Other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston Qualified to vote for Representatives to the Gen- eral Court of this Commonwealth, and legally Warned in Public Town Meeting, Assembled at Faneuil Hall the first monday of November Anno Domini 1794. being the 3d. day of said month 10. O'Clock A : M :
[443.] Prayer was made by the Reverend Mr. Eliot -
374
CITY DOCUMENT.
Warrant for Calling the Meeting - read -
Resolve of the General Court for the choice of Representatives for the Next Congress of the United States - Read -
It was then Declared by the Selectmen that The Poll would be Closed at half past one O'Clock & the Bells to begin tolling at One O'Clock
Persons Voted for As A Representative for the first middle district of this Commonwealth in the Next Congress of the United States -
Votes
Honble. Fisher Ames Esqr. 1627
Charles Jarvis Esqr. 1182
Honble. John Coffin Jones Esqr. 2 Samuel Jarvis Esqr. 1
2812 -
An Attested Copy of the Persons Voted for as aboue were Com- mitted to the Chairman of the Selectmen, Ezekiel Price Esq. To be by him delivered to the Secretary of this Commonwealth, and the Inclosure sealed up in Town Meeting, Superscribed as fol- lows - Vizt-
For John Avery Esqr.
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusets
[444.] List of Votes, for A Representative for the first middle district of this Common Wealth to the Next Congress of the United States from the Town of Boston -
Jury Return On the Warrant for the Estimating the Damage &c &c on Widening the Streets in Atkinson & Purchase Street & Cow Lane
Suffolk ss : To Edward Procter, Nathaniel Hall, William Brown, Thomas Bayley, Edwd. Tyler, John Tyleston, John
(SEAL) Deming, Nath1. Shepard, Moses May, Thomas Fleet, John Winslow and Samuel Ruggles Esqr. - Greet- (SEAL) ing :
Whereas, in and by an Act made and Passed by the Great and General Court or Assembly of the Late Province of the Massa- chusetts bay, begun And held At Boston the Eighth day of June, One Thousand Six hundred and Ninety two And Continued by Adjournment unto the Twelfth day of October following ;
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