USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Volume of records relating to the early history of Boston : containing minutes of the Selectmen's meetings, from 1811 to 1817 and part of 1818 > Part 24
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Nº. 1 .-- A bundle of papers relating to Leveretts claim on land at the Alms house, &c. &c .-
Nº. 2 .- A bundle of Papers relating to Thomas Boylstons Estate.
Nº. 3 .- A Mortgage Deed from Ward Nicholas Boylston to Inhabitants of Boston for twenty thousand dollars. and a bond conditioned to pay the same sum .-
Nº. 4. Papers relating to New Cornhill Corporation .-
Nº. 5. A Deed from. Thomas Dennie of land bounding on Middlecot street .-
6. Agreement with Thomas Dennie as to land near Beacon Hill .-
7. Deed of land from E. Oliver situated on Mason street .-
8. Agreement between Justices of Sessions Selectmen & Jnº. Lowell, respecting land for Court House.
[188.] Nº. 9. Award to Hancock for land taken for Sum- ner street .- 1803.
10 .- Deed from Otis & others of land near Battery March street .- 1808.
11 .- Deed from E. Marsh, privilege of common sewer Pleas- ant street .- 1803.
12 .- Award respecting water course in Water street, with W1. Phillips, Esq .- 1804.
13. Indenture Josiah Knapp & Town of Boston-1804.
14 .- Agreement with Josiah Knapp respecting Kneeland street-1805 .-
15 .- Deed . from David Hinckley of land to widen entrance of Somerset street.
16 .- Deed from Harris of land in Milk street .- March 1808 .-
262
CITY DOCUMENT No. 60.
17. Jonathan Harris' obligation respecting drain in Water street-1808 .-
18 .- Proceedings of the Front Street Corporation .- 1809 .-
19 .- Deed from R. G. Shaw of land on Fish street. 1810. 20 .- Benjamin Weld's Deed of land for North Burying Ground .- 1810 .-
21-Deed from Dawes for part of Purchase street-1809 .-
22-Bond of indemnity from proprietors of Exchange Coffee house, And James Harrisons discharge for land taken for a pas- sageway on the North side of the Exchange Building. 1810.
[189.] Nº. 23 .- Deed from Dr. Freeman, Clarke &c of land for new Court House .- 1814 .-
Nº. 24. Deed from Charles Apthorp & others for land in School street .- 1748-
25 .- Deed from Cabot and others, exchanging land on the Neck .- 1810 .-
26. Deeds from Beatley & Fracker of land for Methodist Alley .- 1800 .-
27 .- Deed from Patrick Jeffrey of land from Southack's court to Beacon street.
28 .- Deed from Isaac Rand the third of land taken to widen Hanover street.
29 .- Deed from James Green of land near Green Dragon Tavern-Union street-1813 .-
30. Deed from James Green as guardian to R. D. Green a minor-of land in the same street .-
31. Deed of water course of Smith & Hiler .- 1801-
32. Sohier's papers, relating to Temple & Derne streets .-
33 Treasurer & Collectors bonds-
34. Deed from Charles Bulfinch Esq. of land for Charles street .-
35. Indenture of James Williams.
-
263
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1817.
36. Hayweighers bond-
37. Deeds from T. Lyman, T. Hubbard & Russell Sturgis.
38. Lease of Town house to Rand.
39. Deeds of Old State House .-
40. Indentures of Thos. L. Rayner
41. Book; Mortgages & papers relating to Mrs. Brooker & others donation.
42. Deed from Mill Pond Corporation.
43. Deed from Paschel P. Pope
44. Mortgage from Jacob Tidd Jur.
45. Indentures Bernard Alexander to Lawrence Nichols, cancelled
46. Nath1. Meriams Bond.
47. A. Goulds Receipt for a bell for So. Boston. St. Mat- thews Chapel.
[190.] Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen Decem- ber 10th. 1817-Present the Whole Board.
Return was made by Mr. Joseph Hall Junr. of the expense of opening and repairing a drain in Chestnut street-the account whereof being duly examined by the Selectmen was by them allowed ; they being informed at the same time that all persons concerned in said drain had been notified according to law and that no objection had been made .- Assessment was now made, an order of payment was passed by the Selectmen as fol- lows, viz. Whereas a drain or common sewer has been laid in Chestnut street conformably to the directions of the Selectmen, the whole expense whereof amounts to one hundred & sixty nine dollars-which expense is to be borne by such persons whose drains enter therein and receive benefit thereby .- Wherefore, we the subscribers, Selectmen of the Town of Boston certify that having considered the same expense and by whom and in what manner it ought to be paid Do Adjudge that the same be paid in the proportion following and by the persons hereafter named -viz.
264
CITY DOCUMENT No. 60.
Richd. C. Derby, Eben" Francis, each, $28.16 ; Mrs. - Sar- gent, Wm. Sullivan, Mrs. - Howard, Sam1. Snelling, [191.] John Tucker, Richd. Sullivan, John Richards, Peter O. Thacher, each, $14.8.
And We do hereby authorize & empower Mr. Joseph Hall Jur. to demand & receive the same and to give discharges therefor.
Signed by a majority of the Board .-
The Market Committee directed by the Board to take into con- sideration the present rents of the stalls in the Market house & the cellars under the same & also the rent of the fish stalls, and report whether in their opinion it would be expedient to raise the rents, have attended that service and recommend, that from and after the thirty first day of March next, the rents be raised as follows .-
Stalls Nº. 1. 4. & 5. from $39 to $52-a quarter
29.25 to 39
2.3 & 6 7 37.5 "50
8 31.20 " 41 66
39 .-- " 49 60
9 17. 18. for two 37.25 " 48 19- from 29.25 " 37
10. 11. 16
29.25 " 37
12. 15.
24.14 - 30
13. 14
14.69 " 18 6
[192.] Cellar Nº. 1. from $28.12 to $37.50 066 2
32.81 " 35.
3 30 .- " 35.
4 66 37.50 " 40.
5 37.50 “ 40.
66 28.12 “ 35.
66 6 7 8
30 .- " 35-
66
66 34.69 “ 37.50
Fish stalls-outside 1.25 a week 6. inside .75 .
making an increase of $778.40 a year, which is submitted for the consideration of the Board.
TURNER PHILLIPS Chairman.
The report being read & considered, Voted to accept the same -and that the present occupants be informed of the rents now determined on; and that the board expect an answer from each of them in thirty days whether they agree to take the stalls & cellars at those rents & execute leases therefor .-
265
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1817.
Voted, That all those persons who have not yet signed their leases for stalls, west of the market house, be notified to complete their leases-or to give up the occupation of the stalls, and that the Clerk of the market be directed not to suffer any person to use a stall who shall refuse to sign his lease .-
Major Samuel Curtis, being well recommended, is appointed measurer of wood coming from, the country, over the Neck. (-sworn.)
[193.] To the Honourable Selectmen of the Town of Boston -Respectfully shows William Callender of said town, that in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred, he with Reverend Simeon Howard, M. M. Hays, G. Alexander Ju", Melzar Joy, and James Robbins, who are since deceased, did at their own charge and expense and with the consent and under the direction of the Selectmen of said town, make and lay a common shore or main drain in Middle street so called in said town for the benefit of themselves and others, who should think fit to join therein-that afterwards, to wit, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & six one Anthony Otheman owning an estate near the same did enter a drain into the same and did receive benefit there- from-thereby making himself liable according to law to pay to the owners of said common shore or main drain a proportionable part of the charge of making the same-that said Otheman hath never paid his proportion of the making of said drain, though repeatedly requested to pay the same-Wherefore said Callender prays your honourable Board after giving notice to said Otheman to ascertain and determine what sum said Otheman shall be held to pay as his proportionable part of the charge & expense of making the same-and to certify the same according to law .-
Decr. 10 1817 .-
Voted that the aforesaid petition be referred [194.] to Wednes- day next at 4 O'clk P.M. for hearing & that in the mean time the said A. Otheman be notified-that he may show cause if any he have, why the prayer of said petition should not be granted .-
The Chairman presented the following votes repecting Blossom street-which were ordered to be recorded .-
Boston December 5th. 1817-
Whereas the heirs of the late Capt. Job Prince, in their deed of land to the Trustees of the General Hospital have consented that a street, forty feet wide, should be laid out along the easterly line of said land ; I hereby consent in behalf of the said heirs, that the Selectmen of the Town of Boston shall lay out and record such street as a public street or highway, as is mentioned in the said deed of said heirs to the Massachusetts General Hospital. -
J. S. COLBURN Agent.
266
CITY DOCUMENT NO. 60.
At a Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts General Hospital Decemr. 7th. 1817 .-
Voted,
Whereas by the deed from the heirs of Job Prince deceased, & others, to the Massachusetts General Hospital, the land therein granted to said hospital is bounded easterly on a street forty feet wide, which on the part of the [195.] grantors it is agreed shall be and remain forever open, the same being a continuation of Blossom street; and, whereas the Selectmen of the Town of Boston have intimated, that it would be agreeable, that the Trustees of the General Hospital should agree, on their part, that the said street, so covenanted to be laid open, shall forever remain in that state; Therefore, for the accommodation of the public, and in compliance with the said intimation, The Trustees of said Mass. Gen1. Hospital do agree in behalf of said Corporation, that the said street, so far as the same extends upon their easterly line, shall remain open forever, as far as they have any power, or authority, or interest therein; and without any opposition on their part, or the part of their successors .-
A true copy of record, Attest H. CODMAN Secy.
The above relinquishment being satisfactory to the board, The said Blossom street was ordered to be laid out and recorded as follows .-
Whereas in the communication from the Trustees of the Gen- eral Hospital of the 29th. Octr. last, the Committee of said Trus- tees inform the board " that they have stipulated with the heirs of Mr. J. Prince, that a street at least forty feet wide shall be opened on the east side of the land purchased by them, which will be in a straight line with Blossom street."-[196.] And, Whereas a deed dated September 27. 1817 was signed by Eliz Prince, Benja- min C. Prince, J. S. Colburn, Sarah Dunn Colburn & Samuel Spear, all of Boston and Andrew Henshaw Prince in the Island of Cuba, by which deed they convey to the Trustees of the General hospital, a certain piece of land at West Boston, bounded north on North Allen street & easterly beginning at a stone post on the southerly side of North Allen street, at the distance of five hun- dred & fifty five feet from the corner of Wiltshire street, where it touches the south side of said North Allen street, and from said stone post in the south side of said North Allen street it measures three hundred & thirty three feet six inches on a straight line, running nearly south from said stone post, until it comes to a post marked M G H. at the corner of a wooden fence. It being understood that this line bounds in its whole length on a forty feet street, to be laid out, which is forever to remain open and unincumbered, for the use of said hospital & the public, so far as any of the grantors in this deed have any claim or title to the
267
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1817.
land included within the said forty feet. And, whereas it appears on the records of the proceedings of the Selectmen of the 19th. November last, that to promote as fully as in their power, the wishes and intentions of the Trustees of the General hospital. the board then voted to discontinue such part of Bridge street as passed through the land purchased for an hospital ; now be it known, that the Selectmen, being of opinion that it is necessary for the convenience of [197.] the inhabitants to have a street to lead from Cambridge street to North Allen street, do hereby in conformity with the powers vested in them by law, lay out and record the street described in the deed to the Trustees of the Gen- eral Hospital and referred to in their communication of the 29th. October as a public street or highway, to begin at the stone post above described standing on North Allen street and extending southerly to Cambridge street, being forty feet wide in its whole extent, and to be called and known by the name of Blossom Street .-
Boston ss. At a Meeting of Selectmen December 17th. 1817 -- Present Messrs. Bulfinch, Oliver, Hunnewell, Lovering, Austin, Phillips, Bass & Dorr .-
Jurors were drawn for the Supreme Judicial Court. Also for the Court of Common Pleas .-
John Heard Esq. appeared as attorney to Mr. Otheman, agree- ably to summons of last meeting .- and stated that a suit was now pending between Mr. Callender & Mr. Otheman in the Court of Common Pleas-on the demand for entering the common sewer in Middle street : the parties being both present, enquiry was made into the circumstances-and after they had retired, it was voted : That it was the opinion of the board, that the demand of [198.] Mr. Callender against Mr. Otheman being now under a course of suit in the regular courts of law-the Selectmen had no further cognizance of the subject .-
Mr. Hayward was present at the request of the board, and made a statement of the duties that devolved on him as Tything- man, for which he requests a special allowance-He proposed that the board should allow two dollars per week for his services on the Sabbath & that he should retain the moiety of the fines which by law are payable to the complainant for breach of Sab- bath and license laws-except such portion thereof as he should find necessary to pay to the actual complainant. The subject was considered, but a decision was referred to the next meeting .-
Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen December 224. 1817-Present Messrs. Bulfinch, Oliver, Hunnewell, Lovering. Austin, Phillips, Bass, Dorr & Silsby .-
268
CITY DOCUMENT NO. 60.
The Chairman informed that he had accompanied the sheriff in taking possession of the land recovered from the heirs of Han- cock-north of Beacon hill-Sheriff Baldwin will give a copy of the execution .-
The Board of Health having signified to the Selectmen the necessity of a new burying ground, it was Voted, That Peter O. Thacher Esq. and Benja. Whitman Esq. be desired to pursue the course pointed out in the act annexing part of Dorchester to the Town of Boston for the purpose of [199.] having a suitable burying ground located at South Boston .-
Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen December 24th. 1817-Present Messrs. Oliver, Hunnewell, Lovering, Austin, Phillips, Bass, Dorr & Silsby .-
Charles Bulfinch Esq. having resigned the office of Chairman of the Selectmen-The Board assigned Wednesday next, for the choice of a chairman .-
Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen December 31st. 1817-Present Mess''s. Oliver, Hunnewell, Lovering, Austin, Phillips, Bass, Dorr & Silsby .-
Passed the monthly accounts .-
Agreeably to the assignment made at the last meeting, The Board proceeded to the choice of a Chairman. -
Mr. Dorr was appointed a Committee to collect, count & sort the votes .-
The votes being collected, it appeared that Turner Phillips Esq. had a majority & was declared to be chosen.
[200.] Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen January 7th. 1818-Present Messrs. Oliver, Lovering, Austin, Phillips, Dorr & Silsby .-
27 Jurors were drawn to serve at the Supreme Judicial Court .-
Turner Phillips Esq. declared his acceptance of the office of Chairman of the Selectmen, and took his seat accordingly .-
The Chairman informed the Board that P. O. Thacher Esq. had called on him for evidence that a demand had been made on the South Boston Corporation for land for a burial ground, that he had given him a copy of a letter from C. Bulfinch Esq. the late Chairman to Joseph Woodward Esq. in which the demand was made; on the back of which it was stated that Samuel D.
269
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1818.
Parker Esq. Clerk of the Corporation had been notified-This Mr. Thacher thought would be sufficient .-
Mr. Morse has leave to erect a building for the manufacture of spirits of turpentine on J. C. Jones Esqr's land-during the pleasure of the Board.
The Town Clerk presented two receipts signed by the Town Treasurer, one, for one hundred & twenty two dollars, money collected by him for auction licenses ; & the other for seventy dollars, collected by the late Chairman for license on hacks.
[201.] Mr. Phillips (as Treasurer of Mr. Brooker & others donations ) produced his account which was accepted and the pro- ceeds divided among the members of the Board, to be distributed by them among sick & destitute widows .-
Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen January 10th. 1818 -Present Messrs. Phillips, Lovering, Austin, Bass & Dorr .-
A special meeting of the Board was called in consequence of a formal complaint made to the police officer by James Prince Esq. of the existence of a nuisance dangerous to the public safety, in Court street, in front of the buildings lately erected by Mr. Greenough .- The Chairman having read the complaint the subject was duly considered by the Board, who thought it expe- dient for them to view the evil complained of; while the Board were performing this duty Mr. Greenough came on the ground, the Chairman then informed him of the complaint that was made and that the Board expected he would immediately erect such a barricade as would prevent any evil consequence from ensuing- This he very readily promised to do .-
6 Jurors were drawn for the District Court of the United States .-
[202.] Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen January 14th. 1818-Present Messrs. Phillips, Oliver, Lovering, Austin, Bass, Dorr & Silsby.
9 Jurors were drawn to serve at the Supreme Judicial Court .-
Mr. Caleb Hayward having applied for a compensation for his services as Tythingman, the Board took the subject into consid- eration and voted, that in consideration of Mr. Hayward having discharged the duty of Tythingman in an able and efficient manner there be allowed him as a full compensation for his services in that department two dollars a week from the time of his appointment 'till the further order of the Board .-
Mr. Jacob Tidd Junr. applied to the Board to purchase a piece of land bounded on Ivers & Portland streets being one of the lots
270
CITY DOCUMENT NO. 60.
set off to the town by the Mill Pond corporation .- The Chairman informed Mr. Tidd the Board could not dispose of the land with- out being authorized so to do by the town, that they would take the sense of the town on the subject by inserting it in the warrant for the March or May meeting, advising that the land should be sold to him at a price and on the terms that may be agreed upon by him & the Selectmen or any other persons the town shall think proper [203.] to appoint for that purpose. in the mean time they would lease the land to him, for the time and on the terms and conditions heretofore offered viz. for five years at eighty four dollars a year, he to fill up the land and to put a good and sufficient fence round the same, the whole of which to be done to the satisfaction of the board of Selectmen ; in consideration of his being at the expense of filling up and fencing the land the Board agree to allow him the rent of it for two years .- And the Board further agree if the land should not be sold to him on or before the expiration of the lease, that he shall be permitted to remove any building or buildings he may have erected on the same, the land then to be properly filled up and the fencing round the same in good order .- On which terms & conditions Mr. Tidd agreed to take a lease of it .-
In conformity to a Resolve of the legislature of the 12th. June last- A return was made to the Secretary of the Commonwealth of deaf & dumb persons residing within the Town of Boston- together with such remarks on their circumstances, and that of their near relatives in point of property as had come to the knowledge of the Board .-
[204.] Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen January 19th. 1818-Present Messrs. Phillips, Lovering, Austin, Bass, Dorr & Silsby .-
A number of lamps having been broken in Orange street on Saturday evening last & the offenders being detected, a special meeting of the Board was called to consider what measures should be pursued with the offenders. The culprits (three lads) viz. Jacob Porter Homer, Warren Thacher Bowker, & Thomas Silsby, appeared before the Board ;- they all acknowledged them- selves guilty of the misdemeanor,-said it was the first time they had committed such an offence, pleaded the poverty of their relatives and friends, and requested the Board to take the subject under consideration and excuse them for this time on their repair- ing the damage they had done. The Board after duly considering the subject, and taking into consideration their apparent contrition for the offence, the injury it might be to them if they . were com- mitted to prison, and the distress it would probably occasion their parents and relatives-Voted, That if they would each of them pay to the Chairman of the Board Five dollars on or before Saturday next 1. O'clock, no prosecution should be entered against them :- it being considered it would require that sum to
271
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1818.
repair the damage they had done .- They presented their thanks to the Board and promised the money should be paid .-
Mr. Lovering stating to the Board the [205.] extraordinary exertions of Mr. Jonathan Bowditch Jun". in detecting and exposing the offenders, it was moved, & voted, that the Chair- man be requested to present to him the thanks of the Board .-
Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen January 21st. 1818 -Present Messrs. Phillips, Oliver, Hunnewell, Lovering, Austin, Bass, Dorr & Silsby.
Repeated complaints having been made of violations of the law forbidding projections into the streets of the town, it was voted, that the Chairman publish such part of the law as he may think expedient, and give notice that after three months all vio- lators of the same will be prosecuted .-
Complaint having been made against Mr. Elijah Harris for digging a trench across one of the streets at South Boston con- trary to law; the Chairman was directed to notify him to attend at the Selectmens room on Wednesday next, to shew cause if any he has, why prosecution should not commence against him.
The application of Mr. Leman to have one of the lamps at the bottom of Prince street shifted to the opposite side [206.] of the street was committed to Mess's Austin & Silsby the Com- mittee for that section.
The Clerk of the Market presented a list of the number of trucks & carts with the names of the owners, that could be accommodated with stands at the east end of the market house, which was read and accepted .-
And Ordered ; that the following persons be allowed to stand at the east end of Faneuil Hall, with the number of trucks & carts set against their respective names, until the further order of the Board .- viz .- 一
Bartlett 1 Truck & 2 Carts
Wentworth 1 do. & 2 do.
Hartwell 1 do. & 1 do.
Fuller
1
do.
&
1
do.
Henry & Leonard
1 do. & 1 do.
& 1 do. Adams
Snow
1 do. &
Foster
0
1 do.
Emmerson
1 do.
Stockwell 1 d°. & 1 d°.
Cabot
1 d°.
Ingersol
1 do.
Brummett
1 do.
Stimson .
1 d°.
,
7 trucks
15 carts .-
1
272
CITY DOCUMENT No. 60.
[20%.] Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen January 28th. 1818-Present Messrs. Phillips, Oliver, Hunnewell, Lovering, Austin, Bass & Dorr .-
Passed the Monthly accounts .-
Mr. Hayward having informed of complaints being made to him, that a post standing near the shop of Mr. Fennelly at the corner of Salem and Prince streets, was a great inconvenience to the citizens passing on the side walk .- It was committed to Messrs. Austin & Silsby with full powers to remove the same if they thought it necessary .-
Mr. Guild having applied to lease a lot of the town's land or flats adjoining the proposed toll road from the bottom of Beacon street. The Board took the same into consideration and Voted, That it was inexpedient to lease any of the town's land at, or near, the bottom of the Common.
Agreeably to a vote of the Board passed the 21st. instant, Mr. Elijah Harris was notified to appear and shew cause why a prose- cution should not be commenced against him for a breach of the act for regulating drains and common shores passed February 20th. 1797. In obedience to which Mr. Harris attended, and the Board having heard what he had to offer in mitigation of his offence, were of opinion, [208.] that at the commencement of his misdemeanor he was ignorant of the law, that he was subse- quently misinformed respecting leave being granted & that it already having cost him sufficient to deter him from committing the offence again, Voted, that they would this time excuse him.
The Committee of Section Nº. 1 to whom was committed the application of Mr. Leman (to have one of the lamps at the bottom of Prince street moved to the opposite side of the street) reported that they had consulted the citizens who reside in the neighbour- hood & found them opposed to it, they therefore reported that the request ought not to be granted-which report was accepted .-
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