USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Volume of records relating to the early history of Boston : containing minutes of the Selectmen's meetings, from September 1, 1818, to April 24, 1822 > Part 21
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By order of the Committee. E. Williams, Chairman.
Report accepted.
The petition of Stephen Brown and others on the subject of the incumbrances in Exchange street; - was referred to the Chairman, Messrs. Wells & Loring.
[172.] A return was signed to the Judge of Probate for the County of Suffolk, stating that Samuel Waters was a person non compos mentis, and recommend that a guardian should be appointed for him.
Voted, that all leases belonging to the town be recorded in a book to be kept for that purpose.
The following return was received from the overseers of the lamps and ordered to be recorded .- viz .-
.58 Lamps, Frederick Rupp - Washington street, a part of Orange and Front streets.
61 Lamps, Joseph Copeland .- South Bennet street, Harvard street, Kneeland, Oak, Ash & Beach streets, part of, Orange, Front, Essex, & Boylston streets.
65 Lamps, Nathaniel Hawes - Pleasant, Elliot, Carver, Nassau, Warren & Hollis streets .-
Part of Orange & Boylston streets .-
72 Lamps,- Aaron L. Darrow,- Mill Pond, Prince, Back, Richmond, Lynn, Snow Hill, Charter, Hull, Sheaf, Margaret Lane, Salem, North Bennett, Tileston, & Foster streets,- Johnson's, Henchmans & Greenoughs lanes - & part of Middle street .-
60 Lamps - Joseph Shaw - Sumner, Park & Walnut streets - Part of Temple, Middlecot, Cambridge, Hancock, South Russell, Buttolf, Belknap, Chambers, Pinckney, Olive & Beacon streets .-
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SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1821.
58 Lamps,- Frederick Foegt, Howard, Bulfinch, Somerset, & Derne streets, Somerset Place, & Bowdoin Square, part of Court, Beacon, Temple, Myrtle, Belknap & South Russell streets.
374
[173.] 55 Joseph Champney, Newbury Place, Jarvis Row, Suffolk Court, Winter, West, Bedford, & Mason streets, Brom- fields Lane, Hamilton Place, & Sheafes Lane, part of Newbury & Common streets .-
60 Lamps,- Christopher Rowland, Town Dock, Butlers Row, old Market, Wilsons Lane, Pierces Alley, Dock Square, Hatters Square, & Green Dragon. part of State street, Cornhill, Ann & Merimack streets .- & Exchange street.
60 Lamps, William Rowland, Pemberton Hill, Hanover, Union, Friend, Portland, Hawkins, Sudbury & Elm streets, & Distillhouse Square. & part of Court & Merimack streets .-
63 Constant Southworth, North, Ship, Clark, Fleet, Garden, Moon, Fish & Center streets,- Battery, Salutation & White- bread Alleys & Sun Court street .- Part of Middle & Ann streets.
70 Frederick Krantz, Chambers, Lynde, Staniford, Gouch, Pitts, Merimack, South Allen, Prospect, North Allen, Poplar, Leverett, Spring, Second, Brighton, & part of Green streets .-
57 James Wheeler, Walnut, Chestnut, George, Bridge, Vine, Blossom, Grove, North Russell, Southack, Streets & part of Myrtle, Pinckney, Olive, Charles, May & Cambridge streets. & West Center street.
60 Lamps, Hawley Place, Theatre Alley, Chauncy Place, Otis Place, Franklin & Hawley streets. part of Newbury, Milk, Atkinson, Federal, Congress, Water streets & Summer street.
58 Anthony Martis, Brattle Square, Cornhill Court. Brattle street, Market, Tremont, & School streets, & Franklin Avenue. - Part of Cornhill, State & Court streets .---
60 Peter Mash, Congress, Pearl, Oliver, Devonshire & Bath streets, Congress Square, Fort Hill, Hartford Place, Hamilton street & part of State, Water, Milk & High streets .-
60 Jonathan Wise, Broad & India streets Liberty Square. & part of Milk & Purchase streets.
977
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CITY DOCUMENT NO. 61.
[174.] 57 William Shackford, Short, Sea, Columbia, Lincoln, Sister, & Kingston streets, Round Lane, and part of Essex, Summer, High, Purchase and Atkinson street.
1034 Lamps.
Attest, Tho' Clark, Town Clerk.
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen December 5th 1821 .-
Present the whole Board.
The committee who were appointed on the 26th September last to confer with Messrs. Davis & Dorr on the subject of opening Northampton street, have attended that service and report: -
They have agreed with Messrs. Charles Davis & Jonathan Dorr of Roxbury, if they will cause Northampton street to be opened from Washington street, eastwardly to Davis's works in Roxbury, fifty feet broad, and on a line which your committee have designated as surveyed and staked out by Mr. Taylor, and elevate the street equal in height to the top of Hills Dam, and cause the same to be crowned in a proper manner, with suitable gutters at the sides of the street, with a coat of good gravel on the top, so thick as shall be necessary to make the road per- manent, the labour to be performed in a workmanlike manner and completed within one year to the satisfaction of the Select- men of Boston; - then the said Select- [1 75.] men in behalf of the town agree to pay Messrs. Davis & Dorr six hundred dollars. Submitted by order of the committee.
E. Williams, Chairman.
The foregoing report was read & accepted.
The same committee laid before the Board, the following communication from Thomas Williams Esq. of Roxbury, which was ordered to be recorded.
Gentlemen, Selectmen of the Town of Boston .-
I have offered to Mr. Williams your Chairman to induce you to make the road from the Neck over Northamp- ton street to Davis's Works in Roxbury - & I now explicitly agree that if the road is made as proposed within one year - that I will supply the town of Boston with as much gravel as they may require for ten years from this date at twenty cents per load - no load to exceed thirty hundred of gravel which is to be taken at [by] the Town from the hill near the slaughter house - provided the gravel last so long.
(signed) Thomas Williams.
Roxbury Dec. 1 1821.
Witness
Jona. Hunewell.
231
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1821.
[176.] The petition of Jonathan Howard and others, that the Town would pay a part of the expense of placing a pump in a well at the head of Doane street, the whole expense of which is estimated at one hundred & fifty dollars; - was referred to the committee of Section No. 3. who were authorized to examine the pump, and allow a sum not exceeding thirty dollars, should they deem it expedient.
Mr. Wells, from the sub-committee on the subject of a new engine, reported, that they had attended to the subject, met with Messrs. Hunneman and Thayer, had examined with them two engines, one made by each of those gentlemen in order to ascertain which was on the best construction; - after an explanation of the relative merits of each the sub-committee stated, that, as it frequently happened that the practical operation and effect of a machine was different from what the theory appeared to suggest, and as a small difference of the cost was of no importance to the town in purchasing a good engine in preference to a bad one - The committee stated to those gentlemen, that they could not determine which was on the best construction; they requested that each should make an engine [1% }}.] and they would select that which on that trial should prove to be the best .-
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen December 12th. 1821 -
Present the whole Board except Mr. Loring .-
30 Jurors were drawn for the Supreme Judicial Court - also 34 Jurors for the Court of Common Pleas .-
On the application of Joshua Ward Junr. of Salem, inquisi- tion was made into the circumstances of William Turner and return was signed to the Judge of Probate, stating that the said William Turner is a person non compos mentis and incap- able of taking care of himself.
The following letter from Messrs. Eliot & Eckley was read, & ordered to be recorded; and that their request be granted. To the surveyor of high ways .-
Boston Dec. 10. 1821.
Gentlemen,
The subscribers have been duly notified and requested by the Surveyors of Highways to cause the sidewalk in front of their estates in Beacon [178.] street "to be taken up, the edgestones and sidewalk lowered in a direct line from the edge stone in front of the house lately occupied by J. S. Colburn. westerly to the edge stone in front of the house occupied by Stephen Bean."-
They beg leave to represent that the side walk appears to them at present to be of a convenient and proper height in
232
CITY DOCUMENT NO. 61.
relation to the range of the street and they regret extremely that it is thought proper to cause the same to be lowered as they apprehend that if at any future time the street should be paved it will be necessary to take up the side walk again for the purpose of replacing it in its present situation.
They therefore respectfully submit to the surveyors of highways that if any change is necessary it is rather expedient to raise the sidewalk in front of the houses now occupied by Messrs Bean, Cotton & Tuttle so as to continue the edge-stone in a direct line from the front of the house of Mr. Eckley to the front of Mr. Minots' house.
The subscribers will cause this alteration, if it meet the approbation of the surveyors of highways, to be made at their own expense the next spring in the course of thirty days after being required so to do by the surveyors of highways, it being understood that they are not to furnish any materials for this purpose, except the [199.] necessary quantity of earth and gravel .-
Signed Wm. H. Eliot David Eckley.
Original in a trunk in Masst. Bank.
Whereas it was considered necessary and expedient the pres- ent season to make pretty extensive repairs and improvements in Franklin Place -
And in order to prevent injury to persons passing on the north side of that place from the projection of steps into the street -
The Selectmen have permitted the proprietors of the estates on that side of Franklin Place to inclose the land in front of their estates in a line with their steps -
Now be it known - and it is hereby understood and agreed by the subscribers, owners of those estates that we are to gain no right by possessing or improving the said land under the permission before named, other than we now have .-
Signed,
Joseph Tilden Hannah R. Amory Thomas Wigglesworth Elizth. Amory
Boston Nov. 2. 1821.
Original deposited in a trunk in Massts. Bank.
[180.] The committee of Section No 3, to whom was referred the petition of Jonathan Howard and others; - that the town would pay a part of the expence of placing a pump in Doane street, reported: That they had viewed the pump, found it well made, that there was abundance of water in the well, and that it would be of essential service in case of fire; - They therefore recommend that the Town should allow thirty dollars towards the expense .- Report accepted.
233
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1821.
The Chairman was requested to advertise for a messenger to the Board, for watchmen & measurers of wood. -
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen, December 19th. 1821.
Present the whole Board .-
A communication from the Grand Jury for the County of Suffolk, stating that they had found bills of indictment against William Brooks & Michael Riley, two of the constables, for mal-practice in office, and requesting that those persons may be removed from office: The subject was referred to the Chair- man, Messrs. Billings & Wells, with instructions to take proper measures for the removal of those officers.
[181.] The following persons were appointed measurers of wood - viz.
William Green - North Section
Nathaniel Glover South
William Glover - Joshua Butters - North
Ephraim Nute - West 66
Ebenezer Robbins ----
The committee on the application of J. Marshall to have a permanent watch established at the Market - reported, as the town watch is to be augmented it is unnecessary to establish a watch at that place - report accepted.
Johnson Colby, was appointed Messenger to the Board; to be allowed the same salary as the late Messenger .-
Messrs. Wells & Fitch were appointed a committee to examine the applications of persons to be appointed watchmen; and to select such as they shall judge best qualified for that service, not exceeding forty.
Voted, that the police officer be instructed to prosecute all offences for breaches of the Bye-Laws of the town; and that he make report of all his proceedings concerning the police of the town, to the Chairman every day before 12 o'clock M. any vote of this board to the contrary notwithstanding.
[182.] Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen Decr. 26. 1821 .-
Present the whole Board .-
The committee appointed to consider the necessity of aug- menting the number of watchmen, have attended to the sub- ject and beg leave to report .-
234
CITY DOCUMENT No. 61.
That they are of opinion that it is expedient to add thirty six watchmen to the number now employed by the town, and that the augmentation be apportioned as follows .-
To the. Eastern District sixteen men, & that the two first sections be subdivided into four - and to be guarded by five men, two men going their rounds together in the second sub-division - and one man to each of the others - that the third section be guarded by two men together and that the fourth & fifth remain under the care of one man to each as now provided .-
To the Western District twelve men - and that the second & third sections be subdivided in four with an additional man to each, that the first, fourth and fifth remain as they now are, and that two men going their rounds together be assigned to the fifth section .-
[183.] To the Northern District four men, by adding one man to section No. 1 - the sections remaining as they now are established, and the two men go their rounds together in the first section .-
To the Southern district four men, by adding one man to the second section, who with the other attached to this section, are to go together.
It will be necessary to state in explanation that the addition of one man to any section makes an addition of four to the watch because the watchmen are on duty alternately, every other night, and one man being on duty only one half of the night, all which is submitted
Dec. 22d 1821.
S. A. Wells, Chairman .-
The foregoing report was read & accepted.
Moses Hadley &
Joseph W. Welsh were appointed measurers of wood for the Western District
The Chairman informed the board, that he was allowed by their vote of the 23d. May last, to lease to Mr. Blanchard a certain piece of land belonging to the town at the bottom of Rainsfords Lane on certain conditions there stipulated; - among those conditions it was required, "he should continue and keep in repair the drain, that he should build a solid wharf, & that [184.] he might occupy the same free of rent for fifteen years." It appears that Mr. Amory has proceeded and built a timber wharf & now wishes a lease; -
Voted, The Chairman be authorized to sign a lease of the wharf above named to Jonathan Amory for ten years under the same restrictions as were imposed on Mr. Blanchard May 23d. last .-
235
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1822.
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen January 2d. 1822 .-
Present the whole Board
Voted, that we now proceed to approbate all the person who have applied for liberty to perform the business of innholders, victuallers & retailers in the town of Boston - provided we approbate no person but what is known to some member of this Board, and provided that the whole number approbated for those various professions shall not exceed nine hundred .-
Voted, That the Committee who have the subject of obtain- ing a new Engine, under consideration, proceed & either pur- chase or hire a suitable building for the purpose of an Engine house at the North part of the Town.
[185.] Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen January 4th. 1822 .-
Present the Chairman, Messrs. Loring, Babcock, Billings & Fitch .-
30 Jurors were drawn to serve at the Supreme Judicial Court .-
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen January 9th. 1822 .-
Present the whole Board, except Mr. Loring.
Voted; that the enlarged committee who reported to the Town a system of city & county government, be requested to apply to the legislature in order to obtain a bill for the purpose of carrying into effect the votes of the Town of Boston on this subject passed on the 31st. day of December and the two suc- ceeding days .- And that the Town Clerk be directed to furnish the chairman of that committee with an attested copy of this vote.
The Chairman stated to the Board, that the Town Treasurer had paid him twelve hundred & thirty dollars being the amount due from the town, to the fund of Mrs. Brooker and others; - he was authorized to receive applications from any person, or persons who may wish to hire [186.] the same upon a mortgage on real estate of three times the value of the sum loaned, and lay the same before the Board .-
On the application of a number of citizen a warrant was signed for a Town Meeting on Monday next .-
Approved the indentures of Augustus Etmaud to bind him- self as an apprentice to Joseph Lebart, barber, until he comes of age on the 28th. day of July 1825 .-
236
CITY DOCUMENT No. 61.
Voted; that the Board will approbate no person for a license as an innholder, victualler, confectioner or retailer of spirituous liquors, prior to the first Wednesday of February next.
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen January 16th. 1822 .- Present the whole Board, except Mr. Loring.
Voted; that the balance of money in the hands of the Chair- man, belonging to the fund of Mrs. Brooker and others, be loaned to John Redman, after the title of the property to be mortgaged shall have been examined & that he cause the mortgage to be placed on record.
[18%.] The Chairman, Messrs. Billings & Baxter were appointed a committee to draft & present a petition to the legislature on the subject of wooden buildings, agreeably to a vote of the town passed on the 14th. instant .-
The same committee were also requested to draft & present a petition on the subject of taxation agreeable to a vote of the 25th. September last .-
The Chairman was requested to advertise for proposals for printing a list of the taxes assessed in 1821 - agreeably to a vote of the Town.
The Chairman Messrs. Wells & Billings a committee on the subject of new districting the wards.
A number of citizens from the north part of the town, appeared and stated to the board that a number of depreda- tions had recently been committed in that part of the town, and requested an augmentation of the watch .- Whereupon it was voted, that the committee of Section No. 1. should forthwith add as many men to the north watch as they should judge necessary .-
[188.] Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen January 23d. 1822 .- present the whole Board.
The committee to whom was referred the subject of aug- menting the watch at the Northern District of the town report, that in consequence of many depredations having been made by breaking open shops & stores in said district, and the watch being much less in that part of the town than in some other parts - recommend that eight men be added to the watch in that district - Report accepted.
The application of John Foster & others proposing to raise a company to take charge of the new engine, was referred to the committee of Sec. No. 1.
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237
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1822.
The Chairman reported, that agreeable to the instructions of the Board of the 16th. instant he had loaned to John Redman from the fund of Mrs. Brooker & others, the sum of twelve hundred & thirty one dollars twenty two cents, and had received of him a mortgage on real estate - which is recorded & placed in a trunk at the Massachusetts Bank.
[189.] A communication was received from the Town Treasurer, stating that Saml. D. Parker Esq. had refused to pay rent for the office occupied by him in the old State House. - in consequence of the alterations made by the free masons the room was rendered untenantable .-
Voted, the Chairman be instructed to give notice to Francis J. Oliver Esq. to cause such alterations to be made as are neces- sary to make Mr. Parkers office tenantable, & settle with him for any injury he may have received - agreeably to the condi- tions of the lease between the inhabitants & the Grand Lodge. see letter on file .-
The Chairman reported that he had examined the account of Mr. Phillips Hay Weigher, to the 1st. instant, and found it correct; and that there was a balance due to the town, [of] one hundred & forty eight dollars, which he had ordered paid to the town Treasurer .-
The committee of Fire Wards attached to engine No 12, were authorized to repair that engine, provided the expense does not exceed one hundred dollars .-
The Chairman, Messrs. Babcock & Wells were appointed a committee, to prepare a form, & contract for the printing the list of taxes .-
[190.] Boston ss. At a Meeting of the Selectmen January 30th. 1822 .- present the whole Board, except Mr. Loring.
A communication from the Board of Health stating that a number of dead bodies had been removed from the burial ground, on the Neck; and requesting that the Selectmen would station some one of the watchmen near that place, was read. whereupon it was ordered, that four men be added to the south watch, whose duty it shall be to guard the Neck, partic- ularly the burial ground; - And the captain of the watch is instructed to carry the above order into effect .-
A committee from the Directors of the United States Bank, appeared and stated to the Board, that they wished to pur- chase a suitable place to accomodate the branch bank in this town; - and requested that a committee may be appointed to
238
CITY DOCUMENT No. 61.
confer with them on the subject of purchasing the Old State House: - The Chairman, Messrs Wells & Babcock were appointed a committee for that purpose .-
The committee of Section No 1. reported, that the house for the new engine [191.] was ready to receive the same; - The committee was authorized to organize a suitable company of engine men, and attach them to that engine .-
The Board approved and signed [an] indenture between Elisha Tyler Colburn, a minor, and George Wheelwright, turner and umbrella maker, to serve as an apprentice until he shall arrive at the age of twenty one years, which will be on the twenty sixth day of March 1828 .-
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen February 6th. 1822. Present the Chairman, Messrs Baxter, Babcock, Fen- nelly & Fitch .-
The application of Isaac Harris & others, inhabitants of ward No. 1, requesting that the passage way leading from the bottom of Foster street, and from Henchmans lane may be paved, was referred to the committee of Section No. 1 .-
The Chairman informed the Board that the committee who were authorized to adopt a suitable form, and contract with a printer, to print a list of the tax books, had attended that service; and had agreed [192.] with Mr. Charles Hammatt to copy the books, for which service he is to be paid two dollars per day, that it would take about sixty days labour to per- form that service; - that they had agreed with Messrs. True & Green to print the same, for which they are to be paid after the same shall be completed to the satisfaction of the Board, at the rate of one, & one half mills for each page; - the estimated number of pages in each book will be about 140 - they to deduct from the whole bill as above stated fifty dollars .-
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen February 13th. 1822 .- Present the whole Board .-
On a precept received from the Hon. Judge of Probate for the County of Suffolk, inquisition was made into the circum- stances of John White, and a return was made that the said John White is a person non compos mentis & incapable of taking care of himself .-
Wednesday the 27th. instant was appointed for the semi- annual visitation of the public schools; - The Chairman, Messrs. Babcock & Wells were appointed a committee to make the necessary arrangements.
9
239
SELECTMEN'S MINUTES, 1822.
[193.] Voted, that the new engine be numbered fifteen, and called by the name of Boston.
The company of engine men, raised to take charge of the new engine, presented the rules & regulations of their asso- ciation for the approbation of the Board. The same were read & referred to the committee of Section No. 1 to examine & report at the next meeting .-
On the application of Michael Roulstone & others, a com- plaint was made to the Hon. Judge of Probate, stating that Lewis Bailey of Boston, bricklayer, does by excessive drinking &c. so waste his estate as thereby to expose himself to want - and recommending that a guardian should be appointed for him.
Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen February 20th. 1822 - Present Messrs. Baxter, Loring, Babcock, Billings, Fennelly, Fitch & Wells .-
22 Grand jurors,- and 35 Traverse jurors were drawn for the Supreme Judicial Court.
[194.] Boston ss. At a meeting of the Selectmen February 26th. 1822.
Present the whole Board.
Whereas the laws of this Commonwealth provide that the Selectmen of the several towns may annually appoint by a writing under their hands any suitable person or persons as auctioneers in said town, and that they shall keep a record of the same, and shall receive for their own use for each and every license so granted, the sum of two dollars ;- And, whereas the Selectmen of the town of Boston, did in the year 1820 - license fifty nine persons as auctioneers, and did also, in the year 1821 - license sixty one auctioneers; the money arising from this source amounted to two hundred and forty dollars, which sum the Selectmen decline receiving for their own use, but they deem it proper and expedient that the same should be by them appropriated in a suitable manner .-
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