USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Walks & talks about historic Boston > Part 40
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"A martyr to the cause of man, His blood is Freedom's eucharist, And on the world's great hero list His name shall lead the van.
"Yea, raised on Faith's white wings unfurled In Heaven's pure light, of him we say, He died upon the self-same day,
4 A greater died to save the world !" 1
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Lincoln and the Soldiers
From the outset, Abraham Lincoln was the personal friend of every soldier he sent to the front, and somehow every man seemed to know it. No doubt it was on Lincoln's
Lincoln and the Soldiers
visits to the camps around Washington, in the early days of the war, that the body of the soldiers got this idea. They never forgot his friendly hand-clasp, his hearty "God bless you," his remonstrance against some fifteen-year-old boy
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masquerading as twenty, his jocular remarks about the height of some soldier towering above his own six feet four. When, later, he visited the Army of the Potomac on the Rappahannock and at Antietam, these impressions of his interest in the personal welfare of the soldiers were re- newed. He walked down the long lines of tents or huts, noting the attempts at decoration, the housekeeping con- veniences, replying by smiles and nods and sometimes with words to the greetings, rough and hearty, which he re- ceived. He inquired into every phase of camp life, and the men knew it, and said to one another, "He cares for us; he makes no fight, but he cares." He was not only the Commander-in-Chief of all the armies of the United States, he was the father of the army, and never did a man better deserve a title than did he the one the soldiers gave him- "Father Abraham."-"Life of Lincoln," by Ida M. Tarbell.
Washington at Valley Forge
An Illinois Soldier at the Funeral of Abraham Lincoln
Rev. Frank B. Cressey of Cambridge, Massachusetts, was a private of the One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment, Illinois Volunteers. He was grossly cheated out of a First Lieutenancy after enlisting over fifty men, but went into the ranks. His father, the Chaplain of the Second Minnesota Regiment, and four brothers, were also in the Union Army,
Rev. Frank B. Cressey
making six from one family. Mr. Cressey was mustered into and out of the Army at Springfield, Illinois, the home of Abraham Lincoln. The day before the assassinated Presi- dent's entombment, Mr. Cressey went to Springfield to be present at the funeral. Thousands had already arrived on a similar errand of grief and respect. The funeral car was still at the railroad station, draped, as during its long and devious way of journey, in the emblems of death and a Nation's overwhelming sorrow. The body had been re- moved to the Hall of Representatives in the State House, where it lay in state. During more than a day of twenty- four hours the people passed by looking on the face of the
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dead. Three times, forenoon, afternoon and midnight, Mr. Cressey joined the double procession, which at times was several city blocks long and which continued its tramp, tramp all night and through the earliest gray of the morn- ing, and three times thus saw him who for four years had led the Nation through threatened death to establish life. When the doors were finally closed that the funeral services be held, thousands were still in line, many, like those before them, in tears because of the Nation's bereavement, which was a personal sorrow.
The funeral services over, the procession of thousands moved to the Cemetery, two miles distant. A brass band and a regiment and more soldiers came first, with General Joseph Hooker as chief in command at their head, and looking precisely as one now sees him in bronze in front of the State Capitol in Boston. The hearse, drawn by six coal black horses, covered with the clothing of sorrow, each and all the finest that St. Louis could furnish, and given without price for the occasion, came next, the hearse doors being held together by heavy black ribbon, on account of the unusual length of the casket. After the hearse, special at- tendants, that no accidents should occur, then carriages filled mostly with Government, Army and Navy officials. Mrs. Lincoln and other relatives not being able to be pres- ent. Last of all were citizens by the multitude, some in carriages and some on foot, the United States as a whole rendering homage to the man who had saved the Nation, which some had tried to destroy. Arrived at the Cemetery, the casket, glittering in the sunshine like a casket of precious stones, was lifted upon the shoulders of eight men, marines from the Navy, if no mistake is made here, and most reverently borne within the receiving vault, the band meanwhile touching all hearts with its rendering of the "Dad March in Saul.' Then folowed singing by a German Society of St. Louis, followed by a funeral oration by Bish- op Simpson of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Then more music, both vocal and instrumental, then the benediction, and the body of Abraham Lincoln was left in the silence of the tomb.
Hon. James M. Curley Mayor of Boston
Boston Its Area, City Government and Present Standing
The Shawmut of the Indians was named Boston, probably out of gratitude to the merchants of Boston, in Lincolnshire, who had subscribed generously to the stock of the Company of Massachusetts Bay. At a meeting of the Company held in Charlestown (where they had established a plantation) on September 17th, 1630, they "ordered that 'Trimountain' shall be called Boston ; Mattapan, Dorchester; and the towne upon Charles River, 'Watertown.' Governor Winthrop chose Bos- ton as his abiding place, and on October 3, 1632, Boston was formally declared to be 'the fittest place for publique meetings of any place in the Bay.'"
AREA OF BOSTON.
The neck of land called Boston still called Boston proper contained perhaps 700 acres of land, judging from the 783 acres shown by the official survey of 1794. In the interval of 1630-37, Boston acquired jurisdiction over most of the territory now included in Chelsea, Winthrop, Revere, East Boston, Brookline, Quincy, Braintree, Randolph and Hol- brook, besides certain islands in the harbor. From 1637 to 1640 when "Mount Wollaston" was set off as Braintree, Boston exercised jurisdiction over a territory of at least 40,000 acres. Within its present limits (1916) there are only 27,364 acres including flats and water. After 1640 many grants of land were made to Boston by the General Court, situated in the northern and western parts of the state. Some of these tracts were afterwards sold by the city. November 13th, 1705, Muddy River was set off as the town of Brook- line and January 8th, 1739, Runney Marsh was set off as the town of Chelsea. Annexations of territory within the present limits of the City of Boston, have been made as follows : Noddles' Island, East Boston, 1637; South Boston from Dor- chester, 1804; Roxbury, 1868; Dorchester, 1870; Brighton, 1873; Charlestown, 1873; West Roxbury, 1874; Hyde Park,
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19II. The original territory of Boston has been largely in- creased by made land as hown by the map hereto annaved.
GOVERNMENT OF BOSTON.
The first government of the town of Boston was inaugu- rated March 14, 1635, when 12 overseers (Selectmen) were chosen. In September 1636, this number was reduced to
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Old City Hall-1850
10. and so remained until 1700, when seven Selectmen and eight Constables were made the town's officials. As the pop- ulation increased, more officials were deemed necessary for the proper administration of the town's affairs, and in 1750, the number was increased to twenty. When Faneuil Hall was completed the town elections were held there. The first vote by wards was in 1799, the population at that time being about 25,000. The subject of a City Charter was agitated very early in the history of the town, and it was voted upon by the citizens in the years 1708, 1794 and in 1815, and on these three occasions public opinion was shown to be very
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strongly against it. But the matter still continued to be very earnestly discussed and at last those favoring a charter car- ried the day in 1822. An application was made to the Legis- lature for a Charter which was adopted by a vote of 2797 yeas to 1881 nays. The election for city officials was held April 16th, resulting in the choice of John Phillips as Mayor, who received 2500 votes out of a total of 2650 votes cast. Eight Aldermen and eight Councilmen were also elected and the inaugural ceremonies took place May 1, 1822. Mr. Phillips was the father of Wendell Phillips, the great anti- slavery agitator. Mr. Phillips died the following year. Some of the very best citizens of Boston, of high standing in mer- cantile and professional life, have occupied the Mayor's chair. The list is not so long as to be out of place here. So well did they acquit themselves in that honorable and responsible position that a number of them served several years in suc- cession. Following John Phillips was Harrison Gray Otis, then Charles Wills, Theodore Lyman, Samuel T. Armstrong, Samuel A. Eliot, Jonathan Chapman, Martin Brimmer, Thomas A. Davis, Josiah Quincy, Jr., John P. Bigelow, Ben- jamin Seaver, Jerome V. C. Smith, Alexander H. Rice, Fred- erick W. Lincoln, Jr., Joseph M. Wightman, Otis Norcross, Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, William Gaston, Henry L. Pierce, Samuel C. Cobb, Frederick O. Prince, Hugh O'Brien, Thomas N. Hart, Samuel A. Green, Albert Palmer, Augustus P. Mar- tin, Nathan Matthews, Jr., Edwin U. Curtis, Josiah Quincy, Patrick A. Collins, George A. Hibbard, John F. Fitzgerald and James M. Curley.
The first city government held its sessions in Johnson Hall, School Street, and there continued until 1630, when the Old State House was occupied. In 1841 they returned to their old quarters in Johnson Hall. A portion of Faneuil Hall was also utilized for some of the city offices.
Many old Bostonians will recognize in the cut of the Old City Hall, a familiar landmark. It was built for a County Court House and in its day was one of the most imposing buildings in the town.
But Boston was growing, the City Fathers were more numerous, new departments of light and water became parts of the great city machine and must be comfortably quartered under one roof, therefore a larger and more modern City Hall was a necessity. The old picturesque building, solid and substantial, which could weather the blast of centuries,
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was torn down soon after the commencement of the Civil War, and the present City Hall erected on its site. It was built on land, originally purchased of Thomas Scott in 1645. The style of architecture of the present City Hall is the
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City Hall, Boston
Italian Renaissance, modified and elaborated by the taste of the French architects. The building with its furniture cost $500,000. The front and west side are of white Concord granite, those of the Court Square and City Hall Avenues are from stone from the Old City Hall, which it replaced. The corner stone of the present City Hall was laid Decem-
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ber 22d, 1862, during the administration of Joseph M. Wight- man. Over fifty years have elapsed and it is still an elegant and imposing public building.
MAYORS.
All through her history, Boston has been famous for the public spirit of her citizens, for their intelligence and activity in all political matters. As a natural result party rancor has often ran high and .the motives and acts of her Mayors and other officials have been closely scrutinized and often bitterly assailed. Perhaps this may be considered a part of the pen- alty which a man must expect and be willing to pay when he enters upon the duties of the office. The real value of the services rendered must frequently be left to the calm and impartial judgment of later generations. It is generally admitted today that much of Boston's prosperity is due to the foresight, the business, sagacity and public spirit of some of her great Mayors, and yet the enterprises and improve- ments, suggested and urged by them for the betterment of the city, were stigmatized as "jobs" by their political oppo- nents. It was during the administration of the first Josiah Quincy, that Quincy Market was completed and dedicated August 26, 1826. It is today one of the greatest and best market buildings in the country and is admirably located for the purposes intended. . Not only the market building but the extensive improvements around it constituted it the great- est enterprise of the kind that had ever been undertaken in Boston and it was due to the remarkable energy and enter- prise of Josiah Quincy, who, according to Drake, "invested the sluggish. town with new life and brought into practical use a new watchword, 'Progress.'" In connection with the work of building this market six new streets were opened ,and a seventh greatly enlarged, including 167,000 feet of land, and flats, docks and wharf rights obtained to the extent of 140,000 square feet."' "All this," we quote from Quincy's history, "was accomplished in the centre of a populous city, not only without any tax, debt or burden upon its pecuniary resources, but with a large permanent addition to its real and productive property. The cost of the market building, ex- clusive of the land was $150,000. The cost of the market, land and street and other improvements was $1, 141,272."
.. Under another and later Josiah Quincy the bringing of several railway lines into one grand terminal and the adjacent
Walks and Talks About Historic Boston. 579
improvements incident thereto was accomplished. The wis- dom and foresight of this movement is now universally ac- knowledged. Other enterprises for the benefit of the city in a business and artistic sense had their inception in the brains of energetic and public spirited Mayors who were sup- ported in their execution by public spirited officials and citi- zens. Among these enterprises we mention the filling in of the Back Bay, the levelling of Fort Hill and building of Atlantic Avenue, the extension of Washington Street, the
Hon. Josiah Quincy, Mayor
building of the East Boston Tunnel and the Subways, and the laying out of new parks and boulevards, making Boston one of the most beautiful and attractive cities in the country. She has always been a great commercial centre and . must continue to be by reason of her unrivalled harbor and water communications. Her ships of other days from the yards of those famous builders, Donald McKay of East Boston, and the Briggs of South Boston, were the finest on the ocean and carried "Old Glory" into every part of the world, were models of naval architecture, and the speediest sailing vessels ever constructed. The captains were largely from that nursery of seamen, Cape Cod, and were not only bold and skilful navigators, but in many instances, keen business men and
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large ship owners. They made wonderful passages around Cape Horn in the days of '49, and to Australia and the East Indies. The Civil War dealt a heavy blow to American ship- ping, as many large vessels were destroyed by the English
Hon. Thomas N. Hart
built and equipped Confederate cruisers, which was no doubt a part of an English scheme to cripple American commerce which was fast becoming a formidable rival. In this way a great deal of the carrying trade of the world was transferred to English bottoms and soon after subsidized steamers re- placed sailing vessels, and thus a large element of American
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power and prosperity slipped from her grasp. But within the last two decades, shrewd investors have come to realize that no city offers better or safer real estate investment than this good old city of Boston. As a result the business section has been greatly changed and improved and many old land- marks have disappeared, sometimes to the regret of many citizens.
The wealthy and influential business men are now working through two powerful organizations, the Chamber of Com- mercea and Board of Trade to make Boston one of the great- est shipping ports of the world. A magnificent system of docks, warehouses and elevators has been planned and is being carried to completion, which will cost millions and will put Boston in the forefront and secure to her a large portion of the immense export trade of the West and bring to her docks the largest ocean liners The scope and magnificence of the project reflects great credit on the brains, the pluck, and the enterprise of Boston's business men.
MAYOR HART, 1889-1890, 1900-1901.
A public man taking office without a definite program may do some good, as opportunity offers, but is not apt to make an enduring impression. Mayor Hart is identified with many measures affecting Boston, such as the theory and practice of home rule, the separation of the public school establishment from city council control, the intro- duction of the trolley street-car system, all the year round employment of city labor, and the security of clerks and other subordinates during good behavior (stat. 1890, ch. 418).
As a business man, Mayor Hart gave special attention to the business affairs of the city, and particularly to the finances. This topic had become urgent under the act passed by the General Court in 1885 (ch. 266), limiting both the tax and the debt of the city. If the General Court could manage Boston, and if good government could be established by statute, the law of 1885 was proper. It worked out differently. The tax rate was kept down: but the debt increased ominously, and the General Court au- thorized this increase.
Mayor Hart demanded a change for the better. He fought almost single-handed. In 1900, after a campaign of education, the point was carried. The tax rate of Boston
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for current expenses was raised from $9 per $1000 of as- sessed valuation to $10.50. Ilaving thus increased the tax burden of the people, the political effect appeared at the next general election, when Mayor Hart was overwhelm- ingly defeated. Yet no effort has been made to reverse the financial policy of Mayor Hart.
A safe test of government is the ledger. The city of Boston is fortunate in having the annual reports of the city auditor, telling exactly the income and outgo of the city. Few governments make reports as complete and trust- worthy. The annual report of the city auditor for 1901-2 records on page 44 the receipt of $7,768,948.80 as the final payment for the water supply system taken from the city. This completed the case, some previous payments having been made, and the settlement having been effected on the basis of about $13,000,000. The estimates of the value taken by the State, namely, the city water supply, not including the distribution service, were made by Mayor Hart and accepted by Governor Crane. The alternative was a law- suit lasting for many years, yet not dealing with a real law question. It was a business compromise. The money ob- tained was used as far as possible for reducing the city debt. The auditor's report for 1901-2, page 239, accordingly reports the net debt of the city Jannary 31, 1902, at $47,- 152,085.52. Two years before it stood at $58,333,337.59.
The late Mayor, the Hon. John F. Fitzgerald, was in thor- ough sympathy with all these plans and gave as his motto when elected in 1905, "a better, bigger and busier Boston," and during his term of office preached constantly from this text at home and abroad. He had no apologies to make for the city of his birth and the city which he loved. It was his aim to see her reach that high vantage ground, which her past history and the intelligence, business capacity and char- acter of her citizens entitled her to occupy. His record since he started out in political life is full of achievements for the good of the common people as well as for the busi- ness interests of the city. Born in the North End, he knew its needs, and the North End Park is a memorial to his hu- manity and of his love for the scenes of his childhood. Dur- ing his administration the "High School of Commerce" was founded, likewise the "School of Practical Arts for Girls." Both of these institutions are useful and valuable. Other achievements were the founding of the Consumptives Hos-
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pital, the Playground of the Parker Hill District, the secur- ing of the Saturday half holiday for City Employees, the ap- propriation for the reconstruction of the Old State House. He appointed a Dock Commissioner to ascertain what im- provement could be made in the Dock System. The pas-
Hon. John F. Fitzgerald
sage of the $9,000,000 Dock Bill by the Legislature of 1911 was a very satisfactory answer to his inquiry, and no small credit for that action is due him, for the foresight, hopeful- ness and energy displayed by him in carrying on that cam- paign. He has proved himself, in the higher sense, what most men admire. "a good fighter." and for what he believes to be right, he can give and take hard blows. He has been
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in the "lime light" and partisanship has been running high, but he can afford to await the verdict of a later generation as to the true value of the services rendered by him.
The present Mayor, Hon. James M. Curley, is running the gauntlet of all his predecessors, and when his administration is completed it will be possible to see and appreciate his many good deeds which have been for the financial and moral benefit of the city, for which all just and reasonable men will give him full credit.
SOME THINGS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THE BOSTON OF TODAY.
From Boston Globe.
Boston has the finest sewerage system in the country; richest population in the country; shortest and most direct route to Europe; one of the most noted Art Museums in the country ; one of the finest municipal Libraries in the coun- try; one of the finest fresh water basins in the world; the greatest University in the country; the finest Institute of Technology in the country; the finest municipal hospital in the country; the best educational facilities for the blind; the finest and largest arboretum in the country; the largest stone dry dock in the country; the largest wool storage house in the world; the largest commercial organization in the country; the largest watch factory in the world; the largest candy factory in the country; the largest shoe man- ufacturing plant in the world; the largest entomological laboratory in the world; the finest floating hospital for chil- dren in the world; the best drives of any city in the coun- try; Boston in the favorite Convention City in the country.
COMPARISON ON TEXTILE PRODUCTS.
Value-Boston, $98,561,100; Providence, $27,626,619; Philadelphia, $15,193,673; New York, $10,603,997; Chicago, $10,403,449; St. Louis, $7,824,596.
VALUE BOOT AND SHOE PRODUCTS.
Boston, $69,945,133; St. Louis, $19,101,666; New York, $14,291, 175; Cincinnati, $10,840,778; Philadelphia, $5,931,- 033; Chicago, $5,592,684.
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INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT-INCREASE IN INDUS- TRIES.
New York, 32.8; Boston, 29.2; Chicago, 20.4; Philadel- phia, 16.3; St. Louis, 14.6.
MASSACHUSETTS LEADS IN COTTON INDUSTRY.
Number of spindles-Massachusetts, 19,835,610; South Carolina, 3.793.387; North Carolina, 3,124,456; Rhode Is- land, 2,455,304.
1911-Population within 50 miles of Boston compared with other large cities: New York, 7,321,485; Boston, 3,- 470,587; Philadelphia, 2,943,848; Chicago, 2,843,057; St. Louis, 1,228,184.
These figures show that I-26 of the entire population of the United States is within 50 miles of Boston's City Hall. Almost all these people trade in Boston stores.
PER CAPITA WEALTH OF CHIEF CITIES
19II-Boston, $2,159.82: New York, $1,844.95; Pitts- burg, $1,292.02; Baltimore, $1, 116.97; Philadelphia, $844.81 ; St. Louis, $822.20; Chicago, $381.20.
SAVINGS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
19II-New York, $1,526,935,581; Massachusetts, $770,- 814,452; California, $334,965,870; Pennsylvania, $175,194,- 529: Ohio, $126.710,271 ; Illinois, $31.396,607; Missouri, $27,643.257.
SCHOOL AND COLLEGE ATTENDANCE-PUBLIC SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
New York, 727,710; Boston (Met), 236,662; Philadelphia, 174,136; Chicago, 112,133; St. Louis, 87,170.
PARK ACRES OF GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD.
Boston, 20.570 acres; London, 19,000 acres; Paris, 17,943 acres; Berlin, 11,980 acres; New York, 6,929 acres; Chicago, 4,388 acres ; Vienna, 4,270 acres; Philadelphina, 4,171 acres; Los Angeles, 3,737 acres ; Minneapolis, 3.379 acres; St. Louis, 2,659 acres; Kansas City. 2,465 acres.
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Boston has the largest and finest park system in the world, with 30 miles of picturesque river banks, over 12 miles of delightful seashore, 79 miles of beautiful boule- vards, and over 50 miles of entrancing woodland roads and paths. The wonderful bathing beaches about Boston, the best and safest in America, are part of the park system.
The total valuation of the City of Boston, Real Estate and Personal five years ago was $1,393,760,423.
The total Expenditure, city and county, was $34,288,549 .- 74.
BRIDGE-
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ORIGIN
CHARLES
TERRITORY
ON
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508 Hinos
Original Boston and Made Land
A Boston Town Meeting of the Olden Time
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