USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Waltham > Waltham as a precinct of Watertown and as a town, 1630-1884 > Part 7
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In 1852 or 1853 a one-story iron building thirty or forty feet square was erected on the north bank of the river a short dis- tance east of the present Prospect Street bridge. In it Hiram Hyde made various products from gas tar, the waste of gas pro- ducing plants. In 1855 Luthur Atwood, who was an expert chem- ist, assisted by his brother William, succeeded in producing in this building a clear, white, sweet smelling kerosene from petro- leum pitch procured in Canada. Earlier attempts in other coun- tries to make a like product resulted in an oil with a very offensive
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HISTORY OF WALTHAM
smell. The "Tar Factory" as it was generally called was not con- sidered a desirable addition to the industries of the town on account of the odor coming from its various processes. The first issue of the Sentinel stated that it was to be removed by request and on Oct. 16 that the "smelling committee" reported that the U. S. Chemical Works had removed from town.
In November 1856 the one remaining pauper in the town re- ceived a legacy on the death of a relative and so left the poor house without an inmate. Three events of local importance took place in 1857. On Jan. 15 an Agricultural Library Association was formed. This later took the name of Agricultural Club and then of Farmers' Club. It flourished for many years and its annual Farmers' Festival was one of the social events of the year.
A very successful Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition was held on Sept. 24, 25 and 26, most of the prominent townsmen serving on the various committees.
The old burying ground on lower Main Street that had been the only one in the town for over one hundred and fifty years was not large enough to fill the needs of the rapid growth in population. After some discussion it was decided to set apart the south western end of the Town Farm for a new one. This was a part of the old Gale farm and as it included Mount Feake it was named Mount Feake Cemetery. It was consecrated for the purpose on Nov. 7, Rev. Thomas Hill making the address.
About this time there was a considerable business done here in the manufacture of shoes, especially brogans for the southern trade. B. F. Clough in 1858 employed forty workmen that pro- duced about 5000 pairs of kip brogans a month. Joseph Whitney with twenty-five men made about 3500 heavy brogans a month and P. Sherman and sons employed twenty-five men in making kip brogans, production not given. Besides these Messrs. Baker, Warren, Bemis and Gay each employed a number of workmen making all kinds of footwear for the home trade.
It is interesting to note that on Fast Day, April 1858, there was a ball game played in Trapelo, Captain Lawrence's team defeating Capt. Lovejoy's team by a score of 50 points to 43. Later in the year a Mechanics Ball Club was organized and played a game on the Common with the Olympics of Boston. They were beaten by a score of 54 to 21. Twelve men played on a side. The year 1858 was made memorable by the planting of
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THE TOWN OF WALTHAM
trees along Main, Linden, Lexington, School, Pine and Moody Streets at a cost of nearly $475, $200 of which was appropriated by the Town and the balance raised by private subscription.
The Town of Belmont was incorporated in 1859. It was formed by taking parts of Watertown and West Cambridge, a part of Waltham east of Beaver Brook at the northeast corner and the part of the Bridge farm that had been annexed in 1755. There was some correspondence in the Sentinel opposing this loss of territory but not much feeling seems to have been aroused.
More interest seems to have been expressed in the proposal to have the meeting-house removed from the Common. On July 8, 1859, a committee was appointed by the Town to consider its removal. The Society asked for $7500 but the Town only voted $6000. It was proposed to make up the difference by private subscription the Society to subscribe $750 of the amount. The removal was effected during September and October. It was placed on Moody Street a short distance south of Main Street and as it was given a quarter turn so as to face Moody Street it was noticed that the points of compass on the steeple no longer gave a true direction to the weather vane. The Common was said to appear one-fourth larger without the meeting-house and it was proposed to move Rumford Hall also but this idea met with opposition and nothing was done. The removed meeting- house was re-dedicated on Jan. 27, 1860, but the Society did not long enjoy the improvements that had been made in it for on Sunday night, May 25, it was destroyed by a fire caught from a burning barn near-by. It was promptly re-built on the same spot.
On April 6, 1860, George H. Smith issued from his place on School Street the "Waltham Crescent." It was probably short lived for no further reference to it has been found.
During this period, for the second time in its history, one of Waltham's townsmen was governor of the Commonwealth. Nathaniel Prentice Banks, born in Waltham, an employee of its cotton mills and machine shops, largely self-educated, a member of the bar, began his political career Nov. 15, 1848, when he was elected representative to the General Court after several un- successful attempts. He served four annual terms and was speaker of the House of Representatives the last two years. In 1853 he was chosen president of the constitutional convention that in- cluded what "has been designated as the ablest body of men that
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ever met in Massachusetts." In the same year he served his first term as representative to Congress. This was the thirty-third Congress and his work in that body was such that in the thirty- fourth Congress he became the candidate of the anti-slavery members for Speaker. After a contest lasting nearly two months on Feb. 2, 1856, he was elected on the one hundred and thirty- third ballot. His knowledge of parliamentary law, his ability, tact and fairness in administering it won the admiration of his opponents. He was re-elected to the thirty-fifth Congress but resigned his seat in December 1857 to take the office of governor of his state to which he had been elected by a large majority. He served three terms during the years 1858, 1859 and 1860. He took great interest in the State militia and it was due to his foresight in organizing, arming and equipping it that his successor, Gover- nor Andrew, was able to send the first and best equipped troops to Washington in 1861 at the call to arms by President Lincoln.
When Governor Banks' third term was nearly ended the people of Waltham gave a levee in his honor at Rumford Hall, Nov. 21, 1860. He was presented with a silver service and Mrs. Banks with a Waltham watch. It was stated that Governor Banks had been sitting for a portrait to be hung in Rumford Hall.
THE CIVIL WAR AND AFTER
When Governor Banks' third term expired he moved from Waltham to become resident director of the Illinois Central Railroad at a large salary but war breaking out the next spring he volunteered his services. President Lincoln appointed him Major General of Volunteers on account of his great ability as an organizer. In spite of his military inexperience he had a greater amount of success in his several campaigns than many other volunteer commanders. After the disastrous Red River cam- paign, undertaken against his advise, he resigned his commission and returned to Waltham. He was speedily returned to Congress where he was one of the ablest of President Lincoln's supporters and was for many years one of the most conspicuous members.
Waltham was numerously represented in the Union armies and various activities, too many to be mentioned here, were carried
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on by the men and women of the town. The war at first had very depressing effect on its industries and during the summer of 1861 their business was greatly restricted. The watch business seems to have been most severely affected and the factory was almost closed. To keep the organization together the manu- facture of a small lathe was begun. A lower priced movement was also brought out and as this proved very popular with the soldiers, business improved so fast that the lathe was laid aside. In February 1862 Charles L. Kidder and John S. Adams, em- ployed at the watch factory, took over the manufacture of the lathe and did a general jobbing and machine repairing in the Waltham Machine Shop that had been closed for a short time. They had an order for self-loading rifled cannon. Both Kidder and Adams enlisted in the army and their business was carried on by John Stark and John Lloyd. In March 1863 Adams was detailed to work in New Orleans on a breech-loading rifle he was inventing. In May he was furloughed home to work upon it and a patent issued to him. In October he was detached from his regiment and came to Waltham to superintend, by order of the Ordnance Department, the manufacture of a carbine on the same principle. He later moved to Taunton.
Some of the townsmen thought that Josiah Hastings and the Sentinel were too lukewarm in the support of the Union cause. He had been in favor of Bell and Everett in the election but predicted the election of Lincoln and loyally supported him as far as can be gleaned from his editorials. On Nov. 21, 1863, the Waltham Free Press, published by George Phinney and backed by a number of prominent Waltham men, was issued. It was courteously welcomed by an editorial in the Sentinel.
In the closing days of the war the Town decided upon a new and important addition to its educational resources. At meetings held in April and May 1865 it voted to accept the offer of the Rumford Institute of its library for a Free Public Library. Directors were chosen and they in turn selected Miss Lorenza Haynes for the librarian. On Oct. 21, 1865, the Public Library was opened for the inspection of the public.
A petition for a horse railroad to Waltham was circulated in West Newton in the latter part of 1865 but no definite action seems to have been taken until 1867 when a start at construction was made. An early winter stopped operations and the failure of
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some of the subscribers to furnish money delayed continuing work the next spring. The Fitchburg Railroad Company by objecting to the crossing of its tracks at Moody Street at grade made further delay. Royal E. Robbins of the Watch Company finally took charge, furnished the necessary financial aid and succeeded in putting it into operation on Aug. 31, 1868. At first it only ran as far as the corner of Main and Moody Streets. T rails were laid at first for a part of the way but they were re- placed by flat ones before the road was opened. It was well patronized, carrying some two hundred or more passengers per day during the first month. It is rather interesting to note that at the same time that this advanced type of transportation was started there was still a town pump. It was found desirable to dig a new well for it a few feet southwest of the old one 'that stood near the northwest corner of Main and Church Streets. A stone trough was supplied and an elm tree near-by was cut down. "The Barn Swallow" was published semi-monthly by Dickinson and Doughty between Aug. 5, 1868, and July 21, 1869. A new method of transportation began to be popular for we find that early in 1869 there were two schools, one on the south and one on the north side, to teach the art of velocipede riding. Five lessons were given for one dollar and spectators were charged fifteen cents each for the entertainment furnished. These schools flourished for a short time only.
It was in this year that the high school building, demolished in 1935, was built. At the same time a new grammar school building was erected on the old Common taking the place of the old Town House that was moved at that time to Exchange Street where it is now standing. $70,000 was appropriated at a meeting held April 30 for these two schoolhouses and at the same meet- ing $100,000 was appropriated for a Town Hall to be placed on the Common. The latter project was strongly opposed and two weeks later the site was rejected and a special committee ap- pointed to find another. This committee selected the Central House and Exchange Hall land and the Town voted in favor of it. Later it was found that the leases of the buildings had two years more to run and as there was considerable opposition to the additional expense that would be incurred the vote was rescinded and the project was abandoned for the time. Other improvements were in the air and one by one were adopted. On
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THE TOWN OF WALTHAM
May 26, 1871, the first steam fire engine, Waltham No. 1, arrived and was placed in the Spruce Street building formerly occupied by the "Neptune" hand engine. This was moved to the Bleachery district. The brick schoolhouse for District No. 1, built on land southeast of the old Common purchased by the district in 1838 was in 1871 altered for a police station. The present station and court house is in the same location.
On May 23, 1872, the Town voted to accept the Act of the Legislature authorizing it to take water from either Charles River or Sandy Pond in Lincoln. It was voted to construct water works at the river and work was started as soon as possible. A reservoir was made on the top of Boston Rock Hill. The works were in operation in the latter part of 1873 and in November the steam fire engine made a test of the hydrants. Streams of water were pumped higher than the flag-staff on the Common. This recalled the contest that took place about ten years earlier between the "Neptune" and "Boyden," for many years intense rivals, that was won by the "Neptune" that also forced a stream several feet higher than the flag-staff.
In 1872 the project to erect a town hall on the Central House lot was again brought up but it was voted not only not to build on that lot but to postpone indefinitely the building of a town hall.
Almost co-incident with the death of "Col." John A. Mason in the summer of 1873 came the announcement that Gibbs and Illingsworth had begun to operate the "White Swan," a side- wheel steamer, between the Moody Street and Weston-Auburn- dale bridges. Col. Mason had for years conducted a boating establishment at Maple Grove Harbor, the name he had given to a cove at the south end of the Moody Street bridge. Lily Point or Harrington's Grove, a favorite place for picnics, became more accessible for large parties and the White Swan did a flourishing business. This was not the first steamboat on the river for the Sentinel makes mention of a one and one-half horse power boat twenty-five feet long, that towed two of Col. Mason's boats with passengers to Harrington's Grove for a celebration on July 26, 1859. This boat was built by a Mr. Pike for Lt. Somerby and perhaps this was a trial trip before shipment. In the issue of Aug. 5, 1859, is the statement that the "Wild Rover," a two horse power steamer carrying twenty-five men or six women,
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"the present equivalent," made its appearance on the river. No further reference to it has been found.
A new bridge across the river at Farwell Street, said to be the third one at that place was opened to the public Jan. 11, 1874. "Notwithstanding this has been a somewhat expensive job, we can say it is a faithful one and, to all appearance, done for all time" (Waltham Sentinel).
Josiah Hastings, publisher of the Sentinel, his son William, associated with him, and three children of the latter died in the latter part of 1876 within two weeks of each other. The paper was continued a few months longer but in April 1877 George Phinney, publisher of the Free Press, purchased the business and equipment and consolidated the two papers. The Free Press thus became the only newspaper in the town but did not long enjoy the monopoly. On Dec. 1, 1876, Ephraim L. Barry issued the first copy of the Waltham Weekly Record.
In the latter part of 1877 the stone bridge at Newton Street was built. Interest in a new town hall again came to the front during the years 1878 and 1879. Action on the first proposal, to have a hall simply, without stores or offices, was indefinitely postponed in April 1878. In January of the next year F. F. Gibbs in a public meeting in Rumford Hall advocated a two story build- ing to be erected on the Common opposite the bank building and fifty feet from the street. It was to be sixty by one hundred and twenty feet, built of brick with stone facing and of Gothic architecture. The first floor was to contain all the town offices, the post office and library with an alternative of the police head- quarters and court in place of the library and with the police station in the basement. The second story was to contain the hall which with a balcony would seat twelve hundred persons. There was planned to be a stage thirty feet wide with ante-rooms. The cost was estimated at $60,000. This created a considerable news- paper discussion but one objector seems to have struck a new note in his communication. He wrote that the Town had no use for a hall of the kind proposed but that it would be used for private entertainments, besides Waltham would become a city within a decade and then another kind of a building would be needed. This communication must have met with general ap- proval for the demand for a new town hall subsided and before the year was out plans were made for a Music Hall to be built on
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Elm Street at a cost of $37,000, to be raised by private subscrip- tion. The money was raised and construction started but the building was not completed until the fall of the next year, the formal opening being on Oct. 19, 1880. The prediction in regard to a change from a town to a city government proved to be true before the decade was completed but no immediate steps to bring about the change were taken.
The years 1879 and 1880 were notable for several events. On March 17, 1879, the Town voted to have a Superintendent of Schools and on April 21 the school committee unanimously elected John T. Prince to that position. He had been a former principal of the North Grammar School for several years.
There was a considerable controversy over the Massachusetts Central Railroad that was approaching Waltham from the west. The proposed location placed the tracks on the north side of the Lyman Ponds. This aroused a storm of opposition for it would ruin the beautiful Lyman estate. Many thought it ought to run through Piety Corner and other routes were proposed but it was finally decided to build south of the ponds. Construction took place during the next two years and it was opened to the public Oct. 1, 1881. Another indication of progress was the proposal to have a fire alarm system installed. It was mentioned in October 1879 and a committee was appointed on December 19 and on March 19, 1880, the Town appropriated $5000 for that purpose. This action and that taken in regard to a Superintendent of Schools was very quickly taken in comparison with the lengthy consideration given to innovations in the early years of the town.
However, not all of the projects were so quickly disposed of even at this period. In April 1870 the Town appointed a com- mittee to consider extending Prospect Street across the river. Arguments pro and con appeared and a year passed before a vote was taken that resulted in a refusal to make the extension. In 1876 and again in 1880 the subject was revived but did not come before the town meetings. In June 1881 a foot-bridge was pro- posed and on July 1 the Town appointed a committee to consider and report. The next December it appropriated $5000 for a foot-bridge just north of the Watch Company land and the bridge was completed early in the next year.
An innovation that caused but little comment was the in- stallation of a telephone system by the Middlesex Telephone
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HISTORY OF WALTHAM
Company in January 1882. The first daily newspaper in Waltham appeared Oct. 2, 1882. It was called the "Waltham Daily Trib- une" and was published by Thomas B. Eaton and George F. Reed. Early in 1883 Mr. Eaton became the sole proprietor and editor.
The "Long Block" of tenement houses that stood south of the Common was an eyesore for many years. In 1868 it was proposed that it be removed and a hotel built in its place but nothing was done about it. Its purchase with all the land south of the Com- mon and north of Carter Street except the Agent's house and grounds at the southwest corner was proposed in town meeting but failed to receive an affirmative vote. An offer of the Boston Manufacturing Company to sell all of the land south of the Common between Elm, Carter and Moody Streets, including the Long Block and Agent's house came before the Town on April 25, 1882. Action was indefinitely postponed in a meeting so turbulent and disorderly that Samuel O. Upham declared that a city form of government would soon be necessary. Although in October a committee to treat with the Boston Manufacturing Company for the land was appointed no purchase was made. All the political energies of the town were now centered on the advisa- bility of changing the form of government.
There was a public debate on this question held on November 15 in Rumford Hall. A vote was taken that resulted in twenty- seven in favor of a change and forty-one opposed. A special town meeting to consider this subject was held Feb. 6, 1883, and it was decided to have a vote taken on February 8. This resulted in 587 votes in favor of applying for a City Charter and 870 against so doing. The agitation for a change continued, however, and another special vote taken on Nov. 30, 1883, resulted in a de- cision to apply for such a charter by a vote of 724 to 685. On Jan. 1, 1884, "The Waltham Backwoodsman" appeared. It was edited and published by "Farmer Peirce" (Elisha N. Peirce) and its sole purpose was to preserve the town form of government. Its witty articles made interesting reading and another issue appeared on February 1 but its efforts were fruitless. A com- mittee was appointed to draw up a charter and make the appli- cation to the General Court. A hearing was held on March 6 and an "Act to Incorporate the City of Waltham" was approved June 2, 1884. A special town meeting was held July 16 to consider
Toliano Haftungs .
Leonard Williams Joseph Slager Samuel Ripley
Moles Mead
John Boier Jonas Des
Chen. Hobbe en 11
Unal Hagar N. P. Banks
Frederico2 M. Stone
Timothy Leary BryJohnson
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THE TOWN OF WALTHAM
the acceptance of the Act. The vote taken was 917 in favor to 630 opposed. In celebration of this decision on the next evening there was a bon-fire on Prospect Hill, the firing of cannon and an exhibition of fireworks on the Common and a Watch Factory Band Concert at Robbins Park and on the Common.
The new charter called for a mayor and board of aldermen and was the first one granted in Massachusetts for a single board government. The town was divided into seven wards, each to be represented by three aldermen. The election was set for Decem- ber 2 but, although interest was high especially in regard to the choice for mayor, no nominations were made until a citizens' con- vention was held on November 28. In the first formal ballot taken Byron Berkley Johnson obtained a clear majority over the other candidates who were Henry C. Hall, Samuel O. Upham and Frederick M. Stone. Mr. Johnson was an able and energetic lawyer who for several years had been very active in town meet- ings but had held no elective office except that of auditor. This choice was not approved by a considerable section of townsmen so an opposition convention was held the next evening. This con- vention nominated by acclamation Timothy Leary who had been an influential member of the board of selectmen for several years. Efforts were made the next day to have both candidates with- draw in favor of Frederick M. Stone, a prominent and much respected lawyer, so that the first mayor might be elected unani- mously. It was stated that Mr. Leary was willing to do so. Mr. Johnson referred the decision to the convention that nominated him and as it refused to release him the contest was on.
The result of the ballot was 1278 votes for Mr. Johnson and 1019 for Mr. Leary with 27 scattering votes. The inauguration of the mayor and aldermen was held in Music Hall on Jan. 5, 1885, twelve hundred invitations being issued. And so the Town of Waltham ceased to be.
LOCAL NAMES
Waltham, from the earliest times, included several quite distinct settlements that received names descriptive of their location or inhabitants. These districts, as was usual in other towns similarly divided, were jealous of their rights and their struggles to secure their full share of town officers and benefits (and perhaps more) made town meetings interesting and exciting.
The northeast part of the town was called Trapelo. In his Sentinel articles Phineas Lawrence suggested that it was derived from "traps below" meaning those set in the meadows around Beaver Brook but this is not very convincing. Charles F. Stone in a note on the Sesqui-Centennial address, presents a more plausible origin. Trapelo means in Italian to drag by hooks or by extra horses. There are several steep hills in the highway of that district and it has been the custom to have horses stationed at the foot of such hills to assist those with heavy loads. This custom in Italy is called "going Trapelo." As this highway was the shortest route from Cambridge to the College Farm in Waltham Mr. Stone suggested that some member of the Harvard faculty familiar with the term may have called it the Trapelo Road and that the district took its name from the road. This was one of the earliest settled districts and numbered many able and influential men among its inhabitants.
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