USA > New Hampshire > Carroll County > Wolfeborough > History of Wolfeborough (New Hampshire) > Part 38
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The hose companies are Rollins, No. I, Henry B. Furber, fore- man; A. W. Wiggin, No. 2, Alonzo W. Avery, foreman ; Eagle, No. 3, Charles L. Horne, foreman ; Monitor, No. I, of South Wolfeborough, Horace B. Rust, foreman. Irving W. Godfrey is foreman of the Hook and Ladder company.
Monitor Engine Co., of South Wolfeborough was organized in 1862, and purchased an engine and maintained it for several years, when the town assisted them by purchasing hose. It was the first organized company in town and still maintains its organi- zation.
At the annual precinct meeting in 1897 a committee was ap- pointed to consider the advisability of establishing an electric light plant. Their report was favorable, and action was subsequently taken to install such a plant for street and domestic lighting, $6,000 being appropriated. Since then an engine has been pur- chased at an expense of $2,000, and the property has appreciated until it is today estimated to be worth $10,000. The management of the system is in the hands of the board of firewards, consisting of Joseph Lewando, Obed S. Young, and George H. Clough.
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
The plant includes a dynamo, engine, wiring, and lights, power being furnished from the mill of S. W. Clow & Co., near which the power house is located. There are now on the circuit one hundred incandescent lamps for street lighting and seventeen hundred for domestic purposes.
In 1887, after an extended period of public agitation as to the need of an adequate supply of water for household uses and fire protection, the Wolfeborough Aqueduct and Water company was incorporated. The corporation consisted of John L. Peavey, Jeremiah A. Farrington, Joseph W. Goodwin, and Charles F. Piper. Some preliminary surveys were made, but in the meantime the feeling that the town should undertake the work crystallized. Upon the payment of expenses already incurred, the Aqueduct company waived its chartered rights and in June, 1888, an act was passed "to establish Water Works in the town of Wolfe- borough."
On August 12 of the same year a board of water commissioners, consisting of Israel B. Manning, Henry W. Furber, and Joseph P. Heath, was appointed by the selectmen. The board im- mediately began an investigation of the various sources of water supply in the vicinity, and on August 24, at a previously appointed meeting of the citizens made a preliminary report.
At this meeting the commissioners were instructed "to take water from that source which will furnish an ample supply of the best quality of water, at the least expense." Acting under this vote and in accordance with the advice of Messrs. Farrington and Springfield, engineers, it was decided to adopt the gravity system and take water from Beech Pond.
Proposals for construction and the furnishing of material were opened September 7, and awards were made as follows: For furnishing wrought iron pipe, gates and valves, Gilchrist & Gor- ham, Boston, Mass .; cast iron pipe and special castings, McNeil Pipe and Foundry Co., Burlington, N. J .; hydrants, King & Goddard, Boston, Mass. ; laying of pipe, Franklin A. Snow, Provi-
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
dence, R. I .; construction of reservoir and intake, Frederick R. Page, Malden, Mass. Ground was broken for the intake on Sep- tember 25, and trenching for the main was begun October 3. On the first day of January, 1890, fifty-six taps had been made in the distributing pipe, and nearly seventy families were supplied with water. The remaining work in connection with the first contract was completed early in the spring. Joseph P. Heath has been superintendent since the installation of the system.
Since then there have been three additions to the system as follows: To South Wolfeborough, at a cost of $9,000; to Whit- ten's River, at a cost of $2,000; to Goose Corner, at a cost of $1,000
Total number of water takers, 400
66 " hydrants, 57
" public fountains, 3
Total length of pipe, 18 miles.
Capacity of distributing reservoir, 300,000 gallons.
STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDING FEB. 15, 1901.
Cash on hand (Feb. 15, 1900)
$686.13
Additional service 391.61
Material Sold II.67
Sale of 3 1-2 per cent. Bonds 800.00
Rentals to July 1, 1901
3,291.00
CASII PAID.
Interest on Bonds
$1,769.75
Bonds (4's) Redeemed
800.00
Labor on Works
465.82
Material Purchased
600.64
J. P. Heath-Superintendent 275.00
Miscellaneous Bills
73.10
Cash on Hand
1,196.10
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
LIABILITIES.
Bonds (3 I-2's)
$56,000
Bonds (4's)
1,000
$57,000
ASSETTS.
Work Shop
$ 200.00
Material and Tools
473.28
Goose Corner Extension
293.22
Water Works Plant
7,500.00
Cash in Treasurer's hands
1, 196.10
$77,162.50
The first provision for the conveyance of mail matter in New Hampshire was made June 17, 1786, when the legislature enacted a bill providing that a "post set off every other Monday from Portsmouth and proceed through New Market, Durham, Dover, Rochester, Wakefield, Ossipee Gore, and Tamworth to Moulton- borough ; thence through Meredith, Gilmanton, Barnstead, Bar- rington, and Dover to Portsmouth." A route established in 1791 came from Portsmouth once a fortnight to Dover, Rochester, Wakefield, Ossipee, Tamworth, Sandwich, Holderness, Plymouth, Meredith, etc., as before. Neither of these routes touched Wolfe- borough, although both went around it.
The only post-office in Strafford County previous to 1800 was at Dover. In the Gazette and Advertiser, published in that town, were frequent advertisements of letters for persons in what are now Carroll County towns. The post rider in those days was Samuel Bragg, the publisher of the paper. He commenced his trips in 1795 and consumed a week in making the round. His compensation was twelve pounds a year. Postage on letters was four pence under forty miles and six pence for each additional forty miles.
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
It is probable that the first post-office in Wolfeborough was established about 1820, and that Daniel Pickering was the post- master. He held the office for many years. For some years prior to that date there was without doubt a horseback mail between Dover and Wolfeborough, possibly continuing through Sand- wich. It is certain that a post rider passed through Wolfeborough on the route from Concord to Portland, Me., going over the "Dick" Mountain road. This was at a very early period. On this route the saddle-bags were eventually superceded by a one- horse wagon.
One summer's afternoon in 1825 the citizens of Wolfeborough were treated to a surprise. There was the usual gathering about the post-office awaiting the arrival of the mail, when down the turnpike was seen approaching a dashing two-horse coach, with flag flying, the horses galloping, while the exuberant driver, Robert I. Clark, wound thrilling blasts upon the horn. It was the arrival of the new mail outfit from Dover, and hearty were the cheers with which it was welcomed by the assembled company.
The postmasters since Mr. Pickering's long term of office have been Levi T. Hersey, Eleazer D. Barker, Charles F. Hill (for a brief period), Charles H. Hersey, John G. Cate, Charles F. Piper, Joseph W. Goodwin, Frank P. Hobbs, and Forrest W. Peavey.
Stage connections were made from time to time with various points touched by the railroad previous to the building of the Wolfeborough road in 1872. During the summer season the boats plying on the lake have also carried the mails. At the present time Wolfeborough is the distributing point for mails for North, South, and Center Wolfeborough, and Mirror Lake and Melvin Village in Tuftonborough, stage connections being main- tained with these points. The facilities enjoyed by the town are now adequate, four mails to Boston being allowed during the larger portion of the year.
Other post-offices in town are East Wolfeborough and Wolfe- borough Falls, the former having railroad service and the latter
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
both railroad and stage service. The South Wolfeborough post- office was established in 1834, with Henry B. Rust as postmaster.
In considering the development of the town's mail service one naturally recalls some of the famous stage-drivers of former days. Men who, like Henry Savage, Henry Sayward, and the Gilmans, permitted neither weather nor bad roads to hinder them on their tri-weekly trips from Sandwich to Dover. Four generations of Gilmans have held the reins on the Sandwich route, Samuel and his son Charles, both noted whips, Charles Jr., who is still driving between Wolfeborough and Sandwich after thirty-eight years of service, and Charles L., who assists his father on this route. Good stories are told of the time when "Steve" Durgin used to "beat the boat" from Alton to Wolfeborough. James and Silas Durgin were also favorites on the "pike."
Mention should also be made of Crawford, John Quimby, Frank Nelson, Elisha Allen, James Rendall, Elisha Hanson, Henry W. Furber, Charles Rendall, and Charles S. Paris, most of whom are remembered by the older portion of the community.
Flying trips were made on the old Sandwich-Dover line. The horses were the best money could buy, changes were made at Melvin, Wolfeborough, Middleton, and Rochester, and the drivers used to "send em" at top speed. Express trains can never take the place, sentimentally or aesthetically, of the old "coach and four" of early days.
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RESIDENCE OF MRS. MARTHA JONES
CHAPTER XXXIV.
EARLY TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS-ROADS AND CANALS-FA- CILITIES AFFORDED BY THE LAKE-JOSEPH SMITH AND HIS GUNDALOW-OLD-TIME RAFTING-THE FIRST STEAMER, BELKNAP-THE LADY OF THE LAKE-WOLFEBOROUGH GETS IN CLOSER TOUCH WITH THE WORLD-NEGOTIATIONS FOR RAILROAD CONNECTIONS - WOLFEBOROUGH ROAD FINALLY CONSTRUCTED-DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME-STEAM- ERS DOVER AND MOUNT WASHINGTON-STORY OF THE LADY-FAMOUS OLD CRAFT OF A GENERATION AGO-THE FUTURE-EXPORTS OF FORMER DAYS.
L
ONG before the conception of steam power and engines as applied to locomotion, men of advanced thought in New England became interested in the promotion of improved methods of travel and transportation. No public official was more zealous in this work than Governor Wentworth. In a letter dated April 5, 1758, now on file in Halifax, he says : "A road may be easily made from Quebec to Winnipiseogee which would immediately communicate with all the populous and most fertile parts of New England at one-third of the distance, trouble, time and expense of any other route."
During the first three years of his temporary residence in Wolfe- borough he secured the laying out, through the town, of the Pe- quaket Road, leading to Conway, and the opening of the College Road its entire distance to Hanover. The facilities for communica- tion between different localities at that time beyond common high- ways consisted of turnpikes and canals.
When the Wentworth Farm was offered for sale in 1797, the vendue bill stated that it was "bounded by Smith's Pond & said pond discharges itself into the great Winnipisocky Lake, from
507
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
thence there will be a canal communication with Boston in a few years." A charter was obtained in 1811 "to cut a canal and lock all the falls between Winnipiseogee Lake and the Cocheco branch of the Piscataqua in Dover," a distance of twenty-seven miles. The fall of four hundred and fifty-two feet required fifty-three locks, and the expense was estimated at three hundred thousand dollars.
This charter failed to be effective, and in 1819 the "Little Pe- quakit Canal" company was incorporated. It was claimed that by the construction of this canal more than one and one-half million square miles of timber land would be opened to navigable waters, and that immense benefit would accrue to New Hampshire. The invention of locomotives and the building of railroads have long since brought into service more practical methods than the canal, which in early days was the highest type of transportation for pur- poses of internal commerce.
Lake Winnepesaukee furnishes excellent facilities for the car- riage of freight and passengers. This body of water is nineteen miles long, varying in width from one to ten miles. Its shape being irregular, it has numerous bays, which serve as excellent harbors. The largest are Meredith, Moultonborough, and Merry Meeting. Its height above ocean level is 502-496 feet, and its greatest depth, east of Rattle Snake Island, is 200 feet. Its water area is 1,949,049,466 square feet, its islands have an area of 227,- 313,357 square feet, and its basin includes about 350 square miles, no point in this basin being more than seven miles distant from the shore. The amount of water discharged at its outlet is remark- ably large compared with the extent of the watershed. Several large peninsulas project into its waters. They are Meredith Neck, Moultonborough Neck, Tuftonborough Neck, and Wolfeborough Neck. The last mentioned is the smallest.
Wolfeborough, situated on the eastern shore of the lake, owes much of its prosperity to the proximity of this body of water.
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
The first settlers utilized, it in summer for freighting in their little dug-outs and in winter with their hand-sleds, as well as a means of communication with other pioneer settlements on its shores. When Governor Wentworth erected his mansion, in 1771, he made use of a small sloop to convey the materials across the lake. This was probably the first craft larger than a canoe on its waters.
Joseph Smith, a wholesale merchant of Dover, who in the early twenties established many retail stores in the rural towns, dis- tributed his goods in part by means of a gundalow, which made use of sails when the wind was favorable and large oars when it failed. This vessel navigated the lake for several years and was finally wrecked on Great Boat Ledge in a gale of wind. Several of this kind of craft have sailed the waters of the lake. Rafting in early times was done by means of sails and oars on the same principle as the gundalows. The crews consisted of ten men. There were two sets of rowers, four each, who alternately worked at the sweeps in order that the unwieldy structure might not lose its headway. The oars were heavy and the labor arduous. Much simpler and more effective is the method of towing by steamer now in vogue.
The first horse boat was built by David Parsons, of Long Island, in 1838. This kind of craft became quite common. One of them was used as a judges' boat in the first Harvard-Yale boat race, which took place off Center Harbor in 1856. Nathaniel Rogers, of this town, built one for the transportation of stock and produce, to and from his lands on Rattlesnake Island.
Before the railroads reached Winnipesaukee most of the freight- ing between Wolfeborough and the commercial towns farther south was by ox-teams, overland. After the steamer Lady of the Lake began running in connection with the Boston, Concord & Montreal railroad, freight from Boston came over that route dur- ing the summer season, but very little in the winter, as travel on the ice between Wolfeborough and Lake Village was considered somewhat hazardous. Consequently, during the winter the old
510
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
method of teaming over the Middleton road was resorted to, al- though horses were as a rule substituted for the slow ox-teams.
A stock company, organized in 1830, built the first steamer on the lake in 1833. This was the Belknap, and a curious craft it was. The boiler was set in brick, and the boat drew so much water that a lighter was employed to load and unload its cargo at the Wolfe- borough landing, which was then located on the estate now owned by Charles F. Piper. The speed of the craft was from six to eight miles an hour, under favorable conditions. Winburn A. Sanborn, afterwards captain of the Lady of the Lake, was first in charge of the boat; James Jewett was captain when she was lost. This steamer never proved a success, and, when, in November, 1841, it was wrecked on Steamboat Island, its owners were rather re- lieved than otherwise.
The "Lady," then in charge of the popular Captain William Walker, was moored each night at the Wolfeborough wharf and transported the Boston freight for two years before any compe- tition arose. In 1851 the Cocheco railroad having been continued to Alton, the steamer Dover was built to run in connection with it. From that date most of the freight from the metropolis was car- ried over the Boston and Maine road, being forwarded to Wolfe- borough in summer by the "Dover" and in winter over the ice. This method continued until the construction of the Wolfe- borough railroad, in 1872.
It was a vast improvement over the ox-team, this speedier and less expensive transportation by steam power, although the ad- vantage was confined to the warm season. As always follows, facilities acquired beget a desire for still greater conveniences, and the inhabitants of the more densely populated portion of the town became greatly interested in securing direct railroad connection with the outside world. The Boston, Concord & Montreal, the Boston & Maine, and the Eastern railroads, were three distinct and separate organizations, having no particular interest in com- mon; the two former had already made connections with Win-
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
nipesaukee, and the projectors of the last named, though not averse to acquiring a port on the lake, were more desirous of con- trolling the mountain traffic.
It was confidently hoped that the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway Railroad Company would lay out their road south of Lake Wentworth, touching at Wolfeborough village, thence run- ning northerly to Conway. There was another practicable route through Wolfeborough by way of Cotton Valley and Water Vil- lage, and it was understood that the builders of the new road looked with favor upon this location. The survey, however, would have carried the line four miles east of Winnipesaukee and was not what the Wolfeborough people desired. The road was finally constructed east of the Wolfeborough hills and ten miles distant from the lake.
The completion of the Conway road rendered the construction of a line to Wolfeborough, from any point, quite problematical. Subsequently, however, Hon. John W. Sanborn, who held official relations with the Conway road, suggested to some leading citi- zens that a branch from that road to Wolfeborough might be secured, provided that a sum equal to one-fifth of the town's ratable valuation could be raised. This amount would equal thirty-five thousand dollars. The people of Wolfeborough were favorably impressed with the idea and soon made application to the legislature for a charter. By an enactment of July 1, 1868, the Wolfeborough Railroad Company was incorporated, to ex- tend from Wolfeborough Junction to Wolfeborough, a distance of twelve miles.
At a town meeting held September 20, 1869, it was voted (three hundred in favor to one hundred and twenty-two against) to ap- propriate thirty-five thousand dollars to aid in constructing the road, and Elisha Goodwin, Jr., Blake Folsom, and John L. Gold- smith were appointed a committee to represent the town in all negotiations with the railroad company. It was voted to pay one-
512
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
half the appropriation when the road was brought to grade and the balance upon its completion.
Considerable time elapsed before active operations were begun, and December 2, 1870, the former votes, appropriating the money and appointing the committee, were ratified, the vote at this time standing two hundred and fifty-two in favor to seventy against.
Work was commenced on the road Nov. 1871, ground being broken near Mast Landing by Lyford Shorey, then aged eighty- seven years. A band discoursed stirring music, and the occasion was made one of rejoicing at the propitious beginning of a long desired work. August 19, 1872, the first locomotive, hauling five passenger coaches, triumphantly whistled its way into town, and all who wished were given free rides to the Junction during that day. Regular trains were put on as soon as the stations could be completed, and the service has thus far been maintained without a single fatal accident.
Three stations are located on the branch, Wolfeborough, Wolfe- borough Falls, and Cotton Valley, besides a flag station at Fer- nald's. The road is now under a lease to the Eastern railroad, which expires in 1940.
The road was not built without engineering difficulties. Deep cuts had to be made on either side of the Wolfeborough Falls station and long dumps across Lake Wentworth, Crooked Pond, and the Back Bay. The route is an attractive one, bordering as it does for a long distance a beautiful mountain-hemmed lake. All things considered, the one adopted is the best of the plans suggested for a railroad to the lake. To one gifted with the pro- phetic instinct, the idea of some future connection with the west- erly side of Lake Winnipesaukee might suggest itself. The lay of the land would make such an undertaking comparatively easy of accomplishment.
The name of the steamer Dover, already spoken of as running in connection with Boston & Maine railroad, was afterwards changed to the Chocorua. She was one hundred and fifty feet
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
long and twenty-four feet beam, being afterwards lengthened to one hundred and sixty-two feet. She was succeeded in 1872 by the commodious steamer Mount Washington, which is still in commission. She is one hundred and eighty feet long and twenty- five feet beam. The boat is the only large craft now running on a regular schedule on the lake. She is licensed to carry twelve hundred passengers. The late genial Augustus W. Wiggin was for many years her captain. Harry Wentworth, of Long Island, is now in command. A few years ago she was completely over- hauled and partially rebuilt, and is now a model of the side-wheel lake type.
When the Concord & Montreal railroad reached Lake Village in 1848, a demand was immediately felt for a connection with Wolfeborough and Center Harbor by way of the lake. The Win- nipesaukee Steamboat Company was organized that year, its charter dating June 24, 1848. James N. Elkins, S. C. Lyford, and Charles Lane were authorized to call the first meeting, and at that meeting Mr. Lyford was chosen chairman and Mr. Lane, clerk, with these two gentlemen and the following as grantees: J. N. Elkins, William Walker, Jr., Benjamin J. Cole, and J. P. Coffin. The directors were Woodbury L. Melcher, Daniel Picker- ing, William Walker, Jr., B. J. Cole, John Coe, J. N. Elkins, and J. T. Coffin. The first meeting was held at the Cerro Gordo House, Sept. 12, 1848. Benjamin Cole was elected president ; Charles Lane, clerk; J. T. Coffin, treasurer; William Walker, agent. At a meeting held October 25 of the same year Mr. Wal- ker presented a model for a boat, which was accepted. The plan called for a craft one hundred and twenty-one feet long and twenty-one feet beam. Messrs. Walker and Cole were authorized tc build and they proceeded with the work as soon as possible, the lumber used being cut around the lake.
The boat was finished in time to hold the annual meeting on board, July 20, 1849. William Walker, Jr., of Concord, was the first captain, and held a controlling interest in the stock, which
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
he afterwards sold to the railroad company. Eleazer Bickford was the first pilot and succeeded Mr. Walker as captain after the latter had served some fifteen years. Then followed Winburn A. San- born, James Beede, S. B. Cole, then Captain Sanborn again, and. John S. Wadleigh, who commanded the boat until she was re- tired from service. Pilot John Lovett, whose death occurred in the summer of 1900, was the best known steamboat man on the lake.
The "Lady" was partially rebuilt in her twenty-first year. Nov. 13, 1867, while lying at the Wolfeborough dock, she took fire and burned to the water's edge. On one occasion, with a moon- light excursion on board, she struck a rock on Witch Island and was beached on Davis Island. The loss of the season's business and the repairs made necessary by this accident cost ten thousand dollars. The steamer paid handsome dividends for years, but competition finally made the continuance of her trips unprofitable, and when she became too old for service, it was deemed best not to replace her with a new boat.
Other smaller craft whose names will be remembered by the older residents of Wolfeborough were the following :-
The Dolly Dutton was built originally by Libbey & Varney as a scow. She was afterwards purchased and converted into a tow- boat by Abram Guptill. She was famed more for her utility than for her gracefulness or speed.
Eli C. Swett bought the Naugatuck of Charles Brown of Lake Village in 1866. Soon after Mr. Swett went west, and upon his return in 1873 built the Mayflower, a small, side-wheel, passenger and freighting boat, which ran for some twenty years.
The Long Island, built by George and Perley Brown, was of the flat-bottomed, square-end type, with a deck.
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