USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Lincoln > Historical sketch of the town of Lincoln, in the state of Rhode Island > Part 2
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In the autumn of this year the question of dividing the town was resurrected again in a new shape, and appeared in the form of petitions to set off a portion of the villages of Valley Falls, Lonsdale, Ashton and Albion to the town of Cumberland, of which notice was given to the Town Council on October 31st, 1874, that it would be presented at the en- suing January session of the Legislature; and also two peti- tions to set off a portion of the town of Lincoln to the town of North Providence, of which the Town Council was notified on November 28th, that they would be presented at the ensuing January session of the Legislature.
There did not seem to be so much enthusiasm on the matter of division this year as in the year before. This was probably on account of the feeling among the people, who had suffered uneasiness at the rapid increase of the debt, that they had suc- ceeded in passing a vote at the last town meeting (June, 1874,) that no moneys should be expended, in any department of ap- propriation, beyond the amount's specifically appropriated, and that they had just taxed themselves very heavily to be able to pay up the debt. So a general feeling had spread abroad that a conservative policy was the best, and there was no feeling of indignation in the town generally when these projects were suf-
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
fered to die in the Legislature in the same manner as those of the year before.
There have since been no attempts made to carry out this further division of the town, and we hope that the statements hereinafter contained, showing the rapid increase in wealth, population, highway and other facilities of the people, will satisfy all onr townsmen that we had better be slow to change our position in the State. A proper blending of the conserva- tive with the most enterprising classes is more conducive to the general welfare of the town than to have our population made up too exclusively of either class.
In the year 1873 we had been troubled to an unusual extent, chiefly among the operative class living in the villages on the Blackstone river, by the prevalence of small-pox: In the win- ter of 1873-4 it grew to be a very serious scourge, but it was not till the winter of 1874-5 that it reached its height. At that time it attained to such a degree of prevalence as, in the neighborhood of Manville, to cause what might almost be called a small-pox panic, and it became necessary to stop the public schools in that district on account of its rapid spread. The town officers had done everything that lay in their power to fight the dread disease with all the appliances of modern medicinal skill, but were much impeded in their good endeavors by the willfulness and ignorance of a small class of the popu- lation-mostly French Canadian factory operatives-to which class the cases were almost exclusively confined, and who caused much trouble by concealing the fact of the disease in their families and refusing to be vaccinated.
Finally, when it became absolutely necessary, a rigid system of examination and compulsory vaccination was adopted and insisted on, without exceptions, and by its aid the prevalence of the disease was overcome, but not till it had cost the town the sum of $6131.59 in money, the loss of many lives and much mental and bodily suffering in the community. The disease has not been prevalent in this town since.
It had long been felt that the Town Council had not, under the law, sufficient power in the matter of laying out streets. A law had been made giving to the Town Councils of North Providence, Cranston, Woonsocket and Pawtucket the powers
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
in those respective towns that were felt to be needed by the Town Council in this, and in December, 1874, the Town Council stated the necessity of the amendment of the law so as to give the same powers to the Council in Lincoln as in these other towns, and requested that a petition to the Legislature be drawn to so amend the law. The law was so amended, June 10th, 1875.
The members of the General Assembly cleeted in April, 1875, for the ensuing year from the town were-Senator, John A. Adams; Representatives, Henry S. Fairbanks, Edward L. Freeman and Elisha S. Aldrich.
The town officers elected in June, 1875, were-Councillors, Charles Moies, John A. Adams, Alfred H. Littlefield, William J. Hood, Samuel D. Learned, William H. Aldrich and William B. Monroe; Town Treasurer, Thomas Moies; Moderator of Town Meetings, Thomas Moies.
Daniel Pearce, Esq., was elected by the Council to perform the duties of Trial Justice, in the absence or inability of George F. Crowningshield, during the ensuing year.
The Rev. James H. Lyon's term as member of the School Committee having expired, he was re-elected for three years.
The School Committee organized by choosing the same of- ficers as in the year previous.
On the 31st of July, 1875, the Town Council again declared the sentiments of the town's people generally in voting that no licenses be granted to sell intoxicating liquors in this town for the year ensuing.
During the January session of the Legislature, 1876, there was a new apportionment by the State of the Representative delegations of the towns in the General Assembly, and owing to our increased population our delegation was increased in number from three to four, to date from the next election.
The members of the General Assembly elected in April, 1876, for the ensuing year from Lincoln were-Senator, Hon. Jonathan Chace; Representatives, Thomas Moies, Alfred H. Littlefield, Elisha S. Aldrich and Edward L. Freeman.
It will be noticed that the Hon. Edward L. Freeman, besides being Senator for the first year of the town, has been elected to the position of Representative for three consecutive years. 3
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
This honorable record is of itself a valuable guarantee of his abilities and the trust reposed in him by his fellow-citizens, but when we add to that the facts that he had for three years represented the old town of Smithfield in the General Assem- bly, and that for two years of the time for which he has repre- sented Lincoln he has performed the onerous duties of Speaker of the House of Representatives in such an able and impartial manner as to call forth the plaudits and commendations of all parties, both his political friends and foes, and a re-nomination for the office for a third year (which he declined to accept), and take into consideration the general high standing which the delegation from Lincoln has always held in the Legisla- ture, we find ample reason for stating that our delegations to the Legislature have been made up of men whom the people ought to delight to honor and who are an honor to their town.
The town officers elected in June, 1876, were-Councillors, Charles Moies, John A. Adams, Alfred H. Littlefield, Samuel D. Learned, William HI. Aldrich, William B. Monroe and Ben- jamin Comstock; Town Treasurer, Thomas Moies; Moderator of Town Meetings, Samuel Clark.
The term of office of George F. Crowningshield, as Trial Justice, having expired, he was re-elected for three years by the Town Council, and Josephus R. Merriam was appointed for the ensuing year to serve and perform the duties of Trial Justice in his absence or inability to serve.
The term of office of Rev. C. J. Whipple, as a member of the School Committee, having expired, he was re-elected for the term of three years by the Town Council.
Under the vigilant care and guardianship of these, our town rulers, our municipal affairs are conducted, as they always have been, with rigid serntiny, honest attention, and what is the crucial test of their ability, success.
There are certain departments of our town organizations and interests of our citizens, an account of which cannot well be woven into the sketch of the general history of the town, and it will be given here, as an account of them is needed to show conclusively whether our short lived town is a success or a mis- take.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
In the year 1871, there were, by estimation, about fifty miles of roads in this town. Now there are over fifty-four and a half miles, besides a large number of streets laid ont and travelled on but not yet accepted by the town.
In the course of five years the sum of $73,519.80 has been spent on the opening and keeping in repair of the highways and bridges of the town, and their condition generally is good, better than before the old town of Smithfield was divided.
POOR DEPARTMENT.
In addition to what has already been said it only remains to say that in the conrse of five years, three of them years of unnsnal hardship and suffering to the poorer classes, it has only been necessary to expend $15,239.16 in the care of the poor in our town, and $5,359.35, or thirty-five per cent., of that has been for the care of State paupers.
The money has mostly been spent under the efficient eye and care of Mr. Henry Gooding, and the system has been to give, so far as possible, temporary aid at their homes to those needing it, thereby saving them from the fancied degradation of being sent to the poor house, and fostering and sustaining, so far as possible, in the unfortunate poor a spirit of independence.
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
As before stated, one of the first acts of the first Town Council of Lincoln was to appoint a School Committee. For- tunately we had a good system of schools, organized under the old town of Smithfield, and they have been kept up and their standard generally and gradually raised in the last five years.
From June 1st, 1871, to April 30th, 1876, we have expended (besides the sums that may have been raised in the districts by district taxes) the sum of $74,157.43, paid out by the Town Treasurer on account of schools.
We have 39 Teachers, 12 School Districts and 11 School houses. Our schools stand high. The committee in their an- nual reports have nothing to say but in commendation of the schools, (that is of the teachers and scholars attending), but it
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
would seem that we suffer from a cause almost inseparable from a large manufacturing population, namely, that the poorer oper- atives cannot be made to understand that their children's edu- cation is of more importance than what little wages they are able to earn; so that too many children of school age go to the factory and too few go to school. But our efficient School Committee are alive to the exigencies of the occasion, and in words of lively eloquence are calling (in their annual reports) on our people to awake from this neglect of the rising genera- tion, and we confidently believe that this spot on the fair fame of our town will ere long be wiped away.
TOWN DEBT.
Owing to the necessities for the expenditure of money here- tofore referred to, the town found itself, in 1873, in debt, ow- ing a Lincoln town debt of about $12,000, and on account of the old town of Smithfield debt, a then unknown amount.
It was considered that enough money would be raised by the tax of $1.20 per $100 in that year to pay off the Lincoln town debt, but, owing to the large number of outstanding claims against the town that had not then been presented, on the 30th of April, 1874, the town still found itself with a Lincoln town debt of about $5,300, and its portion of the old Smithfield town debt, ascertained to be $26,000, to be paid.
Resolutely putting their shoulders to the wheel, our. citizens pressed onwards through the heavy track of debt, paving their way ont by heavy taxation, assessing this year a tax of $1.00 per $100, and by April 30th, 1875, had paid up the Lincoln town debt, all but $15,000 of the old Smithfield debt, had paid an unexpected call for $3,600 on account of small-pox cases, and had $7,614.73 cash on hand, with orders outstanding for about $2,000.
A tax of eighty cents on every $100 was ordered in June, 1875, and on the 30th of April, 1876, the town had paid, in addition to its ordinary expense, an extraordinary one of $4,114.13, (a judgment for land damage, in opening a street, against the town), paid $10,000 of the old Smithfield debt, owed in all kinds of demands (including balance of old Smith- field debt) not to exceed $5,800, and had a cash balance on
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
hand of $4,363. 72. leaving the actual net debt less than $1,500. Therefore we may say that we are practically out of debt-that that heavy burden has been cast off, and if our town continues to be as well and economically ruled in the future as it has been in the past, we may look forward to a long era of light taxation.
VITAL STATISTICS.
The number of births in Lincoln in the five years since its incorporation have been 1,512; average per annum, 302. . Number of deaths in same time, 826; average per annum, 165. Number of marriages in same time, 298; average per annum, 59 2-5.
GENERAL STATISTICS.
But the question will be asked with interest, has the town advanced or retrograded in wealth and population during these five years?
I have gathered a few statistics which will show better than general words the extent of our changes from the position we stood in in 1871 and where we stand now.
In should be remembered when considering the following statistics, that the last three years of the five covered by them have constituted a period unexampled in the history of this century as one of business depression and loss; that failure after failure of business concerns-many of them heretofore considered as among the most solidly reliable of their kind in the country-has been the order of the daily affairs of our land, and if a community did not go backward instead of rapidly, or even at all, increase in wealth and population, it would be a matter of . congratulation.
In view of these facts, the steady increase of wealth and population of our town seem much more than the same ad- vance would be in ordinary times a matter of felicitation and an evidence that the business interests of the town are founded upon a rock so firmly that no ordinary business storms-none of any kind that we shall probably see in our day-are likely to shake them down and spread disaster and ruin among our citizens.
We have seen that in March, 1871, we had a population of
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
7,889, with a valuation for State tax of $4,406,107. In Sep- tember, 1871, the Town Assessors' valuation was,
Real Estate, $3,811,000 Personal Estate, 1,425,000 -
$5,236,100
IN SEPTEMBER, 1872.
Real Estate, . $4,407,500
Personal Estate,. 1,505,700
$5,913,200
IN SEPTEMBER, 1873.
Real Estate, . $4,782,100
Personal Estate,. 1,681,900
$6,464,000
IN SEPTEMBER, 1874.
Real Estate, $5,143,800
Personal Estate, 1,740,400
$6,884,200
IN SEPTEMBER, 1875.
Real Estate, $5,471,450
Personal Estate,
1,743,600
$7,215,050
These are official figures, but there has been a large increase since the last valuation, and a low estimate for the present time (July 4th, 1876,) would be,
Real Estate, . $6,050,000
Personal Estate,. 1,743,600 $7,793,600
Showing an increase in a little over five years of 76.88 per cent.
In order to show that this estimate for the present value is within the bounds of reason, I will state that our present valua- tion for State tax is,
Real Estate, . $6,488,395
Personal Estate,. 2,097,628
$8,586,023
an increase of 94.86 per cent. over the valuation of 1871.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
Our population has increased from 7,889 in 1871, to 11,569 in 1875, and is probably considerably larger to-day.
In 1871 there were in our town 1,015 houses. In 1875 there were 1,487 houses, a very large proportion of which are owned by those who live in them.
The number of families in 1871 was about 1,517. In 1875 there were 2,222 families.
In the various branches of cotton manufacture-our largest manufacturing interest-we had, in 1871, seven establishments, using 1,655 horse power, part steam and part water power; em- ploying 2,333 persons; paying annually, as wages, $713,500; using annually materials amounting in value to $1,309,472, and produeing annually goods to the value of $2, 610,640.
In 1875 we had six establishments, using 4,847 horse power, part steam and part water power; employing 3,525 persons; running 294,852 spindles-making more spindles than any other town in the State; paying annually, as wages, $1,207, 753; using annually materials amounting in value to $1,713,948.80; producing annually 10,922,547 yards of print cloths, 14,867,126 yards of sheetings, shirtings and twilled goods, 700,000 dozen spools of cotton, with a total production in value of $3,285, 606.
(The relatively small increase in value of finished goods is owing to the depressed state of the market, manifesting itself in the value of goods. )
Since the above figures (kindly furnished by Dr. Snow from the Rhode Island census of 1875,) were obtained, there have been erected two large mills, one for making cotton cloth and one for cotton thread, employing, in the aggregate, over 700 horse power, within our town limits.
In the Bleaching business we had, in 1871, two establishments, using 470 horse power; employing 295 persons, and bleaching fifty millions yards of cloth annually. Now we have two es- tablishments, employing 500 persons; using 1,500 horse power, and bleaching one hundred and forty-three million yards of goods annually.
In the woolen manufacturing we have one establishment, employing 130 hands, using 110 horse power, using annually 450,000 pounds of wool, and producing annually 350,000 yards of cloth.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
The number of Tanneries in 1871 was one, using fifty horse power, employing fifteen men, and making annually $100,000 worth of goods. In 1876 we have two establishments, using 150 horse power, employing 110 men, and making annually $450,000 worth of goods.
Our Gas companies in 1871 numbered two, used ten horse power, employed twenty-two men, and made 18,012,000 cubic feet of gas annually. In 1876 we have two, using thirty-two . horse power, employing twenty-nine men, and making 34,308,- 000 cubic feet of gas per annum.
Among the industries peculiar to this town we have the Pawtucket Hair Cloth Company, running 450 looms, using 150 horse power, employing 125 hands, paying in wages $51,500 annually, and making 425,000 yards of hair cloth per annum. This is the only establishment in this country making hair cloth by the use of antomatic hair weaving looms, and this con- pany own the patents for the only looms of the kind in the world. The only places outside of Lincoln, R. I., where these looms are used are in Pawtucket (where about seventy-five are used in making crinoline and padding goods) and a place in England where about 160 looms are employed in making hair cloth. With these exceptions, all the hair cloth made in the world is woven in hand looms, making a much inferior article at a much greater expense.
We have also a monopoly of the Lime business in this State, having three manufacturers, The Dexter Limerock Company, The Harris Limerock Company, and Stephen Wright, who, to- gether, employ about forty men, run from six to eight kilns, and make from 40,000 to 50,000 casks of Lime per annum.
The Lime manufacturers in this town are not simply the only ones in this State, but the Lime made here is of a superior quality and commands in the market a higher price than any other lime, wherever manufactured.
We have within our town a File manufactory-the American File Company, employing 150 persons and making 1,080,000 files per annum; one Curled Hair Company; one Iron Foundry; one Brass Foundry: two Printing Houses; three Spool manu- factories; two large slaughtering establishments, and numerous smaller manufacturing establishments. In fact the great busi-
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
ness of the town is manufacturing of one kind or another. Of our whole population we had employed in various manu- factories, in 1871, 3,479 persons; in 1875, 4,353. In 1871 we used 3,005 horse power; in 1875, 5,604. In 1871 we used ma- terials to the value of $2,350,146; in 1875, $2,894,269. In 1871 we paid in wages $1,134,136; in 1875, $1,593,012. In 1871 we produced finished goods to the value of $4,718,910; in 1875, 85,168,286, (a very much less total value than it would be were the market in the same state as in 1871). And since these statistics were taken we have added a large mill for the production of cotton cloth, employing 150 hands, and a large mill for making thread, using over 600 horse power, to our re- sources.
And while our main business is manufacturing, our agricul- tural interests are not by any means contemptible.
We have 139 Farms, of a cash value of $736,500; farm im- plements to the value of $17,639; 524 acres of ploughed land; 284 horses; 600 milch cows; 77 working oxen; 189 other cat- tle; 17 sheep and lamps; 271 swine.
The farming people find a ready market for their produce among the manufacturing people.
Besides the branches of business above specially spoken of, we have within our town one ledge, producing an excellent faced stone for building; one hundred and fifty retail places of business; six Physicians; two Law offices and twelve Churches.
The moral record of our people generally stands well. Since the town was organized there has been but one murder com- mitted within its limits, and but very few crimes demanding the attention of a tribunal higher than our Justice Court.
Our people are essentially a peaceable, law-abiding class; taking that which they are able to earn and resting content therewith, and not striving to deprive their neighbor wrong- fully of his own.
Thus we find ourselves this fourth day of July, A. D. 1876. Thus we realize, indeed, that " Peace hath her victories as well as war;" that to so guide and govern the administration of the town as to promote its growth, increase its business and the comforts of its inhabitants; to care for the educational interests 4
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN.
of the young, to preserve the physical health of the people, to strive to preserve in them their moral purity, are acts worthy of a higher praise than carrying blood-stained guidons on a field of battle. Yet we would not be understood as casting discredit on the remembrance of those who fought and fell that we might have an opportunity to gather here in this centennial celebration.
Though the life of our town has been so short and peaceful that we could not, if we would, weave a blood-spotted laurel into its civic crown, yet we remember with reverence and love those martyrs of old Smithfield, who were then our co-citizens, whose lives exhaled in the noxious vapors of war that we might enjoy the pure air of peace, and we shall ever look upon with pride, and delight to honor, the many survivors of the-stern con- flicts of war who, though then citizens of Smithfield, went from our limits, and were our friends and neighbors.
But it is with the earnest wish and prayer for peace in all future time, and that those who, in the future, have the guid- ance of the destinies of our town, may have wisdom, patriotism and ability to guide them aright through the trials of coming years, and that the next centennial fourth of July will show a record for the town of Lincoln which we now scarcely dare hope for, that we close this brief sketch.
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