USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > History of Newport County, Rhode Island. From the year 1638 to the year 1887, including the settlement of its towns, and their subsequent progress > Part 80
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As early as the year 1665, upon a petition of Thomas Terry, in behalf of Block Island and the privileges thereof, the general assembly ordered that the governor and deputy governor and John Clarke should take pains to visit the island "to see and judge whether there be a possibility to make a harbor, etc., and what convenience there may be to give encouragement for a trade of fishing." In 1670 the general assembly appointed a committee to raise contributions " to make a. convenient harbor there to the encouradging fishing designs;" but nothing was done worthy of note until abont ten years later.
An incident connected with this subject may be mentioned in passing. A negro boy by the name of " Wrathy," who be- longed to Peter George, in the year 1775 was publicly whipped with twelve lashes, "for staling fish from Steven the Indian."
In the year 1680 a harbor company was organized and a chan- nel was ent through the narrow rim of sand on the west side of the Great pond connecting this little Mediterranean with the ocean. This inlet became navigable for vessels of seventy or eighty tons burthen, but the improvement was not attended with sufficient profit to make it a success, and after fourteen years of variable existence the company surrendered its charter. From the year 1694 the town undertook to maintain the affair, but in 1705 "a prodigions storm broke down the above said harbor and laid it waste," upon which the attempt to maintain the improvement was abandoned altogether.
During the year 1702 the record given is instructive, and ac- quaints us with the fact that the fishing business at that time had become quite Incrative. We quote the following:
"Then Capt. John Merritt brought before us one John Meeker for being a delinquent for absenting himself from out of said Merritt's employment, being his servant for the fishing season, for forty shillings per month with six pounds of bread and six pounds of pork per week, the which consideration the said Meeker did promise to his faithful service till the middle of June or thereabouts as by witness on oath doth appear before us. We therefore determine and give our judgment that the said Meeker shall perform the said conditions as above said. The forty shillings per month is to be paid current money of the colony with cost of Court, which is one shilling for the Con-
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stable's fees and two shillings for other charges which said Meeker is to pay.
"Given under our hands.
"SIMON RAY, Sen. Warden. "EDWARD BALL, Dep. Warden."
In the year 1723 New Shoreham petitioned for aid to con- strnet a new pier, saying that they were withont a landing to bring off any of their produce; neither had they any "riding for vessels in a storm." In reply to this petition the Rhode Island legislature, to whom it was made, took some preliminary action, but no actual work was done until several years later That legislature evidently regarded the erection of a pier as a much needed improvement to the island, "for the encouradging of the navigation of this Colony, especially the fishery which is begun to be carried on successfully.
Ten years later the assembly appointed the governor, Cap- tain Benjamin Ellery, Colonel William Coddington, Mr. James Whipple, Colonel James Stanton, Captain James Potter, Cap- tain William Wanton, Jr., and Mr. George Goulding to go over to Block Island to consider a place most convenient to build a pier or a harbor. This action was followed by an appropriation of £1,200 for the work of erecting a pier, which work was be- gun in 1735 and completed in May, 1745, other appropriations having in the meantime been made, which raised the sum total to .$1,800. The committee in charge of the work was composed of Simon Ray, Peter Ball, Henry Bull, William Brown and William Wanton, Jr. Frequent storms retarded the work at times. Though it was thought the pier was built sufficiently strong to withstand the force of the waves, yet actual trial found the structure too weak to stand the test for any consid- erable length of time. By rapid degrees it was broken down by the beating of heavy storms upon it.
In 1762 Edward Sheffield and Joseph Spencer, deputies from New Shoreham, presented a petition to the general assembly, praying for a lottery to be granted to defray the expenses of building a new harbor, representing that on the westermost side of the island was a large pond covering a thousand acres, which formerly had connection with the sea by a creek; that then the fishing for cod was well known, and bass was to be caught there; that since the creek had been stopped the fishing ground for cod was uncertain, and the bass had mostly left the
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island. The plan proposed was to open the channel so that a passage could be obtained large enough for vessels to pass and re-pass and find a safe harbor within. This would improve the fishery, and the fishing boats would not again need to go to New- port. New London orany other port half loaded to make a harbor against an uprising storm. During the following year a com- mittee of inspection, consisting of Joseph Brown and Thomas Cranston, visited the island, and after viewing the premises, re- ported, advising that a channel capable of admitting vessels of fifty tons burthen be made. In their report the committee stated that there was no landing then at Block Island "but by putting goods afloat in the surf; and even passengers could not land in the smoothest time, as we ourselves experienced, with- ont wading in the water above the knees or being carried by those that do."
The place proposed for opening a communication with the sea was about a quarter of a mile southward from the old channel, where the water is much deeper. The lottery project. did not succeed.
During the revolution all attempts at making a harbor ceased, but in the year 1816 the Pole harbor, the most suc- cessful of any np to that time, was begun. This was an indi- vidual enterprise, each man as he chose, at low tide setting his own piles, where many of them are still to be seen near the Government harbor. This method was continned for a period of more than fifty years, and at one time these poles were over one thousand in number.
In 1838 the United States government began to take notice of the matter through its appropriate departments, but nothing definite was at that time accomplished. In 1854, through the efforts of Hon. Nicholas Ball and Senator Sprague, the neces- sary appropriation for a harbor here was secured, and the work begun and carried to completion. Mr. Ball held correspondence and personal interviews with the boards of trade of the cities of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Providence, prepared petitions to congress, and labored with other men of influence in different parts of the country, never relaxing his efforts till the work was accomplished. Of Mr. Ball's appearance before the senate committee, the Boston Journal said: "The committee were so impressed with Mr. Ball's plain facts that they voted to recommend an appropriation of $40,000."
54
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Work on the present harbor was begun in October, 1870. The government had previously made a survey of the Great pond, but it was decided that an attempt to improve that water wonld meet with failure. Work was begun, therefore, building the present harbor, and in eight years thereafter, in the month of November, it was completed. In securing the varions appro- priations which were necessary to carry this work through, the name of Hon. H. B. Anthony is deserving of especial mention for the active and energetic part which he took in favor of the cause.
In June, 1872, congress granted the third and last appropria- tion, consisting of $50,000, and under this provision the Hon. J. G. Sheffield completed his contract to place 10,000 tons of stone in the breakwater, making the whole cost of the entire works but $155,000, when the United States Engineers in 1868 had es- timated it would cost $372,000.
As a place of resort Block Island has been comparatively un- known to the pleasure seeker till within the past few years. Hotel enterprise has, however, done much to disseminate a general knowledge of the place, and the little sea-girt isle, with its natural charms, its equable climate, and its many superior advantages as attractions, receives now a host of tourists every season. The establishment of the breakwater has also contrib- uted very largely to facilitate this immigration. Previous to the construction of these works the pleasure seeker was hardly willing to subject himself to the risk of landing in small boats through the surf, which sometimes became difficult and even dangerous. As soon, however, as the harbor was an assured fact large steamers began visiting the island, bringing hundreds of people curious to see this hitherto almost inaccessible place.
As a summer home for invalids Doctor C. H. Hadley, a resi- dent of the island, says:
" Block Island is noted for the longevity of its people, the rate of mortality being astonishingly low. During the ten years from 1873 to 1883, the average death rate was less than eight- tenths of one per cent .; the ratio of births to deaths is about two to one. The health of those residing here during the whole year must be the best criterion of the healthfulness of the island. There is a remarkable freedom from epidemics. The resident population numbers about 1,300, with a large influx of visitors during the hot season. During the four years I have spent on
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
the island there has been no epidemic of measles or scarlet fever, only three or four sporadic cases of each, but one case of pneumonia, no case of diphtheria or membranous croup, only one or two cases of typhoid fever annually. No malaria aris- ing here. Cholera morbus and cholera infantum unusual, es- pecially the latter, and dysentery is not often met, not more than two or three cases occurring annually under the care of the physician. Acnte inflammatory rheumatism which might naturally be expected to be common from the occupation of the people (fishermen exposed to the inclemency of the weather) is qnite rare. The climate is of remarkable purity, and invalids, particularly, convalesce from exhausting diseases, and children recover from cholera infantum with marvelous rapidity. In re- gard to consumptives my experience has been, that as a rule a short sojourn during the hot summer months is very beneficial to a large majority of cases, the debilitating night sweats seem benefitted, the cough less harassing, the appetite improves and the patient takes a new lease of life. As is well known, the sea air, free from the influence of the land, often pnts to rest nenral- gia and effects a final cure, and it is to that large class of people suffering from nenrasthenia or nerve tire, that Block Island is par excellence a place of rest.
"The climate is superb, and a fair description seems like gross exaggeration. During the years 1882 and '83, according to the U. S. Meteorological Station, the highest point reached by the thermometer was, 1882-June 81°, July 86°, August 82°: 1883-June 78°, July 82°, August 81º."
Mr. Alfred Card opened the first hotel for boarders in 1842. It stood where the Adrian House is now located. His first party of guests consisted of seven men from Newport, one of whom was Mr. Van Buren. They remained a few days, employing a boat to take them out fishing, John L. Mitchell and Samuel W. Rose, of the island, going as oarsman.
In 1858 the hotels had increased to three in number. They were patronized only by a few who resorted here chiefly to en- joy the fishing. In 1873 the Hon. Nicholas Ball erected the Ocean View House, which from time to time has been enlarged as the demands of the business have required. It has a charm- ing location, abont five hundred feet from the landing, on a high bluff overlooking the harbor and ocean, and is a large, well-equipped and well conducted house. Ocean View Cottage
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is connected with this hotel by a bridge which spans the little valley intervening. The Spring House, situated about a quarter of a mile from the landing, and several hundred feet back from the bluffs, was built in 1852. In 1870 it was remodeled and en- larged by its present proprietor, Hon. B. B. Mitchell. The name is derived from the springs in the little ravine below the house, from which the house is supplied with water by means of a hydraulic ram. About five hundred feet from the Ocean View stands the Manisses, formerly called the United States Hotel. It was purchased by Doctor O. S. Marden in 1882, and during the following winter was thoroughly remodeled and en- larged. The Connecticut House, pleasantly situated on elevated ground close by the main road leading across the island, abont three fourths of a mile from the landing, is owned and con- ducted by Mr. M. M. Day. It was built in 1878, and is a sub- stantial, comfortably furnished, homelike place, and is liberally patronized every season. Not far from this stands the Hotel Neptune, built in 1882. It is kept by the genial proprietor, Rev. W. A. Durfee. It is situated on a little eminence, sur- rounded by green fields, and commands a pleasant prospect. The Woonsocket House, about half way between the Connecticut House and the landing, is kept by Mr. Alamanzo Rose. The Sea Side House was erected by Mr. C. W. Willis in 1884. It is nicely situated, commanding an excellent view of the sea. The Block Island House, opened in 1883 by Captain George W. Conley, is a first class hotel, as are also the Central Hotel, en- larged in 1883 by its owner, Ray S. Littlefield ; the Pequot House, owned and conducted by Mr. E. B. Dodge ; the Narra- gansett Hotel; the Union House, built in 1883 by Mr. L. A. Ball; the Adrian House, one of the oldest in the village, and kept by Mr. Nathan Mott ; and the Rose Cottage, on the hillside near the Spring House. These are all well patronized every season. It is estimated that about twenty-five hundred visitors annually come to Block Island.
Aside from the hotels, the public buildings of Block Island are few in number, but worthy of a passing notice. Chief among these is the town hall. This was built in 1814, not then as a town hall, but a church edifice, for which purpose it was used many years. It was at that time located on Cemetery hill, but was subsequently moved, rebuilt and has since been the town hall, and latterly also used as a high school building. Not far
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
from this stands the First Baptist church, erected in 1857. It is similar in size and general appearance to the average country church.
The first place of meeting for religions services was, as we have before stated, the dwelling house of Simon Ray. At that and the house of his son religions services were held on Sab- baths for many years. The first meeting house was erected in 1756. It was located near the north end and easterly of the Fresh pond. At that time, though the population was more sparse than now, yet all the houses on the island, with the ex- ception of two or three, were within two and a half miles of the meeting house. The third meeting house of the island was lo- cated on Gravel hill, and stood a little east of the center, on the north side of the road from the harbor to the center and on the first little hill east of the last mentioned point. It was built on shares, but was not ocenpied till the year 1857.
The fourth meeting honse was built in 1863, and dedicated on the 25th of August of that year. This house cost $2,500, and was fitted with a furnace for heating, the first fixture of this kind ever seen on the island.
The First Free Will Baptist meeting honse was built on the west side in 1853. It was burned in 1863, and a second one was partly built in 1869. Before this was completed, however, it was demolished by a heavy gale, which occurred during the month of September of that year. The third house erected by them is the one they now occupy.
The chapel at the harbor was erected by the First Baptist church in the fall of 1885, for the accommodation of summer visitors of all evangelical denominations.
Odd Fellows' Hall at the harbor and the Block Island post office are plain, substantial buildings, well calculated for the uses for which they were erected.
The school houses of the island are plain buildings, but of good size and are well arranged.
The schools of Block Island, according to the testimony of the commissioner, are "as good as those in any of the coun- try towns of the state." In addition to the Island high school, which was opened in 1875, there are five district schools, all in charge of well drilled teachers. To Reverend S. T. Liver- more we are indebted for points of information in regard to the schools and churches, which we take this occasion to acknowledge, and whose language we quote as follows:
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" The first school of which we have any account was located a little east of the north end of Fresh Pond, and was a com- mon school in which were taught the alphabet, spelling, read- ing, writing and arithmetic. It existed when it was a frequent occurrence for men to sign a paper by each making his ' mark.'
" The next school was opened on the Neck, and according to tradition was quite largely attended, and was conducted in the usnal manner of schools on the main land. These have been followed by others, one on the West Side, one near the Harbor and one at the Gulley. All the old houses of these five schools have disappeared, and new ones with modern im- provements have been substituted. But few populations of less than twelve hundred have sustained five schools in a better condition.
" The Island High School at the Center was opened for the first time November 29th, 1875, by Mr. Arthur W. Brown, of Middletown, R. I., with sixteen pupils during the first term. After several terms of successful studies under its first princi- pal, as he left the island highly esteemed by many warm friends, the school has continued to prosper nnder the management of its present principal, Mr. C. E. Perry, a native of the Island. As an act of encouragement the town gave to the school the free use of the Town Hall."
Concerning the churches and ministers we quote the following paragraphs in the language of Reverend Mr. Livermore:
" The first call to a minister on the island was made in March, 1700, not by a church but by the town, at a regular meeting. where a preamble equivalent to a brief sermon was signed by twenty-eight freemen, ten by 'his mark.' This preamble deeded to him 'five acres, giving the right and disposition thereof to Samnel Niles and his heirs forever.' He accepted the call, accepted the land, but either he as a disciple of Har- vard College was not acceptable to his Baptist hearers, or they were not congenial to him, and he sold his land and settled in Braintree, where he was ordained May 23, 1711.
" A missionary period of abont fifty years, with perhaps short pastorates, seems to have intervened between the resignation of Mr. Niles and another permanent settlement of a minister. In 1756 Rev. Samuel Maxwell, a Baptist ordained in Swansea, Mass., Apr. 18, 1733, received part of the rents of the 'Ministry
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Lot,' and in Sept., 1758, he received from the Island £124, 'old tenor,' 'for his serving as a minister in said town the last four months.' This was by vote at a town meeting. The ' Ministry Lot,' in 1756, rented for ' £400, old tenor,' and this sum was equivalent to $50.00, and Mr. Maxwell's appropriation from the town in 1758 was $15.50.
"The Island religion was indicated in a town vote August 28th, 1759, to employ Rev. David Sprague 'so long as said Sprague shall serve the inhabitants of the town by preaching to them the gospel of Christ according to the Scriptures of truth, making them, and them only the rules of his faith, doctrine and practice.' HIe complied with these terms fifteen years, un- til he moved from the Island in the summer of 1775.
"The first church on the island was organized under Mr. Sprague's ministry. He had been ordained on the 12th of July, 1739. At an adjourned meeting, October 3d, 1772, the organiza- tion was effected. They had previously drawn up articles of faith and practice. Their services, though brief, were compre- hensive and solemn. The minister, four brethren and three sis- ters were assembled, and then read the articles of fellowship with one another, and then the church gave Elder Sprague the right hand of fellowship to administer the ordinances of God as an evangelist.' Three months afterward, for the appointment of a deacon, the pastor, at a meeting, called upon each brother ' to pass single before the Lord to see whether there was one in the church that was called of God to the office of a deacon.' Thomas Dodge, in doing so, expressed the conviction of his call to that service. Then the pastor ' met him in a covenant way and declared that he believed that his dedication was of God, and gave him fellowship in the office of deacon.' While hold- ing this office during the revolution, without a pastor, until 1784, he gained 'a good degree,' for he was then ordained as the successor of Mr. Sprague.
" A Free Will Baptist church was organized on the island about the year 1820, and also a Seventh Day Baptist church, in April, 1864, although it has had no house of worship.
"One of the remarkable things of Block Island is that while the Christian religion has been well represented here more than two hundred years, in an average population of over 1,000 dur- ing the last hundred years, only one denomination has here existed, while the members of the first church at one time
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were over four hundred, and those of the other two were one hundred and fifty. On this island neither sprinkling, nor pouring, nor signing of the cross for baptism: nor human grades of ecclesiastical authority have ever been recognized by its inhabitants."
Rev. A. Braithwaite is the present pastor of the First Baptist church at the center, and Rev. Charles W. Grillin is pastor of the Free Will Baptist church on the west side.
When Block Island was taken from the Indians it was well timbered, and had large corn-fields, protected on all sides by forests. These were gradually cut away as the land was needed for cultivation. Sixty years ago the inhabitants had sufficient timber for fuel and fencing. For a century previons to about 1860, however, peat was mostly used for the former purpose, and in later years coal is used for the same purpose. The sur face of the island is very uneven, and between the low hills are hundreds of ponds, while the Great pond may almost be called an inland sea. The soil is naturally quick and productive, but very full of granite bonlders and pebbles. These have been by hard labor utilized in the construction of multitudes of stone walls, with which the little farms all over the island are fenced.
The agricultural products have not been sufficient to give support to the population, though the soil has been well nour- ished by the liberal application of fish offal and sea-weed, of which about 10,000 loads annually are cast up by the sea upon the shores and gathered by the farmers. Since the attractive- ness of the place has made of it a summer resort, the popula- tion have found a home market for their farm and garden pro- ducts, fish, etc., and are in a more prosperous condition than they once were. Besides agricultural and mercantile pursuits, the inhabitants are largely engaged in the fisheries, the value of that industry being estimated at about seventy-five thousand dollars a year.
The island is well supplied with stores, which are filled with a large assortment of general merchandise, and add much to the general appearance of the place. Nicholas Ball began trading on the island in 1853, and soon after was followed by Mr. D. B. Dodge. The latter was succeeded by J. T. Dodge in or about 1875. Mr. D. B. Dodge is now captain of the United States Signal Service station here. A partnership was formed in 1873 between Messrs. C. C. Ball and C. W Willis, which con-
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tinued three years, after which it was dissolved and each carried on business by himself. Mr. Lorenzo Littlefield, in a large, handsome, modern building, is carrying on a large trade at the Center. Ray S. Littlefield, JJ. N. Lathan, A. Sprague and others are also engaged in the mercantile business. The drug store built in 1882, is kept by Mr. Frank C. Cundall, a son-in-law of Hon. Nicholas Ball.
The following graphic account of the Block Island mails is given by Mr Livermore:
" Their first postmaster, William L. Wright, was appointed December 13th, 1832, and his office was his bedroom. From that date up to 1876 the arrival of the mail was the great event of the island. Then news by letters and papers was fresh 'from America.' As the mail was opened a circle of faces gathered aronnd, and by a custom kept more than forty years the whole island was duly informed of the arrival of each letter, whether of love or business. For the postmaster proclaimed to the anxious listeners the name of each person addressed, and his hearers from all parts of the island carried home and reported the news of the last arrivals. It was customary for one neigh- bor to answer for several others who were absent from the calls of the postmaster at the distribution.
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