while from this EMINENCE, Scenes of luxuriant fertility, of flourishing COMMERCE, and the abodes of social happiness meet your view, forget not those, who by their exertions have secured to you these

BLESSINGS.

BRIDGES.] Charles river bridge, constructed near the declivity of Copp's hill. The first pier was laid the 14th June, 1785, and in one year, viz. 19th June, 1786, it was opened with great parade. The proprietors, with a large number invited by them, proceeded from the Town house in Boston, over the bridge to Breed's hill, where an elegant entertainment was provided on the spot, which the same month, eleven years before, was drenched in blood. The bridge is one thousand five hundred and three feet long, forty-two feet broad, and stands on seventy-five piers. Six feet in width is railed in on each side for foot passengers. Forty lamps are hung at suitable distances, and lighted when the evenings are dark. It has a gradual rise from each end, so as to be two feet higher in the middle than the extremities. The workmanship was executed under the directions of Messrs. Sewall and Cox, two ingenious American artists, and it is said cost the subscribers fifteen thousand pounds L. M. They were incorporated 9th March, 1785, to the number of eighty-four persons, and are compensated by a toll, granted them at first for forty years, and since extended to sixty years; at the expiration of which it is to revert to the commonwealth of Massachusetts, and be applied to their use. Twenty years were added to the original grant of forty, in consideration of another bridge the general court had granted liberty to be erected at West Boston, which lessens the toll of Charlestown bridge. The river over which this bridge is built is broader and deeper than the Thames at London or Westminster. A bridge was proposed to be built over it in 1720, at the expense of the publick. It was then, according to Governour Hutchinson, looked upon as a Quixote enterprise.

West Boston bridge is a conveyance from the late Pest house point, over a part of Charles river, to the opposite shore in Cambridge.

A number of gentlemen were incorporated for the purpose of erecting this bridge, September 27th, 1793.

One of the proprietors furnished the writer with the following account of it:

"The causeway to West Boston bridge was begun July 15th, 1792, and suspended after the 26th of December, till the 20th of March, 1793, when the work was resumed. The wood work of the bridge was begun the 8th of April, 1793, and the bridge and causeway, opened for passengers the 23d of November following, being seven months and an half from laying the first pier. The sides of the causeway are stoned, capstand, and railed; on each side of which is a canal about thirty feet wide.

The bridge stands on
Bridge over the gore,
Abutment Boston side,
Causeway,

180 piers, is
14 do.

Distance from end of causeway to Cambridge?

Width of the bridge,

Railed on each side for foot passengers.

3483 feet long.

275 do.

87/

3344

7810

To the proprietors a toll is granted for seventy years.

40

The bridge and causeway are estimated to cost about twenty-three thousand pounds L. M. From July 15th, 1792, to December 26th, twenty to thirty-six men only were employed. From April 8th, 1793, to November 23d, following, from forty to two hundred and fifty men worked on it.

The distance from the State house, over this bridge, to Cambridge meeting house, is three miles, one quarter, and sixty-six rods.”

They are of inconcreek covered with

That in Ann

The principal undertaker for building the bridge was Mr. Whiting, who has well executed it and with great despatch. On each side the bridge are hung lamps, to accommodate evening passengers. There are only two other bridges in the town. siderable note. Some timbers are laid over the plank and fastened in Ann street, and Middle street. street retains the name of Draw-bridge, as it was first constructed to draw up, to admit vessels with masts passing it. The other in Middle street has the name of Mill-bridge, from its contiguity to a grist mill. It was taken up in 1793, and a stone arch turned over the creek, at the place where the bridge was laid. The pavement is continued over the arch, and connects the streets on each side the creek. The width from one side the creek to the other is about twenty feet.

A Swing bridge was a conveyance over the Town dock, which within a few years has been filled up, and the bridge removed. The distance from one side the dock to the other, where the bridge stood, was so narrow, that an inhabitant, when pursued by a press gang leaped across it. The place where the dock was, is contiguous to the Market, and now forms a part of Market square.

MILL CREEK] Runs S. by E. from the Mill pond, through the town to the harbour, and divides the north from the south part of the town. The communication between them is by the two bridges men

tioned above. An old book,* published near one hundred and fifty years ago, gives this account of the creek. "The N. E. part of the town being separated from the other, with a narrow stream cut through a neck of land by industry, whereby that part is become an island." By the above it seems to have been an artificial canal.

MILL POND] Is a large basin or reservoir of water, at the bottom of the creek, receives its supply through it, and is bounded by an artificial dam or causeway.

THE CAUSEWAY.] It connects West Boston, with the north part of the town, and is a communication from one to the other for foot passengers. It is also a direct conveyance from Charles river bridgeto West Boston, without visiting any other part of the town, when despatch is the object. The causeway runs E. by N. from West Boston, and is about two thousand feet in length. West Boston is separated from the south part of the town by the range of hills, which runs from the head of Hanover street-(see article-Beacon hill.)

MILLS.] Contiguous to the Mill bridge in Middle street, at the mouth of the pond, is a grist mill. At the bottom of it, at the entrance on the Causeway, three mills more are constructed, viz. a grist mill, a saw mill, and a chocolate mill.

Soon after the town was settled, mills were found necessary to grind the native grain of the country, Indian corn, which the new comers, (the greatest part of them at least) had probably never seen before their arrival here. Some mills had been fixed on the islands, and at Dorchester. These were too remote for the inhabitants of Boston, and the general court granted to a number of persons in it, the right of a marshy spot of ground at the extremity of a stream, which had its source from the harbour, and was bounded by a rise of ground to the west. This stream divided the south part, which was joined to the main by a narrow isthmus or tongue of land from the north part. The condition of the grant above mentioned, was, that the proprietors should erect and support a grist mill, on the western boundary of the stream, and throw over it two bridges, as convenient conveyances between the north and south parts of the town. This condition was complied with. A Mr. Crabtree, we are told, undertook to raise and widen the rise of ground, which had served as a foot path for the native Indians, and is now the causeway or dam to retain the water, conveyed through the stream on the marshy ground, which has now the name of Mill pond. The stream had on the margin of each side trees and bushes, which were removed to make the stream a creek, as it now is, for the more speedy conveyance of water from the harbour to the pond. The name of the first miller, I understand, was Farnham. The original proprietors of the mills, sixty-four in number, are now reduced to eight. The ancient marsh or the present Mill pond, contains forty-two acres and three-fourths, and is nearly equal to the contents of the Common.

AVENUES.] The only avenue by land is from Roxbury, by way of the Neck, or Washington street. The other avenues are from

* The book is entitled "Wonder working Providences," &c.

Charlestown, over Charles river bridge; from Cambridge, by West Boston bridge; and from Chelsea, by Winnisimmet ferry. This ferry is one mile and three quarters across, and eight hundred and three yards from the Mill creek.

STREETS.] The following enumeration at this period (1794) is the most accurate that can be obtained, viz. ninety-seven streets, thirty-six lanes, twenty-six alleys, eighteen courts, a few squares: besides which there are some short passages from wharves, and from one street to another. The streets are paved with beach stones, and mostly irregular. The most noted and spacious street in the town is State street, until the American revolution called King street. It is broad and straight, and is in length about eight hundred feet from the State house at the top of it, to the entrance on the Long wharf or Boston pier. On each side this street are large handsome brick buildings, occupied as dwelling houses, publick offices, warehouses, and auction offices. It is the general mart of business. Hither the gentlemen in trade repair, as on the Exchange in London, for the purpose of transacting commercial matters. For their accommodation in inclement weather were two genteel publick houses. One of them lately called the American Coffee house, is now occupied by the Massachusetts Bank. At the upper part of the street, not less than twenty handsome commodious hackney coaches daily take their stand, to convey passengers from one part of the town to the other, and to the towns in the vicinity.

There are some other regular broad streets; but in general they are irregular and narrow. In Long-acre street is the Common burying place, on the west side of it, enclosed with a brick wall; on the outside of which trees are planted under their shade you may pass into the Mall. At convenient distances in the streets glass lamps are placed, which are lighted when the moon withdraws. The lamp lighters are appointed by the selectmen; the lamps, oil, and attendance are paid by the town.

WHARVES.] There are eighty wharves and quays, chiefly on the east side the town. Of these the most distinguished is Boston pier or the Long wharf, which extends from the bottom of State street, one thousand seven hundred and forty-three feet into the harbour. The breadth is one hundred and four feet. At the end are seventeen feet at low water. Adjoining to this wharf, to the north of it, and near the centre, is a convenient quay, called Minot's T, from the name of its former proprietor, and the form of it resembling that letter. Its present owneris Dr. Martin Brimmer, who, at much expense,has dug through to a spring of fresh water, whence the vessels lying at the wharf may be supplied. Boston pier has a long range of handsome warehouses erected on the north side of it built of wood. These and the wharf are private property, and have a number of proprietors, who appoint a wharfinger to collect the dockage and wharfage, and superintend all matters relative to the wharf. Here the principal navigation of the town is carried on, vessels of all burdens load and unload, and the London ships generally discharge their cargoes. It is the general resort of all the inhabitants, and is more frequented, we think, than any other part of the town.

At the north end of the town is Hancock's wharf (the late Governour Hancock having owned it) formerly known by the name of Clarke's wharf, and was, in the early settlement of the town, the most noted wharf in it. At this early period some of the principal inhabitants, for the advantage of trade, removed from the parts of it, where they at first pitched their tents, the foot of the eastern side of the range of the three hills already mentioned. They settled themselves at the north end, which was in that day the most flourishing part of the town. But notwithstanding the advantage of the deepest water for shipping, for launching vessels of burden, and conveniency for many mechanical arts, the trade has gradually returned from the north to the south side of the mill creek, and Boston pier has rivalled Hancock's wharf. At the end of the latter wharf are fourteen feet at low water. It has on it a number of commodious stores, and is well calculated for vessels of burthen to load and unload. The probable reason it is not occupied now, so much as formerly, is its remoteness from the centre of the town. The other noted wharves are at the south part of the town, viz. Foster s (late Wheelwright's) wharf, Griffin's, (now in a decayed situation and constantly washing away) Russell's (formerly Gray's) and Tilestone's; the latter occupied chiefly by its owners.

The wharf at the lower part of the north end, on which the North battery stood, was purchased by a private gentleman, and repaired and made very commodious for vessels of burthen, there being a good depth of water. The battery being demolished, the wharf is now appropriated to the business of navigation.

DWELLING HOUSES.] The census taken in 1791 gives the number of dwelling houses to be two thousand three hundred and seventy-six ; the number of inhabitants, eighteen thousand and thirty-eight. The number of houses now (1794) is twenty-five hundred ;* and of inhabitants, about nineteen thousand. The town is capable of great increase, as many large spots of land still remain vacant. The houses are built chiefly of pine and oak, in general about three stories high. There are however many large handsome brick houses, some of which are very elegant. In Cornhill, on both sides the street, from Market square to the Old South meeting house, the houses are all built of brick, the front of the lower floors generally occupied as shops for the sale of dry goods, &c. The beauty of the buildings, which would otherwise strike the eye very agreeably, is somewhat impaired by the irregularity of their height, no two adjoining houses being equal in height, but one rising above another. A large building of brick on the Town dock, having three towers, was formerly occupied for three publick offices, we suppose the Collector, Naval, and Impost. There are also in the town four stone dwelling houses, including the late Gov. Hancock's (noted under the article Mall.) The three others are situated,-two of them in School street, and one in Cross street; all of them ancient buildings. A mason who lately repaired the latter, informed the writer, that he found a number of loop holes through the walls, suitable for * From the number twenty-five hundred, must be deducted the houses consumed by the fire, July 30th, 1794.

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