Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-08-18
THE DAILY SPY.
Boston Fifty Years Ago.


Boston as it was fifty years ago, and as it is now:
BosToN, Aug. 5, 1851. :
The Boston Of 1851 is very different place from
what it was in 1891 Then it contained but about
QUO acres; now 1t Is narged to 1900, by recIaimng
iand from the water, and has extended itself east
ana south so as to cover what was called NoddIe' s
Island and Dorchester Neck with thousands of in
habtants, splendid buildings elegant churches, ca
paclous school houses and extensive manufactures
William Blackstone, from the Charlestown settle
ment, was the first European known to have lodged
| IN the peninsula and from that circumstance only,
claimed most of the land. In 1884, a tax of $50
was assessed on the inhabitants, every householder
10 pay ten shillngs at least, and more to make
up mat sum Tor the purpose of purchasing his right
10 Inc land, except to SIX which he retained
for his own special use and benefit The land was
laid out for training field and pasture This is the
origin OF what Is now called ''the Common W hich
contains about lortyeght acres and the public gar
den, west of Charles street, which has been re-
claimed from the water, embraces twenty five acres,
being seventy three acres in the whole area. Black
stone river and railroad are named after this dis
tinguished man.
During the Revolution Boston was a great suf-
ierer and Its Increase and prosperity greatly retar-
ded by the prosecutions and expressions of the Brit
lsh government. The spirit and enterprise of her
people, however, could not be crushed, and as soon
as the war ceased, began to lift up its head, and
Its commerce revived in surprising manner New
erthecss, half a century ago, it was only thriving
town, with few ships and little trade compared with
It's present condition. In fifty years, old Boston has
more than doubled It's area; then it contained but
600 acres, and now it has 300, exclusive Of South
and East Boston.
Dorchester Point, now South Boston, comprising
oOo acres OF good land, and on which, fiiiy wears
ago, there were but three houses, is an integral
rt Of 4 nnn.
I,500 buildings, mostly occupied by their owners
1t contains several large manufacturing establish
ments seven or eight churches, and number of
school houses one of which is the largest in Boston,
and cost upwards of $65, 900 for its erection.
In 1871, there were not ten persons on Noddle's
Island, now called East Boston, 1t contains about
700 acres, and was occupied by family named
Williams. The boys from the t''North End'' used
to 60 over In boats to get apples, and little thought
that the time woald come when it would be pop
ulous city. In 1881, it was bought by company
on speculation for $40 600, and proved runous to
some concerned in it; but one of its wharves
could not be purchased for what the whole island
cost. The rapid increase of the place may be at
Station and the arrival lhsfe o e EastsTa Railroad
steamers lis population now is 1900 There are
four five churches; large manufactures; several
ship yards, and many elegant houses. Every foot
of ground will soon be covered with substantial
dwellings.
Boston, which fifty years since had but p, 900 in
now contains 100000. 1t then had but
II churches; now it numbers nearly l00 Two
bridges leading to Charesown and Cambridge, were
he only outlets; now it has SEVEN Then it had but
me Long Wharf, with few wooden stores on it;
low it has in addition, Central India, Commercial,
Lewis and other large wharves, built Of granite and
covered with substantial and capacous stores, ex-
ceiling any city in the Union, and afording superior
facilities for commercial operations. The houses in
1901 were mostly composed of wood; these have
given place to substantial stone and brick mansions,
many of them elegant, that Boston, compared
with what it was fifty years ago, may be denomina-
ted 'scity Of palaces.''
There are but four churches remaining of those
which saw in 1901, viz: the Stone Chapel, Old
South, Brate street, and Christ Church. The old
ones having been pulled down and new structures
erected in their places, the New York, New South
in Summer street, Trinity Federal street, Hanover
street, and the Universast church, with several 9TH
ers. The churches which have been erected in Bos-
ION during the last fifty years, generally substan-
a buildings, but none of them distinguished for
ehitectura excellence. A few of them have stee-
ples or cupoas, with clocks and bells, but the old
puritan spit is generally manifest in the arrange
nent of their places of worship.
Fifty years ago. there were few public buildings
N Boston, if we except the State House, Faneuil
Hall, Federal street Theatre, and the Old State
House. Now there is the Merchants Exchange,
the Qaincy Market, superior to any in the Union
the Athenaum, City Hall, Court House, New Jail,
fremont Temple, Museum, Masonic Temple, Boyls-
ton Hall, besides large number of other halls and
buildings devoted to public purposes Most of these
buildings are good specimens of architecture, and
built generally of granite and the most solid materi-
ais.
In 1901, there were in Boston only the Academy
of Arts and Sciences, the Massachusetts Historical
Society, and the Boston Library Society; but now,
in 1851, there are in addition the Athen@um-a no.
Bile and rich institution-the State Library B0wditch
Library, Mercantile Library Mechanics Apprentices
Library, Boston Society Of Natural History and pub
lie circulating Libraries in every part Of the city.
To notice the improvements which have been
made in this city since 1901, in the opening and WI
dening Of streets, would swell this letter to
readable length. | cannot help noticing those SPLEEN
did blocks Of granite erected Federal, Pearl and
Milk Streets and surprising in magnitude and dura-
bility any thing to be seen in the United States.
am not able to state precisely the number Of
newspapers published in Boston in 1901. can rec
ollcct the Centine, published by Benjamin RUSSELL
the Independent Chronicle, by, Adams and Rhodes;
and the New England Palladum-how many more
cannot say. Now they are almost as numerous as
the locusts Of Egypt There are eighteen or twenty
daily papers, seven seml-weekly, hfty-one weekly,
nine semi-monthy, ,hirty-fve monthly, six by
monthly and quarterly, and eight annually.
Few hotels were required fifty years ago, and such
as they were could only be considered "Stage Tay-
erns.'' Now Boston can boast Of as fine hotels as
any hotels in the Union both for size and splendor.
The fremont Revere, United States, American,
Winthrop, Adams and Quincy, are among the best.
Railroads were totally unknown, but at the pres