The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-28
CITY OF BOSTON.
The Population OF the
City Increasing.
Nearly $4,000 Added to
the List Since 1885.
Difficulties Experienced in the
Financial World,
The Banks and Banking interests
Of Boston.
The Public Library anufao-
turing Industries.

A little over $50 years ago what is now
the great city of Boston was nothing less
than barren piece Of land.
Il was in 1880 that Governor John Win
throp picked out the site for capital,
some three miles west of Charlestown.
On Dec. 80 a goodly number of persons
bound themselves together and named
the new village Newtown.
In the fall OF 1881 Governor Winthrop
took down the frame OF his unfinished
dwelling in NewtOwn, now known as
Cambridge, and erected it in Boston,
near Beacon Hill
OF the new state no one could become
q citizen unless he was a member of the
Puritan church. In consequence the
population of Boston grew slowly for a
number of years. How well Boston has
increased is fully illustrated by the mag
nihcent city she is.
Proudly as she sits by the sea, majestic
as she appears in her thrift and grandeur
as the metropolis of New England, Bos-
ton has not acquired her present domain,
her pre-emlnence among the cities of the
New World.
From statistics it is shown that what
are now the most
Valuable Sections
of the city have been stolen. Much of
the original peninsula was rocky, and
what is now the Common was literally
strewn with boulders deposited there
ages ago.
Since the revolutionary times the city
has been enlarging its area on every
hand by making inroads upon the domain
of old Neptune. As this has been done
year after year of course it has caused
the population of Boston to increase
rapidly.
The region between the North End
and South, the Common and the hlrb0r
is occupied by the business district. Here
are 'items of interest" that would fill
volumes, but the lack Of space ne cessa-
rily enforoes ooncisenesS.
In no city in the United States are
the buildings any more beautiful than
those of Boston. In the erection of the
buildings in the Back Bay district mil
lions Of dollars have been spent. and yet
many more millions are being spent
yearly
The Custom House, which is also very
imposing structure, was built between
1887 and 1889 at cost Of over 100000,
and rests on ground reclaimed from the
sea, the foundation being composed Of
deep bed Of granite masonry, laid in
hydraulic cement on tho heads of 5000
piles. 1t is massive structure, built to
stand for generations. The building has
already been described in the Traveller.
Instead of following in the orthodox
manner realization seems to travel hand
in hand with anticipation instead of
tagging behind to await the handiwork
of the inevitable.
In 1880 BOstOa's Census
returns were 1892, 839 For the next five
years it rapidly increased, and at the be-
ginning of 1885 the population was $780,
I93. From 1885 to 1890, the census re-
surns show gain Of nearly $4,000.
The entire population of the New
England states in 1890 was 4,70o745, Of
which Massachusetts contributed nearly
half, and the city of Boston nearly five
times that of any other city. In 1890
Boston's population was 44s.447 and it is
estimated that it will increase to 10000
during the next five years.
Considering the surroundings of BOs-
ton, it is shown that this city is not only
decreasing its own record Of death rate
from year to year for each one thousand
inhabitants, but now occupies the en-
viable position Of being one of the
healthiest cities in the Union.
The total number Of acres of Boston is
a. TOT and S7.O4 square miles. This in
cludeS, besides the city proper. South
and East Boston, RoKbury. Dorchester,
West Roxbury, Brighton Charlestown
and Breeds Island.
The first attempt to establish paper
was made in 1900, and the first nu nber Is
held by the Colonial State Paper Office |
Mt London. A copy of this, by DR.. Sam |
uel A. Green, was published in Vol. 1 |
(1S5D of THE Historical Magazine"
The First Newspaper ID America
was issued in Boston, It's publication be-
ginning on April "a, 1904. 1t was called |
The Boston Newsletter" It's founder |
was John Campbell, then the town post
master; and the first number may yet be |
seen in the library Of the Massachusetts
Historical Society. In 17OS Benjamin
franklin was, it is very generally be-
lieved. born in the humble little house
which stood on Milk street, on the site
Of the present Boston Post" BUILDING.
The old house stood 100 years, respected
as one Of the most notable landmarks;
and its destruction by fire, in 1911, was
keenly regretted, especially by the older
citizens.
THE BROKERS' BOARD.