The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-31
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OLD BOSTON RECORD.
MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS OF THE
TOWN FATHERS.

Common Was Then, Now, n Source OF
Anxiety-Cows Pastured on It-Rules
For FnncuiI Hall Market.
Tho ancient record library has been en-
largcd by the addition of tho twenty fifth
report Of the record commissioners, which
contains tho proceedings of tho Boston So
tctncn from May go, 1870, to Dec. 81,
l7S6, covering the period of tho Revolution.
City Registrar Whitmore explains that
"thcrc are no entries ON tho sclectmen's
minutes from April 10, 17T5, to May go,
1916, the control of affairs Of course, be-
Ing in the hands of tho British general
On March 13, 1775, the town chose seven
sclectmcn-viz, John Scollay, John Han
cock, Timothy Newell, Thomas Marshall,
Samuel Austin, Oliver Wendell and John
Pitts. Tho same seven were reelected
March 20, 1T7G Contcmporancous papers
show that the selcctmen were of much
service in making representations to the
military authorities and as Intermediates
In tho dealings with the American forces
surrounding Boston"
This latest volume contains 377 pages,
including IL pages of index to places, OBJ
jccts and names, and it is bound in black
cloth, uniformly with the previously pub
lishcd volumes.
men simply recorded tho Declaration of
Independence in this brief and tcrsc Style
July 4, 1776. The united American
Colonies arc declared to be Free and indie
pendent States, by the United States of
America in General Congress assembled at
Philadelphia"
Iii those days the town fathers, rs do
now their children, the city fathers, visited
Deer and Rainsford islands and also Ap-
pie island, on which We're located smallpox
hospitals Mt different times.
Deer island in 1878 was leased to Joseph
ana Moses Nosc of Nillbury ut rental of
al30 per annun, but two years later ono
Andrew Tukesbury leased it for ESQ. In
1850 tho barracks on Long Island wcro
moved to Ransfortl island.
The Common, it seems, was in those DAYS
source of anxiety equally US it Is today.
10 be sure, cows were pastured on it, but
on July -, 17S6, tho sclcctmcn empower
ed Mr.. George Iamlin Hayward to collect
OF such persons as had cows going at large
on the Common 81 for each COW, etc., and
he was also empowered to take caro- that
no damage was done the "trccs'
In the summer of 1717 complaints wcro
mndo by citizens that chaiscs, carts and
other carriages were frequently crossing
the Common "tO the dctrimcnt of the land
The selcctmen rose to the occasion md
informed "Thomas Crafts, Esqr. they
would ESTEEM 1t n favor, and TINT he
would be serving the town If he would use
his cndcavors to prevent loaded carriages
passing In future
Later on provision was made for run
ming fence from the South burying
ground to prevent carriages, etc, from
crossing the Common.
Still later, in 1888, action was taken
for the making of such addition to the
fence MS to prevent carriages passing over
the Common, and the town clerk was di-
rcctcd "to publish an advertisement to
prevent persons going over the Common
with Carriages"
The citizens two years aftcrward, in
1855, again moved against cncroach1nent
on the Common, so the sclcctmcn appoint
ed committee ito view tho Common and
report what further fencing may be neccs-
sary for the better security of the same"
His Exccllcncy John Hancock, ESQ, "
upon his own application for liberty "to
break ground near his Seat for tho pulling
up of old Trees and putting down others
in their room, was granted his request
and committee was appointed "to view
the Bank near his House"
The trees now on the Common opposite
the Brewer brownstonc mansion are said
to be some of those set out by Governor
Hancock under this liberty"
This was in 1880, and in 1884 DR.. Smith
and others were accorded n like liberty to
plant on the Common "anothcr Row of
Trees"
AT another date DIR. Price was appoint
cd to confer with DIR. Warren relative to
cncroachment made on the Common by
those who had buried the persons dying in
the Continental hospital.
The ancient minutes in relation to Fam
euil Hall market are especially interesting.
The regulations were moro stringent in
some particulars than are those of today.
When Mr.. Lindsey G. Wallace was appoint
ed to the care of the stalls in and out of
the market, the sclcctmcn impressed upon
him the duty "to see that tho butchers
who hire them strictly comply with the
orders of the town Our directions to you
are that, comfortable to said orders, YOU
see that they do not let their stalls to any
one without the consent of the sclcctmcn,
and that they bring and offer to sale to its
inhabitants oil hides, skins and tallow Of
oil such creatures as they shall kill while
they hold the same, and bring to the
market for sale, and that they constantly
keep said stalls clean and do not pnck any
meat in the market or suffer any to be left
In it at the shutting up of the market"
etc.
The hall over the market was used on
election days for the drawing of the state
lottery, and also the mill lottery, for pub
lie dinners, lectures, for disposal of quar-
terly charities, etc.
The purchase of q suitable bell TO be
hung in the cupola was authorized on July
26, l7SG.-Boston Herald
The Umbrella.
An American, after heightened study Of
the subject, gives the following definition
nf