Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-08-15
OLD SALEM.


Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
Salem, Mass, Aug. 11.-Although
your correspondent has been on The
wing for some time he has fingered by
the wsy iD the great commercial centre
of New York, where the rush OF mod
ern life everwbelms, for most travel.
ers, the romantic interest of the past
But at last in this quaint and beautiful
old town the past takes precedence oi
of the present and, We dwell under the
spell Of colonial and revolutionary
days, an historic and legendary con-
dition not unknown TO the Inhabitants
OF the ancient city Of Alexandria.
Salem is one of the most important
towns of the North Shore" oi
Maseacb setts Bay. 1t was founded in
1926, four years before Boston, and foI
TWO Centuries was second only TO Bos.
ton as a commercial and social centre
among the towns of New EOglsnd
Now, while il possesses a number ol
mauufsctorie it has in its residential
portion all the dignity of city dating
from early colonial times. AS we walk
IFS streets the large ana spacious dwell
ngs, built by the maguate5 ofold times,
remind one OF those found in many OF
our old southern towns, and only when
you see the magnificent OverarchinR
elms as they are seen here, can you IN
1erstand the devotion OF Doctor
HOLMES to the iavorite tree ol
ais nalive New England. But
we must leave generalites aud
come down TO some OF the unique feat
ures which make Salem what it is,
First in weird interest is its connection
with the unhappy witchcraft deluson
at the Gloss of the 18th century. w,
beard the remark the other day that sc
far as this is concerned Salem glories /,
ler shame. However this may
oe, this awful period Of he,
history makes the town al.
traction 10 thousands of tourists now
We cannot enter into any account o.
the strange perversion of religious spir.
t that made such condition of thiBg'
possible, but will just mention the points
of historic interest in connection witt
hat judicial crime. The only place re.
naming substantially as it was is Gal
lows Hill overlooking the city, although
you will look 10 vain for the tree on
which it is said the nineteen victims
fourteen OF which were women, were
hanged. The ascent to it up Hanson
rect is comparatively easy. You then
walk short distance to lts southern
extremity, where the last act took place
and look down the precpitiou5 SLOPE
over which the bodies were said to have
been thrown before burial. In the
Court House is seen preserved in 4
glass case the death warrant OF Bridget
Bishop, the first victim executed, the
return of the sheriff, stating that he
had preformtd d his part and had also
buried her, but this sentence is crossed
out by him to avoid, as we suppose, any
derogation of his official dignity. Be
sides these old papers. there are on ex'
nibition the witch pins, wherewith II
was asserted the witches tortured theli
ctim There is tablet on Washing
tt nstrt ct northof the railroad stationtell
lug that near this place in the centre o
what is now the street stood the cour
house where the witches were con
demned. 1t is added also that Giles c.
rev. so years old, the husband of one OF
the witches executed, was himself &C
cused' and as he refused 10 plead he Wa
taken TO a field and pressed to deail
according to immemorial custom.
Salem 10 the native place OF man,
who are prOmi Oent in Americsn N genera
and literary history. Here, as is wei
known Nathauial Hawthorne was born
His mothers home ia a small old fash
ioned gable rooted house, now mnc
me worse for wear, situated In the old
er part OF the city. We also vi5ite
his room in the custom house which !
a solid brick edifce bearing few tra
ces OF old age. The house OF ssv
en- gables is shown on Turner street
near the waters edee. but it is myth
cal. as Hawthorne himself says he hat
no definite house in mind. IL is, how
ever. certain that he visited frequent,
| at the said house as 1t was the home O
a dear relative and friend. Hawthorn
nad several places of residence durioi
| the period OF his lifetime spent in IA
lem. His name adds diguiIy and IT
nown to this old place and numbers o.
tourists, such as we, either on foot o
in carriage, are seea vending thel
way to his birthplace, the custom hous
and the reputed hou1e of seven gables
George Peabody is another fsmou
man of whom Salem and the neighbor
ing town of South Danvers, now cslle'
Peabody, has a right to be proud. Ii
the Peabody Institute, situated in Pea
body, the place of his birth, is now dt
posted forever the valuable minlstur
portrait of Queen Victoria presente'
by her majesty to him in grateful ap
probation of his generosity to the Lon
don poor. The queens letter, writteI
in her clear and beautiful handwriting
is shown to visitors. The letter an,
portrait are among the valued treas
ures OF the institute. Besides these
there is the exquisitely wrought gol
case in which was presented to him th
freedom OF the city OF London and tw
others also Of gold in which ne re
spectively received the membership c
the London Fish Mongers' Compan
and the thanks OF Congress for the gli
of the Peabody School Fund TO tn