New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-01
HISTORIC SPRINGFIELD.
LEN AND FORCES WHICH
CREATED THE MASSA-
CHUSETT,S CITY.
GAME BY BAY PATH TO CONNECTICUT
VALLEY-PATRIOTS OF YEARS
GONE BY AND TO-DAY


Springfield. Mass. May 81 CSpecaD.-Dwellers
outside of New-England may find It difficult to
understand the underlying principle which makes
the recent enthusiasm the 1ftieth birthday of
the city Of Springfield unique in the routine of civic
celebrations. But there are so many who have had
their beginnings within the State or at least,
slnder her influence. that they may tell their neigh
fbors something Of the Massachusetts spirit and
what it is that makes the native of the Connect
cut Valley put air Of injured pride whenever
any one dares to say that there is any other dis
srict in al the United States which is distinctly
! superior
M Springfield IS the centre of district in which
/-srzu nearly half million people This number of
dwell not in cities-for there are only about
g. nty thousand in the city itsef-but in the viii
> s and the farms and among the hills which
3 up against the Green and the White
rans OF the north The land is fertile in the
sense that the bottom lands of the Missouri
fertile Yet it is farming country, for the folk
who have made their homes here have wrung from
ahe hills their subsistence for close three hun
dred years. And 1t is because of the difficulty of
EARNING. backed by the spirit which prompted the
PuTtans TO seek a haven of refuge in New-Eng-
lac. that has developed the fighting blood. which
has shown itself throughout the generations which
have come into this valley since the days OF Pyn-
shon and Chaplin and their followers
Possessed of indomitable will. the mere fact
that the hills granite had for them.
They ploughed the little patches and made fields.
IN the wider valleys there much comfortable
aneadowland. and this called for less work. But,
after all. they seemed better to like till the
rev stretches Of soil between the powders. and
1here they made their farms and built their homes
and raised the sturdy and noble daughters to
whom the stability Of the granite, and the
determination which comes with the meeting and
overcoming Of obstacles. Perhaps this spirit is
what makes il necessary to have many New
Eaglanders connected with the administration at
Washington Both ex-Secretary Long and his sue
cessor, Secretary Moody, are Massachusetts men
of q most pronounced type Secretary Shaw was
born in the Connecticut Valley. up in Vermont.
Secretary Payne was born in Ashfied, in the Con-
raecticut Valley. Senators Hoar and Lodge the
s1-ytutessence Of the Massachusetts, spirit even
M Roosevelt's late appointee. Commissioner Ware,
- q Massachusetts by direct descent. and a
town still bears the name of his ancestors.
EXCEPT for the founding OF the Massachusetts Bay
and Plymouth colonies there is more picturesque
period in the stories OF colonization in America
than that of Springfield. 1t lacked romance-the
sort of romance attaching 10 the settlements OF
jamestown and the Southwest-and. too. the rigor
of the Jesuits' work in the North-but 1t none
the less picturesque for all that, and in the hearts
of the jewellers the Connecticut Valley ii stands
first Of all
Springfield was not only the first settlement in
the valley north of the Connecticut colony but up
80 the wear I7eO II vas protector of the smaller
settlements. When Hadley was beset by the say
ages in 1915 Springfield was burned. but this was
because the people OF the town were up the river
helping the unprotected little sister. Hadey and
7leerfeld and Northampton have ali their tradi-
lions but with them is inseparaby linked the story
OF Springfield
South TO the Connecticut colony and north to
what is now the Vermont and New-Hampshire
lines Sprirgfelds sway extended, and on more
than one occasion her men went forth 10 do battle
with the Indians because they were the natural
protectors position given them, perhaps. by
mere geographical location, but still recognized as
right.
1t was in the early summer Of 1855 that three white
mon and a native interpreter broke their way
through the wilderness from Boston to the Con-
u1ecticut Valley. Previously an Indian had visited
Boston and told marvellous tales OF the fertility OF
the valley by the Create RIVER" The little oanc
who braved the wilderness and its unknown ter
rors were William Pynchon. John Gable and John
Woodstock. Pyachon returned to Boston. leaving
his companions TO build house on the banks OF
the river. There ne told OF the results OF the e1
ploration and gave an account Oh "ii"e hoN may
pened 20 the spies"
There is a legend that the line OF the Boston ane
Albany Railroad follows the trail Of these hardy
pio,.eers Possibly this is true. but there is NJ
definite record of the exact route followed
On July 15 1886, agreement was made
by the colorists with the Indians The origna
deed is stfn preserved, and It sets forth In curl
Gus old time language how the said William Pyn
chon hath paid IN hand the said eighteen fathan
of wampa1n. eighteen coates. eighteen hatchets
eighteen howes. eighteen knifes. 10 the said Com
muclze and Mattanchan. doth further condition
with the said Indians that they shal have ant
enjoy al that Cotinackeesh, or ground that is no
planted, e. shall have the liberty TO take Ffshe an
Deer ground Nuts wslnuts. Akornes and Sasashi
ruinesh or Kind OF pease And also IL any Of on
cattle spoile their corne. to pay as 1t is worth
sba. our hogs shall not goe on the side OF the Aga
wan but in akorne time; also the said Pyncho
aotb give 10 Wrutherna TWO Coates over and abov
1hs Particulars expressed & in witness thereof IN
two said Indians. this present day Of July. 1856.
etc.
Thus did Pynchon. Gable and Woodstock pun
chase the lands of the Agawam where now STAND
the city OF Springfield The little band OF settler
fought Indians titled the soil and laid the founda
ton for the CITY which has celebrated its hftiet
birthday az a city and of its birth as a eolonie
town the z6eth- There came Chaplin and fiolyokt
Burt. Cooper ana Stebbns. Parsons, Lee. Ashmu
and Greeneaf-all names which to-day are reyerec