The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-10-16


water intruded. There was no Com
monwealth avenue, no odioining Mayfair
BEYOND the common was small park
which men. knowing nothing about the
beautiful park If 1907. called the public
garden, and beyond tile garden was A
bleak stretch Of water and marsh land.
Across the middle of this unpleasant
expanse was the line Of the Boston &
Providence railroad. At that time oper-
ations for filling in the swamp we're in
infancy.
SO It was not good to stand on Beacon
Hin and look 60 the southwest. The
garden momentarily gave pleasure, AMI
the comfortable residences suggested
comfort. but the way IN which the water
Of the Charles persisted in coming up
nearly over the location Of the present
Arlington street. thence faring well
over toward RoxbuFy. gave the city an
ugly outline. Moreover, the region was
without any artistic arrangement. and
the fats stood out here and thcre-and
they were breeding places for doors. II
the wind was favorable they smelled
the length and breath Of the growing
city.
Industries were located along The 1857
shores Of the river, much as today in
smaller towns, the worst architectural
nuisances usurp the function Of spacious
establishments. Beyond the industries
numerous church spires sought to offset
The unfavorable impression Of the seen
enry. The outlying districts seemed to
deserve the name Of towns They were
residential without being ornate
BY 1860, so great had been the change
in this district to the southwest. blocks
Of buildings had served very well to
shut of the marsh lands. Two church
spires had come into view. thus carrying
on the traditions of the southeast To-
eality. Commonwealth avenue had al
80 been conceived. The park there mad
even got under way, thus giving for the
first time to the Back Bay a touch OF
real beauty. Symmetrical Arlington
street was contributed to the attractive |
ness.
In the transformation had come the
first visible, substantial addition to the |
city II was impossible in 1860 to look |
of Beacon Hill to the southwest without |
being aware that Boston was showing !
signs of real growth. A city was spring. /
ing mp beyond the old confines and even
at that time it was a creature Of breed.
ing and distinction.
Everybody who remembers the locality /
az It appeared in that year win, Of couse /
the Peace Jubilee structure
at the corner Of Boylston and CIaren-
don streets. 1t was low, rambling and /
plain In design, impressing the observer
more III its size than BY any other quail /
tiles. 1t occupied one of the rectangular |
spaces which had been made during the 1
filing id Of the Back BAY. TO It'll right, 1
left and rear stretched swampY nolloWs. /
I'm the year 1869 other adornments Of /
the neighborhood were booths, shanties
and biilboards. Tn front Of the Jubilee
however, was new ana In
teresting residential district
Tn that epoch this was the really
changing part of. the city The alter
ations elsewhere came dignifiedly and
slowly One BY one four story struc-
lures gave way to modern business
blocks fremont and Boyiston streets
lost their middle Of the nineteenth CEN
tury appearance feature BY feature. But
Back Bay underwent its TRANSFORMER
ton With startling rapidity.
Park street has changed only slightly.
The retention Of the Park Street
enurcA,, st panls, and. of course, the
common, make the southeast view from
file State House, III 1907, not remark
ably aissiInilar from tne view In 1857.
That II til say. file alteration II not
70 bp compared for one moment with the
complete transformation which has
aiken place IN the Back Bay.
When the Fortysniner standing on
Beacon Hill today and looking Ia the
southwest, tries to recall the locality
Vaieh HI used to know he fails utterly.
a. lie says. with much emphasis How
he OLD city has changed Boston |
Herald.