Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-01-20
SMALL STRIPS
ARETOBE SLICED
From Boston Common, The Training
Ground For Troops In RevOlu-
tionary Days.
Associated Press

BOSION, Jan. 2U-BOStOn Is pre-
pairing to alter some of its most
cherished historic features to meet
the demands of modern conditions.
Small strips are to be sliced from
Boston Common, training grounds for
troops in Revolutionary days, and
arcading of the tower of the Old
South Meeting House, where the ia
nous "tea party" was Matched, is |
contemplated. Traffic problems, ac-
ute in this city of narrow "cow-lane"
streets, in each case are responsible.
The pairing of the Common on two
sides of it's 43-acre area has been
sanctioned only after the overcoming
of long standing opposition by those
who held that no considerations of
modern development should disturb
this revolutionary landmark and pre-
sent day breathing space in the city's
center Several years ago the voters
turned down a proposal to shrink the
Common in order to swell the streets.
But in the recent election the voters
in all but two wards declared in fav-
or of widening the streets from Com
mon lands. The two wards which op-
posed the plan are in Charlestown,
seat OF another historic shrine, Bunk
or Hill Monument.
Under the plan, which is compro-
mise arranged between the street
commissioners and the Boston Com
; mon Society, fremont and Boylston
streets, which bound the Common on
two of it's sides, will be widened to a
maximum of 43 feet instead of so to
so feet as first proposed. This will
be acc, mplished without sacrifice of
= green ward or trees, as the cuts Will
be made from the broad malls of the
Common. The compromise plan car
ried with it an agreement that nc
further invasion of the Common
would be made.
British Common was bought in 1864
by Governor Winthrop and others as
a common COW pasture and training
ground, and was one of several sucf
tracts of communal lands and plant
ing grounds Today it is the sole re
mainder of these ancient commons
other holdings having passed into pri
vate hands.
1t was on Boston Common that re
volutionary soldiers drilled; from it
limits at Park Square, when the Bacl
Bay in fact as well as in-name am
now "made land" the British starte
for Lexington on April 10, IT'S. D
the Common the British mustere
heir forces to attack Bunker Hill an
British artillerymen set their guns o
Flagstaff Hill during the selge G
Boston. Colonial expeditions set OF
against Louisburg and Quebec frol
the old Common, and Massachusett
regiments assembled there prior
going to the front in the Civil va
The proposal to cut into the VI
South Meeting House which was bui
in 1929 to obtain partial relief fro
traffic congestion on Washingto
streets, is still under considerable
Mayor Peters approved the idea; tt
Old South Association, guardians
the edifice fell in with the plans u
der certain conditions, and the sire
commissioners reported in favor Of t
change. The conditions named by t
association, however, including
mand for payment for the propert
which is in the section of highest v;
uation, have delayed acceptance.
Under the plan the main part
the church, in which the colonis
worked out plans for the ''tea party
and which was later used by the Br
ish as a riding school during the sic
of Boston, would not be disturbed. I
tower which juts out some twenty fe
from the front of the edifice, wol
be arcaded to provide passage
foot traffic, the street line would
extended to run flush with the tow
front and the sidewalk moved back
lead directly to the arcade. An ad
tional 20 feet of street space at t
point would ease considerably
crush of traffic in the bottle-m0l
of Newspaper Row.