The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-14
BOSTON'S s.COW LANE
STREETS TO BE ALTERED
Some Of the Most Cherished Historic
Features of the City are to
Be Changed.

Boston is preparing to alter some d
its most cherished historic features TX
meet the demands Of modern eondi
| tions. Small strips are to be sliced
from Boston Common, training ground,
for troops in Revolutionary days, and
arcading of the tower of the Old South
meeting house, where the famous "tea
party. was Matched, is contemplated
Traffic problems, acute in this city OF
narrow Cow lane streets, in each case
are responsible.
1 The pairing OF the common on two
sides of its 43-acre area has been sane
toned only. after the overcoming Of
long standing opposition by those who
| held that no consideration of modern
| development should disturb this revo-
lutionary landmark and present day
i breathing space in the city's center.
Several years ago the voters turned
down proposal to shrink the common
| in order to swell the streets, But in
the recent city election the voters in
all but two wards declared in favor
Of widening the streets from common
lands. The two wards which opposed
the plan are in Cbarlestown, seat Of
another historic shrine, Bunker Hill
monuments,
Under the plan, which is compro-
mise arranged between the street com.
missioners and the Boston Common So
ciety, fremont and Boylston streets,
which bound the common on two Of its
sides, win be widened to maximum of
43 feet instead Of SO to so feet as first
proposed This win be accomplished
without sacrifice Of greenward or
trees, as the cuts will be made from the
broad malls Of the common The COM
promise plan carried with it an agree,
ment that no further invasion of the
common would be made.
Boston Common was bought in 1884
by Governor Winthrop and others as
a common COW pasture and training
ground, and was one Of several such
tracts of communal lands and planting
grounds. To-day it Is the sole re-
mainder Of these ancient commons. 9th
er holdings having passed into private
hands.
1t was on Boston Common that rep~
olutionary soldiers drilled; from Its
limits at Park square, then the Back
Bay in fact az well as in name and now
made land" the British started for
Lexington on April 10, ITS On the
common the British mustered their
forces to attack Bunker hill and British
artillerymen set their guns on Flag
staff hill during the seige of Boston.
Colonial expeditions set out against
Louisburg and Quebec from the old
common. and Massachusetts regiments |
assembled there prior to going to the
front in the Civil war.
The proposal to cut into the Old |
South meeting house which was built |
in 1920 to obtain partial relief from |
traffic congestion on Washington street, |
Is still under consideration. Mayor |
Peters approved the idea; the Old |
South association, guardians of the edi- |
flee, fell in with the plans under certain |
and the street commission
ers reported in favor Of the change The |
conditions named by the association,f
however, including demand for pay |,
ment for the property, which is in the |
section OF highest valuation, have de- |
layed acceptance.
Under the plan the main parts Of the
church. in which the eolenists worked |
out plans for the tea party" and
which was later used by the British as
! riding school during the siege Of Bos-
5on, would not be disturbed. The tow I
n which juts out some 20 feet from the
'front.' of the edifce, would be arcaded
% provide passage for foot traffic,
he street line would be extended to run
lush with the tower front and the side
walk moved back to lead directly to
arcade. An additional 20 feet of street
pace at this point would ease consid.
'rably the crush of traffic in the bottle
mouth of Newspaper Row