enthusiasm into its support, or voluntarily to assume a disproportionate share of its burdens. In fact, no reference to the war, during its continuance, is found on the Town Records. A few months after its close, May 8, 1815, the town "Voted, that the report of the Committee appointed to determine what compensation, if any, should be allowed by the town to the militia-men drafted and called out for the defence of the State, be accepted: -the report allows four dollars to each person for every thirty days service." The Cambridge Light Infantry was called into service by the Governor, for the defence of the State, and readily responded to the call. There may have been some voluntary enlistments into the regular army of the United States: but any evidence of such a fact is not found. One of the most eminent citizens of Cambridge, ELBRIDGE GERRY, was Governor of Massachusetts from May 1810, to May 1812, and Vice-president of the United States from March 4, 1813, until Nov. 23, 1814, when he suddenly expired, as he was about to enter the Senate Chamber in Washington for the performance of his official duties. However bittterly his politics were denounced, Mr. Gerry enjoyed the personal respect and esteem of his townsmen; yet neither their affection for the man, nor their regard for his high political position, could overcome their detestation of the war, of which he was an advocate and defender, nor induce them to volunteer their persons or their property in its behalf. Hence the dignified silence of the Town Records. When the news of Peace arrived, in February, 1815, there was a general outburst of joy in Massachusetts. In many towns, public meetings of prayer, and praise, and mutual congratulation, were held. There was such a meeting in Cambridge, Feb. 23, 1815, and an address was delivered by President Kirkland. Among the papers presented by Hon. John Davis to the Massachusetts Historical Society is a handbill, or broadside, announcing the approaching festivity, as follows: CELEBRATION OF THE RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY OF PEACE between the United States of America and the U- ORDER OF PROCESSION. The procession will be formed at University Hall, and move The President of the University and the other Gentlemen, who officiate. ORDER OF EXERCISES. 1. Anthem By Stephenson. "I was glad when they said unto me," &c. 2. Prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Ware. 3. Reading of select portions of the Holy Scrip- 4. Hymn, written for the occasion. Almighty God, to thee we bow, But light from Heaven has shone at last, Long hast Thou stretched the avenging Then praise to that Eternal Power, hand And smote thy people in thy wrath; Hast frowned upon a guilty land, While storms and darkness veiled thy path. Who bids our wars and tumults cease, 5. Address, by the President of the University. 7. Prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Holmes. 8. Anthem, from Handel's "Grand Dettingen Te "We praise thee, O God," &c. 9. Benediction. CHAPTER XIII. CIVIL HISTORY. IT has already been stated in chapter v., that a ferry was established in 1635 across Charles River (at the foot of Dunster Street), from which there was a road through Brookline and Roxbury to Boston. The only other feasible route to Boston was through Charlestown, and across a ferry near Copp's Hill. Desiring to avoid the inconvenience and peril of a ferry, the inhabitants of Cambridge consented, Nov. 10, 1656, "to pay each one their proportion of a rate to the sum of 2007. towards the building a bridge over Charles River, upon condition the same may be effected without further charge to the town." A place for the bridge was selected, at the foot of Brighton Street; but the work was too great to be accomplished at once. Three years afterwards, Feb. 4, 1659-60, "the former propositions and votes that had passed, for the building of a bridge over Charles River, were again considered and debated; and the question being propounded, whether the town did agree and consent that the said work should be yet further prosecuted, and that 2007. should be levied on the inhabitants of this town towards the effecting thereof, the vote passed on the affirmative." The structure was probably completed before March 23, 1662-3, when it was ordered, "that the bridge be laid in oil and lead, provided that it exceed not 407. charge to the town." This bridge was much larger than any which had previously been erected in the colony. From the first it was called the "Great Bridge;" and such is still its legal designation. The cost of maintaining such a bridge, together with a long causeway, was very great, compared with the means of defraying it, and many methods were devised to relieve the town of some portion of the burden. Under date of Oct. 12, 1670, the action of the General Court is recorded: "Whereas, the Bridge over Charles River, which was first erected at the cost of that town, together with the free contribution of several public spirited persons in some neighbor towns, which bridge being now decayed, and by reason of the danger is presented to the county of Middlesex, and the town of Cambridge, as they allege in their petition, being not able to repair it, so that of necessity it must be pulled up and slighted, and the passage there must be secured by a ferry as heretofore, which is not so safe, convenient, or useful, as a bridge, for a ferry is altogether useless in the winter, and very inconvenient to transport horses, and not at all accommodable for carts or droves of cattle: The premises considered, it is ordered by this Court and the authority thereof, for the encouragement either of the town of Cambridge or any particular persons that shall repair the bridge, or erect a sufficient cart-bridge over the River at Cambridge, and maintain the same for the safety of the passengers, they are hereby empowered to take toll at the rates following, viz., one penny for every person; three pence a head for every horse and man; six pence for every cart; two pence a head for every horse or other neat cattle; one half penny a head for sheep, goats, or swine and if any refuse to pay the toll aforesaid, it shall be at the liberty of such as maintain the said bridge to stop their passage. And this order to continue in [force] so long as the said bridge is maintained serviceable and safe for passage." The tolls, thus authorized, seem not to have been long continued, if ever exacted; for when Newton was incorporated as a separate town, Jan. 11, 1687-8, it was ordered that the expense of maintaining the bridge" be defrayed and borne as followeth (that is to say) two sixth parts thereof by the town of Cambridge, one sixth part by the said Village,2 and three sixth parts at the public charge of the county of Middlesex." Newton continued to pay its proportion of the expense until May 4, 1781, when it was exempted from further liability by the General Court. In like manner, when Lexington was incorporated, March 20, 1712-13, and West Cambridge, Feb. 27, 1807, they were required to share with Cambridge the expense of maintaining the bridge, in proportion to the respective valuation of the several towns, which they continued to do until they were released from that obligation, March 24, 1860, by the General Court. In the meantime, various expedients were adopted by the Court to aid Cambridge in sustaining what was considered, and what actually was, a grievous burden. Thus, in June, 1694, it was "resolved, that 1 Mass. Col. Rec., iv. (ii.) 470. 2 Newton was at first called Cambridge Village. 8 Mass. Rec., xlii. 98. 1 the town of Newton pay one third part of the charge of said bridge." And in June, 1700, it was "resolved, that the Great Bridge in Cambridge, over Charles River, be repaired from time to time, one half at the charge of the town of Cambridge, and the other half at the charge of the county of Middlesex." 2 Again, Oct. 25, 1733, the bridge having been "very thoroughly and effectually repaired," after a large portion of it had been carried away by the ice, the Court granted to Cambridge, £117 168., to Newton, £100, and to Lexington, £82 48., in all £300,3 in consideration of their extraordinary expense; and on the 22d of June, 1734, "Voted, that three thousand acres of the unappropriated lands of the Province be and hereby are granted to the towns of Cambridge, Newton, and Lexington, to enable them forever hereafter at their own cost and charge, to keep, amend, and repair, the Great Bridge over Charles River in Cambridge; the land to be laid out in three several parts, in equal proportion to each of the said towns." 4 A "plat" of the thousand acres allotted to Cambridge, lying west of Lunenburg, was exhibited and confirmed, Sept. 13, 1734.5 All other corporations having been released from liability, the General Court made a final disposition of the matter by an act passed March 11, 1862, by which the city of Cambridge and the town of Brighton were "authorized and required to rebuild the Great Bridge over Charles River," the expense to be borne "in proportion to the respective valuations of said city and town;" and it was provided that a draw, not less than thirty-two feet wide, should be constructed "at an equal distance from each abutment," that "the opening in the middle of said draw" should be "the dividing line between Cambridge and Brighton at that point," and that thereafter each corporation should maintain its half part of the whole structure at its own expense. In June, 1738, a petition of Edmund Goffe, William Brattle, and others of Cambridge, for liberty to establish a ferry between 1 Mass. Prov. Rec., vi. 348. 2 Ibid., vii. 92. This tax on the county may not seem unreasonable, when it is considered that a large portion of the travel to and from Boston passed over the bridge in preference to the Charlestown Ferry. If Newton was exempted from its former obligation, it was manifestly only for a short time. & Mass. Rec., xv.4 53. On the 28th of the following January the town voted thanks to the General Court for the aid rendered; and also "to Col. Jacob Wendell Esq. and Mr. Craddock for their kindness to us in procuring and collecting a very bountiful subscription for us, to encourage and enable us to go through the charge of the repair of our Great Bridge." 4 Mass. Rec., xvi. 32. 5 Ibid., xvi. 54. 6 Mass. Spec. Laws, xi. 280. |