George Edward Ellis

“ The conversation in this town is as polite as in most of the cities and towns in England, many of their merchants having travelled into Europe, and those that stay at home having the advantage of a free conversation with travellers; so that a gentleman from London would almost think himself at home at Boston, when he observes the numbers of people, their houses, their furniture, their tables, their dress, and conversation, which perhaps is as splendid and showy as that of the most considerable tradesmen in London. ”

“ They have found there much to learn and enjoy, and to remember with pleasure. Cultivated Englishmen, particularly those who have visited Boston in recent years to obtain or to impart information, have found themselves at home there. The supposed conceit of its citizens over their own distinctive qualities or advantages has led to some pleasant banter from at home and abroad in characterizing the city as the "Athens of America" or "The Hub of the Universe." ”

“ The truth is of universal compass, as applied to all things earthly, and I do not know but that it includes the stars in heaven. It recognizes the fact that there is in all organic and composite things an inherent tendency to degenerate and decay, if they are not re-enforced and renewed by an amending and reinvigorating process, a protective and reforming agency. Iron rusts away; wood yields to the worm, or rots; the solid rocks crumble, and character, in man or woman, if not steadily built up, strengthened, ennobled, or, as we say, made better, is impaired and debased. ”

“ Its large foreign population make, in traditions, habits, social relations, and religion, a nation within a nation. The unfamiliar names which appear on the signs of shops and dwellings, the relaxed usages as regards the observance of Sunday, and the indulgence in amusements, large personal freedom, &c., have made Boston, substantially, a cosmopolitan city. ”

“ The development, growth, and increased population of the city, under the liberal social influences, and the changes of opinion and habit, which in no part of the world are more marked and active than here, have, of course, wholly displaced the original homogeneousness of its people, and the peculiarly Puritan character of the tone and customs of life. ”

“ It may have been a grievance in our old early days that men were subject to a fine for refusing to serve as governor or in some other office. But that was better than that office holders should fine the whole community by using all trusts and places as spoils. ”

“ It is believed that there has been a larger outlay of labour, material, and money, in reducing, levelling, and reclaiming territory, and in straightening and widening thoroughfares in Boston, than has been expended for the same purposes in all the other chief cities of the United States together. The broad watercourses around Boston are now spanned by causeways and bridges,—East Boston only, that the harbour may be opened to the navy-yard, being reached by a ferry. ”

“ The public buildings of Boston are very numerous, embracing those of the United States Government, the State, the county, and the city. Most of them have been built within a few years, and are substantial and commodious, but, owing to the constant expansion and growth of the city, each of them in turn becomes contracted, and needs enlargement or a substitute. The buildings connected with each of the railroad stations have been reconstructed for extension three or four times. ”

“ The only alternate of decline and decay is renovation and improvement. The changing generations help the good work with fresh materials and new energies. The breaking up of old fossilized parties encourages it. ”

“ By wisdom, patience, strong purposes and noble effort, they must be purified and elevated, or they will waste by neglect, indifference or corruption. It is by the intelligent recognition of this, and by resolves and efforts of men of the nobler type, that things are altered for the better advisedly. ”

“ The mayor is to be, ex officio, chairman of the general board, to which no other member of the city government can belong, and which shall have the whole management of the schools, choosing and fixing the compensation of all teachers, janitors, &c., but needing the authority of the city council before incurring an expense exceeding $1000 for the purchase of land, or the erection or alteration of a building. Boston has now 9 high schools, 49 grammar-schools, 416 primary schools, 25 evening schools and industrial, licensed minors', deaf-mute, and kindergarten schools,—total, 499. ”

“ Boston received a city charter in 1822. Its Government is composed of a mayor, twelve aldermen, and a common council of seventy-two members, three from each of its twenty-four wards, annually elected by the citizens. There are commissioners for fire, water, health, and various other departments. There is a board of twelve overseers of the poor, with a commodious central building, connected with twelve charitable organizations, with which the board acts in concert. ”

“ The first bridge over Charles River, that to Charlestown, was opened in 1786; the West Boston bridge, to Cambridge, in 1793; the Western Avenue, a solid causeway to Brookline, 7000 feet long, in 1821. Boston has now to maintain sixteen bridges. Most of the railroads also have their bridges. Six of the islands in Boston harbour are the property of the city, and three more of them have been ceded to the United States for fortifications. The harbour islands, including rocks and shoals, are very numerous, rendering the navigation through the two channels very difficult and easily guarded. ”

“ Literary, learned, scientific, benevolent, and secret societies, represented by their own edifices, halls, libraries, and collections, are very numerous, and well sustained. Among these may be mentioned the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; the Massachusetts Historical Society; the Boston Athenæum, with a very extensive library, paintings, and statuary; the New England Historic Genealogical Society; the Masonic Temple; the Odd Fellows' Hall; the Mechanics' Association; the Mercantile Library Association; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the Boston College (Roman Catholic) ”

“ From the first settlement, however, the ownership and occupancy of land by the citizens were not confined to the soil of the peninsula. The land needed for grazing, farming, and wood, on neighbouring promontories and islands was soon placed under the jurisdiction of Boston, for its “inlargement.” Portions of territory, thus added, were from time to time severed, and have since been re-annexed. Noddle's Island, now East Boston, was “layd to Boston” in 1637. It then contained 660 acres, with several hundreds more of flats and marsh, since reclaimed. ”

“ Wealth slowly but steadily increased, through the whale and cod fisheries, the fur-trade, the sale of lumber and pitch, and a commerce largely with the West Indies and elsewhere,—though much impeded by the restrictions of the English navigation laws. ”

“ In 1760 a conflagration consumed 349 dwellings, stores, and shops, and rendered more than 1000 people homeless. But these and all subsequent ones were eclipsed in their devastation by the disaster of November 9-10, 1872, in which hundreds of costly warehouses filled with goods, with banks, offices, churches, &c., were destroyed, though all of brick or granite, involving a loss of over $80,000,000. ”

“ The 900 acres of the original peninsula have been doubled on its own area; while the present area of the city's jurisdiction covers 22,472 acres. The whole length of the original peninsula, from Roxbury line to Winnisimmet Ferry, was two miles and a little more than three quarters; its greatest breadth was 1 mile and 139 yards. The reclaimed territory is raised to a uniform level, sufficiently high to secure it against freshets, and is well drained. ”

“ The edifice has been once enlarged, with efforts to render it fireproof, and additional ground has been purchased at a cost of $70,000. The expense of its maintenance and care, in 1874, was $135,000. There are employed in it 103 persons. The number of volumes is about 280,000, besides pamphlets, MSS, and valuable collections of engravings, including the Tosti, so called. Branch libraries are established for the convenience of the citizens, in South and East Boston, Dorchester, Roxbury, Brighton, and Charlestown ”