Nativism? Check. Drowning? Check. Petty theft? Check. Skull fractures? Check. Devastating fire? Check. Granite mutilation? Check. All courtesy of the 1838 and 1841 Boston Almanacs.
13 August 1837
A good deal of excitement occasioned by the promulgation of an order that no person should be admitted into the Fire Department but "native citizens". The Board of Aldermen remedied the difficulty by changing the term to "citizens of the United States."
13 August 1840
A young man named Richard Wilby lost his life by a fall from the rocks on Little Nahant, where he was climbing in an attempt to obtain some minerals.
15 August 1837
A swindler passed a dollar bill altered to a ten, at the box office of the Lion Theatre, received his change and escaped detection.
17 August 1837
Some disorderly persons in Charlestown mutilated several handsome granite posts in front of the block of brick buildings near Dr. Walker's meeting house.
18 August 1837
George W. Kilham, about 37 years old, dropped down dead near Mr. Dearborn's shoe store, in Hanover Street, about 6 o'clock in the afternoon. His disease upon examination to be an ulcer of the heart.
18 August 1837
James Williams, Jr. of Boston, on bail of $5000 in New York, for obtaining goods on false pretences, left that city without advising his bail, and travelled eastward, swindling tavern keepers, etc. in his progress. An officer despatched in pursuit finally arrested him in Portsmouth, N.H. where he had established himself as a tailor and dancing master, and returned him into the safe keeping of Bridewell.
19 August 1837
A waggon came in contact with a chaise containing a lady and gentleman, in Charlestown Square, broke both shafts, and let down the lady under the horse's hind feet. The horse being quiet, she crept out with no other injury than dirtying her dress and jamming her Tuscan. [ed. note: what is a Tuscan?]
21 August 1837
Charles Harlow committed to jail for stealing silver spoons at the north part of the city.
21 August 1840
Richard S. Stearns, of Salem, was thrown from a chaise in Salem Street [what are the odds?] and his skull was so badly fractured that he died the next morning. His horse started at seeing a pile of bricks in the street.
23 August 1840
Gardner Brewer's Distillery in Distill House Street, partially destroyed, with 100 hogsheads of rum and several of molasses. The fire spread to Edward's carpenter's shop, opposite, where the loss was considerable. The storehouse of Mr. Brewer, adjoining, was wholly destroyed. Loss 12 or $15,000, covered by insurance. It is believed that the distillery was struck by lightning.
I think a Tuscan is a type of bonnet. I found several references to Tuscan bonnets with ribbons. I'm not sure how one would be "jammed", though!
Posted by: LaDivina | 24 August 2006 at 11:00