F 
 
 
c^.^y Q-j 
 
Kuuxaauficj-MJK*: 
 
.^, {9^U-f 
 
 ITARY SURVEY 
 
 TOWN OF LAWRENCE, 
 
 CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSIONERS 
 
 APPOINTED UNDER A RESOLVE OF THE LEGISLATURE OF 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS, RELATLNG TO A SANITARY 
 
 SURVEY OF THE STATE. 
 
 EEPRINTED FROM THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PRINTED BY DUTTON & WENT WORTH, 
 
 No. 37, Congress Street. 
 
 1850. 
 
SANITARY SURVEY 
 
 TOWN OF LAWRENCE, 
 
 
 CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSIONERS 
 
 APPOINTED UNDER A RESOLVE OF THE LEGISLATURE OF 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS, RELATING TO A SANITARY 
 
 SURVEY OF THE STATE. 
 
 REPRINTED FROM THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PRINTED BY DUTTON «& WENTWORTH, 
 
 No. 37, Congress Street. 
 
 1850. 
 
Ft*- 
 
 The Sanitary Commission consisted of Lemuel Shattuck, Esq., cliaiiman, of Bos- 
 ton ; N. P. Banks, Esq., of Waltham ; and Jehiel Abbott, M. D., of Westfield. 
 
 IN BXCXAKOB 
 
 Boa. 
 Mar 28 06 
 
SANITARY SURVEY OF LAWRENCE. 
 
 1. Natural and Atmospheric Condition of the Toion. 
 
 Lawrence was projected as a manufacturing town, in 1844, and in- 
 corporated April 17, 1847. It is 26 miles from Boston, 20 from Sa- 
 lem, 24 from Newburyport, and 29 from Manchester, N. H. Its 
 latitude is 42° 42' 57.67", and its longitude 71° 09' 05.84", west of 
 Greenwich. It contains 4,374 square acres, 344 of which is covered 
 with water. 1,980 acres of the land on the south side of the Merri- 
 mack River was taken from Andover, and 2,050, on the north side, 
 from Methuen. 
 
 The general character of the soil is a dry, sandy alluvial, resting on 
 a rocky base, at a greater or less depth from the surface. Clay gravel 
 prevails in the northerly parts of the town. On the south side of the 
 river it is generally level, and also in the central parts on the north 
 side. The top of the dam across the Merrimack is 45 feet above tide 
 water. In the populous part of the town, the foot of Lawrence street 
 is the lowest elevation, being 4 feet above the crest of the dam, and 
 37 feet below the highest elevation of the streets. Two hills, one on 
 the easterly and the other on the westerly borders of the town, rise to 
 the height of about 140 feet above the dam. 
 
 There are three streams of water — the Merrimack, near the centre ; 
 the Spicket, on the north ; and the Shawsheen, foi-ming, in its sluggish 
 course, the easterly boundary of the town, on the south side of the Mer- 
 rimack. The first two are rapid, but neither is subject to overflow its 
 banks. The Merrimack, in its natural passage through the town, has 
 a rapid here, known as Bodwell's Falls, which in some places falls 4 
 or more feet in a 300 feet passage. In a medium curi'ent, about 5,000 
 cubic feet of water passes per second, and it sometimes rises to 60,000 
 per second, thus affording a water power here nearly or quite equal to 
 that of Lowell. Lake Winnepisiogee, in New Hampshire, containing 
 about 120 square miles, the principal source of the Merrimack River, 
 has been purchased by the owners of the water power in this and the 
 other manufacturing towns above, to make the flow of water at all 
 seasons equal to the general average. The Spicket falls 40 feet over 
 a succession of dams, and discharges about 100 cubic feet per second. 
 The Shawsheen has very little perceptible fall in this town. 
 
 The town seems to be free from natural sources of malaria ; though 
 meteorological and other similar observations have not been made for 
 a sufficient time, nor with sufficient accuracy, to determine, with much 
 exactness, the true natural character of the locality, nor to ascertain 
 whether any atmospheric peculiarity or sanitary impurity exists. 
 2. Artificial and Local Condition of the Town. 
 
 The lands now comprised within the township, previous to 1844, 
 were used principally for agricultural purposes, and contained, in- 
 cluding the Methuen pauper establishment, less than 100 inhabitants. 
 In that year an association was formed, consisting of Messrs. Samuel 
 Lawrence, John Nesmith, Thomas Hopkinson, Josiah G. Abbott, of 
 
Lowell, and Daniel Saunders, of Andover, by the name of the "Water 
 Power Association," for the purpose of purchasing lands and creating 
 a water power on Merrimack River, in Andover and Methuen. They 
 selected the site and projected this as a manufacturing town ; and pur- 
 chased about three-fourths of the land comprised within the present 
 limits of the township. 
 
 The same individuals obtained an act of incorporation by the name 
 of the " Essex Company," dated March 20, 1845. The stock of this 
 company was taken up and the company organized in April, 1845, at 
 which time Hon. Abbott Lawrence was chosen President ; Messrs. 
 Patrick T. Jackson, William Sturgis, Nathan Appleton, John A. Low- 
 ell, and Ignatius Sargent, Directors ; and Charles S. Storrow, Esq., 
 Principal Agent and Chief Engineer. To this company all the lands 
 purchased by the "Association" were conve5^ed. 
 
 Before commencing tne enterprise, a careful survey was made and 
 a general plan formed, under the direction of the chief engineer, for 
 using the water power, for the location and construction of the dam, 
 for the canal and the mills, and for the streets and public squai'es of 
 the town. In the spring of 1846, the services of Capt. Charles H. Big- 
 elow, formerly of the U. S. Engineers, were also obtained for the com- 
 pany, and under his immediate direction the works upon the dam and 
 canal were successfully carried forward to their completion, in accord- 
 ance with the original designs. 
 
 The results of the surveys were laid down upon a map, an outline 
 of which is presented, accompanying this sketch. The streets are 
 from 50 to 80 feet in width, and generally 200 feet apart. The build- 
 ing lots are 93 feet deep from the street, leaving a back passage-way 
 of 14 feet in width between the two tiers of lots. 
 
 The elevation of the crossing of each street, above a given level, is 
 stated in the plan, showing the grading pi'oposed to be made by the 
 Essex Company, as a guide to builders ; and the streets were so drawn 
 as to admit of surface drainage and under-ground sewerage. A large 
 common sewer, the interior of which is 6^ feet high and 3 feet wide, 
 admitting a man to walk erect, was constructed of brick laid in cement 
 and of stone masonry, and passes under and 4 feet below the bed of 
 the canal, near the foot of Lawrence street, into the Merrimack River. 
 It is in a natural ravine, of gradual descent, with a constant stream of 
 water passing through it, keeping it at all times sweet and clean. 
 There are two other great sewers in other parts of the town, built of 
 brick and stone, each 4 feet in diameter, passing under the canal. 
 These sewers lead from Haverhill street, (the one most elevated,) 
 southerly, into the Merrimack. Others lead northerly, into the Spicket, 
 and a very effective drainage and sewerage are by these means afforded. 
 The town has appropriated $5,000, this year, for the construction of 
 collateral sewers. 
 
 The main common or public square, near the centre of the town, 
 comprises 18 acres, and was the gift of the Essex Company. The 
 other lands were divided into lots and numbered, a plan of which was 
 drawn on different sheets, and bound in a volume, on a scale suffi- 
 ciently large to admit inserting in each lot the name of the original 
 purchaser, and the successive owners to which it may be transfer- 
 red for several years. A part of the lots designed for private use 
 
were first offered for sale at auction, by the Essex Company, April 
 28th, 1846. Restrictions were imposed upon the use of some of these 
 lands. On Haverhill street no lot can have upon it more than one 
 house and the necessary out-buildings, for twenty years ; and no 
 house can be occupied by more than one family at the same time. On 
 Essex street, brick or stone buildings only, three stories high, with 
 slate or metallic roofs, can be erected. It is to be regretted that re- 
 strictions could not have been laid upon all the lands, as they might 
 have prevented some inconveniences and sanitary evils. Many of the 
 streets, public squares, and other inclosures, about the town and near 
 the mills, are planted with ornamental trees and shrubbery. The 
 frame of the first dwelling-house was raised September 12th, 1845 ; 
 since that time many substantial buildings, brick and wood, and others 
 of less permanent character, have been erected. A part of the town, 
 above the dam, on the south side of the river, known as " Dublin," in 
 a dry and elevated situation, has been discreetly appropriated for 
 " shantees," for the accommodation of Irish laborers and their fami- 
 lies. The number of private dwelling-houses, including 90 Irish shan- 
 tees, and exclusive of the boarding-houses of the Bay State and Atlan- 
 tic Corporations, was 335, in Februaiy, 1847 ; and 849, in 1849. Of 
 335 tenements, 12 were at that time occupied partly for stores ; 96, 
 including the half of the shantees, contained from 2 to 9 persons 
 each ; and the remainder, 227, from 10 to 74 each. In 1850, accord- 
 in cr to the assessors' return to the State, for the decennial valuation, 
 there were 828 dwelling-houses ; and according to the United States 
 census, 1,081 tenements. 
 
 Water for domestic use is at present obtained from wells ; it is con- 
 sidered good for drinking, though rather hard for many purposes. 
 Cast iron pipes, connected with force-pumps at the mills, and with the 
 water of the canal, for use in case of fire, are laid in part of the 
 streets, and are to be extended to others and to reservoirs upon the top' 
 of the adjacent hills. An aqueduct company was incorporated May 
 10, 1848, to bring water into the town ; but no definite measures have 
 as yet been matured under its sanction. 
 
 The public buildings erected, prior to January, 1850, were — 9 
 houses, for the accommodation of the primary and mixed schools, 2 
 for the grammar schools, and 1 for the high school ; 6 churches, and 
 a Town Hall. In all the public buildings the most approved modern 
 sanitary plans for warming and ventilating have been adopted. 
 
 The High School-house is a substantial brick edifice, situated on 
 Haverhill street, fronting on the northerly side of the common. It is 
 large and elevated, and amply provided with the most approved, con- 
 venient interior fixtures and furniture, and with necessary out-build- 
 ings ; and with room for exercise and recreation. It cost about 
 $15,000. Land is reserved in the neighborhood for the erection of 
 additional buildings when needed. 
 
 The Town Hall is a brick edifice of great architectural beauty, 121 
 feet 2 inches in length, 64 feet 2 inches in breadth, and 55 feet in 
 height. It fronts on the southerly side of the common, and was erected 
 in 1849, at a cost of about $40,000. It contains a large hall for the 
 accommodation of the people in general town meeting, rooms for the 
 selectmen, and the various town officers, or for the mayor, aldermen,- 
 
and common council, when a city government shall be established, and 
 for the town and county courts. 
 
 These two buildings are unnecessarily large for the accommodation 
 of the present inhabitants of the town, but are constructed partly with 
 a view to its prospective growth. 
 
 Several different companies have been incorporated in this town, for 
 manufacturing purposes. The four principal ones that have commenced 
 operations, are the " Essex Company," incorporated March 20, 1845, 
 with a capital of $1,500,000; the "Bay State Mills," incorporated 
 February 2, 1846, with a capital of $2,000,000 ; the " Atlantic 
 Cotton Mills," incorporated February 3, 1846, with a capital of 
 82,000,000 ; and the Lawrence Gas Company, with a capital of 
 $100,000. These companies together had expended, prior to July, 
 1850, about $5,000,000. The " Union Mills" and the " Pacific Mills," 
 each with a capital of $1,000,000; and the " Bleaching and Dyeing 
 Company," with a capital of $500,000, have been incorporated, but 
 have not yet commenced operations. 
 
 The Essex Company, — the owners of the water power and principal 
 owners of the town, — have eVected the dam, canal, and machine shop. 
 They dispose of the water power to other companies on certain con- 
 ditions, which are specified with great care and minuteness in the 
 printed proposals for their sale. They define a " Mill Power" to be 
 " thirty cubic feet of water per second, when the head and fall is 
 twenty-five feet," which is to be graduated to a less or greater quan- 
 tity as the head and fall shall be greater or less than twenty-five feet. 
 According to this principle, a fall of 20 feet would require 37^^ cubic 
 feet, and a fall of 10 feet would require 80 cubic feet, per second. A 
 similar principle has been adopted at Lowell. A mill power is con- 
 sidered equal to about 60 or 70 horse power. Among other conditions 
 of sale, the water power and mill sites are to " be held, used, and im- 
 proved, for mills or buildings appurtenant thereto, or for such dwell- 
 ing-houses, boarding-houses, sheds, and other out-houses, as shall be 
 required and actually used for the accommodation of the agents, 
 clerks, overseers, machinists, watchmen, or operatives, employed in 
 such mills, and not appropriated to any other purpose whatever." 
 And " the grantees are not to use any building for, or to set up or con- 
 tinue any laboratory, powder mill, furnace, or forge, nor any chem- 
 ical, or other works whatever, which may be so noxious or dangerous 
 from fire or otherwise, as to impair, injure or endanger the life, safety 
 or reasonable comfort of any person." And " no grantee shall, with- 
 out license from the grantors, to be given and revoked at their pleas- 
 ure, (which license is not to be given but with the consent of the mill 
 owners next on each side adjoining,) keep or permit to be kept, any 
 tavern or public house of entertainment, nor any livery stable, nor sell 
 nor permit to be sold, any spirituous liquors of any kind, in any shop, 
 store or building, upon the granted premises." These excellent stip- 
 ulations are accompanied whh suitable penalties and forfeitures in case 
 of non-fulfilment. They have an important sanitary bearing. 
 
 The excavation for the foundation of the dam was commenced Au- 
 gust 1, 1845; the first stone was laid September 19, following; and 
 it was completed in 1848. The foundation is embedded in the solid 
 rock, and bolted to it with iron. The structure is of solid masonry 
 
laid in cement, 1,629 feet in length. The overfall is 900 feet ; the 
 south wing is 324 feet ; and the north wing is 405 feet, constructed to 
 unite with guard locks at the head of the canal. The dam is 35 feet 
 thick at the base, and 12^ feet at the lower end of the coping crest- 
 stone. Its greatest height is 40^ feet, its average height 32 feet. The 
 water falls 25 to 27 feet, giving an effective head and fall of 28 feet 
 for the whole of the river. The rock excavation, in preparing its foun- 
 dation, was 1,700 cubic yards ; the mass of masonry laid in cement is 
 about 29,000 square yards ; and the hammered granite surface 148,000 
 square feet. It cost $250,000, including coifer-dams and all inci- 
 dental expenses. 
 
 The pond, produced by this dam, flows back to the foot of Hunt's 
 falls, in Lowell, which is nine miles distant. In consequence of the 
 great length of the overfall, the height of the water in the pond varies 
 much less than in other parts of the river, and not sufficiently to over- 
 flow the banks and affect the health of the inhabitants. 
 
 The water is taken from this pond by an artificial canal, 5,330 feet 
 in length, 100 feet in width at the upper, and 60 feet at the lower end, 
 measuring at the surface of the water ; and 12 feet in depth in 
 the middle, and 4 feet at the side walls. At the head of the canal are 
 6 sluice-ways, 12 feet deep and 9 feet wide ; and a lock for naviga- 
 tion, 95 feet long and 21 feet wide, all built of hammered granite, laid 
 in cement. At the lower end of the canal are three locks, of 9 to 10 
 feet "lift" each, which are 20 feet wide and 90 feet long ; and a large 
 waste weir of masonry, 120 feet in length. The earth excavated for 
 this canal was 266,000 square yards. The side walls contain 12,000 
 square yards. It is about 400 feet from, and nearly parallel to the riv- 
 er ; and in this space are the sites for the mills. The water is prevented 
 from oozing into the adjoining sandy soil by sheet or plank piling. 
 The cost of the canal and the structures connected with it, was about 
 $200,000. 
 
 The machine shop is 404 feet in length, 64 in breadth, and 4 stories 
 high, of 13 to 16 feet each, admitting the free ingress and egress of 
 locomotive engines ; the forge shop, 232 feet by 53 feet 8 inches, and 
 17 feet high, to contain 32 forges ; and the foundery, 154 by 90 feet, 22| 
 feet high. The forges are arranged in the middle of the building, and 
 the smoke is conveyed by an underground cylindrical flue of brick, 
 4 and 5 feet in diameter, to a great chimney in the middle of the 
 yard. This chimney is a circular stone shaft, 142 feet in height, 14 
 feet exterior diameter at its base, and 8.^ feet at its top. The interior 
 flue is of brick, 5 feet in diameter, surrounded by an air chamber 
 nearly to the top, and receives the smoke from the steam-heating 
 apparatus, the annealing furnaces, and the forge-shop. Very little 
 smoke is made at these works, however, the principal part of the fuel 
 used being anthracite coal. The ware-house, store-house, picking- 
 house, annealing-house, and heating-house, will constitute a range of 
 buildings 315 feet in length, by 43 feet 6 inches in width, and mostly 
 2 stories in height. A pattern-house is to be built, 150 feet in 
 length, 53^ feet in width, and 3 stories in height. All these structures 
 are built of stone, warmed with steam, and are well lighted and ven- 
 tilated. The motive power is supplied by two Fourneyron iron tur- 
 bine wheels, improved by Boyden, of 120 to 150 horse power each, 
 
8 
 
 for the machine shop, and one other for the forge shop. The water 
 is conveyed 540 feet from the canal, in underground passages, and is 
 discharged through an underground race-way, 1000 feet in length, con- 
 sisting of two passages, each 13 feet in width and 15 feet in height, 
 walled and arched with stone. The yard is accessible by a branch of 
 the Boston and Maine Railroad, which completely encircles it and ram- 
 ifies within it, affording the means of conveniently depositing, in store- 
 houses, the iron, coal, and other heavy materials, so as to require little 
 additional labor in their use. At this establishment machinery of all 
 kinds is made, from a spindle to a locomotive steam-engine. The 
 company will employ in their machine shop and foundery, when in 
 full operation, 800 to 1,000 hands, all males. They now employ 
 about 400. 
 
 They have four blocks of dwelling-houses, built of brick, containing 
 50 good 2-story tenements, with little gardens in front, upon the street, 
 and deep yards leading to passage-ways in the rear, 14 feet in width. 
 They occupy an entire square, have cost $2,000 each, exclusive of 
 land, and are good and convenient residences. They are intended ex- 
 clusively for the families of the mechanics employed in the Essex 
 Company's machine shop ; 16 rent for $100 each, and 34 for $80 
 each. Another square is reserved for the erection of similar blocks. 
 
 The Atlantic Cotton Mills have erected a building 600 feet in length, 
 5 and 6 stories in height, partly 64 and partly 106 feet in width, 
 which is devoted to the manufacture of brown cotton goods. It is de- 
 signed to contain 42,500 spindles and 1,168 looms ; 25,088 spindles 
 and 728 looms are now in operation ; and 164 male and 619 female 
 operatives are employed. This number will be increased to about 1,200 
 when in full operation. The motive power is supplied by 3 Boyden's 
 improved iron turbine wheels, each 8 feet in diameter and of 300 
 horse power, — 12 mill powers are devoted to these mills. The board- 
 ing-houses belonging to these mills consist of 6 blocks, containing 68 
 tenements, are built upon a similar plan and have the same admirable 
 arrangements for water, cleansing, sewerage, and other purposes, as 
 those belonging to the Bay State Mills, presently to be noticed. Thirty- 
 two of these tenements are intended for the female operatives ; and 
 .'36, equally good, but containing fewer rooms, are intended for the 
 overseers in the mills, and for men with families, who may also take 
 'boarders. A ground plan and an elevation of these mills is presented 
 iin the accompanying plate. 
 
 The manufacturing establishments at Lawrence have been erected 
 under favorable circumstances. They were planned and constructed 
 under the guidance of the scientific skill and practical experience 
 which had been acquired by wise and successful men, in a series of 
 years, in other places, aided by an excellent water power, ample capi- 
 tal, and under reasonable national and state legislation. The results 
 have appeared to us so admirable, and so highly worthy of imitation, 
 that we have supposed we could not perform a more useful public 
 service, than to give a more particular description of one of them. 
 It will show, in a favorable light, the intelligence, the enterprise, and 
 the liberality, that has generally presided over all the affairs of this 
 town. 
 
 The establishment belonging to the " Bay State Mills," is devoted to 
 
/ ^ IL Z!\ 5^ . \ 
 
 mmm^ mm m^a mmwm 
 
 M ASS. 
 
 ^^^^^gSS?! 
 
 
 FRONT ELEVATION OF MACHINE SHOP 
 
 '^^O'Mfor-fi'c .Lifk-.'^u£> 
 

 E^ 
 
 inSnHBBIEBHHEl I 
 snnnannansEa 
 
 !2njE3f3BISB 
 lBaa22Sa32BB 
 SnSnBBBSHHBiJ 
 
 EaBnBSBHBSaDnnCDBiflBaSBBBBDBS D EaBBnaaaBBDB 
 ":2:5nz2na r:':3?:BB3 32i:3nE3sfcaB5 553BncaBj gTEaaaarnsai 
 
 FRONT ELEVATION Of- ATLANTIC COTTON MILLS. 
 
the manufacture of cassimeres, shawls, and other fancy woollen goods ; 
 and was planned and erected under the general superintendence of 
 Samuel Lawrence, Esq. It is the largest mill of the kind in the 
 world ; and will consume, when in full operation, more than 2,000,000 
 pounds of wool annually. The mills occupy a parallelogram of 1,000 
 feet in length by 400 feet in breadth, between the canal and the Mer- 
 rimack River. Buildings are erected on the outer borders of this site, 
 affording a spacious central area. That on the river side is 1,000 feet 
 in length and 40 feet in breadth, with two wings, at right angles, at the 
 ends, 240 feet by 40 feet, and outer porches for ingress and egress. 
 The whole is three stories in height, excepting the centre, — 52 feet by 
 42 feet, — which is five stories high. On the side next the canal is 
 another line of buildings, 800 feet in length, 38 feet in width, and 2 
 stories in height, designed for counting-rooms, store-houses, watch- 
 houses, and other purposes. Within the interior the three principal 
 mills are erected, each 200 feet by 48 feet 8 inches, containing, in- 
 cluding the basement and the attic, 9 working floors. All these mills 
 are substantially built of brick and covered with slate. The rooms 
 are 11 to 13 feet in height i and are warmed by steam and lighted 
 with gas. The apparatus for warming consists of wrought iron pipes, 
 1 or 3-4 inches in diameter, placed in three, four or five parallel lines 
 around the interior of the building, immediately under the windows in 
 each story, maintaining in all the rooms, at all times, a uniform tem- 
 perature of about 68 degrees. A structure to supply the steam is situ- 
 ated in each wing of the river building, and has twelve boilers and a 
 chimney 135 feet in height. All the rooms are provided with hydrants, 
 to which force pumps and hose are attached, that may be used in case 
 of fire, for washing, and other purposes. A person is employed in each 
 room to keep every part of it and the stairways clean. Each mill is 
 also provided with extra porches, — one in front and the other in the 
 rear, — and with four iron ladders reaching from the bottom to the top, 
 for ascent or descent in case of fire, or for any other purpose. The 
 motive power for these mills is obtained from seven breast-wheels of 
 the first class, 23 feet 4 inches in length, 26 feet in diameter, and of 
 125 horse-power each ; two of which are placed in each principal 
 mill, and one in the river mill. Eight mill-powers were purchased by 
 this company. 
 
 The boai'ding-houses are on the opposite side of the canal, and consist 
 of four blocks, substantially built of brick and covered with slate, each 
 250 feet in length, 36 feet in breadth, 3 stories high, of 10, 9 and 8 
 feet respectively ; with 4 L's in the rear, 1 story high, to each block. 
 Each block contains 8 tenements ; and each tenement, except the end 
 one, is 33 1-3 feet in width and 36 in depth exclusive of the L, and 
 contains 20 rooms, including the attic ; and is designed to accommodate 
 36 boarders. The location and the size of the rooms will appear from 
 the accompanying plan and illustration. The end houses are 25 feet 
 in width, a little smaller than the others. The houses in each block, 
 excepting the end ones, are like that on the right of the plan here pre- 
 sented. As you enter this tenement on the left, there is a small room 
 appropriated exclusively to the mistress of the house. At the right 
 are two dining-rooms, connected by folding doors, each forming pleas- 
 ant sitting-rooms at other than meal times. Passing through the entry 
 
 2 
 
10 
 
 you enter the kitchen, which is furnished with all necessary conveni- 
 ences. Beyond this is the back kitchen, containing a large boiler and 
 conveniences for various other household purposes. In the rear of this 
 is the wash-room, from which you pass into a large yard, enclosed by 
 a high tight fence, having at the end the wood-shed, 14 feet wide, and 
 the privies ; the whole bordering on a common passage way, 14 feet 
 wide. Under each alternate fence is a double cess-pool, serving for 
 two houses, and having an underground passage leading to the com- 
 mon sewer under the sheds. A well of pure water is connected with 
 every four tenements, and all are supplied with soft water, for washing 
 and other purposes, by cast iron pipes, leading from cisterns in the 
 mills to the sinks in the several houses. On the second floor is the 
 parlor, and also a sick room, — a small chamber with a fire-place, de- 
 signed for an invalid who may need seclusion and extra warmth. Be- 
 sides these are sleeping apartments for the boarders in the second and 
 third stories, and in the attic, designed to accommodate 2, 4 or 6 per- 
 sons each, according to the size of the room. Each tenement cost 
 about 84,000 exclusive of the land ; and will compare to advantage 
 with respectable dwelling-houses in Boston, and are much better than 
 the average in countiy villages. 
 
 To protect the health of the inmates, underground sewers are con- 
 structed, under the sheds, in the rear of each block, through which a 
 current of water, supplied by iron pipes connected with the canal on 
 the left, or above the block, is constantly running, carrying off all the 
 contents of the privies, cess-pools, and other filth ; and passing at right 
 angles under the canal, discharging them into the river, preserving the 
 houses perfectly free from offensive smells. A plan of these sewers 
 may be seen in the accompanying illustration. Thirty thousand dol- 
 lars was expended by this company in their construction alone, for the 
 benefit of the health of the operatives ! 
 
 Lahor hegins, or the gate closes, at 5 o'clock, A. M., from May 1 to 
 September 1 ; and at ten minutes before sunrise, the remainder of the 
 year. A first bell is rung about 40 minutes before, to allow time to 
 prepare for work. Lahor ends at 7| P. M., from September 20 to 
 March 20 ; at 7, from May 1 to September 1 ; and at 15 minutes 
 after sunset, for the remainder of the year. It is intended to secure, 
 on the average, 12 working hours, each day. Breakfast is served at 7 
 A. M., from April 1 to September 20 ; and at Ih, for the remainder of 
 the year. Dinner during the whole year at 12| M. 45 minutes are 
 allowed for each meal. 
 
 The number of operatives at present employed in these mills is 
 1,867, of whom 956 are males and 911 are females. When entirely 
 completed and in full operation, they will employ about 2,500, and re- 
 quire a town population of 7,500. The principal part of the opera- 
 tives work by the job ; the males earning on the average about $5 80 
 per week, and the females about $2 75 per week, besides board, 
 which is $1 50 to $2 00 per week for males, and fl 25 for females. 
 The females are principally inmates of the boarding-houses. Most 
 of the males, however, at present have houses of their own, or board 
 elsewhere. 
 
 The boarding-houses for the accommodation of the operatives in 
 these mills, as in other manufacturing establishments, are owned by 
 
11 
 
 the corporation. They have been erected, not for an investment of 
 capital on which a profitable income is to be anticipated, but as a 
 means of preserving a proper supervision over the operatives employ- 
 ed, and for their benefit. Boarding-houses of this kind generally 
 afford less than 4 per cent, interest on the capital invested. Some 
 afford no income at all, and even become an annual expense to the 
 owners. They are kept in repair and rented to the tenants, subject to 
 such regulations and restrictions as the company see fit to establish. 
 The rent and the price of board are fixed by the company ; but both 
 are subject to such alteration as the circumstances of the times, and of 
 all the parties interested, shall render just and proper. 
 
 The tenants of the Bay State boarding-houses now pay $150 each, 
 annually, as rent, which is about three per cent, on the cost. The fur- 
 niture of the houses is obtained and owned by the tenants themselves ; 
 and they furnish provisions and other articles of consumption for the 
 inmates. They now receive 81 25 per week for the board of females, 
 and $1 75 to $2 00 for males. The fare provided is of a plain, sub- 
 stantial and wholesome kind, well prepared, neatly served, and in suf- 
 ficient quantities. Operatives are under no compulsion to board in one 
 tenement rather than in another ; it is for the interest of the boarding- 
 house keepers, therefore, that the bill of fare should be attractive and 
 satisfactory. The keepers are sometimes men with wives and fami- 
 Mes ; but they are generally widows, or females who have been accus- 
 tomed to perform the principal part of the business of providing for 
 their families, and who desire a remunerating means of subsistence. 
 Applications for these situations are generally numerous, but they can 
 be obtained by none but persons of known capacity and respectability. 
 And whenever indications of a different character are manifested, the 
 obnoxious keeper is immediately ejected. Males and females are not 
 allowed to occupy the same house, not even a man with his wife, as 
 boarders. 
 
 Several classes of regulations to be observed by the inmates of these 
 houses, are printed and placed conspicuously in each house. One 
 code is as follows : — 
 
 I. The tenants must not underlet any part of ihcir tenements, nor board any persons not 
 emploj'ed by the company, unless by special permission ; and, in no case, are males and fe- 
 males to board in the same house. 
 
 II. I'he tenants must, when required by the agent, give a correct account, in writing, of 
 the number, names, character, habits and employment of their boarders ; and whether they 
 are habitual attendants on public worship. They must, also, on the first IVlonda}- of every 
 month, send to the counting-room, a list of all the boarders they have taken, and of all who 
 have left their houses, during the preceding month. They must, also, at the same time, ren- 
 der a list of the names of all such boarders as have required the services of a physician. 
 on account of sicknes-:, during the same period. 
 
 III. The doors must be closed at 10 o'clock in the evening, and no one admitted after 
 that time, unless some reasonable excuse can be given. 
 
 IV. The boarders must not be permitted to have company at unseasoriable hours. 
 
 V. All improper conduct among the boarders, and all rude and <lisc)r<lerly deportment . 
 must be prevented by the tenants, if possible, and if |)ersisled in, must be reported to the 
 agent. 
 
 VI. It is confidently expected, that all children over twelve, and under fourteen years of 
 age. living in the houses, be kept constantly at school. 
 
 VII. It is indispensable, that all who live in the houses should be vaccinated, and this 
 will be done, at the expense of the company, by a physician, at the counting-room, for all 
 those emploj'ed by the company, and for the families oi'ihe tenants. 
 
 VIII. Tfie health of the inhabitants requires that particular attention should be paid to- 
 the cleanliness and daily ventilation of the rooms. 
 
 IX. Neither water, nor filth of any kind, must be thrown out in front of the houses, nor 
 be allowed to remain in the cellars, back-yards or sheds. 
 
12 
 
 X. Ashi's must uot be kept in wooden vessels, nor will Hiiy carelessness be allowed in 
 llie u.se of tire or lights. Neither ramphene, nor any other explosive compound used lor 
 lights, will be allowed on the premises. 
 
 XI. 'riie rooms must not be mutilalwl. nor defaced; and, in all cases, where the plas- 
 tering of the walls is broken, either by driving in nails, screws, or pins, or by rubbing with 
 furniture, or by any carelessness, or by any other means beyond ordinary use and wear, the 
 injury will be repaired, and the cost thereof charged to the person leasing the house. 
 
 XII. A suitable chamber for the sick, must be reserved in each house, so that they may 
 not be annoyed by others occupying the same room. 
 
 XIII. VVindovv glass must not be allowed to remain broken, longer than one day. 
 
 XIV. Wood and coal will not be permitted to be taken into the cellars, nor from them, 
 through the front windows. 
 
 Xv. The closest supervision will be exercised to enforce these rules, and the tenants 
 themselves are particularly required to pay close attention to them, and to insist upon their 
 observance on the part of their boarders. 
 
 XVI. No tenement will be leased to persons of immoral or intemperate habits, and any 
 tenant, who, after occupancy, shall be found to be of such liabils, or to receive boardeis of 
 such habits, will be notified to vacate the premises. 
 
 \i^Tlie tenants are prirticiilarhj Jf sired to lend their aid in the preservation of the trees in 
 front ofllie houses, and to give immediate information to the agent, if any injury be done them. 
 
 Similar regulations are issued by the Atlantic Cotton Mills, besides 
 an additional code, one section of which is the following : — 
 
 A proper observance of the Sabbath being necessary for the maintenance of good order, 
 all persons m the employ of this company are expected to he constant in attendance at public 
 icorsliip, ami those who habituall}' neglect this regulation, or whose habits shall be Ibund to 
 be intemperate, or otherwise irregular or incorrect, or who aie known to attend improper 
 places of amusement, will be discharged. 
 
 The execution of these and other police regulations of the whole es- 
 tablishment, is entrusted to the general agent and a sufficient number 
 of subordinate overseers, who are daily present at the mills. The 
 agent is required to be a man who, by his known capacity, his experi- 
 ence, and his character, is fitted for the station. Under his wise and 
 systematic supervision, the boarding-houses, and all the departments of 
 these extensive mills, are managed with the same care as a small, 
 well-regulated family. 
 
 The influence of the system by which the boarding-houses are reg- 
 ulated, is immensely beneficial, whether we consider it in a social, 
 moral, or sanitary point of view. It is an influence which is felt by 
 all the operatives, at all times, while they are out of the mills as well 
 as in them. In the boarding-houses too, a care, attention and over- 
 sight, is frequently exerted by the landlady over her boarders, which 
 is nearly allied to that which a kind parent exerts over her children, 
 and which produces almost as strong a mutual attachment in the one 
 case as in the other. 
 
 The Lawrence Gas Company commenced operations Januaiy 1st, 
 1849. The mills, streets and public buildings are now lighted with 
 gas, and it is to be extended as needed. The gas establishment is on 
 the banks of the Merrimack, below the populous part of the town 
 and the entrance of the Spicket, that no inconvenience may be expe- 
 rienced from its drainage or otherwise. Besides the establishments 
 already noticed, there are several others of minor importance, — 
 among which may be mentioned, a card clothing manufactory, a 
 large piano manufactory in the northwest part of the town, and works 
 for the manufacture of paper hangings. . No slaughter-house, nor any 
 manufactory unfavorable to the health of the inhabitants, is permitted 
 near the centre of the town. 
 
 The return of the assessors, for the State Valuation in 1850, di- 
 
13 
 
 vides the lands of the town into 60 acres of tillage land ; 214 of 
 English and upland mowing ; 33 of fresh meadow ; 202 of pasturage ; 
 408 of woodland ; 2,702 of unimproved land ; 62 of unimprovable ; 
 300 used for roads ; and 374 covered with water. This gives a total 
 of 4,355 acres, or 19 less than the survey as stated, page 437. 
 
 The annual agricultural produce of these lands is stated at 20 bushels 
 of wheat ; 32 of rye ; 350 of oats ; 350 of Indian corn ; 159 tons of 
 English hay, and 17 tons of meadow hay ; and there were in the town 
 185 horses, 37 oxen, 107 cows, and 58 swine. 
 
 3. Number and Condition of the Inhahitants. 
 
 At the first enumeration of the inhabitants, made February, 1847, 
 Lawrence contained 3,577 ; of whom 2,289 were males, and 1,118 fe- 
 males ; 1,271 lived in Irish dwellings. At the second enumeration, 
 made January, 1848, it contained 5,949, of whom 3,750 were Amer- 
 icans, 2,130 Irish, 28 English, 16 other foreigners, and 16 colored 
 persons. At the third enumeration, September, 1849, it contained 
 7,225. The State Census, May, 1850, gave 8,358, living in 1,416 
 families, or an average of 6 to a family ; of whom 7,620 were on the 
 north and 738 on the southern side of the Merrimack. Legal voters, 
 March, 1850, — south side of the river, 84, north side, 993, total, 1,077. 
 Militia enrolled, 1,031. An abstract of the United States Census, just 
 completed, gives 8,500 inhabhants, living in 1,415 familes, and 1,061 
 tenements-; averaging 6 to a family and 8 to a tenement. The follow- 
 ing is an abstract of this census, furnished us by the assistant mar- 
 shal : — 
 
 Number. 
 
 2,266 
 
 919 
 
 1,486 
 
 350 
 
 18 
 
 37 
 
 75 
 
 4 
 
 12 
 
 18 
 
 2,554 
 
 761 
 
 Ages. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Both. 
 
 Place of Birth. 
 
 Under 5,- 
 
 467 
 
 437 
 
 904 
 
 Massachusetts, 
 
 5 to 10, 
 
 346 
 
 345 
 
 691 
 
 Maine, . 
 
 10 to 15, 
 
 278 
 
 339 
 
 617 
 
 New Hampshire, 
 
 15 to 20, 
 
 378 
 
 609 
 
 987 
 
 Vermont, 
 
 20 to 30, 
 
 1,007 
 
 1,487 
 
 2,494 
 
 Rhode Island, 
 
 30 to 40, 
 
 595 
 
 572 
 
 1,167 
 
 Connecticut, . 
 
 40 to 50, 
 
 298 
 
 272 
 
 570 
 
 New York, . 
 
 50 to 60, 
 
 122 
 
 109 
 
 231 
 
 New Jersey, . 
 
 60 to 70, 
 
 41 
 
 44 
 
 85 
 
 Pennsylvania, 
 
 70 to 80, 
 
 14 
 
 16 
 
 30 
 
 Other States, . 
 
 80 to 90, 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Foreigners, . 
 Unknown, 
 
 Total, 
 
 3,549 4,230 7,779 
 
 Under 15, 1,091 1,121 
 
 15 to 60, 2,400 3,049 
 
 Over 60, 58 60 
 
 2,212 
 
 5,449 
 
 118 
 
 Total, 3,549 4,230 7,779 
 
 Persons whose ages are ) ^^i 
 
 not specified, 
 Total population, 
 
 8,500 
 
 Total, 
 
 Colored persons. 
 
 Insane, . 
 
 Deaf and dumb, 
 
 Number between 5 and 
 15, is here stated at 
 1,308 ; number return- 
 ed by school commit- 
 tee, in May, 
 
 8,500 
 
 14 
 3 
 5 
 
 1,180 
 
 The whole population in the manufacturing towns, averages about 
 three times the number of the operatives employed. According to this 
 
14 
 
 rule, when the mills now existing or are in the process of erection 
 are in full operation, Lawrence will require about 5,000 operatives, 
 and a town population of 15,000 ; and those that are projected, but not 
 yet commenced, will require about as many more. 
 
 The names, dates of commencing business in the place, and other 
 interesting particulars concerning professional and other occupations, 
 are presented in " The Lawrence Courier," the oldest weekly news- 
 paper of the town, for February, 1847, January 8, 1848, and April 4, 
 1849. It appears that the first mechanic came into town. May 15, 
 1845 ; the frame of the first dwelling-house was raised September 12, 
 1845 ; the first attorney came March 10, 1846 ; the first physician, 
 October, 1845 ; the first apothecary, June 24, 1846 ; the first printing 
 was done September 26, 1846 ; and the first newspaper was issued 
 October 9, 1846. The " Essex County Sentinel" was first issued Sep- 
 tember 2, 1848. The Post Office was established August, 1846. 
 
 The first public tax in Lawrence was assessed in 1847. The 
 aggregate valuation of the real and personal property, estimated at 
 its market cash value ; the number of ratable polls ; the amount of 
 the taxes assessed ; the rate per cent., or the number of cents on 
 $100 of the valuation ; and the average amount on each poll, and 
 on each inhabitant, in different years, have since been as follows : — 
 
 Ajjgresate Valuation of the Property. 
 Vpnr 
 
 IP 
 
 Amount of 
 Ta.ices assessed 
 
 Proportion on each. 
 
 Real. 
 
 Personal. 
 
 Total. 
 
 $100 Poll. 
 
 Inhabi- 
 tant. 
 
 1847 #1,563,045 
 
 1848 3,466,586 
 
 1849 4,781,950 
 
 1850 4,890,264 
 
 #156,159 
 347,840 
 948,760 
 
 1,012,477 
 
 #1,719,204 
 3,814,426 
 5,730,710 
 5,902,741 
 
 1,679 
 1,730 
 2,262 
 2,249 
 
 #7,871 75 
 18.610 39 
 25,790 94 
 32,243 41 
 
 #0.39 #4 62 #•2 20 
 0.42 10 75| 3 12 
 0.39 11 40 3 17 
 0.49 14 31 3 85 
 
 It appears from this statement, that each $ 100 value of the property 
 paid 39 cents, in 1847, and 49, in 1850 ; that for each ratable poll 
 was paid on the average $4.62, in 1847, and $14.31, in 1850; and 
 that for each inhabitant of the whole town was paid, on the average, 
 $2.20, in 1847, and $3.85, in 1850. The greatest proportion of the 
 taxes is paid by the manufacturing property. 
 
 The taxes paid by the incorporated companies within the town, for 
 the last three years, are as follows : — 
 
 Companies. 
 
 Essex Company, 
 
 Bay State Mills, 
 
 Atlantic Cotton Mills, 
 
 Bay State Bank, 
 
 Boston and Maine Railroad 
 
 Essex Railroad, 
 
 Gas Company, 
 
 In 1848. 
 
 In 1849. 
 
 In 1850. 
 
 . $4,950 96 
 
 $7,400 25 
 
 $8,590 85 
 
 3,028 20 
 
 3,637 34 
 
 6,614 99 
 
 2,100 00 
 
 4,291 17 
 
 5,031 56 
 
 54 60 
 
 50 70 
 
 78 40 
 
 21 00 
 
 276 90 
 
 296 74 
 
 • 
 
 35 10 
 
 24 50 
 245 00 
 
 Proportion per cent, of 
 whole tax, . 
 
 $10,154 76 $15,691 46 $20,882 04 
 54.56 60.84 64.76 
 
15 
 
 If any argument were necessary, at this day, to show that corpora- 
 tions ai-e in many respects beneficial to the people, these facts furnish 
 a conclusive one. Here is an instance where more than one half, (and 
 for this year, $20,882 04 of the $32,243 41, or 64.76 per cent.— 
 nearly two-thirds,) — of all the public taxes i-aised by the town, for the 
 social, pecuniary, educational, moral, and sanitary welfare of the whole 
 people, is paid by the corporations established within it. These corpo- 
 rations give employment and means of subsistence to a large portion of 
 the population of the town, and create a market for the agricultural 
 products of the neighborhood, and thus diffuse their beneficial in- 
 fluence among all classes. This is a direct, positive good, obvious 
 to every one. They also deposit in the town foreign capital, or capital 
 not previously existing there, to be publicly taxed for the general good. 
 This, though a less obvious, is none the less a great public blessing ; 
 and contributes to the general welfare and sanitary improvement of 
 the people. 
 
 The following statement exhibits an abstract of the income and ex- 
 penditures of the town, for the last two years, ending the first of 
 March ; and specifies the sources from which the income was de- 
 rived, and* the purposes for which the expenditures were made : — 
 
 INCOME. 
 
 From Taxes, 
 
 Rents, ... 
 Fees and licenses, 
 State School Fund, 
 State paupers. 
 Loans, . 
 Balance of last account, 
 
 March 1, 1849. 
 
 $18,011 89 
 
 79 00 
 
 99 82 
 
 516 82 
 
 24,892 55 
 
 March 1, 1850. 
 
 $24,329 97 
 
 472 64 
 
 12 00 
 
 174 24 
 
 2,833 88 
 
 35,662 60 
 
 81 45 
 
 
 $43,600 08 
 
 $63,566 68 
 
 EXPENDITURES. 
 
 
 For Public buildings, . 
 
 $8,000 00 
 
 $27,174 09 
 
 Schoolhouses, 
 
 13,370 16 
 
 10,129 24 
 
 Schools, 
 
 4,061 81 
 
 5,895 79 
 
 Roads and bridges. 
 
 2,711 03 
 
 3,552 98 
 
 Health, 
 
 553 31 
 
 335 75 
 
 Fire department, . 
 
 3,480 84 
 
 4,852 19 
 
 Pauperism, . 
 
 3,522 16 
 
 3,622 14 
 
 Police, . 
 
 631 24 
 
 437 55 
 
 Militia, 
 
 
 723 00 
 
 County tax, . 
 
 614 90 
 
 614 90 
 
 Interest, 
 
 975 01 
 
 2,597 56 
 
 Contingent, . 
 
 5,598 17 
 
 2,504 07 
 
 Balance on hand, . 
 
 81 45 
 
 1,127 42 
 
 $43,600 08 $63,566 68 
 
 This statement shows that appropriations and expenditures have 
 been made in this town, for various public purposes, with great liber- 
 
16 
 
 ality. It has been considered wise policy and good economy, in 
 making these expenditures, even at the risk of creating a public debt, 
 to keep in view, not merely the wants of the present inhabitants, but of 
 those who may, according to reasonable anticipations, hereafter, within 
 a few yeai-s, become inhabitants. In establishing a new town like this, 
 accommodations must be provided for transacting the public business, 
 for public schools, and for various other purposes. Such buildings 
 have now been constructed ; and no considerable expenditure will be 
 needed on that account for years to come. It is intended that all cur- 
 rent expenses shall hereafter be paid by current income ; and that the 
 town debt shall be cancelled by annual instalments and by a sinking 
 fund. 
 
 The Public Schools of Lawrence are — 1. Primary Schools, for the 
 education of children under 7 years of age ; 2. Middle Schools, for 
 those between 7 and 10 ; 3. Grammar Schools, for those between 10 
 and 12 ; and, 4. a High School, for those over 12. The classification 
 of the scholars depends, however, upon their qualifications to be trans- 
 ferred from a lower to a higher grade of schools. Where it is imprac- 
 ticable, on account of locality or other causes, to divide the children 
 under 10, into middle and primary schools, they are associated in what 
 are termed mixed schools. We gather the following facts regarding 
 the schools, from the returns of the school committee to the Board of 
 Education, on the first of May, in each year specified : — 
 
 In 1848. Ill 1840. In 1860. 
 
 Children in town, between the ages of 5 
 
 and 15, . 
 
 Number of public schools. 
 Number of scholars at the schools. 
 Average attendance, .... 
 Number of teachers, .... 
 Money raised for the support of schools, . 
 Average for each child between 5 and 15, 
 School rank of the town in the county. 
 School rank of the town in the State, 
 
 The following statement, furnished us by the secretary of the school 
 committee, shows the state of the schools October 1, 1850 : — 
 
 Number of Schools. 
 
 7 Primary schools, . 
 2 Mixed schools, 
 5 Middle schools, 
 2 Grammar schools, 
 1 High school. 
 
 Total and average, . . 3 22 1,327 $8,030 $6 05 
 
 The female teachers receive $225 salary each, per annum ; the 
 teachers of the grammar schools, $700, and of the high school, $800. 
 All the schools are kept the whole year, except two weeks of vacation 
 in winter, and four in summer. It appears by this statement, that the 
 annual expense of educating each scholar, on the average for all the 
 schools, is about $6 ; in the primary schools, $3.96 ; and in the high 
 
 620 
 
 1,089 
 
 1,180 
 
 8 
 
 11 
 
 15 
 
 825 
 
 1,050 
 
 1,006 
 
 615 
 
 651 
 
 939 
 
 7 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 
 $2,000 
 
 $3,750 
 
 $6,602 
 
 $3 23 
 
 $3 44.4 
 
 $5 59.5 
 
 4th. 
 
 4th. 
 
 1st. 
 
 55th. 
 
 55th. 
 
 19th. 
 
 Male 
 
 Female 
 
 
 
 For each 
 
 Teachers. 
 
 Teachers. 
 
 Scholars. 
 
 Annual Expense. 
 
 Scholar. 
 
 . 
 
 9 
 
 599 
 
 $2,375 
 
 $3 96 
 
 . 
 
 2 
 
 95 
 
 570 
 
 6 00 
 
 . 
 
 5 
 
 250 
 
 710 
 
 2 84 
 
 . 2 
 
 5 
 
 330 
 
 3,075 
 
 9 31 
 
 . 1 
 
 1 
 
 53 
 
 1,300 
 
 24 52 
 
PLANS OF THE BOARDING HOUSES BELONCINC TO 
 THE BAY STATE MILLS IN LAWRENCE. 
 
 ^ 
 
 ZNO HOUSE IN THE BLOCK. 
 
 SECOND HOUSE IN THE BLOCK 
 
 SECOND & THIRD FLOORS 
 
 A-SfoSty-St -Jid; iiostoyt. 
 
PASSAGE WAY I4FT. IN WIOTK 
 
 SEWER 
 
 SHED 
 
 SEWER 
 
 SHCO 
 
 CESSPOOL 
 
 y YARD. 
 
 CESSPOOL 
 
 .ELL@ 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 z 
 
 
 
 
 
 Q. 
 
 a. 
 
 ?Si 
 
 
 
 2C 
 
 :£ 
 
 ^ 
 
 2 
 
 z 
 
 \ 
 
 W 
 
 »} 
 
 
 bJouJr 
 
 B© 
 
 R 
 ■ 
 
 YARD. 
 
 ATTJC. 
 
 13xi4 
 
 « 
 
 I I 
 
 9 V 1.^ 
 
 10 r7, -Pt 
 
 -fzexUt- 
 
 1 
 
 closet] 
 
 CL05CT j 
 
 i04.- /^ 
 
 3 
 
17 
 
 school, $24.52. This town was fourth in rank in the county, in 
 1849, — Salem, Newburyport, and Essex, only, being higher ; and it 
 •wasjirst in 1850, having paid for education, at the rate of $5.59|^ for 
 every child in the town, between the ages of 5 and 15 years. The 
 admirable school system and the schools of Lawrence, have been 
 justly commended for their elevated character and rank. 
 
 A bank, with a capital of $300,000 ; a savings bank, in which the 
 deposits are rapidly increasing ; and a mutual fire insurance company, 
 exist in this town. Railroads intersect at this place, which form a di- 
 rect connection with Boston, Salem, Lowell, and various other places 
 in this and the neighboring states, and afford all needful means of in- 
 tercommunication. 
 
 Two military companies, the Lawrence Light Infantry and the Law- 
 rence Mechanic Rifle Company, have been organized, each containing 
 about 50 members. 
 
 The Franklin Library received from Hon. Abbott Lawrence $1,000, 
 which has been increased by other donations. It has already a collec- 
 tion of valuable scientific and miscellaneous works. An able course 
 of scientific and literary lectures is given annually, before the lyceum 
 of the town. 
 
 The inhabitants enjoy comfortable means of subsistence, and their 
 general character is industrious and temperate. The greatest propor- 
 tion of the intemperance, pauperism, crime, and disease, which has 
 existed in the town, has been among the transient population. There 
 are six public houses, either hotels or taverns, at all of which intoxi- 
 cating liquors ?nay be obtained. No licenses, however, for their sale, 
 are granted. 
 
 The average compensation for mechanical labor is, for carpenters, 
 $1.37^ per day ; for masons, $1.75 per day, without board. For com- 
 mon American laborers, $1.00; Irish, 70 to 80 cents. Building ma- 
 terials are abundant, at reasonable prices. The prices of provisions are 
 about the same as in Boston. Coal is $7.00 per ton — firewood $3^ 
 to $6 per cord. 
 
 In the year ending March 1, 1849, the overseers of the poor paid 
 for the partial or entire support of 243 persons, expending $3,771 56. 
 This is nearly 1 pauper to 27 inhabitants ; and 50 cents for each in- 
 habitant. The number returned to the State, November 1, 1849, was 
 455. For the year ending March 1, 1850, the town paid for 3,792 
 days of pauper support, which is equal to the support of a little more 
 than 10 persons during the whole year. The number actually in the 
 poor-house, July, 1850, was 14 ; of whom 8 were foreigners — 3 adults 
 and 5 children ; and 6 were Americans — 3 adults, and 3 children. 
 
 For the year ending October, 1850, the number of persons con- 
 victed before the police court of Lawrence, was 270 ; of this number, 
 127 were convicted for drunkenness, 43 for assault and battery, 21 
 for simple larceny, 19 for disturbing the peace, 18 for selling spirituous 
 liquors, 9 for violating the Sabbath, 7 for assaults on oflficers, 7 for as- 
 saults on females, 5 for obtaining goods on false pretences, 2 for lewd 
 and lascivious behavior, 2 for wilful trespass, 2 for larcenies in dwell- 
 ing-houses, and 1 each for receiving stolen goods, for store-breaking, 
 for arson, for rape, for bigamy, for adultery, and for conspiracy. 
 
 A very large proportion of these criminals were transient persons, 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 who had arrived but a short tune before their arrest. All but 12 of 
 those convicted for drunkenness and for disturbing the peace, were of 
 this character. A marked improvement is said to have taken place 
 among the Irish population, during the past year ; and very few of this 
 class have been arrested for crime. 
 
 The following statement will exhibit the religious opinions and in- 
 stitutions of the people of Lawrence : — 
 
 Cost Annual Fxp. 
 
 Denominations. When Organized. of Cliurdifs. Sittings, of Pnb.Wor. 
 
 First Orthodox ConcTcgraional. . Aug. 8, 181fi, 512,000 1,200 ^1.200 
 
 Second " " . Dec. lit, 1841), Worship in Hall, 1,4.50 
 
 Episcopalian, .... April 29, 18 H, Worship in Vestrv, 1.000 
 
 Unitarian, Aug. 30, 1847, ^8,000 900 * KSOO 
 
 Baptist Aug. 17, 1847, 9,000 800 1.000 
 
 Methodist Juiie 1846, G,000 800 800 
 
 Universalist, .... Nov. 15. 1847, Worship in Hall, (JOO 
 
 Freewill Baptist April ' 184/5, ^.3,000 500 600 
 
 First Roman Catholic, . . . April 1846, 1.500 200 600 
 
 Second " " ' . . . Dec. 1848, 4,000 1,200 1,000 
 
 It appears by this statement, that about $10,000 is annually contrib- 
 uted by voluntary donation for religious instruction. Flourishing Sab- 
 bath schools exist in all the churches. The Roman Catholics are 
 building a stone church to cost over $30,000. 
 
 4. Municipal Regulations and Sanitary Police. 
 
 The municipal government of the town consists of 3 selectmen, a 
 town clerk, a treasurer, 3 assessors, 5 school committee-men, and sev- 
 eral other subordinate officers, all chosen in March, annually. The 
 selectmen act as a board of health, and as overseers of the poor. The 
 police is composed of 1 deputy sheritr, 5 constables, 1 coroner, and 24 
 night and day watch and police. The watchmen are paid 20 cents per 
 hour, while on duty. A special act establishing a police court was 
 passed May 5, 1848. A fire department was also incorporated May 
 10, 1848, the members of which receive 25 cents per hour, while on 
 duty. The selectmen, as a board of health, have issued the following 
 code of rules and regulations : — 
 
 In accordance with the 21st chapter of the Revised Statutes of the Commonwealth of 
 Massachusetts, the following regulations were established at a meeting of the board, for the 
 health and safety of the inhabitants of Lawrence : — 
 
 Art. I. Every tenement in the town, used as a dwelling-house, shall be furnished with a 
 suitable receptacle under ground to carry oft' the waste water — and also with a privy, the 
 vault of which shall be under ground— to be built in the manner prescribed in the fourth ar- 
 ticle of this chapter, and of sufficient capacity in proportion to the number of inhabitants of 
 such tenement. 
 
 Art. n. When the board of health shall be satisfied that any tenement, u.'-ed as a dwel- 
 ling-house, is not furnished with a sufiicient receptacle, privy or vault, or either of them, 
 they shall give notice, in writing, to the occupant, owner or his agent, requiring that a suit- 
 able receptacle, privy or vault, or either of them, be constructed within such time as they 
 shall appoint, for the use of such tenement ; and in case such requisition be not complietl 
 with, the board shall cause such receptacle, privy or vault, or either of them, to be con- 
 structed, the expense of which shall be charged to such occupant, owner or agent. 
 
 Art. III. Whenever the board of health shall find that the number of persons occupying 
 any tenement is so great as to be the cause of nuisance or sickness, or a source of filth; or 
 whenever anj" tenement is not furnished with a suitable tJrivy, vault and receptacle under 
 ground, according to the provisions of this chapter, the board may cause all or any persons 
 occupying such tenement to be removed therefrom — first giving them notice, in writing, to 
 remove, and allowing them the space of at least forty-eight hours, in which to comply witli 
 said notice. 
 
 Art. IV. All vaults and privies hereafter built, shall be so constructe<l that the inside of 
 the same shall be at least two feet distant from the line of every adjoining lot, unless the 
 board of health, or the owner of said adjoining lot shall otherwise agree and consent, and 
 also from every street, lane, alley, court, square, or place, or public or private passage- 
 way ; there shall be no communication between any vault or privy, and any common sewer 
 
19 
 
 or drain, aiul every vault shall be at least five feet deep from the surface or grade of the 
 surrounding land, and shall be constructed of brick or stone, laid in cement, or of good 
 plank, at least tvio inches thick, and to be made water tight — and all vaults or privies al- 
 ready constructed, not couformiiig to the foregoing, shall, within thirlj' days from the date 
 hereof, be so altered, repaired, or rebuilt, as to conform to the above requirements; and 
 whenever any vault or privy shall become offensive, the same shall be cleansed, and the 
 owner or his agent, or the occupant of the land in which any vault or privy may be situated, 
 the stale and condition of which shall be in violation of the provisions of this article, shall 
 cause the same to be removed, cleansed, altered, amended, or repaired, within a reasonable 
 time after notice, in writing, to that effect, given by the board of health ; and in case of neg- 
 lect or refusal, the same shall be performed under the direction of the board of health, at the 
 expense of the owner, agent, or occupant aforesaid. 
 
 Art. V. No vault shall be opened between the 15th day of May and the Mth day of Oc- 
 tober, in each year, unless on inspection caused to be made, the board of health shall be 
 satisfied that the same is absolutely necessary for the health or comfort of the inhabitants ; 
 in which case they may grant special permission, under such restrictions as they may deem 
 expedient; and no vault shall be opened at any time during the j'ear, until 10 o'clock, P. M. 
 
 Art. VI. Whenever it shall appear to the board of health that an3' cellar, lot or vacant 
 land is in a state of nuisance, or so situated that it may become dangerous to the public 
 health, they ma}' cause the same to be drained, filled up, or otherwise prevented from be- 
 coming or remaining a cause of nuisance or sickness, and shall charge all reasonable ex- 
 penses incurred in so doing, to the several owners, or parties occupying such cellar, lot, or 
 vacant land : provided, notice shall have been first given, and the space of forty-eight hours 
 thereafter allowed, as provided in the second article of this chapter; provided, that if no 
 owner or occupant is known to the board of health to be a resident in the town of Lawrence, 
 notice shall be given at least two weeks, in one or more of the newspapers of said town of 
 Lawrence. 
 
 Art. VIL No person or persons shall throw or deposit, or cause to be thrown or depos- 
 ited, in any street, court, square, lane, alley, public square, or vacant lot, or into any water, 
 an}' dirt, sawdust, soot, ashes, cinders, shavings, hair, shreds, manure, oyster or lobster 
 shells, waste vvater, rubbish, or filth of any kind, or an}' animal or vegetable matter or sub- 
 stance whatever. 
 
 Art. Vin. No person shall bring into the town for sale, nor ofler for sale, any diseased, 
 unwholesome, stale or putrid meat, fish, or other articles of provisions, nor any fish, except 
 salmon an 1 shad, and except smelts and other small fish, that shall not first have been 
 cleansed of Iheir entrails and refuse parts. 
 
 REVISED STATUTES— [Chap. 21. sec. 5 :]— " The board of health shall make such 
 regulations respecting nuisance, sources of filth, and causes of sickness, within their respec- 
 tive towns, as liiey shall judge necessary for the public health and safely. 
 
 And if any person shall violate any such regulations, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding 
 one hundred dollars. 
 
 All persons will hereby take notice that the above rules and regulations must be strictly 
 complied with. 
 
 Whenever ci complaint is made against any person for a violation of 
 these regulations, a notice, containing a copy, is served upon such vio- 
 lator, and he is required to remove the nuisance in 48 hours. 
 
 Lawrence has two places for the interment of the dead. One, contain- 
 ing five acres, lies in a pine grove, about a mile from the town-house, and 
 was bought by the town of the Essex Company, for $1,000. It is beauti- 
 fully laid out, intersected by avenues and paths, and divided into family 
 lots, 10 by 14 feet, and into single graves ; the whole designed to fur- 
 nish burial accommodations for about 5,000 bodies. Each family lot, 
 and each single grave, is numbered and marked, and a record is made 
 of the persons interred therein. The right of burial for a single grave 
 is free. A family right, 10 by 14 feet, for 8 graves, is sold for $3.00. 
 The ordinary expenses for interment are, — for a good pine coffin, 
 $4.00 ; digging the grave and the undertaker's fees, $3 ; total, $7, 
 besides carriages. A greater amount, of course, is sometimes ex- 
 pended. The other is a Catholic ground, and contains 3 acres. It is the 
 private property of Rev. Charles D. French, the eldest Catholic priest 
 in the town. Rights for burial for single graves in this ground, are 
 sold at $5.00 for adults, and at $3.00 for children. A " family right," 
 or a right to dig any depth and deposit as many bodies as one pleases, 
 
20 
 
 one upon the top of another, is sold for $9.00 ! Charity graves are 
 sometimes granted. 
 
 5. Health, Sickness, and Mortality of the Inhabitants. 
 The records of births, marriages, and deaths, were commenced May 
 1, 1847, and have since been continued. For the last eight months of 
 1847, and the two subsequent years, we obtain the following abstract 
 of these records : — 
 
 
 May to Dec. 31, 1847. 
 
 in 1848. 
 
 In 1849. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Births, 
 
 139 
 
 185 
 
 61 
 
 325 
 
 Marriages, 
 
 19 
 
 81 
 
 40 
 
 130 
 
 Deaths, 
 
 84 
 
 83 
 
 162 
 
 329 
 
 The records of births and marriages are imperfect. Of the births 
 recorded, 193, or more than 50 per cent., were of children of foreign 
 parents. Some of the deaths are supposed not to have been recorded, 
 in 1847 and 1848 ; but for 1849, all are supposed to have been en- 
 tered. In 1848 there was one recorded death to 71 inhabitants ; and 
 in 1849 there was one to 44. Assuming this as a means of compar- 
 ison, it will show, in the last year, an excess of about 50 deaths above 
 a healthy standard. 
 
 The aggregate and average ages of ail whose ages are specified in 
 the records, was as follows : — 
 
 Deaths of Persons 
 Date, whose Ages are known. Aggregate Ages. Average Ages. 
 
 1847, 79 1,819 yrs. 6 ms. 14 ds. 23 yrs. ms. 11 ds. 
 
 1848, 79 1,317 " " 23 " 16 " 8 " 2 " 
 
 1849, 156 2,082 " 6 " 7 " 13 " 4 " 4 " 
 
 The specific divisions of ages exhibit the following results : — 
 
 Ages. 
 
 Under 15, 
 15 to 60, 
 Over 60, 
 
 Total, . . .155 159 314 100 
 
 And in the different seasons of the year they were, as far as speci- 
 fied, as follows : — 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Proportion. 
 
 63 
 
 65 
 
 128 
 
 40.8 
 
 71 
 
 73 
 
 144 
 
 45.8 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 42 
 
 13.4 
 
 Quarter. 
 
 Under 15. 
 
 15 to 60. 
 
 Over 60. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Proportion. 
 
 Winter quarter, 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 2 
 
 52 
 
 17.5 
 
 Spring quarter. 
 
 34 
 
 22 
 
 1 
 
 57 • 
 
 19.2 
 
 Summer quarter. 
 
 79 
 
 48 
 
 5 
 
 132 
 
 44.4 
 
 Autumn quarter, 
 
 26 
 
 28 
 
 2 
 
 56 
 
 18.9 
 
 Total, . 164 123 10 297 100 
 
 The causes of death, as far as specified on the records, are exhib- 
 ited in the following statement : — 
 
21 
 
 Causes of Death. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 s 
 
 Under 15. 
 
 Ij to 60. 
 
 Over 60. 
 
 Under 15. 
 
 15 to 60. 
 
 Over60. 
 
 o 
 
 SPECIFIED CAUSES. 
 
 55 
 
 67 
 
 18 
 
 57 
 
 67 
 
 18 
 
 282 
 
 1. Zymotic Diseases, 
 
 2. Of uncertain seat, 
 
 3. Of the Nervous Organs, . 
 
 4. Of the Respiratory Organs, 
 
 5. Of tlie Circulative Organs, 
 
 6. Of the Digestive Organs, . 
 
 7. Of the Generative Organs, 
 
 8. Of Old Age, . 
 
 0. Accidental Deaths, . 
 
 26 
 1 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 5 
 
 36 
 
 2 
 
 13 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 35 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 16 
 4 
 3 
 
 30 
 
 4 
 9 
 
 i 
 
 6 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 6 
 
 i 
 
 124 
 9 
 
 19 
 
 66 
 1 
 
 29 
 9 
 4 
 
 21 
 
 Total specified. 
 
 55 G7 
 
 18 
 
 55 
 
 67 
 
 18 
 
 282 
 
 Causes not specified, 
 
 8 4 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 21 
 
 32 
 
 Total, . . . . 
 
 63 
 
 71 
 
 21 
 
 65 
 
 73 
 
 314 
 
 The specific diseases and causes of death, as stated in this table, are 
 as follows : — 
 
 1. 
 
 
 3. 
 
 
 Disease of Bowels, 
 
 13 
 
 Cholera Morbus, 
 
 5 
 
 Apoplexy, . 
 
 . 2 
 
 Jaundice, . . . 
 
 1 
 
 Cholera Infantum, 
 
 4 
 
 Convulsions, 
 
 . 7 
 
 Teething, . . . 
 
 7 
 
 Croup, . . . 
 
 4 
 
 Disease of Brain, 
 
 . 10 
 
 
 — 
 
 Dysentery, . . 
 
 26 
 
 
 — 
 
 Total, . . . 
 
 29 
 
 Typhus Fever, 
 
 52 
 
 Total, . . 
 
 . 19 
 
 7. 
 
 
 Hooping Cough, 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 
 Child-birth, . . 
 
 9 
 
 Influenza, . . 
 
 Measles, 
 
 2 
 11 
 
 Consumption, . 
 Pnuemonia, 
 
 . 58 
 . 7 
 
 8. 
 Old Age, . . . 
 
 4 
 
 Scarlatina, . . 
 
 18 
 
 Pleurisy, . . 
 
 . 1 
 
 9. 
 
 Accidents, . . 
 
 15 
 
 Total, . . 
 
 124 
 
 Total, . . 
 
 66 
 
 Intemperance, . . 
 
 3 
 
 2. 
 
 
 
 
 Want, . . . . 
 
 3 
 
 Dropsy, . . . 
 Hsemorrhage, . 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 5. 
 
 Disease of Heart, 
 
 . 1 
 
 Total, . . . 
 
 21 
 
 Scrofula, . . 
 
 2 
 
 6. 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 Gastritis, . . 
 
 . 2 
 
 Not specified, . 
 
 32 
 
 Total, . . 
 
 9 
 
 Canker, , . . 
 
 . 6 
 
 Still-born, . . . 
 
 8 
 
 It will be seen by this statement, that typhus fever, dysentery, scar- 
 latina, and measles, among the greatest epidemics of the State, and 
 consumption, the most to be dreaded of all diseases, have prevailed 
 here to a large extent, producing, respectively, 52, 26, 18, 11, and 58, 
 of the total mortality of 282 cases in which causes are specified. Of 
 the fever victims the greatest proportion have been males in the pro- 
 ductive periods of life, some of whom were laborers on the public im- 
 provements. A majority of the deaths by consumption, were those of 
 
22 
 
 females in the same period. No case of Asiatic cliolcra has occurred 
 in the town. 
 
 Since the foregoing abstract was prepared, a record of the deaths 
 during the 6 months, ending July 1, 1850, has been obtained, from 
 which it appears that 59 deaths took place during that period, — 31 
 males and 28 females. Their aggregate ages were 1381 years, 5 
 months, 10 days, and their average age 23 years, 5 months. Of these, 
 14 died of consumption — 7 males and 7 females, — 7 were Americans 
 and 7 foreigners ; 9 died of typhus fever — 5 males and 4 females, all 
 Americans but 2 ; and 7 died of small-j)ox — 4 males and 3 females — 
 all Americans but one, and whose deaths were traceable to a neglect 
 of vaccination. These three diseases were the causes of more than 
 half the deaths. 
 
 6. Conclusions and Recommendations. 
 
 The conclusions to which the foregoing facts lead are : — 
 
 1. That the natural situation of Lawrence, its dry soil, its waters, 
 and its general features, seem to be favorable to the promotion of 
 health. The town is, however, as yet, too young, and observations 
 have been too limited, to determine its true sanitary character. 
 
 2. That in the artificial and local arrangements for the manufactur- 
 ing establishments and their accompanying structures, in the plan and 
 location of the streets of the town, in the dwelling-houses, and in the 
 public squares and public buildings, many of the most approved prin- 
 ciples of sanitary science have been introduced. 
 
 3. That the pecuniary, social, and moral welfare of the operatives 
 in the mills, is as well cared for here as in any place within our 
 knowledge. Their house accommodations, means of subsistence, and 
 the moral and sanitary supervision under which they act, cannot be 
 too highly commended. 
 
 4. That the public educational, and other institutions of the town, 
 and the social condition of the inhabitants, are such as must contribute 
 to their general welfare and improvement, physical, intellectual and 
 moral. 
 
 5. That the facts regarding the mortality of the town, especially for 
 the last year, exhibit a remarkably low average age at death. This is 
 not to be taken, however, (for the reasons we have already given in 
 this Report, pp. 139, 140) as an exact test of the sanitary character of 
 the inhabitants. The population is necessarily young, the births are 
 numerous; and the deaths among the children will consequently be 
 proportionably numerous. Comparatively few old people exist in the 
 town to die. This must depress the average age at death. 
 
 6. That temporary causes have operated in Lawrence, as in other 
 new places, to depi'ess the public health, and to produce an unnatural 
 increase in the number of deaths. Among these causes may be men- 
 tioned ; — 1. The transition from one place and from one mode of 
 living to others ; — 2. The bringing together of persons and adventur- 
 ers of different characters and habits, sometimes with broken fortunes 
 or debilitated constitutions ; — 3. The digging up and removal of the 
 soil and earth, sometimes producing unwholesome exhalations ; — 4. 
 Exposure in working in mud and water, in constructing the dam, 
 canal, and other works ; — 5. The insufficiency of proper house accom- 
 modations ; — And 6. The habitations, habits, and peculiar modes of 
 
23 
 
 living of the Irish laborers. These and other causes have produced 
 fevers, dysentery, scarlatina, consumption, and the other fatal diseases 
 which have prevailed here ; and have operated to produce an excess 
 of deaths above a healthy standard. These causes will operate less 
 extensively, however, as the population becomes more settled and sta- 
 tionary. 
 
 7. That there is reason to believe that the natural position of the 
 town, its artificial and local arrangements, the social and pecuniary 
 condition of the inhabitants, and the means provided for their welfare 
 and improvement, will render Lawrence one of the most healthy man- 
 ufacturing towns in the State, especially if all its affairs continue to 
 be wisely and properly regulated and conducted. 
 
 And it is recommended — 
 
 1. That such wise and practical sanitaiy rules and regulations be 
 made by the board of health, and always kept in force, as will prevent 
 nuisances and secure cleanliness in every street and avenue, and 
 around, near, and in every dwelling-house. 
 
 2. That every practical effort be made to prevent crowding too 
 many houses upon one lot, and too many families or persons into one 
 house ; and whenever such a sanitary evil may be found, that it be 
 immediately corrected. 
 
 3. That as soon as practicable, means should be provided for intro- 
 ducing into every dwelling-house an abundant supply of pure, soft 
 water for domestic use. 
 
 4. That water should not be permitted to stagnate in any street or 
 low grounds, within the populous parts of the town ; and wherever 
 such cases exist, that the locality be drained or filled up as speedily as 
 possible. 
 
 5. That the Catholic burial grounds and other places for the inter- 
 ment of the dead, be placed under the control of the board of health 
 of the town, and be subject to such regulations as they shall see fit to 
 establish. 
 
 6. That a thorough sanitary supervision be exercised by the police 
 or other authority over every department of the town, and, as far as 
 practicable, that every avenue to intemperance and other vice be 
 closed ; that every violation of every sanitary regulation be immedi- 
 ately detected, and that nothing unfavorable to the public health be 
 suffered to exist. 
 
 7. That exact observations be made by the manufacturing compa- 
 nies and in the public schools, concerning the sickness that occurs, as 
 recommended in this Report, (pp. 171, 178, and pp. 404-407,) that 
 the ti'ue sanitary character of the locality and of the various occupa- 
 tions may be fully ascertained. 
 
 8. That such of the measures suggested in this Report, as are appli- 
 cable to this town, be adopted and carried into effect by the board of 
 health and by the inhabitants. 
 
 9. That a general report be made annually, by the board of health, 
 or by the selectmen, which shall embrace a concise abstract of the 
 facts concerning the several public departments and offices of the 
 town, gathered during the preceding year, exhibiting its sanitary pro- 
 gress and its condition ; and which shall recommend such measures as 
 may lead to improvement ; and that the same be printed and distrib- 
 uted among the inhabitants. 
 
^u 
 
 ''^