Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 8.djvu/59

 The Middlesex Canal.

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��controlled by corporations, were the principal avenues over which country produce, lumber, firewood, and building-stone found their way to the little metropolis. The cost of enter- tainment at the various country inns, the frequent tolls, and the in- evitable wear and tear of teaming, enhanced very materially the price of all these articles. The Middlesex canal was'liie first step towards the solution of the problem of cheap transportation. The plan originated with the Hon. James Sullivan, who was for six years a judge of the Su- preme Court of Massachusetts, attor- ney-general from 1790 to 1807, and governor in 1807 and 1S08, dying while holding the latter office.

A brief glance at the map of the New England States will bring out in bold relief the full significance of Sullivan's scheme. It will be seen that the Merrimac river, after pursu- ing a southerly course as far as Mid- dlesex village, turns abruptly to the north-east. A canal from Charles- town mill-pond to this bend of the river, a distance of 275^ miles, would open a continuous water-route of eighty miles to Concord, N.H. From this point, taking advantage of Lake Sunapee, a canal could easily be run in a north-westerly direction to the Connecticut at Windsor, Vt. ; and thence, making use of inter- mediate streams, communication could be opened with the St. Law- rence. The speculative mind of Sullivan dwelt upon the pregnant results that must follow the connec- tion of Boston with New Hampshire and possibly Vermont and Canada. He consulted his friend. Col. Baldwin, sheriff" of Middlesex, who had a nat- ural taste for engineering, and they

��came to the conclusion that the plan was feasible. Should the under- taking succeed between Concord and Boston, the gradual increase in pop- ulation and traffic would in time warrant the completion of the pro- gramme. Even should communica- tion never be established beyond Concord, the commercial advantages of opening to the market the unde- veloped resources of upper New Hampshire would be a sufficient justification. Accordingly, James Sullivan, Loammi Baldwin, Jonathan Porter, Samuel Swan, and five mem- bers of the Hall family at Medford, petitioned the General Court for an act of incorporation. A charter was granted, bearing date of June 22, 1793, " incorporating James Sullivan, Esq., and others, by the name of the Proprietors of the Middlesex Canal," and on the same day was signed by His Excellency John Hancock, Gov- ernor of the Commonwealth. By this charter the proprietors were authorized to lay such assessments from time to time as might be re- quired for the construction of the canal.

At their first meeting the proprie tors intrusted the management of the corporation to a board of thirteen members, who were to choose a pres- ident and vice-presidents from their own number, the entire board subject to annual election. Boston capital- ists subscribed freely, and Russell, Gore, Barrell, Craigie, and Brooks appear among the earliest directors. This board organized on the nth of October by the choice of James Sulli- van as president, and Col. Baldwin and John Brooks (afterwards Gov. Brooks) as vice-presidents. The first step was to make the necessary

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