Salem City (part 2 of 5)

The Russia Trade. - Salem vessels opened the American trade with St. Petersburg. On the 15th of June, 1784, the bark " Light Horse," Captain Buffinton, was sent by Elias Hasket Derby with a cargo of sugar, and she was the first American vessel to trade at St. Petersburg.

Salem merchants, in the palmy days of her commerce, were largely engaged in trade with Russia, There have been two hundred and eighty-nine arrivals from the ports of Russia at Salem. The period of the greatest activity in this trade was from 1797 to 1811 inclusive, one hundred and sixty-two of the two hundred and eighty-nine entries having been made during that time. The largest number in a single year was in 1811, when there were thirty-one entries. The war caused a suspension of the trade, and in 1812 there were but three entries and none in 1813 and 1814. In 1815 there were nine entries, and the trade continued till 1829, when it ceased almost entirely, there having been but about six entries after that year. The last vessel to enter from St. Petersburg was the ship " Eclipse," Johnson, master, to H. L. Williams, in September, 1843. All the East India merchants carried on more or less trade with Russia, and brought from there duck, hemp and iron, with which to make up their cargoes for the East. Elias Hasket Derby, William Gray, Joseph Peabody, Nathaniel West, William Orne, Nathaniel Silsbee, Gideon Barstow, Thomas Perkins, Pierce & Waite, Stephen Phillips, Joseph White, Pickering Dodge, Simon Forrester, William Silsbee, Stephen White, Dudley L. Pickman, John H. Andrews, James Devereux and Samuel Orne were among the Salem merchants engaged in this trade. A few of the earlier entries are given, showing the ports from which the vessels arrived.

The brig " Ceres," Thomas Simmons, master, entered from Russia, in October, 1789, with 1,546 pieces of sail-cloth and sheeting, 180 bundles of hemp, 948 bars of iron, and 359 hundredweight cordage. The brig " Iris," Benjamin Ives, master, entered from St. Petersburg in October,1790. The brig " Hind," John Bickford, master, cleared for the Baltic, June 17, 1790, with 600 barrels of tar, lObarrelsof turpentine, 4 hogsheads tobacco, 27 casks of rice, 21 hogsheads New England rum and 73 chests of Hyson tea, and entered from St. Petersburg, on her return, in November, 1790. The ship " Commerce," John Osgood, master, entered from St. Petersburg in December, 1790, again in November, 1791, and again in September, 1792. All these vessels were owned by William Gray. The brig '' Good Intent," M. Haskell, master, entered from Russia in December, 1791, again in November, 1792, and again in November, 1793, consigned to Simon Forrester. The brig " Polly and Betsey," Gamaliel Hodges, master, entered from St. Petersburg in November, 1794, consigned to Joseph White. The bark " Essex," John Green, master, entered from Russia in January, 1795, and again in October, 1795, consigned to William Orne. The bark "Vigilant," Richard Wheatland, master, entered from Russia in October, 1795, consigned to Simon Forrester. The brig " Hopewell," James Dowling, master, entered from St. Petersburg in September, 1797, consigned to Nathaniel West. The bark " William," Benjamin Beckford, Jr., master, entered from St. Petersburg in January, 1798, and again in August, 1798, consigned to William Gray. The brig " Neptune," Robert Barr, master, entered from Russia in October, 1798, consigned to John Barr,

The first entry from Archangel apjjears to be that of the ship " Perseverance," Richard Wheatland, master, in October, 1798. She proceeded to Boston with her cargo. The brig " Fanny," Jesse Smith, master, entered from Archangel in November, 1798, with hemp, cordage, candles and soap, consigned to John Derby, Jr. The ship " Cincinnatus," Samuel Endicott, master, entered from St. Petersburg in November, 1799, consigned to Joseph Peabody. The brig '- Good Hope," Nicholas Thorndyke, master, entered from St. Petersburg in October, 1801, consigned to Nathaniel West. The ship " Mount Vernon," Samuel Endicott, master, entered from St. Petersburg in September, 1804, consigned to Joseph Peabody. The brig "Admittance," C. Sampson, master, entered from St. Petersburg in September, 1805, consigned to John Osgood. The brig "Augusta," Timothy Haraden, master, entered from Archangel in September, 1810, consigned to Joseph Peabody. The ship " Friendship," Edward Stanley, master, entered from this same port in September, 1811, consigned to Jerathmael Peirce. The ship " America," Samuel Briggs, master, entered from Riga in April, 1812, consigned to Benjamin W. Crowninshield. The ship " Herald," Eleazer Graves, master, entered from Archangel in August, 1815, consigned to Nathaniel Silsbee. The brig " Saucy Jack," Nathaniel Osgood, master, entered from Archangel in November, 1815, consigned to Pickering Dodge.

Among the later arrivals was the brig " Niagara," Oliver Thayer, master, which entered from Cronstadt in September, 1828, consigned "to Joseph Peabody.

The last two arrivals from Archangel appear to have been the ship " Diomede," Samuel L. Page, master, which entered from that port in October, 1820, and the schooner " Regulus," George Chinn, master, which entered in November, 1820, consigned to Edward Lander and others. The last arrival from Cronstadt was the brig "Mexican," H. Johnson, master, which entered in August, 1836, consigned to Joseph Peabody. There was no other arrival from Russia until September, 1843, when the ship " Eclipse," Johnson, master, entered from St. Petersburg, the last vessel to arrive at Salem from that port.

Trade with Spain and Portugal. - Among the earliest ports to which Salem sent the products of her fisheries for a market, were those of Spain and Portugal. This trade began before the year 1700, in which year Higginson speaks of the foreign trade of Salem, as being in "dry merchantable codfish for the markets of Spain and Portugal." Bilboa and Lisbon were among the ports earliest visited. In 1710 the ship " Macklesfield," a frigate of three hundred tons, belonging to London and from Lisbon, was cast away outside of Baker's Island and lost. In February, 1715, the ship "Hopewell," loaded with fish for Bilboa and anchored in the harbor, was driven ashore on the rocks in South Field. Most of her cargo was unloaded before she was got off,

Philip English was trading at Spanish ports from 1694 to 1720 ; and Richard Derby, from 1732 to 1757. The last entry from Bilboa was in 1809. The years 1803 and 1807 show each eight entries from Lisbon. From 1800 to 1808 the trade with Spain and Portugal was at its height. Bilboa, Cadiz, Barcelona, Malaga, Tarragona, Alicant, Lisbon and Oporto were among the ports from which Salem vessels brought cargoes. After the War of 1812 there were but few entries from either of those ports, saving that of an occasional cargo of salt from Cadiz.

The ship " Astrea," Henry Prince, master, entered from Alicant in April, 1799, with fifty-eight thousand and three gallons of brandy and four thousand four hundred and forty-six gallons of wine, consigned to Ellas H. Derby, and paying a duty of $20,930.59. The brig " Favorite," Henry Rust, Jr., master, entered from Bilboa in December, 1800, consigned to Peter Lander & Co. The schooner " Willard,'' from Alicant in July, 1800, with red wine and brandy, to Willard, Peele & Co. The brig " Essex," Joseph Orne, master, from Barcelona in July, 1800, with red wine and soap to William Orne. The brig " Nancy,'' Thomas Barker, master, from Tarragona in October' 1801, with brandy to Samuel Gray. The snow " Concord," William Leech, Jr., master, from Oporto in September, 1802, with port wine, etc., to William Gray. The brig " Hannah,'^ Clifford C. Byrne, master, from Malaga in November, 1802, with wine, etc., to Joseph White. The ship " Restitution," John Derby (3d), master, from Lisbon in April, 1805, with wine, figs and salt to Simon Forrester. The bark " Active," William P. Richardson, master, from Malaga in June, 1807, with twenty-three thousand seven hundred and forty-six gallons of Malaga wine to Timothy Wellman, Jr. The brig " Washington," Nathan Story, master, from Barcelona in July, 1807, with red wine, brandy and soap, consigned to Stephen Phillips. The brig " Sukey and Betsey," Caleb Cook, 'master, from Malaga in November, 1807, with wine and raisins to Edward Allen. The ship " Sally," Nathan Cook, master, from Lisbon in September, 1824, with salt, etc., to James Cook. The last entry from Lisbon was in 1829. The principal articles imported from Spain and Portugal were salt, wine, brandy and soap.

Trade with other European Ports. - Prior to the War of 1812 Salem vessels were to be found in all the principal ports of Europe, and Salem merchants were trading with Copenhagen, Gottenburg, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Rotterdam, London, Liverpool and Bordeaux. The principal trade with Copenhagen was between 1796 and 1807. There were eight entries in 1799; that with Gottenburg, from 1809 to 1812, and from 1820 to 1823, there being thirteen entries from that port in 1810; that with Antwerp, from 1817 to 1830, there being nine entries from that port in 1827 ; that with Hamburg, from 1798 to 1802, there being five entries in the last-named year; that with Amsterdam, from 1802 to 1806, there being five entries in the firstnamed year ; and that with Bordeaux, from 1794 to 1807, there being twelve entries in 1804 and the same number in 1805, the whole period showing sixty-nine entries. There were only occasional entries from the other ports. The last entry from Copenhagen was in 1816 : from Amsterdam, in 1823 ; from Antwerp, in 1836 ; from Hamburg, in 1828 ; from Gottenburg, in 1837 ; from Rotterdam, in 1834 ; and from Bordeaux, in 1815.

From Copenhagen the brig " Francis," J. Wallace master, entered in March, 1792, and again in November, 1792, with iron and glass, consigned to William Gray. The early trade with Copenhagen seems to have been carried on largely by Mr. Gray. John Fish, Ezekiel H. Derby, Joseph Peabody, Thomas Perkins, and George Crowninshield & Sons were also engaged in this trade. The whole number of entries from Copenhagen was forty-five. The last entry was the schooner "' Rover," Josiah Dewing master, in August, 1816, consigned to Pickering Dodge.

The brig " Hector," Captain Lewis, arrived in 1788. While the brig lay at Marlstrand, where she discharged her cargo, a Swedish ship was wrecked on a very rough and rocky part of the island in a violent storm. The crew, with assistance from the land, soon got safely ashore, except the mate, who went overboard with the fore-mast, to the top of which he had retreated for safety. The mast remained attached to the wreck by the shrouds, and the man continued his hold on the mast, the waves continually breaking over him. The sea was in such violent agitation and the shore so rugged that an attempt to recover him was extremely hazardous. About twenty sail of Swedes were then in the harbor, whose boats were many of them employed to succor the distressed object, but returned without effecting it, intimidated by the danger. At length ai^plication was made to Captain Lewis's crew for their assistance, with the offer of a considerable pecuniary reward if they would make the attempt, even should it fail of success, but they nobly refused going on a mercenary principle. However, from pure motives of humanity, the mate and six hands went off in a boat, at the utmost hazard of their lives and under the discouraging representations of those Swedes who had before sailed, surmounted every danger, and brought the sufferer, with just the remains of life, ashore, after hanging, as it were, by a straw several hours in the water. The offer of money was now repeated to them, and again refused. The Governor of the place being made acquainted with the transaction, sent for these brave Americans to his house, and, taking each of them by the hand, made the most honorary acknowledgments for their successful exertions to rescue from destruction a subject of Sweden, but a stranger to them, and presented the mate with a golden spoon and each of the othf rs with a silver spoon, as testi- monies of their heroism and humanity, and also granted them the liberty of walking in any part of the city at any time of day or night, a privilege in which even their own subjects are not indulged. In short, so much was this act admired that it gained them every mark of respect from the citizens, and the name of an American, says the account, became synonymous with that of hero and friend.

From Gottenburg the schooner " Nancy," Richard Derby master, entered in August, 1791, with iron, consigned to E. H. Derby, Jr., & Co. and John Fisk. The ship " Nancy,'' J. Devereux master, entered in August, 1792, consigned to John Fisk. From 1794 to 1804 there were no entries from this port. The ship "Rising States," Benjamin Beckford, Jr., master, entered in February, 1804, with hemp, to William Gray. The schooner " Saucy Jack," Benjamin Upton master, in September, 1809, with glass, to Timothy Wellman, Jr. The brig "Neptune," Henry King master, in December, 1810, with cordage, steel and sheet-iron, to John Saunders. The ship " China," Hiram Putnam, master, in October, 1820, with iron, to Joseph Peabody. The brig "Jane," Thomas Saul master, in July, 1820, with iron, to Willard Peele. The brig " Roscoe," J. Briggs master, in October, 1825, with iron, to Charles Saunders. The brig "Cynthia," Benjamin Shillaber master, in October, 1826, to David Pingree. The ship " Borneo," I. Nichols master, in September, 1835, with iron, consigned to Z. F. Silsbee. The brig "Leander," J. S. Kimball master, in August, 1836, to Joseph Peabody. The whole number of entries from Gottenburg was sixty-one. The last entry was the brig " Mexican," in July, 1837, consigned to Joseph Peabody.

From Antwerp the ship " Messenger," Edward Stanley master, entered in June, 1817, consigned to John Forrester. The brig "Nancy Ann," John B. Osgood master, in August, 1817, to Stephen Phillii^s. The brig "Naiad," Nathaniel Osgood master, in July, 1823, to Gideon Barstow and others. The brig '* Indus," Thomas Moriarty master, in April, 1826, to Pickering Dodge. The brig " Centurion," William Duncan master, in May, 1826, with linseed-oil, to Nathaniel West, Jr. The ship " Friendship," Nathaniel Osgood master, in May, 1827. The brig " Niagara," Oliver Thayer master, in August, 1829, to Joseph Peabody. The whole number of entries from Antwerp was fifty-five. The last entry was the brig " Curlew," J. Cheever master, in October, 1886, consigned to Edward Allen.

From Amsterdam the brig " Peggy," Jonathan Derby master, entered in Sejitember, 1794, with glassware, paint, iron, steel and ribbons, consigned to Benjamin Pickman, Jr. The ship " Essex," Solomon Stan wood master, in September, 1800, with forty-two thousand eight hundred and seventy-one pounds of cheese, five thousand pounds of nails and eight thousand gallons of gin, to Nathaniel West and William Gray. The ship " Minerva," Matthew Folger master, in September, 1802, with gin, steel and cheese, to West, Williams & Crowninshield. The whole number of entries from Amsterdam was twenty-three. The last entry was the ship " Endeavour," James D. Gillis master, in October, 1823.

From Hamburg the schooner "John," Benjamin Webb master, entered in December, 1792, with steel, glass and spirits, consigned to John Fisk. The schooner " Patty," Edward Allen, Jr., master, in October, 1794, with gin, brandy, hemp and Bohea tea, to Nathaniel West. The brig " Hope," Benjamin Shillaber master, in October, 1794, to John Norris. The brig " Salem," Oliver Obear master, in June, 1799, with gin and hemp, to William Gray. The ship " Friendship," Israel Williams master, in July, 1799, to Peirce & Wait. The brig " Thetis," John Fairfield master, in November, 1799, to Jonathan Gardner. The schooner "Cynthia," John H. Andrews master, in November, 1801, to Pickering Dodge and others. The brig " Helen," Samuel C. Martin master, in December, 1816, with iron, to Humphrey Devereux. The brig " Roscoe," Benjamin Vanderford master, in September, 1823. The whole number of entries from Hamburg was thirty-six. The last entry was the brig " Texel," Samuel Wells master, in January, 1828.

From Rotterdam the ship "Peggy," James Very master, entered in August, 1791. The ship "Active," George Nichols master, in August, 1803, with gin, to Benjamin Hodges & Co. The bark " Georgetown," Joshua Saffbrd master, in September, 1806, to Pickering Dodge. The brig " Indus," John Day master, in November, 1823, with white-lead, nutmegs and mace, to Henry Prince. The whole number of entries from Rotterdam was sixteen. The last entry was the ship " Borneo," C. Prescott master, in May, 1834.

From Bordeaux the brig " Essex," John Green master, entered in November, 1790, consigned to Orne & Saunders. The brig "Columbia," Henry Rust master, in April, 1792, to William Gray. The brig " Nancy," Edward West master, in July, 1794, with wine and sweetmeats, to John Derby, Jr. The brig " Favorite," Peter Lander master, in October, 1795, to John Norris & Co. The schooner "Betsey," Israel Williams master, in November, 1796, with brandy, wine and cheese, to Peirce & Wait. The brig "Exchange," William Richardson master, in May, 1797, with claret wine and brandy, to Ezekiel H. Derby. The schooner " Jason," Benjamin West, Jr., master, in June, 1797, to Benjamin West & Son. The brig " Nancy," Jonathan Neal master, in August, 1797, to William Gray. The brig " Catherine," Daniel Gould master, in May, 1803, to Joseph Peabody. The brig "Pompey," James Gilchrist master, in March, 1804, with wine and twenty-one thousand seven hundred and seventy-two gallons of brandy, to Joshua Ward. The ship " Prudent," Edward Ford master, in July, 1804, to Nathaniel West. The brig

" Edwin," Penn Townsend master, in October, 1804, with wine and prunes, to Moses Townsend. The brig " Industry, J. Cook master, in February, 1805, to William Orne. The ship "Algol," Thomas Folinsbie master, in October, 1807, with wine, to Nathan Robinson. The whole number of entries from Bordeaux was seventy-five. The last entry was the schooner "Cyrus," Benjamin Upton master, in November, 1815, with brandy, yellow ochre and prunes, to Robert Upton.

From Stockholm the ship "China," H. Putnam master, entered in August, 1823, consigned to Joseph Peabody. The brig " Centurion," Samuel Hutchinson master, in October, 1829, with iron, consigned to Gideon Tucker.

From Christiana the brig " Industry," Samuel Smith master, entered in March, 1812, with iron hoops and window-glass, to William Orne. The brig " Cuba," Josiah B. Andrew master, in November, 1816, with iron, steel and glass, to John Andrew.

On the 7th of January, 1796, the ship "Margaret," of Boston, John Mackey master, with a valuable cargo from Amsterdam, went ashore in Salem harbor, on the Eastern Gooseberry, during a snow-storm. The captain and three others perished on the wreck. The rest were saved by men from Marblehead. On the 11th of the same month the brig " John," Ebenezer B. Ward master, from London, was lost on the Great Misery during a snow-storm. There was at this time no light on Baker's Island, and these shipwrecks led the Salem Marine Society to send a memorial to Congress, dated in February, 1796, in which it is stated that " much of the property and many of the lives of their fellow-citizens are almost every year lost in coming into the harbor of Salem, for want of proper lights to direct their course. No less than three vessels, with their cargoes, and sixteen seamen have been lost the present season." The act authorizing the erection of a light-house on Baker's Island was approved April 8, 1796, and the lights were shown for the first time January 3, 1798.

On the 21st of February, 1802, the ship " Ulysses," Captain James Cook, the "Brutus," Captain William Brown, owned by the Messrs. Crowninshield, and the " Volucia," Captain Samuel Cook, belonging to Israel Williams and others, sailed from Salem for Bordeaux and the Mediterranean. When they departed the weather was remarkably pleasant for the season, but in a few hours a furious snow-storm commenced. After using every exertion to clear Cape Cod, the tempest forced them the next day upon its perilous shore. The " Volucia" struck in the forenoon and the other two in the evening. The first was saved with part of her cargo, but the others were total wrecks. The saddest part of this catastrophe was the loss of life in the " Brutus." One hand Avas killed by the fore-yard prior to the ship's striking, another was drowned Avhile attempting to reach the shore, and the commander, with six men, perished with the cold after they had landed. Captain Samuel Cook, of the " Volucia," was associated with mercantile affairs in Salem for a long period. He was born August 3, 1769, and was the son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Newhall) Cook. In 1797 he was commanding a vessel bound for Cadiz. During the palmy days of the East India trade he was engaged in distributing that wealth through the South. He died in Salem December 10, 1861, having lived through the whole period of the rise and decline of the commerce of Salem.

Mediterranean Trade. - Besides the Spanish ports on the Mediterranean, Salem vessels visited Marseilles, Genoa, Naples, Leghorn, Messina, Palermo, Smyrna and Trieste. Salt, wine, brandy, figs, raisins, almonds, candles and soap were among the articles imported from those ports. Leghorn and Marseilles were the ports most frequently visited. From 1804 to 1808 there were forty-six entries from the former and twenty from the latter port. From 1821 to 1829 there were forty-one entries from Leghorn and seventeen from Marseilles. The last entry from Leghorn was in 1841 and from Marseilles in 1833. The principal trade with the Mediterranean ports was from 1800 to 1808.

From Leghorn the ship " Martha," John Prince, Jr., master, entered in July, 1799, with 40,893 gallons of wine, 18,490 gallons of brandy and 6744 pounds of soap, consigned to Elias H. Derby, and paying a duty of $12,840.12. The ship "Lucia," Thomas Meek master, in July, 1800, with brandy, soap, etc., to William Gray, and paying a duty of $20,301. The brig " Sukey," Samuel Sweet master, in August, 1800, to Simon Forrester. The ship " Friendship," Israel Williams master, in September, 1805, to Peirce & Wait. The brig " Betsey," Andrew Tucker master, in June, 1806, with soap, tallow, figs, currants, raisins, almonds and candles, to Joseph Peabody and Gideon Tucker. The ship "America," Joseph Ropes master, in June, 1807, to Nathaniel Silsbee. The ship " Hope," James Barr master, in November, 1807. The brig " William and Charles," Isaac Killam master, in November, 1807, with soap, candles, currants and wine, to Michael Shepard. There were no entries from Leghorn from 1808 to 1816. The ship "Sophia," Jonathan P. Felt master, entered in April, 1816, consigned to Charles H. Orne. The ship " Eliza," William Osgood master, in January, 1821, to Stephen Phillips. The brig " Essex," William Fairfield master, in January, 1822, with candles, soap, raisins, etc., to Nathaniel Silsbee. The ship " Two Brothers," William Messervy master, in February, 1823, to Holton J. Breed. The brig " Gov. Endicott," H. C. Mackay master, in October, 1823, to Pickering Dodge. The brig " Malay," J. Richardson, master, in May, 1825, with lead and currants, to Nathaniel Silsbee. The bark " Patriot," John Marshall master, in August, 1826, to John H. Andrew. The ship " Janus^" Henry G. Bridges master, in August, 1829, with salt, wine and letter-paper, to Gideon Tucker, The brig " Amazon," Oliver Thayer master, in March, 1882, with salt, etc., to Joseph Peabody. The last vessel to arrive from Leghorn was the brig "Mexican," H. Johnson master. She entered in September, 1839, in March, 1840, and in September, 1841, consigned on each voyage to Joseph Peabody. The whole number of entries from Leghorn was one hundred and thirteen.

From Marseilles the schooner " Union," Stephen Field master, entered in October, 1802, consigned to Edward Allen. The ship " Ulysses," William Mugford master, in August, 1804, with prunes, almonds, 18,199 pounds of soap, 48,233 gallons of wine and 1571 gallons of brandy, consigned to William Gray. The ship "Endeavour," James Buffinton master, in July, 1805, with 44,902 gallons of claret wine, etc., to Simon Forrester. The brig " Industry," Jonathan Cook master, in March, 1806, to William Orne. The brig " Sukey," Samuel B. Graves master, in November, 1807, to Nathan Pierce. The schooner "Agawam," Francis Boardman master, in June, 1816, to John Dodge. The ship " Perseverance," James Silver master, in October, 1816, with salt, brandy and claret wine, to Willard Peele and William Fettyplace. The brig " Cygnet," Samuel Kennedy master, in July, 1823, with wine, to Stephen White. The brig " Java," William H. Neal master, in September, 1823, with 35,295 gallons of red wine, 1045 gallons of oil and 9708 pounds of soap, to Jonathan Neal. The ship " Endeavour," J. Kinsman master, in December, 1827, to Dudley L. Pickman. The ship " Messenger," James Buffinton master, in January, 1828, to John Forrester. The ship " Bengal," J. Richardson master, in August, 1830, to Pickering Dodge. The whole number of entries from Marseilles was fiftythree. The last entry was the brig " Roque," T. Seaver master, in February, 1833, with salt, etc., to Joseph Peabody.

From Naples the ketch " John," Stephen Phillips master, entered in March, 1799, with 25,000 gallons of brandy and 46,417 pounds of soap, consigned to Elias H. Derby, and paying a duty of $11,299. The brig " Cruger," John Barton master, in July, 1800, with soap and wine, to John & Richard Derby. The ship "John," Daniel Bray master, in May, 1804, with 32,437 gallons of wine, to Benjamin Pickman, Jr. The brig " Belleisle," Samuel Leech master, in August, 1805, to Pickering Dodge and Nathan Robinson. The ship " Hercules," Edward West master, was seized in Naples in 1809, but Captain West had the good fortune to obtain her release in order to transport Lucien Bonaparte and family to Malta, thus saving his ship from confiscation. The " Hercules " was owned by Nathaniel West. The schooner "Joanna," Jonathan Hassam master, entered in January, 1810, with brandy, etc., to Samuel Gray. The last entry from Naples was the ship " Francis," William Haskell master, in August, 1810, This vesse'

TISER. - For nearly five years during the Revolution there was no paper in Salem. But in 1780 Mrs. Mary Crouch, widow of a printer in Charleston, S. C, removed hither with her pre;S and types, and December 6, 1780, issued a prospectus, in the name of Mary Crouch & Co., for the publication of the Salem Gazette and General Advertiser. For this purpose they announced "an elegant assortment of type and printing materials," and stated their purpose to relate such matters as should refer " to the safety and welfare of the United States, to the liberties and independence of which the Salem Gazette will be ever .sacredly devoted." The first number of the paper was dated January 2., 1781. It was of the crown size, issued weekly at fifty cents a quarter. The paper was more miscellaneous than its predecessors had been. It commenced the jjublication of stories, tales and other entertaining articles.

Mrs. Crouch exhibited spirit and enterprise, but was unable to succeed with the paper, which lasted only nine months, closing October 11th of the same year. She assigned as reasons for the stoppage, "the want of sufficient assistance, and the impossibility of obtaining house-room for herself and family to reside near her business." Her printing-office was at the corner of Derby and Hardy Streets. Mrs. Crouch afterwards removed to Providence, her native place.

5. The Salem Gazette. - In just a week after the close of Mrs. Crouch's paper Samuel Hall again entered upon a career as publisher in Salem. He had returned from Boston, and probably bought Mrs. Crouch's materials. He commenced a new paper entitled The Salem Gazette, the first number of which was dated October 18, 1781. It was of the size and general character of his previous paper. He continued the publication of this series of Gazettes for a little more than four years, enlarging the sheet in the third volume, and bringing it to a close in this town November 22, 1785. At that time he removed the paper to Boston.

In finally terminating his connection with Salem, Mr. Hall stated that he did so only under the pressure of stern necessity. His business had been materially injured by a tax upon advertisements, which had been imposed by the Legislature the previous summer. This tax, in conjunction with the decline of trade, had operated so disastrously as to deprive him of nearly three-quarters of the income of his paper from that source, and on this account he accepted the advice of friends, who recommended his removal to Boston. The contracted circulation of the paper, and the great expense attending its publication in Salem, he said, rendered a burdensome tax upon his advertising columns insupportable. The expense of procuring intelligence from Boston alone, by special messenger, was so great that to defray it he would gladly have given more than half the profits of all the newspapers circulated in this town.

complained so bitterly, was voted by the Legislature July 2, 1785, and had elicited an outcry of indignation from nearly all the papers in the State. It was imposed to aid in liquidating the war debt incurred during the Revolution. It required the payment of six pence on each advertisement of twelve lines or less, and one shilling on those of twenty or less, and so on in proportion. This act was denounced in severe terms as an infringement of the liberty of the press, as the " Bostonian Stamp Act," etc. When the law went into operation, Mr. Hall spoke of it in the Gazette na follows:

" No printer can now advertise, even in liis mvu paper, any books ur pieces of piety or devotion, not excepting the Holy Bible, without paying a heavy tax for it. IIow this accords witli His Excellency's late ' Proclamation for the encouragement of Pieiij, Virtue, Edtwation and 3['ttiHers,' let the franiers of the act determine. Were it not for the tax upon advertising good boois, the Printer hereof would inform the Public that he has just published ' Extracts from Dr. Priestly's Catechism,' which he sells at five coppers single, and two shillings the dozen."

In leaving, Mr. Hall said he should always retain the most grateful recollection of favors received in this place, and should " always endeavor to promote the interests and reputation of the town of Salem."

The removal to Boston was executed with characteristic promptness, so that not a single issue of the pa])er was omitted, the next number, under the new name of The Massachusetts Gazette, appearing as a continuation on the regular day, November 28th. Mr. Hall made arrangements to supply his Salem subscribers as usual, by a carrier. He subsequently sold the Gazette to other 2>arties, He afterwards printed a paper lor a short time in the French language, entitled Courier de Boston, - the first paper in that language in New England. In 1789 he opened a book-store in Cornhill, which he sold in 1805 to Lincoln & Edmands, of which firm Gould & Lincoln were the modern successors.

Mr. Hall, as we have stated was born in Medfbrd November 2, 1740, of Jonathan Hall and Anna Fowle. He died October 30, 1807, aged sixty-seven years. He was an industrious, accurate and enterprising printer, a judicious editor and excellent man. His life was one of active usefulness and of remarkable success. Besides his newpaper publications, he was the printer and publisher of many works of various degrees of importance, some of them of considerable value. The list of his publications during his residence in Salem, and subsequently in Boston, would reflect great credit on him as a man of business enterprise. In his papers he advocated liberal opinions with firmness and discretion, and always commanded the confidence and respect of the best men in the community. " The country," says Mr. Buckingham, " bad no firmer friend, in the gloomiest period of its history, as well as in the days of its young and increasing prosperity, than Samuel Hall."

commencement of a weekly paper with the foregoing title, by George Roulstone. It continued less than a year, and possessed no special interest. It was printed on Paved Street, on a crown sheet, at nine shillings.

7. The Salem Gazette. - The present Salem Gazette was commenced October 14, 1786, when John Dabney and Thomas C. Gushing issued the first number of The Salem Mercury, which in 1790 (January 5th) assumed the name of The Salem Gazette, and has so continued ever since. Mr. Gushing was a native of Hingham. He had served his apprenticeship with Mr. Hall, and had afterwards, in 1785, been con- Jiected with John W. Allen in the publication of the American Recorder and Charlestovm Advertiser, in Charlestowli. He was twenty-two years of age when he came to Salem, and, from his intercourse with so excellent a master as Mr. Hall, had doubtless been strengthened in the liberal principles and correct habits which he brought to his new undertaking.

The Mercury was printed weekly, on Tuesday, on a demy sheet, four columns to a page, and chiefly in long primer type. The price was nine shillings a year. The contents of the paper gave evidence of care in the selection, and the original communications were from competent writers. Party lines had not been drawn at that early period, and the political character of the paper was simply that of an ardent advocate of the new Federal Constitution, the adoption of which, in our own State, and in other States successively, was recorded in terms of exultation.

Mr. Dabney withdrew from the paper at the close of the third volume, October 6, 1789, and opened a book-store, leaving Mr, Gushing sole proprietor of the business. He continued thus until October 14, 1794, a period of five years, and then transferred the publication to William Carlton, his partner in the Bible and Heart Book-store. This book-store was a noted place of resort for the leading gentlemen of the town, such as Dr. Bowditch, Dr. Holyoke and Dr. Prince, for many years. The store was subsequently carried on successfully by John M. Ives, John P. Jewett and D. B. Brooks, and it is now Mr. Young's music-store. There were formerly wooden figures of a Bible and a heart susjiended over the door, which, during the War of 1812, in a time of great political excitement, were torn down in the night by some mischievous persons, and thrown into the harbor. It was upon the occasion of a list of privateers in our harbor being published in the Gazette by the foreman of the office.

The excited and virulent political feeling at various times between 1802 and 1815, embracing the events connected with the last war with Great Britain, was fully exhibited in the columns of the Gazette. Although Mr. Gushing was himself of a mild and peaceable disposition, he allowed a pretty free use of his columns by writers who did not emulate his own virtues. The Republican party was assailed in violent and often extremely personal language. Sarcasm, ridicule and severe denunciation were freely employed. Nor was the Register at all backward in returning the assault in a similar tone and spirit. This mode of warfare led, on several occasions, to serious personal difficulties.

In the fall of 1802 a violent contest arose between the Federal and Republican parties, concerning the election of a member of Congress from this district. The result was favorable to the Republicans. When it was over, in November, the editors of the Register and Gazette were called upon to answer for the tone of their papers, the former by a libel suit and the latter by threats of personal violence. Mr. Gushing was visited at his house by Captains Richard and Benjamin Crowninshield and Mr. Joseph Story, and taken into a private room, where he was charged with malicious publications, of a purely personal and offensive character, against the complainants and their friends, designed to injure them in the estimation of the community. After detailing their grievances at some length. Captain Benjamin Crowninshield threatened to shoot Mr. Gushing if he continued to publish such things as they had complained of. Mr. Gushing replied that it had been his endeavor to keep his paper free from undue personalities, though he considered public characters and public conduct as proper subjects of animadversion ; and as for the future he should give no pledges, but should be governed by his regard for decency, and endeavor to give no just cause of offense. The conversation became so loud and boisterous that it alarmed the females of Mr. Cushing's family, who called a number of persons into an adjoining aj^artment, as listeners ; and thus the whole affair became a matter of public notoriety. The excitement which ensued was so great that Mr. Gushing was obliged to publish a full account of the interview.

One of the most amusing circumstances connected with this period was that of the Pictorial Gerrymander. The Democratic Legislature of 1811-12 had carved and cut up the towns of Essex County in such a manner as to favor the election of a Democratic member of Congress from Essex South. The district thus formed was very strange in its outlines, running from Salem all around the line of back towns, Lynn, Andover, Haverhill, etc., and ending at Salisbury. This curious arrangement struck the eye of Gilbert Stuart, the celebrated painter, as presenting the outlines of a natural monster, and he accordingly took his pencil, and by affixing claws to the lower extremities at Salem and Marblehead, wings to the back at Andover, and a 'horrid beak' at Salisbury, produced the figure of a creature which he said would do for a Salamander. But Major Benjamin Russell suggested that it might more properly be called a " Gerrymander," in allusion to Elbridge Gerry, tlie Democratic Governor of the State. It ever after received this title. An engraving of the monster was inserted in the Gazette and otlier papers, and printed upon handbills, as an electioneering document. In 1813, when the Democrats were defeated, tlie Federalists were in high glee over the " Gerrymander," which had been so useful to them, and on the morning after the election in April, a figure of the skeleton of the deceased monster appeared in the Gazette, with the appropriate epitaph, " Hatched 1812 - killed 1813." This device was executed by Mr. Appleton, the jocose partner of Mr. Gushing in his book-store, who cast a block of typemetal and engraved the figure during the night previous to its publication. There was subsequently published a picture of the nondescript in its coffin, and a fac-simile of the grave-stone, together with an amusing programme of mock ceremonials at its funeral.

Mr. Gushing relinquished the publication of the Gazette Dec. 31, 1822, on account of infirm health, and, in retiring from a post he had so long occupied, bade adieu to his friends in a graceful note. He died Sept. 28, 1824, aged sixty. As an editor and publisher, as well as a member of the firm of Gushing & Appleton, he had secured a host of friends, who remembered him as " the amiable and gifted Gushing." His qualities of mind and heart were such as commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew him. He was steadfast and conscientious in his political opinions, a person of thorough integrity in his business affairs, gentle and pleasing in his manners. He is described as having had strong powers of mind, warmth of fancy, various and extensive knowledge, and a familiar acquaintance with the best of English literature, which gave attraction and fascination to his conversation.

Among the writers for the Gazette during Mr. Cushing's connection with it was the late Benjamin Merrill, who was a constant and voluminous contributor to its columns, and whose writings contributed largely to its success and influence upon the public mind.

The next publishers of the paper were Caleb Gushing, a son of Thomas G., and Ferdinand Andrews, who commenced at the beginning of 1823. Mr. Gushing withdrew at the end of six months, and Mr. Andrews continued sole publisher until April 1, 1825, when he sold half of the establishment to Galeb Foote. Mr. Foote had served his apprenticeship with Mr. T. C. Gushing, who had himself been an apprentice of Mr. Hall, and thus was established a personal connection between the original Essex Gazette and the Salevi Gazette of to-day. In 1826, Oct. 1st, the other half of the Gazette was purchased by William Brown, of Mr. Andrews, who removed to Lancaster and established a paper in that town. He afterwards returned to Salem to publish the Landmark, and was subsequently a proprietor of the Boston Daily Ecening Traveller.

In 1833, Jan. 1st, Mr. Foote became sole proprietor of the Gazette. He was assisted for some time by John B. Ghisholm, and afterwards for many years by Major William Brown. In 1851, Jan. 1st, Nathaniel A. Horton became associated with Mr. Foote as publisher and editor, and so remains at the present time. From Jan. 1, 1847, until Oct. 3, 1851, the Gazette was issued tri-weekly, on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. At the latter date the Saturday edition was discontinued in favor of an enlarged semi-weekly. Since the modern division of parties the Gazette has been a zealous and efficient advocate of the views of the Republican party, in entire harmony with its old antagonist, the Register.

The printing-office previous to 1792 was somewhere near its present location, and for two years subsequent to that time in Stearns' Building. It was afterwards removed to the present neighborhood ; then to No. 8 Paved Street. From 1825 to 1827 it occupied the rooms now improved by the Register office. It was thence removed to Golumbiau Hall, in Stearns' Building, and in 1831 to quarters in the Holyoke Building, where it remained until January, 1874, when it occupied its present commodious quarters in Hale's Building.

8. The Salem Register. - This paper was commenced during the first year of the present century, May 12, 1800, when the first number was issued with the title of Tlie Impartial Register. It was published on Monday and Thursday, by William Carlton, who had withdrawn from the Gazette and dissolved his partnership in the book business with Thomas G. Gushing several years before, as we have already stated. The Register started in opposition to the Federal party, and, during the violent political struggles which ensued, was an able supporter of the Republican cause. It selected for its motto the following lines :

"All parties here may plead an honest, favorite cause, Whoever reasons best on Nature's, Wisdom's Laws, Proclaims eternal Trutli - gains Heaven's and Men's applause."

Dr. Bentley aided Mr. Carlton in his new publication, as he had previously done in the Gazette, and his famous summaries and variety of miscellaneous and local articles soon gave the paper a decided character. In a few months, Aug. 7th, the title was enlarged to The Salem Impartial Register. This was continued until Jan. 4, 1802, when the word "Impartial" was dropped, leaving The Salem Register. At the same time the original motto gave place to the well-known verse which is still printed in the paper, and which was written impromptu by the late Judge Story, who is said to have scribbled it in pencil on the side of a printer's case.

" Here shall the Press the People's Rights maintain, Unawed hj' Influence, and unbribed by Gain ; Here Patriot Truth her glorious precepts draw. Pledged to Religion, Liberty and Law."

Mr. Carlton, was convicted of a libel on Timothy Pickering, and suffered imprisonment therefor. This occurred just after the election of a member of Congress for this district, when Jacob Crowuinshield, the Democratic candidate, was chosen over Mr. Pickering, who was the Federal candidate. The Register had asserted that " Robert Liston, the British Ambassador, distributed live hundred thousand dollars amongst the partizans of the English nation in America," and intimated that Mr. Pickering might have partaken of " these secret largesses," " some little token, some small gratuity, for all his zealous efforts against liberty and her sons, for all his attachment to the interests of England," at the same time indulging in contemptuous flings toward the distinguished ex-Secretary of State. To answer for this article Mr. Carlton was indicted by the grand jury, and tried before the Supreme Court, at Ipswich, in April, 1803. He w^as convicted, and sentenced to pay a fine of one hundred dollars and the costs of prosecution ; to be imprisoned in the county jail two months, and to give bonds, with two sureties in four hundred dollars each, to keep the peace for two years. This unfortunate affair is simply illustrative of the acerbity of party feeling at that time.

In a little more than two years after this imprisonment Mr. Carlton died, July 24, 1805, aged thirtyfour years. He had suffered from fever during his imprisonment as stated by Dr. Bentley, and continued feeble until the day before his decease, when he was suddenly seized by violent fever and derangement, which terminated his life in twenty-four hours. Mr. Carlton was a native of Salem, and descended from two of the ancient families of the country. His constant friend said of him : " He always possessed great cheerfulness of temper and great benevolence of mind. He was distinguished by his perseverance, integrity and uprightness. To his generous zeal the public were indebted for the early information which the Register gave of the most interesting occurrences. To a tender mother he was faithful, and to his family affectionate. The friends of his youth enjoyed the warmth of his gratitude. His professions and friendships were sincere. He was an able editor and an honest man."

Previous to the death of Mr. Carlton the printingoffice was removed (January 3, 1803) from its original location in the house on Essex Street, next below the Franklin building, to a room over the post-office, where Bowker's building now stands. At the same time a new head-piece was mounted, a figure of Liberty, with the motto, " Where liberty is, there is my country."

After the death of Mr. Carlton the Register was published for his widow, Elizabeth, until the 26th of August ensuing, when she died also. It was then continued "for the proprietors," - Dr. Bentley and Warwick Palfray, Jr., contributing to its columns for nearly two years. In August, 1806, an advertisement appeared, stating that '' The S'alem Register having been supported in its editorial department by the voluntary assistance of its friends since the decease of the late editor, Mr. Carlton, the proprietors are desirous of obtaining an editor to conduct the same in future." No new arrangement was commenced, however, until July 23, 1807, when a " new series," entitled The E^se.r Register^ was commenced by Haven Pool and Warwick Palfray, Jr., assisted by S. Cleveland Blydon. At this time the famous mottoverse was dropped, and the following sentence adopted as a substitute: "Let the greatest good of the greatest number be the pole-star of your public and private deliberations." [Ramsay.] Mr. Blydon's name remained in the paper only about six months, when, January 6, 1808, it was withdrawn. The publication days were then changed to Wednesday and Saturday, " for various reasons, some of a public and some of a private nature." The favorite motto was again resumed.

On June 28, 1811, Mr. Pool, the eldest proprietor, although only twenty-nine, suddenly died, after a short illness, leaving Mr. Palfray the sole editor and publisher for the next twenty-three years. Mr. Pool was described in an obituary notice as " an affectionate husband, kind parent and dutiful son. He was of a cheerful disposition, constant and ardent in his friendships and excessively fond in his domestic attachments." He is remembered as a genial and gay companion.

The printing-office was located successively in the three buildings next below the Franklin Place until April 28, 1828, when it was transferred to Stearns' Building, and on October 5, 1832, it was finally removed to Central Building, where it now remains.

On February 1, 1823, the old publication days, Mondaj' and Thursday, were resumed. On January 1, 1835, John Chapman, who had entered the office as an apprentice in 1807, was admitted as partner in the business, and continued until his death.

The death of Mr. Palfray, who had been identified with the Register as Mr. Cushing had been with the Gazette, occurred August 23, 1838, at the age of fiftyone years. He was a native of Salem, a descendant of Peter Palfray, one of the first settlers of this place - having arrived here several years before Governor Endicott. Mr. Palfray served his time as a printer with Mr. Carlton, whose office he entered in 1801. He assumed a share in the charge of the Register while yet a minor, and his tact and good judgment, thenceforth exerted, largelj'^ increased the circulation of the paper, and gave it popularity and influence. He was the sole conductor during the times of the embargo and the war with England, when political feeling ran very high, and was much embittered by personal hostilities. "Yet, notwithstanding all the excitements of those periods," said his eulogist, the late Joseph E. Sprague, " Mr. Palfray gave as little just cause of offense as any man living could. Possessed of most generous and honorable feelings, he never willingly gave just cause of offense to a political opponent. Personal allusions were always painful to him - and at those periods of deadly feud, when he was placed at the editorial desk, it was his greatest pleasure to take from the papers handed him for publication the poisoned arrows; and when he could not consistently with political duty, wholly remove personal allusions, to soften them to the utmost limit." ..." With but slight advantages of education, there were but few who were more useful to society. His heart was the abode of pure thoughts - his life the exemplar of good principles. The tongue of calumny, in the times of bitterest political animosities, never breathed a syllable against the spotless purity of his life and character."

Though Mr. Palfray never sought office, he held several public trusts. He was a member of the city government at the time of his death, and vice-president of the Mechanic Association. He had served with usefulness in both branches of the Legislature.

After the death of Mr. Palfray, the paper was continued by the surviving partner, Mr. Chapman, - the family of the former retaining an interest in the publication. Mr. Chapman, by the soundness of his judgment and the integrity of his principles, contributed largely to the continued success of the Register, although he was not a regular contributor to its columns. The paper was an able exponent of the purposes of the Whig party during the entire period of its existence, and Mr. Chapman was made a member of the Governor's Council in recognition of the value of his services to his party. And afterwards, when the Republican party triumphed in the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States, Mr. Chapman was appointed postmaster of Salem. On January 1, 1839, Charles W. Palfray, a son of the former proprietor, and a graduate of Harvard University, assumed the place vacated by his father. In 1841, January 1st, the earlier name of Ihe Salem Register was again adopted. Eben N. Walton became associate publisher and editor, January 1, 1873, and since the death of Mr. Chapman, April 19, 1873, the paper has been published by Palfray & Walton.

The Register during the more than half-century of its existence has received the contributions of able pens. Dr. Bentley and the late Sherift' Sprague were voluminous and influential writers in its columns for a great many years. Judge Story, during his residence in Salem, was a frequent contributor. So was Andrew Dunlap for many years previous to 1825. The "Summaries" of Dr. Bentley have become famous. These concise and curious medleys were furnished regularly for a quarter of a century. They often extended to a column and a half of close matter, and sometimes to several columns. They were continued until the very close of his life, the last " Summary " appearing in the Register published on the very day of his death, the last day of the year 1819. These contributions from Dr. Bentley's industrious pen were thus constantly furnished without ever a dollar being received by him as compensation. He labored without the expectation or desire of reward.

9. The Weekly Visitant. - In 1806, during the rage of party politics, a periodical was commenced by Haven Pool, of a purely literary character, though not of great pretensions. It was an octavo, entitled The Weekly Visitant, published on Saturday evening "directly west of the Tower of Dr. Prince's Church." Price two dollars per year. It seems to have been designed to atibrd its patrons more agreeable reading than was furnished in the political papers, an idea which was expressed in the couplet adopted as a motto :

10. The Fkieni). - The Visitaat had a successor the next year in Tlie Friend, started by Mr. Pool, in connection with Stephen C. Blyth, as editor, January 3, 1807. It was published weekly, on Saturday evening, of the common newspaper form, at two dollars per year. It was announced as a " new and neutral paper," and was therefore spoken of as "a scheme novel in its design ; " nevertheless it was hoped that by avoiding insipidity it might be made interesting. Like its predecessor, this paper indicated a desire for peace in the community by selecting a peaceful motto from Ecclesiasticus : " Sweet language will multiply friends ; and a fair speaking tongue will increase kind greetings." The Friend lasted about six months, until July 18th, and was then merged in the Register, with which the ])ublisher and editor also formed a connection. Mr. Blyth had changed his name to Blydon, during the year, by consent of the General Court, He was a native of Salem, and taught school here. He afterwards removed to Canada, and is believed to have died there.

11. 12, 13. Humorous Publications. - In 1807 and 1808 Mr. John S. Appleton, of the firm of Gushing & Appleton, who was known as a ready wit, got out two or three small humorous publications, which had a temporary run as periodicals. One of these was "The Fool. By Thomas Brainless, Esq., LL.D., Jester to his Majesty, the Public. A new and useless paper, of no particular form or size, issued at irregu-

I lar intervals; and the price to be left at the generosity of the public." This was issued in 1807. Then there was "the Barber's Shop, kept by Sir David Eazor," published by Gushing & Appleton in 1808 and printed by Joshua Gushing, a brother of Thomas C. Gushing. Another of these ephemeral sheets, the Punches of those days, was Salmagundi, from the same source. In all of these the Republican party was the object of ridicule and satire.

14. The Gospel Visitant. - This was the title of a quarterly octavo magazine, .commenced in Salem in 1811, to espouse the doctrine of Univeralism. It is interesting from tlie circumstance that it was the first regular periodical issued by that denomination in this country. There had been previously an occasional publication in Boston entitled The Berean, - containing the proceedings of an association, - eight numbers of which were printed at irregular intervals, without regard to time ; but the Visitant was the first regular periodical. It was started at the suggestion of a Conference of Universal Ministers, assembled at Gloucester in January of that year. The conductors were Thomas Jones, of Gloucester, Hosea Ballou, of Portsmouth, Abner Kneeland, of Charlestown, and Edward Turner, of Salem, all prominent clergymen of that communion, settled over societies in the places named. The contents of the magazine were chiefly sermons, essays and briefer articles upon religious and doctrinal points. The price was twenty-five cents a number. The numbers for June and September were printed at the Register office ; that for December, by Ward & Coburn, on North Street ; and that for March, 1812, was published in Charlestown. The second volume did not appear until 1817, when it was printed by Warwick Palfray, Jr. It was now edited by Hosea Ballou and Edward Turner. At the commencement of Vol. 3, April, 1818, the publication was removed to Haverhill and assumed by P. N. Green. 15. The Salem Observer. - The first number of The Observer was published January 2, 1823, by William and Stephen B. Ives - the former an apprentice of Mr. Cushing, of the Gazette. It was of the royal size, and issued weekly on Monday evening, from the Washington Hall building, No. 2 Court Street. Price, two dollars. The paper was designed to be a literary and miscellaneous sheet, eschewing party politics, - a character which it has maintained until the present time. It was edited by Benj. Lynde Oliver, Esq., during the first year. After the fifth number the time of publication was changed to Saturday evening, which arrangement continued for twenty-two numbers, and then Saturday morning became the time of publication, and so continues now. At the commencement of Vol. 2, 1824, the title was changed to Salem Observer, and at the same time Joseph G. Waters, Esq., became editor, as successor to Mr. Oliver. At the conclusion of the year Mr. Waters withdrew from the responsibility of the paper, but continued to be a contributor for several years afterwards. In 1825, January 15th, the name was enlarged to Salem Literary atid Commercial Observer, and this was borne until January 3, 1829, when the title Salem Observer was resumed. ^The printing-office was removed, November 25, 1826, from its original location to " Messrs. P. & A. Chase's new brick building in Washington Street." There it remained until 1832, February 4th, when it was again removed to quarters in Stearns' Building which it occupied for fifty years. In 1882 the proprietors erected the Observer Building, of three stories, of brick, in Kinsman Place, next to the City

Hall, and these commodious quarters they still occupy. In 1837, January 7th, Mr. George W. Pease, who had served his apprenticeship in the office, was admitted to the partnership, and in 1839, January 5th, Mr. Stephen B. Ives withdrew, leaving the firm of Ives & Pease.

The Observer has from the beginning "pursued the even tenor of its way " as a well-established family newspaper, experiencing fewer changes of fortune than some papers Ave have mentioned, and therefore affording fewer incidents "to make a note of." Established in a time of intense political excitement as a non-partisan paper, it was the first to succeed upon that basis.

At the termination of Mr. Waters' editorship, Solomon S. Whipple became a regular contributor to its columns, and afterwards Wilson Flagg, Rev. E. M. Stone, Edwin Jocelyn and Stephen B. Ives, Jr. Gilbert L. Streeter became associated with the Observer on January 1, 1847, and, with the exception of a brief period of two years, has been a regular contributor ever since.

16. Salem Courier. - In 1828, September 17th, Charles Amburger Andrews began a weekly paper, the Salem Courier, which was published' on Wednesday, at three dollars, from an office in the East India Marine Hall building. It proclaimed itself " strictly independent," a supporter of Adams' administration, an opponent of the tariff", etc. It became, however, a theological rather than a political paper, and was a zealous antagonist of the doctrines of Calvinism. Its editor was a pleasant and humorous writer, and had able correspondents. But the paper was continued for only one year. Mr Andrews was a member of the bar, and served as a representative of the city in the Legislature. He died June 17, 1843.

17. The Hive. - This was a small weekly publication for children, commenced on Saturday, September 21, 1828, by W. and S. B. Ives. The picture of a bee-hive ornamented its first page, and its contents were mostly selected.

After the fifth number it was issued on Wednesday. It continued for two years. The first volume was 16mo and the second an 8vo. It was one of the earliest of papers intended exclusively for children, which are now so numerous and excellent.

18. Ladies' Miscellany. - A small weekly folio, with this title, was commenced January 6, 1829, a specimen number having been issued on the 7th of November preceding. It was printed at the Register office by John Chapman, on Tuesday, at one dollar per year. It was designed " to furnish a supply of amusing, instructive and unexceptionable reading to the Ladies of Salem and vicinity." At the close of the volume the issue was suspended for want of support, but April 7, 1830, a second volume was commenced, on Wednesday, in consideration of a " considerable accession to the list of subscribers." At the close of this volume the publication ceased.

19. Essex County Mercury. - The publication of a diminutive weekly paper by the proprietors of the Gazette was commenced in 1831, June Stli, under the name of Salem Mercury. It has since been much enlarged, and is now entitled Essex County Mercury, Danvers, Beverly and Marhlehead Courier. It is made up mainly from the columns of the Gazette.

20. Salem Advertiser. - The first organ of the modern Democratic party in Salem was The Commercial Advertiser, commenced April 4, 1832, by Edward Palfray and James R. Cook. It was started as a semi-weekly, on Wednesday and Saturday. The office was in Central building, over the Savings Bank. It was an earnest advocate of the election of General Jackson to the Presidency, and throughout its existence of seventeen years continued to uphold the views of the Democratic party. After the first year the additional title of Essex County Journal was adopted, and it was published as a weekly, on Wednesday, until July 8, 1837, when Palfray & Cook sold out to Charles W. Woodbury, who issued it as a semi-weekly again, under the name of The Salem Advertiser. Thus it was continued until February, 1849, when it was a weekly once more until its final close, August 1, 1849. From October 16, 1841, until September 11, 1844, the title wan Salem Advertiser and Argus, after which the word 'Argus" was omitted.

So many persona were connected with the Advertiser at various times, as editors and publishers, that we must mention them briefly. During the proprietorship of Mr. Woodbury, Wm. B. Pike served as editor for about six weeks from October 17, 1838. Henry Blaney served two terms as proprietor, first, from March 11, 1840, until October 16, 1841, and again from June 21, 1843, until September 11, 1844. Benjamin Kingsbury, Jr., was editor during the political campaign of 1840. Edward Palfray took a second turn of two years between Mr. Blaney's two periods. H. C. Hobart and F. C. Crowninshield were the editors during the campaign of 1844. Mr. Hobart afterwards went to Wisconsin, and became Speaker of the Assembly. Mr. Crowninshield enlisted for the Mexican War, and was a lieutenant of a company. Messrs. Varney, Parsons & Co. were the next publishers, from November 20, 1844, to December 31, 1845, and were succeeded by Messrs. Perley & Parsons, Mr. Varney having gone to the war as a corporal. The final publisher was Mr. Eben N. Walton, who began February 15, 1847, and continued to the end. Mr. Woodbury, an earlier editor, and once postmaster here, was the third one who went to the war. He was drowned on his way back. Before he came to Salem he published the Gloucester Democrat. Edward Palfray, the projector of the paper, and the person who was longest editor of it, died at the Worcester Hospital in 1846, April 14th, aged forty-one. He was a spirited and forcible writer, a zealous Democrat and a kind-hearted man.

the title of a small neutral paper, published weekly by Palfray & Cook, at the Advertiser office. Price, one dollar. It continued for one year, from May 18, ]83;j, when it was relinquished in favor of a political journal. It was edited by Nicholas Devereux.

22. The Constitutionalist. - This was the political journal which followed the Bulletin. Its publishers were the same. It was a small weekly. It sustained Marcus Morton for Governor and Joseph S. Cabot for Congress. The duration of this jjaper was from June 28, 1834, until the close of the year - a little more than six months.

23. The Landmark. - In 1834, August 20th, a semiweekly paper, entitled The Landmark, of goodly size and elegant typography, sent out its first number from a new printing-office, corner of Essex and Liberty Streets. It was printed on Wednesday and Saturday by Ferdinand Andrews, formerly of the Gazette, and subsequently publisher of the Boston Th'aveller, and was edited by Rev. Dudley Phelps.

The Landmark was started in the period of " the Unitarian controversy," and was intended to counteract the influence of Unitarianism, which was prevalent in Salem at that time. It was also intended to give utterance to anti-slavery and temperance sentiments, both of which topics were beginning to attract serious attention. On January 31, 1835, a communication was published in the Landmark upon the subject of temperance, which caused more excitement in the community than any other publication either before or since. It was the famous article by Rev. George B. Cheever, then the young pastor of the Branch Church in Howard Street, entitled " Enquire at Amos Giles' Distillery." It set forth in lurid colors the evils attending the manufacture, sale and use of intoxicating liquors, and dei^icted, with great severity of language, the responsibility of those engaged in the liquor business. It was understood to have personal reference to a prominent and reputable citizen of Salem, a deacon of the First Church, who was a distiller, and was alleged to contain libelous matter. The editor of the Landmark apologized in the next number for the appearance of the obnoxious article, but this did not allay the public excitement ; and a fortnight afterwards Mr. Cheever was publicly whipped in Essex Street, just above Sewell Street, by Elias Ham, the foreman of the distillery, who used a cowhide for the purpose ; and in the evening of the same day an attack was made upon the Landmark office, with the apparent design of wrecking it, but it was defended from the inside, and the assault failed. Mr. Ham was fined fifty dollars for the whipping. Mr. Cheever was tried for libel, and, although defended by Rufus Choate, was convicted, and sentenced to a fine of one thousand dollars and imprisonment in Salem jail for one month. He was escorted to jail by his friends, and was furnished with every convenience and luxury. The parties to these events subsequently and consequently left town. Mr. Ham became an active friend of temperance in after-years. Mr. Phelps retired from the Landmark, and Mr. Cheever left the Branch Church and entered upon a distinguished career in New York City. The Landmark was not sustained in its advanced position, and its publication ceased November 2, 1836, in a little more than two years from the outset.

24. The Lighthouse. - During the time of the Landmark a small weekly paper, entitled The Lighthouse, was printed at the Gazette office, and " edited by an Association of Gentlemen," the design of which was " to represent the sentiments and espouse the interests of liberal Christianity." It was recognized as an antagonist of the Landmark, and was continued from June 11th until October 31st of the year 1835. The first nine numbers were issued on Monday ; the remainder on Saturday.

25. Essex County Democrat. - This was the title of a paper removed hither from Gloucester in the fall of 1838, to sustain Joseph S. Cabot, and the interests of the Cabot section of the Democratic party, in distinction from those of the Rantoul section. It was edited and published by Joseph Dunham Friend. The first number was issued November 2d of that year. After continuing for a time as a semi-weekly, on Tuesday and Friday, it became a weekly. It expired in about three months.

26. The Harrisonian. - During the exciting political contest of 1840 a small campaign paper, entitled The Harrisonian, containing speeches and documents, was published by the editor of the Gazette. It was commenced on Saturday, February 22d, and continued weekly until the election, lending its aid to the Whig nominees.

27. The Whig. - This also was a campaign paper, a few numbers of which were published in 1840 at the Register office, to promote the election of General Harrison to the Presidency. Such campaign sheets as the Whig and Harrisonian were numerous during the memorable contest of that year, and exerted a large infiuence in favor of the election of Harrison and Tyler. They were published at very low rates, and freely purchased by political clubs for gratuitous distribution.

28. Genius of Christianity. - This was the title of a small semi-monthly sheet, printed at the Observer office, for the Rev. A. G. Comings, for two years from January 1, 1841. It was a religious paper, as its title indicates. Mr. Comings was a preacher of the Campbellite faith, and had a society in a room on Washington Street, opposite the court-house.

29. The Christian Teacher. - This was substantially the same publication as the Genius of Christianity, containing, as it did, the same matter as that sheet, thrown into a quarto form, once a month, for circulation through the mail. It was issued during the year 1832. The printers and editor were of course the same.

30. " The Locomotive, an Independent Journal." - In April, 1842, William H. Perley commenced a weekly paper in Lynn, entitled The Locomotive, which was removed to Central Imilding, Salem, December 17, 1842, and published here on Saturday, until July 8, 1843 - about six months. A few numbers in February were published semi-weekly, on a diminutive sheet. From May 13th it was published by Perley & Whittier. It was humorous and miscellaneous in its character.

31. Essex County Washingtonian. - This paper was printed in Lynn, by Christopher Robinson, and was published in Lynn and Salem, on Thursday, during a portion of the year 1842. Its connection with Salem was brief and merely nominal. It was one of the earliest of the numerous temperance periodicals which sprang up at the time of the Washingtonian or moral suasion movement. The editor at one time was the Rev. David H. Barlow, of Lynn.

32. Salem Washingtonian. - This paper, like the preceding one, had only a nominal connection with our city. It was printed in Boston, by J. B. Hall, published by Theodore Abbott, and edited by Charles W. Denison. Its Salem office was in Washington Hall (then permanently occupied by a temperance society), whence it was circulated on Saturday, fora short time, in 1843, commencing July 8th, It soon afterwards assumed the title New England Washingtonian, and was published in Boston under that name for several years.

33. Independent Democrat. - A division existed in the Democratic party in 1843, which led to the establishment of a weekly paper here to sustain David Pingree as a candidate for Congress against Robert Rantoul, Jr. It was entitled Independent Democrat ; was commenced March 6th, and continued for a few weeks only. Wm. H. Perley was the printer.

34. The Voice of the People. - In 1843, May 7th Sylvanus Brown, who was then in Salem Jail for disturbing a religious meeting, published at the Imcomotive office three numbers of a small sheet with the foregoing designation, beginning May 7, 1843. Mr. Brown was one of the sect of " Comeouters," then somewhat numerous, so called because they came out from the churches as a protest against the pro-slavery tendencies of the pulpit.

35. Voice Around the Jail. - In 1843 Henry Clapp, Jr., issued a small transient publication with the foregoing title, from W. H. Perley's printing-office. Mr. Clapp was editor of the Lynn Pioneer, and was then an occupant of Salem Jail under a sentence for libel. His " Voice" in this printed form was in favor of radical reform. Mr. Clapp was a Garrisonian Abolitionist, and a man of genius, and subsequently became prominent as a journalist in New York City.

36. The Evangelist. - For the second time the publication of a Universalist periodical was begun in Salem, Aug. 12, 1843. It was a small weekly, with the foregoing title, issued on Saturday from Samuel

T. Damou's office in Manning's Building. Tlie editors were L. S. Everett, J. M. Austin and S. C. Bulkeley, the first settled over the Uuiversalist society in Salem, and the others pastors in Danvers. The Evangelist was sustained only six months.

37. Essex County Reformer. - This was the third temperance paper published here as an aid to The Washlngtonian or moral suasion movement. It was issued weekly, on Saturday, upon a small sheet, from the office of S. T. Damon. T. G. Chipman was the editor. It lasted three months from September 2, 1843.

38. The Temperance Offering. - The Rev. N. Hervey, who preached to a Free Church in Washington Hall, commenced February, 1845, a monthly 12mo periodical, with the title named above. During that year it was printed at the Gazette office. The second and last volume, for 1846, was printed in Boston, of octavo size, and with the additional title of Youth's Cascade. The volumes have since been issued in book-form.

39. Salem Oracle. - In 1848 two numbers of a small advertising sheet, called The Oracle, were published for the months of January and February by Henry Blaney. Four more numbers, enlarged, for the four months following, were printed at the Gazette office for Jos. L. Wallis, editor.

40. Essex County Times. - This paper was a Democratic weekly, published in the fall of 1848, by PI K. Averill. Jt began in Marblehead, where ten numbers were issued, and ended its brief period here with three numbers more. It was issued irregularly. The principal writer for its columns was E. K. Averill, Jr., who was better known as a writer of "yellow covered literature'" for Gleason's ijublishing house in Boston.

41. The Free World. - This was a spirited campaign paper, published during the Presidential contest in 1848, in support of Van Buren and Adams, the Free-Soil candidates. It commenced August 15th, and continued on Friday until November 10th. The editor was George F, Chever, Esq. It was printed at the Observer office.

42. Salem Daily Chronicle. - The first attempt to establish a daily paper in Salem was made by Henry Blaney, who, in 1848, March 1, began the Salem Daily Chronicle. It was printed in Bowker's building, and published every afternoon at one cent a copy. It took no part in politics and was short lived.

43. The Asteroid. - In August, 1848, William H. Hutchinson, a job printer, commenced a small monthly sheet for the entertainment of the young people in our public schools, etc., entitled as above. It was continued here for several months, and was then removed to Boston.

44. Essex County Freeman. - The Free-Soil movement in 1848-49 led to the establishment of several new papers in different parts of the commonwealth. One of these was the Essex County Freeman, the first number of which was issued by Gilbert L. Streeter and William Porter August 1, 1849. It was designed to aid the political anti-slavery movement, and in pursuance of this purpose sustained the nominations of the Free-Soil party, and subsequently those of the coalition of the Free-Soil and Democratic parties. It was published semi-weekly, on Wednesday and Saturday, at three dollars per year, from an office in Hale's building. In 1850, Nov. 25th, Mr. Streeter withdrew his interest in the paper, but remained as editor. The publication was continued by Mr. Porter until 1852, Feb. 11 th, when he withdrew, and the publication was assumed by " Benjamin W. Lander for the Proprietors." At the same time Geo. F. Chever, Esq., associated himself with the former editor as joint conductors of the paper. In the beginning of the next year the establishment was purchased by Rev. J. E. Pomfret, the former editors continuing their services in that department for several months. Mr. Pomfret was the publisher of the paper for one year, after which Edwin Lawrence, of the Lynn Bay State, become the proprietor. He issued it weekly until June 14, 1854, when the publication ceased, after a term of five years.

45. The National Democrat. - On Saturday, May 24, 1851, Mr. James Coffin issued a specimen number of the National Democrat, but the patronage offered did not warrant a continuance of the paper. It was designed to oi)pose the coalition of the Free- Soil and Democratic parties.

46. The Union Democrat. - The next movement for an anti-coalition Democratic paper was more successful. The Union Democrat lasted over ten months. It was commenced by Samuel Fabyan, a printer from Boston, July 31, 1852, and closed October 6th, when it was removed to Boston. The office was in Bowker's building. Published on Wednesday and Saturday.

47. Massachusetts Freeman. - This was the titleof a weekly Free-Soil paper, published for a short time by J. E. Pomfret, commencing June 8, 1853. It was made up from the columns of the Essex County Freeman. Mr. Pomfret, previous to his commencement in Salem, had published several papers, the last of which was the Amesbury Villager. He was a minister of the Universalist persuasion, and afterwards settled in Haverhill.

48. The People's Advocate. - This paper was begun in Marblehead, in November, 1847, by Rev. Robinson Breare, a Universalist minister, and bore the title of The Marblehead Mercury. In 1848 it became the property of James Coffin and Daniel R. Beckford. In 1849 it was entitled The Peoples Advocate and Marblehead Mercury, and in August of that year Mr. Coffin became sole proprietor. In October, 1853, it abandoned its neutral position in favor of the advocacy of the views of the Democratic party. In October, 1854, the printing-office was moved to Salem and the title of the paper was abbreviated to The People's Advocate. It was discontinued in 1861.

49. Salem Daily Journal. - The second attempt to establish a daily penny paper in Salem was made by Edwin Lawrence in 1854. He published the first number of the Salem Daily Journal on the 24th of July of that year. It was published in the afternoon, as the Chronicle had been in 1848. The experiment was not successful, and the publication was abandoned November 24, 1855, after a trial of over a year. The Journal was at first neutral, afterwards favorable to the Native American party, and in the fall of 1855 approved the Republican nominations. Mr. Lawrence, previous to his removal to Salem, had published the Newburyport Union, Lyim Bay /State and Essex County Freeman.

50. The Essex Statesman. - These were no newspaper ventures during the unsettled period immediately preceding the outbreak of the Rebellion, and it was not until 1863, the second year of the war, that a new publication was undertaken. This was the Essex Statesman, commenced on January 17th, and published on Wednesdays and Saturdays by Edgar Marchant, and afterwards by Benjamin W. Lander. It was announced as "a " conservative " paper and was conducted as a moderate opponent of the national administration. It terminated after four years of difficult existence.

51. The Post. - In July, 1872, Charles H. Webber began the publication of a weekly paper entitled The City Post, which was continued under the successive titles oi Salem City Post and Salem Evening Post. Mr. Webber, after a few years, disposed of the paper, which had become a semi-weekly, to Charles D. Howard. The latter proprietor, in 1885, sold the concern to " The Telegram Publishing Co.," a new penny daily. The Post was a professed neutral paper with Democratic leanings.

52. The Salem Evening News, a small daily penny paper, begun October 16, 1881, by Robert Daman, issued from a new office on Central Street. The News, having become prosperous, was subsequently enlarged and removed to Brown's building, on Essex Street. The main purpose seems to have been to collect the local news and gossip of the town, in which it has been quite successful.

53. The Evening Telegram. - This venture of a small penny daily, in rivalry of the News, grew out of the suspension of the Post, as has been mentioned. The first number was issued by " The Telegram Publishing Company," on February 9, 1885, and it continued until March, 1887, when, becoming embarrassed, the plant was sold out to the publishers of the Daily Times.

54. The Daily Times. - A new trial of the penny plan by parties previously interested in the Telegram. The first number was issued March 21, 1887.

55. The Salem Public. - A weekly paper commenced Saturday, April 23d, 1887, by Charles F. Trow, at $1.50 per year. Devoted chiefly to the interests of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr.

This completes the list of newspapers published in Salem by subscription since the introduction of the printing press by Samuel Hail, more than one hundred years ago. Besides these, several advertising sheets have been issued, such as the Pavillio7i, published by David Conrad for about four years, and the Fireside Favorite, published for a yet longer time and still continued by John P. Peabody. These have been circulated gratuitously, principally for the business advantage of their ])roprietors.

Anotherseriesof periodicals, of a scientific character^ deserve to be enumerated. To review the contributions of Salem authors to the literature of science would be an elaborate work, quite beyond the scope of this paper. Benjamin Lynde Oliver was a distinguished contributor to scientific works befoi'e the Revolution, and his " Essay on Comets " was published in Salem from Mr. Hall's press. The names of Count Benjamin Rumford, John Pickering, Nathaniel Bowditch, Edward A. Holyoke, Charles L. Page and others more recent would be included in this category. For the periodicals published in Salem for the promotion of scientific knowledge we are indebted to the Essex Institute and the Peabody Academy of Science. The former society has been prolific in publications within the past few years, its priced list showing about one hundred and fifty pamphlets and books. The "Journal of the Essex County Natural History Society," from 1838 to 1852, was followed by the "Proceedings and Communications" of the Institute from 1848 to 1868, and then by "The Bulletin," issued quarterly. These publications contained an account of the regular and field meetings of the society, and j^apers of scientific value. Besides these, the Institute issues its "Historical Collections," quarterly, at three dollars a year, containing papers of historical, genealogical and biographical interest and of permanent value to students in general and local history. Although no name is given of the editor of these publications, it is well known that the public are indebted for them to the indefatigable industry of Dr. Henry Wheatland, who is, indeed, the founder of the Institute itself.

Another serial originally issued under the auspices of the Institute was " The American Naturalist, an Illustrated Journal of Natural History." This very meritorious magazine is still published. After its first volume it was published under the auspices of the Peabody Academy of Science for four years, and since that time it has been issued in New York and Philadelphia. The original editors at its commencement in March, 1867, were A. S. Packard, Jr., E. S. Morse, A. Hyatt and F. W. Putnam.

Another serial, miniature in size, was begun in May, 1886, by the " Cuvier Natural History Club," under the name of "The Amateur Collector." The price is twenty-five cents a year and it appears monthly. The youthful naturalists who projected and have maintained this little enterprise design it chiefly to awaken an interest in natural history in the minds of young people.

We have now passed in rapid review the periodical literature of Salem, chiefly its newspapers, during the past century. The reader has observed, doubtless, that only a few of these many enterprises have been permanently successful. Most of the journals which we have named died in early infancy, only three of the whole number having survived a generation. The multiplication of newspapers during this period has been exceedingly rapid, and yet where one has succeeded, perhaps fifty have failed. Often commenced merely as business speculations, rather than to meet the wants of the community, they have not been sustained by the public, because not needed.

When Mr. Hall issued his proposals for the publication of a " Weekly Publick Paper " in this place, such a vehicle of information was greatly desired. Newspapers were few in number and confined to the large seaboard towns. They were looked for and read in the country with the deepest interest. The appearance of the weekly sheet was an event of importance to people of all classes. Now they abound everywhere. Almost every considerable village in the country can boast its local print. Then, the expense attending the publication of a newspaper was very great. Paper was scarce and costly, and other materials obtainable only by importation from the mother-country. The style of the papers, in respect to typographical appearance, was quite inferior. The old Essex Gazette is a curiosity of the printer's art, although it was in all respects a superior paper for those days.

During the past fifty years the art of type-making has advanced rapidly, and wonderful improvements have been made in presses and other contrivances and materials employed in the printing business. The art of wood-cutting has been, we might almost say, discovered since the days when grotesque devices, clumsily executed, figured so extensively at the head of the little colonial journals. The rude wood-cuts which then were supposed to adorn the public sheets are curious and amusing exhibitions of the infancy of this delicate art, now so useful in elegant and cheap illustrations. If any one is interested to see the first difficult beginnings of the engraver's skill, he may find many singular specimens in Thomas' " History of Printing," a valuable and rare work, now out of print. A few instances are also given in Mr. Buckingham's interesting Reminiscences of the newspaper press, to which work, as well as the former one, we are indebted for some of the statements in this account. A comparison of the uncouth adornments of the papers of the Revolutionary period with the exquisite wood engravings in the monthly illustrated magazines now published aflbrds a contrast nearly as great as that exhibited by the toilsome operations of an old hand-

The ancient newspapers were of small dimensions, printed on large types, with clumsy presses and upon coarse paper. Such were the early prints of Salem. They were less various in their contents than those of our time, and were made up without much order or method. They were less full and minute in resjject to local and general information. But little efl'ort was made to gather the countless fragments of news which now distend the columns of the public journal. In all these respects there has been a great improvement in the public prints. But in regard to honest industry and enterprise, public spirit, boldness and freedom of expression, patriotic and noble endeavor, we do not know that any superiority can be claimed for the modern journals. In these particulars the publishers of ante-Revolutionary times were generally worthy of the highest praise.

By Winfield S. Kevins

The public and private schools of Salem have ever occupied a high place among the educational institutions of the country. If Salem did not establish free schools as early as Virginia, it was, doubtless, because the settlement here was not as early. The first settlement in Virginia was made in 1607, and her first public school is believed to have been established in 1621, fourteen years later. The real settlement of the Massachusetts Bay colony was in 1628, when John Endicott and his fellow- voyagers came to Salem, although Conant and a few others had located here in 1626. In 1637, nine years after the coming of Endicott, John Fiske opened a public school in Salem. In Boston, in 1636, a petition was presented to the authorities asking for a free school. Whether it was established before 1642, at which time we find the first definite mention of it in the records, we know not positively; probably it was. But to whomsoever shall ultimately be awarded the honor of establishing the " first free school," this is true : that while Salem maintained hers from 1637 down to 1887, in unbroken succession, the Governor of Virginia, in 1671, "thanked God there were no free schools, nor printing, and hoped they would not have any these hundred years," and long years thereafter the Old Dominion taxed schoolmasters twenty shillings per head.

These early " free " schools were not, be it understood, as free as the schools of 1887, when not only house and tuition are free, but also books, stationery and other supplies. The town of Salem in those days appears to have borne the larger part of the expense of the master, and taxed the balance to the parents of such as could pay. A vote, passed September 30, 1644, said : " If any poor body hath children or a childe to be put to school, and not able to pay for their schooling, that the town will pay it by a rate." John Fiske, the first schoolmaster, relinquished the office in 1639, and was succeeded by Edward Norris in 1640. Norris was evidently the only teacher in the town school for twenty years after. In 1670 Daniel Epes, Jr., was employed at a salary of £20 a year, and, also, "to have besides halfe-pay for all scollers of the towne, and whole pay from strangers." Mr. Norris was voted £10 as a sort of pension in 1671. In July, 1672, he resumed the mastership of the grammar school for one year. At the expiration of that time, and until his death, in 1684, he was voted an allowance each year from £10 to £15. Some time during Mr. Norris' teachership the school came to be called a grammar school, and so continued for several years. Latin and Greek were taught. Mr. Epes, in 1677, agreed with the selectmen to teach English, Latin and Greek, and fit pupils for the university; also to teach them good manners and instruct them in the principles of the Christian religion. In 1768 tuition in the public schools wa.s made free to all and ever since has been so.

This school has always been classed as the immediate predecessor of the present classical and high school. Perhaps this is the simplest way, although it might with just as good grace be said to be the predecessor of our present grammar schools. However, adopting the customary division, we find no evidence that there was more than one school until 1712, when Nathaniel Higginson established a " school for reading, writing and cyphering, in the north end of the town- house." This school was for some time known as the writing school, but gradually assumed the name of English school, which it bore for many years. The other was known as the Latin or Grammar school, as the speaker or writer chose, as often one as the other, for nearly a century, the former name gradually superseding the latter. The English and Latin schools were united in 1743, and separated three years later.

During all this time and until about 1793 these schools appear to have been for boys exclusively. In the last-named year the town instructed its committee to "provide at the writing school, or elsewhere, for the tuition of girls in reading, writing and cyphering." In 1827 the town voted to have two high schools for girls. One was located in Beckford Street, and known as the West school, the other in Bath Street, and known as the East school. This was undoubtedly the first time that females were provided with high school instruction. But to return to the boys' Latin, or grammar school, we find that its course of study in the eighteenth century comprised the branches now commonly taught in the grammar schools, and, in addition, Latin and Greek. The dead languages seem to have been deemed of more importance than the English branches. In 1752 the committee orders that all boys who go to the grammar school must study Latin as well as read, write and cipher. In 1809 the committee ordered that " Latin and Greek languages, Geography, English Grammar, the principles of Arithmetic, and writing be taught in the Grammar schools, but that one-half the time, at least, of each scholar be devoted to Latin and Greek, so that the other studies be subservient to the learned languages."

The Latin school was transferred to the new building prejiared for it on Broad Street on April 19, 1819. It began with a principal and Latin usher, and an assistant in the English department. The number of pupils reported as being in the school the following month was eighty-six, and one year later, May 4, 1820, one hundred and thirteen. The English department was discontinued in a few years, and the school, under the principal and an assistant, was a classical school, fitting boys to enter the university. The school was divided in 1827, and Henry K. Oliver took charge of the English High school, as this portion was called. Mr. Oliver was appointed June 16, 1827. The school continued to increase in numbers and enlarge its curriculum until about 1839, when two recitation rooms were added and two assistants appointed.

The school was mostly renamed in 1845. The Latin school was called the Fiske ; the Boys' High school the Bowditch ; the Girls' High school the Saltonstall. Nine years later the Fiske was merged in the Bowditch, and in 1856 the Bowditch and Saltonstall were united under the name of the Salem Classical and High school. To-day it is known as the Classical and High school. The course of study was divided, in 1882, into a four years' classical and a three years' English course. Thus we have traced, very briefly of necessity, the rise and growth of the first Salem public school until it has become one of the strongest high schools in the country. In its long line of forty three masters, from John Fiske down, have been men of more than ordinary ability and some of more than local reputation.