History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

346 HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
town refused to build it. Many people thought that there was
no occasion for cutting the farms to their great damage
and compelling the town to be at great expense in working it.
But the town became satisfied that there was no way to get rid
of it, and July 2d a meeting was called and Jonathan Morrill,
jr., and Lowell Bagley were chosen a committee to build it. It
is really a very convenient road and could hardly be spared at
present.
A very general alarm spread through the land at this time, in
consequence of the appearance of the Asiatic cholera in some
of the large cities. Stringent sanitary measures were adopted
and every precaution taken to prevent its spread. In this town
a meeting was held and a board of health chosen to take
charge of the whole matter. A circular was adopted by the
meeting and printed for distribution through the town. A very
general "cleaning up time" followed: cellars and rooms were
whitewashed, lime sprinkled on cesspools and all foul places,
and, in short, no such extensive sanitary measures had been
enforced since the settlement of the town. The health commit-
tee were empowered to provide a hospital for the reception of
all who might be taken with this plague, and to draw on the
treasury for a sum not exceeding $300. Nothing since the old
small-pox days had produced so much excitement as this dreaded
Asiatic cholera. It did not spread as expected and there were
no cases in town.
At the presidential election in November there were three
hundred and fifty-five votes cast, divided as follows : Whigs,
one hundred and ninety-four ; Democrats, one hundred and
sixty-one.
Dr. Philip Towle died March 4th at Charleston, S. C, whither
he had gone for his health. He was a very amiable person and
highly esteemed by those who knew him.
July nth. Eliphalet Barnard's barn was burnt, but the cause
of the fire has never been fully ascertained.
1833.
The house of the late Elijah Weed at the Pond Hills, stand-
ing where Mr. Daniel O. Weed built a few years ago, was pur-