History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

56 HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
"ffurther it was ordered the same day that if any man suffer
his cattel that are put away as aforesayd to go with the heard
three days together having notice of it he shall pay for y e keep-
ing halfe the summer & for y e last halfe it is ordered in like
manner."
The man who watched the herd was hired, and each person
who turned in must pay ; hence those cattle not in the herd
must not be suffered to mix in and thus reap all the advantages
of those paid.
The company was now organized and empowered to transact
all business which related to its own territorial matters, but still
held to Salisbury for the support of the minister and common
defence. The inhabitants were not freed from rates assessed
by the old town for the purpose of repairing roads and all like
improvements. It was customary, however, to choose one or
more of the new townsmen on the board of Prudential men
that they might not be subject to taxation without representa-
tion. This custom continued till the final separation in 1666.
1656.
Soon after the settlement of Salisbury, the business of splitting
staves from the numerous oaks growing in the dense forests was
begun and soon became an important item in their means of
support. The record mentions an agreement of one man to
deliver 30,000 staves. Small vessels were built on the river,
principally at Carr's island, by George Carr, and used to ship
these staves to the West Indies. The town claimed fifty of
every thousand for the privilege of cutting on the common. It
is probable that most of these staves were boated from the
dock at town creek to Newbury, where they were shipped, and
the many loads lying in numerous piles around the dock in
early spring must have given that section a business-like appear-
ance. The wanton destruction of the forests was forbidden
under penalty of twenty shillings per tree. The yellow pines
were preserved for the manufacture of tar, and even this was
placed under certain restriction.
It was soon found that more than one saw mill was needed,
and this year Richard Currier and Thomas Macy were author-