Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

274 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-2S86.
Moneys the)' had Expended for Public Buildings in the first Parish, no Care -was
thereby taken of Money Particularly as to the £200 Voted for a bridge across
Chicuepee River if not expended for that purposs — by said Report Conuecticutt
River was to be the Dividing Line — and yit no Dividing Line was to be fixed:
Stony Hill were to receive their Share of the Town Stock and have no Part of the
Poor ; the Jurisdiction of the Meadow Land, was to be left vague precarious and
fluctiating which might be the Occasion of Great Disputes and Contentions and
perhaps prove the Utter Ruin of the western Town these with others probably
were the Reasons of the Towns Rejecting the Report. We think there will be
no future Occasion of Discord or Confusion in this town if but a few Individuals
in it can content themselves with a reasonable proportion of the towns Privileges
&c.
As to the Petitions of part of the third and fourth Parishes we would observe
that the Petitioners are but a very inconsiderable part of two Large Parishes and
the much greatest part of Each of those Parishes are very far from being in Sen-
timent with them as to the Matter of their Petition — the Inhabitants of Stonny
Hill have heretofore applied and received the Consent of this Town for being
made a separate Town or District and we think there Local Circumstances are
such that they can receive very little if aiiy Benefit from their present Connec-
tions with us Either as to town or Parishial Privileges — but as the greatest Part
of them have within a few years moved into this town from the neighboring
towns we cannot think it Reasonable they should have their Proportion of the
Town Stock of Money without being Chargeable with Part of the support of
the Poor of the town.
We therefore pray youi Excellency and Honours that the prayer of the Peti-
tioners may be dismissed.
The General Court promptl}' incorporated West Springfield and
" Stonny Hill,' or Ludlow, as separate towns. It has been wondered
why a township was thrust upon West Springfield. The above account
explains it. The west-siders, by the aid of a few from the outlying
districts, began a movement to transfer the "-seat of government"
to their side of the river. The Centre tried obstruction for a time,
and then appealed to the Legislature, which lopped off two limbs of
the ancient town, and peace was restored.
We are now confronted with a matter that subdued all local rival-
ries, and filled the bosoms of the inhabitants and freeholders of this