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

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886. 295
was nearly completed, the building committee complained that while
they had anticipated the earnings of the lottery, most of the tickets
were unsold, and the town reaffirmed its agreement to take the unsold
tickets. Meantime the selectmen were authorized to sell the bar in
the Chicopee river.
In 1779 the proprietors of the iron-works on Mill river Avere
granted lands and water privileges near b}^ for a paper-mill ; but this
was soon cancelled. These iron- works were the first symptoms of
our famous Water Shops ; and it ma}^ be here noted that the first
appearance of the name " United States " on our town record is in
August, 1779, when a committee, headed by Capt. Thomas Stebbins,
was ordered to lease, at the request of Col. Thomas Dame, a piece of
land to " the Treasurer of this State in trust to tlie United States."
Five years later the selectmen were authorized to lease ground on
the training-field for a magazine. Capt. .Joseph Stebbins ran a
battery on the east side of North Main street all through the Revo-
lution. He was a man of influence, and much respected.
During the war market prices were carefully regulated, the list of
prices of the necessities of life being submitted for the approval of a
special committee. The town stock of salt was distributed at times
by the selectmen. We do not think that the select board at this time
was as important a branch of government as it had been seventy- five
or one hundred years before. The trying times when the monarchy
ended and republicanism under constitutions began had restored the
town-meeting to its ancient glory. This sovereign body met in the
old court-house, was opened by prayer, and, we believe, still dis-
missed with a blessing. It was sad to find in these gatherings men
notably rich and notably poor. A deep gulf yawned between the
two classes of men, and while the course of public business went
on, now tinkering a State constitution, now authorizing yoked swine
to run at large, and now building a school or a poor-house, men
looked into the future with deep concern. There was a cloud over
the Commonwealth during the Revolution that not even the glories