History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

ITIO.] TURNING MILL RIVER—JOSEPH HAWLEY. 519
t
Changing the Course To change Completely tlie course of so
of the Stream. . large a stream, would to-day be consid-
ered an engineering feat of considerable
magnitude. Nothing accurate is known concerning the
topography of the meadows at that time. It is evident,
however, that there was much swampy land in them, and
that the new channel of the river was carried where their
drainage would be most effectual. The town having paid
the expense of the method already attempted, an effort was
made to bring the burden of this proposed scheme upon it
also. Accordingly when the question came before a meeting
held on the G'*" of March, 1710, the following vote was
passed : —
"TheTowne taking into Consideration A motion made concerning
Turning the Mill Riuer through the common feild in which motion was
set forth the great inconuenience and damage done both to the publick
and private by reason of the Riuers ouerflowing and so wronging men's
Land.
"The towne rejected the motion of turning sd Riuer on the Townes
charge : But voted Liberty for those that had their Land damnified to
Tume the Riuer throug the common feild as Aboue said, prouided the
proprietors of the damnified Land wil be at the whole charge of it."
A Sewer Commis- Havlug reccivcd permission to turn the
sion Appointed. river through the common field, a petition,
signed by Joseph Parsons and others, was
forwarded to the Governor and Council
"Praying for a Commission of Sewers to be grant'' to some discreet
persons as the Law directs for the cutting out a passage, for the conveying
the Water of a small River running through the said Meadow
(and often overfiovdng a considerable part thereof), into the great River
of Connecticut agreeable to a vote of the Towna approving there of and
to apportion the charge there of according to each persons benefit
thereby."
On the 8"' of June, the following named persons were
appointed for that service :—
" Samuel Partridge [Hatfield], Aaron Cook & Samuel Porter Esqrs
[Hadley], Ebenezar Pomrey [Northampton], John White [Hatfield],
Peter Montague [HadleyJ. & Ebenezar Wright [Northampton], Gent"."
"Any four of the sd Commiss" to make a valid act whereof Partridge
or Porter to be one."
Undoubtedly they entered immediately upon the work,
but no minutes are at hand showing when or at what point
they began.