1874

From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In response to a memorial from the clergy early in 1874, a Committee of the Town Council recommended that liquor licenses be restricted to 10, and that the annual fee be raised from $25 to $100. Robert Murphy, formerly of the 60th Rifles, was appointed Superintendent of Streets at $500 a year, and he was also to hold the office of Chief of Police for an additional $100. Twelve lamp posts for oil lamps were ordered erected in different parts of town.

By a vote of ratepayers at a public meeting in April the Council was authorized to issue debentures for a sum not exceeding $8,000 to purchase Lamont Lake or any other lake.

Work was commenced that year to extend Maple Street through to meet Ochterloney by acquiring and cutting down the sloping bank on the western side of the residence of Principal Ross at “Morven” (now St. Peter’s glebe house). The level land at the foot of the hill, formerly Stanford Tannery property, was purchased from P. J. Kuhn for $700.

Negotiations were also carried on with Frank C. Elliot to buy for $150, the swampy section south of the present Park Avenue so that Wentworth Street could be extended to make a thoroughfare for pedestrians towards Ochterloney Street. The high bank of slate rock at North Street and Wentworth would be cut down later for vehicular traffic.

John Dillman of Tulip Street, supplied two horses and carts with drivers at $2 each per day. In addition, five laborers at $1 per day were employed to work on the streets. A wooden sewer for the proper drainage of properties was laid in Portland Street that summer. Streets were now being constructed with a crowned surface. Halifax newspapers noted that Dartmouth was more advanced than their City in this respect.

Our school enrollment was 515, housed in five buildings. Alexander McKay, who had succeeded John Hollies in 1872, had established a High School Department, which was also an advance on Halifax where there was no High School as yet. Mr. McKay was encouraging the study of science, and soliciting donations of scientific apparatus for a laboratory.

A new wing had just been completed at Mount Hope Asylum. A life-size oil painting of Miss Dorothea Dix was presented to the Hospital that summer. Dr. Alfred C. Cogswell was now occupying the new house at “Locust Knoll”. John Esdaile advertised for sale his residence in Prince Arthur Park.