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

94 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1743.
" The Town Voted to Choose three wise, Judicious persons to advise
between them with respect to their Right to the Lands above s'' and
also to their right of Cutting of wood. Timber, &c. on the Lots laid
out.
" And that the assessors in raising a Town Tax for the defraying of
the Charges of the Town, Shall make an additional Tax for the defraying
the Charges of the Committee, that Shall be Chosen to advise between
them & the proprietors in the Controversie respecting the Right
of s'' Lands.
"And the Town made choice of William Pitkin,! Joseph Fowler,
and John Bulkley, Esq to advise between them & the Proprietors in
the controversie afores''."
Ebenezer Pomeroy and Col. Timothy Dwight were appointed a committee
to "take Speedy & Eflfectual Care that the Gentlemen before
mentioned be here as Soon as may be,'' & that they also " provide for
their Entertainment at the Cost & Charge of the Town." Major Pomeroy
and Capt. John Clark were appointed a committee " to provide an
Attorney at the Cost & Charge of the Town to manage the Cause on
the behalf of the Town & to defend their Right before the Gentlemen
Chosen to advise."
Benjamin Alvord was at once dispatched to notify the
above named persons of the action of the town, and
arrange the preliminaries of the meeting. Undoubtedly
the case was duly presented, and although the record remains
silent concerning the proceedings or decision of the
arbitrators, there is every reason to believe that the annexed
vote, passed the following year, was based upon and
embodies the result of their deliberations : —
" At a Legal Town Meeting (by adjournment) on Tuesday the twenty
Second of Nov. 1743 The Town of Northampton then Voted that a Line
be run from the front of the Long Division (at the Bridge by Hulbert's
Saw mill) West by the Needle of the Surveying Listrument three Quar-
ters of a mile and from thence a Line be run North Six degrees East to
Hatfield bounds, and South Six degrees West to the South Side of the
long Division : and that Another Line be Run parallel to the former at
a Mile & half distance West from the former ;
between which two
Lines they propose to Cut wood and timber for the Space of ten years
Next Coming and they then further Voted to Quit, Release and relinquish
to the respective Proprietors of the Long Division their Right &
Liberty and pi-etence of right and liberty to Cut wood and timber in
the remaining part of S'' Division (viz) to the East of the first of s''
Parallel Lines, and West of the Second, and also their Right and Lib-
erty of Cutting Spruce or White Pine (as 'tis Sometimes Called) between
S' Parallel Lines, which right they Challenged by a Vote made
1 Mr. Pitkiu, it will be remembered, was one of the persons applied to by the
town twenty-seven years before, for advice regarding the legality of a former division
of the commons.—See vol. 1, p. 548.