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

irnc] MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS—CANALS—SCHOOLS. 571
Approved by the A sti'ong feeling in favor of carrying out
^^W^- the provisions of the treaty pervaded the
county and manifested itself on all public
occasions. At most of the May trainings of the militia,
at which it was customary for the soldiers to dine together,
patriotic toasts and speeches were made in favor of the
treaty.
Geese not to run In December a by-law to restrain geese from
at Large. going at large in the streets, was adopted.
It provided that all such animals found
upon the highway within a mile and a half of the Court-
House, were liable to be killed, the animal to be forfeited
to the person killing the same.
A Pest-House.
In the following January, a movement was
made to build a " Hospital," which was sim-
ple" a polite name for a pest-house. It was to be one story
high, and to be built on town land near where the former
'* Hospital " stood. In March the purchase of a small piece
of land on which to place the building was authorized.
About this time Mrs. Hannah Murray sued the town for
the use of her house in a case of smallpox. A committee
reported that the expense should be paid from the estate of
the deceased, but under the circumstances the town might
with propriety pay one half the bill. Probably this was
the case of Abner Barnard, who died of that disease in
January.
Protection against
Tliis year a Committee was appointed to re-
^'i'®^' port concerning the best method of prevent-
ing fires, and they seem to have confined
themselves wholly to school-houses. They recommended
'
' That the present and all future Selectmen make it an indispensable
Condition with the Preceptors who are or maj' be improved in the Sev-
eral Schools that they shall every night see that the Fires in their respective
Schools be wholly extinguished and that no Preceptor be improved
who will not engage so to do & Practice, and that in default
thereof they be dismissed, and that each School be furnished with a
Pail,"
The selectmen were also authorized to " contract with
some Person living near the Center School House and a per-