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

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

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1798.] MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS—CANALS—SCHOOLS. 579<br />

and caus<strong>in</strong>g much sickness <strong>in</strong> town. Fever and ague,<br />

wliicli liad been unknown here for sixty years or more,<br />

became prevalent. In South Street, <strong>in</strong> particular, almost<br />

every family had one or more <strong>of</strong> <strong>its</strong> <strong>in</strong>mates sick with this<br />

disease. It spread also <strong>in</strong> other parts <strong>of</strong> the town, and<br />

occasioned much excitement <strong>in</strong> the community. The mat-<br />

ter was brought before the town, and <strong>in</strong> November, 1798,<br />

for some undiscovered reason, it was voted not to petition<br />

the General Court to remove the dam. In May, 1799, the<br />

matter -aga<strong>in</strong> came up, and a committee was appo<strong>in</strong>ted to<br />

consider it and report. They stated that the prevalence <strong>of</strong><br />

the fever and ague was caused by the water <strong>of</strong> Connecticut<br />

River "be<strong>in</strong>g thrown <strong>in</strong>to our ponds and meadows, by the<br />

lower canal dam, and be<strong>in</strong>g there conf<strong>in</strong>ed till a putrid<br />

exhalation poisons the neighbor<strong>in</strong>g atmosphere. It was<br />

then voted to confer with the proprietors and directors,<br />

and assure them that unless they take immediate measures<br />

to remedy the same, the town would petition the General<br />

Court " to <strong>in</strong>terfere <strong>in</strong> behalf <strong>of</strong> the Lives and Health <strong>of</strong><br />

the Inhabitants <strong>of</strong> this town."<br />

Attempts to Remedy This Committee reported that they had<br />

the Evil. " conversed " with the proprietors and<br />

found them disposed to remedy the defects<br />

compla<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>of</strong>, and that they would consider the question<br />

at their next meet<strong>in</strong>g. This seems to have been the first<br />

action taken by any one for the purpose <strong>of</strong> obviat<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

evils thus brought upon the community. <strong>Northampton</strong><br />

people were <strong>in</strong> earnest, and <strong>in</strong>structed the committee to<br />

attend the meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the directors. Noth<strong>in</strong>g satisfactory<br />

seems to have been accomplished at this time, and the difficulty<br />

rema<strong>in</strong>ed without remedy for two years longer. At<br />

the May meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 1800, the selectmen were ordered to<br />

petition the General Court to remove the dam, and similar<br />

action seems to have been taken by the town <strong>of</strong> Easthamp-<br />

ton. Satisfied that these two towns were determ<strong>in</strong>ed to<br />

take efficient measures for their own protection, the company<br />

at a meet<strong>in</strong>g held <strong>in</strong> October, proposed that they<br />

would "as soon as conveniently practicable <strong>in</strong> the ensu<strong>in</strong>g<br />

season, lower the dam three feet, or would remove it entirely<br />

and erect one at some other place, which shall not be

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