City Document—JYo. 3. 
 
 REPORT 
 
 .JOINT SPECIAL COMMITTEE 
 
 REMOVAL OF THE ALMS HOUSE, 
 
 “ BROOK FARM. J? 
 
 EOXBUKY: 
 
 JOSEPH G. TORREY, CITY PRINTER. 
 
 1849 . 
 
CITY OF ROXBURY. 
 
 Iff Common Council, April 9, 1S49. 
 Ordered , Tiiat the petition of Elijah Lewis and others, recommending the 
 removal of the Alms House, and obtaining a larger quantity of land in a more 
 remote part of the city, be referred to 
 
 Messrs. Crafts, Brewer, Allen, Mayhew, and Bowman, with such as the 
 Board of Aldermen may join. 
 
 JOSHUA SEAVER, Clerk, 
 
 In Board of Aldermen, April 9,1S49. 
 
 Concurred ; and Aldermen Young, Jackson, and Plummer were joined on 
 the part of this Board. 
 
 JOSEPH W. TUCKER, City Clerk . 
 
 CITY OF ROXBURY. 
 
 In Common Council, April 16, 1S49. 
 
 Ordered, That the Special Joint Committee on the petition of Elijah Lewis 
 and others, be and they hereby are instructed to purchase the “ Brook Farm” 
 estate, situated in the westerly part of the city, if the same can be obtained for 
 a sum not exceeding §19,150 ; and if the same, in their judgment, be for the 
 interest of the city. 
 
 Passed by the affirmative vote of twenty members voting Yea. 
 
 JOSHUA SEAVER, Clerk. 
 
 In Board of Aldermen, April 16, 1S49. 
 
 Passed by the affirmative vote of seven voting Yea. 
 
 JOSEPH W. TUCKER, City Clerk. 
 
 CITY OF ROXBURY. 
 
 In Common Council, April 23, 1S49. 
 Ordered , That the Report of the Joint Special Committee on the petition of 
 Elijaii Lewis and others, be printed and distributed to the citizens. 
 
 Passed, and sent up for concurrence. 
 
 JOSHUA SEAVER, Clerk. 
 
 In Board of Aldermen, April 23, 1849. 
 
 Concurred. 
 
 JOSEPH W. TUCKER, City Clerk. 
 
 ’ck V\ 
 
REPORT. 
 
 The Joint Special Committee, to whom was referred 
 the Petition of Elijah Lewis and others, asking 
 for a removal of the Alms House, submit the fol¬ 
 lowing 
 
 REPORT. 
 
 The great increase in the number of inmates of 
 our Alms House within the few last years, the con¬ 
 sequent call for more accommodation, and the in¬ 
 creasing expense of the establishment, with numer¬ 
 ous other attendant evils, have pressed upon the 
 attention, not only of the city government, but of 
 most of our citizens, and demand that something- 
 should be done, if possible, to effect a reform. But 
 in what should such a reform consist, and where or 
 how begin 1 It is much easier to tear down than 
 to build up; to cry out against abuses than to get 
 rid of them without incurring greater. We should 
 not, therefore, be in too great haste to adopt every 
 change that offers, while we should also be ready to 
 avail ourselves of any real opportunity for reform 
 that may occur, and willing to examine and test it. 
 
 It has been proposed, and the suggestion was 
 brought before the city government by the petition 
 
referred to your Committee, that the Alms House 
 should be removed to a remote part of the city, 
 where more extensive grounds could he had. And 
 it is believed by many that this will in a great meas¬ 
 ure remedy the evils complained of, and that with 
 some other reforms that can be effected in connec¬ 
 tion with such removal, there may, in time, be much 
 saved to the city, and our pauper establishment 
 placed on a better footing. If such a removal as is 
 contemplated in this petition would produce the de¬ 
 sirable results proposed, or even partially accom¬ 
 plish the purpose, it would seem proper that it 
 should be made. 
 
 It is not the province of this Committee to pro¬ 
 pose a new pauper system, or a new mode of govern¬ 
 ing and managing the Alms House. But there are 
 certain evils connected with it in its present situa¬ 
 tion and under its present system, which cannot but 
 be evident to all who give the matter the slightest 
 attention, and which are so connected with the sub¬ 
 ject referred to the Committee, that they cannot but 
 consider them, and are bound to make such sugges¬ 
 tions as may seem to them proper. 
 
 By the last Beport of the Overseers of the Poor, 
 it appears that the number of inmates at the Alms 
 House at the time of the Report, was 260, of whom 
 there were, Americans, adults 20 
 
 “ children 58 
 
 — 78 
 
 Foreigners, adults 141 
 “ children 41 
 
 — 182 
 
5 
 
 There were admitted into the house, during the 
 year, in addition to 224, the number remaining at 
 the commencement of the year, 710, making the 
 number of inmates, during the year, 934. A large 
 proportion of this number were foreigners, many of 
 them newly-arrived immigrants, who make the Alms 
 House the object of their first inquiry, and whose 
 friends and relatives, ready to shift the burden of 
 their support from themselves to the public, guide 
 them to the hospitable doors, whither our native 
 citizens are unwilling to go, save as a last resort. 
 It is true, that such paupers are supported in part 
 by the commonwealth, but the balance paid by the 
 city is no small item, and the expense is by no 
 means the greatest evil they inflict. They bring 
 disease; they bring idle and improvident, often 
 filthy and vicious habits; they come as the pioneers 
 and guides to the crowds who come after them, 
 and follow their steps into the same doors. They 
 oftentimes have not the slightest claim on public 
 charity, and afford an example, very quickly fol¬ 
 lowed, of a too ready disposition to be a public 
 burden. It is true, also, that very many of them 
 remain but a short time; but it is no less true, that 
 for every one who goes, at least one comes to take 
 his place, and the average number has of late 
 years very much increased. This large number of 
 foreign paupers, coming in the manner they do, 
 subject to inconvenience, annoyance, and the dan¬ 
 ger of disease, those aged, infirm, and sick, real ob¬ 
 jects of charity, some. of whom have been reduced 
 from competence to a lot, at best hard to bear, 
 while at the same time it has an injurious effect, 
 
6 
 
 both morally and physically, upon the children 
 ■whose misfortune it is to have no other home. 
 
 Under these circumstances we believe it to be 
 desirable and essential that there should be a clas¬ 
 sification of the inmates of our Alms House, and 
 that the aged and infirm, the sick, the children, and 
 the other large class of transient inmates be kept 
 separate as much as possible. Such a separation 
 and classification, perhaps, might be made in the 
 present house, but not so effectually and properly, 
 it is believed, as should be done. Our Alms House 
 is, in fact, both a hospital and a poor house. The 
 hospital is becoming of more and more relative im¬ 
 portance, and should be, as in time it must be, to a 
 great extent, a separate establishment. It has been 
 found necessary to erect a small building for a 
 “ Pest House,” at the present establishment; but it is 
 not those alone who are sick with pestilence or con¬ 
 tagious disease that should be kept by themselves. 
 The comfort of the sick, and the health of the well, 
 require that all the really sick should be kept alto¬ 
 gether away from those in good health. 
 
 The conveniences for this cannot be had at the 
 present place 'without considerable expense. If such 
 expense must be incurred, and we believe it must 
 be, sooner or later, we deem it best, for other rea¬ 
 sons which will be shown, as well as for the better 
 accomplishment of the object itself, that it should 
 be laid out hi a more retired part of the city. 
 
 It is said, too, and not without reason, that the 
 charity intended to shelter, succor, and support 
 those who, without means, by reason of age, sickness, 
 or other misfortune, are unable to maintain them¬ 
 selves, has become the resort of many of the idle 
 
and thriftless, who, though blessed with health and 
 strength, are yet willing to be a burden to the pub¬ 
 lic. Doubtless some of these are the subjects 
 of intemperance, who would become worthless 
 enough if left to themselves. But if they arc to be 
 supported at the public charge, they may be placed 
 where they can earn that support. It is also said, 
 and with some truth too, that the Alms House, 
 situated as it is so near the neighboring port and 
 city, and almost in the midst of the most populous 
 part of our own city, is resorted to, to some extent, as a 
 convenient hotel or inn, by newly-arrived immigrants, 
 who bring with them their wretched habits of im¬ 
 providence and dependence, and are not the better 
 disposed to support themselves when they find with¬ 
 out charge such comfortable quarters. 
 
 Would not a removal of our Alms House to a 
 more remote part of the city relieve us of many such 
 puapers? We believe that it would; especially, 
 if with the removal, such a system with regard to 
 labor,' diet, &c., should be adopted, as should offer 
 no inducement for persons to become paupers. We 
 believe there are many calls for aid,many applications 
 for admission into our Alms House, from those who 
 can be provided for elsewhere, and who would seek 
 for such aid elsewhere, were not that establishment 
 so near and convenient. Far be it from us to deny 
 to the needy and the suffering, who are truly objects 
 of pity, such aid and comforts as an enlightened 
 charity may dictate. Native and foreign alike we 
 would aid in their time of need, but we believe it to 
 be only just that we should hold out no inducement 
 to the idle, and offer no premium for vagrancy. 
 
Of foreign paupers, too, we have more than our 
 share, which arises, it is believed, partly from the 
 vicinity of the Alms House to Boston, and the more 
 populous part of our own city, and the ease of 
 admission, and partly from other causes, which 
 would be reached by a removal of the house. Ac¬ 
 cording to the “ Pauper Abstract ” of the common¬ 
 wealth, it appears that 
 
 The number of paupers during the year 1848 
 
 in the city of Cambridge was - - 299 
 
 Of whom were State paupers - - 254 
 
 In the city of Charlestown - - - 627 
 
 Of w r hom w 7 ere State paupers - - 583 
 
 In the town of Dorchester - 80 
 
 Of whom were State paupers - - 52 
 
 In the city of Roxbtjky - - - 969! 
 
 Of whom were State paupers - - 906 
 
 By this it appears that the cities of Cambridge 
 and Charlestown, with about the same population 
 as Roxbury, and in the immediate vicinity of Boston, 
 have a much smaller number of foreign paupers. 
 Cambridge, especially, has not much more than quar¬ 
 ter as many. And this, it is believed, is in a meas¬ 
 ure owing to the distance and difficulty of access to 
 the Alms House of that city. The town of Dor¬ 
 chester, with half as many inhabitants as Roxbury, 
 has only one-eighteenth as many foreign paupers. 
 This difference is of course owing in part to other 
 causes, but it can hardly be denied that the con¬ 
 venience of the Alms House is one cause. 
 
 There is no reason why we should contribute to 
 the support, or be burdened with the evil and incon- 
 
venience of maintaining these paupers more than 
 our neighbors; and since such is the case, it is proper 
 that we should take measures, if possible, to rid 
 ourselves of the excess of this burden. The re¬ 
 moval of the Alms House to a remote part of the 
 city, it is believed, would relieve us from the support 
 of very many who would find accommodation else¬ 
 where, rather than seek it so far. 
 
 The expense of supporting our poor for the few 
 last years, has increased so rapidly and to such an 
 extent, that if it is possible to reduce it in any way, 
 or to prevent this rapid increase continuing, we ought 
 to take such measures as will bring about such a 
 result. 
 
 The net cost of the poor in the Alms House, 
 (exclusive of repairs, additions, and expenses about 
 the house, and exclusive also of the sums received 
 from the commonwealth for State paupers,) for the 
 last ten years, ending on the 1st of Feb. of each 
 year, has been as follows: 
 
 1840, 
 
 $1,628 
 
 41 
 
 1845, 
 
 $2,566 
 
 77 
 
 1841, 
 
 1,271 
 
 71 
 
 1846, 
 
 ’ 2,900 
 
 00 
 
 1842, 
 
 1,477 
 
 13 
 
 1847, 
 
 3,973 
 
 50 
 
 1843, 
 
 2,168 
 
 77 
 
 1848, 
 
 5,228 
 
 12 
 
 1844, 
 
 3,171 
 
 33 
 
 1849, 
 
 5,674 
 
 58 
 
 Besides these sums for the support of the inmates, 
 during the four last years, large additions to the 
 accommodations have been required, at considera¬ 
 ble expense. These additions and improvements, 
 too, multiply and increase. It was found, two or 
 three years since, that the accommodations were in¬ 
 adequate to the number of poor to he supported, 
 
10 
 
 and it was necessary to finish the attic, and make 
 other alterations at considerable cost. Last year it 
 was deemed necessaiy to have better hospital accom¬ 
 modations, and these were provided to the extent 
 demanded at the time. The present year it is 
 thought proper to build a chapel and school room, 
 with additional sleeping rooms. Thus large appro¬ 
 priations must be made for these and similar pur¬ 
 poses each year, and without doubt, if the Alms 
 House is not removed, it will be fomid necessaiy, in 
 a very few years, to erect a hospital, add a wing to 
 the house, or otherwise increase its size to meet the 
 wants of those who woidd there seek for support. 
 But the removal of the establishment to a farm in 
 a remote part of the city, while it will reduce the 
 number of paupers, or at least diminish the increase, 
 will also, it is believed, reduce the cost of support¬ 
 ing them. And if it shall be necessary to erect new 
 buildings, the excess that will be required over the 
 amount that would be necessaiy for enlargement, 
 additions, &c., on the present site, would in the 
 course of a few years be saved, even if the city 
 were not a great gainer in other respects. 
 
 And while we get rid of, or mitigate some evils, 
 by removing the Aim Hsouse establishment to a farm 
 in a remote part of the city, we shall also, it is be¬ 
 lieved, obtain some positive advantages. The health 
 of the inmates, a consideration of the greatest im¬ 
 portance, both as regards humanity and economy, 
 would be promoted by placing them on a farm in 
 such a situation. And this alone is an argument of 
 no little consequence in support of such a change. 
 
 It has already been said that economy in the sup- 
 
11 
 
 port of the poor would be effected by such a remov¬ 
 al. The reasons, hi part, for such belief may be 
 more fully set forth. By the last annual Report of 
 the Committee on Accounts, (City Doc. No. 7, 
 1848-9,) it appears, that during the past year there 
 has been expended for meat, Horn-, bread, grain, 
 and meal, potatoes, fish, beans, butter, poultry, and 
 milk, the sum of $4,472 92. It is submitted, 
 whether the amount expended for such necessaries 
 might not be greatly reduced, if the Alms House 
 were on a farm, where many of these or similar ar¬ 
 ticles of food might and would be raised. Some of 
 the products of a farm, too, good, wholesome arti¬ 
 cles of food, might compose a larger proportion of 
 the diet of the inmates than at present, with econ¬ 
 omy hi their support and no injury to them. From 
 the same document it appears that the sum of 
 $664 was paid for hay, grass, and straw, during the 
 same period. These products, also, and hi quanti¬ 
 ties for many more cattle and horses than we have at 
 present, might be raised upon such a farm as the city 
 would have. Of some products an excess might be 
 raised, the sale of which might amount to no incon¬ 
 siderable sum. A large number of swine might 
 also be raised, and fattened, in a great measure, 
 upon the produce of the farm. 
 
 The inmates of the house, able to perform labor, 
 might work more advantageously and profitably 
 than at present. It appears Rom the Report of the 
 Overseers of the Poor, that during the last year the 
 inmates were employed scarcely any hi repairing 
 the highways, and this will probably be the case 
 in future. Sufficient work of the kind which 
 
12 
 
 these inmates can perform, cannot readily be found 
 for them in and about the house and land, as at 
 present located. But on a large farm, where there 
 is a great variety of work to be done, a large part, not 
 too laborious, might be performed by them so as to 
 be profitable. The Committee are informed, that at 
 the House of Industry, in Boston, quite a large 
 quantity of the smaller fruits, such as strawberries, 
 raspberries, currants, &c., are raised and profitably 
 sold in the market. Why might not the culture 
 of these fruits be carried on by the inmates of our 
 Alms House, very many of whom might perform 
 some of the light labor in such culture, who other¬ 
 wise could perhaps do nothing towards their sup¬ 
 port, while at the same time such labor might pro¬ 
 mote then health % 
 
 It is admitted that some labor must be hired in 
 order to carry on a faim properly. But it is be¬ 
 lieved to be better to hire this labor than to pur¬ 
 chase the products which it would yield, at a much 
 greater cost. The labor of the paupers, too, would 
 go much further towards then support, in the culti¬ 
 vation of the soil, either by raising articles for then- 
 own consumption or for sale, than if the wages of 
 such labor were expended in the purchase of those 
 articles. 
 
 Most of the cities and large towns in the State, as 
 appears by the “ Pauper Abstract ” above referred 
 to, have quite extensive farms attached to then 
 Alms Houses. Some which have not, are making 
 efforts to secure such; and it is believed that such 
 pauper establishments, generally, do more towards 
 supporting themselves, than where, without land, 
 
13 
 
 the labor must be expended on the streets or in 
 some unprofitable mechanical work. 
 
 The expense of the proposed removal seems to be 
 the main objection, if not the only one, which is, or 
 can he, brought against it. The erection of a new 
 building or buildings, and the removal itself, would 
 undoubtedly cost a considerable sum. But as the pe¬ 
 titioners contemplated the purchase of a certain form, 
 which has been sccurcdfor the city, under a vote of the 
 City Council, and of which mention more in detail 
 will be made below, the condition of that place, and 
 the advantages presented by it, have, of course, en¬ 
 tered into the consideration of the Committee on 
 the general question of removal. And as the Com¬ 
 mittee believe, that if the Alms House should be 
 removed to “Brook Farm,” it will not be necessa¬ 
 ry to expend a very large sum for new buildings, 
 at least for quite a number of years, this objection 
 seems to loose some of its force. If the Alms 
 House remains in its present location, and the in¬ 
 crease of paupers continues, a large addition must 
 necessarily be made to it within a few years, and at 
 no small expense. If, as we believe, the number of 
 paupers will be reduced by a removal, and the cost 
 of supporting them also reduced, the cost of a new 
 building at the new location, when such building 
 is needed, woidd not much, if any, exceed the 
 amount which must necessarily be expended where 
 it now is. But even if it should, the city owns 
 two tracts of land in this part of our territory, 
 which are now attached to the Alms House, the 
 sale of either of which would more than pay the 
 cost of the removal. In relation to this matter 
 
14 
 
 the Committee submit some recommendations which 
 will he found below. 
 
 The opinion of the Overseers of the Poor was 
 obtained in regard to the practicability, necessity, 
 or expediency of a change of location, and the sub¬ 
 ject was considered by them at a special meeting, 
 called for that purpose, April 16. It will be seen that 
 the Board have given their views at length hi favor 
 of a removal, hi a preamble and resolve, which is at¬ 
 tached to this Report. The attention of the Council 
 is respectfully directed to it. The views therein set 
 forth, are fully concurred in by the Committee. 
 
 The Committee being unanimous hi the opinion 
 that the Alms House establishment should be 
 removed from its present location as soon as prac¬ 
 ticable, and unanimous in the opinion that it should 
 be placed upon a farm in a more remote part of the 
 city, as suggested by the petitioners, if a suitable 
 one could be obtained at a reasonable cost, a favor¬ 
 able opportunity at once presented itself to secure 
 a location which we think will meet the general 
 approbation of our whole community, at a cost 
 which appears to the Committee to be reasonable. 
 They allude to the “ Brook Farm ” estate, situated 
 in the westerly part of the city. 
 
 This estate was sold at public auction on Friday, 
 April 13, and was purchased by a member of the 
 Committee*' for the sum of $19,150. It being un¬ 
 derstood that the city could obtain it for the same 
 sum, the Committee w : ere about to recommend its 
 purchase at the last meeting of the City Council, 
 April 16, (then- Report not being ready to be pre- 
 
15 
 
 sentecl on that evening,) and as some of the condi¬ 
 tions of the sale were to be complied with during 
 the week, the Keport of the Committee was antici¬ 
 pated by the action of the two branches, in the 
 order passed, instructing them to purchase said 
 estate if the same could he obtained for the sum of 
 $19,150. Following the instructions of the City 
 Council as contained in the order, the Committee, 
 satisfying themselves that the interests of the city 
 would be promoted thereby, purchased the estate 
 for the said sum of $19,150. There are incum¬ 
 brances, consisting of mortgages and an execution, 
 amounting to $17,445 25. The mortgagees, the 
 Committee understand, will be willing to cancel tlicir 
 mortgages, upon receiving the notes of the city. The 
 amount of the execution, being about $2,000, will 
 be required to be paid in July. The sum of $1,- 
 704 75, being the difference between the incum¬ 
 brances and the sum of $19,150, is required imme¬ 
 diately, and provision should be made for its pay¬ 
 ment this evening. 
 
 The Farm contains, as represented, 202 acres — 
 180 acres in one lot, upon which there are several 
 buildings, and 22 acres in another, (known as the 
 “ Keith lot.”) It is divided into mowing, (upland 
 and meadow,) tillage, pasturage, and wood land; 
 and is well supplied with water by a brook, running 
 through it, springs, and several wells. It embraces 
 the only quantity of such land as is needed by the 
 city, and could be obtained within our limits for 
 anything like a reasonable price, and is, in every 
 respect, such a farm as is needed for the Alms 
 House establishment. 
 
16 
 
 And when it is considered that land within the 
 limits of Roxbury, and within twenty minutes ride 
 from City Hall, and especially such land as is 
 needed by the city, not only for agricultural pur¬ 
 poses, hut for objects which, in the course of time, 
 will attach, if not a greater, certainly an additional 
 value to it — can he obtained for less than ninety- 
 five dollars per acre, it cannot but be readily admit¬ 
 ted that the purchase is a valuable one; and had 
 the opportunity passed by unnoticed or unimproved, 
 the City Council woidd justly have been liable to 
 censure, in neglecting the interests of the city com¬ 
 mitted to its care. 
 
 This Farm was purchased in 1841, by George 
 Ripley and others, who associated themselves to¬ 
 gether as “ The Brook Farm Institute of Education 
 and Agriculture,” and afterwards became incorpo¬ 
 rated under the name of “ The Brook Farm Pha¬ 
 lanx,” and occupied and improved by them for four 
 or five years. There are several buildings upon it, 
 all of them, with the exception of the Mansion 
 House and bam, having been built by the late 
 owners and occupants. These buildings are located 
 on different parts of the grounds, and may be used 
 to great advantage by the city, and are, in many 
 respects, just what are needed. They are in good 
 order, and need but little repair. 
 
 We will, as briefly as possible, describe the build¬ 
 ings. 
 
 1st. The Mansion House, (as designated by the 
 Phalanx “ the Hive,”) 1st floor, 2 parlors: 1 large 
 dining room, about 45x14, with closets: 1 kitch- 
 
17 
 
 en, with Stimpson’s range, calculated for 60 to 
 80persons: 3 large boilers (2 of copper and 1 of 
 iron): 1 large wash room: 1 press room, for press¬ 
 ing clothes: 1 store room, closets: privy: large 
 shed, with accommodations for horses and vehi¬ 
 cles : 2 rooms beyond shed. 
 
 2d floor. 2 large chambers, with lire places: 2 
 bed rooms: 13 sleeping rooms, with several closets. 
 
 The attic. 50 x 18, plastered on sides, 4 ft. high. 
 
 Attic in original house, 40 x 20. There is a 
 cellar under the original house. 
 
 2d. The Barn. Length, 70x40, with addition 
 on south side for grain rooms. 
 
 Main floor , stalls for 18 cattle: also for 5 
 horses: haylofts: 2 grain rooms, with pump, 
 and other fixtures. 
 
 Cellar, with pump and well; 5 or 6 stalls 
 for cattle, enclosed, remainder of cellar open. 
 There is a large yard and piggery. (This cel¬ 
 lar and yard can he used for the keeping of swine 
 to good advantage, or the cellar may he appropri¬ 
 ated for the storage of carts, wagons, and agri¬ 
 cultural implements.) 
 
 3d. Factory Building. 2 stories and attic. 
 Length, 60x28. 
 
 1st floor. Boom extreme length, (60 x 28.) 
 
 2d floor. 6 rooms. 
 
 Attic. 3 rooms. 
 
 A well of water which supplied the steam en¬ 
 gine. Near this building is a corn barn. 
 
18 
 
 4th. The Eyrie. (So designated by the Phalanx.) 
 This is a large building some 35 or 40 ft. sq. with 
 out-houses attached. 
 
 1 st floor. 2 large sq. rooms: 4 small rooms. 
 
 2d floor. 8 bed rooms. 
 
 Wood house, privy, cistern. There is a cellar un¬ 
 der whole house, and furnace. 
 
 5th. The Cottage. This is a building of cottage 
 form, 2 stoiies high. 
 
 1st floor. 2 large rooms: 2 smaller rooms: 
 
 1 wash room: 1 store room: cistern: privy. 
 
 2d floor. 4 chambers. 
 
 There is a cellar under the house, and a furnace. 
 
 6th. Large Double House. (Designated by the com¬ 
 munists —the Pilgrim House.) This building is 
 
 2 1-2 stories high, and built as a double house. 
 Dimensions not accurately ascertained, but 
 thought to be about 40 x 35 with an L. It is so 
 arranged that it is well adapted for a hospital. 
 
 ls£ floor. 4 large square rooms: 2 kitchens: 1 
 wash room, with large cistern under the same, 
 and holding from 3 to 5000 gallons: 1 bakery: 
 workshop: privy. 
 
 2d floor. 9 chambers and bedrooms. 
 
 Attic. 4 large rooms. 
 
 Cellar under house, with furnace. 
 
 7th. The Green House. This is, in main building, say 
 40x18, built of brick, with a wooden addition 
 on one side, and end, making its dimensions, say 
 60x30. It is built in the usual form of 
 green houses, and is well provided with green¬ 
 house furniture, such as stands and shelves for 
 
19 
 
 flowers and plants. There arc two well-finished 
 rooms, a very large room in the wooden addition, 
 for the storage and deposit of fuel and such 
 things as are necessarily attached to a green 
 house. There are accommodations for obtaining 
 and keeping water, and a furnace with the proper 
 fixtures for heating the same, and warming the 
 house. It is in good repair. 
 
 These buildings, (Avith the exception of the main 
 building of the Mansion House and barn,) have 
 been erected since the Farm Avas occupied by the 
 Phalanx, and, so far as the Committee are able to 
 judge, are Avell and substantially built for the pur¬ 
 poses for Avhicli they Avere intended. They AA-ere 
 occupied but four or five years, and, since then, 
 have remained unoccupied a greater part of the 
 time, and Avill necessarily require some repairs. 
 They Avill require but little alteration for the uses 
 of the city. 
 
 The Farm has heretofore yielded — when kept in 
 a proper state — large crops of hay, grain, and A 7 ege- 
 tables. For three or four years past, appearances 
 indicate that it has been someAA’hat neglected; and 
 it requires only AAdiat it has been deprived of, of 
 late—labor and manure — to restore to it its for¬ 
 mer character and condition. 
 
 The land appears to be Avell divided. The higher 
 portion, upon AA’hich the “ Double House,” the “ Cot¬ 
 tage,” the “ Eyrie,” and the “ Green House ” are lo¬ 
 cated, has yielded good crops of grass and gram. 
 The soil has been much improA'ed by irrigation, and 
 can be much more improved by bringing into use the 
 A r aluable vegetable mould lying near. There is an 
 
orchard containing many young and valuable fruit 
 trees, on this part of the grounds, which, although 
 greatly neglected of late, can be easily restored, and 
 made to yield. 
 
 A portion of the other lands in the same range, 
 extending in a south-westerly direction, have been 
 appropriated to pasturage. The soil is of the same 
 character as that near the buildings spoken of, and, 
 if ever needed for the purposes of cultivation, can 
 be brought into use at a comparatively trifling ex¬ 
 pense. But this portion of the farm will become, 
 at some future time, of higher value to the city, 
 than for agricultural purposes merely. 
 
 There is a small quantity of woodland, which is 
 considered of little value. 
 
 The meadow land is considered of great value. 
 Some acres of this have been greatly unproved by 
 the former occupants, and made to yield large crops 
 of the best English grass, and many more acres can 
 be easily improved from tune to time, by drainage, 
 and mixing the soil with sand or gravel, which are 
 near the meadow, and are easily obtained for the 
 purpose. These lands, when drained, and the char¬ 
 acter of the soil changed by the intermixture of the 
 soils we have spoken of, will become a valuable part 
 of the farm, and yield abundant crops of grass, grain, 
 or vegetables. 
 
 There are many acres lying above and around the 
 meadow, the soil of which is of excellent quality, 
 and is doubtless equal to the best land in this section 
 of the city. 
 
 We have here briefly described the lot of 180 
 acres. The other lot, known as the Keith lot, is 
 
21 
 
 situated a few rods easterly of this, oil the opposite 
 side of the road (Baker st.) leading to Spring- 
 street village. It is represented as containing 22 
 acres, and is favorably located. The proposed new 
 street* from Mr. Billings’ factory, near the contem¬ 
 plated depot, to “ Brook Farm,” runs through the 
 lower part of it, and, if built, will reduce the distance 
 from this lot to the railroad depot, to about one-third 
 of a mile. The time is not far distant when this lot, 
 of itself, will he worth more than one-half the whole 
 purchase. 
 
 The Committee trust they have demonstrated, 
 that the “Brook Farm” is a valuable purchase for 
 the city, as connected with the removal of the Alms 
 House. There is another, and hi some respects a 
 greater value, which has not, as yet, been consider¬ 
 ed, and to which they will briefly allude. 
 
 There was expended, the past year, for materials 
 for repairing the streets and roads, beyond the mate¬ 
 rials obtained from lands belonging to the city, the 
 sum of $889 79. These materials are purchased at 
 what are considered high prices; and it does seem, 
 to quote the language of the Mayor in his recent 
 Inaugural Address, that a prudential regard for the 
 interests of the city, dictates the expediency of ob¬ 
 taining gravel hills, &c., “ on such acceptable terms 
 as ultimately to greatly diminish the amount which 
 must otherwise he annually expended hi maintain- 
 
 * This street is the same as petitioned for in 1SH, by William Palmer, Wil¬ 
 liam Keith, Christopher Marsh, James W. Wason, Aaron Cass, Michael 
 Whittemore, and many other citizens of West Roxbury. The Selectmen ex¬ 
 amined the ground, and reported favorably upon it. The petitioners repre- 
 scnteil“that the proposed road would he a great* public convenience,— that 
 it would accommodate a daily increasing amount of travel between West Rox¬ 
 bury and Newton,—and that it would save much expense and difficulty in 
 avoiding the snow-drifts which in winter often make the present road (Baker 
 street) nearly impassable.” 
 
22 
 
 ing the streets and roads in such a safe condition, as 
 the laws of the commonwealth and the convenience 
 of the citizens so imperiously demand.” The 
 amount for this object, at the present moment, 
 may he comparatively small, yet it is increasing 
 from j’ear to year; and the w'ant of suitable land 
 has heretofore been, and will continue to he, more 
 and more felt, until some provision is made to re¬ 
 lieve the city from this annually increasing expen¬ 
 diture. At some future tune,—unless better and 
 more economical provision shall have been made, 
 which will obviate the necessity,—it may not be 
 deemed impracticable to transport gravel from 
 “ Brook Farm” to any point along the line of the 
 railroad in West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and 
 the lower part of the city, for the repair of the 
 highways. This the Committee do not expect at 
 present, nor perhaps for some years to come; yet it 
 is not impracticable, judging from the course Boston 
 has pursued, in purchasing gravel hills in towns 
 many miles distant, and transporting the materials 
 over railroads, and in boats, for building and re¬ 
 pairing then streets. 
 
 There are upwards of 72 acres of flats belonging 
 to Roxbury, in the dry basin of the Mill Corpora¬ 
 tion, extending to the foot of Boylston street, hi 
 Boston, near the public garden. These flats, at 
 some future day, will be filled up and brought into 
 the market for sale. Materials, in part, for filling 
 them up, and preparing them for the market, can 
 easily be obtained from “Brook Farm,” as the 
 Boston and Providence railroad runs along side 
 of, and through a portion of these lands. Should 
 
23 
 
 this be deemed impracticable by any one, the Com¬ 
 mittee have only to point to the improvements now 
 being made by the city of Boston in filling up their 
 lands in the South Bay, where materials arc obtain¬ 
 ed from Quincy, and transported over the Old Col¬ 
 ony railroad, and thence by a temporary track,— 
 or to the improvements now being made near the 
 bridge over the Worcester railroad, on Trcmont 
 street,—or those in the vicinity of the Mill Dam,— 
 nearly all the materials required for which, are ob¬ 
 tained and transported by railroad, at greater dis¬ 
 tances than from “Brook Farm.” 
 
 The distance from City Hall to “Brook Farm” 
 is about five miles, perhaps a little more. The 
 Branch railroad, through West Boxbury to Ded¬ 
 ham, is nearly completed, and will he opened to the 
 public in July. The road is hut a little distance 
 from the Farm, and if the street petitioned for by 
 many of the citizens in this section of the city, 
 should he built, it can be approached easily over a 
 level road, in nearly a straight line, and reduce the 
 distance to a half or three-quarters of a mile; the 
 present road (Baker street) to the contemplated 
 depot, has for a long time been deemed highly 
 objectionable, for reasons which were set forth in 
 the petition to the Selectmen in 1844. 
 
 It may he said that the distance is too great 
 from the more thickly settled parts of the city, but 
 the Committee do not think this objection worthy 
 of much consideration. Their opinion in this point 
 is more fully expressed in another part of this Bc- 
 port, and they have only to add, here, that the 
 distance seems to he an argument in its favor, 
 
24 
 
 rather than an objection against it. Doubtless, 
 many who find their way here, or who are sent here 
 from other places, would find this location more 
 inconvenient, less desirable, and not so easy of 
 access, as the present one, and would possibly seek 
 the charities of other cities or towns in our neigh- 
 hood, which have not heretofore home such an un¬ 
 equal proportion of this tax as we have, but may 
 have indirectly caused us to bear more than our 
 share. 
 
 It may be urged, that with the Alms House at 
 such a distance, the cost of transportation of per¬ 
 sons and provisions would be increased. This ob¬ 
 jection must pass for what it is worth; hi the opin¬ 
 ion of the Committee, it has but little force. If, in 
 consequence of the location, it would become neces¬ 
 sary to provide vehicles to carry the sick, then the 
 objection might have some force; but as the sick are 
 now generally carried in vehicles belonging to the 
 city, and attached to the establishment, and will 
 always have to be carried, wherever the location 
 may be, the objection, therefore, has but little 
 weight. The transportation of provisions to the 
 Fann, would not, perhaps, cost as much as at present, 
 certainly not more. Many of the necessaries of life, 
 and some articles now purchased and trans¬ 
 ported, would be raised there, as we have before 
 stated, and consequently, there would be no increase 
 of expense in this connection. But even if the 
 cost of transportation, both of persons and every 
 thing required for the use of the establishment, not 
 obtained from the Farm, should be increased, the 
 objections are entirely insignificant, and in some 
 
25 
 
 respects trivial, when compared with the advantages 
 to he gamed, and can have but little effect when 
 urged against the change. 
 
 Other objections may arise, as doubtless they will, 
 but the Committee can conceive of none that can or 
 will arise hi any possible manner, that have force 
 enough to counterbalance or outweigh the advantages 
 derived from the removal of the establishment to 
 “ Brook Farm.” 
 
 The Committee have not arrived at tlicir conclu¬ 
 sions hastily. They have not relied entirely on their 
 own individual opinions, or tlicir own views, in de¬ 
 ciding upon this matter; they have sought for, and 
 obtained the views and opinions of others,—of 
 those who have had large experience, and who have 
 heretofore managed the fiscal, prudential, and mu¬ 
 nicipal affairs of the town and city, and whose opin¬ 
 ions arc entitled to tliehighestrespect and considera¬ 
 tion. It is but proper for the Committee to state, that 
 there appears to be but one general opinion among 
 those who, in times past, have managed the affairs 
 of the town and city, in relation to this subject, and 
 that is,— the interests of the city would he promoted, 
 by removing the institution from its present location, 
 and establishing it upon a farm in a more remote 
 part of the city. 
 
 It is gratifying to know that in accomplishing 
 this desirable object, it will not be necessary to bur¬ 
 den the people with a heavy tax. The ways and 
 means to meet the expenditure, seem to be ready at 
 hand. To provide for the debt incurred in the pur¬ 
 chase, and to meet such expenditures as shall become 
 necessary, in providing such buildings as may here- 
 
26 
 
 after be required, a portion of the Eeal Estate be¬ 
 longing to the city can be disposed of, on advan¬ 
 tageous terms, and the proceeds of the sale be de¬ 
 voted to this purpose. 
 
 The “Munroe Farm ” situated on Warren street, 
 contains some 20 acres, and was valued by the Com¬ 
 mittee on Public Property at $35,000; this valua¬ 
 tion was a nominal one, only. The farm is located 
 in that section of the city where land is increasing 
 greatly in value, and doubtless it could be disposed 
 of to good advantage. 
 
 The “Alms House land” situated on Highland 
 street, contains about 10 acres. This property has 
 been valued at $30,000. The location of this estate 
 is very eligible for building lots. It is situated in a 
 growing part of the city, and where land is bring¬ 
 ing high prices. It would seem to be for the best 
 interests of the city, that one or both of these estates 
 should be disposed of. In addition to the amount 
 obtained from the sale, the city would derive other 
 benefits of no little importance, not the least of 
 which, is the additional amount of taxable property 
 which would thus be created. 
 
 The Committee respectfully recommend that one 
 or both of these estates be disposed of—reserving 
 such parts thereof for Public Squares, and for such 
 other uses as may be deemed necessary—in such 
 manner and upon such terms and conditions as the 
 City Council shall hereafter prescribe, and that the 
 proceeds of the sales be appropriated to liquidate 
 the debt incurred in the purchase of “ Brook Farm” 
 and for providing such necessary buildings for 
 the Alms House establishment, as shall be re¬ 
 quired. 
 
27 
 
 In conclusion the Committee would observe that 
 in the discharge of their duties they have not been 
 unmindful of the responsibilities resting upon them, 
 or the confidence reposed hr them by the vote of 
 the two branches, instructing them to incur liabil¬ 
 ities in behalf of the city to a considerable amount, 
 if in their opinion the public interests required it. 
 They have discharged those duties in a manner 
 which their conscience and judgment fully approve, 
 and which appears to them to be for the best inter¬ 
 ests of the city, and they are willing to leave all fu¬ 
 ture results to the test of time, and the judgment 
 of their fellow citizens. 
 
 All which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 CALVIN YOUNG, 
 
 DANIEL JACKSON, 
 
 JOHN L. PLUMMER, 
 WILLIAM A. CRAFTS, 
 JOSEPH N. BREWER, 
 STEPHEN M. ALLEN, 
 NATHANIEL MAYIIEW, 
 SYLVESTER BOWMAN. 
 
29 
 
OPINION 
 
 OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. 
 
 At a meeting of the Overseers of the Poor, hohlcn at the Al¬ 
 dermen’s room, on the sixteenth of April, 1849, the following 
 letter from Mr. J. N. Brewer, in hehalf of the Special Joint 
 Committee on the petition of Elijah Lewis and others, in relation to 
 a change in the location of the Alms House, was read by the Chair- 
 
 Roxhmj, April 14,1849. 
 
 To the Hon. H. A. S. Deaeuoen, 
 
 Chairman of the Overseers of the Poor. 
 
 Snt: — The Special Joint Committee of the City Council, to 
 which was referred the petition of Elijah Lewis and others, relative 
 to a change of the location of the Alms House, and recommending 
 the purchase of a large number of acres of land in a more remote 
 part of the city, for the uses of the establishment, desire the opin¬ 
 ion of the Board of Overseers, as to the practicability, expediency, 
 or necessity of a change. 
 
 They would also state, that the estate situated in the westerly part 
 of the city, recently occupied by the “ Community,” and known as 
 “ Brook Farm,” containing some 202 acres of land, with several 
 dwelling-houses and out-buildings thereon, was purchased at auc¬ 
 tion yesterday, for the sum of 819,150, and will be offered to the 
 city at the same price. 
 
 The opinion of the Board of Overseers is also desired in regard 
 
 Tory respectfully, 
 
 Your ob’t serv’t, 
 
 JOSEPH N. BREWER, 
 
 In lehalf of the C (tee. 
 
 The Chairman of the Board of Overseers of the Poor stated, 
 that he visited the Brook Farm, on the fourteenth inst., in com¬ 
 pany with Mr. Brewer, and examined all the edifices thereon, and 
 found them to be as follows. 
 
 (The description of the buildings is here omitted, as it is found 
 on pages 16,17, and 18.) 
 
31 
 
 Mirny of the members of the 'Board of Overseers of the Poor 
 having been upon the Brook Farm, and the expediency of its being 
 purchased by the city for the Alms House establishment having 
 been maturely considered, the following preamble and resolutions 
 were adopted. 
 
 The propriety of selecting a larger and more retired tract of land, 
 for the location of the Alms House, has been a subject of inquiry 
 for several years, not only by the Overseers of the Poor, but the 
 people in all parts of -the city ; as it was confidently believed that, 
 if the institution could be removed to such a position, it might be 
 conducted in a manner that would be less expensive, more favorable 
 to the health and morals of the inmates, and in all respects better 
 subserve the various purposes for which it was designed, as well as 
 give more general satisfaction, than was practicable in its present 
 position,—while the number of applicants for admission, would, 
 probably, be very considerably reduced, in consequence of the great 
 distance from the most populous portion of the city, as well as that 
 great commercial emporium, from whence come so many of the 
 diseased and destitute who have thronged the Alms House during 
 the three past years. 
 
 The chief difficulty, however, in accomplishing that very desirable 
 object, has been the procurement of a sufficiently extensive tract of 
 land, in an eligible section of the city, and upon such favorable 
 terms as would warrant a recommendation of its beinn- purchased; 
 but it having been ascertained that the Brook Farm, iu West Box- 
 bury, containing over two hundred acres, with four dwelling houses, in 
 which are upwards of seventy rooms, a spacious edifice which was 
 reared as a manufactory, a large barn, a well-constructed green 
 house, and other small buildings, can be obtained for 19,150 dol¬ 
 lars, that great impediment has fortunately been removed ; for it is 
 believed that the land, on which the Alms House now stands, can 
 be sold for a sum amply sufficient to pay for the farm, repair the 
 buildings, and erect such others as may possibly be required to 
 render the establishment as complete, in all its departments, as any 
 in the State, when the comfort of the inmates, their reformation, 
 the industrial services of such as are able to labor, and a due re¬ 
 gard to the means which cau be properly appropriated, are con¬ 
 sidered. 
 
 The employment of persons who usually seek a refuge in such 
 an institution, in labor of some kind, is deemed indispensable for 
 
32 
 
 the correction of these habits of idleness, intemperance, vice, and 
 immorality, which are the chief causes of human dearadation and 
 misery; and from the numerous experiments which have been made 
 in this country, and in many of the European nations, it has been 
 fully illustrated, that the cultivation of the earth affords the most 
 diversified, appropriate, and profitable kinds of work for men, 
 women, and children, thus situated, and especially if Farming and 
 Gardening are combined, which can bo done, and on an extensive 
 scale, as the proffered tract of land in WestRoxbury is sufficiently 
 spacious for the successful prosecution of those two gieat branches 
 of rural industry. 
 
 There is a vast tract of meadow land which extends nearly to 
 Charles river, that can be easily drained, when it will produce a 
 certain and very large quantity of hay ; and the vegetable mould, 
 removed from the trenches, if combined with ashes or lime, will 
 manure, in a thorough manner, the whole of the upland, on which 
 the cereal m-ains. potatoes, and all the other crops cultivated in 
 Now England, can be successfully raised, and in great quantities, 
 besides culinary, and such other vegetables as more properly come 
 within the domain of horticulture. Fruits, also, of every variety 
 that will thrive in our climate, will be found worthy of cultivation, 
 as an important source of revenue; and a dairy can be established 
 for supplying the inmates with milk, and butter for the market,— 
 or at least a sufficient quantity for the institution. 
 
 As the depot for the now branch from Dedham to the Boston 
 and Providence railroad, has been located near the centre of Spring- 
 street village, and as a street is petitioned for, in a direct line 
 from thence, to a point on the old road, near the entrance to Brook 
 Farm, it will reduce the distance between it and the depot, if built, 
 to a little more than half a mile, and thus render the intercourse 
 with the northern part of the city very convenient, speedy, and 
 cheap: Therefore, 
 
 1. Resolved, That, in the opinion of the Overseers of the Poor, 
 it is expedient that the location of the Alms House should he 
 changed; and they respectfully recommend that the Brook Farm 
 should be purchased for accomplishing that important object. 
 
 2. Resolved, That the Chairman be requested to transmit the 
 foregoing Preamble and Lesolution to the Special Joint Com¬ 
 mittee on the Alms House. 
 
 H. A. S. DEARBORN, Chairman. 
 
 Joshua Skater, Secretary. 
 
 Roxbury, April 10,1819.