Chapter 6 - The County Farm & Internal Improvements from History of Rockingham County, NH Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by MLM, Volunteer 0000130. For the current email address, please go to http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000130 Copyright. All rights reserved. ************************************************************************ Full copyright notice - http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm USGenWeb Archives - http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ Source: History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill., 1915 Page 85 CHAPTER VI THE COUNTY FARM-INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS RailroadS--Previous to the establishment of the County farm system, the selectmen or overseers of poor of each town had charge of all persons needing assistance. At various times the Legislature enacted laws which largely increased the number classed as county poor. The system of allow- ing each town to care for the poor within its limits led to some evils, was expensive, and made it necessary to locate buildings at some central point in each county where this large class of unfortunates could be better provided for. The County convention at its session in the month of June, 1868. authorized the purchase of a farm and the erection of suitable buildings, to accommodate 250 inmates. The authority to purchase said farm was committed to a joint board consisting of a building committee,--John R. Reding, of Portsmouth; W. H. Robinson, of Exeter; H. P. Hood, of Derry; and I. L. Robinson, of Fremont,--selected by the convention, and the com- missioners, James C. Brown, John J. Leavitt, and Abbott Norris, who finally selected the Thyng farm, so called, in the town of Brentwood. The farm contains about one hundred and sixty acres, and is situated 2-1/2 miles from Epping depot, on the Concord and Portsmouth Railroad. The Nashua and Rochester Railroad now Connects at said depot. The first cost of the Thyng farm was $6,500, including thirty acres adjoining land. The total first cost of the almshouse was $19,632. The following year a building for the insane and a large barn was added at an expense of $9,487. The same year the county convention authorized the commissioners to purchase woodland and pasture, and the farm of D. W. Ladd was bought, 160 acres, for $4,500. In 1873 additional build- ings for storage were constructed, costing $2,500. In 1874 boiler-house, laundry, etc., costing $8,150. In 1875 House of Correction and work-shops, costing $12,000. In 1876 new brick asylum for insane, costing $9,000. In 1910 a new stable was built costing $4,580; and in 1912 a new jail costing $19,686. A new courthouse and jail was built at Portsmouth in 1891, and a new courthouse and record building at Exeter in 1893. INVENTORY OF PROPERTY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY-1913 County farm and buildings at Brentwood $ 90,000.00 Personal property at farm, as per inventory 25,000.00 Page 86 Jail and courthouse lot at Portsmouth 17,500.00 Jail at Portsmouth 41,000.00 Courthouse at Portsmouth 39,000.00 Furniture in courthouse 2,200.00 Library and book cases in courthouse 1,000.00 Coal at courthouse 300.00 Personal property at jail, as per inventory 686.90 Jail at Exeter 10,000.00 Personal property at Exeter jail, per inventory 363.00 Records building and lot 31,562.00 Furniture in Records building 6,100.00 Coal in Records building 130.00 Courthouse and lot at Exeter 50,000.00 Courthouse furniture 2,100.00 Coal in courthouse 275.00 Coal shed at Epping 300.00 ----------- $317,416.90 The net indebtedness of the county is $89,912.00. The number of inmates at present is 200. This includes insane, poor, children, idiotic, blind, and prisoners. The farm constitutes a school district in itself, and three terms of school are taught yearly. There is also a chapel-room, provided with organ, etc., for services on the Sabbath. Children of sound mind and without parents or friends are furnished with good homes by the commissioners. The house is heated by steam; comfortable rooms, clothing, and good and abundant food is furnished to all, and few, if any, of the inmates ever enjoyed a better home. The farm is under the care of the county commissioners. They appoint a superintendent and all necessary officers and help. The first super- intendent, William L. Philbrick, of Portsmouth, was appointed 1869. The farm always has an abundant supply of water drawn by steam-pump and two wind-mills. The house is supplied with fire-escapes; also three fire- extinguishers and a hydrant to the roof of the house, with plenty of hose in case of fire. Total expense of farm $28,237.90 Divided by number of weeks board, make a cost of each one per week 2.74 STOCK AT COUNTY FARM 55 Breeding sows $ 750.00 4 Boars 50.00 27 Shoats 110.00 54 Small pigs 108.00 1 Bull 200.00 2 Bull calves 50.00 Page 87 8 2-year old heifers 400.00 9 1-year old heifers 315.00 18 Calves 540.00 48 Cows 3,600.00 8 Workhorses 1,850.00 1 Pair driving horses 350.00 299 Hens 299.00 23 Cockerels 23.00 3 Yoke of oxen 533.00 --------- $9,178.00 CROPS FOR THE YEAR AS FOLLOWS Ice 350 tons Hay 172 tons Ensilage 319 tons Oat straw 5 tons Rye straw 7 tons Oat fodder (green) 28 tons Oats 167 bushels Potatoes 1,423 bushels Turnips 225 bushels Beets 132-1/2 bushels Carrots 350 bushels String beans 22-1/2 bushels Rye 137-l/2 tons Shelled beans 36 bushels Onions 30 bushels Parsnips 50 bushels Squash 2,500 pounds Cabbage 800 heads Lettuce 10-1/2 bushels Peas 35 bushels Beet green 36 bushels Spinach 60 bushels Tomatoes 1,497 pounds Apples 41 barrels Sweet corn 1,219 dozen ears Canning corn 2-1/4 tons Strawberries 140 boxes Cucumbers 12-1/2 bushels Rhubarb 155 pounds Radishes 52 bunches Asparagus 109 bunches Onions, market bunches 693 bunches Celery 80 heads Page 88 Peppers 6 bushels Plums 3 bushels Cantaleups 3 dozen Mangels 12 tons Beef dressed and consumed on farm 5,575 pounds Pork 4,528 Poultry 1,205 pounds Eggs produced 2,428 dozen Pigs sold $1,527 Cream sold $2,864 Skimmed milk used on farm 31,690 gallons Amount received for labor of prisoners $569 RAILROADS The Boston & Maine Railroad Company controls and operates all the steam railroads in Rockingham County. Originally it was a consolidation of the Boston & Portland chartered March 15, 1833, the Boston & Maine chartered June 27, 1835 and the Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts chartered March 12, 1839. The road was opened through the county to South Berwick, Maine, February 23, 1843. On the Western Division it passes through the following towns: From Boston, Mass., to Miles From Boston, Mass., to Miles Atkinson 37 Newfields 5-55 Plaistow 2-39 Rockingham Jct. 1-56 Newton Jct. 3-41 Newmarket 2-58 E. Kingston Depot. 4-45 Durham 4-62 Exeter 6-51 The Eastern Railroad in New Hampshire, chartered June 18, 1836, and opened November 9, 1840. EASTERN DIVISION From Boston, Mass., to Miles From Boston, Mass., to Miles Salisbury 39 No. Hampton 2-49 Seabrook 4-43 Greenland 3-52 Hampton Falls 2-45 Portsmouth 5-57 Hampton 2-47 Portsmouth & Dover Railroad, chartered July 7, 1866, opened February 1, 1872. PORTSMOUTH & DOVER BRANCH From Portsmouth to Miles From Portsmouth to Miles Newington 5 Sawyer 2-10 Dover Point - 5 Dover 1-11 Cushing 3- 8 The Nashua & Rochester Railroad, chartered June 24, 1868, and opened November 24, 1874. Page 89 WORCESTER, NASHUA & PORTLAND From Worcester, Mass., to Miles From Worcester, Mass., to Miles Hollis 40 Hubbard 4-61 Nashua 7-47 Hampstead 2-63 Hudson 2-49 Sandown 2-65 Anderson 4-53 Freemont 6-71 Windham Jct. 4-57 Epping 4-75 The Manchester & Lawrence Railroad, chartered June 3, 1847, and opened November 13, 1849. MANCHESTER & LAWRENCE BRANCH From Manchester to Miles From Manchester to Miles Londonderry 6 Canobie Lake 3-17 Wilson's 2- 8 Salem 2-19 Derry 3-11 Hampshire Road 4-23 Windham 3-14 The Concord and Portsmouth Railroad was chartered July 1, 1845. Built to Raymond, September 9, 1850; to Concord, 1852. PORTSMOUTH BRANCH From Concord to Miles From Concord to Miles Suncook 7 West Epping 3-39 Hooksett 2- 9 Epping 5-41 Manchester 9-18 Hedding 3-44 Massabesic 5-23 Rockingham Jct. 8-49 Auburn 3-26 Stratham 1-50 E. Candia 2-28 Bayside 3-53 Candia 2-30 Greenland 6-55 Raymond 6-36 Portsmouth 4-59 ELECTRIC RAILROADS The Boston and Maine operates the Portsmouth Electric Railway, which opened June 28, 1899. The cars running in Portsmouth to Greenland, and from Portsmouth through Rye, to North Hampton, connecting at the North Hampton line with the Exeter, Hampton and Amesbury Railway electric cars to Hampton Beach, Exeter and to the state line. The other Electric roads in Rockingham County are: Haverhill Plaistow and Newton Railway Company, organized 1901; Hudson, Pelham and Salem Street Railway Company, organized July, 1907; Manchester and Derry Street Railway, organized September 19, 1906; Chester and Derry Railroad Asso- Ciation, organized June 6, 1901; Seabrook and Hampton Beach Street Rail- way Company, organized July, 1901; Amesbury Street Railway organized April 1, 1908. Starting at the Ferry in Portsmouth, the Atlantic Shore Line runs to Dover and York Beach.