Browsing named entities in Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 17.. You can also browse the collection for James O. Curtis or search for James O. Curtis in all documents.

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Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 17., Medford Branch railroad. (search)
Medford Branch railroad. NOW that Medford's railway facilities, and especially the public accommodation by steam trains from the center, is being discussed by the Board of Trade, a sketch of the Branch may be timely. This railroad was chartered May 7, 1845, on petition of James O. Curtis and others. In town meeting of June 22, 1845, the petition was endorsed by vote, and another vote instructed the selectmen to appear before the Legislature and look after the town's interests. The Boston & Maine Railroad was in its infancy then, and as late as March, 1842, had no tracks nearer Boston than Wilmington. From that point its trains went to Boston over the pioneer railroad, the Boston & Lowell, some four miles of which lay in the western section of Medford. At about the latter date Edward Smith, who was road master (of Boston & Maine) many years, took an engine across town from the siding at West Medford, through the streets to Malden, to be used there on the construction train
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 17., Medford bells. (search)
ch a title I have failed to learn, but such was the name given to the ship-yard bell that, placed on the building of James O. Curtis, was rung at the hours of labor's commencing and close, in the days when times were busy along the Mystic river. Wh remained silent. But, in 1877, the town built a schoolhouse near Malden line, which was called the Curtis school, and Mr. Curtis donated to it the shipyard bell. It hangs in an iron yoke, with a solid wheel of wood for the bell-rope. The tongue ome an experienced ringer (Mr. Peak) carefully tilted or set the bell, and the rope was placed in the hands of Miss Alice Curtis by her father, with the injunction to pull, which she did. Slowly at first, but with gathering momentum, the 2,040-lb. bell swung around, and out on the breezy morning air came its sonorous vibrations in the key of E. Mr. Curtis grasped the rope, gave a few vigorous pulls, and resigned it to the ringer to finish the duty of the time. The brief service in the tower