CHAPTER VII.

DERBY STREET. - DERBY WHARF.- CUSTOM HOUSE.-OLD LADIES' HOME.-OLD MEN'S HOME. — MARBLEHEAD FERRY. — HOUSE OF SEVEN GABLES. — PHILIP ENGLISII. -FERRY LANE. BEVERLY FERRY. PLANTER'S MARSH.-WINTHROP'S ARRIVAL.- ARABELLA JOHNSON. POTTER'S FIELD. FIRST MILLS IN SALEM.-BRIDGE STREET.-CAR SHOPS, JUTE MILL, LEAD MILL AND GAS HOUSES. - ESSEX RAILROAD.- PENNSYLVANIA PIER AND PHILLIP'S WHARF. -STEPHEN C. PHIL. LIPS.- SALEM NECK. - EARLY FISHERMEN. — CITY ALM8HOUSE.PEST HOUSES.-WINTER ISLAND. - BLUE ANCHOR TAVERN. PIRATES. - EARLY FORTIFICATIONS AND BLOCK HOUSES. -U.S. FRIGATE “ ESSEX.”. OLD MUSTER GROUND.PLUMMER FARM SCHOOL. JUNIPER POINT AND THE WILLOWS. -JUNIPER HOUSE. BAKER'S, LOWELL, AND OTHER ISLANDS. -NAVY OF SALEM IN THE REVOLUTION.-GROWTH OF SALEM POPULATION, ETC., DURING THE PAST CENTURY.-END OF OUR STROLL.

E now return to the northern side of the river and stroll down Derby street. This street, in the commercial days of Salem, was the great street of the city; but with the departure of our maritime glories its greatness vanished. The remains of several of the fine mansions, once occupied by some of our princely merchants of the past, may still be seen on this street.

Just east of Union bridge is Derby wharf, a long wharf extending far out into the harbor. This wharf was commenced by Capt. Richard Derby, and from time to time extended by his children to its present proportions.

At the head of Derby wharf, on the eastern corner of Orange street and facing the harbor, is the pres

ent Custom House. It is of brick and was built in 1819 by order of Congress. The dimensions of this building (when built) were :-length, forty-eight feet, width, forty feet, two stories and a half high, with a high basement and a storehouse attached which is twenty-eight by seventy feet. A broad flight of stone steps leads from the street to the offices in the first story above the basement. There is a cupola on the roof of the building from which the flag is displayed. A fine carved eagle ornaments the front. Hawthorne has rendered this ancient Custom House classical, in his amusing preface to the "Scarlet Letter,” as Charles Lamb immortalized the South Sea House in his essays. The Custom House occupies the site of a wooden house in which George Crowninshield lived. This house had a cupola, surmounted by an image representing a man looking through a spy-glass.

The Custom Houses of Salem have occupied various places from time to time. We have spoken of the first two2 and of two others on Central street.3 As to some other locations of it we learn that it once stood near where the old Neck gate was, at the junction of Fort Avenue and the road leading to the Almshouse; at another time it was in "Blaney's building," at about 154 Washington street; again it was near the premises of 261 Essex street. In 1776 it was on the corner of Essex and North streets. It was afterwards in Central street, then on Essex

1 See page 22. • See page 34. See page 131. See page 89.

street opposite where the Essex Institute is, then on the corner of Newbury and Essex streets, then on Central street again, and from there removed to its present position. Capt. Charles H. Odell is the present collector.

George Crowninshield was the father of Benjamin W. Crowninshield, who occupied the brick house on Derby street now used for the Old Ladies' Home. President Monroe, when visiting Salem, in 1817, stopped over night in this latter house. Gen. Miller afterwards occupied it, and in 1860 it was purchased by Robert Brookhouse, Esq., and donated to the "Association for the Relief of Aged and Destitute Women." This association was incorporated the same year. Benjamin H. Silsbee, Esq., is president. Miss Mary E. Deacon is matron.

The house on the corner of Derby and Turner streets is now occupied as the "Salem Old Men's Home." This house was built by Penn Townsend, and occupied many years by Hon. J. G. Waters, also by the late William Gavett. The "Home" was the gift of John Bertram, Esq., by whose munificence it is endowed. It was incorporated April 10, 1877. A board of trustees, consisting of thirteen gentlemen, and a superintendent and matron, are chosen annually. The following article from the by-laws denotes the objects of the institution:

"ARTICLE 9. No person shall be admitted into the Home but those of good moral character and habits, who have resided in Salem for not less than ten years immediately preceding their application for admission, and are not less than sixty years of age, unless by a vote of the Trustees,

not less than nine members of the Board being present and voting unanimously."

Of the present officers John Bertram is president, Joseph A. Goldthwait, superintendent, and Mrs. Goldthwait, matron.

Before the opening of the Lafayette street road to Marblehead, the means of reaching this town were by ferry. The landing of the Marblehead ferry was at the foot of Turner street, on the Salem side, and at Haskell's cove, a little to the west of Naugus head on the Marblehead side, in close proximity to the old Darby fort. This ferry was hired by Philip English in 1699, for three years, and after him Capt. John Calley, of Marblehead, had it for ten years. The fare was twopence for Saleın people, and for others "whatever the Court of Sessions should appoint." Calley's boat was fitted to carry horses and carriages. When Marblehead was incorporated, Salem reserved to herself the right of the ferry and the appointment of the ferry-men. The first ferryman was George Wright, who was appointed as early as 1637. Richard Ingersoll was ferry-man after Wright; and Ingersoll, together with John Howard, built, in 1662, the house now standing at the foot of Turner street, on the right-hand side and nearest the water.

This house is known as the "House of the Seven Gables," and was the subject of Hawthorne's story with that title. It retains its great fireplace with its iron back, and much more of its original antiquity. It is still in the possession of the Ingersoll