250 



History of Hingham. 



establish his oil-works there, 

 making it a summer resort, 

 was transformed into "Down- 



1870 was another exciting year in steamboat matters. Fares 

 on both lines were ten cents the greater part of the season. 

 October 1st the " Wm. Harrison " was taken off the route for 

 the season, when the fare on the old line was raised to 25 cents. 

 This brought out the " Wm. Harrison" again on October 18th, 

 with a ten-cent fare, and from this time until the " Wm. Har- 

 rison" was withdrawn for the season (October 31st) the old 

 line carried passengers free of charge, then restoring the fare 

 to 25 cents for the month of November, and closing the season 

 December 1. 



During 1871 and 1872 competition continued, fares varied from 

 10 to 25 cents, and there was no change in boats, Capt. Wesley 

 Collins being commander of the " John Romer." After 1872 

 the People's Line seems to have abandoned Hingham and given 

 its entire attention to the Strawberry Hill route. This line 

 having passed into new hands, became absorbed into the Boston 

 and Hingham Steam Boat Company in 1888. 



The large tract of land known as " Crow Point" had been for 

 some years owned by Mr. Samuel Downer and others. It was 

 Mr. Downer's original intention to 

 but later he conceived the idea of 

 The result was that " Crow Point " 

 er Landing." Mr. Downer put a large amount of capital into the 

 enterprise, and, what was equally essential, a large amount of 

 energy. He laid out house-lots, made roads, and built a number 

 of summer cottages and other buildings, including a hotel, the 

 " Rose Standish House." He also opened pleasure grounds well 

 fitted with all the necessary accessories for the amusement of 

 picnic and pleasure parties during the summer season, to which 

 he o-avc the name of " Melville Gardens." He also built a wharf 

 for a steamboat landing. The whole transformation was rapid 

 and wonderful. All this was in 1871. The " Wm. Harrison," of 

 the People's Line, had the sole privilege of landing there during 

 this season. In 1872 Mr. Downer had built two additional 

 wharves, one for freight vessels and one for the landing of the 

 boats of the Boston and Hingham Steam Boat Company. This 



has since been one of the 

 landing-places for the boats 

 on their trips to and from 

 Hingham. 



In 1874 the steamer " Gov. 

 Andrew " was built for the 

 Boston and Hingham Steam 

 Boat Company, and made 

 her first trip June 30, 1874. 

 Capt. George F. Brown was her commander for this and many 

 succeeding seasons. 



The People's Line having abandoned the Hingham route, the 

 field was occupied without competition, and the " Gov. Andrew " 



