Public Conveyances. 251 



was the Hingham boat, and so continued for a series of years. 

 The fleet of the Boston and Hingham Steam Boat Company had 

 been increased to three boats. A fourth, the new " Nantasket," 

 built for the company in Chelsea in 1878, was added in that year. 



In 1881 the control of the company passed from its former 

 owners, and the new management gave its special attention to the 

 accommodation of travel to Nantasket Beach. Intimately con- 

 nected with the boats was the Nantasket Beach Railroad, which 

 had been opened in 1880. In this year the Old Colony and Hing- 

 ham Steamboat Company was incorporated under the general 

 law. Its stockholders were principally those who had formerly 

 been in control of the Boston and Hingham Steam Boat Com- 

 pany. They sold their interest in the old company and purchased 

 the steamer " Gov. Andrew," with certain privileges of landing 

 at Hull, Downer Landing, and Hingham. The " Gov. Andrew " 

 continued her regular trips to Hingham, and the Boston and 

 Hingham Steam Boat Company discontinued trips to Hingham. 

 The name of the Old Colony and Hingham Steamboat Com- 

 pany was changed by an Act of the Legislature, March 16, 

 1882, to the Hingham, Hull, and Downer Landing Steamboat 

 Company. 



In 1884 the Hingham, Hull, and Downer Landing Steamboat 

 Company purchased the steamer ' Nahant," built in Chelsea in 

 1878, made improvements upon her nid changed her name to 

 " Gen. Lincoln," and placed Capt. Charles E. Good in command 

 of her. These two boats — the " Gov. Andrew " and " Gen. 

 Lincoln " — continued to be the boats for Hingham for several 

 succeeding years. 



In 1888 the Hingham, Hull, and Downer Landing Steamboat 

 Company increased its capital, bought the property and franchises 

 of the Boston and Hingham Steam Boat Company, and the former 

 owners again regained control of all the routes between Boston, 

 Hull, Strawberry Hill, Nantasket Beach, Downer Landing, and 

 Hingham. 



In 1890 the name of the company was changed to the Nan- 

 tasket Beach Steamboat Company. 



In 1891 the steamer " Mayflower " was built in Chelsea for 

 this company, and made her first trip June 27th, with Capt. 

 George F. Brown as her commander. Her capacity is for two 

 thousand passengers. 



In the foregoing account of the steamboats no attempt has 

 been made to give a history of the steamboat companies or boats 

 except as they have been connected with Hingham. 



STAGE-COACHES. 



There was no regular stage communication between Hingham 

 and Boston until near the close of the last century. The " Mas- 

 sachusetts Register" publishes for the first time in 1802 a list of 



