98 HTSTORY OF THE 



posing that liis arduous labors would thus be ended, he 

 accepted the I'esult of the trial in great disappointment, 

 and expected immediate payment. But the same cruel 

 action was continued, until the old gentleman's spirits 

 were broken, and his patience as well as his pockets 

 were exhausted. He was finally forced by threats of 

 another trial, (which his health would not permit) to 

 deduct many thousands of dollars from the verdict, 

 (which was seventy-five thousand dollars too small,) 

 before he could collect his money from the city. He 

 had always looked upon this real property as his only, 

 or chief safeguard against poverty in his old age. But 

 the over-bearing, grinding process of the city govern- 

 ment has thrown him upon the charity of his friends. 



The above statement represents only one of the ex- 

 amples of the unmerciful treatment exercised over the 

 owners of lands doomed, within the park area, which 

 ought to be condemned by every good citizen who loves 

 the name of Boston. 



To save complications, and the time and labor of 

 calling together another class of expert witnesses, I 

 made no claim extra in my suits for the valuable ledges 

 on the premises, which your superintendent of streets 

 knows how much to value; he having negotiated not 

 long ago for such property at prices aggregating 

 many thousands of dollars . 



In considering the cost and value of my several 

 estates, we should not lose sight of one very important 

 fact, not presented in court, to Avit: That the accumu- 

 lated interest and the taxes on my projjerties, (these two 

 items of outlay) amount to more than $200,000 since 

 1876, ten years ago, when all this property was virtuall}^ 



