Saturday Evening Gazette/June 7, 1856/Annexation of Chelsea to Boston
Annexation of Chelsea to Boston.
On Monday our fellow citizens are called upon to vote on the question of re-annexing Chelsea to Boston. The desire for annexation comes from Chelsea, and the petitioners have set forth all the advantages and disadvantages of the measure in a very satisfactory manner, on paper, with a very large average in favor of the scheme. By this statement Boston is to be largely the gainer; Chelsea simply wants to be “re-annexed,” with no ulterior selfishness, or “axe to grind.” She desires no interest in the water, except to pay her interest on the debt, she wishes for no paving or grading the streets either, they are already good enough, the sanatary condition of the town is excellent, there are very few naturalized foreigners there to be made voters of, and if Boston will only take Chelsea under her motherly wing, the whole of its resources and waste lands and other property, and town debt, shall be made right over at once, and put into Mr. Tracy’s hands. The bill passed the legislature very glibly, though opposed by Boston, as almost anything would pass if Boston opposed it, and the committee appointed by the city council upon the subject of annexation, made a strong report against it. We don’t like the scheme, though in favor of consolidation of the cities and towns round about in one confederacy, for like Hugnet in Richelieu, those who appear for the petitioners “bow too low” to be quite sincere in their proposed disinterestedness, and we fear Boston would find herself carrying the heaviest end of the log. But Chelsea is a beautiful town and made up of Boston business people, who are desirous of having their homes under the same government, and while we commend this feeling, and repeat the wish that the union might be effected, there does not seem to be a sufficient mutuality of interest to warrant its being done at the present time. The fact is, Chelsea does wish to participate in the water privileges of Boston, in her schools, her system of grading, her police, and does not offer an equivalent therefor. All the advantages that Chelsea nominally desires by annexation, could be gained by a municipal organization, which its constantly increasing numbers will admit of by another year—its population being upwards of ten thousand. We hope our people will turn out strong on Monday and vote upon this question, which is one of deep interest to Boston.
