25 August 1827
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Railroads
273

25. IV:45. Medford with Charles— Peter Chardon Brooks’s.

Amory— Jonathan junr. Barnard— Captain Brazier— John Codman— Stephen Coolidge— Joseph Coolidge— William Cruft. Edward Davis— Isaac P. Davis— Jonathan Dorr Elliot— William Foster— William Hall. Joseph Hedge Hubbard— John Lyman— Theodore junr. Parker— John Perkins Thomas Otis— George— A Quincy Josiah Russell— Benjamin Spooner— William Welsh— Thomas—

At half past five this morning, Mr Cruft called with his two Sons Samuel Breck, and William Smith, and I walked with them down to the Marine Railway; a recent invention for hauling up ships on a cradle, to repair them instead of the old practice of heaving them down. There are two of the ways, which are of Cast-Iron and Oak-timber from New-York—brought down the Canal from Lake Erie— The reason assigned for which was that no Oak timber of sufficient size could be obtained here— There was a Schooner upon one of the ways and a brig upon the other— They told me that This Railway was first put in operation last December since which they had already taken up and repaired 57 vessels besides the two now on the ways— But the establishment, with the land they have purchased and the buildings they have erected has cost them near a hundred thousand dollars; and the profits of their business, make no adequate return for this expenditure. We walked round, by the old Winisimet Ferry, Charles river Bridge, the site of the filled up old Mill-Pond, and back by the magnificent new Market House the Long-wharf and State-Street, back to my lodgings— The improvements in the City are very great and very costly— They are the proofs of prosperity, which may a good Providence continue, and of a Spirit of enterprize, that deserves its reward— After breakfast I remained till 2. P.M. at the Exchange, and received the visitors named in the margin, and two or three others, not known or not remembered. I then rode out with Charles to Mr Brooks’s at Medford; having engaged to pass the Sunday with him— He resides at a very convenient, and sufficiently elegant Country Seat, several Miles from Boston. There were here at dinner, Mr Benjamin Gorham, brother of Mrs Brooks and member elect from Boston, in the House of Representatives of the United States— Mr Edward Everett, who married the second daughter of Mr Brooks, and member of the House from the Middlesex district; Edward, and P. C. Brooks junr. two of his Sons; and Mr Stetson the Minister of the Congregational Church in Medford at which Mr Brooks attends. Mrs Brooks is the daughter of Nathanael Gorham of Charlestown whom I first knew at London in the year 1783. and who was afterwards a member and President of the Confederation Congress and of the Convention of 1787. which made the Constitution of the U.S. I had not been acquainted with Mrs Brooks before— I have known Mr Brooks many years. Their daughter Abigail Brown was with her Sister Mrs Everett, last Winter at Washington, where my Son contracted an engagement with her. But as they are both underage, and Charles has yet a year of Law studies to accomplish before he can be admitted to the Bar, their marriage was postponed until that time. Mr Brooks has living seven sons and three daughters; none of whom except Abby, now reside with them— The eldest daughter is married to Mr Frothingham, Minister of the first Congregational Church at Boston. Their Son Thomas a boy of seven or eight years is here.

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