Title

Letter from the Clerk of the Lamp Department, Boston, to the Mayor of Portland

Authors

Geo. H. Allen

Digital Format

image/jpeg

Format of original

Letters (correspondence)

Date Digital

09/18/2014

Language

English

Repository

Portland Public Library Special Collections & Archives

Files

Identifier

MA10-N

Description

The clerk of Boston's Lamp Department introduces Mr. B.F. Hebard, a Boston lamplighter who has offered his services to Portland. Mr. Hebard "proposes to light the streets of your city free of expense."

See also the related telegram in this collection, identifier # T:MA1-0.

Publication Date

7-9-1866

Keywords

Great Fire -- Portland (Me.) – 1866, Fires – Maine – Portland, Disaster relief – Maine – Portland

Transcript

Lamp Dept Office

Boston July 9^th 1866

To His Honor

Mayor Stevens on Portland

Dear Sir

I take pleasure in introducing to you the bearer Mr. B.F. Hebard the gentleman referred to in my telegram who proposes to light the streets of your city free of expense until such time as you may be able to make some more agreeable arrangment [sic].

Mr. H. has lighted the streets of this city (where gas is not supplied) with his oil for some three or four years and given us great satisfaction.

He is prepared to furnish the oil and the burners immediately for the illumination of your streets and as your lighters know the locations I would suggest that they perform the labor of lighting and trimming.

You will of course furnish him with directions as to the time of lighting and extinguishing in your city or he will light same as the lamps are lighted in this city as it may best please you.

You are aware that this is a burden of some magnitude for the person who has so kindly volunteered to supply you and I know that you will render him every facility and relieve him as soon as his services can safely be dispensed with.

Yours Respectfully

Geo. H. Allen

Clerk Lamp Dept

& Secty Board of Engineer Fire Dept

City of Boston

Recommended Citation

Allen, Geo. H., "Letter from the Clerk of the Lamp Department, Boston, to the Mayor of Portland" (1866). Relief for the Portland Sufferers : The Great Fire, 1866. 2.
https://digitalcommons.portlandlibrary.com/great_fire_relief/2