The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

BOSTON, February 16.

The New-York Paper of Thursday last bro't by the Hartford Post, mentions, That five Gentlemen of that City had waited on the Corporation with a Petition in Behalf of a great Number of the Inhabitants for Leave to erect a Pole sacred to Constitutional Liberty, on the Common, at the Place where the other Pole stood, which had been destroyed: This Petition was rejected: Many who were Promoters of the Design of erecting a new Pole, were unwilling to fix it where the other stood; and yet to answer the End it was necessary it should stand near the same Place. The Business was therefore for a while at a stand, till a lucky Expedient was thought of and adopted:

A small slip of Land 4 Feet wide and 100 Feet long, an undivided Right, near the Place where the former Pole stood, was found to be private Property, and immediately purchased for the Purpose. Here a Hole was dug, 12 Feet deep, and a large Pitch Pine Mast erected. The Mast was strongly cased round with Iron-Bars, laid length-wise, riveted thro' with large flat Rivets and laid close together, so as entirely to cover the Mast for about two thirds of its Length, and over these Bars were driven large Iron Hoops, near half an Inch thick, at small distances from Bottom to Top. On the upper Part, the Bars were not laid quite so close but riveted and hooped in the same Manner, and the Wood between the Bars driven as full of large Nails as it would hold. It was drawn thro' the Streets from the Ship-Yards, by 6 Horses, decorated with Ribbons, 3 Flags flying with the Words Liberty and Property, and attended by several Thousands of the Inhabitants. It was raised without any Accident, while the French Horns played God save the King. It was strongly secured in the Ground by Timber, great Stones and Earth, and is in Height above the Ground, about 46 Feet; on the Top of it was raised a Topmast of 22 Feet, on which is fixed a gilt Vane, with the word LIBERTY. No Sort of Disturbance happened during the whole affair. The Gentlemen of the Army had taken a laudable Care that not the least Offence should be given by the Soldiers, many of whom, were present, and neither gave nor Received any Affront. This Business was done on Tuesday last.