6 HISTORICAL SKETCH

In this year also, a tobacco house was erected on the west
side of Charles street near the head of the inlet into which
Uhler's spring emptied. A public wharf was also commen-
ced at the south end of Calvert street, which for a number
of years was called the "County Wharf. "

The following will show the slow progress which Baltimore
had made up to 1752; at which time there were but 25 houses,
and only 4 of them brick; and an advertisement in the Mary-
land Gazette of the same year appears, by which it is made
known that a schoolmaster "of a good sober character, who
understands teaching English, writing and arithmetic, will
meet with very good encouragement from the inhabitants
of Baltimore Town, if well recommended. "

In 1754 a subscription was got up for building a Market
house, and in 1773 the Markets were regulated by law.

In 1754, Mr. Moale, son of the gentleman to whom we have
before alluded, built the brick store at the corner of Calvert
street and Lovely lane, also the dwelling in the rear of St.
Peter's church. Other houses were also built by other gen-
tlemen; —some of them with imported bricks.

In 1756 many of the French neutrals who were expelled
from Acadia or Nova Scotia took refuge here, and located
themselves on Charles street, south of Market, where the
built small houses, which assumed the name of Frenchtown
by which name it was designated for many years.
In 1763 other portions of Baltimore County having been
added to the town of Baltimore, Fell's Point was also added
to it, upon conditions, however which secured her citizens
certain exemptions, deemed valuable to them.

In 1768, such had been the increase of the town, and the
inconvenience to which the inhabitants were subjected in at-
tending courts at Joppa, that a law was passed authorising the
building of a Court house and prison, which were according-
ly built, the former where the Battle Monument now stands,
the latter adjacent to St. Paul's lane. The former remained
until 1818 when the present Court house was completed, the
last named was superseded by the new Jail in 1800.

The first engine company was raised in this city in 1769..
and remains to this day, bearing now, as then, the name of
"The Mechanical Fire Company"—-a company which, like
those that have been subsequently formed, deserve a warm
place in the affections of the people of Baltimore.

The commercial advantages of Baltimore, its fine navigable
waters, easy access to the noblest Bay in the world, in-
creased and increasing agricultural productions of this state.
and those parts of Virginia of which she was the market,
had attracted no inconsiderable portion of commercial and
mechanical enterprise and capital hither; and in 1771 we find
the names of many of those individuals to whom she was sub-
sequently so much indebted for her prosperity and vigorous
growth. The professions of law and physic do not appear
to have been so much in demand; for of the former there
were but 9, and of the latter in and near the town there were