A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OP BALTIMORE. 7

even said that a bill for the purpose was introduced into the Legislature, of
which Mr. M. was a member-, but he, preferring to work the iron ore, with
which the spot abounded, refused the application of the people, defeated the
measure in the Assembly, and thus made it necessary for the founders of the
new town to seek another, location.

The head of the north-west branch being then selected, a petition was pre-
pared for the Assembly, and, agreeably to the prayer of the petitioners, an act
was passed in 1729, entitled, "In Actfor erecting a Town on the north side of
the Patapsco, in Baltimore county, and for laying out into Zo/s, sixty acres of
land in and about the place where one John Flemming now lives." This Flem-
ming resided on the north bank of Uhler's Run, near where James R. Wil-
liams & Son's dyeing establishment now stands, in south Charles street. By
this act, commissioners were appointed, with proper powers; and were
directed to purchase by agreement, or to obtain by the valuation of a jury,
the above mentioned sixty acres, which they were to lay out in the most con-
venient manner into sixty lots, and dispose of to settlers on specified conditions.
In compliment to the Proprietary, whose ancestor took his title of Baron from
a sea port of the same name, in Ireland, the town thus laid out was to be called
" BALTIMORE."

On the 1st of December, 1729, the commissioners purchased of Messrs.
Carroll, the owners, the tract authorized by law; to be paid for at 40s. per
acre in money, or in tobacco, at Id. per pound. On the 12th of January,
1730, they, assisted by the county surveyor, laid off the town. Within, it
was divided by Long, now Baltimore street, intersected at right angles by Cal-
vert street, not then named, and Forrest, now Charles st. There were also
nine lanes;—East, South, Second, Light, Hanover, Belvidere, St. Paul's, Ger-
man, and Lovely Lanes;—the most of which have been widened into streets,
without any change of name. From the small quantity of ground taken up and
the location, it is evident the commissioners did not anticipate its present trade
or population ; and, strange as it may appear, although commercial considera-
tions must have had some influence in the formation of the new town, its ex-
terior boundaries no where reached the shore; and but one avenue, Calvert
street, appeared to communicate with the water. It is also worthy of notice,
that, while but one lot was taken on what is now called Baltimore street, all
the lots towards the river were taken within the first three days after they
were offered for sale.

In 1730, Mr. William Fell, a ship carpenter, and brother of Edward, who,
it will be remembered, had settled on the east side of the Falls in 1726, bought
the tract called Copus' Harbor, and some time after erected a mansion on
Lancaster street. From him this portion of the city took the name, which it
still retains, of " Fell's Point."

In 1732, a new town, of ten acres, was laid off into twenty lots, valued at
one hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco each, on the east side of the Falls, on
that part of Cole's Harbor settled by Mr. Edward Fell. It was called Jones-
town ; and consisted of three streets, afterwards called Front, Short and Jones
streets;—on the last of which, on the south-west corner of Bridge st. stood a
store, kept by Mr. Fell. This settlement, having been made before Baltimore
was laid out, took, after a time, and has since retained, the name of "Old
Town."

In 1745, Jonestown and Baltimore were united and called by the name of
the latter. In 1747, an act of Assembly was passed, by which Gay, Fred-
erick, and a part of Water and Second streets were laid off, with eighteen
acres of ground. This addition contained all the solid ground between the
eastern limit of the first town and the Falls. The act by which this addition