VOL. 113 - NO. 29 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JULY 17, 2009 $.30 A COPY Tall Ships Dock in Boston Do You Remember the North End Beach? by Al Natale (Photo courtesy of Al Natale) Located on Commercial Street adjacent to a full bathing suit. The men and young boys the Coast Guard Base, I remember my were not permitted to be bare-chested. No mother taking me by the hand to walk the bikinis in those days. The beach also had a beach. She would meet with friends and they large double deck pier where we would go to would get together in the water to form a enjoy the sun and lunch after a swim. A good circle and dip up and down in the water and time was had by all. Today the beach is no enjoy themselves. In those years everyone, longer there, however a pool has been built men and women, young children had to wear for the enjoyment of many locals. ... and Now the North End Pool by Sal Giarratani The “Europa” from the Netherlands docked at Rowes Wharf. (Photo by Sal Giarratani) News Briefs by Sal Giarratani (Photo by Sal Giarratani) When I was a little boy on Salutation feet over to my right. I could claim that spot. Street, my mother would take me and my When they asked my name, I said “Sal”. little brother to the pool down on Commer- They replied now that’s “Sal’s spot.” The pool Proposed Boston Museum on Blackstone and cial Street. Then it was practically brand- has become a meeting place for the old and North Streets, facing the Greenway. new. My mother always called it the North new North End. Old-timers, long-timers and End Beach. Everybody was Italian except my the younger yuppie crowd. Everyone blends Boston Museum Hits Snag mother who looked every bit Charlestown in quite well. A coalition of North End neighborhood groups Irish as she was. When my father moved us You can cool off in the water or bake in is opposing construction of a proposed $120 mil- to Roxbury, it was no more pool. the sun. You can buy something from the lion museum along the Rose Kennedy I have now returned to the pool, only this food stand. When you finish you can even Greenway. In a letter to the Massachusetts time I got a senior discount membership. I shower. I found a great bunch of guys who Turnpike Authority, which owns the parcel of actually always deny the need for any se- sun there all the time. land near Quincy Market, the coalition mem- nior discount, but when you get a two thirds As I baked in the sun, I wondered how bers said the site will be costly to taxpayers and break on membership, I shout it from the close to where I was laying down did my fa- could remain vacant for years. rooftops. By the way, the official name is the ther bake in the sun too. He always had David Kubiak, a member of the North End Mirabella Pool, but most people call it the great memories of that old beach. As I looked Waterfront Residents Association, stated, “The North End Pool or the “Italian Riviera.” Others around the pool area and out into the ocean museum lacks money to build and they want still call it the North End Beach. My father water staring at Charlestown, I could feel taxpayers to fund it to the tune of $40 million.” swam at the beach as a kid. my roots to both the North End and Most people have their own “spots”. I re- Charlestown. I am now hooked on the “Ital- (Continued on Page 14) cently threw my beach blanket down and ian Riviera” and I shall return to it this sum- was told that spot already belonged to an- mer quite often, especially since those guys other guy. So, they told me to move a few are watching my spot for me every day. THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PMPM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, JULY 17, 2009 Res Publica by David Trumbull No! To Me Too Republicanism “Gentlemen, what ails the will keep the faith and be THE NETHER WORLDS Republican party is not the prepared, it will be ready fact that it is in the minor- when the surge comes to This week we will con- If there was no answer, then its wide open doors was in the ity. It has been in the reap the harvest.” tinue with the series of the person was considered depths of the earth. It was a minority before. What ails it J. Fred Essary, Washing- articles which delve into the officially dead. A similar cus- place where all dead souls is a certain sort of yielding ton correspondent of the roots of our Roman Catholic tom is still observed at the went while awaiting judge- to opportunism, a yielding Baltimore Sun, speaking in structures and rituals. Our deathbed of a Pope, but with ment and commitment to to that element within the Providence, Rhode Island at subject is the nether worlds the addition of a good strong the upper or lower world. party clamoring for liberal- the 83rd Annual Meeting of (the land of the dead). whack on the head. Hades was often represented ization, clamoring to the the National Association Greek mythology describes Immediately after death as a grove of barren wil- Republican party to throw of Cotton Manufacturers, “Charon” as the god of the the body was washed with lows, veiled in darkness or away the birthright of con- October 7, 1937. lower world. He personally warm water, anointed with clouds, where the sun never servatism and enter the Substitute “2012” for conducted the souls of the perfumes or spices, and then shone. The ground was lists against the radical “1940” and “2004 or 2000” dead, by boat, across a river clothed in a toga or robe of covered with asphodel, a Democratic party on the for “1932 or 1928” and called Acheron to the infer- office, if appropriate. Pre- dreary plant of the lily fam- Democratic party’s side. To Mr. Essary’s remarks could nal regions. The fare that cious ornaments and rings ily, that was often planted me that is utter nonsense. be delivered today. Unfortu- was charged for this service were often added, in addition on graves. The entrance to There just isn’t room in this nately, his call for a return was at least one obolus, to the small coin which was Hades was guarded by a dog country of ours for two ma- to conservatism was rejected but never more than three. placed in the mouth. named “Cerberus”, a terrible jor radical parties, and all of by party leaders. The result The obolus was a coin of ex- Charon is often repre- monster with three heads, a us know that the Demo- was four decades of Demo- tremely low value, but in or- sented as a stern and ro- tail of three serpents, and a cratic party now has a lien cratic party hegemony with der that the ghost might bust old man, with flame- body bristling with vipers. He upon whatever radicalism the Republican response to meet this demand, the an- like eyes, white bushy hair, was friendly to all who en- there is in public life. the prevailing liberalism cients placed it under the stained clothing, and propel- tered, but if anyone tried to “No, I think the Republi- being a faint, me too. tongue of a deceased person. ling the boat with a long escape he would seize that can party could return to One encouraging sign in Among the pre-Christian rusty pole. The lower right person and hold him fast. power if it would go back 2009 is that young Republi- Romans, the burial of the hand corner of Michel- Tartarus (our hell) was a first to its old moorings, re- cans, such as those who dead was a most solemn duty. angelo’s “Last Judgement” place beneath the earth, as turn to the old faith, become attend the monthly Repub- It was incumbent upon any- on the wall of the Sistine far below Hades as Elysium the champion, the unblush- lican Meetup in Boston re- one who found an unburied Chapel shows a scene of was above the earth. It was ing defender of the great con- ject me too Republicanism. body to at least cast earth Charon performing his closed by iron gates and oc- servative thought in Ameri- The next meetup will be upon it three times. If funeral daily duties in a manner cupancy was reserved as the can life. It may have to wait Tuesday, July 21st from rites were not performed, the that only the great master abode of the damned, those longer than 1940 for victory. 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at soul of the dead person was could portray. people who had incurred the I realize that, and yet maybe Hennessy’s, 25 Union believed to wander home- “Elysium” or the “Elysian wrath of the gods, and in not. This country of ours is Street (between Faneuil lessly upon the earth forever.