USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Merrimac > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Merrimac 1879 > Part 1
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ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SELECTMEN AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1879;
HAVERHILL : C. C. MORSE & SON, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS. 1879:
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SELECTMEN AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF MERRIMAC,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING
MARCH FIRST, 1879.
HAVERHILL, MASS: C. C. MORSE & SON, BOOK AND GOB PRINTERS, 1878.
ARTICLES IN WARRANT,
For Annual Town Meeting, March 3, 1879, at 1 o'clock, P. M.
ARTICLE 1-To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting.
ART. 2-To choose a Town Clerk.
ART. 3-To see if the town will vote to accept the provisions of Chap. 255, Laws of 1878, relating to election of Selectmen.
ART. 4-To choose Selectmen, Assessors, and Overseers of the Poor.
ART 5 .- To choose a Town Treasurer and Collector, and fix the com- pensation for collection.
ART. 6-To see if the town will vote to choose a Valuation Committee, and take such other action on the question as you deem necessary.
ART. 7-To see if the town will vote to erect a fire alarm gong in the tower of the Town Hall, and choose the necessary committecs and pass the necessary votes, to carry your action on this question, into effect.
ART. 8-To see what sums of money the town will vote to raise to de- fray the necessary expenses and charges of the town for the ensuing year, and to make appropriations for the same.
ART. 9-To choose one School Committee for three years.
ART. 10-To choose two Trustees of the Public Library for three years.
ART. 11-To choose Constables
ART. 12-To choose Fence Viewers.
ART. 13-To choose all other necessary town officers, and transact any other business that may legally come before the meeting.
ART. 14-To act on the list of Jurors as presented by the Selectmen.
ART. 15-To see if the town will authorize their Treasurer to hire money, if necessary, under the direction of the Selectmen.
ART. 16-To see what discount, if any, the town will vote to allow for prompt payment of taxes, and fix the time within which all taxes shall be paid
ART. 17 -- To see what interest the town will vote to charge, if any, on all taxes remaining unpaid after the expiration of the time fixed for the payment of the same, and vote such instructions to the Collector as you deem proper in relation thereto.
ART. 18 .- To see what action the town will take in regard to working the road leading from the Duck Hole to Haverhill line, by the residence of John K. Sargent, as laid out and ordered built by the County Commis- sioners.
ART. 19-To see if the town will vote to restrain neat cattle and horse kind from going at large for the year ensuing.
TOWN MEETING.
AT the annual meeting of the town of Merrimac, held at Sargent Hall, March 4th, 1878, the following persons were elected to office, and the following votes passed, viz :-
Moderator, GEORGE ADAMS.
Town Clerk, BAILEY SARGENT.
Selectmen, Assessors and Overseers of Poor,
JOHN S. CLEMENT, S. S. BLODGETT, E. N. SARGENT.
Treasurer and Collector, BAILEY SARGENT.
Constables,
ANDREW J. SCOTT,
JAMES H. LAWSON,
PHILIP J. NEAL,
BAILEY SARGENT.
Highway Surveyors, District No. 1, WM. H. BLODGETT.
No. 2, MOSES STEVENS.
" No. 3, F. PLUMMER GOODWIN,
No. 4, CALVIN SARGENT.
3
4
TOWN MEETING. School Committee, for three Years, O. F. SEAVEY. Trustees of Public Library,
WILLIAM CHASE. GEORGE ADAMS.
Surveyors of Lumber and Measurers of Wood and Bark. M. G. CLEMENT, ISAAC W. HUGHES,
GEO. S. PRESCOTT, CHARLES A. HOWE.
Fence Viewers and Field Drivers,
M. PERRY SARGENT, D. J. POOR, ANDREW J. SCOTT.
APPOINTMENTS MADE BY THE SELECTMEN.
Fire Wards,
CHAS. W. SAWYER,
DAVID B. WRIGHT.
Sealer of Weights and Measurers, R. A. SARGENT. Police Officers, JAS. H. LAWSON, A. J. SCOTT, (Resigned May 11). P. J. NEAL, WM. B. CHAPMAN, ( Appointed May 27). Special Police and Night Watchmen,
JOHN B. HEATH, CLIFTON S. HALL,
EDMUND H. SARGENT, JOHN O. NEALAND,
JAS. PATTINSON, JONA. A. PERRY.
Special Policemen to serve without pay,
ROBERT J. LAWSON,
WM. MELVIN STORY,
ANDREW D. LAWSON, O. W. JORDAN,
JOHN B. HEATH, CLIFTON S. HALL,
WM. H. BLODGETT.
5
TOWN MEETING.
APPROPRIATIONS.
Schools,
$4,800 00
Poor,
1,200 00
Debt,
2,000 00
Town officers,
800 00
Sidewalks, &c.,
300 00
Cemeteries,
450 00
Highways and bridges,
2,000 00
Interest and discount,
2,000 00
Fire Department,
1,000 00
Public Library,
500 00
Memorial Day,
100 00
Miscellaneous,
600 00
D. A. Moulton,
220 99
Total,
$15,970 99
VOTED, To sell the building corner of Main and School streets, and to grade the lot; and that the committee chosen Jast year, with reference to the laying out and grading of the land, the disposition of the building and transfer of papers, viz :(Messrs. James D. Pike, John S. Poyen and Albert Sargent,) continue to act in the matter, with the Selectmen, until the completion of the work.
VOTED, That a sidewalk be constructed from the entrance to the Public Library to the front of the Town House, and thence to the entrance of the town officers' room.
VOTED, That the Selectmen constitute a committee to con- struct the sidewalk, and also to see that the sidewalk on the west side of School street is put in repair.
6
TOWN MEETING.
VOTED, That the proceeds of the sale of the building on the corner of Main and School streets, and an additional sum, not to exceed three hundred dollars, be appropriated for the grading of the lot under and adjoining the said build- ing, and for the construction of the sidewalk in front of the Town House.
VOTED, That there be appropriated and, paid to David A. Moulton, out of the town treasury, the sum of two hundred and twenty dollars and ninety-nine cents, the same being two-fifths of the amount paid by him to satisfy an execution of the Superior Court.
VOTED, That the Selectmen be instructed to see that the school house at Merrimac and the old school house at Mer- rimacport, be properly protected by lightning rods.
VOTED, That the matter of protecting the Town House by lightning rods be left to the Selectmen.
VOTED, That the stone fence on the westerly side of the Church Street Cemetery be rebuilt; that it be laid in cement, faced on both sides and suitably capped with wood. That a wood fence be built on the south line, and that the fence on the east line be suitably repaired ; and that a com- mittee of three be chosen to carry this vote into effect.
VOTED, That a sum not exceeding three hundred and fifty dollars be, and hereby is, appropriated for the said pur- poses.
VOTED, That the same committee have power to change the location of the hearse house, if in their opinion a better location can be found ; and they also be empowered to act
7
TOWN MEETING.
with the committee already in existence, (Mr. Daniel Gould, ) and having charge of the cemetery funds, with reference to the improvement of the said cemetery grounds, the expense to be paid out of said cemetery fund.
The following persons were chosen as that committee : James D. Pike, B. F. Sargent, F. S. Heath.
VOTED, That a sum not exceeded one hundred dollars be and hereby is appropriated to rebuild and repair the fences and improve the grounds of the lower cemetery, and a com- mittee of three be chosen to carry this vote into effect.
VOTED, That the committee chosen to take charge of the repairs at the Church Street Cemetery, have charge also of those at the lower cemetery.
VOTED, That Ralph H. Sargent be added to this commit- tee, with special reference to the lower cemetery.
VOTED, That the sum of one hundred dollars be appro- priated to be expended under the direction of Post 114, G. A. R., for the observance of Memorial Day, May 30, 1878.
VOTED, That the Treasurer be authorized, under the di- rection of the Selectmen, to hire such sums of money as may be needed in anticipation of the payment of taxes.
VOTED, That a discount of five per cent. be allowed on all taxes paid within thirty days from the delivery of the tax list to the Collector, and that all taxes shall be paid on or before December 1st.
VOTED, That interest, at the rate of one per cent. per month, be charged on all taxes remaining unpaid after the first of December.
8
TOWN MEETING.
VOTED, To accept the following list of
Jurors.
George Adams,
Wm. F. Martins,
Abram L. Baxter,
George S. Prescott,
S. Stillman Blodgett, Fred M. Chase,
Thomas H. Patten,
J. B. Cilley,
Edmund N. Sargent,
Gilbert G. Davis,
Horace K. Emery,
John J. England,
Otis Sargent, M. Perry Sargent, Charles W. Sawyer,
Amzi S. French,
David M. Tukesbury,
George O. Goodwin, .
Nath'l D. Tilton,
John W. Hunt,
Charles E. Williams, ‘
Henry Haskell,
David B. Wright, Phineas Chase,
Henry M. Howe,
Elisha C. Hopkins,
Moses C. Flanders,
George W. Kendrick,
Frank E. Hale,
Elbridge M. Morse.
A resolution was passed unanimously instructing the . Selectmen to prosecute all violations of the law regulating the sale of intoxicating liquors.
At a meeting of the legal voters of the town of Merrimac, held on Tuesday, July 16, 1878, by virtue of a warrant from the Selectmen.
Moderator, M. Perry Sargent.
VOTED, That a committee of two be chosen to procure 1,200 feet of the best quality of leather hose.
Gilman S. Hoyt and D. Warren Gould were chosen that committee ; and it was voted that the Selectmen be added.
VOTED, That eight hundred feet of the hose be appor- tioned for use on the "Niagara" engine, and the remaining four hundred feet on the engine at Merrimacport.
John A. Patten,
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
The Selectmen, in submitting the annual report and schedule of receipts and expenditures for the year ending March 19 1879, would say, that where discretionary power was given them, they have endeavored to exercise it in the interest of the town.
At our last annual meeting the town voted an appropria- tion of $2,000 for repairs of highways and bridges. Also an additional $300, and the proceeds from the sale of the building on the Poyen lot, for the construction of a side- walk around the Town Hall, and for grading the adjacent grounds.
This we apportioned as follows :-
To highway District No. 1, $400 00
66 No. 2, 350 00
No. 3, 240 00 .
No. 4, 130 00
reserving the balance for repairs on Essex Merrimack and Rocks bridges, for removing snow, for supplying any deficiency in sidewalk appropriation, and for contingent pur- poses.
In the latter part of August, the surveyor in District No. 1, having exceeded his apportionment of money by more than
10
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
fifty dollars, without instructions from the Selectmen, and regardless of a remonstrance from one member of the Board, commenced work on a comparatively large scale, and soon presented bills aggregating more than one hundred and fifty dollars. For these bills we refused to draw orders and they remained unpaid.
We would suggest an appropriation of $1,200 for the re- pairs of highways, sidewalks, culverts and railings, and present for your consideration the following apportionment of the same :-
To District No. 1, $400 00
No. 2, 350 .00
No. 3, 225 00
No. 4,
125 00
leaving one hundred dollars in the hands of the Select- men as a contingent highway fund. Also, an appropriation of $500 for repairs of Essex Merrimack and Rocks bridges, and for removing snow. These bridges are liable to be ex- pensive, but we think the sum named as large as the average expense of these items in previous years.
In accordance with a vote of the town, we have con- structed around the Town House a brick sidewalk with gran- ite edge-stones, costing some $370.
The placing of lightning rods upon the Town House was left optional with us. A petition was received asking such protection, signed by the occupants of the building and many other citizens, and we complied with the request.
The roof of the building leaking somewhat, in the spring, we employed a slater to make thorough repairs of the same, at an expense of $140. This fact coming to the knowledge of the doner of the edifice, Wm. P. Sargent, Esq., he, aided by our townsman, Wm. H. Haskell, Esq., presented the case
11
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
to the contractors, Messrs. Mead and Mason, who, although the leakage was evidently the fault of a sub-contractor, very gentlemanly remunerated the town by paying the whole amount. Mr. Sargent informs us that some other matters, not quite satisfactory to him and not in accordance with the specifications, will be made right by the contractors as soon as the weather becomes more suitable for the work
The gross income of the Town Ilall for the past year has been $900. The janitor reports that the hall has been opened sixty-six times, for the following purposes, viz :-
Town meetings,
3
Political rallies,
11
Caucuses,
3
Lectures,
1
Concerts,
4
Masonic social supper,
1
Religious worship,
24
Temperance meetings,
6
Public entertainments,
11
Graduating exercises of Merrimac High School,
1
Iligh School re-union, 1
We are able to report that the guide-boards in our town are in a good state of preservation.
The depredations of burglars created quite an excitement last spring ; they having effected as many as five or six forcible entrances at different times. The last when a private resi- dence was entered, every room being ransacked except the sleeping room of the occupants which was securely fastened, and such valuables ás could be conveniently carried, taken away, led to the calling of a meeting of our citizens to de- vise measures for the public safety. A committee was chosen to confer with us, and instructed to demand of us that we
12
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
offer a reward of $300 for the apprehension of the offenders, and that we also put on a stated number of night watch- men.
Fully sympathizing with our citizens in their anxiety, we had been doing all that we felt authorized to do, with the exception of offering a reward. Feeling that so earnest an expression of public opinion ought to shield us from criti- cism and blame in incurring such an expenditure, we promptly established a vigilant night watch. The items of this ex- penditure may be seen in schedule, under the head of mis- cellaneous expenses.
We, being assured that State detectives were on track of the burglars, felt the offering of a reward at that time to be inexpedient, and the committee after consulting with us and investigating the matter, coincided with us in that opinion.
The opinion proved to be well founded, as in a few days the burglar was arrested, the property recovered and the offender is now serving a term in the State prison.
We have granted no license for the sale of intoxicating liquors, and have prosecuted but one person for violation of the liquor law, and he a resident of a neighboring city, ar- rested while retailing lager beer in our streets. He was convicted in the Haverhill Police Court, from which the case was sent up to the Superior Court and is now in the hands of the District Attorney. We would say further in explana- tion of this case, that lager beer, although a mild intoxi- cant, was being freely distributed through our streets in open violation of the law, and this arrest entirely remedied the evil. This should have been done earlier in the season, and would have been had we not first entrusted the matter to an officer whom we had good reasons to believe efficient, but who after repeated delays failed us at last.
13
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
Two fires have occurred during the year. A blaze in the shed in the rear of the Merrimac High school building on the morning of the 4th of July, and which was evidently the work of an incendiary, was soon extinguished, but in- curred about twenty-five dollars expense for repairs The other, the burning of Mr. Morse's shop, in June, was evi- dently occasioned by the careless disposal of a cast away cigar.
At this fire the firemen burst some half-dozen lengths of fabric hose, in use but a few years, which reminded them that they were not fully prepared to meet an emergency, and the officers of the department petitioned for a town meet- ing which was held July 16th. At this meeting it was voted to purchase 1,200 feet of leather hose, and a com- mittee was chosen to carry the vote into effect. The hose was purchased of Samuel Eastman & Co., of Concord, N. H., and with necessary changes in couplings cost upwards of fifteen hundred dollars. For this no appropriation was made as it was too late to assess it.
At the last annual meeting, the town voted an appropria- tion of $2,000 for the reduction of the town debt. It will be seen that these exigencies, viz .: the cost of hose, the expense of night watchman, and the placing of lightning conductors upon the Town Hall, for all of which no appro- priation has been made, have absorbed more than the amount above named. Notwithstanding these unforeseen ex- penses, we are enabled to show in our financial statement an actual reduction of the town debt.
These extraordinary expenditures properly come within the scope of Sec. 1, Chap. 209, Laws of 1875; an act making it obligatory on succeeding assessors to assess all sums ex- pended which were not provided for in the previous assess- ment.
14
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
We present for your consideration the following Chapter from the Laws of 1878, and suggest that its adoption by the town may be conducive of good municipal government :-
[CHAP. 255 ]
AN ACT in relation to the Election of Selectmen and As- sessois of Towns.
Be it enacted, &c., as follows :
SECT. 1. Any town in this Commonwealth which shall have accepted the provisions of this act in regard to select- men at any annual meeting thereof, may, at such or any annual meeting thereafter, elect its selectmen for the period of three years in the following manner, namely : if the select- men be three in number, the inhabitants may elect one per- son for the period of one year, one person for two years, and one person for three years; and thereafter at each an- nual meeting may elect one selectman to serve for three years. If the selectmen be five in number, then they may elect one person for a period of one year, two persons for two years, and two persons for three years : and thereafter, at each annual meeting they may elect one or two select- men, as the term of office of any one or two may expire in that year, to serve for three years. If the selectmen be seven in number, then they may elect two persons for a period of one year two persons for two years, and three persons for three years ; and at cach annual meeting there- after they may elect two or three selectmen as the term of office of two or three may expire in that year, to serve for three years. If the selectmen be nine in number, then they may elect three persons for a period of one year, three per- sons for two years, and three persons for three years ; and at each annual meeting thereafter they may elect three per- sons to serve for three years.
SECT. 2. Any town which shall have accepted the provis- ions of this act in regard to assessors at any annual meet- ing thereof, may elect at such or any annual meeting there- after, three or five assessors for the term of three years in
15
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
the manner herein before provided for electing three or five selectmen, or it may elect four assessors, two for the period of one year, and two for two years ; and at each annual meeting thereafter the inhabitants may elect two assessors to serve for two years.
SECT. 3. If any town votes at any annual meeting there- of to increase or diminish the number of its selectmen or assessors, it may do so by electing or omitting to elect such a number at that or any annual meeting thereafter, as will make the board of the required number with terms of office expiring in the manner provided in the first two sections hereof : provided, however, that the number shall not be diminished in such a manner as will prevent one member being elected in every year.
SECT. 4. Vacancies in either the board of assessors or of selectmen may be filled in the manner now provided by law, and the person chosen to fill any vacancy shall hold office during the unexpired term of the member whose place he fills.
SECT. 5. The acceptance of this act by any town may at any subsequent annual meeting thereof be revoked by such town, and thereupon this act shall cease to be opera- tive in such town : provided, however, that such a revocation shall not affect the term of office of selectmen or assessors previously chosen. [Approved May 15, 1878.
The committee on cemetery repairs, before commencing operations, represented to us that they could not rebuild as instructed by vote, without exceeding the appropriation ; and while they did not deem it advisable to change the lo- cation of the hearse house, it was sadly in need of repairs for which there was no appropriation. That if we would grant an appropriation of seventy-five dollars for repairing the building, and draw orders in excess of the sum voted for repairs on the fences, they could proceed with the work. We granted them the seventy-five dollars for repairing the
16
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
building from the miscellaneous fund, already to small, and complied with their request in regard to the fences, and thereby assumed our share of the responsibility.
In regard to the valuation of the town, we reiterate what we said on pages seven and eight in the last annual report, and recommend that at the next meeting you elect a valu- ation committee and instruct them to be sworn, and to bring into the Assessors, on or before June 1st, a true and just list of the value of all real estate property in the town.
We would also call your attention to the subject of tax collection. At the last annual meeting it was voted that a discount of five per cent. be allowed on all taxes paid with- in thirty days, or say, by Aug. Ist. It was also voted that all taxes remaining unpaid, Dec. 1st, should pay interest at the rate of one per cent. a month. One and one fourth per cent. discount per month, and one per cent. a month inter- est has not proved a sufficient inducement to secure the prompt payment of all taxes. If delinquent tax payers will study this interest and discount subject, they will find that while they are paying a rate of sixteen dollars on a thous- and, with interest at the rate of twelve per cent. per an- num after Dec. 1st, their neighbor, who avails himself of the opportunity to "save his discount," pays a rate of only $15.20 on a thousand, which is a little less than the "mean" rate of the actual expenses of the town. But a point in this connection, more particularly demanding attention, is that about $4,500 in old taxes remain unpaid, and seem to stand to the town in the relation of a permanent twelve per cent. loan, but never reaching maturity. It seems advisable that some action be taken by the town to place some limitation to this delinquency, and to instruct the Collector to recover the amounts, at least before an accumulation of successive
SELECTMEN'S REPORT. 17
taxes re-enforced by usurious interest wholly annihilates the tax payers equity in the property.
As Overseers of the Poor we contracted with the authori- ties of the town of Amesbury to board our inmates in the Amesbury alms house, for the current year, at two dollars per week, each, and to pay all necessary expense which might be incurred on account of sickness, etc. Two of the number have died during the year: Olive Pressey, Dec. 2, aged 86, and John Hubbard, Jan. 23, 1879, aged 78. Two others, who derived their support from the town for a short time anterior to their death, have died during the year : John Sargent, died Feb. 20, aged 80, and A. A. Sargent, May 7, aged 38 years, We also contracted with Mr. Chaples to support Ann M. Waining, at $1.75 per week.
Fifty-eight tramps have been lodged at the lock-up during the year, at an expense of $18.18.
The balance of expense on account of the poor is for aid furnished to unfortunate persons, who from sickness and other causes were unable to fully support themselves. Tak- ing into consideration the depression in business and the long continuation of "dull times," the small amount so cx- pended may well give us occasion to congratulate the town upon the comfortable situation of its inhabitants.
SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS.
TEACHING SCHOOLS, MERRIMAG.
F. Wiggin, High School, $1,000 00
E'len Gunnison, 190 00
Carrie P. Manning, Grammar school, 105 00
Minnie B. Noyes, «‹ 192 00
r
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
Nellie M. Smith, Intermediate 66 35 00
Addie M. Griffing,
61 25
Mattie J. Blaisdell,
192 50
Lizzie S. Bartlett, 1st Primary
234 00
Lizzie H. Nichols, 2d
135 90
Carrie M. Evans, 2d
81 25
$2.227 40
INCIDENTAL EXPENSES.
William Jones,
repairs, $ 2 50
Heath Brothers,
"
23 21
C. H. DeLoid,
3 04
W. H. Thomas,
2 85
W. B. Chapman,
32 15
T. L. Goodwin,
2 00
65 75
A. G. Whitcomb, supplies, 1 1
$ 3 15
W. I. Atwood,
95
J. L. Hammett,
43 80
C. S. Hall,
90
J. D. Pike,
6 99
C. H. D. Lord,
5 48
E. W. Ricker,
14 44
F. Wiggin,
66
5 00
O. F: Seavey,
14 09
94 80
John A. Heath, care of school house,
$37 00
W. H. Fourtin,
34 00
Blodgett & Davis, coal,
$78 16
J. E. Currier, wood,
6 00
J. A. Heath, sawing wood,
1 00
W. H. Fourtin,
50
71 00
85 66
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
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