Town annual report of Swampscott 1877, Part 1

Author: Swampscott, Massachusetts
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 42


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1877 > Part 1


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Part 1



TWENTY-FIFTH


ANNUAL REPORTS


OF THE


TOWN OF SWAMPSCOTT,


FOR THE YEAR ENDING FEB. 28, 1877.


LYNN : BESSOM STEAM PRINTING OFFICE-RUSSELL, MANAGER. NO. 99 MUNROE STREET. 1877.


TWENTY - FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


AUDITING COMMITTEE


OF THE


TOWN OF SWAMPSCOTT,


FOR THE YEAR ENDING FEB. 28, 1877.


LYNN : BESSOM STEAM PRINTING OFFICE-RUSSELL, MANAGER, NO. 99 MUNROE STREET. 1877.


٧٠


Report of Auditing Committee.


Fellow Citizens of Swampscott : 1


YOUR Committee, appointed to Audit the Accounts of the Town for the year ending Feb. 28, 1877, have attended to that duty, and respectfully present the following Report.


ALBERT J. LEE, C. A. HASKELL, 2d, Auditing Committee. FRED O. ELLIS,


ASSESSORS' VALUATION OF THE TOWN, MAY 1, 1876.


Real Estate,


$2,108,462 00


Personal Property,


360,961 00


Total, .


$2,469,423 00


Rate of taxation,


$1 20 on $100 00


Number of polls,


607


Total tax on polls,


$1214 00


Number of dwelling-houses,


471


Acres of land;


15372


Horses,


201


Cows,


83


Sheep,


20


Deaths,


39


Births,


59


Marriages,


.


24


4


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


STATEMENT OF TOWN DEBT.


Lynn Institution for Savings, $5,000 00


P. A. Chase,


5,000 00


P. A, Chase, trustee,


5,000 00


C. F. Coffin, trustee,


11,000 00


John N. Hooper,


874 80


Henry Martin,


1,000 00


Estate of Warren Small,


500 00


Edward Knowles, .


250 00


Prov. Instiution for Savings, . 4,500 00


Lynn Five Cents Savings Bank,


2,500 00


Lynn Institution for Savings,


6,000 00


John Smith,


300 00


Elizabeth Proctor, .


600 00


Blaney & Phillips, .


1,000 00


Nat'l City Bank of Lynn, temporary loan


2,000 00


Outstanding orders,


.


.


517 57


Total,


$46,042 37


The balance of uncollected Taxes is as follows :


J. Harding, $919 56


William Seger, 1874


. 1,210 45


William Seger, 1875


. .


. 2,630 17


D. P. Stimpson, 1876


. 7,359 45


Total Tax uncollected, $12,119 63


Due on State Aid


$722 00


Cash in Treasury


1,338 20


·


Value of Public Property


. 35,200 00


--


-$37,260 20


$49,379 83


.


.


5


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


Receipts and Expenditures.


SELECTMEN'S DEPARTMENT.


Appropriation


$2,000 00 ·


EXPENDITURES


D. P. Stimpson, services as Treasurer and


Collector $350 00


J. S. Higgins, services as Selectman and Secretary


200 00


Allen Rowe, services as Selectman


100 00


Henry Kendrick, services as Selectman 75 00


B. J. Lindsey, services as Town Clerk


75 00


Wm. Seger, services as Assessor


90 00


Geo. Smith, services as Assessor


35 00


Geo. Towns, services as Assessor,


30 00


Chas. A. Haskell, 2d, services as Auditor


15 00


Fred O. Ellis, services as Auditor, 1874 5 00


15 00


E. E. Boynton, services as Auditor sundries


3 50


S. C. Pitman, teams and labor


13 00


Sarah E. Newcomb, refunded on wall .


29 00


T. P. Nichols, printing Town Reports . Nehemiah Lee, lumber, 1875


58 50


41 49


J. P. Small, brass padlock


1 25


John Chapman, drain box


2 25


John Gannon, labor on sea wall . S. Armstrong, repairing sea wall


4 50


T. P. Nichols, Printing


1 25


Amount carried forward,


$1,176 49


1


31 75


6


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


Amount brought forward, $1,176 49


Benj. Potter, locks, keys, etc. 8 77


S. R. Rogers, surveying 5 00


Moses Nesbett, distributing Town Reports 2 00 Joseph Brown, distributing Town Reports 2 00 Waldo Thompson, Insurance on Beach School 45 00


S. C. Pitman, labor . 7 50


Ivory Emmons, stock and labor 64 07


John Griffin, repairing sea wall 13 00


S. C. Pitman, teams and labor . 42 37


Town of Marblehead, Real Estate Tax 6 66


David Merritt, damages 4 00


Bessom Job Print, 1000 tax bills 6 00


Waldo Thompson, Insurance 98 30


T. B. Newhall, fees . 40 00


Leonard Blanchard, rent of life-boat house 20 00


Chas A. Norris, painting signs . .


52 00


Benj. J. Lindsey, recording marriages, births, deaths, etc. . 39 75


Benj. J. Lindsey, sundries .


3 64


D. P. Stimpson, sundries


9 61


Robert Harris, teams and labor


20 50


Geo. H. Holden, sundries . 15 58


Ivory Emmons, stock and labor on hay scales 13 17


J. Chapman, stock and labor on hay scales 1 90


S. P. Parrott, services at Coroner's Inquest 3 00


James Ruddy, services at Coroner's Inquest 3 00


-$1,703 31


7


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation


.


$7,800 00


EXPENDITURES.


S. W. Clarke, services as teacher $314 27


Miss M. Landen, services as teacher 612 77


Mrs. L. M. Means, services as teacher 469 16


Miss E. J. Hadley, services as teacher. 449 90


Mrs. M. E. Larkin, services as teacher 449 90


Miss K. Commerford, services as teacher 449 89


Miss K. Commerford, ballance due from 1875


6 21


Miss S. Palmer, services as teacher


407 06


Miss C. F. Mott, services as teacher


449 91


Miss A. M. Mott, services as teacher Miss C. M. Colcord, services as teacher


398 18


Miss A. Goudey, services as teacher


228 54


Miss C. L. Bancroft, services as teacher, 114 27


Miss M. E. Heyborn, services as teacher 321 36


Miss E. F. Adams, services as teacher


192 80


Miss M. E. Seger, services as teacher


79 71


Mrs. L. Hayford, services as Committee


75 00


Rev. L. Drury, services as Committee 20 00


I. Emmons, services as Committee .


50 00


H. Coleman, services as Committee


25 00


A. F. Nesbett, services as Truant Officer . 35 00


Mrs. Casey, services as Janitor, Farm School 50 00


. A. F. Bartlett, services as Janitor, High Sch'l 8 00


Dan'l Marshall, services as Truant Officer, ('74) 5 00 Mrs. Cohan, services as Janitor, Beach School 56 00


J. K. West, services as Janitor, Gr. School . 333 52


R. V. Bessom, services as Janitor Essex St. Sc. 50 00


R. V. Bessom, for broom, bucket and duster . 2 25


Jas. Bryant, services as Janitor, Pine St. Sc. 100 00


I. Emmons, sawing, splitting and delivering 7 cords pine wood 21 00


Amount carried forward,


$6,223 63


449 91


8


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


Amount brought forward, $6223 63


I. Emmons, stock and labor, High School, at


Town Hall 37 63


stock and labor, Grammar School 42 26


stock and labor, Pine St. School 23 30


stock and labor, Beach School 11 10


stock and labor, Farm School


9 14


blackboards sundries .


10 26


23 47


Choate & Rowe, wood and coal 258 00 .


G. M. Lawrence, 10 cords pine wood 60 40


J. L. Hammett, school supplies . 86 45


T. O. Philbrick, stock and labor, Beach Sch'l 2 73


stock and labor, Gram. Sch'l 21 50 stock and labor, High School 6 20 stock and labor. Pine St. Sch'l 3 90


Miss C. M. Colcord, drawing Material . 10 35


J. Campbell, Chamber's Encyclopedia, 10 vols. 23 00


J. C. Norton, tuning organ · 3 00


16 29


American Metric Bureau Chart, 1 50


F. J. Cushing & Co., plumbing


7 09


A. J. Lee, sundries 1 68


Miner & Corse, shades and fixtures 28 06


T. P. Nichols, 650 copies school reports. .


56 00


S. M. Shattuck, sundries .


75


Samuel W. Clarke, sundries .


·


11 30


Hanford & Phillips, glazing, etc. . · 13 20


E. G. Emmons, census of children from 5 to 15 15 00


B. J. Lindsey, shades and fixtures 35 00


Thompson, Brown & Co., books . 7 89


Oliver Ditson & Co., 5 doz. singing books 23 75


James Bryson, labor at Pine Street School 2 00


Chas. W. Kennard & Co., clock 7 00


W. F. Goldsmith & Co., shades Grammar Sch'l 12 50


L. Drury, sundries 13 72


Mrs. L. Hayford, sundries 5 00


Amount carried forward, $7,115 03


J. W. C. Gilman & Co., books .


9


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


Amount brought forward,


$7,115 03


P. Ashton, ink


5 00


G H. Wadsworth, sundries .


19 27


G. H. Holden, sundries


8 00


J. P. Small, brush and paint


1 35


Roberts' Express . ·


23 50


-$7,172 15


BEACH SCHOOL-HOUSE.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation


$3,500 00


EXPENDITURES.


Ivory Emutons, as per contract . . $2,370 00


Joseph L. Ross, new school furniture . 247 00


S. C. Pitman, grading 125 50


Ivory Emmons, stock and labor 205 14


Thompson, Brown & Co., school furniture 254 00


A. M. Norton & Co., well pipe 23 64


C. R. Blackmore, pumps and pipe 10 20


E. Roncast, specification 20 00


A. Wentworth & Co., sink . 8 00


Thompson, Brown & Co., furniture 5 80 T. O. Philbrick, stove, funnel, etc. 84 28


Ivory Emmons, stock and labor . 5 85


P. Cullen, hinges, hooks and bolts 7 95 .


C. R. Blackmore, driving well . ·


18 00


W. D. Andrews & Bro., royalty on same 10 00


-$3,395 36


HIGHWAYS.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation


$4,000 00


.


Special appropriation for water for streets


200 00


=- $4,200 00


2


10


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


EXPENDITURES.


S. C. Pitman, teams and labor . $3,787 23


P. Cullen, stock and labor 58 90 .


Thos. Murray, labor


. 50 00


Ames Plow Co., tools .


15 53


John Chapman, box drains . 8 25


May & Withey, drain pipe .


2 70


J. D. Dennis, stone drag .


8 00


Joshua P. Small, tools 95


Lynn Water Board, water for streets . 208 49


-$1140 05


TOWN LIBRARY.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation


.


$100 00


Dog Tax .


.


160 25


Received for books loaned . · 443 25


-- $703 50


EXPENDITURES.


Estes & Lauriat, books $280 35


Thos. B. Breare, binding 47 45


Curtis Merritt, services as Librarian 175 00


expressing, stationery, etc. . 5 85


Geo. Till, services as Assistant Librarian 25 00


services as Janitor 18 75


N. E. Subscription Agency, Magazines, etc.,


45 95


M. G. Colesworthy, Webster's Dictionary .


7 00


P. L. Cox, " Lynn Reporter " 1 25


H. N. Hastings, " Swampscott Enterprise " 34


Kimball & Courtis, " Lynn Transcript" 50


Proctor Bros. " Cape Ann Advertiser " 84


May & Withey, lamps and fixtures for Reading- room 23 76


T. P. Nichols, printing ;


8 00


Amount carried forward, $640 04


11


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


Amount brought forward, $640 04


B. J. Lindsey, table covering, reading-room


15 00


Benj. Potter, tables for reading-room 17 15


Geo. F. King, blank-books .


3 50


A. F. Nesbett, care of Library


11 67


E. Boynton, books


13 12


B. B. Russell, books . 5 00


T. O. Philbrick, labor on stove .


2 25


$707 73


OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation


$800 00


EXPENDITURES. .


Taunton Lunatic Hospital, aid Jas. Bishop, . $208 20


Worcester Lunatic Hospital, aid to Mar- garet Welch, 203 76


Groceries, etc., to Eben Twining,


177 74


Town of Natick, Henry Allen, . 108 50


Town of Marblehead, Wm Quiner, 89 49


City of Boston, aid to Ellen Burrows, 72 00


City of Lynn, aid to Mrs. Caroline Pierce, 36 00


Groceries, etc., for Mrs. J. B. Watts, .


23 74


Aid to James E. Wells, 21 18


Aid to James Stone, . 17 39 Aid to Mrs. Loverill, 10 98


James A. Knowlton, Overseer for 1876


25 00


Z. Small, Overseer for 1876 20 00


D. F. Proctor, Overseer for 1876 7 00


Choate & Rowe, wood and coal to W. Atwood 3 50


-- $1024 48


CEMETERY.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation .


100 00


Received from sale of lots .


· 115 00


$215 00


12


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


EXPENDITURES.


J. S. Brown, labor $111 37


Dennis Lyons, stock and labor on fence . 33 00


Woodside Nursery, trees . 11 00


John S. Higgins, services as Superintendent 25 00


$180 37


TOWN HOUSE.


RECEIPTS.


Received for rent of Town Hall $140 50


EXPENDITURES.


A. F. Nesbett, care of Hall . .


$50 00


cleaning Hall . 11 50


sundries 60


Choate & Rowe, 3 tons coal


21 25


A. J. Lee, sundries 9 89


May & Withey, lamp fixtures


1 15


Joshua P. Small, door key


25


Ivory Emmons. stock and labor


1 79


T. O. Philbrick, stock and labor


90


May & Withey. floor matting


55 32


--- - $152 65


POLICE DEPARTMENT.


RECEIPTS. .


Appropriation


$200 00


EXPENDITURES. .


F. A. Tweed, services as police 70 00


James Wheeler, services as police, 1875 30 50 .


James Wheeler, sevices as police, . 29 50


Geo. W. Farrington, services as police . ·


15 00


John Pedrick, services as police 5 00


Geo. W. Farrington. services as police, 1875 . 5 00


M. Nesbett, services as police 5 00


Dan'l Marshall, sevices as police, 1874 . · 10 00


- $170 00


13


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


STREET LAMPS.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation. .


EXPENDITURES. $150 00


Walworth Manufacturing Co., 141 gal. naptha 26 52


George W. Harris, care of lamps . ·


104 14


John Binney, fixtures for lamps 10 15


Joshua P. Small, sundries .


2 32


T. O. Philbrick, 2 oil cans


.


.


2 25


$145 38


HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


EXPENDITURES.


Benjamin M. Green, services for 1875 15 00


Renjamin M. Green, cash paid 3 00


A. F. Nesbett, services


16 25


Samuel C. Pitman, labor


2 50


$36 75


FIRE DEPARTMENT.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriations


$25 00. EXPENDITURES.


A. F. Nesbett, care of engine . $20 00


WELLS.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation . $250 00


EXPENDITURES.


Sam'l C. Pitman, labor on well at Gr. School $84 00


Jas. Bryson, labor on well at Town House 81 00


Amount carried forward, $165 00


14


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


Amount brought forward, $165 00


F. J. Cushing & Co., labor on well at Pine St. . 70 00


Wm. D. Andrews & Bro., royalty on same 10 00


T. O. Philbrick, pump, pipe and labor -38 58


Kimball Tyler, pump for Town House .


19 50


Samuel C. Pitman, labor on beach pump 14 87


Wm. Rowell, stock and labor 9 25


Gilbert Deland, trough for beach pump 8 00


Joshua P. Small, stock and labor 2 19


T. O. Philbrick, dipper and chain


95


-$338 34


REDINGTON COURT.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation


$500 00


EXPENDITURES.


S. C. Pitman, teams and labor


$417 00


P. Carroll, material for filling


50 00


P. Cullen, sharpening tools .


29 00


.


Chas. A. Hammond, plan for draining


10 00


-- $506 00


STACEY'S BROOK.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation


$500 00


EXPENDITURES.


S. C. Pitman, labor and material


,


$40 78


Daniel Marshall, services as Commissioner


.


2 00


- $42 78


J. R. MERRITT'S CLAIM.


RECEIPTS.


Appropriation


$125 00


EXPENDITURES.


Paid John R. Merritt


$125 00


·


15


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


STATE AID.


RECEIPTS.


Received from State,


$528 00


EXPENDITURES.


Joseph W. Glass,


72 00


William Widger,


. . ·


48 00


Patrick Milan,


48 00


A. M. Chute,


48 00


William H. Johnson, .


48 00


Charles H. Fairbanks,


48 00


James Umber,


44 00


Edward Winslow,


48 00


John C. Stimpson,


120 00


Torrey Peabody, .


120 00


Horace W. Wardwell,


72 00


Patrick Brown,


6 00


- $722 00


RECAPITULATION.


Appropriations and Receipts. $2,000 00


Expenditures.


Selectmen's Department


$1,703 31


School Department .


7,800 00


7,172 15


Beach School House


3,500 00


3.395 36


Highways


4.200 00


4,140 05


Town Library


.


704 50


707 73


Overseers of the Poor


800 00


1,024 48


Cemetery .


215 00


180 37


Town House


140 50


152 65


Police Department


200 00


170 00


Lamp Department


150 00


145 38


Health Department,


36 75


Amounts carried forward,


$19,710 00


$18,828 23


16


REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE.


Expenditures.


Amounts brought forward,


Appropriations and Receipts. $19,710 00


$18,828 23


Fire Department


25 00


20 00


Wells


250 00


338 34


Redington Court


500 00


506 00


Stacey's Brook


500 00


42 78


John R. Merrit's claim


125 00


125 00


State Aid


600 00


722 00


State Tax


2,500 00


2,574 00


County Tax


2,000 00


2,126 85


Interest


3,800 00


3,956 95


Reduction of Town Debt


2,000 00


Dog Tax .


160 25


Corporation Tax


1,057 10


National Bank Tax .


1,529 37


$34.756 72


$29,240 15


SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY.


Town House and lot . $12,000 00


Grammar School-House and lot .


8,000 00


Beach School-House and lot


4,000 00


Pine Street School-House and lot


7,000 00


Essex Street School-House and lot


2,500 00


Farm School-House and lot .


2,500 00


Engine House, engine and hose


1,200 00


Gravel Pits


2,000 00


-$39,200 00


Town of Swampscott in Account with D. P. Stimpson, Collector.


1876. DR.


1876.


CR.


To amount of taxes collected ·


$22,298 68 By amount committed, 1876 $30,547 08


of taxes abated .


.


.


148 65


of taxes discounted . .


740 30


of taxes uncollected


.


3


$30,547 08


SWAMPSCOTT, Feb. 28, 1877.


Town of Swampscott in Account with William Seger, Collector.


1876.


DR.


1876.


CR.


To amount collected, 1875


$2,881 47


By balance committed, 1875


$5,742 92


collected, 1874


960 30


balance committed, 1874 interest collected


2,261 71


abated, 1875


231 28


302 08


abated, 1874


90 96


uncollected, 1875.


2,630 17


uncollected, 1874


1,210 45


interest collected, 1875


179 08


interest collected, 1874


123 00


WM. SEGER, Collector.


17


REPORTS OF COLLECTORS.


.


.


.


$8,306 71


$8,306 71


·


7,359 45


D. P. STIMPSON, Collector.


18


REPORTS OF COLLECTOR AND TREASURER.


Town of Swampscott, in Account with


1876.


DR.


To amount abated, 1872


$104 08


collected, 1873 .


598 20


abated, 1873 225 84


uncollected, 1873


919 56


SWAMPSCOTT, Feb. 28, 1877.


Town of Swampscott in Account with


1876.


DR.


To cash paid Selectmen's orders, 1876 .


$18,502 15


Overseer's orders, 1876 818 86


Selectmen's orders, 1875


136 91


Overseer's orders, 1875


124 56


State Aid .


722 00


County Tax


2,126 85


State Tax


2,574 00


note C. F. Coffin


2,000 00 .


note Mrs. David Newhall


500 00


note Coffin & Boyce, Trustees


3,000 00


note Mary Wilson


1200 00


note E. B. Phillips, Temporary Loan


5,000 00


note National City Bank, Temp. Loan interest on notes


3,000 00 *


3,956 95


To balance in Treasury


1,338 20


.


$45,000 51


SWAMPSCOTT. Feb. 28, 1877.


$1,847 68


.


19


REPORTS OF COLLECTOR AND TREASURER.


JOSEPH HARDING, Collector.


1876.


CR.


By balance committed, 1872


$104 08


balance committed 1873


1,743 60


$1,847 68


JOSEPH HARDING, Collector.


D. P. ȘTIMPSON, Treasurer.


1876.


CR.


By balance cash in Treasury . $3,742 53


rent of Town Hall


140 50


cash from Library


465 25


from Cemetery


115 00


Selectmen's sale of old School House .


211 00


Town of Marblehead, setting Bound Stones 3 75


Ivory Emmons, school books


4 23


money found, (unclaimed)


2 80


William Seger, taxes


4,143 85


Joseph Harding, taxes 598 20 .


E. B. Phillips, Temporary Loan 5,000 00


Nat'l City Bank of Lynn, Loan


3,000 00


Nat'l City Bank of Lynn, Loan


2,000 00


County Treasurer, Dog Tax


160 25


State Treasurer, Corp. Tax .


1,057 10


State Treasurer, Nat'l Bank Tax


1,529 37


State Treasurer, State Aid .


528 00


D. P. Stimpson, Taxes


. 22,271 38


D. P. Stimpson, interest on Taxes


27 30


.


·


.


$45,000 51


D. P. STIMPSON, Treasurer.


Report of Highway Surveyor.


THE Surveyor respectfully submits a . synopsis of the Expenditures of his department, in accordance with the Monthly Statements of his Labors, that have been regularly rendered to the Board of Selectmen.


The number of day's labor in gravel pits, on the roads, sidewalks and streets was 1,0422, at $1.75 $1,824 81 Number of horses and carts with drivers 4532, at $3.50 1,588 12


Running snow plow and use of pung . .


68 12


Personal services 99 days, at $3.00 .


297 00


$3,778 05 ·


Number loads of gravel hauled on roads and sidewalks 4,090


About one-third of the appropriation was expended on sidewalks and streets.


Some two hundred dollars on paving.


SAMUEL C. PITMAN.


SELECTMEN'S REPORT.


WE are brought to the close of another municipal year, during which nothing of note has occurred to jar the even tenor of the business of the town.


BEACH SCHOOL-HOUSE.


At the annual Town Meeting, March, 1876, a vote was passed entrusting to the Selectmen the building of a school-house at the Beach. Proposals were issued, and the job was awarded to Ivory Emmons, he being the lowest bidder, for the sum of twenty-three hundred and seventy dollars. The building was completed satisfactory to the Committee, and is now the finest school-house in town.


STACEY'S BROOK.


A Committee was chosen to confer with the City Council of Lynn, to ascertain whether they would pay half the expense of getting rid of the water that flows through Stacey's Brook. The Chairman of that Committee waited upon that Honorable Board, who promised to lay our cause before their Drainage Com- mittee. That Committee voted to pay fifty dollars


22


SELECTMEN'S REPORT.


towards improving the drain in its original location, but refused to pay anything towards any other outlet.


Had our committee refused to accept their offer and gone to work independent of Lynn, and laid the drain in some other locality, the town of Swampscott would ever after have to maintain the whole drainage, where the authorities of Lynn admit it to be their duty to maintain one-half. Consequently the Committee con- cluded to add fifty dollars to the sum allowed by Lynn, and spend it on the outlet as it now stands, which has proved very effectual, with the exception of one very heavy rain which lasted several days, during which the adjacent lands were overflowed for a short time.


WELLS.


Appropriations were made for wells at the Town Hall, and at the Grammar, West End, and Beach School-Houses. After conferring with several promi- nent citizens in regard to the location of the well at the Town Hall, the Selectmen decided upon the present site, which proved a bad selection ; for, after worrying through twenty-six feet of the worst digging that ever pick and spade were put to, we encountered a ledge Having then about thirty inches of water in the well, we concluded to stone it; but since the unprecedented drought it has fallen to eighteen inches. Should we have the usual amount of spring rains, we are confi- dent there will be an ample supply of water in the well.


23


SELECTMEN'S REPORT.


The well at the Beach needs a drain to carry off the surplus water, and we recommend that it be done as soon as the frost is out of the ground.


Respectfully submitted.


JOHN S. HIGGINS, ALLEN ROWE, Selectmen. HENRY KENDRICK,


Report of Trustees of Public Library.


IT is gratifying to record that the Library becomes yearly an influence of greater good. The Committee have endeavored, in the selection of matter, to enlarge its volume of scientific and interesting works, without curtailing unduly its light and fictitious ones.


The Lower Hall has been opened as a Reading-Room Saturday evenings, the past winter, supplied with the leading papers and magazines, as well as the volumes of the Library, the use of which in the Reading-Room has been free to all. With reference to the institution of the Reading-Room, we wish to report that it was done with the unanimous approval of the committee, and with the hope that a division of the receipts and appropriations for the Library, and the application of a portion of the same to the support of the Reading- Room, would meet the approbation and command the respect and support of the reading public ; a hope which we trust will be verified by our successors in con- tinuing it, and enlarging its usefulness by keeping it open tivo or more evenings in each week, as it can be, no doubt, without any extraordinary appropriations.


The Library is open to the public every Saturday,


25


REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY.


from 4 to 9, P.M., also Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 o'clock, from the first of July to the middle of September.


BENJAMIN POTTER, CHAS. A. HASKELL, 2d. FRED O. ELLIS.


4


Librarian's Statement.


STATISTICS.


Number of volumes in Library, February, 1877, . 2815


Number of volumes added during year, 194


Number of volumes lost during year, .


10


Number of U. S., and State Documents,


182


Number of U. S., and State Documents donated, . ·


9


Number of Magazines, (unbound)


198


Number of books loaned during year. ·


· 7327


Amount received for book fees, · . $443.25


.


·


CURTIS MERRITT, Librarian.


Baldwin Collection Does Not Circulate


SWAMPSCOTT PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1996 00132 2975


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