USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1872-1873 > Part 1
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1872 - 73
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES
OF THE
TOWN OF READING,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1873;
THE
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1872-73:
THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY :
ALSO OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS.
BOSTON: HOLLIS & GUNN, PRINTERS, 71 DEVONSHIRE STREET. 1873.
R.M.H.S. RESOURCE CENTER READING, MASS.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES
OF THE
TOWN OF READING,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1873;
THE
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, .
FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1872-73;
THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY ;
ALSO OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS.
BOSTON : HOLLIS & GUNN, PRINTERS, 71 DEVONSHIRE STREET. 1873.
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
EXPENSES OF SCHOOLS.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Paid Cyrus A. Cole, principal . · $1,800 00
Miss Martha Keith, assistant 600 00
H. G. Carey, for musical instruction 50 00
for care of rooms
72 00
for fuel
160 32
2,682 32
PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Lena T. Wood, principal 600 00
Miss Jennie R. Barrus, assistant
72 00
H. G. Carey, for musical instruction 25 00
for care of rooms
61 00
for fuel
126 88
884 88
VILLAGE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Paid Miss A. M. Knight, for teaching
432 00
H. G. Carey, for musical instruction
25 00
for care of rooms
51 25
for fuel
51 00
559 25
UNION STREET SCHOOLS. UPPER MEDIUM.
Paid Mrs. M. S. Wood, for teaching
120 00
Miss Mary A. Willis 66 240 00
for care of room
55 50
for fuel
37 01
452 51
LOWER MEDIUM.
Paid Miss E. S. Foster, for teaching
324 00
for care of room
55 50
for fuel
38 49
417 99
Amount carried forward
$4,996 95
4
Amount brought forward . $4,996 95
UPPER PRIMARY.
Paid Miss Sarah II. Sweetser, for teaching
$324 00
for care of room
55 50
for fuel
32 63
412 13
LOWER PRIMARY.
Paid Miss Mary Shankland, for teaching 96 00
Miss Ruth L. Pratt,
216 00
Miss L. Maria Lovejoy, 66 15 00
for care of room
55 50
for fuel
22 10
404 60
WALNUT STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Sarah E. Holt, for teaching
108 00
Miss Lizzie H. Shaw
. 108 00
Miss E. M. Porter
108 00
for care of room
23 00
for fuel
40 91
387 91
WALNUT STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Ruth L. Pratt, for teaching
96 00
Miss Louise F. Williams
108 00
Miss Addie B. Howes
84 00
for care of room
22 00
for fuel
34 25
344 25
WOBURN STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Nellie F. Temple, for teaching
340 00
for care of room
32 25
for fuel
32 43
404 68
WOBURN STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Louise F. Williams, for teaching
72 00
Miss L. F. Loring,
· 168 00
for care of room
19 50
for fuel
29 92 ·
289 42
Amount carried forward .
$7,239 94
5
Amount brought forward
$7,239 94
LOWELL STREET MIXED SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Vienna G. Bowles, for teaching
$100 00
Miss Lizzie F. Clark 184 00
for care of room 18 00
for fuel
55 15
357 15
MAIN STREET MIXED SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Julia McDuffie, for teaching 288 00
for care of house
27 00
for fuel
19 44
334 44
HAVERHILL STREET MIXED SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Abbie Wakefield, for teaching . 280 00
for care of house
24 00
for fuel
26 00
330 00
8,261 53
Appropriations
8,000 00
School fund
212 25
8,212 25
Overdrawn
49 28
INCIDENTAL SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Paid William Proctor, for settees 24 00
James Reid & Co., for curtains 1 24
Nathan Bancroft, for setting glass 6 80
R. C. Totten, for furnace scraper for High School
75
E. H. Babrook, for chairs
3 30
Thompson, Bigelow & Brown, for ink . 10 26
Cyrus A. Cole, for apparatus for High School 100 00
Citizen's Gas Light Co., for gas for High School 39 60
E. H. Gowing, for tacks, twine, brush and oil . 2 81
1 05
66 66
" lock and key
1 50
66
66 “ moving settees high school
8 00
66
66 extra labor, 66
7 87
Reuben Nichols, for labor on John Street School yard
9 20
Hollis & Gunn, for printing order of exercises, High School . 8 00
Amount carried forward
$224 38
three thermometers
6
Amount brought forward $224 38
Paid Edward Parker, for stock and labor on Woburn St. School house 34 63 Edward Parker, for stock and labor on Lowell Street School house 50 50
· Edward Parker, for stock and labor on John Street School house 37 25 Edward Parker, for stock and labor on Haverhill Street School house 12 75
Edward Parker, for stock and labor on Main Street School house 12 75
E. H. Brabrook, for settees and chairs 14 58
J. C. Colson, for slating black boards . 26 75 N. W. Broad, for repairs on Union Hall 2 50 Knight, Adams & Co., for books . 31 55
Benjamin Peabody, for repairing pumps . 3 00
Parker & Stone, for axe for High School house 1 25
Harper and Brothers, for C. B. books for High School
12 60
A. W. Lovering, for readers for High School 3 50
M. Whelton, for cleaning school rooms 8 50
17 70
Hiram Barrus, for books for schools
66 " manuals for schools 12 00
Knight, Adams & Co., for erasers and crayons for High School 4 55
Joseph L. Ross, for teacher's table 00
Dennis P. Babb, for cleaning vaults 3 00
Joseph L. Ross, for ink stands 2 10
Bancroft & Temple, for repairs on school houses 35 63
W. Porter, for labor on Union street 12 60
C. H. Moulton, for removing ashes from High School house 1 40
J. C. Cook & Co., for stock and labor on Union Hall 3 50
Mrs. O. Austin, for cleaning High School room 06 G. W. Atkinson, for brooms, pails, brushes, dusters, &c. 30 65
Geo. O. Batchelder, for rent of land for Main Street School house 5 00
E. H. Brabrook, for chairs 2 25
Bancroft & Temple, for enlarging Preparatory School room 266 01
Bancroft & Temple, for labor and stock on Union Hall 6 55
Do., for labor and stock on High School House 5 39 M. Whelton, for cleaning Preparatory School room 1 75
C. H. Lang, for chairs, keys and freight 4 90
H. L. Cummings, freight of desks, settees and table 13 33
S. Harnden & Son, for furniture for High School 84 00
: 50
Charles Hopkins, for chairs 3 50
66 " book rack for Grammar School .
Amount carried forward
$1,068 86
7
Amount brought forward
$1,068 86
Paid T. Littlefield & Co., for repairs on stoves and funnel, Woburn Street Schools 4 00
Do., repairs on stoves and funnel, Lowell St. Schools 3 00
Do., funnel for Union Street School 5 10
Do., 2 Magec stoves for Union Hall School 74 00
Do., 167 lbs. funnel
66
66 26 70
Do., zinc and coal hods 66 66
5 30
Do., coal grate for furnace and hot air pipe 20 00
Do., new funnel for furnace 4 50
Do., coal grate and lining for stove 2 50
Do., repairs on stove, Walnut Street School 3 50
Do., " funnel, Union 66
1 00
Do., dippers and pail for schools 1 30
Eugene De Jean, for copper pump for High School " coal hod and shovel 1 70
8 00
Wm. T. Temple, repairs on Woburn St. School house 2 00
dippers
22
Parker & Stone, for steps for High School 2 25
66 coal seive and shovel for High School 2 60
G. W. Parker, for brush for High School 1 00
Daniel Creesey, for repairs on High School house 8 25
James Reid & Co., curtains and fixtures for Union Hall
J. N. Nichols, setting glass, Lowell St. School house 3 84
10 73
W. H. Bancroft, “
Union
4 45
66 66
High 66
1 76
66 66 66 66 Walnut St. 66
90
G. W. Atkinson, for brushes, shovel and saw 7 99
Citizens G. L. Co., for gas for High School 15 30
A. Nichols, grading around Haverhill St. School house 4 50
G. Beasley, removing ashes from High School house 6 00
- $1,301 25
EXPENSES OF POOR AT THE ALMSHOUSE.
INVENTORY OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AT THE ALMS-
HOUSE.
Furniture
293 29
Beds and bedding
245 65
Provisions
54 85
Stoves and fixtures
103 75
Manure
65 00
2 horses
350 00
.
Amount carried forward
$1,112 54
8
Amount brought forward $1,112 54
1 cow and calf
65 00
2 swine
22 00
2 carts
90 00
1 farm wagon
85 00
1 horse sled
25 00
1 stone wagon
20 00
1 mowing machine
70 00
Farming utensils
159 00
Wood and coal
61 00
Posts and lumber
15 00
Hay 105 00
18 fowls
20 50
3 turkeys
6 00
Grain and meal
4 25
Produce
60 00
Bridge and bound stone
10 00
Bills due for labor, produce and stock
420 00
66
" " wood and lumber
220 00
2,570 29
Inventory, March 1, 1871
2,399 27
More than last year
171 02
Cash drawn for supplies
553 25
Deduct supplies for 227 travellers
141 88
Net expense of poor at he almshouse
240 35
NAMES AND AGES OF INMATES AT ALMSHOUSE.
YEARS.
Widow Mary Dean
89
John McIntire 76
Miss Caroline Wiley
66
Alpheus Austin
53
Ashael Porter 73
Benjamin Weston
72
Whole number of inmates during the year 6
Present number
6
Agerage
53
EXPENSES FOR THE POOR AT THE ALMSHOUSE.
Paid for Groceries
385 56
for provisions 299 86
Amount carried forward
$685 42
382 23
9
Amount brought forward
$685 42
Paid for flour and bread
103 75
for grain and meal
198 40
for bedding and clothing
54 27
for furniture
41 25
for produce
17 88
for stock
355 00
for miscellaneous
14 55
for wood and coal .
106 65
for blacksmith work .
39 44
for hired labor
28 00
for farming utensils
10 85
for F. B. Kimball, for medical services . 25 00
for salary of superintendent
500 00
2,180 46
CREDIT AT THE ALMSHOUSE.
Received for stock sold
88 42
for produce sold 77 51
for wood sold
287 53
for labor done off the farm
765 00
for Widow Mary Deans' dower
20 00
of Silas and Ellen E. Dean, for support of Widow Mary Dean .
78 00
of sundry persons for board
292 75
of E. Studley, for boarding horse 18 00
of cash for supplies
553 25
2,180 46
EXPENSES OF POOR OUT OF THE ALMSHOUSE.
Paid for supplies for Benjamin Weston
135 70
60
Aaron Mclntire
20 27
66
66 Timothy Murphy 32 75
66
66 William Pierce
55 25
66
Joseph Bryant
133 37
66
66
Horatio G. Brown
10 00
66
Samuel Poor
23 35
66
Ivory Murray
130 42
66
66
J. A. Messer
6 25
Ashael Porter
10 00
66
66 Henry Baker
2 81
66 Widow Calvin Nichols
86 00
66
66
66
Ellen Wall
19 00
66
66 H. N. Pinkham
. 66 26 50
Amount carried forward
$691 67
10
Amount brought forward
$691 67
Paid for supplies for Widow Catherine O'Keefe 10 00
" Hannah Welsh 4 00
Lunatic Hospital, Worcester, for Abby Heselton 70 00
for supplies for Joel Freeman's family
20 00
Boston and Maine R. R., for transporting paupers 1 95
Due from Town of Bradford for support of Samuel Poor
797 62 23 35
Net expenses of the poor out of the Almshouse
774 27
66 in the Almshouse 240 35
Whole expense of poor out and in the Almshouse
1,014 62
TOWN OFFICERS.
Paid C. B. McIntire, services as school committee for 1871 $60 00
S. E. Parker,
66
66 1870-71 56 00
W. J. Wightman, 66
1871 30 00
Hiram Barrus, 66 66
66 1871 50 00
N. P. Pratt, 66 as selectman, assessor and
overseer of poor ·
130 00 W. J. Wightman, services as selectman, assessor and overseer of poor 238 00
Charles Tweed, services as selectman, assessor and
overseer of poor . 125 00
N. P. Pratt, services as road commissioner 110 00
Charles Tweed, “
66
233 59
James A. Bancroft," "
75 00
66 services as treasurer and collector 300 00
W. J. Wightman, 66 " town clerk 25 00
recording births, deaths and marriages 31 50
making other official records 14 00
W. W. Davis, services as auditor 5 00
Andrews Howes, “ 66 5 00
John Norwood, " police officer 65 00
N. H. Turner, 66 66 and constable 21 00
W. L. Crowe, 66 66
66
66
34 00
1,608 09
TOWN OFFICES.
Paid William Proctor, for rent
150 00
for stationary .
9 55
for postage stamps
3 30
for fuel
11 00
173 85
DECORATION OF SOLDIERS' GRAVES.
Paid N. H. Turner, chairman of committee Appropriation
150 00
150 00
11
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Paid F. H. Knight, treasurer 500 00 Appropriation 500 00
CEMETERY.
Paid Solon Bancroft, treasurer of trustees 300 00 Appropriation 50.0 00
Unexpended 200 00
$500 00
ENLARGEMENT OF CEMETERY.
Paid Solon Bancroft, treasurer of trustees for land purchased of Dana Parker 2,435 83
PRINTING.
Paid Hollis & Gunn, for printing town reports . 288 36
tax bills and town warrants 18 25
306 61
NIGHT-WATCHMAN.
Paid John Norwood, for services
.
100 00
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.
Paid Nathan Bancroft, for taking care of town flag 5 00
" repairing town flag 1 75
James McKay; for tending check list 1 50
J. L. Fairbanks, for assessors' books
10 00
George W. Dean, for ringing bell 4th of July and town meeting 2 00
Burditt and Williams, for level
2 50
Benjamin Peabody, for repairing town pumps 24 50
G. C. Gleason, for labor on Nancy Wakefield's cemetery lot . . 6 00
Henry S. LaClair, for tending check list 3 00
Boston Herald, for advertising reward for incendiary 15 00
Dorchester Mutual Life Insurance Company assessment 127 50
C. B. McIntire, tending check list 1 50
G. C. Gleason, for returning deaths to town clerk, 1871-2 9 80
Thomas P. Eames, for setting bound stone : 50
C. P. Judd, for deeds and recording the same 8 75
C. H. Lang, for express for selectmen office. 1 35
H. L. Cummings, 66
2 25
S. Harnden & Son, for guide boards and sawing lumber 9 50
G. C. Gleason, for labor and stock in removing bodies from town tomb 27 15
Matthew Hanley, for mattrass for Mrs. Wall 4 00
Amount carried forward $265 55
12
Amount brought forward . $265 55 Paid C. J. Adams, for support of Horace Blanchard in house of correction . 8 15
John Damon, for removing nuisance 1 00
Edward Safford, for Lyceum Hall for town meeting . 40 00
H. Gray, for advertising reward for incendiary 7 75
John A. Blunt, for repairs on lock up 23 14
James M. Day, for tenling check list 1 50
347 00
ABATEMENT OF TAXES.
For 1869
4 00
1870
115 28
1871
179 78
1872
241 49
REPAIRS OF HIGHWAYS.
Paid Charles Tweed, road commissioner, for money expended
for labor
1,923 38
Nathan P. Pratt, road commissioner, for money ex- pended for labor .
201 75
Reuben Danskin, for labor
21 25
George Beasley, 66
700 00
Alfred Nichols,
226 27
David Crowell, 66
65 00
R. C. Totten, for blacksmith work . 12 14
Sanderson, Brothers & Co., for C. S. Rod .
3 70
Dodge, Gilbert & Co., for hammer and handles 1 94
66 66 for paving hammer 3 00
Joseph L. Pratt, for labor and gravel 123 10
John Burrill, for labor
52 90
John G. Hutchinson, for labor
103 00
Newton Symonds, 66 66
40 00
James Bancroft,
66
20 00
James H. Bancroft, 66 66
23 00
Robert A. Harmon, 66 60
4 00
Humphrey Sullivan, 66 66
75 92
Emerson Smith, 66 66 . 325 00
T. B. Pratt, for tools 2 97
J. Adams Emerson, for repairs of highways . 65 00
James T. Norris, for gravel . 17 62
Frank Steele, for removing ledge on Main street 40 00
G. W. Atkinson, for tools 6 32
T. F. Gould, for blacksmith work 33 39
Lucius Turner, for powder and fuse . 2 62
Lang's Express, for pruning saw and tape measure
2 03
Appropriation $1,000 00
$1,095 30
Overdrawn
95 30
$1,000 00
540 55
13
GRADING HILLS ON MT. VERNON and LINDEN STS.
Paid C. Tweed for money expended for labor ;. Appropriations $500 00 $500 00
BUILDING NEW STREET WEST OF DEPOT.
Paid James A. Bancroft for money expended for labor, 1871, 14 50
C. Tweed 66 66 225 00
R. D. Wilkins for building culvert 94 00
333 50
REMOVING SNOW.
Paid J. N. Nichols for labor . 1 12
David Crowell 66
2 50
George Beasley 66 25 00
28 62
EXTRA HIGHWAY WORK.
Paid J. Adan Waldo for drain pipe
98 04
Charles A. Case for labor 20 00
66 " covering stone 15 40
Thomas Sweeter for removing wall on Washington st. 75 00
Samuel Holbrook for repairing bridge on Main st. . 2 75
James T. Eames for relaying culvert on Pearl st. 5 00
Bancroft and Temple for stock and labor for side- walk on High street 124 65
C. H. Moulton for building bridge on Woburn st. 75 00
Richard D. Wilkins for covering stone for culverts . 127 80
H. L. Cummings for freight on drain pipe 11 80
North Reading for repairs on Lobs Pound bridge 8 19
Richard D. Wilkins for bridge stone. 1 00
J. W. Coburn for gravel 1 38
Michael Forbes for building wall on Federal st. 30 00
C. Tweed, expended for labor on 66 60
150 00
66
Washington and
Minot streets 25 00
James A. Bancroft for surveying on streets
27 75
798 76
STREET LAMPS.
Paid Ames Gowing for lighting street lamps 70 00
Citizens Gas-Light Co. for gas 175 08
W. C. Milbury for lighting street lamps G. Beasley 66 66 32 25
34 00
John Pike for repairs on 66 66
15 64
F. G. Williams for fluid for 66
6 12
H. L. Cummings for teaming .
0 65
T. Littlefield & Co. for repairing lantern 0 25
·
$333 99
14
DAMAGES FOR LAND TAKEN FOR HIGHWAYS.
Paid Edmund Eaton for land on Washington st. $10 00
Moses Morse 66 Pleasant st. 275 00
W. J. Holden 66 Main st. 100 00
C. B. Leathe 66 « " Washington st. . 5 00
Alden Batchelder for reducing grade on Main st. 275 00
665 00
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Paid members for services to May 1st, 1872 . 1,178 00
C. C. Cummings, services as steward of Eagle Engine, No. 4 50 00
W. H. Temple, expenses connected with purchase of iron brakes 5 00
W. H. Temple, paying express, and for straps 2 15
Samuel Brown, services as steward of Hook and Ladder Company 5 62
R. C. Totten for repairs on engines 2 25
E. E. Smith 66 " Engine No. 2, 1871 5 00
W. H. Temple for labor oiling hose, and expenses . 7 50
C. C. Cummings for oiling hose 9 00
William Tidd for oil 23 00
Nathan Bancroft for services as steward of Engine No. 2 25 00
Nathan Bancroft for repairs on Engine No. 2 : 00
F. O. Dewey for lantern for Engine No. 2 . 2 00
J. E. Hooper for labor on Eagle Engine-house 3 25
C. A. Case, services rendered Hancock Engine Co. 3 00
Parker and Stone for sundry goods 3 34
N. W. Broad for labor on Eagle Engine-house . 5 50
S. M. Hall for labor and stock for cistern at Eagle Engine-house 132 00
H. A. Winship for 26 feet suction hose . 97 50
W. H. Temple for paying for repairs on Eagle En- gine-house . 1 25
W. H. Temple for paying repairs on fire buckets 2 00
Hunneman & Co. for iron brakes and springs 145 00
W. T. Kendall tor teaming stone for cistern 2 00
W. H. Baker for wheel-jack . , 00
N. W. Broad for repairs on Engine-house No. 4 3 60
M. H. Garfield for painting Hancock Engine 100 00
Garfield & Co. for painting on Eagle Engine 5 00
Bancroft & Temple, covering reservoir on Haven st. 17 77
E. E. Smith, services as steward of Hancock En- gine Company 25 00
Whyte & Morse for caps, etc., for engines 2 50
Amount carried forward $1,867 23
15
Amount brought forward $1,867 23 Paid N. W. Broad for repairs on Eagle and Hancock En- gine-houses 12 12
Dennis P. Babb for drawing Eagle Engine to Wake- field 6 00
C. H. Lang for express from Boston 3 40
H. L. Cummings for teaming from Boston 1 80
Eugene DeJean for wrench, gal. iron, conductor, etc. 8 57
Parker & Stone for snow-shovel and broom 1 30
R. M. Boyce for coal and wood for engine-houses 13 62
Daniel Creesey for lock and twelve keys . 4 37
G. W. Atkinson for two quarts sperm oil
1 30
H. A. Winship for repair of hose 17 00
John A. Blunt for hose-carriage for Hancock Engine .
75 00
66 " repairs on Hancock Engine . 28 95
66
66 Eagle Engine 14 62
66
66 " work on cisterns 5 00
W. L. Crowe for repairs on Eagle Engine
2 00
2,062 28
Appropriation 1,700 00
Amount of appropriation unexpended 1871, 103 27
1,803 27
Overdrawn ·
259 01
STATE - AID ACCOUNT.
Paid Allen, Jules R. . 48 00
Blanchard, Sylvanus
168 00
Berry, Daniel 48 00
Carleton, George W.
18 00
Davis, William W.
72 00
Eaton, Moses F.
96 00
Goodwin, George F.
48 00
Hetler, Adam .
48 00
Krook, Lambertus W.
36 00
Leathe, Charles B. .
276 00
McAllister, Benjamin .
72 00
Mears, William
.
72 00
McDonald, William A.
48 00
Monroe, Isaac . 60 00
54 00
Nichols, Edward E.
96 00
Pinkham, Orlando C. .
36 00
Pinkham, Tobias
48 00
Robinson, John E.
48 00
Stevens, Charles H.
48 00
Simes, George W.
112 00
Weston, S. Nelson 96 00
Young, Charles O.
96 00
Manning, Edwin .
.
$1,744 00
16
.
SUMMARY OF EXPENSES AND RECEIPTS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.
RECEIPTS.
Received for Schools (appropriation) $8,000 00
. . " Ordinary Charges (appropriation) 7,500 00
" Repairs of Highways 4,000 00
" Interest on Town Debt " 4,400 00
" Fire Department
1,700 00
" Public Library 66
500 00
66 " Cemetery 66
500 00
66 " Grading Mt. Vernon and Linden sts. (app.) . 500 00
" Decorating Soldiers' Graves 150 00
66
" State Corporation Tax . 597 63
66 " Massachusetts School Fund 212 25
66 " School Books . 3 50
" Interest on Taxes and Notes 383 26
" Dog Licenses of County Treas.
80 59
" State Aid
1,500 00
" State Tax 2,560 00
" County Tax . 1,484 47
" Overlay on Taxes 1,211 52 ·
35,283 22
EXPENDITURES.
Paid for Schools 8,261 53
" incidental school expenses 1,301 25
supplies of Almshouse 553 25
66 poor out of the Almshouse
751 62
to Town officers 1,608 09
4,095 30
" Do. for grading Mt. Vernon and Linden sts. for building new street west of the depot.
798 76
removing snow
28 62
" land damages
665 00
street lamps 333 99
" miscellaneous 347 09
" decoration of soldiers' graves 150 00
to Trustees of Cemetery for land purchased . 2,435 83
" Do. for repairs of Cemetery . 300 00
" Trustees of Public Library
500 00
for printing
306 61
" Selectmen's office
173 85
" Fire Department
2,062 28
abatement of taxes 540 55
" State tax. 2,560 00
Amount carried forward
$28,607 12
" Road Commissioners for repair of highways 500 00
333 50
" extra highway work .
17
Amount brought forward . $28,607 12
Paid for County tax .
1,484 47
" night watchman
100 00
" interest on Town debt
4,245 06
" State aid .
1,744 00
Add for balance due the Trustees of the Cemetery, now
36,180 65 in Treasury
850 00
37,030 65
*Deduct cash paid for land for enlargement of Cemetery, for which no assessment was made 2,435 83
*Deduct cash paid for school purposes. 600 00
3,035 83
33,994 82
Receipts more than expenses .
.
1,288 40
$35,283 22
*Amounts "voted " at November meeting.
NATHAN P. PRATT, - Selectmen W. J. WIGHTMAN,
CHARLES TWEED,
of Reading.
READING, April 1, 1873.
18
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
ENGINEERS
OF THE
READING FIRE DEPARTMENT.
To the Selectmen and Citizens of Reading :
In presenting our annual report we feel thankful, and would congratulate our fellow-citizens, on having escaped any serious conflagration the year just ending, notwithstanding nearly all fires seem to have assumed that proportion in neighboring towns and cities. The department has been called out to fires but six (6) times to the present time - three times in the Spring by the carelessness of persons in the employ of Mr. Oscar Foot in burning over wood land (damage to cord wood and logs burned estimated by the owner $500) ; once, in the night, by the partial burning of Mr. Everett Parker's house, which, by the promptness of the department, was extinguished with a damage of only $250, fully covered by insurance (sup- posed to have been of incendiary origin) ; once for a fire in Wakefield (the burning of the large steam mill belonging to one of our own citizens, Mr. Edward Safford, which was en- tirely consumed). On the ever-memorable 9th of November an alarm was given, on the receipt of the following telegraph despatch, from the Chief Engineer of the City of Boston, ask- ing for assistance in subduing the fearful conflagration raging at that time :
" BOSTON, 9} P. M., Nov. 9th, 1872.
"Chief Engineer Reading Fire Department :
"Please send us all the fire engines you can spare.
"Signed) JOHN S. DAMRELL."
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In response (by the courtesy of the B. & M. R. R.) we dispatched, by special train, our largest engine, No. 4, and the whole department, excepting a detail to use the other engine and to telegraph us immediately at the Chief's office in Boston should a fire break out at home during our absence. We were on duty in Boston until 11 o'clock the next day (Sun- day), over twelve hours; and to show that our services were appreciated on that occasion, we would say that Eagle Com- pany, No. 4, received a cash present, on New Year's Day, of $100, and a very complimentary letter from a business firm on Kilby street, who were burned out, and received assist- ance in securing their safe by members of our department ; and the following letter, received from the Chief Engineer of the Boston Fire Department, will require no explanation :
"FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICE, CITY HALL, Boston, December, 1872.
" To Capt. Wm. H. Temple, Chief Engineer Fire Department, Reading Mass .:
Dear Sir,-In behalf of the Board of Engineers of the Boston Fire Depart- ment, I beg to convey to the officers and members of your department, and especially to you as its Chief, our heartfelt thanks for the assistance rendered in subduing the fire in this city on the 9th and 10th of November last.
" The promptness of your department in our great emergency, and the arduous and heroic services performed by them, will ever be gratefully remembered by this department and our citizens.
" I have the honor to subscribe myself,
" Yours, most sincerely,
" JOHN S. DAMRELL, "Chief Engineer B. F. D."
We found, upon examination of the apparatus and affairs of the department, at the commencement of the year, that it would be necessary to make several quite expensive repairs on the engines and cisterns, and also several last year's bills outstanding, to meet which the last year's Board of Engineers (doubtless anxious to keep within the sum appro- priated) had thrown on to the expenses of this year; and if, in the footing up of the sums we have been necessitated to expend to keep the property in our charge in a service- able and reliable condition, they should exceed the amount voted by the Town, we feel that we have expended the money to the best possible advantage, and that every dollar
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has been a good investment. The apparatus of the depart- ment is in excellent condition, excepting the hook and lad- der carriage, which needs painting, and the leading hose, of which there are but 1,000 feet, all of which has been in service three years. The Hancock Engine, No. 2, has been thoroughly repaired and newly painted, and we have made an addition to the apparatus by the building, to order, of a new hose carriage for No. 2, which is a first-class "jumper," to carry 450 feet leather hose, and the thorough workmanship and stylish appearance of which reflect much credit to the builder, Mr. John A. Blunt.
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