Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1873-1874, Part 1

Author: Reading (Mass.)
Publication date: 1873
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 74


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1873-74


R.M.H.S. RESOURCE CENTER READING, MASS.


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES


OF THE


TOWN OF READING,


FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCHI 1, 1874;


THE


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE,


FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1873-74;


THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY ;


ALSO OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS.


BOSTON : HOLLIS & GUNN, PRINTERS, 31 HAWLEY STREET. 1874.


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES


OF THE


TOWN OF READING,


FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1874;


THE


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE,


FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1873-74;


THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY ;


ALSO OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS.


BOSTON : HOLLIS & GUNN, PRINTERS, 31 HAWLEY STREET. 1874.


RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.


EXPENSES OF SCHOOLS.


HIGH SCHOOL.


Paid Cyrus A. Cole, prinicipal $1,800 00


Miss Martha Keith, assistant


700 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction


79 19


for care of rooms


83 00


for fuel


128 19


$2790 38


PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL.


Paid Miss Lena T. Wood, principal .


$700 00


Miss Jennie R. Barrus, assistant


252 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction


77 33


for care of rooms


83 00


for fuel


· 111 87


1224 20


VILLAGE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.


Paid Miss A. M. Knight, principal .


$500 00


Miss Addie B. Howes, assistant


138 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction


68 41


for care of rooms


74 40


for fuel


63 48


844 29


UNION STREET SCHOOLS.


UPPER MEDIUM.


Paid Miss Mary A. Willis, for teaching $284 00


Miss Emma Eames, 66 50 00


H. G. Carey, for instruction in music


33 08


for care of room


74 40


for fuel


55 75


Amount carried forward


497 23


·


$5356 10


.


4


Amount brought forward .


$5356 10


LOWER MEDIUM.


Paid Miss E. S. Foster, for teaching


$324 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction


33 06


for care of room


74 40


for fuel


54 25


485 71


UPPER PRIMARY.


Paid Miss Sarah A. Sweetzer, for teaching


. $306 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction .


33 06


for care of room\


74 40


for fuel


33 10


446 56


LOWER PRIMARY.


Paid Miss Ruth L. Pratt, for teaching


· $324 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction .


33 06


for care of room .


74 40


for fuel .


30 43


461 89


WALNUT STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOL.


Paid Miss E. M. Porter, for teaching


$120 00


Miss Sarah L. Stoodley


240 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction .


22 93


for care of rooms


35 00


for fuel


49 63


467 56


WALNUT STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL.


Paid Miss Addie B. Howes, for teaching .


$96 00


for care of room .


4 00


for fuel .


12 60


112 60


WOBURN STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOL.


Paid Mrs. Nellie F. Temple, for teaching .


$120 00


Miss Helen M. Clark,


240 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction


25 06


for care of room .


30 00


for fuel .


3 04


.


463 10


.


Amount carried forward


$7793 52


5


Amount brought forward . $7793 52


WOBURN STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL.


Paid Miss Lillian F. Loring, for teaching


$288 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction 25 06


for care of room .


22 15


for fuel .


33 00


368 21


LOWELL STREET MIXED SCHOOL.


Paid Miss Lizzie B. Clark, for teaching · $288 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction


25 06


for care of room .


29 00


for fuel


53 17


395 23


MAIN STREET MIXED SCHOOL.


Paid Miss Julia McDuffie, for teaching


$192 00


Miss Florence Parker 66


84 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction


25 06


for care of room


27 00


for fuel


29 68


357 74


HAVERHILL STREET MIXED SCHOOL.


Paid Miss Abbie Wakefield, for teaching .


$288 00


H. G. Carey, for musical instruction


25 06


for care of room


27 50


for fuel


33 12


373 68


$9288 38


Appropriation


8500 00


School Fund


197 97


8697 97


Overdrawn


$590 41


6


INCIDENTAL SCHOOL EXPENSES.


Paid Nathan Bancroft, for setting glass . $3 20


Wm. Porter. for labor on Union St. school-houses 18 36


W. H. Willis, for school-books 9 48


J. L. Hammett, for crayons 13 00


66 for globe and charts 23 95


F. J. Bancroft, for piano for High School Exhibition 5 00


W. O. Haskell & Son, for furniture for schools 379 10


Adrian Mertens, for use of pump 2 years, 6 00


W. Vermill, for building fence south side of Medium school-house . 39 38


G.W. Parker, removing settees in High School house 4 00


G. W. Parker, for brush for High School house 1 00 .


J. C. Cook, for painting and setting glass 6 90


G.W. Batchelder, labor at Woburn st. school-house 0 90


Citizens' Gas Light Co., for gas for High School .


9 00


W. H. Bancroft, for painting and setting glass 14 69


W. E. Beard, for clock for Upper Primary School . 6 00


Parker & Stone, for pails, brushes, and lock . 3 55


J. C. Cook, painting library-room for High School 16 62


Alden Batchelder, for bookcase for Preparatory High School . 20 00


Otis H. Weed, for ventilators 150 00


John Pike, gas-fitting library-room for High School 9 38


G. W. Atkinson, for brushes, brooms, and pails 4 60


J. L. Pratt, for setting glass . 7 55


Bancroft & Temple, repairs on school-houses . 28 40


Citizens' Gas Company, for gas for High School 6 75


T. B. Pratt, for brushes for High School . 4 00


L. B. Loring, for broom 66 0 40


R. Nichols, cleaning out-house, Woburn St. School. 2 00


5 00


G. O. Batchelder, rent of land for Main St. School Adelbert E. Batchelder, for setting glass .


0 75


G. Beasley, removing ashes from High School-house 4 00


J. N. Nichols, for setting glass .


3 85


Parker & Stone, for bell-rope for Walnut Street school-house . 1 05


Parker & Stone, for glass and putty


0 30


N. W. Broad, for fixing lock 0 65


W. H. Bancroft, for setting glass


4 10


W. H. Willis, for school-books .


8 21


Lang's Express, for freight.


2 20


Eugene De Jean, for labor and furniture .


2 90


Hiram Barrus, for school-books. 85


G. W. Atkinson, for brushes and rope 5 54


T. Littlefield, for dippers, and repair of stoves 26 43


$939 04


7


EXPENSES POOR AT THE ALMS HOUSE. INVENTORY OF PERSONAL PROPERTY.


Furniture


$293 29


Beds and Bedding


245 65


Provisions .


111 98


Stoves and fixtures


103 75


Manure


65 00


2 horses


425 00


1 cow .


65 00


2 swine


30 00


2 carts


135 00


1 farm wagon


85 00


1 horse sled


25 00


1 stone wagon


20 00


1 mowing machine


00


Farming utensils


159 00


Wood and coal .


130 12


Posts and lumber


15 00


Hay


99 50


13 fowls


15 00


Grain and meal .


4 00


Produce


Bills due for labor, produce, and stock


wood and lumber .


220 00


$2771 29


Inventory, March 1, 1873 .


2570 29


Deduct supplies for 828 travellers, @ 62 cents each. 513 36


$349 53


Due from Town of Woburn, for support of Asahel Porter. 137 00


Net expense of the Poor in the Almshouse


$212 53


NAMES AND AGES OF INMATES AT ALMSHOUSE.


Widow Mary Dean .


90


66 John McIntire


77


Miss Caroline Wiley


67


Alpheus Austin


54


Asahel Porter .


74


Benjamin Weston


73


Horatio G. Brown .


75


Whole number of inmates during the year.


. 7


Present 66 66


. 6


Average « 66


. 43


Asahel Porter died May 13, 1873.


Widow Mary Dean died August 29, 1873.


16 00


438 00


Cash drawn for supplies


1063 89


$862 89


more than last year.


$201 00


YEARS.


8


EXPENSES OF THE POOR AT THE ALMSHOUSE.


Paid cash for supplies, for 1872 .


$22 55


for groceries


509 86


for flour and bread


158 70


for grain and meal


214 00


for provisions


for fish .


for bedding and clothing


38 63


for produce


5 76


for stock


255 50


for miscellaneous


5 04


for wood and coal


344 01


for blacksmith bills


36 27


for hired labor


188 91


for medicine


4 25


for shoes


2 60


for repairs on carts


3 25


for wheelbarrow .


2 50


for ice


12 00


for horse cart (in exchange)


50 00


for medicine for horse.


8 00


for repairs on buildings


49 07


for farming utensils 4 65


for funeral expenses of Asahel Porter 27 00


for medical services-J. H. Hanaford's bill


5 00


for -F. F. Brown's bill


13 50


for salary of superintendent


500 00


$2880 73


CREDITS AT THE ALMSHOUSE.


Received for stock sold .


$76 95


for lighting street lamps


49 25


for wood sold


338 57


for removing ashes from High School house


4 00


for use of lock-up


2 00


for guns sold


14 50


for boarding horse


5 25


for labor on highways .


681 00


for labor for sundry persons


7 35


for labor on cisterns .


178 50


of N. H. Turner, for labor .


12 00


of Charles Tweed, for labor


42 12


of Charles Tweed, for board


183 00


of James Sullivan, Jr., for board


$48 00


of Abigail Beers, for board


70 00


Amount carried forward,


$1712 49


382 56


20 76


for furniture


16 36


9


Amount brought forward, $1712 49 Received of Silas and Ellen Dean, for support of Widow Mary Dean . 52 00


of Mrs. John Judkins, for wood for 1872 .


4 50


for Widow Mary Dean's dower . 10 00


for removing snow from roads and sidewalks . 37 85


for cash for supplies .


1063 89


$2880 73


EXPENSES OF THE POOR OUT OF THE ALMSHOUSE.


Paid for supplies for Benjamin Weston


$104 50


66 66 Ivory Murray ·


$73 51


" Funeral expenses of Mrs. Murray.


. 65


F. F. Brown, for medical services


15 75


110 91


for supplies for Joseph Bryant .


171 90


66 66 Sylvanus Blanchard


90 26


F. F. Brown, for medical services


7 50


97 76


for supplies for Morris Donnegan


40 67


F. F. Brown, for medical services


11 50


for supplies for Michael Daly and family 13, 75


F. B. Kimball, for medical services 33 25


Daniel Sullivan, taking care of M. Daly while sick . 22 50


North Reading, for supplies for Henry Jenkins.


for supplies for William Pierce


44 94


66 66 Aaron McIntire


44 77


" 66 Mrs. Calvin Nichols


68 35


F. F. Brown, for medical services


1 25


69 60


for supplies for Mrs. White


11 02


F. B. Kimball, for medical services


16 25


for supplies for Mrs. Ellen Wall .


22 50


66 McFadden .


1 60


66 Catherine O'Keefe


10 00


wood for 66 John Judkins


4 06


66 Henry Baker


4 50


66


supplies for Edmund Grover


15 00


railroad tickets for paupers .


1 05


66 board for Abby Heselton, at Worcester Lunatic Hospital. 115 00


Deduct Jona. Heselton's note, given for Abby Heselton's board, as above.


115 00


$897 53


Due from Town of Bradford, for support of Samuel Poor


26 35


Net expense of poor out of the Almshouse


$871 18


66 in the Almshouse


212 53


Whole expense of poor out and in the Almshouse


. $1083 71


.


52 17


69 50


45 50


27 27


$1012 53


10


TOWN OFFICERS.


Paid E. A. Winship, for services as School Com., 1872


$48 50


C. D. Wright, «


66


66


55 00


W. J. Wightman 66


66


66 66


37 00


Hiram Barrus 66 66


66


66 18 00


E. A. Winship 66


66 1873


30 00


C. B. McIntire 66 66 66


. 25 00


Charles Tweed, for services as selectman, assessor and overseer of the poor 87 00 Nathan P. Pratt, for services as selectman, as- sessor and overseer of the poor . 140 00


W. J. Wightman, for services as selectman, as- sessor and overseer of the poor . 297 00


James A. Bancroft, for services as treasurer and collector


350 00


James A. Bancroft, for services as road commiss'r.


50 00


Charles Tweed, 66


50 00


Charles A. Weston, “ 66


66


50 00


Charles Tweed, 66


com. on cisterns .


132 00


Nathan P. Pratt, 66


30 00


Charles H. Lang, 66


15 00


W. J. Wightman, 66 66


66 15 00 .


Andrew Howes, 66


as auditor


3 00


William L. Crowe, police ·


as constable and


23 00


W. J. Wightman, for services as town clerk 25 00


W. J. Wightman, for recording births, deaths, and marriages .


57 80


W. J. Wightman, for making other official records . 12 00


$1550 30


TOWN OFFICES.


Paid William Proctor, for rent . $150 00


J. C. Cook, for painting and whitewashing 21 34


Charles H. Lang, express


3 25


for fuel


9 50


for stationery


3 75


for postage stamps


2 75


for broom


45


$196 04


NIGHT WATCHMAN.


Paid John Norwood for services . $370 00 Harris Austin 168 00 ·


$538 00


.


.


·


.


11


PRINTING.


Paid Hollis & Gunn for town and school reports


$300 00 66 order of exercises for High School,


tax bills, and selectmen orders 38 50


Gray & Metcalf, for advertising dog notice 2 00


66 for printing course of studies . 21 00


$361 50


PUBLIC LIBRARY. .


Paid E. Appleton for moving library, rent, &c. $250 00 66 on account of library appropriation 250 00


F. H. Knight, treasurer of library 250 00


66 66 dog tax for 1872 .


80 59


$830 59


Appropriation · .


750 00


66 of dog tax .


80 59


830 59


CEMETERY.


Paid Solon Bancroft, Treasurer


.


.


·


$1210 85


Appropriation


. $500 00 .


Former appropriations remaining in the Treasury . 850 00


1350 00


Amount remaining in the Treasury to credit of Trustees. · $139 15


DECORATION OF SOLDIERS' GRAVES.


Paid Nathan D. Stoodley


.


·


$250 00


Appropriation


. $250


STREET LAMPS.


Paid C. W. Hebard, for fluid and lamps $5 62


John Pike, for labor and materials 12 22


Amos McIntire, for painting, and repair of lamps 11 50


J. C. Cook, for repair of lamps 2 75


T. Littlefield " 66 0 50


Citizens' Gas Light Company, for gas. 7 07


George Beasley for lighting .


108 25


$257 91


DAMAGES PAID FOR LAND TAKEN FOR HIGHWAYS.


Paid Estate of Amos Parker, for land to widen Orange st. $50 00


Abner Bancroft,


66


Green 66 650 00


Isaac Adams,


66


66 150 00


R. L. McPherson, 66


66


66 25 00


D. C. Temple,


25 00


Emory Bancroft, Adm'tr,


60 Bancroft av. 80 00


66 66 60


66


High st. 30 00


William Carter, 2d, 66


66


350 00


$1360


.


12


REPAIRS OF HIGHWAYS.


Paid Charles Tweed, road commissioner, for money ex-


pended for labor


$431 49


Charles A. Weston, road commissioner, for money expended for labor


1703 45


J. Breck & Son, for pick handles


3 12


Dodge, Gilbert & Co., for hammers


1 16


C. B. Holt, for labor


28 81


J. G. Hutchinson, for labor


172 00


Dennis P. Babb, 66


50 00


J. L. Pratt,


42 00


Charles Wakefield,


8 50


Newton Symonds 66


8 00


Alfred Nichols 66


295 72


Robert A. Harmon


40 00


B. Whelton 66


115 50


Emerson Smith


213 75


N. P. Pratt, 66


21 00


George Beasley, 66


681 00


T. F. Gould, for blacksmith work


5 77


John A. Blunt


16 33


Committee on cisterns for gravel


75 00


Richard Robinson,


66


33 54


$3946 14


Appropriation


$4000 00


Unexpended


53 86


$4000 00


EXTRA HIGHWAY WORK.


Paid Charles Tweed, for money expended on widening High Street . ·


$425 94


Charles Tweed, for money expended on widening Bancroft Avenue .


330 00


Charles Tweed, for money expended on widening Green Street


286 70


R. M. Wilkins, for covering stone for culverts 179 28


J. Adan Waldo, for drain pipe .


10 24


J. L. Pratt, for posts and rails, and repairing guide board


9 00


James M. Eames, for bound stone


18 00


Henry Cook, for moving wall on Franklin Street 2 00


W. M. Phillips, for plank for bridge . 3 00


Alfred Nichols, for labor on highway, setting posts and rails


34 62


J. L. Pratt, for labor on highway .


2 50


.


N. W. C. Carter, for rails for highway


39 99


.


$1341 27


13


EXPENDED ON CISTERNS.


Paid Charles Tweed, for money expended on cisterns ·


$811 25


Charles H. Lang, « 66


110 42


Edward Parker, for labor 57 75


N. H. Turner


410 37


Boston and Maine Railroad, for freight and bricks 52 45


Peterson & Parker, for cess-pool stone


42 00


Bancroft & Temple, for brick .


340 00


Dennis P. Babb, drawing engine to well on Green St. 0 50


Dennis P. Babb, for drawing stone for cistern .


15 00


J. Adan Waldo, for drain pipe Young & Emerson, for cement


323 75


S. M. Hall, for labor


197 96


C. H. Moulton, for building cistern on Green Street .


150 00


Dennis P. Babb, for labor


16 00


G. W. Atkinson, for lanterns and nails


7 31


N. P. Pratt, for labor


14 00


Bancroft & Temple, for freight on bricks


88 00


66 66 for stock and labor


55 18


T. B. Pratt, for kerosene oil 0 30


4 52


George Beasley, for labor


178 50


John A. Blunt, for blacksmith work


40 25


George Bancroft, for sand . 38 00


1 49


Boston and Maine Railroad, for freight]


1 80


Samuel Brown, for plank


4 89


B. Whetton, for labor .


104 68


Emerson Smith, for labor


100 00


Received of Road Commissioners, for gravel


75 00


$3148 57


REMOVING SNOW.


Paid C. H. Moulton


$66 00


J. G. Hutchinson .


40 00


Rufus W. Damon .


1 25


Alfred Nichols


18 50


Frederick Bancroft


2 00


J. L. Pratt


24 50


Tim Riorden.


22 50


Emerson Smith


10 12


Daniel Sullivan


19 50


David Crowell


17 50


George Beasley


37 85


W. H. Temple, for removing snow from reservoirs


10 00


Levi Town, 66


66


1 75


Charles Tweed


3 00


$274 47


S. N. Stone, for powder, fuse, and shovels . E. Hamden, for plank .


6 20


$3223 57


N. W. Broad, for labor and materials .


48 00


14


MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.


Paid John Norwood, for handcuffs $1 75


Nathan Bancroft, for care of, and repairing, Town flag 9 50


W. H. Willis, for vaccinating 26 persons 10 40


Emery B. Eames, for damages sustained on highway. 450 00


Edward Safford, for Lyceum Hall


50 00


Moses H. Garfield, for painting hearse


28 10


G. C. Gleason, for expenses for use of hearse


5 00


C. P. Judd, for settlement of Mrs. Case's suit


750 00


George W. Dean, for ringing bell


3 00


North Reading, for bound stone, and setting same 2 00


T. B. Pratt, for refreshments at Salem Street fire 20 28


Parker & Stone, 66


66 66


6 80


G. W. Atkinson,


6 70


H. E. Cox, 66 66 66


2 00


H. D. Babb, for teaming derrick. .


2 75


S. E. Gould, for land on Woburn Street


100 00


J. C. Cook, for painting case for weights and measures Boston Herald, for advertising


31 20


G. C. Gleason, for Return of Deaths to Town Clerk .


13 25


C. H. Moulton, for moving Hancock Engine house


8 00


W. D. Washburn, for damage to carriage 65 00


C. P. Judd, for witness fees in Mrs. Case's suit . 19 25


F. B. Kimball, for services 7 00


3 00


George Bancroft, for drawing engine to fire, 1871


2 00


B. Peabody, for repairs of Town pumps 73 70 Dennis Batchelder, for repairs of Lobs Pound bridge James Doucette, for use of derrick at " 66


13 00


John N. Sanborn, for stone and labor " 6 00 66


54 00


North Reading, for repairs on bridge on Main Street.


10 98


W. L. Crowe, for watching fire on Salem Street . 3 00


3 00


J. S. Pike,


Nathan Bancroft, for taking care of Town flag . 5 00


for deed of land from and to S. E. Gould and R. T. Dodge . 4 00


for deed of land from George Parker to the Town 1 00


for railroad tickets 7 25


J. A. Bancroft, for survey of Woburn St. school yard. 4 00


$3223 57


3 50


John A. Blunt, for tending check-list .


17 25


Alfred Nichols, for labor on Mill bridge .


15


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


BOARD OF ENGINEERS


OF THE


READING FIRE DEPARTMENT.


To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Citizens of Reading :


The Fire Department, as at present organized, consists of a Hook and Ladder Truck, located on Middle Street, manned by sixteen men ; Hancock Engine, No. 2, located on Woburn Street, manned by forty men; Eagle Engine, No. 4, located on Union Street, manned by sixty men. The Washington Engine, No. 3, located on Ash Street, has been placed under the charge of Captain T. F. Gould, who has organized a Company of volunteers, who serve without pay. The Union Engine, No. 1, has been placed under the charge of Solon A. Parker, Esq., and is now located at his mill on Pearl Street, and has no company,-making a total force of one hundred and twenty-two men, including a Board of five Engineers. The Hook and Ladder Truck and Engines Nos. 2 and 4 are in good order, well manned, and are officered by men well qualified to command, and who thoroughly understand their duties. The Department is now supplied with about 2,200 feet of hose, 1,011 feet of which has been purchased the past year, and which we consider. will be sufficient for several years to come. The house occupied by Hancock, No. 2, having for some years past been considered too small for housing the Engine and convening the Company at its monthly meetings, the town, at its August meeting, appropriated the sum of $2,000 for


,


16


a new house, and instructed the Board of Engineers to contract for and superintend the erection of the same. In accordance with those instructions, we have contracted with W. M. Phillips, Esq., to furnish material and erect a house 22 x 38 feet for the sum of $1,800. Some alterations have been made in the original contract ; and these, with the expense of grad- ing, etc., will make the total cost of the building not far from $1,900. The house will need furniture and fixtures for the convenience of the Company and those having charge of the apparatus ; and, not feeling authorized to expend any of the original appropriation for that purpose, we shall ask for an appropriation to enable us to do it the ensuing year. The building is rapidly approaching completion, and will be ready for occupancy early in April. The first fire that occurred since the last Report, was a building located at the corner of High and Green Streets, owned by Mrs. Martha J. Greenwood, and occupied by Moses Mears as a shoe shop and saloon. This fire broke out at 11 o'clock, P. M., on the 2d of May, and was confined to the building in which it originated. The loss was about $400, and was fully insured. On May 3d, at about midnight, fire was discovered in a building on Salem Street, owned and occupied by F. Miller, as a cabinet manufactory. The building and contents were totally destroyed; loss, $3,500 ; insurance, $400. June 15th-alarm caused by the burning of a screen at the drug store of R. J. Bell ; damage trifling. July 12th, 10 P. M., a fire was discovered in a building on Belmont Street, owned and occupied by F. Tetten- born as a cabinet shop, and from thence it extended to a barn owned by Loton Parker, and also to a building owned by M. D. Berry and occupied by Dr. E. M. Pitman. From this building the fire communicated to the long wooden structure known as the Berry Steam Mill, and owned by J. C. Sleeper, of Malden. This fire created a general alarm in Wakefield, and the whole department of that town was soon on the spot ; but, on account of the scarcity of water, they were not called into service. Our own department, however, by great exer- tions, succeeded in saving the dwelling-houses of Mr. Parker, Dr. Pitman, and Rev. W. A. Thompson. The want of water


17


at this fire was a source of solicitude on the part of the Engineers, and had the wind been fresh in almost any other direction, there must have been a most extensive conflagration. We will say, in this connection, that our water supply has since been increased by the addition of five large cisterns and three powerful wells, making a total of ten cisterns and ten wells located on the public highways, and under the control of the Engineers. There are also four private wells of large capacity, that would be available at any time in case of need. The aggregate loss by the last mentioned fire was estimated to be $8,000; the aggregate insurance was $5,800. Septem- ber 10th, a most outrageous attempt was made about midnight to fire the Lyceum Hall building, by setting fire to some rub- bish at the rear door of the store occupied by G. W. Atkin- son. Luckily, however, it was discovered before making much headway, and was extinguished by Assistant Engineer Nichols and his family, without creating a general alarm. On Septem- ber 24th the Department made their annual parade ; and, after marching through the principal streets, repaired to Main Street, where a public exhibition of the apparatus took place, to the entire satisfaction of the Engineers and other citizens of the town who were present.


The expenses of the Department for the past year have been as follows :


Paid E. E. Smith, for services as Steward of Hancock En- gine, No. 2. $35.00


66 repairs on Hancock Engine, No. 2 3.25


66 " oil, for 1.50


W. H. Temple, for services as Engineer for 1872 25.00


C. C. Cummings, for services as Steward of Eagle Engine, No. 4 . 50.00


C. H. Danforth, for services as Engineer 17.00


G. H. Parker. 20.00


William Vermill, for services as Steward of Hook and Ladder Company 5.00


Members of Fire Department, for services for the year ending April 30th, 1873 . 1122.50


Alfred Hale, for rubber suits 39.00


F. O. Dewey, for lanterns and globes. 7.50


E. C. Nichols, for labor and stock on engine-houses. 5.60


Amount carried forward $1331.35


18


Amount brought forward


. $1331.35


Paid P. McCall, for wrench, belts and straps 4.30


Hunneman & Co., pole and fitting for engine 3.00


F. J. Bancroft, for drawing Hancock Engine to fires 4.00


J. C. Cook, for painting 15.79


Joseph Huse & Son, for boiler grate .50


W. H. Wentforth & Co., for boiler top 4.25


C. H. Lang, Chief Engineer, for firemen's parade . 100.00


Dennis P. Babb, for drawing engine to fires


7.00


Hunneman & Co., for brass hub for engine. 2.50


N. H. Turner, for setting boiler .


3.38


H. A. Winship & Co., for sundry articles for engine.


59.45


E. E. Smith, for services as a member of Hancock Engine 6.00


G. W. Atkinson, for oil, can, chamois skin, &c. 4.14


Lang's Express, for rope for Hancock Engine . 6.30


F. O. Dewey, for lamp fixtures 1.75


J. W. Gleason, for labor and materials on Engine No. 3 5.89


H. E. Cox, for wood


2.12


John A. Blunt, for repairs on engines


13.55


Brigham & Co., for steel letters 1.75


N. W. Broad, for labor on engine-house


0.75


Parker & Stone, for oil and can for Hancock Engine . 2.90


S. N. Stone, for rope for Eagle Engine-house 7.70


Lang's Express, for freight, and bills paid .


14.65


Joseph Breck & Sons, for pulleys for Eagle Engine- house. 4.00


G. W. Atkinson, for kerosene oil .


0 13


Samuel Brown, for repair of ladders


4.00


T. Littlefield, for water-pot .


0.75


-$1611.90


APPROPRIATION $2000.00


Unexpended


388.10 .


$2000.00


EXTRA EXPENSES.


Paid James Boyd & Son for hose


· $495.00


Dempsey, Legro & Co. "


·


1030.95


W. M. Phillips, in part, for building engine house · 1200.00


2725.95


The expenses of the Department will be somewhat more the ensuing year, for the reason that ten (10) men have been added to the Hancock Engine Company, and four (4) to the Hook and Ladder Company. The Hook and Ladder Truck


19


will also need painting, and the Eagle Engine will need a coat of varnish. We therefore recommend that the same sum as last year ($2,000) be appropriated for the expenses of the Department the ensuing year, one hundred dollars of which shall be expended for the annual fall parade. We also recom- mend that one hundred and fifty dollars be appropriated for furnishing the new Engine House on Woburn Street.




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