USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1898-1899 > Part 3
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RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Upon such estates as shall receive a direct benefit from the sewer, and have no assessable lot frontage, and are not located within one hundred feet (100) of a street or way, such an amount of the area of said estate shall be, assessed as may be deemed just and reasonable by the board of sewer commissioners for the benefits received."
Motion handed the chair making the "one-third" in the first line read "two-thirds," and the "two-thirds" in the second line read "one-third," and all after the word "laid" in the fourth line, down to the twentieth line, be stricken out and the words, "The assessment to be upon the valua- tion of the property" substituted.
Meeting desired the motion separated.
I. Motion. That one-third of the said estimated cost shall be assessed upon the estates directly benefited, wher- ever the sewers shall be laid, Yes 110, No 131, defeated.
2. Motion. That all after the word "laid" in the fourth line down to the twentieth be stricken out and the words, "the assessment to be upon the valuation of the property" substituted. Carried, Yes, 158, No, 89.
Motion read as amended, and found to have assessed four-thirds. Motion defeated, Yes, 76, No, 132.
Notice given that reconsideration will be requested.
Meeting adjourned upon the annoucement of the vote, at Io o'clock.
Attest :
W. DE HAVEN JONES,
Town Clerk, pro tem.
Total, $187,636.69.
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RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Adjourned Town Meeting, Monday evening, March 28th, 1898, 7.30 o'clock.
Met according to adjournment.
Voted, To take up article 27.
Article 27. Voted, That one-half of the estimated cost of all the sewers shall be paid for by the town. One-half of the said estimated cost shall be assessed upon the estates direct- ly benefited, wherever the sewer shall be laid, by the front- age and area plan combined, viz: Twenty cents to be assessed on each foot of lot frontage of estates on any street or way wherever a sewer is constructed, five mills (5) per square foot upon the area of said estates extending back to a depth of one hundred feet (100) from the front of same.
Upon all corner lots, assessments for lot frontage shall be levied, as before stated upon the whole frontage of such estate which abuts on the street where a sewer is first con- structed, and when a sewer is constructed on the other street or streets or ways upon which such corner lots or estates abut, an exemption, as may be determined by the sewer commissioners of not exceeding fifty feet (50) of the front- age assessment shall be made on such streets or ways, and the assessment as before provided, shall be levied on all the rest of the frontage on such streets or ways. Upon such estates as shall receive a direct benefit from the sewer, and have no assessable lot frontage, and are not located within one hundred feet (100) of a street or way, such an amount of the area of said estate shall be assessed as may be deemed just and reasonable by the board of sewer commissioners for the benefits received.
44
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Art. 26. Taken up by unanimous consent.
Voted, That the board of sewer commissioners of the town of Melrose shall, upon petition of parties interested, have the power to make such abatements or suspensions of the collection of assessments for the construction of sewers as, in their judgment, justice and equity require.
Any such assessment so abated or suspended shall con- tinue a lien upon the estate on which the assessment is made until the same is paid, also such other legislation as the sewer commissioners may think proper.
Yes, 149. No, 82.
Art. 28. Voted, To accept the laying out of certain main drains or common sewers, as laid out for public use by the sewer commissioners, as provided by statutes, in the follow- ing named streets and, ways, viz: Olive court, Auburn street, Melrose place from main sewer in land of Samuel B. Robinson, northerly and westerly across land of said Robin- son, and land of Mrs. A. J. Pendleton to Albion street; from Linwood avenue, easterly through Norris court, and private land of T. Norris, Henry A. Leonard, Burrell & Swett, and Charles L. Sprague, et al, to Lebanon street; from Lebanon street, easterly over private land of Burrell & Swett, William A. Burrell, Rosa M. Burrell, and the Andover Savings Bank to Harvard street.
Art. 29. Voted, To accept the following streets, as laid out by the selectmen :
Street running from Grove street, southerly to Rogers street (so called) known as Argyle street. No land dam- ages to be awarded.
45
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Street running from Foster street, southerly to Grove street, known as Cass street. No land damages to be awarded.
Street running from Main street, easterly, seven hundred and eighty-nine and twenty-five hundredths feet (789.25) known as Reading Hill avenue, any expense not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200) to be taken from the highway appropriation. No land damages to be awarded.
Meeting adjourned at 10 o'clock.
Attest : W. DEHAVEN JONES, Town Clerk, pro tem.
Adjourned Town Meeting, Monday evening, April 4th, 1898, 7.30 o'clock.
Met according to adjournment.
Article 29. Section 4. Voted, To accept the following streets, as laid out by the selectmen.
Street running from Botolph street, northerly, five hun- dred sixty-three and two-hundredths feet (563.02) known as York terrace, any expense not to exceed three hundred dollars ($300) to be paid from the highway appropriation.
No land damages to be awarded. Yes, 92 ; no, 50.
Street running from Reading Hill avenue (so-called) to Farwell avenue, known as Fairview avenue. No damages of any nature to be awarded.
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RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Art. 30. Money appropriated under article 8. Article adopted, and the selectmen instructed to have the padded cell built.
Art. 31. Indefinitely postponed.
Art. 32. Voted, That the town invite and authorize Mr. El- bridge H. Goss, to write an illustrated history of the town of Melrose. That the town grant him full access to, and the privilege of copying or reproducing any records, maps, illustrations, etc., from the town records and files, that he may desire, on the condition that he shall not receive any compensation from the town for his services.
Voted, That a committee of five be appointed by the moderator to consider the matter of a municipal lighting plant, and report at the next town meeting. Said committee shall give advertised public hearings.
Committee :
John J. Skelding. John Larrabee.
Moses S. Page
S. H. Buttrick.
Charles M. Cox.
Voted, That a committee of thirteen be appointed by the moderator to consider the needs of our public library in the immediate future, and the question of a suitable site for the same, and report to the town.
Committee :
Elbridge H. Goss.
Alfred J. Knights.
George E. Munroe.
Calvin W. Sawyer.
John Larrabee.
Charles A. Patch.
Stephen F. Keyes.
Ruby F. Farwell.
Charles C. Barry. L. Frank Hinckley.
Mary L. Charles. Maxime L. Bouret.
H. M. Sylvester.
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RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Voted, unanimously, To take up article 3.
Art. 3.
Cemetery Committee.
George Newhall, John Larrabee,
L. Henry Kunhardt.
Unanimously elected.
Voted, unanimously, To take up article 9.
Art. 9. Voted, That the assessors are hereby authorized and instructed to employ a competent person, not a mem- ber of that board, who shall give his whole time to the duties of that office, and whose salary shall be not to ex- ceed seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750) for the year.
Voted, It shall be the duty of the assessors to place upon the tax bills the valuation of each person's estate in the form and manner as recommended by the committee, at previous meeting.
Voted, That the collector of taxes be allowed and paid one- half of one per cent. on the amount of sewer assessments collected by him and paid into the treasury.
Voted, That the collector be allowed seven and one-half per cent. (71/2% ) for collecting street sprinkling assessments.
Art. 8. Street sprinkling.
Voted, That the assessment be due on presentation of bills and all bills not paid to the collector on or before July 15th be added to the annual tax bills of 1898.
48
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Art. 32. Voted, To accept the report of the town officers as printed.
Voted, That a committee of five none of whom are at present members of the town government, or serving the town upon any committee, be appointed by the modera- tor to examine into the method of assessing and collecting the taxes of this town. This committee to have full power and to report at some town meeting which shall be held previous to the annual meeting in March next.
Voted, unanimously, To accept the report of the board of selectmen, relating to guide posts, etc.
Resignation of George C. Stantial, as assessor, before the meeting, when 10 o'clock came, and the meeting adjourned.
Attest : W. DE HAVEN JONES, Town Clerk, pro tem.
The moderator appointed the following committee to in- vestigate and report upon the assessment and collection of taxes.
Committee.
Charles J. Barton. John P. Deering. John J. Mccullough. Walter I. Nickerson.
John G. Robinson.
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RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Adjourned Town Meeting, Monday evening, April 11th, 1898, 7.30 o'clock.
Met according to adjournment.
Article 32. Voted, That we accept the resignation of George C. Stantial as assessor.
Moderator stated it was the duty of the town officers to call a town meeting to elect his successor.
Selectmen announced they would call a town meeting April 25th for the purpose of electing an assessor.
Voted, That the committee of five to be appointed by the moderator, to act in conjunction with the trustees of the public library of Melrose, to confer and report upon the needs of the public library of Melrose, as previously voted, be increased to seven, and the committee to submit with their report, three different sites.
Voted, That the increase of salary to twenty-eight hundred dollars, ($2800) voted to the fifty-six call-men of the fire department of Melrose, take effect at the beginning of the present fiscal year, to wit, 1898 ; and that the selectmen be authorized to approve bills of said call-men in relation to and for the same, and that the increase of the fire engineers be included in the same vote.
Voted, That the moderator be authorized to fill all vacan- cies on the committee for a town seal, and that the same report at a meeting this year.
4
50
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
The moderator appointed Charles H. Adams to take the place of Rev. A. G. Bale, resigned, on the town seal committee.
Voted, That until otherwise voted by the town, the high school lot on Emerson street be placed in the care of the park commissioners.
Voted, That it is the sense of this meeting that if any bill be passed by the state legislature this year in regard to special tax on street railways, no amendment or substitute for Bill No. 475 should be accepted which is more favorable to street railways than the original bill itself.
Voted, To amend Section 10 of Article I, of the Town By- Laws, by inserting after the word "law" in the third line the words, as laid down in Cushing's Manual.
The above section will then read : "The duties of the pre- siding officer, not prescribed by the statutes, or by the fore- going by-laws, shall be determined by the general rules of parliamentary law, as laid down in Cushing's manual, so far as they may be adapted to the conditions and powers of the town."
Voted, That the selectmen be instructed to collect the twelve hundred dollars ($1200) with interest, due from the Lynn and Boston R. R. for removing the snow from their tracks, or report the reason why, at the next town meeting.
Voted, That this meeting adjourn, sine die.
Attest : W. DEHAVEN JONES, Town Clerk, pro tem.
5I
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
WARRANT FOR MEETING APRIL 25th, 1898.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Melrose, in the County of Middlesex : GREETING.
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify the inhabitants of the town of Melrose, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to meet at the town hall, on Monday, the 25th day of April, A. D. 1898, at 6 o'clock a. m., then and there to act on the following articles, viz. :
Article I. To choose a moderator.
Art. 2. To bring in their votes for an assessor for the unexpired term ending March, 1899.
Polls to be kept open until I o'clock p. m.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the town hall, each of the post- offices and depots in the town, not less than seven days before the day appointed for said meeting, and by leaving printed copies of the warrant at the dwellings of the legal voters before the day of meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the town clerk, at the time and place of said meeting.
Given under our hands this eleventh day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight.
SIDNEY H. BUTTRICK, SIDNEY D. FARRAR, EUGENE H. MOORE, JONATHAN C. HOWES, L. FRANK HINCKLEY, Selectmen of Melrose.
Warrant served by W. L. Pierce, Constable.
-
52
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Town Meeting, Monday, April 25th, 1898, 6 o'clock a. m.
Sidney H. Buttrick, chairman of the selectmen, announced the absence of the town clerk, on account of illness.
Polls were opened and check list used. W. De Haven Jones was declared unanimously elected, as town clerk, pro tem.
S. H. Buttrick administered the oath.
Article I. Chose Levi S. Gould, moderator.
Art. 2. The following ballot clerks and tellers were ap- pointed and sworn.
Ballot Clerks and Tellers.
Julian C. Woodman. Edwin L. Cragin.
Henry H. Boerum. Peter J. Curran.
Frederic L. Putnam.
Polls opened at 6 o'clock a. m.
Polls closed at 10 o'clock p. m.
Tally sheets and box agreed, 516 votes cast.
Result of ballot as follows.
53
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Assessor for unexpired term ending, March, 1899.
Joseph Edwards,
337
Dexter Pratt,
I73
Scattering,
4
Blanks,
2
Total,
516
Moderator declared Joseph Edwards elected.
Meeting adjourned sine die.
Attest : W. DEHAVEN JONES, Town Clerk, pro tem.
WARRANT FOR MEETING AUGUST Ist, 1898.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Melrose, in the County of Middlesex : GREETING.
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify the inhabitants of the town of Melrose, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to meet at the town hall, on Monday, the first day of August,' A. D. 1898, at 7.30 o'clock p. m., then and there to act on the following articles, viz .:
Article I. To choose a moderator.
Art. 2. To see what action the town will take in relation to the removal from its present location, on Main street, of the old engine house, now used as a town stable, and in the matter of grading and improving the grounds about the
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RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
new high school building, and to authorize the town treas- urer to borrow such sum, for the purposes mentioned, as may be deemed necessary, by request of the school building committee.
Art. 3. To see what action the town will take with refer- ence to building a town stable and sheds on the town lot, corner of Linwood avenue and Sylvan street, and authorize the town treasurer to borrow money for the same.
Art. 4. To hear and act upon the reports of committees, and for the transaction of any other business that may legal- ly come before this meeting.
And you are directed to serve this warrant, by posting at- tested copies thereof at the town hall, each of the post offices and depots in the town, not less than seven days be- fore the day appointed for said meeting, and by leaving printed copies of the warrant at the dwellings of the legal voters before the day of meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the town clerk, at the time and place of said meeting.
Given under our hands this twenty-third day of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight.
SIDNEY H. BUTTRICK, EUGENE H. MOORE, SIDNEY D. FARRAR, L. F. HINCKLEY, Selectmen of Melrose. Warrant served by W. L. Pierce, Constable.
Town Meeting, Monday evening, August 1st, 1898, .7.30 o'clock.
The selectmen presided in the absence of the town clerk. S. H. Buttrick, chairman of the selectmen, announced the
55
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
illness of the town clerk. Nomination of a town clerk, pro tem, was made. Polls opened. Check lists and ballots used. W. DeHaven Jones was declared unanimously elected town clerk, pro tem, and the oath was administered by Sidney H. Buttrick.
Article I. Chose Levi S. Gould, unanimously, as moder- ator for the one hundredth time.
Art. 2. Voted, That the selectmen be authorized and in- structed to sell or dispose of the old engine house, as they shall deem for the best interest of the town ; the building to be removed before September Ist, 1898. Any sum re- ceived for same to be credited to the highway department.
Voted, That the town treasurer be authorized to borrow a sum not exceeding three thousand ($3,000) dollars, to be expended under the direction of the school building com- mittee for the purpose of grading and improving the grounds about the new high school building, and that no portion of amount paid for labor shall be paid to anyone but citizens of Melrose, and that they be paid weekly.
Art. 3. Voted, That a committee of five be appointed by the moderator to take into consideration the question of the building of a town stable, and a suitable location therefor, and report at the next town meeting.
Committee :
Sidney H. Buttrick. George L. Morse.
Eugene H. Moore. John Larrabee.
Edwin S. Small.
Art. 4. Voted, That the school house building committee be appointed to confer with the Methodist church regarding
56
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
the straightening of their lot and the town lot, and report at the next meeting ; and that they also confer with the Bap- tist and Methodist churches regarding widening the sidewalk in front of their premises.
Voted, That the report of the committee on town seal be- accepted and adopted, and that the town clerk be author- ized to procure the seal. That the same be adopted as the seal of the town, and be hereafter used upon documents and papers requiring the use of a seal.
Voted, That a committee of five be appointed by the moderator to consider a plan to pay the soldiers and sailors. who have gone to the front, and report at the next town meeting.
Committee :
James B. Dillingham. Charles C. Barry.
C. H. Adams. C. J. Barton. John W. Farwell.
Meeting adjourned sine die.
Attest : W. DEHAVEN JONES, Town Clerk, pro tem ..
WARRANT FOR MEETING AUGUST 18th, 1898.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Melrose, in the County of Middlesex : GREETING.
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify the inhabitants of the town of
57
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Melrose, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to meet at the town hall, on Thursday, the eighteenth day of August, A. D. 1898, at 7.30 o'clock p. m., then and there to act on the following articles, viz .:
Article I. To choose a moderator.
Art. 2. To see if the town will vote to authorize the town treasurer to borrow the sum of three thousand dollars or such other sum or sums as may be needed for necessary re- pairs on the highway. By request of the board of select- men.
Art. 3. To see if the town will vote to accept an exten- sion of Malvern street to Lynde street, as laid out by the selectmen.
Art. 4. To hear and act upon the reports of committees and for the transaction of any other business that may legal- ly come before the meeting.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting at- tested copies thereof at the town hall, each of the post offices and depots in the town, not less than seven days before the day appointed for said meeting, and by leaving printed copies of the warrant at the dwellings of the legal voters before the day of meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the town clerk, at the time and place of said meeting.
Given under our hands this eleventh day of August, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight.
SIDNEY H. BUTTRICK, EUGENE H. MOORE, L. F. HINCKLEY, Selectmen of Melrose.
Warrant served by William L. Pierce, Constable.
58
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Town Meeting, Thursday evening, August 18th, 1898, 7.30 o'clock.
Selectmen presided. Town clerk ill. Polls opened. Check lists and ballots used. W. DeHaven Jones was unanimously chosen town clerk pro tem.
Sidney H. Buttrick then administered the oath.
Article I. Chose Levi S. Gould moderator.
Art. 2. Voted, That the town treasurer be authorized to borrow the sum of three thousand five hundred ($3,500) dollars for necessary repairs on the highways ; five hundred ($500) dollars of the same, if necessary, to be used for relieving the drain at Highland avenue and Sargent street.
Art. 3. Voted, To accept the extension of Malvern street as laid out by the selectmen, from Linwood avenue to Potter street.
Art. 4. Voted, That a committee of fifteen, consisting of the moderator of this meeting, one member from the board of selectmen, one member from the board of sewer com- missioners, one member from the board of water commis- sioners, and eleven members at large, be appointed to draft a city charter for Melrose, said committee be authorized to report in print at a special town meeting, to be called for such purpose by said committee.
Committee on soldiers' and sailors' relief reported pro- gress.
59
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Voted, That selectmen be requested to make some arrange- ment for fixing up the rear of the town hall lot, and report the probable expense to the next town meeting.
Meeting adjourned sine die.
Attest : W. DEHAVEN JONES, Town Clerk, pro tem.
Committee to Draft a City Charter :
Levi S. Gould, moderator.
Eugene H. Moore, selectman. Curtis C. Goss, water commissioner. Seth E. Benson, sewer commissioner.
John J. Mccullough. Edwin S. Small.
John P. Deering.
Charles C. Barry.
Frank R. Upham.
Frank L. Washburn.
Charles J. Barton.
Clinton White.
John W. Farwell. L. H. Kunhardt.
Oscar F. Frost.
Attest : W. DEHAVEN JONES, Town Clerk, pro tem.
WARRANT FOR MEETING, OCTOBER 3rd, 1898.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Melrose, in the County of Middlesex : GREETING.
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify the inhabitants of the town of
60
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Melrose, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to meet at the town hall, on Monday, the third day of Oct- ober, A. D., 1898, at 12 o'clock m., then and there to act on the following articles, viz :
Article I. To choose a moderator.
Art. 2. To see if the town will authorize and direct its selectmen to petition the next general court for a city charter, yes or no, on petition of A. W. Birdsall and thirty- one others.
The Australian ballot will be used.
The polls will close at 9 o'clock p. m.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the town hall, each of the post- offices and depots in the town, not less than seven days before the day appointed for said meeting, and by leaving printed copies of the warrant at the dwellings of the legal voters before the day of meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon, to the town clerk, at the time and place of said meeting.
Given under our hands this nineteenth day of September, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight.
SIDNEY H. BUTTRICK, SIDNEY D. FARRAR, EUGENE H MOORE, JONATHAN C. HOWES, L. FRANK HINCKLEY, Selectmen of Melrose.
Warrant served by William L. Pierce, Constable.
61
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Town Meeting, Monday, October 3d, 1898.
Meeting opened by the town clerk at 12 o'clock noon.
Article 1. By a unanimous vote, chose Levi S. Gould to be moderator.
Art. 2. Voted, That the selectmen be authorized and directed to petition the next general court for a city charter.
Polls opened at 12 o'clock and closed at 9 o'clock p. m.
Result declared by the moderator, three minutes later.
Ballot box registered 843.
The Australian system of voting was used, and the ballot- ing stood as follows, viz .:
Yes,
506. No,
335
Blanks,
2
Total,
843
Election officers appointed and sworn :
Victor C. Kirmes,
Julian C. Woodman,
John J. Mccullough,
Peter J. Curran,
Francis W. Lewis,
George W. Carr,
Charles N. Fowler,
W. DeHaven Jones, Eugene H. Moore.
Voted, To adjourn sine die.
EDW. K. BORDMAN,
Town Clerk.
62
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS.
WARRANT FOR MEETING NOVEMBER 8th, 1898.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Melrose, in the County of Middlesex : GREETING.
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify the inhabitants of Precinct One of the town of Melrose, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to meet at the schoolhouse on Franklin street, near Greenwood street, on Tuesday, the 8th day of November, A. D. 1898, at 6 o'clock a. m., then and there to give in their votes on one ballot :
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