USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Berlin > History of the town of Berlin, Worcester County, Mass. from 1784 to 1959 > Part 10
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Assessors
Willis Rice 1895
J. B. Allen
1895
J. E. Moran
1895
Walter A. Wheeler
1896-1897
Sidney B. Carter
1896-1897
Charles J. G. Hubbard
1897-1903
George H. Barnes
1898-
Samuel Wheeler
1898-1899
William S. Eager
1899-1906, 1933-1945
Lewis E. Fosgate
1901
John Q. Maynard
1902-1904
Lemuel D. Carter
1904-1917
Frank D. Buxton
1905-1916
James W. Barter
1907-1909, 1924-1926
Everett L. Paine
1910-1918
Herbert L. Wheeler
1917-1926
Hermon L. Sawyer
1918-1923
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BERLIN
John W. McCarty
1919-1924
N. Harriman Fay
1925-1930
Benjamin Marble
1927-1931
Albert A. Jacobs
1927-1932
Robert H. Bryan
1931-1933
Ralph B. Small
1932-1937
James E. Andrews
1934-1945
Ruea E. Small 1938-1943
Ernest B. Coulson
1944-to date
Edward L. Collins
1946-to date
Kenneth M. Pierce 1946-1951
Vincent S. Eager
1952-to date
Trustees of Trust Funds
Willis Rice
1892-1906
S. Rolla Carter
1897-1903
Arthur Hastings
1891-1898
William Bassett
1891-1895
Arthur E. Wilson
1900-1901
Edwin E. Wheeler
1902-1913
Waldo L. Wheeler
1904-1947
Myron S. Wheeler
1907-1920
Henry A. Wheeler
1907-1934
Harold C. Hubbard
1921-1944
Everett L. Paine
1935-1956
Brittan A. Jackson
1945-1950
Robert E. Taylor
1948-1954
Ralph P. Marble
1949-1950
Carl B. Devine 1951-1953
Carl A. Barter
1951-to date
Robert H. Guild
1954-to date
Harris G. Field
1956-to date
Norman S. Coldwell
1959-to date
Library Trustees
G. F. Pratt
1894-1898
William Bassett
1894-1895
F. H. Crossman
1894-1896
William S. Eager
1897-1898
Willis Rice
1899-1907
Arthur E. Wilson
1899-1903
Mary A. Bassett
1899-1917
Nellie C. Carter
1903-1931
M. R. Tyler 1903-1914
M. Grace Hartshorn 1903-1904
Ida J. Sawyer 1904-1931
Nellie F. Wheeler 1904-1913
Frank R. Gale
1907-1913
CIVIC AFFAIRS
111
Lucy J. Small
1913-1915
Hermon F. Lion
1914-1917
Sarah H. Dudley
1915-1939
Frances E. Rice
1917-1935
Edith R. S. Sawyer 1919-1945
Lucinda H. Hartshorn
1920-1933
Marion C. Fromant
1931-1954
Hazel I. Wheeler
1932-1942
Iva M. Popp 1933-1949
Mildred A. Bartlett
1935-1953
Eleanor P. Wheeler
1939-1958
Florence A. Ross
1942-1944
Carrie S. Hudson
1944-1958
Marjorie L. Coldwell
1946-1957
Mabel F. Marble 1949-1954
Loraine R. Sawyer
1953-to date
Louise C. Rowe
1954-to date
Helen L. Pierce
1955-1959
Ruth B. Mungeam
1957-to date
Stephanie D. Hopfmann 1958-to date
Doris C. Andrews
1959-to date
Ruea N. Baum
1959-to date
Librarians
Mary M. Babcock 1894-1901
Alice E. Babcock
1902-1920
Mary Babcock Wheeler
1921-1924
Helen M. Sawyer
1925-1927
Ethel M. G. Sawyer
1928-1945
Hazel L. Sawyer
1945-1959
Helen L. Pierce
1959-to date
Fire Engineers (Established 1930)
Clifford H. Wheeler 1930-1935, 1944-1946
Charles M. Field 1930-1935, 1944-1946
Myron R. Small
1930-1932
Earle A. Wheeler
1930-1935, 1944, 1947-1951
Clifton W. Brewer
1939-1944, 1949-1950
Andrew Drysdale 1939-1948 Alfred D. Brewer 1943-1944
Kenneth M. Pierce
1945-to date
Harold M. Warbin
1945-1948
Clyde E. Rogers 1949
Everett E. Bartlett, Sr. 1950
Charles E. Nutting 1945-to date
Roger E. Wheeler
1952-to date
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BERLIN
Forest Fire Wardens
Forrest Day
1920-1921
Earle A. Wheeler
1922-1923, 1949-1952
Chester Randall
1924
Hermon L. Sawyer
1925-1927
Clifford H. Wheeler
1928-1946
Andrew Drysdale
1946-1948
Kenneth M. Pierce
1952-1954
Roger E. Wheeler
1954-to date
School Committee Members
Henry A. Wheeler
1890-1899, 1906-1911,
1915-1920
George F. Pratt
1891-1896
Adelaide Parmenter
1892-1896
Mary E. Chamberlain
1898-1900
Truman P. Felton
1898-1907
Perry H. White
1900-1902
M. L. Williams
1903
Mary A. Bassett
1901-1906
Edwin E. Wheeler
1904
Frank R. Gale
1904-1905, 1908-1910
Ida J. Sawyer
1907-1927
George F. Matthews
1911-1916
Charles E. Small
1912-1914, 1917-1919
Charles A. Nutting
1920-1933
Frances E. Rice
1921-1927
Frederick A. Krackhardt 1926-1935, 1941-1944
Maude A. Sawyer
1928-1940
John L. Nutting
1933-1935, 1939-1951
Edith A. Paine
1935-1941
Eugene Popp
1936-1939, 1940-1943
Evelyn Wheeler
1943-1952
Jeanette C. Andrews
1944-1953
John A. Campbell
1951-1954
Norman S. Coldwell
1952-1955
Helen L. Brewer 1953-1959
Russell K. Hawkins
1954-to date
Andrew B. Matthew 1955-1958
Russell H. Krackhardt
1958-to date
Catherine W. Davis
1959-to date
CHAPTER VI
TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
The primitive method of getting in touch with the neighbors was to follow the Indian trails. Thus, when John Moore, who settled on "Kelley" Hill of Berlin in 1665, wished to make a trip to the settlement of Lancaster, it became necessary for him to retrace his steps or ride his horse along the trail over Wataqua- dock Hill. Philip Larkin, who settled in "Larkindale" off Boylston Road around 1720, was compelled to wend his way over the im- provised road to Lancaster.
Likewise, when the Johnsons and the Baileys of South Berlin desired to attend worship in the meetinghouse at Lancaster, they were obliged to journey the weary miles over tedious ways. These "ways" were cart paths or merely bridle paths. It is not strange that these inhabitants expressed themselves in their peti- tion for a new town (Bolton) in these terms: "Setting forth the many hardships and difficulties which we for these many years have undergone in getting to the public worship of God and in a peculiar manner in the winter season . . ,therefore we request ... to be a separate town or precinct.""
This petition was granted and the Town of Bolton was in- corporated in 1738. This brought the "meetinghouse" nearer to Berlin, but there was not much improvement in the condition of the roads. It was still with difficulty that the members of the Jonathan Wheeler family traveled over the way (Sawyer Hill and Frye Roads ) to the Friends' Meetinghouse; and, likwise, the Bailey, Barnes, Goddard, Johnson, Jones, and Maynard families found it just as irksome to make the trip to the meetinghouse in Bolton by way of the Northboro Road and Wheeler Hill.
As more people settled and built dwellings on Berlin territory, it became necessary to find a better way to get to the meeting-
113
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BERLIN
house, the mill and store, the Court in Worcester, and the General Court and market in Boston. The first roads to be laid out were the County roads. In 1798, the road from "Beaman's Bridge" (a bridge over the Nashua River at the west end of the Boylston Road) to the Berlin Meetinghouse was laid out. Within the next three years (1801) another County road was laid out, extending from Berlin Center to the Boylston line, over what is now Linden Street. This gave a more direct route to Worcester, the County Seat.
The following is a description of the estimate of land laid out for roads as presented in 1811 by the Committee comprised of: Ensine Solomon Howe, Caleb Houghton, Abraham Sawyer, David Brigham, Rufus Sawyer, Otis Howe, William Barnes, Warren Moore, and Harris Bailey.
It will be noticed that the two County roads were laid out three rods wide, while all the other roads were two rods. There was a total of thirty and one-half miles of road and 134 acres of land was taken.
(1) County road, 3 rods, 5 miles, from "Beaman's Bridge" to Berlin Meetinghouse. The same was extended eastward to "Stone's Corner." The "Beaman's Bridge" referred to was evidently the bridge across the Nashua River, en route to Beaman's Mill in Sawyer's Mill of Boylston. This disap- peared with the construction of the Wachusett Reservoir. The road was laid out in 1798 and thus there was a road from the Boylston line to Stone's Corner, over what is now Boylston Road, West and Central Streets, connecting Wor- cester and Feltonsville (Hudson). It was over this road that the Boston-Barre Stage Coach operated later.
(2) County road, 3 rods, 21/2 miles was laid out in 1801. This was our present Linden Street, extending from the Center to David Barnes, head of Barnes Road (later known as John H. Barnes Place, where Raymond Rainville now lives ). This was the reputed route of the courier of April 19, 1775.
(3) Road from Nathan Barber to Lancaster (Clinton, 1850) 2 rods, 2 miles. The Barber house stood opposite the Levi Babcock (Walter Kivier) place on West Street. The street
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TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
extended from the North Brook (at the crossing) on West Street, past the little brick schoolhouse to Allen Road, thence to the Nathan Allen place, from whence it reduced to a bridle way leading into Chace Street of Clinton.
(4) Road to the Nathaniel Hastings place, 2 rods, 1 mile. This road extended from the Allen Road, through Dewey Park, by Joseph Schartner's to Hastings at the Clinton line. "Na- thaniel Hastings settled in the west part of Berlin, next to the Clinton line, in 1765"; a cellar hole marks the spot.
(5) Barnes Road, 2 rods, 1 mile, described as from F. Babcock to David Barnes. This road was not originally identical with the present Barnes Road. "William Babcock, son of Ephraim, built a house in West Berlin near the Old Colony R.R. water tank, opposite L. L. Carter's (C. A. Bowen) place." So that the road began at this point and followed Lincoln Road, crossing Boylston Road near the Niedzial place, on past the William Ulrich place, on to David Barnes (Rainville) at its junction with Linden Street.
(6) Road by Amory Carter to Bolton line, 2 rods, 2 miles. Amory Carter lived on West Street, opposite Walter Kivior; so the road evidently started at the foot of Randall (near Ralph Harriman's ) and continued to the Lancaster Road, following the same to Bolton line, near the Roy Mills place.
(7) Road from Capt. Henry Powers to T. Pollard, 2 rods, 3/4 mile. This was a section of the Randall Road from Capt. Henry Powers (George W. Sargent) to Thomas Pollard (Peter Potas), or junction with Lancaster Road.
(8) Road from Meetinghouse to Isaac Moore, 2 rods, 21/2 miles. This road extended from the Meetinghouse at Central over Carter to R.R. crossing, then up Highland to Isaac Moore (Chester Cole); here it passed in front of Cole's house to top of hill, thence along ridge to Bolton line ( near present town line on Sawyer Road).
(9) Road from Henry Power's, Jr., by Deacon Amos Meriam, 2 rods, 112 miles. This road ran from the corner of Randall and Highland along Randall to Carr Road, thence to Amos Meriam (Edw. Martineit) and beyond to Bolton line.
(10) Road from Reuben Gates to Jonathan D. Meriam, 2 rods, 1/2 mile. This was a section of Carter Street from the corner
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BERLIN
by Hal Rayner and Franklin Forbes to the Berlin House (where J. D. Meriam lived at this time). Reuben Gates lived in the Fuller House, where Silas Bacon now lives.
(11) Road from the schoolhouse to Dea. James Goddard, 2 rods, 4 mile. This is our Derby Road. Since the roads had not been named yet, it was difficult to describe the exact lay- out. It ofttimes happened, to follow the limits given, you would retrace a former layout. As in this case: Derby road extends from the R.R. bridge at West Street, by Alfred C. Derby's house, to its junction with Linden Street. Both limits given are several rods from the road. The schoolhouse stood "near William Pollard's house" (i.e. George Felton's, now Jesse N. Babcock), and Dea. James Goddard lived in the Roy P. Marble house on Linden Street (now Walter D. Ford).
(12) Road from Barnes to Greene, 2 rods, 1 mile. Ball Hill Road; Capt. William Barnes lived on the William F. Marble place, cor. Linden and Ball Hill (now occupied by Safford and Boyden). Nathan Ball was a resident of Northboro, but owned extensive land acreage in Berlin. "Ball Hill" got its name from James and Nathan Ball.
(13) Road by A. Bailey and Timothy Bailey, 2 rods, 11/2 miles. This is Lyman Road. Amherst Bailey lived on the Edward Flagg place, which was sold to the Lyman School in 1895, now owned by John P. McGrail. Dea. Timothy Bailey lived on the Rufus R. Wheeler place (now Leota H. Fish).
(14) Road from Bowman's to Capt. Maynard's and to A. John- son's, 2 rods, 11/2 mi. Crosby Road-that is, from the junc- tion with Lyman Road, "on which liveth Simon Bowman," to the junction with Pleasant Street, passing by the prop- erty of Amos Johnson, "west of the North Brook" (where Dustin S. Lucier now lives ).
Belleview Road extends from Crosby Road, at the Capt. Paul Brigham-Winslow B. Morse place (now John R. Cado- gan) to the Northboro line at the Capt. Barnabas Maynard place (now Roger W. Mills).
(15) Road from the Meetinghouse to the Marlboro line, 2 rods, 3 miles. This was formerly known as the Northboro Road, which is now Pleasant Street. It extends to South Street at
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TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
South Berlin Post Office, thence following South to River Road, then over the bridge into Marlboro. This way is known as the Solomon Pond Road, for after passing through a corner of Marlboro the road continues into Northboro. Another way into Northboro is to take Whitney Road at Risi's Corner and come out on Pleasant Street at the top of the hill.
(16) Road by Levi Wheeler's to Bolton line and to Lucy Bride's, 2 rods, 3 miles. This was Sawyer Hill Road complete, from Pleasant Street to the Bolton line. The northern end, be- yond the R.R. crossing, was formerly known as the Frye Road, which is still the name of the Bolton section, to the Friends' Meetinghouse. Levi Wheeler lived on the home- stead where Clifford H. Wheeler now lives. Also, we have the extension of Walnut Street from Lucy Bride's place (Harris G. Field) to its junction with Sawyer Hill Road.
(17) Road by Holder's, 2 rods, 1 mile. This was that section of Gates Pond Road from Central Street at Stone's Corner to Holder settlement, beyond the East Schoolhouse.
Many more roads were laid out in the course of time, bringing the total number up to thirty-five. The latest was "the road from L. W. Brewer's to M. R. Tyler's, built in 1885." This was the Brewer Road extending from Central Street, by the Cotting Cold Storage Plant to Sawyer Hill Road, at the "Harper" place. Most all of these roads have been changed, straightened and re- located, so that it would require the services of an archeologist to tell where the original roads ran. If you think some of our roads are wabbly now, you should have seen the original! The old County Road entwined around the present West Street three times between the R.R. crossing and the Berlin House.
The following is a list of the roads which were laid out and opened during the years between 1811 and 1885.
1837-Randall Road, section between "Kelley Hill" (Carr Rd.) and George Sargent place (at the head of Coburn Rd.).
1853-Walnut Street, section between Center and Asa Bride (Harris G. Field).
1841-River Road, section between 1790 Farm and Hudson Line.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BERLIN
1843-South Street, section between Newsome Corner (Risi's) and Northboro.
1851-West Street, section from Randall Road to Clinton line.
1852-South Street, section from A. D. Brewer house to "New Worcester" (settlement north of North Brook).
1868-South Street extended to the R.R. Depot (at Jones Rd.). 1869-Barnes Hill Road, section from R.R. bridge to near Lorenzo Bruce's (William Ulrich house).
1853-Pleasant Street extended from South Berlin to Northboro line, by Wheeler's mills.
1871-Carter Street, section from Berlin House to Corner (H. Rayner's ).
1871-West Street, section from Berlin House to Rand place (Harold Warbin). This section was on the north side of railroad.
1881-West Street, section on south side of R.R. (present road) from Berlin House to top of hill at H. Warbin place.
1885-Brewer Road was opened.
1888-Marlboro Bridge (over Assabet River), near 1790 Farm, was built.
This bridge sufficed the needs of the traveling public until wrecked by the flood of March 1936. In late November of 1937 a new steel and concrete bridge was completed and opened to the public. It has a length of seventy-five feet and is twenty-four feet wide, having been erected five feet higher than its predecessor at a cost of $23,000.
In 1906 a committee consisting of James D. Tyler, Walter Cole, and Fred A. Fosgate was appointed to name the roads and furnish a map or blueprint (by James F. Bigelow), and also to place suitable signposts at the intersections. By their arrangement the lanes radiating out from the Center were designated as streets. All other ways were called roads. The committee made their report at a special Town Meeting on June 28, 1907, and the following is their list of streets and roads.
NAMES OF STREETS (All of which lead to center of Berlin)
(1) Central Street-from west corner of triangle around Con- gregational Church easterly to Hudson line.
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TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
(2) Pleasant Street-from Central Street at Hartshorn's Corner to Northboro line, through south part and by Wheeler's Mill.
(3) South Street-from Linden Street near triangle at center, to Leach Corner on River Road, past the N.Y. N.H. & H. R.R. depot, through the south part of Berlin.
(4) Linden Street-from west corner of triangle at center to Boylston line by C. M. Sawyer's and George A. Barnes' houses.
(5) West Street-from Linden Street, at Hale's Corner, through west part of Berlin to Clinton line.
(6) Carter Street-from south corner of triangle at center through Carterville to West Street.
(7) Walnut Street-from west corner of triangle at Berlin Center, past Town House and Congregational and Method- ist Churches, to Sawyer Hill Road, past house of A. L. Brewer.
(8) Highland Street-from Carter Street in Carterville, to Bolton line over Wheeler Hill.
NAMES OF ROADS
(1) Brewer Road-from Central Street near L. W. Brewer's house to Sawyer Hill Road, near Levi Cooley's place.
(2) Gates Pond Road-from Central Street near H. A. Stone's house to Hudson line past Matthew's place.
(3) Fosgate Road-from Gates Pond Road to house of F. A. Fosgate.
(4) Marlboro Road-from Gates Pond Road to Hudson line near Benway's house on River Road.
(5) Dudley Road-from Marlboro Road, past old Dudley place to Hudson line near Johnson house.
(6) River Road-from River Street at Hudson line near Foley's house, to Marlboro line near Leach place at south part of Berlin.
(7) Bridge Road-from River Road near C. H. Allen's house over bridge to Marlboro line.
(8) Whitney Road-from River Road at Leach Corner to Northboro line.
(9) Sawyer Hill Road-from Pleasant Street near cemetery, over Sawyer Hill and across Central Street to Bolton line.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BERLIN
(10) Summer Road-from Sawyer Hill Road to Sarah A. Wheel- er's house.
(11) Jones Road-from Pleasant Street at Jones' house to Crosby Road by N.Y. N.H. & H. R.R. Depot.
(12) Crosby Road-from Pleasant Street by the schoolhouse at south part of Berlin, over bridge at north end of mill pond, by old Crosby house to Lyman Road.
(13) Belleview Road-from Crosby Road to Northboro line near F. C. Lasselle place.
(14) Lyman Road-from Linden Street near Lyman School to Northboro line near house of W. A. Wheeler.
(15) Ball Hill Road-from Linden Street near house of W. F. Marble to Northboro line.
(16) Derby Road-from West Street at B. & M. overhead bridge at West Berlin to Linden Street past A. C. Derby's house.
(17) Barnes Road-from West Street at B. & M. overhead bridge at West Berlin to Linden Street near George H. Barnes' house.
(18) Boylston Road-from West Street at B. & M. overhead bridge at West Berlin to Clinton line past the Dana Larkin house.
(19) Larkin Road-from Boylston Road to the Boylston line near the Alfred Larkin place.
(20) Lincoln Road-from West Street near L. L. Carter's place by schoolhouse, West Berlin to Boylston Road.
(21) Coburn Road-from West Street at railroad bridge past the old Coburn place to Randall Road, near F. H. Turnbull place.
(22) Randall Road-from West Street near Electric Ry. power- house, West part, past Paul Randall place to Highland Street.
(23) Allen Road-from West Street near Silas Mills place to end of road at Elmer E. Allen place near Clinton line.
(24) Lancaster Road-from Randall Road near old Francis Babcock place to Bolton line, near Bolton Station on N.Y., N.H. & H. R.R.
(25) Peach Hill Road-from Randall Road near Lyman Sargent place to Bolton line, past house of A. L. Jacobs.
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TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
(26) Carr Road-from Randall Road near Paul A. Randall place to Bolton line, past C. L. Carr place.
(27) Turner Road-from Derby Road near Spofford place to Joseph Turner's house.
This completed the layout and naming of the roads of Berlin, which became and remained the basis of the system for thirteen years. After the conclusion of World War I, the citizens of Berlin, by the suggestion of the American Legion, expressed a desire to show some recognition of the sacrifice of the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Charles N. Woodward. So, action was taken under Article 14 of the Town Warrant of March 1, 1920, by which it was voted "to change that part of Walnut Street between Linden and Carter to Woodward Avenue to perpetuate the names of two young men who gave their lives in the great European war." Thus that section of Walnut Street, from the C. N. Woodward home (passing in front of the Town Hall) to Carter Street at the Public Library, was renamed.
As a result of a land development on the Hartshorn property, purchased by Charles M. Field and processed by the construction of dwellings thereon by Louis G. Hudson, a new street was added to the list. Under Article 33 of the Town Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting of February 5, 1940, the "Town accepted land for a public road as proposed in plan by Charles M. Field ... said road shall be 40 feet wide." This was named Oak Street, which bears off of Central Street, at the house of Louis G. Hudson, and runs northward toward Walnut Street. Eventually, probably, it will connect with Walnut Street. This addition brings the road mileage up to 40.1 miles.
A new housing development has been constructed on the land of John Bowser on the northerly side of River Road, situated about one-half mile from Marlboro Road. There is a private way extending into this settlement, but as to date (1954) the Town has refused to accept it as a public street because it does not meet the requirements of the By-laws for the Town of Berlin.
Under Article VII, Section 2, of the By-laws of the Town of Berlin, the following provision is made for the acceptance of a public way. Namely, "No private way shall be accepted by the Town as a public way unless ... the street right of way shall be
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BERLIN
at least forty feet, the street lines and intersections shall be cut back to provide a curb radius of not less than twenty feet, . . . a dead end street shall have a substantially circular turn-around at the end having a curb radius of not less than forty-five feet, .. . and there shall be adequate provision for the disposal of the surface drainage water."
There has been a great advance in the cost of the construction, development, and maintenance of highways and bridges since 1895. In that year John O. Osgood, the Road Commissioner, re- ported an expenditure of $1,745.76 for the "support of highways and bridges and street lights." This appeared extravagant when compared to the grant of forty-five pounds (150 dollars) in 1784 for the repairs of highways, to be worked out at three shillings a day for a man, and one shilling six pence for a yoke of oxen and nine pence for a cart; eight hours being a day's work.
Due to the evolution of construction materials, road machinery and the price of labor, we observe a marked change in the cost of the highways as presented in ten-year periods.
1900 Road Commissioners Report (3 members) $1,953.64
1910 Highway Commissioner (C. A. Howe) 2,839.18
1920 Highway Commissioner (C. A. Howe) 6,884.21
1930 Superintendent of Streets (C. A. Howe) 33,536.53
Also Gasoline Roller $5,500
and Barn $1,367.60
1940 Superintendent of Streets (C. A. Howe) (Saving on W. P. A. labor)
25,091.91
1950 Superintendent of Streets (Hermon L. Sawyer) 30,846.19
1954 Superintendent of Streets (Hermon L. Sawyer) 36,270.76
The variance in the total cost of the Street Department since the year 1940 is due to the transition from the use of privately owned trucks to those owned by the Town. Also, other equip- ment, such as sanding machines and spreaders, have reduced the cost of service. It was cheaper to secure sand and gravel where there were loading devices than to load by hand labor.
A striking increase in the cost of the Street Department is shown in the 1954 report, but when the cost of two hurricanes (Carol and Edna), and the loss of a bridge on Jones Road, are deducted, the figure is similar to that of 1950.
In order to meet the modern requirements for road construc- tion and maintenance, the Town of Berlin has consistently de-
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TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
veloped a machinery and maintenance fund. One of the first investments in road machinery was a road scraper, purchased in 1914, for which the Town paid $241.31. In 1916 a committee con- sisting of C. A. Howe, W. A. Wheeler, and I. G. Dudley was appointed to investigate the matter of oiling the roads and streets. The State agreed to furnish the oil if the Town would pay for applying it. Since this experiment practically all of the roads of Berlin have become surfaced and oiled.
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