USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Medway > The history of Medway, Mass., 1713-1885 > Part 9
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Sec. 2. All Town Meetings shall be notified by posting a copy of the warrant call- ing the same at each of the Churches and Post Offices in Town, at least seven days before the day appointed for the meeting.
Sec. 3. The Annual Meeting for the election of Town Officers shall be held on the first Monday of March.
ARTICLE II. - GOVERNMENT OF TOWN MEETINGS.
Sec. I. At the Annual Election of Town Officers the polls shall remain open for at least one hour, after which a vote may at any time be passed to close them in not less than ten minutes.
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Sec. 2. The Presiding Officer of town meetings may require motions to be sub- mitted to the town in writing.
Sec. 3. No final vote shall be reconsidered unless the intention to do so shall be de- clared at the time of its adoption, and no article in any warrant shall be again consid- ered after it has been disposed of, unless ordered by two thirds of the voters present.
Sec. 4. All motions may be debated excepting the motion to adjourn, and motions to adjourn, to lay on the table, the previous question to postpone or to amend shall have precedence over all others in the foregoing order.
Sec. 5. The duties of the Presiding Officer, not otherwise provided for by law, or by the foregoing rules, shall be determined by the rules of parliamentary law as laid down in Cushing's Manual as far as they are applicable to town meetings. .
ARTICLE III .- FINANCES.
Sec. I. The financial year shall begin with the first day of February in each year, and close with the last day of January next following.
Sec. 2. The Selectmen may authorize the Treasurer to borrow money temporarily, in anticipation of the collection of taxes, should the same in their judgment be neces- sary, and to give the note or notes of the town therefor, signed by such Treasurer and countersigned by the Selectmen, and all town notes authorized by the vote of the town and given by the Treasurer shall be countersigned by the Selectmen.
Sec. 3. The assessment of all taxes shall be completed and a list thereof delivered to the Collector on or before the first day of September in each year, excepting the as- sessment of poll taxes against those persons who only pay a poll tax, a list of which shall be completed and delivered to the Collector on or before the first day of July in each year, and shall be payable to the Collector at his Office, on or before the first day of August next following, and all of said taxes remaining unpaid on said last men- tioned day shall be immediately put into the hands of an Officer for collection.
Sec. 4. All taxes assessed in each year, excepting the list of poll taxes referred to in section three of this article, shall be payable on or before the first day of December in the same year, and interest at the rate of one per cent. per month shall be charged and collected from said first of December, on all taxes remaining unpaid on that day ; and the Collector is required immediately after the first day of January in each year to exert all the powers vested in him by law for the collection of all unpaid taxes.
Sec. 5. The Collector shall within thirty days after receiving the tax list, send or deliver to every tax payer his tax bill, excepting those who pay poll taxes only, on which shall be printed the rate of taxation, with the conditions of the same as herein provided.
Sec. 6. The Collector shall report to the Selectmen the list of taxes remaining unpaid on the first of February in each year, and said list shall be published in the Selectmen's Report.
Sec. 7. One Auditor shall be annually chosen by the town, whose duty shall be to audit the vouchers and accounts of the Selectmen, Town Treasurer, School Committee, Collector of Taxes, and all other Town accounts, at the close of the fiscal year; and they shall report the result of their examination to the Selectmen, who shall report to the town.
Sec. 8. All Town Officers shall present their accounts for settlement for services rendered, with proper vouchers for all moneys paid by them on account of the town, at the close of the financial year in which they were elected, and the same shall ap- pear duly audited in the report for that year.
Sec. 9. The School Committee, Overseers of the Poor, Surveyors of Highways, and the Board of Engineers of the Fire Department, shall make up their annual re- ports and estimates of monies needed in their several departments the coming year, and deliver a copy to the Selectmen on or before the first day of February in each year; which reports, with their own and other matters usually published, with the amount of taxes collected, and the amount uncollected, with a list of delinquents, the Selectmen shall cause to be printed and distributed to the tax payers at least one week previous to the annual meeting.
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ARTICLE IV .- STREETS, POLICE, ETC.
Sec. I. No person shall move a building on any public street or way without written permission from the Selectmen, to be granted upon such terms and condi- tions as in their opinion the public safety may require ; and if such removal would oc- casion injury to any shade, fruit, or ornamental tree overhanging or standing within the limits of said street or way, full damages shall be paid to the owners thereof by the parties removing said building, to be awarded by the Selectmen, with the right of appeal to a jury as in the matter of laying out town roads and highways.
Sec. 2. No person who has by law a right to cut down or remove any ornamental or shade tree standing in any highway, town way or street, shall exercise such right without first giving notice of his intention to one of the Selectmen; and if the Select- men desire to retain the tree they shall give notice thereof to such person within ten days after his notice to them, and they may award damages to such person, who shall have the right to appeal to a jury, as in the matter of laying out town roads and high- ways.
Sec. 3. No person shall break or dig up the grounds in any street or public place for any purpose whatever, or hang any gate or door swinging into, or set or place any fence, post, tree, edgestone or other obstruction in, or change the grade or width of any public way, without the written license of the Selectmen, which shall prescribe the limitations and restrictions of such license.
Sec. 4. No person shall trim, lop, prune, or cut in any manner to the injury thereof, any shade, fruit, or ornamental tree planted in any of the streets of this town, without the consent of one of the Selectmen, or hitch or fasten any horse or other animal thereto, or to the boxing thereof.
Sec. 5. No person shall pasture any cattle or other animals, either with or without a keeper, upon any of the streets or ways of said town of Medway; providing that nothing in this By-Law shall affect the right of any person to the use of land within the limits of such street or way adjoining his own premises.
Sec. 6. No person shall coast, with a sled or runners, kick football, or play at any game in which a ball of any kind is used, or throw any stones, in any of the streets of said town.
Sec. 7. No person shall at any time fire crackers, torpedoes, or other explosive articles, or discharge fire-arms or cannon, in any street or other place where the pub- lic have a right to pass.
Sec. 8. No person shall swim or bathe in any of the waters within the limits of said town, so as to be exposed in a nude state to the view of any person passing or be- ing on any street or in any dwelling house in this town.
Sec. 9. No person shall engage in hunting or fishing, or play at ball or other games, or discharge any fire-arms on the Sabbath day.
ARTICLE V .- TRUANCY.
Sec. I. There shall be appointed at the annual meeting three Truant Officers, whose duty it shall be to see that the laws in regard to truancy are duly enforced, and make and prosecute to final judgment all complaints under the same, and they shall receive for their services such compensation as the School Committee shall deem rea- sonable.
Sec. 2. Any child between the ages of six and fifteen years who, without reason- able cause, does not attend school at least twelve weeks in each year, may be deemed a truant.
Sec. 3. Any child shall be deemed a truant who, while a member of any school, shall be absent from such school without the consent of said child's teacher, parent or guardian.
Sec. 4. A child guilty of truancy shall be reported by the teacher to one of the School Committee having charge of the schools; who shall, if he deems the offence sufficiently aggravated to deserve punishment, forthwith notify the parent or guardian of such child, who shall be allowed to prevent summary punishment by such pledges for the good conduct of the child as shall be satisfactory to the School Committee;
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and if such pledges are not given or kept, the School Committee, or one of them, may forth with notify one of the Truant Officers, who shall at once make the complaint required by law against such child before any Trial Justice or tribunal having jurisdic- tion of the case.
Sec. 5. The Almshouse in this Town is hereby designated and provided as a suit- able place for the detention of children who may be convicted of violating the laws in relation to truancy.
ARTICLE VI .- CEMETERIES.
Sec. I. No body of any deceased person shall be allowed to remain in any of the public receiving tombs in town for more than three days, from the first day of May to the first day of November in each year; and all bodies of such deceased persons de- posited in such tombs during other months of the year shall be removed for burial on or before the first day of May in each year ; and all bodies of deceased persons remain- ing in said tombs in violation of the provisions of this article, shall be immediately removed for burial by the officer in charge of said tombs, at the expense of the town.
ARTICLE VII.
The Selectmen shall appoint annually three Police Officers, whose special duty it shall be to see that these By-Laws are duly enforced, and who shall discharge the duties of Truant Officers, as prescribed in Article VI of these By-Laws, if empowered to do so by a vote of the town, and who shall remain in Office until others are ap- pointed in their stead, subject to removal however by the Selectmen, and they shall receive from the town such compensation for their services as the Selectmen may deem reasonable.
ARTICLE VIII.
It shall be the duty of the Board of Selectmen, and they are hereby authorized to prosecute all suits in favor of the town, and defend all suits that shall be brought against the town, unless otherwise directed by a vote of the town.
ARTICLE IX.
No part of these By-Laws shall be amended or repealed except by a vote of the majority of the voters of the town, present and voting at a town meeting assembled by virtue of a warrant containing an article setting forth the substance of the proposed amendment or repeal.
ARTICLE X.
These By-Laws shall go into effect from and after their adoption, and their ap- proval by the Superior Court within and for the County of Norfolk, or by some Jus- tice of said Court, and thereupon all former By-Laws shall be repealed.
A true copy, Attest : GEO. P. METCALF,
TOWN CLERK.
ADDED TOWN BY-LAW.
" It shall be the duty of all constables, police officers and watchmen to dispersc, and arrest if need be and put into the lock-up, such persons as congregate in or about the streets, or sidewalks, or public places, doors or steps of any public or private building, annoying others by idly gazing or staring at them, or in any way obstruct- ing or occupying such places for idle gossip, or who use loud, boisterous or PROFANE speech or song, or in any way behave in a rude, indecent or disorderly manner in any such places or elsewhere, either by day or by night. And all such persons being duly convicted shall pay a fine, with costs of prosecution, of not less than one nor more than twenty dollars for each offence."
A true copy of Record - Attest :
O. A. MASON, Town Clerk.
Norfolk, ss. Superior Court, April Term .- To wit, May 7, 1874 the foregoing By- Law was approved by the court.
E. WORTHINGTON, Clerk.
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AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS.
At a meeting of the town April 1, 1878, voted to amend Sec. 4 of Art. 3 of the By- Laws of the town of Medway, by striking out the word December in the 3d and 6th lines, and inserting in place thereof the word November, and to strike out the word January in the 8thi line, and insert instead the word December. Also to add the fol- lowing : The compensation of the Collector of Taxes on all taxes committed to him for collection, shall be such a rate per cent. as the town shall vote at the annual meet- ing in each year, which shall be in full for all services and expenses, and he shall pay over to the Treasurer the amount of all taxes and interest accrued, committed to him, on or before the first day of February next following the commitment, except such as may be abated by the assessors, and he shall not be entitled to any compensation until the whole amount of taxes shall have been paid into the treasury as aforesaid.
A true copy. Attest : - O. A. MASON, Town Clerk. Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
NORFOLK, SS. Superior Court, April Term, 1878, to wit : April 9, 1878. The foregoing amendments are approved by the Court.
ERASTUS WORTHINGTON, Clerk.
A true copy. Attest : -
ERASTUS WORTHINGTON, Clerk.
THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS AND STREETS.
1713-1885.
The laying out of the most ancient highways has been sketched on pre- vious pages. The public roads established and in use at the time the town was incorporated were the following :
A road from the Great Bridge to Dwight's Bridge. The Old Mendon or Country Road, laid out in 1670, from the Great Bridge to Bellingham. A road from the last named at the Abraham Harding place, to a highway near Dinglehole, which ran from the Old Mendon Road at a point near the ancient house of John Ellis, northward across Boggastow Brook, near the Upper Dam, to Sherborn. Another road from the Country Road not far from the house of Theophilus Clark, over Stony Plain, to the last named road at Bare Hill. A cross-road passing the house of John Richardson, to the road from the Abraham Harding place near the house of Peter Adams. Also a road from the last named northward over Long Plain, across Boggas- tow Brook at Hinsdell's mill, to Sherborn at "The Farms." Another road from the last named, not far from the house of John Rockwood, west- ward, across the Old Stone Bridge at the Neck, to the New Grant. These highways are indicated on the map of 1713. Subsequently other highways were projected from time to time, as seen from the town records. There were certain roads laid out which were never built, and on petition of citi- zens, in 1802, these road lands were sold.
THE HARTFORD AND DEDHAM TURNPIKE. 1807- 1838.
In 1803 there was a petition by Captain Ezekiel Plimpton and others to the selectmen of the town as follows :
" April 6 1803 "
"To THE SELECTMEN OF MEDWAY ; - Gentlemen :
Please to insert the following article in your warrant for your next Town meeting, viz: To see if the Town will give their suffrage for a Turnpike road now contem-
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plated by government to be laid out through our Town of Medway, on the most con- venient route, that may best accommodate the Public, or act anything on the matter as may be thought best.
In doing which you will oblige your
Humle. Servts :
Ezekiel Plimpton, Stephen Clark, Simpson Jones, Elihu Fisher, Elijah Bridges, Sylvanus Adams, Nathaniel Lovell."
This article was duly inserted in the warrant, but dismissed by the vote of the town. . The next year a petition, dated January 23, 1804, and signed by sixty-nine citizens, largely from the easterly part of the town, was pre- sented to the State Legislature of that year, asking that a turnpike road might be laid out and established, extending from near the house of Dr. Scammel, in Bellingham, through Medway, and Medfield to Dedham, to connect with the Dedham and Boston Turnpike. The company to be called " The Hartford and Dedham Turnpike Corporation."
THE PETITIONERS FOR THE HARTFORD AND DEDHAM TURNPIKE, IN 1804.
Lewis Wheeler, Jeremiah Daniell, Jr., Nathaniel Lovell, Timothy Hamant, Joseph Lovell, Hope Lovell, Michael Lovell, Jasper Adams, Joseph Richardson, Moses Adams, Jr., Micah Adams, Silas Adams, Horatio Adams, Theodore Harding, The- ophilus Harding, Phillips Clark, Sylvanus Adams, Benjamin Parnell, Stephen Hard- ing, Bernard Partridge, Ezra Richardson, John Bullen, Josiah Blake, Thomas Harding, Abijah Richardson, Jr., Jeremiah Daniels, Oliver Ellis, Stephen Clark, Abijah Rich- ardson, Silas Fairbanks, Timothy West, Jeremiah Curtis, Amos Rockwood, Elijah Bridges, Lewis Hill, Marcus Richardson, Nathan Jones, Abner Mason, Joseph Newell, Adam Bullard, Joshua Gould, Elihu Fisher, Hazeltine Taft, Darius Blake, Nahum Thayer, Benoni Morse, Jeduthan Bullen, Lemuel Daniels, Amos Daniels, Joseph Daniels, Joshua Whitney, Israel Daniels, Samuel Clark, Elisha Richardson, Zebina Kingsbury, Sabin Daniels, Moses Rockwood, Moses Rockwood, Jr., Simeon Partridge, Aaron Rockwood, John Hunting, Jr., Aaron Adams, Eliakim Adams, Moses Adams, Thaddeus Lovering, Elijah Partridge, Malachi Bullard.
There was a competing line from the same point in Bellingham through Franklin, North Wentham, and Walpole, to Dedham, petitioned for at the same time, but the Medway petitioners were successful, and " The Hartford and Dedham Turnpike Corporation " came into existence by an act of incor- poration passed March 9, 1804. Among the corporators were Abijah Rich- ardson, M. D., Joseph Lovell, Willard Boyd, Elias Richardson, Jr., Benijah Pond, Abner Morse, and Artemas Woodward. An engineer's plan of the road, dated 1807, is filed with the papers in the office of the Secretary of State. "The Hartford and Dedham Turnpike" was constructed and opened to public travel in 1807. A toll-gate was placed near the "Hammond Place," afterward the railroad crossing in East Medway, and tolls were col- lected for many years. The stock in this road sold in 1808 for fifty dollars per share, but in ten years it had declined to about ten dollars. The turnpike at length came to need expensive repairs, and the corporation decided to relinquish the care of it to the town, and accordingly, the County Commissioners were petitioned to lay it out as a public highway. After two or three years spent in negotiations, the town paid one hundred and sixty dollars into the county treasury, and the Commissioners, June 4, 1838, estab- lished the turnpike as a public highway. The road was at once repaired, and that portion of it lying through Black Swamp was placed under the
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care of William La Croix, Esq., as agent for the town, the other portions were assigned to the several highway districts. It is the longest highway in the town, and is called Main Street.
The Annual Report of the town for 1873 contains the names of the differ- ent roads and streets of the town, open to public travel at that date, which in all were one hundred and nine, making an aggregate of nearly one hun- dred miles of highway in the town.
PRINCIPAL STREETS LEADING EAST AND WEST.
MAIN STREET. The Old Turnpike from Medfield to Bellingham Town Lines. VILLAGE STREET. The Old Country or Boston and Hartford Middle Road. MILFORD STREET. From Highland Street, near the Second Church, to Milford line.
PRINCIPAL STREETS LEADING NORTH AND SOUTH.
SUMMER STREET. From Main Street, West Medway, to the Holliston line. WINTHROP STREET. From the Baptist Meeting-house to Holliston line.
HOLLISTON STREET. From the Village Church to Holliston line.
EXCHANGE STREET. From Main, near the depot, East Medway, to Orchard.
ORCHARD STREET. From Holliston line, easterly and northerly, to Sherborn line.
STREETS IN EAST MEDWAY.
ASH STREET. From Prospect Street to house of Roger Shay.
AUBURN STREET. From Main Street, near the organ shop, to Ridge Street. BIRCH STREET. From Village Street, near Asa F. Partridge's, to Forest Street. BRIDGE STREET. From Main Street, at Elisha Adams's, to Dover Street. CAUSEWAY STREET. From Holliston Street, by the Brick Yards.
CURVE STREET. From Ridge Street, by Henry Richardson's, to Union Street. DOVER STREET. From Main Street, near Theodore Harding's, to the Great Bridge. DWIGHT STREET. From the same point to Dwight's bridge, over the Charles River. DYER STREET. From Village Street, near the new bleachery, to Pleasant Street. EDEN STREET. From Main to Dover Street, to near the Jonathan Adams' estate. FARM LANE. From Ridge Street to the Almshouse.
FOREST STREET. From Plain Street, near H. E. Hosmer's, by A. P. Lovell's. FOREST LANE. From Forest Street to Caleb Blake's.
GROVE STREET. Froin Causeway Street to Orchard Street.
HAMMOND STREET. From Main Street, near the old Hammond place, to Farm Street. ISLAND STREET. From Ridge Street, by the Island Road, to Dover Street. MIDDLESEX STREET. From Orchard Street, northwesterly to Sherborn line. PLAIN STREET. From Village Street, near George Harding's, to Exchange Street. PROSPECT STREET. From the house of Lyman Adams, north to Holliston line. RIDGE STREET. From the railroad cut, passing school-house, to Sherborn line. RIVERSIDE PLACE. From Orchard Street to the old place of Captain Horatio Mason. SPENCER STREET. From Acorn Street, passing Mr. Spencer's, to Pleasant Street. SPRING STREET. From Main Street, at the organ shop, southerly to Village Street. UNION STREET. From Main Street, near Theodore Harding's, to Ridge Street. UNION LANE. From Union Street, near Deacon J. Phillips' house, to Ridge Street. VINE PLACE. From Orchard Street to the house of Thaddeus M. Daniels. WALNUT STREET. From Orchard to Prospect Street.
STREETS IN ROCKVILLE.
ACORN STREET. From Farm Street, southerly over Stony Plain, to Village Street. BALTIMORE STREET. From Pleasant Street, near school-house, to North Wrentham. CEDAR STREET. From Acorn Street, westerly to Main Street. DEAN STREET. From James H. Ellis' saw-mill to Deanville.
GREEN STREET. From Village Street, near the Tyler place, to the Charles River. MYRTLE STREET. From Green Street to Pleasant Street, in Rockville.
PLEASANT STREET. From Main Street, near James La Croix's, to Charles River.
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SHORT STREET. From Myrtle Street to Pleasant Street, near the Rockville mill. TURNER STREET. From Charles River, in Rockville, to Baltimore Street.
STREETS IN MEDWAY VILLAGE.
BARBER STREET. From Village Street, near W. H. Cary's, to the Oakland Cemetery.
BROAD STREET. From Village Street, near the hotel, to the railroad.
CANAL STREET. From Village Street, over Goose Island, to Edward Eaton's mill.
CHESTNUT STREET. From Oakland Street to railroad in " New City."
CHURCH STREET. From Holliston Street to Broad Street, in the rear of the church. COFFEE STREET. From Holliston Street, eastward to Main Street.
ELLIS STREET. From Coffee Street, passing Simeon Ellis's, to Holliston Street.
FARM STREET. From Main Street, near Zachariah Lovell's, to Village Street.
HILL SIDE COURT. From Village Street, near Albert Barton's.
JOHN STREET. From Mansion Street to River Street.
KNOWLTON STREET. From Oakland Street to North Street.
LOVERS' LANE. From Village Street, near Alfred Brown's, to Holliston Street.
MANSION STREET. From Sanford Street around the Sanford estate.
MILL STREET. From Sanford Street to the grist mill.
NORTH STREET. From Holliston Street, near Patrick Conry's, to Oakland Street. OAKLAND STREET. From Village Street, northerly to Main Street.
PEACH STREET. From Church Street, northerly to North Street.
PEARL STREET. From Walker Street to Captain Paul's.
PINE STREET. From Village Street, northerly, crossing Holliston and North streets.
POPOLATIC STREET. From Walker Street to A. L. White's.
RIVER STREET. From Sanford Street to Wilson's Creek.
SANFORD STREET. From Village Street, near the post-office, over Arch Bridge. SCHOOL STREET. From Village Street, northerly to North Street.
VILLAGE GREEN. The space westerly of the church.
WALKER STREET. From Village Street, at Eaton's Mill, to Franklin line.
WHITING STREET. Private way from Village Street to Sanford Street.
WILSON'S LANE. From Village Street to Frank Neelan's house.
WINTER STREET. From Broad Street to Barber Street, near the R. R. Station.
STREETS IN WEST MEDWAY.
ADAMS STREET. From Winthrop Street, near Partridge's mill, to Joseph Lovering's.
ALDER STREET. From West Street, towards Bear Hill, to Milford line.
ALLEN LANE. From Hill to Seth Allen place.
AWL STREET. From Village Street to High Street.
CAMPBELL STREET. From Village Street to Charles Street.
CAMPBELL'S LANE. From Village Street to the paper mill.
CHARLES STREET. Parallel with, and between the railroad and Charles River.
CLARK STREET. From Milford Street, near A. Wight's, to Milford line.
COTTAGE STREET. From Village Street, passing Evergreen Cemetery, to Main Street.
CORNER STREET. From Clark Street to Milford line, towards Braggville.
CROSS STREET. From Village Street to Main Street, by Z. Brigham's.
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