USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > The record of the town meetings, and abstract of births, marriages, and deaths, in the town of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1887-1896 > Part 33
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Your Commissioners recognize the fact that no provision has been made for West Dedham, but they feel that nothing should be done in that part of the town until action has been taken on the highway improvements already proposed for that locality.
With the desire to bring the result of our work before the citizens at the earliest possible date, thereby affording employment through the winter, and if possible to have the . Parks for the enjoyment of the people during the coming summer, the Selectmen have been asked to call a special town meeting for action upon the following articles, viz :--
To hear and act on the report of the Park Commissioners.
To see what sums the Town will vote to appropriate for park purposes, and to determine the method of raising the same.
To see if the Town will vote to instruct the Park Com- missioners to petition the General Court in its behalf for the passage of a bill granting to the Town substantially the powers set out in a bill relating to a loan for park purposes, suggested in said Commissioners' report.
To see if the Town will accept from Daniel R. Beckford, Frank M. Bailey and Francis L. Babcock-trustees under a deed to them by Eliphalet Stone, recorded, Norfolk Deeds, libro 547, folio 158-a conveyance of about 49,897. square feet of land in Dedham, between Penniman Place and Elm-
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view Place, said land to be held by the Town for park purposes.
Your Commissioners have also asked the Selectmen to have the consideration of the Whiting Avenue extension brought by them before the Town at this meeting.
With this report, which it has been our intent to make as clear as possible, your Commissioners leave the whole matter of Parks in the hands of the voters, trusting that our recom- mendations will be considered upon their merits, and ear- nestly urging that they be adopted by the Town.
Respectfully submitted,
THOS. T. ROBINSON, F. L. BABCOCK, E. WORTHINGTON, JR.,
Park
Commissioners.
DEDHAM, Dec. 1st, 1894.
Appended to this report was a proposed Act to authorize the Town of Dedham to incur indebtedness beyond the limit fixed by law, for Park purposes ; also an engineer's Report signed by Aspinwall and Lincoln, addressed to the Park Cominissioners, to- gether with three plans showing the three proposed parks. [See Report on file. ]
Article Seven. Voted to take up Article Seven. Voted to accept a new street, as laid out by the Selectmen, from Mount Vernon street to Walnut street, to be known as Whiting Avenue, and to appropriate the sum of forty-five hundred dollars therefor and pay the same from money in the Treasury received from the Commonwealth and from the Old Colony Railroad Company in connection with the River Street crossing of said Railroad. [See Report, Highway Book, page 140.]
Article Four-Voted to appropriate the sum of eighty-seven hundred and fifty dollars to pay for the land mentioned in the Park Commissioners Report as the Stone Park, being land of Mrs. Louisa M. Morse, and for the improvement thereof, 207 persons voting in the affirmative and three persons voting in the negative, and the Moderator declared the same as passed by more than a two-thirds vote. Voted that the matter of the proposed
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Avery Park and Powder Rock Park be referred to a Committee of five, to report at an adjournment of this meeting or at a future meeting, and that said Committee report also upon other matters of probable expense and indebtedness as far as pertinent to the matter of park appropriations, and that this Committee be ap- pointed by the Moderator; and the Moderator appointed as this Committee Heman W. Chaplin, Henry G. Guild, John Crowley, Alfred Hewins and Thomas H. Wakefield. Voted that the manner of raising the said sum of $8750 and any other sums which may be appropriated for park purposes be referred to said Committee of five.
Article Six-Voted that the town will accept from Daniel R. Beckford, Frank M. Bailey and Francis L. Babcock, trustees under a deed by Eliphalet Stone, a conveyance of certain land between Penniman and Elmview Places, said land to be held by · the Town for park purposes under the supervision of the Park Commissioners.
And voted that all articles in the warrant, not fully acted on at this meeting, be referred to a meeting of the Town to be here- after called.
Voted that this meeting be dissolved.
Attest : DON GLEASON HILL, Town Clerk.
TOWN MEETING WARRANT.
[Town Seal.]
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Norfolk, ss.
>
To any Constable of the Town of Dedham, in said County, Greeting :
You are hereby required, in the name of the Commonwealth aforesaid, to notify and warn the inhabitants of the said Town of Dedham, qualified to vote in town affairs, to assemble at Memo- rial Hall, in said town, on Wednesday, the second day of January, A. D. 1895, at half-past seven o'clock in the evening, to act on the following articles, namely :
Article One-To choose a Moderator of said meeting.
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Article Two-To hear and act on the report of the Commit- ' tee appointed by the Town, at the annual meeting of 1893, with reference to securing legislation necessary to include Dedham in the metropolitan system of drainage.
Article Three-To hear and act on the report of the same Committee appointed by the Town at the annual meeting of 1894, to present a comprehensive system of sewerage, with estimates in relation to the cost thereof.
Article Four-To see if the Town will vote to instruct said Committee to petition the General Court in its behalf for such legislation as may seem to said Committee most advantageous, to enable the Town to secure an outlet at tide water, of any system of sewers that it may hereafter adopt and construct, and that will provide means of raising any moneys necessary to meet the cost of such system and outlet, in whole or in part; and also to author- ize said Committee to join in its behalf, for the purposes herein stated, with any other cities or towns in any common plan that may seem to them advisable.
· Article Five-To hear and act on the report of the Committee appointed by the Town at the town meeting held on the eleventh day of December, A. D. 1894, with reference to the acquisition of the Powder Rock lot and the Avery lot, so called, for park pur- poses, as recommended in the report of the Park Commissioners, presented at that meeting.
Article Six-To hear and act on the report of the Committee referred to in the last article, with reference to the method of raising money necessary to purchase and improve the Stone Park, so called, appropriated at the meeting of the Town held on the eleventh day of December, A. D. 1894.
Article Seven-To act on such portions of the report of the Park Commissioners, submitted at the meeting of the Town held on the eleventh day of December, A. D. 1894, as have not been fully acted on.
Article Eight-To see what further sums of money the Town will vote to appropriate for park purposes, and to determine the method of raising the same.
Article Nine-To see if the Town will vote to instruct the Park Commissioners to petition the General Court in its behalf for the passage of an act granting to the Town substantially the
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powers set out in a bill relating to a loan for park purposes, suggested in the said report of the Park Commissioners.
Hereof fail not, but make return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, unto the Selectmen, on or before said day and time.
Given under our hands and the seal of said Town at Dedham, aforesaid, this nineteenth day of December, A. D. eighteen hun- dred and ninety-four.
THOMAS P. MURRAY, FERDINAND F. FAVOR, Selectmen of J. EVERETT SMITH, DAVID NEAL, Dedham.
GEORGE W. WEATHERBEE,
On said warrant the following return was made :-
Norfolk, ss. Dedham, January 2, 1895.
By virtue of this warrant I have notified and warned the legal voters of the Town of Dedham, aforesaid, to meet at the time and place, and for the purposes specified in said warrant, by posting attested copies thereof in each of the post offices in said town, and in twenty other public places in said town, seven days at least before the day of said meeting, and by causing an attested copy thereof to be published twice before the time of said meet- ing in the Dedham Transcript, a newspaper published in said town of Dedham.
JOHN DEAN, Constable of Dedham.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Norfolk, ss.
At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Dedham, in said County, qualified to vote in town affairs, held in pursuance of the foregoing warrant, in Memorial Hall, in said town, on Wednesday, the second day of January, A: D. 1895. The meet- ing was called to order at the time mentioned in said warrant by the Town Clerk, who presided at the choice of Moderator.
Article One-John R. Bullard was chosen Moderator by written ballot, in receiving which the check list was used.
Voted to take up Article Six.
Article Six-Voted that the Selectmen and the Treasurer be authorized to borrow for the purpose of paying for the land and
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the improvement of the so called Stone Park, the sum of eight thousand seven hundred fifty ($8750) dollars upon the note or notes of the town, payable in annual instalments of eight hundred and seventy-five ($875) dollars over a period of ten years, with interest payable semi-annually, at a rate not exceeding four per cent. per annum, one hundred two persons voting in the affirm- ative and thirty persons voting in the negative, and the Moderator declared the same passed by more than a two thirds vote.
Voted that Articles Seven and Nine be taken up and acted on together.
Articles Seven and Nine-Voted that the purchase of the proposed Powder Rock and, Avery Parks be referred to the next annual meeting of the town. That the Park Commissioners are hereby requested to present additional locations for the consid- eration of the town at said meeting.
That the said Commissioners be and they are hereby author- ized and requested to petition the General Court for the passage of a bill granting to the town the right to borrow for Park pur- poses a sum of money not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars for a term not exceeding fifty years, at a rate of interest not exceeding four per cent. per annum.
Article Eight-Voted that the subject matter of this article be indefinitely postponed.
Voted that articles two, three and four be taken up and acted upon together.
Articles Two, Three and Four-Voted that the report of the Committee mentioned in Articles Two and Three be accepted, and the report is as follows :-
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON SYSTEM OF SEWERAGE.
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Dedham :-
The committee appointed at the annual meeting of 1893 to secure legislation to include Dedham in the metropolitan system of drainage, upon whom, at the annual meeting of 1894, was im- posed the further duty of presenting to the town a comprehensive report with estimates in relation to the subject of sewerage, pre- sent the following report :
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At the outset, a recital of the scope of the Metropolitan Sewerage Act, passed in 1889, seems necessary for the better understanding of the suggestions your committee desire to make. .
The metropolitan sewerage commissioners under that Act have proceeded to construct two main trunk sewers, one passing through Woburn, Winchester, and adjoining towns to Chelsea and Winthrop and discharging at Deer Island, and, the other pass- ing down the valley of the Charles River through Waltham, Newton, Watertown, Brookline and Cambridge to Boston, where it is connected with the Boston system of sewers, which discharges at Moon Island.
Both of these trunk lines were laid out in accordance with plans recommended by the State Board of Health, substantially as reported by the Drainage Commission in 1886, and are now nearly completed.
This commission has constructed trunk sewers only, and has left each city or town to construct at its own cost, its own local system of sewers to connect therewith, as by law it can be com- pelled to do.
To meet the expense of construction of the sewers built by such commissioners, the treasurer of the Commonwealth was, by the Act of 1889, authorized to raise on the credit of the State five million dollars by loan not exceeding forty years in duration, and to establish a sinking fund to pay the same at maturity.
By the same Act, the Supreme Judicial Court was authorized to appoint once in every five years a board of three commissioners, not residents of any of the cities or towns interested, to determine the proportion each of the cities or towns through which such trunk sewers pass, shall pay to the Commonwealth each year of such five year term, to meet the interest and requirements of the sinking fund on the above mentioned loan.
This Act has at different times been before the Supreme Judicial Court for consideration and construction, and has been fully sustained.
It will be readily seen that it was not feasible, on account of the , distance, to attempt any connection of the Dedham sewer sys- tem with the trunk sewer laid out by this Commission as stated, for the lower Charles River valley, much less with their more northerly trunk line. Your committee therefore abandoned the
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attempt to secure legislation to include Dedham in this system on learning the plans of the Commission.
The Drainage Commission appointed by the Legislature to examine the facilities for drainage of the principal cities and towns of the State not properly provided for, in its report in 1886, considered the needs of this locality and recommended as the most advantageous system for Dedham and Hyde Park, the con- struction of a trunk sewer beginning at the "Red Bridge" so called, on High Street, and after running on that street some distance, then turning toward Mother Brook near the Brookdale Cemetery and following the course of that stream through Dedham and Hyde Park, along the valley of the Neponset River, till it reaches the Boston system at Mattapan, and thence by that sys- tem to Moon Island. No pumping would be required by this plan except at the discharge outlet at Moon Island.
At the present time, the city of Boston is seeking relief for its increasing population in such portions of its territory as lie South and West of the ridge of land dividing the water sheds in- clining toward Roslindale and Jamaica Plain from those tending toward Charles River, Mother Brook and the Neponset River, which ridge crosses the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. just South of Highland station. It has laid out a plan for a trunk sewer some eight miles in length, starting at the extreme Southwesterly part of this last water shed, where the boundaries of Newton, Brook- line and the city meet, and running Easterly, striking the Dedham line not far from the railroad bridge over Mother Brook, and thence continuing along the valley of that brook and that of the Neponset River through Hyde Park and thence to Moon Island, such sewer being built large enough to accommodate the increas- ing needs of all the territory through which it passes.
It will be seen that this line will follow practically the route recommended for Dedham by the Drainage Commission of 1886. The local system of Dedham could easily join this trunk line at the corner of Curve and Washington streets, or perhaps better on Maverick street, near the dye house.
While no formal action has yet been taken by the city govern - ment on the report recommending the building of such a trunk sewer, the city authorities, your committee has ascertained, think it best for the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission to be granted
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anthority to construct this trunk sewer, the cost thereof, estimated at about $470,000, to be paid by loan raised by the State, which is to be reimbursed in the same way as in the Act of 1889, before referred to, by the cities of Boston and Newton and the towns of Brookline, Dedham and Hyde Park, commissioners being ap- pointed every five years to duly apportion the same among such cities and towns their part of the interest and sinking fund charges. This method the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission have also informally indorsed.
The proportionate part that Dedham will be called upon to pay of the cost of this trunk line sewer is estimated at from $70,000 to $75,000, which will be met by annual payments to the State extending through the period of the loan, probably forty years.
In addition, there will be paid by the town of Dedham for the use of the Boston sewers from Mattapan to Moon Island, a distance of about ten miles, and for the increased expense of pumping there, based upon like charges to the cities and towns using the existing trunk sewer before referred to in the valley of the Charles River, which connects with the Boston system at Huntington Avenue, a charge which, on careful examination your committee estimate will not exceed $3000 per annum on the average, for a long period of years.
Your committee consider this plan, outlined by the city authorities of Boston of a trunk sewer to be built by the Metro- politan Sewerage Commission, by funds raised and to be repaid in the same manner as under the existing Act of 1889 referred to, to be the most advantageous and cheapest that could be devised for this town.
In view, however, of the contingencies that may arise in pre- senting any plan to the Legislature for ratification, where so many different municipalities are interested, it has been thought more prudent to ask for a broad authority from the town for your com- mittee, as set forth in the fourth article in the warrant for the meeting at which this report will be presented, so that it may co- operate in any common plan for the end desired which may be agreed upon by such municipalities, or their committees, or which it may be thought best to finally present to the Legislature.
The system of local sewers extending through the more
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thickly settled portions of the town to connect with the trunk sewer will have to be built by the town itself as a separate enter- prise. Such a system should be co-extensive with and cover prac tically the same territory ultimately, as the system of supply pipes of the Dedham Water Company. These, at the time water was "first introduced, had an extent of something over nine miles, and now cover a little more than double that distance.
The town is fortunate in being able to reduce the expense of laying a local system of sewers through our streets by reason of already having in its possession an enlarged set of plans prepared a few years ago, showing the varying street grades, and compe- tent authorities estimate that such a local system could be built, sufficient in extent to meet all the requirements of the present and of the future for many years, at a cost not exceeding $75,000, of which amount about $40,000 would probably be paid back in :assessments upon individual estates.
Your committee, therefore, ask for authority to secure legis- lation to enable the town to raise a loan extending over 40 years, to meet the expense estimated.
Recapitulation of expense of Sewer System.
Estimated share of cost of trunk line to be built by the
metropolitan commission,
$75,000
Estimated cost of local sewer system, . 75,000
$150,000
Deduction for sewer assessments,
35,000
$110,000
In other words :
The average amount to be raised annually for forty years, to meet the town's share of loans for cost of trunk sewer and local sewer system and interest, estimated at $4,500
To which must be added :
The average amount to be paid annually for share of pumping at Moon Island and use of Boston sewers from Mattapan (ten miles), estimated at 3,000
$7,500
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By the possession of a sewer system, the inhabitants of the town will be relieved from the payment of such sums as are now required for the cleaning of vaults and cesspools. This saving, your commission is informed, will reach the sum of $6,000 annually, as estimated by the Town board of health, after a care- ful examination, or, in other words we will save the interest on $150,000, a sum larger than the total net indebtedness to be in- curred by the Town for the entire sewerage system.
The advantage and necessity of securing a sewer system for the Town require no elaboration. It renders the town more de- sirable as a residence for ourselves and for new comers. All danger from the jail sewerage, of which many have at times been apprehensive, will be obviated.
In the thickly settled parts of our villages, and especially in the numerous localities where the filtration of sewerage is rendered practically impossible at the present time, the soil being hard pan, or ledgey, or otherwise impervious to liquids by reason of saturation of sewerage, and where many persons are brought together, as in the case of our public schools, the danger to health is great, and the demand for better drainage facilities is very urgent. Your board of health will fully substantiate these assertions.
Finally, your committee desire to place the situation fully before the inhabitants of the Town. In their opinion it is as follows :
1. The trunk sewer mentioned will undoubtedly be built through the valley of Mother Brook and the Neponset River, either by the City of Boston, or by a commission empowered by the Legislature, probably the latter.
2. The Town of Dedham will be forced to contribute its proper share toward the cost of construction of this trunk sewer by appropriate legislation, whether it wishes to or not, and whether it connects with and uses such sewer or not, as has been the case with some of the cities and towns through which the metropolitan sewers now pass.
3. That the plan above set forth for co-operation in joining a local sewer system for the town with such a trunk line, will alone enable us to secure any benefit from the expense the Town must pay on account of the construction of this trunk sewer.
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4. That, by voluntarily co-operating at the present time with the City of Boston and other municipalities interested in securing the proposed legislation, the Town will be better able to secure a proper recognition of its interests.
5. That the plan proposed, owing to the fact that the money is originally borrowed by the State, practically allows the Town to fund its indebtedness for a trunk sewer at about three per cent. interest.
6. That eventually the State Board of Health may, through legislation, cause the Town to be compelled to connect with such a trunk sewer, if it is not done voluntarily by us.
7. That a system of sewerage can alone render our homes and their surroundings healthful, will be for the benefit of our children and successors, and will, by the plan of loans proposed, be paid for in considerable measure, by them as well as ourselves.
Respectfully submitted,
J. R. BULLARD, HEMAN W. CHAPLIN, THOMAS H. WAKEFIELD,
Committee.
Voted that these three articles be indefinitely postponed.
Article Five-The report made by the Committee mentioned in this article was presented and it was voted that the report be accepted. The report was as follows :
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE UPON THE PROPOSED AVERY PARK AND POWDER ROCK PARK.
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Dedham :
The committee appointed at the town meeting held Tuesday, December 11, 1894, to consider and report upon the matters of the proposed Avery Park and Powder Rock Park and kindred matters, respectfully report as follows :
The votes under which they were appointed were as follows :
Voted-That the matter of the proposed Avery Park and Powder Rock Park be referred to a committee of five, to report at an adjournment of this meeting or at a future meeting, and
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that said committee report also upon other matters of probable expense and indebtedness, as far as pertinent to the matter of park, appropriations.
Voted-That the manner of raising the said sum of $8,750 (the amount appropriated for Stone Park), and any other sums which may be appropriated for park purposes, be referred to said committee of five.
AVERY PARK.
In the case of the proposed Avery Park, no price has been fixed by the owners of the land, but the proposition is that the land be taken by right of eminent domain. The Park Act pro- vides that no land shall be so taken until the town shall have made an appropriation equal to the " estimated expense." This estimate, your committee understand, must be a formal estimate of the Park Commissioners. It appears by the Park Com- missioners' report that the real estate proposed to be taken includes a number of buildings. Since the land cannot be taken without the buildings, the " expense " will be made up in part by the value of the buildings. The Park Commissioners have pre- sented an estimate as to the value of the land, but none as to that of the buildings. There is therefore no estimate of the " expense," but only an estimate of one element of the expense ; and there seems therefore to be no basis for a legal appropria- tion. For a legal appropriation, it will be necessary that there be an estimate embracing the real estate in its entirety,-land and buildings. The Park Commissioners propose that the town permit the removal of the buildings, and allow $2600 "toward " the expense of the removal. This would be all very well if the owner, the Merchants' Woolen Company, would agree to remove the buildings and accept this sum toward the cost of removal. The company, however, proposes no such thing. On the contrary, at the last town meeting, it gave notice that in case of a taking of the land it would not remove the buildings, but would hold the town for their value. The Park Commissioners' suggestion of a removal allowance, therefore, counts for nothing.
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