USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Milford, Massachusetts 1881-1890 > Part 2
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Appropriation, . .
$235 00 .
Unexpended balance,
10 03 ·
LIQUOR LICENSES.
Paid Charles Endicott, one-fourth,
.
$1,329 17
.
22
ASSETS OF THE TOWN.
500 shares in Milford & Woonsocket R. R., 75 shares in Hopkinton R. R., 7,500 00 .
Bonds of Hopkinton R. R.,
7,500 00
J. D. Hunt, taxes for 1875,
66
1876, 62 02
66 66 1877, 321 65
J. H. Wood, 1880, .
1,882 06
Land and Gravel Pit on Green street,
150 00
B. D. Godfrey, labor and teams, .
7 00
M. Estabrook, concrete walk assessment,
21 93
F. O. Mason, 66
52 26
Wm. Sheehan, assessment, . .
16 75
Mrs. Hannon, sewer assessment, .
25 00
Luther P. Jones, sidewalk assessment, .
20 56
Joseph Williams,
24 90
James Teeling, 66 66
12 50
Due from State, State aid, 66 66 Military aid,
862 00
Cash in hands of Treasurer, Feb. 22, 1881, .
11,933 15
H. C. Scott, concrete sidewalk assessment,
22 22
Susan Aldrich, 66 66 66
15 38
Mrs. M. Raftery, 66 66
66
16 27
B. F. Holbrook, 66 66
66
12 89
Hunt & Cook, 66 66
66
13 33
TOWN DEBT.
Milford Savings Bank, Notes, . 66
$25,000 00
66 Town Bonds,
40,000 00
National Hide and Leather Bank, Railroad Bonds, .
50,000 00
Boston Five Cents Savings Bank, Town Bonds,
30,000 00
Worcester County Institution for Savings,
10,000 00
Park Notes,
5,000 00
Milford Fire Insurance Co., Note,
1,500 00
Sarah F. Pierce, Note,
500 00
State Treasurer's Note,
30,000 00
$192,000 00
Money left by the following named persons, for care of burial lots, and which the Town now owes :
Sarah M. Whipple, .
$100 00
Mrs. Theron Holbrook,
100 00
Mrs. Obadiah Albee,
.
.
·
.
100 00
William B. Dyer,
150 00
Heirs of Sylvester Dean,
.
.
100 00
·
.
.
.
.
.
·
.
4,372 00
.
.
. . $50,000 00
43 70
23
RECAPITULATION OF ORDERS DRAWN.
Town Incidentals,
$5,646 80
Highways,
9,952 09
Payment of Town Debt,
2,100 00
Money Borrowed and Paid,
13,000 00
Support of Poor,
10,964 00
School Incidentals,
804 66
Main Street Sewer,
4,776 57
Street Lights,
2,180 37
Work on Pine Street,
250 00
Repairs of School Houses,
703 53
State Aid,
4,372 00
Military Aid,
1,724 00
Interest,
11,246 82
Decoration Day,
100 00
Teaching School, School Superintendent,
1,350 00
Bank Tax,
2,764 57
State Tax,
4,290 00
Evening School,
179 92
Pay of Members of Fire Department,
3,600 00
Town Library, .
1,220 35
Care of School Houses,
1,028 00
Repairs of Reservoirs,
247 33
Fuel for Schools,
1,112 14
Incidentals, Fire Department, Town Park,
82 22
Centennial Celebration,
1,200 00
Sidewalks,
1,025 93
Hose Tower,
299 80
Lamp Posts and Lanterns,
224 97
Liquor Licenses,
1,329 17
·
·
.
·
·
$105,176 11
JAMES R. DAVIS, MATTHEW P. CALLANAN, D. J. CRONAN,
Selectmen of Milford.
1,000 00
16,400 87
Report of the Overseers of the Poor.
EXPENSES AT THE FARM.
Paid for flour and grain,
$661 66
Sugar, .
·
.
·
157 30
Tea,
67 14
Molasses,
44 51
Salt fish and mackerel,
84 16
Fresh fish,
73 14
Coal,
133 87
2 yoke of oxen, ·
3 46
Chocolate,
1 13
Beans,
4 95
Kerosene oil,
12 00
Matches,
3 30
Yeast powder,
1 23
Oat meal, etc.,
1 00
Spices, .
3 06
Garden seeds,
4 60
Tobacco and snuff, Soap,
15 35
Baskets, tubs, twine and combs,
5 51
Rice,
4 75
Scrubbing brushes,
74
Raisins,
1 49
Dry goods,
81 27
Saleratus, soda, starch, saltpetre,
3 39
Crackers,
24 25
Repairs on stoves,
19 95
Salt,
92
Scythes,
2 70
. Brooms,
1 92
Paid Inman, for bull,
16 50
One cow,
25 00
Burial of Edward McKnabb (1880),
11 00
Pulling teeth for inmates,
2 00
Lumber (Field & Crosby),
59 51
.
.
.
.
.
220 00
Seed corn, etc.,
.
58 49
Cash to inmates,
22 30
25
Paid for carpenter work,
$13 50
Clothing for inmates,
87 08
Family carriage, .
49 00
R. C. Hill, doctoring horse, .
3 10
Ploughman and Milford Journal,
7 65
Drills and wedges,
7 62
Repairs on harness (bill 1879),
4 35
Boots and shoes,
68 05
4 ladders,
5 87
Blacksmithing,
33 56
Furniture,
10 79
Windows and door,
16 60
Hardware and tools,
44 62
Medical attendance and medicine,
74 02
Meat,
190 44
Rye,
5 00
Smoking hams (1879 bill),
6 16
Ice,
6 50
Tinware,
3 84
3 calves to fat,
3 75
Tools, etc.,
10 75
School books, etc.,
2 00
Lamp chimneys, pails, 6 hoes,
7 81
Clothes lines, buckles and leather,
3 00
Labor, .
364 48
Salary for Superintendent,
550 00
Total expenses at Farm,
$3,413 09 .
RECEIPTS FROM THE FARM.
Received of E. B. Mead, beef, veal and vegetables,
$415 33
Cushing & Morse, cider apples, ·
58 41
On account of Mrs. Jones,
137 45
John Madden, pigs, apples, etc.,
120 96
D. &. N. Nelson, hay,
66 36
J. L. Clark,
13 35
D. B. Rockwood, plank, .
2 50
Soldiers' Aid,
130 00
Milk, pigs, apples and vegetables,
142 73
Total receipts from the Farm,
$1,087 09
PERSONS RECEIVING AID IN MILFORD AWAY FROM THE FARM.
$121 75
Mrs. Rhoda Allen,
Mrs. M. A. Ahern,
100 00
·
26
Thomas Barry,
$236 40
Patrick J. Burns, .
26 95
R. D. H. Beatty, .
26 45
Patrick Butler,
7 90
Mrs: Stephen Burke,
140 70
Mrs. Fidelia Blood,
102 00
William Breen,
60 00
Mrs. Mary Cronan,
37 75
Patrick Curry,
65 25
Mrs. Patrick Clines,
88 95
Patrick Conniff,
52 00
Michael Coy,
87 25
Mrs. Winnefred Casey,
9 87
Miss Nora Crahan,
156 00
James C. Coffee, .
9 25
Mrs. Patrick Clunan,
184 83
Mrs. Mary Smith,
14 70
John Cook, .
92 00
Mrs. Honora Dillon,
117 18
Ellis Daniels,
5 00
Mrs. Thomas Finton,
49 96
Patrick Fahey
14 26
Mrs. Charles Forbush,
9 00
Mrs. William Flanaghan,
43 50
Mrs. Hugh Glennon,
52 00
Mrs. Patrick Gaghaghin,
124 38
Mrs. John Hogan,
69 86
Mrs. George Horner,
2 00
Charles Hoytt,
37 43
E. H. Hildreth,
104 75
Ed. Holahan,
33 18
Michael Hageney,
2 00
Michael Halpin, .
135 04
James A. Kenneda,
269 62
Mrs. B. Kelly,
4 05
Mrs. Michael Lyons,
96 22
Mrs. Michael Moore,
20 40
Patrick McGrath,
31 14
Edward McKenna,
33 18
Mrs. John Moore,
196 23
Richard McDonald,
5 00
Henry Markham,
10 00
Martin Mealy,
2 75
Daniel McCarty, .
6 75
Michael McCormack,
25 13
Mrs. John Mahona,
3 50
Michael McCarty,
.
10 60
James Moore,
59 50
.
27
Mrs. D. O'Connor,
$50 46
Miss Mary O'Connor,
61 21
Mrs. Ann Qunlivan,
27 60
Mrs. Thomas Rabbitt,
200 28
Mrs. Mary Rogers,
36 00
Dennis Ryan,
54 50
Edward Sireack, .
51 27
James Small,
19 28
Daniel Shea,
124 86
Susan and Bridget Sweeney,
63 13
Daniel Sullivan, .
24 00
Thomas Surgerson,
31 13
Mrs. Harry Sidley,
27 88
Mrs. Mary White,
47 83
Martin Ward,
116 02
Patrick McDermott,
3 43
Mrs. Eugene Shaw,
10 00
John W. Wilson, .
2 00
Mrs. Patrick Powers,
25 00
Patrick Grana,
16 76
Mrs. Thomas Lyons,
31 73
Thomas Hogan, .
8 00
Mrs. Jones, for board, .
100 00
$4,351 98
PERSONS BELONGING IN MILFORD, RESIDING IN OTHER TOWNS.
Fleming Adams, Wrentham,
$88 00
Peter Cherry, Southboro,
·
.
·
·
.
James Cross, Ware,
10 00
Mary E. Haywood, Worcester,
12 26
Daniel Dugan, Waltham,
219 86
John J. Ford, Worcester,
25 00
Michael Fitzgerald, Worcester,
23 35
Catherine Hines, 66
14 90
Edward Sawyer,
3 30
Mary Sheehe, 66
15 20
Patrick Boyle, 66
29 50
Ellen Eachman, Cambridge,
8 57
Michael Holland, 66
59 21
Mrs. William Maley, Blackstone, .
45 00
Julius L. Johnson, Bellingham,
12 90
Patrick Nugent, Fitchburg, .
19 75
George Gabriea, Uxbridge, .
6 28
John O'Sullivan, Mendon, . ·
173 81
Mrs. John Haggerty, Medway,
.
8 00
.
-
.
.
.
.
3 63
28
Thomas Mullen, Medway,
$28 62
Margaret Quinn, Lowell,
71 50
Frank L. Sweet, Lynn,
3 10
David Taft, Franklin, .
20 50
George C. White, Franklin, .
38 64
Keziah Wilcox, Douglas,
104 00
Johannah Slattery, Hopkinton,
51 00
Lucy Rexford,
15 00
Nancy McCool, Tewksbury,
320 90
Mary Moran, Boston,
111 63
Mary Bernard,
8 00
Henry O. Anthony, Upton, .
21 85
Hannora O'Connor, Watertown,
1 63
Joseph Boody, Haverhill,
15 21
Thomas Carey, Nantucket,
57 95
Mrs. Toohey, Holliston,
146 94
William J. Stewart, Marlboro,
30 12
Total,
$1,825 15
.
PERSONS BELONGING TO OTHER TOWNS, LIVING IN MILFORD.
Mrs. Hiram Adams, Blackstone, .
$166 00
John Powers, Bellingham, .
1 00
W. H. Bigelow, Hopkinton, .
20 85
Benj. Fairbanks, 60
5 33
Michael Murphy, 66
46 50
John Congdon,
1 35
Geo. W. Brown, Uxbridge,
14 75
Wm. Coffee, Gloucester,
2 00
Mrs. Jerry Daly, Northbridge,
284 68
Chas. H. Snowling,
51 75
Lewis G. Fales, Medway,
44 50
John P. Hews, Holliston,
19 70
Jane and Mary Ann Reeves, Holliston, - Loveday, Holliston,
1 40
Patrick Jones, Boston, .
32 13
John Lynch,
42 83
Mrs. James Mealy, Boston, .
10 70
Joshua O. Langley, Warren,
273 43
Chas. H. Shumway, So. Hadley,
30 00
Benj. Newton, Shrewsbury, .
3 00
Geo. C. Christian, Nantucket,
34 05
Geo. E. Dunn, Douglas,
63 00
·
.
·
.
.
.
.
20 61
·
$1,169 51
·
29
INSANE.
Henry Cain, Worcester,
.
.
Catherine Coughlin,
186 21
Maynard Rawson,
131 46
Richard Day,
66
82 58
Dennis Pyne,
184 92
John O. Harra,
224 54
Peter Corragan,
66
75 93
Abbott L. Perry,
22 57
Charles W. Dunham, Taunton,
39 13
$1,127 66
STATE PAUPERS AND TRAMPS.
Ann McIntire,
John F. Murphy,
John Hays,
Joshua M. Davney,
Michael Murphy,
Mrs. Gilmore,
Mrs. James O'Brien,
Michael Finn,
Crahen Connell,
Dodd children,
Patrick Tarpy,
Susan Twohey,
John Pettes,
Wm. Fahey,
James Curley,
Michael Tinon,
Michael Quinn,.
Thomas Quinn,
Patrick Miler,
Wm. Flannagan,
Sarah McGrath,
Joseph Fritz,
Abraham Tillotson,
Frank Higgins.
Hannah Cooney,
Amount paid for support of above,
$1,057 81 .
67 tramps,
25 00
.
INCIDENTALS.
Due the Overseers on last year's account,
$26 22
Postage, postal cards, etc., . 1 49 .
$27 71
BILLS DUE THE TOWN.
Boston,
$74 59
Shrewsbury, .
·
·
·
3 00
Nantucket,
13 55
Hopkinton, .
.
14 48
Northbridge,
198 58
.
.
.
.
$180 32
·
$1,082 81
.
30
$273 43
Holliston,
.
.
.
22 71
Uxbridge,
23 80
Douglas,
63 00
South Hadley,
30 01
Gloucester,
2 00 .
Blackstone, .
10 00
$729 15
RECEIPTS.
Received of E. S. Claflin,
$10,964 00
State,
130 25
Northbridge, .
196 55
Blackstone,
187 00
Boston, .
148 29
Marlboro,
5 38
Nantucket,
44 00
Medway,
44 50
Holliston,
31 25
Hopkinton,
92 83
Uxbridge,
39 84
Soldiers' Aid,
132 00
E. B. Mead, .
415 33
Cushing & Morse, .
58 40
Rent Jones' Land,
137 45
John Madden, apples, pigs, etc.,
120 96
Cash for milk, apples, etc.,
142 73
D. & N. Nelson, hay,
66 36
J. L. Clark, ·
13 25
D. B. Rockwood, plank,
2 50
$12,972 97
RECAPITULATION.
Expenses at Farm, . $3,413 09
Persons aided in Town away from Farm, 4,351 98 ·
belonging to Milford in other towns, 1,825 15
State paupers and tramps, .
1,057 81
Persons belonging to other towns, residing in Milford, Insane, .
1,169 57
1,127 66
Incidentals,
27 71
·
.
.
.
·
Warren,
·
.
$12,972 97
31
There was on hand, Feb. 1, 1881, personal property to the amount of $4,250.43, consisting in part as follows : 1 horse, 1 yoke oxen, 14 cows, vegetables, corn, hay, furniture, etc. The valuation does not vary much from year to year. Furniture and farming tools are in good repair. The Superintendent is paid to March 11th, it being one year at that time; salary, $550. The town Doctor is paid up to April 1st ; salary, $150. Sick State poor paid to Jan. 1, 1881, and the bills sent to the Board of State Charities ; amount, $610. Persons admitted to the farm the past year, 51. Average number, 3435. Present number, 36. Average weekly cost, $1.301/2. The improvements are a new hen house, ice house, new barn floor with stone post under the barn in place of wooden ones, rotted off so that the barn was sagging in the centre. The timbers were raised up and stone post set to keep it level. The cost of above, $13.50 for labor, the rest of the work being done by the help on the farm. Cost of lumber and material, $92.58. Also a family car- riage, $49. Also the rebuilding of about 20 rods of road and the foundation of about 40 rods of wall on the new road. Four acres of the old pasture west of the house have been plowed and planted the past year, that has lain waste for the past 20 years, and the crops have well paid for the labor. The pasture east of the house has been cleared of brush by one of the inmates, and it would be a credit to any farmer in-town to follow his example in their own pastures. Nancy McCool was sent to Tewksbury, Aug. 16, 1876 ; was then a State pauper and has been aided by the State since 1863. But by the decision of the Supreme Court, Worcester vs. Springfield, she has been returned to Milford as a town pauper. The cost of keeping her in Tewksbury has been less than $1.50 per week. But now it will cost $3.50 per week at least, although the cost at Tewksbury was less than one half what it will now cost paying the bill ; this takes $325 out of our appropriation of the past . year.
Joshua O. Langley alias Olney Longley alias William Smith. We have fixed his settlement on Warren and got judgment for bill and cost, which will be paid soon. Uxbridge recovers cost of Milford. But had not we brought suit against both towns at once, it would have taken another year to have settled it.
James A. Kennada alias Monroe Thayer. As James A. Kennada, his wife and children have a settlement in Milford by her father, he, Kennada, being an alien. But as Monroe Thayer, he has a
32
military settlement in Northampton. We have aided the family at the farm and outside to the amount of $649.09. Should Kennada come back within four months, so that we could take him to North- ampton and prove his identity, the amount could be collected. We wish our successors to keep this case alive for the benefit of the town.
ELIAS WHITNEY, JOHN MADDEN, GEORGE F. BIRCH,
Overseers of Poor of Milford.
1
Report of the Board of Engineers
Of the Milford Fire Department for the Year ending February 15, 1881.
Cash on hand February 11, 1880,
$112 60
Received of Ethan C. Claflin for pay of members, 3,600 00
66 66 building Hose Tower, 299 80
repair of reservoir, 247 33
1 00
6. O. D. Holmes, 1 00
66 Hopedale Machine Co., use of derrick,
25 00
60 Dearborn Brothers, 66 66
7 00
66 Asaph Withington, two coats, 4 00
66 E. Mann, 695 lbs. old leather hose at &c., 55 60
66 Ethan C. Claflin, incidentals,
1,000 00
$5,353 33
EXPENDITURES.
Paid D. B. Rockwood, .
$28 35
Milford Gas Light Co.,
209 99
A. Claflin S. F. E. Co., No. 2,
237 00
Washington Engine Co., No. 1.
687 50
Wide Awake Hose Co., No. 1,
262 50
Board of Engineers,
250 00
Extinguisher Engine Co., No. 1,
135 00
North Star Engine Co., No. 4,
695 00
Excelsior Hook and Ladder Co., No. 1,
300 00
Milford S. F. E. Co., No. 1,.
170 00
N. B. Fairbanks,
176 75
S. B. Holbrook, .
43 38
Edward Walker,
7 50
E. J. Morse, .
15 00
A. Tyler,
63 55
William J. Shields,
6 25
Hapgood & Mayhew,
10 00
E. L. Bailey, 3
1 00
.
·
.
.
66
E. B. Blood, reservoir cover,
34
Paid Henry Chever,
$5 25
J. N. Lilley, .
·
·
4 20
W. L. Harden,
50 00
Thomas H. Dwyer,
60 00
Henry C. Skinner,
2 80
Augustus Stephens,
25 50
W. J. Blanchard, .
15 50
Asaph Withington,
15 25
A. S. Tuttle, .
5 21
J. E. Batten, .
1 50
Lysander Grow,
2 50
F. G. Mclaughlin,
45 20
F. J. Clarke,
14 86
G. W. Stacey,
2 50
H. T. Shattuck,
12 90
Boston Belting Co.,
106 92
James Curran,
4 17
George Homer,
50
Manchester Locomotive Works,
5 95
Chapman & Winn,
291 13
Eldridge & Beatty,
8 00
Fred. Swasey,
13 00
O. D. Holmes,
6 00
G. Davis & Co.,
5 00
P. & W. R.R. Co.,
10 40
T. C. Eastman,
1 50
D. B. Jenks, .
1 00
H. L. Patrick,
21 96
Nyatt Brick Co,
43 50
L. Morse,
47 95
I. N. Davis, .
16 75
R. Folger, Jr.,
3 20
M. W. Edwards,
13 50
W. L. Billings,
27 50
S. W. Pierce,
80 70
William Remick,
18 00
Joseph L. Hunt,
6 00
Hopedale Stable,
6 00
F. A. Taft,
4 62
J. H. Webb, .
2 00
R. Carroll,
3 75
C. L. Witherell,
172 87
Henry Willard,
320 90
C. O. Woodbury,
254 53
Bartlett & Ellis,
42 19
C. E. Peirce,
15 00
L. A. Cook, .
38 30
Hopedale Machine Co.,
28 94
.
35
$56 29
Paid Field & Crosby,
·
·
.
32 60
B. H. Montague,
.
·
$5,276 56
Cash on hand Feb. 15, 1881,
76 77
$5,353 33
There have been fourteen alarms of fire from January 1, 1880, to January 1, 1881, two of which were in the woods and twelve in buildings.
The present number of members in the department are 175, divided as follows :
Engineers, 7; Washington Engine Company, No. 1, 50 ; North Star Engine Company, No. 4, 44 ; Milford Steamer Company, No. 1, 11; A. Claflin Steamer Company, No. 2, 12; Extinguisher Engine Company, No. 1, 9 ; Wideawake Hose Company, No. 1, 22 ; and Excelsior Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, 20.
SCHEDULE OF PROPERTY.
Five engine houses, with furniture and fixtures for the same.
Two hand engines and hose carriages for the same.
Two steam fire engines and hose carriages for the same.
One four-wheeled hose carriage and fixtures for the same.
One Babcock fire extinguisher, with hose carriage.
One hook and ladder carriage, with all the appliances for the same.
There are eighteen reservoirs, located as follows :
One on South Bow street, near Main street ; one near the junc- tion of Main and Spruce streets ; one at Lincoln square ; one on the parish common ; one on the corner of Main and Fruit streets ; one on West street, near Samuel Walker's boot shop; one on Con- gress street ; one on Exchange street ; one on Central street ; one on Jefferson street ; one at the junction of Pearl and School streets ; one on Walnut street, near the School house; one on North road, near the house of Joseph Hancock; one at North Milford ; one at Jonesville; one on the corner of West and Lee streets ; one on Grove, near Forest street ; and one on the corner of Hayward and Parkhurst streets.
CONDITION OF PROPERTY.
The engine houses are all in good repair, and so are all the reservoirs, except the one at Clark's Market. The building of the sewer has rendered this reservoir worthless. The reservoir at the junction of Pearl and School streets has been bricked up and
Field Brothers,
·
.
4 00
36
cemented, so as to make it one of the best in town ; and the one near Hancock's, and the one at the corner of Main and Fruit streets have been covered new this year.
LOCATION OF APPARATUS.
Washington Engine, No. 1, Button & Son, builders, is located in No. 1 Engine House.
North Star Engine, No. 4, Jeffers, builder, is located at North Milford in No. 4 Engine House.
Milford Steam Fire Engine, No. 1, Cole Brothers, builders, and Aaron Claflin Steam Fire Engine, No. 2, Amoskeag build, are located in the Steamer House, South Main street.
Wide Awake Hose Carriage, No. 1 is located in No. 1 Engine House.
Excelsior Hook and Ladder Carriage, No. 1 is located in the old No. 2 Engine House.
Extinguisher Engine, No. 1, Babcock build, is located in the Engine House at Hopedale.
All the above apparatus is in the best of repair possible.
There are 5,850 feet of leading hose in the department, 3,500 feet of which is good and 2,350 feet not reliable.
A Hose Tower has been built on the Steamer House, as voted by the Town, at an expense of $299 80, the appropriation being $300 for tower and fire alarm bell.
The committee have not yet procured the fire alarm bell.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
That the pay of members be the same as last year, and the appropriation of the following sums of money :
For the pay of members, $3,600 00
Bricking and cementing the Clark Market reser-
300 00
voir,
Repairs of reservoirs and Engine Houses, · · Incidental expenses, ·
200 00
1,200 00
All of which is respectfully submitted,
ASAPH WITHINGTON,
M. W. EDWARDS,
E. B. BLOOD,
J. B. BANCROFT,
O. D. HOLMES, JAMES POWERS,
HENRY C. SKINNER,
Board of Engineers, M. F. D.
Report of the Trustees of the Town Library.
To the Citizens of Milford :
As a store-house of valuable facts, a place full of mental treasures, our town library is well patronized, yet more would resort to it were it not necessary to ascend a flight of stairs, and behold the beautiful books clothed in the perhaps necessary, but certainly unattractive garb of brown paper. How often have I wished to strip off this uninviting exterior and allow them to speak, even from the shelves, in tones of natural beauty ! How pleasantly would they then address us! How irresistibly would they draw us! The friend who accompanied us, he, too, would bear away a book that had won him. Even now the quest is rewarded, for an accomplished libra- rian will assist us to pass the outer gate and enter the inner temple. Here are nearly six thousand volumes, selected with care ; here are the latest and best cyclopaedias, dictionaries and atlases ; here are some new and most highly approved medical works ; most enter- taining travels and biographies ; the latest as well as the classic works of fiction. Here are books for boys, books for girls and books for everybody-many of them beautifully and profusely illus- trated. Here are books which need but to be opened to be read, books which if stripped of their unsightly coats and left upon our tables we could not refrain from opening and when opened could not resist reading. And who search between the covers and find the treasures within? The young-those mainly between twelve and thirty years of age. They seem to be the real explorers, the chief seekers for what these books contain. There are but few of the middle aged and old that use the library. The newspapers filled with daily freshness and infinite variety, fill their desire and please by their brevity. They almost enter the hand and ask to be read ; they seem to come to us, while the library book must be sought. But how delightful is the solace of a good book they who have enjoyed can fully attest.
38
To open these thousands of volumes and show them more fully to the public, a new catalogue is necessary. It should be at least a double catalogue-of author and of title-better a triple one, giving in addition some idea of the subject matter. Such a catalogue could be easily made. The main work has been already done by those who have prepared the catalogues of larger libraries. The scissors and some arranging would be necessary. The chief ex- pense would be for this and for printing. The last catalogue was printed years ago. The library contains about two thousand vol- umes not found in that catalogue. We therefore recommend an additional appropriation for preparing and printing a new catalogue.
Respectfully submitted for the Trustees,
S. W. HALE,
Chairman.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN.
To the Trustees of Milford Town Library :
I present herewith my seventh and the twenty-second annual report of the Town Library.
The library year commenced Feb. 9th, 1880, and ended Feb. 5th, 1881, and the library was open 305 days. The whole number of books taken out was 31,985, against 34,490 the year previous. This decrease in circulation is about the same as is reported in all public libraries, owing, mainly, to the less leisure time given our reading classes by the business prosperity of the town and country.
The largest daily circulation, Feb. 21st, 1880, 365
The smallest "
Oct. 22d, 1880, 15
Number of cards issued to new applicants, 504; making the number of readers registered, 2,889.
Number of books covered during the year, . 2,251
Amount collected for fines, . · . .
$70.12
catalogues, . . 7.60
39
Number of readers in the reading room,
9,361
Number of books added during the year, 297 ; by purchase, 253 ; by donation, 34; by binding magazines from reading room, 10. The books donated were from
U. S. Government, through our Congressman,
16
State of Massachusetts, .
5
Lieut. Wheeler, U. S. War Department,
5
Bureau of Education, U. S. . Agriculture, U. S.
2
Geo. Draper, Hopedale,
2
Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D. C.,
1
Worcester Institution of Savings,
1
I give below a list showing the additions and classification of circulation for the past year.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
NATH'L F. BLAKE, Librarian.
Additions and Classification of Circulation for the past year.
Volumes
in Catalogue
Feb. 1880.
Additions.
Volumes
Feb. 1881.
Volumes
issued 1878.
Volumes
issued 1879.
Volumes
issued 1880.
A.
History,
369
28
397
945
800
758
B. Biography,
562
33
595
916
913
931
C. Politics, etc.
519
20
539
88
100
90
D.
Travels,
463
24
487
1,765
1,703
1,495
E.
Science,
.
634
48
682
887
801
783
F.
Fiction,
1,362
60
1,422
20,117
18,955
17,644
G. .
Miscellaneous,
586
35
621
1,357
2,255
2,022
H.
Religion,
322
12
334
235
156
116
I.
Poetry,
270
14
284
530
537
491
J.
Juvenile,
498
23
521
9,446
8,270
7,655
Total,
5,585
Accessions during year, No. vols. as pr catal'g'e, Circulation,
.
297
5,882
·
.
36,306 34,490 31,985
in Catalogue
.
2
40
REPORT OF TREASURER.
Feb. 1881.
DR.
Balance from last year's acct.,
$205 57
Received Town appropriation, One-half dog tax, .
220 35
Fines, .
70 12
Catalogues, . ·
7 60
Old papers, .
6 61
$1,510 25
1881.
CR.
Paid N. F. Blake, librarian, .
$300 00
66 66 care of reading room,
76 50
B. F. Holbrook, rent of library rooms, .
200 00
Milford Gas Co., gas,
132 65
L. A. Cook, coal, . ·
28 38
Geo. G Parker, insurance,
51 25
Printing,
3 00
Books, .
545 19
Express,
3 97
Papers and magazines, .
69 68
Directory,
1 50
Incidentals, .
9 42
Binding books, .
.
21 45
Balance in treasury, ·
.
67 26
.
.
$1,510 25
.
1,000 00
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
OF THE
TOWN OF MILFORD,
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR 1880-81.
MILFORD, MASS. M. A. BLUNT, PRINTER. 1881.
Board of School Committee.
GEO. W. JOHNSON,
Term expires, 1881.
Z. C. FIELD,
66
1881.
GEO. G. PARKER,
.
.
1882.
CHAS. J. THOMPSON,
1882.
JOS. F. HICKEY,
66
1883.
JUDGE CHAS. A. DEWEY, whose term would have expired 1883, resigned Feb. 7, 1881.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
JOHN W. ALLARD.
Report of School Committee.
The School Committee submit the following report :
Eighteen months since, Mr. John W. Allard, a gentleman of thorough scholarship and unblemished character, devoted from his early manhood to the business of education, for many years a teacher in this immediate vicinity, and then for about eight years a successful superintendent of schools, was engaged as Superintend- ent of our public schools. A year since, we declared ourselves in our report, satisfied with our selection. Mr. Allard's undivided attention to his duties, his knowledge of his business, his faithful- ness and his tact have all confirmed that satisfaction. The schools have become better, more evenly graded, under his charge, and are doing excellent work. Especially have the primary and the lower grades of the grammar schools been improved. New and more natural methods of teaching the little children numbers, reading, writing and a great variety of facts which will be useful to them all their lives, have been introduced with marked success. The children are interested, even eager in their work. They will go into the higher grades much better qualified than under the old system. Indeed, his method of beginning at the foundation is the right one, and the benefit received by such training in the primary schools will be felt all through the pupil's subsequent school
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