USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1915-1919 > Part 15
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HEREOF FAIL NOT
And make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at or before the time for the meeting aforesaid.
Given under our hands this seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.
CHARLES S. SMITH, JOHN F. FARRAR, ROBERT D. DONALDSON, Selectmen of Lincoln.
167
By- Laws of the Town of Lincoln.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
At the Superior Court, within and for the County of Middlesex, Anno Domini, 1897.
The following By-Laws of the Town of Lincoln, in said County, are presented to this Court for approval, to wit :-
"ARTICLE I. J
TOWN MEETINGS.
Section 1. The annual town meeting shall be held on the first Monday of March in each year.
Sect. 2. Notice of every town meeting shall be given by posting copies of the warrant calling the same, attested by the officer making service thereof, in each of the post-offices within the town, and in one of the churches, or one other public place, within the town, not less than seven days be- fore the day appointed for such meeting. But when, in the judgment of the selectmen, the interests of the town require a meeting to be held without giving so long a notice, a meeting may be called by posting attested copies of the warrant in the places above mentioned, and by leaving a printed copy thereof at each dwelling-house within the town, at least three days before the time appointed for the meeting; provided that in such cases the selectmen shall certify that, in their opinion, the interests of the town re- quire that a town meeting be called upon a notice of less than seven days, which certificate shall be made upon, or at- tached to, the original warrant, and shall be served as a part thereof.
168
ARTICLE II.
FINANCES.
Section 1. The financial year shall commence with the first day of February and end with the thirty-first day of January annually.
Sect. 2. The town treasurer shall have the custody of all funds belonging to the town except sinking funds, trust funds and funds for which other provision is made by law; and he shall pay no money from the treasury except upon a draft signed by a majority of the selectmen, stating the ac- count to which the same is chargeable. Such draft shall be sufficient authority to the treasurer to pay the same, and the payment thereof shall discharge him from all liability on account of the money so paid.
Sect. 3. The water commissioners and all other boards, committees and officers shall, on the first day of each month, pay to the town treasurer all sums collected by them the month previous to the custody of which the treasurer is entitled.
Sect. 4. A majority of the water commissioners, school committee, or of any board, or committee, and any officer having charge of the expenditure of an appropriation, shall approve in writing all accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls properly chargeable to such appropriation, and shall trans- mit the same with his or their approval to the selectmen. All other accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls shall be ex- amined by the selectmen and, if proper, shall be approved by them. The selectmen shall label all accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls which have been approved either by themselves or by the other officers before mentioned, and shall keep a record thereof in a book kept for the purpose, stating the persons to whom payable, the amounts and dates thereof, and the funds, or appropriations, from which the same are payable.
Sect. 5. Drafts signed by a majority of the selectmen, stating the accounts to which the same are chargeable,
169
shall be drawn upon the treasurer for the payment of all sums by law payable from the treasury to the common- wealth or county, final judgments of courts, bonds, notes. and scrip of the town and interest thereon and money pay- able to the commissioners of the sinking fund and to the trustees of the public library; and also for the payment of all accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls which have been approved in the manner provided in the previous section Such drafts shall not be negotiated, but shall be trans mitted by the selectmen directly to the treasurer accom- panied by the approved bills or other documents for the settlement of which the drafts are drawn.
Sect. 6. The treasurer shall file and safely keep all ap- proved and receipted accounts, claims, bills, and pay-rolls, and all vouchers, cancelled bonds, notes scrip, and other evidences of indebtedness of the town which have been paid from the treasury.
Sect. 7. No draft shall be drawn by the selectmen un. less there is sufficient appropriation to pay the same, except for sums by law payable to the commonwealth or county, final judgments of courts, bonds, notes and scrip of the town and interest thereon, and money payable to the com- missioners of the sinking fund.
Sect. S. The selectmen and treasurer respectively shall make a record, in a book kept for the purpose, of each ap propriation, with a list of the drafts drawn against such appropriation, and shall make a record of all bonds, notes, scrip or other evidence of indebtedness of the town, signed countersigned by them.
Sect. 9. When the bills contracted or approved by any board, committee, or officer have exhausted the entire ap- propriation for such board, committee or officer, they shall incur no further expenditure, except in cases where such expenditure may be required by law; and it shall be the duty of each board, committee or officer before the close of the financial year to approve all accounts, claims, bills and pay-rolls chargeable to their appropriation. During the in-
170
terval between the thirty-first day of January in each year and the time of making the next annual appropriations, the selectmen, school committee and water commissioners, in order to meet the liabilities of their several dpartments, incurred in the carrying on of the work entrusted to them, shall have authority to make expenditures and payments from the treasury from any available funds therein, and the same shall be charged against the next annual appropria- tion. Such expenditure and liability incurred for any pur- pose shall not exceed one-fourth the entire amount appro- priated for that purpose in the previous year.
Sect. 10. Unless the town shall expressly otherwise vote, no extension of water pipes shall be made unless be- fore the work of construction is begun one or more of the persons whom it is proposed to supply with water by means of such extension, shall file with the town clerk a bond with sureties satisfactory to the water commissioners, condi- tioned to pay to the town for five years next following the completion of such extension and the letting of water into the same, a sum sufficient, together with the net annual in- come from such extension, to amount annually to five per centum of the total cost thereof.
ARTICLE III.
TOWN SEAL.
Section 1. The design of the town seal shall be: a circle, in the border the words "Lincoln. Incorporated in 1746 as a precinct: in 1754 as a Town;" in the center, a shield, in the chief or upper part of which on a cross, gules, a fleur -- de-lis, gold, from the old seal of Lincoln, England, and in the base of the shield a view of the present town hall; crest, the old chestnut tree standing upon the common in Lincoln; In saltire two shepherd's crooks; the device thereof being as follows:
171
Sect. 2. All deeds and other legal documents made, given or entered into by the town requiring a seal shall be sealed with the town seal, and signed in behalf of the town by a majority of the selectmen.
Sect. 3. The town clerk shall have the custody of the town seal.
ARTICLE IV.
RECORDS.
Section 1. The town clerk shall record in full in a bool kept for the purpose all written contracts, deeds and other instruments to which the town is a party except such in- struments as may by law be recorded in the Registry of Deeds; and it shall be the duty of any board or officer exe- cuting or receiving such written contract, or other instru- ment, to deliver the same forthwith to the town clerk for the purpose of record. It shall be the duty of the town clerk to see that all conveyances of real estate to the town are properly recorded in the Registry of Deeds.
Sect. 2. The town clerk shall keep a file of ___ town re- ports, reports of all committees chosen by the town, and all original documents relating to the affairs of the tow .! which may come into his possession.
ARTICLE V.
BOOKs.
Section 1. Books, records and laws received by the town from the commonwealth shall be deposited in the public library building.
Sect. 2. It shall be the duty of the town officer by whom any book mentioned in the preceding section is received, to cause the same to be at once deposited in the public library building.
Sect. 3. Such books may be used by the inhabitants of the town within such building, and may be taken therefrom upon written receipt to the librarian for a period not ex- ceeding one day at any one time for use in any town meet- ing, or by or before any committee or official of the town.
172
ARTICLE VI.
SUITS AND CONTROVERSIES.
Section 1. The selectmen may compromise claims and suits to which the town is a party, provided that they shall act upon the advice of counsel when the amount claimed by or against the town exceeds $200.00.
Sect. 2. The selectmex shall have, unless it is otherwise voted by the town, full authority as agents of the town to institute and prosecute suits or other proceedings in the name of the town before any tribunal, to appear and repre- sent or defend the town before any tribunal in all suits and other proceedings against the town or in which the town has an interest, to employ counsel for the purpose aforesaid and for other purposes when it may be expedient to do so, and to take all necessary and proper measures for the pro- tection of the interests and rights of the town.
Sect. 3. If the town shall, at any meeting called for the purpose, choose, a committee on claims, such committee shall have and exercise exclusively all the powers and duties conferred upon the selectmen by the two preceding sections.
ARTICLE VII.
REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS BY THE TOWN.
Section 1. The annual reports of the town officers, boards and committees shall be prepared in form suitable for printing on or before the tenth day of February in each year. The selectmen shall cause such reports to be printed and distributed to the legal voters of the town seven days at least before the annual meeting.
Sect. 2. The selectmen shall cause to be printed and bound each year with the annual reports of the town officers, boards and committees, a copy of the records of the town meetings during the preceding year; a statement of all devises, bequests and donations to the town during the
173
preceding year; a list of all laws of the commonwealth ao- cepted by the town during the year; all by-laws adopted by the town since the preceding annual report; copies of the laying out, alteration, locating anew or discontinuance of any highway or townway within the limits of the town dur- ing the preceding year; and a statement of all outstanding bonds, notes and obligations of the town for the payment of money.
Sect. 3. The selectmen shall from time to time cause to be printed a sufficient number of copies of the by-laws of the town and shall incorporate therewith a list of the laws of the commonwealth which have been accepted by the town.
ARTICLE VIII.
TRUANTS.
Section 1. Any minor being an habitual truant, and any child between the ages of seven and fifteen years found wandering about the streets or public places within the town having no lawful occupation or business, not attend- ing school, and growing up in ignorance, and such children as persistently violate the reasonable rules and regulations of the public schools, may upon conviction thereof be com- mitted to the Middlesex County Truant School at Chelms- ford, Mass., or to any other place provided by the town within its limits, for confinement, instruction, and disci- pline.
ARTICLE IX.
PUBLIC REGULATIONS.
Section 1. No person shall coast upon any public street or part thereof after the selectmen have posted a notice prohibiting coasting upon such street or part thereof.
Sect. 2. No person, unless authorized by law, shall break or dig up any part of any street without a written permit therefor from the selectmen. Every person who
174
after obtaining such permit shall obstruct or render unsafe any public street, shall guard the same by a proper fence or railing, and by lights during the night time, subject to the approval of the selectmen. Such permit may be revoked at any time.
Sect. 3. No person shall be or remain in any doorway, or upon any stairs, doorstep, portico or other projection from any house or building, or upon or against any wall or fence on or near any street or public place, after having been requested by the owner or any occupant of the premises or by any constable or police officer to remove therefrom.
Sect. 4. No person shall make, write, print, paint, cut or post any indecent or obscene marks, words, figures or signs upon any fence, building, post, tree or other object exposed to public view.
Sect. 5. No person shall wilfully injure, mar, deface or destroy any fence, signboard, guideboard, lamp-post, lamp or lantern in any street or public place, nor extinguish any street light, nor extinguish or remove any light placed to denote an obstruction or a defect in any public street or way, without proper authority to do so.
Sect. 6. Any person who shall offend against any of the provisions of this article shall forfeit and pay, for each offense, a sum not exceeding twenty dollars."
Which said By-Laws being seen and understood by the Court, are on this nineteenth day of June, A. D. 1897, ap- proved.
In testimony that the foregoing is a true copy of record, I hereto set my hand and affix the seal of said Court, this twenty-second day of June, A. D. 1897.
RALPH M. SMITH, Ass't Clerk.
175
INDEX
Town Officers, 1916
PAGE 3-5
Proceedings of Town Meetings, 1916
7-44
Town Clerk's Report .
45-49
Recommendations for Appropriations
50-51
Selectmen's Report
50-54
Auditor's Report
55
Expenditures for the year
56-74
Report of Assessors
95-111
Report of Town Treasurer
81
Report of the Cemetery Commissioners
119-120 121
Report of Town Treasurer in account Cemetery Commissioners .
Report of Commissioner of Sinking Fund
82-84
Report of Treasurer Commissioners Trust Funds
85-91
Report of Treasurer Bemis Lecture Fund
92-93
Report of Water Commissioners
112-118
Report of Tree Warden
122-123
Report of Board of Health
94
Report of Supt. of Streets
78-80
Report of Inspector of Animals .
75
Report of Fire Engineers
77
Report of Trustees of Lincoln Public Library Library Statistics .
126-127
Report of Treasurer of Lincoln Library
12
List of Accessions to Library
128-136
School Reports
137-161
School Expenditures
141
Report of School Committee
139-140
Report of Superintendent of Schools
. 142-156
School Calendar and Statistics
159-160
Roll of Honor
157-158
Tabular Statement
16
Warrant, 1917
163-166
By-Laws of the Town .
167-174
124
REPORT OF THE OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF LINCOLN
FOR THE YEAR 1917 ALSO THE REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL and OTHER COMMITTEES FOR THE YEAR 1917
LINCOLN.
INCORPORATED.IN.
IN.1754.A.S.A.TOWE
BOSTON : DANIELS PRINTING COMPANY, PRINTERS 77-79 WASHINGTON STREET NORTH 1918
REPORT OF THE OFFICERS OF THE
TOWN OF LINCOLN
FOR THE YEAR 1917
ALSO THE REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL and OTHER COMMITTEES FOR THE YEAR - 1917
&LINCOL
T& INCORP
. IN.1754.AS .A.TOWN
TED.IN
CT:1
N.174
BOSTON : DANIELS PRINTING COMPANY, PRINTERS 77-79 WASHINGTON STREET NORTH 1918
TOWN OFFICERS, 1917-1918
Town Clerk. ARTHUR F. CHAPIN.
Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor. CHARLES S. SMITH,
JOHN F. FARRAR, ROBERT D. DONALDSON
Board of Health.
CHARLES E. CLARK
Term expires 1918
1919
MARTIN M. WELCH R. D. DONALDSON
66 1920
.Assessors.
CHARLES S. WHEELER
Term expires 1918
WILLIAM C. PEIRCE
1919
WILLIAM H. SHERMAN
66
1920
Treasurer and Collector of Taxes. CHARLES S. WHEELER.
Auditor. JAMES W. LENNON.
Constables.
JOHN J. KELLIHER. GEORGE E. CUNNINGHAM.
Commissioners of Trust Funds.
CHARLES S. SMITH C. LEE TODD JULIUS E. EVELETH ยท
Term expires 1918
1919
66
66 1920
.
4
Tree Warden. JOHN J. KELLIHER.
Trustees for Bemis Fund for Free Public Lectures.
EDWARD F. FLINT
Term expires 1918
C. LEE TODD JULIUS E. EVELETH
1919
66 66 1920
Trustees of Grammar School Fund. CHARLES S. WHEELER, GEORGE L. CHAPIN,
JULIUS E. EVELETH.
Trustees of Lincoln Library.
GEORGE G. TARBELL, JOHN F. FARRAR, CHARLES LEE TODD.
CHARLES S. SMITH, Chairman of Selectmen, ex-officio.
ANTHONY J. DOHERTY, Chairman School Committee, ex-officio.
Registrars.
CHARLES S. SMITH,
ROBERT D. DONALDSON.
JOHN F. FARRAR,
ARTHUR F. CHAPIN.
School Committee.
ELIZABETH BLODGETT
Term expires 1918
ANTHONY J. DOHERTY
66 1919
AMOS R. LITTLE
66 1920
Water Commissioners.
WILLIAM H. SHERMAN
Term expires 1918
JOSEPH S. HART
66 66 1919
SUMNER SMITH
1920
5
MICHAEL J. BOYCE,
Field Drivers. WILLIAM E. WATSON.
Fence Viewers.
JOHN F. FARRAR,
WVM. H. SHERMAN.
Surveyor. of Lumber. SAMUEL FARRAR.
Measurers of Wood and Bark.
SAMUEL FARRAR, JOHN F. FARRAR.
Cemetery Commissioners.
CHARLES S. SMITH
JULIUS E. EVELETH
.
Term expires 1918 66
66 1919
7
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Proceedings of a Town Meeting held March 5, 1917
WARRANT
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Lincoln, in said County :
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify the legal voters of said Town of Lincoln, qualified to vote at Town Meeting for the transaction of Town affairs, to meet in the Town Hall, in said Lincoln, on Monday, the fifth day of March next, at 11.30 o'clock A. M., by posting a copy of this Warrant by you attested, in each of the Post Offices and in some other public place in said Town, seven days at least before said fifth day of March, then and there to act upon the following Articles :
The polls for voting the Australian ballot will be open at 12 o'clock noon and may be closed at 6.30 o'clock P. M.
ARTICLE 1. To choose a Moderator.
ART. 2. To bring in their votes for the following Town Officers, and any other officers required by law to be elected by ballot or otherwise, also any committees, commissioners and trustees.
8
Three Selectmen for one year.
One member of the Board of Assessors for three years.
One member of the Board of Health for three years.
One Treasurer for one year.
One Collector for one year.
One Auditor for one year.
Two Constables for one year.
One Tree Warden for one year.
One member of the Trust Fund Commissioners for three years.
One member of Trustees for Free Public Lectures for three years.
One member of the School Committee for three years.
One member of the Board of Water Commissioners for three years.
One member of the Board of Cemetery Commissioners for three years.
Also to vote "Yes" or "No" upon the following ques- tion : "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this Town?"
ART. 3. To hear and act upon the reports of Town Officers, Committee, Commissioners and Trustees.
ART. 4. To appropriate money for necessary and . expedient purposes of the Town and enact anything in relation to the same.
ART. 5. To determine the manner of collecting taxes for the ensuing year.
9
ART. 6. To determine the compensation of the Col- lector of Taxes for the ensuing year.
ART. 7. To see if the Town will authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow during the municipal year, beginning February 1, 1917, in anticipation of the collection of taxes for the said year, such sums of money as may be necessary for the current expenses of the Town, but not exceeding the total tax levy for the said year, giving the notes of the Town in payment therefor payable in one year from the date thereof. All debts incurred under authority of this vote shall be paid from taxes of the present municipal year.
ART. 8. To see if the Town will choose a Committee on Claims under the provisions of Section 3, Article 6 of the By-Laws.
ART. 9. To hear the report of the Selectmen in regard to changes in the By-Laws and enact anything in relation to the same.
ART. 10. To see if the Town will extend the water pipes from I. N. McRae's to a point opposite the house of Miss Carrie B. Chapin.
ART. 11. To see if the Town will extend the water pipes from some point on the State or Virginia Roads to the house of Mr. Bert Pearson, and make an appropria- tion for the same, or take any action with reference to the matter.
ART. 12. To see if the Town will extend the water pipes for 600 feet on the private way running easterly from the Depot Road between the new schoolhouse and the
10
telephone station, and appropriate money for the same, or take any action with reference to the matter.
ART. 13. To see if the Town will take steps to dis- continue the lights on certain streets.
ART. 14. To see if the Town will cause street lights to be installed on the road leading from the house of the Misses Chapin to the house of William C. Peirce, or take any action with reference to the matter.
ART. 15. To see if the Town will pass such votes and take action which will enable the Town to elect its Board of Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor, one for one year, one for two years, and one for three years.
HEREOF FAIL NOT
And make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at or before the time for the meeting aforesaid.
Given under our hands this seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.
CHARLES S. SMITH, JOHN F. FARRAR, ROBERT D. DONALDSON, Selectmen of Lincoln.
11
The return on the back of the Warrant is as follows :
Lincoln, February 26, 1917.
I have served this Warrant by posting an attested copy in each of the Post Offices and one in the Railroad Station seven days before date of said meeting.
JOHN J. KELLIHER, Constable of Lincoln.
Pursuant to the above Warrant, the meeting was called to order by the Town Clerk and the Warrant read.
Under Article 1, voted and chose Charles S. Wheeler Moderator. (Sworn.)
ARTICLE 2. Thomas L. Giles and Thomas J. Dee having been appointed Tellers and Charles E. Clark and Herbert G. Farrar Ballot Clerks, were sworn.
A package said to contain 300 Regular Ballots and 100 School Committee Ballots was delivered by the Town Clerk to the Ballot Clerks and their receipt taken for the same.
The Ballot Box, being found empty, was locked and the keys given to the Constable.
At 12 o'clock noon, the polls were opened and remained open until 6.30 o'clock P. M.
After the polls were opened it was Voted that when this meeting adjourns it do so to meet in Bemis Hall at one o'clock P. M. Saturday, March ten next.
The total number of ballots found in the Ballot Box was 77, which agreed with the Check Lists of the Tellers. There were no special School Committee ballots cast. After the ballots were counted and the results tabulated the ballots, together with the Check Lists, were sealed and placed in the Town Clerk's vault.
12
The following is the result of the ballot as announced by the Moderator at the adjourned meeting held March ten.
Town Clerk .-
Arthur F. Chapin, sworn,
Blank,
65 votes. 12
Selectmen .-
Robert D. Donaldson, sworn,
55 votes. 71 66
John F. Farrar, sworn,
Charles S. Smith, sworn, 71 66
Assessor .-
William H. Sherman, sworn,
64 votes. 5
Scattering, Blank, 8
66
Treasurer .-
Charles S. Wheeler, sworn,
66 votes.
Scattering, Blank, 9 66
Collector of Taxes .-
Charles S. Wheeler, sworn,
66 votes.
Scattering, Blank,
9 66
Auditor .-
James W. Lennon, sworn,
,
71 votes. 6 66
Blank,
2
66
2
13
Constables .-
George E. Cunningham, sworn,
67 votes.
John J. Kelliher, sworn, 66
School Committee, for three years .-
Amos R. Little, sworn, Scattering, Blank, 19
50 votes. 8
Water Commissioner, for three years .-
Sumner Smith, sworn,
Blank,
72 votes. 5
Board of Health, for three years .-
Robert D. Donaldson, sworn,
63 votes.
Scattering, Blank, 12
2
66
Tree Warden .-
John J. Kelliher, sworn,
66 votes.
Scattering, 4 Blank, 7 66
Cemetery Commissioner, for three years .-
Roger Sherman, Fritz Cunnert, Blank, 4 66
32 votes. 41
Commissioner of Trust Funds, for three years .- Julius E. Eveleth, 64 votes. Scattering, 2 Blank, 11
14
Trustee for Bemis Fund for Free Public Lectures, for three years .- Julius E. Eveleth, 67 votes. 1 Byron Lunt, Blank, 9 66
Question .-
Shall Licenses be granted for the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors in the Town?
Yes, No, Blank,
14 votes. 55 66
8 66
The meeting met as per adjournment.
The Moderator read the result of the Ballot, and the officers not already sworn were sworn.
The following officers were then chosen :
Field Drivers .-
Michael J. Boyce. William E. Watson.
Fence Viewers .-
John F. Farrar, sworn. William H. Sherman, sworn.
Surveyor of Lumber .----
Samuel Farrar, sworn.
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