USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1908 > Part 3
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George H. Wilbur.
Edward C. Wood.
52
REPORT OF TOWN CLERK.
Warrant for the annual meeting of the Town of Middleborough,
Massachusetts, held in Town Hall, Monday, March 2, 1908.
Plymouth S. S.
To David S. Surrey or either of the Constables of the Town of Middleborough :
Greeting :-
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby required to notify and warn all the inhabitants of said town, qualified to vote in town affairs, to meet at the Town Hall of said town on Monday, March 2nd, 1908, at 8 o'clock A. M. to act on the following articles, viz :- -
Article I. To choose all necessary town officers, the following officers to be voted for on one ballot, viz ;- one moderator for one year, one treasurer, one Collector of taxes, eight constables, three fish wardens, one auditor, three fence viewers, and one tree warden, all for one year each, one selectman, one assessor, one overseer of the poor, three trustees of the Public Library, two members of the school committee, one member of the Municipal Light Board, and one member of the Board of Health, all for three years. The polls for the election of these officers will be open at half past eleven o'clock A. M. and will not be closed before half past three o'clock P. M.
Article II. To vote by ballot"yes" or "no" in answer to the question "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxi- cating liquors in this town?"
Article III. To raise such sums of money, by tax or other- wise, as may be necessary to defray the expenses of the town for the current year, appropriate the same, and to act any- thing in relation to the assessment and collection of taxes for the year.
Article IV. To authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the selectmen, to borrow during the municipal year beginning Jan. 1st, 1908, in anticipation of the collection of taxes of said year, such sums of money as may be necessary
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for the current expenses of the town, but not exceeding the total tax levy for said year, giving the notes of the town therefore, payable within one year from the dates thereof, all debts incurred under authority of this vote to be paid from the taxes of the present municipal year.
Article V. To hear the report of any committees, or offi- vers of the town, to appoint any committees, and act thereon.
Article VI. To allow accounts against the town, and act thereon.
Article VII. To see if the town will vote that the yards of persons chosen Field Drivers shall be town pounds so long as they remain in office, provided they shall be chosen pound keepers.
Article VIII. To dispose of the money received for dog licenses, and other licenses the present year, and act thereon.
Article IX. To see if the town will pay the expense of a night watch in the Four Corners, and act thereon.
Article X. To see if the town will appropriate any money to be expended by Post 8 G. A. R. on Memorial Day, and act thereon.
Article XI. To see what salary the town will vote to pay the school committee, the members of the Municipal Light Board, the Tree Warden, and the Auditor for their services the ensuing year, and act thereon.
Article XII. To see what action the town will take in relation to sprinkling the streets, and act thereon.
Article XIII. To see what action the town will take in relation to concrete or other sidewalks, appropriate any money for the same, and act thereon.
Article XIV. To see what action the town will take in regard to disposing of its rights to take alewives for one year or a term of years, and act thereon.
Article XV. To see if the town will vote to accept the list of jurors as posted by the selectmen, and act thereon.
Article XVI. To appoint a committee on appropriations and act thereon.
Article XVII. To see if the town will vote to instruct its selectmen to assess an annual rental for the use of sewers, and act thereon.
Article XVIII. To see if the town will vote to authorize the selectmen to institute, defend or compromise suits for or against the town during the ensuing year, and act thereon.
Article XIX. To see if the town will vote to instruct the Overseers of the Poor to establish a piggery, and collect the
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swill in this village, and act anything thereon. (By request of the Board of Health)
Article XX. To see if the town will vote to re-imburse Josiah T. Carver, the sum of $120.00 for his defense in an action at law brought against him while he was police officer of the town of Middleborough, and act thereon. (By request).
Article XXI. To see if the town will vote to appropriate any sum of money for the payment of one or more school physicians, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 502, Acts of 1906, and act thereon.
Article XXII. To see if the town will elect a committee for the suppression of crime, appropriate money for the same, and act thereon.
Article XXIII. To see if the town will vote to increase the number of assessors, and act thereon. (By request).
Article XXIV. To see if the town will vote to amend Article 2 of the By Laws of the town, so that said article shall plainly designate the time of posting printed notices for a town meeting, and act thereon. (By request.)
Article XXV. To see if the town will vote that when the town adopts the recommendations of Committees calling for the appropriation of money, the report of the committee containing such recommendations shall be copied upon the records of the meeting at which such recommendations are adopted, and act thereon. (By request).
Article XXVI. To see if the town will vote to dispose of the whole or any part of its Electric Light and Gas Plant, and act thereon. (By request).
Article XXVII. To see if the town will vote to lay new gas mains of suitable size, and act thereon. (By request).
Article XXVIII. To see if the town will vote to adopt a curfew law for the Four Corners village, and act anything thereon. (By request.)
Article XXIX." To see if the town will vote to observe "Old Home Week" in the year 1908, and appropriate a sufficient sum of money to carry on the same, choose the ne- cessary committees, and act anything thereon.
And you are further directed to serve this warrant by causing it to be published in the Middleboro Gazette, and the Middleboro News, seven days at least before the time herein specified for said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make return of this warrant and of your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, on or before the time of said meeting.
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Given under our hands at Middleborough, this fifteenth day of February, A. D. 1908.
WILLIAM M. HASKINS, C. H. LEONARD, LYMAN P. THOMAS.
Selectmen of Middleborough.
Plymouth S. S.
Pursuant to the instructions contained in the above war- rant, I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the town of Middleborough qualified to vote, as expressed in said war- rant, to meet at the time and place, for the purpose specified. DAVID S. SURREY, Constable.
Middleborough, Massachusetts, A. D. 1908.
Annual Town Meeting March 2, 1908.
The meeting was called to order at 8 A. M. by the Moderator. The Clerk read the warrant, omitting the articles after the first.
On motion to take up Article 17 the vote was yes 26, no 4. Voted :- To indefinitely postpone any action under Art.17.
Voted :- That the polls be not closed before 5.30 p. m.
Voted :- To take from the list of jurors as posted by the Selectmen the name of William R. Farrington, of David G. Pratt, and of Charles O. Breach. Voted not to remove the name of J. Herbert Cushing. Voted to add the name of Allerton Thompson. Voted to remove the name of. Herbert W. Cornish. Voted to accept the list as amended.
Voted :- That George W. Stetson, Granville E. Tillson, Chester E. Weston, Augustus Pratt, and Amos H. Eaton be appointed a Committee on Appropriations, with authority to choose the sixth member.
Voted :- To refer the whole matter of the sale of the alewives to the Selectmen.
Voted :- That the establishment or. not of a piggery at the Town Farm be left to a committee of three; viz :- The Chair- man of the Board of Health, the Chairman of the Overseers of the Poor, and the Chairman of the Selectmen, who shall report at the next meeting.
Voted :- To authorize the Selectmen to institute, defend, or compromise suits for or against the town during the en- suing year, also that Lyman P. Thomas be authorized to act with the Selectmen in the Quirk case.
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Voted :- That the Moderator appoint a committee of three who shall nominate a Committee of three for the Suppression of Crime. The Moderator appointed M. H. Cushing, Geo. W. Stetson and Augustus Pratt. This Committee nominated D. S. Surrey, Kenelm Winslow, and Herbert S. Sylvester. The report of the Committee was accepted and their nominees were elected.
Voted :- To appropriate $1000 for the Suppression of Crime and that the money be paid on the order of the Selectmen.
Voted :- That the Moderator appoint a Committee of three to amend Article 2 of the By-Laws and report at the ad- journed meeting.
Voted :- That $200 be appropriated for the use of Post 8 G. A. R. on Memorial Day, the same to be paid to the Quarter Master of the Post.
A motion to indefinitely postpone Article 26 was lost.
Voted :- That the Moderator appoint a Committee of five to consider the advisability of disposing of the whole or any part of the Electric or Gas Plant.
The Moderator nominated the following Committee :-
Dennis D. Sullivan, William A. Andrews,
A. M. Bearse, Cornelius H. Leonard,
George F. Bryant.
who are to report at the adjourned meeting.
Voted :- To accept the report of the Committee to build the School Street School House.
Voted :- To adopt the following resolutions :-
Believing that well performed service in behalf of the. Town should receive, at least, an expression of appreciation be it
Resolved-That we, the citizens of Middleboro, in Town Meeting assembled, do hereby express to the following named gentlemen, Hon. David G. Pratt, William M. Haskins and William A. Andrews, a committee having in charge the con- struction and equipment of the School Building located on School Street, our earnest appreciation of the very able and efficient manner in which they have performed the duties entrusted to them.
Resolved-That we commend the wisdom and judgment shown by them in the convenient and substantial building provided and the business methods exercised in carrying on the work.
Resolved-That these resolutions be spread upon the
57
records of the town and a copy be sent to each of the above named gentlemen.
Voted :- To direct each department to have copy for the Annual Report in the hands of the Auditor as early as Feb.1.
Voted :- To refer the matter of new gas mains to the Com- mittee appointed under Article 26.
Voted :- That the money now in the hands of the Treasurer ($1,358.99) as the proceeds of dog licenses for 1907, and the proceeds of all other licenses received in 1908, except those belonging specifically to some other department be appropri- ated for the support of the Public Library.
The following report was read, accepted and adopted :-
REPORT ON SALARIES.
At the Annual Town Meeting in March 1907 the Committee on Appropriations were instructed to consider the matter of revising and equalizing salaries of the various town officers and report at the next Annual Meeting.
Your Committee have considered the matter and have heard the views presented by some of the departments con- cerned and are now prepared to make recommendations in this line. The report is unanimous except as to the salaries of the Electric Light Board, there being a minority of the Committee in favor of recommending a larger compensation in this case, with the idea that one member of the Board would receive the greater portion of it and would have regular office hours and give a large part of his time to the affairs of the department.
We recommend that the following salaries be adopted to take effect on Jan. 1, 1909 :-
Town Clerk $200, Town Treasurer $500, Collector of Taxes $800; when the above named three offices are filled by the same person, we recommend that the total salary be $1200.
We recommend that the expense of the bond for the three officers named, amounting at present to about $100 per annum, be paid from the amount appropriated for Incidentals.
Board of Selectmen :- Chairman $400, other two members $200 each, Board of Assessors $3.00 per day each for actual time given to work. Auditor-We recommend a salary of $200 per annum, together with instructions that a trial balance be made at least once in three months. Overseers of the Poor : We recommend a salary of $300 per annum for the entire Board to be assigned as they may determine.
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School Committee :- We recommend a total salary of $150.
Municipal Light Board :- We recommend a total salary of $300.
Tree Warden : - We recommend a salary of $75 to be taken from the money appropriated each year for this department.
In addition to the above salaries of Town Officers, we recommend the employment of a Stenographer and book- keeper at a salary not to exceed $450 per annum, said assist- ant to be at the disposal of the Board of Selectmen, Board of Assessors, and Town Clerk, Treasurer and Collector, at their offices at the Town House.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. STETSON, GRANVILLE E. TILLSON, CHESTER E. WESTON, AUGUSTUS PRATT, AMOS H. EATON.
Committee.
Voted :- That action under Article 23 be indefinitely postponed.
Voted :- That the reports of all Committees containing a recommendation for the appropriation of money, if adopted, shall be copied upon the record of the meeting at which such report was adopted.
Voted :- To authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approv- al of the Selectmen, to borrow during the municipal year beginning Jan. 1st, 1908 in anticipation of the collection of taxes of said year, a sum not exceeding $55,000, giving the notes of the Town therefor, payable within one year from the dates thereof, all debts incurred under authority of this vote to be paid from the taxes of the present municipal year.
Voted :- That a committee of five be appointed to consider the desirability of a Curfew law and report at the adjourned meeting.
The Committee :-
M. H. Cushing, Henry D. Smith,
Wm. A. Greene, David G. Pratt,
James A. Thomas.
Voted :- That a Committee of seven be appointed by the Moderator to consider the feasibility of holding an Old Home
59
Week in Middleboro in the summer of 1909, to report at a future town meeting for action by the Town.
Henry S. Drake,
Committee : C. F. David, A. M. Bearse, Lorenzo Wood, Chester E. Weston,
Walter Sampson,
Augustus Pratt.
Voted :- To pay the following salaries :-
School Committee $150, Tree Warden $75, Auditor $200.
Voted :- To appropriate for the use of the Tree Warden $200.
Voted :- That when we adjourn it be till March 25 at 7 P. M.
Voted :- To lay a motion under Article 9 on the table till the adjourned meeting.
Voted :- To appropriate for sprinkling the streets the sum of $1200, $600 to be assessed in the tax and $600 to be assessed upon abuttors.
At 11.15 business was suspended to prepare for balloting.
The following named persons were sworn as Election Officers : Charles M. Thatcher, Chester E. Weston, Walter M. Snow, Walter L. Beals, E. T. Pierce Jenks, Edward H. Blake, Henry W. Sears, Charles W. Kingman, Zenas E. Phinney, Michael J. Cronan, George F. Bryant, George H. Keedwell, William A. Greene, John L. Luippold, John L. Rogers, Henry B. Schlueter, Luke F. Kelley, James A. Thomas, William S. Anderson.
The penalties and directions and specimen ballots were posted. The Clerk delivered to the Moderator 2100 full ballots and 176 special ballots. The Moderator delivered the same to the Ballot Clerk. The ballot box was shown to be empty, and at 11.30 the Moderator declared the polls open for voting.
During the day the ballot box was opened several times and ballots taken out.
At 5.30, no one appearing to vote, the polls were closed.
The Ballot box showed a tally of 1067.
The ballots used counted
The Ballots destroyed counted
1
The ballots unused counted
1077
Total 2100
Both check lists showed 1022 names checked.
Partial ballots unused counted
140
Partial ballots used counted
36
Total 176
1022
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The two check lists showed female voter's names checked to be 36.
At 8.30 the result of the balloting was read and the Modera- tor declared those elected whose names are marked below thus*
Result of the Balloting. FOR MODERATOR.
*Alvin C. Howes had 526
Warren B. Stetson had
337
FOR TREASURER.
*Amos H. Eaton had 691
Sylvester H. Keith had
264
Scattering
1
FOR COLLECTOR OF TAXES.
*Amos H. Eaton had 679
Sylvester H. Keith had
265
Scattering
1
FOR SELECTMAN.
*Charles N. Atwood had 525
William L. Faxon had
216
Thomas F. McDonald had
175
Scattering
3
FOR ASSESSOR.
* Albert T. Savery had 629
Walter A. Shaw had
230
Scattering
5
FOR OVERSEER OF THE POOR.
George A. Richards had 248
*Andrew M. Wood had 623
Scattering
1
FOR SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
*Susan L. Cushman had
574
James P. Leahy had
220
Arthur E. Shaw had
230
*Warren H. Southworth had
490
Theodore N. Wood had
232
FOR MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD.
Charles F. David had 321
Thomas S. Hodgson had 244
*Lyman P. Thomas had 352
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FOR BOARD OF HEALTH.
*Bert J. Allan had
656
Scattering
3
FOR AUDITOR. 733
Percy W. Keith had
FOR TREE WARDEN.
*Luther S. Bailey
714
Scattering
2
FOR FISH WARDENS.
*William M. Haskins had
644
*Cornelius H. Leonard had
669
*Lyman P. Thomas had
646
Scattering
15
FOR FENCE VIEWERS.
*Louis Ritter had
410
*Rufus Carpenter had
3
*Benjamin C. Shaw
3
Scattering
42
TRUSTEES PUBLIC LIBRARY.
*Walter Sampson had
691
*Warren H. Southworth
634
*Nathan Washburn
631
Scattering
3
FOR CONSTABLES.
F. Herbert Batchelder had
587
William Chamberlain had
359
Samuel S. Lovell had
451
John M. Luippold had
461
William McAllister had
283
Albion W. Merritt had
294
John W. Moody had
278
Ernest M. O'Toole had
317
Walter A. Shaw had
260
Fred C. Sparrow had
470
David S. Surrey had
503
Harry W. Swift had
458
Fred A. Thomas had
435
Ichabod B. Thomas Scattering
521
9
62
LIQUOR LICENSE.
Yes 334
No
595
Harry W. Swift, Fred A. Thomas, Samuel S. Lovell, F. Herbert Batchelder, and John M. Liuppold were sworn as Constables by the Town Clerk.
The Moderator declared the meeting adjourned till March 25 at 7 o'clock.
AMOS H. EATON, Town Clerk.
March 25 Annual Town Meeting Adjourned.
The adjourned Annual Town Meeting was called to order at 7 P. M. by the Moderator.
Voted :- To reimburse Josiah T. Carver the sum of $120 for his defense in an action at law brought against him while he was police officer of the town of Middleboro.
Voted :- That $120 be appropriated for the above purpose.
The Committee on establishing a piggery at the Town Farm recommend that the Town take no action either to establish a piggery or to collect swill.
The report was accepted.
Voted -- To appropriate for Support of Schools
for current expenses and Supt.'s salary $28,514 00
for Transportation of pupils
1,750 00
for School House Repairs
1,000 00
for School Committee salary
150 00
for Soldiers' Relief
3,500 00
for Military Aid
200 00
for Incidentals
3,000 00
for Water Supply
1,500 00
for Town Debt
8,900 00
for Interest
3,500 00
for Board of Health and the Inspection of Plumbing 850 00
for Town House Committee
500 00
for Post 8 G. A. R.
200 00
for Gypsy and Brown Tail Moths
1,000 00
for Town Officers
2,600 00
for Overseers of Poor
7,200 00
HIGHWAYS.
for Supt.'s salary and Clerical expenses $1,150 00
for clearing snow and general expenses Grove Street
1,350 00
1,000 00
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Police $250 00
Night Watch 725 00
A motion to reconsider the vote whereby $200 was appro- priated for the use of the Tree Warden was lost.
The Committee appointed at the last meeting read the following report which was accepted :-
Your Committee respectfully report that after careful . investigation they are convinced that a Curfew Law, if properly set in operation, would prove beneficial to the good morals of the town.
It is our opinion, however, that it is not practical to adopt such a regulation until such a time as the town shall have a recognized head to a police force. We, therefore, deem it inexpedient to adopt a Curfew Law at this time.
Signed,
MATTHEW H. CUSHING, JAMES A. THOMAS, WILLIAM A. GREEN, HENRY W. SEARS, HENRY D. SMITH.
The Committee appointed under Article 26 by the Chairman, D. D. Sullivan, reported progress and asked for further time and instructions as to employing expert assistance.
Voted :- That the Committee be authorized to employ such expert assistance as they may deem necessary and that we appropriate a sum not to exceed $300 for their use.
Voted :- That when we adjourn it be until Wednesday, April 29 at 7 P. M.
A motion that the "Moderator appoint a Committee of five men who shall investigate the different methods employed in the manufacture and distribution of gas and report to the Town at the next adjourned meeting what, in their opinion, is necessary to be done to enable the Town to manufacture and distribute gas in the most advantageous way" was lost.
Voted :- That under Chapter 475 Sec. 2 of the Acts of 1907 this Town vote that hereafter the Engineers of the Fire De- partment in the Town shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of Forest Wardens, with respect to forest fires.
Voted :- That no fire be set in the Town between April 1 and October 1, except by the written consent of the Forest Warden.
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A motion to make an appropriation for the Municipal Light Plant was laid on the table.
At 10 P. M. the meeting was adjourned.
AMOS H. EATON, Town Clerk.
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting, April 29.
The meeting was called to order at 7 P. M. by the Moderator. Voted :- To appropriate $1,000 00 for improving and build- ing sidewalks.
Chose as Measurers of Wood, Lumber and Bark :-
John L. Benson, Charles A. Lee,
Ephraim H. Gammons,
George H. Vaughan
Isaac E. Perkins,
Edwin F. Witham,
Albert F. Mitchell,
Henry W. Sears,
Harrison W. Atwood,
Chester E. Weston,
James A. Thomas,
George E. Gove,
Albert S. Sparrow,
Curtis H. Dunham,
Elmer B. Cole,
Gustavus G. Andrews,
Benjamin C. Shaw,
Nathaniel A. Shurtleff,
Charles N. Atwood,
Albert T. Savery,
Joshua K. Bishop.
Chose as Field Drivers and Pound Keepers.
James A. Burgess,
J. Herbert Cushing,
James A. Thomas, Howard M. Bishop.
The report of the Committee on the sale of the Electric Light and Gas Plant was read by Mr. Bearse.
Voted :- To accept the Report as a report of progress,and that the services of the Committee be continued.
THE REPORT.
As a Committee appointed to consider the advisability of selling all or any part of the Municipal Lighting Plant, owned by the Town, we find, as has been stated at a previous meeting, that it is a subject of much magnitude and importance, and to be able to give a decisive report would take more time for its consideration than we have had. There are matters which we regard as of much importance that need to be carefully con- sidered before we, as a Committee, could feel justified in absolutely recommending that the Town vote to sell, or that it does not so vote.
65
Under conditions that exist we feel that a sufficient time should be taken to work out the problem in a way that would seem to be for the best interest of the Town as a municipality, and for the citizens individually. We have, therefore, thought best to submit a report of progress, making such recommendations as will, in our opinion, be for general benefit, looking to the continuance of the business for the current year, or until such time within the year, as may seem necessary to make a special or more definite report.
In the consideration of this subject thus far, we have had one conference with Mr. Barker, Chairman of the Gas and Electric Light Commission of the Commonwealth. We have had Mr. Coleman of the Taunton Electric Plant (Municipal) make a general inspection of our plant, and also Mr. F. P. Royce of the Springfield, Haverhill, Malden and Melrose Plants (not Municipal), some of which are electric only and some both gas and electric, and from each of these gentlemen we have obtained more or less information that we consider of value.
From our investigations, we are agreed that the Town should either keep both the Gas and Electric Plants or sell both, for the reason that in a Town the size of ours the volume of business is none too large if both are controlled and operated by the same parties, and if one was sold and the other left, the interest would be conflicting and be a disadvantage to the Town.
From careful research we are convinced that the Town has spent a large sum of money for the street lighting in the past fifteen years, much more than should have been paid if the light had been bought outright, and we are further of the opinion that in order to continue the business as a munici- pality, and get our street lighting as low as it can be bought of a Company, as'well as to furnish light to individuals on a like basis, there must be a much larger volume of business done, particularly is this true of the gas output. This, we find, would necessitate the further outlay of a large sum of money, and it is in this connection that we feel it is for the Town to decide whether it will pursue this course, or whether it would think best, if an opportunity could be found by which it could dispose of its holdings for a sum nearly sufficient to extinguish its lighting indebtedness to a solid and reliable company, that it purchase its street lighting for a stated price, under a long term contract.
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