USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1889 > Part 10
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ART. 67. To see if the town will elect three competent persons who shall constitute a board of Park Commissioners for the town, and to prescribe their terms of office.
ART. 68. To determine in what manner taxes shall be col- lected the ensuing year, and to fix the rate of interest upon all taxes remaining unpaid after the time fixed for payment.
ART. 69. To choose a Collector of Taxes for the ensuing year.
ART. 70. To choose a Committee on Appropriations, to report at the next annual meeting.
ART. 71. To act upon the List of Jurors prepared and posted by the Selectmen.
ART. 72. To see if the town will authorize its selectmen to act as attorneys to defend the town in any suit that may be brought against it.
ART. 73. To see if the town will vote to authorize the select- men to sell the James Hines estate, situated on Cowing avenue, and also authorize the treasurer to execute a deed for the same.
ART. 74. By request of Wm. H. Clapp and others. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate for street lighting, and determine the manner of expending the same.
ART. 75. By request of Samuel Webb, To see if the town will accept from the heirs of Christopher Webb, about three and one half acres of land, adjoining the Old Colony Railroad and easterly of Keith street, to be used and kept for a Public Park, under the direction and care of the selectmen.
ART. 76. By request of D. J. Pierce, To see if the town will work Webb street to its full width, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
ART. 77. By request of John A. Cushman, To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $600, or any sum, for the purpose of working East Street, from Union Avenue to a point near the estate late of E. A. Bigelow, as laid out by the selectmen and accepted by the town.
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And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof, in three public places in each Ward in said Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at or before the time of said meeting.
Given under our hands at Weymouth, this twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine.
GEO. A. CUSHING, HENRY A. NASH, HENRY LOUD, WILLIAM NASH, J. CLARENCE HOWE, Selectmen of Weymouth.
NORFOLK, SS. WEYMOUTH, Feb. 23, 1889.
Pursuant to the above order I this day posted up true and attested copies of this warrant in three and more public places in each of the wards of the town as therein required.
GEO. W. WHITE, Constable of Weymouth.
A true copy.
Attest : JOHN A. RAYMOND, Town Clerk.
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
MARCH 4, 1889.
Pursuant to the foregoing warrant a legal meeting of the inhab- itants of the town of Weymouth was held at the Town Hall in said town on Monday, March 4, 1889, at nine o'clock, A. M., the meeting being called to order and the warrant read by the Town Clerk.
ARTICLE 1. Nathan D. Canterbury was elected Moderator, the check list being used in said election.
Voted, To take up Art. 66.
Voted, That the ballots named in Article 66 may be deposited at the same time and in the same manner as are the ballots for town officers.
ART. 2. Voted, To proceed to the election on one ballot for one Town Clerk, one Town Treasurer, five Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor, five Assessors, two School Committee for three years, four Trustees of Tufts Library (three for three years and one for one year), one Water Commissioner for three years, and thirty-five Constables.
In receiving the license ballots the patent ballot box furnished by the State was used, the indicator being placed on 0.
The Moderator appointed Wm. Nash, Geo. A. Cushing, and Henry A. Nash as Tellers to check the names of persons voting, on the Voting List ; Asa B. Pratt to receive the license ballots ; Clarence W. Fearing, Joshua Binney, and Chas. S. Redmond, to sort and count the ballots ; all of whom were sworn by the Town Clerk.
Voted, That the polls be kept open until 12.30 o'clock, P. M. Voted, That a committee of five (one from each ward), be ap-
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pointed by the Moderator to nominate all officers not required to be elected by ballot.
The Moderator appointed A. P. Worthen, E. S. Beals, I. N. Tirrell, C. T. Crane, and Joshua Vinal to serve on said committee.
Voted, That the list of minor officers who were nominated at the several caucuses be placed before the town for its acceptance. Voted, To take up Article 67.
Voted, That the Committee to nominate town officers be directed to nominate the Board of Park Commissioners named in Article 67. One for one year, one for two years, and one for three years. Voted, That the polls be closed at 12.30 o'clock P. M.
ART. 3. Voted, That the reports of the several town officers as printed be accepted.
The Selectmen also submitted the following report of the ex- penditures of the different departments of town service, from Jan. 1 to March 4, 1889.
OBJECT OF EXPENDITURES.
Expended since Jan. 1, 1889.
Unexpended Balance Jan. 1, 1889.
Unexpended March 4, 1889.
Expended in excess of Appro- priation.
Support of schools
$5,968 56
$7,977 89
$2,009 33
$782 97
Removal of snow
3 60
2,430 33
2,426 73
-
Land damage .
5 00
230 00
225 00
Fire Department
50 26
1,992 58
1,942 32
Police Department
165 60
21
-
79 39
Suppressing illegal sale of
intoxicating liquors
343 00
1,598 85
1,255 85
-
Tufts Library
300 00
861 03
561 03
Remittance of taxes
461 38
16 99
444 39
Interest and discount
300 00
1,103 23
803 23
Town House
9 50
24 85
15 35
Printing and advertising
688 35
657 10
-
31 25
Town officers
150 00
150 00
Military Aid, Chap. 301
699 00
440 58
-
258 42
Miscellaneous expenses
386 35
1,786 74
1,400 39
-
Support of poor
1,777 74
1,434 30
-
343 34
$12,299 31
$20,920 76
$10,711 31
$2,089 86
Voted, That the foregoing report be accepted.
-
-
-
-
252 .
208 00
280 08
72 08
66
Repairs of highways
782 97
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The Committee on Appropriations appointed at the last March meeting of the town, having considered at length the subjects sub- mitted to them, respectfully report as follows : -
As not infrequently happens in municipal as well as in personal experience, our wants largely exceed our resources.
The supply of all of these wants can only be met by an excep- tionally high rate of taxation, or by a loan, and either of these methods if resorted to for the supply of means of ordinary ex- penses, surely tend to diminish the value of property subject to such taxation and to discourage business enterprise.
On the other hand, a neglect to provide reasonable facilities for education, for travel, for the maintenance of " law and order " and for the various other objects of municipal care tends to a like result. With this view of the situation your committee recommend to the town the adoption of $15 on each $1,000, as the highest limit of the rate of taxation for the current year, and will submit, through their secretary, as the various articles in the warrant shall be taken up for action, their estimate of the several sums which may be appropriated by the town without exceeding the rate of taxation they have recommended.
The estimates of the committee embrace an item of $1,500, to be raised by a loan, for the reason that it would probably, if in- cluded in the amount to be assessed, increase the rate above the proposed limit, and that the sums named for " Schools " and for " Highways " embrace items of more than that amount for extra- ordinary repairs of a permanent character.
In conclusion, your committee beg leave to express their strong conviction that a repetition, this year, of the very high rate of last year's tax would exert an unfavorable influence upon the business prospects of the town.
JAMES HUMPHREY, Chairman JOSEPH A. CUSHING, Secretary.
WEYMOUTH, March 4, 1889.
ART. 4. Voted, That the sum of $37,800 be raised and appro- priated for the support of the public schools and Superintendent for the ensuing year, and that one half of the dog license money,
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the income of the Pratt School Fund, the Alewife Fund, the State School Fund, and such sums of money as may be received for tuition from scholars who belong in other towns, be appropriated for the same purpose.
ART. 5. Voted, That the School Committee be instructed to employ a Superintendent of Schools.
Voted, To appropriate for highways, townways and bridges the sum of $12,000 to be expended as follows, viz. : -
General repairs of highways .
· $10,100 00
Hingham and Quincy bridges .
. 800 00
Rebuilding bridges
·
1,000 00
Setting curbstone
100 00
$12,000 00
$5,000 of the same to be raised by taxation, $1,500 by a loan, $5,500 appropriated from money in the hands of the treasurer.
The above vote was passed unanimously.
ART. 6. Voted, to appropriate the sum of $1,085.62 for the purpose of covering over drafts in 1888, on the following accounts : Repairs of highways $1,066 59
Repairs of Broad Street .
19 03
ART. 7. Voted, That the sum of $13,000 be raised and appro- priated for the support of the poor, and the sum of $2,000 be appropriated for the same purpose.
ART. 8. Voted, that the sum of $2,050 be raised and appro- priated for the support of the Fire Department.
ART. 9. Voted, That the sum of $2,500 be raised and appro . priated for Police service.
ART. 10. Voted, That the sum of $6,000 be appropriated for the payment of Military Aid to disabled soldiers and seamen, and the families of disabled soldiers and seamen, and that $1,000 of said amount be raised by taxation.
ART. 11. Voted, That the sum of $1,100 be raised and appro- priated for Tufts Library, and that one half of the money received from dog licenses be appropriated for the same purpose.
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ART. 12. Voted, That the sum of $300 be raised and appro- priated for Memorial Day.
ART. 13. Voted, That the sum of $1,000 be raised and appropriated for remittance of taxes.
ART. 14. Voted, That the sum of $2,800 be raised and appro- priated for interest.
ART. 15. Voted, That the Treasurer be authorized, with the approval of the selectmen, to hire money in anticipation of the taxes of the current year, and also for the payment of any part of the town debt that may become due, and to issue notes of the town therefor, and the debts incurred under the authority of this vote are hereby made payable from said taxes.
ART. 16. Voted, unanimously, that the treasurer be authorized, under the direction of the selectmen, to borrow the sum of $5,500, and to issue a note of the town therefor, for a term of ten years, or less, at the discretion of the selectmen, for the payment of a note of that amount due the tenth day of March of the current year.
ART. 17. Voted, By a unanimous vote, that the treasurer be authorized under the direction of the selectmen, to borrow the sum of $15,000, and to issue a note of the town therefor, for a term of ten years or less, at the discretion of the selectmen, for the pay- ment of a note of that amount due Jan. 1, 1890.
ART. 18. Voted, That the sum of $1,000 be raised and appro- priated for printing and advertising.
ART. 19. Voted, That the sum of $1,000 be raised and appro- priated for the care and repair of the town house.
ART. 20. Voted, That the sum of $2,500 be raised and appro- priated as follows : $1,000 of said amount for miscellaneous expen - ses, and $1,500 of said amount for the expenses of the new system of voting.
ART. 21. Voted, That the sum of $6,000 be raised and appro- priated for the payment of town officers.
Voted, To appropriate the sum $616.74 for the purpose of cover- ing the overdraft in 1888, for payment of services of town officers.
The moderator appointed Z. L. Bicknell and Geo. L. Wentworth as tellers, to count the votes on the several articles passed during the meeting, and they were sworn by the town clerk.
201
ART. 22. Voted, That the sum of $1,500 be raised and appro- priated for the purpose of enforcing the liquor and Sunday Laws, and that the unexpended balance of last year be appropriated for the same purpose.
Voted, Not to reconsider the above vote.
Voted, That the Moderator appoint a committee of five, one from each ward, to nominate a committee of fifteen to carry the above vote into effect.
The Moderator appointed F. A. Bicknell, John P. Burrell, Geo. E. Porter, Bradford Hawes, and A. E. Vining on said committee.
ART. 23. Voted, To appropriate the sum of $8,000, for an ad- ditional pump and boiler at the pumping station.
ART. 24. Voted, That the sum of $300 be raised and appropri- ated for the purpose of changing the grade of Hollis Street, near the pumping station, to carry off the surface water that accumulates there.
ART. 25. Voted, That the sum of $6,000, now in the hands of the treasurer, be appropriated for the purpose of extending the main water pipe line.
ART. 26. Voted, That the sum of $14,000 be appropriated from the revenue of the water works for the purpose of paying the interest on the Weymouth Water Loan becoming due the present year.
ART. 27. Voted, That the sum of $6,000 be appropriated from the revenue of the water works for the purpose of paying the salaries of the superintendent of the works, the engineer at the pumping station, and all other necessary expenses of the works.
ART. 28. Voted, That the sum of $7,500 be appropriated from the money received from Bank and Corporation taxes for the use of hydrants.
ART. 29. Voted, That the sum of $300 be appropriated from the money received from Bank and Corporation taxes for care and water rents of the several drinking fountains in town.
ART. 30. Voted, That the sum of $7,000 be appropriated from the net surplus income (after deducting the expenses of the water works and the interest on the water loan) from the water rates received by the town treasurer for the water furnished by said
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works, to be paid over to the trustees of the Sinking Fund for the payment of the Weymouth Water Loan, as required by Sect. 7 of Chap. 174 of the Acts of the Legislature passed in the year 1881, in the following manner, namely :
Three thousand and five hundred dollars on the first of May next, and $3,500 on the first day of November next, to be held and invested by said trustees as a part of the sinking fund, for the purpose aforesaid, and also to authorize the sale of any water bonds held by the town to said trustees at par, for the payment of such appropriation.
ART. 31. Voted, by a unanimous vote, That the town hereby approves and ratifies the action of its Board of Water Commis- sioners in presenting a petition to the present Legislature of the Commonwealth, asking authority for this town to increase its debt for the purposes named in Sect. 4 of Chap. 174 of the Acts of the year 1881, entitled "An Act to supply the town of Weymouth with pure water," by the issue of its notes or bonds to an amount not exceeding $50,000 in addition to the sum of $350,000 hereto- fore authorized for the same purposes ; and also, that said Board be instructed to represent the town personally, or by counsel, before the Legislature in aid of said petition.
ARTS. 32, 33 and 34. Voted, That these articles, in relation to the towns establishing and maintaining an electric lighting plant and system, be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 35. Voted, That the name of the new schoolhouse in Ward Two, be the Washington schoolhouse.
ART. 36. Voted, To build a new four-room schoolhouse as near the present Middle Street school building as land can be provided for the same.
ART. 37. Voted, By a unanimous vote, That the sum of $12,000 be appropriated for the purchase of land, building and furnishing the new schoolhouse, and that the treasurer be authorized, with the approval of the selectmen, to borrow the said $12,000, and to issue a note of the town therefor for a term of ten years or less at the discretion of the selectmen.
ART. 38. Voted, That a committee of five (two of whom shall be members of the school committee) be appointed by the modera-
203
tor, who shall be authorized to carry Article 36 into effect, and also shall have authority to sell the building and land now occu- pied on Middle Street, when deemed expedient.
The Moderator appointed Dr. Wm. A. Drake, Joseph A. Cush- ing, D. M. Easton, Thomas H. Humphrey, and Z. L. Bicknell, on the above committee.
ARTS. 39 and 40. Voted, That the sum of $1,000 be raised and appropriated for the purposes named in these two articles, to be expended under the direction of the engineers of the fire department.
ART. 41. Voted, That the article in relation to building a lockup in Ward 1, be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 42. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $200 for the purpose of completing the working of Hawthorne Street.
ART. 43. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $150 for the working of Winter Street.
ART. 44. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $300 to straighten and grade the sidewalk on the west side of Middle Street, from the residence of F. H. Cushing to that of Thomas Orr ; also to extend the sidewalk on the east side, from the residence of W. H. Farmer to that of F. W. Cowing.
ART. 45. Voted, That this article in relation to Summer Street be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 46. Voted, That the selectmen be requested to appoint a superintendent of streets, and that the money appropriated for highways be expended by him through said board.
Voted, That the salary of the superintendent of streets be paid from money appropriated for highways.
ART. 47. Voted, To reconsider the vote passed at the last March meeting, whereby the town voted to appropriate the sum of $2,800 for a stone crusher and $200 for a steam drill.
Voted, That the whole matter be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 48. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $100, for the purpose of building a sidewalk on the east side of Pond Street, extending southerly from the residence of Sidney Greenwood.
ART. 49. Voted, That this article in relation to the matter of gravel put upon Pleasant street by D. W. Barrows, be indefinitely postponed.
204
ART. 50. Voted, That this article in relation to raising the grade of Columbian Square by Josiah Reed, be indefinitely post- poned.
The committee appointed to nominate a committee to serve under Article 22, reported as follows, viz. : -
WARD 1. - Wilmot Cleverly, Augustus Beals, Benjamin F. Richards.
WARD 2. - N. D. Canterbury, Z. L. Bicknell, Michael Sheehy.
WARD 3. - Geo. W. White, Chas. T. Crane, Augustus J. Richards.
WARD 4. - Bradford Hawes, Clarence W. Fearing, Gilman B. Loud.
WARD 5. - Henry B. Reed, George C. Torrey and Clarence A. Hunt.
Voted, That the above committee be accepted.
ART. 51. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $250 for the purpose of widening Washington Street through the hollow east of the house of the late S. M. S. Pratt.
ART. 52. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $300 for the purpose of widening and deepening the Smelt Brook.
ART. 53. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $100 for the purpose of widening and deepening the bridge across High Street near the residence of Joseph Totman.
ART. 54. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $200 for the purpose of gravelling Bates Street, and building a sidewalk on the same.
ART. 55. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $50 for the purpose of building a sidewalk on Reed Avenue.
ART. 56. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $200 for the purpose of working Torrey's lane.
Voted, To take up Article 77.
ART. 77. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $400 for the purpose of working East Street, from Union Avenue to a point near the estate late of E. A. Bigelow, as laid out by the selectmen and accepted by the town.
ART. 57. Voted, "That common able-bodied laborers for the town be paid not less than $2 per day of ten hours, whether said
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work be let by contract or otherwise, and preference shall be given to citizens of Weymouth."
ART. 58. Voted, To accept the report of the selectmen, laying out Moulton Court so called, as a highway.
ART. 59. Voted, To accept the report of the selectmen, laying out a widening of Pearl Street.
ART. 60. Voted, To accept the report of the selectmen, laying out a new street from Futnam to Commercial Street, to be called Chard Street.
ART. 61. Voted, To accept the report of the selectmen laying out a new street from Putnam to Middle Street.
ART. 62. Voted, Not to accept the report of the selectmen, laying out a new street from Common to Broad Street.
ART. 63. Voted, To accept the report of the selectmen laying out a new street off Pleasant Street near the engine house.
ART. 64. Voted, To accept the report of the selectmen laying out an extension of White Street.
ART. 65. Voted, To accept the report of the selectmen, laying out a widening of Central Street.
ART. 66. The committee appointed to sort and count the votes, reported that on the subject to see if the town would accept the Act of the Legislature passed in 1882, entitled, "An Act author- izing towns and cities to lay out public parks within their limits " the whole number of votes were 173. Yes, 173 ; No, 0.
ART. 67. Voted, That hereafter, one Park Commissioner shall be elected at the annual meeting in each year to take the place of the outgoing commissioner, and that vacancies in the board may be filled at any town meeting called for the purpose.
Voted, To take up Article 6.
Voted, To appropriate the sum of $1,500, for the purpose of paying the land damages on new streets accepted by the town, from money in the Treasury.
Voted, That the engineers pay the members of the Fire Depart- ment, the same as last year.
ART. 68. Voted, That all taxes shall become due and payable on or before the tenth day of October next; and that the collector be instructed to collect forthwith, according to law, all taxes re-
206
maining unpaid after that date, with interest at the rate of six per cent per annum.
ART. 69. Alfred O. Crawford was elected Collector of Taxes, by ballot, the check list being used.
Voted, That that the compensation for collecting taxes be six- eighths of one per cent.
ART. 70. Voted, That the Moderator appoint a committee on appropriations (three from each ward), to report at the next annual meeting.
The Moderator appointed the following persons, viz : -
Ward 1, James Humphrey, Henry A. Nash, Elias S. Beals. Ward 2, Z. L. Bicknell, Frank D. Thayer, Joseph A. Cushing. Ward 3, George E. Porter, John J. Loud, John W. Hart. Ward 4, William Nash, F. Dexter Pratt, Clarence W. Fearing. Ward 5, J. Clarence Howe, Joseph Dyer, Charles C. Tower.
ART. 71. Voted, To accept and adopt the list of jurors as pre- pared and posted by the selectmen, after striking out the names of George D. Canterbury, Daniel W. Field, Walter H. Joy and James L. Lincoln, and adding the name of Wm. H. Fearing, Jr.
ART. 72. Voted, That the selectmen be authorized to act as attorneys to defend the town in any suit that may be brought against it.
ART. 73. Voted, To authorize the selectmen to sell the James Hines estate, and also authorize the Treasurer to execute a deed for the same.
ART. 74. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $3,000. to be expended under the supervision of the selectmen, for electric lighting during the ensuing year.
ART. 75. Under this article the following communication was received : -
WEYMOUTH, Feb. 23, 1889.
To the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth :
GENTLEMEN, - The undersigned would represent to your Honor- able Board, and, through you to the good people of the Town of Weymouth, that their father, Christopher Webb (unknown to the present generation of man), was for a period of about thirty years,
.
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and until incapacitated by disease, a representative and senator for the town of Weymouth and the county of Norfolk. As a memorial of him, and of his wife, Susan White, whose patrimony the land (hereinafter mentioned) was, his seven children, all now living (except Susan, who died unmarried), would present to the town a block of land for a public square or park and other strips of land leading to it from Webb street (so named by the town), and from any other quarter or direction which the town's men may desire to have for road or way, according to and in conformity to a plan made by Quincy L. Read, Esq.
The undersigned would say, that " the square is a bold head- land a little back from the banks of the Fore river, from whence the beauty of Monatiquot, and the glory of the bay beyond is enchanting." Some generation soon to come, I am sure, will build upon this rocky height a public hall or museum, and crown it with an observatory.
Respectfully yours, SAMUEL WEBB,
For self and the heirs :
MARGARET T. W. MERRILL, NANCY B. JACKSON,
ELIZA P. GIBBENS, CHRISTOPHER C. WEBB, GEO. W. WEBB.
Voted, By a unanimous vote, that the above be accepted.
Voted, That the thanks of the town be extended to them by the town clerk, and that he cause the same to be engrossed and for- warded to them.
ART. 76. A motion was made under this article, but it was not carried, Francis A. Bicknell having been appointed as teller, and was sworn by the town clerk.
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