USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1915 > Part 8
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136
833
270
486
843
241
536
794
3170
Total
1120 1675 2405 1125 2050 1955
10330
COLLECTOR OF TAXES.
Winslow M. Tirrell .
176
249
324
176
296
257
1478
Blanks
48
86
157
49
114
134
588
Total
224
335
481
225
410
391
2066
-
132
ASSESSOR FOR THREE YEARS.
PRECINCT.
I
22
3
4
5
6
Total
Leavitt W. Bates
150
145
180
138
245
130
988
Charles P. Reidy
51
146
238
57
94
226
812
Blanks
23
44
63
30 .
71
35
266
Total
224
335
481
225
410
391
2066
PARK COMMISSIONER FOR THREE YEARS.
J. Herbert Walsh
168
208
294
161
266
200
1297
Blanks .
56
127
187
64
144
191
769
Total
224
335
481
225
410
391
2066
WATER COMMISSIONER FOR THREE YEARS.
Frank H. Torrey
171
213
291
156
240
208
1279
Blanks
53
122
190
69
170
183
787
Total
224
335
481
225
410
391
2066
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR THREE YEARS.
Prince H. Tirrell .
166
210
293
172
315
201
1357
Theron L. Tirrell
162
201
301
188
313
187
1352
Blanks
124
261
400
90
212
394
1481
Total
452
672
994
450
840
782
4190
AUDITORS.
Frank N. Blanchard .
159
205
269
157
267
184
1241
William H. Pratt
158
212
260
156
259
192
1237
William E. Thayer
158
203
259
154
260
177
1211
Blanks
197
385
635
208
444
620
2509
Total
672 1005 1443
675 1230 1173
6198
TRUSTEES OF TUFTS LIBRARY FOR THREE YEARS.
Louis A. Cook
161
205
280
162
260
184
1252
William F. Hathaway
159
196
281
152
250
177
1215
John B. Holland .
157
203
342
165
260
222
1349
Blanks
195
401
540
196
460
590
2382
Total
672 1005 1443
675 1230 1173
6198
.
.
·
133
BOARD OF HEALTH FOR THREE YEARS.
PRECINCT.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
John S. Williams
163
204
294
159
264
187
1271
Blanks
61
131
187
66
146
204
795
Total
224
335
481
223
410
391
2060
TREE WARDEN.
Charles L. Merritt
158
215
274
156
284
196
1283
Blanks
66
120
207
69
126
195
783
Total
224
335
481
225
410
391
2066
COMMISSIONER OF WARD TWO SCHOOLHOUSE
SINKING FUND BONDS
FOR THREE YEARS.
William C. Earle
150
209
256
147
236
202
1200
Blanks
74
126
225
78
174
189
866
Total
224
335
481
225
410
391
2066
CONSTABLES.
Charles W. Baker
143
182
347
147
234
166
1219
Charles W. Barrows
140
174
243
135
228
152
1072
George B. Bayley
143
177
247
152
247
156
1122
Patrick Butler
150
192
263
146
242
221
1205
George W. Conant
140
175
249
139
257
156
1116
Thomas Fitzgerald
148
179
338
149
248
187
1249
Elbert Ford
141
167
244
139
248
157
1096
Willard F. Hall
141
171
239
142
230
148
1071
George W. Nash .
163
177
243
137
224
153
1099
Arthur H. Pratt .
144
202
258
141
226
188
1159
Blanks
787 1554
439
823 1716 2233
9232
Total
2240 3350 4810 2250 4100 3910
2660
SHALL LICENSES BE
GRANTED FOR THE
SALE
OF
INTOXICATING
LIQUORS IN THIS TOWN ?
Yes .
56
153
201
62
112
203
,787
No
.
152
166
231
145
253
163
1110
Blanks
16
16
49
18
45
25
169
Total
224
335
481
225
410
391
2066
134
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, MARCH 8, 1915.
Pursuant to the foregoing warrant the annual meeting of the. inhabitants of the Town of Weymouth was held at Fogg Opera House in said town on Monday, March 8, 1915, at 9.15 o'clock. in the forenoon the meeting being called to order and the warrant was read (except the several articles) by the Town Clerk.
On motion of Hon. Louis A. Cook it was voted to dispense. with the reading of the several articles of the warrant.
Article 1. Hon. Louis A. Cook was elected as Moderator by ballot, the check list being used in the election, and the oath was- administered to him by the Town Clerk.
The Moderator appointed the following tellers, and admin- istered the oath to them, viz John B. Whelan and Rev. H. C. Alvord.
Voted, that the ladies who are registered, be admitted to the galleries.
Article 2. Voted, That a committee of one from each Ward be appointed by the Moderator to nominate all officers asked for under this article. The following were appointed : Albert P. Worthen, Warren T. Simpson, William J. Holbrook, Martin E. Hawes, John A. Holbrook.
Voted, That the above be instructed to bring in a list of five names as a Committee to investigate whereby the Fire Apparatus- can be made more efficient as regards water supply for Pumping Engines to give better protection against fire where now there is- a shortage of water, and any other changes in the Fire Depart- ment they may deem advisable.
Said Committee to make a report of its findings and recom- mendations in the next annual Town Report, and have inserted in the warrant for the next annual Town Meeting articles covering its recommendations in said report.
Article 3. Voted, To accept the reports of the several Boards. of Town Officers as printed.
Voted, To accept and adopt the following report of the Select- men as to their action and to the rights of the town in the Ale- wive fisheries :
135
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN AS TO THEIR ACTION PURSUANT. TO THE VOTE UNDER ARTICLE 73 OF THE WARRANT FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING
IN 1914 SAME BEING AS FOLLOWS :-
"Article 73. Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to take any action necessary to secure the town such rights as it may have in Alewive fishery."
In order to determine just what action, if any, should be taken to secure to the town such rights as it might have in the Alewive fishery, it seemed important to ascertain just what the situation was, and for that purpose the Selectmen caused an investigation to be made covering the last one hundred twenty-five years. A complete account of all that was ascertained would be too volum- inous for the purposes of this report, consequently only a com- parative outline will be given.
HISTORICAL.
From the earliest times the Alewive fishery has been recognized as one of the town's assets and during the one hundred twenty- five years above mentioned, it has been the subject of legislative action upon six different occasions.
In 1878 the Legislature of Massachusetts passed an act em- powering the Town of Weymouth to regulate and order the taking and disposing of the fish called Alewives within the limits of the town.
There may have been earlier enactments relative to these rights, but our investigation did not go back of this Statute.
In 1801 another act was passed, the preamble of which was as follows :-
" WHEREAS : The town of Weymouth, in the County of Nor- folk, at a very considerable expense, purchased and opened a passage for the fish called Alewives into Whitman's Pond and the Great Pond, so called, being wholly within said town, and con- veyed into them a number of said fish, whereby a great increase has arisen : it is therefore but just and reasonable that the bene- fits arising from the taking and disposing of said fish should be wholly vested in the said town, wherefore,-
136
"Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the taking and disposing of said fish called Alewives shall be under the care and management of a Committee of said town, who shall dispose of them in such manner, for the benefit of said town, as they shall judge best, and account with the treasurer of said town, for the proceeds thereof on or before the first day of November annually, and the money arising there- from shall be appropriated to the use of schooling in the said town."
The act further provided that said committee should consist of five freeholders, chosen by ballot in the months of March or April annually, and any member of which, if he refused to serve or neglected to take the office, should forfeit to the town the sum of $10. It also gave the committee full power and authority to remove from out of river, brooks and streams leading to Whit- . man's Pond any obstruction to the free passing and repassing of fish from the pond to the sea. It provided that the fish should not be taken upon any other days than Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the rising and setting of the sun on said days, nor by any other instrument or means than by a scoop or dipnet. It prohibited all persons, without the direction of either of the committee, from catching or taking, killing or hauling ashore any of said fish, or in any way obstructing their passage, under a penalty for such offense of not exceeding $13 nor less than $10, and in case the offense be committed in the night a sum of not exceeding $30 nor less than $20, the informer upon con- viction of the offender being entitled to one-third of the for- feiture.
1n 1836, Chapter 198, Saturday was added to the days of the week the fish might be lawfully taken.
In 1846, Chapter 92, the town was authorized to transfer the rights and privileges in respect to taking of alewives within the Town of Weymouth to the Weymouth Iron Company upon said Company paying to the Selectinen of said town, a sum of money, the annual interest of which at the rate of six per cent. per annum, should be assented and agreed to by said Selectmen as sufficient to yield an annual interest equal to the average net annual income of said fishery for the preceding thirty years.
137
This act became a law on March 11, 1846 and on March 16, 1846, Nathan Canterbury, James Torrey and Noah Vinning, Jr., as Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth, conveyed by deed to the Weymouth Iron Company, the Fish House of said town, the land under the same and adjoining thereto and the whole of the right which the town possessed of taking and disposing of ale- wives on the Alewive River of Weymouth Back River so called for the sum of $4,200.00 that being the amount it was ascertained to be sufficient to yield at six per cent. per annum, an income equal to the average net annual income of the Alewive fishery of said town for the preceding thirty years. This deed of con- veyance reserved to the inhabitants of the town the privilege of purchasing said Alewives to the number of four hundred at $.25 per hundred, provided the persons so applying should be ready seasonably to pay for and remove said quantity and in case any such inhabitants so applying, and being so ready to pay for and remove such quantity of said fresh fish, shall not be supplied therewith, said Company shall forfeit to him the sum of $5 to be sued for and recovered by him in his own name.
It was provided in said Chapter 92 authorizing this conveyance that the purchase money paid for the privilege should be kept as a fund to be managed and invested by the Treasurer of the town, and loaned only on security of real estate, except to the town, and the annual interest or income from the fund should be an- nually expended for the support of schools in said town, to be divided in the same manner as other money raised for the support of schools.
An examination of the treasurer's books show the receipt by the town of $4200.00, but the same do not appear to have been set aside as a fund, but immediately lost its identity in the gen- eral moneys of the town ; however, for fifty-six years thereafter the town continued to make an annual appropriation of $242.00 as the income from the Alewive fund, and applied the same to the support of schools.
In the Town Report of 1902, Page 198, the Selectmen reported this condition of the Alewive fund, and deeming it inexpedient for the town to longer continue the fiction of appropriating a sum of money as the supposed income from the fund, recommended that application be made to the Legislature for legislation reliev-
138
ing the town from so doing. Accordingly petition to this end was filed with the Legislature of 1903 and by Chapter 155 of the Acts of that year, Section 5 of Chapter 92 of the Acts of 1846 was repealed. The rights and privileges of the Alewive fishery conveyed in 1846 to the Weymouth Iron Company have passed to John P. Lovell, and were owned by him at the time of his- decease.
PRESENT SITUATION.
These rights and privileges are now vested in Hon. George L. Wentworth of this town as he is trustee under the will of the late John P. Lovell. During his trusteeship, he has been accustomed to lease the privilege to various parties for varying periods of time.
The last long lease expired two years ago. Last year it was. leased for the season of 1914 only and he is now under contract to lease it for the current season of 1915 to Joseph Malcovsky of Chelsea.
Judge Wentworth expresses not only a willingness but a desire- to co-operate with the Selectmen in all efforts for the preserva- tion of the Alewive fishery and he will insert in the lease he is about to give for the season's rights, the provision as one of the conditions of the same that the lessee shall transport and place in Whitman's Pond not less than 30,000 Alewives, and he will welcome any supervision by the town that may be thought advis- able to see that this provision is carried out.
It is understood that the estate of the late John P. Lovell is to. continue to be held in trust for only about three years more,. when final distribution will take place. We have reason to be- lieve that the persons interested in this distribution would prefer to. have the equivalent in money instead of the fishery rights and that a proposition will be entertained at anytime now by Judge Went- worth as trustee, for the purchase by the town of the rights and privileges it conveyed to the Weymouth Iron Company March 16, .. 1846, or sixty-nine years ago.
There are various provisions of law relative to the Alewive fishery, contained in the Statutes above referred to and enacted. for the protection and propagation of the fish, still in force, though apparently lost sight of many years ago, but which might be in- voked to the advantage of the town if it became necessary, yet,.
139
it seems to us that the simplest, plainest and most satisfactory remedy, is the one suggested in the recommendations hereinafter made, the same being dependent of course on whether mutually satisfactory terms can be arranged.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
We recommend that the Selectmen cause an officer to be pres- ent when the alewives are taken by the lessees this spring and who will oversee the faithful carrying out of the provision that not less than 30,000 Alewives are taken to and deposited in Whitman's Pond.
We further recommend that the Selectmen be authorized to take up negotiations with the John P. Lovell Estate with the view .of ascertaining upon what terms the fishery rights purchased, can be acquired back by the town and to report as to the same at the next annual town meeting ; and see that an article is inserted in the Warrant for said meeting under which the town may take- action if it is deemed expedient to do so.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD W. HUNT, BRADFORD HAWES, GEORGE L. NEWTON, HENRY E. HANLEY, Selectmen of Weymouth.
Voted, To accept the report of A. P. Worthen, Town Counsel, under Article 52 of the Warrant for 1914.
Art. 4. Voted, That the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1915, and to issue a note or notes. therefor, payable within one year, any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Art. 5. Voted, To appropriate the corporation tax to be used as a reserve fund.
Art. 6. Voted, To designate the First National Bank of South Weymouth, the First National Bank of Boston, and the National Shawmut Bank of Boston as legal depositories for the funds of
140
the town, and the First National Safety Deposit Company of Boston as a legal depository for the securities of the town.
Art. 7. In relation to reducing the number of Selectmen and Assessors. Voted, That the subject be postponed to the next annual meeting and that the Selectmen insert an article in the warrant.
Art. 8. In relation to changing the By-Laws of the town so that the annual business of the town shall take place on the first Monday in March and the annual election on the second Monday in March. Voted, That they be so changed, and that the Repre- sentative to General Court be instructed to present a bill to the next Legislature to carry the above into effect.
Art. 9. Voted, That the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and is hereby authorized to borrow money' from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1916, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year any debt or debts incurred under this vote, to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Art. 10. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $80,000 and further appropriate one-half dog tax and all receipts from non-resident pupils for the support of public schools and for the transportation of pupils.
Voted, To adjourn until one o'clock this afternoon.
At one o'clock the meeting was again called to order.
Art. 11. Voted, That the sum of forty-three thousand ($43,000) be raised and appropriated for the erection, original equipment and furnishings of an eight-room school building in Ward 3, in accordance with Article 11, and that the Town Treasurer be and hereby is authorized, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow forty thousand ($40,000) for this purpose, and to issue Serial bonds of the town therefor, payable in equal annual instalments for ten years from the date of issue, to bear interest at a rate not to exceed four and one-quarter per cent (44%) per annum, said bonds not to be valid unless authenti- cated by the First National Bank of Boston, Mass., and that the School Committee act as a building committee. Yes, 372 ; No, 0.
141
Art. 11. Under this article it was also voted that the School Committee be authorized to sell the old Tufts Building and the land that goes with it.
Voted, That the Committee require the builder to furnishe bond of $35,000 that he will finish the building within the appro- priation.
Voted, That the Committee be authorized to purchase a new lot if advisable, any proceeds received from the sale of the Tufts building and land to be used for this purpose.
Art. 12. Voted, That the subject matter of this article be re- ferred to the School Committee the cost to be taken from the regular school appropriation.
Art. 13. Voted, To take up Articles 79, 80, 82, 83, 86, 87, 88 and 89 with this article,
Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $13,800, and to further appropriate the street railway and excise taxes for the re- pair of highways and townways, of this amount $300 shall be for bridges and $2,000 for the removal of snow, and that the subject matter of Articles 79, 80, 82, 83, 86, 87, 88 and 89 be referred to the Superintendent of Streets, the cost, if any, to be taken from regular street appropriation.
Art. 14. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $2,000 for oiling and watering the streets, the balance of cost of the same to be assessed on the abuttors.
The Committee under Article 2 made the following nomina- tions. Voted, That the report be accepted :
PUBLIC WEIGHERS.
WARD 1.
Arthur W. Bartlett, C. Lewis French, John J. Lane, John Byrnes, Michael E. Lane, Peter B. Nesbitt.
WARD 2.
Sumner Thompson, Clara Mitchell, Charles T. Leavitt, Weston H. Cushing, T. H. Emerson, Loretta Looney, Wallace D. Cowing.
WARD 3.
Henry N. Willoby, John H. Condrick, Robert A. Condrick, Earl Bates, Edward I. Loud, Susan R. Worthen, Jessie M. Alex- ander, John F. Dwyer.
142
WARD 4. W. H. Mace, Marjorie J. Mace, Nathaniel R. Ells. WARD 5. Alvin Hollis, Walter L. Bates, J. Leonard Bicknell, Stanley Hersey, Edgar S. Wright, James Tirrell.
SURVEYORS OF WOOD, LUMBER AND BARK. WARD 1.
N. Porter Keene, John J. Lane.
WARD 2.
Weston H. Cushing, George M. Keene, J. P. Haddie.
WARD 3.
John H. Condrick, Henry N. Willoby, Robert A. Condrick, Earl W. Bates, John F. Dwyer, Jessie M. Alexander.
WARD 4.
Charles A. Loud, John L. Maynard, Nathaniel R. Ells.
WARD 5.
Alvin .Hollis, Walter L. Bates, J. Leonard Bicknell, Stanley Hersey.
FENCE VIEWERS.
J. Ellis Gardner, Frank H. Holmes, Frank D. Sherman, Wil- liam O. Colyer.
. FIELD DRIVERS.
George W. Nash, Albert M. Newcomb, Francis W. Cowing, Thomas Fitzgerald, George B. Bailey, Arthur H. Pratt, George W. Conant, Elbert Ford, Charles Trask, Willard F. Hall.
POUND KEEPER.
J. W. Eldridge.
COMMITTEE ON FIRE DEPARTMENT EFFICIENCY.
David M. Kidder, James Ford, Joseph E. Kelly, John L. Kelly, William L. Swan.
ELECTRIC LIGHT COMMITTEE.
Sidney G. Dunbar, Winslow M. Tirrell, Russell B. Worster, Walter W. Pratt, Matthew O'Dowd. -
143
PLANNING BOARD.
WARD 1.
Robert S. Gilmore, Arthur H. Alden, David M. Kidder, Walter J. Sladen, William T. Seabury.
WARD 2.
Cornelius J. Lynch, Minot P. Garey, George M. Keene, Fred L. Doucette, Robert S. Hoffman.
WARD 3.
Edward W. Hunt, John B. Whelan, Peter E. Sullivan, Wallace H. Bicknell, Albert P. Worthen.
WARD 4.
Bradford Hawes, Theron L. Tirrell, Burton B. Wright, Fred L. Sampson, M. R. Loud.
WARD 5.
George L. Barnes, Frank N. Proctor, John Reidy, Ralph W. Thomas, George C. Torrey.
Art. 15. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $14,000 and further appropriate the sum of $2,000 for the relief and sup- port of the poor.
Art. 16. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $3,000 for the relief of disabled soldiers and seamen and the families of disabled soldiers and seamen, under the provisions of Chapter 79 of the Revised Laws.
Art. 17. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $200 and further appropriate the sum of $7,000 for the payment of the State and Military Aid, under the provision of Chapter 468 of the Acts of 1909.
Art. 18. Municipal Insurance Fund. No action.
Art. 19. Same subject. No action.
Art. 20, Voted, To take up Article 64 with this article. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000 for the sup- port of the Fire Department; of this amount $1.000 is to be ex- pended under the direction of the Forest Warden and a sum not to exceed $450 shall be expended for installing a suitable heating plant in the Ward 3 Engine House.
144
Art. 21. In relation to selling fire apparatus. Not carried.
Art. 22. In relation to disbanding fire companies. Indefi- nitely postponed.
Art. 23. In relation to fire alarm box on Union street. Not carried.
Art. 24. In relation to fire alarm box on Washington street. Not carried.
Art. 25. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $7,500 for the support of the Police Department and that the pay of the police officers be $2.75 per day.
Art. 26. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $2300 and further appropriate one-half the dog tax, the income from the Susanna Hunt Stetson and Augustus J. Richards funds and the rentals of the Library building, for the support and maintenance of the Tufts Library.
Art. 27. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $750 for the maintenance of a reading room in Fogg Library.
Art. 28. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $2500 for the purpose of reinvesting the Susanna Hunt Stetson fund of that amount, this sum to be invested as a permanent fund by the Town Treasurer with the advice and consent of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 29. Voted, That the subject matter of this article be referred to the Assessors.
Art. 30. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $7,400 for the payment of interest which may become due the ensuing year.
Art. 31. Voted, To take up Article 32 with this article.
Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $2,100 for printing and advertising, and that the subject matter of Article 32 be re- ferred to the Selectmen.
Art. 33. Voted, To take up Article 57 with this article.
Voted, That the subject matter of these articles be referred to the Park Commissioners and that they report at the next annual Town Meeting.
Art. 34. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $3,500 for miscellaneous expenses.
145
Art. 35. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $400 for Memorial Day.
Art. 36. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $800 for the rent and care of the town offices.
Art. 37. Voted, That the subject matter of this article be in- definitely postponed.
Art. 38. Voted, That the subject matter of this article in re- lation to places of holding town meetings be indefinitely post- poned.
Art. 39. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $50 for the care and maintenance of public parks.
Art. 40. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $300 for further developing Webb Park Playground, this money to be expended under the direction of the Park Commissioners.
Art. 41. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $4800 for the suppression of the gypsy and brown tail moths.
Art. 42. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of. $9825 for the payment of the town officers, viz :
Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor . $2400 00
Town Clerk
150 00
Assessors (to be paid 50c. per hour) .
1800 00
Town Treasurer
450 00
Auditors 150 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures .
200 00
Tree Warden 100 00
Registrars of Voters .
450 00
Town Accountant
850 00
Town Counsel (this amount not to include
trial cases ) 750 00
General Office Clerk . ·
900 00
Tax Collector .
1500 00
Tax Collector (bond)
125 00
.
.
.
Art. 43. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $1300 for election expenses.
Art. 44. Voted, To take up Article 45 with this article.
Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of $2500 for the sup- port of the Board of Health and that the subject matter of Article 45 be referred to the Board of Health.
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