USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1875-1881 > Part 3
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48
CLAIM OF DAVID FLANDERS.
This claim, which has caused some trouble and expense, originated from the refusal of the Board of Engineers to approve a bill of Mr. Flanders for services as steward of the Yale Engine Company, amounting to $32. The Board of Selectmen having been notified by E. A. Upton, Esq., Attorney for Flanders, that unless the bill was paid a suit would be brought against the town to recover the amount, took the matter into consideration at the regular meeting, November 18th, 1875. The Board of Engineers then stated their reasons for refusing to approve the bill, chief among which was the reason that, in their opinion, Flanders had charged for labor which had not been performed. In com- pliance with the unanimous decision of the Board of Select- men an offer of settlement was then made through Mr. Upton, upon the following terms, viz .: To pay David Flanders twenty-five dollars in full satisfaction of his bill ; or, should he refuse this sum, to refer the matter in dispute to any three disinterested persons ; Flanders to choose one, the town to choose one, and these two to choose a third, the decision of the three to be final. This proposition was not accepted, and suit was brought in the Municipal Court for this District. The Selectmen deeming it to be for the interest of the town that the suit should be properly defended, and as there was not sufficient time in which to call a town meeting, employed Messrs. Eaton & Hamilton as counsel for the town. Before a decision was given by the Court, the counsel for the plaintiff withdrew the suit. The action has again been brought in the same Court; and, as we under- stand, is to be tried before a jury ; but as the time set for trial is subsequent to the time for holding the annual town meeting the matter will be brought before the town for their action.
FIRE ENGINEERS.
During the progress of the before mentioned trial it was discovered that the Board of Engineers had been illegally chosen. This fact having been brought to our notice, at a
49
regular meeting of the Board held January 27th, Messrs. John W. Jenkins, Andrew J. Hutchinson and John H. Emerson were appointed Engineers of the Fire Department, to serve until May 1st, 1876, or until their successors are appointed.
NEW SALEM STREET.
The County Commissioners, together with the Selectmen, having viewed New Salem Street on the 23d of June, 1875, and said County Commissioners having then and there accepted said street, the Selectmen, at a regular meeting held June 24th, 1875, voted to accept the street from the contrac- tor, Mr. G. W. Aborn, and to relieve him from further liability under his contract. The final payment to Mr. Aborn of $999.00 was made as follows : $940.98 being the unexpended balance of the original appropriation of $5,000- turned over to the chairman of the Board of Selectmen by Richard Britton, Esq., Treasurer of the Board of Road Commissioners-paid June 24th, 1875, and the balance due, $58.02, drawn from the miscellaneous appropriation and paid July 1st, 1875. In compliance with a vote of the town, passed at a meeting held November 2d, 1875, the street was " closed for repairs," and so remains to the present time. In our opinion the best interests of the town demand that some action should be taken for opening the street to public travel and making it safe therefor.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
In consequence of the office of Road Commissioners having been abolished by vote of the town at the last annual meeting, many of the duties that previously devolved upon that Board, have been discharged by the Selectmen. At a special meeting of the Board, held May 1st, 1875, the amount raised and appropriated for repairs of highways and bridges ($4,000) was apportioned as follow, viz. :
50
Centre District, .
. $840 00 (9 miles of streets. )
North 66
· 525 00 (5 - )
East
.
. 400 00 (5 66 66 )
West 60
.
795 00 (8 66 66
) South
. 570 00 (5 66 )
Woodville "
370 00 (4
)
Reserved to pay highway bills of last year,
500 00
Total, . . $4,000 00
On the same day a written notification was forwarded to each of the Highway Surveyors, giving the amount appor- tioned to his District, calling attention to the laws governing the expenditure of the same, and recommending that ten per centum of the amount be reserved to defray the expense of removing snow ; a list of the streets assigned to each district was also given to the Surveyor, and blank Monthly Pay Rolls upon which a detailed account of all expenditures made, with vouchers therefor, could be kept, and the same having been duly sworn to before a Justice of the Peace, presented to the Selectmen for payment at the first regular meeting in each month. This system of accounts has been adhered to by the Surveyors, and has we think been satisfactory to all parties.
SUMMER STREET.
Acting upon a proper petition of citizens of the town, a duly notified public hearing having been given, the Selectmen reported to the town at a meeting held November 2d, 1875, in favor of laying out the new town way now known as Summer street. This report was accepted and adopted, $400 being appropriated to build said street. The contract for building the street was awarded to Messrs. E. F. Sweetser and Ezra Gowing, they being the lowest bidders at $297. This contract is not yet fulfilled.
ORCHARD STREET.
The report of the Selectmen for laying out the new town way now known as Orchard street having been made and
51
acted upon at the same time and in the same manner as in the previously mentioned case, and $200 having been appropri- ated to build said street, the contract was awarded to Joshua White, he being the lowest bidder, at $190. This street has been built in a satisfactory manner and accepted from the contractor.
COTTAGE STREET.
This street was laid out at the same time and in the same manner as the two previously mentioned, and $500 appro- priated to build it. Patrick Kenney, being the lowest bidder, was awarded the contract for building the street at $349. The street is now in process of construction.
OTIS STREET EXTENSION.
The Selectmen also gave a duly notified public hearing on Sept. 25th, 1875, to the petitioners for laying out a new town way over the private way now known as Otis Street Extension, and after due consideration, decided not to report in favor of laying out the street as petitioned for.
GREENWOOD STREET.
On Sept. 25th, 1875, the Selectmen gave a duly notified hear- ing to the petitioners for widening and straightening Green- wood street, but, as the only plan proposed at this hearing for improving said street seemed to the Board so entirely unreasonable and uncalled for, either by the citizens of that portion of the town (with one or two exceptions) or the pub- lic in general, and as any widening and straightening of the street would necessitate a large expenditure of money, the Board voted unanimously not to report the proposed altera- tions to the town.
Article 8th, of the warrant for a town meeting held Nov. 2d, 1875, which was referred to the Selectmen with instruc- tions to report at a future meeting, was as follows viz. : "To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to widen and straighten Greenwood street, giving them authority to employ
52
a Civil Engineer for that purpose, or what action they will take in the matter."
In accordance with the vote of the town, the whole matter was again considered by the Selectmen, and we' would respectfully offer the following
REPORT :
In our opinion the proposed widening and straightening of Greenwood street ought not to be made.
RAILING DANGEROUS PORTIONS OF THE HIGHWAY.
At the last annual town meeting $500 was appropriated for railing streets. This has been expended by the Board in railing such portions of the highways as in their judgment were most dangerous. For a detailed account of the expen- ditures in the various matters reported upon, reference should be made to the auditor's report.
WM. S. GREENOUGH, Selectmen WM. K. PERKINS, of R. L. MURKLAND, Wakefield.
Wakefield, March 4, 1876.
2
ASSESSORS' REPORT.
The following was the town valuation May 1, 1875 :
Real Estate,
. $3,200,030
Personal Estate,
677,640
Total valuation, . $3,877,670
Whole number of Polls,
1,392
Total tax on Polls at $2.55 each, . $3,549 60 Rate of Taxation, $1.40 on $100.
Total amount assessed, . $58,851 40
State Tax, . $4,580 00
County Tax, . . 2,938 20
Town Grant, . . 49,100 00
Overlay,
· 2,233 20
$58,851 40
Whole number of Dwelling Houses taxed, 1,006
" Horses ·
264
66 " Cows 66 205 .
Amount of Real Estate held by religious socie- ties, and exempted by law from taxation, $144,500
Respectfully Submitted,
EDWARD MANSFIELD, Assessors DAVID PERKINS, of
ROBERT L. MURKLAND, Wakefield.
Wakefield, March 3, 1876.
ENGINEERS' REPORT.
We herewith submit our Report of the Fire Department for the year ending March 2d, 1876.
FORCE AND CONDITION OF THE DEPARTMENT AND APPARATUS.
The Department consists of a Board of three Engineers and 132 Members divided as follows: One Hand Engine Company, Yale No. 1, 50 Men ; one Hand Engine Company. C. Wakefield No. 2, 45 men ; one Hook & Ladder Company, Washington No. 1, 25 men ; one Chemical Engine Company, Chemical No. 1, 12 men ; and one four-wheeled Hose Car- riage. All the apparatus is in good condition at the present time. We have added to the Department, the past year, two hundred feet of two-inch linen hose, which we think is much superior to the two and a half inch hose.
There is at the present time belonging to the Department, 2500 feet of leather hose in good condition, and 250 feet of linen hose, which is not safe for hard service, except the two-inch linen hose purchased the past year.
FIRES AND ALARMS.
The losses during the past year have not been as heavy as the previous year. The Department were called out to thir- teen alarms, five of which were working fires. The total amount paid by insurance companies was $2,530. Following is the list of fires and alarms for the year ending March 2, 1876 : -
55
July 2. House on Melvin Street, owned by the John Caby estate. Loss $780. Insured for $1,900.
July 24. House on Hart Street owned by Dr. Jordan. Loss $75. Insured $2,000.
Sept. 3. Alarm caused by burning brush near Ice Houses.
Sept. 27. Alarm from Reading. -
Dec. 3. Alarm from Stoneham.
Jan. 18, 1876. Alarm from Stoncham.
Jan. 21. Alarm from Woodville, caused by burning brush.
Jan. 29. House corner Valley and Cottage Streets, owned by Wm. Ellett. Loss $525. Insured $950.
Jan. 29. Woodshed on Nahant Street, owned by Samuel Buckley. Loss $150. No insurance.
Feb. 2. Alarm from Broadway. Damage slight.
Feb. 3. House on Herbert Street, owned by Thomas Man- ning. Total loss. Insured $900.
Feb. 11. House on Melvin Street, owned by E. A. Upton. Loss $100. No insurance.
Feb. 19. False alarm.
RESERVOIRS.
Following is a list of Reservoirs and their location : Three on Main street in the centre of the town; one on Salem street, one on Park street, one on Elm street, near the house of James Eustis, one on Lowell street, near the Montrose school house, one on corner of School and Centre streets, (new one), one on Chestnut street, one on Albion street, one on the corner of Herbert and Richardson streets, one on Melvin street, (new one), one on the corner of Main and Oak streets, Greenwood. Also two stations to place engines on, at the east side of the upper lake. Also a reservoir on Crescent street, near Main, belonging to James H. Carter, Esq., which he has given permission to use in case of fire in that vicinity.
We wish to call the attention of the town to the necessity of providing in some manner for an increased water supply for fire purposes in that part of the town west of the Boston & Maine Railroad, also near the Franklin street school house.
56
In closing our report, we take this occasion to tender our thanks to the officers and members of the Fire Department for the prompt and faithful manner in which they have per- formed all duties as firemen; to the Board of Selectmen for their respect and courtesy shown the Board at all times ; also to the citizens for their assistance rendered the Department the past year.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
J. W. JENKINS, Chief, Engineers A. J. HUTCHINSON, of the J. H. EMERSON, Fire Department. ?
Wakefield, March 6, 1876.
TOWN
LIB
48 BEI
1856
RY
WAKE
POLICE REPORT.
Whole number of arrests for the year ending March 1st, 1876, was 78.
Arrested for drunkenness,
23
66
selling liquor, ·
15
66
assault, .
9
66 capias,
3
66
larceny,
5
malicious mischief,
3
66
bastardy,
2
66
vagrants,
2
66
avoiding farc,
1
66
truancy,
2
66
keeping dogs without license, .
9
66
insanity,
4
Thirty-nine travelling paupers have been furnished with lodgings by the police during the year.
CHARLES H. DAVIS,
Chief of Police.
REPORT OF APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE.
WAKEFIELD, Mass., March 6, 1876.
We the undersigned, having been constituted a Committee to recommend certain sums to be raised and appropriated by the Town of Wakefield at the next annual Town Meeting, to be holden on Monday, April 3d, 1876, would respectfully recommend the following appropriations, viz :
For payment of Town Debt, . $5,000 00
payment of Interest on Town Debt,
· 9,500 00
Support of Schools, . . 11,500 00
School Contingent Expenses,
1,000 00 ·
Fire Department, 4,200 00 ·
Town Officers' Salaries,
2,800 00 ·
Poor Department, 4,500 00 ·
Repairs of Highways and Bridges,
3,000 00
Completion of New Salem Street,
500 00
Beebe Town Library-the Dog Tax now in the hands of the Town Treasurer, and .
200 00
Street Lamps, .
1,200 00 ·
Miscellaneous Expenses,
.
4,500 00 ·
Total,
. $47,900 00
We would recommend that the compensation of Enginemen for the year commencing May 1st, 1876, be fixed at fifteen dollars, not to include services as Steward.
59
We would also recommend that the compensation of Town Officers for the ensuing year be fixed at the following sums, viz :
Town Treasurer, $ 50 00
Town Clerk,
100 00
Selectmen, $100 each, and $100 extra for Secretary, 400 00
Board of Assessors,
400 00
Board of Overseers of the Poor,
150 00
Board of School Committee,
200 00
Board of Fire Engineers,
100 00
Board of Auditors,
100 00
Tax Collector, for collecting Tax War-
rant of 1876,
500 00
Signed,
JAS. F. EMERSON.
JAMES OLIVER.
B. W. OLIVER.
H. H. SAVAGE.
THOS. WINSHIP.
WM. F. YOUNG.
SOLON O. RICHARDSON.
JOSEPH TUTTLE.
WM. K. PERKINS.
GEO. H. TEAGUE.
E. A. UPTON.
S. K. HAMILTON.
WM. S. GREENOUGH.
A true copy of the Report :
W. S. GREENOUGH, Secretary.
BY-LAWS
OF THE
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX SS.
At the Superior Court, begun and holden at Cambridge, within and for the County of Middlesex, on the second Monday of December, being the fourteenth day of said month, Anno Domini 1874,
The following By-Laws adopted by the Town of Wakefield, at a legal town-meeting, held on the twenty-seventh day of July, A. D. 1874, were presented to this Court for approval, in Vacation, to wit, on the twentieth day of October last.
OBSTRUCTING STREETS.
ART. 1. No person except the Road Commissioners in the lawful performance of their duties, or those acting under their orders, shall obstruct any sidewalk or street, or any part thereof, or break or dig the ground of the same, with- out first obtaining a written license from the Selectmen or Road Commissioners therefor ; and the person so licensed shall put and at all times keep up a suitable railing around the parts of any sidewalk or street so obstructed or dug up, as long as the same shall be unsafe or inconvenient for trav- clers, and shall also keep as many lighted lanterus fixed to such railing or fence every night from twilight in the evening through the whole night as the Selectmen or Road Commis- sioners shall direct.
61
OBSTRUCTING SIDEWALKS.
ART. 2. Whenever any sidewalk becomes obstructed or made impassable by reason of the erecting or repairing of any building or of doing any work, the persons doing or causing the same to be done, shall place a good and conven- ient temporary walk around such obstructions.
AWNINGS AND SIGNS.
ART. 3. No awning or sign shall be placed or continued over any sidewalk unless the support and every part of such awning or sign shall be at least eight feet above the sidewalk, without the written consent of the Selectmen, which consent shall state the time such obstruction shall be allowed.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
ART. 4. Three or more persons shall not stand in a group or near to cach other on any sidewalk in such a manner as to obstruct a free passage for foot passengers for a longer time than five minutes, nor after a request to move on made by any of the Selectmen, Constables or Police Officers of the Town.
ART. 5. No person shall behave himself in a rude or disorderly manner, or use any indecent, profane or insulting language, in any public place in this town, or near any dwell- ing house or other building therein, or be or remain upon any sidewalk, or upon any doorstep or other projection from any house or other building, so as to annoy or disturb any person or obstruct any passage to the same. And every person so being or remaining as aforesaid, when ordered by any constable, police officer, watchman, or by the owner or occupant of any building, shall immediately pcaccably de- part and stay away therefrom.
DRIVING ON SIDEWALKS.
ART. 6. No person shall ride or drive unnecessarily on any of the sidewalks of any street, nor allow his horse or vehicle to remain upon a sidewalk a longer time than five
62
minutes together, except by permission of the Road Com- missioners.
INJURY TO TREES.
ART. 7. No person shall tie or fasten any horse, cattle or team to any of the trees planted in any public highway, street or public lands in this town, nor drive into the same any nails, spikes, hooks or staples, nor affix any signs thereto.
PASTURING CATTLE.
ART. 8. No person shall pasture any cattle or other animals in any of the streets of the town with or without a keeper.
OBSTRUCTING CROSS-WALKS.
ART. 9: No person shall permit or suffer any horse or other animal, carriage or vehicle of any description, belong- ing to him, or under his charge, to stand or stop upon any cross-walk in this town for any purpose, except the taking up or setting down of passengers, or for a longer time than shall be necessary for such purpose. 1
MARKET STANDS.
ART. 10. No person shall stand for the purpose of effecting sales or for feeding of teams, upon any of the streets of the town, next to any private dwelling placc, with wood, hay, producc, meat or other products of the farm for salc, nor near to any other building when objection is made by the owner or occupant thereof, provided that any such persons for the aforesaid purpose may occupy that portion of the streets next to any vacant public grounds, and that this by-law shall not apply to casual calls upon families occupying private dwellings.
FAST DRIVING.
ART. 11. No owner or person for the time being having the care or use of any horse or other beast of burden, car- riage or draught, shall ride, drive or permit the same to go
63
at a faster rate than nine miles an hour in any street, way or public place in this town.
NUISANCES IN THE STREET, ETC.
ART. 12. No person shall place, or cause to be placed in any public street or way of this town the contents of any sink, cesspool or privy, nor place any rubbish or garbage in the same, except for the purpose of immediate removal therefrom.
ART. 13. No person shall throw a carcass of any animal into any of the ponds, streams or waters within the limits of this town, or suffer or leave any such carcass to decay on the surface of the ground, or to be insufficiently buried therein, near any building, street or public way or place.
ART. 14. No person shall at any time whatsoever carry into or through any public street, any contents of any sink, cesspool or privy in any vehicle which shall not be effectu- ally covered and water tight, nor suffer the same to remain standing unnecessarily in any such street, nor remove from their premises the contents of any cesspool or privy between the hours of six o'clock in the morning and six o'clock in the evening, unless by the written consent of the Selectmen or Board of Health.
DEFACING FENCES, ETC.
ART. 15. No person shall make any marks, letters, or figures of any kind upon any wall, fence, post, trec, building, or structure, without the permission of the owner thereof.
FIRE ARMS.
ART. 16. No person shall fire or discharge any gun, fowling piece, pistol, fire arm, or set fire to any materials known as fire works, or other combustible matter, or throw any such lighted fireworks in any of the streets or avenues of this town.
BONFIRES.
ART. 17. No person shall make any bonfire or other fire in any of the streets, avenues or public ways of this town.
64
COASTING.
ART. 18. . No person shall coast in any of the streets or public walks of this town.
BATHING.
ART. 19. No person shall bathe or swim without personal covering, in any public or exposed place in this town.
BALL PLAYING.
ART. 20. No person shall throw stones or other heavy missiles, nor play at base ball or foot ball within any of the public streets or public grounds of this town without permis- sion of the Selectmen first obtained.
PENALTIES.
ART. 21. Every violation of any of the foregoing by- laws shall be punished by a fine of not less than two dollars, nor more than twenty dollars, to be recovered by complaint before any District Court or any Trial Justice of juvenile offenders in the County of Middlesex.
DISPOSAL OF PENALTIES.
ART. 22. All penalties recovered for the violation of either of the foregoing by-laws shall be paid into the Treas- ury of, the town to such use as the town, from time to time, shall direct.
Special By-Laws of the Town of Wakefield, concerning Truant Children and Absentees from School.
SECTION 1. Any minor between the ages of seven and fifteen years, convicted of being an habitual truant, or of wandering about in the streets and public places of this town having no lawful employment or business, not attending school, and growing up in ignorance, shall be committed to any institution of instruction or suitable situation to be pro- vided by the town, or provided by law, for the purpose, for
65
such time not exceeding two years as the Justice or Court having jurisdiction may determine. Any minor so commit- ted may upon proof of amendment, or for other sufficient cause shown upon a hearing of the case, be discharged by such Justice or Court.
SECT. 2. Justices of district courts, trial justices for juvenile offenders, and judges of probate within and for the County of Middlesex, shall have jurisdiction of the offences described in Section one.
SECT. 3. The School Committee of the Town shall ap- point and fix the compensation of two or more suitable per- sons, to be designated as truant officers, who shall, under the direction of said committee, inquire into all cases arising under these by-laws, and shall alone be authorized, in case of violation thereof, to make complaint and carry into execution the judgment thereon. The compensation of such officers shall be paid from the treasury of the town.
SECT. 4. It shall be the duty of the School Committee and of the Superintendent and Teachers of the public schools to report the names of any person or persons violating the provisions of these by-laws to the truant officers of the town.
PROSECUTORS AND COMPLAINANTS.
ART. 23. It shall be the duty of the Selectmen, Consta- bles, Police Officers and Watchmen, to prosecute every vio- lation of the foregoing by-laws, by complaint as hereinbefore mentioned. All prosecutions shall be commenced within three months of the violation of the by-law.
And afterwards, to wit: at this present term of said Court, viz : on this twenty-third day of February, A. D. 1875, said By-Laws, being seen and understood by the Court, are approved.
In testimony that the foregoing is a true copy of record, I hereto set my hand and affix the seal of said Superior Court, this thirty-first day of March, A. D. 1875.
THEO. C. HURD, Clerk.
66
List of Tax Deeds now held by Town Treasurer for non-payment of Taxes.
Estate of
Tax of
Original Tur.
Philip Fehen.
1872
$34 27
J. W. Bancroft.
1873
29 26
Thomas W. Coombs.
1873
57 48
Donald Douglass,
1873
16 43
A. J. Edmands.
1873
20 53
Rodney Edmands.
1873
34 49
Alson L. Marshall.
1873
26 98
Caroline R. Nichols,
1873
104 87
James Nichols,
1873
51 49
James French.
1873
5 97
Walcott & Young,
1873
5 97
John McLoud, -
1873
15 90
1874
16 24
C. Wakefield,
1874
sundry lots,
90 26
Total,
$510 14
THE CENSUS.
The following interesting statistics have been kindly furnished us by Col. C. D. Wright, Chief of the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor, &c. :
WAKEFIELD, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASS.
1875.
Comparative figures for 1855, (So. Reading.)
Total Population,
-
5,349
3.244
Males.
2.511
1.494
Females,
2,838
1,750
Families.
1.274
730
Ratable Polls,
1.379
Legal Voters.
1,218
613
Naturalized Voters. Aliens.
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