USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1875-1881 > Part 43
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The following gentlemen were appointed :
Richard Britton, Thomas Emerson,
Theodore E. Balch, Charles Jordan,
John A. Meloney, John M. Cate,
Joseph M. Skulley.
The Committee met on the sixth instant, and organized by the choice of Richard Britton as Chairman and Joseph M. Skulley as Secretary.
A communication was sent to the Directors of the Water Company, informing them that we should be pleased to meet them at such time as would suit their convenience.
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The Directors named Saturday the 9th inst., at which time a meeting was held, and the following proposition was submitted to us.
[PROPOSITION NO. 1. 1
WAKEFIELD, April 9, 1881.
To Hon. Richard Britton, Chairman, and Joseph M. Skulley, Esq., Sec.
Committee of the Town of Wakefield :.
GENTLEMEN :-
In response to the request of the Town, as conveyed by your com- munication of the 6th inst., for a proposition from this Company for the introduction of Water to the Town, we have the honor to submit the following :
The Quannapowitt Water Company will establish Water Works, on the direct pumping system, lay six miles of iron pipe through the streets of the populated part of the town, and place sixty double-nozzle fire hydrants in proper locations.
Said Water Works to be of a guaranteed capacity of one million gal- lons per twenty-four hours, for domestic and manufacturing purposes, or for fire protection to throw six 7-8 inch streams at a time, eighty feet into the air, or four one-inch streams one hundred feet high, from a corresponding number of hydrants.
Water to be furnished to the inhabitants of the town at the usual rates.
Provided and on condition that the Town of Wakefield shall guarantee and pay at the rate of six per cent. per annum, the interest upon fifty thousand dollars of the bonds of the Quannapowitt Water Company, payable in twenty years from their date, issued for the purpose of con- structing its Water Works, and shall pay said Company the sum of twenty-five dollars per year for each of said sixty fire-hydrants for said period.
We have the honor to be
Yours Very Respectfully, CYRUS WAKEFIELD, Pres't. S. O. RICHARDSON, Treas.
At the next meeting of the Committee held Wednesday Evening, April 13th, the Directors of the Water Company notified us of their wish to con- fer with us in regard to a modified proposition. They met us the same evening and explained their views, and, as a result, we have received from them the following communication, comprising a modified propo- sition, and a brief statement of the reasons for submitting the same,
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[PROPOSITION No. 2.]
WAKEFIELD, Mass., April 14, 1881.
To Hon. Richard Britton, Chairman, and Joseph M. Skulley, Esq., Sec. Committee of the Town of Wakefield.
GENTLEMEN :-
The suggestion having been made to this Company that a doubt exists as to the propriety of the town's voting, as the phraseology of the statute stands, to pay the interest on the bonds of this Company as was proposed in our former proposition, we have thought best to submit to your Committee a new proposition, which without changing the sum to be expended by the town, puts, we think, the proposition in better form, and gives to the town the entire control in the matter of the payment of interest.
The Quannapowitt Water Company proposes to the Town of Wake- field, as follows: That in consideration that said Town will guarantee at the rate of six per cent. per annum the semi-annual payment, of the interest upon fifty thousand dollars of the bonds of the Quannapowitt Water Company, payable in twenty years from their date, issued for the purpose of constructing its Water-Works, and will pay for said period the sum of sixty dollars as annual rental for each of the seventy - five fire hydrants hereinafter named,-
The Quannapowitt Water Company will establish Water Works on the direct pumping system, lay six miles of iron pipe through the streets of the thickly populated part of the town, and place seventy-five double nozzle fire hydrants in proper locations. Said water-works to be of a guaranteed capacity of one million gallons per twenty-four hours, for domestic and manufacturing purposes, or for fire protection to throw six 7-8 inch streams eighty feet into the air, or four one-inch streams one hundred feet high, from a corresponding number of hydrants. Said Company will supply the inhabitants of the Town with water for domes - tic and manufacturing purposes at the usual rates, and will authorize the Town to retain in its Treasury out of said annual rental of said hydrants for the purpose of paying the interest here- inbefore named, the sum of three thousand dollars, or such part thereof as shall be equal to the annual interest upon the bonds of said Quannapowitt Water Company outstanding, and upon which the Town shall have guaranteed the interest.
We have the honor to be Yours Very Respectfully,
CYRUS WAKEFIELD, Pres't. SOLON O. RICHARDSON, Treas.
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At the adjourned meeting of the Town, April 11th, It was Voted, that the Committee be instructed to print the Acts of the Legislature passed in 1872 and 1877 for supplying the towns of Wakefield and Stoneham with water.
These Acts are appended to this report, and by reference thereto, it will be seen that the second proposition of the Water Company is so drawn as to clearly conform with the provisions of the law.
By the terms and conditions of the first proposition the Town would be obliged to pay $3000 per annum as interest on the bonds of the Water Company, and $1500 per annum as the rental of sixty fire- drants, making $4500 in all. By the second proposition, the' total annual payment by the town remains the same $4500, while the town gets seventy-five fire-hydrants instead of sixty. Instead of paying the interest to bond-holders, as required by the first proposition, the town, under the second, will simply guarantee the payment of this interest, and withhold from the annual rental of the seventy-five fire-hydrants a sum sufficient to protect its guaranty.
It must be apparent, we think, to every one, that the terms of the second proposition are more liberal to the town, and the form of the agreement more in consonance with the Legislative Acts than in the case of the first proposition.
The following is a list of the streets through which the Water Com- pany proposes to lay its pipes :
Main street from opposite Mrs. Flint's to John G. Aborn's; West Water street to B. F. Abbott's; Water street to Vernon; Vernon street to Pleasant; Pleasant street to Salem; Salem street from Pleasant to Main ; Pearl, Bryant, Park, Eaton, Crescent, Otis to Pleasant, Centre, Mechanic, Albion to Gould, Chestnut,. Avon, Yale avenue, Lafayette, Common, Church from Main to Common and from Lafayette to Rail- road, Railroad street to Albion, West Chestnut street to Cedar, Cedar to Gould, Gould to Albion.
Your Committee are of the opinion that a copious supply of pure, soft water, distributed by suitable pipes through the more densely pop- ulated parts of the town, and under a pressure sufficient to reach the upper stories of the highest house would be a great public and personal convenience, contributing largely to the health and comfortof all classes. As a sanitary measure it is of supreme importance ; for it is an unques- tioned fact, that, in all communities, as the population becomes concen- trated in compact villages, the usual supply from wells deteriorates in quality, and becomes harder, until it reaches that condition which ren- ders it entirely unfit for household uses. The saturation of the soil in the immediate vicinity of the wells with polluted water from sink-drains, cesspools and privies, goes on year after year, increasing in foulness and concentrating in constantly narrowing circles as the number of houses increase, until the whole water-bearing strata from which the
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well-supplies are drawn become hopelessly contaminated. That the health of the community is injuriously affected in such a contingency is not only a logical inference, from the stated condition of the case, but is a fact demonstrated by actual and sorrowful experience in cases with- out number.
As to the convenience of an ample supply of pure, soft water for household purposes, always available by the simple turning of a faucet, to supply the kitchen, the laundry, the bath-room, etc., there can be no question, and it is needless to dwell upon the multitude of advantages which such a public supply, never failing and always ready, has over the present individual system of pumping water from wells and cisterns, in stinted quantities, and with much labor and vexation. We might further enumerate the conveniences of the public system of supply as applied to other uses, as in stables, gardens, stores, public buildings, factories, etc., but the facts as to the convenience of the system are so palpable as to need only to be stated to be acquiesced in.
As a protection against fire, there can be no question as to the value of an abundant supply of water, especially in the thickly-built portion of the town. The district covered by the six miles of pipe, which the Water Company proposes to lay, comprises the most important build- ings of the town and the bulk of invested capital. It is safe to say that, with a thoroughly efficient system of public water-works extend- ing throughout this district, and with hydrants established as proposed, about twelve to the mile, the reduction of insurance premiums on the buildings protected would pay the annual interest, and in twenty years would more than pay for the cost of the works. But aside from the saving in premiums there is that incalculable saving that will result from the prevention of large conflagrations. No system will prevent accidental fires or incendiarism, but a thoroughly efficient water system will check the progress of such' fires whatever their origin.
It appears to your Committee, then, after a careful consideration of all the various advantages to be derived from the introduction of water to our town, that the system of works best adapted to furnish the supply for domestic and manufacturing purposes, and at the same time have the power and capacity to furnish fire-streams at any point within the district piped, equal in volume and force to two steam fire-engines and be always in readiness, is the system known as the direct pumping system, and the one which the Water Company, after a full and careful investigation have decided to adopt as being the least expensive and the most efficient. This system is not an untried experiment by any means. Nearly one hundred cities and towns having populations vary- ing from 2,500 to 130,000, are now supplied by this system, and the testimony of these places as to the safety, economy and efficiency of the works is unequivocally favorable. Under the reservoir system there can be no hearl or pressure greater than that due to the height of the
.
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reservoir, and this head is so diminished by friction in the pipes and by increased consumption, that it very rarely happens that even in the lowest grounds, is there pressure enough to give even a single efficient fire stream, and it has often happened, as we are informed, that in Boston the pipes would not supply as much water as two steamers require. The same objection is applicable to the stand-pipe system, unless the stand-pipe is of enormous height, or unless the stand-pipe be closed at the top as we are informed it is at Cambridge. In case of a closed stand-pipe the pumping becomes direct, and, in fact, any stand-pipe system is the direct system, as the stand-pipe serves no use- ful purpose that a large air-chamber 'would not serve equally as well ; but the trouble is that an open stand-pipe can give no greater head than the height of the water.
By the direct system the pressure is practically unlimited, and if a fire occurs at the very end of the line of works, or on the very highest ground, the pump will give the requisite pressure for playing a fire. stream direet from the hydrant, and without the intervention of either hand or steam-fire engines.
As the vote of the town directs us to make such recommendations as We might deem best, we have briefly stated our opinions as to the need of a water-supply for the town, its advantages, and the most desirable system to adopt. We believe that the town needs an abundant supply of pure water ; that it is essential to the health, comfort and conveni- ence of the people ; that it lessens fire risks, attracts business and new settlers, and enhances the value of real property. We also believe that the system of Works proposed by the Water Company will best fulfil all the requirements of an economical and efficient scheme, and that it will be for the best interests of the town to adopt the second proposition of the Quannapowitt Water Company, and we recommend that the Selectmen be instructed to call a Town Meeting at an early day to take the necessary action in accordance with Statutes.
Respectfully submitted. RICHARD BRITTON, THOMAS EMERSON, THEODORE E. BALCII, CHARLES JORDAN, JOHN A. MELONEY .. JOSEPH M. SKULLEY, Committee.
WAKEFIELD, April 18, 1881.
The Acts of the Legislature which were appended to the Committee's Report may be found as follows: Acts of 1872, Chap. 335; Acts of 1877, Chap. 136.
John M. Cate offered a minority report which the town permitted him to read.
VOTED. That both reports be accepted.
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A motion to lay. them on the table was lost (Yes, 112; No, 291.)
A motion to indefinitely postpone the article was rejected (Yes, 196; No, 295.)
A motion to adjourn for one week was rejected. On motion of W. S. Greenough it was voted that the majority report of the Committee be adopted.
A motion was made by Richard Britton that the second proposition of the Quannapowitt Water Co. be accepted by the town.
Pending this motion, it was voted to adjourn for one week from to-night. (Yes, 198; No, 117.)
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, MAY 2ND, 1881.
The meeting was called to order by $. K. Hamil- ton, Esq., Moderator.
The motion of Richard Britton made at last meet- ing was taken up, which was as follows: "That the second proposition of the Quannapowitt Water Co. be accepted by the town."
W. N. Tyler offered the following as a substitute motion, "That the town accept the second proposi- tion made to them by the Quannapowitt Water Co. through the Committee of Conference chosen at the Annual meeting held April 4th, 1881, to take effect at such time as a Committee chosen by the town, and duly authorized, shall sign a contract with said Quannapowitt Water Co."
The question of substituting the motion of Mr. Tyler was lost by a vote of. Yes, 171; No, 241.
The motion of Mr. Britton was then before the
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meeting, and was rejected by a vote of Yes, 165 ; No, 255. .
A motion to indefinitely postpone this article was then carried by a vote of Yes; 211; No. 173.
A motion to reconsider the vote whereby we voted to indefinitely postpone Art. 34 (referring to prose- cuting violations of the Liquor Law) was lost.
A motion to adjourn not carried.
ART. 42. To see if the town will place upon its records the statement made by the Overseers of the Poor for the year 1879-80, in reply to the statement of the Committee appointed by the town, and reimburse said Overseers, or their representatives, for any expenditures for printing and counsel fees connected therewith, or what they will do about it.
VOTED. That the town re-imburse the Overseers of the Poor for the year 1879-80 for their expenses of printing their report, in reply to tre statement made by the Committee appointed by the town, and for counsel fees connected therewith, and that their report be placed on file. (Yes, 103; No, 74.)
ART. 43. To see if the town will build a cistern for fire protection on Otis street opposite the school house, or what they will do about it.
Acting under this article a motion was made that the town raise and appropriate .the sum of three hundred dollars to build a cistern on Otis street. It was then voted to refer the matter to the Select- men with power to act. (Yes, 95; No, 39.)
ART. 44. To see if the town will provide a suitable reservoir for fire purposes on Albion street, between the Methodist church and Railroad street, or what they will do about it.
VOTED. To raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars to build a reservoir on Albion street between the Methodist Church and Railroad street, and that the subject be referred to the Engi- neers of the Fire Department with power to act.
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ART. 45. To see if the town will appropriate funds for the renovation of the main hall of the Town House.
VOTED. To pass this article over.
ART. 46. To see what action the town will take in relation to paying a bounty of one hundred dollars to William Newhall.
VOTED. That the sum of one hundred dollars be raised and appropriated to pay a bounty to William Newhall.
ART. 47. To hear and act upon the Report of the Selectnien for the laying out of a new town way from Court to School street over a private way known as Central street.
James Oliver, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, presented a report for laying out a new town way from Court to School street, over a pri- vate way known as Central Street, and recommend- ing an appropriation of $150.
VOTED. That the report be accepted, and its recommenda- tions adopted.
Report placed on file and recorded in Commission- ers' Records. . Book'1, Folio 62.
ART. 48. To hear and act upon the Report of the Selectmen for the laying out of a new town way from Albion street to .Stone- ham town line over a private way now known as Byron street.
James Oliver, Esq., presented a report for laying out a new town way from Albion street to Stone- ham line, over a private way called Byron street, the recommendation for construction being $500.
VOTED. To accept the report and its recommendations be adopted, also that the Selectmen be instructed to to place bounds at the angles of this street. Report recorded with Commissioners' Records. Book 1, Page 63.
VOTED. That the Selectmen in building this street be instructed to advertise for proposals, and let it out to the lowest bidder.
ART. 49. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of
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thirty-seven hundred dollars, for the purpose of buying a steam fire engine, or what they will do about it.
VOTED.
To pass this article over. (Yes, 100; No, 51.)
ART. 50. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of one thousand dollars for the purpose of buying hose, or what they will do about it.
VOTED. To refer this article to the Engineers with power to act.
The Moderator read a letter from J. Henry Cart- land declining to serve as one of the Fish Com- mittee.
VOTED. To proceed to ballot for one member of the Fish Committee.
Result of the ballot,
Whole No of votes cast, · 43
Sam'l Parker, Jr., ·
35
J. Edward Purdy,
4 . Scattering, .
4
and Samuel Parker, Jr., was declared elected.
The resignation of Dr. S. W. Abbott was then accepted, and it was voted to proceed to ballot for one member of the Board of Health.
Result of the ballot :
Azel Ames, Jr.,
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J. W. Howland,
·
5
W. J. Howland,
.
2
Warren Nichols,
5 Scattering,
5
And Azel Ames, Jr., was declared elected.
ART. 51. To hear and act upon reports of Committees.
W. S. Greenough, Chairman of the Committee on purchasing a soldiers' burial lot, submitted the fol- lowing
REPORT.
The Committee appointed at a town meeting, held Nov. 2d, 1880, with authority to purchase one or more lots in Lakeside Cemetery as a burial place for Union soldiers, at an expense not exceeding one hun-
.
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dred and twenty dollars, have attended to the duty assigned them, and would report as follows :-
The Committee after carefully considering different lots and locali- ties in said cemetery, with a view more to future thau to present ad- vantages, made unanimous choice of lots numbered 627, 628, 635 and 636, bounded and measuring as follows, viz. : East on Rose Path, 33 feet, south 43 feet, west on Catalpa Avenue, 33 feet, north 43 feet. The sum of one hundred and twenty dollars has been paid to the proprietors of said cemetery, and a deed made and executed in due form to the Town of Wakefield of the above described lots, has been received from them, and deposited with the Town Treasurer.
The Committee would recommend that the town appoint as trustees of said soldiers' lot the Chairman of the Board of Selectinen, the Town Treasurer, and the Commander of Warren Post No. 12, Grand Army of the Republic.
And the Committee would further recommend that the above-named officers be, and that their successors in office shall continue to be, em- powered by the town to take full and entire charge of said soldiers' lot until the town by its vote shall otherwise order ; that said trustees serve without pay, and that they be instructed to incur no expense to the town for the care or improvement of said soldiers lot.
(Signed) 'W. S. GREENOUGH, GEO. H. TEAGUE, AZEL AMES, JR.
WAKEFIELD, Mass., April 4th, 1881.
VOTED. That the report be accepted and adopted.
James Oliver presented a report of the Selectmen on the claim of Henry H. Evans for bounty. Re- port recorded with Town Clerk's Records, Book 7, Fol. 38, 39.
VOTED. That the report be accepted.
A motion to amend the report so that Mr. Evans can be paid a bounty was rejected, and no further action taken.
W. S. Greenough, in behalf of the Committee chosen at the annual meeting to revise the Rules and Orders for the town presented the following
REPORT.
The Committee appointed at the last annual town meeting to prepare and report a revised list of Rules and Orders, would respectfully pro- pose the following changes in the present code, viz. :-
In Rule 7 to strike out the words " or pass over."
In Rule S to strike out the words " for State officers."
In Rule 13 to add " And it shall be the duty of the member first named to call the Committee together for organization."
Rule 14 to be stricken out.
In Rule 15 to strike out the words "Voting in the majority," and to add after the word " meeting " in the second line, and after the word " meeting " in the last line of said rule the words " or at any adjourn- ment thereof."
In rule 16 to strike out the word " received " and to insert in place thereof the words " properly before the meeting for its action thereon."
New Rule. No report of Committees shall be in'order unless made under an article in the warrant which explains the subject to be re- ported upon.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed)
S. K. HAMILTON, WV. S. GREENOUGH, W. F. YOUNG, JAMES OLIVER.
WAKEFIELD, April 4th, 1881.
VOTED. That the report be accepted.
A motion that the report be so amended that a mo- tion to adjourn shall be debatable, was rejected. (Yes, 36; No, 46.)
It was then voted to adopt the report of the Com- mittee.
VOTED. That the revised rules and orders be printed in the next annual town report.
The Rules and Orders as revised will be found later in this report.
Rev. E. B. Burgess offered the following resolu- tion :-
Resolved,-That the patriotic women citizens of this town who have paid taxes, and have availed themselves of suffrage so far as given, and by their presence have graced our meetings, and
have been educating themselves for the duties of citizens. are entitled to the courtesy and honorable recognition of this assembly.
The resolution was carried by a vote of Yes, 61 ; No, 11.
A motion was made to pay the Moderator the sum of $20, for his services as Moderator, but he de- clining to receive any compensation. A vote of thanks was tendered him for the very able and im- partial manner in which he had presided over the protracted deliberations of the annual meeting. At 12 :35 A. M., May 3d, it was voted that this meeting be dissolved.
TOWN MEETING, MAY 9TH, 1881.
ART. 1. To choose by ballot a Moderator to preside in said meeting. Proceeded under this article to ballot for Modera- tor.
James Oliver, S4 S. K. Hamilton, 43
W. S. Greenough, 3
and James Oliver was declared elected.
ART. 2. To see if the town will guarantee, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, the semi-annual payment of the interest upon fifty thousand dollars of the bonds of the Quannapowitt Water Company, payable in twenty years from their date, issued for the purpose of constructing its Water Works, and will pay said Company for said period the sum of sixty dol- lars as annual rental for each of the seventy-five double-noz - zle-fire hydrants, to be furnished by said Company and
· placed in proper locations in the town, in consideration and acceptance of Proposition No. 2, submitted to the town by the Quannapowitt Water Company, through the Water Com- mittee of Conference chosen at the Annual Meeting, held April 4th, 1881, and to confer the proper and necessary authority to carry out the purpose of this Article .
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Acting under this Article Charles F. Richardson offered the following motion.
"That the town guarantee, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, the semi-annual payment of the interest on fifty thousand dollars of the bonds of the Quannapowitt Water Company, payable in twenty years from their date, issued for the purpose of constructing its Water Works, and that the town pay said Company for said period, the sum of sixty dollars, as annual rental for each of seventy- five double-nozzle fire-hydrants to be furnished by said Company, and placed in proper locations in the town, and that a Committee of five be chosen to sign and execute all contracts necessary to carry this vote into effect, and to protect the interests of the town therein. And that the Town Treasurer be, and hereby is, authorized and empowered for and in behalf of said town, to guarantee the pay- ment of the interest coupons of said bonds when- ever the aforesaid contracts are executed between said Company and the town."
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