USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1875-1881 > Part 47
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
$1.397 33
$1,000 21
Add value of Inventory, April, 1881.
1,764 30
$2,764 51
Deduct value of Inventory, Mar. 1, 1882.
1,822 39
Net cost of support at Almshouse. . $942 12
Net cost of support outside. .
1.819 29
Total net cost of support of the poor. $2,761 41
ALMSHOUSE STATEMENT.
Number of inmates. including J. M. Hawkes. first of year, . 3
Number of inmates, including Davis and Hawkes. close of year, 9 ·
Largest number at any one time. · Smallest . . .
9
3
Average number during the year. 6
For the gratification of the curious in such matters, this information is given :
Whole number of days' board of persons, exclusive of Superintendent's regular family. . 2,208
This gives a daily cost of about 43 cents ; or a weekly cost of $3 2-100 per person.
Number of tramps received at the lock-up. . 114 At the Almshouse. none.
Almshouse Expense. Comparalice. 1880 and 1881.
Payments.
1880.
1881.
Increase 1881 |Decrease 1881
For permanent improvements,
$173 41
$337 21
$63 80
Hay, grain and feed,
529 47
503 61
$25 86
Provisions,
558 47
544 89
13 58
Labor,
184 73
185 37
64
,
Stock purchased,
457 68
17 00
440 68
Manure,
11 50
5 33
6 17
Household goods,
184 52
18 79
165 73
Hardware, Blacksmithing and repairs,
138 32
61 79
76 53
Tools and seeds,
55 94
64 06
8 12
Medicines and attendance,
72 35
28 09
44 26
Salary,
370 82
350 00
20 82
Fuel,
61 50
128 37
66 87
Dry goods, clothing, boots, etc.,
91 20
58 78
32 42
Burial expenses,
6 00
7 50
1 50
Miscellaneous,
123 46
57 75
65 61
Lumber,
73 05
29 00
44 05
$3,092 42
$2,397 54
$140 93
$935 71
Receipts from sales,
1,210 42
1,060 12
140 93
Net,
$1,882 00
$1,337 42
Tin 1881. $794 78|Net decrease
110
111
Although the present financial year was commenced with only two Almshouse inmates, that were being wholly sup- ported at the town's expense, additions and removals have from time to time occurred, and the year closed with eight in- mates there.
Fortunately, general comparative health has marked the passage of the year, and the quiet monotony of that institu- tion has been somewhat enlivened by the unusual occurrence of a birth therein,-this infant dying there two weeks after- ward,-and being the only death there during the year.
How nearly " self-supporting " it is possible to render the Almshouse establishment, we suppose still remains an un- solved problem ; as the number and condition of its inmates must largely determine the sum of its annual expenses.
Given, -a good manager on the farm, a good woman in the house, a good season with good. crops, the inmates few and in good health, -(a desirable yet unusual combination, ) and the problem might, perhaps, thus find a satisfactory solution.
That the figures we have here presented, as compared with those of other years, show a gain in the right direction, we hope will prove as gratifying a result to all as it has already done to the Overseers themselves.
At the commencement of the year the town authorized the expenditure of five hundred dollars in the permanent im- provement of the Town Farm.
The plans and suggestions of the Overseers having refer- ence to such improvement,-plans which, if carried out suc- cessfully, they supposed would add alike to the beauty and value of the farm, --- have failed of entire completion in the manner proposed, as the Superintendent lacked inclination or opportunity to attempt their accomplishment.
Yet a portion of the changes contemplated, commenced quite late in the season, have been effected by persons em- ployed for that purpose.
Broken culverts have been replaced, inconvenient and un- sightly boulders and bushes have been removed from the
112
grass-lands, dilapidated stone division walls have been re- moved and rebuilt ; thus adding increased smoothness to a portion of the farm.
The removal of dead bark and decayed limbs from the or- chard-trees has greatly improved the appearance of that portion of the estate ; a labor not without compensation, since those trees have yielded about 150 bushels of apples within the year.
And there remain opportunities for further improvements, as the town may authorize such expenditures.
The action of the town at its last November meeting. in changing the termination of the contract with the Superin- tendent from April 30th to March 31st, has rendered it nec- essary for the out-going Board of Overseers to make arrange- ments toward securing one for the coming year, in advance of the annual election of town officers.
In compliance with the instructions of the town, all vouch- ers for payments in the Overseers' department, duly approv- ed, have passed through the hands of the Selectmen before payment, and orders therefor have been issued by the Se- lectmen.
In further compliance with town instructions, all cash payments made to the Overseers, from sales at the Alms- house and from various cities, towns and individuals, have been deposited, monthly, with the town Treasurer.
And these methods-new in this department-have, it is believed, secured complete accuracy in these accounts, and have appeared to work satisfactorily.
A question, affecting the settlement of an insane man, a former resident, has recently been presented to the Over- seers, which, for its determination, required a knowledge of the fact that the individual named did actually pay a tax in this town during certain specified years.
Finding in the town safes no record book of any Tax Col- lector, for any year, the Overseers were compelled to seek the desired information from the persons who had served as
113
Collectors during those years,-some of them not now resi- dents of this state.
This search established the fact that, of the ten years' rec- ords thus desired only three could be found; the others be- ing, it may be supposed, permanently lost.
As similar cases, requiring such knowledge, are likely to arise in the future, the Overseers respectfully recommend that the town adopt measures to secure all books of this class that can be now obtained ; and that all future Tax Collectors be instructed to return such books to the Assessors, when, and as soon as their payments are complete, in order that they may be carefully preserved with other valuable records.
In addition to the relief now experienced by the Overseers in relinquishing the duties pertaining to this department,- duties sometimes perplexing and not always pleasant, -- they find some satisfaction in the consciousness of an attempt to perform them economically, promptly and faithfully.
They also find satisfaction in the fact that the figures here- in presented, as compared with those of previous years in the same department, exhibit a very material reduction of the net expense.
In confirmation of this result, attention is directed to the comparative statement on the following page :
NOTE .- On page 101, the sum of aid furnished Abbie Hawkes should have been $ 64 00 On page 104, the sum received from the City of Boston should have benn $90 91
:
15
114
Year.
Net Expense Almshouse.
Net Expense Outside.
Total
Net Expense,
1876
$2,872 96
$2,133 87
$5.006 83
1377
3,141 45
2,262 05
5,403 50
1878
2,824 81
2,772 20
5,597 01
1879
2,752 11
3,089 36
5,841 47
1880
1,882 00
3.111 44
4.993 44
Total 5 years,
$13,473 33
$13,368 92
$26,842 25
Average,
$2.694 67
652,673 78
$5,368 45
1881
942 12
1,819 29
2,761 41
Decrease, Due March 1,
$1.762 55
$854 49 200 00
$2,607 04
200 00
$1,752 55
$654 49
$2,407 04
Deduct,
$63 79
$1,688 76
* The Overseers desire to state that this sum of $63.79. on account of lock-up fees and meals furnished tramps, as stated on page 66, which the Auditors think should have been shown as a part of the Ahn-house expense, was not intentionally omitted by them. and would have been readily included there, had the suggestion retched them before their report was completed for the printer. A glance will show what change its insertion would have caused. leaving the net Almshouse reduction (as compared with five years' average,) a little less than seventeen hundred dollars. It would also have increased the cost of support at Almshouse, (as elsewhere given), about twenty cents per week .- [OVERSEERS.]
A careful examination of the foregoing statement we think will show a net reduction of cost of support of the poor, at the Almshouse during the year just closed, as compared with the five years' average in round numbers of seventeen hundred and fifty dollars, a total net reduction of cost of support of the poor, including outside relief, so compared, of twenty-four hundred dollars, and, compared with the year 1880, the smallest of the five, a total net reduction of two thousand dollars.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN PURINGTON, Overseers JAMES W. DEAN, JOHN S. EATON. the Poor. of
115
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
BYRON STREET.
At the annual meeting in April, the Report of the Select- men, laying out Byron street as a town way, was accepted and adopted, and the sum of $500 was appropriated to meet the expense of the same. A contract was made for building the same, with P. O'Connor, for the sum of $480.50. To James A. Bancroft for surveying and plan, $17.00 ; D. Hag- gerty, labor, $2.00. Total, $499.50.
CENTRAL STREET.
At the same meeting the report of the Selectmen laying out the easterly part of a private way from School to Cordis streets, known as Central street, for a public highway, was adopted, and the sum of $150 was appropriated for the same, expended as follows : Cyrus Kimball, contract, $118.50, Geo. A. Daland, $10, James A. Bancroft, survey and plan, $7. Total, $135.50.
LINCOLN STREET AND SMITH STREET.
Reported by the Selectmen, and the report adopted by the town Nov. 8th, 1881, and $175 appropriated for build- ing the same, expended as follows : Adam Wiley, contract, $201.85, H. L. Haskell, railing, $4.55, P. O'Connor, cul- vert, $4, James A. Bancroft, survey and plan, $7.50. Total, $217:90.
116
MAIN STREET IMPROVEMENT.
An appropriation of $250 was ordered by the town for the regrading of that part of Main street lying between Charles street and the Railroad Crossing. The work was completed by the Highway Surveyor of the Centre District for $225.26.
The portraits of Washington and Wakefield in the Town Hall have been renewed and brightened, (as per vote of the town), by Mr. T. H. Badger, the original painter of the Wakefield portrait, at an expense of $27.
At the annual meeting the Selectmen were instructed to procure a plan of seats for the Town Hall. These instruc- tions have been carried out by a contract with Messrs. Wait and Cutter, for five hundred copies of a plan, of which a por- tion are lithograph aud the balance cardboard, for the sum of $50.
In accordance with the vote of the town, twenty-five seats have been placed upon the Common by Mr. Henry L. Has- kell, at an expense of $63.78 ; appropriation, $75.
As per vote of the town, a cistern has been placed at the junction of Otis and Pleasant streets by contract with Wm. K. Perkins, at a cost of $298 ; appropriation, $300.
At the annual meeting in November the town voted to place a reservoir at the junction of Salem and Vernon streets, and appropriated the sum of $300 to cover the expense of the same. An examination of the ground, and measurement of the water in wells in the immediate vicinity, satisfied your board that a supply of water sufficient to make a reservoir of any practical value, in case of fire in the vicinity, would cost nearly, or quite double the amount of the appropriation. One well nineteen feet in depth, within a short distance of the spot, was found entirely dry, others twenty-two and twenty-five feet, contained eighteen and twenty inches of water. Under these circumstances it was deemed best not to commence the work, but report the facts to the town.
117
A bounty of one hundred dollars has been paid to William Newhall as per vote of the town, May 2d, 1881.
Auctioneers' licenses were granted to Daniel Norcross, Wm. G. Skinner, Francis Williams and Charles F. Harts- horne. Druggists' licenses were granted Joseph D. Mans- field, Wm. J. Howland, Wm. H. Piper and B. W. Conant. Victuallers' licenses were granted to John F. Alexander, Wm. O. Evans, George Cox, S. H. Nickerson, C. F. Do- herty, Mrs. A. McMillan, and Aaron Butler. Licenses for the sale of beer and light wines were granted to Geo. Cox, Mrs. A. McMillan, Wm. O. Evans, S. H. Nickerson, and C. F. Doherty.
Direction boards are all in proper order upon the various avenues leading to other towns, and there is no deficiency in this respect of which we are aware.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES OLIVER, Selectmen B. B. BURBANK, of JOHN S. EATON. Wakefield.
118
ASSESSORS' REPORT.
The Assessors of Wakefield present the following valua- tion of estates, real and personal, taxed in this town May 1st, 1882 :
Valuation of Real Estate, $2,877,281 00
" Personal " 507,990 00
Resident Bank Stock (Nat. B'k of So. Reading,) 48,185 00 1
Total valuation,
$3,433,456 00
Whole number of polls 1,497 at $2.00, . $2,994 00
Total amount assessed including bank stock and overlay, 53,122,45 00
Rate of taxation $14.60 per $1,000.
· Whole number of dwelling houses taxed, 1,042
" horses 301
" COWS 216
" sheep 0
66 " acres of land 3,734
Value of real estate and machinery of corpora- tions,
$342,545 00
Value of real estate in Wakefield exempted by
law from taxation, $145,950 00
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES OLIVER, CHAS. F. HARTSHORNE, DAVID PERKINS, 3
Assessors of Wakefield.
119
ENGINEERS' REPORT.
The Engineers would submit the following report of the Fire Department for the year ending March 1st, 1882 :
The Department at present consists of two hand engines, one Chemical Engine, one four-wheeled Hose Carriage, two jumpers, one Hook and Ladder carriage, a set of double runners for Yale Engine, one Fire Extinguisher and Johnson Pump located in the Town Hall, Board of three Engineers and one hundred and twenty men, divided as follows :
Yale Engine Co. No. 1, fifty-five men.
C. Wakefield Engine Co. No. 2, thirty-five men.
Washington Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1, twenty men. Chemical Engine Co. No. 1, ten men.
The Department has about twenty-seven hundred feet of hose, one thousand of which your Engineers, acting under the vote of the town, purchased the past year at a cost of eight hundred and fifty dollars.
Your Engineers have in accordance with the vote of the town caused a reservoir to be built on Albion street. The place selected for building the reservoir, near the residence of Mr. Williams, seemed to your Engineers the place where the largest supply of water could be obtained, and at the least expense to the town. 'The contract for building the reservoir was awarded to N. H. Dow, for the sum of two hundred and forty dollars for a depth of 13 feet. But that not being sufficient it was dug three and a half feet deeper at an extra cost of one hundred dollars. It promises to be an extra good reservoir. There has also been added to our water supply the past year & cistern built under the direde
120
tion of the Selectmen, at the corner of Otis and Pleasant streets. We are in hopes this will prove as well as we an- ticipate, and that the town will continue to build more of them in places where reservoirs cannot be easily built. Owing to the large snow storms the past winter the Engineers thought best to have a set of runners made for the Yale En- gine. When completed we had them attached and tried, and feel warranted in saying that when needed considerable time will be gained by their use.
FIRES AND ALARMS.
March 12th, 1881. Fire at the Wakefield Rattan Works. This was the largest fire that ever occurred in our town. In looking over the record of the previous board we find that the fire was discovered at 12.40 A. M., and the alarm given. But before the arrival of the Department, the flames had com- plete control of the large building in which the fire started. The Department were soon at work on the fire, but their ut- most efforts were insufficient to check the progress of the flames, which were spreading with great rapidity from one building to another. Our predecessors in office, who were then in charge of the Fire Department, seeing that the fire was larger than our Department could handle, immediately dispatched to our neighboring towns for help, and in re- sponse, as soon as circumstances would permit, were assisted by the arrival of one steam fire engine, one hand engine, hose and hook and ladder carriages from Stoneham, two hand engines from Reading, one steam fire engine with hose carriage from Malden. With this force the fire was checked and soon under control. The Department were kept in ser- vice until eleven o'clock the next day, and special men de- tailed to work on the ruins throughout the day and night. There were eight buildings burned. Loss to the company $190,000, which was covered by an insurance of $330,000. There was also a dwelling house burned, corner of Water and Melvin streets, which was insured for one thousand dol- lars.
121
April 3d. Fire in Perkins' Block, corner Main and Al- bion streets, caused by a lamp setting fire to a dry box used by C. F. Richardson in preparing plates. Loss on building $134.50 ; fully covered by insurance. Loss to C. F. Rich- ardson $75, on which there was no insurance. Loss to C. O. Anderson by water $100, which was covered by insur- ance.
May. 9th. An alarm was given at 8.40 P. M., caused by the burning of waste in the varnish shop of the Rattan Works, which was extinguished before the arrival of the Department, without serious damage.
May 10th, 9 P. M. Alarm caused by the burning of brush in Woodville.
May 12th, 4 A. M. Fire was discovered in a carpenter shop on Vernon street, owned by John W. Pettengill, but was extinguished without calling out the Department. Damage trifling.
July 3d, 2.45 A. M. Alarm caused by the burning of an unoccupied dwelling house on Lake street, owned by Edwin Mercer. Loss, $800, covered by insurance. Caused by an incendiary. The house owned and occupied by Wm. Greaney near by, was damaged to the extent of $75, which was covered by insurance.
July 3d, 5 P. M. Alarm caused by fire being discovered in a dwelling house in Greenwood, owned by John T. At- wood. Loss to building $170, covered by insurance.
Jan. 27th, 1882. Fire at the Peoples' Ice Co. ice houses on Railroad street. Loss ou building $200, on ice $1,000; insurance on building $2,000, on ice $3,000. Probable cause, incendiary .
The expenses of the Department the past year, owing to bills contracted the previous year, and the expense of the Rattan fire, caused your Engineers to ask the town for an extra appropriation of five hundred dollars.
16
122
Your Engineers believing it poor policy to be relying so much on our neighboring towns for help in case of a large fire, would recommend the purchasing of a steam fire engine.
The Board of Engineers would take this opportunity to thank the members of each of the companies for their promptness and the interest they have taken in the welfare of the Department, and also to thank the members of the Volunteer Fountain Engine Co., for the valuable service rendered at fires the past year.
All of which is respectfully. submitted.
J. H. EATON, CHARLES H. DAVIS, of the
Engineers
THOMAS HICKEY, Fire Department.
123
POLICE REPORT.
For the year ending March 1, 1882. Whole number of arrests,
· 57
Americans,
. 18
Foreigners,
· 39
Males,
.
.
. 52
Females,
.
5
Causes for which arrested :
For assault and battery,
. 16
burglary, · ·
1
bastardy,
2
disturbing the peace,
7
default warrant,
1
drunkenness, .
· 18
gambling,
1
larceny,
.
1
maintaining liquor nuisance,
·
8
trespass,
.
.
1
vagrancy, ·
.
1
Fifty-seven persons have been furnished with lodgings by the police during the year.
The night police have reported to me as follows : Persons provided with lodgings, 57 .
. · 25 Arrests made, .
Called to suppress disturbances, g . .
.
.
.
124
Lodgings found for strangers,
12
Persons assisted home,
·
9
Store doors found open.
. 19
2
Strayed teams cared for, horses “
.
.
2
I would recommend the town to continue the night police ; also that the town authorize the Selectmen to appoint a po- lice officer to be on duty in the centre of the town on each Sabbath day, from nine o'clock A. M. to seven P. M., from April 1st to November 1st.
Respectfully submitted,
CHAS. H. DAVIS, Chief of Police.
125
FISH COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
The subject of the fisheries, theoretical, practical and ali- mentary, is so well understood by our people that a presen- tation of the sixth annual report seems almost superfluous. The migratory fish from the ocean ascended the river and passed into the lake.at the usual time, and in larger numbers than have heretofore been noticed. and millions of the young fry were scen during the autumn passing down to Atlantic waters, thus fulfilling nature's great economic plan. The long-expected and notable event of the past season was the re-opening of Lake Quannapowitt ; and after a close of four years the lake has yielded its increase ; and the most sanguine expectations of those who inaugurated the movement have been fully realized. Fishing was allowed one-half day and one whole day in each week, under such regulations as your committee after a very careful consideration of the whole subject, submitted to the town for its sanction, which was fully approved by the Commissioners of Inland Fisheries, and will be found at the close of this report.
The Committee are not aware that there have been any violations of the regulations established, but that all have en- deavored to deal fairly and respect the rules, which were for the advantage of each and all.
There is some cause of complaint on account of the care- lessness or thoughtlessness of those holding permits and failing to make returns. It is important that these should be handed in at the close of the season in time to render consolidated report to the State Commissioners. Your Com-
126
mittee can see no remedy for this state of affairs, save the witholding of permits another season from those who care- lessly or wilfully refuse to comply with these reasonable and simple requirements. The State Commissioners in their let- ter to our honorable Board of Selectmen say : "You will, therefore, see that the omission to fulfil one of the most im- portant conditions of your lease is a vital one, and if not complied with, will require the Commissioners in the dis- charge of their duty in accordance with the acts of 1869, Chap. 384, Art. 10, to take possession of the lake and re-lease the same."
. Now, as a matter of fact, more than 700 permits were is- sued, only 272 have been returned, and these show a catch of 220 bass, 1,489 pickerel, 1,152 white perch, 10,412 red perch, 1,191 miscellaneous fish, making a total of 19,505 fish weighing 5,370 pounds, and 428 permits unreturned. Is it fair to suppose the unreturned permits represent half as many more fish taken? This is an open question on which you can estimate as well as the Committee. We hope that hereafter in the seasons to come, the true sportsman will make prompt and honest returns to the constituted authori- ties of the game he has taken. Regarding the land-locked salmon it has been reported to your Committee that two sal- mon were taken, weighing about 1-4 lb. each ; one was put back alive, the other was injured so that it died. It is thought by some versed in pisciculture, that salmon, being a fish of slow growth, it is too soon to expect their maturity, and that in succeeding years numerous catches of this deli- cate fish will reward the patience and skill of the future angler.
The gentleman having the leather-sided carp in charge re- ports that they failed to re-appear last spring, and were all winter-killed. This was entirely on his own account and risk, and apart from any work of the Committee.
All. of which is respectfully submitted.
SAMUEL PARKER, JR., S Fish DENNIS DALY, .
Committee.
127 RULES AND REGULATIONS
TO GOVERN FISHING IN LAKE QUANNAPOWITT, LEASED BY THE STATE TO THE TOWN OF WAKEFIELD.
I. The inhabitants of the town of Wakefield shall have the right to fish in Lake Quannapowitt on Wednesday from sunrise until sunset, and on Saturday from twelve (12) o'clock-noon-until sunset of each week, from the 1st of July to the first of November, after having first obtained , from the Fish Committee of the town a permit for such fish- ing, containing name of applicant with date of issue, and signed by one or more of said Committee, and paying there- for the sum of twenty-five cents. Said permit shall not be transferable and shall expire at sunset on the last day of Oc- tober of each year; and the holder thereof shall, on the first day of November make full returns to the Fish Committee of the number, species, and estimated weight of edible fish taken under the permit; and it shall be the duty of said Committee to keep accurate account of these permits and re- turns which shall be open to the inspection of the Commis- sioners on Inland Fisheries.
II. The taking of land-locked salmon is prohibited until further notice. All salmon caught to be returned to the water alive, and all black bass, under one-half pound in weight, shall be returned to the water alive.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.