USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1894-1896 > Part 15
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Art. 4. To hear and act upon the report of the committee on additional accommodations for the Beebe Town Li- brary, appointed under article 70 of the last annual warrant.
Otis V. Waterman, Esq., chairman of the committee, -read the following report :
The committee appointed under article 70 of the last an- nual town meeting respectfully report that they have at- tended to their duty and they are satisfied that the library is in urgent need of additional accommodations, and while they believe that ultimately the town will have to purchase a lot of land and erect a suitable library building, they are of the opinion that temporary relief can be afforded by removing certain partitions which now separate the library room from the corridor and ticket office, thus letting into, and making available for library purposes, the space now occupied by the corridor leading from the front. entrance of the town hall to the library, the large closet opening out of this on the left and the ticket office on the right.
This would allow nearly the whole of the present library to be used for shelf space. They are of the opinion that a new ticket office could easily be provided and that the ex- pense of making this change would not be large. The com- mittee recommend that the town choose a committee to ascertain the cost of making such alterations.
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Two other suggestions have been made which the commit- tee deem important. One is, the extension of the library on the west side by building a brick addition out to the front line of the town hall, making the same one story high and erecting a corresponding addition on the other side to the present rooms occupied now by the selectmen and the town clerk. The other suggestion is to similarly extend the court room and the reading room on the east, taking the court room for the library.
Voted. To accept the report.
Voted. To lay the report on the table.
Art. 5. To see what action the town will take in relation to providing additional accommodations for the Beebe Town Library, and raise and appropriate money there- for, or what it will do about it.
The same committee were given further time to in- vestigate and report at an adjourned meeting, or the next town meeting.
Art. 6. To see if the town will authorize the Selectmen to' contract with the Wakefield Water Co. for water to supply the drinking fountain located at the junction of Lowell and Salem streets under Article 12 of the town warrant of Nov. 20, 1893, and raise and appropriate money therefor, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To do so and $100 therefor.
Art. 7. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars to pay the claim of J. Laybolt, caused by taking land for highway, or what it will do about it.
Voted. $250.
Art. 8. To see if the town will contract with the Wakefield Water Co. for the use of hydrants for fire protection, or what action they will take in the matter.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
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Art. 9. To see if the town will place an additional street light on Park avenue, westerly from Park avenue gate, and raise and appropriate money therefor, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To locate the lamp as asked for, and $5 was ap- propriated on motion of Maj. Tyler.
Art. 10. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars in addition to the sum al- ready raised and appropriated to pay the Secretary of the board of Selectmen.
Voted. $100.
Voted. To adjourn without date.
TOWN MEETING, MAY 25, 1894,
Art. 1. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting. Wm. N. Tyler was elected Moderator.
Voted. To take up Article 3.
Art. 3. To see what action the town will take in relation to a supply of water for the extinguishment of fires by a contract with the Wakefield Water Co., or what it will do about it.
Mr. White moved "That our selectmen be authorized and instructed to forthwith make a contract with the Wakefield Water Company on the lowest terms which can be obtained, for the use of its hydrants during the time which may elapse before the town becomes the owner of the plant ; provided that said time of contract shall not exceed one year from April 1, 1894."
George K. Walton moved to amend by adding that the price be not more than $25 per hydrant. Col. W S. Greenough thought that article 2 was of first import- ance and moved to lay Mr. White's motion on the table. The motion was carried, 89 to 47.
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Art. 2. To see if the town will vote to accept the provi- sions of sections numbered "one to twelve" inclusive of chapter 187 of the acts of the General Court of the Commonwealth for the year 1894 relating to the water supply of the towns of Stoneham and Wakefield, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Voted. To take from the table Mr. White's motion as amended under article 3.
Mr. Maddock offered a substitute motion that a com- mittee of five be appointed by the chair to make a con- tract with the water company for ten years for the use of fire hydrants, and that the annual rental be not over $35.
Voted. That all motions be laid on the table. A commit- tee of five was then voted to retire and meet Mr. Ham- ilton and report in the evening. The committee con- sisted of W. S. Greenough, T. J. Skinner, G. H. Mad- dock, E. C. Miller, O. V. Waterman.
Voted. To add the names of Richard Britton and J. H. Car-' ter to this committee.
The committee returned and read the following prop- osition from the Wakefield Water Company :
PROPOSITION.
At the request of the town of Wakefield the Wakefield Water Co. makes the following proposition to the town of Wakefield :
It will furnish the town of Wakefield with water for use on the extinguishment of fires through its hydrants now set, or voted to be set, and such as may be hereafter required by said town for a period of ten years from the first day of April A. D., 1894, at the rate of $35 per hydrant per year, payable one-half semi-annually on the first days of June
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and December of each year, the first payment being for two months only, from April 1, 1894, to June 1, 1894, and pay- able on the first day of June, 1894.
The pressure to be the same as required by the former contract.
Voted. To accept the committee's report.
Voted. To lay the report on the table.
Voted. To take Mr. White's motion, as amended, from the table, and Mr. White's motion, as amended by Mr. Hickey, was carried. .
Art. 4. To see if the town will place an additional street light on Nahant street, between Oak street and the town farm, and raise and appropriate money therefor, or what it will do about it.
Voted. On motion of Mr. Dean, $5. '
Art. 5. To see what action, if any, the town will take in reference to the disbanding of the C. Wakefield Chemi- cal company by the Wakefield fire engineers, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To lay this article on the table.
The meeting dissolved at 12.15 o'clock a. m. Satur- day. The following article was not acted upon :
Art. 6. To see if the town will authorize the Board of Se- lectmen to pay for the use of a horse used in a supply wagon for chemical supplies used at a fire which oc- curred in Wakefield, July 15, A. D. 1893, and also to pay for the use of a horse used in a supply wagon for chemical supplies used at a fire which occurred in Wakefield, April 7, A. D. 1894.
TOWN MEETING, JULY 2, 1894.
Art. 1. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting. Edward A. Upton was elected Moderator.
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Art. 2. To hear and act upon a partial report of the Gas and Electric Light committee chosen at a meeting hol- den Oct. 2, 1892.
S. K. Hamilton, Esq., chairman of the committee, presented a partial report covering thirteen pages of type written matter, of progress made and recommen- dations for the town to adopt.
Voted. That the partial report of the committee be ac- cepted.
Voted. That the recommendations of the committee be adopted.
Motion to reconsider lost.
Voted. That the same committee be authorized to do what ever is necessary to carry out the recommendations of their report.
Art. 3. To see if the town will elect and vote to purchase the franchise and that portion of the plant, works, mains and all other distributing apparatus of the Citizens' Gas Light company of Reading, South Reading and Stone- ham lying or being in the towns of Reading and Stone- ham under the provisions of Chapter 454 of the Public Laws of the year A. D. 1893, and to take any and all further action that may be necessary therefor.
A motion by C. A. Dean that the town elect and vote to purchase the franchise of the Citizens' Gas Light Co. of the towns of Reading, South Reading and Stone- ham, lying or being in the towns of Reading and Stone- ham, under the provisions of Chapter 454 of the Public laws of the year A. D. 1893, and to take any other action that may be necessary therefor, at an expense not exceeding $22,000.
E. C. Miller moved to amend by recommitting to the same committee which reported under Article 2 with instructions to investigate what will be for the best in-
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terest of the town to take in this matter, and report at an adjournment of this meeting, one week from this evening.
The amendment of Mr. Miller was carried, and it was voted that when we adjourn it be for one week from this evening, at 7.30 p. m.
Voted. To take up Article 11.
Art. 11. To hear and act upon the report of the Selectmen relative to the establishment of a voting precinct in Greenwood; said report having been accepted by the town and referred to the present board of Selectmen, at the last annual meeting.
Mr. O. V. Waterman presented a report.
Voted. That the report be recommitted to the same com- mittee to report at the next meeting.
Voted. To take up Article 8.
Art. 8. To see if the town will accept Park avenue from Summit avenue to the town line of Stoneham, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To refer to Road Commissioners to report at an adjournment of this meeting.
Voted, To take up article 12.
Art. 12. To see what sum of money, the town will raise and appropriate to build a public highway from the Boston and Maine railroad bridge to Forest street over what is known as the "upper plains" in that part of Wakefield called Greenwood, as ordered by the county commissioners of said county, or what it will do about it. Voted. To refer to a committee of five to report at an ad- journment of this meeting.
Chair appointed S. W. Flint, W. M. Ward, Wm. G. Strong, Thos. Hickey, O. V. Waterman.
Voted. To adjourn for one week at 7.30 p. m.
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ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, JULY 9, 1894.
Meeting called to order by the moderator.
Voted. To take up article 11.
O. V. Waterman presented the report of the Select- men on establishing a voting precinct in Greenwood, as follows :
REPORT.
The Selectmen of the present year, to whom was referred the matter of the establishment of a voting precinct in Green- wood submit the following report.
Whereas, at a special town meeting holden on the fifth day of December, A. D. 1893, duly called and holden for that purpose, it was voted that the town accept the provi- sions of Section 101 of Chapter 417 of the laws of 1893, relat- ing to dividing towns into precincts,
Therefore, we, the undersigned, Selectmen of the town of Wakefield, arrange a division of the town into the following voting precincts, for the choice of all officers which are elected by the people, except town officers.
There shall be two voting precincts in the town which shall be called Precinct No. 1 and Precinct No. 2.
Precinct No. 1 shall include all the territory and all the voters north of the southern borders of Crystal lake and north of a line running from the junction of Main and Green streets and the junction of Nahant and Farm streets, and a continuation of that line to the town line of Saugus, and con- tains 1472 registered male voters according to the registra- tion made for the preceeding annual election.
Precinct No. 2 shall include all the territory and all the voters south of the southern border of Crystal lake and south of said described line, and contains 158 registered male vot- ers according to said registration.
In witness thereof we hereunto set our names this fourth day of January, A. D. 1894.
S. K. HAMILTON, S. W. FLINT, . S. J. PUTNEY, Selectmen of Wakefield.
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And on the fourth day of said January the said Hamilton, Flint and Putney, as such Selectmen, voted on the place where voting should take place in said Greenwood as Pre- cinct No. 2, and decided on the Greenwood hose house.
And on the nineteenth day of March then next ensuing, at an adjourned meeting of the last annual meeting of said town, the foregoing report was read to the voters then and there assembled together in town meeting, which said report was then and there accepted by the town and referred to the Selectmen for the current municipal year to see what changes, if any, were necessary to be made in the division lines of said precincts, and after due consideration of the subject matter thereof, and a hearing had of voters in said precincts, said last mentioned Selectmen are of the opinion that a slight change is necessary, and that we, the Selectmen of the current municipal year arrange a division of the town into the following voting precincts for the choice of all officers which are elected by the people, except town officers, as fol- lows, that is to say,
There shall be two voting precincts in the town which shall be called Precinct No. 1 and Precinct No. 2.
Precinct No 1 shall include all the territory and all the voters north of a line commencing at a point at the intersec- tion of Green street and Main street, in said town, and thence . running westerly and following the southern shore of Crystal lake to the stone bound at the angle of the town line of Stoneham and Wakefield at said lake; and from said point of beginning at the intersection of said Main and Green streets, the line runs easterly to the northwesterly corner of Atwood's meadow, so called, which is near to Oak street in said town of Wakefield, and thence running southeasterly to the three county heap, so called, which consists of a stone monument marked S. R. and S., surrounded by a heap of stones, being the three county mark of the Saugus town line, and contains 1492 registered male voters according to the registration made for the preceeding annual election.
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Precinct No. 2 shall include all the territory and all the voters south of said described line and contains 138 regis- tered male voters, according to said registration, and no change is made in the several places of voting.
In witness whereof we hereunto set our names this second day of July, A. D. 1894.
OTIS V. WATERMAN, STILLMAN J. PUTNEY, CHAS. E. WALTON, DANIEL EVANS,
Selectmen of Wakefield.
Voted. To accept and adopt the report.
Art. 4. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of four hundred and sixty-nine dollars and twenty- four cents to pay the 'balance of bills due for the com- pletion of the Lincoln school house, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To do so.
Art. 5. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of seven hundred and three dollars and thirty-three- cents in addition to the sum raised at the last annual . meeting, to pay the Wakefield Water company for hy- drant service from April 1, 1894, to October 1, 1894, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To raise and appropriate $683.33.
Art. 6. To see if the town will place and maintain a street lamp on the southwest corner of Prospect and Cedar streets, and appropriate money therefor, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To do so, and $5 to be expended under the direc -. tion of the Road Commissioners.
Art. 7. To see if the town will authorize a change of the location of the pipe of the Wakefield Water company in the Lake street culvert, and raise and appropriate- money therefor, or what it will do about it.
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· Voted. To do so, and the expense thereof to be charged to the Wakefield Water company.
Art. 8. To see if the town will accept Park avenue from Summit avenue to the town line of Stoneham, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 9. To hear and act upon the report of the committee on additional accommodations for the Beebe town libra- ry and raise and appropriate money for such additional accommodations, or what it will do about it.
The committee made their report which was accepted and adopted.
Voted. To raise and appropriate $800 for the above article.
Voted. That the chair appoint a committee of three to carry out the work as designated by the committee.
Chair appointed Wm. S. Greenough, O. V. Water- man and Wm. F. Young.
Art. 10. To see if the town will raise, appropriate and pay to Josiah Laybolt the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars in addition to the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars heretofore awarded to him by the county com- missioners of said county for land damages occasioned by the relocation and straightening of Water street, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Voted. To take up article 3 (see page 40).
S. K. Hamilton, for the committee, reported that in their opinion it is for the interest of the town of Wake- field to purchase that portion of the plant, works, mains and all other distributing apparatus of the Citizens Gas Light company of Reading, South Reading and Stone- ham, lying and being in the towns of Stoneham and Reading, together with its franchises in those two towns, if the same can be purchased for a reasonable amount,
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and they recommend that a committee of three be chosen who shall have full power and authority to pur- chase the same for a sum not exceeding $12,000.
Voted. To accept and adopt the report.
Voted. That when we adjourn it shall be to Friday even- ing, July 13, at 7.30 p. m.
Chair appointed as committee of three, Silas W. Flint, W. S. Greenough and T. J. Skinner.
Voted. That the committee be instructed to report at the adjourned meeting July 13, 1894.
The committee to which was referred article 12 of this warrant made their report which was accepted and adopted, and it was voted to raise and appropriate $2300 to build the street and pay land damages.
Voted. To adjourn.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, JULY 13, 1894.
The committee to which was referred article 3 of this warrant reported on their doings verbally.
Mr. Greenough in behalf of the committee reported that the committee had had an interview with Gen. Champlin, counsel for the Citizens' Gas Light Company, who stated that the said Company would not sell that portion of the plant, works and mains in Reading and Stoneham for any amount less than $23,000; that the Company would organize companies in Reading and Stoneham for the manufacture of gas and use the pipes now laid in those towns rather than sell for anything less than the sum named, viz. $23,000.
The committee were of the opinion that if the town offer the company $12,000 and stop there the company would sell their property for that amount.
Voted. To accept the report.
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Voted. That the whole matter be indefinitely postponed.
Voted. To take up article 12.
Voted. That the road as ordered by the County Commis- sioners be built under the direction of the Road Com- missioners.
Voted. To take up article 7.
Voted. That the vote taken while acting under this article at the last meeting be reconsidered.
Voted. That the Road Commissioners be instructed to no- tify the Wakefield Water Company to remove the water main that runs through the Lake street culvert within thirty days, or the town will hold them responsible for all damages which may arise from such obstruction.
Voted. To dissolve the meeting.
TOWN MEETING, JULY 16, 1894.
Article 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meet- ing.
Edward A. Upton was elected moderator.
Art. 2. To see if the town will issue its bonds for the payment of the plant of the Citizens' Gas Light Company of Reading, South Reading and Stoneham, the expenses and costs incurred in the purchase thereof, under chap- ter 370 of the Public Acts of the Commonwealth of · Massachusetts for the year A. D. 1891, and chapter 454 of said Acts for the year A. D. 1893, and for the exten- sion and enlargement of the same, determine the amount of bonds to be issued therefor, the time when payable, the rate per cent. of interest thereon, and such other terms and conditions as may be necessary, and author- ize the selectmen and treasurer to sign, execute and dis- pose of the same in the name and on behalf of the town.
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Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 3. To choose a Municipal Light Board consisting of three persons, one whose term of office shall expire at the annual meeting in 1895, one whose term of office shall expire at the annual meeting in 1896, and one whose term of office shall expire at the annual meeting in 1897, and determine their compensation.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 4. To see if the town will reimburse one-half the amount of money paid by William N. Tyler for edge- stones, set under vote of the town passed at the last annual meeting, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 5. To see what sum of money, if any, the town will appropriate to clean out Saugus river, so called, below Vinton street, or what it will do about it.
Voted. $700.
Voted. To dissolve the meeting.
TOWN MEETING, JULY 23, 1894.
Article 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meet- ing.
Edward A. Upton was elected moderator.
Art. 2. To see if the town will issue its bonds for the pay- ment for the plant of the Citizens' Gas Light Company of Reading, South Reading and Stoneham, and for the reconstruction, extension and enlargement of the same under chapter 370 of the Public Acts of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts for the year A. D. 1891, and chapter 454 of said Acts for the year A. D. 1893, de- termine the amount of bonds to be issued therefor, the time when payable, the rate per cent. of interest there-
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on, and such other terms and conditions as may be nec- essary, and authorize the treasurer and selectmen of said town to sign, execute and dispose of the same in the name and on behalf of the town.
On motion of T. J. Skinner it was voted :
That the Town of Wakefield issue its bonds to amount of $180,000 for the payment of the plant of the Citizens' Gas Light Company of Reading, South Reading and Stoneham, and for the reconstruc- tion, extension and enlargement of the same under the provisions of chapter 370 of the Public Acts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the year 1891; that the said bonds bear date of Oct. 1, 1894, and be made payable at the Howard National Bank, in Boston, Mass., on the first days of April and October in each year after 1894 until maturity, at the rate of four per centum per annum upon presentation of the respective coupons therefor; that the same be made payable as follows, viz. : $3000 in each year for the first ten years beginning with the year 1895 ; $6000 in each of the fol- lowing ten years ; and $9000 in each of the succeeding ten years ; and that the said amounts be included in the tax levy of each year beginning with the year 1895, as provided for in chapter 182 of the Acts and Resolves of 1894; and the town treasurer is hereby authorized to sign and execute said bonds in the name and on behalf of the town and dispose of the same for the purpose aforesaid and for the expenses incidental thereto at such times and in such amounts as in the judgment of the treasurer and Selectmen is deemed best; the Selectmen are hereby authorized to countersign said bonds in exe- cution thereof, and the treasurer is hereby authorized to sign the coupons attached to said bonds by a lithograph fac-simile of his signature.
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Eighty-nine voted in the affirmative and 9 in the negative.
Motion to reconsider was lost.
Art. 3. To see if the town will establish a sinking fund un- der the provisions of section 4 of chapter 370 of the Public Acts of the year A. D. 1891, and section 9 of chapter 29 of the Public Statutes of Massachusetts, to provide for the payment, at maturity, of the bonds is- sued to pay for the plant of the Citizens' Gas 'Light Company of Reading, South Reading and Stoneham, and for reconstructing, extending and enlarging the same, as authorized. by vote of the town.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 4. To choose, by ballot, three commissioners of sink- ing funds, one whose term of office shall expire at the annual meeting for the year A. D. 1895; one whose term of office shall expire at the annual meeting for the year A. D. 1896, and one whose term of office shall expire at the annual meeting for the year A. D. 1897. Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 5. To choose a Municipal Light Board consisting of three persons, one whose term of office shall expire at the annual meeting for the year A. D. 1895 ; one whose term of office shall expire at the annual meeting for the year A. D. 1896, and one whose term of office shall ex- pire at the annual meeting for the year A. D. 1897, and determine their compensation.
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