USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1897-1899 > Part 23
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Third, we recommend that the town cause a complete and accu- rate survey and map of the town to be made for the use of the ' assessors as soon as practicable, and that the same be anthorized at this meeting, and provision made for the contract therefor.
Fourth, we recommend that the remainder of this report be adopted by the town as its policy upon the matter reported upon, and that the officers of the town be directed to so consider it, and for the purpose of. carrying it into effect so far as practicable at once, we recommend that the selectmen be instructed to insert in the town warrant for the next annual town meeting the follow- ing articles :
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Article 1. To see if the town will adopt some new method of calling its meetings, or what it will do about it.
Article 2. To see what action the town will take relative to the sale of some part of the town farm.
Article 3. To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to appoint a town physician and fix his salary, or what it will do about it.
Article 4. To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to appoint a town solicitor and fix his salary, or what it will do about it.
Article 5. To see if the town will authorize a change in the fire alarm, as recommended in this report, or what it will do about it.
Article 6. To see if the town will vote to discontinue the lighting of the street lights in the morning, or what it will do about it.
Article 7. To see if the town will vote to increase the num- · ber of its school committee after the year 1897, or what it will do about it.
The moderator ruled that the report would be received if no one objected, thereby accepting the document and dis- charging the committee.
Motion to consider the recommendations of the committee separately was lost.
Voted. That the selectmen be instructed to separate the recon- mendations of the committee in relation to selling the town farm and have two articles inserted in a town warrant so the town can sell the tools and utensils without selling the land. Voted. To adopt the committee's report.
Motion to reconsider lost.
Art. 3. To choose a finance committee of fifteen, five for three years, five for two years and five for one year in accordance with the report of the committee referred to in the above article, or what they will do about it.
Voted. That the chair appoint a committee of five to retire and nominate a committee of fifteen.
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The chair appointed Mr. Flint, E. C. Miller, D. M. Houston, P. S. Roberts and James F. Emerson.
Later, the committee nominated the following persons, who were approved of by the town and declared elected : For three years, Solon .O. Richardson, Harvey B. Evans, Chester W. Eaton, William H. Lee, Darius Hadley; two years, William G. Strong, George H. Smith, F. O. Clark, Junius Beebe, Tobias Libbey ; one year, Albert R. Perkins, J. C. Hartshorne, G. H. S. Driver, A. E. Duffill, C. A. Dean.
Art. 4. To see if the town will vote to cause a complete and accurate survey and plan of the town to be made for the use of the assessors and to authorize a contract therefore, or what they will do about it.
Voted. To do so and that a committee of five be appointed to carry out the recommendations of the article.
Chair appointed Chester W. Eaton, Geo. M. Thompson, Donald M. Houston, R. S. Stout and Albert R. Perkins. Voted. To adjourn for one week at 7.30 p. m.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, FEB. 8, 1897.
Moderator Darius Hadley called the meeting to order at 7.40 o'clock. Mr. Hadley announced that Solon O. Rich- ardson and Harvey B. Evans had declined to serve on the finance committee and the matter was referred to the nomi- nating committee appointed at the previous meeting.
Article 6. To see if the town will authorize and instruct its board of selectmen to obtain a policy of insurance to insure the town from liability from accidents occurring upon its highways and streets, or what it will do about it.
Voted. That the subject be investigated by the selectmen and that a report be given at the annual town meeting.
Art. 7. To see if the town will authorize its highway surveyor or any person or board of town officers lawfully charged with
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the care, repair, or the building of its highways and streets to sell loam or street scraping's obtained from said highways and streets and to credit all money so received during the current fiscal year to any highway appropriation raised and appropriated by said town for said year and to report in the annual town report his or their doings thereon, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To lay the subject on the table.
Art. 8. To see if the town will discontinue the town or private way known as Pearl street running from Myrtle avenue in . the town of Wakefield easterly across the location of the Boston and Maine railroad to the junction of Grove and Hanson streets in said town, or what it will do about it.
Voted. That the subject-matter of this article be referred to a committee of five to investigate and report at the annual town meeting.
Chair appointed Michael Low, Jas. H. Carter, H. HI. Savage, J. C. Hartshorne, B. A. Osgood.
Art. 9. To see if the town will discontinue the town or private way running in a southeasterly direction from Brown street so-called in the town of Wakefield, to Main street in said town, across the location of the Boston and Maine railroad, about nine hundred and sixty-three feet southerly from the location of the town or private way known as Pearl street and at a point known as Drake's crossing in said town, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To refer to the committee appointed under article 8.
Art. 10. To hear and act upon the report of the committee ap- pointed under article 8 of the town meeting of November 9, last past, in relation to the acceptance of the Australian sys- tem of voting in caucuses hereafter to be held in town for the nomination of town officers, or what it will do about it. Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 11. To see if the town will authorize its selectmen to obtain a lease of certain land for the purpose of being used as a rifle range, as required by law so to dó, or what it will do about it.
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Voted. To so authorize.
Art. 12. To see what is the sentiment of the voters of Wake- field in reference to the closing of the postoffice on the Sab- bath day, or what they will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone. .
Art. 13. To hear and act upon the report of a committee chosen under article 28 of the annual meeting held March 3, 1896, to see what action the town will take relative to water which collects on the highway at the intersection of Pleasant and Sweetser streets, or what it will do about it.
Hon. Richard Britton reported on behalf of the committee. Upon recommendation of the committee it was voted to refer the matter to the selectmen to employ legal advice, if neces- sary, in ascertaining the town's rights in the matter.
Art. 14. To hear and act upon the report of the committee ap- pointed by the town to select a public burial lot of land, or what it will do about it.
Maj. Tyler reported that four of five lots had already been visited by the committee and that another available lot of land had been brought to ' the committee's attention this week. Upon motion "of Maj. Tyler, further time was granted the committee.
Art. 15. To hear and act on the report of the committee ap- pointed at the last town meeting to investigate the damage one to Mary L. Maxwell's property on the southerly side of West Chestnut street, corner of Cedar street, by the overflow of water from the street, caused by insufficient drainage, or what it will do about it.
J. C. Hartshorne asked for further time and it was granted.
Art. 16. To see if the town will appropriate the sum of fifteen hundred dollars ($1500) for the re-seating of the town hall, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
S. W. Flint, on behalf of the nomination committee, then reported. The resignation of J. C. Hartshorne was received and accepted and the names of Richard S. Stont, Joseph
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M. Skully and William P. Shepard were added to fill the vacancies caused by the three resignations.
On motion of Capt. Carter, the, town voted unanimously to tender its thanks to Mr Hadley for his satisfactory ser- vices as moderator.
The meeting adjourned at 9.15 o'clock.
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, MARCH 1, 1897.
PRECINCT ONE.
Meeting called to order in Wakefield's block at 6 o'clock a. m., by Town Clerk Charles F. Hartshorne, who read the warrant and then swore in the following election officers :
Warden, W. J. Mansfield.
Clerk, J. Fred Parker.
Inspectors, P. B. Wiley, Michael Low. C. Donovan, W. S. Dennison, F. S. Hartshorne, J. W. Grace, J. P. Keefe, C. L. Jones, E. H. Walton, Geo. E. Hart.
Tellers, Chas. H. Sweetser, A. S. Johnson, S. T. Parker, R. F. Draper, P. J. Kelly, S. B. Dearborn, J. P. Kelley, C. C. West, E. S. Jacob, J. A. Hickey, E. P. McDonald, H. A. Simonds.
Total ballots cast, 1065 males, 4 females.
Polls were closed at 4.30 p. m.
PRECINCT TWO.
The following election officers were sworn by Willard G. Eaton, Warden: R. D. Jones, H. W. Walton, H. E. Alden, N. A. Heath, A. M. Baxter, A. H. Thayer, A. E. Parks, A. E. Duffill and R. L. Pitman.
Polls were closed at 4.30 p. m.
Total ballots cast 144 males.
The result of the vote by precincts, together with the total vote, is as follows :
18
Precincts.
Totals.
-
1
2
TOWN CLERK.
*Chas. F. Hartshorne,
700
95
795
Scattering.
12
000
12
Blank,
353
49
402
TOWN TREASURER.
*Thomas J. Skinner.
762
96
858
Scattering,
2
000
2
Blank,
301
48
349
*Daniel Evans,
581
109
690
*James F. Mansfield,
779
81
860
Hoyt B. Parker,
535
63
598
Richard S. Stout,
505
44
549
#Wm. P. Shepard,
568
58
626
*Edward A. Upton,
644
60
704
*Charles E. Walton,
674
88
762
Scattering.
4 000
4
Blank,
1035
217
1252
ASSESSORS.
510
52
562
*Charles A. Dean, .
524
63
587
Will Everett Eaton, .
355
60
415
*Charles F. Hartshorne,
539
62
601
George W. Kimball,
236
46
282
Chas. F. Woodward.
462
55
517
Scattering,
3
000
3
Blank.
566
94
660
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
*Wm. A. Cutter,
695
71
766
*Hiram Eaton.
663
76
739
Alexander Glass.
421
69
490
*Willis S. Mason,
480
41
521
Thomas F. Ringer,
351
78
429
Scattering,
1 000
1
Blank,
.
584
107
691
.
SELECTMEN.
* Alstead W. Brownell,
19
1
HIGHWAY SURVEYOR.
Henry Davis,
358
16
374
*Solon Walton,
641
114
755
Blank,
66
14
80
COLLECTOR OF TAXES.
*Chas. F. Woodward,
705
94
799
Scattering,
20
000
20
Blank,
340
50
390
TRUSTEES OF BEEBE TOWN LIBRARY FOR THREE YEARS.
Richard J. Cuff.
380
34
414
*Harry Foster,
732
92
824
* Maitland P. Foster,
581
89
670
*Peter S. Roberts,
670
78
748
Blank,
832
149
981
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR THREE YEARS.
* William B. Daniel,
479
70
549
*Melvin J. Hill,
489
61
550
Joseph A. O'Leary,
351
4
355
Wm. N. Tyler,
379
68
447
Scattering,
2
000
2
Blank,
438
85
523
CONSTABLES.
*James A. McFadden,
864
88
952
*Edwin F. Poland,
800
96
896
* Alvin L. Vannah,
730
100
830
Scattering,
7
1
8
Blank,
794
147
941
BOARD OF HEALTH FOR THREE YEARS.
*Joseph W. Heath, M.D.,
821
102
923
William G. Strong, .
105
15
120
Blank,
139
27
166
BOARD OF HEALTH FOR TWO YEARS.
*Josiah S. Bonney,
538
62
600
Stephen E. Ryder,
196
19
215
Oliver G. Sanborn,
135
21
156
Blank.
,
196
42
238
.
.
.
20
PARK COMMISSIONERS.
*Chas. H. Hawes, .
702
80
782
* Eugene S. Hinckley,
666
77
743
"George H. Maddock,
691
81
772
Scattering,
14
000
14
Blank,
1122
194
1316
MUNICIPAL. LIGHT BOARD FOR THREE YEARS.
Silas W. Flint,
412
85
497
*Curtis L. Sopher,
572
43
615
Scattering,
1
000
1
Blank,
80
16
96
AUDITORS.
*Everett W. Eaton,
750
96
846
* Albert W. Flint,
719
105
824
*George W. Linnell,
762
92
854
Scattering,
7
000
7
Blank, .
957
139
1096
FISH COMMITTEE.
*J. C. Hartshorne,
725
94
819
*Samuel Parker,
715
89
804
*Wm. H. Wiley,
702
91
793
Scattering,
13
000
13
Blank,
1040
158
1198
1
FENCE VIEWERS.
Charles H. Stearns, .
10
000
10
George H. Teague,
12
000
12
Roger Howard,
16
2
18
Blank,
3050
416
3466
LICENSE VOTE.
Yes,
448
27
475
No,
470
81
551
Blank,
147
36
183
.
The ballots and check lists were sealed and delivered to the town clerk.
* Elected.
21
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, MARCH 8, 1897.
Town Clerk Hartshorne called the meeting to order at 7.30 o'clock and read that portion of the warrant relating to the transaction of town business.
Voted. That the town clerk deposit one ballot for Darius Had- ley, for moderator, and Mr. Hadley was duly declared elected.
Mr. Hadley announced that in accordance with the town's newly adopted policy, that the following articles would be referred to the finance committee for consideration : Articles 18, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51.
Article 2. To act upon the acceptance of the reports of town officers as published:
Voted. To accept the reports.
That all departments of the town be instructed in their future reports to give the amounts of outstanding bills and salaries unpaid at the date of February first of each year.
Art. 3. To choose all town officers not required by law to be chosen by ballot.
Voted. That a committee of five be appointed to report a list of town officers not required by law to be chosen by ballot.
The moderator appointed Mr. Strong, J. A. Hickey, P. S. Roberts, J. H. Carter and W. A. Cutter.
Art. 4. . To see if the town will anthorize its treasurer to hire money to pay all demands in anticipation of taxes.
Voted. That the town treasurer be authorized, with the approval of the selectmen, to hire money in anticipation of the taxes of the current municipal year, and to issue notes of the town therefor; and all debts so incurred shall be paid from said taxes.
Art. 5. To raise and appropriate money for the following pur- poses, to wit: For payment of the town debt and interest, for school purposes, support of the poor, repairs of highways
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and bridges and determine how the same shall be expended, fire department, public library and reading room, salaries of town officers, town house expenses, miscellaneous expenses, annual rental of hydrants, police department, common and park improvement, municipal light board, and all other necessary town charges.
Moved that that portion of article 5 relating to miscella- neous expenses be referred to the finance committee, inasmuch as article 23 had been so referred.
Voted. To refer.
Voted. To raise and appropriate the following sums for the various departments mentioned in article 5:
Interest on town debt, $14,000.
Support of schools, $28,000.
School contingent fund, $2,000.
School supplies, $2,250.
Support of poor. Voted to lay on table.
Fire department, $3,800; $600 of which to be expended under the direction of the Forest Firewards.
Voted. That the superintendent of schools be instructed to turn into the town treasury all money received by him as tuition, and that the same shall be credited to the appropriation from which tuition bills against the town are paid.
Moved that $5,500 be appropriated for the municipal light plant, to include $3,500 for general expenses, $1,000 for electric extensions and $1,000 for gas main extensions.
Moved that the matter be referred to the finance commit- tee, and it was so voted.
Voted. $1,500 for town house expenses, with the receipts of the hall.
Voted. $8.000 for the highway department, $7,000 for general and $1,000 for running the stone crusher.
Voted. $500 for concrete sidewalks, repairs and crossings.
Voted. Salaries of town officers, $4,305 to be divided follows :
Highway surveyor, $800 and $100 for use of horse; town clerk. $200; treasurer, $400; selectmen, $600; assessors.
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$600; overseers, $300; collector, $500; surveyor, $800; board of health, $50; registrars, $215; auditors, $215; engineers, $100; fire wardens, $75 ; municipal light board, $250: police department, $1,200; night-watch, $1,800.
Voted. $300 for library purposes, together with the dog tax of 1893, which amounts to $593. The dog tax of that year was unexpended by the town during that year.
Voted. $175 for the public reading room.
Voted. $500 for common and park expenses.
Voted. $250 for edgestones where abutters pay one-half; and that persons applying for edgestones be required to deposit the money for their share at the time of application.
Voted. $4,340 for hydrant rental.
Voted. That the highway surveyor require all persons applying for concrete work to deposit the amount of their share of the work at the time of application, as voted in relation to edge- stones.
Art. 6. To see what method the town will adopt for the collec- tion of taxes for the year ensuing.
Voted. That the time for paying taxes be extended from Sept.
15 to Oct. Ist, with three days of grace, and that the rate of interest be fixed at 5 per cent instead of 6 per cent.
Art. 7. To see if the town will authorize its collector of taxes for the year ensuing to use all means which a town treasurer, when appointed collector, may use.
Voted.
Art. 8. To see what sum of money the town will raise and ap- propriate for concrete work.
Indefinitely postponed.
Art. 9. To see if the town will authorize its selectmen to ap- point a night watch and will raise and appropriate money to pay them, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To do so, and $1800.
Art. 10. To determine the compensation of enginemen for the year ensuing.
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Voted. $23 each and a sum equal to the poll tax.
Art. 11. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred dollars for the purposes of Memorial Day. Voted. $200.
Art. 12. To see if the town will authorize its school committee to employ a superintendent of schools and raise and appro- priate money therefor, or what it will do about it.
Indefinitely postponed, as appropriation was included in the school appropriation.
Art. 13. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of twenty-five dollars for the use of the fish committee, or what it will do about it.
Voted. $25.
Art. 14. To see if the town will adopt some new measure of calling its meetings, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To refer to the finance committee.
Art. 15. To see what action the town will take relative to the sale of some portion of the town farm, and the stock, farm- ing tools and carriages at said farm.
Motion to refer the matter to a committee of five to report at an adjourned meeting, regarding the best method of dis- posing of the cows and stock, was before the town when it was voted to adjourn.
Voted. To adjourn to next Monday evening at 7.30 p. m.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, MARCH 15, 1897.
Voted. To take up article 15.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Moved that $6,500 be raised and appropriated for the poor department, together with the receipts of the department. This was lost.
Moved as an amendment that the overseers be instructed to purchase all supplies at wholesale prices, which was car- ried.
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Moved as an amendment that no part of the appropriation be paid to any member of the board of overseers; lost.
Voted. To raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000, with the income from the poor department for the support of the poor, and that goods be kept at the almshouse for distribution to the outside poor.
Motion to reconsider ; lost.
Voted. That the finance committee be granted further time in considering the subject of the municipal light plant.
The miscellaneous appropriation as included in article 5 was then considered, together with article 23.
Art. 23. To raise and appropriate money for military aid, soldiers' relief, printing, town solicitor's salary, town physi- cian's salary, insurance premiums, and expenses of the Rich- ardson Light Guard.
C. W. Eaton, Esq., chairman of the finance committee, recommended appropriations as follows : Military aid, $900 : soldiers' relief, $2,500 ; printing, to include advertising and stationery, $800; insurance premiums, $750; Richardson Light Guard expenses, $600 ; general miscellaneous expenses, $4,500. Each appropriation was voted as recommended. The committee reported that no decision had been reached re- garding the town physician and town solicitor, and further time was granted.
On motion of Mr. Strong article 3 was taken up, relating to the selection of all town officers not chosen by ballot. The report of the committee was adopted and the following offi- cers elected : Weighers of coal and merchandise, N. E. Cut- ler, J. M. Perley, G. P. Haley, J. C. W. Walton, A. A. Mansfield, W. M. Ward, C. A. Cheney ; surveyors of lum- ber, C. F. Bickford, Roger Howard, H. B. Parker, E. I. Purrington, C. H. Spencer, J. A. Sederquest; measurers of wood, G. P. Haley, G. W. Killorin, H. N. Oliver, Charles Talbot, J. G. Morrill, A. A. Mansfield, E. E. Lee, A. L. Mansfield, J. A. Sanborn ; field drivers, Alexander Glass, Warren Shedd. J. E. Hopkins, O. G. Sanborn, G. K. Wal- ton. Andrew MacDonald, John Regan.
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Art. 14. To see if the town will adopt some new measure of call- ing its meetings, or what it will do about it.
Mr. Eaton, on behalf of the finance committee, reported and it was voted that the selectnien be instructed to obtain proposals for printing and publishing all town warrants, that the warrants be published in only one newspaper, and that the publishing and printing of the warrants be given to the lowest bidder. Amended, that the posting up of warrants be done by the chief of police without expense to the town. This was carried.
Voted. That hereafter all town meetings be called by a publica- tion of the warrant in some one newspaper in town and that copies of the warrants be posted at the town hall.
Art. 16. To see if the town will authorize its selectmen to ap- point a town physician and fix his salary, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To refer.to finance committee.
Art. 17. To see if the town will authorize its selectmen to ap- point a town solicitor and fix his salary, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To refer to finance committee.
Art. 18. To see if the town will authorize a change in its fire alarm, as recommended in its report of its committee of fif- teen, adopted by the town February 1st, 1897, and raise and appropriate money therefor. or what it will do about it.
Mr. Eaton asked for further time for the finance commit- tee and it was granted.
Art. 19. To see if the town will vote to discontinue its lighting of its street lights in the morning, or what it will do about it. Voted. To indefinately postpone.
Art. 20. To see if the town will vote to increase the number of its school committee to nine, to take effect at the meeting of 1898. or what it will do about it.
Voted. Not to do so.
Art. 21. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money for
27
the payment of the survey and map of the town, as contracted for by its town committee.
Voted. That $3,000 be raised and appropriated for the- purpose of paying for the work as contracted for by the committee. Including a survey and map of the town of which sum $500 shall be raised by taxation the current year and $500 by tax- ation in each of the years 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902, and the town treasurer is hereby authorized to hire $2,500, giving notes of the town therefor of $500 each, maturing one in each of the five succeeding years.
Art. 22. To see if the town will recommend or instruct its boards of selectmen, assessors, overseers of the poor and road sur- veyor to employ the town clerk as clerk of said boards, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 24. To see if the town will reduce its number of selectmen from five to three, to take effect at the annual meeting in 1898, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 25. To see if the town will vote to give the money received from the district court for fines to the police department of the town, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 26. To see if the town will choose a committee to prepare and execute a suitable celebration of the fourth day of July next ensuing, and raise and appropriate money therefor, or what it will do about it.
Voted. $100.
Voted. That the moderator appoint a committee of five in accord- ance with the intention of the article.
Chair appointed Charles E. Walton, W. A. Cutter, JJohn T. Cooper, Samuel T. Parker and W. H. Locke.
Art. 27. To raise and appropriate money for the payment of the salary of the town inspector of milk from May 14th last past to the first day of March current, and also for the current municipal year, or what it will do about it.
28
Voted.
$200 for the years 1896 and 1897.
Moved, that when the meeting adjourn it adjourn for two weeks. Amended, by making it one week, and the latter was accepted and carried.
Art. 28. To see if the town will purchase horses for the fire de_ partment and raise and appropriate money therefor, or what it will do about it.
Art. 29. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money to change over the engine house on the corner of Crescent street and Mechanic street in said town to accommodate horses, or what it will do about it.
Mr. Eaton said that the committee was not ready to report and further time was granted.
Art. 30 To see if the town will grant to the Wakefield Horti- cultural and Agricultural society the free use of the town hall for its fair and supper Sept. 22. 23 and 24, 1897, or what it will do about it.
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