USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1897-1899 > Part 41
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Finance committee for three years - Albert R. Perkins, Silas W. Flint, Charles A. Dean, George H. S. Driver, Ed- ward A. Carlisle.
Voted. To take up article 3.
Voted. $4,340 for rental of hydrants.
Voted. That the selectmen, assessors and fire engineers be a committee to consider the matter of rental of hydrants. They shall consider the question of the number and location of hydrants and shall report to the town at an adjournment of this meeting, whether any hydrants can be removed entirely with safety to property, and also as to the expedi- ency of changing the location of any hydrants so as to pro- tect property while lessening expenses.
The following appropriations were then made, without opposition, under the finance committee's recommendation : Military aid, $900; soldiers' relief, $2,900; insurance, $600; Richardson Light Guard expenses, $600; printing, advertising and stationery. $1,000; interest on town debt,
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$13,500; Beebe town library, $400 and dog tax; reading room, $175 ; common and park, $400; forest firewards, $600. Art. 6. To see what method the town will adopt for the collec- tion of taxes for the ensuing year.
Voted. On motion of Tax Collector Walton, that taxes become due October 1, 1898, and that a discount of two per cent. be allowed on all bills paid on or before that time (with al- lowance of three days' grace) ; that interest at the rate of six per cent. be charged on all taxes unpaid on that date, until the same are paid.
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. To so authorize the collector.
Art. 8. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate for concrete work.
Voted. To take up articles 8 and 5 together.
Voted. To reconsider the vote, acting under article 5, relating to concrete work.
Voted. $1,000 for concrete work.
Art. 9. To see if the town will authorize its selectmen to pro- ยท vide and organize a police department to consist of four men, a chief and three patrolmen, and raise and appropriate the sum of three thousand and eight hundred dollars there- for, or what it will do about it. Alvin L. Vannah and others.
Art. 10. To see if the town will give the money it receives from the District Court for fines to the use of the police department, or what it will do about it.
Art. 11. To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to appoint a night watch and raise and appropriate money therefor, or what action it will take thereon.
Voted. To consider these articles jointly.
Voted. That the town authorize the selectmen to employ a night watch and that $1,800 be appropriated for the purpose.
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Voted. That the selectmen be authorized to appoint a chief of police for the ensuing year.
Voted. $1,200 for the police department.
Voted. Not to consolidate night watch and police.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone article 10.
Art. 12. To determine the compensation of enginemen for the year ensuing.
Voted. $25 per man.
Art. 13. To see if the town will appropriate two hundred and fifty dollars for the purpose of Memorial day, or what action it will take thereon. N. C. Hunter and others.
Voted. $250.
Art. 14. To see if the town will raise and appropriate twenty- five dollars for the use of the fish committee for the present year. Samuel Parker and others.
Voted. $25.
Art. 15. To see if the town will raise and appropriate nine hundred and fifty dollars to change the grade of Park ave- nue from Summit avenue to a point on West Chestnut street opposite the residence of T. F. Smith, or what action it will take thereon. George M. Thompson and others.
Voted. That $950 be appropriated for the purpose indicated in the article, to be expended when the selectmen shall receive sufficient guarantee from abutters that the town shall sustain no loss on account of land damages.
Art. 16. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of two thousand dollars to repair Park avenue from Summit avenue to Morrison road and Morrison road from Park ave- nue to Prospect street, or what action it will take thereon. J. P. Smith and others.
Voted. $1,500.
Art. 17. To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to employ a solicitor for the year ensuing, at a proper salary,
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raise and appropriate money to pay the same, or what action it will take thereon. Alvin L. Vannah and others.
Voted. $500.
Art. 18. To see if the town will rescind the vote passed at the annual meeting in March A. D. 1897, while acting under article 52 of the warrant, instructing the selectmen to com- mence an action against the Wakefield water company to recover $2,500 paid by the town to Mrs. Atherton for inju- ries received by a defect in the highway, alleged to have been produced by said company.
Voted. To do so.
Voted. To take up article 2.
Voted. That it be spread upon the town records that the name on page 140 of the town report of 1897, of John O'Hea is a clerical error, and should read John O'Hare.
Art. 19. To see what action, if any, the town will take in rela- tion to the recommendations of the fire engineers for better fire protection in the west part of the town, raise and appro- priate money for the same, or what it will do about it. Levi Flanders and others.
Voted. To lay on the table.
Art. 20. To see if the town will authorize a fire alarm box to be placed at or near the corner of Byron and Gould streets, also one on Nahant street, at or near Birch Hill avenue, and raise and appropriate money for the same, or what it will do about it. Wm. E. Cade and others.
Mr. Eaton said the committee had recommended that a box be located at or near the corner of Gould and Byron streets and, on motion, $100 was appropriated for the pur- pose. The committee did not deem the other box as neces- sary at present, and further action was indefinitely post- poned.
Art. 21. To see if the town will vote to have the north ante- room of the town hall furnished with a sink and water for the convenience of organizations and others who rent the
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hall, or what it will do about it. James F. Emerson and others.
Indefinitely postponed.
Art. 22. To see if the town will raise and appropriate a suffi- cient sum of money to build a sidewalk on the east side of Main street, Lakeside, from Salem to Sweetser streets, or what action it will take thereon. James F. Emerson and others.
Voted. $150, and that the work be confined to the section be- tween G. H. S. Driver's house and Wave avenue.
Art. 23. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money to continue the work on Main street, Lakeside, as ordered by the county commissioners, or what it will do about it. Harry Haskell and others.
Voted. That $300 be appropriated for work on the east side of Main street, near the estate of Junius Beebe, in compliance with the county commissioners' orders.
Art. 24. To see if the town will authorize the park commission- ers to dispose of the rockery, so called, on Main street, near Yale avenue, by auction or otherwise, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Voted. To adjourn.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, MARCH 29, 1898.
Article 25. To see if the town will vote to construct a drain under Cedar street, from the junction of West Chestnut street to Albion street, with drain pipe connections for Chestnut, Auburn and Gould streets, with necessary sand catchers. Then from Albion street to follow outline of plan given in report of selectmen on West Chestnut street drain to point of beginning of said plan, and raise and appropri- ate money for the same.
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Voted. That a special committee of five be appointed by the chair to investigate the subject and employ an engineer and report at a future town meeting.
Chair appointed J. A. Hickey, Solon Walton, A. S. Ath- erton, A. R. Perkins and A. E. Perry.
Art. 26. To see if the town will vote to change over the engine house, corner of Crescent and Mechanic streets, for the accommodation of horses, and raise and appropriate money for the same, or what it will do about it.
Voted. $1,200, and that the fire engineers be appointed a com- mittee to carry out the vote.
Art. 27. To see if the town will place a fire alarm whistle at the municipal light plant and raise and appropriate money for the same, or what it will do about it. Wm. E. Cade and others.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 28. To see if the town will vote to purchase horses for the fire department, raise and appropriate money for the same, or what it will do about it. Levi Flanders and others.
Voted. That $450 be raised and appropriated for the purchase of three horses for the department, and that the fire engi- neers, highway surveyor and T. Libby be a committee to carry out the vote.
Motion to reconsider lost.
Article 19 was then taken up and indefinitely postponed.
Art. 29. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money to build sidewalks on Murray street and repair said street, or what it will do about it.
Voted. $200.
Art. 30. To see if the town will vote to place a windmill at the town farm, raise and appropriate money for that purpose, or what it will do about it.
Mr. Carter moved that $400 be raised and appropriated, and so much as may be necessary be expended for the erec-
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tion of a windmill at the farm, and that a committee be chosen to carry out the purposes of the article.
Motion to reconsider lost.
Art. 31. To see if the town will accept the bequest contained in the sixteenth section of the last will and testament of Mrs. Harriet N. Flint, late of Wakefield, for the purpose and upon the conditions therein stated, which bequest reads as follows : "I give and bequeath to the said town of Wake- field the sum of two thousand dollars to be held in trust by said town and the interest and that only to be expended in improving the old cemetery, so called, near the Congrega- tional church, and I request that the lot where the remains of my father and mother lie may receive proper attention and the turf kept green and in good condition from this fund."
The following vote was passed on motion of Town Treas- urer Skinner : " That the bequest of the late Mrs. Harriet N. Flint be and hereby is accepted by the town, the principal to be held in trust and the income used as directed in her will. That the town treasurer be authorized to receive and receipt for the same and to invest the principal in such secu- rities as shall meet with the approval of himself and the board of selectmen, and that in such investment they shall be authorized, if they deem best, to purchase the notes or bonds of the town of Wakefield. That the selectmen be authorized to take charge of the expenditure of the income in accordance with the desires of the testator as expressed in her will.
Art. 32. To see if the town will accept the bequest contained in the seventeenth section of the last will and testament of Mrs. Harriet N. Flint, late of Wakefield, for the purpose and upon the conditions therein stated, which bequest reads as follows : " I give and bequeath the said town of Wake- field the sum of ten thousand ($10,000) dollars to be held in trust by said town, and by them invested until said town of Wakefield may, by public appropriation or private contribu- tion or both, add a sum sufficient to erect a soldiers' monu-
-
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ment in said town of Wakefield. Then both principal and interest are to be devoted to this object. And it is my wish, and I desire that said monument when completed, shall cost not less than the sum of twenty thousand dollars; that it may be grand in itself, symmetrical in architecture, beautiful in design and finish, attended with solid, thorough workman- ship, a monument worthy of the true men to whom we dedi- cate it.
Voted. That the bequest of the late Mrs. Harriet N. Flint of ten thousand dollars, as expressed in her will, be and hereby is accepted by the town, the same to be held in trust for the purpose named in said will. That the town treasurer be authorized to receive and receipt for the same and to invest both principal and interest in such securities as shall meet with the approval of himself and the board of selectmen, and that in such investment they shall be authorized, if they deem best, to purchase the notes or bonds of the town of Wakefield. The treasurer is also authorized to receive any further contributions from private or public sources, as sug- gested in the will, and to treat the same in the same manner as directed in this vote regarding the bequest of Mrs. Flint. Voted. That a committee of seven citizens of this town be appointed at this meeting to procure designs, plans, esti- mated cost and all necessary information pertaining to the erection of a soldiers' monument in Wakefield. That said committee shall have full power, and when in their judgment a suitable design shall have been agreed upon by them, and sufficient funds accumulated, shall cause to be executed and erected, a monument that when completed, may be grand in itself, symmetrical in architecture, beautiful in design and finish, attended with solid, thorough workmanship, a monu- ment worthy of the true men to whom it may be dedicated. Thus carrying out in part the wishes of the late Mrs. Harriet N. Flint, who, by her munificence, made the erection of a soldiers' monument in Wakefield possible; and that the monument shall cost not less than $10,000 above the founda- tion.
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Chair appointed the following committee : Harvey B. Evans, Stephen W. Lufkin, William L. Coon, William N. Tyler, Oliver Walton, Charles F. Hartshorne and J. Warren Poland.
Art. 33. To hear and act on the report of the selectmen in relation to accepting Cedar court as a public highway ; also in relation to accepting Converse street from a point oppo- site Geo. H. Teague's house to the Stoneham town line.
Selectman Stout stated that Judge Upton had the report, but was unable to attend the meeting. Therefore the article was laid on the table.
Art. 34. To see if the town will accept the provisions of sec- tions one, two, three, four and five of chapter 101 of the Public Statutes.
Voted. To so accept.
Art. 35. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money necessary to place an electric light on Salem street between Pleasant and Vernon streets, or what it will do about it. Alexander Turnbull and others.
Voted. To refer to the municipal light board with instructions to establish a street light of some description in the locality named in the article, and that the sum of $15 be taken from the income of the light plant to pay for same.
Art. 36. To see if the town will grant a license for peddling junk to the citizens of Wakefield, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 37. To see if the town will appropriate a sufficient sum of money to construct a face wall on Jordan avenue in front of the premises of George W. Braxton, or what action it will take thereon. George W. Braxton and others.
Voted. That $100 be appropriated and expended under the di- rection of the selectmen.
Art. 38. To see if the town will grant permission to George E. Bruerton, Samuel Myers and their associates to use for
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burial purposes that portion of the Aaron Foster estate situ- ated in the northerly portion of the town, on the east side of Vernon street, and near the Lynnfield line.
Voted. To refer the matter to the selectmen to report at an ad- journed meeting or a future meeting, and it was so voted.
At this point article 41 was taken up in order to enable the finance committee to report upon it at the next meeting. Art. 41. To see if the town will refer to the selectmen the sub- ject of building a new bridge or repairing the old one over the Boston and Maine railroad on Linden avenue and report at an adjournment of this meeting and then to act upon said report.
Voted. To refer to finance committee.
Voted. To adjourn to next Monday evening at 7.30 p. m.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, APRIL 4, 1898.
Voted. To take up article 38.
Judge Upton, chairman of the board of selectmen, reported on behalf of the board, stating the proposed provisions made for the reservation of the front portion of the lot, to become taxable property. After a long discussion C. A. Dean moved to indefinitely postpone the subject and it was so voted by a decisive vote. A reconsideration of the vote was refused.
Article 39. To hear and act upon the report of the committee on cemetery.
Maj. Tyler, on behalf of the committee, reported that it was inexpedient to utilize any portion of the town farm for burial purposes, as the land available was too small and would provide only for temporary use. The committee, who have reported on several lots at previous town meetings, made quite an extensive report upon the land of W. S. Rip- ley and others between Water street and the Boston and Maine railroad, and recommended either the purchase of this
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land or land belonging to Samuel T. Parker and Austin L. Mansfield on Lowell street. The Ripley land was favored more than the other, however. The land recommended is owned by the following persons : W. S. Ripley, fifteen acres ; W. G. Doe of Melrose, eight and one-half acres ; John W. Smith, six and one-half acres; H. L. Goldsmith, one-half acre. The price of Mr. Doe's land is $6,500, Mr. Smith's, $1,550 and Mr. Goldsmith's, $100. The report was signed by Maj. Tyler, Oliver Walton and George A. Seaver. Voted. To accept the report.
Voted. To again refer to the committee with instructions to report upon the advisability of purchasing the Foster land, Vernon street.
Art. 40. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of fifteen hundred dollars to build Valley street extension from Hart to Nahant street, or what they will do about it. James O. Keefe and others.
Voted. To refer to the selectmen to report at an adjournment of this meeting and that they be instructed to lay out this street.
Article 41, relating to the proposed new bridge over the Boston and Maine railroad, on Linden avenue, was the next in order. The finance committee, to whom the article was referred, was given further time.
Art. 42. To see if the town will put the road bed in good con- dition between Albion and Gould streets and complete the sidewalk on the southerly side of said street from land of J. W. Wellman to Albion street, and appropriate money for the same. J. W. Wellman and others.
1 Voted. $50.
Art. 43. To see if the town will raise and appropriate a sum of money sufficient to repair the concrete sidewalk on the south side of Bryant street, and also to lay a concrete gutter, or what they will do about it. Harry Haskell, 2d, and others. Voted. $50 for concrete, and to indefinitely postpone all action in regard to gutter
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Art. 44. To see if the town will cause to be placed near the middle of Bryant street one incandescent electric light, or what it will do about it. Harry Haskell, 2d, and others.
On motion of Mr. Perkins it was voted that the subject be referred to the municipal light board, with a request that a light of some description be placed at the point mentioned.
Art. 45. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of five hundred dollars for the repair of Bryant street, or what they will do about it. Harry Haskell, 2d, and others. Voted. To refer to the highway surveyor to make necessary repairs.
Art. 46. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of fifty dollars to be used for firemen's memorial day, or what they will do about it. William A. Cutter and others. Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 47. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred dollars for the purpose of putting the easterly end of Pitman avenue in safe and passable condi- tion, or what it will do about it.
Voted. $200, same to be expended from highway appropriation.
Art. 48. To see if the town will authorize its light board to change one provision of the rule adopted by the town No- vember 9, 1894, article 24, wherein a minimum rate of one dollar is charged for any one month for electric lights, so the consumer will not have to pay for light he does not have. Dennis W. McCarthy and others.
Voted. . To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 50. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars to make suitable gutters on Law- rence street, between Pleasant and Vernon streets, or what it will do about it. J. W. Crowell and others.
Voted. That suitable gutters be laid by the surveyor, and that the money be taken from the regular highway appropriations. Voted. To adjourn to Wednesday evening, April 6, at 7.30 p. m.
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ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, APRIL 6, 1898.
Art. 49. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars to build a sidewalk on the northerly side of Broadway, from Lake street to Nelly street, or what they will do about it. John Kalaher and others.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 51. To see if the town will build a sidewalk on the west side of Main street, from house of F. A. Edson to Melrose town line, or what it will do about it. Richard L. Pittman and others.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 52. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of eight hundred dollars to repair Bennett street, or what they will do about it. John B. Gaffy and others.
Voted. To refer the subject-matter of this article to the high- way surveyor to make such repairs as he may think neces- sary, the expense to be taken from the highway appropria- tion.
Art. 53. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars to build a bridge across the Boston and Maine railroad tracks from the continuation of Cooper street to Myrtle avenue in that part of Wakefield called Greenwood, or what they will do about it. Thomas F. Ringer and others.
Voted. To refer to a committee of five and report to the town
at future meeting.
Motion to reconsider lost.
Chair appointed C. W. Eaton, Richard Britton, Wm. S. Greenough, Wm. N. Tyler and Wm. H. Lee.
Art. 39. To hear and act upon the report of the committee on cemetery.
Committee reported adversely on Foster lot.
Voted. To accept report.
No further action taken.
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Art. 54. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of twenty-five dollars for the purpose of re-covering the fur- niture in the public reading room in accordance with the recommendation of the trustees. W. E. Rogers and others. Voted. To refer to selectmen, and expense to be taken from miscellaneous fund.
Art. 55. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money for preparing and printing lists of taxable polls and estates for the year 1898, for distribution among tax payers. Will E. Eaton and others.
Voted. To postpone indefinitely.
Art. 56. To see if the town will vote to purchase a steam road roller and appropriate money for the same. A. S. Ather- ton and others.
Voted. To postpone indefinitely.
Art. 57. To see if the town will vote to provide for relieving the centre of the town from lack of opportunity for dispos- ing of sewage and for abating the Centre brook and cesspool nuisance by adopting a system of sewage disposal for that district, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To adjourn to April 13, at 7.30 o'clock.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, APRIL 13, 1898.
The sewer articles being under consideration at the previ- ous meeting, it was voted to lay all of the articles relating to the subject on the table.
Article 5, relating to town appropriations, was taken up, and on motion of Chairman C. W. Eaton of the finance committee $50 additional was appropriated for the use of the park commissioners for the purpose of changing the location of the flagstaff and repairing the same.
Acting under the same article. $4,340 was appropriated for hydrant rental. Selectman Stout reported that the com- mittee to whom the subject was referred unanimously recom-
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mended no changes in the location of hydrants as proposed at a previous meeting.
An amendment offered by F. A. Gowen was passed, in- structing the selectmen to pay no portion of the money until the hydrants have been examined by employes of .the water company under the direction of the fire engineers.
Acting under article 33, Col. J. F. Mansfield, on behalf of the selectmen, reported in favor of laying out Cedar court and Converse street extension. The reports were laid on the table in accordance with the rules of the town.
Article 39, relating to the report of the cemetery commit- tee, was then taken up. The finance committee, to whom was referred the subject, reported unanimously in favor of land on Lowell street owned by Samuel T. Parker and Aus- tin L. Mansfield.
W. G. Strong and A. R. Perkins favored the report and it was accepted by a unanimous vote.
A vote to reconsider was lost.
It was then voted that a committee of three be appointed to act on behalf of the town in the purchase of the land with authority to receive deeds of the same and to assume the care of the cemetery until the next annual town meeting, or until such time as cemetery commissioners or trustees may be appointed. It was furthermore voted that the sum of $5,500 be appropriated, and that the treasurer be authorized to hire money and issue notes payable in sums of $500 each for a period of nine years commencing in 1899, and $1000 payable in the year 1908.
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