USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1900-1902 > Part 51
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Voted. To take up article 2 to consider report of board of health.
Voted. That paragraph 5, page 162 of the report of the board of health of the 89th annual report, be stricken from the records.
Voted. To adjourn to next Monday evening at 7.30 o'clock, p. m.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, APRIL 22, 1901.
Voted. To take up article 2.
Motion to strike out that portion of the library trustees' report, on page 204 of the last Annual Report of Town Officers, relating to number of dogs licensed.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone this action.
Voted. To take up article 38.
Selectmen presented report which was accepted.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Voted. To take up article 56.
Voted. To reconsider action of the town whereby it was voted to indefinitely postpone this article.
Voted. To appropriate $50 from miscellaneous appropriation to place a hydrant near Elm square.
Art. 63. To see if the town will act on the recommendation of the board of fire engineers, in regard to new fire alarm boxes, raise and appropriate money for the same, or what they will do about it.
On recommendation of the finance committee it was voted to locate a fire alarm box on Elm square, to be located under the direction of the fire engineers and light board, and $78 raised and appropriated for the same.
Voted. To take up article 21.
Committee on town hall vault presented report.
Voted. To accept the report, also to adopt the report.
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Voted. That $2000 be raised and appropriated, and that the same committee with the selectmen be a committee to build the new vault.
Art. 64. To see if the town will put three arc lights on Forest street, Greenwood, raise and appropriate money therefor, or what they will do about it.
On recommendation of the finance committee, voted to to indefinitely postpone action, as there was no power to furnish extra lights.
Art. 65. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred and seventy-five dollars to purchase and equip a hose wagon, the same to be located in the district known as Montrose, or what they will do about it.
Motion to indefinitely postpone lost.
Voted. To refer subject matter of this article to a committee of six to be appointed by the moderator, three of whom shall be residents of Montrose, and three from the centre of the town and report at the next fall meeting.
Chair appointed F. J. Henkel, W. P. Burnham, F. D. Ford, E. F. Preston, R. J. Lawder, and D. M. Houston.
Art. 66. To hear and act upon the report of the committee ap- pointed to huild an addition to the high school building.
Further time granted.
Art. 67. To see if the town will raise and appropriate three hundred dollars to build a sidewalk from Cedar street to Jordan avenue, or what they will do about it.
Voted. $250 from general highway appropriation to build a sidewalk, the work to be done on Gould and Converse streets.
Voted. To take up article 24.
Mr. Eaton, for the cemetery committee, thought that as the town had not accepted any plans for the new cemetery, the committee did not feel like asking for an appropriation to be used in development, but would like authority to use $25 of the money now in the treasury and credited to this department. This authority was given the committee.
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Art. 68. To see if the town will accept the provisions of Sec- tions 20 and 21 of Chapter 50 of the Public Statutes author- izing the selectmen or road commissioner to establish and grade sidewalks, when in their judgment the public con- venience require, and assess the abutters on such sidewalks one-half the expense of the same.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 69. To see if the town will cause a fire alarm box to be placed at the corner of Traverse and Nahant streets, and raise and appropriate money for the same, or what they will do about it.
On recommendation of the finance committee it was voted to raise and appropriate $60 for this purpose, the work to be done under the direction of the fire engineers and the light board.
The town passed a vote of thanks to moderator O'Con- nell for his efficient services, by unanimous vote, which also carried with it $25.
Voted. To dissolve this meeting.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, JUNE 3, 1901.
Town Clerk Hartshorne called the meeting to order. . Thomas G. O'Connell was elected moderator. Articles 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 were referred, under the rules, to the finance committee.
F. J. Henkel then offered the following resolution :
RESOLVED, that, inasmuch as the town voted at the last annual town meeting held in March to accept the provisions of Sec. 1, Chap. 344, of the Acts of 1899, entitled, "An act to make 8 hours a day's work for city and town employes, and in view of the fact that there seems to be a legal tech- nicality in the manner in which said act was accepted by the town, and which does not alter or change the people's will as expressed in said vote, be it
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RESOLVED. That it is the sense of this meeting that the various commissioners and officials in charge of the municipal departments of our town be respectfully requested and instructed, pending a legal acceptance of said act to put into effect and operation the vote of the town as expressed on the question ; and be it
RESOLVED. That said commissioners and officials be respectfully requested and instructed to pay to all persons employed by the town at a rate of not less than $2 per day, and be it further
RESOLVED. That said commissioners and officials be respectfully requested and instructed to give the preference of all labor to citizens of the town.
Amendment offered that the pay should be "at a rate not less than $2 per day." The resolutions as amended were passed by a unanimous vote.
Art. 2. To hear and act upon the report of the selectmen and water rate committee on the question of the rental of hydrants and other water service.
Chairman Stout of the selectmen told of unsuccessful negotiations with the water company to secure hydrants for $25 per year. The company decline to accept such a rate. A. R. Perkins stated that the president of the company had considered that the town took arbitrary action when it voted to pay only $25.
Voted. To accept report as one of progress.
Art. 3. To see if the town will rescind its vote, relating to hydrant service and other matters, prepared and offered by Mr. Henkel, passed March 11, A. D., 1901, acting under articles 5, 15, 17 and 19 of the warrant for town meeting held on said March 11, or what it will do about it.
Voted. To rescind action under these articles.
Art. 4. To see what action the town will take in relation to renewing its contract with the Wakefield Water Company. for hydrant service, and raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money therefor.
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Voted. That the whole matter be referred back to the finance committee to be reported on next Monday evening.
Art. 5. To see if the town will authorize and direct the water rate committee and board of selectmen to proceed under the petition filed in the Supreme Judicial Court on behalf of the town for an adjustment of the rates charged by the Wakefield Water Company for public and domestic water service, or what it will do about it.
Voted. That the joint water rate committee be instructed to prosecute the question of rates in the court, and that the committee have authority to hire counsel in addition to town counsel.
Art. 6. To see if the town will vote to repay to the City of Somerville the amount paid by it as taxes on its gravel lot in Wakefield, together with the costs of suit to recover said amount, to raise and appropriate a sum of money suffi- cient therefor, and also to execute a release of all title in said gravel lot, arising from tax sale.
Voted. To refer to the selectmen and the town counsel.
Art. 7. To see if the town will vote to water its streets, raise and appropriate a sum of money therefor, and determine what proportion shall be assessed on abutters, or what they will do about it.
Finance committee recommended an appropriation of $300 for water and $400 for labor and horses, the latter amount to be credited to the fire department. M. E. S. Clemons offered, as an amendment, that $700 be appropri- ated to be expended under the direction of the selectmen, and that the board of assessors assess on the estates of abutters three-fourths of the cost of such watering.
The motion, as amended by Mr. Clemons, was voted.
Art. 8. To see if the town will appoint an inspector of wires. Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 9. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money to repair and paint the Greenwood hose house, or what they will do about it.
1
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Voted. That the selectmen be instructed to carry out the vote of the town expressed at the spring meeting.
Voted. That the town raise and appropriate $35 to be spent in addition to the $40 already appropriated, and that this money be spent under the direction of a special committee of three citizens. The amendment was voted and so was the original motion as amended.
Chair appointed Thos. F. Ringer, E. S. Jacob, and Wil- lard G. Eaton on this committee.
Art. 10. To see if the town will instruct its selectmen to ap- point three regular police officers, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
On recommendation of the finance committee action under this article was indefinitely postponed.
Art. 11. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars for the purposes of paying damages to clothing and for defraying doctor's bill of Frank H. Hackett, while assisting the Wakefield Fire Department at the Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Rattan Company's fire of May, 1900.
Voted. $63.50, and that the settlement of the claim be left with the town counsel.
Voted. To adjourn for one week at 7.30 p. m.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, JUNE 10, 1901.
Article 12. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars to build a base ball diamond on the park, or what they will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 13. To see if the town will raise and appropriate one hun- dred dollars and pay the same as town bounty to Jacob H. Eaton, or what they will do about it.
Voted. To appoint a committee of three to bring the matter befc 'e the town at the fall meeting.
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Chair appointed S. W. Lufkin, A. S. Aborn and Edward F. Preston on this committee.
Art. 14. To see if the town will appoint a committee to draw up and revise the town by-laws, or what they will do about it.
Voted. That a committee of seven be appointed to draw up and revise the town by-laws, and report at a future meeting.
Chair appointed Darius Hadley, Dr. C. L. Sopher, J. A. Meloney, R. S. Stout, Dr. J. H. Kimball, C. Donovan, and M. E. S. Clemons.
Art. 15. To see if the town will accept the Yale fire engine from the veteran firemen's association, and raise and appro- priate a sufficient sum of money to put the engine in proper repair.
It was voted to appoint a committee of five to investigate and report at the annual town meeting.
Chair appointed W. E. Cade, E. S. Jacob, R. J. Lawder, Owen Corcoran and E. II. Walton.
Art. 4. To see what action the town will take in relation to renewing its contract with the Wakefield Water Company for hydrant service, and raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money therefor.
Mr. Henkel read the report of the finance committee on the hydrant rental question as follows: that the town should appropriate $4,410 to pay for hydrants, $2,187.50 of this sum to pay for the six months ending June 1, 1901; and that the selectmen be authorized to contract for 127 hydrants at the rate $35 per hydrant per year, and that $2,222.50 of this sum be for the payment of the same.
Voted. To accept and adopt the report.
Voted. To dissolve this meeting.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, SEPT. 23, 1901.
Meeting called to order by town clerk.
Art. 1. To choose a moderator, by ballot, to preside at said meeting.
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Thomas G. O'Connell was elected moderator.
Moved that articles be taken up in order. It was so voted.
M. E. S. Clemons offered a resolution, which the town adopted, that the resolutions adopted at the citizens' memo- rial meeting on the day of the burial of the late President McKinley, together with the program on that occasion, be spread upon the records of the town.
Art. 2. To see if the town will accept the bequest of the late Cyrus G. Beebe for the benefit of the Beebe Town Library, as stated in the fourth item of his will, which reads as follows:
"Fourth. To the town of Wakefield, in the County of Middlesex, the sum of two thousand dollars in money, the same to be held by said town in trust, and invested under the direction of the treasurer and selectmen of said town, and the income thereof to be used by the trustees of the Beebe Town Library in said town, in the purchase of such books and periodicals as they may deem best. In case said town should ever be incorporated as a city, said city shall hold said fund for the same purpose as said town and the same shall be invested by the treasurer of said city under the direction of the municipal officers having charge of the financial affairs of such city."
Voted. To accept the bequest.
Art. 3. To hear and act upon a report from the water committee.
Under article 3, F. J. Henkel made a report in behalf of the town water committee. Report on file with town clerk. Voted. To accept the report as submitted.
Voted. That when this meeting shall have finished the discus- sion of article 4 of the warrant and taken action on all other articles, adjournment shall be made for not less than one nor more than two weeks, at which adjournment nothing shall be in order excepting voting by ballot-yes or no-on the question of accepting the proposition of the Wakefield Water Company to sell its property to the town for the sum of three hundred thousand dollars.
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And that the polls shall remain open, for such voting, from twelve (12) o'clock noon, until eight (8) o'clock at night.
Amended that when this meeting is adjourned that it be at 10 o'clock.
Art. 4. To see if the town will accept an offer made by the Wakefield Water Company to sell to the town its property and rights as set forth in a schedule filed with the board of selectmen, for the sum of $300,000.00, and to appoint any committee which it may deem expedient in relation thereto. Said offer is made in a letter dated August 29th, A. D., 1901, of which the following is a copy :
"BOSTON, MASS., Aug. 29, 1901.
To the town of Wakefield and to the Selectmen of said town. Gentlemen :-- The Wakefield Water Company will sell to the town of Wakefield the property described in its schedule already handed you, for the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000). This proposition is made upon the distinct condition and understanding that you are aware of the existence of three mortgages upon the property and that some time will be re- quired to enable the Water Company to clear the title from said mortgages and that legal proceedings may be necessary to accomplish that result. Upon the acceptance of this offer by the town the Water Company will use all reasonable dili- gence in procuring the title free of incumbrances and conveying the same to the town. This offer is made upon the further con- dition and understanding that in the meantime, if this offer is accepted, the town shall take no action calculated to interfere with the consummation of the negotiations. Pending these proceedings the selectmen shall be kept informed of the progress of the same.
(Signed)
Very truly yours, WAKEFIELD WATER COMPANY, By S. K. HAMILTON, President."
The following is a copy of the schedule referred to:
BOSTON, August 1, 1901.
To the Selectmen of Wakefield. Gentlemen :- In com- pliance with your request at our interview we submit a more detailed schedule of our property and business.
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REAL ESTATE.
First. A parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated at the north end of Crystal lake in Wakefield, Mass., containing forty thousand (40,000) square feet, on which stands the pump- ing station, dwelling house, coal shed and stable.
Second. A parcel of land, situated in Stoneham, Mass., on the easterly side of Bow (formerly Green) street, containing twenty thousand (20,000) square feet, on which there is a stand- pipe.
Third. A parcel of land adjoining the last named parcel on the west, containing twenty-seven hundred (2700) square feet, more or less.
IN PUMPING STATION.
Two 2-million gallon pumps; two air pumps; two feed pumps; two 54-inch (60 h. p.) boilers. Recording guages and tools for pumping station ; pump at Lake Quannapowitt; scales.
IN STABLE.
Two horses; two heavy wagons; two light wagons; one pipe body wagon with pole; two light harnesses; two heavy harnesses and stable furniture.
IN SHOP AND OUTSIDE.
One steam rock drill; one steam boiler for street use; steam and hand drills; hammers; batteries and wires for blasting ; two Edison street pumps; one stone derrick; one pipe derrick with blocks; two street furnaces ; one iron pipe tapping machine ; one cement pipe tapping machine; one lining machine and cones for lining service pipe ; wrenches; dees; cutters ; hammers; shovels, picks; etc .; one boat; meters. On land on lot number two above, iron standpipe with foundations; capacity, 583,000 gallons.
STREET MAINS.
Two inch pipe,
3,862 feet.
Four inch pipe,
6,067 feet.
Six inch pipe,
126,838 feet.
Eight inch pipe,
9,437 feet.
Ten inch pipe,
2,970 feet.
Twelve inch pipe,
11,250 feet.
Total,
160,424 feet,
which equals thirty miles and 2,204 feet. Service pipe about six miles.
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Of the above pipe all is cement lined pipe except 15,502 feet of six inch pipe, which is iron. 128 hydrants; 238 gates ; six- teen inch pipe connection of standpipe with Green street with check bar; two cribs in the lake with foundations; about five hundred feet of fourteen inch cast iron section pipe from cribs to pumping station.
OFFICE FURNITURE.
Five window curtains; one door curtain; six window screens; counter and railing; six chairs; two revolving chairs; one hard wood chair; one desk chair; one roll top desk; one clothes closet with drawer; one desk with drawer inside; one letter press and stand ; one typewriter and stand; one iron safe ; four spittoons ; ink wells, etc .; registers; application book; gate location book and such other books as are necessary for carrying on business, not including records or books relating to the finances of the company.
All rights granted to the company by the legislature.
M. E. S. Clemons Esq., town counsel, offered a motion. that the offer of the water company to sell for $300,000 be accepted, provided the company will turn over the property free and clear on or before Sept. 1, 1902.
Col. Greenough moved that when the vote be taken it be in the manner already voted by the town.
Voted. To adjourn for one week.
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ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, SEPT. 30, 1901.
The unfinished business was stated to be under article 4 as follows: (1) Motion of Town Counsel Clemons that the proposition of the water company be accepted; and (2) a motion of Col. Greenough that a time for a special adjourn- ment be set at which time no other business shall be done except to vote by ballot on the main question.
These motions were rejected by the town.
Motion that the subject matter of article 4 be referred to the town water committee, and that they be authorized on behalf of the town, to offer the Wakefield Water Company a sum not exceeding $200,000 for all its property, rights
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and privileges. That it be further authorized on behalf of the town to negotiate with and receive any offer from the said Water Company, and obtain terms upon which any property necessary to such water supply can be obtained, and report its findings to the town.
After a long discussion, meeting was adjourned for one week.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, OCT. 7, 1901.
Business before meeting was motion of previous meeting to refer to water committee.
After a long discussion the previous question was moved. Voted. To adjourn for one week.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, OCT. 14, 1901.
Business before meeting was motion for previous question. Motion withdrawn.
Voted. That a vote be taken on the main question at 9.15 o'clock, and that all speakers be limited to ten minutes each.
Amendment offered to prefix to motion the words: "pro- vided that the town shall not vote to accept the proposition of the water company to sell its plant for $300,000 then " -the subject shall be referred to the water committee, etc.
At 9.15 o'clock the amendment was put to vote and lost. Voted. 195 yes, 74 no. That the subject matter of article 4 be referred to the town water committee and that they be authorized, on behalf of the town, to offer the Wakefield Water Company a sum not exceeding $200,000 for all its property, rights and privileges; that it be further author- ized on behalf of the town to negotiate with and receive any offer from the said Water Company, and obtain terms upon which any property necessary to such water supply can be obtained, and report its findings to the town.
Reconsideration was refused.
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Art. 5. To see if the town will authorize the water committee appointed by the town under article 32 at the adjourned town meeting held December 3, 1900, and under article 2 of the special town meeting held December 27, 1900, to con- tinue to act with all the powers set forth in the votes passed under said article 32, and under article 2 of said special meeting.
Voted. That the same committee continue to act as authorized : C. A. Dean, G. M. Tompson, Dr. C. L. Sopher, A. R. Per- kins, T. E. Dwyer, F. J. Henkel, J. F. Emerson, Thomas Hickey and E. C. Miller.
Art. 6. To see if the town will authorize the town treasurer to turn over to the highway surveyor the money received from the street railway tax.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Voted. To dissolve this meeting.
STATE ELECTION AND TOWN MEETING, NOVEMBER 5, 1901.
Polls were opened at 6 o'clock a. m., in both precincts, and the several officers were sworn in.
Polls closed at 4.30 p. m., and the following result of the election was read.
The complete vote of the town, revised and corrected, is given herewith, by precincts :
GOVERNOR.
Precincts.
Totals
1
2
Crane,
973
186
1159
Quincy,
.
458
22
480
Lewis,
50
7
57
Berry,
41
4
45
Wrenn,
27
1
28
Blanks,
94
14
108
39
Precincts. Totals.
1
2
LIEUT. GOVERNOR.
J. L. Bates, .
953
183
1136
J. W. Coughlin,
437
20
457
W. H. Partridge,
35
8
43
A. E. Jones,
33
3
36
C. W. White,
27
2
29
Blanks, .
158
18
176
SECRETARY OF COMMONWEALTH.
W. M. Olin,
874
165
1039
W. B. Stone, .
363
15
378
F. W. Clark, .
49
12
61
J. O'Fihelly, .
49
3
52
A. H. Dennett,
36
4
40
Blanks, .
272
35
307
STATE TREASURER.
E. S. Bradford,
855
162
1017
J. S. Chalifoux,
370
14
384
G. E. Batchelder,
60
12
72
F. A. Nagler,
32
3
35
W. P. Bosworth,
30
4
34
Blanks, .
296
39
335
AUDITOR.
II. E. Turner,
826
149
975
J. F. Dean,
419
31
450
J. H. Smith,
43
7
50
Frank Keefe,
41
5
46
Frank Thompson,
32
2
34
Blanks,
282
40
322
ATTORNEY-GENERAL.
Herbert Parker,
845
159
1004
A. A. Putnam,
384
19
403
Allen Coffin, .
47
8
55
J. T. Hargraves,
44
6
50
C. E. Spelman,
19
3
22
Blanks, .
304
39
343
.
.
.
.
40
Precincts. Totals.
1 2
COUNCILLOR, 5TH DISTRICT.
D. I. Robinson,
846
157
1003
R. S. Rantoul,
375
19
394
E. A. H. Grover,
49
9
58
S. H. Noyes, .
47
5
52
Blanks, .
326
44
370
SENATOR, MIDDLESEX-ESSEX DISTRICT.
J. P. Crane,
775
62
837
A. S. Wood, .
656
123
779
A. B. Homan,
40
8
48
E. A. Hopkins,
25
3
28
Blanks, .
147
38
185
REPRESENTATIVE, 29TH MIDDLESEX DISTRICT.
Charles A. Dean,
870
109
979
Joseph L. Gooch, .
741
115
856
Edward H. Walton,
21
5
26
Blanks, .
11
5
16
COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
F. Bigelow,
878
155
1033
Robert Lusk, .
142
6
148
W. F. Merrill,
ยท
86
12
98
Blanks, .
537
61
598
ASSOCIATE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
D. T. Strange,
728
138
866
E. E. Thompson,
656
125
781
C. Beck,
222
12
234
L. Eisner,
177
11
188
S. H. Warren,
70
13
83
Blanks, .
,
1433
169
1602
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
G. A. Sanderson,
895
156
1051
T. F. Rooney,
254
10
264
Blanks, .
494
68
562
.
41
Precincts. Totals. 1 2
CLERK OF COURTS.
T. C. Hurd,
882
147
1029
G. F. Ritchie,
178
11
189
H. A. Smith,
82
11
93
Blanks, .
501
65
566
SHERIFF, MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
J. R. Fairbairn,
888
148
1036
F. P. Finegan,
191
7
198
R. G. Watson,
82
15
97
Blanks, .
482
64
546
TOWN MEETING, NOVEMBER 11, 1901.
Meeting called to order by town clerk. Chas. F. Harts- horne.
Under article 1, Thomas G. O'Connell was elected moderator.
The moderator announced that through an oversight the selectmen had not placed in the warrant an article author- izing the town treasurer to hire money for appropriations which might be voted at this meeting, and that, therefore, to all motions calling for appropriations it would be neces- sary to add the words, "and that the town treasurer be and hereby is authorized to hire said amount and issue the notes of the town therefor, for a term not exceeding one year."
Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17 referred to finance committee.
Voted. To take up article 12.
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