USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1903-1905 > Part 2
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We therefore recommend that a committee of five be appointed to serve until the next annual town meeting or until their successors are appointed, who shall have authority to use any of the town land lying north of Church street, and west of the location of the old pound in or near the old cemetery, for the purpose of erect- ing thereon a bath house of a permanent or removable design, and other facilities for bathing in Lake Quanna- powitt, and who may from such monies as may come to their hands or the treasury of the town for such
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purpose, build and furnish a bath house, clean, exca- vate and fill the said town land and the adjacent land under said lake for bathing, swimming and instruction in swimming, make regulations for the management, use and control thereof, and establish rates to be charged for the use thereof, and the receipts therefrom may be used by said committee for the aforesaid. purposes.
Voted. To accept the report of committee.
Voted. To accept the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 of Chapter 25 of the Revised Laws.
Voted. To adopt the provisions of committee.
Moderator appointed the committee making the report, viz : M. E. S. Clemons, Charles H. Howe, James F. Curley, William E. Rogers, John Flanley.
Art. 30. To fix the salary of the Sewer Commissioners for the ensuing year.
Voted. On recommendation of the Finance Committee, that the salary be fixed at $300, to be divided among the three members, and that that amount be raised and appropriated.
Voted. To suspend Section 1 of Act 2 of Town By-Laws. Voted. To take up Article 44.
Art. 44. To see if the town will raise and appropriate five hundred dollars for the suppression of the gypsy and brown-tail moths.
Voted. To raise and appropriate $500.
Art. 45. To see if the town will raise and appropriate fifty dollars for the suppression of the English sparrow, or what they will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 46. To see if the town will raise and appropriate
28
sixty-seven and 51-100 dollars to reimburse Rufus Ken- drick for money over-expended on appropriation for suppression of brown-tail moths.
Voted. To pay Mr. Kendrick the money asked for ($67.51), said sum to be taken from the amount appropriated under Article 44 ($500 for suppression of moths).
Art. 31. To see if the town will issue notes, scrip or addi- tional bonds to the amount of $3,000 for the purpose of paying the necessary expenses and liabilities incurred under the act of the General Court of Massachusetts for the year 1900, entitled " An act to authorize the town of Wakefield to construct a system of sewerage," said act being Chapter 377 of the acts of said year ; determine the time when such notes, scrip or bonds shall be payable ; the rate of interest thereon, and such other terms and conditions" as may be necessary ; and authorize its Treasurer and Selectmen to sign and coun- tersign, execute and dispose of the same in the name and on behalf of the town.
Art. 32. To see if the town will vote to provide for the payment of such securities as may be issued by the vote passed under the next prior article of this warrant, in such annual payments as will extinguish the same within the time prescribed in said act.
These articles were passed in the affirmative, and on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, the Town Treasurer was instructed to hire the amount named in the article ($3,000) for a term not exceeding one year and at a rate of interest not exceeding four per cent., the town to be repaid from the money re- ceived from sewer assessments.
Voted. To take Article 25 from the table.
29
Voted. That the representative to the General Court be instructed that the Congress of the United States be memorialized to secure national ownership of the coal mines. .
Voted. To take up Articles 31 and 32 in order to pass the vote by a two-thirds vote. The previous motion under this article wa's then carried by a vote, 116 yes, 1 no.
Art. 33. To see if the town will authorize the Board of Health to make and enforce regulations for the public health and safety, relative to house drainage and its connection with public sewers, if a public sewer abuts the estate to be drained.
Voted. That the subject be recommitted to the Board of Health, with instructions to draw up, in general, a code of regulations such as they wish to have authority to adopt, and report the same at an adjournment of this meeting or at some subsequent meeting.
Art. 34. To see if the town will vote to purchase one thousand feet of hose for the use of the fire department, and raise and appropriate money for the same, or what they will do about it.
Finance Committee recommended $600, and the meeting voted to raise and appropriate that sum.
Art. 35. To see if the town will vote to connect the Ham- ilton school, Lincoln school and High school buildings with the sewer, change the present plumbing and install new where necessary, and raise and appropriate money therefor, or to see what the town will do about it.
Finance Committee recommended raising and appro- priating $1800 for the purpose of putting the High School building in thorough sanitary condition, and that a committee of five be appointed to carry out the recommendation.
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Pending the motion it was voted to adjourn for one week.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, APRIL 6, 1903. Art. 35 in order.
Voted. On recommendation of the Finance Committee to raise and appropriate $1800 for plumbing and building changes to place the High school building in thorough sanitary condition.
That a committee of five be appointed to carry out the above recommendation. A. R. Perkins, A. C. Thompson, F. J. Henkel, J. F. Loughlin, R. S. Stout appointed on this committee.
Art. 36. To see if the town will grant the free use of the town hall for four nights annually, to the management of the Home for Aged Women, for the benefit of said institution, or what they will do about it.
Voted. In the affirmative.
Art. 37. To see if the town will appoint a committee to investigate the condition of soldiers' graves, or what they will do about it.
Voted. That the moderator appoint a committee of three. Committee appointed : John M. Cate, Edward J. Gi- hon, J. Barnard Wiley.
Art. 38. To hear the report of the Selectmen in relation to laying out Central street as a town way, from Main street to Pleasant street.
John A. Meloney, of last year's board of Selectmen, read the report, which recommended that Central street be laid out as a public highway, and that $300 be raised and appropriated for that purpose. Under the rules, the report and recommendations were laid on the table until the next town meeting.
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Art. 39. To see if the town will grant the free use of the town hall for one night, to the Woman's Relief Corps. Voted. In the affirmative.
Art. 40. To see if the town will appropriate a sufficient sum of money to repair the roadbed and build side- walk from residence of Charles A. Dean, on Nahant street, to Oak street, or what they will do about it.
The Finance Committee recommended that $400 be appropriated, to be taken from the regular highway appropriation already made. The meeting so voted.
Art. 41. To see it the town will cause to be printed the assessors' valuation list of polls and property for the year 1903, and appropriate money therefor.
Voted to indefinitely postpone.
Art. 42. To see if the town will vote to purchase and install another dynamo, all necessary wires, poles, etc., together with such arc lamps as may be necessary for the better lighting of the streets, and raise and appro- priate four thousand dollars for the same, or what they will do about it.
Voted. To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 43. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of five hundred dollars and the receipts, to be expended for the laying out and care of the new cemetery on Lowell street.
Voted. That $500 and receipts be appropriated.
Voted. To take up Article 33.
A. D. Jenkins, for the Board of Health, reported a code of regulations, under Article 33, governing . house connections with the sewer. The report was accepted. The board was given authority to enforce the regulations reported.
*
32
This report is on file at the town hall.
Art. 47. To hear and act on the report of the committee appointed to furnish the Junction school house.
Voted. To accept report and place on file.
Voted. To take up Article 44.
Art. 44. To see if the town will raise and appropriate five hundred dollars for the suppression of the gypsy and brown-tail moths.
The meeting voted to leave this matter and the ex- penditure of the $500 voted for suppression of moths, to the Selectmen.
Art. 48. To see if the town will lay a granite cross-walk on Albion street, opposite the Methodist church, in place of the concrete crossing removed in July, 1902, or what they will do about it.
The matter was referred to the Selectmen, walk " to be replaced by the street railway which removed it or a covering of concrete be placed over block paving by the town."
Voted. To take up Article 5.
Voted. To raise and appropriate $215 for the salary of the Board of Engineers.
Voted. That the Board of Health have $300 for salaries and $100 for services.
Voted. On motion of William G. Strong, that the moder- ator be given a vote of thanks and $25, the money to be taken from the appropriation for miscellaneous expenses.
Voted. To dissolve the meeting.
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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, APRIL 27, 1903.
Meeting called to order and warrant read by Town Clerk Charles F. Hartshorne at 6 o'clock, a. m.
Article 1. To choose a moderator, by ballot, to preside at said meeting.
Voted. That Thos. G. O'Connell act as moderator.
The following election officers having been appointed were sworn in by the Town Clerk :
Inspectors-D. P. Rolfe, Edward F. Preston.
Ballot Clerks-R. L. Pitman, Charles R. White.
Tellers-S. T. Parker, F. E. Bunker, C. E. Walton, E. S. Jacob, W. C. Skulley, M. T. Lane, H. A. Simonds, Zina B. Malcolm, Frank Evans, W. A. Thrush.
Art. 2. To bring in their votes on one ballot for Town Treasurer.
Result of ballot :
Edwin Eugene Emerson . 425
Albert W. Flint 598
William H. Butler 1
Blanks . 7
Art. 3. To hear and act on the report of the Selectmen in relation to laying out a new town way from New Salem street southerly to the northerly side of the Salem branch of the Boston & Maine railroad.
The Selectmen's report, recommending that the street be laid out and accepted, was adopted. Report placed on file, also recorded with Commissioners.
Art. 4. To see if the town will raise and appropriate five hundred and fifty dollars to build Preston street and pay land damages, as recommended by the Selectmen.
34
Voted. That $450 be raised and appropriated for building the street, and $100 for land damages to Mr. Phinney, the same to be taken from the Highway appropriation.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, JULY 13, 1903.
Article 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting.
Thos. G. O'Connell was elected moderator.
Art. 2. To hear and act upon the report of the committee on Cooper street bridge.
Voted. To accept the report and a vote of thanks was ex- tended to the committee.
Voted. To suspend rule requiring articles to be taken up in their order.
Voted. To take up Article 11.
Art. 11. To hear and act upon a special report of the Board of Sewer Commissioners in relation to the Wake- field Trunk Sewer Bill, before the legislature of 1903.
Voted. That the report be accepted, and a vote of thanks be extended to the committee for the faithful work they have done.
Art. 3. To see if the town will authorize the Treasurer to borrow money in anticipation of Street Railway Tax, to be used for highway purposes, and issue the town notes therefor.
Voted. That the Town Treasurer be and hereby is author- ized and directed, with the approval of a majority of the Board of Selectmen, to issue a note of the town to the amount of $4,000, in anticipation of the street railway tax of 1903, that the proceeds of said note be placed to the credit of the highway department, and
35
that said note shall be paid from the said street railway tax when received.
Art. 4. To hear and act upon a report from the Water Committee.
Voted. To accept the report as a report of progress.
Art. 5. To see if the town will accept Chapter 488 of the Acts of the year nineteen hundred and two, entitled " An Act to provide for supplying the town of Wake- field with water?"
The proceedings will be taken under Section 16 of said Chapter 488, which is as follows :--
" This act, except as provided in section seventeen, shall take effect upon its acceptance by a majority vote of the voters of the town of Wakefield present and voting thereon at the next annual town meeting, or at a special town meeting called for the purpose within two years after its passage ; but the number of meetings so specially called shall not exceed three. Said vote shall be taken by separate ballot, with the use of the voting list, and the polls shall be open at least four hours. The vote shall be "Yes," or " No," in answer to the question printed upon the ballot :- Shall the town of Wakefield accept Chapter 488 of the Acts of the year nineteen hundred and two, entitled, " An act to provide for supplying the town of Wakefield with water?"
Note-As the polls must be open at least four hours, it is recommended that when this article is reached the meeting adjourn to a subsequent time and that at such adjourned meeting the polls be kept open from 4 p. m. to 8.30 p. m. for the purpose of voting "Yes " or " No," in answer to the question printed on the ballot :- Shall the town of Wakefield accept Chapter 488 of the Acts of the year nineteen hundred and two, entitled,
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"An act to provide for supplying the town of Wakefield with water?".
Then, if the town shall vote at such adjourned meet- ing to accept said Chapter 488, and if the Wakefield Water Company shall thereupon notify the Selectmen in writing that it desires to sell to said town all its rights to take water from Crystal lake and all other sources for supplying the town of Wakefield and its inhabitants with water, and any or all of its other property situated within said town, and any and all of its other property in the town of Stoneham, or so much thereof as is used for supplying water to the town of Wakefield or its inhabitants, and shall file with the town clerk specifications and descriptions of said prop- erty, the town thereupon may proceed to the consider- ation of the following articles :- See Articles 7, 8, 9, 10.
Voted. That when the meeting adjourn it be until next Thursday, July 16, at 4 o'clock p. m., to take action under Article 5, and the polls be kept open from 4 o'clock p. m. until 8.30 p. m.
Art. 12. To see if the town will ratify the action of the Board of Sewer Commissioners in obtaining legal and engineering services in the presentation of the Wake- field Trunk Sewer Bill, and raise and appropriate a suf- ficient sum in payment thereof.
Voted. To raise and appropriate $750 for legal and engi- neering services, to be taken from miscellaneous fund,
Art. 13. To see if the town will vote to apply, so far as necessary this year, the receipts from sewer assessments to the payment of the interest due this year on sewer bonds.
Voted. To lay on table.
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Art. 14. To see if the town will raise and appropriate $275 to purchase a street watering cart.
Voted. $275 for purpose named.
Art. 15. To see if the town will raise and appropriate $800 for street watering and determine what proportion of the cost shall be assessed on the abutters.
Voted. To lay article on table.
Adjourned until next Thursday, July 16, at 4 o'clock p. m.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, JULY 16, 1903.
Meeting called to order by moderator at 4 o'clock p. m.
The following election officers were sworn in by Town Clerk :
Ballot Box-M. T. Lane.
Check Lists-C. E. Walton, J. W. Kernan.
Counters-Henry A. Taylor, John A. Baxter.
Ballot Clerks-P. J. Kelley, Herbert Thrush.
Polls were open until 8,30 in accordance with the instructions of previous meeting, while acting under Art. 5. That the town accept Chapter 488 of the Acts of the year 1902, entitled "An act to provide for supply- ing the town of Wakefield with water."
Voted. Yes, 263. No, 49.
Chair declared the motion carried in the affirmative.
Voted. To adjourn until Monday evening, July 20, 1903, at 7.45 o'clock.
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ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, JULY 20, 1903.
Voted. To take Article 13 from table.
Art. 13. To see if the town will vote to apply, so far as necessary this year, the receipts from sewer assess- ments to the payment of the interest due this year on sewer bonds.
Voted. That money collected from sewer assessments this year be turned over to the Town Treasurer and that the Town Treasurer apply the money so collected to pay the interest on the sewer bonds, so far as the same will extinguish said interest.
Art. 15. To see if the town will raise and appropriate $800 for street watering and determine what proportion of the cost shall be assessed on abutters.
Voted. To expend for street watering, in addition to former appropriation, not exceeding $800 of the high- way appropriation.
Voted. To take up Articles 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, together.
Art. 6. To see if the town will vote to purchase, in whole or in part, the water rights, estates, franchises and privileges of the Wakefield Water Company, and all its rights to take water from Crystal lake and all other sources for supplying the town of Wakefield and its inhabitants with water, and any or all of its other prop- erty situate within said town, and any and all of its property in the town of Stoneham; and to pay for a free and clear title thereto the sum of $230,000.
Art. 7. To see if the town will purchase from the heirs and devisees of Francis A. Brooks, late of Boston, deceased, a certain piece of real estate situate in the town and bounded on Lake Quannapowitt, Railroad
39
street and Lakeside avenue, and pay therefor the sum of $5,000.
Art. 8. To see if the town will authorize and direct the Selectmen to do and perform everything required by Section 14 and Section 15 of said Chapter 488, for its proper fulfillment upon the part of the town, except that the town shall issue any bonds or notes authorized to be issued under said chapter.
Art. 9. To see if the town will appropriate any and all sums necessary for all or any of the purposes men- tioned in the foregoing articles.
Art. 10. To authorize the Treasurer to borrow any and all sums appropriated under the foregoing articles.
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Article 6. Voted. That for the purpose of supplying it- self and its inhabitants with water for the extinguish- ment of fires and for domestic and other purposes, the town accept the offer of the Wakefield Water Com- pany to sell for the sum of $230,000 to the Town of Wakefield, the following properties : All of said Wakefield Water Company's rights to take water from Crystal lake and all other sources of supplying the town of Wakefield and its inhabitants with water, and all of its other properties situated within said town, and all of its property in the town of Stoneham, all of such property being used for supplying water to the town of Wakefield or its inhabitants, and also the land recently conveyed to Frederick Brooks in behalf of said Wakefield Water Company, by trustees of the estate of the late Amos Stone, bordering on Crystal lake, specifications and descriptions of said property being on file with the clerk of said town of Wakefield, and that the town purchase and pay for a free and clear title the sum of $230,000. Yes, 126; No, 4.
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Article 7. Finance committee report against the town pur- chasing property named in article.
Voted. Yes 83, no, 7, to purchase and pay therefor the sum of $5,000.
Specification and description of property on file with Town Clerk.
Article 6. This article was again taken up, the Finance committee not having considered the question. The Finance committee reported in favor of purchasing the plant of the Wakefield Water Company for $230,000, and the original motion offered was carried. Yes, 80; No, 1.
· Article 8. Voted. To authorize and instruct the Select- men as named in article.
Article 9. Voted. That the sum of $235,000 is hereby appropriated to carry out the two foregoing votes, act- ing under Articles 6 and 7. Yes, 59 ; No, 3.
Article 10. Voted. That the Treasurer be authorized to borrow the sum of $235,000, appropriated under the foregoing vote, for the purpose of paying the necessary expenses and liabilities incurred under the provisions of Chapter 488 of the Acts of the year 1902, by the issue of 235 bonds of $1,000 each, said bonds to bear on their face the words, "Town of Wakefield Water Loan," and to be dated on or before December 1st, 1903; said bonds shall bear interest payable semi- annually, at the rate not exceeding 4 per cent. per annum, and said bonds shall be payable in such annual payments as will extinguish the same within thirty years from the date of issue thereof and within the terms of said Chapter 488, to wit : During each of the first ten years, $4,000 thereof; during each of the
1
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next ten years, $8,000 thereof, and during the last ten years, or until paid, $12,000 thereof. Yes, 66; No.2. Voted. That the Town Treasurer sell direct from time to time the whole or any part of the 235 bonds, the issue of which has been authorized, for the highest obtaina- ble price, by giving notice by publication, or otherwise, to such customary purchasers of municipal bonds as he deems best, to make sealed bids' for the whole or any part thereof, the offer of the highest bidder who shall he satisfactory to the Treasurer to be accepted, if the Treasurer deems best; the right being reserved by him to reject any or all bids, or in the event of the Treasurer not being satisfied with any of said bids, or having rejected the same, to sell the bonds at private sale, provided that such securities shall not be sold for less than the par value thereof.
The following resolution was presented by M. E. S. Clemons :
Resolved - That the efforts of the water committee in bringing to a successful and gratifying termination the question of a water supply for the town of Wake- field, controlled by the town, are deserving of the highest praise and commendation, and the town hereby expresses to each member of said committee its hearty thanks.
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Voted. To dissolve the meeting.
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TOWN MEETING, SEPTEMBER 28, 1903.
Article 1, To choose a moderator by ballot.
Thos. G. O'Connell elected moderator.
The moderator appointed the following election offi- cers who were sworn in by Town Clerk :
D. P. Rolfe, J. W. Kernan, R. L. Pitman, C. R. White, S. T. Parker, F. E. Bunker, Z. B. Malcolm, E. S. Jacob, W. C. Skulley, W. O. Abbott, M. T. Lane, H. A. Simonds, A. L. Wiley, Frank Evans. 1
Art. 2. To elect three Water Commissioners, one to serve until May 1, 1905, one to serve until May 1, 1906, and one to serve until May 1, 1907.
Result of the ballot :
WATER COMMISSIONER, 3 Years.
Chas. A. Dean
. 556
Scattering
·
26
Blanks
273
WATER COMMISSIONER, 2 Years.
James H. Kimball . 356
William G. Strong .
277
Scattering
7
Blanks .
215
WATER COMMISSIONER, 1 Year.
William H. Butler 404
Frank J. Henkel
198
William G. Strong .
28
Windsor M. Ward .
161
Scattering .
3
Blanks
·
61
.
·
.
Voted. To dissolve the meeting.
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STATE ELECTION AND TOWN MEETING, NOVEMBER 3, 1903.
PRECINCT ONE.
Polls were opened at 6 o'clock a. m., and the follow- ing election officers were sworn in by Town Clerk C. F. Hartshorne :
1
Warden-Wm. B. Daniel.
Clerk-J. Fred Parker.
Deputy Warden-A. L. Wiley.
Deputy Clerk-A. W. Brownell.
Inspectors-C. O. Anderson, Daniel P. Rolfe, Harry Creagh, John W. Kernan.
Deputy Inspectors - Allan Bouve, Edward B. Kelley.
Tellers - Z. B. Malcolm, A. L. Cutler, Levi Flan- ders, C. E. Walton, G. E. Hart, H. B. Driver, W. C. Skulley, H. A. Simonds, S. T. Parker, E. S. Ja- cob, M. T. Lane, Timothy Greaney.
PRECINCT Two.
Polls were opened at 6 o'clock a. m., and the follow- -ing officers were sworn in by Warden W. G. Eaton :
Deputy Clerk-Herbert W. Walton.
Inspectors-Frank Evans, Charles R. White.
Tellers - Mortimer L. Harris, Richard L. Pitman, H. P. Alden, A. M. Baxter.
Polls closed at 4.30 p. m., and the following result of the election was read.
The complete vote of the town, revised and cor- rected, is given herewith by precincts :
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GOVERNOR.
Precincts. Totals.
I
II
John L. Bates, R.
731
185
916
Thomas F. Brennan, S. L.
9
1
10
John C. Chase, S.
142
18
160
Oliver W. Cobb, P .. .
17
3
20
William A. Gaston, D.
715
46
761
Blanks
112
14
126
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
John Quincy Adams, S.
141
21
162
Curtis Guild, Jr., R. .
839
191
1030
William F. Merrill, P.
16
2
18
Richard Olney, 2d., D.
550
26
576
Moritz E. Ruther, S. L.
24
3
27
Blanks
157
23
180
SECRETARY.
Olof Bokelund, S.
128
17
145
John F. Coyle, S. L. .
28
4
32
Alfred L. Cutting, P. .
16
6
22
Ezekel M. Ezekel, D. .
454
18
472
William M. Olin, R.
847
180
1027
Blanks
253
42
295
TREASURER.
John A. Billings, S ..
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