USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1916-1920 > Part 7
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The test of value of Real Estate everywhere is what it will sell for and what it will bring in the market at public or private sale. Real Estate situated on a street with Electric Cars, Water Mains, Gas, Sewers, Electric Lights, and Telephone service should be classed as Village Property-Class A. and in case a farm is on such a street, then a zone extending back from the street at least two hundred feet should be in class A. and assessed for more than the land remote from the street. There is no ques- tion but all Real Estate within one half mile of a Trolly line is increased in value thereby, while Real Estate away and remote receives little direct benefit, yet some, as a way to the city. Never in the history of the Town were Real Estate valuations as high or bring the money they do today.
18
It seems to us that greater care might be used to determine the area of various tracts of land to give each tract its correct amount. We find in the Assessors Re- port for 1916 acres of land 14,155, in 1915, 14,226, in 1914, 14,241, 1913, 14,470 the Assessors probably can ex- plain the loss of 200 acres of land, equal to a large farm. We cite one example of the present assessed value of land in the Town. Three tracts of land on three corners opposite each other with the street between, are assessed as follows :
Tract A. at two thousand dollars per acre rate.
Tract B. at twelve hundred dollars per acre rate.
Tract C. at one hundred and twenty dollars per acre rate.
There is but little of any difference in the commercial value of the three tracts of land, and the highest value is the nearest right. Real Estate includes land with the buildings thereon, but we have not taken into the scope of our work buildings, as they are so diverse in kind and value, they should be treated separately.
We recommend that the Assessors arrange the Real Estate of the Town into classes of similar kind and na- ture, as to location and use, and thus determine the fair cash value thereof as follows:
On main highways of the Town with Electric Cars, Town Water, Gas, Light and Telephone Service, a zone shall be established at least two hundred feet wide from the street line, and parallel therewith, and the land on said street and within said zone shall be in class A. or Village Property and shall bear a higher rate of value than land more remote from a main street; also streets leading from a main highway, and having a portion of improvement thereon, for a distance of one fourth or one half mile may be in class A. as seems expedient to the Assessors, and a zone may be established on any
19
street, according to the use it is put to, and how it is laid out. And all land should be assessed at a fair value, with- out regard to how it is being used at the time."
Voted :- To adopt the report of the Committee.
Voted :- That it is the sense of this meeting that the Assessors indicate street frontage of village property and in general follow the recommendations of the report.
Art. 5. To hear and act upon the report of the special committee appointed at the last Annual Town Meeting to consider school house and fire department ac- commodations in Agawam Center.
Committee reported advisable to take land and erect thereon a Town Hall with fire department and Library accommodations in Agawam Center and use the present Town Hall for school purposes.
Voted :- To accept the report.
'Art. 6. To see if the Town will vote to erect a build- ing or buildings to be used as a Town Hall, public library and for Fire Department purposes.
Voted that the town erect a building to be used as a Town Hall, Fire Department building, and library room at Agawam Center.
Art. 7. To see if the Town will take a tract of land at the south easterly corner of Main and School streets for the purpose of erecting thereon a building or build- ings to be used as a Town Hall, Public Library and for Fire Department purposes.
Voted :- That the Town take a tract of land on the Southeast corner of Main and School Streets for the purpose of erecting thereon a building or buildings to be used as a Town Hall, Library Room, and for Fire Depart- ment purposes, with a frontage on Main Street of 131 feet, on School Street of 173 feet, the easterly line 156 feet and the Southerly line 190 feet.
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Art. 8. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate by loans or otherwise, a sum of money to be used for the payments of any land taken under provisions of Article 6 of this Warrant, and for any buildings or buildings under provisions of Article 7 of this Warrant and provide for the payment of money so borrowed.
No action taken.
Voted :- To adjourn this meeting to meet in Mittin- eague School building May 11, 1917 at eight o'clock P. M.
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Adjourned Town Meeting
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to take the present Town Hall for school purposes and appropriate money for alteration of the same.
Voted :- To postpone indefinitely.
Art. 10. To see if the Town will vote to erect a two room addition to the present school building in Agawam Center and provide for the payment of the same.
Voted unanimously :- That the Town erect a two room addition to the present school building in Agawam Center and appropriate the sum of fifteen thousand dollars to erect, equip and furnish the same, and the Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen be and hereby is authorized to borrow said sum and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Sec- tion 14, of Chapter 719 of the Acts of 1913, and of Acts in Amendment thereof or in addition thereto, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty years from the date of issue of the first bond or note or at such earlier times as the Treasurer and Selectmen may determine.
Voted :- That a committee of five be appointed to procure plans and build this building.
The School Committee with Fred A Worthington and William M. Shaylor were the committee appointed.
Art. 11. To see if the Town will make an appropria- tion for alterations of the sanitaries in the School Build- ing in Agawam Center.
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Voted :- To appropriate the sum of Thirty-five hun- dred dollars ($3500) for the alterations of the sanitaries in the school building at Agawam Center.
Art. 12. To see if the Town will vote to take land for and erect a hose house in Agawam Center and provide for the payment of same.
Voted :-- That a Committee of three be appointed to investigate the needs of the Fire Department in Agawam Center. The board of Fire Commissioners were the com- mittee appointed.
Art. 13. To see if the Town will take action relative to the extension of the school grounds at Feeding Hills Center and take all proper votes thereon.
Art. 14. To see if the Town will take action relative to procuring land for a playground at Mittineague and take all proper votes thereon.
Voted under Articles 13 and 14. That a committee be appointed to consider the needs of playgrounds in Feeding Hills and Mittineague. James F. Barry, R. Mather Taylor, Emile A. Roy and Ralph Snell were ap- pointed as such committee.
Art. 15. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to petition the County Commissioners to widen any part of School Street.
Voted :- That the Selectmen be instructed to peti- tion the County Commissioners to widen School Street.
Art. 16. To see of the Town will authorize and di- rect the Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen to issue bonds or notes of the Town under authority of Chapter 239 Special Acts of the General Court of 1917 and provide for the payment therof in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of said Act.
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Voted :- That we hereby authorize the Town Treas- urer with the approval of the Selectmen to issue bonds or notes of the Town under authority of Chapter 239 Special Acts of the General Court of 1917 and to the amount of twenty five thousand dollars, said notes or bonds to be payable so that the whole sum shall be paid within 30 years from date of issue of first bond.
Voted :- That the matter of the extension of the water main be left to the discretion of the Water Com- missioners.
Art. 17. To transact any other business that may legally come before said meeting.
Voted :- That the Selectmen be requested to confer with the Massachusetts Highway Commission regarding the permanent improvement of Meadow Street, and if favorable arrangements can be made to take proper meas- ures to arrange for said improvements.
Voted :- That the Board of Selectmen and all other Town Officers shall present an itemized statement in the Annual Report covering the expenditures of all money in their departments including names of persons on pay- rolls, amounts received and for what.
Voted :- That we do now adjourn.
HENRY E. BODURTHA, Town Clerk.
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Special Town Meeting
September 26, 1917.
Article 1. To choose a Moderator to preside in said meeting.
Result of ballot :- For Moderator, whole number of ballots 45, blanks 1, James F. Barry 4, W. H. Porter 15, James H. Clark 25 and declared elected.
Art. 2. To hear the report of a Special Committee appointed for the purpose of investigating the needs of the Fire Department in Agawam Center and take any action thereon.
The Special Committee on Fire Department needs in Agawam Center reported advising the building of a hose house.
Voted :- To accept the report.
Art. 3. To see if the Town will vote to take land for and erect a hose house in Agawam Center, and provide for the payment of the same.
Voted :- That the Town take a lot of land situated on the Southerly side of Elm Street belonging to the heirs of Edward K. Bodurtha, described substantially as follows :- Beginning at the Northwest corner of land of the First Baptist Church of Agawam, and running West- erly on said street 75 feet; thence Southerly 65 feet; thence Easterly 48 feet; thence Northerly on land of said church 75 feet to point of beginning, for the purpose of erecting a hose house thereon. And the Selectmen are hereby directed to file the necessary papers for the taking of the same.
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Voted :- That the Moderator appoint a committee of three to secure plans, advertise for bids and erect a suit- able hose house at Agawam Center on the aforementioned lot, and that the Treasurer is hereby authorized and di- rected to borrow for the term of one year with the ap- proval of the Selectmen, a sum of money not exceeding thirty-six hundred dollars ($3600) for the payment of the same.
Art. 4. To hear and act upon the report of the Spe- cial Committee appointed to consider the procuring of land for playgrounds in Feeding Hills and Mittineague, and take all proper votes thereon.
The Committee on Playgrounds reported advising purchasing or taking plots of land in Feeding Hills known as Trevallion and Shaughnessey plots and the plot in Mit- tineague known as Gosselin plot.
Voted :- That the Selectmen are instructed to pur- chase or take in behalf of the Town two tracts of land at Feeding Hills Center bounded and described as follows :-
First Tract .- Beginning at the Southeast corner of the Park, and running thence Easterly by land of Mrs. Trevallion about one hundred and seventeen feet; thence Southerly by the Thevallion land about one hundred and fifty feet to land of Mrs. Shaughessey; thence Westerly by land of said Shaughnessey about one hundred and three feet to the School-house lot; thence Northerly by last named lot about one hundred and thirty-six feet to the place of beginning, containing 15,730 sq. feet of land.
Second Tract .- Beginning at the Southeast corner of School-house lot and running thence Northerly by said lot sixty-nine feet to the first described tract; thence Easterly by said first tract about one hundred and three feet; thence Southerly by land of said Mrs. Shaughnessey fifty-two feet; thence Westerly by land of said Shaugh- nessey about ninty-two feet to the point of beginning, ‘ containing 5929 feet of land.
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Voted :- That the Selectmen be instructed to pur- chase or take a certain plot of land belonging to Amos Gosselin in Mittineague, and adjoining the present School-house lot, bounded and agreed on by said Gosselin and the Playground Committee appointed by the Town.
VArt. 5. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of building a sidewalk on Springfield Street to connect with the sidewalk recently built on the South side of the bridge over the tracks of the Central New England Railway at Feeding Hills.
Voted :- That the sum of three hundred dollars be and is hereby appropriated for the building of a sidewalk on the South side of Springfield Street at Feeding Hills; said sidewalk is to extend Easterly from the Park along the approach to and connect with the sidewalk built by the railroad on its bridge over the tracks; thence Easterly along said street to the Cemetery. Said sum of $300 may be taken from any funds on hand available, and if there are none then authority is given to borrow the same.
Art. 6. To see if the Town will appropriate a cer- tain sum of money for the purpose of permanent im- provement of Meadow Street, under specifications ap- proved by the Massachusetts Highway Commission and take all necessary action for borrowing said sum of money.
.
No action taken.
Art. 7. To see if the Town will instruct their Se- lectmen to dispose of a tract of land situated on North Street, the title of which is now held by the Town of Agawam.
Voted :- To instruct the Selectmen to rent North Street lot for ball playing.
Art. 8. To transact any other business that may legally come before said meeting.
Voted :- That we now adjourn.
HENRY E. BODURTHA, Town Clerk.
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Special Town Meeting
Held October 16, 1917, at the Agawam Town Hall at 8 o'Clock.
Article 1. To choose Moderator to preside in said meeting.
H. P. Hinkley was chosen as moderator.
Art. 2. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate twenty thousand dollars, or any portion thereof, for the purpose of constructing a permanent pavement on Mea- dow Street, and authorize the Treasurer, with the ap- proval of the Selectmen, to borrow said sum, or any por- tion thereof, or act in any way relating thereto.
Voted :- That the Town appropriate the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for the purpose of constructing permanent pavement on Meadow Street, and that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is, authorized to borrow said sum, and is- sue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 of Chapter 719 of the Acts of 1913, and Acts in amendment thereof, or in addition thereto, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than ten years from the date of issue of the first bond or note, or at such earlier dates as the Treasurer and Selectmen may deter- mint.
Less than two-thirds voted in the affirmative.
Art. 3. To see if the Town will accept a proposal for the construction of permanent pavement in Meadow
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Street, made by the Massachusetts Highway Commission, contract with said Commission, or act otherwise respect- ing said matter.
Voted :- To indefinitely postpone.
Art. 4. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of acquiring land, and for the construction, equipping and furnishing thereon, of a fire station on Elm Street, and authorize the Treas- urer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow said sum, or act in any way relating thereto.
Voted :- That the Town appropriate the sumof forty- eight hundred dollars ($4800) for the purpose of acquir- ing land for, and for the construction, equipping and fur- nishing thereon, of a fire station on Elm Street, and that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow said sum, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Sec- tion 14 of Chapter 719 of the Acts of 1913, and all Acts in amendment thereof, or in addition thereto, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty years from the date of issue of the first bond or note, or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and Selortmen may de- termine.
Art. 5. To see if the Town will vote to take by purchase or otherwise, for the purpose of erecting there- on a fire station, a certain tract of land situated on Elm Street.
Voted :- That the Town take a lot of land, situated on the Southerly side of Elm Street and belonging to the heirs of Edward K. Bodurtha, and bounded and described as follows :- Beginning at the Northwesterly corner of the land of or occupied by the First Baptist Church of Agawam, Massachusetts, and running thence Westerly
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on Elm Street about eighty-five (85) feet; thence South- erly about sixty-five (65) feet to stone bound; thence Easterly about forty-eight (48) feet to land of said First Baptist Church ; and thence Northerly on said last named land about ninety (90) feet to place of beginning, for the purpose of erecting thereon a fire station, and that the Selectmen be and the same are hereby authorized and di- rected in the name of the Town to do all things necessary to complete such taking, and vest in the Town title to the land hereby taken.
Art. 6. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of acquiring land for, and in addition to, its lot of land now used for school-house purposes in Feeding Hills.
Voted :- That the Town appropriate the sum of thir- teen hundred dollars ($1300) and that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, is authorized to bor- row said sum.
Art. 7. To see if the Town will vote to take by pur- chase or otherwise, for and in addition to, its lot of land now used for school-house purposes in Feeding Hills, two certain lots of land situated Easterly of said present school-house lot.
Voted :- That the Town take two certain lots of land situated Easterly of its present school-house lot in Feed- ing Hills, for and in addition to said lot now being used for school-house purposes, and bounded and described as follows :-
No. 1. Beginning at the Southeasterly corner of the Park, so called, in Feeding Hills, and running thence East- erly by land of one Trevallion about one hundred seven- teen (117) feet; thence Southerly by said last named land about one hundred fifty (150) feet to land of one Shaugh- nessey; thence Westerly by said last named land about
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one hundred three (103) feet to the present school-house lot of said Town; and thence Northerly on said last named land about one hundred thirty-six (136) feet to the place of beginning.
No. 2. Beginning at the Southeasterly corner of said school-house lot and running thence Northerly by said school-house lot about sixty-nine (69) feet to land now or later of Trevallion; thence Easterly by said named land about one hundred three (103) feet; thence South- erly by land of one Shaughnessey about fifty-two (52) feet, and thence Westerly by said last named land about ninety-two (92) feet to the place of beginning.
Art. 6. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of acquiring land for and in addition to its lot of land now used for school-house purposes in Mittineague.
Voted :- That the sum of eight hundred dollars ($800) be appropriated for the purpose of acquiring land for and in addition to its lot of land now used for school purposes in Mittineague, and that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, is hereby authorized to borrow said sum.
Art. 9. To see if the Town will vote to take by pur- chase or otherwise, for and in addition to its lot of land now used for school purposes in Mittineague, a certain lot of land situated southerly of same.
Voted :- That the Town take a certain lot of land adjacent to its present school-house lot in Mittineague for and in addition to said lot now used for school-house purposes, and bounded and described as follows :-
Beginning at the Southwesterly corner of present school-house lot at land of Angelo Montagna and running Southeasterly to a stake, thence Northerly on land of Amos Gosselin 80.25 ft. to a stake, thence Northerly on
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said Gosselin's land 78.50 ft. to a stake, thence North- westerly 112 ft. to Easterly corner of said school-house lot, thence Southwesterly on said school-house lot 163 ft. to place of beginning.
Art. 10. To see if the Town will amend its by-laws heretofore passed under the authority of Chapter 293 of the General Acts of Massachusetts, passed by the General Court in the year 1916.
No action taken.
Art. 11. To see if the Town will transact any other business that may lawfully come before said meeting.
Voted :- To adjourn.
HENRY E. BODURTHA, Town Clerk.
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State Election
November 6, 1917.
Precinct A B
C Total
Number of ballots cast.
102
117
107 326
For Governor
James Hayes of Plymouth.
3
1
3
7
Chester R. Lawrence of Boston. .
0
1
6
7
Frederick W. Mansfield of Boston .. 42
24
10
76
Samuel W. McCall of Winchester ... 54
83
84
221
John McCarty of Abington
0
3
3
6
Blanks
3
5
1
9
For Lieutenant Governor
Calvin Coolidge of Northampton ... 52
83
82
217
Matthew Hale of Boston .. . 35
25
17
77
Sylvester J. McBride of Watertown.
1
4
4
9
Fred E. Oelcher of Peabody.
1
1
2
4
Blanks
13
4
2
19
For Secretary
Herbert S. Brown of Greenfield.
3
6
6
15
Albert P. Langtry of Springfield. .
57
78
78
213
Ingvar Paulsen of Boston ..
1
0
1
2
Arthur B. Reed of Abington
36
26
11
73
Marion E. Sproule of Lowell
0
3
7
10
Blanks
13
4
2
19
33
Precinct A B
C Total
Treasurer
Charles L. Burrill of Boston.
54
82
80
216
Solon Lovett of Beverly ..
0
2
6
8
Joseph A. Murphy of Lowell.
0
4
5
9
Humphrey O'Sullivan of Lowell.
41
24
10
75
Mary E. Peterson
1
1
2
4
Blanks
6
4
4
14
For Auditor
Elzar H. Choquette of New Bedford. 51
23
11
85
Alonzo B. Cook of Boston.
39
79
80
198
David Craig of Milford.
0
0
2
2
Walter S. Peck of Stockbridge.
1
3
5
9
Henry G. Smith, Jr., of Somerville.
0
6
5
11.
Blanks
11
6
4
21
Attorney General
Henry C. Atwill of Lynn.
42
76
76
194
Frank Auchter of Belmont.
0
1
4
5
William R. Henry of Lynn.
0
3
5
8
Thomas J. Maher of Medford.
1
0
2
3
Josiah Quincy of Boston
46
30
15
91
Blanks
13
7
7
25
Councillor
William Kurth of Holyoke.
9
8
9
26
Charles H. Wright of Pittsfield.
65
88
87
240
Blanks
28
21
11
60
For Senator
Leonard F. Hardy of Huntington ...
75
89
90
254
Blanks
27
28
17
72
34
Precinct A B C Total
Representatives in General Court
Charles Leon Cooley of East Long-
meadow
47
60
71 178
Clarence H. Granger of Agawam .. 65
94
83
242
Blanks
92
80
60
232
County Commissioner
George Day of West Springfield.
8
9
10
27
William H. Ensign of Westfield .
69
84
86
239
Blanks
25
24
11
60
Amendment of the Constitution relating to absentee voting
Yes
40
63
66
169
No
31
8
19
58
Blanks
31
46
22
99
Amendment of the Constitution relating to appropriations for educational and benevo- lent purposes
Yes
29
39
70
138
No
49
26
20
95
Blanks
24
52
17
93
Amendment of the Constitution relating to the distribution of necessities of life
Yes
44
54
69
167
No
27
16
16
59
Blanks
31
47
22
100
35
.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden, ss.
West Springfield, Nov., 1917.
At a meeting of the Town Clerks of the several towns representing the Second Hampden Representative Dis- trict, the votes of the several towns canvassed as fol- lows :-
CHAS. L. COOLEY
CLARENCE H. GRANGER
SCATTERING
BLANKS
TOTAL
Agawam
178
242
232
652
Blandford
44
39
23
106
Chester
66
60
98
224
East Longmeadow
151
93
92
336
Granville
41
39
32
112
Hampden
46
37
2
37
122
Longmeadow
183
152
93
428
Ludlow
211
198
149
558
Montgomery
22
20
2
14
58
Russell
100
87
61
248
Southwick
77
71
64
212
Tolland
14
14
8
36
West Springfield
692
401
619
2012
Wilbraham
94
81
55
230
Totals
1919
1834
4
1577
5334
Henry E. Bodurtha, Town Clerk of Agawam.
Enos W. Boise, Town Clerk of Blandford.
Harry E. Willicutt, Town Clerk of Chester.
O. Louis Wolcott, Town Clerk of East Longmeadow. S. B. Root, Town Clerk of Granville. Willie M. Pease, Town Clerk of Hampden.
W. P. Sherman, Town Clerk of Longmeadow.
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Olin F. Parent, Town Clerk of Ludlow. W. D. Allyn, Town Clerk of Montgomery. H. A. Denman, Town Clerk of Russell. R. M. Fletcher, Town Clerk of Southwick. Wilbert Munn, Town Clerk of Tolland. F. H. Sibley, Town Clerk of West Springfield. W. H. McGuire, Jr., Town Clerk of Wilbraham.
37
BIRTHS REGISTERED IN AGAWAM FOR THE YEAR 1917
Date of Birth
Name of Child
Place of Birth
Name of Parents
Residence of Parents
Occupation of Father
Birthplace of Father
Birthplace of Mother
Jan.
5 Walery A. Nacewicz
Agawam
Clarence and Jane (Worthington)
Agawam
Mason
South Newfane, Vt.
Jan. 8 |Betsy Worthington Bailey
Agawam
Anzelo and Giovannina (Morasso)
Agawam
Laborer
Italy
Jan.
10 Frank Morasso
Agawam
Joseph and Maria (Nye)
Agawam
Paper mill
Italy
Italy
Jan.
12 Frank Barbaro
Agawam
Eugene and Lamina G. (Jenmir)
Agawam
Paper maker
Abbotsford, P. I.
West Springfield
Jan.
16 Louise Lavina St. John
Agawam
Joseph and Henrietta (Rosatti)
Agawam
Paper maker
Italy
Italy
Jan.
17 Georgia Antonia La Corde
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