USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Franklin > Town of Franklin annual report 1897 > Part 5
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ART. 12. To see what sums of money the town will raise and appropriate for the repairs of roads, bridges and sidewalks; for the support of schools, including the salary of a Superintendent and the transportation of scholars; for repairing school houses, for school books, supplies and miscellaneous school expenses ; for the support of the poor; for the support of the Fire Department; for water supply ; for street lights ; for the payment of the town debt and interest; for the payment of town officers; for the abatement and collection of taxes ; for printing and stationery; the suppression of illegal liquor traffic; for payment of police; for State and military aid; for support of the Library of the Franklin Library Association ; for the decoration of the soldiers' graves ; for soldiers' aid; and for miscellaneous town expenses.
ART. 13. To see if the town will appropriate any and what sums of money to construct concrete sidewalks in town, or do anything relating thereto.
ART. 14. To see if the town will take any and what action in re- lation to printing its records.
ART. 15. To see if the town will vote to put electric lights into the almshouse, or do anything relating thereto.
ART. 16. To see if the town will take any and what action in re- lation to selling the Chapel schoolhouse and lot.
ART. 17. To see if the town will authorize the School Board to employ a clerk at a salary not to exceed fifty dollars.
ART. 18. To see if the town will take any and what action in re- lation to establishing and maintaining street signs in the village por- tion of the town,
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ART. 19. To see if the town will take any and what action in re- lation to the abolishing of the grade crossing of the New England rail- road Company on Union street, and commonly known as "Nason's Crossing."
ART. 20. To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to peti- tion the County Commissioners or Board of Railroad Commissioners "To direct that an agent be stationed continuously at Nason's Cross- ing, so called, to open and close the gates at said crossing."
ART. 21. To see what action the town will take toward putting an arc light on Washington street, or do anything relating thereto. .
ART. 22. 'To see if the town will put in a fire alarm system, and appropriate money therefor, or do anything relating thereto.
ART. 23. To see if the town will vote to repair the cemetery at City Mills, or do anything relating thereto.
ART. 24. To see if the town will vote to complete the extension of Dean avenue to Pleasant street, or do anything relating thereto.
ART. 25. To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to appear before the Committee on County Estimates and favor a reduction of county taxes.
ART. 26. To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to en- deavor to secure better railroad facilities for the town, or do anything relating thereto.
ART. 27. To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to pur- chase one or more cells for the lockup.
The polls may be opened at eight o'clock A. M. and may be closed at twelve o'clock noon.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, on or before the hour of said meeting.
Given under our hands at said Franklin this twentieth day of February, A. D. 1896.
GEORGE W. WIGGIN, EDGAR K. RAY, EDWIN A. MASON, Selectmen of Franklin.
On the above warrant the following return was made :
NORFOLK, SS.
FEBRUARY 22, A. D. 1896.
By virtue of the within warrant I have notified the inhabitants of the Town of Franklin herein described to assemble in their Town Hall on Monday, the second day of March, A. D. 1896, for the pur.
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poses within mentioned, by posting attested copies of the within warrant in each of the post offices of the town, and in ten other public places, seven days before the day of meeting, in compliance with Section two of Article one of the By-Laws of the Town of Franklin.
LEWIS R. WHITAKER, Constable of Franklin.
A true record of the warrant and the return thereon.
Attest : ORESTES T. DOE, Town Clerk.
Proceedings of the Annual Town Meeting, MARCH 2d, 1896.
Pursuant to the foregoing warrant the inhabitants of the aforesaid town of Franklin qualified to vote in town affairs met at the Town Hall, in said town, on the first Monday of March, it being the second day of said month, A. D. 1896.
The meeting was called to order at the time and place named in said warrant by the Town Clerk, who read the warrant and return thereon, and then, at his request, Rev. Wm. M. Thayer offered prayer, after which William F. Ray was chosen Moderator by ballot, in receiving which the check-list was used, and he was sworn by the Town Clerk.
Bradley M. Rockwood and John B. Collins were ap- pointed Ballot Clerks by the Selectman before the opening of the polls, and said Ballot Clerks were sworn by the Town Clerk before receiving the ballots ; and before the opening of the polls the Town Clerk delivered a bundle `packed by him and sealed, as required by law, containing fifteen hundred (1500) official ballots and one hundred and fifty (150) special ballots for women, and the receipt of the Ballot Clerks was taken for said ballots :
And the Town Clerk caused the cards of instruction and specimen ballots to be posted in each of the fifteen marking shelves or compartments provided by the Selectmen and a guard-rail was set six feet or more from said marking shelves or compartments, as required by law, and the cards of in-
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struction and specimen ballots were posted outside the guard- rail, according to law.
The ballot box provided by the Secretary of the Com- monwealth, used at the election, was publicly opened and shown to be empty, and was examined by the Moderator and Town Clerk; and the register thereon was set at 000 and then locked, and the key thereof given to Silas W. Nick- erson, a constable of Franklin, after which the polls were declared open.
When the ballots were delivered to the voters by the Ballot Clerks the check-list was used, and the name of each voter receiving a ballot was announced and checked on said list by the Ballot Clerks, and the voter so receiving his ballot marked it at the marking shelf or compartment and then deposited his ballot in the box, as directed by the Moderator.
The name of each voter so casting a ballot was announced in a loud and distinct tone of voice and checked upon the check-list by the election officers in charge at said box and list.
The Selectmen, on the 20th day of February current, appointed George R. Winsor and Charles Stewart to act as Tellers at the annual election to be held on the second day of March current. Said George R. Winsor, on the day of the election, declined to act as such Teller, and the Moderator, in open town meeting, appointed Walter C. Sherman to take the place of said George R. Winsor; and also John W. Bradley, Bradley M. Rockwood, Nathan C. Nye and John B. Collins were appointed Tellers by the Moderator. All of the aforesaid Tellers who acted as such were duly sworn.
And Nathan C. Nye and James W. Desmond were ap- pointed by the Moderator as additional Ballot Clerks, who were sworn by the Moderator.
The ballot box was opened by the unanimous consent of the Moderator and Town Clerk at ten o'clock in the forenoon on said day, and the ballots taken therefrom for the purpose of counting, at which time the register on said box showed that 226 ballots had been cast therein, and upon a
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complete count of all ballots removed as aforesaid it was found that there were 224, and thereupon the canvass and counting of votes was commenced.
All of said ballots and the check-lists were kept within the unobstructed view of the voters present, according to law.
The polls were closed at 4 o'clock P. M., when the register on the ballot box showed that 701 ballots had been cast therein, and the names checked on each voting list were then counted by the election officers in a distinct and audible voice, and the number checked on each list used for the men voters was 681, which was announced ; and the names checked on each of the check-lists used for the women voters were counted in the same manner and there were 11 names checked on each, which was announced ; and all the ballots cast into said ballot box were counted and there were found to be 692.
The number of ballots left at the close of the polls de- ducted from the whole number receipted for by the Ballot Clerks showed 692 ballots delivered to the persons who voted.
All the ballots cast by the voters as aforesaid were sorted, counted and declaration thereof made by the Town Clerk in open town meeting, as follows, viz :
For Selectmen :
Walter M. Fisher had three hundred and thirty-two- 332.
Edwin A. Mason had three hundred and seventy-nine- 379.
Jeremiah J. McCarthy had two hundred and ninety- three-293.
William E. Nason had three hundred and thirty-six -- 336.
Charles F. Nye had four hundred and eighty-four-484. Henry R. Jenks had one-1.
Robert A. Stewart had two-2.
Blanks, two hundred and sixteen-216.
And Edwin A. Mason, William E. Nason and Charles F. Nye were declared elected.
For Town Clerk :
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Orestes T. Doe had six hundred and twenty-620.
Blanks, sixty-one.
And Orestes T. Doe was declared elected and sworn in open town meeting by the Moderator.
For Treasurer :
Henry R. Jenks had six hundred and twenty-six-626. Andrew Trimble had one-1.
Blanks, fifty-four-54.
And Henry R. Jenks was declared elected.
For Assessors :
James O. Chilson had five hundred and sixty-eight-568.
James B. Mckinnon had two hundred and thirty-seven- 237.
William E. Nason had five hundred and sixty-560.
William Rockwood had four hundred and seventy-one- 471.
Edward H. Sherman had one-1.
Hubbard M. Bullock had. one-1.
Warren H. Bright had one-1
Joseph W. Heaton had one-1.
Blanks, two hundred and three-203.
And James O. Chilson, William E. Nason and William Rockwood were declared elected.
For Overseers of the Poor :
George E. Emerson had five hundred and eighty three -583.
Henry R. Jenks had six hundred and ten-610.
Samuel Y. Reed had five hundred and seventy six-576.
David W. Corson had one-1.
Alfred Clark, Jr., had one-1.
John G. Cunningham had one-1.
George Daniels had one-1.
Blank, two hundred and seventy-270.
And George E. Emerson, Henry R. Jenks and Samuel Y. Reed were declared elected.
For Auditor ;
Nelson E. Newell had five hundred and eighty six-856.
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Blanks, ninety five-95.
And Nelson E. Newell was declared elected.
For Collector of Taxes :
Edward H. Sherman had five hundred and forty-540. Hubbard M. Bullock had one-1.
Frank Woolford had one-1.
Henry E. Ruggles had one-1.
William Rockwood had one-1. Blanks, one hundred and thirty seven-137. And Edward H. Sherman was declared elected.
For School Committee :
George King had four hundred and eighty eight-488. Dwight M. Hodge had three-3.
Mary A. Wiggin had five-5. Charles Stewart had one-1.
Blanks one hundred and ninety five-195.
And George King was declared elected.
For Board of Health for three years :
Gregory A. Martin had five hundred and eighty four-584. Charles F. McCarty had one-1.
A. J. Gallison had one-1.
For Board of Health for two years : Dwight M. Hodge had five hundred and thirty eight-538. Ambrose J. Gallison had one-1.
For Board of Health for one year :
Charles F. McCarty had two hundred and twenty nine -229.
Metcalf E. Pond had three hundred and ninety four-394. Walter M. Fisher had one-1.
Wilton A. Pond had one-1.
Blanks, two hundred and ninty-three-293.
And Gregory A. Martin, Dwight M. Hodge and Metcalf E. Pond were declared elected.
For Constables :
William G. Cody had one hundred and ninety-six-196. Anthony Connor had three hundred and seventy-seven- 377.
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Fred L. Davis had three hundred and sixty-one-361.
William E. Nason had four hundred and ninety-five-495.
Lewis R. Whitaker had four hundred and eight-408.
Silas W. Nickerson had six-6.
Blanks, two hundred-200.
Anthony Connor, William E. Nason and Lewis R. Whit- aker were declared elected.
And said Anthony Connor was sworn into said office in open town meeting by the Moderator.
In answer to the question, "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town?"
Yes, one hundred and eighty-seven-187.
No, four hundred and eighteen-418.
Blanks, seventy-six-76.
Voted, that the Moderator appoint a committee of fifteen to consider the remaining articles of the warrant, and the Moderator appointed the following persons, viz :
George W. Wiggin, Joseph P. Bassett, Adelbert D. Thayer, George E. Emerson, Henry R. Jenks, Harry T. Hayward, Jeremiah J. McCarthy, Fred P. Chapman, Lewis R. Whitaker, Wilton A. Pond, Charles Stewart, Charles E. Woodward, Dennis F. O'Sullivan, Charles L. Aldrich, Law- rence E. Morressey.
Voted, that when this meeting adjourns it be to Monday, the ninth day of March current, at Morse's Opera House, at 7 o'clock P. M.
Voted, that the polls be kept open until 4 o'clock P. M. and then closed.
Voted, to take up and consider Article 25, and thereupon it was voted that the Selectmen be and hereby are instructed and authorized to appear as a committee for the town, by counsel or otherwise, before the Committee on County Esti- mates, and request a reduction in county taxes.
After the declaration of the vote as aforesaid all the ballots cast at said election were sealed up in an envelope and en- dorsed thereon by the Moderator, and the check-lists used were also sealed up and endorsed by the Moderator and
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Ballot Clerks respectively, and were all placed in the custody of the Town Clerk.
And on motion at 9.15 P. M. the meeting was adjourned to Monday next Morse's Opera House at 7 o'clock as afore- said.
A true record.
Attest : ORESTES T. DOE, Town Clerk.
Proceedings of Adjourned Annual Town Meeting,
MARCH 9, 1896.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Franklin qualified to vote in town affairs, held in Morse Opera House, in said town, on Monday, the ninth day of March, 1896, pur- suant to the aforesaid adjournment, William F. Ray, the mod- erator, called the meeting to order at 7 o'clock in the evening, and the business proceeded as follows, to wit :
ARTICLE 3. The meeting made choice of the following town officers :
FENCE VIEWERS.
Rodolpho M. Handy, Wilton A. Pond, Everett S. Mes- senger.
FIELD DRIVERS.
Charles F. Fiske, Thomas L. Martin, Arthur M. Jenks. POUND-KEEPER.
Rodolpho M. Handy.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN.
The Committee of Fifteen, through its Chairman, George W. Wiggin, Esq., presented the report thereof, and the meet- ing voted that said report be accepted and placed on file, and it was also voted that each section of the report of said com- mittee be acted upon at the same time as the articles in the warrant to which it referred,
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COMPENSATION OF COLLECTOR.
ARTICLE 4. Committee report and recommend "That the compensation of the Collector of Taxes be one per cent. on the amount collected, and that the Collector have the same power and authority that the Treasurer has when appointed Collector."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted. REPORT OF TOWN OFFICERS.
ARTICLE 5. Committee report and recommend "That the report of the town officers, as printed in the Annual Report, be accepted."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
POUND.
ARTICLE 6. Committee report and recommend "That the barnyard at the almshouse be the pound for the present year."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted. JURORS.
ARTICLE 7. Committee report and recommend "That the list of jurors as printed by the Selectmen be placed in the jury box the current year."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted, and the names reported and accepted are as follows, viz :
Allen, Cyrus M.
Gaskill, George N. Gatchell, George H.
Allen, Thomas B.
Austin, William H.
Geb, Jacob F.
Baker, J. Herbert
Gowen, Charles R.
Bacon, George W.
Heath, Albert E.
Bates, Frank A.
Hopkins, Jesse D.
Barrett, Sherman H.
Hosie, John R.
Barrett, Jonas A.
Jenks, Henry R.
Brock, Albert L.
Kingsbury, George A.
Bassett, Charles S.
Lesure, John F.
Blake, Oramel B.
McCarthy, Jeremiah
Bent, Herbert A.
Messenger, Everett S.
Blake, William A.
Metcalf, Edgar A.
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Bradley, John W.
Moran, Daniel P.
Buckley, Daniel, Jr.,
Metcalf, Hiram F.
Bullock, Hubbard M.
Metcalf, E. Lovell
Butters, Edward F.
Murphy, John
Campbell. Charles E.
O'Donnell, Patrick H.
Carter, Osman B.
Osborne, Fred E.
Corbin, Charles H.
Peck, George I.
Pond, Wilton A.
Chapman, Elisha P. Chase, William C.
Richardson, John W.
Chute, Rupert J.
Rounds, Daniel H.
Cleaveland, William M.
Rockwood, Bradley M.
Cody, William G.
Sherman, Edward H.
Colby, William H.
Smith, Alba P., Jr.
Collins, John B. Corbin, Daniel O.
Smith, Calvin M. Sommers, Rudolph
Cunningham, John G.
Stetson, Orlando S.
Dean, Arthur A.
Stevens, Roswell K.
Desmond, James W.
Tyler, John H.
Daniels, Lucius W.
Willard, Frank A.
Daboll, Charles M.
Willard, Aaron A.
Estey, Willard H.
Waterman, John A.
Everett, Alfred F.
White, Richard S.
Emerson, George E.
Woodward, Amos P.
Folger, Howard J.
Ware, Eugene F.
Fales, Charles L.
Wood, James P.
BORROWING MONEY.
ARTICLE 8. Committee report and recommend "That the Treasurer be authorized, under the directon of the Select- men, to borrow money in anticipation of taxes for the current year, and that the same be payable therefrom."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
ARTICLE 9. Committee report and recommend "That the Selectmen be instructed to suppress the illegal sale of intoxicating liquor in town the current year."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
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SPECIAL APPROPRIATION FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
ARTICLE 10. Committee report and recommend "That the sum of three hundred dollars be raised and appropriated to pay the Superintendent of Schools for the past year."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
ARTICLE 11. Committee report and recommend "That the town require the School Committee to employ a Superin- tendent of Schools the present year."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
APPROPRIATIONS.
ARTICLE 12. Voted, that the town raise and appro- priate for the following named purposes the following-named sums of money for the current year, to wit :
For repair of roads, bridges and sidewalks, to be expended under the direction of the Select- men,
$6,000 00
Support of schools, including salary of a Superin- tendent, repair of school houses, school books
and supplies, miscellaneous expenses and transportation of scholars,
13,800 00
Support of poor,
7,183 00
Support of Fire Department,
2,500 00
Water supply,
4,100 00
Payment of town officers,
1,400 00
Payment of town debt,
5,400 00
Payment of interest,
1,900 00
Abatement and collection of taxes,
1,000 00
. (And that the Assessors publish in the next Annual Town Report a list of all abatements and the reasons therefor.)
Street lights, 3,600 00
Printing and stationery,
350 00
Suppression of illegal liquor traffic and support of police, 1,400 00
Military and State aid, 400 00
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Support of Franklin Library,
700 00
Decoration of soldiers' graves, 100 00
Soldiers' relief, 700 00
Miscellaneous town expenses,
800 00
And it was voted that the Assessors print a list of the assessed valuations in the next Annual Town Report.
And it was also voted that no officer or employe of the town be concerned directly or indirectly in furnishing any material or supplies to the town under these appropriations.
CONCRETE SIDEWALKS.
ARTICLE 13. Committee report and recommend "That the town raise and appropriate five hundred dollars for the construction of concrete sidewalks, the same to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen ; provided that abutters pay one-half of the expense."
Voted, that the report of the committee be adopted.
PRINTING OF RECORDS.
ARTICLE 14. Committee report and recommend "That the town raise and appropriate five hundred dollars for printing town records."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
ELECTRIC LIGHTS AT THE ALMSHOUSE.
ARTICLE 15. Committee report and recommend "That this matter be referred to a committee to investigate and re- port to some future meeting."
Voted, to amend the foregoing recommendation by in- serting the words "consisting of three persons, who shall be appointed by the Chairman," so that the recommendation as amended shall read as follows, viz: "That this matter be referred to a committee consisting of three persons, who shall be appointed by the Chairman to investigate and report to some future meeting."
Voted, that the report as amended be adopted.
And the Chairman appointed George E. Emerson, Henry R. Jenks and Samuel Y. Reed to serve as such com- mittee.
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CHAPEL SCHOOL HOUSE.
ARTICLE 16. Committee report and recommend "That the Selectmen be authorized to sell the Chapel school house and land for sixteen hundred dollars."
Voted, that the subject matter of this article be indefinitely postponed.
CLERK OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
. ARTICLE 17. Committee report and recommend "That the School Committee be authorized to employ a clerk at a salary not exceeding fifty dollars a year."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
STREET SIGNS.
ARTICLE 18. Committee report and recommend "That the subject matter of this article be left in the hands of the Selectmen, with full power to act therein."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted, and that the sum of two hundred dollars be and is hereby raised and appropriated for the purpose of providing street signs.
NASON'S CROSSING.
ARTICLES 19, 20. Committee report and recommend "That the subject matter of these articles be left in the hands of the Selectmen, with full power to act therein."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
LIGHT ON WASHINGTON STREET.
ARTICLE 21. Committee report and recommend "That the town place an arc light on Washington street, the same to be located by the Selectmen."
Voted. that the report of the committee be adopted.
FIRE ALARM.
ARTICLE 22. Committee report and recommend "That this subject be referred to a committee to investigate and re- port thereon at some future town meeting."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted, and that the Moderator appoint a committee of three ; and the following-named persons were accordingly appointed : Alfred L. Pierce, George H. Willoby and Lawrence E. Mor-
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rissey to serve as such committee.
CEMETERY AT CITY MILLS.
ARTICLE 23. Committee report and recommend "That the town raise and appropriate seventy-five dollars for the repairs of the cemetery at City Mills, the same to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
DEAN AVENUE EXTENSION.
ARTICLE 24. Committee report and recommend "That the town complete the extension of Dean avenue to Pleasant street, and that the sum of three hundred dollars be raised and appropriated therefor."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
ARTICLE 25. Voted, that the committee appointed on the second day of this month, in open town meeting, for the purpose of appearing before the Committee on County Esti- mates and favoring a reduction of county taxes, be increased ; and George W. Wiggin, William F. Ray and Henry E. Ruggles were chosen to serve on said committee.
ARTICLE 26. Voted, that a committee be appointed to endeavor to secure better railroad facilities for the town, and that the Selectmen, Moderator and six other persons, to be appointed by the Moderator, serve as such committee ; and the Moderator appointed for the other six members of said com- mittee, J. Cushing Gallison, Joseph P. Bassett, Harry T. Hayward, Orestes T. Doe, Charles Stewart and Arthur W. Kilburn.
ARTICLE 27. Committee report and recommend "That the Selectmen be authorized to purchase two cells for the lockup."
Voted, that the report and recommendation be adopted.
On motion of H. E. Ruggles, Esq., it was voted by unanimous consent that a committee consisting of five persons be appointed by the Moderator for the purpose of conferring with any person or corporation desiring to locate a manufac- ing industry in this town; and thereupon the Moderator
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appointed Davis Thayer, Edgar K. Ray, Henry E. Ruggles, William E. Nason and Amos P. Woodward as such com- mittee.
It was voted at 10.15 o'clock P. M. to adjourn without date.
A true record. Attest : ORESTES T. DOE, Town Clerk.
I administered the oath of office according to law to the following-named persons who were elected to office in the town of Franklin at the annual March election, 1896, on the dates set against their respective names, all in said year :
SELECTMEN-Edwin A. Mason, William E. Nason and Charles F. Nye, all on the third day of March.
TREASURER-Henry R. Jenks, March 3d.
ASSESSORS, as prescribed by statute-James O. Chilson, William E. Nason and William Rockwood, all on the third day of March.
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR-George E. Emerson, Henry R.
Jenks and Samuel Y. Reed, all on the third day of March.
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