USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1860-1864 > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
66
3 00
Joseph Taylor,
3 00
Nicholas Hayes,
66
2 00
Daniel Foley,
66
4 00
66
Barney Bryson,
3 00
66 John Clifford,
66
4 00
66
M. Coughlan,
66
2 00
66
Wm. Hyde,
66
2 00
66
1 87
Henry Paul,
men and team,
29 05
66
William Aiken,
51 80
66
Luther Paul, Jr.,
66 66
59 40
66 66
36 25
66 John Stearns,
56 57
Stephen Ellis,
66
66
2 50
66
D. & G. F. Stone,
66
47 04
J. Bartlett,
16 87
66
Horace Cousens,
66
66
18 00
66
William Stearns,
66
55 30
66
R. W. Turner,
66
66
11 00
66 J. M. White,
66
66
7 00
Amount carried forward,
$505 65
Timothy Cocklan, 66
3 00
Joseph White,
66
Samuel M. Jackson,
28
Amount brought forward,
$505 65
Paid J. F. C. Hyde,
men and team,
82 11
" John Linn,
66
5 00
Edward Wales,
3 75
66 J. W. Kingsbury, 66
5 50
66
N. S. King,
66
66
22 00
66 Amos Easty,
66
13 75
J. B. White,
66
66
8 75
66
Thomas J. Orange, 66
66
8 75
66
David H. Mason,
66
5 00
66 Isaac Kingsbury,
8 68
66
G. P. Hammell, labor, · gravel,
5 54
Eben Stone,
9 40
John Haffermehl, ‹‹
98
66 Oliver Whyte, gravel screen,
8 00
Wm. W. McIntosh, men and team, and cash paid for blasting rocks,
53 82
66
G. R. Tyzzer, for wood-work of scraper,
6 00
66 T. S. Parsons, for iron work of scraper,
12 84
66 John Paramore, labor,
6 00
66 Jacob Whall,
6 40
66 James Claridge,
2 50
$801 67
INCIDENTALS FOR HIGHWAYS.
Mitchell, Bros. & Co., granite boundary posts,
$78 60
Lemuel Crehore, for land to widen Woodland Avenue, 40 00
Ann Hill, for damage to her estate by changing grade of Otis street,
50 00
John M. Way, gravel,
22 56
Augustus Allen, for removing snow,
6 24
Eben Stone,
66
2 41
Vaughn Jones,
66
2 67
F. A. Collins,
66 66
6 42
Stephen Hurd,
3 75
J. D. Dix, Jr.,
66
2 50
William B. Locke,
1 19
Ephraim Parker,
66
9 37
W. E. Fuller,
66
2 50
Nathan Crafts,
7 50
Amount carried forward,
$235 71
66
21 25
66
29
Amount brought forward,
$235 71
J. F. C. Hyde, cash paid for removing snow, 11 57
Samuel F. Dix, 6 25
William Quinn, posts,
3 00
Timothy Walker, gravel,
4 00
$260 53
BRIDGES.
Vaughn Jones, carting for bridge at Woodl'd ave., $7 17
Allen Jordan, lumber and labor on Woodland ave. bridge, 50 77
Phineas Frost, Jr., lumber and labor on Woodland avenue bridge, 19 96
Thomas C. Hubbard, painting Woodland ave. bridge, 14 70
Moses S. Little, lumber and labor on Bemis' bridge, 23 09
$115 69
RECAPITULATION.
Repairs on Highways,
$3,504 35
Incidentals on
260 53
Bridges,
115 69
$3,880 57
INSURANCE.
Citizens' Mutual Fire Insurance Co.,
$71 16
Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Co.,
75 00
Hampden Fire Insurance Co.,
86 62
Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Co.,
41 00
$273 78
Cr.
Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Co., dividend,
52 50
$221 28
PRINTING.
Geo. Rand & Avery, printing school regulations and bills, $10 00
Geo. C. Rand & Avery, printing programmes for High School, 11 00
Amount carried forward, $21 00
30
Amount brought forward, $21 00
Geo. C. Rand & Avery, printing order of exercises and records, 18 75
Geo. C. Rand & Avery, printing for Fire Departm't, 5 00 66 66 receipts, orders, etc., 21 00
Stacy & Richardson, printing blanks, bills, Town Warrants, Assessors' books, etc., 130 00
Stacy & Richardson, printing School Report, 91 00
Samuel Chism, printing Auditors' Report, 300 00
66 66 posters, recruiting bills, etc. 65 00
$651 75
INCIDENTAL EXPENSES.
M. S. Rice, services as civil engineer, $96 58
66 registering and returning births, marriages and deaths, 82 20
certificates for dog license, 3 10
66 cash paid for record books, stationery, etc., 14 50
H. C. Hoyt, police services at sundry times, 17 75
services notifying Town Officers, 12 00
J. S. Watson, police services at Town meetings,
2 00
66 66 rent of lock-up, Newton Corner, 12 50
J. C. Webb, services watching fire on the premises of Wm. A. Harris, 4 50
Samuel Wells, labor and stove-pipe for lock-up, 66 return of 22 deaths,
50
Asa Cook, 66 24
2 40
Eben C. Jenkins, " 5
50
Jeremiah Allen, police services sundry times, and cash paid for cleaning Town Hall, 36 00
Augustus Allen, services obtaining witnesses in Gould case, 2 50
D. H. Mason, professional services, 67 00
John J. Ware, warning Town meetings,
24 00
Isaac Hagar, cash paid Register of Deeds, postage, and travelling expenses on account of taxes, 17 76
E. Woodward, cash paid car fare and postage, and use of horse and carriage for assessors, 23 97
E. Woodward, cash paid railroad fare sundry times, 4 24
Thomas Rice, Jr., cash paid for Massachusetts Regis- ter, postage and stationery, and furniture for Se- lectmens' Office, 35 91
Amount carried forward,
$464 11
2 20
31
Amount brought forward, $464 11
J. F. C. Hyde, cash paid recording release, postage, etc., 3 87
Abel Harrington, land between Nonantum House and Washington street, 50 00
James McCarty, damage of fence, at fire of James Welch's house, 4 00
L. S. Holman, painting and lettering sign boards, 8 22
H. J. Tombs, sign board and lettering, 1 00
George Fuller, sign boards and lettering, 3 00-
Eben. Barker, examining roads, 5 00
Rice, Kendall & Co., ream of paper, 2 50
Orrin Whipple, cash paid for postage, 2 00
C. H. Jenison, whitewashing Lock-up,
3 00
Cole & Co., labor and stock on Lock-up,
92 80
Vaughn Jones, express sundry times,
5 34
J. Jennings, keeping cow, Adam Ardrie, burying a horse,
1 25
Elias Jenison, 66
1 25
Wm. W. McIntosh, building wall,
12 50
E. J. Collins, U. S. License for Liquor Agency, 20 00
John J. Ware, refreshments furnished Town Officers, 100 00
$779 09
BURIAL GROUNDS.
Allen Jordan, building fence at L. Falls Cemetery, $25 00
repairing hearse, Lower Falls, 1 50
W. C. Hubbard, varnishing " 66
6'00
Milo Lucas, lumber and labor at West Newton burial grounds, 15 90
Samuel Wells, cash paid for lock for gate at West Newton burial grounds. 46
$48 86
SALARIES.
M. S. Rice, services as Town Clerk, for year ending March 3d, 1862, $100 00
E. J. Collins, services as Town Treasurer for year ending March 1st, 1862, 150 00
E. J. Collins, services attending meetings of Select- men, for year ending Feb. 13th, 1863, 31 50
Amount carried forward, $281 50
1 25
32
Amount brought forward,
$281 50
E. J. Collins, in full for collecting taxes for 1861, 75 50
66 in part " 66 1862, 66 500 00
66 66 return of tax-payers to Selectmen, for year ending Feb. 12, 1863, 15 50
Henry Bigelow, for services as School Committee to April 1st, 1862, 133 00
A. A. Kendall, for services as School Committe to April 30th, 1862, 20 00
Washington Gilbert, for services as School Com- mittee to January 22d, 1863, 123 00
E. W. Clark, for services as School Committee to Jan. 24th, 1863, 44 00
E. W. Clark, School Committee to Aug. 1st, 1862, 65 50 Winslow W. Sever, for services as School Commit- tee to January 23d, 1863, 24 00
John Worcester, for services as School Committee, to January 23d, 1863, 75 00
N. S. King, for services as School Committee, to January 22d, 1863, 45 00
F. W. Pelton, for services as School Committee to January 23d, 1863, 25 00
J. F. C. Hyde, for services as School Committee to January 23d, 1863, 57 00
Thomas Rice, Jr., services as Selectman and Over- seer of the Poor, to February 3d, 1863. 120 00
S. F. Dix, services as Selectman and Overseer of the Poor, to February 3d, 1863, 98 00
F. A. Collins, services as Selectman and Overseer of the Poor, to February 3d, 1863, 94 00
Orrin Whipple, services as Selectman and Overseer of the Poor, to February 3d, 1863, 96 00
J. F. C. Hyde, services as Selectman and Overseer of the Poor, to February 2d, 1863, 104 00
J. F. C. Hyde, services as Auditor for year ending February 13th, 1862, 17 00
Isaac Hagar, services as Auditor, copying tax list and examining collector's accounts, to February 13th, 1862, 44 90
Isaac Hagar, services as Assessor of Taxes for year ending February 3d, 1863, 226 32
Joseph Barney, services as Assessor of Taxes for year ending February 3d, 1863, 200 00
Amount carried forward, $2,484 22
.
33
Amount brought forward, $2,484 22
E. Woodward, services as Assessor of Taxes for
year ending February 3d, 1863, 205 80
E. Woodward, services as Auditor for year ending February 13th, 1863, 39 00
B. F. Houghton, services as Liquor Agent to Jan. 1st, 1863, 50 00
$2,779 02
MILITARY ACCOUNT.
Worthington, Flanders & Co., printing bounty notices, $0 75
F. A. Searle, printing posters and recruiting bills, 9 50
Chas. O. Rogers, " 1 75 66
Thomas Rice, cash paid for printing for military affairs, 5 00
Thomas Rice, cash paid for procuring the body of Jos. R. Pratt, 76 00
J. N. Bacon & J. S. Potter, for use of Eliot Hall for military purposes, 120 70
J. M. Cook, use of Tremont Hall for military pur- poses, 8 00
W. H. P. Wright, for transfer of 38 men from the city of Lawrence to fill Newton's quota, 3,990 00
N. S. Kimball, for transfer of 100 men from the town of Haverhill to fill Newton's quota, 10,000 00
Newton Band, services sundry times, 370 00
R. M. Yale, for use of tents and flag, 56 00
66 " for use of mammoth tent, sundry times, 31 50
E. J. Collins, cash paid for procuring the body of Wm. R. Benson, 100 00
C. H. Graves, Treas. of " Dalhousie Lodge," for procuring and burying the body of A. A. Kendall, 150 00
E. J. Collins, bounty paid to volunteers, 28,375 00
Henry Bigelow, examining recruits, 117 00
T. P. Robinson, cash paid for travelling expenses to Falmouth, on account of Newton Company, 70 00
Adams' Express, for zinc case and conveyance of body of Ferdinand Champion, 61 00
J. P. Newton, team to recruiting meetings, sundry times, 59 25
Amount carried forward,
$43,601 45
3
34
Amount brought forward, $43,601 45
J. Morrison, team to recruiting meetings, sundry times, 8 00
Daniel Dow, team to recruiting meetings, sundry times, 47 50
A. Sidney Harrington, team to recruiting meetings, sundry times, 61 00
Stephen F. Cate, team to recruiting meetings, sun- dry times, 18 00
William Sullivan, team to recruiting meetings, sun- dry times, 18 00
M. Dailey, team for recruiting purposes, 14 67
H. C. Harrington, team for recruiting purposes, 15 00
G. E. Shackley, 4 50 66
C. E. Dudley, team to Newton Corner,
1 50
Andrew H. Ward, Jr., cash paid for teams to re- cruiting meetings, 20 00
A. Bancroft, cash paid sundry expenses for recruit- ing meetings, 10 00
F. H. Whipple, team to Readville, twice,
5 00
G. F. Brackett, cash paid for team for recruiting meetings, advertising, etc.,
12 00
Orrin Whipple, cash paid sundry expenses for re- cruits,
37 62
J. F. C. Hyde, cash paid sundry expenses for re- cruits, 35 34
E. S. Farnsworth, sundry expenses for recruiting purposes, 25 00
C. H. Withington, services as recruiting officer, 30 00
John F. Boyd, 66 66
21 02
J. S. Watson, services at recruiting meetings, 3 00
Mark Coughlan, " 66
3 00
A. H. Cushman, board furnished recruits, sundry times, 6 25
Mrs. Gorgan, board furnished recruits, sundry times,
2 50
Abel Harrington, " 66 66 66 66
83 75
J. N. Rich, 66 66 66
9 00
James Taylor, 66 66 66 66 66 and office rent, 52 40
S. H. Patten, rations furnished recruits, 4 00
Amory Hall, 66 66
1 60
Pattee & Brooks, bread " 66
2 85
Wm. J. Rand, 3 weeks' board while recruiting, 10 50
Amount carried forward,
$44,164 45
35
Amount brought forward, $44,164 45
H. Bates, board of Charles Bates, 3 50
Lewis Watson, appropriation for disabled soldiers, 50 00
James B. Woodward, stationery furnished recruit- ing meetings, 1 22
A. Cole & Son, oil, fluid, etc., furnished recruits in camp, 4 79
L. S. Holman, setting glass in Hyde's block, etc., 5 00
Samuel F. Dix, cash paid Mrs. Wright and Mrs. McNulty, for friends in the naval service,
37 00
Samuel F. Dix, aid furnished Mrs. Finnall, 13 00
Thomas Rice, Jr., aid furnished Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Wright,
15 00
Albert Brackett, coal delivered to Mrs. Belcher, Mrs. Tibbets, and others, 15 75
E. J. Collins, cash paid for recruiting fees to 104 " three-years men,"
208 00
E. J. Collins, cash paid for transporting " three- years men " to camp at Lynnfield, escort, band, etc .; sundry expenses paid by the Selectmen and Treasurer, in recruiting said men, and visiting the camp several times, to pay the men and look after their wants,
320 00
E. J. Collins, cash paid for transporting " nine- months men " to camp at Dedham, escort, band, etc .; sundry expenses paid by the Selectmen and Treasurer, in recruiting said men, and visiting the camp several times, to pay the men and look after their wants,
Paid family of Edward L. Jackson,
56 07
J. W. Leverton,
103 38
66
66 Eliot Littlefield,
144 00
James Lyons,
60 54
Bernard McSherry,
55 60
66
66
Edgar B. Lyon,
41 42
66
66
C. C. Shurtleff,
16 27
66 Edward McKerron,
144 00
John McQuade,
144 00
66
66 John Myer,
103 38
66 Patrick Mulchay,
20 40
66
E. M. Morgan,
51 64
66 E. A. Pearsons,
4 42
66
66 Geo. E. Palmer,
103 38
Amount carried forward,
$46,108 21
€
222 00
36
Amount brought forward, Paid family of O. H. Smith,
$46,108 21
144 00
66
Geo. F. Scott,
51 64
66 N. D. Tibbetts,
51 64
60 M. B. Turner,
60 00
66
66
James F. Turney,
144 00
60
66
Geo. F. Teague,
56 07
66
66
Harvey L. Vinton,
144 00
66
66 Henry G. Washburn,
144 00
66 Gilbert A. Cheney,
43 52
66
Armond Kraus,
46 94
66
Lewis Watson,
94 00
66
66 .
Horatio Carter,
56 09
66
Orange J. Richardson,
57 25
66 Ferdinand Champion,
70 80
66
66
O. J. Adams,
70 40
66
66
Daniel H. Adams,
50 27
66
James C. Taylor,
25 26
66
William H. Wentworth,
25 12
66
66
William A. Richardson,
72 00
66
66
George T. Smallwood,
70 80
66
Joseph E. Cousens,
72 00
66
66
A. C. Dearborn,
70 80
66
Joseph M. Morse,
72 00
66
66 Edward H. Tombs,
70 80
66
66
Charles E. Fifield,
50 83
66
66
Richard Kennedy,
71 20
66
66 F. A. Cutter,
25 68
66
66
Thomas L. Jackson,
25 68
66
66 Joseph R. Pratt,
34 40
66
Joshua V. Ramsdell,
25 26
66
66 Francis E. Jenison,
48 55
66
Daniel Sanger,
69 00
66
William J. Neff,
50 55
66
Louis G. Stone,
40 55
66
" E. A. Boyd,
103 38
Charles Z. Bridges,
51 64
66
66 John E. Bragdon,
144 00
John H. Percival,
48 84
66
" Geo. W. Belcher,
114 88
66 Theodore L. Brackett,
50 08
Amount carried forward,
$48,920 25
66 Edward Carey,
70 00
66 Seth Cousens,
25 12
37
Amount brought forward,
$48,920 25
Paid family of H. E Cook,
103 38
John Campbell,
51 64
66
H. W. Cushman,
69 11
66
Thomas Duran,
126 84
66
William Dewick,
103 38
66
Samuel Franklin,
108 38
66
John Finnall,
59 67
66
J. W. Fisk,
103 38
66
William Henry,
144 00
66
Thomas Green,
144 00
66
66
Patrick Coleman,
55 60
"
William H. Houghton,
103 38
66
Frank Handy,
51 64
66
Edwin Hurd,
103 38
66
O. W. Harris,
103 38
66
66
Patrick Haggerty,
103 38
66
66
George Hutchinson,
· 68 64
66
William Jelly,
144 00
66
66 William S. Cropper,
59 60
66
66
Amory Hall,
68 00
66
66
Winthrop A. Durgin,
50 55
66
66
John D. Meskill,
25 12
66
66
Samuel H. Potter,
25 12
..
66 Frederick Pero,
51 39
66
Thomas Costello,
25 12
James Cahill,
50 27
66
66
William Fell,
71 60
66
James W. McGuire,
70 80
66
Edward Drew,
66 00
66
Theodore Green,
25 12
66
Herman A. King,
25 13
Reuben L Butler,
33 69
65
E. S. Farnsworth,
25 70
66
Edward J. Fuller,
25 70
66
Thomas W. Clifford,
24 40
66
66 A. J. Fayes,
55 60
66
66 William Gillespie,
19 84
66
Jonathan Felt,
39 70
66 Frederick Bamberg,
55 60
Amount carried forward,
$51,753 92
Patrick Callahan,
24 26
Richard Wood,
64 80
Francis T. Despond,
103 38
38
Amount brought forward,
$51,753 92
Paid family of Henry P. Churchill,
70 80
66
66 John R. Holmes,
39 70
66
Warren A. Skelton,
25 70
66 George Smith,
57 20
66
Alonzo B. Wetherell,
19 84
Charles H. Wilson,
19 84
66 Joseph B. Smallwood,
55 60
66
Edmund Graif,
55 60
66 Charles A. Belcher,
39 70
66
"
Thomas Welsh,
39 70
Eben R. Buck,
19 84
$ 6
John Q. A. Hawkes,
55 60
66
Christopher C. Patten,
19 84
$
Rodney M. Lucas,
39 70
James Pendergast.
19 84
66
Michael Russell,
45 60
66
Hollis A. Bailey,
45 60
Jason F. Ames,
45 60
66 Leopold Hawkes,
25 70
66
66
Josiah Davis,
45 60
66
E. G. Blackwell,
45 60
66
66
Samuel A. Walker,
39 70
66
Daniel G. Rice,
45 60
66
Benjamin Hopkins,
39 70
66
Edgar H. Farnum,
55 60
66
66
Jas. S. Withington,
39 70
66
John B. Mero,
55 60
66
William J. Mullen,
55 60
65
66
Woodman Milliken,
19 84
$6
George W. Lamson,
39 70
66
66
Theodore F. Mansfield,
19 84
66
Horace B. Wetherell,
40 57
66
George N. Hill,
19 84
6G
William H. Belcher,
19 84
Enoch F. Mitchell,
39 70
66
Michael Gleason,
55 60
George H. Rich,
32 53
66
66 John Varley,
24 42
John McCabe,
21 40
Charles A. Trafton,
4 00
Amount carried forward,
$53,370 90
66 Joseph Gehling,
70 40
.
Henry C. Harrington,
45 60
39
Amount brought forward,
$53,370 90
Paid family of Henry F. Reed, 8 00
Charles H. Duvall, 42 40
" W. W. Robinson,
19 85
William Sweeney,
8 00
$53,449 15
65 00
$53,514 15
Cr.
By amount of subscriptions received of the citizens of Newton to pay the bounty to the three-years' volunteers,
Amount received from the City of Boston for the temporary trans- fer of thirty nine-months volun- teers,
1,500 00
Return of bounty from E. P. Kings- bury, 75 00
Amount due from the Common-
wealth for State aid, furnished the
families of volunteers, from Feb.
1st, 1862, to Feb. 1st, 1863,
8,389 44 $21,257 44
Leaving the net expense to the Treasury,
$32,256 71
LIQUOR AGENCY.
B. F. Houghton, in account with Town of Newton,
To cash received from sales, Dr.
$295 68
Cr.
By cash paid the State Agent for liquors,
243 54
" Town Treasurer,
52 14
$295 68 -
AGENCY. Dr.
To value of liquors on hand Jan. 1, 1862,
$52 50
Paid Agent's salary to Jan. 1, 1863,
50 00
Paid United States license,
20 00
$122 50
Add expense for printing,
$11,293 00
40
Cr.
Value of liquors on hand Jan. 1, 1863,
$55 28
Paid Town Treasurer,,
52 14
$107 42
Loss,
15 08
$122 50
KENRICK FUND.
Amount of Permanent Fund,
$4,000 00
Balance in Treasurer's hands, Jan 1,
1862, $64 21
Interest received since Jan. 1, 1862, 225 00 289 21
$4, 289 21
Amount distributed to the "industrious poor."
of Newton, as per direction of the donor, 200 00
Amount of Fund Jan. 1st, 1863,
$4,089 21
Deduct amount of Permanent Fund, 4,000 00
Balance of interest in Treasurer's hands,
89 21
It will be seen by the foregoing Report that the ordinary expenses of the Town have been kept within the appropria- tions for the year ; but, owing to the necessary expenses in- curred for military affairs, the indebtedness of the Town has been largely increased.
Your Auditors would say, that, in their opinion, after a full examination of all the financial transactions of the Selectmen and Treasurer, and taking into consideration the multiplied duties which have devolved upon them, owing to the condi- tion of our country, the affairs of the Town have been exceedingly well managed.
The books of the Selectmen and Treasurer are correct, and properly vouched.
ISAAC HAGAR, E. WOODWARD, Auditors. J. F. C. HYDE.
NEWTON, Feb. 13, 1863.
SELECTMEN'S ESTIMATE.
IN conformity to a standing order of the Town of Newton, the Board of Selectmen respectfully submit the following Estimate of the expenses of the Town for the ensuing year :
Interest,
$5,500 00
Schools,
16,000 00
Incidentals for Schools,
1,000 00
Fire Department,
2,000 00
Almshouse,
2,000 00
Poor out of Almshouse,
500 00
Repairs on Almshouse,
100 00
Highways, Culverts, and Railings,
- 4,000 00
Incidental for Highways, -
500 00
Bridges,
100 00
Salaries,
2,500 00
Printing,
700 00
Insurance,
100 00
Incidental Expenses,
500 00
Discount on Taxes,
1,500 00
Contingencies,
- 3,000 00
$40,000 00
In presenting the above estimate to the consideration of the Town, the Board would state, in explanation of the increased grant recommended, that, although the ordinary
42
expenses of the Town for the past year have not exceeded the estimate, yet some of the departments, as exhibited by a careful examination of their several wants, will need in- creased appropriations for the ensuing year ; and therefore an addition of $5,000 to the grant of last year is deemed necessary.
The Town will not be surprised to learn that the debt has been largely increased during the year. The year through which we have just passed has been one without precedent in the annals of our country. The ordinary land-marks of quiet routine in the customary paths of municipal adminis- tration have been far removed, and heavy responsibilities have devolved upon those entrusted with the administration of public affairs. Expenditures have been required which, in ordinary times, would have been justly considered extra- vagant. Men have been called for to fill the ranks of our national armies. To meet this want, the system of local bounties was inaugurated ; and your Board of Selectmen, unwilling to see the town backwards in so good a cause, adopted the system as a matter of necessity. It is too late now to consider whether this method of obtaining men was the best possible that could have been devised : it is enough for us to know that in this matter we have only fallen into line with the other towns and cities of the Common- wealth. In view of these extraordinary expenditures, the reflection that we have been enabled to fill up our quota of men without the necessity of resorting to a draft, must afford satisfaction to all good citizens of the Town.
Could we stop here, with the simple expenditure of money, all would be well ; but we have lost what cannot be restored to us again. The grass-covered mounds that stud our con- secrated burial grounds, tell a story of homes made cheerless
43
and hearth-stones desolate. But while we weep for those who are gone, and sympathize with the bereaved and afflicted, the blessed memory of the dead, like the balmy breezes of summer, dries the tears upon our cheeks, and leaves our sympathies all the more alive and active. We are all the more willing to provide the means that shall secure from want the families of those who are fighting our battles, and perilling their lives in the service of our common country.
The number of men Newton has recruited, from the com- mencement of the war, at home and from other towns, and placed at the disposal of the War Department, is six hundred and eighty-two. God grant that we may not have occasion to add to this number.
The balance of the School appropriation having been ex- pended, we recommend that the sum of $16,000 be appro- priated for the support of the Schools the ensuing year. This sum is considered by the School Committee necessary to maintain the efficiency of the Schools now in operation. Our fathers thought sound learning the basis of all social interests and all desirable prosperity. Indeed, to wage our battles were a senseless business, if it were not contemplated to pre- serve, by wisdom, the Institutions for which we are contend- ing. It is absurd to think of committing to the hands of the ignorant and vicious, the untold interests of a perfect Repub- lican government. To say to the father, who has left wife, children, family, to engage in the tremendous conflict now being waged, for the rights of humanity, that the education of his children shall be properly cared for ; that, so far as in us lies, they shall be made capable of bearing worthily the honors he bequeathes, will not be the least of all the inspira- tions of his valor. Our burdens are truly great ; but, although
44
the appropriation for Schools is large, yet, it is believed that no money is more wisely or cheerfully paid.
The Fire Department is in excellent condition, and it is believed will not need a larger sum to meet its expenses for the ensuing year than was appropriated last year.
The management of the Almshouse continues to be perfect- ly satisfactory to the Board. The expenditures of this de- partment have slightly exceeded the appropriation ; but this is no more than was to be expected from the largely enhanced price of almost every article purchased for the use of such an establishment. In view of this fact we recommend an addi- tion of $200 to the appropriation for the ensuing year.
Owing to the want of suitable accommodations in the house, the Town has been subjected to the expense of boarding two insane persons in the hospital. This mainly accounts for the excess of the expenditures over the appropriation for the poor out of the Almshouse. Three new rooms have been recently added to the Institution, and will soon be fitted for the recep- tion of this unfortunate class of persons, where they can be properly cared for, at a less expense than we are now subjected to.
In regard to the Repairs of Highways, it will be remem- bered that the sum appropriated for this purpose, the last year, was much smaller than in previous years, being only $3,500; yet, without exceeding the appropriation, the roads were kept in excellent condition during the Summer and Autumn. But the weather during the past two months has been so unfavorable for the roads, that they are not now, and probably will not be in the Spring, in so good a condition as they otherwise would have been. On this account we recom-
45
mend an increase of $500 in the appropriation for the coming year. Though this is not so much as might be expended to advantage, we do not deem it expedient, under all the cir- cumstances, to advise the appropriation of a larger sum. We strongly recommend that the present system of repairing the Highways be continued; believing it to be, all things consid- ered, for the best interest of the Town.
We have included no appropriation for New Roads in the estimate, as it is uncertain what sums, if any, may be required for this purpose. Should the Town, however, vote to lay out any new roads, provision must then, of course, be made for their construction.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.