USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1873 > Part 4
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112 00
H. E. Cobb, labor on sidewalk, 75 00
76 12
D. F. Fahen, labor and material,
55 00
J. A. Waldo & Co., drain-pipe,
62 40
H. B. Richardson, removing snow,
35 35
Lucas & Taylor, labor and material,
24 22
Charles A. Cole, blacksmith work,
10 00
M. T. Waterman, carpentry,
29 33
J. W. Washburn, labor and team,
9 00
John F. Boyd, rent of ledge,
200 00
M. T. Heywood, drain-pipe,
9 00
Orrin Whipple, taking down house in highway,
200 00
66 stock and labor,
57 65
Albert Brackett, coal,
52 56
J. D. Henthorn, labor,
50 00
Michael Hurley & Son, grading,
18 50
66
covering stone,
34 30
66
66 labor,
82 87
Chauncey Page & Co., lumber,
438 12
B. H. & E. R. R. Co., freight on lumber,
20 43
D. H. Huston, painting, &c.,
36 18
M. Taffe, labor and material,
70 68
John O. Evans & Son, stock and labor,
62 48
John Murphy, labor and material,
196 93
Amount carried forward,
$39,795 94
5
Bryan Farrell, labor, team, and gravel,
66
Amount brought forward, $39,795 94 20 00
Francis Jones, carting bridge timber,
G. C. Rand, building retaining wall on Homer Street, 852 20
James O'Donald, labor and teams, 155 12
Newton Cemetery, for posts,
15 75
Morss & Whyte, gravel screens,
36 00
G. W. Keyes, labor and stock, on Boylston- street bridge, &c., 307 10
G. W. Cole, building wall on Cypress Street, &c., 210 98
John Green, labor,
13 75
Patrick Cummings, stone,
18 75
John Stearns, labor,
60 00
B. Lentell, drain-pipe, labor, &c.,
22 78
J. Sturgis Potter, grading,
50 00
J. E. Cousens, labor and stock,
65 91
Thomas Hurd, stock and labor on bridge at Be- mis's factory, &c., 175 51
White & Knapp, drain-pipe, shovels, &c., 19 09
Michael Hanney, work at Auburndale, 83 53
25 50
C. Reynolds, building culvert and steps,
27 20
Peter Martin, removing wall and hedge,
226 00
Edward Commons, labor on highways, 185 00
Joseph Chapman, cleaning drains, &c.,
30 75
Spaulding and Staples, sewer-covers,
18 50
S. A. Walker, balance on Walnut-street con- tract,
200 00
Daniel Pratt, on account of bridge at Lower Falls, 1,620 00
T. Willis Pratt, consulting engineer, bridge at Lower Falls,
75 00
J. C. Farrar, blacksmith work,
49 06
Byrnes Brothers, labor, &c., 86 37
George E. Wales, labor, and damage to team,
61 76
W. C. Wiswall, labor,
50 00
Mary Shannon, stone, 18 00
Davis & Farnham, foundry work, 24 75
J. L. Sears, painting bridge-railing,
11 03
D. T. Pingree, repairing fence,
12 62
Geo. Linder, painting fence,
10 00
D. Hale, labor and teams,
14 10
Amount carried forward,
$44,848 05
B. F. Houghton, pump,
67
Amount brought forward,
$44,848 05
C. S. Phillips, painting and stock,
18 81
S. M. Jackson, men and teams, 90 62
A. Hill, men and teams. 12 00
D. W. Bailey, grading walks and gutters, 647 83
M. M. Green, 553 cubic yards gravel,
110 60
J. Cunningham, laying wall and other labor,
230 25
J. H. Cushman, stock and labor,
31 05
R. Freeman, stock and labor,
28 90
Charles Scott, labor, 10 50
J. D. Towle, gravel,
32 90
Shedd & Sawyer, surveys, plans, &c.,
58 29
M. G. Crane, chestnut posts,
28 00
Michael O'Donnell, teams and labor,
35 25
W. S. Ware, stone and gravel,
60 40
E. F. Thayer, veterinary services,
21 50
E. C. Dudley, labor on Parker Street,
50 00
L. H. Chase, building wall,
50 00
S. Underwood, stock and labor,
9 60
Benjamin Cutter, stone,
13 50
E. D. Brooks, for horse purchased,
250 00
*Marshall S. Rice, services as civil engineer,
653 00
Fuller & Whitney, 66
443 87
E. Woodward,
66
262 50
W. B. Locke, labor,
13 37
W. P. Leavitt,
20 85
F. B. Sisson, repairing pump,
10 00
J. N. Bacon, gravel,
73 62
Wales Brothers, men and teams,
25 49
Lobdell & Phelps, gravel and rubble,
82 40
J. J. Ware, fuse and sundries,
17 30
Otis Pettee, paid for labor,
25 00
Otis Pettee & Co., drain and sewer- covers, &c., $601 62
Otis Pettee & Co., stock and labor on Boylston-street Bridge,
103 06
Wm. Sullivan, grading streets, &c.,
at Upper Falls, $653 50
66 building Lake Avenue, blasting, &c., 846 75
1,500 25
704 68
Amount carried forward, $50,470 38
See Miscellaneous Accounts for balance of this charge.
68
Amount brought forward, J. R. Mclaughlin, on Valentine- street contract, 3,220 00
$50,470 38
Z. E. Coffin, balance on contract, grading Station St., $2,500 00 66 labor and teams on other streets, 841 61
3,341 61
T. Stuart, grading and gravelling streets on Mount Ida, $1,200 00 grading Eldridge and 66 Church Streets, in- cluding sidewalks on Church Street, 1,636 00
66 teams, labor, and gravel on sundry streets, 1,892 96
4,728 96
W. H. Mague, on Winthrop-street contract, $1,000 00
66 balance on Derby- street contract, 483 00
66 removing stone-crusher, 120 00
66 removing snow, 104 00
66 men and teams, 2,748 69
4,455 69
J. Johnston, men and teams, $7,998 19
66 on Walnut-street con- tract, 3,400 00
66 men and teams on
Cypress-street,
2,403 25
66 building wall,
513 75
66
building wall at New- tonville, 288 00
66
carting lumber, 50 00
14,653 19
Miscellaneous, labor and sundries,
144 61
Total payments from Treasury, $81,014 46
DR.
Almshouse, for board and care of horses, 4,100 00
for labor, &c., 329 00
Total cost of Highway Dep't (carried for'd), $85,443 46
69
Amount brought forward,
$85,443 46
CR.
Fire Department, for board of horses, $500 00
Almshouse, for labor, manure, &c., 496 00
Town of Needham, on account of Upper Falls Bridge,
373 10
Sundries,
90 75
1,459 85
$83,983 61
Amount paid on contracts of 1872,
4,145 14
Amount chargeable to appropriation for 1873, $79,838 47
CONCRETING WALKS AND CROSSINGS.
Amount paid on this account, as per contract with D. W. Bailey, $9,933 11
J. D. Sawyer, re-imbursement of amount overpaid, 57 75
$9,990 86
Of this, as of several other accounts, the Town Auditor attempted no analysis, though the data furnished, if used, would have shown a classification of expenditure in each Village or portion of the Town. For want of time to make such analysis, the editor of this Report is compelled to submit the aggregate amount expended, in place of the classification which was desired.
LIGHTING STREETS.
N. & W. Gas-Light Company, gas, and care of street lamps, $13,854 56 66
lamps, lanterns, posts, &c., 3,712 32
Jeremiah Johnston, lighting lamps, &c., 1,263 24
Amount carried forward, $18,830 12
70
Amount brought forward,
$18,830 12
J. E. Trowbridge, lighting and care of lamps,
989 00
Thos. Deary, 66
66
537 08
Otis Atherton, 66
175 00
Michael Hanney, 66
66
47 28
Wm. Stearns, 66
66
50 50
W. H. Peavey, 66
66
51 58
R. A. Oldreive,
66
39 56
Daniel Stearns,
66
66
35 83
C. H. Whitmarsh,
66
66
25 00
J. V. Ramsdell,
66
66
25 00
E. C. Hutchins,
66
66
25 00
Thomas Kehoe,
66
66
20 00
John Renton, 66
66
25 00
Henry Washburn,
66
25 00
Geo. W. Cole,
66
66
9 87
Patrick Coleman, 66
8 50
W. A. Roffe, repairing lamps,
42 01
C. H. Cady, 6
22 00
F. A. Brown, lamp-post and lantern,
25 50
Miscellaneous,
15 25
$21,049 08
DRAINAGE.
Jeremiah Johnston, balance on contract for
building drain at New- ton Village, $1,335 00
66
for building Eldridge-st. Drain,
3,706 00
labor, 66
25 00
T. W. Carter,
182 25
Shedd & Sawyer, surveys, plans, estimates, &c.,
384 00
$5,632 25
RESERVOIRS.
F. E. Hamblin, balance on reservoir at Highlands, $357 73
66 labor on Centre-street reservoir, 275 89
Russell Freeman, building reservoir on Ward Avenue,
375 00
Amount carried forward,
$1,008 62
25 00
W. J. Towne,
71
Amount brought forward, $1,008 62
Timothy Stuart, excavating reservoir on Waverly
Avenue, 200 00
66 labor on Church-street reservoir, 176 00
66 66 labor and materials on Centre- street reservoir, 160 00
M. Taffe, labor and materials,
65 00
D. C. Sanger & Co., lumber and sawing,
26 18
E. B. Trowbridge, drafting plans,
16 00
Sundry parties, filling reservoirs, 135 00
Miscellaneous, 8 01
$1,794 81
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Otis Atherton, services as police officer, $916 63
J. A. Peck, 66
66 918 63
R. L. Hinds,
66
954 38
J. M. Fisk, 66 "
244 34
C. L. Wilson, 66
66
169 66
T. D. A. Briggs, 66
66
749 97
R. M. Lucas, 66
409 02
Willard Rand, 66
"
402 52
J. B. Annette, 66
66
200 00
Charles Cole,
66
325 00
H. C. Hoyt, 66
66
100 00
Charles Hinckley, “
499 98
F. E. Hinds, services as special police,
121 50
Orrin Davis, 66
48 00
J. D. Henthorne, "
53 50
Joseph Huestis,
24 62
T. T. Dearing,
66
12 00
L. A. Peck, 66
66
6 40
George V. Chick, “
66
6 00
George H. Taylor, "
6 00
H. L. Taylor,
6 00
A. S. Buckingham,“
66
3 00
C. E. Holman, 66
66
3 00
Total pay,
$7,098 78
Amount carried forward,
$7,098 78
918 63
Newell Flagg,
72
Amount brought forward,
$7,098 78
CONTINGENT EXPENSES.
N. & W. Gas Light Company, gas for stations, $108 00
Albert Brackett, coal, 73 50
Burdon & Waters, coal, 9 00
M. Taffe, labor and materials,
18 75
G. T. Weston, mattresses, blankets, &c.,
42 50
W. H. Mague, labor and materials, 36 00
Miscellaneous,
102 24
389 99
Total pay and expenses of police, $7,488 77
PRINTING.
Rand & Avery, printing auditors for 1872, etc., $1,877 01
H. W. Stimson, printing and advertising, 489 10
Rockwell & Churchill, sundry printing, 78 00
Geo. L. Keyes, sundry printing, 43 75
Miscellaneous,
11 95
$2,499 81
INSURANCE.
-
The following is a statement of the property and the amounts insured or re insured thereon during the year, with the names of companies and premiums paid : -
Oak Hill schoolhouse and furniture, $5,500, Ætna Insurance Co., Hartford, $140 00
Crafts-street schoolhouse, furniture, books, &c.,
$1,250, North British & Mercantile, London, 37 50
High schoolhouse, furniture, &c., $2,000, Ætna, Hartford, Conn., 60 00
2,000, Traders & Mechanics, Lowell, 70 00
4,500, Hartford Fire Insurance Co., Hartford, 136 00
3,000, North British & Mercantile, London, 90 00 Mechanics' permits, 56 75
Amount carried forward, $590 25
73
Amount brought forward, $590 25
West Newton Grammar schoolhouse, and furniture,
$2,000, Traders & Mechanics, Lowell, 60 00
2,000, Continental, New York, 60 00
5,000, Home, 150 00
Vernon-street schoolhouse, &c.,
$5,000, Hartford Fire Insurance Co., Hartford, 150 00
5,000, Phoenix, Hartford, 150 00
5,000, North British & Mercantile, London, 150 00
Upper Falls schoolhouse, &c., $3,000, Quincy Mutual, Quincy,
90 00
Dwelling house on Vernon Street, $3,500, Middlesex Mutual,
90 00
Steamer house, No. 2, engine, apparatus, &c.,
$3,013, Royal, Liverpool,
90 39
3,013, Franklin, Philadelphia,
90 39
3,019, Pennsylvania,
90 57
Steamer house, No. 3,
$2,000, Phoenix, Hartford,
75 00
Nonantum engine house,
$800, Ætna, Hartford,
32 00
$1,868 60
Less return premiums,
129 87
Net amount paid,
$1,738 73
TOWN HALL.
Newton & Watertown Gas Light Co., gas,
$340 80
Burdon & Waters, coal,
138 00
D. C. Sanger & Co., fuel,
71 65
Aiken & Woodward, charcoal,
15 00
R. M. Lucas, care of hall, &c.,
121 56
Willard Rand, “
121 73
W. B. Knapp & Co., stock and labor, Milo Lucas,
39 70
C. S. Phillips, painting and glazing,
38 69
Chas. Cole, services at hall,
37,00
M. Taffe, labor on vault,
36 25
W. H. Mague, labor on fence,
20 00
13 00
Eureka Ventilation Co., ventilator, Miscellaneous,
14 50
$1,054 57
46 49
74
RECAPITULATION.
Whole amount expended, $1,054 57
Received for rent of hall, 469 00
Net expenditure, $585 57
MILITARY DEPARTMENT.
O. W. Turner, rent of Claflin Guards armory, $700 00
Claflin Guards, pay-roll for May inspection, 59 50
$759 50
Of this amount $59.50 has been re-imbursed by the State, and of the armory rent $450 will also be re-im- bursed by the State.
STATE AID
The following are the names of persons on whose account State aid was disbursed during the year : -
J. V. Ramsdell,
$120 00
Daniel Sanger,
96 00
Chas. H. Smith,
96 00
Ann Mullen, 96 00
Henry Harrington,
96 00
J. R. Pratt,
96 00
Elliott Littlefield,
82 00
William Fell,
72 00
N. D. Tibbetts,
54 00
Geo. W. Belcher,
54 00
Thomas Dolan.
54 00
George Hutchinson,
54 00
Thomas Dinnean,
54 00
S. C. Spaulding,
54 00
John Foster,
48 00
F. H. Gunnison,
48 00
T. B. Duran,
48 00
Y
Amount carried forward,
$1,222 00
75
Amount brought forward,
$1,222 00
T. L. Jackson,
48 00
Patrick Welch,
48 00
Jeremiah Madden,
48 00
Wm. P. Rogers,
48 00
Chas. W. Berry,
36 00
John Daley,
32 00
Emery Temple,
32 00
Martin I. Hildreth,
28 00
Thomas McMahon,
13 50
$1,555 50
EXPENDITURES UNDER SPECIAL APPROPRIA- TIONS.
In aid of the Newton Athenæum,
$750 00
For " Memorial Day," land damages on Hill-Side Avenue,
500 00
150 00
$1,400 00
SALARIES.
Selectmen, Overseers of Poor, Fence Viewers, &c., viz .: -
Otis Pettee, salary for 1873, 66
$550 00
L. G. Pratt
550 00
I. F. Kingsbury, 66
550 00
Joel M. Holden, 66 66
500 00
J. Willard Rice,
66
500 00
M. T. Heywood,
500 00
W. W. Jackson, 66
500 00
Marshall S. Rice, Town Clerk, 1872, 66 66 1873,
500 00
E. J. Collins, Treasurer, 1873,
500 00
Isaac Hagan, Assessor, 1873,
$1,000 00
A. B. Cobb, 66 66
1,000 00
J. G. Salsbury, 66 66
450 00
2,450 00
Amount carried forward,
$7,500 00
-$3,650 00
400 00
76
Amount brought forward, $7,500 00
Julius L. Clarke, Auditor for Board of Selectmen, 1873, 400 00
Chas. Robinson, professional services as attorney for Town, 433 50
B. Wood, Town Auditor, 1873, in part, $200 00
Geo. Gould, " 100 00
300 00
Isaac Hagar, Town Auditor, 1872, $315 50
A. B. Cobb, 66 66
168 75
Julius L. Clarke,
90 00
574 25
A. B. Underwood, J. M. Holden, I. Ha- gar, Building Committee, Vernon and Eldridge-street schoolhouse, 300 00
M. T. Heywood, superintending build- ing Crafts-street schoolhouse,
300 00
W. W. Jackson, superintending build- ing bridge at Lower Falls, 200 00
R. M. Lucas, Building Committee, Steamer house, No. 2, 200 00
I. F. Kingsbury, Otis Pettee, and S. E. Cousens, Building Committee, Steam- er house, No. 3, 500 00
Willard Rand, Sealer of Weights and Measures, 75 00
$10,782 75
COLLECTION OF TAXES.
E. J. Collins, commission on taxes, 1873,
$1,500 00
66 66 1872, 871 57
$2,371 57
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.
Isaac Hagar, labor on boundary lines and voting lists, $167_84, sundry expenses for Auditors, 35 14
Amount carried forward, $192 98
77
Amount brought forward, $192 98
Marshall S. Rice, surveys, plans, &c., 561 37*
66 recording births, marriages, and deaths, 138 10
66 postage, stationery, &c., 45 85
745 32
Geo. F. Morgan, making abstracts of deeds, 175 52 Otis Pettee, expenses for Fire Alarm Tele- graph, &c., 150 00
J. L. Fairbanks, ward books, stationery, &c., 111 75
F. E. Hamblin, stock and labor on armory, 101 40
Geo. L. Bean, refreshments for officials,
95 00
A. B. Cobb, team and labor on tax-lists,
86 01
C. H. Holmes, blanks, letter-press and book,
75 25
E. J. Collins, stationery and sundry expenses,
59 18
M. T. Heywood, ballot-boxes, &c., $55 00 cash paid counsel, 10 00
65 00
S. Ward, & Co., stationery, shears, &c.,
54 77
R. M. Lucas, distributing notices,
22 84
John B. Annette, “
10 00
S. F. Twichell, conveyance and refresh- ments for officials,
22 80
O. C. & S. D. Garey, repairing hearse- house,
20 29
J. A. Peck, notifying officers, &c., 20 00
Stephen Holmes, stock and labor on Ar- mory, 17 34
J. F. Makee, repairing hearse, 17 00
J. M. Harris, surveys, plans, &c., 15 00
Seth Davis,
12 00
Fred Small, self-acting stamp,
12 00
Miscellaneous, 52 03
The following expenses were incurred on account of the Fire Alarm Telegraph : - E. A. Stover, services and expenses as Supt., 170 00
E. C. Dudley, carriage hire for do.,
45 00
Edwin Rogers, sundry materials, 74 84
S. F. Cate, carriage hire, 30 00
10 00
Whitman & Ricker, “
12 00
Geo. W. Bush, 66
12 00
Dan'l Harrington, "
Amount carried forward, $2,487 32
* The sum of $200 more of this item is charged in the Highway Account.
78
Amount brought forward, $2,487 32
Dexter Bros., sulphate of copper and zinc, 52 90
Otis Pettee, tools and materials, 31 00
Geo. L. Bean, refreshments for Town Officers, firemen, and others,
80 47
Miscellaneous,
14 50
Total,
$2,666 19
KENRICK FUND.
Cash on hand, Jan. 1, 1873, $39 01
Loans repaid in 1873,
700 00
Interest received in 1873, 181 22
$920 23
Amount distributed to the " industrious poor of
Newton," as per direction of the donor,
$200 00
Cash on hand, Jan 1, 1874, 720 23
Amount of investments, Jan. 1, 1874, 3,300 00
$4,020 23
The financial results now submitted are, in one respect, at least, a source of congratulation. Prior to 1873, the ex- penditures of the Town were governed by no special limi- tation, the several Boards of Selectmen, acting, of course, in accordance with their best judgment, frequently author- izing expenses considerably in excess of appropriations, although the latter were sometimes largely increased by the transfer of unexpended balances from previous years. Moreover, appropriations, even for ordinary expenses were not always covered by the annual grants of money for taxation, or by other sources of income. Under this sys- tem an increase of the Town debt was inevitable in almost every year, and from this source alone a very large ratio of the present outstanding indebtedness has arisen.
With the incoming administration of 1873 the Town wisely adopted a change of policy, by providing that no expenses should be incurred in excess of appropriations ;
79
nor was any provision made for a transfer of unexpended balances from those of previous years. The appropria- tions for 1873 were also all included in the taxes assessed ; and although a large amount of additional expenditure, authorized by vote of the Town, and accruing under exist- ing contracts of 1872, remained to be provided for out of the balance of cash on hand and other resources becoming available, yet the limitation imposed by the Town was adhered to without embarrassment. Not only were all ac- cruing expenses paid from resources placed at the disposal of the Board of Selectmen, but a reduction of fourteen thousand dollars was made in the outstanding loans of the Town. The cash remaining in the treasury was less than at the close of some preceding years, but the attempt to meet all ordinary expenses without an increase of the pub- lic debt proved a success. The precedent may be deemed worthy of perpetuation.
Respectfully submitted. JULIUS L. CLARKE, Special Auditor.
1
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
The rapid growth of the town, for the past few years, with its large increase of expenditure of money, has been a constant reminder of the importance and necessity of changing the form of government ; this necessity was par- ticularly demonstrated at the last March meeting, and steps were immediately taken to procure a city charter as soon as possible. A committee being appointed to petition the general court then in session, for an act to establish the city of Newton, a charter was granted and received the signature of the governor, June 2, 1873, and accepted by the voters of the town, at a meeting called for the purpose in October last, thereby establishing a city form of govern- ment to take effect on the first Monday of January, 1874.
Newton was incorporated as a town in the year 1679, and fully organized by the election of Capt. Thomas Pren- tice, Sergeant John Ward, and Deacon James Trowbridge, as its first board of selectmen, who served for the term of nine years. A portion of the early records have been lost, and it is not known who first held the office of town clerk ; it is supposed that either Jolin Ward, or Capt. Noah Wis- wall, or Thomas Greenwood, held the office for the first fifteen years.
The first annual appropriation of money amounted to about one hundred dollars, and was increased from year to year, until it reached the sum of twelve hundred dollars at the end of the first hundred years.
In the year 1800, the grant was $2,500 00
66
1825, 66 4,500 00
66 1850, 66
· 20,000 00
66 1873, . '66 . 333,300 00 .
-
81
From the foregoing statement it will be seen that the grants for money have been enormously increased within the last twenty years.
In summing up the work of the past year, or eleven months, ending December 31, we may say we have virtually done the work of twelve months ; as the amount usually done in January is but little beyond the breaking of roads, and lighting the streets for the time, and a very few inci- dental expenses of small amount in the aggregate.
The highway expenses have been about eighty thousand dollars, distributed over the Town for ordinary repairs about as usual. On permanent improvements a large amount has been paid. The Valentine Road, as laid out by the county commissioners, has proved itself to be an ex- pensive luxury, and is not yet completed ; in connection with this road is the widening of Homer Street from its junction with the Valentine Road to Centre Street. This has been very nearly completed, and is a good road, and will need but trifling repairs for a number of years to come.
The Auburn-street improvements, as laid out by the county commissioners, proved to be an expensive piece of work, but has been completed this year.
A new and substantial bridge has been built across Charles River at the Lower Falls. Owing to the peculiar situation of the river at this point, it was extremely diffi- cult to determine the best method of constructing this bridge.
There is a dam across the river immediately under the bridge, and race-ways to the mills on both sides of the river have to be provided through the bridge, and the long distance across the river (148 feet), without any op- portunity to get a support from beneath, left us with the only alternative of trussing it from above. This bridge was built jointly by the towns of Newton and Needham.
The Boylston-street bridge across Charles River, at the Upper Falls, has been thoroughly repaired and widened to twenty-eight feet, and is now in good order, and will
5
82
need but very little repairing for the next fifteen or twenty years.
The Walnut-street extension at the Highlands has been nearly completed and the work is progressing rapidly. Lake Avenue, north of the Baptist pond, is also nearly completed.
The bridge over the Boston & Albany Railroad on Wood- land Avenue, at Auburndale, has been re-built ; and the large drain from Mount Ida to the river has also been fin- ished.
There are still heavy demands upon the Town for im- provements in highways, which sooner or later will have to be done ; for it must be remembered that our increasing population will require more roads and wider avenues, to accommodate the steady increase of travel. We have not only to provide for our town's people, but for the increasing travel of the surrounding towns and villages, which must necessarily pass over our streets.
The appropriation of ten thousand dollars for concreting sidewalks has been expended in the work; the abuttors paying their proportion of the cost in addition. Several applications for concreting were necessarily laid over for the want of funds.
The fire department has been increased by the addition of a new steamer at the Centre, and a building is in pro- cess of construction for the same. Considerable delay was caused in the building of this house by the Boston Water Board not deciding upon the location of their new conduit which is to pass through the land upon which the engine- house was to be erected.
The Fire Alarm Telegraph, ordered at the March meeting, was completed in October, and forms a valuable adjunct to the fire department, and has already done good service ; the central station was temporarily placed in the old en- gine-house at the Centre, and waiting for its permanent location in the new steamer-house when completed. The apparatus was furnished and put by up Messrs. Gamewell & Co., of New York, and consists of about thirty-five miles
.
83
of wire in four circuits, fifteen signal boxes, or stations, three heavy strikers, and four large gongs, with the neces- sary fixtures to make it complete in itself; additions can be made to it at any time without disturbing the present work.
At the time of making the last report, there were sev- eral assessments on policies of insurance, which were un- settled and awaiting decisions from the courts on questions of law. These have all been adjusted and settled, and expiring policies renewed from time to time during the year.
Newton interested itself early in the educational interests of the State, and was one of the first towns in the Common- wealth to erect schoolhouses and establish public schools. The sparsely-settled districts furnished but a few pupils, and the appropriations of money were small, and only reached the sum of six hundred dollars in the year eighteen hundred. The appropriation for the past year was $93,- 600 for the ordinary expenses, with an additional sum for new schoolhouses; and to-day, our system of education occupies the front rank in the State, and we hope and be- lieve that we shall continue to hold the vantage ground already gained in this department. A detailed account of the schools will be found in the school committee's report, and we recommend its faithful perusal.
Attention is also invited to the Report of the Auditor, in which the financial condition of the Town is very clearly shown, in addition to the account of expenditures. The Selectmen have been enabled, during the year, to provide for all legitimate demands on the Treasury, without ex- ceeding the appropriations under which the expenses were authorized, and have paid of out-standing loans the sum of $14,000, thereby reducing the town debt to that extent. There is bequeathed to the incoming City a debt of $407,000, which really is of small account, taking into consideration the valuation, even as assessed, and the amount of public property within the town limits, and as compared with the debt of other localities about us. Under the most favor-
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