USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1916 > Part 5
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Voted to adopt.
Section 6. No person shall kindle any bonfire or other fire on the highways or lands belonging to this Town. or on any other lands, streets or ways not his own, nor discharge any rockets or other fireworks so that the same or ignited fragments thereof shall fall upon any land not his own, without permission from the Selectmen or from the owners of said streets, ways, or lands.
Voted to adopt.
Section 7. No person shall at any time fire India crack- ers, torpedoes, or other explosive articles, or discharge any firearms or cannon, on or across any street or way, near any vehicle passing thereon, or any dwelling house, except in performance of some legal duty, nor carelessly use guns or other firearms, nor point at another with any firearm, whether loaded or otherwise, at any time, or in any place, within the limits of the Town. .
Voted to adopt.
Section 8. No person shall post, affix, nor in any way attach any poster. hand-bill, notice, advertisement or
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placard, to or upon any post, wall, fence, tree, building, or structure not his own; nor mar, deface, or disfigure the same without the permission of the owner.
Voted to adopt.
Section 9. No person shall wilfully or maliciously deface or tear down any bill, placard, or notice posted for a lawful purpose, except the same be unlawfully affixed to premises owned by him or under his control.
Voted to adopt.
Section 10. The Selectmen may license suitable per- sons to be dealers in and keepers of shops for the purchase, sale or barter of junk, old metals and second hand articles.
Voted to adopt.
Section 11. Every keeper of such shop shall put in some suitable and conspicuous place in his shop a sign having his name and occupation legibly inscribed thereon in large letters.
Voted to adopt.
Section 12. Every such shop and all articles of mer- chandise therein, and any place, vehicle or receptacle used for the collection or keeping of the articles aforesaid, may be examined at all times by the Selectmen or any person by them authorized thereto.
Voted to adopt.
Section 13. Every keeper of a shop for the purchase, sale or barter of junk, old metals or second hand articles. within the limits of the Town, shall keep a book, in which shall be written, at the time of every purchase of any such article, a description thereof, the name, age and residence of the person from whom, and the day and hour when such purchase was made. Such book shall at all times be open to the inspection of the Selectmen or of any person by them authorized to make such inspection.
Voted to adopt.
Section 14. No keeper of such shop and no junk col- lector shall directly or indirectly, either purchase or receive
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by way of barter or exchange, any such goods of a miner or apprentice knowing or having any reason to believe him to be such.
Voted to adopt.
Section 15. No keeper of such shop shall sell or permit to be sold any article purchased or received by him until at least thirty days from the date of its purchase or receipt has elapsed.
Voted to adopt.
Section 16. No keeper of such shop shall have his shop open for the transaction of business, nor shall he or any junk collector purchase any of the aforesaid articles, except between sunrise and nine o'clock in the evening of any week day.
Voted to adopt.
Section 17. The Selectmen may also license suitable persons as junk collectors, to collect, by purchase or other- wise, junk, old metals and second hand articles from place to place within the Town.
Voted to adopt.
Section 18. Every junk collector shall display upon each side of all vehicles used by him when engaged in col- lecting, transporting or dealing in junk, old metals or second hand articles, his name, residence and number of his license, in letters and figures that may be distinctly seen.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XVI-JOB AND EXPRESS WAGONS
Section 1. The Board of Selectmen may license suit- able persons to set up and use job and express wagons for the transporting for hire, goods, wares, furniture or rub- bish, within the Town of Reading. All persons engaging in such transportation for hire within the Town of Reading shall take out such number of job and express wagon licenses as will equal the greatest number of such vehicles to be used at any one time by said person during the year for which the license is issued. Such license shall expire
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on the thirtieth day of April of each year, and may be revoked at the pleasure of the Selectmen.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. The fee for such license shall be one dollar for each vehicle used thereunder, payable to the Town Clerk for the use of the Town.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. No person shall engage in the business of transporting for hire, goods, wares, furniture or rubbish as specified in Section 1 of this article without first obtaining a license or licenses therefor as above set forth.
Voted to adopt.
Section 4. Every person licensed under the provisions of this article shall cause his name and the number of his license to be printed or placed in plain, legible words and figures in a conspicuous place on the outside of each vehicle used in exercising said license.
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. Whoever violates any of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine of not more than ten dollars for each offense.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XVII -- HAWKERS AND PEDDLERS
Section 1. No person shall hawk or peddle any of the articles enumerated in Chapter 345 of the Acts of 1906, or any acts in addition thereto, or in amendment thereof, until he has recorded his name and residence with the Chief of Police and has been assigned a number by him, nor unless any vehicle or receptacle in which he shall carry or convey such articles, shall have printed on it or attached thereto in a conspicuous place, in letters or figures at least three inches in height, the number given him.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. No person hawking or peddling any articles referred to in Section 1 shall cry his wares to the disturb-
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ance of the peace and comfort of the inhabitants of the Town.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. No hawker or pedler shall carry or convey any article referred to in Section 1 in any manner that will tend to injure or disturb the public health or comfort, or otherwise than in vehicles and receptacles which are neat and clean.
Voted to adopt.
Section 4. No person, except one engaged in the pur- suit of agriculture, shall hawk or peddle fruit or vegetables in the Town of Reading until he has been licensed thereto by the Selectmen. Licenses so granted shall expire on April 30 of each year, and may be revoked at the pleasure of the Selectmen. The fee for such license shall be five dollars, but a licensee who is a resident of the Town of Reading and a qualified voter, and who pays taxes upon his stock in trade, shall not be required to pay any fee.
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. No hawker or peddler shall throw any refuse or waste matter on any street, highway or park of said Town of Reading.
Voted to adopt.
Section 6. No number shall be assigned to any hawker or peddler unless he presents to the Chief of Police a receipt from the Sealer of Weights and Measures, showing that the weights and measures used by him have been properly inspected, tested and sealed.
Voted to adopt.
Section 7. Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten dollars.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XVIII-PLANNING BOARD
Section 1. There shall be a Planning Board consisting of five voters of the Town who shall perform the duties pre- seribed in Chapter 494 of the Acts of 1913, and all acts that
68
have been or may hereafter be passed in amendment thereof or addition thereto. The members of this board shall be duly nominated like other town officers, and shall be elected by a vote on the official ballot at the annual town meeting in March, 1917; two members for the term of three years, two for the term of two years, and one for the term of one year. At each annual meeting thereafter, one or two men- bers of said Board shall be elected for the term of three years as the term of office of one or two members expire. Vacancies caused by the removal from the Town, resigna- tion, or death shall be filled by the remaining members for the unexpired term. The members of such board shall serve without pay. It shall also be the duty of such board to consider and report upon municipal improvements, in regard to which the advice of the board at any time may be asked by any official or officials of the Town; and such board may also. upon its own initiative, make to any official or officials of the Town, such recommendations in regard to municipal improvements as such board may from time to time think proper or expedient. Such board shall make a report to the Town annually, giving information regarding the condition of the Town and plans or proposals for the development of the Town and estimates of the cost thereof. Such report shall be sent to the Selectmen not later than January first in each year.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XIX-TOWN ENGINEER
' Section 1. The Board of Selectmen, the Water Com- missioners and the Sewer Commissioners acting jointly, each member having one vote, shall appoint annually a Town Engineer, who shall be an experienced Civil Engineer. but not a member of any of said boards. He shall receive such compensation as may be determined by the annual town meeting.
Section 2. All public service companies having any construction work on or under the surface of any public street or way within the Town shall file with the Town
ยท
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Engineer plans showing fully the location and kind of all snch construction work.
Seetion 3. It shall be the duty of such Town Engineer to properly index and care for all plans belonging to the Town or filed with him, provide and keep safely plans show- ing full records regarding all mains, supply pipes, taps and hydrants of the Water Works; all plans and engineering records of the Sewer and Street Departments. He shall report on all work of an engineering nature for any depart- ment of the Town previous to final action by the Town or any department thereof, and have charge of all of the engineering work of all public work. He shall hold office until his successor is appointed and accepts.
Article 19 voted to pass over.
ARTICLE XX-TOWN PROPERTY
Section 1. No person shall turn on or off the water at any water main, service pipe, hydrant, water post, drink- ing fountain or other fixture or appurtenance connected with the Reading Water Works, or make any opening into or connection therewith without authority from the Superin- tendent of the Water Department, excepting that hydrants may be used by firemen in the discharge of their duty.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. No person shall maliciously, wantonly or carelessly break, destroy, injure, or in any way interfere with any wire or other fixture connected with the electric light. power and lighting system of the Town or to the Fire Alarm system of the Town.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. No unauthorized person shall handle or in any way interfere with tools, apparatus, machinery or fix- tures belonging to the Fire, Police, Water or Municipal Lighting Department, or any signal box, wire, pole or other thing connected with any of said departments.
Voted to adopt.
Section 4. No person, except town officers, constables, or police officers, in the performance of their duties, shall
70
enter into or remain in any hose house, or other building occupied by the Fire, Water, Police or Municipal Lighting Department without the permission of the officer having charge of such house or building.
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. No person shall drive any horse, automo- bile or other vehicle upon or over any hose pipe lawfully placed in a street, or in use at a fire.
Voted to adopt.
Section 6. No person shall gamble, or keep, use, or have in his possession any spiritous or intoxicating liquor in any building or room owned or occupied by the Town.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XXI-ELECTRIC WIRING
Section 1. The Board of Selectmen shall annually appoint a competent person Inspector of Wires in accord- ance with Chapter 122, Section 18, of the Revised Laws, who shall receive such salary as the town meeting shall decide, and who shall have the powers and duties set forth in said Chapter.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. All electric wiring installed in or on any building, designed to carry electricity for light, heat or power, shall be installed in accordance with the require- ments of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, and no fittings or appliances shall be used except those which con- form to the standards of the "National Code."
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XXII-DUTIES OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Section 1. The annual report of the School Committee shall contain: (A) A statement showing the value of the school property held by the Town in the buildings, grounds, furniture, textbooks and supplies. (B) A statement of the cost of public day and evening schools as required by the State Board of Education. (C) A statement of the rank of the Town in its appropriations for schools as returned by
1
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the State Board of Education. (D)) A report of the year's work in the schools with such requests and suggestions regarding educational work as the Committee deems fitting. (E) The School Calendar for the year. (F) A tabulated statement of membership, attendance and truancy in the schools. (G) A detailed statement of expenditures during the year. (H) List of teachers and other appointees of the Board with their salaries. (I) Such other information as the Board may deem feasible relative to the conduction and condition of the department, together with such requirements as may seem proper for the conduction of the department.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XXIII-DUTIES OF FIRE DEPARTMENT
Section 1. The Chief Engineer shall be held responsi- ble to the Selectmen for the discipline, good order and proper condition of the officers and members of the depart- ment, and for the good condition of all houses, engines, motor apparatus, hose, hose carriages, horses, hooks and lad- ders belonging to the department. He shall enforce the rules and regulations of the Fire Department.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. The Board of Fire Engineers shall annually make a written report to the Board of Selectmen, to be printed in the annual town report. Such report shall con- tain :
(a) A list of all fires during the year, amount of hose used in each case, time of alarm and cause of fire.
(b) A list of fire alarm boxes and their location.
(c) A statement of the property and apparatus in possession of the department, and its condition.
(d) A statement of the expenses of the department in detail. for the preceding municipal year.
(e) A list of the names and salaries of all officers and members of the department, with the company to which they are attached.
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(f) Such other information as the board may deem ad- visable relative to the conduct and condition of the depart- ment, together with such recommendations as may seem proper for the future conduct of the department.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. The Board of Fire Engineers, or any mem- ber thereof, in charge of fighting a fire, may cause any street or portion thereof, in the vicinity of such fire, to be roped off, or closed, as in his discretion he may deem necessary.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XXIV-FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Section 1. There shall be chosen by ballot, at the an- nual town meeting in each year, two Trustees of the Public Library, to fill the vacancies occurring by the expiration of the term of service of persons heretofore elected, which Trustees shall hold office for the term of three years.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. All moneys appropriated for said library shall be expended by the Board of Trustees in the purchase of such books as they shall select, and in the support and pro- motion of its interests and efficiency.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. The Board of Trustees shall have full power to appoint a librarian and such subordinate officers as they may deem expedient, determine their duties, fix their sal- aries and remove them at pleasure.
Voted to adopt.
Section 4. The Board of Trustees shall have the sole management of the library and custody of the library build- ing, books and other property, and shall have full power to make any and all needful regulations for governing said library and the use therof.
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. The said Trustees shall lay before the Town, at each annual meeting, a detailed report of their doings and of the condition of the library, to be printed in the an- nual town report.
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Voted to adopt.
Section 6. The Town shall appropriate annually, at least, the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars, for the sup- port, care and maintenance of a free public library.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XXV-ENFORCEMENT OF BY-LAWS
Section 1. Whoever violates any provision of these By- Laws shall, in cases not otherwise provided for, forfeit and pay for each offense a fine not exceeding ten dollars.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XXVI -- REPEAL
Section 1. These By-Laws and the repeal of all By- Laws heretofore in force, shall not affect any act done, any right accrued, any penalty or liability incurred, or any suit. prosecution, or proceeding pending at the time they take effect.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. All By-Laws heretefore in force shall be re- pealed and these By-Laws shall become effective when the latter are approved and published, as required by statute.
Voted to adopt.
Article 9. Voted to adopt as Section 6 of Article 9 :
The board of Sewer Commissioners shall annually ap- point a suitable person, not of their own number, to act as Superintendent of Sewers.
On motion of Carl M. Spencer, it was voted to take up in their order articles or sections which have been previously laid on the table.
On motion of Solon Bancroft, the following, as Section 1 of Article 1, was adopted as a By-Law :
The annual town meeting shall be held on the first Mon- day of March of each year, upon which day all Town Officers required to be elected by ballot shall be chosen and a vote taken upon the question of granting licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors, as required by statute. Votes may also be taken upon any question that the Town at a previous
74
meeting may have referred to the next annual meeting to be decided by ballot. Upon completing the election and counting the votes and declaring the result thereof, the meeting shall stand adjourned till the second Monday of March, at such time as the Selectmen shall name in the warrant calling the meeting, for the transaction of all other business that may be properly brought before the meeting.
Solon Bancroft moved to substitute for Rule 9, Article 1, of the By-Laws reported by the committee, the following :
Rule 9. No motion once made and disposed of. except a motion to adjourn, shall be again received at the same meeting; but any voter may move a reconsideration of any action taken upon any question, except motions to adjourn. to lay or take from the table, or to reconsider action pre- viously taken. No motion for reconsideration shall be in order unless made in good faith, and not for the purpose of preventing subsequent action on the question decided. No vote fixing the time of closing the polls shall be recon- sidered except for the purpose of extending such time.
This motion was not carried.
Solon Bancroft moved to reconsider. Motion was not carried.
It was voted to adjourn to meet in this hall on Mon- day, June 19, 1916, at 7.45 o'clock p. M.
MILLARD F. CHARLES, Town Clerk.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING
LYCEUM HALL, June 19, 1916.
A town meeting was held as per adjournment, and was called to order by the Moderator, Jesse W. Morton.
It was voted to take Rule 9 of Article 1 from the table.
It was voted to accept Rule 9 of Article 1, as amended, by substituting session for meeting where it occurs in the rule.
Rule 9. No motion once made and disposed of, except a motion to adjourn, shall be again received at the same
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session but except on motions to adjourn, and to lay on and take from the table, any one so desiring may move a recon- sideration. A motion to reconsider any vote may be made before the final adjournment of the meeting at which the vote was passed, but such motion to reconsider cannot be acted upon at that session; but no motion to reconsider shall be made at an adjourned session unless the mover has given notice of his intention to make such a motion, either at the session of the meeting at which the vote was passed, or by written notice to the Town Clerk, within forty-eight hours after the adjournment of such session. There can be no reconsideration of a vote once reconsidered and when reconsideration has been once refused by the meeting the Moderator shall not entertain a subsequent motion to recon- sider. No motion for reconsideration shall be in order unless made in good faith, and not for the purpose of pre- venting subsequent action on the question decided. No vote fixing the time of the closing of the polls shall be reconsidered, except for the purpose of extending such time.
Voted to take Section 1 of Article 2 from the table.
Voted to adopt Section 1 of Article 2, as reported by By-Law Committee.
ARTICLE II-SEAL OF THE TOWN
Section 1. The following shall be the device of the seal of the Town of Reading, to wit :-
Within a circle bearing at the top "Town of Reading" and below "Settled 1639; Incorporated 1644," a shield, Argent, an ancient water mill with under shot wheel at the end thereof, in view over a stream of water, with a spruce tree at the left and three ravens au vol. Crest-an uplifted arm with the hand grasping a sword. Supporters-branches of white pine. The whole substantially like the following representation :
TO
I DICORPO
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Section 4 of Article 3 voted to take from the table.
It was voted to adopt this section as reported by the By-Law Committee.
Section 4. The Board of Assessors shall have authority to number or renumber all houses and buildings, and no one shall number or change their street numbers without first getting permission from the Board of Assessors. The Board of Assessors may, in their discretion, order numbers to be affixed to or painted on the buildings on any street. The owner of every house shall comply with such order within ten days after receiving notice thereof. The Assessors shall within ten days from the date of any request desig- nate to owners the number or numbers to be affixed to houses and buildings owned by the person or persons by whom. or by whose agent. such request is made.
Section 4 of Article 6: it was voted to take from the table.
It was voted to adopt this section as amended :
The Selectmen and all boards. committees, heads of departments or other town officials authorized by law to expend money. shall furnish to the Town Accountant. not less than ten days before the end of the town financial year, detailed estimates of the amounts necessary for the proper maintenance of the department under their jurisdiction for the ensuing year, and an estimate of amounts necessary for outlays. or permanent improvements. They shall also pre- pare estimates of any income likely to be received by the Town during the ensuing year, in connection with the Town's business or property entrusted to their care. The Selectmen shall include in their estimates the salaries and expenses connected with their own office, and the salaries of all other town officers shall be included in the estimates for the office. department or branch of the public service committed to their charge. The Treasurer shall. in addition to his own estimate of the amount required for the mainte- nance of his own office. prepare a separate statement indi- cating the amounts required for the payment of interest on the town debt and for the payment of such portions of the
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town debt as may become due during the succeeding year. The Town Accountant shall, immediately upon the close of the fiscal year, compile statements in tabulated form so as to show the amounts appropriated and the amounts expended from each appropriation during the preceding year and the estimates for the current year, and shall forthwith furnish a copy of the same to the Finance Com- mittee. The Finance Committee shall duly consider the same and confer with said Town boards, officers, committees and citizens responsible for the insertion of warrant articles calling for the appropriations of money and shall hold at least one public meeting before each town meeting, at which such items are to be considered for the consideration and public discussion of any matters before the committee, such meeting to be held not less than ten days before said town meeting. The Finance Committee shall after due con- sideration designate the amounts which in their opinion should be appropriated for the ensuing year, and shall accompany the same with such explanations and suggestions in relation to proposed appropriations as they may deem desirable for the proper information of the citizens. The Selectmen shall cause this document to be printed and to be distributed in advance of or at the annual town meeting, and the Town Clerk shall transmit a copy of the same and of all town reports to the director of the bureau of statistics.
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