Town of Westford annual report 1886-1895, Part 28

Author: Westford (Mass.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Westford (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 896


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1886-1895 > Part 28


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Louis Albert Banks, of Hyde Park 9


George H. Cary, of Lynn . 1


Frederic T. Greenhalge, of Lowell. 233


John E. Russell, of Leicester 138 Blanks 9


Lieutenant-Governor:


James B. Carroll, of Springfield 134


Joseph K. Harris, of Haverhill, 2


Henry C. Smith, of Williamsburg 14


Roger Wolcott, of Boston. 217


Blanks


23


Secretary :


James W. McDonald, of Marlborough 126


William M. Olin, of Boston. 226


Samuel B. Shapleigh, of Boston


Isaac W. Skinner of Waltham 5


Blanks 26


Treasurer :


Wilbert D. Farnham, of Somerville. 15


Henry M. Phillips, of Springfield 219


Squire E. Putney, of Somerville 2 Eben S. Stevens, of Dudley. 130


Blanks. 24


Auditor :


Alfred H. Evans, of Ashburnham. 14


Boardman Hall, of Boston. 131


John W. Kimball, of Fitchburg 221


Herman J. Koepke, of Pittsfield 1


Blanks 23


2


18


Attorney General :


Hosea M. Knowlton, of New Bedford 216


Charles S. Lilley, of Lowell. 135


Daniel Lynch, of Boston . 1


Robert F. Raymond, of New Bedford. 11


Blanks 27


Councillor :


William A. Hyde, of Woburn 130


Luman T. Jefts, of Hudson 224


Blanks 36


Register of Probate and Insolvency :


John F. Carroll, of Framingham 131


Samuel H. Folsom, of Winchester. 218


Blanks


41


County Commissioner :


J. Henry Read, of Westford. 204


William A. Read, of Lowell 146


Brother Buskin 1


Blanks


39


Senator :


Elisha H. Shaw, of Chelmsford 230


Charles F. Worcester, of Townsend. 127


Blanks 33


Representatives in General Court :


Augustus A. Bickford, of Westford


22


George H. Bixby, of Groton .. 194


Albert P. Richardson, of Westford 156


Blanks .


18


Constitutional Amendment :


Shall the proposed amendment to the constitution, relative to the payment of mileage to members of the General Court, be approved and ratified ? Yes, 101; No, 75; Blanks, 214.


Return of votes for Representative in General Court, for Middlesex District, No. 31 :


Dunsta- ble.


Groton. Pepper- ell.


West- Total. ford.


Augustus A. Bickford, of Westford. . 3


22


42


George H. Bixby, of Groton ..


52


7 223


10 333


194


802


Albert P. Richardson, of Westford .. 32 Charles Jacobs


2


2


James Lawrence.


1


1


Total,. 87


324


516


372


1299


91


173


156


452


Bixby's plurality, 350.


GILMAN J. WRIGHT, Town Clerk.


LAYING OUT OF TOWN WAY.


Near the House of T. E. Symmes, as petioned for by Abbot & Co., and others.


Upon the aforesaid petition, due notice having been given to all persons interested, to meet at the house of T. E. Symmes, to be heard relative to the subject matter, we, the Selectmen (i said Westford, having heard all parties interested in the foregoing peti- tion, and having viewed the location of the proposed road, have laid out a Town Way, hereafter described, as follows:


Beginning at a stone bound in wall on old road south of the house of T. E. Symmes, thence on land of T. E. Symmes, North 414°, West on a curve 139 feet, to a stone bound, thence North 19º, West 220} feet to division wall between the land of T. E. Symmes and M. H. A. Evans, thence 80 feet on land of M. H A. Evans, to a stone bound in wall on old road, as shown on the plan of T. E. Symmes accompanying this report. Twenty-five dollars ($25) is awarded to T. E. Symines for land damage by rea- son of laying out said Town way. Estimated cost of building said Town way three hundred and seventy-five dollars ($375).


. Said Town way is reported to the Town for their approval and acceptance.


Dated at Westford, Mass., this 21st day of April, 1893.


J. HENRY READ, SHERMAN H. FLETCHER, GEORGE W. HEYWOOD, Selectmen of Westford.


The foregoing report was accepted and adopted at a legal town meeting, held April 29, 1893.


GILMAN J. WRIGHT, Town Clerk.


FIRE, DEC. 17, 1893.


Wooden house and barn, near Minot's Corner, owned by Joel H. Barnard. Unoccupied at time of fire, Mr. Barnard having removed to Lowell about a month before. Value of buildings, $1500. Insur- ance on house, $1200; on barn, $400; total, $1600. Cause unknown.


GILMAN J. WRIGHT, Town Clerk.


ASSESSORS' REPORT.


The Assessors of the town of Westford submit the following report :


Value of buildings, exclusive of land, May 1, 1893. .. $544,914 00


Value of land, exclusive of buildings, May 1, 1893. .. 387,995 00


Value of Personal estate, May 1, 1893. 226,418 00


$1,159,327 00


Amount raised for :


Library .


$ 150 00


Burial Grounds . 200 00


Roads and Bridges


3,000 00


Schools .


4,800 00


Support of Poor.


2,500 00


Text-books


250 00


Repair of Scoolhouses 500 00


To widen Road. 400 00


$11,800 00


State tax


1,450 00


County tax


1,184 01


Overlayings


490 04


Additional taxes


18 00


$14,942,05


Number of Polls 622


Houses


465


Horses.


434


Cows.


717


Sheep


50


Swine 42


Fowls


6,597


Cattle other than Cows.


132


Tax on one hundred dollars, $1.18.


21


Property owned by the Town :


Town Hall.


$13,500 00


Public Library


2,000 00


Town Farm.


5,000 00


Schoolhouse No. 1


3,500 00


2


1,445 00


3.


3,865 00


4.


1,675 00


5.


1,800 00


6.


1,600 00


7


1,600 00


8 1,200 00 9.


1,500 00


10. 5,100 00


Public Burial Grounds


1,200 00


Fire Apparatus and Buildings.


350 00


Public Ground.


1,500 00


$46,835 00 GEORGE H. HARTFORD, AMOS R. LEIGHTON, W. H. H. BURBECK,


Assessors of Westford.


TREASURER'S REPORT.


WESTFORD, MASS., February 27, 1894.


The treasurer of Westford submits the following report :


RECEIPTS.


To cash on hand, Feb. 27, 1893. $ 5,821 82


To cash borrowed. .


11,000 00


From State corporation tax, 1893


2,958 93


bank tax, 1893


637 51


soldiers' families, 1892.


1,144 50


indigent soldiers, 1892


99 00


school fund, 1892-93 .


278 06


county treasurer, 1893, dog tax ..


225 04


J. H. Wilson, janitor Town Hall.


89 00


A. Fisher, auctioneer's license . .


2 00


Alec Fisher, collector of taxes, 1890


42 98


Alec Fisher, collector of taxes, 1891


179 74


L. E. Day, collector of taxes, 1892.


479 20


Walter C. Wright, collector before Oct. 1, 1893 ..


10,867 51


Walter C. Wright, collector, before Dec. 1, 1893.


787 37


Walter C. Wright, collector, after Dec. 1, 1893. ..


1,168 04


Alec Fisher, interest on taxes, 1890


2 15


Alec Fisher, interest on taxes, 1891 .


2 83


Walter C. Wright, interest on taxes, 1893


4 09


income from library funds


87 33


M. H. A. Evans, rent of Keyes' pond


20 00


Carrie E. Read, catalogue sold


25


Carrie E. Read, library fines


5 00


gift to library by Mrs. T. H. Elliott


5 00


gift to library by Mrs. L. L. Tappan


1 00


Henry Chamberlin, use of team


15 00


Henry Chamberlin, for hay.


2 00


Henry Chamberlin, for boards.


2 40


Thomas Quinn, board of wife at hospital.


42 50


Amount carried forward.


$35,970 25


23


Amount brought forward $35,970 25


From Alex. Courtney, license


8 00


Mrs. W. E. Frost, on account of Mrs. Vinal's funeral expenses. 4 50


State treasurer, on account of paupers.


79 00


City of Lowell, on account of paupers 96 00


Selectmen, school furniture sold


4 75


Mrs. S. D. Fletcher, for gravel


50


J. M. Fletcher, for gravel .


5 00


J. H. Read, board of John Green. 108 00


I. E. Day, collector, interest on taxes, 1892


9 02


$36,285 02


PAYMENTS.


By cash, notes, and interest


$10,349 00


State tax, 1893.


1,450 00


county tax, 1893.


1,184 01


Overseers of the poor


3,415 17


orders for incidental expenses.


10,856 18


on account of schools.


6,289 08


on account of library.


235 62


cash on hand


2,505 96


$36,285 02


NAHUM H. WRIGHT, Treasurer.


-


SELECTMEN'S REPORT.


COMPENSATION OF TOWN OFFICERS.


TOWN TREASURER.


Nahum H. Wright, salary, year ending March 1,1893


$50 00


Time and expense going to Lowell on town business .... 4 50


Salary as Treasurer for Trustees of Pub- lic Library for 1889, '90, '91, '92 .. .. 40 00


$94 50


TOWN CLERK.


Gilman J. Wright, salary .. $12 00


Recording and making returns to Secre- tary of the Commonwealth of births marriages, and deaths for the year 1892, as follows :


49 births


24 50


24 marriages.


3 60


20 deaths. 4 00


30 deaths. 3 00


Extra services, before March meeting, 1893


3 00


Extra services, before Nov. meeting, 1893. 1 00


Attending Town Clerks' meeting at


Groton


3 00


Making report to town


3 00


Express for year ending at date. 4 25


Stationery and postage.


2 24


Use of Telephone


15


Dog license blanks.


1 00


Justice fee for administering oath 25


Cash paid for Mass. report .. 2 00


$66 99


25


SELECTMEN.


J. Henry Read, salary. . $ 5 00


Time and expense on highways 10 00


Extra time as Selectman 20 00


$35 00


Sherman H. Fletcher, salary $ 5 00


Making out monthly State Aid book ....


6 00


Making out 24 State aid and indigent soldiers' returns, under Chaps. 279 and 301, Acts of 1889. 6 00


Making out town report.


10 00


Time and expense going to Worcester to investigate case of James A. Gra- ham for military aid 4 00


Time and expense perambulating town line between Chelmsford and West- ford .


2 00


Time and expense on highways .


25 00


Extra time as Selectman


25 00


$83 00


George W. Heywood, salary .. $ 5 00


Time and expense on highways


20 00


Extra time as Selectman


20 00


$45 00


AUDITOR.


Arthur B. Plimpton, auditing accounts of town officers, 1892. $24 00


$24 00


ASSESSORS.


George H. Hartford, 30 days taking invoice and making taxes.


$75 00


W. H. H. Burbeck, 22 days taking invoice and making taxes 55 00


Amos R. Leighton, 22} days taking invoice and making taxes.


56 25


$186 25


TAX COLLECTORS.


Alec Fisher, collecting $286.99 at 9 mills, 1890. 2 58


Collecting $620.23 at 1 per cent., 1891 . . 6 20


Isaac E. Day, collecting $479.20 at 1 per cent., 1892. 4 79


$13 57


26


CONSTABLE.


Isaac E. Day, posting warrants for two town meetings . $8 00


Expense of notifying and collecting dog licenses. . 10 50


$18 50


REGISTRARS OF VOTERS.


Nelson L. Tuttle, attending eight registrars' meetings $16 00


Quincy W. Day, attending eight registrars' meetings 16 00


Gilman J. Wright, attending eight registrars' meetings. 16 00


Services as clerk of board 7 00


$55 00


BALLOT CLERKS AND TELLERS.


Harry L. McClusky, teller March, 1893.


2 00


A. B. Gould, teller Nov., 1892. . 1 00


E. G. Boynton, teller March, Nov., 1892, and March, 1893.


3 00


C. M. Griffin, teller four meetings


4 00


L. C. Dane, teller Nov., 1893.


2 50


J. D. Wilson, teller Nov., 1893


2 50


C. A. Hamlin, teller 1891-93


3 00


A. R. Leighton, teller Nov., 1893; ballot clerk March, 1893 ... 3 50


W. E. Frost, ballot clerk Nov., 1893 2 50


$24 00


SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


A. A. Bickford, salary, winter term, 1892- 93


$50 00


Summer term, 1893


50 00


Supply agent.


25 00


Making report.


10 00


Making return to State.


2 00


Use of team


3 00


Time and expense procuring teachers ...


4 10


E. P. Barker, salary, Supt., Aug. 1, 1893, to Feb. 1, 1894.


300 00


300 00


UNDERTAKER.


Albert P. Richardson, attending 30 funerals with hearse.


$60 00


$60 00


TRUANT OFFICER.


Eugene DeRoehn, services at truant officer,


$3 50


$3 50


$144 10


27


REPAIRS OF SCHOOLHOUSES AND ARTICLES FUR- NISHED SCHOOLS.


CENTER SCHOOLHOUSE - TWO SCHOOLS.


Paid Wright & Fletcher, broom, coal hod, etc. $1 17 Moss Bros., stove pipe, etc .. 3 00


H. E. Fletcher & Co., well stone and setting 12 65


$16 82


STONY BROOK SCHOOLHOUSE.


Paid Moss Bros., repair of stove $14 40


14 40


FORGE VILLAGE SCHOOLHOUSE-TWO SCHOOLS.


Paid Eugene DeRoehn, setting glass and repairs $2 00


Wright & Bemis, glass, broom, paint, etc. 2 01


4 01


NASHOBA SCHOOLHOUSE.


Paid Wright & Fletcher, brooms and dipper,


$


75


75


PARKERVILLE SCHOOLHOUSE.


Paid for 1 bottle stove polish $ 10


Geo. H. Holt, repair of pump 11 00


H. E. Fletcher, well stone and setting ... 13 20


24 30


MINOTT'S CORNER SCHOOLHOUSE.


Paid for one broom $ 35


35


NABNASSETT SCHOOLHOUSE.


Paid H. E. Fletcher, well stone $10 00


10 00


LONG-SOUGHT-FOR SCHOOLHOUSE.


Paid for broom, etc. 8 94


94


Amount carried forward $71 57


28


Amount brought forward $71 57


LYON SCHOOLHOUSE.


Paid Geo. H. Holt, repair of pump .. $ 4 25


H. E. Fletcher & Co., well stone and setting. 12 65


16 90


GRANITEVILLE SCHOOLHOUSE -FOUR SCHOOLS.


Paid Wright & Bemis, window shades, etc .. Duster, paint, etc .. ..


$16 15


6 66


Eugene De Roehn, setting glass and re- pairs 3 75


26 56


$115 03


TOWN LIBRARY.


Paid Carrie E. Read, services as librarian from Feb. 1, 1893, to Feb. 1, 1894, Carrie E. Read for extra work.


$95 81


14 55


$110 36


TOWN COMMON.


Paid Gilmer Stone, labor, mowing grass ..... $ 4 00


$ 4 00


BOOKS AND SUPPLIES FURNISHED SCHOOLS.


Paid express on books ..


$ 4 55


A. A. Bickford, express, etc ..


4 25


C. E. Whidden, freight and express


3 19


J. L. Hammett, books, etc . ..


154 06


Effingham, Maynard & Co., books, etc .. . Lee & Shepard, books, etc ..


3 50


Thompson, Brown & Co., books, etc ....


4 80


University Publishing Co., books, etc ...


5 03


Silver, Burdett & Co., books, etc .. . ..


5 00


D. C. Heath & Co., books, etc


38 44


Boston School Supply Co., books, etc ...


35 90


American Book Co., books, etc .. . .


83 01


Prang Educational Co., books, etc.


20 16


Ginn & Co., books, etc .. 17 75


William Ware & Co., books, etc.


2 92


W. M. Sargent, books, etc. 5 25


1 60


Wright & Fletcher, paper, etc.


1 61


Abbot & Co., table. 5 47


$402 74


D. Lothrop & Co., books, etc ..


6 25


29


EXPENSE AT FIRST DISTRICT COURT AT AYER- OFFICERS' FEES.


Paid Andrew De Roehn $ 7 71


Eugene De Roehn. 5 14


J. P. Thacher 7 00


S. H. Balch 9 98


$29 83


GENERAL EXPENSES.


Paid H. Chamberlain, care of horses, Feb., Mar., and April.


$19 00


For transferring property of Road De- partment


75


A. R. Choate, express.


25


Mrs. H. Chamberlain, food for election officers, March meeting 1 00


N. L. Tuttle, repair of road scraper, drag, etc., as per bill 19 10


Coggeshall & Piper, engraving for Town Seal


8 00


Two electrotypes .


1 00


Two Lever seal presses


16 00


William Reed, stone and labor for town, as per bill paid under vote of town, April 29, 1893. 153 00


2 sections and bolts for road scraper 8 50


Tools for road dept., as per bill . 18 82


1 Treasurer's Book.


4 65


Stamps for mailing Town Reports


13 35


Postage, stamped envelopes, stationery,


24 59


etc., for Town Officers, as per bill .. Freight, Express, and Telephone charges Casting for plow and road machine, axes, pails, etc., as per bill.


19 19


1 plow for road department.


6 00


John Feeney, repair of harnesses, and arti- cles furnished, as per bills


27 65


J. H. Osborn, Veterinary; attending horse.


21 00


W. W. Johnson, unloading lumber, etc ..


2 50


Edwin Gould, use of sled .


4 50


G. W. Heywood, grain for horses, Feb., Mar.


22 60


J. P. Felch, repairing road, 1891


4 75


11 78


J. T. Colburn, hay for horses, Feb., Mar., C. F. Keyes, straw.


5 00


Edward Defoe, labor cleaning drains. .


3 00


Amount carried forward $421 37


5 39


30


Amount brought forward. $421 37


Paid Wright & Fletcher, scythe snaths, nails, powder, etc . 20 05


1 Copy Mass. Town Officer . 4 00


F. E. Miller, fence irons, drills, etc 8 40


W. C. Robbins, exchange of horse 125 00


Use of horse . 10 00


B. V. Wright, use of land for cavalry target practice, 1893. 5 00


C. F. Keyes, gravel for roads, 1888 to 1890. Approved by Edward Pres- cott, Supt. 20 00


W. J. Sleeper, M. D., returning 33 births, 1892-93, under Chap. 158, Acts of 1883 . 8 25


B. F. Day, for feed bags, as per bill


2 20


W. J. Gould, shoeing horses, repairing chains, cart, etc., as per bill ..


58 54


Repair of road machine.


20 75


Steel for drills, picks, bars, etc 21 28


1 stone hammer. 1 59


Burnham & Davis, lumber for railings .. 45 44


W. R. Carver, damage to team and har- ness on hignway. 22 50


$794 37


EXPENSE OF TOWN COUNSEL.


Paid Marshall, Hamblet & Burke, legal ser- vices, 1892


100 00


Marshall, Hamblet & Burke, services pre- paring Carville suit vs. Town of Westford, 1892, and services trying the same, and argument before the jury


175 00


To motion for new trial, seeing witnesses, procuring affidavits, and services preparing motion and argument of same 75 00


$350 00


PRINTING.


Paid Vox Populi Press, 650 copies Town and School Reports ..


$122 50


Extra copies and list of books for Library.


6 25


Envelopes, etc


7 65


Tax Bills and Notices.


9 75


Amount carried forward $146 15


31


Amount brought forward $146 15


Paid Lowell Courier Pub. Co., School Rules .. 2 00


Morning Mail Co., slips for Board of Registrars and Voting Lists. . . 17 00 675 ballots and samples .... 10 00 Campbell & Hanscom, 25 poll tax lists .. . 8 50 Greenough, Adams & Cushing, order books. 9 00


Assessor's notices 1 30


$193 95


OVERSEERS OF POOR.


Paid by order May, 1893 $989 63


August, 1893 518 17


November, 1893 701 01


January, 1894. 230 43


February, 1894. 975 93


Appropriation $2,500.00 Overdrawn $915.17 $3,415 17


The Treasurer has received from various sources the sum of $330 on account of Poor, which will leave amount taken from treasury $3,085.17.


TOWN HOUSE.


EXPENSE OF HEATING, LIGHTING, ETC., AND CARE OF SAME.


Paid J. H. Wilson, services as janitor from Feb. 1, 1893, to Feb. 1, 1894 $100 00


W. W. Johnson, 15,195 lbs. coal. 49 98


S. B. Wright, 5 cords wood. 25 00


C. E. Whidden, coal .. 1 60


H. H. Wilder & Co., grate for furnace ..


4 50


Wright & Fletcher, oil, matches, chim- neys, etc., as per bill. 18 07


J. M. Fletcher, oil, etc., as per bill


8 69


J. H. Wilson, labor on chandelier. 3 00


W. C. Edwards, labor and stock for dumb waiter. 29 01


M. A. Feeley, repairing plastering


14 50


$254 35


INCOME OF TOWN HOUSE.


Rent of Armory due from State $175 00


Received from rent of building. 89 00


$264 00


On account of an error at the office of State Treasurer, the armory rent has not been received at this time.


32


GUIDE POSTS AND GUIDE BOARDS.


We submit the following report on guide posts and guide boards. New guide boards have been put up at the following places, viz .: Corner of roads near Edwin Gould's, cross roads at house of E. J. Wood, and corner of roads near Amos Leighton's. We would recommend new guide boards in front of Miller's blacksmith's shop. The rest of the guide posts and guide boards are in good condition.


The following amount has been expended :


Paid Berlin Iron Bridge Co., 11 iron guide boards . $ 5 50 75


Freight on same


$ 6 25


SCHOOLHOUSE REPAIRS.


EXPENDED BY SCHOOL COMMITTEE BY VOTE OF THE TOWN. Appropriation $500.00. Overdrawn $16.69. Paid by order, see School Committee's report, $516 69


$516 69


BOARD OF HEALTH.


Paid by order, see Board of Health's report, $40 00


$40 00


PUBLIC BURIAL GROUNDS.


Paid by order, see Commissioners' report. . .


$341 97


$341 97


INSURANCE.


Paid Arthur Fenner, insurance on school- house at Graniteville, $3,000 for 5 years .. $90 00


Arthur Fenner, insurance on Town House, $2,000 for 5 years. 60 00


N. W. Norcross & Co., insurance on Town Farm buildings, $2,425 for 3 years 8 08


$158 08


EXPENSE OF SUIT OF DANIEL AND MARTHA CAR- VILLE AGAINST TOWN OF WESTFORD.


SECOND TRIAL.


Paid A. S. Baker, summoning witneses .. ... $13 16 Smith and Brooks, making plan and court expenses . 25 00


Witness fees and expenses 56 77


$94 93


33


MILITARY AID TO INDIGENT SOLDIERS AND


SAILORS.


As authorized by Chap. 279, Acts of 1889.


Paid January.


$16 00


February


16 00


March


16 00


April


16 00


May


16 00


June


16 00


July


16 00


August


16 00


September.


16 00


October


16 00


November .


16 00


December


28 00


$204 00


STATE AID TO SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' FAMILIES. As authorized under Chap. 301, Acts of 1889.


Paid January


$95 00


February


95 00


March ..


95 00


April


89 50


May


89 50


June


94 50


July.


90 50


August


90 50


September


90 50


October.


93 50


November


96 50


December


97 50


$1,117 50


ROAD DEPARTMENT.


In accordance with Chap. 98, Acts of 1889, Benjamin F. Day was appointed Superintendent of Streets. Under his supervision the appropriation was expended as will be seen in the detailed statement. Our town labors under a great disadvantage on account of the hilly formation of its surface and the lack of good material at hand to repair roads with, except in a few localities, and the re- pair of our highways is becoming a vexed problem in the affairs of the town.


Our clay soil requires good gravel to make a permanent and


3


34


smooth road, and the long haul of this material makes a heavy drain on the Appropriation. The use of the road scraper has gone by to a certain extent on our main roads as the material taken from the gutter is not suitable for road purposes, consisting chiefly of wash from the roads, decayed vegetable matter, and loam. The result is that when it rains the road is a mess of mud and in dry weather a blinding dust. You cannot repair or build good roads out of the gutter, but must use material suitable for road purposes to insure a decent highway. Many of our roads are narrow and contracted, the roadside being lined with brush which continually encroaches upon the traveled part, requiring cutting every few years, besides innumerable stones, some permanent and others dumped into the gutter by careless people, which prevented the water from draining off from the traveled part, and also an expense to the town to cart them off before work could be commenced. We found under a vote of the town passed March 4, 1878, that all persons were for- bidden to deposit stones by the roadside unless by permission of the Selectmen. This vote we had printed and posted about town, together with Rule 7 as issued by the Board of Health in regard to throwing refuse upon the streets, which has resulted in much good.


In the early spring a bad washout occurred on the Lowell road near No. 2 schoolhouse, which made the road impassable for some time and necessitated considerable outlay of money to repair it. Besides the ordinary repairs the main road in the north part of the town from Chelmsford line to the Brick Tavern, and thence to Long-sought-for Pond and the road from the Centre towards Forge Village, was widened, the brush cut (leaving suitable shade trees), rocks blasted out, and gutters made suitable to take off the surface water. This will not have to be done again and the repairs will be light in these parts for some time.


At the east part of the town, considerable money was expended gravelling the road on Frances Hill, and by Miller's blacksmith shop, which will be permanent and lasting. The widening and straight- ening of the road near T. E. Symmes' house near Graniteville was done under a special appropriation, and adds much to the conveni- ence of the public travel. Considerable expense has occured in renewing railings. Many of the posts and rails have become de- cayed by age and broken down, requiring new ones to make it safe for public travel. A good deal more will have to be done in this direction another year. A large number of small culverts have been taken up and laid over, and many more remain to be attended to.


35


During the winter gravel was hauled on to School street, in the cen- ter of the town, from the roadside leading from the depot road to the road passing F. W. Banister's, thereby widening that road and at the same time repairing School street. After the snow became too deep for teaming on wheels, and preventing putting material on the roads, gravel was hauled on sleds and dumped by the roadside in the center of the town, which can be used to an advantage in the spring to surface up the uneven places on the streets.


With two pair of horses and men required to work to an advan- tage, the amount raised in the past will not keep them at work much later than Nov. 1st, and if work is stopped then the team is obliged to be idle until the next spring; which is not for the inter- est of the town. Under these circumstances it seems that the ap- propriation ought to be increased another year, if we continue the system we have followed for a number of years.


The fact we have nearly 100 miles of road in town (90 miles, as estimated by Mr. Thomas E. Symmes), with an appropriation of $3000, gives only an average of $30 per mile. A small amount when the expense is taken into account of hauling good material. This year we have overdrawn the appropriation to keep the teams at work hauling gravel during the winter, believing it is the sentiment of the town to do so, and the result has been very satisfactory and and of much benefit. The subject of good roads is being agitated in our National and State Legislatures, the press and individuals are continually bringing the matter before the people, and any town that fails to keep abreast of the times will be behind its enterprising and progressive neighbors. Good roads will be in the future a criterion by which a town will be judged of its enterprise and prosperity. We wish every one could read that most excellent book, "The Road and Roadside," by Burton W. Potter, M. A., which treats the subject. of roads in such a simple and plain way that can be easily understood by everyone. It gives the law and relation of Public and Private rights to each other so concisely that it ought to be in the hands of every adjoining owner of property and traveller on the highway. We take the liberty to quote a few extracts from it.


Speaking of good roads, it says: " Bad roads have a tendency to make the country disagreeable as a dwelling-place, and a town which is noted for its bad roads is shunned by people in search of rural homes. On the other hand, good roads have a tendency to make the country a desirable dwelling place, and a town which is noted for its good roads becomes the abode of people of taste,


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wealth, and intelligence. Hence, it behooves every town to make itself a desirable place of residence; for many people are always puzzling themselves over the problem of where and how to live, and these towns which have their floors swept and garnished, and their lamps trimmed and burning, ready to receive the bride and bridegroom, will be most likely to attract within their borders the seekers of farm life and rural homes. We now live in the city and go to the country; but we should live in the country and go to the city. This is " a consummation devoutly to be wished," but it can never be brought about until good roads connect the cities and vil- lages with the green fields and beautiful scenery of the country. All money and labor expended upon them result immediately in a convenience and benefit to the whole community. Every one should deem it an honor to be able to do anything to improve and beautify the highways of his town." . . "It is always economy to spend enough to begin with to secure the best results, and it always costs less in the long run. A good road should cost more to build than a poor one, but it is often the case that a poor road costs as much as a good one would." " Good roads attract popula- tion, as well as good schools and churches. Good roads improve the value of property, so that it is said a farm lying five miles from its market, connected by a bad road, is of less value than an equally good farm lying ten milesaway from the market connected by a good road. A larger load can be drawn by one horse over a good road, than by two horses over a bad one. Good roads encourage the greater exchange of products and commodities between one section and another." "It must be clear to any man with the most ordinary business instincts, that good roads mean thrift, liberality, and wealth. They mean good farms and good value to real estate. They mean that the farmer enjoying their use will save time going over them, will save wear and tear, not only on his wagons but his teams."




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