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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