Town of Westford annual report 1896-1901, Part 21

Author: Westford (Mass.)
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Westford (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 836


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1896-1901 > Part 21


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Outstanding claim, expense at North Cem- etery .


$13 00


Amount overdrawn, 1897.


21 81


$34 81


Amt. remaining unexpended, as estimated


$0 93


TRUST FUNDS HELD FOR CARE OF BURIAL LOTS.


Sally B. Burrill fund


$100 00


Mary A. Putnam fund


100 00


Samuel Horne fund.


50 00


Clara M. Wiley fund


100 00


Amount carried forward.


$350 00


I 27


60


Amount brought forward


$350 00


Joseph B. Griffin.


100 00


Edwin D. Metcalf fund.


50 00


Sarah S. Reed fund.


100 00


C. Hamlin and C. A. Hamlin fund.


100 00


Total


$700 00


-


REPORT OF OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.


For the Year Ending February 1, 1899.


AMOUNT OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AT THE ALMSHOUSE, BY APPRAISAL.


February 1, 1898.


$3,097 95


February 1, 1899.


3,010 53


Loss on personal property


$87 42


RECEIPTS.


Received for Milk


$770 74


Hay


137 80


T. Carney's board


108 00


Apples


80 87


Pork


44 27


Breaking roads


33 32


Calves


13 25


Use of bull.


7 00


Cows


88 00


Witness fees on court cases. .


15 76


Use of tools.


4 75


J. Wilkinson's rent.


13 08


Eggs


5 36


Old wagon


9 00


Old pung .


2 00


Keeping prisoners.


4 00


Butter


6 20


Sundries


18 19


John Green's board.


$1,361 59 108 00


$1,469 59


62


PAYMENTS.


Paid for Grain


$319 49


Groceries


373 75


Superintendent's salary


450 00


Labor


370 20


Cows


100 00


Meat


147 57


Fish


20 IO


Lumber


21 90


Grass


18 00


Coal


16 81


Gutters on house.


12 00


Dry goods.


II 67


Set of wheels for farm wagon


15 00


Democrat wagon.


59 50


Hardware


14 90


Cultivator


7 50


Snow bills


18 94


Pasturing cows


12 00


Ice


9 00


Phosphate


16 50


Blacksmith work.


26 80


Seeds


7 00


Mattress


5 50


Wall paper.


6 00


Tinsmith work.


9 64


Medical supplies.


6 50


Cement for cistern


3.45


Stone for cistern.


.9 10


Expense on court business


6 32


Clothing for inmates


9.00


Pig's


9 00


Sundries


14 22 ·


$2,127 36


INMATES OF ALMSHOUSE, FEBRUARY 1, 1899.


Caroline A. Perham, age 75.


John P. Green, age 80.


Edward E. Holt, age 85.


Margaret O'Brine, age about 65.


Thomas.Carney, age about 88.


Catherine O'Toole, age about 100.


Whole number supported at Almshouse, 6.


Number of tramps lodged at Almshouse, 361.


63


EXPENSE OF POOR OUTSIDE ALMSHOUSE.


Paid Hospital bills for Woodward, Keyes,


Raymond, Wayne, Lord, Quinn, Whitcomb and Reed: F. E. Varney, M. D., for attendance on child of Hugh McAdams .... W. J. Sleeper, M. D., for attendance on Jane Dugdale. $44 50


$1,257 28


4 50


Mrs. O'Toole.


7 50


Lizzie Houghton 9 65


Charles Johnson. IO 50 72 15


J. W. Godfrey, M. D., for attendance on Leroy Richardson.


12 35


W. H. Bennett, M. D., for attendance


29 50


on W. B. McNaughton Mrs. L. Leland.


34 50


S. J. Ingalls.


19 00


Reynolds


I 50


Mary Crockett


13 00


J. Wilkinson's family 57 00


--


B. Leland's family .


20 00


G. Leland's family . 62 00


236 50


For medicine for Mrs. J. Leland.


16 59


Wright & Bemis for groceries for Mrs. J. Leland. I 20


Wright & Fletcher for groceries for Mrs. J. Leland.


53 00


R. E. Redding for wood for Mrs. J. Leland


12 50


George Leland.


4 63 17 13


City of Lowell, aid to Margaret Casey


30 50


City of Cambridge, aid to Varnum T. Fletcher


I 75


City of Chelsea, aid to Alfred French Thatcher & Ireland, groceries for ·. Leroy Richardson


14 08


H. Amsden, house rent for Leroy Richardson


6 00


A. R. Choate, salary


10 00


A. G. Polley, salary .


10 00


L. W. Wheeler, salary.


L. W. Wheeler for making out Town · Report


5 00


L. W. Wheeler, extra time as Over- seer


10 00


Amount carried forward


$1,778 03


10 00


64


Amount brought forward. $1,778 03


W. F. Balch for making out report to State 5 00


Wright & Bemis for groceries for George Leland. 13 84


Wright & Fletcher for groceries for Joseph Wilkinson 50 00


Total expense of poor outside Almshouse Credit by cash received, and due, as below 323 25


$1,846 87


$1,523 62


Cost of supporting poor outside Almshouse Received from Town of Tyngsboro on ac- count of McNaughton and Ingalls. City of Lowell on account of Mrs. Jane Dugdale Thomas Quinn on account of Mary Quinn. . ...


$ 58 50


40 50


149 50


$248 50


Due from State on account of Reynolds, Houghton, Johnson and


Richardson


$34 00


City of Lowell on account of Mrs. Jane Dugdale. 40 75


74 75


$323 25


STATEMENT.


Cash received from Town Treasurer. $2,643 02


Income of Farm .... 1,361 59


In hands of Overseers, Feb. 1. 1898 3.85


Superintendent of Farm, Feb. 1, 1898. 124 37


$4,132 83


Expense of poor outside Almshouse


$1,845 87


Total payments at Farm. .


2,127 36


Cash in hands of Supt., Feb. 1, 1899.


158 65


$4,132 83


Cash received from Town Treasurer. . $2,643 02


In hands of Overseers, Feb. 1, 1898 3 85


Supt., Feb. 1, 1828. . ..


124 37


$2,771 24


Cash in hands of Supt., Feb. 1, 1899.


158 60


$2,612 64


65


Cash in hands of Supt., Feb. I, 1898 $124 37 Drawn by order of Over- seers for Farm. ... 800 00


$924 37


Cash in hands of Supt., Feb. 1, 1899.


158 60


Expense of poor at Farm. $ 765 77


Outside Almshouse. 1,846 87


$2,612 64


Net expense of poor. $2,265 14


Expense of tramps. $90 25


L. W. WHEELER, A. R. CHOATE, A. G. POLLEY,


Overseers of the Poor.


SCHEDULE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AT ALMSHOUSE, FEB-


RUARY 4, 1899.


12 COWS


$720 00


2 horses 100 00


I bull 35 00


27 tons English hay 297 00


2 tons meadow hay


12 00


5 tons stock hay . 40 00


2₺ tons oat fodder


15 00


IO tons ensilage. 50 00 Grain in barn. 26 50


I mowing machine.


25 00


I Democrat wagon, old.


35 CO


I Democrat wagon, new


60 00


I hay wagon.


35 00


I


farm wagon ..


25 00


I farm wagon, new. 50 00


I double sleigh 25 00


I wheel harrow. 10 00


I spring tooth harrow 12 00


I horse rake. 5 00


I two-horse dump cart. 60 00


Amount carried forward.


$1,637 50


Received for expense of poor; in hands of Town Treasurer. 356 50


66


Amount brought forward. $1,637 50


I ensilage cutter. IO OQ


I hay tedder.


25 00


I hay fork and gear 30 00


4 harnesses 70 00


3 shotes


15 00


60 fowls


24 00


Whiffletrees, neck yokes and eveners. . 15 00


I sleigh 5 00


Balance in barn and outbuildings.


.. .


264 60


$2,096 10


PERSONAL PROPERTY AT HOUSE.


I barrel pork. $ 14 00


25 bushels potatoes. 20 00


Vinegar stock and barrels 65 00


I barrel sugar.


12 08


I barrel flour.


5 50


8 05


35 pounds butter. Vegetables


2 00


Balance personal property at house. .


792 80


914 43


$3,010 53


JOHN M. FLETCHER, F. C. HILDRETH, J. W. FLETCHER, Appraisers of Property at Town Farm.


REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS.


In compliance with a vote of the Town passed at the Annual Meeting in April, 1898, the Committee appointed to investigate the system of repairing our Town roads and to recommend such changes as might, in their opinion, seem best, respectfully submit the following:


We have held several meetings as a Committee; have held a public hearing in the Town Hall, of which every tax-payer of the Town was notified by postal card, and requested to come and present his views; have attended a public meeting at Marshall's Hall, to which the citizens of the Town were invited by posters; and have sought by personal work to obtain the views of the voters of the Town on the subject. While your Committee have no difficulty in finding people who are ready and earnest in condemning our present system, some even going so far as to contend that our roads do not compare favorably with those of the surrounding towns, they fail to suggest to us any method that, in our judgment, would be any improvement on the present mode of repairing the highways. It is desired by all that some method should be adopted whereby our roads would be put in better condition, without increasing the rate of taxation to any great extent.


After careful inquiry, we find most of the towns in our vicinity, and, in fact, a large majority of them throughout the County, are employing the same system as in use here. While a few towns, for a brief time, abandoned this system, they have, almost without exception, returned to the old method, and also to the appointment of a Superintendent by the Selectmen-in a few instances by an election of a Superintendent by the town. When the appointment has been made by the Selectmen, it has either been a person who was a resident of the town or they have secured a competent 10ad builder from outside.


We have considered the physical conditions of the Town, and find they are not favorable to good roads. Good gravel is scarce and must be drawn long distances ; the hills are liable to be washed by every heavy shower, and the work of months is often undone in an hour; the valleys become moist and the plains are sandy; the natural soil, in most districts, is not suitable for good roads; the road mileage is very large : the appropriation per mile of roads


68


is very small. These are the conditions to be met and overcome, that we may have good reads in this Town. After careful investi- gation and deliberation, it seems best to present two separate plans for your consideration, outlined as follows :


PLAN 1.


This plan provides for minor repairs to be made by Town teams and men, but all large jobs to be done by contract. Sealed bids to be invited and contracts to be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder for delivering gravel by the load, the size of load, quality of material, rate of delivery and place of delivery to be clearly specified. Written contracts to be executed, with penalty attached for failure to fulfill the conditions of the contract.


PLAN 2.


This is the one in use at present, with some changes in detail. The teams to be owned by the Town, as far as possible. Arrangements to be made for stable room of teams in different sections of the Town, that they may be near the work in hand and thus make a full day's work possible. Where the work requires extra men or teams, they are to be hired for such time as they are needed. When the Town teams are idle or when at work in that section, they are to be kept at the Town Farm, and when so kept the Road Department shall pay the Poor Department for board of teams and men (if Town boards the men) at a rate to be agreed upon by the Selectmen and the Overseers of the Poor. In case they cannot agree upon the rate, it is to be left to the Board of Assessors, and their decision shall be final.


GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.


With each of these plans, your Committee would recommend that more specific attention be given to inspection of our roads, and supervision of the work of repairs. We recommend the employment of a man of experience, skilled in build- ing roads, as Superintendent, who may be a résident or non-resident of the Town, and that he be required to make frequent inspection of the highways in order that water bars be kept up, and ditches cleaned out, to prevent damage to hilly roads by rain, and that small mud-holes and shal- low places in roads may be filled before they become larger, requiring a greater supply of material to repair them. We believe in securing a thoroughly competent man and giving him full charge of the details of the work, as far as possible, and requiring him to see that the Town receives full value for each dollar


69


expended on its roads. We believe that no radical change should be made in the system of repairs to our roads, without a larger appropriation, which does not seem desirable at the present time. We believe that either of the plans here outlined, with intelligent and practical supervision, with prompt attention to minor repairs, will result in better roads.


GEORGE T. DAY, HAMMETT D. WRIGHT, HERBERT E. FLETCHER, MELBOURNE F. HUTCHINS, Committee Appointed by Selectmen.


-


TREASURER'S REPORT.


Westford, Mass., Feb. 28, 1899. The Treasurer of Westford submits the following report:


RECEIPTS.


To cash on hand. $ 2,463 52


To cash borrowed. 16,000 00


From State corporation tax, balance of 1897 16 05


State corporation tax, 1898.


Bank tax, 1898. 1,549 78


662 00


Soldiers' families, 1897


940 00


Indigent soldiers, 1897.


125 00


Income Mass. School Fund.


359 24


Armory rent.


175 00


County Treasurer, dog licenses


298 II


Ai Bicknell, Janitor Town Hall.


100 00


I. E. Day, Collector of Taxes, 1892.


10 00


Walter C. Wright, Collector of Taxes, 1893. .


82


Walter C. Wright, Collector of Taxes, 1894. . I 5I


Walter C. Wright, Collector of Taxes, 1895. .


158 05


Walter C. Wright, Collector of Taxes, 1896. .


512 80


Walter C. Wright, Collector of Taxes, 1897. .


1,502 68


Walter C. Wright, Collector, before Oct. I, 1898


13,922 2)


Walter C. Wright, Collector, before Dec. I, I898 1,598 54


Walter C. Wright, Collector, after Dec. I, 1898


1,159 63


Walter C. Wright, interest on tax, 1894.


25


Walter C. Wright, interest on tax, 1895.


68 05


Walter C. Wright, interest on tax, 1896.


55 67


Walter C. Wright. interest on tax, 1897


72 66


Walter C. Wright, interest on tax, 1898.


82


Income library funds. 89 50


Florence H. Read, school supplies sold.


13 00


State, on account of Supt. of Schools.


500 00


City of Lowell, on account of paupers.


40 50


Town of Tyngsboro, on account of paupers. .


58 50


Alec Fisher, butcher's license. I 00


Amount carried forward


$42,454 98


71


Amount brought forward $42,454 98


John J. Sheehan, butcher's license. I 00


Alvan Fisher, auctioneer's license. 2 00


Francis Leboodly, license No. 298. 8 00


Francis Leboodly, license No. 425. 8 00


Henry J. Haley, pool room license. 2 00


Morris Miller, license 401 . 8 00


First District Court, Ayer.


83 45


Thomas V. Quinn, board of wife.


149 50


State Treasurer, on account of Inspector of Animals 103 87


J. Henry Read, board of John Green.


108 00


Mrs. Wm. L. Kittredge, 24 loads of dirt.


2 40


Town of Groton, tuition of scholars.


16 50


County Treasurer, on account of roads.


1,500 00


J. A. Healey, drain pipe. 2 28


12 75


W. M. Whitney, drain pipe.


2 25


Dr. W. J. Sleeper, drain pipe.


3 45


Geo. T. Day, drain pipe. .


3 63


State Treasurer, burial of soldiers


35 00


Arthur Bicknell, broken glass.


25


Gilbert & Barker Mfg. Co., gasolene bbls ..


I 35


David Gordon, license No. 623.


8 00


F. A. Fisher, gravel. 1 00


Daniel Cornell, books. .


9 10


Warren H. Blaisdell, tuition.


II 90


Westford Academy, teaching


33 00


Mrs. L. L. Tappan, gift to Library


2 00


Mrs. Stedman, gift to Library


I 00


Miss Cheney, gift to Library.


I 00


$44.575 65


PAYMENTS.


By cash, notes and interest.


$15,160 00


State tax. .


795 00


County tax. .


1,318 23


Overseers of Poor


2,643 02


Orders for incidental expenses


15,255 05


On account of schools.


5,889 84


On account of tuition, Academy


1,500 00


On account of Library


524 90


Cash on hand.


1,489 62


$44,575 65


NAHUM H. WRIGHT, Treasurer.


Alec Fisher, drain pipe.


AUDITOR'S REPORT.


Gentlemen of the Board of Selectmen:


According to custom at this time, and in compliance with the duties of Auditor, the undersigned, having duly presented several statements in relation to taxes for the year 1898, and having also made a careful examination of the accounts in all departments of finance for the year ending February 28, 1899, would submit herewith a complete report. All accounts of the Town's officers were found . correctly cast and properly vouched; details of each account may be found under the head of the departments published in this pamphlet.


TAXES.


The amount of taxes assessed on the polls and on the real and personal estate, within the Town of Westford, for the year 1898, and as presented to you July 25, was as follows: Number of polls 668, at $2 each.


$ 1,336 00


Tax on personal property.


3,297 47


Tax on real estate.


15,700 47


Total


$20,333 94


Taxes added since audit of July 25 (on real estate). .


3 90


Total tax levy for 1898.


$20,337 84


Note .- Total tax levy for 1897 was $18,412.37.


UNCOLLECTED TAXES


Year.


Colleetor.


Amount due and as reported, March 1, 1898.


Interest Col- lected since March 1, 1898.


Total.


Amount Col- lected, inciud- ing Interest and Abatements, sinee March 1, 1898.


Amount due March 1, 1899.


1892 Isaac E. Day


$ 33 95


2 63


$ 36 58


$ 36 58


1893 Walter C. Wright


1 53


1 53


1894 Walter C. Wright


21 97


13 51


$ 8 46


1895 Walter C. Wright


273 98


....


170 14


103 84


1896 Walter C. Wright


837 36


55 67


893 03


601 70


291 33


1897 Walter C. Wright


2,508 11


72 66


2,580 77


1,672 36


908 41


Total amount of uncollected taxes, 1894-7.


$1,312 04


73


In addition to the foregoing account, Auditor debits Walter C. Wright with the total tax levy for 1898, which was. $20,337 84 For interest collected since Jan. 1, 1899 (taxes of 1898) 82


Total


$20,338 66


And credits for amounts as follows: Actual amount collected Oct. I . . .... . $13,920 72


Five per cent. discount allowed tax- payers on taxes paid on or before Oct. I. 732 67


Actual amount collected Dec. I . . 1,598 32 . Three per cent. discount allowed tax- payers on taxes paid on or before Dec. I. 49 43


Amount collected between Dec. 2 and Feb. 9.


1,159 63


Interest


82


Rebate of taxes and taxes ordered as errors 6 23


$17,467 82


Residue of uncollected taxes for 1898


$2,870 84


RECAPITULATION.


Uncollected taxes, 1894


$


8 46


1895


103 84


1896


291 33


1897


908 41


1898


2,870 84


Total amount of uncollected taxes, March 1, 1899


$4,182 88


TOWN CLERK.


Number of dogs licensed: 153 at $2 each.


$306 00


8 at $5 each.


40 00


Total amount of license fees.


$346 00


Clerk's fees, 161 at 20 cents each


32 20


Balance paid to County Treasurer, as per his vouchers. $313 80


74


Two hundred ninety-eight and eleven-hundredths dollars ($298.11) of the dog license money has been refunded and passed to the Library account.


SELECTMEN.


Proper vouchers were found for each and every one of the 424 drafts (orders) drawn by the Selectmen on the Town Treasurer.


Total amount of drafts was seventeen thousand eight hundred ninety-eight and seven-hundredths dollars ($17,898.07).


MASTER OF ALMSHOUSE.


Cash balance March 1, 1898. $ 124 37


Receipts from all sources for the year end-


ing Feb. 28, 1899. 2,161 59


Total $2.285 96


Expenditures for the year ending Feb. 28,


1899 $2,127 36


Balance March 1, 1899


$158 60


S. H. Balch in account with Town of Westford, "New Annex" to Farm buildings:


Cash received from Town Treasurer From sale of lime and hair


$1.995 04


2 00


Total


$1,997 04


Amount paid per vouchers, Feb. 4, 1899. . 1,995 04


Balance unexpended


$2 00


Two thousand dollars ($2,000) was the amount appropriated.


February 4 all bills on account of the "Annex" had not been presented.


W. F. Balch.


Cash on hand March I. 1898. .


$3 85


Received during April, 1898


3 37


Total


$7 22


Expenditures per vouchers


7 22


75


OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.


L. W. Wheeler.


Cash received from Town Treasurer. .


$2,643 02 Sundry payments from May 1, 1898, to Feb. 28, 1899. . 2,643 02


TREASURER.


Receipts during the year ending Feb. 28, 1899


$42,112 14


Expenditures during the year ending Feb. 28, 1899 43,036 04


Excess of expenditures over receipts. . ...


$973 90


Balance in the treasury March 1, 1898. ....


$ 2,463 52


Received into the treasury during the year ending Feb. 28, 1899


42,112 14


Making a total of.


$44,575 66


Amount paid from the treasury during the year ending Feb. 28, 1899. 43,086 04


Balance in the treasury March 1, 1899. ...


$1.489 62


LIBRARY-NAHUM H. WRIGHT, TREASURER.


Cash balance March 1, 1898.


$ 41 06


Receipts during the year ending Feb. 28, 1899


591 61


Total


$632 67


Payments for the year ending Feb. 28, 1899


524 90


Balance March 1, 1899


$107 77


FINANCIAL.


The financial condition of the Town March 1, 1899, was as follows:


LIABILITIES.


State Treasurer, balance on account of new Library building (original amount was $5,000) $ 4,000 00


Appleton National Bank, Lowell (balance of original note for $16,000)


10,000 00


Total


$14,000 00


76


RESOURCES.


Due from State Aid, on account of soldiers' families


$ 893 00


Due from Military Aid, on account of indi- gent soldiers.


105 00


On account of burial of soldiers


70 00


Balance of corporation tax due from State


1,009 86


Taxes of 1894 remaining uncollected


8 46


Taxes of 1895 remaining uncollected.


103 84


Taxes of 1896 remaining uncollected .


291 33


Taxes of 1897 remaining uncollected


908 41


Taxes of 1898 remaining uncollected.


2,870 84


Balance of cash in the treasury .


I 489 62


Balance of cash in the hands of the Master of the Almshouse. . 158 65


Balance of cash, Library Fund.


107 77


S. H. Balch. 2 00


8,018 73


Balance against the Town


$5,981 27


Deficit March 1, 1898, was $3,521.80.


Respectfully submitted,


ARTHUR B. PLIMPTON.


Graniteville, March 1, 1899.


LIBRARY REPORT.


The Trustees of the J. V. Fletcher Library respectfully sub- . mit the following report for the year ending March 1, 1899 :-


The Librarian's record shows that 14.201 volumes circulated this year, of which 4,050 volumes went to Graniteville and Forge Village.


The demands upon the Reference Room have grown. Cur- rent events have stimulated research in the larger volumes of his- tory, geography, travel, and bound and unbound periodicals. So great has been the demand for back numbers of magazines, that the Trustees feel obliged to reserve a sum for their binding. This is at once a matter of economy and utility. Handled in odd num- bers, they become soiled and torn. Bound, they are preserved, and can be readily turned to by the title and number on their back.


These magazines are the best depository of current history. The increased facilities of printing and illustrating, with the records of men who have taken part in the events, make them invaluable. There will be an increased demand for them. This department of your library, while growing, needs strengthening. The files cover only the past three years. There is but one exception,-Littell's Living Age. This is complete,-an invaluable help and gener- ous gift The great creative period in American history and litera- ture is not represented by magazines. The Trustees look forward to the time when complete sets of the North American Review, Atlantic, Century, Harper's, Scribner's, etc., shall be on file.


In the purchase of books the purpose of former years grows : namely, purity and strength. From an individual standpoint, it is to be regretted that the cost of the best books in all departments has increased very largely. Few persons are able to buy the great works in travel, biography, naval history and geography that come from the press The province and power of the public library have increased much in this very fact. The inherent value of such books is great. Upon it rests the justice of their cost. The best and highest ends of the library are reached by putting such


78


books within the reach of all. A reading of the appended list will show the purchase of the best books in every department during the year past. They form a solid foundation for years to come.


It is a great pleasure to record the further beautifying of the interior of the library. Generous hearts and kindly hands have been busy. The admiration of visitors has been almost as great as our joy.


Mr. Charles H. Prescott, a former townsman, now of Harvard, has had a larger share in this. Earlier in the year he kindly ex- pressed a desire to contribute some memorial. Its mission was in- trusted to Mrs. G. T. Day. It has been faithfully carried out. Six busts, two wall pieces, and a heroic statue form the splendid col- lection of plaster casts. The collection divides itself into busts of Shakespeare, Franklin, Sir Walter Scott, Prescott (the historian), Webster and Longfellow. The two mural pieces are "Boys Play- ing on Trumpets" and "The Harvesters." The heroic statue of Minerva is the cynosure of every eye entering the building. Our Town is to be congratulated on the possession of these beauties, few of which are shared by any country library. To the generous donor, hearty thanks have been sent in your behalf.


The large photograph of St. Gaudens' statue of Lincoln, at the Lincoln Park, Chicago, came as a memorial to John W. Abbot from his friend, Mr. Allan Cameron. It is the artist's master- piece. On your library wall, it completes the trio of the world's great commoners,-Gladstone, Lincoln, Bright.


Five other pictures came to adorn. Three from the Westford Dramatic Club : "Baby," by Van Dyke; "The Dutch Cloth Syndics," by Rembrandt ; "Surrender of Breda," by Velasquez. From Mrs. J. F. Barnard : framed pictures of the Boston Public Library and the State House.


Mr. C. H. Woodbury, of Boston, kindly loaned a collection of his paintings-subjects mostly painted in Holland. Miss E. J. Gay loaned a collection of pictures of colored birds. Nor must the ex- hibits of the Massachusetts Library Art Association be forgotten, of which your library is now a member. Two exhibits have been here, the collection loaned by Prang & Co., and the photographs of Swiss and Italian mountain scenery. They will continue dur- ing the coming year, and comprise drawings and sketches of the leading illustrators of the magazines. These features have added greatly to the beauty and efficiency of the library, greatly aiding


79


the educational work of the schools. In behalf of the Town, thanks have been expressed to the donors and lenders for their contributions and loans. A further list of gifts is appended.


We recommend that the sum of $200 be raised and appropriated for the purchase of books and periodicals during the ensuing year.


Respectfully submitted,


WILLIAM E. FROST, Chairman, KATE A. KEBLER,


LOUIS H. BUCKSHORN, Secretary,


Trustees of the J. V. Fletcher Library.


80


FINANCIAL STATEMENT.


RECEIPTS.


Balance on hand . $ 41 06


Shoe and Leather Bank, dividends


9 50


Lowell Manufacturing Co., dividends


40 00


City Institution for Savings, dividends




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