USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1896-1901 > Part 34
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Merrick & Wentworth, Malden $5,190 00
C. A. Parsons, Lowell 3,675 00
Tony Leonard & Co., Boston 3,192 50
H. W. Tarbell, Lowell. 2,948 50
John A Healy, Westford 2,920 00
The contract was awarded to John A. Healy of Westford.
The following amount has been expended :
Morning Mail Corp., printing advertise- ment for proposals. $ 8 00
Boston Herald Co., printing advertise- ment for proposals. 10 50
Amount carried forward. $18 50
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Amount brought forward. $ 18 50
G. B. Lenfest, printing forms for con- tractors' specifications . 31 50
L. J. Marden, surveyors' stakes. . . 2 06 John A. Healy, work as per contract ... 2,920 00
John A. Healey, extra work removing ledge, laying wall, etc. 366 93
C. B. Farrow, laying wall. 50 00
John E. Ward, stone. 31 37
Chas. L. Hildreth, land damage.
50 00
W. F. Balch, damage to land for water course. 25 00
S. H. Fletcher, time and expense on road 15 00
S. H. Fletcher, 4 trips to Cambridge consulting County Commissioners . 5 00
Geo. W. Heywood, time and expense on road
15 00
$3,530 36
Received from the County $1,000 00
Net expense 2,530 36
EXTENSION OF SCHOOL STREET OR CARLISLE ROAD BY MASSACHUSETTS HIGHWAY COMMISSION.
The Legislature of 1900 passed an act whereby certain small towns in which no state highway had been built, that five per cent. of the annual appropriation for state highways should be reserved for constructing or repairing highways in these towns, and that no town should receive in one year a sum exceeding forty per cent. of its average appropriations for highway purposes for the five years next previous. Forty per cent. of the average appropriation of this town amounted to $1,400. Such allotment and expenditure could be made only on petition of the Selectmen, and it was left discretionary with the Highway Commission to determine whether an allotment would be made or not. Under this act, the Selectmen petitioned for an allotment to this town for the extension of the Carlisle road, and after a number of in-
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terviews with the Commission an allotment of $1400 was made, which is the maximum amount that could be received. This money is to be expended under their direction and they require the Selectmen to contract to do the work, but before work could be commenced the Highway Commission required the bounds of the road established, and it was necessary to have the County Commissioners make a survey and establish the location of the road. Two hearings were held before them, and a survey was made beginning at the end of road just completed near the Wheeler house and thence to Minot's Corner. The Commis- sioners, after making the survey, believed it would be a great benefit to the town to complete the road to this place, and to aid the town in the work have awarded the sum of $500, to be paid on completion of the road, with the time for completion extended far enough ahead so as not to require the work done all in one year, and have issued their decree accordingly. This sum, with the amount the state has allotted, amounts to $1,900. It is sel- dom that a town is so favored with help from the county and state, and it is on the same plan and direction we have been working for a number of years for a state highway ; and if we expect to receive aid from this source the town must do its part, as it would be short-sighted policy not to do so. It is much better for the town to comply with the decree of the County Commissioners and do the work than to have them do it and charge the expense to the town, as they can under the law in case the town should refuse. We have also petitioned the State Highway Commission, under the law of 1900, for another allotment for this road this year, and if we should get this the expense to the town would be very small, if anything.
STATE HIGHWAY.
In 1895, the Selectmen petitioned the Massachusetts High- way Commission and had a survey made for the state to assume the road leading from the centre of the town to the Carlisle line as a state highway, commonly known as the Carlisle road. The Selectmen have repeatedly urged the Commission to take some action on it, but nothing has been done. During the past year or so the Great Road, so called, leading from Concord through Acton and thence to Littleton, passing near the West-
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ford line at Nashoba hill, has been taken as a state highway, and a number of miles built from Concord line towards Littleton. With the Great Road as a state highway, it would probably be many years in the future before a parallel road, as petitioned for in 1895, would be considered or built ; therefore the Selectmen have petitioned the Highway Commission to assume the road as a state road from Minot's Corner via Nashoba hill to connect with the Great Road. The distance from Minot's Corner to the Great Road is a little shorter than it is to the Carlisle line, and much easier grade and better material for road bed. This route is a practical one and would give an excellent outlet for heavy teaming in the fall for the farmers to get their produce to Boston. During the past year a member of the Board of the Highway Commission, with the State Engineer and the Selectmen, have looked over this route and we are looking for a favorable action in the future.
S. H. Fletcher, four trips to Boston for
consultation and hearings before
State Highway Commission . ..... $5 00 $5 00
STONY BROOK VALLEY STREET RAILWAY CO.
A petition was filed with the Board of Selectmen by a major- ity of the directors of this railway company, dated September 5, 1900, for a location of a street railway through this town on the public highways. A hearing was granted and took place at the Town Hall on October 24, 1900. As this petition asking for a location did not take in the centre of the town, and the citizens of the town desired it to go through the centre village, the directors filed a new petition covering this route. A hearing was granted and took place December 6, 1900, a large number of citizens being present. Mr. Horace B. Parker of Newton, Mass., repre- sented the railway company, and stated if the location was granted that the management of the road intended to equip the road in first-class condition as to rolling stock and road bed, and cars at least once an hour would be run for the accommodation of our people to Ayer and Lowell. The Selectmen, believing that a majority of the citizens were in favor of the railway, have granted the following location and franchise, with restrictions
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carefully guarding the interest of the town, which we print here- with. The following expense was incurred at hearings, preparing location order and franchise and viewing route :
George Bowers, City Engineer, Lowell, consultation services . $15 00
F. E. Rollins, stenographer at hearing. 10 00
B. M. & M. E. Hutchins, type writing and rewriting copies of location order . 12 70
S H. Fletcher, time and expense pre- paring location order and franchise and consulting railway manager . . . . George W. Heywood, time and expense with railway manager. 5 00
15 00
Wesley O. Hawkes, time and expense with railway manager. 5 00
$62 70
To the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Westford :
Gentlemen :- Your petitioners, being a majority of the directors of the Stony Brook Valley Street Railway Company, respectfully represent that they have completed the preliminary organization of said company and have published their Articles of Association with all their stockholders in the manner required by law, and have otherwise so complied with the statutes of this commonwealth as to be in a legal position to apply for a location.
Your petitioners pray for the following locations in the Town of Westford, viz. :
Commencing at the dividing line between the Town of Groton and the Town of Westford, thence through Central street to what is known as Forge Village, thence by way of Union street to what is known as Graniteville Station, thence via Main street and a private way near Sargent's Mills to Broad- way, thence via Broadway to the bridge crossing the Stony Brook Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad near the house of John Counter, thence via the highway to Westford Centre and a private way to the main street of Westford near the house of Oren Cool- idge, thence via Main street to Depot street, thence via Depot street to a point near Westford Station, thence via Lowell road
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so-called to the house of Samuel L. Taylor, thence via Willard Fletcher Bridge road to the road leading to Brookside Station, thence via Lowell road to the dividing line between the Town of Westford and the Town of Chelmsford; with the necessary turnouts.
Your petitioners pray that they may have leave to build and operate a railway along said line and by the overhead or trolley system of electric power, and to that end that they may have leave to erect the necessary poles for the support of an overhead trolley system.
Respectfully submitted, HORACE B. PARKER, FRANCIS A. CUDDIHY, FRANK LAWRENCE BLOOD, THOMAS F. CAREY, Majority of the Directors Stony Brook Valley St. Ry. Co.
TOWN OF WESTFORD.
IN THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN.
November 19, 1900.
Upon the foregoing petition, it is hereby ordered that four- teen days notice be given by the petitioners to all parties interested, that this board will, on the sixth day of December, at 2 o'clock p. m., Town Hall, Westford, Mass., take into con- sideration the expediency of granting the prayer of the above petition, when any parties who object thereto may appear and be heard. Said notice is to be given by publication of a copy of said petition, and this order thereon, in the Lowell Morning Citizen.
Passed : .
SHERMAN H. FLETCHER, GEORGE W. HEYWOOD, WESLEY O. HAWKES, Selectmen of Westford.
A true copy of petition and order of notice thereon.
Attest :
WESLEY O. HAWKES, Secretary of the Board.
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TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE.
WESTFORD, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASS.
Westford, Mass., Dec. 6, 1900.
This certifies that a petition from the Directors of the Stony Brook Valley Street Railway Company for location of its tracks in Westford was filed with the Selectmen of said Westford, November 19, 1900. Said petition and order were published in the Morning Citizen on November 21, 1900.
Attest :
GILMAN J. WRIGHT, Town Clerk of Westford.
TOWN OF WESTFORD.
IN THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN.
Whereas, The Stony Brook Valley Street Railway Company, by a majority of its directors, has petitioned for a location of the tracks of a street railway in the Town of Westford, and for per- mission to construct, equip, maintain and operate a street railway thereon of a single track with all necessary turnouts and connec- tions, to make use of an overhead system of electric power, to erect and maintain the necessary poles, wires, etc., along said route; and due notice of a hearing upon said petition having been given and a hearing had thereon, it is
Ordered, That a location is hereby granted to the said rail. way company as petitioned for, over the following streets, viz. :
Commencing at the dividing line between the Town of Groton and the Town of Westford, thence through Central street to what is known as Forge Village, thence by way of Union street to what is known as Graniteville Station, thence via Main street to Sargent's Mills on said street, thence via Broadway to the bridge crossing the Stony Brook Branch of the B. & M. R. R. near the house of John Counter, thence via the highway to Westford Centre to the junction of roads near the house of the late J. W. Day, thence to Main street of Westford, near the house of Oren Coolidge, thence via Main street to Depot street, thence via Depot street to a point near Westford Station, thence via Lowell road, so called, to the house of Samuel L. Taylor,
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thence via Williard Fletcher Bridge road to the road leading to Brookside Station, thence via Lowell road to the dividing line between the Town of Westford and the Town of Chelmsford ; with the necessary turnouts.
The location and rights described aforesaid are granted upon the following express conditions, a violation of any which shall, at the election of the Board of the Selectmen, operate as a forfeiture of the location and rights herein granted :
SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL LAWS.
Section 1. The right to build and operate the railway is upon the condition that said company shall comply with all the laws of the commonwealth applicable thereto, also with all the requirements of the By-Laws of the Town of Westford and the regulations of the Selectmen, both those now in force, and those that may hereafter be adopted.
ACCEPTANCE OF LOCATIONS.
Section 2. The locations hereby granted shall be deemed and taken to be the true locations of the tracks of the railway if an acceptance thereof in writing by said directors is filed with the Board of Selectmen within thirty days after receiving notice of the granting of the location.
PLAN TO BE FILED.
Section 3. Before beginning the construction of said railway said railway company shall file with the Town Clerk of Westford a description and plan of said location, showing in detail the proposed location of all tracks, sidings, turnouts, switches and poles, and such alterations in the width and grading of said streets, including filling and excavating within the limits thereof, as may be considered necessary for said road ; and said location shall be approved or modified within ten days by the Selectmen in writing before said work of construction is commenced.
Section 4. The whole work of construction, and the kind and quality of material used, shall be under the direction of and satisfactory to the Selectmen, and approved by them.
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RAILS.
Section 5. Said company shall lay and use nine-inch, one- half groove girder rails, of weight not less than ninety pounds per yard and sixty feet long, where the track is laid in the centre of the street. "T" rails weighing not less than sixty pounds per yard may be used where the location is outside of the travelled way.
TIES.
Section 6. The said company shall use ties not less than six inches face, five inches thick, and six feet six inches long, of chestnut, or such other material as the Selectmen shall approve. Ties to be laid not over wenty-four inches apart.
STREET WIDENING.
Section 7. If, in the opinion of the Selectmen, the widen- ing, straightening or rebuilding of any street, or the building or rebuilding of any bridge or culvert, is rendered necessary by reason of the location or construction of said road under this order, or by reason of reconstruction or repairs of said railway, or in the location or construction of any extension thereof, such widening, straightening, building or reconstruction or rebuilding shall be done by said Town or by said company, as the Select- men may elect ; any widening, straightening or building of the railway located by this order to be shown upon said plan before construction is commenced, and the entire cost and expense of any work required to be done under this section shall be paid by said railway company, including the cost of land or any rights therein, or any damages for the taking thereof.
The entire cost of all such filling and excavating as may be required by the Selectmen within existing limits or layouts of streets, in order to provide for the railway or any extension thereof, including all expense incident to such filling and exca- vating, and the settlement of all damages and claims arising therefrom, shall be borne by said company. Any filling and excavating required in the construction of said railway hereby located to be shown upon the said plan before commencing construction.
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GRADE.
Section 8. All tracks shall be laid under the direction of the Selectmen, and where they direct, in conformity with the exist- ing grade of the several streets in which they are laid. In case a change in the grade of any street or portion thereof shall be deemed necessary by the Selectmen for the proper laying of said tracks, the expense of making such changes shall be borne by said company.
Wherever surface water may collect or be obstructed by the construction of said railway, means for its disposal shall be pro- vided as the Selectmen may direct at the expense of said company.
Said company shall not run snow plows or remove snow from its tracks unless they remove an amount of the snow from said streets sufficient to make such streets safe and convenient for public travel and satisfactory to the Selectmen. If any snow or ice is removed by said company, and it is done so as to leave any part of the street dangerous in the opinion of the Selectmen or Superintendent of Streets, they or either of them may cause such snow or ice to be removed as to make said streets safe and convenient for public travel, and the expense thereof shall be charged to and paid by the said railway company.
In a side location the rail nearest the centre of the street shall be so placed as to allow for an inclination of 1-2 inch to the foot from the crown of the street to said rail, and gutters shall be constructed by said company on all side locations between the outer rail and the nearest street line, unless otherwise ordered in writing by the Selectmen.
Section 9. If at any time said Town shall lay sewer mains or other pipes in said streets, or widen said streets, or raise or lower the grade thereof, or make any alteration or excavation therein, and it shall be necessary to remove any of the tracks of said company, the expense of such removal and of relaying said tracks shall be borne by said company.
Section 10. All ways shall be left in as good and safe condition as when work was commenced, and the same shall be satisfactory to the Selectmen.
Section 11. Said company shall not have open the surface of any one street, for the purpose of constructing said tracks, for
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a distance of more than 2,500 feet at any one time, without a written permit from the Selectmen.
SURPLUS MATERIAL.
Section 12. All surplus material removed from any of said streets during the construction of said railway, shall be trans- ported to any part of the said Town, within one mile from place of removal, at the expense of said company, and placed where- ever required by the Selectmen.
POLES.
Section 13. All poles erected by said company shall be of chestnut or cedar, or of such wood and size and form as the Selectmen may direct, and shall be of sufficient strength to carry any and all wires that may at any time be attached to them, and shall be kept painted and of such color as the Selectmen shall determine. All poles shall be placed where the Selectmen des- ignate, and the location of any said pole shall be changed at the expense of said company whenever the Selectmen shall deem it necessary for the public convenience, welfare and safety, and shall so direct in writing. Crossbars shall be placed on all the poles erected by the company if required by the Selectmen. All poles shall be firmly set not less than six feet in the ground, and shall be on one side of the street wherever required by the Selectmen, be of such height, not exceeding forty feet above ground, as the Selectmen may order, so as to provide suitable spaces on said poles, above the wires and attachments of the railway company, for attaching and supporting other wires.
WIRES.
Section 14. Trolley wires, feed wires, and all other wires shall be of first quality, and of such capacity as the Selectmen from time to time may require ; shall be maintained not less than twenty feet from the ground, and guard wires shall be placed over said trolley wires wherever required from time to time by the Selectmen.
Said Board of Selectmen shall have the right to order that all wires in said street shall be placed upon the poles of said
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company, without prejudice, however, to the right of said com- pany to receive reasonable compensation from other companies for the use of its polls, or arrangements shall be made by said company with all other companies now having wires strung or having the right to string wires in said streets, whereby they shall be granted the right to use said company's poles for their wires ; but no wires belonging to any other company or person shall be placed upon said poles without permission first being obtained in writing from the Selectmen.
Any department of said Town shall have the exclusive use of the upper crossbar and the top of each pole, free of charge, for the purpose of placing wires thereon for its own use.
All wires shall be so placed as not to interfere with, or be in dangerous proximity to, any existing wires belonging to the Town of Westford.
Proper copper wires of the best quality, properly connected and bounded to the rails, shall be laid to convey all return elec- tricity.
PAVED.
Section 15. Said company shall, at its own expense, properly pave with new granite rectangular paving blocks, or paving blocks satisfactory to the Selectmen, all the space be- tween the rails and also eighteen inches outside of each rail, wherever said track shall be laid in the centre of any street ; also between the rails of all turnouts and switches, and eighteen inches beyond the outside rails of the turnouts and switches, except to such switches and turnouts or parts thereof as the Selectmen shall in writing authorize to be maintained without paving.
Wherever said track passes opposite the entrance of any private avenue or driveway, said company shall plank, pave or macadamize said driveway or avenue, as required by the Select- men, between the rails and for suitable distance on the sides thereof. And wherever the track crosses a street, walk or gutter, said company shall properly pave or macadamize the same, if required by the Selectmen.
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RUNNING OF CARS AND ROLLING STOCK .- FARES.
Section 16. Said Stony Brook Valley Street Railway Com- pany shall run its cars as often as every hour between Ayer Junction and North Chelmsford, and shall also run its cars throughout the year at such times as will accommodate the school children going to and returning from school.
And use good appliances, rolling stock and machinery satis- factory to the Selectmen, and keep the same and all tracks, appliances, turnouts and property used in connection therewith, in first class order and repair, and shall charge not exceeding five cents for each single fare for a continuous passage from any point in Westford to any point in Westford reached by its tracks. All school children attending the public schools shall be carried to and from school on such days as the schools are in session for ten rides for twenty-five cents, which will be fur- nished in the form of strip tickets good for school children only. Said tickets to be furnished to the Superintendent of Schools in such numbers as he may request, who will take charge of the sale of the same to the children attending the public schools.
Said company shall carry free of charge all members of the police and fire department wearing their badge of office in the performance of their duties.
BOND.
Section 17. The said company before beginning the con- struction of said railway shall execute and deliver to the Town of Westford a bond in the penal sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) conditioned to indemnify the said Town, its officers and agents, from and against all claims and demands for injury to person or property, all costs, charges and expenses, or com- pensation for or on account of any defect or defects in said streets in consequence of said company's failure to keep its tracks, turnouts and switches in repair, or in any way resulting from the construction and operation of said street railway com- pany upon and over said streets, and to reimburse said Town for all loss or damage at any time sustained by it on account of said defects.
And also that it will save harmless said Town and its officers and agents from all claims or demands for injury to per-
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son or property, costs, charges and expenses growing out or re- sulting from the erection, maintenance or use of said poles or wires on the said streets, including the transmission of electric currents, or escape of the same, and from any and all loss, cost or damage of every kind which it may at any time suffer by reason of the erection, maintenance, operation and use of electric system for motive power.
The Selectmen may at any time after the expiration of the above bond, or any subsequent bond, require a new bond upon the same conditions as above set forth.
TREES.
Section 18. No trees or shrub shall be cut or trimmed by said railway company except by permission of the Tree Warden.
TIME OF COMPLETION. WHEN LOCATION OR PORTIONS THEREOF BECOME VOID.
Section 19. The railway company shall build and put in operation on or before June 1, 1902, and all portions of the loca- tion hereby granted on which the railway shall not be complete and in operation before June 1, 1902, shall be void.
EXTENSION OF TIME.
But the time within which locations which have been granted or any of them shall be built upon, may be extended by the Selectmen upon application by the said Stony Brook Valley Street Railway Company prior to June 1, 1902, if the failure to build upon said location or any of them to said date shall not be owing to the fault or neglect of said company.
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