USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1920-1926 > Part 13
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50.00
Mary A. Moran, Fairview
50.00
Mrs. Joseph Morin, Fairview
50.00
Hugh Mills, Fairview
50.00
Harry Nesmith, Fairview
50.00
John A. Osgood (John Osgood lot), Fairview
50.00
John M. Osgood, Fairview
95.25
John M. Parker, Fairview
50.00
Nellie S. Parker, Fairview
100.00
W. G. Parker, Fairview
100.00
Fletcher Peckens, Fairview
50.00
Sarah Precious, Fairview
50.00
Prescott & Babbitt, Fairview
100.00
Abram Prescott tomb, Westlawn .
50.00
71
FUND
NAME AND CEMETERY
$100.00
Charles H. Prescott, Westlawn.
100.00
Charles H. Prescott, Westlawn
50.00
Joseph F. Prescott, Westlawn
50.00
Frances A. Prescott, Fairview
50.00
Nathan P. Prescott, Fairview
50.00
C. M. Prinn, Fairview
100.00
Mary A. Putnam, Hillside
50.00
James W. Pyne, Fairview
50.00
Polly Quigg, Fairview
50.00
Abijah C. Reed, Fairview
50.00
Anan Reed, Westlawn
100.00
Sarah S. Reed, Westlawn
50.00
Annie Richardson, Fairview
50.00
Olive A. Richardson, Fairview
50.00
George E. Burns, Ex. Estate of Sarah Richardson, Fairview
50.00
Sarah E. Richardson, Fairview
50.00
Martha W. Searls, Fairview.
50.00
C. Frederick Seifer, Fairview
50.00
Thomas J. Sherburn, Hillside
100.00
Clara A. Smith, Fairview
50.00
Levi Snow, Fairview
100.00
Salmon L. Snow, Fairview
100.00
Ephraim A. Stevens, Fairview
50.00
Georgianna Patten Stone tomb, Westlawn
100.00
Gilman Stone, Westlawn
50.00
Sarah H. Trumbull, Fairview
100.00
A. and N. S. Tuttle, Fairview
50.00
Mrs. O. V. Wells, Fairview
50.00
Sarah E. P. Wells, Westlawn
100.00
Jacob Wendell, Hillside
100.00
Mary J. Wheeler, Fairview
50.00
William White, Fairview
50.00
Hiram Whitney, Fairview
100.00
Nathaniel Whitney, Fairview
50.00
Clara M. Wiley, Fairview
100.00
Luther Wilkins, Fairview
75.00
M. E. Willard (Hosley lot) Westlawn
100.00
Samuel Willis, Fairview
50.00
John Wilson, Fairview
50.00
W. W. Woodward ( Oliver Woodward lot) Hillside
100.00
Capt. Ezekiel Wright, Westlawn
50.00
G. T. & A. S. Wright, Fairview
100.00
N. H. Wright, Fairview 100.00
Porter Wright, Fairview 50.00
Varnum B. Wright, Fairview
25.00
$10,520.25
CHARLES O. PRESCOTT, Chairman and Secretary, DAVID L. GREIG,
Nancy Sargent, Fairview
50.00
Samuel Richardson, Fairview
100.00
Sarah Richardson, Fairview
72
Report of Committee on By-Laws.
BY-LAWS OF THE TOWN OF WESTFORD, MASS.
ARTICLE I.
TOWN MEETINGS AND TIIE PROCEDURE THEREAT
Section 1- The annual meeting for the election of Town officers shall be held on the second Monday in February in each year. The polls shall be open as stated in the Warrant calling said meeting. All business of the annual meeting, as called for in the Warrant as posted, shall be taken up and acted upon immediately following the closing of the polls.
Section 2-Notice of every town meeting shall be given by posting an attested copy of the Warrant at the Town Hall in Westford and all the Post Offices, at least seven days before the time of such meeting.
Section 3 --- Special town meetings shall be called on any day not earlier than seven-thirty o'clock P. M. except that on Saturday they may be called not earlier than two o'clock P. M.
Section 4-At any town meeting held for the transaction of town busi- ness no person whose name is not on the list of voters shall be admitted to the floor of the hall, except those who may be invited by the meeting as- sembled. It shall be the special duty of the police and election officers to enforce this law by use of the check list; but the same shall not apply to the State election, primaries or meetings for the election of town officers, or to be construed to prohibit press reporters from such admission. The Moderator shall determine the bounds of the floor of the hall.
Section 5-Articles for the Warrant shall be acted upon in the order in which they stand, except that the Moderator may upon request and for the reasons stated entertain the motion to take up an article out of its regular order.
Section 6-No motion, the effect of which would be to disolve a town meeting, shall be in order until every article in the Warrant has been duly considered and acted upon, but this shall not preclude the postponement of action on, or consideration of, any article to an adjournment of the meet- ing to a stated time.
Section 7 -- No person shall speak more than twice upon any question except to answer an inquiry or to give information requested, without first obtaining leave of the meeting and then not until others who have not spoken unon the question shall have spoken if they desire.
73
Section 8 -- All committees shall be appointed by the Moderator unless otherwise specially directed by the meeting, and all committees so appointed shall be directed to report within a definite time. If a committee does not report within the time stated, or at the first town meeting held thereafter, it shall be considered discharged. The Moderator shall not be a member of any committee appointed by him.
Section 9-All votes on motions shall be taken in the first instance by a voice vote ; if the Moderator be in doubt he may call for a hand or stand- ing vote ; if the Moderator be still in doubt, or if the vote as declared by the Moderator be immediately questioned by seven of the voters present, the vote shall then be taken by a "yes" and "no" ballot. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the taking of a vote by ballot in the first in- stance if a motion to that effect shall be duly made and carried by a ma- jority of the voters present and voting thereon. In voting by ballot a check list shall be used.
Section 10-The Moderator may decline to put motions obviously frivo- lous or tending to disorder. Motions shall be presented in writing if the Moderator so requests. The Moderator shall be governed in his rulings by the provisions of this article. In matters not herein provided for, the pro- cedure shall be in accordance with parliamentary law.
ARTICLE II. DUTIES OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Section 1-There shall be a Finance Committee, consisting of six voters of the town, no one of whom shall be a town officer by ballot, or an ap- pointed official receiving a salary. The members of this committee shall be sworn to the faithful performance of their duties and shall serve without salary.
Section 2-The Finance Committee shall be chosen in the following manner : The Moderator shall appoint a committee of three who shall re- tire and bring in nominees who shall be acted upon singly. The first com- mittee to be elected shall be as follows : Two for one year, two for two years, and two for three years. At the annual meeting in each year thereafter, two members of said committee to serve for the term of three years shall be elected in the same manner. The term of office of said members shall com- mence on March first of the year of their election. Said committee shall meet at the call of the Moderator and choose its chairman and clerk. The committee shall forthwith fill by appointment any vacancies which occur in its membership and said appointee shall serve for the remainder of his pre- decessor's term of office.
Section 3-The Finance Committee shall consider matters relating to the appropriation, the borrowing and the expenditure of money by the Town, its indebtedness, the methods of administration of its various offices and de- partments, property valuation and assessments, and other municipal affairs, and make recommendations to the Town or to any town board, officer or committee, relative to such matters.
74
Section 4-The town accountant shall immediately upon the close of the financial year compile statements in tabulated form showing the amounts appropriated and the amounts expended from each appropriation during the preceding year, and the estimates for the current year, and shall forth- with furnish a copy thereof to the Finance Committee to consider and re- port on proposed appropriations. The said committee shall after due con- sideration designate the amounts which in their opinion should be appro- priated for the ensuing year, and shall accompany the same with such ex- planations and suggestions in relation thereto as they may deem desirable for the proper information of the inhabitants. The selectmen shall print and distribute this document at or before the annual town meeting, and the town clerk shall transmit a copy thereof and of all town reports to the director of accounts. The Committee shall furnish to the Selectmen on or before January 25th of each year a report of the matters so considered by it with recommendations or suggestions relative thereto, and the same shall be printed in the annual Town Report.
Section 5-Articles in town warrants involving the expenditure or ap- propriation of money shall be considered by the Finance Committee, who shall approve or disapprove the same in whole or in part, and shall make report to the voters with such recommendations or suggestions as the Fi- nance Committee shall deem advisable.
Section 6-It shall be the duty of the School Committee to designate one of its members to act as purchasing agent who shall supervise the pur- chase of all materials and supplies for the town which are paid for out of the appropriations for school purposes. It shall be the duty of the Board of Selectmen to designate one of its members to act as purchasing agent, who shall supervise the purchase of all materials for the town, not included in the appropriations for schools.
Each purchasing agent, so acting, shall approve all bills before they are entered upon the books by the town accountant, and shall receive com- pensation at the rate of seventy-five dollars ($75) per year.
ARTICLE III. DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
Section 1 -- The Board of Health shall annually make a report to be printed in the Annual Town Report, showing in detail the statistics of the health and sanitary condition of the Town, with recommendations for its improvement together with a full and comprehensive statement of its work and that of its appointees, during the previous year. The Board shall make and publish such regulations as it deems necessary for public health and safety, and from time to time shall cause said rules and regulations to be printed in a form suitable for public distribution.
Section 2- They shall have charge of the appropriations for quaran- tine purposes, in addition to the regular health appropriation, and any spe- cial appropriation which may be made by the Town, which concern the health and sanitation of the Town, not specifically entrusted to any other department.
75
Section 3-All expenses and salaries connected with their administra- tion shall be paid from their appropriations.
ARTICLE IV.
JUNK DEALERS AND COLLECTORS OF JUNK
Section 1 -- The Selectmen may license suitable persons to be dealers in and keepers of shops for the purchase, sale, or barter of junk, old metals, or secondhand articles; they may also license suitable persons as junk collectors, to collect by purchase, or otherwise, junk, old metals, and second- hand articles from place to place in said town; and they may provide that such collectors shall display such badges upon their persons or upon their vehicles, or upon both when engaged in collecting, transporting or dealing in junk, old metals, or secondhand articles, and may prescribe the design thereof. Fees for such license shall be five dollars ($5.00).
Section 2-Every such shopkeeper shall keep a book, in which shall be written at the time of every purchase of any such article a description thereof and the name, age and residence of the person from whom and the day and the hour, when such purchase was made; and such book shall at all times be open to the inspection of the Selectmen and by any person by them authorized to make such inspection.
Section 3-Every such shopkeeper shall allow his shop and all articles of merchandise therein to be at all times examined by the Selectmen and by any person by them authorized to make such inspection, and every such collector shall allow any place, vehicles or receptacle used for the collection or keeping of such articles of merchandise to be at all times examined by the Selectmen and by any person by them authorized to make such inspec- tion.
ARTICLE V. STREETS AND SIDEWALKS
Section 1 -- No person shall suffer horses or grazing beasts or swine to run at large in the Town; or to feed within the limits of the highway in the thickly settled parts of the Town; or to feed within the limits of the highway in any part of the Town unless securely tied.
Section 2-No person shall throw stones, snowballs, sticks, or other missiles, or kick football, or play at any game in which a ball is used, or fly kites or balloons, or shoot with an air gun, bow and arrow, sling shot or other similar device, in or across any of the public ways of the Town.
Section 3-No person shall wilfully or negligently obstruct the free passage of foot-travelers on any sidewalk, nor shall any person loaf upon any sidewalk or in any street or public way of the Town.
Section -No person shall break or dig up any sidewalk, street, or highway, or place thereon any staging or other temporary structure, or move
76
any building into or along the same without a written permit from the Board of Selectmen, or the Board having charge of the streets in such cases. Any person having such a permit, shall, before the expiration of the same, restore the sidewalk, street or highway to its original condition or to a con- dition satisfactory to such Board. Any permit issued under the provisions of this section shall be in force for such time as the Board may specify and shall be subject to such other conditions as the Board may prescribe, and especially in every case upon condition that during the whole of every night from sunset to sunrise, lighted lanterns and proper barriers shall be so placed as to secure travelers from danger. No person having obtained such a permit shall fail to comply with the conditions thereof. The Board grant- ing such permit shall have the right to revoke the same at any time, and may require a bond either before the commencement of work or during its progress to ensure its proper performance.
Section 5 -- The Selectmen shall have the right to close any street or highway to coasting.
Section 6-No person shall knowingly suffer or permit any water or other liquid substance to run or be discharged from any building owned by him or under his control, onto or across any sidewalk; except that any per- son may wash with water from hose or pipe any windows or parts of a store or other building before ten (10) o'clock A. M., and after nine-thirty (9.30) o'clock P. M.
Section 7 -- No person shall throw or place or cause to be thrown or placed upon any street or highway of the Town, any nails, spikes, screws, glass, tin cans, or other similar articles.
Section 8-No person shall in any way injure any of the drinking fountains or watering troughs in the streets and public places of the Town, nor throw or place any substance in the same which will tend to pollute water therein.
Section 9-No person shall walk, stand or lounge upon any portion of any street or public grounds of the town devoted to the growing of grass or flowers, nor in any way dig or injure or deface the same, to the extent of doing damage thereto.
Section 10-No person shall injure, deface or destroy any street sign, guide board, lamp post, lamp or lantern thereon, nor any tree, building, fence, post, or other thing set, erected or made for the use or ornament of the town.
Section 11-No person shall throw or place upon any sidewalk or street crossing any banana skin, orange skin, or other slippery substance.
Section 12-A person driving or controlling a vehicle in turning to the left into another street shall pass to the right of and beyond the center of the intersecting street before turning.
77
Section 13-No person shall ride, drive or cause to be driven any horse or vehicle over that part of any street which is being mended, repaired or paved, if a watchman or signs are placed prohibiting the same.
ARTICLE VI.
Section 1-No person shall go from place to place in this Town selling or bartering, or carrying or exposing for sale or barter, any fish or fruits and vegetables, in or from any cart, wagon, or other vehicle, or in any other manner, without a license therefor from the Board of Selectmen (1) : Provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any person who sells only fruit or vegetables raised or produced by himself or his family, or fish which is obtained by his own labor or the labor of his family.
Section 2-The Board of Selectmen (1) shall have authority to grant such license to any person of good repute for morals and integrity who is, or has declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States. Said licenses, unless sooner revoked by the Board of Selectmen (1) shall expire one year after the granting thereof, and each person so licensed shall pay therefor a fee of .. .dollars (2).
Section 3-No hawker or peddler shall sell, or offer, or expose for sale, any of the articles enumerated in section 17 of chapter 103 of the General Laws, or in any acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto, until he has recorded his name and residence with the town clerk (3).
1
Section 4-No person hawking, peddling, or carrying, or exposing any articles for sale shall cry his wares to the disturbance of the peace and com- fort of the inhabitants of the town, or otherwise than in vehicles and re- ceptacles which are neat and clean and do not leak.
--
Section 5-Every hawker and pedler licensed by the Board of Select- men (1) shall be assigned a number, and shall be provided by the Town Clerk with a badge which shall be conspicuously worn by him; and every other such hawker and pedler as described in Section 3 shall provide him- self with a badge, of such type and design as may be approved by said Town Clerk (3) which he shall wear in like manner. Whoever neglects to wear the badge, or wears it without authority, shall be punished by the penalty provided in Section 10 of this by-law.
Section 6-Every vehicle or other receptacle used by a licensee as a conveyance for articles offered for sale by him shall have attached thereto on each side a number plate, to be furnished by the Town with his license, bearing the number and date of expiration of such license.
Section 7 -- No person shall be registered or assigned a badge or number plate under the provisions of Sections 3 and 5 of these by-laws until he pro- sents a certificate from the sealer of weights and measures stating that all weighing and measuring devices intended to be used by such person have been duly inspected and scaled as required by law. The use of, or posses-
78
sion by such person with intent to use, any false or unsealed weighing or measuring devices shall be sufficient cause for the revocation of his license or the cancellation of his registration.
Section 8-Nothing in these by-laws shall be construed as conflicting with any license issued under the authority of the Commonwealth.
Section 9-Any license granted under these by-laws or any by-law amendatory or additional thereto may be revoked by the Selectmen (1).
Section 10-Whoever violates any provision of these by-laws shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $20.00 for each offence.
Section 11 -- All by-laws or parts of by-laws inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.
(1)-Any other board or officer may be designated instead of the 1
Board of Selectmen.
(2) --- The fee fixed for such license should not exceed that which a li- censee would be required to pay under Section 19 of Chapter 65, Revised Laws, as amended by Chapter 242, General Acts of 1916.
(3) --- Or such other board or officer as may be designated by the Selectmen.
ARTICLE VII.
PENALTY
Section 1-Whoever violates any of the provisions of these by-laws unless otherwise specifically provided herein shall be punished with a fine of not more than Twenty Dollars.
ARTICLE VIII.
Section 1-These By-Laws may be amended at any annual Town Meet- ing by a majority vote ; any proposed amendment, however, must appear in full in the warrant for such meeting.
SHERMAN H. FLETCHER, OSCAR R. SPALDING, FRANK L. FURBUSH,
Selectmen.
HERBERT V. HILDRETH, WILLIAM R. TAYLOR, JULIAN A. CAMERON, GEORGE F. WHITE, E. H. FLAGG,
Finance Committee.
79
Report of Finance Committee
Westford. January 23, 1922.
The Finance Committee has considered those articles in the Warrant, asking for appropriations, which are to be acted upon at the Annual Town Meeting in February, 1922. We have as usual conferred with officers of the departments regarding their requirements for the year 1922.
We submit herewith a list of appropriations asked, and the amounts we recommend in each instance.
Amount Asked
Article 8. Public Library
$ 2,200.00 450.00
$
450.00
11. Highways, Amt. Asked Recommended
Roads $15,000.00 $14,000.00
Snow Removal 2,000.00
1,500.00
Tools 500.00 500.00
Guide Board 400.00 400.00
Sidewalks
600.00 000.00
18,500.00
16,400.00
12. General Government,
Salaries ... $ 3,500.00 $ 3,500.00
Expenses .. 1,100.00
1,000.00
Town Hall . 2,000.00
2,000.00
6,600.00
6,500.00
13. Charities,
Westford
Home $ 4,000.00 $ 4,000.00
Outside
4,500.00 4,500.00
8,500.00
8,500.00
66
14. Police Dept .. .
15. Schools,
Salaries ... $29,000.00 $28,500.00
Care and
Maintenance
of Buildings 11,300.00
11,300.00
Transportation 9,600.00 9,600.00
Text-Books
and Supplies
2,850.00
2,500.00
General Ex-
pense ....
1,900.00
1,900.00
Furniture and
Fixtures
670.00
670.00
Tuition to
Other Towns
200.00
200.00
School Phy-
sician . .
200.00
200.00
55,720.00
54,870.00
66
9. Public Burial Grounds.
Amount Recom- mended by Finance Com. 2,200.00
2,300.00
2,300.00
80
Amount Asked
Amount Recom- mended by Finance Com.
Article 16. Moth Dept ....
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
.6
17. Fire Dept ..... $ 1,870.00 $ 1,870.00 New Extin-
guishers ... 270.00 270.00
2,140.00
2,140.00
66
18. Forest Fires
1,200.00
800.00
.6
19. Outstanding Bill, December 31st
1,546.07
1,546.07
..
20. Overdrafts
2,734.33
2,734.33
66
21. Barn at Westford Home
3,000.00
000.00
66
22. Quarters for Westford Post 159.
200.00
200.00
.6
23. Printing Town Reports
600.00
600.00
24. Care of Town Common.
75.00
75.00
66
25.
Trimming Trees
3,000.00
1,500.00
26.
Liability Insurance
600.00
600.00
..
27.
Groton Road
2,000.00
2,000.00
.6
28.
Health Department
3,000.00
3,000.00
..
30. Memorial Day
300.00
300.00
.6
31. Game Warden,
Salary
$50.00
Expenses
25.00
75.00
75.00
66
33.
Reserve Fund
2,000.00 .
2,000.00
.6
34. Cattle Inspector
175.00
175.00
35. Plans for F. V. Schoolhouse.
500.00
500.00
36. Soldiers' Benefits
1,200.00
1,200.00
State and County Taxes,
County Tax
5,839.40
5,839.40
State Tax
10,220.00
10,220.00
Special State Tax
481.80
481.80
Auditing Tax
300.00
300.00
State Highway
1,000.00
1,000.00
Civilian Relief
2,295.00
2,295.00
Fixed Charges,
Electric Lights
3,800.00
3,800.00
Hydrants
2,400.00
2,400.00
Interest on Loans anticipation
taxes
2,000.00
2,000.00
Notes and Interest
7,100.00
7,100.00
$157,151.60 $149,201.60
Valuation of Town in 1921, $3,079,427.00.
14. Police Department. There has been much adverse criticism at the way the department has been conducted during the
..
32.
Farm Bureau
250.00
250.00
66
29. Band Concerts
350.00
350.00
81
past year. We would recommend that more business-like methods be employed.
Article 21. Barn at Westford Home. In as much as there seems to be a great difference of opinion among the citizens of the Town whether we are pursuing the right policy in continuing the Westford Home under existing conditions we would recommend that the Overseers and Selectmen act as a joint committee to investigate the best method of caring for the inmates and further recommend that the building of the barn be deferred until after the committee reports at a special town meeting not later than June 1, 1922.
25. Trimming Shade Trees. Owing to the damage done to shade trees on public ways and grounds throughout the town by the ice storm we deem it advisable to appropriate the sum of $1,500.00 to be spent this year in caring for the trees that need the most attention.
27.
Groton Road. Owing to the unfinished condition in which this road has been left and there not being a sufficient unexpended balance to put the same in proper condition, we would recom- mend that the sum of $2,000.00 be appropriated only on con- dition that the State and County each appropriate a like sum.
If these amounts are appropriated as recommended and based on amount of income received last year together with the present valuation of the town we estimate that our tax rate for 1922 will not be less than $35.00 per thousand.
H. V. HILDRETH,
J. A. CAMERON, E. H. FLAGG, GEORGE F. WHITE, W. R. TAYLOR,
Finance Committee.
82
Warrant for Annual Town Meeting, Westford, Mass.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
To the Constable of the Town of Westford, in said County : GREETING :
You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth aforesaid, to notify and warn all the inhabitants of said' Town qualified to vote in elections, and also in Town affairs, to meet at the Town House, in said Westford, on Monday, February 13, 1922, being the second Monday in said month at 7.45 o'clock A. M. The polls will be opened at eight o'clock A. M., and may be closed at one o'clock P. M., and they are then and there to act upon the following articles, to wit :
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