USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Brookline > Town records of Brookline, Massachusetts, 1838-1857, v. 1 > Part 46
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The whole number of votes was one hundred and four, and were as follows :
Willard A. Humphrey, Principal, one hundred and four,
J. Davenport,
eighty-eight,
Frederick J. Williams, one hundred and three,
Thomas B. Hall, Assistant, one hundred and three, Wm. H. Jameson, ninety-five, George Craft, one hundred and four, -and Messrs. W. A. Humphrey, J. Davenport, Frederick J. Williams, Thomas B. Hall, and George Craft, were sworn to the faithful discharge of the duties of their several offices by the Moderator of the meeting.
The meeting then proceeded to vote for Town Treasurer. The whole number of votes was one hundred and eighteen. Moses Withington had one hundred and eleven, and was declared elected.
Voted, That the Treasurer be Collector,
554
Brookline Town Records.
-and the Moderator then administered to him the oath of office.
Voted, To choose three Surveyors of Highways.
The whole number of votes was one hundred and twenty- eight, and were as follows :
William J. Griggs had one hundred and eighteen,
Charles Smith had one hundred and twenty-four,
Eben W. Reed had one hundred and twenty-six,
-and they were declared elected, and Mr. Eben W. Reed was sworn by the Moderator.
Voted, To choose ten Constables.
The whole number of votes was two hundred and thirty- nine, and were as follows :
Augustus Allen, two hundred and thirty-four,
Elisha Stone, two hundred and thirty-four,
Aaron Whitney, two hundred and thirty-three,
Lewis B. Doe, two hundred and twenty-seven,
John Dustin, one hundred and forty-five,
F. H. Corey, one hundred and ninety-two,
Joseph Bradley, one hundred and forty-four,
James Alger, one hundred and fifty-eight,
Eli D. Sanderson, one hundred and fifty-eight,
Reuben A. Chace, one hundred and fifty-one, A. H. Clapp, ninety-one,
-and the ten first named were declared elected, and were sworn into the office by the Moderator.
Voted, To choose seven School Committeemen.
The whole number of votes was one hundred and eighty- nine, and were as follows :
Rev. John S. Stone had one hundred and eighty-two,
Matson M. Smith had one hundred and seventy-nine,
N. M. Perkins had one hundred and eighty-four,
F. H. Hedge had one hundred and eighty-three,
T. B. Hayward had one hundred and two,
Mr. Thomas Parsons had one hundred and eighty-eight,
Stephen Salisbury had one hundred and eighty-eight,
-and they having the highest number, were declared elected. Voted, Not to choose Tythingman.
Voted, To choose five Field Drivers,
555
Annual Meeting, March 16, 1857.
-and the meeting nominated and chose Messrs. Moses Jones, Jr., James Sinclair, John C. Abbott, Silas H. Lang- ley (sworn by the Moderator), and Thomas S. Pettengill.
Voted, To choose two Fence Viewers.
Messrs. C. L. Haynes and Thomas C. Quimby.
Messrs. J. Anson Guild, Elisha Stone, and D. S. Cool- idge, were chosen Surveyors of Lumber and Measurers of Wood and Bark.
Charles W. Tolman, Sealer of Leather.
Charles D. Head, Charles W. Scudder, and Edw. Atkin- son, Auditors.
Augustus Allen, Wm. J. Griggs, and C. L. Palmer, Fire Wards.
Silas H. Langley, Pound Keeper.
Harrison Fay, Thomas S. Pettingill, and John A. Bird, Cemetery Committee.
Augustus Allen and J. Davenport, Truant Officers.
Charles Pope, Truant Justice.
Voted, To take the Third Artice from the table.
Mr. Samuel Philbrick, chairman of the committee to whom was referred the subject of purchasing the lot of land adjoin- ing the Pierce school-house on Prospect street, submitted the following report, which was accepted :
REPORT.
The committee chosen by the town, in December last, with instructions to examine a lot of land situated near the Pierce school-house, belonging to Harrison Fay, and if found eligible for the use of the town, to ascer- tain on what terms it can be purchased and report the result to this meeting, respectfully report that, having attended to that service, they find said lot, containing about thirteen thousand five hundred and eighty square feet, is situated in such close proximity with the school-house that buildings might be placed near enough to endanger its safety, and it being a high bank of gravel much needed for raising and repairing the public streets, which, when removed, would open a valuable enlargement of the school-house lot, we are united in the opinion that the interests of the town would be promoted by its purchase, even at the high price of twenty cents per square foot, at which price it is firmly held.
SAMUEL PHILBRICK. CHARLES STEARNS, JR. J. DAVENPORT. THOMAS PARSONS. .
BROOKLINE, March 16th, 1857.
JAMES BARTLETT.
(File G, No. 95.)
556
Brookline Town Records.
Voted, That the Selectmen be a committee to purchase the land.
The Fourth Article was then taken up, to wit :
To see what action the town will take upon the order of notice from the County Commissioners, in relation to laying out a road from Harvard street to the Western avenue.
Dr. Charles Wild presented and read the following report, which was accepted :
REPORT.
The undersigned, a committee appointed at the annual town meeting, held on the 19th of March, 1855, to consider the expediency of laying out a way in continuation of School street by the Episcopal Church to the Mill Dam, beg leave to submit the following report :
The road proposed begins at Harvard street immediately opposite the end of School street, and passing between the Episcopal Church and the old Aspinwall mansion-house and north of the house now occupied . by William Aspinwall by an easy curve to the south, crosses the railroad at grade, and terminates at the Brookline branch of the Mill Dam at a right- angle with it. The whole length is 2770 feet, of which over 1500 feet is now built, with a sidewalk on one side as far as the Episcopal Church, and with sidewalks on both sides for the remainder of the distance. The gutters are paved where the descent is considerable, and there are two sufficient drains with iron gratings. The grades of the finished road are easy, only in one instance rising to 5 feet in 100. The grade proposed for the continuation of about 1200 feet is nearly level, descend- ing to the railroad at a grade of two feet to the one hundred, and thence passing over the marsh at a level. There is on the unfinished road over the upland one-half, and probably two-thirds, of the material necessary to grade over the marsh, and the remainder may be obtained from the adjoining lots, as it is Col. Aspinwall's intention to reduce them to nearly the level of the road, and in the vicinity of the railroad to the same level with that, so as to give a clear view of the track. Col. Thomas Aspin- wall and Mr. Augustus Aspinwall (who owns part of the road) agree, provided the road shall be laid out according to the survey of Mr. Shedd as a public highway within ninety days, to relinquish all claims to dam- ages for the land traversed by the road to the width of forty feet for the whole distance. Col. Aspinwall has obtained from the Boston and Roxbury Mill Dam Corporation the right to build the road solid, with the exception of a culvert for the water, thus saving the expense of bridging.
The arguments in favor of this project are the following :
1st. It will be a continuation towards Boston and Roxbury of School and Cypress streets, making with them a continuous road, without any sharp curve, of six thousand one hundred and nine feet, or a mile and a fifth.
557
Annual Meeting, March 16, 1857.
2d. It will make a second outlet from the populous part of the town to Boston and Roxbury, and thus relieve that part of Washington street lying between the Baptist Church and the gas works of much of its travel.
3d It will save about a quarter of a mile in the travel between the bottom of School street and the Mill Dam road at the point of junction of the two roads. By the way of Francis street, it will shorten the dis- tance to Roxbury street and will greatly facilitate the intercourse between Oakland place and Appleton place and Brookline.
4th. It can be completed at less cost now than any future time, the land being owned by one person only, and yielded for the purpose within contemplated.
5th. The town needs the right to drain its existing roads through this proposed road. By the sufferance of the Messrs. Aspinwall the town last year laid a paved drain over four hundred feet long by the side of this road. This the Messrs. Aspinwall have the right to take up at any moment, nor could the town again acquire the right to this drainage without the payment of damages.
6th. Though it is estimated that the cost of the completion of the road would be about two thousand dollars, your committee believe that the cost to the town of Brookline, in consequence of the supposed advantage to the abutters, may be but one thousand dollars, such sum to be paid to the contracting parties upon its completion and acceptance.
The committee have therefore come to the conclusion that it would be for the benefit of the town to have this road laid out as a public highway.
That the rights of railroads and towns in respect to crossing at grade are yet unsettled, and the consequent future expenses to the town, are objections, the weight of which can be as justly estimated by our fellow- citizens individually as by ourselves, and consequently with this state- ment of the facts we leave the subject for your consideration.
BROOKLINE, March 16th, 1857.
(File G, No. 96.)
CHARLES WILD, W. J. GRIGGS, WILL. ASPINWALL, Committee.
On motion of Edward A. Dana, it was-
Voted, That the town recommends the laying out by the County Commissioners of the highway prayed for between School street and a point on the Mill Dam in Brookline between the gas works and Oakland place, provided that Messrs. Thomas and Augustus Aspinwall, or either of them, or any other responsible party, will contract with the town (if ordered to build said road) to construct said road for one thousand dollars, such sum to be paid to such contracting party upon the completion and acceptance of said road ; provided further, that the time for laying out the said road
558
Brookline Town Records.
be extended by the said Aspinwalls to six months, and that the other terms and propositions embodied in the report of the town's committee as proposed by said Aspinwall be also agreed to, and a committee be appointed to meet the Com- missioners in behalf of the town to recommend the laying out said road, provided the Aspinwalls agree as above ; and otherwise, to oppose the same.
Voted, That when this meeting adjourns it be to meet in this place two weeks from to-night, at seven o'clock.
The Fifth Article was then taken up, the subject-matter of which was to see what action the town would take in relation to an order of notice from the County Commissioners in relation to laying out a road from Appleton or Oakland place through Brookline to the bridge across Charles River leading to Cambridge and Cambridgeport.
Voted, That the Selectmen be and hereby are appointed a committee to attend to said matter, and look after the inter- ests of the town therein.
Voted, To indefinitely postpone the Sixth Article.
The Seventh and Eighth Articles were then taken up, to wit :
Article Seventh. To see if the town will, under the 305th Chapter of the Statutes of 1851, establish and maintain a public library within the town for the use of its inhabitants, and provide suitable rooms therefor, and prescribe regulations concerning the same, and make appropriations for the foundation and commencement and increase thereof.
Eighth. To see if the town will take any action in respect to calling in the School Fund, which was loaned to the town for the erecting of the Town Hall in 1845, and appropriate such fund to the erecting of a build- ing to contain suitable rooms for an evening school and for the public library.
Voted, That the Seventh and Eighth Articles be referred to a committee of five persons, to be appointed by the chair, to take the subject into consideration, and report thereon at the next meeting.
The chair accordingly appointed the following gentlemen to serve on the aforesaid committee, to wit : Messrs. Edward
559
Annual Meeting, March 16, 1857.
A. Dana, Abijah W. Goddard, Samuel Philbrick, George F. Homer, and Charles Follen, committee on public library and school fund-Seventh and Eighth Articles.
Article Ninth. To see if the town will purchase a gravel pit on Fair- mount or vicinity for the repair of highways,
-and on motion of Samuel Philbrick, it was-
Voted, That a committee of three citizens be chosen to examine the gravel hills in the vicinity of Fairmount, and if any place could be found conveniently accessible containing gravel suitable for repairing the public highways that can be purchased at a reasonable price, to report to the adjournment of this meeting the quality of land, situation, and price for which it can be obtained.
Voted, That said committee be appointed by the chair.
The chair appointed Messrs. Willard A. Humphrey, Wil- liam J. Griggs, and Thomas Parsons, committee on Ninth Article.
Article Tenth. To see if the town will purchase a lot of land in rear of the Town Hall, lying between the Town Hall and Mechanic place.
On motion of Samuel Philbrick, it was-
Voted, That a committee of three citizens be chosen to examine the land between the Town House lot and Mechanic place, and if found for the use or convenience of the town of importance, to ascertain the quality and price for which it could be obtained, and report to the adjournment of this meeting.
Voted, That the chair appoint said committee,
-and the chair appointed the following gentlemen, to wit : . Messrs. Theophilus P. Chandler, David Wilder, Jr., and Charles Stearns, Jr., committee on Tenth Article.
Voted, To adjourn.
Adjourned.
Attest : B. F. BAKER,
Town Clerk.
560
Brookline Town Records.
In conformity with the laws of this Commonwealth, the Town Clerk forthwith made out his warrant and delivered it to Constable Augustus Allen, requiring him to summon all officers chosen to appear before the Town Clerk within seven days from this date and be sworn to their respective offices, where an oath is required by law, or to signify their accept- ance or refusal of the office to which they were respectively chosen.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
NORFOLK, SS. BROOKLINE.
Then personally appeared the undermentioned and were sworn at the time set against their names, or signified their acceptance or refusal of the offices to which they had been chosen.
(File G, No. 97.)
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
1857.
March 17. John A. Bird, declines Cemetery Committee. 66
18. Charles Smith, sworn Highway Surveyor.
66
19. Charles L.Palmer, accepted Fire Ward.
.19. Charles W. Scudder, 66 Auditor.
20. Edward Atkinson, 66
66 20. Thomas Parsons, 66 School Committee.
20. Matson'M. Smith, 66
20. Frederick H. Hedge, decl'd
66
66 21. Thomas S. Pettengill, sworn Field Driver.
66
21. Thomas S. Pettengill, accepted Cemetery Committee.
66 21. John S. Stone, 66 School Committee.
21. Nehemiah M. Perkins,
21. Augustus Allen, 66 Fire Ward.
.
21. Augustus Allen, 66 Truant Officer.
21. Stephen Salisbury,
School Committee.
23. Elisha Stone, sworn Surveyor of Lumber and Measurer of Wood and Bark.
66
23. J. Davenport, accepted Truant Officer.
23.
66 Charles Pope, 66 Truant Justice.
66
23. Charles D. Head, Auditor.
66
23. T. B. Hayward, declined School Committee.
66
23. Clark L. Haynes, sworn Fence Viewer.
Adjourned Annual Meeting, March 30, 1857. 561
ADJOURNED ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH 30, 1857.
Agreeable to adjournment, the citizens of the town of Brookline assembled in the Town Hall in said town, on Mon- day evening, March the 30th, 1857, and were called to order at quarter-past seven o'clock.
The meeting then proceeded to choose the following officers to fill vacancies, to wit :
William H. Jameson, Assistant Assessor.
Thomas S. Pettengill, Highway Surveyor. (Sworn by the Moderator. )
Voted, To reconsider the vote whereby the town voted to have five Field Drivers for the ensuing year.
Voted, That two be the number for the ensuing year.
Elisha Stone (sworn by the Moderator), David S. Cool- idge, and J. Anson Guild, Surveyors of Lumber and Meas- urers of Wood and Bark.
Charles W. Tolman (sworn by the Moderator), Sealer of Leather.
T. E. Francis and F. W. Prescott, School Committee.
Oliver Cousens, Fire Ward.
William Dearborn and Samuel Clark, Cemetery Com- mittee.
Voted, That a committee of five be appointed by the chair to take the whole subject of the Fifth Article into consider- ation. (See warrant, p. 550.)
The chair appointed the following gentlemen, viz., Messrs. James Bartlett, Amos A. Lawrence, Augustus Allen, Willard A. Humphrey, and William J. Griggs, committee on the Fifth Article.
The Seventh and Eighth Articles were then taken up, and Edward A. Dana, chairman of the committee appointed at the last meeting to consider the subject-matter of said articles, presented the following votes, which were passed, to wit, the same being on the Seventh Article. (See war- rant.)
36
562
Brookline Town Records.
Voted, To establish a public library in this town for the use of the inhabitants thereof, and to appropriate for the foundation and commencement of such library the sum of nine hundred and thirty-four dollars, being at the rate of one dollar for each of the ratable polls in this town in the year next preceding the present year.
Voted, To appropriate for the maintenance and increase of such library for the current year the sum of two hundred and thirty-three dollars, the same being the sum authorized by the Statutes of this Commonwealth.
Voted, To assign for the reception of such library and its accommodation the hall on the first floor of the Town Hall building.
Voted, To choose annually from the inhabitants twelve persons, who shall constitute a Board of Trustees, with authority to make suitable regulations for the government and management of said library. Said Board of Trustees shall select and purchase books and periodicals for the library and fit up the room therefor, and have the general charge of the library and room.
Voted, To raise the amount above provided, by taxation during the present year.
Voted, That a committee of three be appointed by the Moderator, who shall report to this meeting the names of twelve inhabitants to act as the Board of Trustees aforesaid.
(See file G, No. 98.)
The chair then appointed for the said committee the fol- lowing-named gentlemen, viz., Messrs. James M. Howe, James Bartlett, and Augustus Allen.
Voted, To indefinitely postpone the Eighth Article.
Voted, That the sum of three hundred dollars be and hereby is appropriated to fit up the room now unoccupied on the lower floor of the Town Hall building, for the reception and use of the public library. (See appropriations. )
The committee appointed to select a list of twelve citizens to act as a Board of Trustees reported the following list of names to the meeting, viz. : Messrs. Thomas Parsons, B. F. Baker, James M. Howe, John N. Turner, Amos A. Law- rence, Marshall Stearns, T. P. Chandler, F. H. Hedge, D. D.,
.
563
Adjourned Annual Meeting, March 30, 1857.
W. I. Bowditch, James Bartlett, E. A. Dana, and Edward Atkinson.
Voted, That the above-named gentlemen be the Board of Trustees of the public library for the ensuing year.
The Ninth Article was then taken up, and the committee appointed thereon presented the following report, to wit :
REPORT.
The committee appointed by the town, March 16th, 1857, to examine a gravel bank on Fairmount, have attended to that duty, and submit the fol- lowing report :
The lot of land in question, belonging to Mr. Aaron Whitney, is sit- uated on the northwest side of Fairmount, and contains about fifty thousand feet. The quantity of gravel is very large, of excellent quality, easy of access, and can be bought for five and a half cents per foot.
Your committee are of the unanimous opinion that it will be for the interest of the town to purchase the same.
W. A. HUMPHREY, THOMAS PARSONS, WILLIAM J. GRIGGS,
Committee.
Voted, That the Selectmen be and are hereby instructed to purchase the same at five and a half cents per foot.
Tenth Article taken up.
The committee to whom this article was referred presented the following report, to wit :
REPORT.
The committee appointed under the Tenth Article of the warrant for the meeting on the 16th inst., respectfully report that the lot of land therein referred to lies directly in rear of the Town Hall, about sixty feet therefrom, and contains, by estimate, about twenty-two thousand feet, being bounded on one side by the Town Hall lot, and on the other three sides by public streets. This land was offered to the town twelve years ago for three cents per square foot. The owner has sold more or less gravel from it every year since, and now asks twenty-five cents per square foot, and your committee being satisfied the lot will be required for town purposes, recommend the town to strike before it goes any higher.
They report the following resolution :
Resolved, That the Selectmen be and they are hereby authorized to pur- chase the lot of land lying between the Town Hall and Mechanic place for town purposes, at twenty-five cents per square foot, and proper officers of the town are hereby authorized to execute any papers that the case may require.
All which is respectfully submitted.
BROOKLINE, March 23d, 1857.
(File G, No. 100.)
T. P. CHANDLER, CHARLES STEARNS, JR., DAVID WILDER, JR.,
Committee.
(File G, No. 99.)
564
Brookline Town Records.
Voted, To accept and adopt the foregoing report.
Voted, That the Selectmen be and are hereby authorized to purchase said lot of land at the sum of twenty-five cents per square foot.
Voted, That the Town Treasurer be and hereby is author- ized to borrow a sum not exceeding eleven thousand five hundred dollars, to purchase the three lots, to wit : The Fay lot adjoining the Pierce school-house lot, the lot in rear of the Town Hall, and the gravel lot on Fairmount.
Eleventh Article taken up :
To raise and appropriate such sums of money as may be necessary to defray the expenses of the town for the current year.
The meeting then proceeded to make the following appro- priations, to wit :
For support of schools
$14,875 00
" poor
800 00
expense of highways
2,000 00
fire department .
700 00
county tax .
6,000 00
state tax
5,000 00
collecting taxes, $300, (see subsequent vote of $100 ad- ditional)
400 00
abatement of taxes
500 00
extinction of town debt
6,500 00
interest on town debt
3,300 00
repairs on town buildings
600 00
town officers
1,200 00
sidewalks
600 00
paving gutters and relaying drains .
300 00
land damages, widening and grading streets
200 00
cemetery
100 00
ringing bell
100 00
reservoir
800 00
fencing and decorating town land
500 00
lighting Town Hall and streets
1,200 00
prosecuting violations of liquor law
200 00
contingencies
2,000 00
completing new High school-house
700 90
completing new addition to Pearl place school-house police
200 00
foundation and commencement of public library 934 00
maintenance and increase of public library 233 00
fitting up rooms for the reception of pubilc library
300 00
2,200 00
565
Adjourned Annual Meeting, March 30, 1857.
Voted, That the sum of four hundred dollars be paid for collecting taxes, in full. (See appropriations. )
Voted, That the sum of three hundred dollars appropri- ated for the fitting up of the public library be raised by tax- ation the present year.
On motion of T. P. Chandler the meeting passed the fol- lowing resolve :
Resolved, That the Selectmen be authorized and directed forthwith to ascertain at what price all the lots of land lying between Washington and School streets and west of Prospect street, not owned by the town, can be purchased, and obtain written proposals therefor, and that they insert an article in the warrant calling the next town meeting, to see what action the town will take in relation to purchasing all or any part thereof, and that they report their doings at such meeting.
Adopted.
Voted, That William I. Bowditch be added to the com- mittee.
Voted, That the Treasurer, Moses Withington, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the sum of ten thousand dol- lars, in anticipation of taxes.
Voted, That when this meeting adjourn it be to meet at this place on the thirteenth day of April next, at seven and a half o'clock in the evening.
Adjourned.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
ADJOURNED ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL 13, 1857.
According to adjournment, the citizens of the town of Brookline assembled at the Town Hall in said town, on the evening of Monday, April the thirteenth, A. D. 1857, and were called to order at quarter of eight o'clock.
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Brookline Town Records.
The office of Assistant Assessor being declared vacant in the Middle District, the meeting proceeded to re-elect Wil- liam H. Jameson.
The committee appointed to take into consideration the subject-matter of the Fifth Article and report thereon, pre- sented the following report, to wit :
REPORT.
The undersigned, a committee appointed at the adjourned annual meet- ing of the town, held on Monday evening, March the 30th, 1857, to take into consideration the subject of the Fifth Article in the warrant calling said meeting, relating to an order of notice from the County Commis- sioners in respect to laying out roads and building bridges across Muddy River from Appleton place, so called, in Roxbury to Brookline, would make the following report :
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