USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Brookline > Town records of Brookline, Massachusetts, 1858-1871, v. 2 > Part 18
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Resolved, That a committee be appointed to procure sub- scriptions from the citizens of this town to indemnify the Selectmen and Town Treasurer against any loss incurred by them, or either of them, in filling the present quota of vol- unteers required of this town, or raising money for the same.
Voted, That the Town Clerk enter the proceedings of this meeting in the records of the town.
Voted, That a committee of five be appointed by the chair to procure subscriptions, agreeable to the provisions of the second resolution.
The chair appointed the following gentlemen to constitute said committee, viz. : William Aspinwall, J. Murray Howe, J. H. Putnam, M. B. Williams, John C. Abbott.
A subscription list of a guarantee fund was then opened, and the sum of nine thousand dollars was obtained in a few minutes.
The Brookline brass band was in attendance during the evening, and enlivened the meeting with their music.
Voted, To adjourn to meet at the same place one week from this evening, at half-past seven of the clock.
Adjourned.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Secretary .
224
Brookline Town Records.
ADJOURNED CITIZENS' MEETING, DEC. 11, 1863.
Pursuant to adjournment, the citizens of the town as- sembled in the Town Hall at quarter before eight of the clock, the president, Ginery Twichell, Esq., in the chair.
The meeting was large and the hall was crowded to its utmost capacity. The band was in attendance and added to the enthusiasm by their stirring and patriotic airs.
James Bartlett, Esq., chairman of the Selectmen, stated to the meeting that they had enlisted twenty-seven men since the last meeting, which were enrolled on the town's quota.
After music by the band, and singing of national songs by several gentlemen, the president introduced to the meeting the Hon. Thomas Russell, who addressed the meeting at length upon the importance of prosecuting with vigor the war to put down the present rebellion and restore the enforcement of law and order through all the Union, and that we must follow the flag and keep step to the music of the Union, and that this is a battle for right the world over. The speaker was eloquent and earnest, and was listened to with attention throughout.
The meeting was addressed by several gentlemen, all urg- ing a vigorous and energetic action to enlist men and fill up the regiments now in the field.
Two young men came forward and signed the roll to enlist into the army-William Gallagher and John McClellan.
On motion of Marshal Stearns, Esq., the meeting passed a vote of thanks to the speaker.
Voted, That the thanks of the meeting be given to the band for their entertaining music.
Dissolved.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Secretary.
225
Annual Meeting, March 21, 1864.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH 21, 1864.
SEAL.
WARRANT.
SEAL.
SEAL.
BEAL.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
BEAL.
NORFOLK, SS.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Brookline,
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the town of Brookline, qualified to vote in elections, to meet at the Town Hall in said town, on Monday, the twenty-first day of March next, at two of the clock in the afternoon, for the following purposes, to wit :
First. To choose a Moderator.
Second. To choose the usual town officers for the ensuing year.
Third. To hear and act upon the reports of town officers and com- mittees.
Fourth. To see if the town will accept the list of jurors as revised by the Selectmen and posted according to law.
Fifth. To consider the subject of purchasing land and erecting a building thereon for the Public Library.
Sixth. To see what action the town will take in regard to purchasing land and building a school-house thereon in Longwood.
Seventh. To consider and act upon the subject of erecting a new school-house on Newton street.
Eighth. To see if the town will appropriate a sum of money to build a receiving-tomb on the cemetery grounds.
Ninth. To see if the town will accept and allow a townway leading from Aspinwall avenue to Longwood avenue, as laid out by the Select- men.
Tenth. To consider and act upon the subject of purchasing a steam fire-engine. .
Eleventh. To raise and appropriate such sums of money as may be necessary to defray the expenses of the town for the ensuing year.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant to the Selectmen, with your doings thereon, four days at least before the time of said meeting.
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226
Brookline Town Records.
Given under our hands and seals at Brookline, this twenty- ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-four.
JAMES BARTLETT, MARSHAL STEARNS, THOMAS PARSONS, N. G. CHAPIN, WILLIAM J. GRIGGS,
Selectmen of the Town of Brookline.
NORFOLK, SS.
BROOKLINE, Mass., March 17th, 1864.
In pursuance of the foregoing warrant, I have notified and warned the legal voters of the town of Brookline to meet at the time and place and for the purposes within named, by leaving a printed copy of the same at their last and usual place of residence four days at least before the day of said meeting.
JOHN H. GRUSH, Constable of Brookline.
In pursuance of the foregoing warrant, the citizens of the town of Brookline met at the Town Hall in said town, on Monday, the twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and were called to order at two of the clock, by B. F. Baker, the Town Clerk, who read the warrant and the return of the Constable who notified said meeting.
Pursuant to the first article for the choice of a Moderator, the Clerk declared the polls open for the reception of votes for that officer. The polls were kept open ten minutes, when they were declared closed, and the Clerk proceeded to sort and count the votes so given in, and the whole number of votes was thirty-three, of which number thirty were for Moderator, George F. Homer, Esq., who was declared elected, and took the chair.
The meeting was then called to order, and prayer was offered by the Rev. William Lamson, D. D.
The Second Article in the warrant was then taken up :
To choose the usual town officers for the ensuing year.
227
Annual Meeting, March 21, 1864.
On motion of Marshal Stearns-
Voted, That the meeting now proceed to choose a Town Clerk, five Selectmen, who shall be Overseers of the Poor and Surveyors of Highways; a Treasurer, who shall also be Collector of Taxes; three Assessors, four Trustees of the Public Library for three years, three School Committee for three years, two Fence Viewers, and six Constables-all to be voted for on one ticket.
Voted, That the polls be kept open until four of the clock P. M.
The polls were then declared open, and were kept open until four o'clock, the time set, when they were declared closed.
The Moderator and Town Clerk then proceeded to sort and count the votes given in, and the whole number so given in was two hundred and forty-three, and the following persons having a majority of all the votes so cast, none less than one hundred and twenty-six, were declared to be elected to the following offices, to wit :
Town Clerk : B. F. Baker (sworn by the Moderator).
Selectmen, Overseers of Poor, Surveyors of Highways : James Bartlett (sworn), Marshal Stearns (sworn), Thomas Parsons (sworn), Wm. J. Griggs (sworn), Edward S. Philbrick.
Treasurer and Collector : Moses Withington (sworn).
Assessors : Thomas B. Hall, Albert W. Smith, Wm. B. Towne.
School Committee for three years: Thomas Parsons, Frederick W. Prescott, Rev. J. L. Dimon.
Trustees of Public Library for three years : Rev. Frederick H. Hedge, Rev. Wm. Lamson, Elijah C. Emerson, John W. Candler.
Fence Viewers : Clark L. Haynes, John O. Libby.
Constables : John H. Grush (sworn), James Driscoll, Eben W. Reed (sworn), John Dustin, J. P. Sanborn .(sworn), C. W. Ruggles.
In voting the check-list was used, and no one was allowed to deposit his vote until his name was found and checked on the list.
The meeting then nominated and chose the following offi- cers, to wit :
Field Drivers : William J. Griggs (sworn), David S. Plummer, George R. Phelps (sworn), Wm. J. Hyde, Eben W. Reed (sworn).
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228
Brookline Town Records.
Pound Keeper : Eben W. Reed (sworn).
Surveyors of Lumber and Measurers of Wood and Bark : James M. Sea- mans, Win. D. Coolidge, J. Anson Guild.
Sealers of Leather : Willard Onion, Jr., Samuel A. Robinson.
Truant Officers : F. C. Sherman, J. P. Sanborn, R. A. Chace.
Auditors : C. W. Scudder, George E. Hersey, D. H. Rogers.
Fire Wards : A. H. Waterman, C. L. Palmer, T. S. Pettengill. Cemetery Committee : T. S. Pettengill.
Truant Justice : Charles Pope.
Sealer of Weights and Measures . Alfred Kenrick, Jr.
The Third Article was then taken up :
To hear and act upon the reports of town officers and committees.
Thomas Parsons, Esq., presented the Treasurer's report, reports of the Selectmen, Trustees of the Public Library, and School Committee, the List of Taxes and the names of the tax-payers for the year ending February 1st, 1864. Said reports having been printed and distributed among the citizens previous to the meeting, were read by their titles only.
Voted, To accept and allow the foregoing reports, and place them on file.
Fourth Article taken up :
To see if the town will accept the list of jurors as revised by the Selectmen and posted according to law, to wit :
List of Jurors for the Town of Brookline for the year 1864.
Atkinson, Edward
Griggs, William J.
Bird, John A.
Heath, Charles
Cabot, John H.
Hyde, William J.
Candler, John W.
Maynard, Waldo
Codman, James M.
Melcher, William K.
Coolidge, David S.
Palmer, Charles L.
Cousens, Oliver
Philbrick, William D.
Cutler, Abraham L.
Pierce, Peter W.
Dane, Edward S.
Russell, Marshall
Dearborn, Isaac
Scudder, Charles W.
Delano, Oliver B.
Shurtleff, Augustine
Denney, Francis P.
Stearns, Charles H.
Edgerly, James W.
Swift, William J.
Fay, Harrison
Warren, Simon
Fisher, Francis K.
Wason, Elbridge
Goddard, Abijah W.
Waterman, Ansel H.
Gooding, Josiah
Washburn, Nehemiah
Goldsmith, George W.
Winsor, Alfred, Jr.
Withington, Moses
BROOKLINE, March 22d, 1864.
Attest : . B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
229
Annual Meeting, March 21, 1864.
The Fifth Article taken up :
To consider the subject of purchasing land and erecting a building thereon for the Public Library.
Voted, To refer the subject of the Fifth Article to a special committee of five, who are to consult with the Trustees of the Public Library, and report thereon at a future meeting.
The meeting nominated and chose the following gentlemen to constitute said committee, viz. : Moses B. Williams, Mar- shal Stearns, William Dearborn, Edward S. Philbrick, Ben- jamin B. Davis, committee on purchasing land for the Public Library.
Sixth Article taken up :
To see what action the town will take in regard to purchasing land and building a school-house thereon in Longwood.
Voted, To refer the subject of the Sixth Article to a special committee of five, to act thereon and report to the adjourned meeting.
The meeting nominated and chose the following gentlemen to constitute said committee, viz. : Charles U. Cotting, John N. Chapman, John W. Candler, John K. Rogers, Edward Atkinson, committee on purchasing land and erecting school- houses thereon in Longwood and Newton street.
Seventh Article taken up :
To consider and act upon the subject of erecting a new school-house on Newton street.
Voted, To refer the subject of the Seventh Article to the committee on the Sixth Article, to be reported upon with said article at the adjourned meeting.
Eighth Article taken up :
To see if the town will appropriate a sum of money to build a receiv- ing-tomb in the cemetery grounds.
Voted, That the sum of three hundred dollars be raised and appropriated for the purpose of building a receiving- tomb.
230
Brookline Town Records.
Ninth Article taken up :
To see if the town will accept and allow a townway leading from Aspinwall avenue to Longwood avenue, as laid out by the Selectmen.
The Selectmen presented the following report on the lay- ing out of said way, viz. :
REPORT.
The Selectmen of the town of Brookline, after giving legal notice to all persons and parties interested, known to them, of their intention to lay out as a townway the private way leading from Aspinwall avenue through to Longwood avenue and known as Toxteth and Kent streets :
In pursuance thereof of said notice, the Selectmen met at the house of Hon. William Aspinwall, near the terminus of Toxteth street, on the 18tl day of May, A, D. 1863, at two o'clock in the afternoon, and examined the route of the proposed way, and again, by adjournment, on the 20th day of said month, and on the 1st day of June last, and on the 29th day of February, 1864, and all parties and interests, known to them, having been examined and heard in relation thereto, proceeded to lay out said way as a townway to be known by the name of
Beginning on the northerly side of Aspinwall avenue, opposite the land of William Aspinwall, Esq., at a point three hundred feet easterly from a stone bound in the northerly line of said avenue and running northerly at right-angles to said avenue seven hundred and thirty-nine 50-100 feet ; thence turning easterly 81º 51' 46" and running seven hundred and forty 11-100 feet; thence northerly on a curve of twelve hundred and eighty feet radius two hundred and fifty-two 84-100 feet to the division line between lands of A. Aspinwall and Messrs. Stearns-the chord of this curve makes an angle on the northwest side of 102° 27' 40" with the line last described; thence on a line turning 25° 41' 25" to the left from the course of said chord three hundred and eighty-three 83-100 feet to the southerly line of Kent street twenty 16-100 feet easterly from a stone bound; being the middle line of a street forty feet wide.
This location of said way is in accordance with a plan and profile of the same as made by Messrs. Shedd & Edson, engineers, dated February the 29th, 1864, and filed in the office of the Town Clerk on the day above named, and approved and adopted by the Selectmen the same day.
In consideration of the benefit to the abutters on said way, and their relinquishing all claims for damages, the Selectmen have made no award for damages. The Selectmen have also given to the owners of lands over which said way is laid out ten days in which to remove all fences, trees and walls now standing on the land taken for said way.
And said way when so laid out, located and described, is hereby reported to the town for their acceptance, and when so accepted, allowed and recorded, is forever to be known as a townway.
MARSHAL STEARNS, THOMAS PARSONS, WM. J. GRIGGS, Selectmen of the Town of Brookline.
BROOKLINE, Mass., March 21st, 1864.
231
Annual Meeting, March 21, 1864.
Voted, To accept and allow the foregoing report.
Voted, That the sum of two thousand dollars be raised and appropriated to carry out the making of said way.
Tenth Article taken up :
To consider and act upon the subject of purchasing a steam fire-engine.
Voted, To refer the subject of the Tenth Article to the Selectmen, to report thereon at the adjourned meeting.
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 ensuing year.
The meeting voted to raise and appropriate the following sums, to wit :
For schools
$19,000 00
support of poor
900 00
support of highways ($1,200 to be used for making and repairing Walnut street)
7,200 00
sidewalks
500 00
paving gutters and relaying drains
800 00
fire department
700 00
county tax
9,000 00
state tax
26,000 00
collecting taxes
500 00
abatement of taxes
800 00
extinction of town debt
22,250 00
interest on town debt
5,700 00
repairs of town buildings
800 00
cemetery
100 00
town officers
2,000 00
lighting Town Hall and streets
2,400 00
police
600 00
library
550 00
military and recruiting purposes
12,000 00
state aid and other military purposes
12,000 00
use of board of health
200 00
contingencies
2,000 00
receiving-tomb .
300 00
making townway between Aspinwall avenue and Long- wood avenue
2,000 00
school-house and lot at Longwood
10,000 00
school-house on Newton street
3,000 00
ringing bell
150 00
232
Brookline Town Records.
Voted, That when this meeting adjourns it be to meet in this place on Tuesday, the fifth day of April next, at half- past seven of the clock in the evening.
Voted, That the Town Clerk give notice of the adjourn- ment of this meeting by posters, to be distributed in various parts of the town before the day of the meeting.
Adjourned.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
In pursuance of the laws of this Commonwealth, the Town Clerk forthwith made out his warrant and delivered it to Constable J. H. Grush, to summon within three days all officers chosen and not qualified, to appear before the Town Clerk within seven days from the date of said warrant, to be qualified for their several offices and be sworn, where an oath is required by law, or to signify their acceptance or refusal of the office to which they had been respectively chosen, where an oath is not required.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
NORFOLK, SS. BROOKLINE, Mass., March 29th, 1864.
Personally appeared the following-named persons and were sworn at the time set against their names, or signified their acceptance or refusal of the office to which they had been chosen, viz. :
Selectman, Overseer of Poor, § Edward S. Philbrick, and Surveyor of Highways. sworn March 24th, 1864. Thomas B. Hall, sworn March 26th, 1864. Assessors. William B. Towne, sworn March 26th, 1864. Albert W. Smith, sworn March 26th, 1864.
Fence Viewers. § Clark L. Haynes, sworn March 28th, 1864.
John O. Libby, sworn March 28th, 1864.
James Driscoll, sworn March 28th, 1864. Constables .. John Dustin, sworn March 26th, 1864. Cyrus W. Ruggles, sworn March 26th, 1864. Surveyors of Lumber ( James M. Seamans. and Measurers of Wm. D. Coolidge. Wood and Bark. J. Anson Guild, sworn March 23d, 1864.
233
Adjourned Annual Meeting, April 5, 1864.
Sealers of Leather. Willard Onion.
Samuel A. Robinson, sworn March 26th, 1864.
Field Drivers. David A. Plummer, sworn March 22d, 1864. Wm. J. Hyde.
Sealer of Weights and Measures. Alfred Kenrick, Jr.
Thomas Parsons, accepted March 28th, 1864,
School Committee Frederick W. Prescott, accepted March 26th, 1864.
for three years. Rev. J. Lewis Diman, declined March 28th, 1864.
Trustees of Rev. Frederick H. Hedge, decl'd March 28th, 1864.
Public Library for Rev. Wm. Lamson, accepted March 26th, 1864.
three years. E. C. Emerson, accepted March 26th, 1864. John W. Candler, accepted March 26th, 1864.
Charles W. Scudder, declined March 28th, 1864.
Auditors. George E. Hersey, accepted March 26th, 1864. Daniel H. Rogers.
Ansel H. Waterman, accepted March 29th, 1864.
Fire Wards. Charles L. Palmer, accepted March 25th, 1864. Thomas S. Pettengill, accepted March 24th, 1864.
Cemetery Committee. Thomas S. Pettengill, accepted March 24th, 1864.
Truant Justice. Charles Pope.
Freeman C. Sherman.
Truant Officers .. Vr J. P. Sanborn, accepted March 28th, 1864. R. A. Chace.
Attest : B. F. BAKER,
Town Clerk.
ADJOURNED ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL 5, 1864.
Pursuant to adjournment, the citizens of the town of Brookline assembled in the Town Hall in said town, on Tuesday, the fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and were called to order at fifteen minutes before eight of the clock in the evening, the Moderator, George F. Homer, in the chair.
The meeting then proceeded to fill the vacancies in the various offices, caused by the non-acceptance or non-qualifi- cation of those persons chosen at the last annual meeting, viz. :
Surveyors of Lumber and Measurers of Wood and Bark: James M. Sea- mans, William D. Coolidge.
Sealer of Leather : Willard Onion, Jr., (sworn by the Clerk).
Field Driver : Wm. J. Hyde.
Sealer of Weights and Measures: Alfred Kenrick, Jr. (sworn by the Clerk).
Auditors : Edward G. Tileston (accepted), Charles U. Cotting (ac- cepted).
234
Brookline Town Records.
The meeting then proceeded to vote for one Trustee of the Public Library for the next three years.
Whole number of votes cast was thirty-eight.
J. Herbert Shedd received thirty-eight, and was declared elected Trus- tee of the Public Library for three years.
The meeting then proceeded to vote for a member of the School Committee for three years.
Whole number of votes cast was seventy-eight.
Scattering, four. Edward S. Philbrick had thirty-three.
E. W. Sanford had forty-one, and he was declared elected a member of the School Committee for three years.
Truant, Officers : F. C. Sherman, R. A. Chace.
Truant Justice : Charles Pope.
The committee appointed to take into consideration the Sixth and Seventh Articles in the warrant and report there- on at the adjourned meeting, presented the following re- port, viz. :
REPORT.
The undersigned, who were appointed at the annual town meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Brookline a committee to examine into the matter referred to in the sixth and seventh articles in the warrant, and to recommend to the town what action seemed to them judicious, report that there is an evident need of a primary school at Longwood, and that very soon this section will also require a grammar school; that they endeavored to find a suitable lot that could be purchased that would answer for both schools, as this seemed to them the best course for the town, but in the short time allowed them they did not succeed in finding a lot that they could unanimously agree upon. The most desirable and available one was a lot of about 10,000 feet, on Monmouth street, which was offered to the town free, by Mr. Sears, to be used strictly for school purposes. As regards this lot, some of your committee were in doubt as to whether it was large enough and in the right location to warrant the building of both a primary and grammar school, but they unanimously agree that if no other lot can be obtained, that the gift be accepted, and a primary school be erected, the cost of which they estimate at $4,000; and if a desirable lot for both could be obtained, they estimate it would cost to buy the lot and increased size of the building, in addition to the above amount, the sum of $6,000-making for both schools, $10,000; and they recommend that the whole matter be referred, with full powers, to the Selectmen, and the passing of the following votes :
Voted, That the Sixth Article in the warrant be referred to the Select- men, with authority to purchase a lot of land and to erect a primary school-house thereon at Longwood.
235
Adjourned Annual Meeting, April 5, 1864.
Voted, That an appropriation of four thousand dollars be made for the above purposes.
Voted, That if the Selectmen deem it expedient to purchase a lot of land with a view to the establishment of a grammar school at Longwood at some future time and to erect the building now contemplated for a primary school, with a view to its future enlargement, that they be authorized to do so, and that the sum of six thousand dollars be appro- priated for that purpose.
Voted, That the Treasurer be authorized to borrow said sum of ten thousand dollars, or such part thereof as may be called for by the Select- men, upon such terms and conditions as they may prescribe.
In regard to the seventh section of the warrant, your committee find the school-house on Newton street is large enough, but that it is badly located and low-studded, and they would recommend that a new lot of land be purchased in this neighborhood, and, if found practicable and economical, that this school-house be moved on to it, and raised up by a brick underpinning; and if not found both practicable and economical, that a new school-house be built, and with these views, they recommend the passage of the following vote :
Voted, That the seventh section be referred to the Selectmen, with full power to buy another lot of land and to move the present school-house onto it, and to make in it such improvements as they may deem best, or to build a new school-house, as may seem to them most judicious, and to enable them to do so that this meeting appropriate the sum of three thousand dollars ($3,000), of which appropriation one thousand five hun- dred dollars ($1,500) shall be assessed during the present year for the purpose of purchasing a lot and moving the present building; and the remainder shall be borrowed by the Treasurer, under the direction of the Selectmen, in case they shall find it expedient to erect a new school- house.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES U. COTTING, EDWARD ATKINSON, JOHN N. CHAPMAN, JOHN K. ROGERS.
Voted, To accept and allow the foregoing report.
The Selectmen, to whom was referred the Tenth Article in the warrant, in relation to purchasing a steam fire-engine, presented the following report, to wit :
REPORT.
The Selectmen, to whom was referred the Tenth Article in the war- rant for the town meeting, held March 21st, 1864, " To consider the sub- ject of purchasing a steam fire-engine," have attended to that duty, and respectfully report that after due consideration and investigation of the subject, in their opinion it is inexpedient to purchase at present, owing to the scarcity of accommodations for obtaining a supply of water therefor, and that the present wants of the town do not require an outlay of money for that purpose.
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