USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Brookline > Town records of Brookline, Massachusetts, 1858-1871, v. 2 > Part 37
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The recommendation of the Selectmen in their report, in respect to the employment of a superintendent of streets, was taken up, and it was-
Voted, That the Selectmen employ a superintendent of streets as recommended in their report.
Other subjects recommended in the report of the Select- men were taken up, and the following votes were passed, viz. :
472
Brookline Town Records.
Voted, To omit the election of Firewards, and that the Selectmen appoint a Board of Engineers of the Fire Depart- ment in conformity with the General Statutes.
Voted, That the Selectmen increase the pay of the mem- bers of the Fire Department as recommended by said Select- men.
Mr. Horace James, on behalf of the Selectmen, presented the following report on guide posts and boards in conformity to the General Statutes, viz. :
REPORT.
REPORT OF THE LOCATION OF GUIDE BOARDS.
One at the corner of Beacon and Harvard streets, directing to Cam- bridge and Cambridgeport, and to Newton and Newton Centre; corner of Winchester and Beacon streets, directing to Brighton; corner of Beacon and Washington streets, directing to Newton Centre and Boston, Brighton and Roxbury ; corner of Longwood avenue and Harvard street, to Roxbury ; corner of Harvard and Washington streets, to Cambridge and Brighton; corner of Washington and Boylston streets, to Brighton and Newton and Newton Upper Falls ; corner of Walnut and High streets, to Jamaica Pond; corner of Walnut and High streets, to Dedham and
West Roxbury ; corner of Walnut and Washington streets, to Dedham and Jamaica Plain; corner of Walnut and Chestnut streets, to Jamaica Pond; corner of Warren and Dudley streets, to Dedham; corner of Cot- tage and Warren streets, to Jamaica Plain and Dedham; corner of War- ren and Clyde streets, to Dedham; corner of Newton and Clyde streets, directing to Newton, to Spring street, Readville and Dedham, and to Chestnut Hill Reservoir and Brookline Village; corner of Grove and Newton streets, to Newton, West Roxbury and Dedham; corner of Grove and Newton streets, to Newton, West Roxbury and Dedham; cor- ner of Grove and South streets, to Dedham, Newton and Brighton; corner of Heath and Boylston streets, to Dedham; corner of Brighton and Boylston streets, to Brighton.
Voted, To accept the foregoing report, and that it be placed on file.
The committee on building the new Town Hall presented the following report, to wit :
REPORT.
The committee appointed by a vote of the town, April 23d, 1870, for the erection of a new Town Hall, respectfully submit the following report :
In accordance with the design and the detailed drawings and specifica- tions presented by S. J. F. Thayer, Esq., architect, your committee entered into contracts with Messrs. Adams and Brastow of Boston for all work and materials under the head of mason work for the sum of
473
Annual Meeting, March 27, 1871.
$78,356, and with Mr. William K. Melcher of Brookline for all work under the head of carpenter work, for $37,626. The work was com- menced last autumn and the foundation is completed, and work has been resumed within a few days past, and it is expected the walls will be built up ready for the roof on or before the first of September next.
As provided by the contract, your committee have authorized the fol- lowing payments on account :
To Adams and Brastow, masons $7,500 00
W. K. Melcher, carpenter . 1,000 00
S. J. F. Thayer, architect .
1,500 00
A. Shurtleff, for plans, designs, completion architect's 450 00
Printing, etc.
100 00
Making the sum of
$10,550 00
Your committee were also entrusted with the removal of the old Town Hall building to the vacant lot on Prospect street where it now stands, and they have authorized the payment for removal, the new foundation, draining and repairing the building for the present uses of the town, the sum of $5098.37.
Your committee beg leave to report also, that they arranged with the New England Life Insurance Company of Boston to take $100,000 of the bonds of the town and provide the money as called for by the Treasurer, at six per cent interest per annum, and the Treasurer has borrowed of the company $20,000, and will call for further sums as the work on the building progresses, according to the contracts, which include the full completion of all work under the various heads and the furnishing of all material for the same, and from the high reputation and well known characters of the contractors, your commmittee feel assured that the building will be completed to the satisfaction of all concerned.
For the committee,
BROOKLINE, March 27th, 1871.
W. A. WELLMAN, Chairman.
The committee on by-laws, appointed the twenty-third day of June last, presented a report of their work thereon.
Voted, To accept their report, and that said by-laws be printed and distributed amongst the inhabitants of the town before the adjourned meeting.
George Griggs, Esq., for the committee on town maps, reported that the maps would probably be ready before the next meeting.
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.
Voted, To accept and allow the following list of jurors as prepared by the Selectmen, to wit :
474
Brookline Town Records.
List of Jurors for the Town of Brookline for the Year 1871.
Allen, Daniel D.
Hurd, Benjamin
Allen, Samuel S.
James, Charles H.
Armington, Asa W.
Kingman, Martin
Bachelder, Josiah G.
Lawrence, Francis W.
Bacon, Francis E.
Lincoln, Charles D.
Bartlett, James, Jr.
Long, Jona. D.
Baxter, Sidney R.
Lowrey, Maxwell
Beals, James H.
Beard, Alanson W.
Lyford, Nathaniel Merritt, George W.
Bennett, Stephen G.
Mudge, George A.
Brooks, George
Nash, Francis J.
Bird, Albert H.
Perkins, Joseph J.
Burdett, Horatio S.
Pierce, Henry E.
Cabot, Follen
Plimpton, Charles T.
Cabot, Francis
Roberts, Joseph R.
Candage, R. G. F.
Rodman, Francis
Chase, Charles
Rooney, James
Chase, H. Lincoln
Sabin, Charles W.
Clark, Edwin
Sargent, Charles S.
Clark, Samuel
Saville, Richard L.
Clapp, James W.
Seamans, Frank F.
Conant, Nathaniel
Searle, Frederick A.
Coolidge, George H.
Stearns, John G., Jr.
Coolidge, Henry S.
Stone, Milton J.
Cousens, Oliver
Tappan, Lewis W., Jr.
Curtis, J. Gardner
Tebbetts, James R.
Dana, Dennison D.
Thomas, Edward I.
Dana, Henry. F.
Verney, Osavius
Dawes, George G.
Von Arnim, Theodore F.
Dupee, William R.
Warren, Cyrus M.
Edwards, Oliver
Wells, Henry B.
Fisher, George J.
White, Isaac D.
Floyd, Edward E.
Whiting, Charles A.
Frost, Morrill
Wilson, William W.
Gilbert, Henry G.
Wise, Daniel W.
Green, William R.
Wood, Amos L.
Guild, J. Anson
Woodward, Isaac
Haynes, Clark L.
Warren, Moses C.
Howard, John A.
Young, Edward
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
BROOKLINE, Mass., February 27th, 1871.
Fifth Article taken up :
To see if the town will make an appropriation for additional accom- modations at the Heath street school-house.
Voted, To refer the Fifth Article to the School Com- mittee, to report thereon at the adjourned meeting.
475
Annual Meeting, March 27, 1871.
Sixth Article taken up :
To see if the town will make an appropriation for grading and fencing the Ward school-house lot.
Voted, To refer the Sixth Article to the School Com- mittee, to report thereon at the adjourned meeting.
Seventh Article taken up :
To see if the town will make a reservoir at the junction of Harvard and Washington streets.
Referred to the Selectmen to consider said subject, as also the propriety of putting a hydrant at the same place, and report thereon at the adjourned meeting.
Voted, To take up the Eighth and Ninth Articles together in substance as follows, to wit :
To see if the town will accept and allow a new townway as laid out and located by the Selectmen from Washington to Cypress and from Cypress to Tappan street.
The Selectmen presented the following report on laying out said ways as follows, to wit :
REPORT.
LAYING OUT A NEW TOWNWAY FROM WASHINGTON STREET THROUGH WASHINGTON PLACE TO CYPRESS STREET, AND FROM CYPRESS STREET TO TAPPAN STREET.
The Selectmen of the town of Brookline, after giving legal notice to all persons and interests known to them, of their intention to lay out a new townway leading from Washington street through. Washington place to Cypress street, did, in pursuance of said notice, meet at their office in the Town Hall, on Monday, the sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, at three o'clock in the afternoon, and again, by adjournment, on the seventh day of February aforesaid, and proceeded to hear all parties and interests, and to examine said route, and again, by adjournment, on the thirteenth of said month, and all parties and interests having been heard and exam- ined in relation thereto, they proceeded to lay out said way. Also, after giving legal notice to all parties and interests known to them of their intention to lay out a new townway leading from Cypress street to Tap- pan street, did, in pursuance of said notice, meet at their office in the Town Hall, on Thursday, the twenty-third day of February, A. D. 1871, at four o'clock in the afternoon, and proceeded to hear all parties and interests, and to examine said route, and all parties and interests desiring having been heard and examined in relation thereto, they proceeded to lay out said way.
476
Brookline Town Records.
And the route of said ways are as follows, described by their northerly and northwesterly line :
Commencing on the westerly line of Washington street at a granite monument set in the ground at the northeasterly corner of land of Seamans; thence running southerly 126 feet to a monument; thence southerly 405.7 feet to a monument; thence southerly 76.6 feet to a monument; thence southerly 372.66 feet to a monument ; thence southerly by a curve of 1202 feet radius 186 feet to a monument; thence westerly 386 feet to a monument; thence westerly by a curve of 3266 feet radius 194 feet to a monument; thence westerly 35 feet to a monument on the easterly line of Cypress street; thence commencing at a monument on the westerly line of Cypress street and running northwesterly 844.6 feet to a monument on the northwesterly line of the way known as Gorham avenue, making the total length of said way - - - feet; thence com- mencing at the last named monument at the westerly end of the last described way, and running southerly 356.8 feet to a monument on the northerly line of Tappan street; and the southeasterly, southerly and southwesterly line of said ways are everywhere forty feet distant and parallel with the lines above described. And the corner of said ways are described as follows : The four corners made by the intersection of the lines of said way with Cypress street be rounded by a radius of 40 feet, and that the corner made by the intersection of said way with Gorham avenue be rounded by a curve of 30 feet radius, and that corners made by the intersection of said way be rounded by a curve of 20 feet radius on the northwesterly line and 30 feet radius on the northeasterly line, and all the corners shall be rounded in conformity with the plan of the same.
The lands taken for said ways are as follows :
Of John Panter
1,320 square feet.
B. B. Davis
2,475
Henry G. Fay
1,000
James A. Leighton
1,000
Charles D. Lincoln
1,000
E. C. Emerson
1,000 66 66
E. C. Emerson
12,428
66
Dr. S. A. Shurtleff
ยท 10,796
66
Heirs Moses Jones
13,660
66
James M. Seamans
1,000
66
.
And the Selectmen have made the following awards for damages in full by the laying out and making of said way, to wit :
To John Panter
$1,900 00
Benjamin B. Davis
1,000 00
Henry G. Fay
350 00
James A. Leighton
350 00
James M. Seamans
50 00
C. D. Lincoln
300 00
E. C. Emerson .
1,650 00
Dr. Samuel A. Shurtleff
500 00
Heirs Moses Jones
1,000 00
477
Annual Meeting, March 27, 1871.
To the owners of the lands over which said way is so laid out from Cypress to Tappan street no award is made, they having agreed to give. their land for said way in consideration of its being so laid out.
The location of said way is in accordance with a plan of the same as made by Amos R. Binney, civil engineer, dated March 13th, 1871, accepted and allowed by the Selectmen, and filed into the office of the Town Clerk on the day of said date.
The Selectmen have given the owners of the lands over which said way is so laid out thirty days from the date hereof in which to remove build- ings, trees, fences, walls and hedges standing on the land so taken.
And said ways, 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 public townway. And said way from Washington street.to Gorham avenue to be called Davis street, and said Davis street to Tappan street to be called Gorham avenue.
Repectfully submitted,
WILLIAM J. GRIGGS, HORACE JAMES, CHARLES D. HEAD, AUG. WHITTEMORE, Selectmen of the Town of Brookline.
BROOKLINE, March 27, 1871.
Voted, To accept and allow the report of the Selectmen on the laying out of said way.
Voted, That the sum of ten thousand dollars be raised and appropriated for the purpose of paying the awards made by the Selectmen and making and grading said way.
Voted, That in case any party aggrieved in the assessment of damages caused by the laying out of Washington place shall appeal, the Selectmen may hear such parties and increase said damages if they deem it for the interests of the town so to do.
Tenth Article taken up :
To see if the town will build an engine house on the land now owned and occupied by the town for that purpose on Washington street.
Voted, That the Tenth Article be referred to a committee of three, to be appointed by the Moderator.
The Moderator appointed the following gentlemen to con- stitute said committee, viz. : John W. Candler, William K. Melcher, Alfred Kenrick, Jr.
Eleventh Article taken up :
To see if the town will provide places for watering animals by the sides of the street.
478
Brookline Town Records.
Referred to the Selectmen, to report at the adjourned meeting.
Twelfth Article taken up :
To see what action the town will take in relation to changing the grade of Brighton avenue from Brighton line to St. Mary's street.
Referred to the Selectmen, to report at the adjourned meeting.
Thirteenth Article taken up :
To see if the town will accept the provisions of Chapter 169 of the Acts of the year 1868, entitled "An Act concerning Laying out, Altering, Wid- ening and Improving Streets and Ways in Cities and Towns."
There being an error in the date of the year in the above article, it was-
Voted, That the Thirteenth Article be indefinitely post- poned.
Fourteenth Article taken up :
To raise and appropriate such sums of money as may be required to defray the expenses of the town for the current year.
The meeting then voted the following appropriations :
APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1871.
For support of schools
$31,000 00
support of ungraded schools
2,000 00
support of evening schools
600 00
support of poor
900 00
support of highways
18,000 00
support of sidewalks.
12,000 00
support of library
5,000 00
underdraining streets
3,000 00
extension of Hammond street
1,000 00
making Summit avenue
1,500 00
making Alton place
1,500 00
making Harvard and Brighton streets
12,500 00
fire department
3,500 00
new hose-house and hose .
2,000 00
new hydrants
1,000 00
finising and furnishing police station
1,000 00
county tax
12,000 00
state tax
27,125 00
collecting taxes
1,000 00
479
Annual Meeting, March 27, 1871.
For discount on taxes
$7,000 00
abatement of taxes
3,000 00
extinction of town debt
6,000 00
interest on town debt
20,600 00
ringing bell
150 00
lighting town buildings and streets
10,000 00 200 00
care of cemetery and fencing
repairs of town buildings
4,000 00
town officers
8,000 00
town map
700 00
state aid
800 00
police
10,000 00
board of health .
200 00
new town hall
5,150 00
contingencies
7,000 00
care of sewers .
1,000 00
making and grading Davis street
10,000 00
The following appropriations made at adjourned meetings : April 10th. For making Boylston street, to be borrowed.
$14,000 00
For new engine house schools, additional
1,600 00
sidewalks, additional
8,000 00
discount on taxes, additional
3,000 00
addition to Heath street school-house
6,000 00
grading and fencing Ward school-house lot
2,500 00
reservoir, junction of Harvard and Washington streets . 2,000 00
May 2. For decorating soldiers' graves
200 00
For watering places for cattle
500 00
grading and fencing Ward school-house lot, additional . 3,000 00
highways, additional
3,000 00
Adjourned to meet on Monday, the tenth day of April next, at three of the clock in the afternoon.
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. P. Sanborn, requiring him, within three days from date thereof, to summon 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, to be sworn where an oath is required, or to
480
Brookline Town Records.
signify their refusal of said office. Also, to signify their acceptance or refusal of the office to which they have been elected, where an oath is not required by law.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
NORFOLK, SS. BROOKLINE, April 4th, 1871.
Personally appeared the persons below named and were sworn at the times set against their names, or signified their acceptance or refusal of the office to which they had been elected, viz. :
Assessors. Thomas B. Hall, sworn April 1st. William Aspinwall, declined April 1st.
Fence Viewers. Clark L. Haynes, sworn March 31st.
William K. Melcher, sworn April 1st.
Samuel A. Robinson, sworn March 30th.
Sealers of Leather. Willard Warren, sworn April 1st.
Pound Keeper. Eben W. Reed, sworn March 31st. Surveyor of Lumber and William K. Melcher, sworn April 1st. Measurer of Wood and Bark.
Sealer of Weights and Measures. Alfred Kenrick, Jr., sworn April 3d.
Field Drivers. John Bussell, sworn March 30th. George F. Palmer, sworn March 30th. John Gowan, sworn April 1st. Eben W. Reed, sworn March 31st. Thomas S. Pettengill, sworn March 30th.
School Committee George Brooks, accepted March 31st. Austin W. Benton, accepted April 1st.
for three years. William W. Newton, accepted April 1st.
Trustees of Public Library Thomas Parsons, accepted March 31st.
for three years.
R. G. F. Candage, accepted March 30th. ( John L. Gardner, declined April 1st.
Cemetery Committee. Thomas S. Pettengill, accepted March 31st. Robert S. Littell, accepted March 31st. Auditors. Edward I. Thomas, accepted April 5th. Daniel H. Rogers, accepted April 1st.
Attest :
B. F. BAKER,
Town Clerk.
481
Adjourned Annual Meeting, April 10, 1871.
ADJOURNED ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL 10, 1871.
Pursuant to adjournment, the citizens of the town of Brookline met at the Town Hall in said town on Monday, the tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, and were called to order at three of the clock in the afternoon, the Moderator, George F. Homer, in the chair.
The meeting then proceeded to fill the vacancies in the various offices occasioned by the non-acceptance or non- qualification of those chosen at the annual town meeting, as follows, to wit :
The meeting nominated and chose-
Truant Officer : George W. Funk.
Field Driver : Daniel C. Murray.
Surveyors of Lumber and Measurers of Wood and Bark : J. Anson Guild, William D. Coolidge, Frank F. Seamans.
The polls were then opened for the reception of votes for one Trustee of the Public Library for three years, and after being kept open fifteen minutes, and all persons qualified having an opportunity to vote, 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 seventy-nine, and were as follows: James M. Cod- man had thirty-three ; Robert Amory had forty-six, and was declared elected a Trustee of the Public Library for the ensuing three years, and accepted the office.
The polls were then opened for the choice of one Assessor for the ensuing year, and were kept open twenty minutes, and all persons qualified having an opportunity to vote if they desired to, they were declared closed.
The Moderator and Town Clerk then proceeded to sort and count the votes given in, and the whole number given in was eighty-one, and were as follows : Augustine Shurtleff had one ; William D. Coolidge had nineteen ; William Lin- coln had sixty-one, and was declared elected one of the Assessors for the ensuing year, accepted the office, and was sworn by the Moderator.
31
482
Brookline Town Records.
In voting for Trustee and Assessor, the check-list was used, and no person was allowed to deposit his vote until his name had been found and checked on the list.
Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to fill any vacan- cies in the list of officers usually chosen by acclamation.
The School Committee, to whom was referred the Fifth Article, " To see if the town will make an appropriation for additional accommodations at the Heath street school-house," reported the following vote, which was passed, viz :
Voted, That the sum of six thousand dollars be raised and appropriated for the purpose of furnishing additional accommodations at the Heath street school-house, and that the matter of furnishing such accommodations be referred to the School Committee, with full powers.
The Sixth Article, which was referred to the School Com- mittee, viz. : " To see if the town will make an appropria- tion for grading and fencing the Ward school-house lot," was taken up, and the committee submitted the following vote, which was passed, viz. :
Voted, That an appropriation of two thousand five hun- dred dollars be made, and that the execution of the work be referred, with full powers, to the Selectmen.
The Selectmen, to whom was referred the Seventh Article in the warrant, submitted the following report, viz. :
REPORT.
The Selectmen, to whom was referred the Seventh Article in the war- rant, to wit : "To see if the town will make a reservoir at the junction of Harvard and Washington streets," respectfully submit the following report :
1
The cost of a sufficient brick reservoir is estimated to cost fifteen hun- dred dollars. An eight (8) inch iron pipe laid from the main pipe of the Boston Water Works, on Boylston street, with a hydrant, is estimated at eighteen hundred and seventy-five dollars. There is no reason to believe that the Boston Water Board will allow such a pipe and hydrant to be laid.
In view of the facts, the Selectmen recommend to the town to appro- priate the sum of two thousand dollars for the purpose of constructing a reservoir or laying a pipe and hydrant at the junction of Harvard and Washington streets, as they shall find most expedient for the interests of the town.
CHARLES D. HEAD, Chairman.
Voted, To accept and allow the foregoing report.
483
Adjourned Annual Meeting, April 10, 1871.
Voted, That the sum of two thousand dollars be raised and appropriated to construct a reservoir or hydrant at the junction of Harvard and Washington streets.
The committee to whom was referred the Tenth Article in the warrant, to wit: "To see if the town will build a new engine-house on the land now owned and occupied by the town for that purpose on Washington street," submitted the following report :
REPORT.
The special committee appointed at the town meeting held March 27th, 1871, to report on the subject of a new engine-house, beg leave to submit the following report :
Your committee have found that the present engine-house on Wash- ington street is unfit for use, and recommend the erection of a new building, large enough for a fire-engine and a hook-and-ladder carriage. Your committee find that the lot owned by the town, on Washington street, on which the engine-house and hook-and-ladder carriage-house are now situated has a frontage of fifty (50) feet and a sufficient depth for a building suitable for the purpose above named. They have exam- ined plans and had sketches prepared, to get some idea of the cost of a building, and find that a substantial, brick building, with granite trim- mings, with suitable accommodations for a steam fire-engine and a hook- and-ladder carriage can be built for about fourteen thousand dollars ($14,000), and your committee recommend that the Selectmen have authority to build a suitable building, and that an appropriation of four- teen thousand dollars ($14,000) be made by the town for that purpose.
JOHN W. CANDLER. WM. K. MELCHER, ALFRED KENRICK, JR.
BROOKLINE, April 10, 1871.
Voted, To accept and allow the foregoing report.
Voted, That the sum of fourteen thousand dollars be raised and appropriated for the purpose of building a new engine- house, as recommended, and that the Selectmen have author- ity to carry out the recommendation of said report.
Eleventh Article taken up :
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