USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Brookline > Town records of Brookline, Massachusetts, 1872-1884, v. 3 > Part 40
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WM. I. BOWDITCH, FRANCIS W. LAWRENCE, HORACE JAMES, OLIVER WHYTE, JAMES W. EDGERLY,
Selectmen of the Town of Brookline.
NORFOLK, SS.
BROOKLINE, February 6, 1879.
Pursuant to the within warrant, I have notified the inhabitants of the town of Brookline herein described, to meet at the time and place and for the purposes within mentioned, by posting up attested copies of this war- rant in three or more public places in said town, and have had true at- tested copies of the same left at each house in said Brookline, four days at least before the day of said meeting.
W. Y. GROSS, Constable.
In pursuance of the foregoing warrant, the inhabitants of the town of Brookline, qualified to vote in elections, met at the Town Hall in said town, on Tuesday, the eleventh day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine, and were called to order at half-past seven of the clock in the evening by the Town Clerk, who read the
480
Brookline Town Records.
warrant calling said meeting, and the return thereon of the officer who served the same upon the inhabitants of the town.
First Article taken up :
To choose a Moderator.
On motion of Hon. William Aspinwall, it was, -
Voted, That the meeting proceed to choose a Moderator by ballot, and that the polls be kept open five minutes.
The polls were then declared open for the reception of votes for Moderator, and were kept open five minutes, when they were declared closed. The Town Clerk then proceeded to sort and count the votes given in, and the whole number given in was ten. For Moderator, Thomas H. Talbot had ten, and was declared elected.
Voted, That the Sixteenth Article be taken up :
To choose three Auditors.
The following gentlemen were then nominated and chosen Auditors ; viz., -
Auditors : Messrs. Albert L. Lincoln, Jr., Horace Chapin, William D. Coolidge.
Voted, That the Fourteenth Article be taken up :
To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to appear before the present Legislature and urge the amendment of the school laws so as to limit the powers of the school committees and provide such other checks as will make them accountable to some competent authority.
Mr. Horace N. Fisher presented a series of resolutions on the subject, which were discussed at considerable length ; when, on motion of Mr. John W. Candler, it was -
Voted, That the subject of the Fourteenth Article be in- definitely postponed.
Voted, That the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Articles be taken up, to wit, -
Fourth Article :
To consider and act upon the report or reports of the Committee on Sewer Assessments, and the subjects therein referred to.
Fifth Article :
To accept Chapter 249 of the Acts of the General Court passed in the year 1878, entitled "An Act relating to the apportionment of sewer and sidewalk assessments," and take any action authorized thereby, by pass- ing any votes or by-laws.
481
Special Meeting, February 11, 1879.
Sixth Article :
To pass any votes or by-laws adopting the system of sewerage already begun by the town, by laying out and building the main intercepting sewer from the railroad bridge in the village to Charles river, or any other system to apply to any part or the whole of the territory in the town.
Seventh Article :
To consider the subjects of Chapter 232 of the Acts of the General Court, passed in the year 1878, entitled "An Act to amend Chapter forty- eight of the General Statutes relating to sewers and drains," and to take any action authorized thereby, by passing any votes or by-laws.
Hon. William Aspinwall, chairman of the Committee on Sewer and Sidewalk Assessments, presented the following report and votes ; to wit, -
BROOKLINE, February 11, 1879.
The committee to whom was committed the subject of the Second Article in the warrant calling the town meeting holden on the second day of July, 1878, to wit, -
" To see if the town will adopt a system of sewerage, establish a mode of assessment for the right to enter and use the sewers, adopt the Act relating to the apportionment of sewer and sidewalk assessments, approved May 15, 1878 (Stat. 1878, Chap. 249), and generally to hear and act upon the reports of the Committee on the Mode of Laying Assessments," re- spectfully recommend the adoption of the following votes : -
(1) Voted, That the town of Brookline hereby adopts the system of sewerage to be applied to the whole of the territory of said town, of which the intercepting sewer emptying into Charles river, and built according to the plans and under the superintendence of J. Herbert Shedd, civil engineer, forms a part, and which embraces all the sewers heretofore built and hereafter to be built in said town.
(2) Voted, That the town of Brookline hereby estimates that the aver- age cost of all the sewers constructed and to be constructed, and embraced in the system of sewerage now adopted, is four dollars and sixty-two cents per running foot of sewer.
(3) Voted, That the assessment authorized to be made by the Select- men by the fourth section of Chapter 48 of the General Statutes, shall be made upon the owners of the estates in said town embraced in the sys- tem of sewerage adopted by the town, by the following fixed uniform rate, based upon said estimated average cost of all the sewers therein; to wit, seventy-five cents per foot of frontage which such estates have on any street or way where a sewer is constructed, and three fourths of one cent per square foot of area such estates contain within one hundred feet of depth from such street or way.
Provided, however, that in respect to any estate fronting upon such street or way which, by reason of its grade or level, or for any other cause, cannot be drained into such sewer, the Selectmen shall not ascer- tain, assess, and certify the assessment thereon or give notice of such as-
482
Brookline Town Records.
sessment to the owner of such estate until the incapacity of such estate to be drained into such sewer has been removed.
(4) Voted, That when any owner of an estate fronting upon any street or way in which a sewer is already built has paid any assessment hereto- fore laid for such sewer, the amount of such assessment shall be de- ducted from the assessment to be paid in pursuance of the votes passed at this meeting.
(5) Voted, That the town hereby adopts the " Act relating to the ap- portionment of sewer and sidewalk assessments," being Chapter 249 of the Acts of 1878.
All which is respectfully submitted.
WILLIAM ASPINWALL, FRANCIS W. LAWRENCE, CHARLES U. COTTING,
HENRY M. WHITNEY,
JAMES P. FARLEY, Jr.,
THOMAS H. TALBOT, JOHN W. CANDLER.
On motion of William I. Bowditch, it was -
Voted, That the five votes be taken as a whole and adopted.
Twelfth Article taken up :
To see if the town will appropriate the sum of eleven hundred ($1100) dollars for improvements in school buildings, according to the request of the School Committee.
On motion of William H. Lincoln, it was -
Voted, That the sum of eleven hundred dollars be appro- priated for furnishing water closets in school buildings and for constructing covered ways to out-buildings, the same to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen and School Committee.
Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to borrow that. sum in anticipation of the taxes for next year, or take it out of any unexpended or unappropriated balances now in the treasury.
Tenth Article taken up :
To hear and act upon the report of any town officers or committees who may be ready to report.
Voted, That the subject of greater school accommodations in the immediate vicinity of Chestnut and Sewall streets be referred to the School Committee, to report at the annual meeting.
483
Special Meeting, February 11, 1879.
Third Article taken up :
To see if the town will accept the offer of the city of Boston for the right to use our main sewer and the lateral sewers in Brookline avenue and Washington street, or authorize the Selectmen or some committee to accede to this or some other proposition.
Voted, That the subject of the Third Article be recom- mitted to the Selectmen.
Second Article taken up :
To see if the town will accept and allow Station street, as laid out by the Selectmen.
Mr. William I. Bowditch, chairman of the Selectmen, presented the report of the Selectmen on the laying out of Station street, and moved its acceptance.
The subject was considered and discussed at considerable length, when, on motion of Mr. John W. Candler, it was -
Voted, That the subject of the Second Article be recom- mitted to the Selectmen for further consideration, and that they report thereon to the next annual town meeting ; and that they also report the estimated cost of a street fifty feet wide from the station to Harrison place, and through Har- rison place to Harvard street.
Eighth Article taken up :
To hear and act upon the report of the committee in reference to unit- ing with Boston in making a new channel for Muddy river.
The committee reported that they had not been able as yet to make any arrangements in relation to the matter, and asked further time.
Voted, That the Committee on a new Channel to Muddy River have further time.
Fifteenth Article taken up :
To see what action the town will take, if any, on the petition of C. A. Richards and others, to the Legislature, for a charter for an elevated rail- road in the town of Brookline.
On motion of Mr. William I. Bowditch, it was -
Voted, That a special committee be appointed and in- structed to appear before the committee of the Legislature, to whom shall be committed the petition of C. A. Richards
-
484
Brookline Town Records.
and others for a charter for an elevated railroad in Boston and neighboring towns, and oppose the same, with permission to employ counsel.
The meeting nominated and chose the following gentlemen to compose said committee ; viz., William Aspinwall, John W. Candler, James W. Edgerly.
Thirteenth Article taken up :
To see if the town will make an appropriation to pay Aaron D. Weld, Hannah D. Richards, and Mrs. Lucy Kingsbury for damages occasioned by taking their land for the construction of the water works.
Voted, That the claims of Aaron D. Weld, Hannah D. Richards, and Mrs. Lucy Kingsbury, mentioned in this article, be paid out of the water receipts now in the treasury, but no interest shall be paid to Richards or Kingsbury.
Dissolved.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk. .
SPECIAL MEETING, FEBRUARY 18, 1879.
WARRANT.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
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 Tuesday, the eighteenth day of February instant, at seven and one half of the clock in the evening, for the following purposes ; to wit, -
First. To choose a Moderator.
Second. To see what action the town will take in regard to the peti- tion of Alonzo Farrar and others, to the Legislature, that Brookline may be annexed to Boston.
-
Special Meeting, February 18, 1879. 485
Hereof fail not, and post a copy of this warrant in at least twenty public places in the town, and publish the same in any newspaper in the city of Boston, said publication to be at least twenty-four hours before the time of said meeting. Given under our hands at Brookline aforesaid, this fourteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
WM. I. BOWDITCH, FRANCIS W. LAWRENCE, HORACE JAMES, OLIVER WHYTE, JAMES W. EDGERLY, Selectmen of the Town of Brookline.
NORFOLK, SS.
BROOKLINE, February 17, 1879.
In pursuance of the within warrant, I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the town of Brookline, qualified to vote in elections, to meet at the time and place and for the purpose within named, by posting true attested copies of the same in at least twenty public places in said Brookline, and also published in the Boston "Journal," a newspaper published in the city of Boston, twenty-four hours at least before the day of said meeting, and have caused a copy of the same to be left at each house in said Brookline.
W. Y. GROSS, Constable.
In pursuance to the foregoing warrant, the inhabitants of the town of Brookline, qualified to vote in elections, met at the Town Hall in said town, on Tuesday, the eighteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- dred and seventy-nine, and were called to order at half-past seven of the clock in the evening by the Town Clerk, who read the warrant calling said meeting, and the return thereon of the officer who served the notice of the same.
First Article taken up :
To choose a Moderator.
The meeting nominated and chose for Moderator, Hon. William Aspinwall.
Second Article taken up :
To see what action the town will take in regard to the petition of
486
Brookline Town Records.
Alonzo Farrar and others, to the Legislature, that Brookline may be an- nexed to Boston.
On motion of Mr. James M. Codman, it was -
Voted, That Hon. William Aspinwall, Thomas Parsons, James W. Edgerly, Charles H. Stearns, James Driscoll, Moses Williams, Jr., be a committee to appear before the Legislature, and remonstrate on behalf of the town against the petition of Alonzo Farrar and others that Brookline may be annexed to Boston.
Dissolved.
Attest : B. F. BAKER, Town Clerk.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH 25, 1879.
WARRANT.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
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 Tuesday, the twenty-fifth day of March instant, at one of the clock in the afternoon, for the following purposes ; to wit, -
First. To choose a Moderator.
Second. To see if the town will accept the provisions of Stat. 1878, Chap. 255, entitled " An Act in relation to the election of selectmen and assessors of towns," approved May 15, 1878.
Third. To choose the usual town officers for the year ensuing, and, if the town shall deem it expedient, to choose two women to serve as Over- seers of the Poor, three women to serve on the School Committee, and three or more assistant Assessors.
Fourth. To hear and act upon the reports of town officers and com- mittees, and especially the report of the Committee on the Revision of the By-Laws.
Fifth. To hear and act upon the report of the Selectmen as to the
487
Annnal Meeting, March 25, 1879.
cost of extending Station street fifty feet wide through Harrison place to Harvard square, and, if the town shall deem it expedient so to do, to accept and allow Station street, as laid out by the Selectmen.
Sixth. To hear and act upon the report of the Selectmen in reference to appointing a Town Attorney.
Seventh. To see what action the town will take upon the petition of James Quinn and others that suitable schoolhouse accommodations may be provided in the immediate vicinity of Chestnut and Sewall streets, for the children living in that district.
Eighth. To see if the town will accept the list of jurors as revised by the Selectmen, and posted according to law.
Ninth. To see if the town will build and maintain two or more public bath-houses.
Tenth. To raise and appropriate such sums of money as may be re- quired to defray the expenses of the town for the ensuing year, and especially to act upon any and all the appropriations asked for or pro- posed by the Auditors, or by any town officers or committees.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Selectmen, four days at least before the day of said meeting.
Given under our hands at Brookline aforesaid, this tenth day
of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- dred and seventy-nine.
WM. I. BOWDITCH, HORACE JAMES, JAMES W. EDGERLY, OLIVER WHYTE, Selectmen of the Town of Brookline.
NORFOLK, SS. BROOKLINE, March 20, 1879.
In pursuance of the within warrant, I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the town of Brookline, qualified to vote in elections, to meet at the time and place and for the purposes within named, by causing a printed attested copy of the same to be left at their last and usual place of abode, also by posting the same in three or more public places, four days at least before the day of said meeting.
WILLARD Y. GROSS,
Constable.
In pursuance of the foregoing warrant, the inhabitants of the town of Brookline, qualified to vote in elections, met at the Town Hall in said town, on Tuesday, the twenty-fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine, and were called to order at one of the clock in the afternoon by the Town Clerk, who read
488
Brookline Town Records.
the warrant calling said meeting, and the return thereon of the officer who served the notices of the same upon the inhab- itants of the town.
First Article taken up :
To choose a Moderator.
Voted, That the polls be kept open five minutes.
The polls were then declared open for the reception of votes for Moderator, and were kept open five minutes, when they were declared closed.
The Town Clerk then proceeded to sort and count the votes given in, and the whole number so given in was thirty- one. For Moderator, Charles H. Drew had thirty-one, and was declared elected.
The meeting was then called to order by the Moderator, and prayer was offered by Rev. Reginald H. Howe.
Second Article taken up :
To see if the town will accept the provisions of Stat. 1878, Chap. 255, entitled " An Act in relation to the election of selectmen and assessors of towns," approved May 15, 1878.
On motion of Hon. William Aspinwall, it was -
Voted, That the town do not accept the Act of the Legis- lature, entitled "An Act in relation to the election of select- men and assessors of towns," approved May 15, 1878.
Third Article taken up :
To choose the usual town officers for the, year ensuing, and, if the town shall deem it expedient, to choose two women to serve as Overseers of the Poor, three women to serve on the School Committee, and three or more assistant Assessors.
On motion of Hon. William Aspinwall, it was -
Voted, That the town choose two women to serve as Over- seers of the Poor.
Voted, That the town do not choose three women to serve on the School Committee.
Voted, That the town do not choose three or more assist- ant Assessors.
On motion of Mr. Edward Atkinson, it was -
Voted, That the town now proceed to choose by ballot, on
489
Annual Meeting, March 25, 1879.
one ticket, the following town officers for the ensuing year ; to wit, -
A Town Clerk, five Selectmen, who shall be Surveyors of Highways and a Board of Health; seven Overseers of the Poor, two of whom shall be women ; three Assessors, a Treas- urer and Collector, a member of the Water Board for three years, four Trustees of the Public Library for three years, one Trustee of the Public Library for one year, three mem- bers of the School Committee for three years, two Trustees of Walnut Hills Cemetery for three years, three Auditors, one Commissioner of the Sinking Fund for three years, one Commissioner of the Sinking Fund for one year, two Fence Viewers, and twelve Constables.
Voted, That the Moderator be authorized to appoint two or more persons to assist in sorting and counting the votes.
The Moderator appointed the following gentlemen to assist in sorting and counting the votes ; viz., Messrs. Roland C. Lincoln, Austin W. Benton, Thomas Parsons, and Bradford Kingman.
Voted, That the polls be kept open for the reception of votes until fifteen minutes past five of the clock in the after- noon.
The polls were then declared open for the reception of votes for the various town officers before specified, and were kept open until fifteen minutes past five of the clock in the afternoon, when, after giving notice that they were about to be closed, so that any voter present who had not voted could have an opportunity so to do if they desired, they were de- clared closed.
On motion of Edward Atkinson, it was -
Voted, That when this meeting adjourns, it be to meet in this place two weeks from to-morrow, Wednesday, the ninth day of April next, at seven of the clock in the evening, and that no business be done to-day except the counting of the votes and ascertaining the result of the election.
The Moderator and Town Clerk then proceeded to help sort and count the votes given in, and the whole number so given in was seven hundred and thirty-five, and the follow-
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Brookline Town Records.
ing persons, having a plurality of the votes cast, were declared elected to the following offices ; to wit, -
Town Clerk : Benjamin F. Baker [sworn by the Moderator].
Selectmen, Surveyors of Highways, and Board of Health: Moses .Wil- liams, Jr. [sworn by the Moderator], R. G. F. Candage [sworn by the Moderator], Oliver Whyte [sworn by the Moderator], Francis W. Law- rence, Horace James.
Overseers of the Poor: Moses Williams, Jr. [sworn by the Moderator], R. G. F. Candage [sworn by the Moderator], Oliver Whyte [sworn by the Moderator], Francis W. Lawrence, Horace James, Mrs. Henrietta G. Codman, Mrs. Elizabeth Cabot.
Assessors : William Lincoln, Joel Anson Guild, William D. Coolidge [sworn by the Moderator].
Treasurer and Collector : Moses Withington [sworn by the Moderator]. Member of the Water Board for 3 years : Francis Hunnewell.
Trustees of the Public Library for 3 years : Charles D. Head, Benjamin F. Baker, James M. Codman, George M. Towle.
Trustee of the Public Library for 1 year: Thomas H. Talbot.
School Committee for 3 years : William H. Lincoln, Rev. Lawrence
J. Morris, William T. R. Marvin.
Trustees of Walnut Hills Cemetery for 3 years : Theodore Lyman, Desmond Fitzgerald.
Auditors : Albert L. Lincoln, Jr., Horace D. Chapin, William D. Coolidge.
Commissioner of the Sinking Fund for 3 years: Thomas Parsons.
Commissioner of the Sinking Fund for 1 year: John W. Candler. Fence Viewers : Clark L. Haynes, William K. Melcher.
Constables ; Eben W. Reed, George F. Johnson, Daniel C. Murray, Willard Y. Gross [sworn by the Moderator], Burnham C. Clark, Alfred E. Kenrick [sworn by the Moderator], Thomas S. Pettengill [sworn by the Moderator], George F. Dearborn, Burt R. Willis, Thomas J. Murray, Charles L. Palmer, Michael F. Curry [sworn by the Moderator].
In voting, the check list was used, and no person was allowed to vote until his name had been found on the list and checked.
After the counting and declaration of the votes, it was -
Voted, To adjourn, to meet in this place on Wednesday, the ninth of April next, at seven of the clock in the evening. 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 Willard Y. Gross, requiring him within three days
491
Town Officers Qualified, March, 1878.
from the 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 sev- eral offices, to be sworn where an oath is required, or to sig- nify their refusal of said office, also to signify their accept- ance or refusal of the office to which they were chosen where no oath is required.
Attest : B. F. BAKER,
Town Clerk.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
NORFOLK, SS.
Then personally appeared the persons below named, and were sworn to the faithful discharge of their duty at the times set against their names, or signified their acceptance or refusal of the office to which they had been chosen ; to wit,-
1879.
Selectmen, Surveyors of Highways, and Board of Health: Francis W. Lawrence [sworn March 26], Horace James [sworn March 26].
Overseers of the Poor : Francis W. Lawrence [sworn March 26], Hor- ace James [sworn March 26], Mrs. Henrietta G. Codman [sworn March 26], Mrs. Elizabeth Cabot [sworn March 26].
Assessors : William Lincoln [sworn March 26], Joel Anson Guild [sworn March 26].
Fence Viewers : Clark L. Haynes [sworn March 28], William K. Mel- cher [sworn March 26].
Constables : Eben W. Reed [sworn April 1], Burnham C. Clark [sworn March 31], George F. Dearborn [sworn March 31], Thomas J. Murray [sworn March 31], Charles L. Palmer [sworn April 28].
Trustees of the Public Library for 3 years : Charles D. Head [accepted March 27], James M. Codman [accepted March 27], George M. Towle [accepted March 27].
Trustee of the Public Library for 1 year : Thomas H. Talbot [accepted March 26].
School Committee for 3 years : William H. Lincoln [accepted April 2], Rev. Lawrence J. Morris [accepted March 27].
Trustees of Walnut Hills Cemetery for 3 years : Theodore Lyman [ac- cepted March 31], Desmond Fitzgerald [accepted April 2].
Auditors : Albert L. Lincoln, Jr. [accepted March 27], William D. Coolidge [accepted March 31].
Commissioner of the Sinking Fund for 1 year : John W. Candler [ac- cepted April 1].
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