USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1932-1940 > Part 33
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H. W. CUTLER
School Committee
MRS. MARY S. MERRICK
HORACE J. RICE
Trustees of Public Library
H. W. CUTLER
DR. A. L. DAMON
MRS. MARY R. GREEN
Cemetery Commissioners HENRY I. EDSON ARTHUR E. DIBBLE BENJ. B. GREEN
Water Commissioners HOWARD F. CALKINS GEORGE E. NORTHUP ARTHUR K. PHILLIPPI
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Tree Warden ERNEST M. HAYN
Constables
ERNEST L. BACON
AUGUSTUS F. FRIEND
OREN K. GILBERT EVERETT P. PICKENS
JOHN B. TUPPER
Planning Board
RAYMOND H. BEACH J. LORING BROOKS HARRY R. JEFFERY ARTHUR I. MacDONALD ARTHUR K. PHILLIPPI
Officers Appointed By Selectmen
Registrars of Voters MRS. JENNIE T. ABBOTT, Clerk, ex-officio JOHN F. BALDWIN JAMES F. KEEFE HAROLD R. PORTER
Finance Board WALTER F. BERRY, Chairman WINTHROP E. BELL FRANK N. BODEN
J. LORING BROOKS LEON A. JEWELL LEE W. RICE
JOHN J. LYONS
Superintendent of Streets FRED C. PHELPS
Sealer of Weights and Measures CHARLES W. VINTON
Inspector of Provisions, Slaughtering and Cattle Inspector of Milk JAMES W. PICKENS
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Inspector of Buildings HERBERT F. SWETLAND
Gypsy Moth Superintendent E. RAY PEASE
Forest Warden JERRY DONAHUE
Fence Viewers HAROLD W. BROWN WILLIAM L. DEMPSEY JOHN J. LYONS
Dog Officer JOHN B. TUPPER
Clerk for Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Welfare HELEN C. BODEN
Bookkeeper for Selectmen E. G. BURBANK
Town Counsel ERNEST E. HOBSON
Board of Fire Commissioners WESLEY G. CHAPMAN JAMES T. FITZGERALD DAVID J. MUIR
In Memoriam
CHARLES C. BEEBE Died February 25, 1939, former Selectman and former State Representative in 2nd Hampden District.
CLARENCE P. BOLLES Died September 20, 1939, former Chairman Finance Board, School Committee, Former State Representative in 2nd Hamp- den District.
HERBERT W. BURBANK Died January 21, 1939, former Milk Inspector.
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Report of Town Meeting
February 6, 1939
Article 1. F. A. Upham was elected Moderator of the meeting.
Article 2. Minor officers elected :
Pound Keeper Lee W. Rice
Measurers of Wood and Charcoal
Walter Clark
Benjamin B. Green
Charles W. Vinton Robert M. Welch
Surveyors of Lumber
Walter Clark
Charles W. Vinton
Benjamin B. Green
Field Drivers
Harold M. Brown
John B. Tupper
James M. Pickens
Weighers of Grain
Ralph Bennett Henry Clark
J. Wilbur Rice
Article 3. Voted to accept the reports of the Selectmen, Board of Public Welfare, Treasurer, School Committee and other officers as printed.
Article 4. Voted that the compensation of all elected officers be the same as in 1938 with the exception of the Auditors' compensation which shall be $75.00.
Article 5. Voted the following appropriations : Public Welfare $14,000.00
1,250.00
Highways, Misc. Highways, Chap. 81 6,600.00
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Highways, Chap. 90
400.00
Contingent
600.00
Assessors' Expenses
100.00
Tax Collector's Expenses
375.00
Treasurer's Expenses
400.00
Registrar's Expenses
60.00
Town Clerk's Expenses
40.00
Building Inspector's Expenses
10.00
Town Office Rent
144.00
Contagious Diseases
5,000.00
Fire Department
2,900.00
Schools, Trade School Tuition, all Transportation
65,800.00
Dental Clinic
600.00
School Bonds, Interest and Retirement of Bond
3,240.00
Water Bonds, Interest and Retirement of Bond
5,160.00
Street Lights
2,400.00
Hydrants
1,950.00
Town Officer's Compensation
5,800.00
Memorial Day
75.00
Care of Parks
225.00
Printing Town Reports
269.60
Gypsy Moth
600.00
Tree Warden
200.00
Forest Warden
100.00
Police
350.00
Dependent Child Aid
600.00
Cemeteries
500.00
Reserve Fund
3,987.55
Library
1,000.00
Interest
500.00
Soldiers' Relief
1,200.00
Old Age Assistance
8,000.00
Maintenance of Water System
3,500.00
County Aid to Agriculture
50.00
Road Machinery Account
300.00
W. P. A. and Welfare Projects
2,500.00
Legal Claims
1,000.00
State Aid
100.00
Pines School Grading
200.00
Street Lights on Old Boston Road
20.00
Street Lights on Stony Hill Road
100.00
Water Mains Extension
1,000.00
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Water Mains Extension (Notes)
Water Main Under Bridge
11,000.00 500.00
Water Main Under Bridge (Notes, $1000. per year 1940-1944)
5,000.00
Improvement of Springfield Road (Chap. 500)
2,000.00
Springfield Road Curves (Chap. 500)
550.00
Well Child Conference
250.00
Safety Committee
75.00
Protection of School Children
600.00
Insurance and Bonding
800.00
Waste Disposal
300.00
Overdrawn Accounts
1,620.41
Americanization Class
200.00
$166,101.56
Article 6. Voted that the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the current financial year beginning January 1, 1939 and to issue a note, or notes therefor, payable within one year, and to renew any note or notes that may be given for a period of less than one year, in accordance with Chap. 44, Section 17 of General Laws.
Article 7. Voted to accept the following cemetery trust funds left to the Town since the last annual meeting; Chas. J. Parker $300.00; William H. Read $200.00; Martha E. Smith $50.00; Nellie Spencer $100.00.
Article 8. Voted that the Town instruct the Selectmen to prosecute any person selling or transporting intoxicating liquors in this Town contrary to the laws of the Commonwealth.
Article 9. Voted that the Dog Tax of 1938 be given to the Library.
Article 10. Voted to raise and appropriate $2,500.00 to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen for nec- essary costs of materials and trucking on the local W. P. A. and Work Relief projects or on local projects operated under the successor, if any, of the W. P. A.
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Article 11. Voted to appropriate $2,000.00 for the im- provement of Springfield Road from the fund received from the Commonwealth under the provisions of Chap. 500, Acts of 1938 providing State and County contribute toward same under provisions of Chap. 90, General Laws.
Article 12. Voted to raise and appropriate $400.00 for the maintenance of Chapter 90 roads, provided the State and County contribute toward the same, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 90, General Laws.
Article 13. Voted to instruct the Selectmen to institute or defend suits and employ counsel for the purpose of protecting the interests of the Town and to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 for this purpose.
Article 14. Voted to raise and appropriate $75.00 for the observance of Memorial Day.
Article 15. Voted to raise and appropriate $225.00 for the care of Parks at Wilbraham, North Wilbraham and Glendale.
Article 16. Voted to raise and appropriate $50.00 to be expended in the Town by the Hampden County Trustees for Aid to Agriculture in accordance with the provisions of the Laws of the Commonwealth.
Article 17. Voted to authorize the Selectmen to sell, after first giving notice of the time and place of sale by posting such notice of sale in some convenient and public place in the Town, fourteen days at least before sale of property taken by the Town under tax title procedure provided that the Selectmen or whomsoever they may authorize to hold such public auction, may reject any bid which they deem inadequate.
Article 18. Voted to raise and appropriate $200.00 to the use of the School Department for grading the Pines School grounds.
Article 19. Voted to raise and appropriate $75.00 to be expended by the Safety Committee, with the approval of the Selectmen, in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth.
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Article 20. Voted to raise and appropriate $600.00 to be used to protect the school children from traffic hazards.
Article 21. Voted unanimously to appropriate $6,900.00 for cost of materials and all labor not furnished by the W. P. A. to extend the existing water main on Springfield Street west from Stone Hill Road a distance of one mile and three tenths, with necessary hydrants.
Article 22. Voted to appropriate $2,000.00 for cost of materials and all labor not furnished by the W. P. A. to extend the existing water main on Stony Hill Road north from William Brown's residence, a distance of fifteen hundred feet, with necessary hydrants. A unanimous vote.
Article 23. Voted unanimously to appropriate $3,100.00 for cost of materials and all labor not furnished by the W. P. A. to extend the water main from Boston Road along Grove Street westerly along Manchonis Road for a distance of two thousand and five hundred feet with necessary hydrants.
Voted that the $12,000.00 appropriated in Articles 21, 22 and 23 be raised-$1,000.00 by taxation in 1939 and $11,000.00 by notes payable $2,000.00 per year 1940-1944 and $1,000.00 in 1945. A unanimous vote.
Article 24. Voted to accept Acton Street as a public highway.
Article 25. Voted to grant the use of the Glendale School for a period of three years to the Glendale Community Club.
Article 26. Voted to raise and appropriate $250.00 for the so called follow up work arising from the Well Child Con- ference.
Article 27. Voted to raise and appropriate $100.00 to install street lights on Stony Hill Road, north of Springfield Street to Boston Road.
Article 28. Voted to raise and appropriate $20.00 to install a street light on the Boston Road near the home of Miss Margaret Flanagan.
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Article 29. Voted not to raise and appropriate any money for the removal of ashes, garbage and rubbish from Weston Street, Acton Street, Dalton Street, and that section of Stony Hill Road north of the Boston Road.
Article 30. Voted to raise and appropriate $300.00 to secure two locations in the town to be used as dumping grounds. One in the Southeastern part of the town and the other in the Weston Street and Stony Hill area.
Article 31. Voted to adopt the following by-law under Sec. 38A of Chap. 41, General Laws-"The Collector of Taxes shall collect under the title of Town Collector all accounts due the Town."
Article 32. Voted to amend the zoning by-laws so as to change the zoning of the property of Frank and Mary Cieplik located at 4 and 412 Acton Street, from residential B to busi- ness zoning. A unanimous vote.
Article 33. Voted to amend the zoning by-laws so as to change the zoning of the property of Stanley and Fannie Krzesik located at 71 Stony Hill Road from residential B zoning to business zoning. A unanimous vote.
Article 34. Voted to instruct the Selectmen to dispose of the Stony Hill School house and property.
Article 35. Voted to appropriate $550.00 from the fund received from the Commonwealth under the provisions of Chap. 500, Acts of 1938 to acquire land for the purpose of straightening the curves on Springfield Street.
Article 36. Voted to raise and appropriate the following sums of money to defray the following overdrawn amounts for the year 1938: Miscellaneous Highways Account $1,198.34; Chap. 90 East Longmeadow Road $402.07; State Aid $20.00.
Article 37. Voted to close the piece of road south of the Glendale Cemetery connecting the Monson Road with Glendale Road.
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Article 38. Voted that $15,000.00 of the total appropria- tion be taken from the free cash in the treasury. Voted that all money appropriated at this meeting be raised and assessed on the polls and estates of the Town unless otherwise provided for at this meeting.
Article 5. Voted to appropriate $5,500.00 for the purpose of laying a 10-inch water pipe under the new bridge. $500.00 to be raised by taxation in 1939 and $5,000.00 by notes payable $1,000.00 per year in the years 1940-1944.
Voted to adjourn.
JENNIE T. ABBOTT, Town Clerk.
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Special Town Meeting March 25, 1939
Article 4. F. A. Upham was elected Moderator of the meeting.
Article 1. Voted unanimously to appropriate the sum of $2,000.00 from the Highway Fund provided by Chap. 2 of Acts of 1939 for the improvement of Springfield Road provided the State and County contribute toward the same in accordance with the provisions of Chap. 90, General Laws.
Article 2. Voted unanimously to appropriate the sum of $550.00 from the Highway Fund provided by Chap. 2, Acts of 1939 for the purpose of acquiring land for straightening the curves on Springfield Road.
Article 3. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $350.00 for the purpose of enforcing the laws, rules and regulations regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages in the Town of Wilbraham.
Voted to adjourn.
JENNIE T. ABBOTT, Town Clerk.
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Special Town Meeting September 1, 1939
Article 1. Mrs. Mary S. Merrick was elected Moderator.
Article 2. Voted unanimously that the terms "laborers, workmen and mechanics" as used in Sections 60 to 75 inclusive, of Chapter 152 of the General Laws, shall include such other employees, except members of the police or fire departments, regardless of the nature of their work, as may be employed on highway work to be done under contracts with the Common- wealth.
Article 3. Voted unanimously to rescind the vote taken under Article 1 at the Special Town Meeting held March 25, 1939.
Article 4. Voted unanimously to appropriate the sum of $2,000.00 granted by the Commonwealth to the town under the provisions of Chap. 500, Acts of 1938, to be used as a part of the regular Chapter 81 appropriation of $6,600.00 made at the annual town meeting.
Article 5. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 to be added to the Aid to Dependent Child- ren appropriation.
Article 6. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,500.00 to be added to the Old Age Assistance appropriation.
Article 7. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,100.00 to be added to the Miscellaneous High- ways appropriation.
Article 8. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $200.00 to be added to the Chapter 90 Maintenance appropriation.
Voted to adjourn.
JENNIE T. ABBOTT, Town Clerk.
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Special Town Meeting December 12, 1939
Article 1. William H. McGuire was elected Moderator of the meeting.
Article 2. Voted unanimously that for the consideration of two hundred dollars ($200.00) the Town grant and convey to the Socony Vacuum Oil Company, Incorporated, a right of way over, under and through a strip of land not exceeding two (2) rods in width, situate in said Town of Wilbraham, the center line of which is described as follows :- Beginning at a point on the northerly line of land now or formerly of William F. Ernst, et ux., distant three thundred and forty (340) feet, more or less, measured along said northerly line from the easterly line of Maynard Road; thence running N. 19° 30' E. through its land to land now or formerly of Howard A. King at a point distant four hundred (400) feet, more or less, southerly from the northeasterly corner of said land of said Town, meas- ured along the easterly line thereof, for the purpose of con- structing from time to time at the location herein designated, and maintaining and operating one or more lines of pipe for the transportation of petroleum, gas and petroleum products, and the right to cut and fell any trees or brush standing or growing within said two rod strip, and with free ingress and egress to construct, operate, maintain and from time to time, alter, replace, repair and remove the same; the deed conveying said rights of way to contain such conditions, conveants and agreements as the Board of Selectmen may deem advisable; and that the Selectmen be and they are hereby authorized and directed, in the name and behalf of the town, to execute, acknowledge and deliver a quitclaim deed conveying said right of way.
Article 3. Voted unanimously that the town grant and convey to Catherine C. McCarthy, formerly Catherine C. Conelly, without consideration, the following described real estate: A certain parcel of land situate in Wilbraham, bounded and described as follows: Commencing on the easterly side of the road leading from North Wilbraham to Three Rivers Township, (so called) and at an iron pin nearly opposite the southern bound of a certain lot or parcel of land known and
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designated as lot No. 16 (sixteen) as shown on a plan of "River- knoll" as recorded in Hampden Country Registry of Deeds, in Book of Plans 11, Page 11, said lot No. 16 (sixteen) being situated on the westerly side of said road known as the Three Rivers Road, and running thence from aforesaid iron pin along the easterly side of said Three Rivers Road northerly about one hundred (100) feet to an iron pin set, thence easterly along land of the Esper Realty Corportaion, about twelve hundred (1200) feet to an iron pin at an old wire fence; thence southerly along said oid wire fence about one hundred (100) feet to an iron pin at said old wire fence; and thence westerly along other land of said Esper Realty Corporation about twelve hundred (1200) feet to the place of beginning; containing about three (3) acres of land, be the same more or less; said premises to be conveyed subject to a right of way and other rights and easements to be conveyed by the Town to the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Inc. of New York; and that the Selectmen be and they are hereby authorized and directed, in the name and behalf of the town, to execute, acknowledge and deliver a quitclaim deed conveying said premises.
Article 4. Voted to adjourn.
JENNIE T. ABBOTT, Town Clerk.
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Town Clerk's Report
January 1, 1939 to January 1, 1940
Births Recorded
50
Births of Prior Years Recorded
9
Marriages Recorded
42
Deaths Recorded
44
Personal Proper Mortgages Recorded
27
Other Instruments Recorded
3
Oaths Administered
36
Gasoline Permits, Renewals
22
Dog Licenses, Male
218
Dog Licenses, Female
47
Dog Licenses, Spayed Female
65
Dog licenses, Kennel
3
Resident Citizens' Sporting Licenses
56
Resident Citizens' Sporting Licenes, Free
8
Resident Citizens' Hunting Licenses
105
Resident Citizens' Fishing Licenses
111
Resident Citizens' Trapping Licenses
2
Resident Citizen Women's and Minor's Fishing Licenses
31
Non-resident Fishing Licenses
1
Non-resident Special Fishing Licenses
3
Duplicate Licenses
2
JENNIE T. ABBOTT, Town Clerk.
Town Clerk's Expense
Appropriation
$40.00
From Reserve
1.16
$41.16
A. H. Bartlett Co., post card notices to dog owners and marriage certificates $3.40
James B. Logan, stamped envelopes 32.76
Palmer Register, note heads 5.00
$41.16
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Report of Selectmen
The termination of the year 1939 in the history and annals of the Town of Wilbraham is not only the termination of another year but is the termination of another decade, a decade in which town problems throughout the Commonwealth and the nation at large may possibly be remembered in the future as the "unsettled days of the thirties."
The duties and responsibilities of local government show no signs of decreasing, even though we enter the "forties" decade in the year 1940 with conditions to some degree better than they were at the termination of 1938.
The expenditures for general relief for 1939 of $11,656.93 were somewhat less than the figure of $15,313.28 for the pre- vious year. In connection with this, industrial conditions were considerably better and several private ventures which used common labor such as the construction of the Socony-Vacuum oil pipe line through the town served to furnish tempoary employment which prevented the necessity of furnishing aid to many persons who would otherwise have to be on the local relief rolls.
The W. P. A. program in Wilbraham greatly diminished in the number employed during the year and at the close of the year the number of workers employed locally was about fifteen. For these reasons we believe that the relief problem for the year 1940 will still be one to merit considerable con- sideration.
The increase in Old Age Assistance cases in Wilbraham has kept pace with the advanced usage of this type of relief throughout the Commonwealth. The report for 1939 shows that during the year there were 58 cases aided locally as com- pared with 47 in 1938. The sum of $17,739.71 was expended under the supervision of the Board of Old Age Assistance in 1939 as compared with the sum of $11,716.26 in 1938. Because of the fact that Federal and State reimbursement amounts to almost five-sixths on each approved case the net cost to the town increased but slightly.
A major change in the administration of relief took place throughout the Commonwealth on August 1, 1939 when the State Department of Public Welfare withdrew from the initial investigation function in all categories of relief, namely General Relief or Temporary Aid, Old Age Assistance, and Aid to
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Dependent Children. The State Department now acts in the capacity of a consultant instead of an investigating agency. Therefore, it is absolutely mandatory for our town government to maintain an investigating service and to follow with closest diligence the settlement problems of the person aided, the various points of law effecting reimbursement, and conformity to State and Federal policy, and a complete statistical service in order to properly obtain the reimbursement, both State and Federal, of which the town may avail itself upon proper and legal handling of the duties of the Board of Public Welfare. Adequate records are required to be maintained and accumu- latively kept up to date, and our Board believes that this change in policy is one which in no way should be minimized.
It is the belief of the Board that the Federal Government will shortly announce that they will refuse to participate in reimbursement in Old Age Assistance and Aid to Dependent Children cases where the work of administration is not per- formed by persons competent in the capacity by reason of training and experience, and the Board believes that our plann- ing and record in these functions will permit us to gain Federal approval. There has been persistent attention given for several years back to the accumulation of detailed records of the administration of relief by the Board of Public Welfare of Wilbraham and we believe that the standard of administration is equal to that of any town of similar size in the Common- wealth.
The 1939 Legislature has suspended for the present the construction of new highways under the provisions of Chapter 90 of the General Laws and therefore no Chapter 90 construc- tion was undertaken during 1939 nor is any contemplated for 1940. The only Chapter 90 participation now extended by the Commonwealth is the maintenance of existing Chapter 90 Highways.
The Board marks the passing of this cooperative type of road building with sincere regret inasmuch as all of the perm- anent highways in town were constructed as Chapter 90 High- ways with State and County participation, and our town like the other small towns which were the chief beneficiaries of Chapter 90 construction will be forced to progress more slowly on highway improvement.
As a supplementary effect of curtailment of highway construction in a small town there will be a lessened oppor-
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tunity to place unemployed, common labor on highway work in the summer months and an accompanying lessened prospect for relieving the aid rolls in the summer months.
Various categories of relief and the supervision of high- ways are two of the major responsibilities of the Board of Selectmen but another matter for supervision is fast demanding a greater apportionment of time and responsibility from the Board of Selectmen. Since the establishment of the legalized sale of alcoholic beverages, each year seems to bring greater responsibility to the Board in the enforcement of the rules, regulations, and laws concerning the sale of alcoholic bev- erages. In the opinion of the Board the permanency of the legalized sale of alcoholic beverages is on trial before the public and the cooperation accorded by the licensees to the proper . supervision of each licensed establishment will in the last analysis determine whether or not the voters of the town will approve or disapprove of the licensed sale of alcoholic beverages in the future years.
Because of the fact that it was impossible, on account of the diminuition of the number of men allowed to be employed, to complete the W. P. A. program of water main extensions and road changes planned for 1939 the Board does not believe it feasible or necessary to submit a W. P. A. program for 1940. We believe that there is sufficient material and projects left over from 1939 to keep the present small quota of W. P. A. labor allowed in Wilbraham completely employed during 1940.
We wish in closing to extend our sincere appreciation to all residents, members of other town boards, and representatives of the State and Federal agencies who have so kindly cooperated with mutual helpfulness during the year.
Faithfully yours,
GEORGE E. MURPHY, JR., WM. H. McGUIRE, ALBERT L. MARTIN, Selectmen.
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The town report for 1938 chronicled the passing of the old covered bridge built over the Chicopee River in 1852 connecting Wilbraham and Ludlow at the termination of Cottage Avenue in Wilbraham and Miller Street in Ludlow.
The new bridge of steel construction built by Coleman Brothers, Contractors of Boston, at the expense and under the supervision of the State Department of Public Works was opened to public use on Saturday, August 12, 1939 with exercises appropriate to the occasion.
The orator of the day was the Honorable Charles R. Clason, member of Congress from the second Massachusetts Congressional District who pronounced in the course of his address that the bridge would be henceforth known as the "Green-Towne" Bridge, as agreed by the Selectmen of Wilbra- ham and Ludlow. Thus is perpetuated the name of two out- standing public servants of the respective towns, Fred W. Green who was for thirty-four years a member of the Board of Selectmen of Wilbraham, and Frank A. Towne who was long a prominent merchant in the Town of Ludlow and a man who spent long years of service as a member of the Board of Select- men of his town.
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