1874-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 ably to the Report of the Committee.-" That vote was passed without opposition from any quarter—having the support even of citizens in the ontparts of the town, who might naturally he supposed to be opposed to the measure on local grounds. The Selectmen, in obedience to the instructions in the above cited vote, preferred their petition to the Legislature, for authority to drain the meadows—stating distinctly the advantages which `vould accrne to the land holders ; and , asking that the betterment provisions he incorporated in the hill, _" so that the advantages and burdens may he equally distributed." This Petition was published three several tinges in the Lexington Minute -man; and so must have come to the knowledge of the land holders generally,—and yet no objection was made. While this Petition was on the files of the Legislature, the Chairman of the Selectmen, at the suggestion of some of the friends of the measure, prepared a bill and read the sante, section by section, to the friends of the drainage and of the water company, who were assembled for the express purpose of hearing their respective bilis. After a careful reading the drainage bill was approved, containing the self- same. provision, relative to the betterment principle, that is now in the statute. The Act itself contains the provision that it shall have no binding force, unless it were ratified by the town. It was, therefore, laid before the town at a legal meeting called for that purpose, and adopted without opposition. Nay, after the bill was adopted .by the town, they directed the Select- men to go forward and carry out the provisions of the Act, by appropriating what was deemed necessary for the culverts in the Highways, and providing by a Ioau, for the means re- quired. to pay the expense of the draining in the first instance. Never was any measure more explicitly endorsed, approved and RATIFIED by the town ; and never was any Board of town officers more specifically instructed to carry out any measure, than the Selectmen have been in this case. Our instructions