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1896-Annual Report
REPORTS OF THE TOWN OFFICERS OF THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON FOR THE YEAR 1896. BOSTON: COBURN STATIONERY COMPANY, PRINTERS, 15 SCHOOL STREET. 1897. GEORGE EVELETH MUZkEY, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Lexington, died, after a short illness, December 13th, 1836. Mr. Muzzey was a native of Lexington, and was born August 4th, 1838. He was descended from one of the band of patriots who defied the aggression of England and stood before the murderous fire of the brutal Pitcairn and Percy on the ever -memorable 19th of April, 1775. Mr_ Muzzey himself was Quartermaster, with the rank of 1st Lieutenant, in the Twelfth Massachusetts Volunteers, serving from 1861 to 1865_ He was elected Selectman in 18.90; and served continuously until 1896, being Ohairmanfrom March, 1896, until his death. The following resolutions were adopted by his asso- ciates in office: • WHEREAS, It has seemed fitting and right to an all -wise Providence, to whose will we bow in sadness, to remove from our midst our fellow associate, wise counsellor, and true friend, George E. Muzzey, and WHEREAS, The old town where he was born, which he so dearly loved, and in which he took such an honest, manly, patriotic pride, has also been called upon to mourn the loss of the boy who grew up in her midst, and graduated from her schools, the youth who left her limits and bore arms to protect the nation's honor, and the man who so ably and faithfully administered her affairs, and who was at his post of duty until the very hand of Death had been laid upon him; be it RESOLVED, That in the death of George E. Muzzey, we, his asso- ciates in office, who best knew the personal side of his nature, testify by these resolutions to his sterling character, generous, kindly disposition, genial manner, and true worth, that we mourn his loss as that of a personal friend; and be it further RESOLVED, That the town of Lexington is also called to share the great shuck of bereavement that came to the community, and to -day feels that another name has -been added to the Iong list of those who have distinguished the town and themselves by their deeds of action and counsel. Isaac Muzzey, brave soldier, who laid down his life that a nation might be born. Benjamin Muzzey, able adviser, man of affairs, public spirited citizen, who himself died when in office, as Selectman of this town_ George E. Muzzey, both patriot and public servant, doing his duty on the field of battle aad at the post of public duty; the family name was found untarnished, and kept as it was found; and be it further REsoLvED, That a copy of those resolutions be sent to the imme- diate family, and that they be entered upon the records of the town_ EDWIN S SPAULDING, 2 Selectmen JOHN F. HUTCHINSON, f of Lexington.. LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. LExIt GTox, December 14, 1896. - LEXINGTON. LIST OF TOWN OFFICERS FROM MARCH, 1896, TO MARCH, 1897 SELECTMEN, OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. AND SURVEYORS OF HIGHWAYS. GEORGE E. MUZZEY. EDWIN S. SPAULDING. JOHN F. HUTCHINSON- JOSEPH F. SIMONDS. TOWN CLERIC. LEONARD A. SAVILLE. TREASURER EDWIN S. SPAULDING. COLLECTOR OF TAXES. GEORGE W. SAMPSON. ASSESSORS. WALTER WELLINGTON. GEORGE W. SAMPSON. SCHOOL COMMITTEE. HENRY H HAMILTON - - - - - ALFRED PIERCE EDWIN A. BAYLEY CEMETERYCOMMITTEE. GEORGE H. JACKSON (Treasurer) ABBOTT S. MITCHELL EMERY A. MULL•IKEN WILLIAM B. FOSTER. CONSTABLES. A 1IDITORS. GEORGE D. HARRINGTON. HILMAN B. SAMPSON- BOARD OF HEALTH. HENRY C. VALENTINE, M. D Term expires 1897. CHARLES M. PARKER Term expires 1898. ALBERT B. SMITH Term expires 1899. WATER COMMISSIONERS. FRANK H. LOCKE - - - - - - - Term expires 1897. BRADLEY C. WHITCHER Term expires 1898. EVERETT S. LOCKE Term expires 1899. Term expires 1897. Term expires 1898 - Term expires 1899. Term expires 1897 - Term expires 1898. Term expires 1899. CHARLES H. FRANKS. VERVE \'[EWERS. - JOHN F. HUTCHINSON- GEORGE W. SAMPSON. CYRUS MARTIN. FIELD DRIVERS. GEORGE L. GILMORE. ROGER L SHERMAN. H. L. ALDERM_ AN- SIIRVEYORS OF LUMBER. GEORGE E. MUZZEY. CARLTON A. CHILDS. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF CART LIBRARY. Consists of Selectmen, School Committee, and settled Clem -men of the town, OFFICERS APPOINTED BY THE SELECTMEN. RBGINEERS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE WARDS. WILLARD WALCOTT. CHARLES G. KAUFFMANN. THADDEUS L. BRUCE REGISTRARS OF VOTERS. QUINCY BICKNELL, JR. - - - - - . WILLIAM F. CALDWELL GEORGE H. CUTTER LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Clerk. TRCSTRE.S OF BRIDGE CHIARITABLE FUND. WALTER W ELLINGTON - - - - GEORGE O. DAVIS GEORGE E. MUZZEY t Term expires 1897. Term expires 1898. Term expires 1899. Term expires 1897. Term expires 1899_ Term expires 1901. TRUSTERS OF GAMMBLL LEGACY. MRs. LUCY M. WHITING. Miss LUCY N. BLODGETT. LIBRARIAN CARY LIBRARY. Miss FLORENCE E. WHITCHER. ASSISTANT. Miss MARIAN P. KIRKLAND. LIBRARIAN EAST LEXINGTON BRANCH CARY LIBRARY. Miss NRT.T IE HOLBROOK. TREASURER CARY LIBRARY FUND. EDWIN A. BAYLEY. TREASUREE OF CEMETERY FUNDS. GEORGE H. JACKSON. TOWN PHYSICIAN. IL C. VALENTINE, M. D. SUPERINTENDENT OF TOWN SCALES AND PUBLIC WEIGHERS. GEORGE W. SPAULDING. RUFUS W. HOLBROOK. WEIGILER OF HAY AND GRAIN. BRADLEY C. WHITCHER. SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. EVERETT S. LOCKE. MEASURERS OF WOOD AND BARK. FRANK V. BUTTERS. CARLTON A. CHILDS. GEORGE W. SPAULDING. AUCTIONEERS. J. F. HUTCHINSON. ABBOTT S. MITCHELL. JONATHAN BIGELOW. POLICE OFFICERS. WILLIAM B FOSTER. CHARLES H. FRANKS. SPECIAL POLICE OFFICERS (Without pay.) GEORGE H. THURSTON. GEORGE L. PIERCE. PETER T. GILOOLEY. BYRON E. ANDERSON. JOHN McLEOD. HARRISON W. MACOMBER. JOSEPH F. FLOOD. RAILROAD POLICE OFFICER (Without pay.) CLARENCE E. W ILBUR. SUPERINTENDENT AND MATRON AT ALMSHOUSE. MR. and Mas. ROBERT H. WHITE. JANITOR OF TOWN HALL. GEORGE H. THURSTON. JANITOR OF VILLAGE HALL. GEORGE L. PLERCE. JANITOR OF STONE BUILDING. GEORGE D. ESTABROOK. INSPECTOR OF CATTLE. CHARLES M. PARKER. LEXINGTON TOWN RECORDS. (FROM TOWN CLERK'S RECORD.) WARRANT FOR A TOWN MEETING. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1896. To WILLIAM B. FOSTER, Constable of Lexington, GREETING : In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the town of Lexington, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to assem- ble at the Town Hall on Monday, the tenth day of February, A. D. 1896, at 7.30 o'clock P. 11t., to act on the following ar- ticles, viz. : ART. 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting. On ballot, with the use of the check list, Augustus E. Scott was chosen as moderator. Mr. Scott asked to be ex- cused from serving, but the meeting refused to excuse him, and he was sworn by the clerk. ART. '2. To see if the town will authorize their treasurer, under the direction of the selectmen, to borrow the sum of six thousand dollars in anticipation of the taxes of 1896, to pay a note of the Hancock School House Loan, which becomes due February 11, 1896, the same to be assessed the current year. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey, it was Voted, That the town treasurer, under the direction of the selectmen, be authorized to borrow the sum of six thou- sand dollars, in anticipation of the collection of taxes for 1896, to pay a note of the Hancock School House Loan, and that the said amount be assessed the current year. ART. 3. To see if the town will vote to petition the Legis- lature for legislation to enable it to re -fund a part of its existing indebtedness, or ratify the petition made by the selectmen in behalf of the town for this purpose, or act in any manner relat- ing thereto. The matter embraced in this article was explained to the meeting by Mr. Webster Smith, and was discussed by Messrs. Scott, Clapp, and Janvrin, and it was Voted, That the town petition the Legislature for legisla- tion.to enable it to re -fund one hundred thousand dollars of its water debt, and that the petition made by the selectmen on behalf of the town be ratified. Voted, That the selectmen be requested to appear before the committee of the Legislature to whom the petition has been referred, and ask for an act substantially the same as the bill presented by them with the petition, and to do such other things as may be proper regarding the matter. (Votes unanimous.) ART. 4. To see if the town will take any action on the report of the committee, chosen to consider the matter of a system of sewerage, made in March, 1889, or act in any manner relating to any system of sewerage for the town. Mr. A. E. Scott took the floor and explained the great need of some system of sewerage, especially for the centre of the town, and the matter was discussed by Messrs. E. P. Bliss, Franklin Alderman, J. Bigelow, E. R. Ferguson, G. E. Muzzey, R. P. Clapp, and C. M. Parker. Mr. Scott offered a motion, which was amended by Mr. J. Bigelow and R. P. Clapp, and it was Voted, That the committee having in charge the considera- tion of a system of sewerage for the town, be requested to report at the annual town meeting, or a special meeting to be called for the purpose, what, if any, changes in their re- port and recommendations they would make in the light of the developments and progress of the past five years. Voted, That the selectmen be requested to place an article in the warrant for the annual town meeting, or a special meeting to be called for the purpose, to see if the town will act upon this report and appropriate money to carry on its recommendations. (The above was voted unanimously.) The committee having this matter in charge consists of Messrs J. O. Tilton, Geo. O. Whiting, M. H. Merriam, Geo. O. Smith, James S. Munroe. Meeting dissolved. A true record. Attest: LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. WARRANT FOR A TOWN MEETING. MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1896. To WILLIAM B. FOSTER, Constable of Lexington, GREETING : In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the town of Lexington, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to assem- ble at the Town Hall on Monday, the second day of March, A. D. 1896, at seven o'clock A. nl., to act on the following ar- ticles, viz.: ART. 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting. Voted, To proceed to the election of moderator by ballot, and that the polls be kept open one minute. • On ballot, with the use of the check list, eleven ballots were cast, ten being for Robert P. Clapp and one for A. E. Scott, and Robert P. Clapp was declared elected moderator and was sworn by the clerk. ART. 2. To choose by ballot the following town officers : One town clerk, three selectmen, who shall also be overseers of the poor and surveyers of highways; three assessors, one town treasurer, one collector of taxes, two auditors, two constables, all for the term of one year; one member of the school com- mittee for the term of three years; one member of the cemetery committee for the term of three years; one member of the board of health for the term of three years. ART. 3. To see if the town will vote for or against granting licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors in answer to the question, "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town?" The vote on the above question shall be by ballot, "Yes" or "No." The election officers will receive votes under Articles 2 and 3 on the official ballot prepared by the town clerk. The polls will be opened as soon as possible after the organ- ization of the meeting, and be kept open until five o'clock, P. M. ARTS. 2 and 3. Abram B. Smith and Irving Stone, who had been appointed by the selectmen ballot clerks, were sworn by the moderator, and they took and receipted for a package said to contain 1000 ballots for male voters and 98 ballots for female voters, also a copy of voting lists for male and female voters ; the ballot box was shown to be empty, and the key thereof was delivered to Wm. B. Foster, the constable in attendance, and the moderator declared the polls to be open, and the balloting commenced. Subsequently Charles M. Parker and Bartlett J. Harring- ton, who had been appointed deputy ballot clerks, and Bradley C. Whitcher, Henry A. C. Woodward, Francis M. Cobb and Patrick F. Dacey, who had been appointed tellers, were sworn by the moderator. At 11 o'clock, by consent of the moderator and town clerk, the ballot box wai opened and 150 ballots taken therefrom, and the tellers commenced their labors. At 2.20 o'clock 150 ballots were taken from the box, at 4.20 o'clock 50 ballots were taken out, and at the—close of the polls at 5 o'clock, 58 ballots were taken out, making 408 in all, which number agreed with the register on the ballot box, and the same number of names was checked on each voting list used. On the female voting list 5 names were checked, and that number of ballots was cast by them for school committee. 10 After the tellers had completed the counting of ballots and had tabulated the returns, the following announcement was made : For TowN CLERK—ONE YEAR. Leonard A. Saville George D. Harrington Blanks . 270 1 137 And Leonard A. Saville was declared elected for the en- suing year. FOR SELECTMEN, OVERSEERS OF THE POOR, AND SURVEYORS or IIIGHWAYS—ONE YEAR. John F. Hutchinson George E. Muzzey Webster Smith . Edwin S. Spaulding B. C. Whitcher . G. II. Cutter, H. G. Janvrin, F. Alderman. A. Bryant, F. E. Ballard, Irving Stone, C. S. Ryan, J. J. Toomey, Chas. Parker, P. F. Dacey, L. A. Saville, one each . 11 Blanks . 184 277 267 220 263 2 And John F. Hutchinson, George E. Muzzey, and Edwin S. Spaulding were declared elected. Fon 'I'owx TREASURER—ONE YEAR. Edwin S. Spaulding . G. W. Sampson and L. A. Saville, 3 each Geo. D. Harrington, 2; Martin Fahey, 1 Blanks . And Edwin S. Spaulding was declared elected. 349 6 3 50 11 FOR COLLECTOR OF TAXES -ONE YEAR. Charles G. Kauffmann George W. Sampson Blanks . And George W. Sampson was declared elected. FOR ASSESSORS -ONE YEAR. George W. Sampson Joseph F. Simonds Walter Wellington C. G. Kauffmann Irving Stone, L. A. Saville, 3 each J. L. Norris, G. D. Harrington, F. W. Herrick, J. F. Hutchinson, 2 each . 8 Harry W. Davis, G. II. Cutter, E. A. Bailey, G. II. Jackson, G. E. Muzzey, H. G. Janvrin, F. E. Bal- lard, A. B. Smith, D. A. Tuttle, P. F. Dacey, one each . Blanks . And George W. Sampson, Joseph F. Simonds, and Wal- ter Wellington were declared elected. 136 256 16 316 332 350 7 6 10 195 FOR AUDITORS -ONE George D. Harrington Hilman B. Sampson J. Burke, Rob. Britton, one each Blanks . YEAR. And George D. Harrington and Hilman B. Sampson declared elected. FOR CONSTABLES -ONE YEAR. William B. Foster Charles H. Franks 12 P. F. Dacey G. H. Cutter, A. S. Mitchell, Pat. Doyle, Jas. Kinneen, one each . 2 4 Blanks 109 And William B. Foster and Charles H. Franks were de- clared elected. FOR BOARD OF HEALTH -THREE YEARS. Albert B. Smith . F. Alderman. A. Gossom, Dr. H. C. Valentine, one each Blanks . And Albert B. Smith was declared elected. FOR SCHOOL COMMITTEE -THREE YEARS. Edwin A. Bayley . E. P. Nichols, Geo. W. Sampson, two each Patsey Green . Blanks . And Edwin A. Bayley was declared elected. (Five female votes for school committee). FOR CEMETERY COMMITTEE -THREE YEARS. 343 339 Emery A. Mulliken 2 A. S. Mitchell, Henry Bowen, one each . 132 Blanks . were And Emery A. Mulliken was declared elected. 363 338 " Yes," "No" Blanks LICENSE. 316 3 89 352 4 1 56 351 2 55 121 246 41 13 And the town voted No License. All business under the following articles will be acted on after one o'clock r. M. ART. 4. To receive the report of any board of town officers,. or of any committee of the town, for action thereon. At 1.30 o'clock P.m. the articles relating to town business were taken up, and, under Article 4, on motion of Mr. A. E. Scott, it was Voted, That the reports of the town officers, as printed in the annual report, be considered before the town for action thereon when no other business was being transacted. Rev. C. A. Staples called up the report of the police in relation to the number of tramps lodged the past year, and offered the following : "Resolved, That a committee of three persons be ap- pointed by the moderator to take into consideration the proper treatment of tramps by the town, and recommend some plan by which the town may be relieved from lodging and feeding them so far as possible, the same to report at a subsequent town meeting," which resolution was adopted by the town, and the moderator appointed as said committee, Charles H. Franks, Albert E. Tillson, and Jonathan Bige- low. ART. 5. To see if the town will accept the list of jurors pre- pared and posted by the selectmen. The list of jurors which has been prepared by the select- men and posted as required by law, was read by the clerk, who moved that the names Francis E. Kendall and Frank 14 D. Pierce be stricken from the list, they having been drawn as jurors since the list was posted. Voted, That the names of Francis E. Kendall and Frank D. Pierce be stricken from the list, and that the list as so amended be accepted by the town. ART. 6. To see if the town will make an appropriation for the proper observance of Memorial Day under the direction of Post 119, G. A. R. On motion of Mr. C. G. Kauffmann it was Voted, That the sum of one hundred and seventy-five ($175) dollars be appropriated for the proper observance of Memorial Day, including the decorating the graves of Revo- lutionary soldiers, under the direction of the quartermaster of Post 119, G. A. R. ART. 7. To see if the town will make an appropriation for the proper observance of April 19, 1896, under the direction of a committee of the Lexington Historical Society. On motion of Mr. R. P. Clapp it was Voted, That the sum of one hundred and fifty ($150) dol- lars be appropriated for the proper observance of April 19th, 1896, under the direction of a committee of the Lexington Ilistorical Society. ART. 8. To provide for the support of the public schools the ensuing year, and grant money for the same. On motion of Mr. Alfred Pierce it was Voted, That the sum of seventeen thousand ($17,000) dollars be appropriated for the support of the public schools for the ensuing year. 15 ART. 9. To provide for the support of the poor at the Poor Farm the ensuing year, and grant money for the same. On motion of Mr. E. S. Spaulding it was Voted, That the sum of one 'thousand ($1,000) dollars be appropriated for the support of the poor at the Poor Farm for the ensuing year. ART. 10. To provide tor the support of outside poor the en- suing year, and grant money for the same. On motion of Mr. E. S. Spaulding it was Voted, That the sum of two thousand five hundred ($2,500) dollars be appropriated for the support of outside poor the ensuing year. ART. 11. To provide for the support of the highways the en- suing year, and grant money for the same. Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey moved to appropriate eight thousand dollars. Mr. Franklin Alderman moved to amend by hav- ing the highway surveyors keep their accounts in four sepa- rate divisions : 1st, on orders of County Commissioners. 2d, on New Roads. 3d, on Highways. 4th, on State Road. Which amendment was put and declared carried, which was doubted, and a rising vote was taken, and 39 voted in favor and 24 voted in opposition, and the amendment was adopted, and under Mr. Muzzey's motion, as amended, it was 16 Voted, That the sum of eight thousand ($8,000) dollars be appropriated for highways the ensuing year. ART. 12. To provide for the support of street lights the en- suing year, and grant money for the same. On motion of Mr. Franklin Alderman it was Voted, That a committee of five be appointed by the mod- erator to investigate in regard to street lights and to report at the next meeting. The moderator stated that as he had a personal interest in the company supplying the lights, he did not wish to appoint the committee, and it was Voted, That said committee be chosen by nomination, and Franklin Alderman, A. E. Scott, James P. Munroe, Brad- ley C. Whitcher and Alfred Pierce were nominated and chosen such committee. ART. 13. To provide for the support of the fire department the ensuing year, and grant money for the same. Mr. C. G. Kauffmann moved 'to appropriate $4,200 for expenses for the fire department. Mr. G. E. Muzzey moved to amend by adding the sum of $200 for running the chemi- cal engine at the Centre Village, which amendment was adopted, and it was Voted, That the sum of forty-four hundred ($4,400) dol- lars be appropriated for the expenses of the fire department the ensuing year. ART. 14. To see if the town will make the appropriations for town expenses the ensuing year, as submitted by the select- men, or act in any manner relating thereto. 17 Mr. Franklin Alderman moved that when this meeting adjourn it be to a specified time, and this article be post- poned till that time, which was voted down. Mr. C. E. Wheeler moved that $1,000 be appropriated for an additional policeman at North Lexington, which was voted down. The list, as submitted by the selectmen and printed in the town report, was then taken up and acted on item by item, and it was Voted : For Abatement of Taxes Assessors . Auditors . Care of Common Collector of Taxes . Constables and Police Discount on Taxes . Fuel and Lights for Halls, etc. Hydrants,—laid on table. Interest on Town Debt . Interest on Water Debt . Insurance Janitors of Halls and Stone Building Librarians Maintaining Fire Alarm . Operating Water Works,—laid on table. Payment of Water Debt,—laid on table. Printing . Registrars of Voters Ringing Bells . School Committee . Selectmen, Overseers of Poor, and Surveyors of Highways . Removal of Snow,—no appropriation made. Street Lighting,—laid on table. .14 500.00 500.00 100.00 100.00 600.00 2,000.00 600.00 1,000.00 2,600.00 8,000.00 1,100.00 800.00 1,050.00 250.00 600.00 100.00 70.00 300.00 1,000.00 18 Treasurer of Cary Library Town Clerk . Town Treasurer 50.00 200.00 250.00 Watering Streets,—laid on table. Voted, That all sums so far appropriated at this meeting be assessed the present year. ART. 15. To see if the town will authorize their treasurer, under the direction of the selectmen, to borrow money for any necessary purpose in anticipation of the collection of taxes the current year, the same to be paid directly from the proceeds of said taxes, or act in any manner relating thereto. On motion of L. A. Saville it was Voted That for the purpose of procuring a temporary loan to and for the use of the town of Lexington, in anticipation of the taxes of the present municipal year, the town treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to borrow from time to time, with the approval of the board of selectmen, a sum or sums in the aggregate amounting to forty thousand dollars, and to execute and deliver the note or notes of the town therefor, payable within one year from the time the loan is made, with interest thereon at a rate not exceeding five per cent. per annum. Any debt or debts incurred by a loan to the town under this vote shall be paid from the taxes of the present municipal year. ART. 16. To see what measures the town will adopt in rela- tion to the collection of taxes the ensuing year, or act in any manner relating thereto. On motion of L. A. Saville it was Voted, That all taxes for the current year be made payable on or before December 1st, 1896, and that a discount of 19 one-half of one per cent. for all full months prior to said date be deducted for prompt payment, and that all taxes re- maining unpaid at that date be subject to interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum, and that the collector be in- structed to collect all taxes before June 1st, 1897. ART. 17. To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to draw from any unappropriated money in the treasury for the payment of contingent expenses. On motion of Mr. H. G. Janvrin it was Voted, That the selectmen be authorized to draw from any unappropriated money in the treasury to pay contingent expenses. ART. 18. To see if the town will make an appropriation to construct sidewalks with concrete or other materials, where the abutters will pay one-half the expense thereof. On motion of Mr. Webster Smith it was Voted, That the sum of five hundred ($500) dollars Joe appropriated to construct sidewalks with concrete or other materials, where the abutters will pay one-half the expense thereof. ART. 19. To see if the town will provide for the care and management of the property purchased of the Lexington Water Company, and regulate the supply of water to its inhabitants by the adoption_ofaby-laws, or in any other manner; or take any action relative to its water property and water supply. On motion of Mr. J. F. Maynard it was Voted, That the consideration of this article be postponed to adjourned meeting, and that a committee of five be ap- 20 pointed by the moderator to prepare rules and by-laws for the management of the water works, and the moderator ap- pointed A. E. Scott, Geo. E. Muzzey, John F. Maynard, A. S. Parsons and Irving Stone such committee. ART. 20. To see if the town will vote to have the town records printed or copied, or will adopt any plan, or take any means for the better preservation of such records, and make an appropriation therefor. On motion of Rev. C. A. Staples it was Voted, That a committee of three be appointed by the moderator to consider the matter and to report at the ad- journed meeting or next town meeting, and Rev. C. A. Staples, George O. Smith, and Edward P. Bliss were ap- pointed such committee. ART. '21. To see if the town will alter or amend Article 1 of the town by-laws in regard to notifying the inhabitants to attend town meetings. • This article was discussed by Messrs. Franks, Clapp, Wellington, Parsons and Mitchell, and, finally, on motion of Mr. W. B. Foster, it was Voted, That Article 1 of the town by-laws be amended to read as follows : Notice of every town meeting shall be given by posting a copy of the warrant calling the same in the post offices and two other public places in the town, and by mailing a printed copy of the warrant to every registered voter in the town, not less than seven days before the time appointed for such meeting. But in case of any emergency arising, making it necessary, in the judgment of the selectmen, to call a meet- 21 ing without giving so long a notice, the said meeting may be notified by posting copies of the warrant as before pro- vided, and by mailing a printed copy of the warrant to every registered voter in the town, not less than three days before the time of such meeting : and the return of the person or persons appointed to distribute the warrant, stating the manner of notice, shall be indorsed on the warrant. Voted, To reserve the matter of providing for the presen- tation of the amended by-law to the court for approval, and the publication thereof, until the adjourned meeting. (This amended by-law approved and published by the court April 7, 1896.) ART. 22. To see if the town will alter or amend Section 12 of Article 4 of the town by-laws in regard to the obstruction of sidewalks and doorways. On motion of Mr. A. S. Mitchell it was Voted, To amend Section 12 of Article 4 of the town by- laws to read as follows : Whoever remains standing on any sidewalk or traveled place, or sits upon any fence or stone wall bounding on any sidewalk or traveled place in such manner as to impede the free passage of travel, or otherwise annoy any person passing ; or remains upon any door -step or other projection of any building so as to annoy or disturb the occupant thereof, or neglects to depart therefrom when ordered so to do by any constable police officer, or occupant of said building, shall for each offence pay a fine not exceeding twenty dollars. Voted, To reserve the matter of providing for the presen- tation of the amended by-law to the court for approval, and the publication thereof, until the adjourned meeting. 22 (This amended by-law was not allowed by the court). ART. 23. To see if the town will name the new street ex- tending from Chandler street, between houses of James P. Prince and Chas. E. Morey, to premises of A. A. Wetherbee ; or take any action relating to a name therefor. Mr. Clapp presented a petition from the residents on the street referred to, favoring the name of Upland Road, and it was Voted, That said street be called " Upland Road." ART. 24. To see if the town will reimburse to Eliphalet S. Wetherbee the taxes paid by him on a portion of his personal property tax for the past sixteen years, which he has paid under a misunderstanding on his part of his assessment of said person- al property; or act in any manner relating thereto. Mr. Geo. W. Sampson stated the facts in relation to the matter, and after some discussion it was, on motion of Rev. C. A. Staples, Voted, To refer the matter to a committee of three, to be appointed by the moderator, to investigate and report at ad- journed meeting. ART. 25. To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to make a further contract with the State Highway Commissioners for the construction. of an additional section of the new state highway. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, That the selectmen are hereby authorized to make a contract with the Massachusetts State Highway Commis- sioners for the construction of a state road from the present 23 terminus on Middle street, over Middle, School, and Marrett streets and Massachusetts avenue to the Lincoln line. ART. 26. To see if the town will vote to purchase a steam- roller for highway purposes and appropriate money for the same, or act in any manner relating thereto. Mr. Webster Smith explained in regard to arrangements made with the company owning the steam -roller used the last season, and on notion of Mr. John F. Maynard it was Voted, That the sum of twenty-five hundred ($2,500) dollars be appropriated for the purchase of a steam -roller. ART. 27. To hear and act on the report of the selectmen on the laying out of new streets over the land of the Lexington Land Co., on the petition of II. G. Janvrin and others. Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey, for the selectmen, made the follow- ing report : On petition of Hiram G. Janvrin and others, we hereby recommend, that the following streets on plan of Lexington Land Co., known as Warren and Bennington streets, to be called Warren street, be laid out and accepted, together with a street forty feet wide connecting said streets over land of William H. Munroe, when the latter is constructed to the satisfaction of the selectmen. Also that the street known as Washington street on plan of Lexington Land Co., be laid out and accepted when con- structed to the satisfaction of the selectmen, and when at least one house is in the process of erection on said street. These streets are to be deeded, free of incumbrance, to the town of Lexington. WEBSTER SMITH, Selectmen GEO. E. MUZZEY, of E. S. SPAULDING, Lexiagton.. 24 Voted, That the report of the selectmen be accepted and its recommendations be adopted. ART. 28. To hear and act on the report of the selectmen on the laying out of new streets over the land of W. H. Munroe and A. S. Parsons, on the petition of James S. Munroe and others. The selectmen had prepared a report but as some altera- tions were desired, on motion of Mr. A. S. Parsons, it was laid on the table till the adjourned meeting. w ART. 29. To hear and act on the report of the selectmen on the laying out of a new street over land of Canterbury and Driver, from Massachusetts avenue near the Arlington line, on petition of N. D. Canterbury and others. Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey, for the selectmen, made the follow - i. ing report : On petition of Nathan D. Canterbury and others, we here- by recommend the laying out and accepting of Sylvia street, forty feet wide, over land known as “ Dexter Hillside," running southwesterly six hundred feet more or less, nearly to Arlington line, when said street shall have been con- structed to the satisfaction of the selectmen and deeded free of all incumbrance to the town of Lexington. WEBSTER SMITH, Selectmen GEO. E. MUZZEY, of E. S. SPAULDING. Lexington. Voted, That the report of the selectmen be aecepted and its recommendations be adopted. ART. 30. To hear and act on the report of the selectmen on the laying out of a new street over land of F. F. Sherburne, on the petition of said Sherburne and others. 25 Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey, for the selectmen, made the follow- ing report : On petition of F. F. Sherburne and others, we hereby recommend that a street to be called Highland avenue, five hundred (500) feet long and sixty (60) feet wide, running westerly over land of F. F. Sherburne, as per plan drawn by Frank P. Cutter, be laid out and accepted. Said street to be constructed to the satisfaction of the selectmen and deeded to the town of Lexington free of all incrumbrance. WEBSTER SMITH, Selectmen GEO. E. MUZZEY, of E. S. SPAULDING. Lexington. Voted, That the report of the selectmen be accepted and its recommendations be adopted. ART. 31. To choose such other town officers as are usually chosen by nomination. Voted, That action under this article be postponed till the adjourned meeting. ART. 32. To hear and act upon a report of the committee on a system of sewerage for the town, authorized at meeting held February 10, 1896. On motion of Mr. A. E. Scott it was Voted, That action under this article be deferred till the adjourned meeting. Voted, That all further action under the warrant, except under Articles 2 and 3, be postponed until March 16, 1896, at 7.30 o'clock P. M. 26 After the announcement of the result of balloting under Articles 2 and 3, as previously recorded, the ballots cast and the tally sheets and check lists used were sealed up and en- dorsed by the election officers, as provided by law, and delivered to the custody of the town clerk, after which the moderator declared the meeting adjourned until Monday, March 16, 1896, at 7.30 o'clock, P. M. ADJOURNED MEETING. The meeting which was adjourned to March 16, 1896, at 7.30 o'clock, P. M., was called to order by the moderator at 7.40 o'clock, P. vi. ART. 32. Dr. J. O. Tilton moved to take up Article 32, which was voted, and Dr. Tilton, for the Committee on Drainage and Sewerage, read the following report : The committee appointed by the town to investigate con- cerning a system of drainage and sewerage for the town of Lexington, in making this further report, to avoid unneces- sary reiteration, beg leave to refer to their former reports, especially that of March, 1890, and printed with the town report of that year. Your committee have delayed making this report earlier, because the attention and resources of the town were devoted to other matters of importance, par- ticularly the erection of the new school building. Mean- while, the subject has been continually the study of the com- mittee, and much valuable information confirmatory of the efficiency of the system •before recommended has been ob- tained, and we are still of the opinion that the best system 27 of sewerage disposal for the center village is the "filtration" system, or, as it should be more precisely called, the " al- ternate in filtration system." This system has been the subject of thorough and scientific investigation by the State Board of Health at their experimental station at Lawrence, and the results of their experiments elaborately set forth in the re- port of their engineer, Mr. Hiram F. Mills, recently issued. It may be desirable to describe briefly the system referred to, in order that the distinguishing characteristics of that system be understood. It contemplates a tract of land, the soil of which is of a porous nature, suitably prepared by underdraining and such other treatment as may be found necessary, preferably located, so that sewerage will flow to it by gravity, and proximate to some stream into which the innocuous effluent may be carried away. The area is to be sub -divided into several smaller tracts, each made nearly level. Sewerage is directed to one of these areas in quanti- ties adapted to its capacity. When sufficient has been ap- plied, the sewerage is then directed to another of the sub- divisions, and so on to the last, when the first is ready to be used again. The sewerage immediately begins to settle into the soil, slowly moving and mingling with the air which fills the innumerable interstices, and extending the liquid to al- most infinite thinness around and among the small particles of sand compassing the bulk of the soil, so detaining any organic matters held in suspension or solution in exposure to the oxidizing influence of the air. As the liquid subsides and evaporates, the air follows down into the soil in the par- tial vacuum occasioned by the subsidence of the water, and coming in contact with the numerous wet surfaces of the par- ticles of sand, completely oxidizes or burns up the organic mat- ter brought into the soil. The effluent water which has thus become innocuous, is carried away by such natural avenues as exist. The disposal of the organic matter is not on ac- count of straining or mechanical separation, as is the case in 1 28 ordinary filtration, for then the filter bed would soon become saturated, but a chemical operation occurs by which the organic matter is oxidized or burned, so that there is no ap- preciable residuum. Other chemical combinations occur important to the puri- fication of the water, resulting in converting the nitrogenous matter into mineral salts (salt and saltpetre) and the de- struction of bacteria. Sewerage may thus be purified at the rate of from 60,000 to 100,000 gallons per acre per diem. Lest there should be anxiety in some quarters that such fil- tering beds would be a nuisance to the neighborhood, it should be borne in mind that fresh sewerage is simply dirty water—a large amount of water conveying a small amount of putrescible matter (two parts in one thousand) . A prompt and thorough disposal of all human excrement and household liquid waste, affords no opportunity for putrefac- tion to set in and disease germs to generate. It is when this putrescible matter is carried to the cesspool and privy vault and held in stagnation, that putrescence sets in, liber- ating noxious gases and generating disease germs. On a trip made through the main sewer of Boston, three and a half miles distance, a representative of the Boston Herald, one of a party, stated that the air in the sewer was purer than that of most of the Boston school rooms. When the sewage reaches the filter beds it will not remain exposed, but immediately sinks into the soil. The estimated cost for the entire system of drainage, including the race course land, five miles of sewer pipe laid, and the necessary drainage of soil water, together with provisions for future increase of population, is estimated by the engineers, as before stated, at fifty thousand dollars. This, indeed, is a large sum of money, but when considered in detail, and in view of the benefits derived, it is believed will be found to be moderate and not burdensome. It amounts to about one and one-half per cent. of the valuation of the town. The system pro- 29 vides ultimately for a population of seven thousand five hundred. It also provides for the separate drainage of the soil water and cellars. The system is adapted and in suc- cessful use in several places, viz., most notably at Framing- ham, Mass. Agricultural crops may be successfully culti- vated at the filtering basin, but rather as an incident than an important factor in the disposition of the sewage. The principles applicable to the method of assessing for the cost of constructing and maintaining common sewers, are not so well established by practice or law as to be free from con- siderable difficulty in their application. The distribution of the cost upon the parties and properties benefitted in true proportion to the benefit, will be admitted as just in prin- ciple. The inquiry then arrives, who are the parties and what the property thus benefitted, and then, the proper ap- portionment of the cost among the beneficiaries? Promi- nent among the objects to be promoted, if not the paramount one, is the health of all the ihahalitants. The germs of dis- ease are borne on the wings of the wind, are in the air we breathe, and no condition is exempt from the danger which threatens every individual, from noxious gases or floating disease germs. A majority of the inhabitants do not own real estate, still more are not possessed of personal property in value above the legal exemption; yet their welfare is of equal importance and general concern. Therefore, we say that the town, as a whole, ought to assume some substantial part of the expense in the general tax levy, the only way in which personal property can contribute. The benefit to real estate is partially incidental and partly direct, yet substan- tial, therefore it ought to bear its part. Private convenience is subserved and householders and business properties should bear their proportions. The law, as it stands today, is probably the best formulation of this problem available, and it is worth while, in this connection, to give some pertinent extracts. Sec. 4, Chap. 50, reads : 30 "Every person who enters his particular drain into such main drain or common sewer, or who, by more remote means, receives benefit thereby for draining his cellar or land, shall pay to the city or town a proportional part of the charge of making and repairing the same, and of the charge, not already assessed, of making and repairing other main drains and common sewers through which the same discharges, to be ascertained, assessed, and certified by the mayor and aldermen, or selectmen ; and notice thereof shall be given to the party to be charged or to his tenant or lessee." Section 7 provides that— "The city council of a city or the legal voters of a town may adopt a system of sewerage for a part or the whole of its terri- tory, and may provide that assessments under Section 4 shall be made upon owners of estates within such territory by a fixed uniform rate, based upon the estimated average cost of all the sewers therein, according to the frontage of such estates on any street or way where a sewer is constructed, or according to the area of such estates within a fixed depth from such street or way, or according to both such frontage and area; but no as- sessment in respect to any such estate which, by reason of its grade or level, or for any other cause, cannot be drained into such sewer, shall be made, certified or notified until such in- capacity is removed." Section 11 provides : * * * "That a part of the expense of constructing, main- taining and repairing main drains or common sewers shall be paid by such city or town." \re therefore submit, as within the law and substantially equitable, the following method of apportionment : That the town shall assume the construction of the sys- tem, providing the money thereforlby means of a loan of some sort, either by notes or bonds, to maintain the works, and for its reimbursement therefor should assess in the 31 general tax levy one-third of the estimated cost, 50300_ $16,666. Assuming there are four miles of sewer available for use of abutters, there will be 42,240 feet of abutters' frontage. Assess the sum of 35 cts. per ft. of frontage of 42,240 = $14,784. For an average depth of 200 feet there will be 8,448,000 sq. ft. of area, upon which assess 2 mills per sq. ft., And for remote land in the drainable area, estimated at one-eighth the above, Or, omitting the remotely improved land for future assessment, then it will be for 42,240 ft. frontage at 40 cts., And for 8,448,000 sq. ft. land abutting at .002 1-2, And levy tax of 1-3, 816,896 2,112 819,008 ' 16,666 14,784 850,458 816,896 21,120 16,666 *54,682 And for maintenance, repairs, etc., an entrance fee of from $15.00 to $30.00, according to the magnitude of the service. Example illustrating the assessment of an estate : 20.E 1.2 Having 100 ft. frontage at 40 cts., 8 40.00 Having 200 ft. depth at .002 1-2, 50.00 40,000 10.000 50.000 890.00 Plus the entrance fee, 15.00 8105.00 At 6 per cent. _ $6.30, the annual expense to such an es- tate for the disposition of its sewage and ground or cellar drainage. 32 An estate having 75 ft. frontage at 40 cts., 8 30.00 having 200 ft. depth at .002 1-2, 37.50 67.50 Plus the entrance fee, 15.00 8 82.50 City of Newton is assessed 60 cents per front foot and .006 per sq. foot. At Turner's Falls the town pays 4 and the abutters I. City of Chelsea assesses an area 100 feet deep from the street. City pays , land 4. Brookline assesses 75 cents per front foot and / cent per sq. foot, not exceeding 100 feet deep. Thus it will be seen that the tax proposed is not a burdensome one. The whole work need not be constructed at once, only those parts where the most urgent necessity exists. For an expenditure of about $30,000, the sewers could be laid for the principal and most needy portions of the village requiring only a partial prep- aration of the filtration beds. For East Lexington we see no other way than that of entering the Metropolitan Sewer- age System through Arlington, by one of its main sewers. If it were not for the cost, your committee would deem the best disposal of its sewage, with least trouble and care, to be by the Metropolitan System by direct main down Massachusetts avenue to connect at Arlington. As there is no other way for East Lexington, it may be found, when the time comes, for a sewerage system to be better, although at greater first cost, to take the entire sewage by that route. In order to do so, Lexington will have to apply to the Legislature for permission to enter. M. H. MERRIAM, GEO. O. SMITH, J. S. MUNROE, G. O. WHITING, J. O. TILTON, Committee. 33 Rev. C. A. Staples moved that the report of the commit- tee be accepted as a report of progress, which was carried. The matter was discussed for fully two hours by the fol- lowing gentlemen : A. E. Scott, Geo. E. Muzzey, Dr. J. 0. Tilton, M. H. Merriam, Rev. C. A. Staples, Franklin Alderman, A. S. Parsons, Alfred Pierce, John L. Norris, Geo. 0. Smith, John Devine, James P. Munroe, A. S. Mitchell, Jonathan Bigelow and others, and it was Voted, That the present committee appear before the Legislative committee at the hearing of the town of Arling- ton, to be held March 17, 1896, and that said committee he authorized to make such arrangement with the town of Ar- lington in regard to connecting with their sewer pipes as may seem to them wise. All of said committee present (except G. 0. Whiting, who was not at the meeting) declined to have anything more to do with the matter, and asked to be excused from serving longer, but the town refused' to excuse them, and finally, on motion of Mr. A. E. Scott, amended by Messrs. Mitchell, Clapp, and Parsons, it was Voted, That the same gentlemen continue to act as a committee on a system of sewerage, that they b3 re-. quested to complete the surveys necessary to carry out the system recommended for the central part of the town, that they prepare a detailed statement showing the territory to be benefitted by the system, that part of the system which they recommend to be built at once ; the cost thereof, the proportion of the cost which they recommend to be borne by the town and the abutters, and a proposed act to be presented to the Legis- lature to enable the town to carry out the recommendations of the committee and construct the system, and to report in print to the town at a meeting to be called in November i 't 34 next or earlier in the season, in the discretion of the commit- tee, and that the sum of five hundred dollars be appropriated and assessed the present year for the necessary expenses of said committee. At 7.45 o'clock Mr. A. E. Scott gave notice that he in- tended to move a reconsideration of the vote whereby cer- tain appropriations were ordered to be assessed the present year. ART. 20. Rev. C. A. Staples, for the committee on the better preservation of the town records, made the following report : It is cause for congratulation that the records of Lexing- ton are so full and complete from the organization of the parish of Cambridge Farms in 1692 (now the town of Lex- ington) down to the present time, a period of more than two hundred years. There is no break in all this time, and the records are in a fair state of preservation. ' No doubt there are many omissions and errors which it is now impos- sible to correct, but, on the whole, we have reason to believe that they are generally accurate and reliable. The earliest records, beginning with the separation of the parish from Cambridge, are much worn and dilapidated, and some, on detached scraps of paper, are liable to be lost. But the writing is fairly legible, the ink has not faded apparently in these two centuries, and they are read now without difficulty. In 1852 and 1853, the town had these records copied and suitably bound, forming two large volumes, one of which contains the birth, marriages, and deaths down to 1844, and the other the proceedings at the parish and town meetings. This was probably done with the idea of greater security in their preservation and greater convenience in consulting them. But so long as the originals and copies are kept in the same place, little is gained in safety. The former should 35 be sealed up and deposited in a fire -proof vault in Boston, and the latter be retained here for the use of the town. But while the chirography of copy is fairly good, the ink was very poor, and has evidently been fading out, until the writ- ing is quite as difficult to read as in the original, and in some places is almost illegible. Such is the present condition of the town records. Again, we find that the records were not made in any logical or chronological order, but are jumbled together in a hap -hazard manner,. without reference to sub- ject or date. This is true only of the births, marriages, and deaths, which are mixed up in endless confusion instead of being in separate lists and under the years in which they occurred ; births, marriages, and deaths are on the same page, and dates standing together which may be twenty years apart. This makes the consultation of the records a tedious and difficult matter. Of course, the births, mar- riages, and deaths should be in separate lists, each under the year to which it belongs. The parish records were kept in this manner, but not the town records. But the safety and preservation of our records is a matter of too great import- ance to leave dependent upon the existence of the original and a single copy, even if the former should be deposited in Boston. Both may be destroyed by fire if kept together here, or even if separated, involving an irreparable loss and causing endless regret. The only way to guard against such dire possibility is by printing fifty or a hundred copies and distributing .them widely among the libraries of the state. That would place them beyond the reach of any probable catastrophe. And this is the course now being pursued by many of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth. The record of births, marriages, and deaths should be taken in hand first. This is the portion oftenest consulted by people in tracing their ancestry, and the demand for information upon our records comes from every part of the country. The Cambridge records should be examined to see what was 36 entered there relating to Lexington families before our records begin, and so bring together from parish and town records all that can be found of births, marriages, and deaths connected with Lexington, arranged in chronological order. This would form a considerable volume. It should have a full index to every name, so that any information desired could be readily found. Of course, it would involve much careful, pains -taking labor, but such a volume would be in- valuable, not only to Lexington people, but to hundreds in other towns and states who trace their ancestry back to this place. And there might be joined with this, lists of Lexing- ton soldiers in the Colonial and Revolutionary wars, em- bracing all recent discoveries in the archives of the state re- lating to service rendered by men of this town. This would be of great value also to those desirous of knowing what part their ancestors took in the events of our national his- tory. Of course, it is impossible to obtain any estimate of the cost of printing this volume of the records until the mat- ter has been prepared for the press. Nor is it possible to determine what will be the cost of the work of preparing it. But of this your committee feel perfectly assured, that the work of preparation for printing ought to be commenced at once and steadily continued until fully completed. These records are of priceless value, and, if destroyed, the loss to this town and to a multitude of people in other towns and states, would be irreparable, and might involve the loss of large estates to the rightful owners. These are in our keeping for the protection of generations to come, and for us to leave them longer exposed to casualities of fire, which may destroy them at any moment, is carelessness and negli- gence, for which we should never be forgiven if they are lost. We recommend therefore : 1. That the original records, of which we have tran- scripts, be deposited in a fire -proof safety vault in Boston. 2. That the work of preparing the records of births, 37 marriages, and deaths for printing be committed to the care of the Lexington Historical Society, and that $500 be appro- priated for its prosecution. All of which is respectfully submitted. C. A. STAPLES, GEO. O. SMITH, E. P. BLISS, Committee. And on motion of Mr. A. S. Parsons it was Voted, That the report of the committee be accepted and adopted, and that the sum of five hundred dollars be appro- priated to carry out the recommendations of the committee. ART. 7. Mr. R. P. Clapp asked unanimous consent to add fifty dollars to the appropriation for proper observance of April 19, 1896, making the sum two hundred dollars, which was granted, and fifty dollars additional was appro- priated. At 10 o'clock P. M., on motion of Mr. E. G. Kauffmann, it was Voted, To adjourn to Monday, March 23, 1896, at 7.30 o'clock, P. M. ADJOURNED MEETING. The meeting, which stood adjourned to Monday, March 23, 1896, at 7.30 o'clock P. M., was called to order by the moderator at 7.35 o'clock. On motion of Mr. Irving Stone it was Voted, To take up Article 24. 38 ART. 24. Mr. James P. Prince, of the committee on Wetherbee tax, made a report as follows : In 1880 Mr. Wetherbee was first assessed upon a note of the Boston Lead Co. for $14,000, upon which there was then due $6,000. The company had failed in December, 1877, and its property was held by trustees, who were to dispose of the property and divide proceeds. Mr. Wether - bee's share of such proceeds, $1,700, was paid him January 7, 1890, and the note was surrendered ; this $1,700 was at once used to pay obligations of his. Since this final settle- ment he has still been assessed upon the face value of the note, the tax for the five years amounting to $426.60. The amount paid by hint as tax upon the note from 1880 to 1890, when settlement was made as above, is $733.20, assessed upon an average valuation of $6,000, making a total pay- ment by him, from 1880 to 1890 inclusive, of $1,159.80. Had the taxes been levied during this period upon the $1,700 which the investment yielded, it would have amounted to about $196. During the time from 1880 to adjustment in 1890, it has been common knowledge that the assets of the Boston Lead Co. would not pay a large percentage. Your committee would recommend that there be repaid to Mr. Wetherbee, first, $426.60 paid by him in taxes since he ceased to hold the note, and $366.60, being one-half the taxes assessed to him upon the full face value of the note from 1880 to 1890, making a payment to him of $793.20, and that measures be taken to obtain legislative authority empowering the town to raise and apply the money so rec- ommended to be refunded. JAMES P. PRINCE, H. A. C. WOODWARD, P. F. DACEY, LEXINGTON, March 16, 1896. Committee. 39 And on motion of Mr. John D. Bacon it was Voted, That the report of the committee be accepted. After some discussion of the matter, Mr. W. H. Whitaker moved that the recommendations of the committee be adopted, on which the town Voted, No. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, To take Article 28 from the table. ART. 28. Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey, for the selectmen, pre- sented an amended report, viz. : LEXINGTON, March 23, 1896. On petition of William H. Munroe and others, we hereby recommend the following streets be laid out and accepted ; Beginning at Massachusetts avenue opposite Munroe station and running westerly about 650 feet, to be 40 feet in width, and to be called Pelham road. Said Pelham road is over land of William H. Munroe, and abuts on land of said Mun- roe, Geo. L. Stowell and Albert S. Parsons. Also from said Pelham road in a northerly direction over land of Wil- liam H. Munroe (abutting on land of said Munroe, Geo. L. Stowell and Francis W. Dean) about 550 feet, to be 40 feet in width, when deeded free of any incumbrance to the town of Lexington. GEO. E. MUZZEY, Selectmen EDWIN S. SPAULDING, .of JOHN F. HUTCHINSON, Lexington. On motion of Mr. John F. Maynard it was Voted, That the report be accepted and its recommenda- tions be adopted. 1 1 40 ART. 4. Mr. A. S. Mitchell called up Article 4, and moved, and it was Voted, That the sum of two hundred dollars be appropri- ated and assessed for the care of cemeteries in addition to the balance remaining to the credit of that grant, January 1, 1896. ART. 12. Mr. A. E. Scott of the committee stated that Mr. Alderman, the chairman, was to prepare a report, but none had been prepared. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, That the sum of four thousand two hundred and fifty dollars be appropriated and assessed for the support of street lights the ensuing year. Mr. R. P. Clapp said that by arrangement with the presi- dent of the Lexington Gas Light Co., the street lights would be lighted every dark hour of each night till 12.30 o'clock, A. M. On motion of Mr. Cornelius Wellington, amended by Mr. A. S. Parsons, it was Voted, That the matter of street lighting be referred back to the same committee to report thereon at a future meet- ing. ART. 19. Mr. A. E. Scott, for the committee to prepare by-laws for the care and management of the water works owned by the town, presented the following : RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE WATER DEPARTMENT. SECTION 1. At a meeting called for that purpose, to be held in April, 1896, the town shall elect by ballot a Water 41 Board, consisting of three legal voters, to be called Water Commissioners, one of whom shall be elected for the term of three years, one for the term of two years, and one for the term of one year, all of said terms to date from the annual meeting in March, and thereafter the town shall annually elect by ballot one member of said board for the term of three years. Every member -elect of said board shall be sworn to the faithful performance of his duties. No member shall receive any salary or other compensa- tion for his services. SECTION 2. The Water Board shall have and exercise all the powers vested in the town by its purchase of the fran- chise and property of the Lexington Water Company or by the public statutes. (This section was not allowed by the court.) SECTION 3. It shall have the entire control and manage- ment of the• property and estate purchased of said Lexington Water Company, and of such other property and estate as the town may hereafter acquire for water purposes, and the entire supervision and control of the extension, improve- ment and management of the water works and water supply, and of all matters and things connected therewith. .It may appoint a superintendent, water registrar, and other neces- sary subordinate officers or agents, and may fix their com- pensation. It may establish and assess the water rates, and make such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the introduction and use of water, until the town shall establish other rates and other rules and regulations. SECTION 4. The Water Board shall annually, on or be- fore the first day of January in each year, present to the selectmen, for publication in the town reports, a report con- taining a statement of the condition of all the water works, f 42 and of the land and other property connected therewith, also a detailed statement of all receipts and expenditures, with such information and suggestions as they may deem important. SECTION 5. The water registrar, under the direction of the Water Board, shall collect the water rates established by the Water Board, and shall pay all money so collected by him to the town treasurer weekly. He shall keep such books, make such reports and returns, and perform all other duties required by the Water Board. He may be required to give a bond for the faithful performance of his duties, in such sum and such sureties as the Water Board shall deter- mine. SECTION 6. The Water Board shall cause hydrants to be placed where the selectmen and engineers may indicate, and the town shall annually appropriate, for the use of the water department, forty-five dollars for each hydrant in use. The town shall also pay and annually appropriate• a sufficient sum therefor for the purposes of the water department : For the use of water in the public buildings, the same rates that are charged to individuals. For the use of water in watering troughs, twenty-five dol- lars for each trough. For water for watering streets, twenty-five cents per thou- sand gallons. SECTION 7. The town treasurer shall keep a separate ac- count of all water rents and receipts, and of all charges, ex- penses and interest on account of the water works and the water debt. All money so received, and all appropriations made by the town for any purpose connected with the water depart-. ment, shall be used in payment of the water debt and inter- est thereon, and the expense of operating and extending the 43 water works, and shall be paid out by the treasurer on orders or bills approved by the Water Board, or a majority thereof. SECTION 8. The rules and regulations made and pub- lished by the Water Board shall be considered a part of the contract with every person who takes the water, and every person by taking the water shall be considered to have ex- pressed his assent to be bound thereby. (This section not approved by the court.) SECTION 9. If any person shall violate any of the rules or regulations made and published by the Water Board, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty dollars for each of- fence, and the Water Board may shut off the water and pro-, hibit its use by persons neglecting or refusing to comply with said rules and regulations. (This section not approved by the court.) A. E. SCOTT, IRVING STONE, GEO. E. MUZZEY, A. S. PARSONS, J. F. MAYNARD, Committee. On motion of Mr. Cornelius Wellington it was Voted, That the report be accepted and the several by- laws contained therein be adopted. On motion of Mr. A. S. Parsons it was Voted, That the moderator (R. P. Clapp, Esq.) be authorized to present the by-laws to the court for approval. ART. 14. Mr. A. E. Scott (having previously given notice that he should move a reconsideration) moved to re - 44 consider the vote whereby certain appropriations were ordered to be assessed the present year, and it was Voted, That the sum of eight thousand dollars for the pay- ment of interest on the water debt be not assessed, but that said interest be paid from the income of the water depart- ment. Voted, That the sum of six hundred dollars for discount on taxes be not assessed the present year, but paid from money in the treasury. Voted, That the assessment for janitors be reduced from $800 to $600, the balance to be taken from the treasury if needed. Voted, That the assessment for outside poor be reduced from $2,500 to $2,000, and balance to be taken from the treasury. Voted, That the balance of the amount appropriated in 1895 for the water department, and the premium and inter- est received on account of the water bonds, be transferred to the account of the water department provided for under the by-laws, and be subject to the control of the water com- missioners. ART. 31. The following officers were chosen by nomina- tion : John F. Hutchinson. George L. Gilmore. George E. Muzzey. FENCE VIEWERS. George W. Sampson. FIELD DRIVERS. Roger I. Sherman. SURVEYORS OF LUMBER. Cyrus Martin. H. L. Alderman. Carlton A. Childs. 45 Voted, That the remaining minor officers be appointed by the selectmen. ART. 4. Mr. Jonathan Bigelow, for the committee on tramps, made a report as follows : LEXINGTON, March 16th, 1896. Mr. Moderator.—The resolution calling for the appoint- ment of this committee clearly defines its duties, which are to recommend some plan by which the town niay be relieved from lodging and feeding tramps so far as possible. In the little time your committee have been able to devote to the consideration of the question, they find it one of much grav- ity and of the utmost importance, but we are not called upon to refer to the origin of the tramps or the cause of the rapid increase in their numbers, which are now so great as to have become a nuisance and menace to the comfort and safety of the inhabitants of the town. You will be surprised to Iearn how their numbers have increased in the last six years ; the number lodged in 1889 was 208, of which 112 were foreign- ers, by their own admission, but our careful and efficient police officer thinks a much larger number were of foreign parentage ; 1889, 208 ; 1890, 225 ; 1891, 398 ; 1892, 482 ; 1893, 747 ; 1894, 2,472 ; 1895, 2,776. This marvellous in- crease in numbers is truly alarming, and certainly calls for some action on the part of the Commonwealth or the general government that shall restrict or limit immigration. The cost of feeding tramps by the town is merely nominal. Mr. Franks, the police officer, assures us that $2.10 covers the cost of the crackers that have been given them by the town from May 1st, 1895, to March 15th, 1896, they preferring to take their chances at the houses of the benevolent and charitably inclined inhabitants of the town. We believe much may be done to rid the town of their presence. There are two kinds of tramps : the professional tramp, who abhors nothing in this world so much as work, and are vast - 46 ly most numerous ; the other kind consists of persons who have been reduced to that condition by circumstances large- ly beyond their control. The Iatter class are willing to work, and often prove themselves valuable men. You have been told that the tramps have an organization, with secret signs and passwords ; our police officer says this is not credible, and we can all see how almost impossible it would be for any large number of them to hold a meeting without it being known ; there may be some local organiza- tion of the kind. Your committee are unanimous in the opinion that work, or arrest and incarceration, are the remedies to be applied to make our town an undesirable har- bor for tramps, and detested and avoided by them to a great extent. The committee well know that for a year, perhaps two, there would be no economy in furnishing labor or mak- ing arrests ; that is not what the resolution contemplates, but rather to rid the inhabitants of the town of the annoy- ance of their frequent calls at their houses for food, many of whom are afraid to refuse them, especially those living in the sparsely settled portions of the town. The committee recommend that stones be dumped in the rear of the town hall, and every tramp that is lodged be required to break stones one or two hours. If any refuse to work, arrest and send them to some penal institution, there being, no doubt, statutory laws that enable us to do so. See Revised Stat- utes, Chap. 207, Sec. 43, and Sec. 38, and Sec. 29, and there may be some legislation in the Blue Book of 1895 ap- plicable to such cases. Your committee think it a mistake to feed every tramp who applies at houses, especially if you have no work you can ask him to do ; it encourages va- grancy. We know many will say they prefer to give, and will not suppress and crush out one of the noblest and divin- est attributes of our human nature, sympathy for our suffer- ing fellow -creatures. Let such reflect that tramp sufferings are self-inflicted, the result of laziness, idleness, shiftless- 47 ness, and a determination not to procure their bread by the sweat of their brows in accordance with the scriptural in- junction. JONATHAN BIGELOW, CHAS. H. FRANKS, ALBERT E. TILLSON, Committee. And on motion of Mr. E. G. Kauffmann it was Voted, That the report of the committee be accepted. ART. 14. Voted, That the sum of one thousand dollars be appropriated and assessed for watering streets the ensu- ing year, and that one-fourth the expense be assessed upon the abutters, same as last year. Mr. Jonathan Bigelow requested that the streets be watered Sundays. On motion of Mr. A. E. Scott, amended by Mr. Webster Smith, it was Voted, That the assessors be requested to deduct the amount of the state and county tax from the bank and cor- poration tax, to the same amount as the state and county tax was last year. On motion of Mr. A. E. Scott it was Voted, That the amount appropriated for concrete side- walks ($500), the amount appropriated for better preserva- tion of town records ($500), and the additional amount ap- propriated for April 19, 1896 ($50), be taken from the un- expended balance of heating Town Hall building. The moderator declared the meeting adjourned without day. A true record. Attest : LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. 48 WARRANT FOR A TOWN MEETING. MONDAY, APRII. 27, 1896. To WILLIAM 1i. FOSTER, Constable of Lexington, GREETING : In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the town of Lexington, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to as- semble at the Town Hall on Monday, the twenty-seventh day of April, 1896, at 7.30 o'clock r. M., to act on the following articles, viz. : ART. 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting. Augustus E. Scott was chosen moderator by ballot with use of check list, and was duly sworn by the clerk. ART. 2. To hear the report of any committee that may be ready to report and act thereon. The following preamble and resolutions were read by the town clerk : PREAMBLE AND RD:SOLUTIONS. WHEREAS, In the retirement from official duties in the man- agement of town affairs in Lexington, of Mr. Webster Smith, who has for many years filled the highest positions in town office, first as a member of the board of selectmen, part of the time as chairman, from 1860 to 1865, during the ex- citing scenes and unusual and onerous duties connected with the war of the rebellion ; as a member of the house of repre- sentatives for the year 1876, and later as chairman of the board of selectmen from 1886 to 1896, and other official po- sitions, all of which places he has filled with fidelity, ability, and zeal; therefore 49 Resolved, That we, the citizens of the town of Lexington, in town meeting assembled, recognize and appreciate the devotion to public duties shown by Mr. Smith during his long service to the town in the various positions which he has filled with honor, integrity, and satisfaction. Resolved, That we place upon record our appreciation of his services, and regret that we are no longer to have the advice and counsel of so faithful a citizen, so capable an officer, and so honest a man. Resolved, That our best wishes and our kind sympathy be extended to him during the remaining years of his life, and that he may take pleasure in recalling and reviewing his career as an official of the town. Resolved, That these resolutions be placed upon the town record, and a copy be sent to Mr. Smith by the town clerk. Voted, That the foregoing resolutions be adopted and placed upon the town record, and that a copy be sent to Mr. Smith. (Unanimous.) ART. 3. To elect by ballot a water board, to consist of three water commissioners, one for a term of three years, one for a term of two years, one for a term of one year, from the annual meeting in March, 1896, in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of Article 7 of town By -Laws. This article was taken up on motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey. Mr. A. E. Scott stated that he had noticed ballots bear- ing his name as a candidate for water commissioner, and he declined to serve and desired to withdraw his name. Mr. Muzzey hoped the town would not accept his withdrawal. Voted, To proceed.to ballot for three water commission- ers, and that the polls be kept open fifteen minutes. 50 The moderator appointed James E. Crone and Alonzo E. Locke as tellers to receive and count the ballots, and at the close of the voting they reported as follows : FOR TIIREE YEARS. Webster Smith A. E. Scott B. C. Whitcher J. J. Toomey Fon Two YEARS. A. E. Scott B. C. Whitcher . Webster Smith . Geo. O. Whiting . E. K. Houghton . FOR ()NE YEAR. Frank H. Locke . B. C. Whitcher . A. E. Scott Webster Smith . Geo. O. Whiting . 83 12 12 1 66 38 1 1 1 92 11 2 1 1 And the moderator declared Webster Smith elected for three years, and Frank H. Locke for one year, and that for two years there was a vacancy, as A. E. Scott declined to be a candidate or serve, and a new ballot was ordered for choice for a member for two years. On ballot, votes were cast as follows : 51 FOR Two YEARS. B. C. Whitcher A. E. Scott R. P. Clapp J. F. Hutchinson . Joseph Holland . J. F. Turner . 26 7 7 3 2 1 And B. C. `'hitcher was declared elected for two years. ART. 4. To see if the town will issue bonds to the amount of ten thousand dollars, under the authority and provisions of Chapter one hundred and sixty (160) of the Acts of 1896, for the purpose of re -funding an equal amount of bonds issued by the town and denominated Lexington Water Bonds, which be- come due November 1, 1896, or act in any manner relating thereto. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, That the town issue ten bonds of one thousand dollars each, dated November 1st, 1896, payable in twenty years from date, and bearing interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum, to refund an equal amount of the bonds of the town denominated Lexington Water Bonds, which be- come due November 1st, 1896, under the authority of Chap- ter 160 of the Acts of 1896. Voted, That said bonds be sold at private sale under the direction of the selectmen upon the best terms they can obtain. On motion of Mr. Geo. W. Sampson it was Voted, That a portion of a vote passed October 28, 1895, viz.: " Instead of establishing a sinking fund for the pay- ment of such bonds, the board of assessors shall, without 52 further vote, in the year 1896, and in each year thereafter, assess the sum of ten thousand dollars until said debt shall be extinguished, in the same manner as other taxes are as- sesed, under the provisions of Section 34 of Chapter 11 of the Public Statutes," so far as the same relates to the year 1896, be rescinded. ART. 5. To see if the town will take any action on the report of the committee on "tramps," or act in any manner relating to vagrants or tramps. This article caused considerable discussion by Messrs. C. A. Staples, A. S. Parsons, A. E. Scott, C. H. Franks, Geo. E. Muzzey, R. H. Burke, R. P. Clapp, and Geo. O. Whiting, and it was Voted, That five hundred dollars be appropriated for the purpose of relieving the town of the terrible scourge of tramps, and that the police officers be instructed to enforce all laws relative to tramps or vagrants by complaints and prosecution in court, until said sum is expended. Voted, That the selectmen and police officers are author- ized and requested to see that all tramps, as far as possible, are compelled to do some work for the town as a condi- tion or consideration for their entertainment, and that the selectmen are authorized to expend such sums as may be needed to carry out this object, drawing upon the foregoing appropriation therefor, and employ any necessary agent or agents to assist them. Voted, That the town provide suitable plain food for tramps lodged in the station house, to be furnished on con- dition of their doing, without charge, such work for the town as the selectmen or police officers shall direct, and that the several inhabitants of the town are hereby requested not to supply any entertainment or food to tramps, but to refer 53 all itinerants, who may be found soliciting food or entertain- ment, to the police station, with a reference to this vote, and that the town clerk publish this and other votes passed at this meeting in relation to tramps in the Minute Man, and also fiend to each family in town, by mail, a copy of said votes. ART. 6. To see if the town will rescind the vote whereby they instructed the cemetery committee to lay out lots on the driveways in the cemetery near to the high school house, or act in any manner relating thereto. On motion of Mr. H. G. Locke it was Voted, That the town rescind the vote whereby the ceme- tery committee was instructed to lay out lots on the drive- ways in the cemetery. ART. 7. To see if the town will increase the salary of the town treasurer, and appropriate money for the same. On motion of L. A. Saville it was Voted, That the salary of the town treasurer be increased by an additional amount of .two hundred and fifty ($250) dollars. ART. 8. To see if the town will authorize the engineers of the fire department to place a fire alarm box on Pleasant street, and appropriate money for the same. On motion of Mr. C. G. Kauffmann it was Voted, To appropriate the sum of one hundred ($100) dollars for the purpose of placing a fire alarm signal box on Pleasant street. ART. 9. To see if the town will authorize the use of a por- tion of its land lying near the southwesterly side of Parker 54 street for use as a public play -ground, and make an appropria- tion of money for putting the same in suitable condition for such use, or act in any manner relating to the establishment and use of a play -ground. On motion of Mr. R. P. Clapp it was Voted, That the water commissioners are hereby author- ized and requested to allow such portion of the land referred to in Article 9 as they may think best suited to the purpose, to be used as a play -ground, under such regulations as the commissioners may from time to time establish ; and that the sum of two hundred ($200) is hereby appropriated for putting the ground in condition for such use, the money to be expended under the direction of the water board. ART. 10. To see if the town will alter or revise its by-laws, or adopt any new by-laws, or act in any manner relating thereto. On motion of Mr. R. P. Clapp it was Voted, To amend Section 12 of Article IV. of the town by-laws to read as follows : Whoever remains in or upon any sidewalk or traveled place, or sits or reclines upon any fence, stone wall or other structure bounding upon any sidewalk or traveled place, in such manner as to interfere unreasonably with the free pas- sage of travelers, or otherwise to annoy them, shall be sub- ject to a fine not exceeding twenty dollars. On motion of Mr. A. S. Parsons it was Voted, That the selectmen be requested to prepare a by- law covering the licensing of street peddlers, refreshment stands, shows, etc., inthe streets, public squares, and else- where, and fixing the fees for such licenses, and report at 55 the next town meeting ; such licenses not to be required by citizens of the town. On motion of Mr. R. P. Clapp it was Voted, To adopt the following additional by-laws for rules and regulations of the water department : SECTION 7. Except as shall be otherwise expressly agreed, the rules and regulations made and published by the water board, shall be considered a part of the contract with every person who takes the water, and every person by tak- ing the water shall be considered to have expressed his as- sent to be bound thereby. SECTION 8. The water board may shut off the water and prohibit its use by persons neglecting or refusing to comply with any of the rules and regulations made and published by the board. ART. 11. To see if the town will abate the tax assessed for 1895 on Hastings Park, to the Lexington Field and Garden Club, and also if it will abate said tax for 1896, or act in any manner relating thereto. This article was discussed by Rev. C. A. Staples, A. S. Parsons, Geo. W. Sampson, and A. E. Scott, and on mo- tion of Mr. Scott it was Voted, That the collector be requested not to enforce pay- ment of the tax assessed on the property of the Lexington Field and Garden Club, and that the town release him from all liability on account of the same. ART. 12. To see if the town will take any action in relation to relieving the crowded condition of Hancock School, or act in any manner relating thereto. On motion of Mr. E. A. Bayley, of the school committee, twas 56 Voted, That the article be laid on the table. ART. 13. To see if the town will appropriate the sum of two hundred and fifty-one dollars and eighty-five cents ($251.85) to pay balance due DeVeau Brothers, on account of a contract made with committee on fire service. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, That the sum of two hundred and fifty-one dollars and eighty-five cents ($251.85) be appropriated to pay DeVeau Brothers balance due them on contract with committee on fire service. ART. 14. To see if the town will make an appropriation:for furnishing water for hydrants, watering troughs, street water- ing, and for supplying public buildings. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, That the sum of three thousand ($3,000) dollars be appropriated for water for hydrants, and that the price be fixed at forty-five dollars for each hydrant per year. Voted, That the sum of fifty ($50) dollars be appropriated for water for watering troughs. Voted, That the sum of sixty-five ($65) dollars be appro- priated for water for Town Hall building and Stone build- ing. Voted, That the sum of seven hundred ($700) dollars be appropriated for street watering, in addition to amount ap- priated at meeting held March 23, 1896. Voted, That the various amounts appropriated at this meeting be assessed the present year. Meeting declared dissolved by the moderator. A true record. Attest: LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk 57 WARRANT FOR A TOWN MEETING. MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1896. To WILLIAM B. FOSTER, Constable of Lexington, GREETING : In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby reluired to notify and warn the inhabitants of the town of Lexington, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to as- semble at the Town Hall on Monday, the eighth day of June, A. D. 1896, at 7.30 o'clock r. M., to act on the following articles, viz. : ART. 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting. Voted, To proceed to the election of a moderator and that the polls be kept open five minutes. On ballot, with the use of check list, four ballots were cast, all for Robert P. Clapp, who was declared elected moderator and was sworn by the clerk. ART. 2. To choose by ballot a water commissioner to hold office till the annual meeting in 1899, to fill a vacancy existing in the water board. On motion of Mr. A. S. Mitchell it was Voted, To choose by ballot a water commissioner to hold office till the annual town meeting in 1899, to fill a vacancy in the board, and that the polls be kept open five minutes. On ballot, votes were cast as follows : W hole number of, ballots, 43. Everett S. Locke . 28 George E. Muzzey 10 A. S. Parsons . 4 Irving Stone 1 58 And Everett S. Locke was declared chosen water commis- sioner to hold office till the annual town meeting in 1899. ART. 3. To see if the town will make an appropriation, or vote to issue bonds for the extension of the water mains. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was unanimously Voted, That the sum of ten thousand dollars is hereby ap- propriated for the purpose of purchasing materials, laying pipes, and doing other work necessary for the extension of the water mains and for supplying water ; the same to be borrowed by the issue of bonds in the aggregate principal sum of ten thousand dollars, of the denomination of one thousand dollars each, bearing interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually at the office of the town treasurer or at any bank in Boston that the board of selectmen may designate on the face of the bonds. That said bonds and interest shall be made payable in gold coin of the United States of standard weight and fine- ness. Said bonds shall be denominated on the face thereof, “Lexington Water Bonds," and shall be signed. by the town treasurer and countersigned by the selectmen, or a majority thereof, and shall be payable as follows : One of such bonds shall be payable on the first day of July, 1897, and one of such bonds shall be payable on the first day of July in each year thereafter, until and including July 1st, 1906. Instead of establishing a sinking fund for the payment of such bonds, the board of assessors shall, without further vote, in the year 1897, and in each year thereafter, assess the sum of one thousand dollars until said debt shall be ex- tinguished, in the same manner as other taxes are assessed, under the provisions of Section 34 of Chapter 11 of the Public Statutes. 59 ART. 4. To see if the town will make an appropriation to put an additional boiler in the pumping station. On motion of Mr. B. C. Whitcher it was unanimously Voted, That the town appropriate eight hundred and fifty dollars for putting in an additional boiler at the pumping station, and that this amount be taken from the funds of the water department. ART. 5. To see if the town will make an appropriation for the purchase of a steam drill. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was unanimously Voted, That the town appropriate the sum of four hundred and fifty dollars for the purchase of a steam drill and tools, and that the said sum be assessed the present year. ART. 6. To see if the town will make an appropriation to in- troduce water into the buildings at the Poor Farm. On motion of Mr. B. C. Whitcher it. was Voted, That the town appropriate three hundred dollars for introducing water into the buildings at the Poor Farm, and that the said sum be assessed the present year. ART. 7. To see if . the town will appropriate the sum of $866.67 to be placed to the credit of the water department, it being the accrued interest on water bonds but credited to inter- est account. (See page 171, report of 1895.) On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was unanimously Voted, That the town appropriate $866.67 to be passed to the credit of the water department, the same to be assessed - and raised by taxation the present year. Meeting declared dissolved by the moderator. A true record. Attest: LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk 60 BEQUEST OF MRS. F. M. THAYER. TOWN TREASURER'S OFFICE, $100.00. LEXINGTON, June 30, 1896. Pursuant to a vote of the inhabitants of the town of Lex- ington, in town meeting assembled, on the 2d day of No- vember, A. D. 1875, the town treasurer hereby acknowl- edges the receipt of one hundred dollars ($100.00) front Mrs. F. M. Thayer of Boston, the interest of which is to he expended in accordance with said vote and Chap. 225 of the Acts of 1870, upon lot No. 45, old number, and No. 289, new number, in the old part of town cemetery near the High school house in said Lexington, in dressing and care of said lot, monuments, walks, and the avenues adjacent thereto. E. S. SPAULDING, Treasurer of Town of Lexington. LEXINGTON, June 30, 1896. Received for record. A true copy. Attest. LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. BEQUEST OF MRS. F. M. THAYER. TOWN TREASURER'S OFFICE, $100.00 LEXINGTON, June 30, 1896. Pursuant to a vote of the inhabitants of the town of Lex- ington, in town meeting assembled, on the 2d day of No- vember, A. D. 1875, the town treasurer hereby acknowl- edges the receipt of one hundred dollars ($100.00) from. Mrs. F. M. Thayer of Boston, the interest of which is to be expended in accordance with said vote and Chap. 225 of the ' Acts of 1870, upon lot No. 94, old number, and 79, new 61 number, in the new part of town cemetery, near the High school house in said Lexington, in dressing and care of paid lot, monuments, walks, and the avenues adjacent thereto. E. S. SPAULDING, Treasurer of Town of Lexington. LEXINGTON, June 30, 1896. Received for record. A true copy. Attest: LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. WARRANT FOR A TOWN MEETING. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1896. To WILLIAM B. FOSTER, Constable of Lexington, GREETING : In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the town of Lexington, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to as- semble at the Town Hall on Wednesday, the 21st day of Oc- tober, 1896, at 7.30 o'clock p.m., to act on the following articles, viz. : ART. 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting. Voted, That the polls be kept open three minutes for the choice of moderator. On ballot, John F. Hutchinson was unanimously chosen and was sworn by the clerk. ART. 2. To see if the town will authorize their treasurer, under the direction of the selectmen, to borrow the sum of twenty thousand dollars, in anticipation of the collection of taxes of 1896, in addition to the amount heretofore authorized. On motion of Mr. Edwin S. Spaulding it was 62 Voted, That for the purpose of procuring a temporary loan, to and tor the use of the town of Lexington, in antici- pation of the collection of taxes of the present municipal year, the town treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to borrow, with the approval of the selectmen, the sum of twenty thousand dollars, in addition to the amount hereto- fore authorized, and to execute and deliver the note or notes of the town therefor, payable within one year from the time the loan is made, with interest not exceeding six per cent. per annum. ART. 3. To see if the town will rescind the vote passed at the town meeting held April 27, 1896, in relation to the issue of ten thousand dollars of Lexington Water Bonds. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, To rescind the vote passed at the town meeting held April 27, 1896, in relation to the issue of ten thousand dollars of Lexington Water Bonds. ART. 4. To see if the town will vote to issue bonds to the amount of ten thousand dollars, under the authority and pro- visions of Chapter one hundred and sixty (160) of the Acts of 1896, for the purpose of re -funding an equal amount of bonds of the town, denominated Lexington Water Bonds, which become due November 1st, 1896, or act in any manner relating thereto. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, That the town issue ten bonds of one thousand dol- lars each, dated November 1st, 1896, payable in twenty years from date, and bearing interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum, principal and interest to be paid in gold coin of the United States of the present standard of weight and fineness, to re -fund an equal amount of the bonds of the town denominated Lexington Water Bonds, which become 63 due November 1st, 1896, under the authority of Chapter 160 of the Acts of 1896. Voted, That said bonds be sold at private sale under the direction of the selectmen, upon the best terms they can obtain. Meeting declared dissolved by the moderator. A true record. Attest : LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. WARRANT FOR A TOWN MEETING. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1896. To WILLIAM 13. FOSTER, Constable of Lexington, GREETING : In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the town of Lexington, qualified by law to vote in national, state, dis- trict and county affairs, to assemble at the Town Hall on Tues- day, the third day of November, A. D. 1896, at seven o'clock A. jr., to cast their ballots for the following officers and also for or against an amendment to the state constitution, as follows: For electors of President and Vice -President of the United States ; Representative in Congress for the fourth Congression- al district; Governor; Lieutenant -Governor; Secretary of the Commonwealth; Treasurer and Receiver General; Auditor; Attorney General; Councillor for sixth district; Senator for fifth Middlesex District; Representative in General Court for thirteenth Middlesex District; Clerk of Courts for Middlesex County, County Commissioner for three years; and for or against an amendment to the constitution, entitled : "Resolves providing for submitting to the people the articles of amend- ment to the constitution establishing biennial election of state officers and members of the General Court." 64 The election officers will receive votes for the above all on one ballot. The polls will be opened immediately after the organization of the meeting, and will be kept open until 4 o'clock P. M., and as much longer as the meeting may direct, not to extend beyond sunset. Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the town clerk, on or before the time of said meeting. Given under our hands at Lexington, this fifteenth day of October, A. D. 1896. GEORGE E. MUZZEY, EDWIN S. SPAULDING, Selectmen of Lexington. Return of the constable on the foregoing warrant : LEXINGTON, October 29th, 1896. Pursuant to the foregoing warrant, I have notified the in- habitants of the town of Lexington by posting a duly attested copy of the warrant in the post offices and other public places in each village, and by mailing a duly attested copy of the warrant to every registered voter seven days before the time of said meeting. Attest : WILLIAM B. FOSTER, G'onstible of Lexington. A true copy of the warrant and the return of the constable thereon. Attest: LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Cleric. LEXINGTON, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1896. Meeting called to order at time specified in the warrant (7 o'clock A. M.) by the town clerk, who read the warrant and the return of the constable thereon. 65 Abram B. Smith and Charles W. Swan, who had been appointed ballot clerks, were sworn by the town clerk, who delivered to them a sealed package, received from the secre- tary of the Commonwealth, said to contain 850 ballots, and took their receipt therefor ; also delivered to them a copy of the voting list signed by the registrars of voters. The ballot box was shown to be empty, and the key there- of delivered to the constable in attendance, William B. Fos- ter, and the chairman of the selectmen declared the polls open, and the balloting commenced. Irving Stone and Bartlett J. Harrington were sworn as deputy ballot clerks. J. F. Maynard, B. C. Whitcher, H. Luther Sherman, Chas. G. Kauffmann, H. A. C. Woodward, Patrick F. Dacey, Geo. D. Harrington, and G-eo. L. Pierce were sworn as tellers. At 8.45 A. M., on unanimous consent of the selectmen and town clerk, the ballot box was opened and 200 ballots taken therefrom, and the tellers commenced their labors. Subsequently, ballots were taken from the box as follows At 10.30 A. M., 100; at 1.35 is. M., 150 ; at 2.30 P. M., 50 ; at 3.15 P. M., 50 ; at 3.45 P. M., 50. At 3.55 r. M., it was voted to keep the polls open until 4.30 P. M. At close of the polls there were found in the ballot box 28 ballots, showing that 628 ballots had been cast ; the vot- ing list used by the ballot clerks showed 628 names checked ; the check list used by the selectmen showed 628 names checked, and the register on the ballot box stood at 628, thus verifying the number of ballots cast. After the tellers had completed their labors, the following result of the bal- loting was announced by the chairman of the selectmen, Geo. E. Muzzey. 66 FOR ELECTORS OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT. AT LARGE. Ernest C. Marshall of Boston, Daniel W. Kenney of Holyoke, Henry Winn of Malden, Henry Winn of Malden, Edward Kendall of Cambridge, Alfred W. Richardson of Springfield, John Q. A. Brackett of Arlington, William H. Haile of Springfield, 4 Thomas J. Gargan of Boston, James S. Grinnell of Greenfield, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 1. William B. Mahoney of Westfield, Frank S. Gross of Lee, Edward S. Rogers of Lee, Franklin Carter of Williamstown, James W. Hull of Pittsfield, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 2. Joseph F. Callahan of Springfield, William M. E. Mellen of Chicopee, William M. E. Mellen of Chicopee, Hubbard Lawrence of Palmer, Augustus Coolidge of Athol, Leander B. Morse of Athol, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 3. Levi Barker of Worcester, Enoch Earle of Worcester, John Holt of Sutton, Arthur F. Whitin of Northbridge, 77 77 3 2 3 2 473 473 31 31 84 77 4 2 473 31 41 77 2 3 473 31 40 77 5 2 473 67 Eben S. Stevens of Dudley, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 4. Henry J. Jaquith of Wellesley, Harry J. Jaquith of Wellesley, Edward G. Watkins of Gardner, Charles H. Moulton of Waltham, Charles J. Williams of Acton, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 5. Michael O'Mahoney of Lawrence, James E. Donoghue of Lawrence, James K. Fellows of Lowell, Joseph Miller of Lowell, Sam D. Stevens of North Andover, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 6. James P. Dearborn of Haverhill, Thomas Sanders of Haverhill, Albert B. Coats of Beverly, Sylvanus Smith of Gloucester, Robert S. Rantoul of Salem, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 7. Edward B. Newhall of Lynn, William J. Brickley of Everett, William J. Brickley of Everett, Seth Weston of Chelsea, Edward W. La Croix of Lynn, Samuel K. Hamilton of Wakefield, Blanks, 31 40 78 4 2 473 31 40 77 5 2 473 31 40 77 5 2 473 31 40 77 4 1 2 473 31 40 68 DISTRICT No. 8. John P. McCormick of Cambridge, Abijah Hall of Boston, Robert O. Fuller of Cambridge, Godfrey Morse of Boston, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 9. James J. Lanigan of Boston, William J. Burke of Boston, William J. Burke of Boston, Charles A. Abbott of Boston, Peter Morrison of Boston, Sigourney Butler of Boston, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 10. Quincy A. Lothrop of Boston, Quincy A. Lothrop of Boston, William J. Hurd of Boston, John C. Cobb of Milton, Daniel L. Prendergast of Boston, Blanks. DISTRICT No. 11. William D. Leahy of Milford, James Jeffrey Roche of Brookline, William H. Partridge of Newton, Wilbur H. Powers of Hyde Park, James E. Cotter of Hyde Park, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 12. Francis A. Hobart of Braintree, Francis A. Hobart of Braintree, 77 2 473 31 45 77 4 1 2 473 31 40 77 5 2 473 31 40 77 5 2 473 31 40 78 4 69 Edwin Sawtelle of Brockton, Henry A. Thomas of Weymouth, Charles G. Davis of Plymouth, Blanks, DISTRICT No. 13. Thomas J. Meaney of New Bedford, Charles H. Lane of Tisbury, Charles A. Chace of Swanzey, Edmund Anthony, Jr., of Fairhaven, Louis B. Thacher of Yarmouth, Blanks, FOR GOVERNOR. Thomas C. Brophy of Somerville, Allen Coffin of Nantucket, Frederick O. Prince of Boston, George Fred Williams of Dedham, George Fred Williams of Dedham, George Fred Williams of Dedham, George Fred Williams, Roger Wolcott of Boston, Blanks, FOR LIEUTENANT -GOVERNOR. Christopher T. Callahan of Holyoke, W. Murray Crane of Dalton. Archibald Dakin of Brockton, James E. McConnell of Fitchburg, William W. Nash of Williamsburg, Moritz E. Ruther of Holyoke, Blanks, FOR SECRETARY. Asa F. Hall of Hudson, Waldo Lincoln of Worcester, 70 2 William M. Olin of Boston, 473Joseph H. Potts of Lynn, 31 Willard O. Wylie of Beverly, 40 Blanks, FOR TREASURER. 77 Charles G. F. Claus of Malden, 4 Robert C. Habberley of Hyde Park, 2 Edward P. Shaw of Newburyport, 473 Horace P. Tobey of Wareham, 31 Thomas A. Watson of Braintree, 40 Blanks, 1 2 39 65 6 11 9 455 40 FOR AUDITOR. Maurice P. Cavanaugh of Springfield, Maurice J. Fitzgerald of Boston, Thomas A. Frissell of Hinsdale, John W. Kimball of Fitchburg, Rufus H. Phinney of Lynn, William P. Proctor of Marblehead, Charles C. Spellman of Springfield, Blanks, FOR ATTORNEY -GENERAL. John C. Chase of Haverhill, 75 Wolcott Hamlin of Amherst, 435 Henry F. Hurlburt of Lynn, 2 Hosea M. Knowlton of New Bedford, 31 William H. Morse of Chelsea, 3 John B. O'Donnell of Northampton, Blanks, 1 81 4 32 FOR COUNCILLOR -SIXTH DISTRICT. William E. Rand of Concord, Elisha H. Shaw of Chelmsford, Blanks, 433 71 3 85 4 418 53 65 87 34 40 3 431 1 3 33 83 2 6 32 428 1 74 85 112 424 92 71 FOR SENATOR -FIFTH MIDDLESEX DISTRICT. Henry Parsons of Marlborough, Robert P. Clapp, William H. Nolan, Blanks, 450 2 1 175 FOR REPRESENTATIVE IN GENERAL COURT -THIRTEENTH MIDDLESEX DISTRICT. George Franklin Mead of Lexington, William H. Nolan of Arlington, Blanks, FOR CLERK OF COURTS -MIDDLESEX. Theodore C. Hurd of Winchester, Blanks, FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER -MIDDLESEX. Levi S. Gould of Melrose, George A. Perkins of Cambridge, Blanks, 428 110 90 432 196 417 121 90 FOR REPRESENTALIVE IN CONGRESS -FOURTH DISTRICT. I. Porter Morse of Marlborough, George W. Weymouth of Fitchburg, Blanks, FOR AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION -ARTICLE 1ST. Yes, No, Blanks, FOR AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION -ARTICLE 2D. Yes, No, Blanks, 117 426 85 215 214 199 198 208 222 72 After the announcement of the foregoing vote, the ballots cast and the tally sheets and check lists used were sealed and endorsed as required by law, the returns were filled out and sealed, after which the meeting was declared dissolved. A true record. Attest : LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. ARLINGTON, MASS., Nov. 13, 1896. At a meeting of the town clerks of Arlington and Lex- ington, towns comprising the thirteenth Middlesex repre- sentative district, held at noon this day, it was found that ballots had been cast as follows : LEXINGTON. ARLING"I'ON. TOTAL. George Franklin Mead of Lexington, 428 780 1208 William H. Nolan of Arlington, 110 318 428 Majority for Mead, 780 And two certificates of election were filled out as required by law, and signed by Roland A. Swan, town clerk pro tem. of Arlington ; Leonard A. Saville, town clerk of Lex- ington. A true record. Attest: LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. LEXINGTON, Nov. 16, 1896. I hereby certify that I this day delivered to George F. Mead one certificate of his election to the General Court, as above recorded. LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. 73 REPORT OF WATER COMMISSIONERS. In the report of the selectmen for the year 1894 (page 40) the following was submitted : WATER SUPPLY. The contract entered into with the Lexington Water Company to supply water through hydrants for fire purposes, for ten years, expires July 1st, 1895. It will be necessary to either make a new contract for a further term of years, or avail ourselves of the privilege granted in the charter of the water company, approved May 12th, 1881, whereby the town may take the Lexington Water Works at a cost to be decided by the town and said water company, or, if they cannot ap•ree, by three referees appointed by the Supreme Court, whose award shall be binding on both parties. At the adjourned March meeting of 1895, held April 1, 1895, Mr. L. E. Bennink called up the report of the select- men in relation to the expiration of the contract with the Lexington Water Company, and offered the following reso- lution, which was unanimously adopted : Resolved, That the selectmen be requested to call a town meeting at least thirty days before the present contract with the Lexington Water Company expires, for the purpose of considering the purchase of the property of the Lexington Water Company. In the warrant for the town meeting to be held April 27, 1895, was the following : ART. 4. To see what action the town will take in relation to the purchase of the franchise and property of the Lexington 74 Water Company, or to contract with said company for the fur- ther supply of water for hydrant and town purposes. And when said article was under consideration, the fol- lowing action was taken : Mr. L. E. Bennink made the following motion : That when this meeting adjourns it adjourns to four weeks from to -night, and that the moderator appoint a committee of five to examine and report its recommendations on Article 4 of the warrant to this adjourned meeting. Mr. R. W. Hol- brook moved that the selectmen be added to the committee, which was accepted by Mr. Bennink. Voted, That a committee of five be appointed by the mod- erator, to which the board of selectmen be added, to examine and report its recommendations in regard to the purchase of the franchise and property of the Lexington Water Company, or to a contract with said company for the further supply of water for hydrant and town purposes to an adjournment of this meeting to be held on Saturday, May 25th, 1895, at 7.30 o'clock P. M. On motion of Mr. Webster Smith, Voted, That Augustus E. Scott be added to the commit- tee, and that the sum of fifty dollars be appropriated for the expenses of said committee. The moderator appointed the following gentlemen : L. E. Bennink, Franklin Alderman, Warren Sherburne, James S. Munroe, Howard M. Munroe, who, together with the board of selectmen and Augustus E. Scott, constitute said com- mittee. At the meeting held May 25, 1895, the above committee made the following report. To the Town of Lexington: The committee appointed to consider the matter of making a new contract with the Lexington Water Company for the 75 use of hydrants, and also the matter of purchasing the cor- porate property and all the right's and privileges of the Lex- ington Water Company, feel that they cannot better serve the town than by reporting in print, giving, in addition to what may be properly called a report, a somewhat extended statement of matters relating to the situation, which may tend to assist the people in their action. By Chapter 267 of the Acts of 1881, Moses Joy, Benjamin F. Brown, George 0. Whiting, Hammon Reed, and Leonard A. Saville were incorporated as the Lexington Water Com- pany. So eager were the people for water from some public source that no opposition was made to the charter, but, through individual effort, the company was restricted in its franchise for taking water to the springs situated within thirty rods of the Lincoln Road, on its southerly side, and it was expressly prohibited from taking the waters of Vine Brook. The company was authorized to issue stock to the amount of $60,000. It was also authorized to issue bonds and secure the same by a mortgage on its property to the amount of $60,000. The charter contained the usual provision, allowing the town of Lexington to purchase the property of the company at any time, and, that this may be fully understood, the fol- lowing section of the charter is printed in full : "SEc. 8. The town of Lexington shall have the right, at any time during the continuance of the charter hereby granted, to purchase the corporate property and all the rights and privileges of said company, at a price which may be mutually agreed upon between said corporation and the said town of Lexington ; and the said corporation is authorized to make sale of the same to said town. In case said corporation and said town are unable to agree, then the compensation to be paid shall be determined 76 by three commissioners to be appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court upon application of either party, and notice to the other, whose award, when accepted by the said court, shall be binding upon both parties. And this authority to purchase said fran- chise and property is granted on condition that the same is assented to by said town by a two-thirds vote of the voters present and voting thereon at a meeting called for that purpose; the number of meetings called for that purpose in any one year not to exceed two." It is understood that the whole amount of the capital stock was issued, and that a contract was made with Mr. Joy by the above-named gentlemen, as directors of the com- pany, by which the whole stock of the corporation and the whole or part of the issue of $20,000 in bonds, were given to Mr. Joy for the purchase of land and the erection of works. July 2, 1883, the company mortgaged all its property to the International Trust Company, of Boston, to secure iti bonds amounting to $20,000. July 2, 1888, the company placed a second mortgage on its property to secure an ad- ditional issue of $30,000 of bonds. It is claimed that the whole stock and the entire issue of bonds have been used in completing and extending the works. The company proceeded to erect its buildings, lay pipes, and to construct two large brick wells or reservoirs on its location. Later, two additional brick wells were constructed in the westerly corner of its location, and still later, another was dug on the southerly side of Vine Brook, on land which it attempted to purchase of Mr. Joy, so as to take the waters of one branch of the brook, which was fed by a valuable spring on property of Mr. Seaverns. The demand for water continuing to increase, and the supply from its restricted location being insufficient to meet. the demand, the company constructed a tubular well, large- ly through ledge, 200 feet deep, the supply from which, 77 seems to be of remarkable purity, and limited only by pump- ing capacity. Later, the company also purchased of Mr. Seaverns, at considerable cost, about three acres of land, including the spring above referred to. In 1892 the legislature granted the company an additional Act (Chap. 349), for the purpose of improving and increas- ing its water supply. By this Act the company was authorized to take the waters of Vine Brook and of the springs in the land which they had attempted to purchase,—which purchase was legalized by the Act,—also the waters of Vine Brook and the springs tributary thereto in the land lying west of the westerly boundary of its property, with the right to take as much land as it required for the protection and storage of such waters, also the waters of Vine Brook and springs tributary thereto in about twenty-six acres of land lying northeasterly of its original location. This last named tract embraced what is known as the " Base Ball Ground." This Act also contains a section providing that the town of Lexington may purchase the property and privileges ac- quired under the Act, but there are added the following pro- visos : "Provided, that the property, rights and privileges acquired under either Act shall not be purchased separately without the consent of said corporation ; and provided, fur- ther, that the compensation to 'be allowed and paid for the franchise of said corporation shall not be increased by reason of the passage of this Act." Acting under the advice of competent engineers, and with the approval of the State Board of Health, the com- pany proceeded to construct a large gallery or well upon the last-named tract, and to conduct the waters obtained from it' across intervening lands to its pumping station. 78 In order to still further increase its water supply and im- prove the privileges granted by the Act of 1892, the com- pany petitioned the legislature in 1894 for authority to in- crease its capital stock and to issue additional bonds. The full amount asked for was not granted, but by Chapter 223 of the Acts of 1894, the company was authorized to increase its capital stock to $90,000, for the purpose of providing an additional water supply, and to issue additional bonds to the amount of $10,000, to take care of a portion of its floating indebtedness. The Act provided that the issue of stock and bonds should be made under the direction of the commis- sioner of corporations. After due hearing, the commis- sioner authorized the issue of the full amount of stock, and the company proceeded to take land and to construct a reservoir. It is believed that the company has not issued the ad- ditional bonds which were authorized, and that it has not provided for its floating indebtedness ; it is also believed that only a small amount of its earnings have been paid in dividends, but that they have very largely gone into con- struction. The committee are informed that the claims for land dam- ages have been about four times as much as the company estimated in its petition to the Legislature. The reservoir was constructed according to the advice of the State Board of Health, and seems to have been carefully planned and thoroughly built ; and while the committee have no means of knowing its actual cost, it is possible that the floating indebtedness of the company may be larger than when it was shown to the legislature. For the purposes of the reservoir, the company took 13 -gi acres of land from Mr. Joseph Middleby, No- of an acre from Mrs. Lawrence, and of an acre from Mr. Teel©. For the purpose of laying and maintaining pipes, it also took the right to use a strip of land twenty feet wide, ex- 79 tending from the reservoir, through the farm of Mr. Middle - by, to the pumping station of the company. The time for filing claims for damages not having expired, it is impossible to estimate what the entire damage may be which the company, or the town in case it purchases the property, will have to pay. The committee expresses no opinion as to the supply or quality of the water to be obtained from this latter source. We quote the following from the State Board of Health : " It has a capacity of about 14,250,000 gallons, and, if raised an additional foot by flash -boards, of about 16,000,- 000 gallons. Its area is about 5i acres, and its water -shed, including the area of the reservoir, is about -,3410- of a square mile. An additional ground -water supply was also de- veloped during the construction of the dam and the laying of the pipe from the reservoir to the pumping station, which has been turned into this pipe." The "ground -water supply" referred to by the Board of Health, yielded during the dry season of last year an av- erage of thirty-eight gallons per minute. The water of this spring was not turned into the reservoir, but the spring was walled up to the top of the dam, and constitutes a separate additional supply. There were also driven in the bed of the reservoir five additional wells, which are claimed to have a capacity of 72 gallons a minute in a dry season. These wells are not allowed to flow into' the reservoir, but are piped in such manner that they can be drawn upon for an independent supply. The reservoir is intended for the storage of the waters from its water -shed, which might other- wise run to waste. The company owns about 54 acres of land, including the reservoir. It has five pumps, one of which has the capacity of 1,000,000 gallons per day, and another of 500,000 gallons.. 80 We have made these statements regarding the growth and the present condition of the water company in order that some idea may be formed of what may be claimed to be the value of its property. It is quite possible that the town and the company may agree upon a price, but if they are unable to do so, the case must be determined by a commission, as provided in the section of the charter above quoted. It is difficult to state upon what basis such commission will make its estimates. The number of cases in which towns have purchased the property and franchises of private water companies is not large, and there appears to be no well-settled rule by which such commissions are guided. It is claimed by some that the price to be paid should be the actual cost of the works, together with a fair rate of interest upon the amount of the investment from the time it was made. The attempt has been made in some of the recent Acts to provide by law this method of determining the price ‘vhich towns shall be obliged to pay. There is no such provision as this in the charter of the Lexington Water Company, and it is probable that the rule of compensation will be the value of the land, works, and business of the corporation at the time of the purchase, to- gether with the value of the rights and privileges, or the franchise granted to it by its original charter. This fran- chise consists of the right to take land and the springs in the prescribed locality, to lay pipes, and to furnish the inhabi- tants of Lexington with water for the extinguishment of fires and for domestic and other purposes. In most cases that have been heard, the commissioners have seemed to regard a franchise on which parties havo ventured to invest their money, and to establish a business, as of great value. 81 It is for the town to determine whether the value of this franchise, property and business will increase in the future to such an extent as to make it good business management for the town to purchase at the present time. The following summary will more concisely present points to which we have called attention : Capital stock of the company . Mortgage bonds of the company Floating indebtedness of the company Unsettled claims of the company Value of business and franchise Value of land and other property . $90,000 . 50,000 The income which the town might receive from the works is also an important factor. In order to get at the approximate estimate of the annual gross receipts of the water company, the committee employed Mr. Kauffmann to make a canvass of the water takers. This canvass showed the receipts from this source to be about $7,250 ; the town paid the company last year for the use of hydrants, $1,750, making a total of about $3+,000. The com- pany also admits this amount to be substantially correct. We are unable to state what the cost of running the works and the depreciation is, and we will not venture an opinion as to whether the town will be able to carry on the business as cheaply as a private company. The town having obtained the works, no doubt very many vexatious questions will have to be decided in town meet- ings, such as the regulation of the service, the extension of the mains, etc., and probably additional bonds will have to be issued from time to time to meet the cost of such ex- tensions. We think these are the chief questions which should gov- ern our action at the present time, for with the existing 82 water supply it is difficult to see how the service can be more satisfactory under town management than under that of the water company. All available sources of supply within a reasonable dis- tance have been taken. A committee appointed by the town to investigate sources of supply, continued its work for several years, making some surveys and examining all the springs and streams within and near our town limits, but they were unable to make any suggestions or recommendations ; and so long as there is a possibility of the adoption of a scheme for a met- ropolitan water supply (which Lexington can probably be- come a part of when it desires), it would not seem to be prudent management for either the town or the water com- pany to experiment further within our own borders, or to seek for a supply from a distance. The committee are of the opinion that the town should not act upon the question of purchasing under the article in the warrant for the present meeting, but that a meeting should be called to vote directly upon it. The Act provides as follows : " This authority to pur- chase said franchise and property is granted on condition that the same is assented to by said town by a two-thirds vote of the voters present and voting thereon at a meeting called for that purpose." It is desirable that the vote on this question should be a full one, and the committee suggests that it be taken, if at all, at a meeting called on the day of the election in Novem- ber, or at the regular March meeting. The vote to purchase having been passed by the requisite number, we cannot re- cede, the property at once legally passes to the town, and the town must take it. The only question then to be de- termined is, how much the town shall pay the company. We are unable at this time to obtain from the company a price for which it will sell its property, but we understand it 83 will not hesitate to name such price as soon as the town has voted to purchase. We therefore recommend that when the town votes to purchase, a committee be appointed to negotiate with the company, with full powers to agree on the price, if possible, and if they are unable to agree, to ask the court to appoint a commission to determine it. By agreeing on the price, we save the expense of the com- mission and legal proceedings, which is usually a consider- able amount. If the town votes to purchase, it must at once provide the means of payment. The public statutes provide that a town may issue, for payment for such purpose, its bonds, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding seven per cent., and redeemable at a time not exceeding twenty years from their date The existing contract for the use of hydrants expires in July next. Under this contract the town pays to the com- pany one thousand dollars per year for the first 30 hydrants, and thirty dollars per year for each additional hydrant. There are now in use fifty-eight hydrants, for the use of which the town paid to the water company during the last year $1,750. Several more hydrants are demanded and should be put in place at once. Under this contract the company is required at all times to maintain a given pressure. The committee have negotiated with the company for a new contract. The only terms which they have been able to obtain are as follows : The company will contract to furnish water for not less than seventy hydrants for five years at $48 per hydrant, or, for ten years at $45 per hydrant. If this contract is made, the town will be required to pay annually for hydrants, 84 watering streets, and for water in town buildings a sum equal to about four per cent. on $90,000. It seems to be necessary to make some kind of a contract with the water company, whether the town votes to purchase the works or not, as it is hardly possible to complete the purchase of the works, if the town desires to do so, before the old contract will expire. We therefore recommend that the selectmen be authorized to make such contract with the water company as they may deem best for the welfare of the town. This contract, even if it is made for a term of years, will be made void by a vote to purchase. There seems to be much misapprehension regarding the scheme for a Metropolitan Water Supply, and as it has direct bearing upon the matter which we are considering, it seems proper that the committee should make a brief state- ment of its scope and purpose. The plan seems to have been devised very largely to pro- vide a water supply for Boston and those cities now depend- ing on Boston for water. The attempt is being made to compel other cities and towns lying within certain limits to become a part of the system, and to help pay the cost and expense of running the same. It is not proposed by this plan to furnish water directly to the inhabitants of the cities and towns within the water district, but merely to bring the waters of the Nashua River to the reservoirs and stand -pipes belonging to the several cities, towns, and water companies. In other words, the works established under this scheme will furnish water at wholesale to the cities, towns, and pri- vate companies, and the latter will distribute it through their pipes to the individual takers. It is proposed to assess the cost of establishing and main- taining these works upon the different cities and towns by a 85 somewhat intricate system in proportion to valuation and the number of inhabitants. This scheme originally included Lexington, although it. was admitted that Lexington would not be in need of addi- tional water for several years, and also that its present sup- ply was much purer than it would be likely to get from the Nashua River. Through the efforts of the selectmen and others who have been active at the hearings before the legislative committee, Lexington has been left out of the bill as it now stands be- fore the legislature. As Boston and the neighboring cities requiring this sup- ply are anxious to get as much help as possible to pay this large cost, there will no doubt be a strong effort made to force Lexington, and some other towns that are now ex- cluded, back into the district. We are strongly of the opinion that every effort should be made to prevent this. If, at some time in the future, we are in need of an additional supply, and are unable to take care of ourselves, we believe there will be little difficulty in being taken into the district, or of purchasing from it such supply as we may require. We do not care to be taxed for what we do not use or re- quire, and we can avoid such taxation only by being left alone . Respectfully submitted, WEBSTER SMITH, GEORGE E. MUZZEY, EDWIN S. SPAULDING, LEONARD E. BENNINK. JAMES S. MUNROE, FRANKLIN ALDERMAN, WARREN SHERBURNE, HOWARD M. MUNROE, A. E. SCOTT, LEXINGTON, May 20, 1895. Committee. 86 Which report had been printed and a copy mailed to every voter, and the reading thereof was dispensed with. Mr. James P. Munroe moved that the report of the com- mittee be accepted. Mr. L. E. Bennink read from the report the clause in re- gard to making a new contract with the water company for the supply of water for hydrants and other town purposes. Voted, That the report of the committee be accepted. Mr. C. M. Parker moved and it was Voted, .That the selectmen be authorized to make a new contract with the water company for the supply of water for hydrants and other town purposes. Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey thought that this was an important question and that the matter should be fully discussed, and moved that a committee be appointed to get the water com- pany to name a price at which it would dispose of its fran- chise and property. Mr. A. C. Stone moved an amendment, that said commit- tee be requested to report at an adjournment of this meeting, which was carried, and the motion of Mr. Muzzey, as so amended, was Voted, That the selectmen be a committee to obtain from the water company a price at which it will sell its franchise and property to the town, and to report at an adjournment of this meeting. Subsequently, so much of the above vote as required a re- port at an adjournment of this meeting was reconsidered, and the report was authorized to be made at a town meeting to be held in the month of June. Mr. 'Cornelius Wellington moved to reconsider the vote whereby the selectmen were authorized to contract for hy- drants, but the town refused to reconsider. 87 Mr. R. P. Clapp moved that the selectmen be requested to call a meeting in the month of June to vote on the ques- tion of the purchase of water works. Mr. L. E. Bennink moved to amend to have said vote taken at the annual meeting in November or March, which amendment was not carried, and it was Voted, That the selectmen be requested to call a town meeting in the month of June in the present year, to vote on the question of the purchase of the franchise and property of the Lexington Water Company. On motion of Mr. Irving P. Fox it was Voted, That the selectmen be authorized to employ expert or legal talent in investigating the value of the water works. The whole question of the relation of the town and the water company was fully discussed by Messrs. Geo. E. Muzzey, A. C. Stone, Franklin Alderman, M. H. Merriam, L. E. Bennink, Webster Smith, C. M. Parker, G. W. Sampson, R. P. Clapp, W. E. Harmon, J. O. Tilton, and others. At a town meeting held June 29, 1895, the following was transacted in relation to the water supply : ART. 3. To see if the town will authorize its selectmen to pur- chase of the Lexington Water Company its whole water rights, estates, franchises, and privileges for a sum not exceeding two hundred thousand ($200,000) dollars. Mr. L. E. Bennink moved the indefinite postponement of the matter, inasmuch as it left the whole matter in the hands of the selectmen, and he thought the committee should be constituted differently. . 88 Mr. A. S. Parsons hoped that after calling this meeting that some definite action should be taken on the articles. On Mr. Bennink's motion it was Voted, No. The matter was discussed by Messrs. Franklin Alderman, A. C. Stone, Geo. E. Muzzey, Webster Smith, and H. G. Janvrin. Mr. Alderman moved that the sum of $175,000 be substi- tuted for $200,000. Mr. Janvrin moved to amend by hav- ing the sum $200,000, and it was Voted, That the sum to be voted on be $200,000. Mr. Janvrin asked if the committee could be increased ; Mr. Bennink asked if the committee could be changed ; and the moderator replied no to both questions. The moderator called the attention of the meeting to Sec- tion 27 of Chapter 27 of the public statutes. The vote was taken on Article 3 as it appears in the war- rant, by ballot, with the use of the check list. On closing the polls it was found that 120 votes had been cast, which agreed with the number of names checked, of which 66 were " Yes" and 54 " No," and the moderator declared if major- ity vote only was required it was a vote ; but if a two-thirds vote was required it was not a vote. ART. 4. To see if the town will issue its bonds in payment for the whole water rights, estates, franchises and privileges of the Lexington Water Company, redeemable in twenty (20) years from date, at such rate of interest and in such form as the selectmen may determine, or act in any manner relating thereto. No action was taken under this article. 89 ART. 5. To see if the town will purchase the corporate prop- erty, franchise, and all the rights and privileges of the Lexing- ton Water Company. Mr. Franklin Alderman moved that the words not ex- ceeding two hundred thousand dollars " be added to the ar- ticle. The moderator ruled that the article could not be amended. Mr. Alderman then moved that the article be indefinitely postponed. Voted, That the article be indefinitely postponed. Subsequently, Mr. A. S. Parsons asked for a reconsidera- tion of the vote under Article 5, but not having voted with the majority his motion could not be entertained. At a town meeting held August 17, 1895, the following was done : ART. 2. To hear the report of any committee that may be ready to report, and act thereon. Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey, for the selectmen, made the follow- ing report : To tite Town of Lexington : The selectmen desire to report that by their unanimous consent they have purchased the whole water rights, estates, franchises and privileges of the Lexington Water Company for two hundred thousand ($200,000) dollars, pursuant to the vote of the town passed at a town meeting held June 29, A. D. 1895. WEBSTER SMITH, Selectmen GEO. E. MUZZEY, of E. S. SPAULDING, Lexiagton. 90 On motion of Mr. A. E. Scott it was Voted, That the report of the selectmen be accepted. Mr. R. P. Clapp moved that Art. 2 be laid on the table and Art. 3 be taken up. Mr. A. E. Scott moved to amend by taking up Arts. 3, 4, and 5 together, which was accepted by Mr. Clapp, and it was Voted, That Art. 2 be laid on the table, and Arts. 3, 4, and 5 be taken up together. ART. 3. To see if the town will ratify and confirm the pur- chase of the whole water rights, estates, franchises and privi- leges of the Lexington Water Company made by the selectmen pursuant to the vote of the town passed at the town meeting held June 29, A. D. 1895. Mr. A. E. Scott submitted a motion, and moved that the town proceed to ballot on said motion, which was carried, and the polls were to be kept open fifteen minutes. On ballot, with the use of the check list, it was Toted, That the town ratify and confirm the doings of the selectmen relative to the purchase of the Lexington Water Company of its water rights, estates, franchises, and privi- leges for the sum of two hundred thousand ($200,000) dol- lars, and that it purchase said property for said sum, and issue in payment therefor its bonds for that amount, on such terms as to time of payment and rate of interest and in such form as the selectmen may determine, within the require- ments of the Public Statutes : or, in the discretion of the selectmen, that it borrow of the treasurer of the Common- wealth said sum on such terms as they may obtain. On the above the moderator declared that 75 ballots had been cast, as follows : 91 Yes," 72 ; " No," 3 ; and that it was a vote. On motion of Mr. A. E. Scott, amended by Mr. R. P. Clapp, it was Voted, That the town provide for the payment of said bonds on such debt by establishing such sinking fund as may be required by the Statutes of the Commonwealth ; or in such other manner as the Statutes may authorize or require. Mr. A. E. Scott moved to ballot for three commissioners of a sinking fund, but after some discussion of the matter it was Voted, Not to choose sinking fund commissioners. ART. 4. To see if the town will issue its bonds to the amount of two hundred thousand dollars, as authorized by Section 28 of Chapter 27 of the Public Statutes, to provide for the payment for the whole water rights, estates, franchises and privileges of the Lexington Water Company, purchased by the selectmen pursuant to the vote of the town passed at the town meeting held June 29, A. D. 1895. See action under Article 3. ART. 5. To see if the town will borrow two hundred thou- sand dollars to provide for the payment of the whole water rights, estates, franchises and privileges of the Lexington Water Company, pursuant to the vete of the town passed June 29, A. D. 1895, and provide for the payment thereof under the pro- visions of Chapter 29 of the Public Statutes, or act in any man- ner relating thereto. See action under Article 3. At a town meeting held October 28, 1895, the following passed : 92 ART. 3. To see if the town will make an appropriation, for the purpose of purchasing the whole water rights, estates, fran- chises and privileges belonging to the Lexington Water Com- pany, in accordance with the contract between the town and said company ; to see if the town will borrow any sum so ap- propriated, and issue the bonds of the town to an amount not exceeding two hundred thousand ($200,000) dollars therefor, and to see if the town will, instead of establishing a sinking fund, provide for the payment of such bonds in annual propor- tionate payments in accordance with Chapter 133 of the Acts of 1882, and fix the terms of the said bonds, or take any other action incident thereto. Mr. Webster Smith made a motion substantially same as the article, and the moderator put the question and declared it to be a unanimous vote. Mr. Smith then asked that the vote be taken by ballot with the use of the check list. Mr. Franklin Alderman moved and it was Voted, That the vote above declared by the moderator be reconsidered. Mr. Webster Smith moved that the question be voted on by ballot with the use of the check list, which was voted. Mr. James P. Prince offered the following amendment : The said bonds and interest shall be made payable in gold coin of the United States, of standard weight and fine- ness," which amendment was accepted by Mr. Smith and adopted by the town. On ballot, with the use of the check list, the polls remain- ing open ten minutes, it was Voted, That the sum of two hundred thousand dollars is hereby appropriated for the purpose of purchasing the whole 93 water rights, estates, franchises and privileges belonging to the Lexington Water Company in accordance with the terms of the contract with the town heretofore approved ; the same to be borrowed by the issue of bonds in the aggregate principal sum of two hundred thousand ($200,000) dollars, of the denomination of one thousand dollars each, bearing interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually at the office of the town treasurer or at any bank in Boston that the board of selectmen may designate on the face of said bonds. The said bonds and interest shall be made payable in gold coin of the United States, of standard weight and fineness. Said bonds shall be denomin ted on the face thereof, Lexington Water Bonds," ands all be signed by the town treasurer and countersigned byte selectmen, or a majority thereof, and shall be payable as f llows Ten of such bonds shall be payable on the first day of November, 1896, and ten of such bonds shall be payable on the first day of November in each year thereafter, until and including November 1, 1915. Instead of establishing a sinking fund for the payment of such bonds, the board of assessors shall, without further vote, in the year 1896 and in each year thereafter, assess the sum of ten thousand dollars until said debt shall be extinguished, in the same manner as other taxes are assessed, under the provisions of Section 34 of Chapter 11 of the Public Statutes. The said bonds are to be issued in the manner herein provided, and not accord- ing to the vote of the town passed the seventeenth of August, 1895. The selectmen are hereby authorized to negotiate such bonds either at public auction or private sale, and to deliver the same to the purchasers. Thirty-six votes were cast, which agreed with the number of names checked on the voting list, of which 94 Thirty-four were " Yes," Two were " No." And the moderator declared it was a vote. ART. 4. To see if the town will make an appropriation for the purpose of paying operating and necessary construction ex- penses of the water works. On motion of Mr. Geo. E. Muzzey it was Voted, That the sum of twenty-five hundred ($2500) dol- lars be appropriated and taken from any unexpended money in the treasury for the purpose of paying operating and necessary construction expenses of the water works. In the annual town report for 1895, the selectmen report as follows : WATER BONDS. In accordance with the vote of the town passed August 17, 1895, we advertised for bids for water bonds. LEXINGTON, MASS. WATER BONDS (GOLD). Notice is hereby given that the board of selectmen will receive sealed proposals for the purchase of two hundred Lexington (Gold) Water Bonds of the denomination of 51000 each, bearing interest at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum. Said bonds are dated November 1st, 1895, and mature as follows: Ten bonds November 1st, 1896, and ten bonds each year thereafter on November 1st until and including November lst, 1915. Proposals must be left at the office of the selectmen on or before SATURDAY, at 3 o'clock P. M., November 2d, 1895, at which time they will be opened. Certified copies of votes and other informa- tion may be obtained at the office of Messrs. Smith & Ludden, 5 Pem- berton Square, Boston. The selectmen of Lexington reserve the right to reject any and all proposals. The said bonds and interest shall be made payable in gold coin of the U. S. of standard weight and fineness. WEBSTER SMITH, GEORGE E. MUZZEY, EDWIN S. SPAULDING, Selectmen of Lexington. 95 We received eight bids, ranging from $102.04 to $103.2795, at which last-named price they were awarded to Brewster, Cobb & Estabrook, their bid being the highest, making net amount of interest the town pays three sixty per cent., and yielding, with premium and accrued interest, from Novem- ber 1, 1895, date of bonds, $7465.67, which we received De- cember 10, 1895, and passed to credit of water works, and interest at which last-named date, the company transferred the property to Lexington, and our income began. PURCHASE OF WATER WORKS. By vote of the town, passed May 25, 1895, the selectmen were appointed a committee to obtain from the Lexington Water Company a price at which it would sell its property to the town. At a town meeting held June 29, 1895, upon report of the selectmen, it was voted that the selectmen be authorized to purchase the property and franchise of Lexington Water Company at a price not exceeding two hundred thousand ($200,000) dollars. August 3, 1895, we issued and circu- lated, with warrant for town meeting called for August 17, 1895, the following LEXINGTON, August 3d, 1895. To the People of Lexington : Acting under the vote of the town, passed at a meeting of the town held June 29th, 1895, your selectmen have pur- chased the whole property of the Lexington Water Com- pany for two hundred thousand dollars. The property of the company was stated with some detail in a report of a committee of the town, made previous to the last town meeting. Since that time the company has expended sever- al thousand dollars in the extension of its mains and in pur- chasing and putting in operation a Bacon Air Lift Pump. Our purchase includes all the property of the company as it stands at the present time. 1 96 The contract having been completed, we are now free to state reasons which led us to unanimously consent to this purchase. We became convinced that it would be to our advantage as a town, as well as to the citizens, as water takers, if the town controlled its water supply. The old contract with the water company having expired, the cost to the town for the present year for the use of hydrants and other purposes would have been upwards of four thousand dollars. The company had entire control of its water rates, and we had reason to believe that an increase in price was contemplated. There is little doubt that the gross receipts of the company for the present year would have been up- wards of twelve thousand dollars, with the prospect of a rapid increase in succeeding years. The cost of operating the works at the present time is not over three thousand dol- lars per year. We are confident that the town can borrow the amount required to pay for the property at about three and one-half per cent. per annum. At this rate, taking the income of the present year as a basis, the profit to the town will at the outset be considerable, and with prudent manage- ment will rapidly increase. We think it can be arranged so that this debt can be ex- tended over a long series of years, and that it is possible for the town to pay it without direct taxation to a greater ex- tent than would be necessary to meet the cost of hydrants and for other water purposes if the purchase had not been made. We believe that the value of the works and of the business of the company would have very rapidly increased, and we are sure that the price which we are to pay for the property is much less than we should be compelled to pay if the pur- chase were delayed. We are equally confident that it was prudent policy for the town to obtain the works by negotia- tion rather than by compelling the company to sell under the provisions of its charter. 97 Water has an established commercial value, and the value of the works depends very largely upon the quality and the quantity of the water distributed. The quality of our water is unsurpassed ; the quantity distributed is very large in comparison with the size of our town. There has been considerable complaint in dry seasons of the insufficiency of the supply for lawns and streets, but the Lexington Water Company has stood above the average of municipal or private companies in these particulars. The works and the business of the company were in excel- lent shape to sell, and it would have nude a very strong case before a commission appointed to determine tho value of its property. Even since the town authorized us to purchase, the situation has very materially changed. The capacity of the deep well, as developed by the Bacon pump, to which we have referred, adds very greatly to the value of the property. This pump has been put in under a contract with the Knowles Steam Pump Works, guarantee- ing that it will pump and that the well will supply 150,000 gallons per day for ninety consecutive days. The pump has been in operation during the past month and far exceeds the guaranty. The gauge shows that the water in the well main- tains its height, or that it is increasing rather than decreas- ing, and that the capacity of the pump is even two hundred gallons per minute. The step which the town has taken is one of the most im- portant in its history and should command the careful atten- tion of all its people. The method to be adopted for the payment of the purchase money should be thoughtfully con- sidered, and we urge that the meeting which we have called be fully attended. WEBSTER SMITH, GEO. E. MUZZEY, Selectmen. E. S. SPAULDING. 98 The town voted to ratify and confirm our purchase, and authorized the issuing of two hundred thousand ($200,000) dollars in bonds, payable ten thousand ($10,000) dollars yearly for twenty years in payment therefor. July 30, 1895, we signed an agreement with the Lexington Water Company, through its treasurer, Mr. E. L. Wires, duly authorized by the company, for the purchase of its whole water rights, estates, franchises and privileges, for the sum of two hundred thousand ($200,000) dollars. The town to pay for all new construction, laying of pipes, etc., made from date, and the water company to operate the works at their own expense, and to receive the income until the town should make payment in full. We are happy to state that the town was fortunate in having a man of Mr. Wires's busi- ness capacity to deal with in so important a matter as the purchase of the water works, and we congratulate our fellow - citizens upon their acquiring the ownership of so valuable a plant on such favorable terms. The property is as follows : The whole estate and property of the company has been conveyed and delivered to the town. In addition to the franchise and the personal property the estate consists of up- wards of sixty acres of land, as follows : First.—The pumping station and about twenty-seven acres of land adjoining, in which are situated four large wells or reservoirs, and the artesian or deep well, the capacity of which has been so well tested during the past season. This land begins near the pumping station, and extends on the Lincoln road about 1500 feet to land of Middleby. Second.—About three acres of land adjacent to the pump- ing station lot on the southerly corner, and conveyed to the company by W. S. Seaverns, on which is situated a valuable spring. Third.—A lot of land known as the base ball ground, con- 99 taining about fourteen acres. This lot extends about 300 feet on the Lincoln road, from land of Bennink to land of Newell. There is also a right of way leading to it from Massachusetts avenue, easterly of the estate of Crone. On this land there is situated a large water gallery or well, from which a pipe extends to the pumping station. Fourth.—A strip of land containing about two acres, ex- tending from the base ball ground to the pumping station. Fifth.—About fifteen acres of land on which the new reservoir is situated. This land extends nearly one thou- sand feet on Middle street, and includes the land taken from Middleby, Lawrence, and Teele. Sixth.—The right to construct and maintain conduits, pipes and other works over a strip of land twenty feet wide, extending across the farm of said Middleby, from the pump- ing station lot to the reservoir. As will be seen by the foregoing report, the property of the water company was sold to the town in August, 1895, but owing to necessary delays in the engraving and printing of the bonds before they could be delivered and the money obtained on them to pay the water company, it was agreed between the selectmen and the water company that the company should operate the works until such time as payment should be made to them, and that all new construc- tion and services, where no income would accrue to the com- pany, should be paid for by the town. The property was actually turned over to the town on December 10, 1895, and the adjustment between the com- pany and the town was made as follows : The company to receive seven -ninths and the town two - ninths of the income from October 1 to December 31, 1895. The amount accruing to the town under this agreement was $491.85, and the company had expended for new construe - 100 tion $419.45, leaving the net income for the town to Janu- ary 1, 1896, the sum of $72.40. At a town meeting held February 10, 1896, the following article was in the warrant : ART. 3. To see if the town will vote to petition the Legis- lature for legislation to enable it to re -fund a part of its existing indebtedness, or ratify the petition made by the selectmen in behalf of the town for the purpose, or act in any manner relat- ing thereto. And the town Voted, That the town petition the Legislature for legisla- tion to enable it to re -fund one hundred thousand dollars of its water debt, and that the petition made by the selectmen on behalf of the town be ratified. Voted, That the selectmen be requested to appear before the committee of the Legislature to whom the petition has been referred, and ask for an act substantially the same as the bill presented by them with the petition, and to do such other things as may be proper regarding the matter. (Vote unanimous) . Subsequently the Legislature passed the following : [CHAP. 160.] AN ACT TO AUTnORIZE TIIE TOWN OF LEXINGTON TO REFUND A PORTION OF ITS DEBT. Be it enacted, etc., as follows : SECTION 1. The town of Lexington is hereby authorized to issue from time to time bonds, notes or scrip to an amount not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars, for the purpose of re- funding an equal amount of bonds of said town as they become due, denominated Lexington Water Bonds, dated the first day of November in the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five, and 101 issued under the authority of a vote passed by the town on the twenty-eighth day of October in the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five. The bonds, notes or scrip issued under the pro- visions of this act shall be payable not more than twenty years from the date of issue, and shall bear interest at a rate not ex- ceeding six per cent. per annum. They shall be signed by the treasurer and countersigned by the selectment of the town, and may be sold or negotiated at public or private sale, upon such terms and conditions and in such manner as said town may deem proper. SECTION 2. For the purpose of providing for the payment of said bonds, said town shall not be required to establish a sink- ing fund under the provisions of chapter twenty-nine of the Public Statutes, but instead thereof shall raise by taxation each year in which any of said bonds are to become due a sufficient amount to meet the payment thereof, and shall appropriate the same for that purpose. SECTIO` 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Ap- promd March 18, 1896.] The effect of the foregoing legislation is such that no pay- ments on the principal of the water debt of $200,000 need be made till November 1, 1906, when $10,000 must be paid, and a like- amount each year for nineteen succeeding years. At the annual town meeting, held March 2, 1896, the fol- lowing article was in the warrant : To see if the town will provide for the care and management of the property purchased of the Lexington Water Company and regulate the supply of water to its inhabitants, by the adop- tion of by-laws, or in any other manner, or take any action relative to its water property and water supply. And the town Voted, That the consideration of this article be postponed to adjourned meeting, and that a committee of five be ap- s 102 pointed by the moderator to prepare rules and by-laws for the management of the water works ; and the moderator ap- pointed A. E. Scott, Geo. E. Muzzey, John F. Maynard, A. S. Parsons, and Irving Stone such committee. At the adjourned meeting held March 23, 1896, the above committee reported a list of rules and regulations of the water department, which report was accepted and adopted, and the moderator (R. P. Clapp, Esq.) was authorized to present the same to the court for approval, and they were so approved as follows : RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE WATER DEPARTMENT. SECTION 1. At a meeting called for that purpose, to be held in April, 1896, the town shall elect by ballot a Water Board, consisting of three legal voters, to be called Water Commissioners, one of whom shall be elected for the term of three years, one for the term of two years, and one for the term of one year, all of said terms to date from the annual meeting in March, and thereafter the town shall annually elect by ballot one member of said board for the term of three years. Every member -elect of said board shall be sworn to the faithful performance of his duties. No member shall receive any salary or other compensa- tion for his services. SECTION 2. The Water Boardshallhave and exercise all the powers vested in the town by its purchase of the fran- chise and property of the Lexington Water Company or by the public statutes. (This section was not allowed by the court.) SEcTION 3. It shall have the entire control and manage- ment of the property and estate purchased of said Lexington Water Company, and of such other property and estate as the town may hereafter acquire for water purposes, and the 103 entire supervision and control of the extension, improve- ment and management of the water works and water supply, and of all matters and things connected therewith. It may appoint a superintendent, water registrar, and other neces- sary subordinate officers or agents, and may fix their com- pensation. It may establish and assess the water rates, and make such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the introduction and use of water, until the town shall establish other rates and other rules and regulations. SECTION 4. The Water Board shall annually, on or be- fore the first day of January in each year, present to the selectmen, for publication in the town reports, a report con- taining a statement of the condition of all the water works, and of the land and other property connected therewith, also a detailed statement of all receipts and expenditures, with such information and suggestions as they may deem important. SECTION 5. The water registrar, under the direction of the Water Board, shall collect the water rates established by the Water Board, and shall pay all money so collected by him to the town treasurer weekly. He shall keep such books, make such reports and returns, and perform all other duties required by the Water Board. He may be required to give a bond for the faithful performance of his duties, in such sum and with such sureties as the Water Board shall determine. SECTION 6. The Water Board shall cause hydrants to be placed where the selectmen and engineers may indicate, and the town shall annually appropriate, for the use of the water department, forty-five dollars, for each hydrant in use. The town shall also pay and annually appropriate a sufficient sum therefor for the purposes of the water department : For the use of water in the public buildings, the same rates that are charged to individuals. 104 For the use of water in watering troughs, twenty-five dol- lars for each trough. For water for watering streets, twenty-five cents per thou- sand gallons. SECTION 7. The town treasurer shall keep a separate ac- count of all water rents and receipts, and of all charges, ex- penses and interest on account of the water works and the water debt. All money so received, and all appropriations made by the town for any purpose connected with the water depart- ment, shall be used in payment of the water debt and inter- est thereon, and the expense of operating and extending the water works, and shall be paid out by the treasurer on orders or bills approved by the Water Board, or a majority thereof. SECTION 8. The rules and regulations made and pub- lished by the Water Board shall be considered a part of the contract with every person who takes the water, and every person by taking the water shall he considered to have ex- pressed his assent to be bound thereby. (This section not approved by the court.) SECTION 9. If any person shall violate any of the rules or regulations made and published by the Water Board, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty dollars for each offence, and the Water Board may shut off the water and prohibit its use by persons neglecting or refusing to comply with said rules and regulations. (This section not approved by the court.) At a meeting held April 27, 1896, the following addition- al by-laws were adopted : SECTION 7. Except as shall be otherwise expressly agreed, the rules and regulations made and published by the water board, shall be considered a part of the contract with every person who takes the water, and every person by tak- 105 lug the water shall be considered to have expressed his as. - sent to be bound thereby. SECTION 8. The water board may shut off the water and prohibit its use by persons neglecting or refusing to comply with any of the rules and regulations made and published by the board. And at the same meeting it was Voted, That the balance of the amount appropriated in 1895 for the water department, and the premium and inter- est received on account of the water bonds, be transferred to the account of the water department provided for under the by-laws, and be subject to the control of the water commis- sioners. At a town meeting held April 27, 1896, Article 3 of the warrant was as follows ; To elect by ballot a water board to consist of three water commissioners, one for a term of three years, one for a term of two years, one for a term of one year, from the annual meeting in March, 1896, in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of Article 7 of town by-laws. On ballot, Webster Smith was chosen for three years, A. E. Scott for two years, and Frank H. Locke for one year. Mr. Scott declined to serve, and Bradley C. Whitch- er was elected for two years' in his stead. Mr. Smith, who was not present at the meeting, also declined to serve, and Everett S. Locke was subsequently chosen for three years. At the same meeting it was also Voted, That the town issue ten bonds of one thousand dollars each, dated November 1st, 1896, payable in twenty years from date, and bearing interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum, to re -fund an equal amount of the bonds of the town denominated Lexington Water Bonds, which be - 106 come due November 1st, 1896, under the authority of Chap- ter 160 of the Acts of 1896. This vote was rescinded at the meeting held October 21, 1896, and another vote passed containing a gold clause. It was also Voted, That the water commissioners are hereby author- ized and requested to allow such portion of the land lying near the south-easterly side of Parker street, as they may think best suited to the purpose, to be used as a play- ground, under such regulations as the commissioners may from time to time establish ; and that the sum of two hun- dred dollars is hereby appropriated for putting the ground incondition for such use, the money to be expended under the direction of the water board. At a town meeting held June 8, 1896, the town Voted, That the sum of ten thousand dollars is hereby ap- propriated for the purpose of purchasing materials, laying pipes and doing other work necessary for the extension of the water mains and for supplying water, the same to be bor- rowed by the issue of bonds in the aggregate principal sum of ten thousand dollars of the denomination of one thousand dollars each, bearing interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually at the office of the town treasurer, or at any bank in Boston, that the board of select- men may designate on the face of the bonds. That said bonds and interest shall be made payable in gold coin of the United States, of standard weight and fineness. Said bonds shall be denominated on the face thereof "Lex- ington Water Bonds," and shall be signed by the Town Treasurer and countersigned by the selectmen or a majority thereof, and shall be payable as follows :—One of such bonds shall be payable on the first day of July, 1897, and one of 107 such bonds shall be payable on the first day of July there- after, until and including July 1, 1906. Instead of establishing a sinking fund for the payment of such bonds the board of assessors shall without further vote in the year 1897 and in each year thereafter, assess the sum of one thousand dollars until said debt shall be extinguished in the same manner as other taxes are assessed, under the pro- visions of section 34 of chapter 11 of the Public Statutes. Voted, That the town appropriate eight hundred and fifty dollars for putting in an additional boiler at the pumping station, and that the amount be taken from the funds of the water department. At a town meeting held October 21, 1896, the town re- scinded the vote passed April 27, 1896, and passed the fol- lowing : Voted, That the town issue ten bonds of one thousand dollars each, dated November 1, 1896, payable in twenty years from date and bearing interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum, principal and interest to be paid in gold coin of the United States, of the present standard of weight and fineness, to refund an equal amount of the bonds of the town denominated Lexington Water Bonds, which became due November 1, 1896, under the authority of Chapter 160 of the Acts of 1896. Voted, That the said bonds be sold at private sale under the direction of the selectmen upon the best terms they can obtain. The above bonds were sold to Blodgett, Merritt & Co., for a premium of 085.00. The first meeting of the Board of Water Commissioners was held May 12, 1896, and was organized by the choice of B. C. Whitcher as Chairman. 108 T. L. Bruce was appointed superintendent and engineer of the Lexington water department, at a salary of $60 per month and house rent free, to date from December 10, 1895, the date of the transfer to the town. Leonard A. Saville was appointed as water registrar and clerk of the board at a salary to be fixed at a future time. Regular meetings of the board have been held on Mon- days preceding the regular meetings of the selectmen, and also at other times when the business of the department de- manded, at which meetings bills were approved, new con- struction approved and ordered, and any business required was passed upon. The total earnings of the water department from Decem- ber 10, 1895, to December 31, 1896 has been as follows : The town's proportion of income of the quarter from Oc- tober 1, to December 31, 1895, being 2-9 of total income for that time as follows : 2-9 water rates, 81,734.99, 2-9 hydrant rates, 8445.00, 2-9 street watering, 833.14, Less paid water company for labor on new construction, as per terms of contract, Net income for the town to Jan. 1, 1896, Water rates from Jan. 1 to March 31, 1896, Hydrants, Water rates from. April 1 to June 30, 1896, Hydrants, Streets, Services, etc., 8385.56 98.92 7.37 81,726.24 686.25 81,804.57 686.25 443.47 234.20 8491.85 419.45 8 72.40 8 2,412.49 3,168.49 109 110 Water rates from July 1 to Sept. 30, 1896, MASSACIIUSETTS AVENUE AND SYLVIA STREET. including lawn hose for season of 1896, $2,564.98 Hydrants, 705.00 524 feet 6 -inch pipe, $183.40 Streets, 393.56 718 feet 4 -inch pipe, 179.50 Services, etc., 84.55 Fittings, 12.32 3,748.09 1 hydrant, 24.65 Explosives, 17.85 Water rates from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 1896, $1,963.08 Labor, 545.08 Hydrants, 753.75 Services, etc., 159.97 Total cost per foot, 77 1-2 cents. 2,876.80 Total earnings of plant to Jan. 1, 1897, $12,278.27 Collections to Dec. 31, 1896, $9,223.07 Rebates allowed in 1896, 5.44 '9,228.51 Balance due Jan. 1, 1897, $ 3,049.76 Extensions of street mains have been made during the past year as follows : GRANT STREET. PLEASANT STREET. 341 feet 6 -inch pipe, 462 feet 4 -inch pipe, Fittings, Labor, Total cost per foot, 63 3-8 cents. INDEPENDENCE AVENUE. 95 feet 4 -inch pipe, $23.75 557 feet 4 -inch pipe, 1 plug, .36 Fittings, Labor, 36.94 Labor, $61.05 Total cost per foot, 64 1-3 cents. MAPLE STREET (including crossing Pierce's Bridge and R. R.) 554 feet 4 -inch pipe, $138.50 Fittings, 9.90 Lumber for boxing pipe across bridge, 19.00 Mineral wool for packing pipe, 20.66 Labor, 75.25 Total cost per foot, 47 1-2 cents. $263.31 Total cost per foot, 40 3-4 cents. PELHAM ROAD. 450 feet 6 -inch pipe, 182 feet 4 -inch pipe, 1 hydrant, Fittings, Labor, Total cost per foot, 71 cents. $119.35 115.50 10.30 263.78 $139.25 15.00 72.75 $157.50 45.50 24.95 41.69 179.21 $962.80 $508.93 $227.00 $448.85 111 WASHINGTON STREET. 232 feet 6 -inch pipe, Explosives, Fittings, Labor, Total cost per foot, $1.62. WINTHROP ROAD. 271 feet 6 -inch pipe, Teaming and blasting, 1 plug, Labor, Total cost per foot, 80 cents. COTTAGE STREET. 477 feet 4 -inch pipe, Fittings, Labor, $81.20 18.50 19.50 256.08 $94.85 40.37 .45 79.75 $119.25 4.80 70.96 Total cost per foot, 41 cents. NEW STREET OFF SHERMAN STREET. 190 feet 4 -inch pipe, Fittings, Labor, Total cost per foot, 43 3-4 cents. BEDFORD STREET. 1831 feet 6 -inch pipe, 2 hydrants, Fittings, Labor, $47.50 5.30 30.29 $640.85 49.90 22.51 368.72 $375.28 $215.42 $195.01 $83.09 112 FROM LINCOLN STREET, MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, AND CEDAR STREET TO POOR FARM. 1317 feet 6 -inch pipe, 1192 feet 4 -inch pipe, 3 hydrants, Fittings, Labor, Explosives, Total cost per foot, 73 1-8 cents. NEW BOILER. Roberts Iron Works Co., boiler, etc., M. Ellis & Co., movingic C. W. Swan, setting Piping and labor on Damper regulator, Labor on foundation, etc., Mineral wool, Set of grate bars, $460.95 298.00 74.25 39.43 935.23 27.50 $636.47 18.38 279.33 115.09 75.00 96.38 9.38 REPAIR TO OLD BOILERS. PREPARING BONDS FOR SALE. Advertising, Printing bonds, Engraving bonds, LEGAL EXPENSES. $63.84 16.00 27.00 Smith & Ludden, $20.00 $1,081.98 Recording deeds, 5.30 Total cost per foot, 60 cents. $25.30 $1,835.36 $1,230.03 849.76 $106.84 113 114 Or'FICE EXPENSES. Printing bills, etc., $26.10 Stationery, stamps, envelopes, etc.,' 41.80 SALARIES. T. L. Bruce, supt. and engineer, from Dec. 10, 1895, to Jan. 1, 1897, L. A. Saville, registrar and clerk for 1896, D. J. Vaughan, inspector for 1896, $760.00 500.00 25.00 $67.90 $1,285.00 GRADING BASE BALL GROUND FOR PLAY GROUND. (Special appropriation $200.) STATION EXPENSES. Coal and wood, Oil and waste, Light, Labor and lumber, Sundries, Telephone service, Repairs to pumps, Hay and grain, Shoeing and repairing, STABLE EXPENSES. $1,276.09 55.14 77.78 388.98 26.53 34.55 $75.28 35.18 $1,859.07 $47.74 E. W. Glass, grading, $ 40.80 $110.46 W. H. Whitaker, plowing, seeding, manur- BONDS ISSUED IN 1896. ing, etc., 115.00 Mrs. K. L. Lawrence, Labor and material, REPAIRS TO STATION HOUSE. $29.00 30.10 Lumber, Labor, REAL ESTATE. CONNECTING SERVICES. Tools and repairs on same, DAM AT GRASSLAND Gate and fittings, Lumber, Labor, FARM. $29.78 .19.12 5.00 $155.80 July 1. For extension of mains, $10,000 ; premium and interest received, $239.51 Nov. 1. For re -funding amount due Nov. 1, 1896, $3o0.00 $10,000; premium and interest received, 385.00 SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS ON HAND JAN. 1, 1897. $864.18 Coal, 55 tons, $ 247.50 Oil and waste, 27.00 Pipe, fittings, tools, etc., 1,082.90 $59.10 $237.67 $1,357.40 (Pipe, fittings, tools, and other materials bought with the plant not included in above.) RECAPITULATION. Expended for new construction, New boiler, Repairs to old boiler, $53.90 Amount carried forward, $ 6,258.08 1,230.03 49.76 $7,537.87 115 Amount brought forward, 87,537.87 station house, 59.10 « pumps, 47.74 Preparing bonds for sale, 106.84 Legal expenses, 25.30 Office expenses, 67.90 Salaries, 1,285.00 Grading base ball ground, 155.80 Real estate bought, 350.00 Connecting services. 864.18 Tools and repairs, 237.67 Dam at Grassland Farm, 53.90 Expenses at station, 1,859.07 Expenses of stable, 110.46 Interest on bonds, 8,000.00 New issue of bonds for re -funding, 10,000.00 Sundry expenses not classified, 34.23 Total expenses, 830,795.06 To which add supplies and materials now on hand but paid for in 1896, 1,357.40 BONDED DEBT FOR WATER DEPARTMENT. Issue of Nov. 1, 1895, for purchase of plant, Issue of July 1, 1895, for extension of mains, etc., 832,152.46 8200,000.00 10,000.00 8210,000.00 CREDITS. Balance to credit of water department Jan. 1, 1896, as per auditor's report for 1895, page 169, 8 7,391.30 Amount transferred from interest account to water department, being accrued interest received on issue of bonds dated Nov. 1, 1895, 866.67 Amount carried forward, 88,257.97 116 Amount brought folward, 88,257.97 Premium and interest on bonds issued July 1, 1896, 239.51 Premium on bonds issued Nov. 1, 1896 (re -funding), 385.00 Special appropriation for improving play ground, 200.00 Collections for water rates, etc., to Dec. 31, 1896, 9,223.07 Bonds issued July 1, 1896 (81,000 payable yearly), 10,000.00 « Nov. 1, 1896 (re -issue for 20 years), 10,000.00 Expenditures, 838,305.55 32,152.46 Balance to credit water department Jan. 1, 1897, 8 6,153.09 Some complaint has been made during the past season of the discoloration of the water, especially after heavy rains, and while the State Board of Health does not consider such discoloration as unhealthy, the water does not present so good an appearance. The commissioners are considering plans to put in a filter, so that water from the reservoir, when it is necessary to use it, and also the water from the wells, other than the deep well, can be purified. It will not be long before, with our natural growth and extension of pipes, that a larger supply of water will be re- quired, and your commissioners are investigating and seek- ing for new sources from which to draw an additional sup- ply. There have been added since the town assumed con- trol of the works 67 services, and 17 services were added by the company after the agreement was made, making 510 services now connected. There should be another stand -pipe erected in the lower part of the town in case of any accident to the present one, so that the supply of water would not be cut off. Your com- missioners have in contemplation the preparation of a plan of the streets, showing the size of the pipe, the location of hy- drants and gate -boxes, which will give needed information 117 to those who may have the matter in charge in the future. It is not probable that so many new extensions of mains will be called in any one year as we have put in during the past season, but we must expect a natural growth to cover new territory as it is developed for building purposes. It has been our endeavor in the foregoing report to give a concise history of the water department from the time when the town began to consider its purchase from the water company, and while some of the foregoing matter has al- ready appeared in print, it was considered necessary to a full understanding of the transaction to present it in this form. Respectfully submitted, B. C. WHITCHER, FRANK H. LOCKE, EVERETT S. LOCKE, Board of Water Commissioners. 118 REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN, OVERSEERS OF THE POOR, AND SURVEYORS OF HIGHWAYS. 7o the Voters of Lexington: The selectmen respectfully submit the following report of the performance of their duties, in part, pertaining to the above offices. TOWN MEETINGS. The Town Clerk has prepared full records of all town meetings, and the same will be found printed in this report. We recommend the following appropriations for the next financial year in addition to the balances now standing to the credit of the several accounts, as per auditors' report : ESTIMATES FOR 1897. Abatement of taxes, Assessors, April 19th celebration, Auditors, Care of Common, Collector of taxes, Constable and police, Discount for prompt payment of taxes, Amount carriedforward, 500.00 700.00 200.00 100.00 100.00 700.00 2,000.00 600.00 $4,900.00 119 Amount brought forward, Fire department, Fuel and lights of hall and Stone building, Highways, Hydrants, 67 at $45 each, Interest on town debt, Interest on water debt, Insurance, Janitors of hall and Stone building, Librarians, Memorial Day, and decorating graves Revolution- ary soldiers, Maintaining fire alarm, Outside poor, Payment of town debt, Printing, Registrars of voters, Ringing bells, Schools, School committee, Selectmen, Snow, Street lighting, Treasurer of Cary Library, Town clerk, Town treasurer, Watering streets, POLICE. $4,900.00 3,450.00 1,000.00 10,000.00 3,015.00 2,500.00 8,400.00 950.00 800.00 1,050.00 175.00 250.00 2,500.00 6,000.00 500.00 100.00 70.00 17,000.00 300.00 1,000.00 600.00 4,250.00 50.00 300.00 500.00 1,000.00 $70,660.00 Our town has been very orderly during the past year ; very little rowdyism or misdemeanors of any kind have oc- curred. We think our officers have been faithful and effi- cient in the discharge of their duties. Messrs. Foster and 120 Franks deserve commendation for the able and satisfactory manner in which they have performed that part of the town's business entrusted to their charge. TAX TITLES. The town has purchased during the past year thirty-six tax titles, amounting to 5270.18. All of this property is located at the Heights. STREET LAMPS. Number now in use, Arcs, 37. Incandescents, 131. Num- ber of nights lighted, 296 ; average per month, 24;5-. The above does not include 14 incandescent lights, upon Middle street, that have been added during the past year. INSURANCE. The Insurance on Town Hall, amounting to fifteen thou- sand dollars, and on Cary Library, amounting to ten thou- sand dollars ; also on Statues expires, the coming year, and it will require about nine hundred and twenty-five dollars to renew this insurance for five years. ALMSHOUSE. We have paid this institution the regular annual visit. We find everything in the usual good order, with four in- mates. During the past year water has been introduced ; set tubs ; bath room with hot and cold water, have also been added for convenience and comfort. Mr. and Mrs. White are much interested, and are giving faithful and careful at- tention to the property and the inmates. It seems advisable in our judgment to build a new shed for the storage of carts, wagons, tools, etc. The present one 121 is dilapidated and is not expected to survive the winter, and we recommend an appropriation of five hundred dollars for suitable storage facilities for Highway and Pauper equip- ments. SCHEDULE OF PROPERTY BELONGING TO PAUPER. DEPARTMENT. Apples, Augers, (5) Barrels, Baskets, Bench, Blankets, Boxes, Buffalo Robe, Cabbages, Canned Goods, Cart harness, Carryall, Chains, Chain harness, Cows, (2) Coal, Collar, Contents of Lock-up, Contents of Pantry and Closet, Cultivator, Democrat wagon, Double sled, Drills, Express harness, Express wagon, Fire extinguishers, $ 40.00 2.50 15.00 3.00 7.00 4.00 3.00 15.00 16.00 10.00 15.00 60.00 6.00 5.00 110.00 50.00 3.75 12.00 45.00 3.00 15.00 40.00 1.50 15.00 40.00 20.00 Amount carriedforward, $556.75 Amount brought forward, Fowls, (138) Furniture in house, Grain, Grain chest, Grind stones, Halters and surcingles, Harrows, Hay, (20 tons) Hay, (Rowen) 1 1-2 tons, Hay tedder, Hay wagon, (1 horse) Hay wagon, (2 horse) Horse, (1) no value, Horse cover, Horse rake, Iron bars, hooks and shovel, Light harness, Manure, (30 cords) Manure wagon, Measures, Molasses, Mowing machines, Oats and Millet, Pails, Plough, (new) Ploughs, (3) Pork, Potatoes, Pung, Rackets, (6) Rakes, Forks and Ladders, Reins, (set double) Roots, Ropes, Amount carriedforward, 122 *556.75 110.00 423.00 6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 10.00 360.00 21.00 10.00 35.00 40.00 2.50 10.00 10.00 8.00 180.00 150.00 1.00 10.00 50.00 36.00 1.50 12.00 18.00 10.00 35.00 5.00 4.00 7.00 3.50 15.00 1.00 82,153.25 123 Amount brought fosward, Sailcloth, Salt, Scythes, Shoat, Sled, Stake chains, Swine, (2) Tip cart, Vinegar, Wheelbarrow, Wheel harrow, Wheel jack and Whiffletree, Wood, Wrenches and Hammers, HIGHWAYS. $2,153.25 5.00 1.25 4.00 4.00 40.00 3.00 15.00 38.00 7.50 2.00 20.00 8.50 5.00 3.00 $2,309.50 Probably the most lasting pieces of road ever built in town are those built this year on Hancock street and Massa- chusetts avenue, in front of Post -office block ; the latter piece however is quite short, and is no doubt used more than any piece of road in town. During the late fall the road had the appearance of having some surface mud. This is caused en- tirely by the large amount of travel upon it, and the soil that has been carried there by vehicles. No gravel or dirt of any nature was put upon this street, and whatever sem- blance of mud there may be is caused by ordinary travel, the tracking of mud upon the street and the pulverizing of the stone by the large number of carriages and other vehicles passing over it. We have made a special effort to keep cob- ble stones out of our roads, and to have the concrete cross- ings kept clean. We think our roads average good, with the exception of Massachusetts avenu3. We have asked for 124 an appropriation of $2000 more for the coming year than was appropriated last March, and if in your judgment it is best to grant the same, we can spend a few thousand dol- lars in the improvement of our main street, or by building a section of macadamized road. SCHEDULE OF PROPERTY BELONGING TO HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT. Blankets, Carts, 3 double, Carts, 2 single, Chains, Collars, (7) Crusher, engine and scales, Drags, Drills and iron bars, Evener and whiffietree, Feed bags, Grain chest and grain, Gutter plough, Halters and surcingles, Harness, Harness, (double) 2 sets, Horses, (6) Oil can and powder, Pails and lanterns, Picks and handles, Ploughs, (2) Pulleys and rope, Road machines, Saddles and harness, (3) Sidewalk ploughs, Steam roller, Amount carried forward, $ 35.00 350.00 55.00 25.00 28.00 3,000.00 17.00 25.00 4.00 4.50 15.00 25.00 7.00 8.00 85.00 800.00 3.50 12.00 25.00 40.00 20.00 20.00 40.00 150.00 3,000.00 $7,794.00 125 Amount brought folward, Stone hammers, (10) Street roller, Tools, Tool chest, Wagon, Wrench, large, STATE ROAD. $7,794.00 40.00 150.00 50.00 10.00 14.00 2.00 8,060.00 Lexington was the first town to receive a contract to build a portion of the State road. Work has progressed quite rapidly and for the entire season giving employment to many of our tax payers, and perhaps to some who might otherwise have been obliged to ask for financial aid from the town. Our road is spoken of and referred to as one of the best in the state. We have good assurances that a contract may be se- cured the coming season to complete the road to the Lin- coln line. BEDFORD STREET. Considerable more money has been spent upon Bedford street the past two years than seemed advisable by the Selectmen, but it has been imperative under orders of the County Commissioners. The road is now completed and accepted by said Commissioners, and the award of $1500 has been paid into the town treasury. DEATH OF OUR ASSOCIATE, MR. GEORGE E. MIJZZEY. It is with a deep feeling of regret and sadness that we re- fer to the death of our esteemed associate on the Board, 126 Mr. George E. Muzzey, who has ever been faithful to his duties as one of the Selectmen. No man could have the best interests of the town more at heart than our beloved member. He was punctual at all the meetings of the Board, and al- ways ready to give his entire time, if needed, for any town interest. TRAMPS. The Selectmen have endeavored to carry out the vote of the town in relation to tramps. We believe it to be impos- sible to keep tramps entirely from our town. At present they have bread and coffee for breakfast, and are worked un- til 10.30 in the forenoon : our guests however are thankful for this entertainment ; it does not have much if any effect in ridding the town of them, but it does apparently stay them from asking for food of our citizens, as nota complaint has been made to our officers, who are instructed to arrest all tramps begging for food, and our citizens are requested to notify Messrs. Foster or Franks immediately of such cases. We do not recommend working tramps, as it is a financial loss to the town and does not accomplish the desired result. The most economical way is as of old ; to give them crackers and water. A better way may be to give them bread for breakfast so they will not start out hungry, and notify them as we do at present, that if found asking for food in our town they will be arrested as vagrants. Lexing- ton must in any event harbor more or less of the tramp fra- ternity. FIRE DEPARTMENT. We believe the chief engineers of this department are thoroughly alive and attentive to their duties and that no town of the size of Lexington can surpass it in general equip- ment or in promptness of the men in the department, when 127 attending fires. Credit is especially due the engineers and members of the department for the admirable manner in which they handled the fire at the Keeley Institute last sum- mer. With our new Steamer, Chemical Engine and other appa- ratus, including excellent horses, now kept at the engine houses, we feel that the town has done its share towards the success of this] department. We also think if proper arrangements are made, that the fire horses can be used to advantage on the street sprinklers, and possibly assist on the snow plows in order that our side- walks may be plowed out at an earlier hour after snow storms. Our horses must be exercised, and we believe they can be exercised in part to the financial advantage and to the comfort of our citizens. Neither your selectmen or the chief engineers wish to make the change proposed without the vote of the town. WATER WORKS. Elsewhere can be found a full report of the water commis- sioners, board of health, chief of police, school committee, a-sessors, town treasurer, tax -collector, cemetery commit- tee, and other town officers. EDWIN S. SPAULDING, JOHN F. HUTCHINSON, Selectmen, Overseers of the Poor, and Surveyors of Highways. LEXINGTON, Dec. 31, 1896. 128 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE. To the Honorable Board of Selectmen : GENTLEMEN. -I herewith submit the annual report of the work done by the department for the year ending December 31, 1896 : Total number of arrests, Males, Females, Residents, Non-residents, Terms of imprisonment, 5 years, 8 " " probation, 2 " 2 Amount of fines, $254.70. Total number of tramps lodged at the station, American born, Foreign born, Married, Single, months. " Assault, Bastardy, Cruelty to animals, Drunkenness, GL CAUSE OF ARREST. common, Disorderly house, Default, Evading car -fare, False pretense, Fast driving, 65 58 7 40 25 2,414 1,250 1,164 49 2,365 14 Insane, 4 1 Larceny, 5 1 Malicious mischief, 2 19 Non-support, 1 1 Neglect, 2 1 Riding bicycle on sidewalk, 1 2 Suspicion, 1 1 Trespass, 3 1 Vagrancy, 1 3 Witness, 1 129 130 DISPOSITION OF CASES. have been very fortunate in the comparative freeness from crime of a serious nature. Committed to asylum for insane at Worcester, 1 ; West- In closing, I desire to thank all who have aided in the work boro, 1, 2 of the police. Committed to almshouse, state, at Tewksbury, 1 Respectfully submitted, " board of charity, state, at Boston, 2 WM. B. FOSTER, " " farm, state, at Bridgewater, 1 Chief of Police. " jail at Cambridge, 3 " house of correction at Cambridge, 2 " prison reformatory at Concord, 1 Delivered to officers of other towns, 3 " directors of public institutions at Boston, 2 Discharged, 13 Probation, 12 Paying costs, 3 Placed on file, 5 Waiting trial, Superior Court, 2 MISCELLANEOUS WORK. Cases investigated, not prosecuted, 63 Dogs killed, 3 Disturbances suppressed, 26 Deaths, accidental, '2 " suicidal, 2 sudden, Inquests, 2 Lanterns hung in dangerous places, 22 Stray animals cared for, 4 Street lights reported out, 130 Street obstructions removed, 4 Search warrants, 1 Medical examiner called, times, 6 When we consider the large number of men going to and from and employed on our western border, and the crowds of people delivered by the West End railroad at our eastern border, and the smallness of our police force, it seems to me we 131 FIRE ENGINEERS' REPORT. LEXINGTON, MASS., Jan. 1, 1897. 20 the Honorable Board of Selectmen: The board of engineers submits the following report for the year ending December 31, 1896 : Number of alarms during the year, eighteen, as follows : Jan. 6. Keeley Institute, Massachusetts avenue. Jan. 24. Residence of F. O. Armes, Bloomfield street. Feb. 11. House owned by Kate C. Gove, North Lex- ington. March 4. Shop occupied by A. B. Black, East Lexing- ton. April 12. Slight fire in house owned by Jas. Keefe, Wo- burn Street. April 13. Brush fire on Woburn street. April 23. Brush fire on Lowell street. April 24. Brush fire on Middle street. May 10. Keeley Institute, Massachusetts avenue. May 14. Brush fire on Lincoln street. May 18. Brush fire on Lowell street. May 18. Brush fire on Lowell street, second alarm. May 18. Barn owned by G. F. Tewksbury, Weston street. June 19. Test alarm, box 75. July 4. False alarm, box 52. Sept. 25. Test alarm, box 79. Nov. 4. Brush fire on Watertown street. Nov. 8. Old building, Cambridge water works. The great number of brush fires are a source of expense to the town, which, we think, could be modified if the citi- 132 zens, instead of pulling in an alarm, would notify the engi- neers so that the department could come prepared to fight brush, fires instead of hauling all the machines, which are al- ways useless. Our first year's experience with the improved fire service has been very satisfactory to us, and we believe that the citizens generally appreciate the increased protection and safety to their property. There were some defects which needed to be remedied. The greatest fault we found was the weight of the chemical engine for one horse to draw, a fact which we alluded to in our last report. The same was true of the hook and ladder truck. Thus we found it absolutely necessary to change these two pieces of apparatus from a single to a double hitch. Besides the expense of substituting poles, for shafts and providing additional harnesses, no further cost has been added to the maintainance of the department, except the keeping of one more horse during the winter. This, however, is only temporary, and another horse will be required in the spring. The steamer, chemical, and new hose wagon needed to be varnished to preserve them, and the same has been done. Various minor supplies which were needed have been pro- vided, and we now feel that the equipment is complete. At the same time, we know that some expense must be incurred every year to keep everything in good serviceable condition. This point should never be overlooked. Valuable apparatus will be injured far more by neglect when not in use than by actual service. Recognizing this fact, it has been our aim carefully to guard against loss in that way. We found it necessary to replace some of the hose which was rendered unfit for service after the fire on Bloomfield r.treet and that at the Keeley Institute ; to that end we fur- 133 niched the couplings for 200. feet of hose, making a saving in the transaction. The matter of using the department horses for street watering and other purposes has been repeatedly brought to our attention, and we have made a careful study of the situ- ation and have come to the following conclusion : In view of the strong sentiment expressed by the citizens of the town in favor of an efficient fire service, it seems that we would not be justified in impairing the usefulness of the department, which we honestly believe would be the result of making it half highway and half fire department. The many reasons in favor of our position can readily be under- stood by any one in the habit of handling horses. Suffice it to say that the breaking in of a horse for one purpose un- fits him for another ; horses cannot be hitched single one day and double the next. The chief objection to using horses on the street is the delay which is sure to follow. It is utterly useless to as- sume that fires will or will not occur at certain times and places. Suppose the horses were employed in watering the streets and should be at work near the Arlington line in East Lex- ington or at the farthest extremity of the district sprinkled by the watering cart at the Center, at the same time a fire should break out at either point, it must be perfectly clear that a delay of from fifteen to twenty minutes must occur before the apparatus can reach the fire. It seems, therefore, only a question of whether it is cheaper to pay for street watering outside of the fire department or take the risk of a loss by fire equal to many times the entire cost to the'town of watering the streets, having in mind at the same time that additional expense would be entailed both in feeding and shoeing the horses and paying men for extra service, as it cannot be expected that men will labor all day on the street and take proper care of the horses and apparatus after 134 the regular working hours, and at the same time hold them- selves in readiness day and night for immediate service, without assistance or fair compensation. It does not, there- fore, appear that the small saving to the town, if there were any at all, would warrant our taking steps in this direction, and, therefore, we would not undertake this work unless commanded to do so by a vote of the town, in which case we should feel that we were relieved and that the town must assume all the risks. We would recommend that the Village Hall be abandoned for hall purposes and that the entire building be transferred to the fire department, for the following reasons : Since the lower part of the building has been fitted up for the accom- modation of horses, the effluvia arising from the stable has penetrated throughout the building, and the objection to this condition, which cannot be avoided, has been so strong that very little call has been made for the use of the hall for en- tertainments and dancing parties, which have been the chief source of income to the town from the building, so that the expense of paying a janitor has far exceeded the income. Then, too, we have been compelled to encroach upon the upper portion of the building for sleeping room for the per- manent man, there being no other place where a man could sleep without sacrificing his health. The building is too large, we admit, for the purpose for which it is to be used, but we see no way out of the dilemma except to build an engine house and entirely abandon the Village Hall building as such. The fire alarm service will need to be extended because of the great number of buildings which are continually being erected, many of them at such a distance from an alarm box that they are deprived of the protection furnished in other parts of the town. Lowell street property, near the Arling- 135 ton line, and Dexter Hillside, so called, also near the Arling- ton line, are points which need alarm boxes at once. We recommend that the sum of $3,450 be appropriated in addition to the unexpended balance to defray the expenses of the department the coming year, but would add that the sum of $200 could be deducted from the above amount if the town would authorize us to dispose of the old chemical en- gines, which are useless. in our opinion. One is out of commission and is stored in a barn, and the other is of such little use that it does not seem to us a wise expenditure to keep six men on the rolls of the department to draw and operate it at fires. We would therefore recommend the sale of both of these machines. By comparison with last year's appropriation, it will be seen that we shall be able to reduce the expenses of the de- partment by about $400, and at the same time maintain the present efficient service. This amount we asked for a year ago in anticipation of the changes which we were sure would be needed. We cannot close our report without mentioning the great interest which has been shown by the members of the de- partment. A commendable pride was exhibited by each member's providing himself with a regulation uniform at his own expense. Prompt response to all alarms, and the gen- eral activity displayed in all matters relating to the best in- terests of the department, deserve the highest praise. We would especially call to the attention of the citizens of the town the amount of valuable property which has been placed in our hands, amounting to nearly $12,000, and would invite all who are interested to frequently visit our engine houses, which are open for inspection at any and all times. 136 We have been thus explicit in our report from a desire that our position and our transactions, in a department which has attained the proportions mentioned above, may be per- fectly understood. WILLARD WALCOTT, CHAS. G KAUFFMANN, T. L. BRUCE, Engineers. 137 REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF CARY LIBRARY. 7o the Town of Lexington: The year has been one of prosperity for the library, as in- dicated by the increased circulation of the books and use of the reading tables. The whole number of books drawn reaches a total of 31,281 volumes, which largely exceeds the circulation of any former year. Of these, sixty per cent., or 18,590 volumes, were works of fiction, which is no higher than in other public libraries, where it sometimes exceeds seventy per cent. of the circulation. Next in point of num- bers are books of reference, largely used by the teachers and scholars of the public schools and the study clubs of the town -3,560 volumes. Then come history, 1,641 volumes ;. bound magazines, 1,449 volumes ; biography, 1,233 vol- umes ; travels, 1,031 volumes ; language and literature, 843 volumes ; poetry, 538 volumes ; philosophy and religion, 513 volumes ; unbound magazines, 439 volumes ; useful arts, 422 volumes ; science, 382 volumes ; government and social science, 326 volumes ; and fine arts, 314. Of the whole circulation, about 7,000 volumes were drawn through the- East heEast Lexington branch, of which 1,730 were from the li- brary there, now containing 903 volumes. Thirty-seven magazines are taken for the reading tables, besides one weekly and one daily paper ; and twelve maga- zines for the East Lexington branch, besides others given by Misses Augusta Smith and Carrie F. Fiske, and Mr. C. A. Childs. The average number of readers at the branch rooms - has been eleven daily, and the number of East Lexington families using Cary Library is one hundred and nine, with ten new applications during the year. There were 15,600 volumes in Cary Library on January 138 1st, 1897, of which 345 have been added during the year, 47 by gift and the remainder by purchase. As the gifts have all been acknowledged to the donors, it seems unneces- sary to give the sources from which they came. While the trustees are grateful for gifts of really useful books, they cannot cumber the shelves with those that are old, worn out and worthless, which people are glad to be rid of. All such will be of no use in the library and are not wanted. It gives some idea of the work involved in caring for the library and keeping the books in good condition to learn that 4,350 volumes have been repaired during the year. The whole number of families in town using it amounts to 549 ; of these, 23 are new families ; 154 persons who were residing here only for a short time have had the use of it. The number of visitors whose names are recorded amounts to 895, from thirty-one States and the district of Columbia, besides Canada, England, Ireland, New Bruns- wick, and Nova Scotia. The fines collected during the year amount to $66.94, of which $22.94 was used for incidental -expenses, and $44.00 paid to the treasurer. At the annual examination of the library no books were missing not accounted for ; five have been lost by persons to whom they are charged, who have not replaced them, while others that were lost have been replaced or paid for. It would seem that people having the free use of such a library as this should willingly and promptly restore books that have been lost by them, and pay fines incurred by their carelessness or forgetfulness without grumbling or com- plaint. During the year all the catalogues first bound have been distributed, and fifty additional copies have just been re- ceived from the bindery and are ready for use. This cata- logue, prepared at great cost of labor and money, has been given to all families using the library without charge, what few libraries have ever done before. But the trustees have 139 decided that when a second copy is required by any family it must be paid for, and also that transient residents of the town must pay for them. This is a matter of simple justice and proper care. It has been a great convenience and comfort to have a room fitted up for the sole occupancy of our reference books, of which we have a large and valuable collection. It forms an attractive and quiet plaee for study, and much use is ;made of it by those who are seeking definite knowledge upon :a given subject. It has given much needed relief to our over -crowded book shelves. The average daily attendance of readers at the library by actual count is now above one hundred, or at least it has been for the last two weeks. The largely increased use of the library and the pressure of work upon the librarians on certain days has required addi- tional service for which additional expense has been in- ,curred. And this has led the trustees to ask the town for :an increase of $100 in the appropriation for the coming year. No money is more readily and cheerfully granted by the people than that for the maintenance and usefulness of their noble public library. The death of our associate for many years, Mr. George E. Muzzey, has been properly noticed upon our records. He served upon the finance committee during all the time he was connected with the board of trustees. None was more deeply interested in the prosperity of the library; none more constant in attendance upon our meetings, and none more willing to serve wherever he could promote its inter- ests and add to the comfort of the readers. For his long service he deserves our grateful remembrance. All of which is respectfully submitted on behalf of the trustees. C. A. STAPLES, Chairman. P 140 REPORT OF THE TREASURER OF CARY LIBRARY. JANUARY 1, 1897. Dr. To lC '' (G (G GG '' 44 (L CC cash on hand Jan. 1, 1896, $ .51 notes of town of Lexington, 11,000.00 one year's interest on same, 660.00 dog tax, 556.89 Lexington Savings Bank, book No. 1522, 1,000.00 one year's interest on same, 45.50 To Lexington Savings Bank book, Beals fund, 1,000.00 one year's interest on same, 45.50 Lexington Savings Bank book, Caira Robbins fund, one year's interest on same, bequest from Sylvester Harrington, 92.65 4.18 180.00 $14,585.23 Cr. By note and interest, Lexington Savings Bank, $ 512.50 " am't expended for books, 379.74 « CC CC binding, 252.72 " " extra services and labor, 106.05 " am't expended for supplies, printing and incidentals, 65.48 " am't expended for periodicals, 50.50 " « " " expressage, 11.05 " notes of town of Lexington, 11,000.00 " deposits in Lexington Savings Bank, 2,096.83 " cash on hand Jan. 1, 1897, 110.36 $14,585.23 EDWIN A. BAYLEY, Treasurer. 141 REPORT OF THE CEMETERY COMMITTEE. Your committee submit for your consideration their doings by way of expenditures in making the cemeteries of the town what they considered necessary. By a former vote of the town, giving them leave, they had several sections of the cemetery not occupied divided into lots, and stakes put down marking their bounds, so that now every portion of it, except the low part in the north corner, is marked off, mak- ing 48 lots, and the same has been appraised by us at $1,720. Since then, seven lots have been sold for $250. We also had a survey of the whole grounds, and a plan made of the same, giving the measurements of bounds on each abutter, and also had the line run by the railroad, where we claim the town owns, and have put boundary stones on the line. We also have had a plan made of the cemetery, re -numbering the lots, as heretofore there were several bearing the same number ; on the plan the old and the new numbers are both inserted. There are in all 490 lots. In a space upon the large map, which is hanging in Mr. C. T. West's office, the name of every owner of a lot is in- scribed, with the number set against it. A small building has been erected in the western part of the grounds, and the water brought there, making it much more convenient to use in that section. The building used as tool house, etc., has been repaired and shingled, and two sections of fence put up to stop travel across the lots. So far as we know, there will be no call this year for any appropriation for any- thing but for the general care of the grounds in both ceme- teries, and for that purpose we would recommend that $200 be appropriated. E. A. MILLIKEN, GEO. H. JACKSON, ABBOTT S. MITCHELL, Cemetery Committee. 142 REPORT OF TREASURER OF CEMETERY TRUST FUND. Total amount of fund Dec. 31, 1895, Balance unexpended Jan. 1, 1896, Lot 47, 30, 3, John Winning heirs, Mrs. O. A. Dodge, Nichols Locke, Marshall Locke, J. B. Smith, Mrs. Butteriek, Nathan Fessenden, Edwin Reed, Charles Hudson, Eliab Brown, Otis Wentworth, A. R. Parker, John P. Reed, Phillip Russell, Almira Chandler, Mrs. Mary W. Merrill, J. P. Simonds, Lucy Gammell, Lot 34, Gorman Bigelow, Lots 5 and 6, Sarah C. Smith, Lot 65, Henry P. Webber, 17, Burbank & Jacobs, " 62, Priscilla S. Locke, F. F. Raymond, Clinton Viles, cc 44 '' '' (C '' L( 69, 105, 73, 9, 16, 27, 178, 157, 4, 48, 92, old cemetery, '' '' *5,800.00 Receipts. Payments. $454.82 15.00 $ 7.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 10.00 8.00 7.50 4.00 5.00 4.00 7.50 4.00 7.50 10.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 4.00 20.00 15.00 15.00 4.00 10.00 8.00 5.00 4.00 15.00 8.00 2.50 2.50 5.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 Amount carried forward, $639.82 $131.50 143 Amount brought forward, Mrs. A. J. Chapman, Lot 57, Stiles & Newhall, cc 1, Mrs. E. Wellington, " 7 and 8, Mrs. 11. M. W. Bridge, " 23, Warren Duren, C. H. Adair, " 180, Mrs. Hannah E. Brown," 101, Mrs. Charlotte Gleason," 86, Charles Stratton estate, Alonzo Goddard, Josiah Smith, Sarah S. Flagg, " 43, Elvira M. Harrington, old cemetery, Carria E. Robbins, E. Lexington, Harriet Gilmore, Lot 89, Mrs. Pierson and Hall, Lot 187, Balance unexpended Dec. 31, 1896, Receipts. Payments_ $639.82 $131.50 10.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 7.50 5.00 3.33 3.00 10.00 4.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 7.50 5.00 3.00 5.00 4.00 5.81 3.00 10.00 4.00 3.33 3.00 5.00 4.00 15.00 10.00 10.00 4.00 5.00 3.00 $749.79 $201.00 548.79 $749.79 GEO. H. JACKSON, Treasurer.. 144 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH. To the Citizens of Lexington: The Board of Health submits herewith its annual report or the year ending December 31st, 1896 : The vexed question of piggeries, thanks to the redoubled assiduity of your board, seems to have been settled, and we .are gratified to say that no complaint has been made in that direction for a long time. The board, however, is well aware that the swine -keeping industry in this town must be carefully watched, and in this connection we know from much time, trouble and labor expended by us in the past that " eternal vigilance" is the price of health ; hence we cordially invite cooperation by the citizens toward the regu- lation of this somewhat unsavory traffic ; and cooperation in this manner -not by complaint in an unofficial form to the casual listener, but by direct complaint in writing to this board. It does no good to indulge in general strictures on your board, but if a piggery is a nuisance, report it at once in writing, and we are more than ready to examine com- plaints and act promptly thereon. On account of the failure of the town to adopt suitable plumbing regulations at a town meeting, the said regulations have become inoperative, and possess no binding force. We again urge, as in previous reports, the advisability of adopt- ing suitable plumbing regulations at the annual meeting in March, 1897. The work of the cattle inspections still continues, and while we believe that the warfare against tuberculosis should be prosecuted with vigor and ability, we feel that the State Board do not always carry their theories into practice. Stricter attention to the spirit, rather than the letter, of the 145 laws bearing on the subject would be advisable. We submit herewith the record of contagious diseases for the year 1896 Measles, Typhoid fever, Diphtheria, Scarlet fever, 24 cases 5 << 5 << 4 Whole number of cases, 38 A slight increase from last year in contagious and mala- rial diseases will be noticed. This increase, while it may be due in part to the gain in population, still has an underlying cause, which we observe with satisfaction is being carefully studied by the town at the present time. We earnestly and strongly assert that no permanent or sure exemption from epidemic can be assured until some system of sewerage is adopted by the town. We recommend that action, not dis- cussion, be the order of the day at the next town meeting on matters bearing on this subject. We reprint herewith our changes: Regulations of the Board of health of the town Mass., in accordance witli,ith.e provisions ,Statutes, 80, Sec. 18 and29. regulations, with certain of Lexington, of the Public 1. The attention of physicians, is respectfully called to the necessity of promptly reporting all contagious diseases, according to law, occurring in their practice in Lexington. 2. The Board of Health havefull control of all fumiga- tions of contagious diseases, butjwhen deemed advisable by 146 them the board may delegate the attending physician to - fumigate a house, room or rooms, after a proper limit of time has elapsed ; but the physician shall in all such cases report to the board the date of such fumigation immediately The expense of such fumigation shall be borne by the person himself, or herself, in accordance with Public Statutes, 80, Sec. 83. 3. Cesspools may be cleaned by the odorless cart upon application to the Board of Health, or to any member there- of, either verbally or orally, and shall be cleaned in the same order of precedence as regards time in which the request shall be made. The price for cleaning a vault or cesspool will be. two - (2) dollars per load, or any part thereof, and shall be paid to the driver of the odorless cart within thirty (30) days from the time of the removal of the contents of said vault or cesspool, or any part thereof. No application for cleaning a cesspool or vault can be made to the driver, but in all cases must be made to the board, or to any member thereof, as above provided. 4. The Board of Health may at any time cause each householder to suitably arch and brick the cesspool or cess- pools on the premises, and provide an iron cover with suit- able ventilating equipments, subject to the inspection and approval of the Board of Health ; or may at any time order any householder to dig a cesspool on the premises owned by said householder, subject to the approval and inspection of the Board of Health. 5. Mr. Cyrus Martin, of Revere Street, is hereby ap- pointed driver of the odorless cart. 6. The teaming of swill, offal, or other offensive matter over the roads of the town, except in tight or odorless carts, is hereby prohibited. 147 7. These regulations are made as provided by law, but the Board of Health may alter, amend, change, repeal or add to them at their discretion, and nothing herein shall be con- strued to prevent the making or enforcing of any other regu- lations as provided by statute or by any act of this board. Respectfully submitted, A. BRADFORD SMITII, HENRY C. VALENTINE, M. D., CHARLES M. PARKER, Board of Health. 148 BRIDGE FUND. Permanent fund consists of— Town note, Deposit in Lexington Savings Bank, Available fund consists of— Mortgage note, Personal " Deposit in Lexington Savings Bank, BRIDGE FUND. Jan. 1, 1896. Balance, $4,696.49 Dec. 31, 1896. Interest received, 247.55 Part payment of loan, 200.00 Dec. 31, 1896. Paid out during the year as per conditions of the trust, Dec. 31,1896. Balance on hand, Permanent fund, Available LEXINGTON, Dec. 31, 1896. $2,000.00 878.64 $2,878.64 $1,400.00 500.00 182.27 $2,082.27 $ 183.13 4,960.91 $5,144.04 $5,144.04 $2,878.64 2,082.27 $4,960.91 CHARLES T. WEST, Treasurer. 149 BEALS FUND. Permanent fund consists of— Town note, Available fund— Deposit in Lexington Savings Bank, LEXINGTON, Dec. 31, 1896. Jan. 1, 1896. Dec. 31, 1896. Dec. 31, 1896. Dec. 31, 1896. 82,000.00 8 1'20.14 CHARLES T. WEST, Treasurer BEALS FUND. Balance on hand, Interest received, Expended during the year, Balance on hand, Permanent fund, Available C` LEXINGTON, Dec. 31. 1896. $2,082.41 121.73 $ 84.00 2,120.14 *2,204.14 $2,204.14 $2,000.00 120.14 $2,120.14 CHARLES T. WEST, Treasurer. 150 TOWN CLERK'S REPORT. BIRTHS. Whole number of births recorded for 1896, 77. Males, 44. Females, 33. Parents native born, 32. Parents foreign born, 28. Parents, one native born and one foreign born, 17. .MARRIAGES. Number of marriages registered in Lexington for the year 1896, 39. Males, native born, 29. Males, foreign born, 10. Females, native born, 25. Females, foreign born, 14. DATE. NAMES. RESIDENCES. Jan 1 1896. Feb 1 Feb 3 Feb. 18 . . March 4 . March 28 April 15 . April 15 . April 19 . . • { { { { { James W. Whalen Catherine C. Fahy Albin Cameron . Lottie M. Fowler . Mark Foppiano . Maria Curren . . • • Joseph O'Connor . . . Mary Grattan (Kenney) Guy S. Ramsell . . . Margaret T. Fitzgerald . Edward Joseph Kirby . Ida C. Townsend . . Levi Fountain . . . . Minnie White (Potts) . Henry Charles Valentine Mary Foster Sherburne Patrick John Sexton Letitia Moakley . . . Lexington. Lexington. Bedford. Bedford. Waltham. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Concord. Lexington. 151 DATE. NAMES. EESIDENCES. 1896. June 2 { lune 2 j June 3 { June 10 June 10 { June 17 { June 23 June 23 July 15 July 22 July 25 July 28 Sept. 2 j Sept. 6 . Justus P. Morse . . . Lexington. Addie E. Philbrick . . Bedford. Noah Merrifield . . Emma Frances Prilay Charles Cronin . . Nellie E. Moriarty . Thomas J. Green . . . Catherine E. Welch . . John Ketchum . . . Margaret L. Ahern . . Walter W. Rowse . Ada B. holt . . . William Allen Grozier . Florence Ilda Metcalf . Daniel Francis Donovan Effie Adelia Williams . Samuel Moulton . . . Elizabeth Gertrude Nutt Albert W. Crockett . . Grace L. Wing . . . Nathan A. Fitch . Lucy Manning . George S. Teague Ellen E. Stebbins . James Edward Shelvey . Gertrude Veronica Cook Henry D. Lamier . . . Madeline Smith . . . Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Arlington. Lexington. Lexington. Chelsea. Lexington. Lexington. Malden. Lexington. West Groton. Lexington. Arlington. No. Andover. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. W. Somerville. Lexington. Waltham. Lexington. Lexington. 152' DATE. NAMES.. RESIDENCES. 1896. Sept. 9 Oct. 5 Oct. 11 Oct. 28 Nov. 1 Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Nov. 25 Nov. 25 Nov. 26 Nov. 30 Dec. 16 Dec. 23 Dec. 23 Dec. 31 George Edwin Ladd. Mary Anne R. Hamlin Henry G. Locke . . Florence E. Blaisdell . Mansel Joseph Manning Margaret T. McGann . Michael Chas. Connelly . Catherine E. Lahey . . Everett Pascoe Carey . Elizabeth Beharrell . . Jeremiah Donovan, 2d . Margaret D. Roper . John R. McDonald .. Katie T. Tracey . . John N. Johnston . Margaret Gillis . . Thomas W. Fitzgerald . Ida Vollborth . . . William P.. Bowman . Flora Viola, Spearing . John Hinchey . . . Mary A. J. Ryan.. . . Edward Loring Child . Harriet Louise Sherman Harvey S. Bacon . . Georgianna H. Mann Harry W. Patterson.. Jennie M. Webster . Dana R. Knowlton . Alice M. Spiller . . Byron Adams Russell Kate Ellen Hinchey • • • New Haven,Ct Lexington. Arlington. Carlisle. Concord. Lexington. Newton. Lexington. Lexington. New York city Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Worcester.. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington.. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Lexington. Medford.. Lexington. Sherborne. Strickland's Ferry, Me• Fayette, Me.. Lexington. Lexington. a) c. e Z00 co..; y p an - bp .. cd .4 O O d 00 _003 75 F ▪ 0 CD 0 on g a) .0 'CZ • • m 0 7.--• 0 U b0 cd y C 6 -53 .p F ••••1 ° O F a 0 a4 .o *Fr) • 0 co F ti a� bq o • '3 c0 0 0 LEXINGTON FOR THE DEATHS RECORDED IN BIRTHPLACE. 153 154 • 6 m nw w x 0) Zo a?OApoO O Dai bq ° 0.-. 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BIRTHPLACE. n cd 6 m r.3n n n4 co co ui�nn --1 • • co coag.-Gn0 cl ��,0h � �� � _; Cd cd "b cd .:. y c �� ,0 Z 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 • by 3 s. ^ a, " • GA hA ap m ° In O a) r0 , 00O.�'�O(2dCJ y OF a'u'i 0 ,sem"C0Jd O :'4 r�l-aAl-�t/i,-IY•-i�-I7. F�F��F-•1�F•11•�Fi F��2 �aJ1--I c'O CI 0 0 cO c0 C7 • C., -. i CI CO .-, CO r0 p Oa OD CI h Cr, 0 C'O CI tC:O:V 0 C 0C 0000 CO CO .-, c0c0 40 C'O c - Co CI C- (-- dt 0 t- : DEATHS — Continued BIRTHPLACE. 155 • U) m mfi�r{{ t e�vilI vi ��mII m r7 -cd c3 e 1A�AAA�I-. m ea 0 0^ G 0: 0 o O C ❑ C 0 0 0 0 •7'^, 0 0 0 0 .- �+ 03 ,C ¢, r7 5 botat Cfi hA P AID LO bD M' •c ,"'a" v, 'C p •b r -i 0 C A C 5 T. C C, C �� =� 0 3"0 cOd 0 . k iS k k c SC k �S k ' W ?) cd �•' o o ,U CJ o 0 O 0 C> � Oj �.� 0 O '.O, c0. �: Haaaa✓laaa 1 V1r U 4' � 00 m m CV CV 10,7,1.0 00 ci Cr) .c ti r4 C0 CV 00 C0 C0 l 1- 00 L (0 00 MCA N L- CV 0 z :J J • ti o oo C o 0 3 0y 0 O O 0 3 �:r..1. O 0 C •t, Tv' '; •O 0 aa00�o .•--ay.00r 73o,2�.,6g >,,,, •,,;_=...'1- al n ;80-1-6 a °• a4Q :tea�Ln��aoa •,� •'� ••• cc c3 :0 A •�a 0 r� F. ce y L" y � :: --i-i � �+ 0 DATE OF DEATII. CSO... D CM ry CV CV GV 0101 et OV CV 00 l- -4r- .NCV C7 U 0 ti V) 0 -o .. 0 DEATHS.—Concluded. BIRTHPLACE. 156 i• 6 0 (0,- C0 C0CV v. v. CV CV C CV rM (0 00 v. 00 CV C0 00 (0 -C t .0t t 00 i - �d'(0 CD y, W C e0 I -- r, CV CV CVM e0 D r. .O 0 0 0 0 DISEASES. C7 ti ri 00 r CV •0 cVr, 00 (0 c� c0 (0 r. y ar II -o 0 c 0 0 0 0 II 03COI 0 0 0O .m" 0OmCm •C t CD i gig A.,p.,AOU:r 157 DOGS. Whole number licensed from 1896, 255. Number of males, Number of females, December, 1895, to December, Amount returned to county treasurer, June, 1896, "" " " Dec. " JURORS. List of jurors accepted by the John D. Bacon. Francis E. Ballard. Quincy Bicknell, Jr. Albert B. Black. William F. Caldwell. Edward E. Cutler. *Albern S. Chatfield. William H. Davis. John P. Dailey. Timothy K. Fiske. John E. Garmon. Peter T. Gillooley. 225 !30 $159.00 390.00 $549.00 town March 2, 1896 : Matthew H. Merriam. Howard M. Munroe. Loring W. Muzzey. John F. Maynard. Edward P. Nichols. George S. Norris. Frank Peabody. Charles M. Parker. George L. Pierce. George H. Roberts. Charles M. Rogers. Leonard A. Saville. 158 Rufus W. Holbrook. George W. Sampson.. George D. Harrington. Abram B. Smith. Bartlett J. Ilarrington. Albert B. Smith. Nelson W. Jenney. Herbert V. Smith. Stillman D. Kendall. Edwin S. Spaulding. John Kinneen. George W. Spaulding. Lyman Lawrence. Irving Stone. *Sidney M. Lawrence. Henry H. Tyler. Everett S. Locke. George O. Wellington. Charles H. Lowe. Charles A. Wellington. William Litchfield. George W. Wright. *Drawn since list was accepted. Respectfully submitted, LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. TOWN HISTORIES AND HISTORIES OF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. Number of copies of town history sold in 1896, [G (G 1( GL (( G( " donated in 1896, " centennial celebration sold in 1896, " (( " donated in 1896, 5 1 0 1 159 LIST OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1896. Town debt, MEETING OF FEBRUARY 10, 1896. MEETING OF MARCH 2, 1896. Memorial Day, April 19th celebration, Schools, Poor at town farm, Outside aid, ($2,000 assessed, $500 from treasury.) Highways, Fire department, Abatement of taxes, Assessors, Auditors, Care of Common, Collector of taxes, Constables and police, Discount 011 taxes (from treasury), Fuel and lights, Interest, Interest on water debt (not to be assessed), Insurance, Janitors ($600 assessed, balance from treasury), Librarians, Maintaining fire alarm, Printing, Registrars of voters, Ringing bells, $ 6,000.00 175.00 150.00 17,000.00 1,000.00 2,500.00 8,000.00 4,400.00 500.00 500.00 100.00 100.00 600.00 2,000.00 600.00 1,000.00 2,600.00 8,000.00 1,100.00 800.00 1,050.00 250.00 600.00 100.00 70.00 Amount carried forward, $59,195.00 160 Amount brought forward, School committee, Selectmen, in their various capacities, Treasurer Cary Library, Town clerk, Town treasurer, Concrete walks (from unexpended balance heating Town Hall), Steam Roller, SESSION OF MARCH 16. Committee on sewerage, Preservation of town records (from unexpended bal- ance heating Town Hall), April 19th celebration, additional, (from unexpended balance heating Town Hall), Care of cemeteries, Street lights, Watering streets, SESSION OF MARCH 23. MEETING OF APRIL 27. Working and feeding of tramps, Town treasurer (additional), Fire alarm box on Pleasant street, Improving playground, Hydrants, (water supply for same,) Watering troughs, " << « Public buildings, " " fG Street watering (additional), DeVeau Bros. (balance claimed), Amount carried forward, $59,195.00 300.00 1,000.00 50.00 200.00 250.00 500.00 2,500.00 500.00 500.00 50.00 200.00 4,250.00 1,000.00 500.00 250.00 100.00 200.00 3,000.00 50.00 65.00 700.00 251.85 $75,611.85 161 Amount brought forward, MEETING OF JUNE 8, 1896. New boiler at pumping station (to be assessed but paid from water department), Steam drill and tools, Supplying almshouse with water pipes, etc., Interest due water department, Less amount not to be assessed as above, Amount to be raised by taxation for town expenses, *75,611.85 850.00 450.00 300.00 866.67 878,078,52 11,200.00 $66,878.52 LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Town Clerk. 162 ASSESSORS' REPORT. In submitting our annual report, we congratulate the citi- zens on the reduction in the tax rate from $18 per thousand, in 1895, to $15.30 per thousand in 1896. This is due to three principal causes : 1. An adherence by your Board of Assessors to a certain vote of the town by which an amount was requested to be deducted from the total amount to be raised equal to the state and county tax—said amount to be taken from the bank and corporation tax returned to us by the Commonwealth, a full explanation of which will be found in our report for last year. 2. A gain in valuation from the building of new houses and the consequent increase in valuation of the land on which these houses are located. 3. A careful and judicious scrutiny of the expenses by the citizens in town meeting assembled, and a disposition to regulate expenditures by the stern rule of necessity. This third reason is last, but by no means least, in the causes enumerated. We are inclined to think that the second reason —that of legitimate gain in valuation—will be the order of events for 1897. Many new houses have been built since last May, upon which the assessors for 1897 will be called to place a value, while a number of expensive houses, taxed in 1896 as unfinished, are now completed, and will be taxed accordingly in 1897. We are inclined to favor the continuance of the vote whereby an amount equal to the state and county tax is de- ducted from the amount to be raised. Our bank and corpo- ration tax usually exceeds the state and county tax by over $1000 ; and a vote like this has the following advantage :— 163 When this is done, the assessment is made simply on town grants. The town then practically makes its own tax rate. As you vote in town meeting on various appropriations you can make an approximate calculation as you go on about the rate which will be made and govern yourselves accordingly while if the unknown quantity of a state and county tax, and what that tax will be, is to be taken into consideration, you never know, and cannot possibly know, what your tax rate is going to he. In the fall of 1895, as noted in our previous report, we measured the frontage of all estates abutting on the street watering district, in accordance to the vote of the town ac- cepting the provisions of Chapter 186 of the Acts of 1895, and assessed the same this year as Last, at one cent per front foot. This record of the frontages of estates is a great bene- fit to the assessors. Carefully comparing one estate with another, we regulated values accordingly, raising and lower- ing values where necessary, and as a result have obtained a highly satisfactory valuation for 1896. Taxpayers do not complain so much of their own valuations, as the compara- tive valuations of their own and adjoining estates, and this record of frontages, something we never have had before, enabled us to make so equitable an adjustment as to render few petitions for abatement necessary ; and we notice that few applications were made this year, and fewer granted. The land booms still continue to be a source of labor to the assessors, multiplied by numerous additional deeds every year. The collector for 1893 and 1894 and the collector for 1895, have disposed of the last of these taxes by sale, and many of the estates thus sold are in process of redemption by the owners at the present time. While the property at Lexington Heights is a source of annoyance to your Board of Assessors, it is a distinct gain to the town, returning this year about $1000 in taxes, and last year about $1200. 164 Following are the usual statistics : Real estate, Personal estate, Resident Owners. *3,184,891 381,618 Total valuation, Gain on real estate over 1895, Loss on personal estate over 1895, Net gain in valuation over 1895, Non -Resident Owners. Total. *732,880 *3,917,771 11,554 393,172 Amount of tax list committed to the Town grants assessed, State tax for 1896, County tax for 1896, Overlay; 815.30 per thousand on 84,310,943, gives Taken from bank and corporation tax 1085 polls at *2.00, *4,310,943 8236,630 47,323 189,307 collector for 1896 : *66,878.52 2,852.50 4,091.77 1,248.91 875,071.70 865,957.43 6,944.27 2,170.00 *75,071.70 Therefore the actual amount committed to the collector was $75,071.70, less $6,944.27=$68,127.43. Number of horses 656 Number of cows 932 Neat cattle, other than cows 81 Number of swine 679 Respectfully submitted, JOSEPH F. SIMONDS, WALTER WELLINGTON, GEORGE W. SAMPSON, Assessors of Lexington. 165 REPORT OF THE TAX COLLECTOR. 7o the (Citizens of Lexington: I herewith submit my report as collector of taxes for the current year: 1895 TAXES. Amount uncollected Jan. 1st, 1896, Additional supplementary, Total, Collected in 1896, Abated by the Assessors, Amount uncollected Jan. 1st, 1897, 1896 TAXES State and county tax and over-layings, Deduction from bank and vote of the town, Amount committed to the Supplementary taxe3, $23,331.76 107.70 *23,439.46 *20,765.37 370.25 21,135.62 town grants, including corporation tax, as per collector July 1st, 1896, Total amount committed, Collected in 1896, Amount allowed as payment, Abated by the assessors, * 2,303.84 *75,071.70 6,944.27 *68,127.43 549.97 *68,677.40 $45,501.19 discount for prompt Amount uncollected Jan. 1st, 1897, 639.14 142.73 46,283.06 *22,391.34 • 166 STREET WATERING TAXES. 1895. Amount uncollected Jan. 1st, 1896, Collected in 1896, Amount uncollected Jan. 1st, 1897, 1896. Street watering taxes assessed for 1896, Collected in 1896, Amount uncollected Jan. 1st, 1897, Respectfully submitted, GEORGE W. SAMPSON, Tax Collector. $326.36 255.05 $ 71.31 *427.36 118.27 309.09 LEXINGTON, December 31st, 1896. REPORT OF LEONARD A. SAVILLE, TAX COLLECTOR FOR 1893 AND 1894. Amount uncollected Jan. 1, 1896, on taxes of 1893, Amount uncollected Jan. 1, 1896, on taxes of 1894, 475.52 3,150.46 $3,625.98 Amount collected in 1896 and paid to E. S. Spaulding, treasurer, $3,391.20 Amount abated by the assessors, 80.34 Amount uncollected Jan. 1, 1897, LEONARD A. SAVILLE, Tax Collector for 1893-41. 3,471.54 $ 154.44 167 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES, OTHER THAN TOWN DEBT, Cash on hand, Due for taxes, 1894, 44 1895, 44 44 G4 44 1896, 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 street watering tax, 1895, " 1896, sidewalks, crushed stone, use of steam drill, Excess of liabilities, Less G4 44 44 44 44 G4 G4 .44 temporary loans outstanding, unexpended balance belonging water dept., unexpended balance belonging school dept., unexpended balance belonging state road dept., unexpended balance belonging sidewalk dept., unexpended balance belonging tramp dept., unexpended balance belonging street watering dept., unexpended balance belonging outside aid dept., unexpended balance belonging insurance dept., Amount carried forward, JAN. 1, 1897. 811,805.27 154.44 2,303.84 22,394.34 71.31 309.09 113.99 70.00 25.00 837,247.28 1,286.79 838,534.07 830,000.00 to 6,068.09 to to to to to to to 28.63 74.28 6.63 312.26 440.47 247.11 31.89 837,209.36 168 Amount brought forward,83 7,209.36 Less unexpended balance belonging to street lights dept., 188.87 unexpended balance belonging to fire dept., 416.53 unexpended balance belonging to watering trough dept., 12.50 unexpended balance belonging to maintaining fire alarm dept., 24.81 unexpended balance belonging to fuel and lights dept., 24.10 unexpended balance belonging to hydrant dept., 188.75 unexpended balance belonging to printing dept., 219.19 unexpended balancebelonging to enforcement of liquor law, 178.51 unexpended balance belonging to janitors, 71.45 44 44 44 44 838,534.07 EDWIN S. SPAULDING, Town Treasurer. STATEMENT OF TOWN DEBT. REGISTERED WATER LOAN. DATE. TO WHOM PAYABLE. WHEN DUE. AMOUNT. Nov. 1, 1895, Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1897, 810,000.00 4 per ct. Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1898, 10,000.00 Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1899, 10,000.00 44 44 44 INTEREST. Amount carried forward, 830,000.00 169 Amount brought forward, *30,000.00 Nov. 1, 1895, Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1900, 10,000.00 Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1901, 10,000.00 Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1902, 10,000.00 Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1903, 10,000.00 Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1904, 10,000.00 " Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1905, 10,000.00 Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1906, 10,000.00 Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1907, 10,000.00 Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1908, 10,000.00 " Provident Institution for Sav- ings, Nov. 1, 1909, 10,000.00 Charlestown Five Cents Sav- ings Bank, Nov. 1, 1910, 10,000.00 Charlestown Five Cents Sav- ings Bank, Nov. 1, 1911, 10,000.00 Charlestown Five Cents Sav- ings Bank, Nov. 1, 1912, 10,000.00 Charlestown Five Cents Sav- ings Bank, Nov. 1, 1913, 10,000.00 Charlestown Five Cents Sav- ings Bank, Nov. 1, 1914, 10,000.00 Lexington Savings Bank, Nov. 1, 1915, 10,000.00 Nov. 1, 1896, Blodgett, Merritt & Co., 1916, 7,000.00 " Brown Bros. 1916, 1,000.00 " Edward A. Strong, 1916, 2,000.00 L( (G CL (G " CC " {L *200,000.00 170 EXTENSION WATER MAIN LOAN. July 1, 1896, Coupon bonds, July 1, 1897, *1,000.00 " 1898, 1,000.00 1899, 1,000.00 1900, 1,000.00 1901, 1,000.00 1902, 1,000.00 1903, 1,000.00 1904, 1,000.00 1905, 1,000.00 1906, 1,000.00 (< GC (( (f 6L (G L( [( LG (G (( [( GG 4, B (f " GC f( (L ({ (( G( [G {( [G GG 4 per et. GG *10,000.00 HANCOCK SCHOOLHOUSE LOAN. Feb. 23, 1891, State Mass., Feb. 23, 1897, *6,000.00 3# per ct. Feb. 23, 1891, " " Feb. 23, 1898, 6,000.00 " April 20, 1891, " Apr. 20, 1900, 6,000.00 " June 1, 1891, " " June 1, 1901, 6,000.00 ,, June 11, 1892, " " June 11, 1899, 2,500.00 K Feb. 28, 1892, Cary Library, Mar. 31, 1883, April 8, 1891, Bridge Fund, Jan. 22, 1892, Beals April 12, 1894, Gilmor " Dec. 31, 1896, Cemetery 'Trust Funds, July 23, 1874, Gammell Legacy, May 11, 1896, Estabrook & Co., Apr. 15, 1897, 15,000.00 Dec. 18, 1896, " " May 18, 1897, 5,000.00 Oct. 21, 1896, Lexington Savings Bank, Jan. 21, 1897, 10,000.00 6 per ct. Feb. 28, Mar. 31, demand, (( *26,500.00 1897, *5,000.00 1893, 6,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 500.00 6,200.00 500.00 Total, 6 per et' (G GC 5 per et. 7 per et. 4 per et. $288,700.00 EDWIN S. SPAULDING, Town Treasurer. 171 TOWN TREASURER'S REPORT. RECEIPTS. Cash on hand Jan. lst, 1896, Taxes, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, Schools, Interest, Highways, Contingent, Cemetery, State road, Road between Lexington and Bedford, Sidewalks, Tramps, Watering streets, Outside aid, Pauper, Insurance, Street lights, Gammell legacy, Temporary loans, State aid, Cemetery Trust Funds, Cary Library, dog money, Water• department, (( (G (( EXPENDITURES. Schools, Interest, Highways, Amount carried forward, 814,583.16 475.52 2,915.68 20,765.37 45,501.19 62.00 1,193.44 2,965.61 8,765.06 264.00 6.946.95 200.00 484.40 9.00 373.32 102.13 937.76 36.75 147.00 35.00 63,000.00 338.00 400.00 556.89 '29,847.58 8200,905.81 817,516.38 3,736.20 11,240.47 832,493.05 Amount brought forward, Fire department, Contingent, Cemetery, State road, Water department, Road between Lexington Play ground, Sidewalks, Water in almshouse, Watering troughs, Maintaining fire alarm, Tramps, Watering streets, Memorial Day, Collector of taxes, Outside aid, Pauper, Ringing bells, Insurance, Street lights, Police, Gammell legacy, Temporary loans, Librarians, Fuel and lights, State aid, Assessors, Selectmen, Care of Common, Hydrants, County tax, State tax, School committee, Cary Library, dog money, Board of health, 172 832,493.05 3,983.47 3,054.73 656.19 6,872.67 32,037.46• and Bedford, 369.53 115.00 1,617.00 318.74 37.50 225.19 196.74 1,632.85• 175.00 687.00 2,428.15 2,782.62. 70.00 1,112.36 4,338.88 2,208.63 59.74 63,000.00 1,056.75 1,031.76 363.00 500.00 1,000.00, 196.03 2,831.25 4,091.77 2,852.50 300.00 556.89 335.05 Amount carried forward, 8175,587.50 173 Amount brought forward, Town clerk, Town treasurer, Steam roller, Preserving town records, Steam drill, 19th April, Removing snow, Treasurer Cary Library funds, Fire alarm boxes, Printing, Special fire service, Enforcement of liquor law, Registrars of voters, Heating almshouse, Heating Town Hall, Town debt, Auditors, Publishing tax list, Janitors, Cash on hand Jan. 1, 1897, *175,587.50 200.00 500.00 2,450.00 410.00 475.08 274.85 392.60 0.00 95.32 450.91 251.85 36.40 100.00 500.00 100.00 6,000.00 100.00 326.03 800.00 11,805.27 8200,905.81 EDWIN S. SPAULDING, 1 own Treasurer. TAX STATISTICS OF TOWN OF LEXINGTON. 171 COUI<TY TAX. Nd,000.404.0 'J d��N- W�C:�v�a�..:0W0,-...Nm .,0,--..0.^..0iti ,cO.OMM0M00t-M000WN.Np NN tiff NNNMf.'0�,..S0OuN'JNDND..,.,., S Mc�]M ..4.,..r...-i.ti......i.y.iN.i.T,..4....-iMro STATE TAX. 000000000000000000000000000C,0�?000000 0<O.`-3"0400m,14,z000000000010 o-"a�01I0i00,ot- mm0 ,--s0.00L0N o,-4 r`�^ x:h -a4,,, c 0101C0104 oo F A g A F p y gx.,c %.00000000M�0.00000CV.010000�00[N-0 O� '--M,MMr,a'.-nim',,,000i',.MiO=0,1.yM�Q�@W.006+Oi cOp O0.=00.,N.., 0000=m.. -i C7m.c4NM00.b�k.mgc4 �O NW NN L^ ON...NM,W,. .Nr .-..- .- . oo+ N. M o, a .4.o .:.o O N ,fr o0 .ci 00 F ...—to" ^I.-.CIMM M M � MMM.+NNMN ',IN.:, .MME, VD, b WW W RATE OF TAX. 0 0, 0 p 00000O00.Oji..i0000b00NO4-��M0o000.�,o,.0-.000OOM 50.00.[>O, (^00400 ZO 00-l00 0 00 00004.00 0 N 0 .. 0 .. ONNM[- 0 .....,.,...,.,.,....,...,�.... ............... I -I. r*.. z 5 4 6 -0-00.,0 00i Win NmMDCV Nc° b..M0i-7010 NN0,6,Z -t-':.'�0)0404 104040 03030 03030400101 WMC:N000000 000 O'M T.y.-.y.+....y.-i.4NN'�1NNNNNNNNNNNN NNNMMMMMM d�4.1 to NUMBER OF POLLS. OD.....c5iN,3eS x~0NONtiCI' OMMM COiNOc,..rmo.O mocq MM�Wl . 70.,'.,O.4,.(>:0'0.0=0 t t t 1.-,l L L -t NL�t�C-C-...0>0> F 0 F aN N 0 0t-- 0 c- 0 r- 0 M 01 01 01 .". 00 N V I .^I ^l N ^l M M ` O.r N,�^�' c00.`.^C. aO[-1--t-- N[,-�10- N WW.00�OU0==N>=MC0>00> 175 AUDITORS' REPORT. SCHOOLS. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Ellen Reed, tuition, David Fitch, " Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. HIGH SCHOOL. M. S. W. Jefferson, instruction, Everett P. Carey, May B. Goodwin, Mary E. Carter, Nellie L. Hill, Mead, Dodge & Co., paper and charcoal, Ginn & Co., books, J. W. Shattuck, painting and glazing, L. E. Knott Apparatus Co., philosophical apparatus, John Ready, removing snow and ashes, LG CL 8 483.01 17,000.00 12.00 50.00 $17,545.01 817,516.38 28.63 817,545.01 81,110.00 400.00 620.00 330.00 200.00 1.68 24.10 5.15 5.22 6.00 Amount carried forward, 82,702.15 176 Amount brought forward, R. H. Burke, plumbing, repairing tin roof, gas piping, Zeigler Chemical Co., chemicals, T. H. Castor & Co., books, American Book Co., books, Pierce & Winn Co., coal, E. E. Babb & Co., stationery, Water department, water, F. C. Saville, teaming, W. E. Denham, smithing, E. S. Locke, tin, copper, labor on furnace, G. W. Spaulding, saucers, weighing fees, etc., D. C. Heath & Co.. books, A. C. Washburn, covers for desks, Lexington Gas Light Co., C. S. Parker & Son, printing, Cyrus Martin, cleaning cesspool, George S. Perry & Co., chairs, D. A. Tuttle, carpenter work, DeVeau Bros., « (L C. W. Swan, mason work, Allyn & Bacon, books, J. H. Ingalls, tuning piano, Bunkio Matuski, drawing material, May B. Goodwin, note books, Thompson, Brown & Co., Latin composi- tion, American Book Co., books, Maynard, Merrill & Co., " Leach, Shewell & Sanborn," McMillan & Co.. F. L. Cobb & Son, sundries, 82,702.15 60.25 11.97 11.15 7.96 163.28 3.59 20.00 .50 1.75 14.57 4.77 8.62 6.35 1.80 4.75 2.00 3.00 7.75 8.98 2.51 3.49 2.00 2.25 1.25 9.75 11.67 1.64 2.01 5.80 3.10 83,090.66 177 HANCOCK SCHOOL. Laura A. Colbath, instruction, Katherine L. Hartley, CC Edith G. Keene, Nettie E. Moody, Emma E. Wright, Gertrude Pierce, Sara R. Skerry, Jennie F. Blodgett, Grace A. Spaulding, Addie M. Hyde, Edith Redman, Louise M. Wooster, Abbie H. Allen, Amelia M. Mulliken, Mary Lillis, Annie E. Bragdon, Ellen B. Lane, Elizabeth S. Parker, John McLeod, janitor, Willard Walcott, transportation of pupils, Geo. S. Perry & Co., sundries, Central Oil Gas Stove Co., wood, Lyman Lawrence & Son, hardware, brushes, etc., A. C. Washburn, carpenter work, J. S. Munroe, labor of men, John McLeod, sharpening knives, varnish- ing, oiling, etc., W. C. Brown, teaming, removing ashes, F. P. Reynolds, wood, Edith Redman, teaching, S. D. Hicks & Son, copper work, Ginn & Co., books, Lexington Gas Light Co., CC GG CC CC CC CC CC (C cC Amount carried Jai ward, 8 700.00 500.00 454.00 160.00 500.00 418.00 160.00 429.00 63.00 100.00 33.00 193.00 218.00 60.00 51.75 300.00 25.00 20.00 797.92 2,834.38 74.35 27.00 49.86 7.15 42.42 109.22 13.25 22.96 9.00 9.08 7.24 33.21 88,421.79 178 Amount brought forward, E. L. Kellogg & Co., books, Emma E. Wright, care of children, J. W. Shattuck, glazing, W. E. Denham, grinding knives, smithing, Hines Bros. & Co., repairing roof, Water department, water, Houghton, Mifflin & Co., books, D. C. Heath & Go., CC T. H. Castor & Co., CC Geo. H. Underhill, repairing furnace, G. W. Spaulding, weighing fees, etc., DeVeau Bros., carpenter work, Pierce & Winn Co., wood and coal, F. C. Saville, teaming and removing ashes, F. L. Cobb & Son, varnish, oil, brushes, IL II. Burke, plumbing, labor on furnace, E. E. Babb & Co., stationery, Wollaston Foundry Co., lining to furnace, Joel Goldthwaite Co., mat 191 feet, Daniel Gorman, wood, Underhill Warming & Ventilating Co., back lining and grate, Underhill Warming & Ventilating Co., fire pot, grate, cross -bar, Kasson & Palmer, subscription to "Edu- cation," ADAMS SCHOOL. Jessie G. Prescott, instruction, Fannie F. Ingram, Lilian F. Clark, Carrie F. Fiske, M. Eleanor Tower, CC CC CC CC Amount carried forward, $8,421.79 2.50 96.00 .65 6.65 41.83 75.00 11.25 2.65 22.25 18.48 -50.90 14.49 825.16 20.00 32.19 27.25 7.20 1.40 11.85 4.75 4.72 16.66 3.00 8610.00 500.00 255.00 500.00 160.00 82,025.00 89,718.6'2 179 Amount brought forward, J. II. Phillips, putting on storm windows, carpenter work, Iliram Pierce, labor, E. B. Worthen, sharpening knives, Kasson & Palmer, subscription to "Edu- cation," Pierce & Winn Co., coal, A. B. Smith, janitor, A. B. Smith, extra labor, etc., Water department, R. E. Cosgrove, removing ashes, E. S. Locke, plumbing, repairing furnace, Christie Pierce, repairing flag, Cyrus Martin, cleaning cesspool, Ginn & Co., books, T. II. Castor & Co., books, Ginn & Co., E. L. Kellogg & Co., " E. E. Babb & Co., books and stationery, R. W. Holbrook, weighing fees, TIDD SCIIOOL. Charlotte IIolmes, instruction, Ellen B. Lane, F. L. Cobb & Son, varnish, John McLeod, varnishing, Pierce & Winn Co., coal, Geo. S. Perry & Co., desk and chairs, Joseph Dane, cleaning well, W. L. Burrill, shades, W. H. Kelley, care and labor, W. C. Brown, teaming, Prang Educational Society, stationery, Amount carried forward, *2,025.00 28.47 3.80 1.50 3.00 155.80 140.45 16.59 20.00 6.75 46.00 .f5 2.00 4.17 9.15 7.15 2.50 8.60 2.22 *160.00 4.00 2.25 5.00 53.93 18.00 6.00 3.92 35.00 2.75 5.47 $296.3'2 82,483.90 1I • Amount brought forward, American Book Co., books, Ginn & Co., D. C. Heath & Co., Boston School Supply Co., primers, P. F. Dacey, mason work, DeVeau Bros., carpenter work, Charlotte Holmes, care of children at recess, B. Gorman, wood, G. W. Spaulding, weighing fees, etc., cc 1.80 $296.32 9.26 11.90 4.15 1.65 7.15 38.59 3.00 17.00 3.79 COMMON TO ALL SCHOOLS. Alice M. Holt, musical instruction and music, E. J. Hillis, drawing instruction and travel- ing expenses, McMillan & Co., books, Mary C. Carter, book, Willard Walcott, horse and carriage and barges, American Express Co., expressage, Nourse & Co., Ginn & Co., books, George S. Perry & Co., stationery, Geo. F. King & Merrill, J. L. Hammett & Co., E. E. Babb & Co., Prang Educational Co., Maynard, Merrill & Co., books, DeWolf, Fiske & Co., Leach, Shewell & Sanborn, « Silver, Burdett & Co., George W. Jones, Boston School Supply Co., * 353.78 278.76 5.46 1.20 60.92 4.25 16.75 31.51 44.68 39.90 60.28 184.09 5.05 11.03 2.40 11.62 3.00 .86 8.55 Amount carried forward, 81,124.09 *392.81 181 Amount brought forward, Allyn & Bacon, books, Educational Publishing Co., D. C. Heath, University Publishing Co., T. H. Castor & Co., American Book Co., Willard Small, Franklin Educational Co., books and sta- tionery, Knight & Thomas, fire extinguishers, John F. Parker, repairing compasses, Western Union Telegraph Company, Chandler Adjustable Chair Co., chairs, Central Oil Gas Stove Co., wood, Zeigler Electric Co., corks, balances, weights, The Spatula Publishing Co., printing en- velopes, report cards, H. E. Holt, music readers, etc., M. S. W. Jefferson, sundries, M. S. W. Jefferson, superintendent, E. A. Bayley, expenses procuring teacher, E. A. Bayley, flag belts, H. F. Miller & Sons Piano Co., tuning, John F. Tufts, enumerating scholars, C. G. Kauffmann, belt and buckle. Cleveland Printing & Publishing Co., di- plomas, A. C. Washburn, carpenter work, C. W. Clement, engraving, C. H. Franks, truant officer, A. J. Wilkinson & Co., hardware, Alfred Pierce, expenses procuring teacher, postage, car fares, Carter, Rice & Co., paper, (( (( (( CC Amount carried forward, *1,124.09 5.00 4.53 8.35 2.75 .86 16.50 .70 23.74 40.50 1.68 1.43 75.55 11.73 44.81 18.50 44.15 19.17 162.00 2.25 4.50 8.94 15.45 .50 15.00 32.66 7.50 24.50 5.85 7.50 2.25 *1,732.94 182 Amount brought forward, *1,732.94 Coburn Stationery Co., postals and print- ing, 2.00 DeVeau Bros., carpenter work, 1.00 Oliver Ditson & Co., music, 11.35 Mass. Bible Society, 17.20 John Russell Cutlery Co., knives, 10.50 J. A. Fratus, repairing clocks, 5.00 R. H. Burke, repairing furnace, etc., 38.00 H. A. Davis, .Jr., & Co., envelopes, 8.65 John McKay, carpenter work, 3.75 IIigh School, Hancock School, Adams School, Tidd School, Common to all schools, SUMMARY. HIGHWAYS. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Water department, use of steam drill, Foster F. Sherburne, Lexington Land Co., George A. Vickery, Town teams on state road, R. H. White, loam, Ilammon Reed, (( E. M. Mulliken, (( E. Wood, crushed stone, (( (( (( (( (( (( $1,330.39 *3,090.66 9,718.62 2,483.90 392.81 1,830.39 *17,516.38 8 8,000.00 16.67 200.00 222.22 51.00 685.76 1.00 1.50 14.25 2.00 Amount carried forward, ' *9,194.40 183 Amount brought fo,ward, A. E. Scott, crushed stone, A. E. Scott, use of steam roller, Boston & Maine R. R., crushed stone, J. O. Tilton, use of teams, County Middlesex, award, Bedford St., Excess of expenditures over receipts, EXPENDITURES. *9,194.40 217.35 5.00 43.11 5.75 1,500.00 274.86 B. C. Whitcher, grain, Pierce & Winn Co., coal, Lyman Lawrence & Son, harness work, hardware, Otis Harrington & Son, stone work, Board of horses, Tupper & Leary, stone work, J. M. Ellis, use of boiler, W. E. Denham, smithing W. E. Denham, cart, W. B. Tripp, labor, W. H. Mitchell, « Dennis Keep, C. _H. Wilbur, << F. B. Fletcher, repairing Curve street, G. M. Litchfield, chain, R. E. Cosgrove, labor, horse and cart, E. B. McLalan, shoeing, smithing, S. H. Broughall, H. P. Griffin, J. Chisholm, harness work, team bridles, nets and blankets, Henry S. Ilarris & Co., chestnut horse, W. A. Morrison, engine supplies, oak belt- ing, 8 365.81 177.83 115.44 320.95 350.00 523.76 62.00 153.59 180.00 21.00 70.75 1.75 2.00 1.75 1.25 5.09 34.24 20.96 64.70 66.15 175.00 126.51 Amount carried forward, *2,840.53 *11,240.47 184 Amount brought forward, Globe Rubber Works, packing, J. A. Russell, smithing, H. L. Alderman, A. Black, plow shoe, drain pipe, J. V. Waldron & Bro., brass letters, W. P. Phillips & Co., lubricators, E. S. Locke, plumbing, Walworth Manufacturing Co., gauge and wrenches, W. H. Gallison, steam fittings, Boston & Maine R. R., freight, S. C. Nightingale & Childs, chucks, jaw - plate, toggle, Geo. Tyler & Co., plow points, . D. A. Tuttle & Co., carpenter work, Frank P. Cutter, surveying, James S. Munroe, labor of men, gravel, Broad. Gauge Iron Works, roadway grate, A. C. Washburn, sign board, etc., Water department, hose, oil, O. S. Kelly Co., spikes for road roller, locking pin, George E. Muzzey, lumber, Daniel O. Leary, labor, Wm. M. McLean, « W. C. Brown, teaming, N. Shea, labor, Patrick Hurley, labor, Chas. A. Claflin, engineer, T. G. Whiting, teaming, F. P. Reynolds, labor, E. W. Glass, W. H. Davis, Cyrus Martin, W. H. Whitaker, CC CC G( Amount carried forward, *2,840.53 2.13 32.90 11.00 10.80 1.32 7.25 28.17 2.25 9.50 3.74 120.57 5.00 10.59 29.00 57.69 7.35 4.55 6.90 49.68 136.98 3.00 78.00 2.25 40.75 .88 228.00 35.75 54.60 90.78 35.00 47.50 5.00 *3,999.41 Amount brought forward, F. C. Saville, teaming, J. H. Brown, engineer, Water department, M. Logan, labor, E. A. Cook, George Jones, " Dennis 1Iinchey, " C. Bryson, J. Donovan, M. McDonald, C. Ryan, W. F. Ham, C. Watkins, J. Middleby, gravel, E. M. Mulliken, T. Kinneen, P. 0. Riordan, Charles Brown, H. V. Smith, H. E. Holt, J. Brown, 44 G( LL LG 1( 185 H. W. Macomber," A. W. Newell, " A. A. Stimpson, " C. G. Kauffmann, weighing, C. A. Butters & Co., oil, etc., E. Wood, trees, R. W. Holbrook, hogshead, etc., G. W. Spaulding, tools, M. A. Pero, smithing, Willard Walcott, teams, DeVeau Bros., carpenter work, R. H. White, superintendent, F. E. Ham, drag planks, Bigelow & Dowse Co., picks, hardware, 83,999.41 35.10 92.75 6.75 26.25 13.98 6.50 2.00 14.88 80.25 36.76 75.00 45.00 13.75 41.80 90.72 17.00 14.30 3.95 12.40 2.20 3.40 47.85 4.60 9.30 2.00 3.86 2.50 6.25 19.52 63.83 50.50 43.00 75.00 7.20 20.76 Amount carried forward, $4,990.32 186 Amount brought forward, 84,990.32 R. H. Burke, work on steam roller. 4.75 Geo. H. Sampson, forcite, 53.80 J. Baker & Co., blocks, sheaves and chains, 31.28 J. Breck & Son, gravel screen, hooks, 8.42 A. J. Wilkinson & Co., wrenches, 4.40 Pay rolls, 6,044.84 Nourse & Co., expressage, 5.63 Ingersoll -Sargent Drill Co., caps, 2.84 Chandler & Farquar, pipe tap, .18 Jones, McDuHie & Stratton, lanterns, 12.87 Edwin H. Pearson, repair of stone crusher, 7.94 W. A. Snow & Co., cesspool plates, 7.50 Scott & Tobin, signs, 32.70 J. II. Phillips, carpenter work, 33.00 OUTSIDE AID. RECEIPTS. Unexpended balance, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Appropriated from cash in the treasury, Refunded by East Bridgewater, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. Aid furnished D. 0. Leary. L( GG CG (L " Hammond children, Mrs. Donovan, George B. Haggett, E. F. McDonald, Amount carried forward, *2,428.15 747.11 8 197.78 180.00 100.96 156.05 167.67 8802.46 811,240.47 8 573.13 2,000.00 500.00 102.13 83,175.26 $3,175.26 Aid LC CC CC CC CC 1C CC 187 Amount broughtfoiward, furnished D. Ray, Jr., James Emery, Mrs. Shea, Mrs. McAvin, Mrs. Estabrook, Katherine and Annie IIar- grove, Mrs. Crowley, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, Thomas Anderson, Mrs. Logan, James King, Mary Reimer, Mrs. Gilman, S. K. Head, Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Dane, Susan E. Goodrich, Ellen Roach, E. Holdway, Parker, • Eliza Gannon, -- Burns, Sundry parties, Shea, Jennings, McAvin, CC CC CC CC CC CC << CC CC CC CC CC $802.46 176.42 129.00 36.99 71.95 40.87 148.75 433.45 43.09 13.50 35.00 15.00 16.00 15.00 43.54 68.00 3.38 6.25 179.38 3.06 52.00 2.59 8.00 3.38 41.98 39.11 SUPPORT OF THE POOR. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Produce poor farm, Board highway horses, Excess of expenditures over receipts, $ 137.62 1,000.00 587.76 350.00 707.24 $2,428.15 $2,782.62 188 EXPENDITURES. R. H. White, services, R. H. White, manure, fish, clothing, crackers, offal, etc., B. C. Whitcher, grain, E. S. Locke, soapstone tub, plumbing, hose, sundries, S. H. Bourghall, smithing, DeVeau Bros., carpenter work, C. T. West, burial expenses, Mrs. Winship, CC " " CC W. L. Marden, CC CC Amos Robinson, G. W. Spaulding, groceries, F. C. Jones, shoes, clothing, paper, etc., C. A. Butters & Co., groceries, New England Telegraph & Telephone Co., W. L. Burrill, shades and repairing, J. T. Malloy, cow, W. W. Ferguson, crackers and cheese, E. 13. McLalan, shoeing, Geo. II. Jackson, provisions, Otis Harrington & Son, stone work, Webster Smith, cow, A. M. Tucker, dry goods, Lyman Lawrence & Son, hardware, etc P. F. Dacey, mason work, George E. Muzzey, lumber, John S. Spaulding, repairing, D. A. Tuttle, carpenter work, H. P. Griffin, smithing, Pierce & Winn Co., coal, C. 11. Lowe & Co., provisions, C. A. Childs, groceries, M. A. Pero, smithing, W. J. Neville, wood, $ 550.08 171.32: 212.01 37.32 4.30 29.50 32.00 35.50 21.00 32.97 36.25 88.45 1.70 11.14 47.00 7.05 300 148.85 12.00 55.00 20.36 18.47 13.42 189.49 .90 111.65 29.95 139.96 97.67 80.81 2.25 41.25 Amount carried forward, $2,282.62 189 Amount brought forward, Bailey Bros., painting, Lexington Ice Co., S. A. Isaacson & Co., clothing, Cornelius Callahan Co., Johnson pump, W. E. Denham, wheelwrighting, F. E. Ham, plank, G. M. Litchfield, wire, John McKay, carpenter work, S. T. Fletcher & Co., butter, Wilson, Underhill & Co., butter and lard, A. Williamson, cow, J. Chisholm, harness work, Nourse Express, Nelson J. Sim, crackers, Mary Glines, nursing, C. F. Winship, potatoes, Mass. Ploughman, subscription, H. C. Valentine, M. D., services, R. W. Holbrook, groceries, J. Donovan, labor, J. Shea, C. Bryson, F. L. Cobb & Son, groceries, Pay roll, cc $2,282.62 21.83 30.31 13.00 5.00 19.85 3.60 2.80 25.50 6.51 9.82 50.00 4.00 1.30 3.66 2.38 .85 2.00 10.00 62.44 82.75 10.00 40.00 19.58 72.82 WATER DEPARTMENT. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Transferred from interest account, Income from water rates, Borrowed for extension, Borrowed for bonds, $2,782.62 $ 7,391.30 866.67 9,847.58 10,000.00 10.000.00 838,105.55 Amount expended, Balance unexpended, 190 EXPENDITURES. Ludlow Valve Manufacturing Co., hy- drants, Charles A. Jenkins, oil, polish, B. C. Whitcher, grain, P. F. Dacey, mason work, H P. Griffin, smithing, Davis & Farnham Manufacturing Co., pipe, R. E. Cosgrove, teaming, Boston & Maine I.. R., freight, Lexington Gas Light Co., F. C. -Saville, teaming, Henry McShane Manufacturing Co., plumbing materials, service boxes, mineral wool, etc., Boston Lead Manufacturing Co., lead, C. II. Bruce, engineer, Charles Fine, labor of men, N. Cardini, labor, L. Whitman, << Michael Burns, " E. W. Glass, teaming and labor, George Griffin, labor, 11. McCaffray, P. C. Pierce, James Hewitt, GC CG Braman, Dow & Co., pipe and labor, F. P. Reynolds, teaming and wood, W. H. Whitaker, teaming pipe, Andrew J. Morse & Co., service cocks, J. A. Russell, smithing, 832,037.46 6,068.09 $38,105.55. 8 293.44 66.16 75.28 1.50 28.10 430.48 19.23 14.45 77.88 26.00 108.73 207.50 656.00 2,855.70 198.89 92.59 97.02 113.34 4.20 2.98 23.11 1.75 96.75 6.50 6.25 45.00 .80 Amount carried forward, 85,549.63 191 Amount brought forward, 85,549.63 M. A. Pero, smithing, 25.16 W. E. Denham, " 67.74 T. L. Bruce, superintendent, 760.00 E. S. Locke, plumbing, tin roofing, 349.16 Coburn Stationery Co., printing, 23.60 D. J. Vaughan, inspector, 25.00 E. B. McLalan, shoeing. 2.25 H. L. Wellington, damages, 50.00 American Express Co., 3.45 Nourse & Co., express, 27.52 Geo. 1I. Sampson, forcite, 27.50 Pierce & Winn Co., coal, hay, 1,525.37 C. W. Swan, mason work,. 5.13 C. W. Swan, setting new boiler, 274.20 11. W. Neff, enamel black, 3.50 Knowlton Packing Co., packing, 22.03 Knowles Steam Pump Works, repairs, 36.19 1t W. IIolbrook, shovels, pails, lanterns, oil, etc., 7.21 G. W. Spaulding, oil, soda, brooms, etc., 33.16 L. A. Saville, office expenses, stationery, etc., 41.80 L. A. Saville, services, 500.00 Forbes Lithograph Co., bond book, 27.00 George E. Muzzey, lumber. 68.22 C. A. Childs, telephone, .30 Chapman Valve Manufacturing Co., valves, gauges, 17.78 W. C. Brown, teaming, 12.05 George Z. Ilamblen, pipe, hose, lanterns, etc., 35.75 Interest on bonds, 8,000.00 Water bonds retired, 10,000.00 Lyman Lawrence & Son, oil and hardware, 51.00 A. E. Scott, recording deeds, The Bigelow Co., grate bars, plates, Smith & Ludden, legal services, 5.30 49.76 20.00 Amount carried fol ward, 827,646.76 192 Amount brought forward, *27,646.76 Hays Manufacturing Co., dust boxes and caps, 60.13 E. M. Dart Manufacturing Co., cocks, 58.65 Walworth Manufacturing Co., ladle, 10.14 James H. Ball, dynamite and fuse, 2.85 New England Telephone & Telegraph Co., 34.55 Ames Plow Co., shovels and picks, 13.49 Lead Line Iron Pipe Co., pipe, etc., 47.75 South Pittsburg Pipe Works, pipe, 2,857.78 J. H. Brown, labor, 17.50 G. G. Stillman, damper, regulator, pulley, 75.00 M. Ellis & Co., 18.38 Heckla Powder Co., explosives, 30.00 F. E. Fitts Manufacturing & Supply Co., mineral wool, A. C. Washburn, carpenter work, Boston & Lockport Block Co., blocks, H. A. Davis, Jr., & Co., printing, Roberts Iron Works Co., boiler and fittings, H. L. Thatcher & Co., printing, John McKay, carpenter work, S. H. Broughall, smithing, Katherine L. Lawrence, land, J. Baker & Co., packing, Journal Newspaper Co., advertising bonds, Boston Daily Advertiser, Perrin, Seamens & Co., shovels, picks, ham- mers, • 26.85 Highway department, work of steam drill, 16.67 20.66 11.00 8.40 2.50 625.00 16.00 18.00 1.15 350.00 4.41 43.20 20.64 *32,037.46 193 CONTINGENT. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, F. P. Cutter, 10 stone posts, Mary Desmond, F. O. Vail, M. Manley, Mrs. Kelley, Rent of Town Hall, Rent of Masonic Hall, Rent of Village Hall, Rent of Stone building, Corporation tax, Bank tax, Tax on land taken by city of Cambridge, J. F. Hutchinson, auctioneer's license, GG '' J. Bigelow, L. H. Bigelow, A. S. Mitchell, Geo. H. Heywood, balance on tax sale, Tax titles redeemed, Court fees, Concord, Town histories sold, G. W. Spaulding, weighing fees, G4 GG G( L( LG Amount expended, Balance unexpended, *3,054.73 6,224.29 * 513.96 6.50 1.20 1.80 .50 .50 161.60 100.00 20.00 1.00 7,076.54 929.12 149.54 2.00 2.00 2.00 '2.00 10.32 142.30 39.00 19.00 98.14 *9,279.02 *9,279.02 NOTE. -The auditors would here state that the following ac- counts will be charged to the contingent account on January 1, 1897, viz.: State tax, *4,091.77 County tax, 2,852.50 Support of poor, 707.22 Interest, 48.42 Highways, Cemetery, Water in almshouse, Insurance, Removal of snow, Board of health, 194 EXPENDITURES. Knight & Thomas, fire extinguishers, etc., * 47.46 C. T. West, returning deaths, and attend- ing funerals in 1895, 38.00 Willard Walcott, carriage hire, 36.50 H. C. Derby, hand stamps, 18.50 W. L. Burrill, repairing chairs, etc., 7.45 Nourse & Co., express, 21.20 S. C. Nightingale & Childs, chucks, fixed jaw -plate for crusher, 55.27 J. C. DeVeau, cleaning, 2.00 Wm. B. Foster, notifying town:meetings, 32.00 C. H. Franks, meals for election officers and distributing town reports,.collect- ing dog licenses, and postal cards, 41.15 L. A. Saville, recording births, deaths, and marriages, 45.05 L. A. Saville, stationery, expenses, stamps, etc., one year, 54.68 Expenses of the committee to Chicopee, 29.09 Coburn Stationery Co., printing and sta- tionery, 57.17 Lyman Lawrence & Son, 39.53 R. M. Yale & Co., repairing flag,lbunting, 10.25 New England Telephone & Telegraph Co., 102.15 R. H. Burke, plumbing, 176.52 C. A. Butters & Co., crackers, .84 Daniel Russell, labor and material on steam heating, 35.25 Amount carried forward, *850.06 274.86 57.19 18.74 68.11 356.80 335.05 195 Amount brought forward, C. F. Wiley, meals for Waltham firemen and registrars, C. A. Childs, groceries, telephone, stamps, P. T. Gillooley, signs, State of Massachusetts, fine, National Protection Co., protecting trees, J. A. Fratus, repairing clock, Smith & Ludden, legal services, Albert A. Gleason, « Lexington water department, F. L. Cobb & Son, groceries, J. H. Phillips, carpenter work, T. G. Whiting, distributing town reports, Frank Darlow, extra labor, Col. Beals Decorating Co., decorating, Col. Beals Decorating Co., draping Town Hall, P. B. Murphy, printing blanks and posters, C. S. Parker & Son, printing, Boston & Maine R. R.. Election officers, pay rolls, M. R. Warren & Co., assessors' book, George Jones, cleaning tramp room, R. P. Clapp, legal services, C. Hapgood, « W. E. Denham, smithing, Mrs. H. H. Pierce, repairing flag, George D. Estabrook, labor, E. D. Blake, insurance on boiler and crusher, A. C. Washburn, carpenter work, DeVeau Bros., P. F. Dacey, mason work, F. W. Barry, Beale & Co., stationery, Amount carried forward, *850.06 32.50 41.96 18.50 .50 21.50 3.00 268.12 12.40 90.50 4.54 2.75 8.00 5.00 50.00 50.00 4.00 104.02 .50 58.00 9.75 4.03 10.50 2.00 22.83 1.75 4.50 62.5,7 20.5G 81.6:1 14.95 5.82 $1,866.6 T 196 Amount brought forward, Geo. D. Harrington, labor on markers, R. W. Holbrook, weighing fees, tools, oil, George Heywood, balance tax bill, Wakefield Rattan Co., mat, J. T. Fisk, signs, W. H. Gallison, plug refilling, F. G. Blanchard, book, C. A. Pearson, surveying, G. W. Spaulding, weighing, books, etc., F. C. Saville, teaming, Dennis Reardon, labor, E. A. Cook, T. Shea, Robert Miller & Co., canvas cover, L. G. Babcock, envelopes, F. J. Whitton, repairing clock, C. A. Mandelberg, repairing pump, J. W. Shattuck, painting, Scott & Tobin, painting in Town Hill, Scott & Tobin, painting markers, IL C. Valentine, M. D., town physician, H. C. Valentine, M. D., returning thirty- two births, II. C. Valentine, M. D., medicines, George E. Muzzey, lumber, E. S. Locke, cup and chain, C. T. West, burial of Albert Shipley, H. N. Bates Machinery Co., block, pulleys, J. L. & II. K. Potter, repairing sprinkler, Frank Ilarlow, repairing stone crusher, etc., J. H. Courtney, driven well, stone crusher, W. A. Morrison, waste and oil, John G. Clark, labor on crusher, L. A. Saville, collectors' deeds, Ct L( Amount carried forward, $1,866.67 2.50 2.23 10.32 6.30 1.30 .85 1.50 20.21 8.21 17.25 1.00 6.50 10.00 9.27 5.48 '2.50 4.50 3.26 100.11 15.35 75.00 8.00 9.00 1.50 1.05 35.00 9.85' 5.00 9.00 59.45 '24.20 11.75 119.09 *2,463.20 197 Amount brought forward, G. W. Sampson, collectors' deeds, R. E. Cosgrove, labor, E. Connors, 44 Thomas Burke, J. W. Cook, tree protecting, Barbara McKinnon, substitute librarian, Charles O. Wentworth, mason work, Lyman Lawrence, sundries, John H. Brown, engineer crusher, John D. Bacon, cleaning drain, W. A. Snow & Co., manhole cover, Registry of deeds, recording, Scott & Tobin, painting Cary Library, Little, Brown & Co., book, H. A. Davis, Jr., & Co., stamped envelopes, Cyrus Martin, cleaning cesspool, C. M. Parker, cattle inspector, H. C. Dimond & Co., repairing punch, Madison Bunker, veterinary service, C. T. West, returning deaths, George H. Thurston, labor, mat, J. E. Horn, painting and lettering sign, Spring Lane Press, printing, Dennis McNamara, hammer handles, 11. A. Perham, medicines, A. C. Washburn, carpenter work, J. O. Tilton, M. D., returning 48 births, 25 cents each, STATE ROAD. RECEIPTS. $2,463.20 216.55 5.27 7.00 7.00 29.05 8.00 16.10 20.75 14.75 2.00 2.50 49.60 24.17 3.00 8.65 12.00 100.00 1.30 5.00 14.00 8.45 1.75 1.50 1.75• 6.72 12.67 12.00 $3,054.73 Highway Commission, State of Massachusetts, $6,946.95 Amount expended, $6,872.67 Balance unexpended, 74.28 $6,946.95 198 EXPENDITURES. B. W. Patten, stone to crusher, F. C. Saville, T. G. Whiting, M. Powers, T. J. Moakley, J. H. Holland, D. Gorman, W. H. Davis, A. Bevington, James Dalrymple, G. W. Richards, M. Carroll, J. 11. Phillips, repairing fence, carpenter work, John McKinnon, carpenter work, DeVeau Bros., (( l( George E. Muzzey, lumber, Boston & Maine R. R., D. W. Richards, stone to crusher, Wm. J. Kelley, E. W. Glass, E. A. Mulliken, '' '' '' '' GL C( '' '' '' '' '' l( (( CG (( '' Francis Locke, pipe, etc., J. Deland, labor, M. Murphy, << C. Bryson, « Chandler & Farquhar, lacing, Tupper & Leary, stone work, Otis Harrington & Son, stone work, G. W. Barr, pipe and labor, A. W. Bryant, allowed for moving fence, C. A. Claflin, engineer, Frank P. Reynolds, wood, W. A. Morrison, oil, $ 1.70 42.38 46.57 61.67 25.70 23.15 20.80 12.36 9.18 17.46 31.56 13.20 118.65 20.25 2.00 102.54 .77 53.69 23.40 15.08 55.17 36.41 8.75 32.38 32.38 2.07 294.83 342.32 2.10 25.00 171.00 17.50 2.75 Amount carried forward, *1,664.77 199 Amount brought forward, M. C. Warren & Co., hardware, F. P. Kendall, stone and gravel, Osgood & Co., weigh book, C. G. Kauffmann, weigher, M. A. Pero, iron posts, J. H. Brown, engineer to crusher, Pierce & Winn Co., coal, F. B. Fletcher, watering, Water department, Lyman Lawrence & Son, hardware, F. C. Saville, teaming, American Express Co., F. P. Kendall, rent of land, C. A. Butters & Co., tools, Pay rolls, $1,664.77 2.30 298.80 2.50 50.00 15.66 181.38 124.16 31.75 103.43 6.10 1.25 .50 50.00 38.69 4,301.38 FIRE DEPARTMENT. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. Lexington Gas Light Co., "Gas," « « « maintaining fire alarm, Pettingill-Andrews Co., vitrol and copper, Pierce & Winn Co., coal and wood, B. C. Whitcher, hay, grain and straw, W. E. Denham, wheelwrighting, repair- ing, smithing, Amount carricd forward, $3,983.47 416.53 $ 54.00 66.20 24.25 91.55 331.62 149.55 $717.17 $6,872.67 $4,400.00 $4,400.00 200 Amount brought forward, G. W. Spaulding, lanterns, oil, chimneys, etc., Lyman Lawrence & Son, hardware, E. S. Locke, stove pipe, zinc, naptha, labor, C. G. Kauffmann, engineer, Willard Walcott, James Shelvey, driver of steamer, W. J. Harrington, driver of chemical, W. A. Haskell, labor on fire alarms, Frank Harlow, engineer of steamer, W. L. Burrill, chairs and table, C. A. Butters & Co., grain, C. A. Childs, oil, soap, A. J. Wilkinson & Co., hardware, R. W. Holbrook, grain, tools, straw, salt, glass, W. F. Lowe, oil, Waltham Free Press, notice, Nourse & Co., express, Willard Walcott, use of horses and board- ing horses, Water department, C. G. Kauffmann, traveling expenses, J. H. Phillips, carpenter work, H. P. Griffin, shoeing, J. Chisholm, harness, etc., George J. McClure, engineer steamer, George L. Pierce, steward and fireman, John C. DeVeau, steward, Lyman Lawrence & Son, harness, hard- ware, Philbrick's Express, Arabian Horse Food Remedy Co., horse food, E. G. Kauffmann, removing old wires, $717.17 58.26 8.91 16.89 50.00 50.00 540.00 540.00 3.00 5.00 13.75 20.78 7.91 18.62 84.20 1.85 1.40 7.75 166.10 35.50 8.00 30.07 37.75 107.80 66.24 33.00 97.50 158.33 .45 2.50 1.00 Amount carried forward, $2,889.79 201 Amount brought forward, E. & F. King & Co., soda, George Z. Hamblen, rubber coats, letter- ing, blankets, hose, Henry McShane Manufacturing Co., pipe, Knight & Thomas, "fire extinguishers," C. S. Parker & Son, printing, M. A. Pero, smithing, DeVeau Bros., carpenter work, George E. Muzzey, lumber, H. H. Estabrook, copy Mass. fire laws, E. R. McLalan, smithing, American Fire Engine Co., extra centre grate, Water department, polish, waste, J. A. Fratus, repairing badges, A. M. Tucker, blankets, Mrs. H. P. Griffin, washing, J. W. Milbury, repairing hose wagon, Boston Woven Hose Co., door springs, Scott & Tobin, painting, J. T. Scott, services, J. McKenzie, Henry McCaffrey, John McAllister, John McQuade, Peter Kearney, J. C. DeVeau, W. W. Ferguson, D. A. Dow, Pay roll, hose No. 1, GG LG LC LG (G « 2, " hook and ladder No. 1, Dustin Martin, services, • $2,889.79 2.66 209.23 6.80 44.00 1.25 59.88 16.65 25.37 1.00 4.00 13.56 10.61 .40 2.25 17.70 5.00 14.00 107.50 7.50 40.00 4.00 3.00 1.50 2.00 6.25 7.50 7.50 205.50 122.49 132.50 12.08 $3,983.47 202 NINETEENTH OF APRIL. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Taken from heating hall, Excess of expenditures over receipts, EXPENDITURES. J. A. Cummings Printing Co., posters, Col. Beal Decorating Co., H. G. Locke, car fares, A. M. Tucker, ribbon, Lexington Drum Corps, George L. Pierce, salute, Lexington Minute Man Band, Herbert Johnson Sextette, C. S. Parker & Son, printing, T. G. Whiting, moving chairs, DeVeau Bros., band stand, George H. Ellis, printing memorial, • $ 4.50 25.00 2.00 3.19 15.00 25.00 72.00 55.00 7.00 4.00 10.50 51.66 WATERING STREETS. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, L( G {( " •G. W. iSampson, tax collected, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, $ 16.00 150.00 50.00 58.85 $274.85 $274.85 $1,000.00 700.00 373.32 *2,073.32 $1,632.85 440.47 $2,073.32 203 EXPENDITURES. Water department, E. W. Glass, F. B. Fletcher, Frank X. Saucier, use of watering cart, A. B. Black, repairing cart, $ 733.60 458.00 404.75 32.00 4.50 CONSTABLES AND POLICE. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Excess of expenditures over receipts, Wm. B. Foster, services, C. H. Franks, George L. Pierce, P. T. Gillooley, John McInerny, J. McLeod, P. J. McGuire, P. F. Dacey, Byron Earle, J. H. Phillips, B. E. Anderson, Frank Hughes, J. H. Brown, W. B. Foster, distributing reports, notifi- cations, expenses with prisoners, C. H. Franks, horse and carriage, meals to prisoners, EXPENDITURES. CG special services, cc (C CC GC CC (C CC CC CC $ 915.00 872.50 80.00 10.00 48.00 7.50 7.50 25.00 50.00 7.50 5.00 5.00 5.00 28.43 24.25 Amount carried forward, $2,090.68 $1,632.85 $ 159.68 2,000.00 48.95 $2,208.63 204 Amount brought forward, City of Waltham, police 19th April, New England Telephone Telegraph Co., S. O. Aborn, helmet, J. P. Lovell Arms Co., badges and key, Willard Walcott, horse and carriage, $2,090.68 15.25 92.95 3.50 1.75 4.50 TEMPORARY LOAN. RECEIPTS. Balance outstanding, Borrowed March 23, 1896, March 31, 1896, April 29, 1896, May 11, 1896, June 1], 1896, July '2, 1896, October 21, 1896, October 30, 1896, Amount paid, Balance outstanding, EXPENDITURES. Paid December 31, 1896, October 11, 1896, October 21, 1896, October 23, 1896, May 11, 1896, March 23, 1896, July 31, 1896, July 29, 1896, $2,208.63 $30,000.00 15,000.00 6,000.00 5,000.00 15,000.00 3,000.00 2,000.00 12,000.00 5,000.00 $93,000.00 $63,000.00 30,000.00 $93,000.00 8 2,000.00 3,000.00 2,000.00 15,000.00 15,000.00 15,000.00 6,000.00 5,000.00 $63,000.00 205 INTEREST. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Fourth National Bank, Interest on taxes, L. A. Saville, CC CC CC G. W. Sampson, Arlington Bank, Deduct transferred to water department, Excess of expenditures over receipts, EXPENDITURES. State of Massachusetts, Lexington Savings Bank, Estabrook & Co., Bridge charitable fund, Beals CC 'c Gilmor fund, Cemetery funds, Gammell legacy, Cary Library, No appropriation. $1,005.00 199.08 1,263.62 120.00 120.00 43.50 290.00 35.00 660.00 BOARD OF HEALTH. EXPENDITURES. Smith & Ludden, legal services, A. E. Bragdon, clerical services, *50.00 $ 761.01 2,600.00 227.14 380.19 571.36 14.75 $4,554.45 866.67 *3,687.78 48.42 *3,736.20 $3,736.20 206 Amount brought forward, Coburn Stationery Co., Boston Woven Hose Co., hose, Johnson, Clark cz Underwood, legal ser- vices, Odorless Excavating Co., leading hose, Willard Walcott, team, C. H. Franks, horses and carriages, C. M. Parker, services, H. C. Valentine, A. B. Smith, A. B. Smith, team and telegraph, CC CC JANITORS. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Appropriated from cash in the treasury, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, Geo. H. Thurston, George D. Estabrook, George L. Pierce, Unexpended balance, EXPENDITURES. CEMETERY. RECEIPTS. 30.00 Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount carried forward, $80.00 $ 80.00 7.55 57.70 5.00 27.00 1.50 5.50 50.00 50.00 50.00 .80 $335.05 *271.45 600.00 200.00 *1,071.45 $800.00 271.45 *1,071.45 *600.00 125.00 75.00 $800.00 *135.10 200.00 Amount carried forward, $335.10 207 Amount brought forward, Alice H. Locke, Mrs. L. A. Livermore, Lilian Bullock, H. S. Mulliken, Mrs. Fleming, Sundry parties, Excess of expenditures over receipts, EXPENDITURES. E. W. Glass, labor, J. W. Grigg, stones and numbering, D. A. Tuttle, carpenter work, W. H. Whitaker, gravel and filling, Water department, pipe and water, J. W. Shattuck, painting, R. H. Burke, plumbing, E. A. Mulliken, labor, E. Wood, trees and plants, $ 2.25 6.72 139.40 63.75 103.46 15.06 19.30 269.20 37.05 CEMETERY TRUST FUNDS. RECEIPTS. Mrs. F. M. Thayer, E. Farmer, REMOVING SNOW. No appropriation. EXPENDITURES. C. Ryan, M. Manley, Amount carried forward, $ 31.60 2.60 $335.10' 43.00 28.00 15.00 35.00 3.00 140.00 57.09 *656.19 *656.19 *200.00 200.00 *400.00 208 Amount brought forward, T. Kinneen, G. W. Jameson, R. Dunn, Frank McGuire, W. 11. Whitaker, D. W. Richards, James Dalrymple, Pay roll, STEAM DRILL. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Excess of expenditure over receipts, EXPENDITURE. Ingersoll -Sargent Drill Co., drill and fittings, * 34.20 31.80 13.00 3.40 4.40 9.60 4.20 1.80 290.20 MAINTAINING FIRE ALARM. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. Lexington Gas Light Co.,• Pettingill-Andrews Co., vitriol, glass jar, J. H. Phillips, carpenter work, *225.19 24.81 *179.15 35.60 10.44 *392.60 *450.00 25.08 *475.08 *475.08 *250.00 *250.00 $ 34.20 *225.19 209 STREET LIGHTS. RECEIPTS. Unexpended balance, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, A. A. Wetherbee, lamp post, Warren Sherburn, on account arc light, C. C. G. Thornton, " " " " E. S. Payson, 4 street lamps, Miss H. Hazeltine, 1 W. A. Tower, 3 " F. A. Cory, old lamps and posts, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. $ 130.75 4,250.00 8.00 15.00 15.00 32.00 8.00 24.00 45.00 *4,527.75 *4,338.88 188.87 *4,527.75 Lexington Gas Light Co., $4,338.88 ASSESSORS. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, EXPENDITURES. G. W. Sampson, Walter Wellington, J. F. Simonds, CARY LIBRARY. RECEIPTS. Received of county treasurer, dog tax, *200.00 150.00 150.00 *500.00 210 EXPENDITURE. Paid to treasurer Cary Library, STEAM ROLLER. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURE. *556.89 82,500.00 $2,450.00 50.00 $2,500.00 O. S. Kelly Co., $2,450.00 SIDEWALKS. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended,) Appropriated from cash in the treasury (heating Town Hall's unexpended balance), A. S. Mitchell, A. E. Tillson, Dixon, Mrs. A. J. Chapman, Estate of P. P. Pierce, Rhodes Lockwood, J. F. Russell, M. H. Merriam, 8500.00 Wm. Plumer, *556.89 Amount expended, Balance unexpended, *639.23 500.00 80.01 27.30 14.21 35.32 21.46 118.02 15.90 132.37 39.81 *1,623.63 *1,617.00 6.63 *1,623.63 211 EXPENDITURES. D. F. Tripp, C. W. Swan, C. C. G. Thornton, TRAMPS. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Pierce & Winn Co., for sawing wood, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. C. A. Butters & Co., crackers, C. H. Franks, meals, G. H. Thurston, special officer, C. G. Kauffrnann, " Dover Stamping Co., cups and cans, Chemical Electric Manufacturing Co., in- sect powder, C. S. Parker & Son, printing, George E. Muzzey, lumber, J. II. Frizelle, filing saws, GAMMELL LEGACY. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Interest, Excess of expenditures over receipts, *1,580.87 32.88 3.25 *1,617.00 H. A. Perham, C. H. Lowe & Co., G. W. Spaulding, 212 EXPENDITURES. $36.05 10.19 13.50 REGISTRARS OF VOTERS. RECEIPTS. $500.00 Appropriated and assessed for 1896, 9.00 *509.00 $196.74 312.26 $ 1.19 69.10 46.50 60.00 .90 3.00 9.50 5.05 1.50 *509.00 $196.74 $20.27 35.00 4.47 $59.74 George H. Cutter, Quincy Bicknell, Jr., W. F. Caldwell, L. A. Saville, EXPENDITURES. INSURANCE. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, .Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Cambridge Insurance Co., dividend, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPEND]TURES. $25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00 $59.74 $100.00 *100.00 $ 7.50 1,100.00 36.75 $1,144.25 $1,112.36 31.89 $1,14425 C. T. West, town buildings and contents, $230.87 L. A. Saville, " 44 4, " 241.87 Edw. D. Blake," " " 639.62 $1,112.36 213 STATE AID. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, State of Massachusetts, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. Michael Cavanaugh, Thomas Burke, Thomas Cosgrove, Wm. Plumer, Louisa E. Edwards, Abigail T. Richardson, Esther F. Lawrence, Mary E. Collier, *363.00 2.00 *72.00 36.00 72.00 55.00 48.00 48.00 16.00 16.00 NEW ROAD TO BEDFORD. RECEIPTS. Appropriated from cash in the treasury in 1895, Award of the county commissioners, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURE• *369.53 30.47 8 27.00 338.00 *365.00 8365.00. *363.00 8200.00 200.00 *400.00 214 TAXES. 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, * 475.52 2,915.68 20,765.37 45,501.19 *69,657.76 BETTER PRESERVATION OF TOWN RECORDS. RECEIPTS. Appropriated from cash in the treasury (heating Town Hall), Amount expended, 8410.00 Balance unexpended, 90.00 EXPENDITURE. F. W. R. Emery, copying, binding, etc., HEATING TOWN HALL. Unexpended balance, Less appropriated, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, RECEIPTS. EXPENDITURE. Walker & Pratt Manufacturing Co., *500.00 *500.00 8410.00 *1,574.00 1,050.00 * 524.00 *100.00 424.00 8 524.00 *400.00 ENFORCEMENT OF LIQUOR LAW. County of Middlesex, *369.53 Unexpended balance. • RECEIPTS. *100.00 *214.91 215 Amount expended, $ 36.40 Balance unexpended, 178.51 EXPENDITURES. Citizens' Law and Order League, $11.40 J. F. O'Hara, SELECTMEN. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, EXPENDITURES. George E. Muzzey, E. S. Spaulding, J. F. Hutchinson, TOWN CLERK. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, EXPENDITURE. L. A. Saville, 25.00 216 EXPENDITURE. Water department, *37.50 $214.91 INTRODUCING WATER INTO THE ALMSHOUSE. $36.40 $1,000.,0 $350.00 325.00 325.00 $1,000.00 WATERING TROUGH. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, $200.00 $200.00 $50.00 *37.50 RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, $300.00 Excess of expenditures over receipts, 18.74 EXPENDITURES. Water department, labor, $ 19.50 E. S. Locke, plumbing, 299.24 TREASURER CARY LIBRARY. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, EXPENDITURE. E. A. Bayley, Paid county treasurer, COUNTY TAX. STATE TAX. *318.74 *318.74 $50.00 $50.00 $4,091.77 Paid state treasurer, $2,852.50 TOWN TREASURER. RECEIPTS.. 12.50 Appropriated and assessed for 1896, *500.00 $50.00 E. S. Spaulding, 217 EXPENDITURE. PLAY GROUND. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURE. W. H. Whitaker, grading, PRINTING. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. C. S. Parker & Son, Coburn Stationery Co., *500.00 *200.00 *115.00 85.00 *200.00 *450.91 219.19 8 65.57 385.34 HEATING ALMSHOUSE. RECEIPTS. Appropriated from cash in the treasury for 1895, EXPENDITURE. Francis Locke, (LeBosquet steam heating), 8115.00 * 70.10 600.00 *670.10 8670.10 *450.91 *500.00 *500.00 218 TOWN DEBT. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, EXPENDITURE. Note, State of Massachusetts, Hancock School, *6,000.00 *6,000.00 FUEL AND LIGHTS FOR TOWN AND VILLAGE HALLS. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, EXPENDITURES. Lexington Gas Light Co., Pierce & Winn Co., coal, John Halloran, charcoal, HYDRANTS. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, $ 55.86 1,000.00 $1,055.86 $1,031.76 24.10 $1,055.86 $666.46 360.05 5.25 $1,031.76 $ 20.00 3,000.00 $3,020.00 $2,831.25 188.75 $3,020.00 -Water department, 219 EXPENDITURE. CARE OF COMMON. RECEIPTS. Balance unexpended, Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Excess of expenditures over receipts, EXPENDITURES. J. S. Munroe, labor of men, grass seed, ashes, G. W. Spaulding, weighing fees, SCHOOL COMMITTEE. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, EXPENDITURES. G. W. Sampson, H. H. Hamilton, Alfred Pierce, E. A. Bayley, AUDITORS. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, $2,831.25 $ 74.94 100.00 21.09 $196.03 220 EXPENDITURES. Hilman B. Sampson, $50.00 George D. Harrington, 50.00 $100.00 FIRE ALARM BOXES ON PLEASANT STREET. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Amount expended, Balance unexpended, E XPENDITURES. $95.32 4.68 New England Gamewell Co., box, $50.00 $195.25 Lexington Gas Light Co., wiring and labor, 45.32 .78 8 16.67 100.00 100.00 83.33 $100.00 $100.00 $ $95.32' 196.03 , $300.00 $300.00 $100.00 MEMORIAL DAY. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, EXPENDITURE. J. N. Morse, quartermaster Post 119, $175.00 $175.00 SPECIAL APPROPRIATION TO PAY DEVEAU BROS_ BALANCE DUE ON FIRE SERVICE. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, $251.85 EXPENDITURE. DeVeau Bros., $251.85 221 PRINTING TAX LIST. RECEIPTS. ,Appropriated and assessed for 1895, Excess of expenditures over receipts, EXPENDITURES. Coburn Stationery Co., printing, G. W. Sampson, preparing tax list, RINGING BELLS. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, EXPENDITURES. W. F. Ham, C. A. Childs, COLLECTOR. RECEIPTS. Appropriated and assessed for 1896, Balance unexpended, Excess of expenditure over receipts, EXPENDITURE. *276.03 50.00 *35.00 35.00 222 LIBRARIANS. RECEIPTS. *300.00 Appropriated and assessed for 1896, 26.03 Excess of expenditures over receipts, $326.03 *326.03 *70.00 *70.00 *600.00 83.00 4.00 *687.00 G. W. Sampson, *687.00 F. E. Whitcher, M. P. Kirkland, Nellie Holbrook, Dora B. Wentworth, EXPENDITTURES. RECAPITULATION. CASH RECEIPTS Cash on hand Jan. 1, 1896, Schools, Highways, Outside aid, Support of poor, Water department, Contingent, State road, Watering streets, Temporary loan, Interest, Cemetery, Cemetery trust funds, Street lights, Dog tax, Sidewalks, Tramps, Amount carried forward, $1,050.00'' 6.75 *1,056.75 *450.00 300.00 300.00 6.75 *1,056.75 $14,583.16 62.00 '2,965.61 102.13 937.76 29,847.58 8,765.06 6,946.95 373.32 63,000.00 1,193.44 264.00 400.00 147.00 556.89 484.40 9.00 $130,638.30 223 Amount brought forward, Gammell legacy, Insurance, State aid, New road to Bedford, Taxes,] CASH EXPENDITURES. Schools, Highways, Outside aid, Support of poor, Water department, Contingent, State road, Fire department, 1110- April 19th, Watering streets, Constables and police, Temporary loan, Interest, Board of health, Janitors, Cemetery, Removal of snow, Steam drill, Maintaining fire alarm, Street lights, Assessors, Cary Library, " dog tax," Steam roller, Sidewalks, Tramps, Gammell legacy, Amount carried forward, $130,638.30 35.00 36.75 338.00 200.00 69,657.76• $200,905.81 $17,516.38 11,240.47 2,428.15• 2,782.62 32,037.46 3,054.73 6,872.67 3,983.47 274.85 1,632.85 2,208.63 63,000.00 3,736.20 335.05 800.00 656.19 392.60 475.08 225.19 4,338.88 500.00 556.89 2,450.00 1,617.00 196.74 59.74 $163,371.84 224 Amount brought forward, Registrars of voters, Insurance, State aid, New road to Bedford, Town records, II eating Town Hall, Enforcing liquor law, Selectmen, Town clerk, Watering trough, Water into almshouse, Treasurer of Cary Library, County 'tax, State tax, Town treasurer, Play ground, Printing, Heating almshouse, Town debt, Fuel and lights, Hydrants, Care of Common, School committee, Auditors, Fire alarm boxes, Memorial day, DeVeau Bros., Printing tax list, Ringing bells, Collector, Librarians, Balance, GEORGE HILMAN D. B. *163,371.84 100.00 1,112.36 363.00 369.53 410.00 100.00 36.40 1,000.00 200.00 37.50 318.74 50.00 4,091.77 2,852.50 500.00 115.00 450.91 500.00 6,000.00 1,031.76 2,831.25 196.03 300.00 100.00 95.32 175.00 251.85 326.03 70.00 687.00 1,056.75 11,805.27 $200,905.81 HARRINGTON, SAMPSON, Auditors. REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS OF THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON FOR THE YEAR 1896. BOSTON: COBURN STATIONERY COMPANY, PRINTERS, 15 SCHOOL STREET. 1897. 227 REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. LEXINGTON, January 1st, 1897. To the Citizens of Lexington: Your School Committee presents its annual report here• with and asks for it your thoughtful consideration. The history of our schools for the year contains no remark- able events. Some changes have been made which your Committee believed necessary and desirable to maintain the high standard of the school work which the town has a right to expect, and in which it takes particular pride. We began the year with 534 pupils and 18 teachers in 3 school buildings. We close the year with 547 pupils and 20 teachers in 4 school buildings. OPENING OF THE TIDD SCHOOL. One of the most formidable difficulties confronting the Committee was the over -crowded condition of the Hancock School. Several plans for relief were considered and it was decided that the most feasible one would be to open the Tidd School for pupils of the I., H, and III. grades residing with- in a reasonable walking distance, for by so doing we would be able to discontinue one barge. This plan has been carried out and the expense of renovating the 1>uildiu��, added to the salary of the teacher, has not exceeded the ex- pense which the additional barge would otherwise have been. The partial relief thus afforded to the Hancock School is at most only temporary. Its crowded condition will naturally increase and soon necessitate further relief. How and where shall it be secured? Two courses are suggested, either to re - 223 open some of the abandoned schools and, to a modified extent, return to the district system, or to transfer from the Hancock School to the Adams School those pupils residing within the so called ''Kite End" district. Your Committee urge the latter suggestion for the following reasons among others : First, it would retain the well recognized advantages of centralized schools. Second, it would make a more equitable distribution of pupils among the teachers, for at present the Hancock School averages 39 pupils per teacher, while the Adams School averages only 23. Third, it would result eventually, in having a new modern school building at East Lexington, similar to the Hancock in equipment and, like it, an ornament to the village. SCHOOL PROPERTY. Your Committee have attended to the necessary repairs and report the school property in good condition, except as hereafter stated. The woodwork in the four recitation rooms on the second floor of the Hancock School has been varnished, as have also the chairs and desks throughout the building. The Tidd School, in consequence of its recent renovation, is in excellent condition. At the High and Adams Schools several new floors are greatly needed. Both of these buildings have been in use many years and the floors referred to have never been re- newed. At the Hancock School it is quite necessary to hive concreting done about the entrances and on some of the walks, and the hall and corridors should be wired for electric lighting, as the present gas service is wholly inadequate. These are the more pressing needs and your Committee hopes to be able to supply them in the near future. In this connection the Committee desire to call the atten- 229 tion of the town to the very efficient services of Mr. John McLeod, the janitor of the Hancock and High Schools ; his faithfulness deserves this special mention. CHANGES IN TEACHERS. There have been numerous changes in the corps of teachers during the year. . At the High School, Mr. Jefferson retired from the posi- tion of principal in order to take a course in the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard College. As he continued his residence in town, the committee retained him as super- intendent of schools. Mr. Jefferson has served the town faithfully and by his retirement the school loses an earnest, enthusiastic and able instructor. His position as principal was taken by Mr. Everett P. Carey, a graduate of both Har- 1111- vard College and'the Lawrence Scientific School. He teaches the sciences and mathematics and is giving thorough and earnest instruction. Miss Mary E. Carter, whose work in English had been so satisfactory and whom the committee had engaged for the ensuing year, resigned during the summer in consequence of illness in her family, and her place was taken by Miss Nellie L. Hill, a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, who is a faithful and painstaking teacher. The duties of Miss Goodwin, the only one of hast year's teachers remaining, have increased by the retiring of Mr. Jefferson, as she has thereby, extra classes in Latin and French, but we do not feel that the good qualities of her work have suffered in consequence, and she has aroused and sustained the interest and enthusiasm of her pupils in their work. In the Hancock School Miss Annie E. Bragdon, grade VII., declined a re -appointment and accepted a position in the public schools of Watertown, Mass., at an increased sal - 230 ary with less hours of school work. IIer five years of effi- cient service in our schools deserves special mention, and she fully merits the advancement which her new position means. Following the system of promotion, Miss Hartley and Miss Keene were advanced to grades VII. and VI. respectively, and to fill the vacancy in grade V. caused thereby, the com- mittee were fortunate in securing Miss Nettie E. Moody, of Waterbury, Vermont, a teacher of ability, experience and thoroughly devoted to her work. Miss Gertrude Pierce was appointed to grade III., which position it is needless to say she fills satisfactorily. Miss Abby E. Allen, grade II., also declined a re -appoint- ment, and accepted a position in the schools at her home in Woburn. We would have been glad to have retained her. Her place has been well filled by Miss Sara R. Skerry, who unites both enthusiasm and experience in her work. In grade I -A, several changes have occurred. In Feb- ruary of last year hiss Pierce, who was substituting there for Miss Mulliken, w, s appointed to grade III. in place of Miss Lillis, who had resigned, and Miss L. May Wooster, of Lexington, was engaged to fill the vacancy thus caused for the remainder of the year, which she did very acceptably. Miss Mulliken was appointed and expected to return to her former position, at the opening of the fall term, but as it was found inexpedient to introduce kindergarten for rea- sons !riven hereafter, and as she naturally preferred the line of teaching for which she bad specially prepared herself, she resigned to accept such a position in Boston, and here again the town loses, for the present at least, a tried and efficient teacher. Miss Wooster was again appointed to the vacancy caused by Miss Mulliken's resignation, but she had in the meantime accepted a position is the schools of Whitman, Mass., and was giving such satisfaction that she was unable to secure her release. The committee however, were again fortunate in 231 securing Miss Addie M. Hyde, of North Chelmsford, who had been teaching for several years in Grafton, Mass. Very much depends upon the instruction which pupils receive dur- ing the first few years of their school life and in respect to the teachers of this department your committee think that Lexington is particularly strong. At the opening of the school in September, in consequence of the number of pupils in grades VII., VIII., and IX., it seemed necessary for Miss Colbath to take the two upper grades and to relieve her to some extent she has had, as her assistant, Miss Edith Redman, of Lexington, who has given excellent satisfaction. At the Adams School, Miss Clark was succeeded by Miss M. Eleanor Tower, of South Westminster, Mass., who is doing highly satisfactory work. For the Tidd School, Miss Charlotte Holmes, of Newbury - port, was chosen from numerous applicants. She is meet- ing with deserved success, her position under the circum- stances was not an easy one, but she seems fully equal to its demands. The town is to be congratulated that no change of teachers was made necessary in either music or drawing, for we be- lieve that no schools in the commonwealth have better in- structors in either department. In this connection the com- mittee would not limit their report to the good work of the new teachers, for those teachers who remain from year to year become, as a rule, more and more valuable, from an increasing interest in, and knowledge of, our school work, and for this reason further individual mention is unnecessary for the purpose of this report. CHANGES IN STUDIES. The changes of the year have not been confined to the per- sonnel of the teachers. The committee were convinced that 232 while the pupils above the primary grades composed very well, they were decidedly deficient in declamation, and ease before an audience, and to remedy these defects regular rhe- torical work has been introduced in all grammar grades, and already the teachers have reported marked improvement in ease, confidence, and expression. In this connection the committee would emphasize what was said in last year's re- port relating to the good work of the Lexington High School Debating Club ; ability to address an audience gracefully and intelligently is an accomplishment well worth acquiring, and one which is frequently neglected in the rush and crowd- ing of our public schools. From several complaints your committee were convinced that spelling among our pupils was fast becoming a ' ' lost art." That such was the fact became more apparent upon investigation, and believing that definite and specific instruc- tion in spelling is still an essential for our public schools, we have reinstated it in all grammar grades. For some time your committee had heard complaints that the wood -work was injuring the eyesight of some of the pupils as well as crowding the required studies, and that we might act intelligently in reference to it a series of written questions, bearing upon the subject from various points of view and embodying the results attained, were submitted to the teachers, and the answers returned indicated the follow- ing results, viz : The pupils gained in concentration of thought, ease in following dictation, exactness in measuring, neatness, training of the eye, and use of the knife, the ma- jority of the teachers said the drawing part was the most useful, they were about equally divided as to whether dic- tation exercises in drawing would be equally valuable, half of the teachers had heard parents disapprove of the work. In consequence of these answers, and the need of more time for required studies, the committee voted to suspend all in- struction in wood -work and seek to attain the desirable re- 233 sults from a modification of the course in drawing. We are firmly convinced that instruction in a town like ours is sub- ject to certain fairly well defined limitations, and that when this limit is exceeded, the subjects of instruction will suffer. We think that all will agree that whatever is taught should be taught thoroughly, and that the required studies should take precedence. For these reasons we do not think the town is warranted in continuing the wood -work for the - present. KINDERGARTEN. In last year's report the introduction of kindergarten teaching was mentioned, and it was thought that we might be able to introduce it at the opening of the fall term ; but when that time arrived, and its introduction was thoroughly considered, it seemed to be impracticable, because it would require both an additional room and an additional teacher, (as the pupils would be considerably younger than those in any of our present primary grades), and it would also require a new and somewhat expensive equipment ; on these ac- counts, among others, its introduction was postponed. GIFTS . t The committee are pleased to mention the gifts of several historical paintings and two cabinets, from Mr. and Miss - Patch, to the Adams School. In this connection we wish to add that well -selected pictures not only add to the at- tractiveness of the school -room, but exert a positive, though silent, educative influence. One of the public schools in Malden recently received two hundred photographs and en- gravings from public-spirited citizens of the town. Gifts of this description will be gladly received. During the year the committee requested the superinten- dent to collect such discarded school books as could not be 234 sold or exchanged, and the same were sent to the schools of Connelly Springs, North Carolina, where, the chairman of your board knew they would be both welcome and useful. THE COLOR GUARDS. Through the kindness of Captain C. G. Kauffmann, the guards have had some special instruction in their drills. Let the citizens encourage them in their work ; their duties are a practical lesson in patriotism. DISCIPLINE AND TRUANCY. The general behavior of the pupils has been satisfactory, though some cases have arisen requiring severe discipline, but we are gratified to say that in all cases the parents cooperated with the superintendent and teachers to make the same effective. There has been only one case requiring expulsion. In this the circumstances were such, and the danger of contaminating other pupils so great, that no other course seemed safe, for our public schools must be kept pure. The aver,lie attendance of our schools is much higher than that of the majority of other towns, but there have been numerous cases of truancy investigated, and some other cases require attention. Your committee are determined to enforce the law in this regard, and while we believe that most cases are due to the carelessness of the parents, we are convinced that in a few cases the parents directly cause the absence of the pupil, for reasons which the law does not recognize as sufficient and for which it imposes a penalty. THE BOSTON FEMALE ASYLUM. As indicated in the report of last year it seemed as if the -town might become involved in litigation to determine its ob- 235 ligation to educate the members of the above institution, but this result has apparently been avoided. Your committee has had sonic correspondence and one conference with the representatives of the asylum, and we can state that it possesses real and personal property to the amount of at least $500,000, or more than one-tenth of the assessed valu- ation of all property in Lexington, which must satisfactorily dispose of the charitable aspect of the question ; the position taken by your committee was, and is, that the town is under no present legal obligation to educate these children, gathered, as they are, from various towns and cities, where their parents reside and where the law indicates they are to be educated. PUBLIC GRADUATING EXERCISES. k The well -attended exercises of the graduating class last June indicates to your committee a desire on the part of the town's people to have the graduating exercises held in the Town Hall. The committee appreciate the fact that such exercises may become so elaborate, both in time of prepara- tion and expense, as to be a serious burden, but with the cooperation of parents and teachers these evils may be avoided. LEXINGTON BY COMPARISON. The last report of the State Board of Education contains, as usual, some very interesting and instructive statistics, some of which we think advisable to embody in our report. There are in our Commonwealth 353 towns and cities ; of this number, 213 have some system of transportation of pupils. The amount Lexington expended for this purpose last year was, as the town report shows, $2,952.33, which is several hundred dollars in excess of the amount reported from any other town. What is a reasonable walking distance for pupils depends 236 on circumstances. The report states that " little children should not be made to walk much over a mile, although older children of grammar school age may walk a mile and a half or even more," from which it is fair to conclude that our citizens are better served in this respect than those of most towns, and there is little, if any, real cause of com- plaint as to the convenience of our service. Seventy-seven towns show a higher percentage of attend- ance of children between the ages of five and fifteen years than Lexington. Your appropriation for schools seems large, but 277 towns, appropriate more in proportion to their assessed valuation, and 43 out of the 54 towns in our county exceed Lexington in this respect. The average sum appropriated for each child for the year varies widely. Nahant stands fiat with $43.66, Gay Head appropriates the least, $2.39 ; Lexington appropriates $22.98 ; Arlington, $23.35 ; Concord, $21.95 ; Winchester, $20.70 ; Burlington, $20.27 ; and Lincoln, $20.17. Twenty- eight towns appropriate more per child than Lexington. Is our school year too long? The law requires that towns having 500 filmilies (Lexington, with over 3,400 inhabitants, doubtless comes within this limit) are re- quired to maintain a high school for at least ten months each year ; with this requirement we barely comply ; while the length of our grammar school year (which is forty weeks) is equalled or exceeded by such towns in our vicinity as Ar- lington, Bedford, Belmont, Cambridge, Malden, Maynard, Melrose, Newton, Reading, Wakefield, Watertown, Win- chester, and Woburn, from which it is clear that in this par- ticular, Lexington stands with the best towns. In high schools of one session, five hours is the usual length ; ours is four and one-half, with a recess of ten minutes ; during the year the committee have shortened the recess from twenty-five minutes, believing that so much 237 time taken for such a purpose was a serious interruption to the school work. In this connection it is interesting to note that the state report strongly advocates shortening or abol- ishing recesses, and regards the tendency in this direction " worthy of all encouragement as ridding the school of a usage dissipative of mental effort and harmful to health." Your committee have under consideration a revision of the courses of study in our High School, and while we ecognizer the fact that it is extremely difficult to arrange satisfactory courses for a small School like our own, we plan to add certain required studies without impairing the present courses. The committee would urge citizens, and parents particu- larly, to visit our schools more frequently, and to become better acquainted with the teachers in their work. If you find anything to approve, do not hesitate to say so, for teachers appreciate encouragement ; but if, on the other hand, you find something to criticize, we desire you to bring it to the attention of the committee, that we may strive to- gether to bring our schools to the highest efficiency possible. APPROPRIATION FOR 1897. As appears from the last town report, the appropriation for the maintenance of our schools for 1895 was $17,500, which, with an unexpended balance of $678.24 from the pre- ceding year and $45 tuitions, made the available amount for that year $18,233.24, of which amount $17,750.23 was ex- pended, leaving an unexpended balance of $1483.01, this, with the amount appropriated, $17,000, for 1896 and $62 tuitions, made the available amount for the year just closed $17,545.01, of which amount $17,516.38 has been expended, leaving a balance of $28.63. The saving of $233.85 in the total expenditure of this year over last, is due to certain circumstances which are not expected to continue, and it is 238 hardly to be anticipated that the expenses in a growing town will remain constant, much less decrease. Your committee therefore, in view of the foregoing, and the above-mentioned repairs, recommend the appropriation of $18,000 for 1897, and while we cannot promise the town an unexpended balance from this amount, we do assure you. that we shall strive to administer the affairs of our depart- ment with all possible care and economy. Respectfully submitted, ALFRED PIERCE, HENRY H. HAMILTON, EDWIN A. BAYLEY, School Committee.. 239 ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERIN- TENDENT UPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. LEXINGTON, MASS., January 1, 1897. To the School Committee of Lexingtoia: GENTLEMEN.—The average membership of our schools. this year has been 19 greater than last year ; the enrolment today is 13 greater than January 1, 1896. The distribution of our pupils is as follows : High, 50 ; Adams, 92 ; Han-- cock, an–cock, 354 ; Tidd, 26 ; all, 522. On opening the schools in September, there appeared at the Hancock building 90 pupils for the first grade (two rooms), 64 for the second, and 57 for the third, numbers entirely too great, for I believe every effort should be made to keep membership in all rooms under 50, not that so many are proper, but that more would be intolerable. Relief has been obtained by opening the Tidd School for the lower three grades at North Lexington. This took five second- grade pupils directly from the Hancock, and so many from the first grade that we had room in Hancock I. for ten more from the crowded Hancock II. These go in the first grade as an advanced division. On referring to last year's report, p. 192, it will be seen that, although we record an increased number of pupils, the Hancock building has eight pupils less than a year ago, its four lower rooms containing 33, 35, 47 and 51 pupils respectively. The school thus opened is an excellent one, and as long as it is limited to a few pupils of the three lowest grades, it can. doubtless be kept at a good standard of efficiency. I note that younger pupils are being sent to it than I have yet 240 known in any school in town, and it is our first room to re- port pupils under five years of age. The usual age at the middle of the first year is 6i- years. The Tidd first grade averages 6.1. I suppose that this means that some children are being sent from the immediate neighborhood who would be regarded as too young to go to the centre in the barges. Such a relief is only possible in a neighborhood where there are two barge -routes when it happens that about half their number are of the three lowest grades at the same time that these lowest grades are over -crowded. At North Lexington we had these conditions. One of the barges has been sup- pressed, and the other suffices to transport to the centre all pupils above the third grade. I should regard the re -opening of the district schools under former conditions as a calamity. You cannot put all grades from one to nine in one room without dissipating the teachers' energies. Moreover, the number of pupils in each upper grade of such a school is so small that it is difficult to maintain their interest in their work. In the first years the numbers are always larger, and the similarity of the instruc- tion makes it possible to combine grades profitably. Despite the relief thus afforded, it may soon happen that the growth at the center will exceed the capacity of the Hancock build- ing. Next year, for instance, we estimate that there will be 58 pupils in Hancock II., besides the second-grade pupils at North Lexington. For a year it may suffice to take the pupils of the Waltham barge to East Lexington ; but such an expedient can only be temporary, since the lower grades at the Adams have little room to spare. Further combina- tions of barge routes are not impossible with opening up of new schools in the former district houses. In all such cases the present sanitary arrangements should be greatly modi- fied. Other reasons for the suppression of barge routes, quite as cogent as the crowded condition of the large school- house, are the great cost and inherent undesirability of the 241 system. The building committee of the Hancock School in 1890 estimated that transportation would cost $1,000 yearly. The town treasurer reports : 1892, $2,856 ; 1893, $2,366 ; 1894, $2,444 ; 1895, $2,952 ; an average of $2,654. For itself, the transportation is an evil, and will be, until some respon- sible person rides inside with the children. This is, to my mind, the strongest motive for re -opening the district schools under such modified conditions as suggested. As far as growth of the school population is concerned, I cannot learn that this is occurring in any outlying district ; it seems rather to be at the centre village. Barge transportation is today distributed as follows : GRADES. I II III IV V VI. VII. VIII IX ALL North Lexington. 2 0 1 5 3 2 5 1 0 19 Concord Hill. 7 10 4 6 8 3 2 3 0 43 Woburn 6 6 5 4 3 3 2 4 1 34 Waltham 5 2 3 3 3 3 3 0 1 23 All 20 18 13 18 17 11 12 8 2 119 If the first three grades from Concord Hill were put in a school opened in the house in that district, the relief at the centre would be so great that we could perhaps even close one of our first grade rooms in the Hancock building and place the teacher so freed in charge of the new school. This would dispense with the room now occupied in the third story and reduce the extraordinary load of the Concord Hill barge. This is, of course, contingent on the number of new pupils that present themselves at the Hancock building next September. At the Adams School, Miss Tower has greatly improved the third and fourth grades which have not been satisfactory. The work conducted in the upper grades by Miss Prescott and Miss Ingram is so admirable that I think it would be very unwise to attempt departmental work there against the judgment of both teachers. The conditions are quite differ - 242 ent from those prevailing at the Hancock, and it is no longer possible to detect the East Lexington pupils in the High School by the deficiencies in their elementary training, as was true not long since. The present scheme of supervision of the Lexington schools has certain shortcomings that should be noted, to be guarded against. It is not supposed the principal of the High School can completely supervise the schools, if super- vision is ever complete. The present arrangement is, as I understand it, a compromise. You cannot afford a superin- tendent, and yet you want supervision. Again, if the prin- cipal gives what time he can to general supervision, you are surely better off than without any supervision. Complete supervision being out of the question, it would be desirable to select the most important of a superintendent's functions, that those at least might be attended to. The first such function is to help the teachers teach ; to get to know the teachers and their work and to help them in their difficulties, even to help them to see their difficulties. There are however other functions so pressing that they are likely to usurp an attention they have only second claim on. Such is the enforcement of discipline, that knows no place nor time. Statistics are called for by law and needed to provide for the future wants of the school population. Ac- curate statistics can be prepared only with much labor. It is naturally a superintendent's work. Supplies must be pur- chased and a considerable number of details of seating, pro- moting or degrading individuals, or excepting them from general rules, seeing parents and corresponding with them. All of these make inroads into the principal's spare time. They are all important matters, and directly or indirectly valuable to the community, but they are apt to thrust them- selves forward unduly. What makes a school is its teacher, and whatever helps a teacher is above all educational appa- ratus else. Assistance to be effective should be based on 243 familiarity with the work in the school room which is diffi- cult to acquire where brief and infrequent visits are con- sumed in such matters of detail. It is of course a gain to have these thingsat tended to, but it is hard to leave undone the greater work in sight. Two subjects that deserve preeminent attention are the course of study and uniform testing under it. In 1886 my predecessor prepared the only printed course of study we have had. This he subsequently modified and greatly improved in manuscript form. This with slight ad- ditions is the course under which we are trying to work. Apart from the lack of duplicates, the fact that the various parts have never been brought together as a whole causes some lack of proportion. A revision is now in hand. As our tendencies are along the same lines as the course pre- pared by the State Board of Education, it may be feasible for us to prepare a summary of our principal differences from that course and print them asan addendum to be used with the original pamphlet. I had hopes of incorporating this in the present report, but it has been delayed and I can now only hope to present it to you some time within the next month. It is important that each teacher should have in her hands a clear and definite assignment of work that she is employed to do. Our High School courses have been printed from time to time in the reports of your superintendent. Since Greek was dropped, they have changed chiefly by the strengthen- ing of subjects taught. The name is still the same but the work is sometimes, many times increased, and this is true of most High Schools about Boston throughout these years. Physics now stands for the individual laboratory work of the class, where a few years ago it was a general description with illustrative experiments by the teacher. French 11:ts received another year and much practice given in writing the language. Geometry is now approached through Chau - 244 venet's treatise instead of Hill's Beginner's Book, and the five months' review of Algebra is now taken with a more ad- vanced text -book. Once our course of studies is in satisfactory form, it is de- sirable that frequent uniform tests be given by the superin- tendent to all grades of the same standing, that their work may be kept parallel. This is a very serious labor and has never yet been accomplished, though I am fully persuaded of its importance ; nor do I see how any superintendent with a school of his own to teach can manage it. One or two such tests per year would be an evil rather than a gain, so much would depend on them. Teachers and ambitious pupils would inevitably work for examination results rather than for true progress, with the usual attendants, cramming and rivalry. It is a custom now to hold a brief test once in two weeks in each subject that ad- mits it. The paper is prepared by and marked by the teach- ers and replaces the old time Term Examination, with the idea that frequency will diminish the " ranking" importance of each and remove the formidable, anxious aspect by mak- ing them range over the work of the last fortnight only, thus covering only what a faithful pupil should know almost with- out review. A plan that I propose to try is to take a test - paper prepared by one teacher and use it simultaneously in all rooms of same grade. If teachers exchange such work and marks, it cannot fail to bring out uneveness where it ex- ists. Some one has asserted that our High School cannot fit for College now. I presume the remark has its origin in the fact that Greek has been removed from the course of study. No one who has tried has yet failed, though many have tried under very disadvantageous circumstances. There is no reason why an intelligent, studious pupil may not enter College from Lexington and with credit, if he will take the necessary work throughout the course. Removing Greek has seemed 245 to remove the necessity of planning to enter College early, and deliberately studying for it throughout the course. The result, that many determine at the last moment; is really a gain, if we thereby send pupils to college who would not otherwise have gone, but it cannot fail to be detrimental to their standing on admission. Despite this drawback the list is a good one. Miss French ('95) is a sophomore at Welles- ley, Misses Durkin, Blanchard and Dacey are Freshmen at Boston University, and Misses McIntyre, Muzzey andyauff- mann at Radcliffe. Our present requirement in the High School is that all pupils shall take at least fifteen weekly recitations, all re- quiring preparation, and many take twenty. Massachusetts schools do not require more than this. The teaching corps is this year unusually satisfactory, de- spite the large number of new teachers employed. I am glad to record a general desire on the part of the teachers to advance themselves by study. I append the customary Roll of Honor and Tabular View. Respectfully submitted, MARK S. W. JEFFERSON. b 246 ROLL OF HONOR. Neither Absent nor Tardy for Four Years. Class. Class Bertha L. Wright . . XIII Effie Benjamin . . . XIII Three Years. Class. Bessie Buckley . . . XIII Two Years, Four Months. Clifford W. Pierce (Adams) . . Percy D. Glenn . . Elizabeth R. Smith . Irving G. Tuttle . Claes. IX V V Class. William Roger Greeley XII Chester Merrifield (Adams) VII Two Years. Class. Class XII Griswold Tyng . . VIII One Year, Four Months. Class. Emma Bowers . . XI Dorothea Greeley . . X Alice L. Kilgour (Adams) VII Carrie C. Pierce (Adams) VI John J. Buckley . V Class Myra L. Fairbank X Margaret Wiswell• VIII Mabel Emma Macomber VIII Walworth Tyng . VI One Year. Class. Avonnie C. Wentworth XII Edna D. Locke (Adams) V Francis J. Carroll . . III George F. Smith . . . XII Charles H. Peabody . Lavina McAllister . . Ernest O. Nichols . . Madeleine Newell . . Class. V IV XII XI 247 248 Neither Absent nor Tardy tor Six Months. Neither Absent nor Tardy for Four Months. Edna Dow John C. Hutchinson Josephine S. Droeau L. Brooks .Saville Louis L. Crone . Fannie M. Tower Alvan F. Brown . . Katharine Wiswell . Herbert M. Lawrence Class. XI VII IV II Class. Vernon W. Smith . VIII Florence M. Locke (Adams) . . . . George E. Merrifield (Adams) . Four Months. Class. E. Corinne Locke (Adams) IX Jessie T. Brown . . VIII Walter C. Ballard . VIII Hugh Greeley . . . . VIII Charles W. Hamblen . VIII Alice A. Roberts . . . VII Anita K. Dale VI Sarah D. Martin VI Bertha G. Doe . . VI Willemith Devella Pero (Adams) . . . Ernest A. Fessenden (Adams) . . . Gertrude Carroll . . Arthur A. Gorman . Randall B. Houghton Charles McGann . . C. Frances Comley . Ada E. Woodworth . Charles Emerson Fox Annie M. Preeper . Beulah B. Locke (Adams Albert S. Carson . . . George E. Foster Amy E. Taylor . Molly Keefe . . Anna A. Hamblen Alice G. Locke . Maud Benjamin . Helen S. French . . . Harry A. Gallagher . . Richard Wellington . Annie E. McDonnell . Charles Wiswell . Mabel E. Fox . . Ida G. Colby . . Nina M. Simohds Edith C. Kilgour (Adams) VI Amy L. Butterfield . Charles A. Child . Mabel M. Gurney Edith McGill . Winnie D. Brown Mildred E. Davis /Eneas McKenzie Joseph Gallagher Kate O'Leary . . . Mildred V. Caldwell (Adams) . . . Harold C. Denham . George Gallagher . VI IV Class, XIII XIII XI X X VIII VIII VIII VIII VII VI VI VI VI V • V ▪ V V V IV IV IV IV IV IV III III V V V V V IV IV IV IV IV III Chester. W. Doe . Bernice E. Glenn John McDonald . . . Walter Kilgour (Adams) Mary Dodd . . Margaret Neville Helen Woodward Mary O'Neil (Adams) . Theresa Gorman (Tidd) Smith Gaudet . . . . Olive M. Streeter (Adams) Class. C ass. III Edith M. Sturtevant . III III Hattie M. Dane (Adams) III III James O'Neil (Adams) III III Florence McKinnon II II May O'Connor . . . II II James McDonnell . . II II Wallace E. Miller (Adams) II II Leslie M. Brown . . . I II A. Reginald Stembridge I I Wendell W. Fessenden I (Adams) . . . . I 249 250 EXPLANATION OF TABULAR VIEW. The report covers the year from January, 1896, to January, 1897. The school year is the period from September of one year to June of the next. The report then corresponds to the last half of one school year and the first half of the next, and there result certain peculiarities in the tabulated teachers' names and whole number of pupils. Teachers' names.—Two names on the same line means that the teacher for that school was changed in the summer. They are given in the order of their employment. Whole number of pupils is likewise given in two columns, the first for the period from January to June, closing the stay of one class in a grade ; and the second, September to December, beginning the year of the next class in the same room. Enrolment.—This is an actual enumeration of members of the schools on a given date, and is to serve as a check on the whole number attending for any part of a period and the average membership and attendance, which are obtained by daily roll call as recorded in the school register. Average membership is the average of the daily membership; a pupil may be absent nine days without ceasing to be a member of the school, so that the daily membership usually includes some who are absent. Average attendance is the average of the daily attendance. TABULAR VIEW. AVERAGES. j Mem-ATTENDANCE. AGE. I bership.l No. IPerCt ua co r c.0 N .-4 d1 0t d10 cueqri Cb 0 CACA CA 0 CA 0 0 00 a 0 c: 0 a r C4 r- o0 0oNu,,nuau,e0 eo N ua 00 0 4, CV N m ` 000 N '-4 C N CV el ,14 eq OD 00 0: N t- 0 -11 N u0 CI r m :0 © r-1 064th a e0 O405 c15,4 06 uJ e0 ,[J oo cV co 4, 4 4 u0 co c� r-1 al N CV CV ci GV M 1-1 120 ry 0000 WO 00M ,-i d, 14 CD V1 ,-/ 1,-1 00 0000 00 00.147N 00 r -I L"I- ea ei 440i e4 ..4 ry a; 06 cc; cc., 05 of of G6001-eC c t: q5 ,--1 ,--1 ,--1,--1 ,--1 r-1 r, ,--1 r-4 ,--1 ,--1 ri 1-1 ri ri ENROLMENT. BOYS. GIRLS.ALL. e0r-101 10N00.-iNoDe0ri L-uJoO1000V0u, Nf-0 0uJd11 ,--1 ,--1 ,--I , r-1 C' cO 09 d1 eD ,i.1 dl :NO cO ri ri ri ri ,--1 ,-1 r-1 r- d1 ua r„nrci1---10 100e0dl40 10r-cN0reo0CACAco.wracir- 1-4 r4 .'y 1-4 CV C7 co ,--1 cu ,--1 H ,..1 01 00 WHOLE NO. 1st halfl2d half P4 w 0 U C F M. S. W. Jefferson.—E. P. Carey... • • Miss May Belle Goodwin " M. E. Carter.—Miss Nellie L. Hill L. A. Colbath —Miss E. Redman " ft " A. L. Bragdon.—K. L. Hartley " Edith G. Keene. " Nettie E. Moody " Emma E. Wright " Gertrude Pierce " Abbie II. Allen.—Sara R. Skerry " Jennie F. Blodgett " Addie M. Hyde " Jessie G. Prescott tl tl " L< " Fannie F. Ingram {/ 44 11 " Lillian F. Clarke.—M. E. Tower. 44 64 44 " Carrie F. Fiske. {{ 46 " Charlotte Holmes 44 44 i{ Mrs. H. E. Holt, for all the schools. Miss E. J. Hilles, } SCHOOL. CONTENTS. Appropriations for 1896 . Assessors' Report Assets and Liabilities Auditors' Report . Schools . High School Hancock School . Adams School . Tidd School Common to all Schools Highways . Outside Poor . Support of the Poor Water Department Contingent State Road Fire Department . Nineteenth of April Watering Streets . Constables and Police Temporary Loan . Interest . Board of Health . Janitors . Cemetery . Cemetery Trust Funds Removing Snow . Steam Drill . Maintaining Fire Alarm Street Lights Assessors . Auditors' Report.—Continued. Cary Library Steam Roller Sidewalks . Tramps . Gammen Legacy . PAGE. Registrars of Voters Insurance . State Aid . New Road to Bedford Taxes . Town Records . Heating Town Hall Liquor Law Selectmen . Town Clerk Watering Trough'. Introducing Water into Almshouse Treasurer Cary Library County Tax State Tax . Town Treasurer Play Ground Printing . Heating Almshouse Town Debt Fuel and Lights . Hydrants . Care of Common . School Committee Auditors . Fire Alarm Boxes Memorial Day . DeVeau Bros. . Printing Tax List Ringing Bells Collector . 159 162 167 175 175 175 177 178 179 180 182 186 187 189 193 197 199 202 202 203 204 205 205 206 206 207 207 208 208 209 209 252 PAGE. - 209 210 210 211 211 212. 212 213 213 214 214 214 214 215 215 215 216 216 216 216• 216, 217 217 217 218 218 218 219 219 219 220 220 220 221 221 221 253 Auditors' Report.—Continued. Librarians Recapitulation Beals Fund Board of Health, Report of Bridge Fund . Cary Library, Report of Trustees 4, (( " Treasurer Cemetery Committee, Report of . Trust Fund, Report of Treasurer of Fire Engineers' Report . Muzzey, George E., Resolutions on the Death of, Police, Chief of, Report . Selectmen, Overseers of the Poor, and Surveyors Highways, Report of Town Meetings . Estimates for 1897 Police Tax Titles Street Lamps Insurance . Almshouse Property of Pauper Department . Highways . Property of Highway Department State Road Bedford Street . Death of Mr. George E. Muzzey . Tramps . Fire Department . Water Works :School Committee and Superintendent's Reports School Committees's Report School Superintendent's Report . Tabular View Roll of Honor "Tax Collector, Geo. W. Sampson's Report PAGE. 222 222 149 144 148 137 140 141 142 . 131 (facing title). . 128 of 118 118 118 119 120 120 120 120 121 123 124 125 125 125 126 126 127 225 227 239 250 246 165 254 Tax Collector, L. A. Saville's Report Tax Statistics . Thayer, Mrs. F. M., Bequests of . Town Clerk's Report Births Marriages . Deaths Diseases Dogs Jurors Town Ilistories and Histories of Centennial Celebration Town Debt Town Officers for 1896-7 Town Records . Town Meeting, February 10, 1896 " March 2, 1896 . Adjourned Meeting, March 16, 1896 " " 23, 1896 Town Meeting, April 27, 1896 . " June 8, 1896 . " October 21, 1896 . " November 3, 1896 Town Treasurer's Report Water Commissioners, Report of PAGE. 166 174 60 150 150 150 153 156 157 157 158 168 3 5 5 8 26 37 48 57 61 63 171 73