HomeMy WebLinkAbout1928-12-26 473
REGULAR MEETING, DECEMB1k 26, 1928
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held. at
the Selectmen 's Room, Town Office Building at 7 30 P.M. Messrs.
Burnham, Custance , Chamberlain and Robertson were present.
The Supt. of Public Works and the Clerk were present.
The Board signed the warrant for a Town Meeting to be
held January 7, 1929 which includes an article for the ac-
meptance of the report of the Committee on Fire and Water
Departments.
The Board discussed very slightly what position they
should take at the Town Meeting in regard to this report.
It was generally felt that it was not sufficient to pass the
vote prepared. by Mr. Sydney R. Wrightington, and to let the
report go unmentioned by the Board of Selectmen.
It was therefore decided to make a statement in Town
Meeting that the Board were unanimously in favor of the renort
of this committee.
Bids for the printing of the town report were received
as follows :
The Melrose Free Press , Inc. $2.24 per- page
The Hadley Press , Inc. 2.19 " "
Newburynort Herald Press 1.85 " I�
The Medford Mercury 1.90 " "
Although the bid of the Newburynort Herald Press was
slightly lower than the bid of the Meditofd Mercury, it was
decided on account of the distance and the past good work
of the Medford. Mercury to award the bid to them at their price
of $1.90 per page .
Items taken from the Selectmen's records during the year
were presented in rough form for the members to scan through
for items for the report of the Selectmen for the Town Report.
It should be remembered that the reports of the different
departments should be filed by the 15th of January, 1929.
The deed of the Tower Park having been received from
Miss Ellen M. Tower together with check of $10,000, the Board
voted to accept the deed and to hand to Miss Tower copy of
the resolutions passed by the Town in connection with the
acceptance of the same.
The deed is as follows
I, Ellen M. Tower, of Lexington, Middlesex County,
Massachusetts , being unmarried , grant to the Town of Lexington,
a municipal corporation existing under the laws of said
Commonwealth for the purpose of a public pads in the memory
of my father, 'illiam Augustus Tower , a citizen of said
Lexington, and for no other pureose except as hereinafter pro-
, vided, the land in said Lexington described as follows, namely:
Beginning at the Southwesterly corner or the granted
premises at Massachusetts Avenue and land now or formerly of
Laura Brigham, thence running in several coarses bounded by
said land of Brigham and lend formerly of Charlotte Brown
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a total distance of seven hundred forty-nine and forty-eight one :V
hundredths (749.48 ) feet, more or less to land of the Boston
and Maine rtailros-1 all as shown upon a "Plan of Land in East
Lexington belonging to En-a I. cutler" drawn by J. 0 . Goodwin,
surveyor , dated ''ovember 1886 , and recorded with Middlesex
South District Deeds , Book of Plans 50, Plan 13, to which plan
reference is hereby made for a more particuler description of
said boundary line; thence running North 18° 19 ' West by land
of the Boston and Maine Railroad about one thousand two hundred
nine ( 1209 ) fe-t to land formerly of Jonas Munroe ; thence turning
and run-ing South-nesterly by said land formerly of Munroe about
two hundred forty k240) feet to Massachusetts Avenue , thence
turning end running in a general Southerly direction, following
the line of said Massachusetts Avenue, about one thousand three
hundred six ( 1306 ) feet to the point of beginning or however
otherwise said premises may be bounded, measured and described
and be all said distances more or less , intending to inclyde herein
all of the three adjoining parcels of land described in the
following deeds to which reference is hereby made , viz :-
deed of George E. Lothrop to Ellen M. Tower, dated May 29, 1912, and
recorded with Middlesex South District Deeds , book 3696, Page 519;
deed of Nthaniel W. Pierce to William A. Tower dated April 29 , 1884,
and recorded with said Deed , Book 1664, Page 345; and deed of
Laura M. Brigham to Ellen M. Tower, Dated June 3, 1912, and recorded
with said Deeds , Book ' 698, page 224.
Granting to the Town of Lexington the right to lay out a
public way near the southerly boundary of the park as indicated
on a plan entitled "Suggested Street Development in and Adjacent
to the Property of Ellen M. Tolter, " December 22, 1927 , John T.
Cosgrove Acting Town Engineer, and to thereafter convey for
reasonable consideration the portion of the premises lying
southerly of said pronosed street free from restrictions except
that no building shall be erected within twenty feet of said
Proposed street, the nroceeds therefrom to be added to the fund
hereinafter set apart for the care of said park. Grawking to
said Town the right to erect on the southerly end of said park a
memorial to the Minute Men of Lexington; provided, however, that
any such memorial shall be approved by three of the leading architects
of the country at the time of its erection.
Reserving to the grantor and, her legel representatives the right
to place a suitable tablet at or near the entrance to the park in
memory of said William Augustus Tower.
And for the purpose of providing a permanent fund the income of
which shall be applied from time to time during each and every year
hereafter towards the care and maintenance of said park, 1 hereby
assign, transfer, set over , and pay to said Town of Lexington the sum
of ten thousand dollars, ( $10,000.00 ) to be safely invested and re-
invested by said Town and kept distinct and separate from the other
funds of said Town, tl-e income thereof to be applied by said Town in
each and every year for the care , maintenance and improvement of
Said park.
IN WITNESS THEREOF I the said Ellen M. Tower hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventeenth day of September in the year one
thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight.
Ellen M. Tower (Seal )
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COMmON"IEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss. September 17, 1928
Then personally appeared the above named Ellen M. Tower
and ackno*ledged the foregoing instrument to be her free
act and deed, before me
Edwin A. Howes
Justice of the Peace
My commission expires February 21, 1934.
The Town of Lexington hereby accepts the foregoing
conveyance upon the terms and conditions herein above set
forth andagrees to hold the fund hereinabove referred to
for the purposes and in the manner hereinabove set forth.
Albert H. Burnham Selectmen
Theodore A. Distance
James G. Robertson of
William H. Ballard,
Francis Chamberlain Lexington.
Mr. Charles M. ''ollins having signed the application
made out by the Board for a two car garage 20 ' x 261 x 15' ,
it was decidedto grant him a license.
Mr. Theodore A. Dzstanee reported settlement of the claim
of Mr. Thomas Whiting in the amount of w40.00 which was approved
by the Boar" subject to signing of release by 14r Whiting.
Bond of the American Surety Comnany was filed by Forrest E.
ping covering the overbenging sig ' at 1745 Mass. Ave. In
looking over the bona it was found that the bond was made to
Forrest- Edward zing and signed by Forrest E. King,
The Board therefore decided to request the Town Counsel to
give his opinion as to whether this signature is sufficient,
whether t'' e bond is satisfactory, whether the signature should
be sealed and witnessed, end whether in the future all bonds
of this nature should. be submitted to him for his approval.
Request together with 0.00 in payment of advertising
was received from iaseuale •+toretti of 80 Bow Street, asking
that hearing be given him under Section 15 of the Zoning Law so
that he might change his house from one family to two families ,
it being locate' in a single family district. This application
was receivedfrom a man who has previously violated the Zoning
Law by making his house into a two flat house without permission
from the Building Inspector and he was ordered to remove the
plumbing from the house an-' remove the families from the house.
It is the opinion of the Board that the check should be
returned to Mr. Moretti gogether with the statement that the Board
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does not believe thgt pu.bli ; convenience and welfare would be ^�
substantially served by making an exception in this instance
to the Zoning Law. .4
However, owing to the fact that it might be possible that
the Board would be required to hold a hearing on this matter,
it was decided to refer the matter to the Town Counsel with
an explanation of the opinion of the Board.
Abatement having been requested by Mrs. Hazel M. Barry
and 'Ar. Ch^rles Harold to the Supt. of Public 'forks and letter
received from the Supt. of Public Works explaining the situction,
the Board discussed the matter and decided to request the Town
Engineer to make his plan more definite as to the end of the
construction of Prospect Hill Road, and get additional information
as to why some of the lots were not assessed for the betterment
The matter w^s therefore laid upon the table for one week.
Bids were presented by the Sunt. of Public Works from the
following companies :
U. S. Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Co. $1.35 per foot
Extra cost of 17¢ for cement lined, approx. 10,000f
R. D. Wood & Co $1.39 per foot
Extra cost of l6- V for cement lined, approx. 6,000'
American Cast Iron Pipe Co.
Pit Cast A. W. W A. Standard
12" Class C, p & S Pipe , 121 len§ths $2.2828 per foot
12" Class C, " 16? 2.2886
Mono-Cast Centrifugal Pine
12" Class 150, B. & S. Pie , 161 lenfiths $1.6824 per font
12" 250, " " 16 ' 1.7352
The Supt. of Public' Works recommended the acceptance of the
bid of the d. S. Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Co. at $1.35 per foot
for approximately 10,000 feet of pipe.
The Board authorized the Supt. of Public Works to order this
pine explaining to the company that the order would be subject
to an apnronriatior by the Town in March, 1929 for the water Dept.
The weekly renort o`' the Supt. of rnblic Works is as follows :
For week ending December 22, 1928.
Highway Department..
Construction work on Barer Avenue Summit Road, and Bennett
Avenue contihued through the week The money allowed for a part
of the construction of Baker Avenue and Bennett Avenue has been
exhausted, and work has been stopped until further appropriation
shall be made. Catch basins installed at corner of Summit Road.
and Follen Road
Catch basins and gutters cleaned Street surfaces patched
and work done cutting back the sides and widening a part of
East Street. No work contemplatedfor next week except regular
maintenance work and snow removal if necessary.
477
Moth Department.
Gypsy moth newts treated on Wood. Street, Brush burned
on East Street and Adams Street.
park Department.
Regular maintenance work carried on.
Water Maintenance.
Services have been installed as follows : Barker , Concord
Avenue , Young, Outlook rrive; renewal for Robinson, Robinson
Robinson Circle. . The work of lowering the 6" water main in
Baker Avenue has continued, and ^nproximtely 3601 were lowered
last week.
Water Construction.
Approximately 150' of 6" water main has been laid in
Tucker Avenue.
Sewer Maintenance.
The service for i4ar. Amaru has been completed. Started
Trask sewer service.
Sewer Construction.
Approximately 301 of 8" sewer pipe has been laid in
Edgewood Road , and ledge has been encountered. Approximately
501 of 8" sewer pipe has been laid. in Hastings Road, and one
manhole has been constructed.
The work contemplated for the week ending January 5, is
as follows : Edgewood Road sewer; water and sewer services, etc.
Engineering Department.
Sewers
Lines and grades for construction at H'stings Ro^d.
Lines and grades for construction at Edgewood Road.
Highways
Continuedwork on Hill Street Survey.
Miscellaneous
Locati-n and measurements of 17 additional overhanging
signs.
Work on Block Plan.
Very truly yours,
William S. Scamman
Supt. of public Works.
47q
r. Edward . Taylor anneared before t're Board in r' Bard.
to the aprlication ma'9e by dr. Ch-rles '^'. B1a'{e o`' t} e Fire
Relief Association, for nermissio- to use the .emoriai
Building from January 26, 1929 to February 2, 1929.
Mr. Taylor explained that it wouia be necessary to
have rehearsals previous to the show, and that they would
desire to have it for the week, intending to put on the
regular show on January 31, and February 1, 1929.
The Board therefore decided to allow him the use of
the hall at the rehearsal rate for the evenings previous to
the show beginning January 26 to January 30, 1929 inclusive,
with the 20% reduction for charity for rental of the hall on
the nights of the show.
Sidewalk commitment was signed in the amount of $654.26.
Letter was received from Louis W. Bills , Wire Inspector,
calling to the Board's attention an accident which occurred at
the junction of Lowell and Woburn Streets just previous to
the Christman holidays when an automobile was on fire on
account of a collision, an-' the occupants just escaped death.
In this connection he felt that automatic traffic signals
with the stop ani' go signs should be placed at Lowell and Woburn
Streetsand also at Barrett Road and "altham Street
The Board decided to acknowledge receipt of Mr. Bills !
letter, ana thank him for c- lling the matter to their attention,
andto state that they have in mind the placing of some sort
of automatic signal but have not as yet decided definitely upon
the same.
The Supt. of Public Works was also instructed to find out
whether the abnroval of the State would have to be received
upon any signals erected.
Letter was received from the Supt. of Public Works in
regard to the water bill owed by Mr. John Berg of Blossom-
crest, in which he stated that the water had been turned, off by
the department , and request was made to him by the District
Nurse that inasmuch as Mrs . Berg is not well and there are a
number of small children, it is a great hardship for them to
he without water.
The Board decided that it was up to Mr. Berg to secure the
money through the bank or otherwise before the water is turned on.
The meeting adjourned at 10:25 P.M.
A true record Attest
Clerk.
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