1889-12-17 Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex, ss. To either of the Constables of the town of Beverly in said County, Greeting:
You are hereby required in the name of said Commonwealth to notify and warn in the manner
prescribed by the regulations of the town, the qualified voters of said town to meet at the Town Hall,
in said Beverly, on Tuesday the seventeenth day of December current at thirty minutes past seven
o'clock afternoon, for the following purposes, viz.;
1st. To choose a Moderator.
2d. To see what action the town will take in regard to the petition of D. W. Hardy and others
for the division of the town of Beverly now on file in the office of the Secretary of the
Commonwealth.
Hereof fail not, but make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon before the time
of holding for said meeting.
Given under our hands and seal this seventh day of December in the year one thousand eight
hundred and eighty nine.
Freeborn W. Cressy
John H. Woodberry Selectmen
Joseph A. Wallis of
Robert R. Endicott Beverly
Horace W. Woodberry
Essex, ss. Beverly, December 9, A. D. 1889.
Pursuant to the foregoing warrant I have notified the persons therein named as therein
directed, by posting notifications stating the time, place and objects of said meeting in each of the
several places in town required by the Town Regulations.
William M. Woodbury, Constable of Beverly.
The true copy of the original warrant and the return thereon.
Attest: William H. Lovett, Town Clerk..
At a legal meeting of the qualified voters of the town of Beverly held, in pursuance of the
warrant recorded on the next preceding page, at the Town Hall in said town on Tuesday the
seventeenth day of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty nine at thirty
minutes past seven o'clock afternoon,
the meeting having been called to order at the time appointed, by the Clerk who read the
warrant therefore it was
Voted that the Moderator be chosen by open nomination and hand vote. It was
Voted that Freeborn W. Cressy be Moderator.
Upon Article 2. Petition for Division.
Upon motion of John I. Baker it was
Voted, that the Selectmen of this town be authorized and requested to oppose by all lawful
& proper means the granting of the petition of D. W. Hardy and others for the division of the town
of Beverly as set forth in said petition; & that said Selectmen be requested to appoint to act with
them in that service such a number of citizens representing the different interests of the town as to
them from time to time many seem expedient, the whole to constitute a joint committee to protect
the interests of the town.
Upon motion of Charles H. Odell it was
Voted, that the Selectmen are authorized and instructed to employ counsel to represent the
town before the committee of the Legislature at the hearings upon the petition of D. W. Hardy and
others, and the Selectmen are hereby instructed to follow the terms and provisions of Chapter 308
of the Acts of 1889, and to incur no expenses, except such as are authorized by said Act. And they
are hereby required to make a detailed account of any expenses incurred and to file a copy of said
account with the Town Clerk open to the inspection all taxpayers of the town.
There were seven hundred and sixty five (765) legal voters present at this meeting when the
vote was taken upon the foregoing motion. Seven hundred and three (703) voted in favor of the
motion, fifty four (54) voted against the motion, and eight (eight) who were present did not vote at
all.
After the declaration of the foregoing vote, upon motion of a Edwin L. Pride it was
Voted that in order to verify the foregoing vote the question be again taken by a yea and nay vote.
Before beginning to take the yea and nay vote, upon motion of Edwin L. Pride aforesaid it
was
Voted to reconsider the vote whereby it was Voted "that in order to verify the foregoing vote
the question be again taken by a yea and nay vote."
The original motion was then put to the meeting, upon the question of taking the yea and nay
vote, and was "lost."
The following resolutions were then offered by Daniel W. Hardy,
"Whereas a town meeting has been called in Beverly to consider the petition
of the inhabitants of Beverly Farms to the Legislature to be set off and incorporated as a town
And whereas the Representatives of the town of Beverly have contended before the
legislative committee and the Legislature that the division prayed for by the petitioners was
inequitable as regards territory, property and public debts.
And whereas the people of Beverly Farms, while they believe that the division line prayed
for, and which has received the approval of successive committees and of each branch of the
Legislature is a just and proper one and while they can never abandon their efforts to secure the
independent town organization, which they know to be so vital to their prosperity, and yet desirous
to obtain only such territory and such apportionment of the public debt and property as is just and
equitable.
Now therefore in the hopes that this resolution may be received in the spirit in which it is
offered, be it resolved by us the people of Beverly Farms in mass meeting assembled that we Ieave
the question of the division line between Beverly and Beverly Farms and the apportionment of the
public debt and property between the two places to be determined by a committee of an equal
number of inhabitants of Beverly and Beverly Farms to be chosen by the respective citizens of each
place. And if they cannot agree to be determined by arbitration, and will abide by the results, if the
town of Beverly will do the same.
And that a committee of the people of Beverly Farms present these resolutions to the town
meeting above mentioned.
The following committee were chosen to present the above resolutions.
D. W. Hardy
Chas. H. Trowt
George Pierce
Stephen Eldredge
Jas. B. Dow
John L. Eaton
Edwin Pride
Alexander Campbell
Eben Day
Thomas D. Connolly
Attest. Thomas D. Connolly, Clerk."
Upon motion of John I. Baker it was
Voted that the foregoing resolutions be referred to the committee chosen at this meeting to
oppose the division of this town and that this committee be requested to meet any committee from
the Farms in relation thereto.
It was
Voted that this meeting be dissolved.
A true record.
Attest. William H. Lovett, Town Clerk.