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1841-01-04Essex, ss.To one of the Constables of the town of Beverly.Greeting. You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to notify the legal voters of said town to meet at the Town Hall on Monday the 4th day of January next at 1 ½ o’clock afternoon (by posting notices according to Town Regulations) for the following purposes: 1st. To decide the manner of choosing a Moderator and to choose same. 2d. To see what measures the Town will adopt in regard to building a new Town Hall, or purchasing a site for the same or purchasing any estate for the purpose of altering the same into a Town Hall and to see if they will appropriate the Surplus Revenue Money now invested in the Boston & Worcester Railroad Company with the interest and dividend accruing on the same, for either of said purposes, or if they will cause any sum of money to be raised and assessed for the purpose or purposes aforesaid, and also to authorize some agent or agents to purchase land and erect or alter the requisite buildings, to receive deeds in behalf of the inhabitants of this Town, and who shall have full power and the premises, and act and do anything there on the Town may think proper, agreeably to the petition of Jacob Woodberry in others. Hereof fail not, but make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon before said time. nd Given under our hands and seal this 22 day of December A.D.1840. Jona. BatchelderSelectmen Isaac Galoux of Josiah Woodberry Beverly th Essex, ss. Beverly. January 4 1840. Pursuant to the within warrant I have notified the persons therein named to meet at the time and place and for the purposes therein specified according to the directions therein given. Francis Lamson, Constable of Beverly. A true record. Attest. John I. Baker, Town Clerk. At a legal meeting of the qualified voters of the town of Beverly held (pursuant to the th foregoing warrant) on Monday the 4 day of January 1841, at 1 ½ o’clock afternoon. Voted. To choose the Moderator by hand vote. Voted. That John Safford be Moderator. A motion was then made, under the second article in the warrant, by Robert Rantoul, to refer the whole subject to the Selectmen to report thereon at the next March meeting, appended to which motion were certain instructions in regard to enlarging or altering the present Town Hall & division of the balance of the Surplus Revenue among the several School Districts for the benefit of the Schools after paying for any alteration of said Hall, which instructions being not strictly connected with the warrant were not acted upon, but the motion to refer the subject to the Selectmen was taken up and advocated by the mover, after which a motion was made by George Brown to strike out all after the first word: Voted in the motion aforesaid and insert a motion which he submitted giving a Committee full authority to purchase the Estate of late Israel Thorndike and to sell the Old Town Hall and any land connected with either not needed for Town uses: the expense not to exceed the Surplus Revenue with the income therefrom and the proceeds from the sale of the Old Hall and land. This motion was advocated by the mover in a speech of some length during which he exhibited a plan of said Estate with the proposed improvements, and endeavored to show it not only for the convenience and ornament of the Town but also as a profitable proceeding for the town. He was replied to by Robert Rantoul who endeavored to prove that our present accommodations for a Hall were sufficient, and that the proposed plan was a mere matter of speculation etc.. The description was further continued by Edward Pousland who advocated the amendment with some qualification, and by Samuel Dike, Wyatt C. Boyden & Eben Rea neither of whom however took a very decisive stand either way upon the question. The meeting was very full and considerable excitement was manifested & as it was growing late in the afternoon, they were frequent calls for the question. Dr. Boyden submitted a motion for postponement at which was decided to be out of order, and finally the question was taken upon the amendment, and it was declared to be carried, but upon some doubts being expressed, the motion was again put and carried by a decisive vote. A motion was then made to appoint a committee of three by the Chair, but this not being carried a motion was made to choose a committee of five by nomination and said motion was carried, and the following committee chosen viz: George Brown, Augustus N. Clark, John Safford, James Haskell, & Francis Woodberry. At a continuation of the meeting from the foregoing page the Town further Voted, That the foregoing Committee have power to fill any vacancies that may occur in their number, and the motion as amended and perfected was adopted by the Town voting (as the Clerk understood) to adopted; which motion as adopted is as follows: (on motion of the Clerk) Voted, that George Brown, Augustus N. Clark, John Safford, James Haskell and Francis Woodberry be a committee to bargain for and purchase the House and the land under and adjoining the same on Cabot Street, lately owned and occupied by Israel Thorndike Esq. deceased, for the purpose of altering and fitting said House for a Hall for Town Meetings and other Town uses; the said Committee are empowered to bargain and sell and give deeds of any parcels of said land that in their opinion will not be needed for said purpose: reserving however for the use of the town for ever as a Public Square a lot of land 171 feet by 60 feet, more or less situate on the south side of said house next to Cabot Street: Provided, however, That the price to be paid therefore shall not exceed the amount of the Surplus Revenue and income thereof received by the town from the United States invested in Railroad stock, and of the proceeds of the Town House now owned by the Town: and said Committee are empowered hereby to sell and convey said town house and the land under & adjoining the same, and said committee are further authorized to make contracts and to cause said house of said Thorndike to be altered and fitted suitably for a Town Hall, and for offices for Town officers, provided the whole amount expended shall not exceed the sum before mentioned, said Committee to fill vacancies by the vote as aforesaid (on motion of the Clerk) then a motion was made to dissolve the meeting and accordingly, it was Voted, That this meeting be dissolved, and the meeting was so declared by the Moderator to be dissolved. Attest. John I. Baker, Town Clerk.