The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-11
Mr.. E. A. Smith Submitted Fig
ures to the Effect That Town Is
Behind Eleven Thousand Dol
lars
COMMITTEE ELECTED
BY TOWN MEETING
1t viii Be Committees Duty to
Examine Towns Affairs and to
State .at Special Meeting Dec.
70 What Sum Must Be Raised
to Meet Obligations

Is VITAL SutIl NIuSt Dc ndlSGu
to Meet Obligations
Special to The Spy.
Leicester, Dec. 1O-According to fig
ures which were brought before the
citizens of Leicester tonight at the
special town meeting, the town is in
debt to the extent of $11,300
How $4,000 of this Indebtedness came
about no one tonight seemed to under
stand
The financial condition of the town
of Leicester is serious. Mr.. A. E.
Smith submitted the following state
ment for the enlightenment of the vot-
ers who were at the meeting.
Condition of the Town Of Leicester,
Dec. 10, 1901.
Liabilities.
Note due Jan. g. 1902 $500
Note due April q, 1902. $500
Nov.-Dec. Jan. bills outstand-
ing OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .S9OOO
Dr.. $4,000
Resources.
Cash on hand. ....................$1 4W
Taxes probably collectable. .... .$2500
State, Bank and Corporation tax
less state tax. $2SOO $l2.1OO
deficiency ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I'll, 5VV
Mr.. Smith made a motion that the
meeting elect a committee of three by
ballot to examine into all the affairs
of the town and to report at town
meeting to be held Dec.23 at 7.45 o'clock
what sum of money must be raised to
meet all obligations that may fall due,
or be chargeable to the present munich
pal year This motion was carried and
the meeting adjourned until Dec. %.
The meeting was called to order by
Town Clerk Henry c. Evans. On
motion of James A. Quinn, II. o. Smith
was chosen moderator
The second article to be acted upon
was that the town appropriate an adj
ditional sum for The overseers of the
poor.
George Whitford spoke for the over
seers. Mr.. Whitford explained that
$500 had been appropriated at the last
town meeting, and that it had been eX-
pended There was already about $500
in outstanding debts. Mr.. Whitford
recommended that the town appropri-
ate an additional sum of $1,000 to carry
the board through the rest of the year.
On a motion of Mr. A. e. Smith the
article was laid on the table.
Article three, was that the town APP
prOpriate additional money for the
Board of Health. Mr.. Evans spoke for
the Board of Health. Mr.. Evans stated
that at the last town report the Board
of Health recommended that the town
appropriate 5000 for the Board of
Health. At that meeting the town al
lowed the Board of Health put SIS. This
year the board had the bill of public
vaccination to meet, and that amounted
to $500 Other bills amounted to $3.50,
making a total Of $215.60, thereby ex-
ceeding the appropriation by S14060.
Mr. Evens recommended that the town
appropriate $175 additional to carry the
board through the remainder of the
year
The motion of A. E. Smith to lay the
article on the table was carried.
Article four, was to appropriate adj
ditional money for the Highway and
Bridge Commission. Mr. Bell spoke for
this department.
He stated last March the town APP
propriated $4,000 for the construction
of Highways and Bridges. He said
that the Department was authorized
by the town to use the money that the
town realized from the Railway tax,
for the purpose of constructing high
ways and bridges, in addition to the
appropriation. He explained that the
railway tax this year was smaller than
the department had overrun their ap-
preparation. He estimated that there
was about $500 in outstanding debts.
Mr.. Bell recommended that the town
appropriate the sum of $500 to carry
the department through the remainder
of the year.
A. f. Smiths motion to lay the ar
ticle on the table was carried.
Article five was that the town au-
: No.
to pay outstanding debts that were
contracted by former Boards of Sc
lectmen.
At this juncture Of the meeting A.
F. Smith made some remarks in rela-
ton to debts that were contracted, and
money that was paid when he served
on the Board of SeIectnen. He stated
that at that time the City of Brockton,
and the towns of Holden and Ipswich,
each sent bills to the town Of Leicester
every year for the support of the pau
pcrs who claimed the town Of Leices-
ter as their residence. These bills
sometimes reached as high as S175 a
year The city Of Worcester also sent
a claim. Mr. Smith explained, and the
Sclectmen at that time notified these
towns that the Selectmen had appoint
ed an agent in each town and city,
and that all paupers in order to secure
aid would first be obliged to apply TO
that agent before receiving help. The
city Of Worcester refused to recognize
that order and in consequence the city
OF Worcester sued the town of Leices-
ter and that suit is now on the docket
Of the Superior Court. Mr.. Smith con-
cluded his remarks by saying that the
town Of Leicester is in a predicament
and that he would not care to be the
one to say how it could extricate It.
from his pocket and read from them
the condition of the town Of Leicester
today. He then made the motion as
stated.