The Medford Historical Register Volume 19 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 edition. Excerpt: ... town's appropriation would procure, cheerfully united in adding to it, by subscription, the sum of nine hundred dollars. For some years prior to the writer's advent in Medford he passed to and from Boston on the railway, and often noticed the striking architecture of this building (the more noticeable because of the few adjacent houses), and very naturally thought it was the village church. Mr. Brooks gives the names of the building committee and adds, "they spared no pains in procuring a skillful draughtsman." We wish he had given his name, as careful search fails to reveal it. He mentioned the builder, George A. Caldwell, but in his history omits many interesting and noteworthy matters because " courtesy," "usage," or " custom forbids." Not so the committee, however, for in the city clerk's office are its reports, both majority and minority. The former, dated March 1, 1852, shows the entire expense to have been $3,370.82. Of this, $417 was for land at three cents per foot, and $187.52 for furniture and stove. The committee, pleading guilty to exceeding the appropriation, began by saying that one of its number had declined to serve, prior to the commencement of the building. It told of a plan, " presented by a liberal hand," and of $939.55 subscribed toward the construction,"rather than to have a one-story " structure erected. It reported $893.55 of this collected, and that there was still due the contractor $477.27, all other bills being paid. This sum the town later appropriated and paid. This report was signed by John B. Hatch and James M. Usher. The minority report covers about four times the space of that of the majority, and is signed by Charles Caldwell, who says he...