The Committee chosen by the town at a meeting held April 1, 1850, to superintend the erection of a Town House, and authorized by a subsequent vote to furnish the same, submitted a partial report of their doings to the town at their annual April meeting, 1852, which was accepted.
At the annual meeting, March 7, 1853, the Committee, having completed the work entrusted to them, made a final report, which having been read, it was, on motion of Hon. Samuel Hoar,
“Voted, That the report of the Town House Building Committee be accepted, and together with their first report, made at the April meeting, 1852, be printed, and that the thanks of the town be presented the Committee for the skill and fidelity with which they have discharged the duties assigned to them.”
CONCORD, April 1, 1852.
The Committee appointed to build a Town Hall, with authority to furnish and fence the same, together with the School-rooms and Offices contained in the building, submit the following Report, viz: --
| The Committee charge themselves with cash borrowed at sundry times of the Mid. Inst. for Savings, | $18,450 00 |
| With cash rec'd of Mary Rice, for small house | 120 78 |
| do. of S. Staples, for stone, etc., sold | 54 97 |
| do. of F. R. Gourgas, for old shed | 18 50 |
| $18,655 25 | |
| And credit themselves with am't paid as per account annexed | $18,534 20 |
| Balance on hand | $121 05 |
| There is due from J. S. Keyes, for building sold, | 164 40 |
| Ammounting to | $285 45 |
| The payments made are as follows, viz:- - | |
| To J. S. Keyes, for land | $1200 00 |
| E. Fuller and others, for do. | 750 00 |
| Messrs. Adams & Bonney, contractors, | 12,783 23 |
| Messrs. Bond & Parker, architects, | |
| John C. Hubbard, settees and chairs for Hall and Offices, | 1005 87 |
| Jos. L. Ross, school desks, tables, book-case, etc. | 649 94 |
| Messrs. Chilson, Richardson & Co., furnace, | 365 00 |
| W. F. Shaw, chandeliers, & | 208 00 |
| Messsrs. Eastman & Hutchinson, stone, | 245 80 |
| S. Staples, cost of filling old cellars, auction fees, cost of procuring title to land, etc. | 72 06 |
| Alexander Stowell, clock | 50 00 |
| H. D. Thoreau, surveying lot | 4 00 |
| Advertising, | 16 51 |
| Sundry freight bills, | 23 27 |
| F. R. Gourgas, services, expenses, etc., as per bill, | 22 12 |
| J. R. Parks & Co., stoves, etc., | 41 35 |
| Seth Keith, " | 45 64 |
| Eaton, Jones & Co., matting | 35 44 |
| O. Whyte, wire cloth for cellar windows, | 16 75 |
| Thomas F. Hunt, work, | 15 10 |
| E. & W. Hall, iron work, | 4 90 |
| C. B. Davis, bocking, &c. | 7 50 |
| F. E. Bigelow, railing to door steps, &c., | 12 93 |
| Wood & Prescott, brick and cement for drains, | 43 92 |
| Cyrus Pierce, stone and work, | 72 75 |
| E. C. Wetherbee, fence, partition in cellar, &c., | 66 63 |
| Half cost of privy, &c., | 79 62 |
| S. Staples, for work grading yard, and sundry expenses, as per bill, | 117 87 |
| Total, | $18,534 20 |
Every thing has been paid for as fast as it has been completed, and the Committee are not aware of any outstanding bills for work done.
| There remains to be paid, the iron fence estimated at, | 625 00 |
| And painting same, say, | 20 00 |
| Screen and division fence to privy, say, | 50 00 |
| Partition fence to front yard, " | 12 00 |
| Levelling, soil and walks, " | 100 00 |
| $807 00 |
The Committee are pleased to be able to say, that the work has been accomplished without any difficulties, other than those that necessarily attend an undertaking of such magnitude. The work they think has been well done, and of excellent materials, and although the Building has proved somewhat costly it is hoped that the town will be satisfied that they have got their money’s worth.
No appropriation was made last year for paying the interest on money borrowed, and of course none has been paid.
| The interest accrued to April 1st, is | 780 48 |
| Interest on the whole sum, 9 months to Jany 1st, | 900 00 |
| Total, | $1,680 48 |
for which sum together with such parts of the principal as the Town may think it expedient to pay, an appropriation should be made.
J. M. CHENEY, for Committee
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Concord, March 7th, 1853.
The Committee appointed to build a Town Hall, having completed the work assigned to them, would submit this as their final Report.
| The balance in the hands of the Committee, by their Report, dated April 1, 1852, was, |
$121 05 | |
| Since which they have received from J. S. Keyes for old house, | 170 00 | |
| And cash borrowed of Mid. Inst. for Savings, | 803 00 | |
| $1094 05 | ||
| And have paid Thos. F. Hunt for brick and work, | 35 25 | |
| Paid Wm. Adams & Co. for iron fence, &c., | 725 09 | |
| E. C. Wetherbee, stock and labor | 59 00 | |
| N. Barrett's bill, expense incurred, | 1 50 | |
| S. Staples, as per ac't. on file, viz: | ||
| C. Pierce, bill paid for stone, &c., | 35 67 | |
| J. M. Smith, bill for painting, | 64 39 | |
| Thos. F. Hunt, stone and work, | 73 63 | |
| F. E. Bigelow, iron work, | 11 22 | |
| For work, grading, &c., and sundry small bills paid, | 86 59 | |
| 271 50 | ||
| Cash to balance, | 1 71 | |
| $1094 05 | ||
| The amount borrowed by the Committee at the time of making the previous report, was |
$18,450 00 | |
| Since which they have borrowed, | 803 00 | |
| $19,253 00 |
Making a total of nineteen thousand two hundred and fifty-three dollars, for the entire cost of land, building, furniture, furnace, sidewalks, fences, grading, etc., -- for which sum the Committee in behalf of the Town, have given a Note to the Middlesex Institution for Savings, dated Jan'y 1, 1853 – payable by installments of at least one thousand dollars with interest annually.
The Committee were decidedly of the opinion, that the true interests of the town would be promoted, by erecting for a Town Hall, a large, handsome and durable building – one, that would not only answer the purposes of the present day, but, also, one that would meet the wants of the generations that are to come after us.
It should be borne in mind, in estimating the cost of the structure, that in addition to the Hall, Town Offices, Safe for the preservation of the Town Records, and a room for the Town Library, it contains two very commodious and thoroughly furnished School Rooms, the cost of which was no inconsiderable part of the whole amount expended.
It will be perceived that a large debt has been incurred in the completion of this work - but it is believed that not a dollar thus expended is lost, but that in addition to the social and moral advantages to be derived from it, the existence of such a structure as the property of the Town, gives an additional value to the private property of every individual in it.
In conclusion, the Committee would congratulate the inhabitants of the town upon the successful completion of a work so honorable to them, and they trust that the Town Hall of 1851-1852, will long stand, a monument to the forecast, enterprise and liberality of the present generation.
Respectfully submitted,
Committee.