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CHAPTER III. ·

CHARTER AND AMENDMENTS.

The city charter was enacted April 12, 1854.

Was approved by the Governor, April 12, 1854.

Was adopted by vote of the legal voters of the town, April 22, 1854; there being declared 529 yeas, and 247 nays.

Amended by special enactments.

Chapter 76, acts of 1857, providing for election of ward officers, defining their duties, etc. Approved April 24, 1857. Adopted by city May 1, 1857.

Chapter 77, acts of 1857, authorizing mayor and aldermen to appoint marshal, assistant marshals, constables and police. Enacted April 24, 1857. Adopted by city May 1, 1857.

Chapter 168, acts of 1859, in regard to election of school committee, how elected, time of service, etc. Enacted April 5, 1859. Adopted by city May 9, 1859.

Chapter 48, acts of 1860, changing time of holding annual election, &c. Enacted Feb. 24, 1860. Adopted by city Nov. 6, 1860.

Chapter 142, acts of 1863, giving city council authority to change the boundaries of the wards of the city, respectively. Approved April 8, 1863.

Present State Line being Southern Bounds of City of Fall River.

(Extract from Chapter 187, Acts of 1861.)

SECT. 2. The territory upon the east side of Mount Hope Bay, which lies south of the line, beyond which the jurisdiction of this Commonwealth has not recently been exercised-except so much as by this act is assigned to the town of Westport,-but which by the adoption of said decree of confirmation, shall be determined to be a part of this Commonwealth, with all the polls and estates

thereon, shall be taken and deemed to be a portion of the city of Fall River, in the county of Bristol, with the same effect as if the jurisdiction claimed over the same by this Commonwealth had been actually exercised.

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES.
December Term, 1861.

Extract from decree of said court, directing by order of the said court, Ezra Lincoln of Boston, and Samuel B. Cushing of Providence engineers to survey, mark out and define the boundary line between the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as described in the first supplemental bill and answer thereto, filed in said cause, and that said engineers have made their report, in persuance of said decree, and within the time limited therein, which report is as follows: Describing the line from point to point, until from the westward it crosses Mount Hope Bay, and intersects the point forming what is now the southwest corner of city of Fall River, (said point being the middle of a town way, on north side of farm belonging to John Chase, where said town way intersects with Mount Hope Bay ;) thence easterly, following said dividing line between Fall River and Tiverton, passing through the middle of a town way, on the side of farm belonging to John Chase; and through the southerly end of Cook's Pond, to a line passing through the middle of a highway eight rods wide; thence running southerly, to the centre of said Eight Rod Highway, to a point in line with the stone wall, on northerly side of farm of Edmund Estes; this wall is easterly of the Stafford Road, so called; thence running easterly in line with said wall, to a point in line of highest water-mark, on the westerly shore of South Watuppa Pond, which point is shown on accompanying sheet marked "B," and designated as "Bound A."

From "Bound A" the line runs southerly, following the highest water-mark, on westerly side of South Watuppa Pond, and of Sawdy Pond, and of the streams connecting said ponds, as shown on said sheet marked "B," to a point designated as "Bound F,"

said last point being at the most southerly end of Sawdy Pond, in said line of highest water-mark.

The line of highest water-mark," as shown on sheet "B," is defined by off-sets at right angles to straight lines from "Bound A," and passing respectively through points designated "B" to “F” inclusive; and on the South Watuppa Pond is also the line that would be traced by a level thirteen (13) inches above a bolt in stone work, on westerly side of water way, in gate-house of reservoir dam of Watuppa Reservoir Co., on Quequechan River. On Sawdy Pond, the highest water-mark is the line that would be traced by the level of an iron bolt, driven in west side of flume to saw mill, at northerly end of said Sawdy Pond.

From "Bound F," the line runs southeasterly, being a straight line, to the monument known as "Joe Sandford's Bound," being the centre of a copper bolt in stand on land of Joseph Tripp, and is in latitude 41 deg., 35m., 37s., longitude 71 deg., 8m., 13s., where it intersects the westerly line of the town of Westport.

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The public library of the city of Fall River was instituted in the year 1861, by the adoption in city council of the following ordinance, viz:

Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Fall River:

SECTION 1.

There shall be and hereby is established, a public library in the city of Fall River for the free use of the inhabitants thereof, &c., &c.

The city library commenced operations with the library formerly belonging to the Fall River Athenæum : received by a conditional agreement: with that body corporate in the city of Fall River, on the one part, and said city of Fall River, on the other part said library comprising 2,362 volumes, the same being appraised of the value of $3,000 with a donation of some 200 volumes from "Ocean Fire Company," of Fall River, and many volumes of public documents from Hon. James Buffinton, and from our senators and representatives in the state legislature.

The first board of trustees of the city library were, the following named gentlemen, Edward P. Buffinton, ex-officio, Phineas W. Leland, M. D., Walter Paine, 3d., Henry Lyon, Samuel M. Brown, Chas. J. Holmes and Simeon Borden. In the first annual report, issued by this board, dated Feb. 3d., 1862, may be found the following announcement, viz:

"It is gratifying to be able to state that the establishment of a public library in the city of Fall River is a success; surpassing the expectations, even of the most sanguine among its original advocates. It has met a great want, the magnitude of which was only revealed by the attempt to meet it."

At that time there were in the library 3,132 volumes-obtained from the Athenæum, 2,362 vols., purchased 541 vols., donated 229. We again copy from trustees' report, as follows-Feb. 1862.

"The whole number of subscribers is 1,248. To whom have been delivered since May 1st., 1861-a period of nine months18,255 volumes, a daily average of 90 vols."

The public library, as a city institution, has been prosperous from the start. For several years it was discommoded, for lack of sufficient room-suitable for its purposes; and for want of appropriate conveniences-which was fully obviated by the adoption of the lower floor of City Hall-for the use of the library— after it was remodeled in 1873.

By the last report of the trustees, the library comprised 20,124 volumes.-July, 1879.

There had been let out during the year previous to that time 108,061 volumes, or an average of 373 each day.

There had been read in the reading-room, connected with the library, 79,473 periodicals, an average of 274 daily.

The official organization of the library at present date Dec. 24, 1879 is as follows, to wit:

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CITY OFFICERS, MODE AND TIME OF APPOINTING.

By mayor and aldermen.-City marshal, assistant city marshal, captain, sergeants, clerk, stewards, patrolmen, constables, inspector of provisions, &c., harbor master, inspector of petroleum, board of health, city physician, superintendent of alms-house and city farm, weighers of coal, measurers of grain, inspector of milk.

In Convention.-City clerk, treasurer and collector of taxes, city solicitor, auditor, city messenger, assessors of taxes, superintendent of streets, surveyor-general of lumber, engineers of fire department, superintendent of Oak Grove cemetery, superintendent of North burial ground, trustees of public library, trustees of water works.

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