Police officers and firemen of Charlestown to continue in the discharge of their duties.

Interest of
Charlestown in

shall consist of the lawful number of members from each ward, and the territory hereby annexed shall be entitled to six members of said council, two from each ward.

SECTION 8. The several police officers and watchmen, the engineers and members of the fire department that may be in office in the city of Charlestown, when this act shall take effect, shall thereafter continue in the discharge of their respective duties, in the same manner as if they were police officers and watchmen, and engineers and firemen of the city of Boston, until others shall be appointed in their stead. The several justices of the peace, masters in chancery, and notaries-public, residing in Charlestown shall continue to act in their said capacities respectively, within the said territory of Charlestown, but their authority to act in their said capacities shall in no wise be increased or diminished during the terms of their commissions by virtue of any provisions of this act.

SECTION 9. All the interest which said city of Charlescounty property town now have in the public property of the county of eleased to Mid- Middlesex, is hereby released and acquitted to said county Committee may of Middlesex. If the county commissioners of the county be appointed by of Middlesex, within six months after the acceptance of mine if any pay this act by said cities, as hereinafter provided, shall elect

ment should be made by Charlestown to Middlesex County.

to apply to the justices of the supreme judicial court, sitting in either the county of Suffolk or of Middlesex, for the appointment of a committee of three disinterested persons to ascertain whether anything should, in justice and equity, be paid by said city of Charlestown to the county of Middlesex, towards the liquidation of its debts, in addition to the relinquishment of said city's share of the county property; then, on notice being given of the said application, such committee shall be appointed, who shall take an estimate of the county property, in which due allowance shall be made for any permanent expenditures that may have been incurred for the especial accommodation of said city of Charlestown, and shall also take an account of the county debts, and shall decide and report what sum, if anything, should be paid by either party to the other; and the report of said committee, when accepted by said court, shall be binding and conclusive, and whatever shall be found due, whether from or to the county of Middlesex, shall be paid to or by said city of Boston and said Charlestown, thus united. But if no such application be made by the said county commis

sioners within said time, then the county of Middlesex shall not be required to make any allowance for the surplus value of the county property after the payment of the county debt.

umes in registry

trict of Middle

for Suffolk.

SECTION 10. The volumes now in the registry of Transfer of vol. deeds office for the southern district of the county of for southern disMiddlesex, containing the records exclusively relating sex to registry to lands and estates within the territory so transferred, shall be deposited by the register for the southern district of said county in the registry of deeds office for said county of Suffolk, the same to be there kept and used in the same manner as the records of said county of Suffolk are kept and used.

taxes.

SECTION 11. The territory so transferred, and the in- Liability for habitants thereon and their estates, shall be liable for all taxes already assessed and not paid; and also all city, county and state taxes that may be hereafter assessed on them by said city of Charlestown, and before this act shall take effect, in the same manner as they would have been liable if this act had not been passed. And the city treasurer and collector of said city of Charlestown are hereby respectively authorized to collect the same in the manner prescribed by law after this act shall take effect.

tinue to manage

SECTION 12. The two corporations holding trust funds Trustees to conin said city of Charlestown, one being the trustees of the school and poor Charlestown free schools, and the other the trustees of fund according the poor's fund in the town of Charlestown, shall continue their trusts. to manage their funds and disburse the income thereof according to the terms of their respective trusts. The members of the school committee within the present limits of Charlestown for the time being, shall be the corporation first above named; and the members of the two branches of the city council for the time being, residing in said present limits of Charlestown, shall, together with the senior deacons of the religious societies in said present limits of Charlestown, be the said trustees of the poor's fund.

The Charlestown public library, with all the books and Public library. documents which now or hereafter may belong thereto, shall be continued and kept within the present limits of said Charlestown; and it shali have the benefit of all gifts and legacies made heretofore or hereafter in its behalf. The trustees of the Charlestown public library shall hold their offices until the first Monday of May in the year

Police officers and firement of Charlestown to continue in the discharge of their duties.

Interest of
Charlestown in

released to Mid

deter

ment should made by Charlestown to

Middlesex

County.

shall consist of the lawful number of me
ward, and the territory hereby annexed
to six members of said council, two fror

SECTION 8. The several police offi
the engineers and members of the f
may be in office in the city of Charle
shall take effect, shall thereafter con
of their respective duties, in the sa
were police officers and watchm
firemen of the city of Boston, u
pointed in their stead. The seve
masters in chancery, and no
Charlestown shall continue to a
respectively, within the said te
their authority to act in their
wise be increased or diminisl
commissions by virtue of any
SECTION 9. All the inte

county property town now have in the pu
dlesex. Middlesex, is hereby relea
Committee may of Middlesex. If the cou
be appointed by of Middlesex, within six
mine if any pay this act by said cities, a
to apply to the justic
sitting in either the co
the appointment of :
persons to ascertain
and equity, be paid
county of Middlese
in addition to the
the county proper
said application,
shall take an est
due allowance S
tures that may
modation of se
an account of
report whats

1

- act

the provis

act shall impair Loperty and inhabiMexed to the city of xisting creditors of the Ler as if this act had not ny person, by reason of ning property in said terriany existing debt or obligasex the amount of such pay=> him from said county, as sive of said territory, and er as other debts against the

not take full effect unless elegal voters of the city of Dereen, by ballot, at meetings : Ze several wards of said city of rity of the legal voters of the and voting thereon, by ballot, in the several wards of ce notice duly given, at least istid meeting. Meetings for taneously in said cities, on er next; and the polls shall be

recorded and

ers in said cities, arned. The ballots Result of baland declared in the loting to be open ward meeting in returned. ered in the ward records ard in the city of Boston, - given in, in his ward, and. of the acceptance of this act gainst said acceptance, to the ity of Boston, and like returns ral wards in the city of Charleste mayor and aldermen of the city i said returns shall be made within

he close of the polls.

y of the board of aldermen of the city Returns to be The mayor and aldermen of the city of madetary the artify and return as soon as may be, the Commonwealth. heir respective cities, and the number of Lavor of the acceptance of this act and the lots cast against such acceptance, in their ties, to the secretary of the Commonwealth. hall appear that a majority of the votes cast in Secretary to 1 cities, respectively, is in favor of the acceptance cate if a major. 1, the said secretary shall immediately issue and ity of votes is this certificate declaring this act to have been duly acceptance. d; and, after such publication and declaration, it Lot be lawful for the city council of Charlestown, or y board charged with the care of public property of city, to contract any loan or to make any new appro

Mystic water board to be continued as a

eighteen hundred and seventy-four, or until the annual organization of the board of trustees of the Boston publie library in that year. Thereafter it shall become a branch of the public library of Boston.

The Mystic water board of Charlestown shall be continued a separate organization under the direction of the separate organi- city council of Boston, until the said city council shall determine to unite it with the Cochituate water board of Boston. The members of the Mystic water board shall hold their offices for the terms for which they were respectively elected; and all contracts made and liabilities incurred by the Mystic water board shall be assumed by the city of Boston.

Charters of Boston and Charles.

SECTION 13. The charter of the city of Boston, and town amended. the charter of the city of Charlestown, and the several acts

Obligation of contracts not impaired.

Proviso.

passed in addition thereto, are amended so as to conform to the provisions of this act; and so much of the General Statutes and laws as may be inconsistent with this act is amended, so as not to apply to or repeal any of the provisions herein contained.

SECTION 14. Nothing contained in this act shall impair the obligation of contracts; and the property and inhabitants of the territory by this act annexed to the city of Boston shall continue liable to the existing creditors of the county of Middlesex, in like manner as if this act had not been passed: provided, that if any person, by reason of his being an inhabitant of or owning property in said territory shall be compelled to pay any existing debt or obligation of the county of Middlesex the amount of such payment shall constitute a debt to him from said county, as hereafter to be constituted, exclusive of said territory, and may be recovered in like manner as other debts against the county of Middlesex.

SECTION 15. This act shall not take full effect unless accepted by a majority of the legal voters of the city of Boston, present and voting thereon, by ballot, at meetings which shall be held in the several wards of said city of Boston; and also by a majority of the legal voters of the city of Charlestown, present and voting thereon, by ballot, at meetings which shall be held in the several wards of said city of Charlestown, upon notice duly given, at least seven days before the time of said meeting. Meetings for Tuesday of Oc. that purpose shall be held simultaneously in said cities, on the first Tuesday of October next; and the polls shall be