TOWN MEETINGS. 319 



Every one who comes to the island should visit this 

 tower. Unlike its illustrious namesake, the Tower of 

 London, it is simply the steeple of the Unitarian 

 Church on Orange Street. Here hangs the old Spanish 

 bell; here Billy Clark holds high revel; here watchmen 

 keep their midnight vigils, and tell us what of the 

 night; here can be had the most delightful view of the 

 whole island and its surroundings; here also is the 

 new town clock. 



It is about one hundred and ten feet from the 

 base of the tower to its top; from the level of the sea 

 to the lookout, a little less than one hundred and 

 twenty feet; and to its top, one hundred and forty-four 

 feet. Although no admission fee is charged, it is cus- 

 tomary for those visiting the tower to present the per- 

 son in charge, a trifling compensation. For a fuller 

 account of the tower the reader is referred to the arti- 

 cles on Town Clock and Churches. 



Town Meeting. 

 The annual town meetings are held in February 

 (third Monday), at the Town Hall on Orange Street. 

 The last one commenced Feb. 20, and nearly four days 

 were consumed in discussing various questions, among 

 them that of appropriations involving the expenditure 

 of the enormous sum of $23,000, which amount it was 

 voted to raise by taxation for the present year. Three 

 very important questions were settled by the voters: 

 one was whether the town should accept the offer of 

 thirty hydrants from the AYannacomet Water Com- 

 pany for use in case of fire, at a certain rate per 

 annum; another, whether the town would petition the 



