This Day In Norwood History-April 14, 1931-Three Locations Proposed for New Postoffice

NORWOOD VOTERS SELECT TWO SITES

Stars mark two of the locations proposed for the post office- the “Willet Site” on Washington st adjacent to the Norwood Town Hall, and a second site at the intersection of Nahatan and Broadway. The Post office was eventually built on the third site, the Everett School lot.

NORWOOD, April 14 – Having selected two sites for the new Government Postoffice, after two and one-half hours of debate, the citizens are now wondering which one the Government officials will accept. At a special town meeting in the Junior High School Hall last night, attended by nearly 1300 citizens, the largest meeting in this town for years, three sites were suggested to the voters for them to make a choice.

Moderator James A. Halloran called the gathering to order and submitted Article 1, providing for giving the Selectmen power to submit for sale the Everett School lot containing 29,200 square feet of land, at a price not less than 75 cents a foot. Joseph McManus, a former postmaster, at once took the floor and made a long argument to the voters explaining to them the advantages of this lot. He said that the lot was near the railroad station and the large industries.

Charles E. Houghton of the Planning Board then submitted the Planning Board’s report, which favored the site within the town square. Charles Britton spoke in favor of the site near the industrial center. Frank A. Morrill gave a resume of Norwood’s growth and said 40 percent of the income of the Postoffice business came from industrial houses and 75 percent of the business was done south of the Everett School site. He stated that the so-called Washington-st site had only a 78-foot frontage.

Herbert Plympton, a well-known manufacturer, opposed the Washington st lot, as he said a building there would spoil the looks of the new Municipal Building. Francis Foley then took the floor and said that the Everett School site should be reserved for the growth of the Norwood Hospital, which is adjacent to the site. Walter B. Tilton, who presented the carillons in the Municipal Building to the town, took the floor in favor of the site adjacent to the Municipal Building. Former Selectman Thomas B. Mulvehlll supported Mr. Foley’s views.

Attorney Joseph Riley spoke in favor of the Everett School site and said that if the hospital desired to expand there was plenty of room on the Linden-st side and that plans were now made for expansion in that direction. Mrs. Florence LeFevre opposed the Everett School site.

After all the debating ended Moderator Halloran called for a rising vote on the question and those in favor of the Everett School site won, 515 to 409. On Article 2, proposing the so-called Willett Lot, action was indefinitely postponed at the request of Mr. Willett. At this time hundreds of citizens began to leave the hall, believing that the question was settled.

When Article 3 came up, Francis Foley of the Finance Committee offered an amendment to this article that the preference of the citizens of this town was for the Washington st site near the Municipal Building, A motion to indefinitely postpone was made, but Moderator Halloran ruled this out of order and put Mr. Foley’s amendment, which was carried 339 to 330. Now the Selectmen have two sites to offer the Government for a Postoffice and the wires will again be hot until the matter is finally settled. Bids must be submitted before Friday.

14 Apr 1931, Tue The Boston Globe