Executive Order

Executive Order  No. 14: (1st Series) Closing of public ways to public use during wartime upon request of federal government

Date: 05/15/1942
Issuer: Leverett Saltonstall
Revoked by: 1st Series Executive Order 98

Table of Contents

WHEREAS, it is the duty of the Commonwealth to adopt such measures as it may deem necessary or advisable to guard against sabotage, planned disorders or other emergencies designed or calculated to injure life or property or to interfere with, impede or obstruct the successful prosecution of the war; and

WHEREAS, there exists, in proximity to public ways in this Commonwealth, numerous buildings and locations utilized in connection with the prosecution of the war; and

WHEREAS, the government of the United States has requested that public ways in proximity to certain of said buildings and locations be closed to public use and travel or that public use and travel on said ways be restricted for the purpose of providing greater protection to said buildings and locations; and

WHEREAS, it has been indicated that the closing of other ways to public use and travel in the various cities and towns of the Commonwealth will be requested from time to time by the government of the United States or its agencies for the aforesaid purpose:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Leverett Saltonstall, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, acting under the provisions of Acts of 1941, chapter 719, Acts of 1942, chapter 13, and all other authority vested in me, do hereby issue this order as a measure necessary and expedient for meeting the supreme emergency of the existing state of war between the United States and certain foreign countries.

Upon request of the government of the United States or of any agency thereof, and with the approval of the Governor, the Board of Selectmen in any town, the Mayor in any city, the Board of County Commissioners in any county, and the head of any State department is hereby authorized and empowered to restrict the use of, or to close to public use and travel, any public way within the control of said town, city, county or State department.

The power and authority herein conferred may be exercised in such manner, to such extent and by such means as may be deemed necessary or advisable for the protection of any building or location which is in proximity to the way which is proposed to be closed and which is utilized in connection with any activity related to the prosecution of the existing war.

Whenever the public use of, or travel on, any public way is restricted or closed pursuant to the provisions of this order, the Board of Selectmen, Mayor, Board of County Commissioners, or head of a State department, as the case may be, shall prescribe such rules and regulations from time to time as it or he may deem advisable for the use of said way by the abutters thereon and by such other persons as it or he may deem proper.

GIVEN at the Executive Chamber in Boston, this fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and forty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and sixty-sixth.

By His Excellency the Governor,
LEVERETT SALTONSTALL

FREDERIC W. COOK,
Secretary of the Commonwealth

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