[p. 70] plain to Cambridge, and for some time a way having been made use of, leading to Charlestown which way not appointed by any Court as can be found on record.
And the said way may be turned and altered for conveniency of, and less charge to the town of Charlestown, and less prejudicial to the proprietors of said farms. . . .
The committee report that
having heard the Hon. John Usher and Mr. David Jeffreys concerning the changing of the way, which now is, and has been made use of by the Country, this many years, unto a way which they proposed to be laid out over sorrelly plain to Winters Brook, which way we judge considerable further, and the way much worse, both for teams and travellers.
The Hon. John Usher having shown us a way between two Bridges, near his Spring: which runs southwest and into Menotomy road that leads to Charlestown, and that also is in use and further than the old road is, as it was formerly used
—The committee's report ends rather abruptly, no recommendation being attached to it.
The course of the road was not changed; the evident design of the petitioners was to have that part of Main street running over
Winter hill abandoned, and a new way laid out, across the plain, coming out upon the
Menotomy road, at or near where the railroad bridge at North Somerville now stands, that being the point where Winters brook crosses the
Menotomy road.
The two bridges referred to were over Winters and Twopenny brooks, and the
Sorrelly plain was situated between Main street and Broadway on the north and south, and between the two brooks on the east and west.
The
Sugar Loaf road (leading from Woburn street across Winthrop street, east of
Sugar Loaf hill, into the woodlands) Ramshead and Brooks lanes were laid out as ways to the woodlots and pastures in the north part of the town.
The irregular course of Brooks lane at its southerly end, with its sharply defined angles, as
