USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1893-1895 > Part 1
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1
Melrose Public Library Melrose, Massachusetts
REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS OF MELROSE
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR
ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1893.
MELROSE : DUNTON & POTTER, PRINTERS, REPORTER OFFICE.
1894.
4 M 352 (86.2
MELROSE PUBLIC LIBRARY MELROSE, MASS.
115
TOWN OFFICERS FOR 1893-94.
SELECTMEN.
DANIEL NORTON, Chairman,
W. A. WATERHOUSE,
C. W. COOK, E. H. MOORE, SIDNEY H. BUTTRICK.
TOWN CLERK. JOHN LARRABEE.'
TREASURER. GEORGE NEWHALL.
COLLECTOR OF TAXES. ADDISON LANE.
ASSESSORS.
HENRY A. LEONARD,
Term expiries 1894.
GEO. C. STANTIAL, Chairman,
66 1896.
DEXTER PRATT,
WATER COMMISSIONERS.
WILBUR D. FISKE, Chairman,"
Term Expires 1895.
GEO. L. MORSE,
1896.
GEORGE J. BICKNELL,
66
1894.
WATER LOAN SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS.
DANIEL RUSSELL, Chairman, ROYAL P. BARRY, JOHN W. FARWELL,
Term expires 1896.
66
1894.
66
1895.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
JOHN O. NORRIS, Chairman,
Term expires 1896.
66
1896.
JOHN C. MAKER,
1894.
MRS. ARETHUSA K. MILLER,
1894.
WILLIAM D. STEWART,
66
1895.
ELLA F. McDONALD,
66
1895.
TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
ELBRIDGE H. GOSS, Chairman,
Term expires 1896.
1895.
CHARLES A. PATCH, Treasurer,
1896.
MARY L. CHARLES, Secretary,
66 1894.
RUBY F. FARWELL,
66
1895.
GEO. E. MUNROE,
66
1894.
AUDITOR. EDWIN C. GOULD.
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS. WALTER B. ELLIS.
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
HENRY G. FIELDS, Chairman, J. T. NOWELL, .
Term expires 1894.
1896.
MRS. MARTHA D. BALE,
66
1895.
1895.
BESSIE B. DEARBORN,
CHARLES C. BARRY,
4
TOWN OFFICERS FOR 1893-94.
BOARD OF HEALTH.
JOHN DIKE, M. D., Secretary, FRANK L. WASHBURN,
Term expires 1894. 66 1896.
JOHN E. SANBORN, M. D., Chairman,
1895.
PARK COMMISSIONERS.
M. G. COCHRANE,
Term expires 1894
CHAS. H. ADAMS, Chairman,
1896.
GEORGE T. BROWN, .
66
1895.
REGISTRARS OF VOTERS.
ALFRED HOCKING, Chairman, WALTER BABB,
66 1895.
VICTOR C. KIRMES,
66
66 1894.
JOHN LARRABEE, Town Clerk, ex-officio.
CONSTABLES. FRANK M. MCLAUGHLIN.
ANSEL B. PIERCE, OSBORNE E. DROWN,
C. F. W. FOGG.
ENGINEERS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT.
A. WILBUR LYNDE, Chief, ALBON W. PARKER,
SAMUEL LEAR, Clerk.
FOREST FIRE WARDS.
DEXTER PRATT, Chairman, CALVIN LOCKE,
CHASE C. WORTHEN Clerk,
JAMES MARSHALL,
HENRY, BARRON.
MEASURERS OF WOOD AND BARK, WEIGHERS OF HAY AND COAL. CHARLES B. GOSS, SETH E. BENSON, FRED H. GOSS.
COMMITTEE ON CEMETERIES.
GEORGE NEWHALL, Chairman, DANIEL RUSSELL,
JOHN LARRABEE, Secretary.
FENCE VIEWERS.
DEXTER PRATT,
WALTER C. STEVENS,
OTIS HOWARD,
FRANK GIBBONS.
POUND KEEPER. INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS. DEXTER PRATT.
JOSEPH EDWARDS.
INSPECTOR OF MILK AND SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, INSPECTOR OF PROVISIONS AND ANIMALS. FRANK M. MCLAUGHLIN.
POLICE OFFICERS.
PERMANENT FORCE.
F. M. MCLAUGHLIN, Chief, JEROME T. SMITH, CHARLES F. W. FOGG, HARRY BROWN,
OSBORNE E. DROWN, WILLIAM A. CASWELL, REDFORD M. RAND, GEORGE E. FULLER.
SPECIAL OFFICERS.
JAMES DAVIDSON, A. WILBUR LYNDE,
GEORGE W. BURKE, JOSEPH D. LORD, JOHN M. HAMLIN.
ALLSTON H. PINEO, JOHN W. DAVIS, WM. H. LIVINGSTON, ARTHUR L. BRIGHAM, H. T. AINSLIN,
FIELD DRIVERS.
Term expires May 1, 1896
5
TOWN OFFICERS FOR 1893-94.
PRECINCT OFFICERS.
PRECINCT NUMBER ONE.
WARDEN. RUFUS S. CARPENTER.
CLERK. C. W. HARLOW.
W. C. JOHNSTON,
E. G. PEARSON,
WARDEN. S. A. LOVEJOY.
CLERK. J. P. DEERING.
W. A. BURRELL, C. W. COCHRANE,
DEPUTY INSPECTORS.
FRED C. SHEPARD, W. DEH. JONES,
PRECINCT NUMBER THREE.
WARDEN. LEVI S. GOULD.
CLERK. G. B. GROTTENDICK.
INSPECTORS.
E. K. BORDMAN, A. J. BURNETT,
G. G. NEWHALL, HENRY OSBORNE,
DEPUTY INSPECTORS.
DEPUTY WARDEN. C. N. FOWLER.
DEPUTY CLERK. R. D. KILGORE.
SAMUEL LEAR.
E. L. CRAGIN.
DEPUTY WARDEN. W. N. FOLSOM.
DEPUTY CLERK.
E. E. BABB.
INSPECTORS.
C. S. GORDON, J. H. FOWKES.
W. J. LORD,
J. H. ATKINSON.
DEPUTY WARDEN. FRANK Q. BROWN.
DEPUTY CLERK. S. D. FARRAR.
J. J. MCCULLOUGH,
JOHN O. HAYES.
THOS. H. FLYNN,
H. E. JOHNSON.
INSPECTORS.
DEPUTY INSPECTORS.
PRECINCT NUMBER TWO.
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
To the Citizens of Melrose :
The Selectmen have the honor to submit the following report for the year ending December 31st, 1893.
FINANCES.
The gross debt of the town, January Ist, 1893, . $388,000
BORROWED DURING THE YEAR.
Water construction,
$49,000
In anticipation of taxes,
105,800
$154,800
Paid,
114,000
40,800
Gross debt, $428,800
It has been our endeavor to keep within the appropria- tion, and the result shows that in all expenditures, such has been the case, except the soldiers' relief. It has been necessary to exceed the appropriation for soldiers' relief, but the selectmen are compelled by statute to meet the demands of the poor and needy soldiers and their families, or be subjected to a penalty; with this exception, no appro- priations have been exceeded.
Our valuation has continued to increase, although the
8
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
gains in personal estate is scarcely perceptible; the valua- tion is now $8,899,475.00, as compared with the valuation of $8,596,565.00 of last year, an increase of $302,910.00. The development of values in real property, while the personal remains about the same, is one which calls for an increase in the expenditures of nearly every department. With the opening up of new territory, and building thereon, the ordi- nary expenses of running the town, if the demands and needs of those sections are properly attended to, must necessarily increase.
HIGHWAYS.
There are few blessings that any community can have equal to that of having first-class roads. We have given this subject constant and thoughtful attention. We have, during the past year, personally inspected every street in the town. Our first work was to divide the town into five sections, and then lay out the work for the superintendent of streets, at the same time giving our personal supervision to his work. Included in the general term highway ex- penditures, are the building and repairing of streets, laying of gutters, setting crossings and edge stones, and trimming and removing of trees. Through the centre of the town it is comparatively easy to keep the streets in good condition, but the hillsides and low lands are a source of constant at- tention and expense. Many of our streets are laid at such a grade that the heavy rains and melting snow of the early spring produce such a flow of water as to wash out the gravel from the road-bed and leave the street in such a con- dition that it is necessary to build it anew, and others, in the low lands, were originally built by spreading a few loads of gravel over the meadow land, without building a suitable foundation, and the result is, that in a very short time, both
9
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
street and sidewalk have sunk below the grade. These de- fects, we trust, will not occur in any new streets that the town may accept in the future. Your appropriation for the highways this year was $16,000, with the balance from last year of $141.22, making a total of $16,141.22. If we could have had this amount clear, it would have been ample to have done all that was needed, and to satisfy every demand, but there had already been expended $1,477.76 before the annual meeting, which left $14,663.46, and at the annual meeting it was voted to build an extension to Washington street, from the factory at the Fells to the Malden line, which took $1,300 more, and it was also voted to build a sidewalk from Sylvan street to the Maplewood line, on Leb- anon street, at an expense of $250, this left us with about $13,000 to keep in repair over 50 miles of streets and gut- ters. We have spent nearly all this money, but we have the satisfaction of knowing that the money has been honestly and economically expended, and the new work done and the general good condition of our streets show that it was well done. We have built the extension of Washington street, and practically rebuilt Howard street and Main street, from Franklin street to the Wakefield line, the two last being paid for by the Lynn and Boston R.R. Co., and the work done on these reflects great credit on our superin- tendent of streets for the very excellent manner in which they are built; we have made repairs on 51 streets, which is shown in detail in the report of the superintendent.
IO
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
The following streets have been laid out and accepted by the town since the last annual report:
Name of Street.
Length in Width in feet
feet
Accepted
Expense to the Town Land Damages
Construction
Chester street. .
256.10
40
Apr. 25.
None.
None.
Florence street ext.
247.12
40
Bartlett street
370
40
Nov. 23.
Everett street
510.41
40
Frances street .
655
40
Ashmont street.
611
40
Ashmont place
195
40
Crescent avenue .
1422
40
Potter street.
305
40
Malvern street
240
40
-
66
Gibbons street
312.68
40
Beech avenue
1044.9
40
Park street ext.
144.79
40
Spear street
750
40
To properly build and repair the streets, it is necessary that the material used should be of the best. Good gravel is difficult to obtain, and we must of necessity use crushed stone; the stone-crusher has not been in use the past year, as we did not deem it advisable to make any last- ing work on our streets on account of the immediate pros- pect of laying the sewers throughout the town. We have, however, commenced work at the crusher, as we felt it necessary to provide work for those citizens out of employment, and also to have the material ready for use in the spring. Another reason why crushed stone has not been employed on our streets is that the steam roller is not heavy enough to do the work properly, and we recommend that the town purchase a new steam road roller, so as to be ready to follow immediately upon the building of good streets as soon as the sewer is laid. We wish to bear testimony to the usefulness of our present
II
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
steam roller, which has been in almost constant use during the past year, but its days are numbered, and it is not in a condition to be of any further use to the town. With a steam road roller of about 16 tons build, plenty of crushed stone, and a practical man to superintend the work, there is no reason why Melrose should not have as good streets as any town in the Commonwealth. We are indebted to the fire department for the use of the horses purchased for them; they have been employed in various ways for the use of the highways, principally in the sprinkling of the streets, but they have also been used in other directions, and their purchase by the town has been a good investment. We would also recommend that a new watering cart be bought and five horses, to be used in the highway department. Macadam- ized roads must be kept wet to preserve them, and a day's sprinkling not only saves many loads of gravel and crushed stone, but serves to relieve the people from the annoyance of the dust, which on windy days is blown about the streets.
The town paid during the past year $3,601.83 for the hiring of horses. Five horses can be bought for $1,000 ; the keeping of the same would not be over $750 a year, and it would be a saving if the horses were owned by the town. We have kept five horses in use the greater part of the year. We are confident that this number will earn, according to the figures of the superintendent of streets' pay-roll for the year 1893, the sum of $2,400. In this connection, there arises the need of the town procuring a lot of land upon which to erect a stable and suitable buildings for the storage of the town property. This could be secured somewhere near the centre of the town and adjacent to the railway, and could be also used for the purposes of the water and sewer departments, as it will be necessary to have on hand a large quantity of pipe for both of these departments.
12
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
This may seem to be proposing a large outlay of money, but we must, sooner or later, arrive at a time when necessity will demand it. The value of land in the locality, desirable for such uses as we have stated, is constantly increasing, and we have prepared articles for the warrant of the annual town meeting relating to these recommendations, and earn- estly hope that you will give it serious consideration.
MAIN STREET WIDENING.
The town voted at the November meeting to appropriate the sum of $1,500 to be used towards the widening of Main street. We commenced immediately upon the work, and gave employment to thirty-one men. The work continued until the weather obliged us to cease, but in the short time "allowed a great deal was done. All the trees necessary to be removed have been taken down; the number removed being twenty-one; the curb stones set back, and the street widened to its proper width from Mt. Vernon street to Upham street on the east side, and from Wyoming avenue to Essex street, and including the Town Hall lot on the west side, and of the appropriation $1,419.29 has been expended.
PERKINS STREET EXTENSION.
This street is now practically completed, and by the time this report will be in print, the county commissioners will have been notified that the street is ready for their accept- ance.
STREET RAILWAYS.
The extension of the street railway through the town, with its many different questions as to location, methods of
I3
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
building, and motive power, has been the cause of much discussion by the citizens, and of much thought on the part of your board to see that the rights of the town should be carefully maintained, at the same time to grant all the privileges necessary to the railway company, that they might properly accommodate their patrons. Not only the citizens of our town have been interested in this matter, but delegations of citizens from Saugus, Wakefield and Stone- ham have been present at the public hearings and at the meetings of the board. So much has been said on this matter, that we deem it of interest to give the citizens a correct account of our doings with the Lynn & Boston R.R. Co. On the 9th of May the president, Mr. Breed, and the general manager, Mr. Foster, met with the board to consider the question of the company laying their tracks through Howard street to the Saugus line. A permit had been granted by the previous board, which seemed to us to give more privileges than should be given for the best interest of the town, and before they commenced their work we considered it necessary to make some changes in their permit, and as a result of the conference the following permit was granted on the 16th of May :
"The East Middlesex Street Railway Co., and their successors, are hereby granted a permit to lay tracks, with the necessary sidings, poles and equipments for electric street railway service on Howard street from Green street to the Saugus line, subject to the following conditions and restrictions :
" First, The company shall replace the wooden poles they have put in position on Main street and Green street with suitable iron poles.
"Second, Said road and sidings, or turnouts, shall be laid with such rails as shall be approved of by the board of selectmen.
"Third, The road between the tracks and for the distance
I4
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
of twenty inches outside the rails, shall be paved with granite blocks.
" Fourth, The poles shall be of iron, from Green street to the culvert, and from thence to the Saugus line may be of southern pine, properly champered and painted and placed in position at points indicated by the board of selectmen.
"Fifth, The trolley wire shall be not less than 191/2 feet above the top of the rail.
"Sixth, The tracks shall be laid in the centre of the street.
"Seventh, The street shall be graded and built to the width of fifty feet, and to be of safe and convenient con- struction for public travel, and the same shall be satisfactory to the board of selectmen. All expense attending said work to be borne and paid for by said East Middlesex Rail- way Co., or their successors.
"Eighth, All work shall be done to the satisfaction of said board of selectmen, and shall be completed within three months from June Ist, 1893, otherwise this permit is null and void.
" Ninth, All permits heretofore granted said corporation, or their successors, to lay tracks in above location are hereby revoked."
At the time this permit was granted it was understood that the poles on Main street would be removed at once, but it was not until after a meeting with Mr. Foster, on the 27th of July, that they were removed. It appeared that the reason for not removing them any earlier, was, that they were not sure of being granted locations again for their poles, but on the 27th of July they were granted the follow- ing :
" Permission is hereby granted to the Lynn & Boston R.R. Co. to set iron poles, as may be required for the operation of its line by electricity, from No. 244 Main street, to within two poles of the car stables on Franklin street."
By the request of the company the time for the comple- tion of building of the road was extended until Dec. Ist,
I5
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
1893, and when they were ready to build the road the following agreement was made :
"In consideration of the Lynn & Boston R. R. Co. agree- ing to pay the sum of fifteen hundred (1,500) dollars, to be applied to the grading and filling of Howard street, from Green street to the Saugus line, we hereby cancel the seventh clause of the permit granted May 16th, 1893."
This was satisfactorily carried out, and not only gave the citizens of the town an opportunity to work, but we were sure of having a good road, and the money was not all expended that was received. The permit granted them to extend their road from Franklin street to the Wakefield line, having expired by limitation (Aug. Ist, 1893), they requested the board to extend the time to Dec. Ist, but it was decided not to do so, and if they desired to build the road it would be necessary to call another public hearing, which was ordered for Aug. 28th, 1893, and on the 29th of August the following permit was granted :
The Lynn & Boston R.R. Co. are hereby granted a per- mit to lay a track on Main street, from Franklin street to the Wakefield line, with the privilege of using electricity as a motive power on its cars, and the right to erect and main- tain the necessary poles and wires for the operation of its road by electricity, subject to the following conditions:
First, Said road shall be laid with such rails as shall be approved by the board of selectmen.
Second, The road between the tracks and for the distance of eighteen inches outside the rails, shall be paved with granite blocks.
Third, The poles shall be of iron and placed in position at points indicated by the selectmen.
Fourth, The trolley wires shall be not less than 191/2 feet above the top of the rail.
Fifth, The track shall be laid in the centre of the street.
Sixth, The street shall be graded and built, and to be of safe and convenient construction for public travel, to the satisfaction of the board of selectmen.
16
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
Seventh, All work shall be done to the satisfaction of the board of selectmen, and shall be completed by the first day of October, 1893, otherwise this permit is null and void.
An agreement was made as follows :
In consideration of the Lynn and Boston R. R. Co. agree- ing to pay the sum of seven hundred dollars ($700), to be applied to the grading and filling of Main street, from Franklin street to the Wakefield line, we hereby cancel the sixth clause of the permit granted August 29, 1893.
Work was commenced immediately, and the road was completed within the time allowed in the permit.
By the vote of the town at the November meeting, appro- priating money for the widening of Main street, we were enabled to grant permanent locations for iron poles, and now the cars are being run by electricity through the town. The company agreed to make one fare from Malden to the Stoneham and Wakefield line, and the Wakefield company also agreed to make one fare from Wakefield to Melrose, but have failed to keep their part. The Lynn and Boston R. R. Co. is ready to do so as soon as the Wakefield company keep their part of the agreement.
It seemed to some of our citizens that the conditions imposed upon the company were too strict, and that possi- bly the extensions would not be built on that account, but it ought to be clearly understood that the franchise granted to use our streets without pay or compensation is of great value to any corporation, and while it was, perhaps, from the company's standpoint, to endeavor to remove some of the restrictions, by making certain statements that they could not build the road under the permits granted, we were confident that they would not relinquish their franchise . under any considerations ; and the result clearly shows that, by insisting on the town receiving all the benefits it was possible to make, we not only have two good roads graded
17
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
and widened, at the company's expense, but we have an excellent service from the company. They also contributed the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars toward the water- ing of Main street.
ELECTRIC LIGHT AND TELEPHONE POLES.
The introduction of electric lighting in private houses, and the universal system of lighting our streets by elec- tricity, has caused a great increase in the number and size of the poles used, and the use of the telephone becoming more general, has necessitated the placing of many of their poles throughout the town. The tall, unsightly poles are really an eyesore, and in many cases a nuisance to neigh- boring property, but it must under the present condition be endured. We have endeavored to keep down the num- ber of poles, and where practicable have had the electric light and telephone wires placed upon the same poles. It is very evident that within a short time all wires will be obliged to be placed in conduits under ground, and we shall hail with delight when these masts are removed from our streets.
STREET LIGHTS.
During the year the streets have been lighted by the Mal- den Electric Light Co., under a contract dated July Ist, 1893, wherein they agreed to furnish the town with thirty-three (33) arc lamps, of twelve hundred (1200) candle power each, and three hundred and twenty (320) incandescent lamps, of twenty-five (25) candle power each, and to light said lamps from dark until midnight on twenty-five (25) nights upon an average in each month, during the time of
2
18
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
this agreement, for the sum of six hundred and sixty-two and 50-100 ($662.50) dollars per month. In addition to this the company agreed on August 22d, 1893, that the lights should be kept burning until 12.15 a.m. Since the above contract was made it has been found necessary, on account of the acceptance by the town of new streets, to arrange for a new circuit of forty (40) incandescent lamps and three (3) arc lamps. The service given us by the Malden Electric Light Co. has been quite satisfactory. We are aware that some complaints have been made, and justly too, in regard to some of their lamps, but we know that as soon as their attention was drawn to the matter, the fault was rectified. A patrol from the company is in the town every evening and goes over every route through the month, and the police are directed to report at the station all poor and deficient lighting, and we will take this occasion to state that if any citizen notices that lights in his neighborhood are not burn- ing, or are poor, that a postal sent to the police station will receive immediate attention, and the lights made good.
POOR DEPARTMENT.
Recommendations have been made to the town in the past, that it would be wise and proper to establish an alms- house or poor-farm. We wish to emphasize the needs of the town in that direction. As the poor department is now managed, it is plainly to be seen that it cannot, in the very nature of things, be done economically or satisfactorily. Orders are given to the poor for a certain amount, upon which they can obtain groceries, etc., at the stores. No restrictions as to the kind or quality of the articles pur- chased are put upon the applicants, and they may regale themselves upon luxury for a day, and fast for the rest of
19
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
the week, if they choose. If these same persons were taken care of at an almshouse, it could be done at a saving to the town. At the time of its purchase, the Pratt farm was thought of for that purpose. We commend this matter to the citizens for their serious attention.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
This department under the efficient control of the chief, F. M. McLaughlin, has faithfully done its duty in maintain- ing order, and the observance of the laws. Some little criticism has been made regarding the number of intoxi- cated persons arrested during the year, thus inferring that liquor could be procured easily in the town, but from inves- tigation we are satisfied that ninety per cent. of the cases arrested came into the town in that condition, or brought the liquor with them from out of town. The records show that a majority of the arrests were made between Saturday night and Monday. The police have been active in their efforts to discover and close up all places where liquor could be found, and we are desirous of expressing thus publicly our satisfaction and commendation of the excellent work of the police in looking after the welfare of the town.
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