Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1882, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Town of Plymouth
Number of Pages: 122


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RECEIVED JUL 0 1 1991


PLYMOUTH, WO


Plymouth Public Library Plymouth, Mass.


3


E


Gregory Syer Eagle Scout Project 1991


388888888888


This Is Produced By The Photoduplication Program Of The Plymouth Public Library Plymouth, Massachusetts


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ANNUAL REPORT


-OF THE-


TOWN OFFICERS


OF THE


TOWN OF PLYMOUTH


-FOR THE-


FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING JANUARY FIRST


1882.


HIR


TOGETHER WITH THE


974.48. ANN 1882


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.


PLYMOUTH : AVERY & DOTEN, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS, 1882.


REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.


The Selectmen respectfully submit the following report for he year eighteen hundred and eighty-one.


The Treasurer's books have been examined and found correct and all payments properly vouched.


The Treasurer is charged for the year with : -


Cash on hand, January 1, 1881


$16,257 74


Dog fund from the county 540 86


School fund from State of Massachusetts 211 02


Sale of school books. 1,001 55


Armory rent reimbursements


250 00


Poor reimbursements


1,476 26


Water rents, labor and materials


11,923 34


Circus licenses


37.50


Pedlor licenses


13 00


Interest on Training Green fund


23 44


Interest from delinquent taxes


320 95


vidend from Old Colony National Bank 400 00


Agawam and Halfway Pond fisheries 132 50


Mobate of interest on loans


2 62


Finos, violation Town By-laws


25 00


le of lots in Vine Hills Cemetery


401 20


Road department reimbursements


486 15


State aid refunded.


2,507 75


Indigent aid refunded


398 71


Amount carried forward.


$36,403 59


4


Amount brought forward. $36,409 59


National Bank tax from State 2,828 59


Corporation tax from the State


4,922 69


Insane poor reimbursements 191 52


Contingent reimbursements 236 08


State aid reimbursements 91 63


Interest on Warren fund. 50 00


60 00


Taxes, 1878


14 26


Taxes, 1879


983'12


Taxes, 1880


3,586 20


Taxes, 1881


60,154 27


School reimbursements.


2 78


Transfer from water works to pump account


113 24


Liquor licenses.


603 00


New road reimbursements


448 80


Transfer from abatement account to school build-


ings 1,800 00


Sale herring brooks


47 00


Widows' reimbursements


14 00


$112,556 77


The Treasurer is credited with payments as follows : Trustees Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad sinking


fund


$1,500 0Q


State tax


3,720 00


County tax


4,909 81


National Bank tax


3,716 70


Corporation tax


13 27


Vine Hills Cemetery


469 32


Widows' distribution 148.00


Water works interest on loans and extensions .


13,203 22


Amount carried forward $27,680 32


Fire department reimbursements


5


Amount brought forward. $27,680 32


Tatch and police


1,173 30


reasurer


500 00


own debt and interest account 6,219 49


exton 125 00 tate aid


2,557 50


chools


19,505 74


loads and bridges


6,856 02


Tew roads


8,746 29


nsane poor


1,741 15


Poor


7,837 41


fire department


2,452 74


Burial Hill .


200 00


Jontingent.


4,032 46


Lighting streets and Town House


1,170 74


Assessors


662 71


Plymouth Public Library


270 43


Agawam and Halfway Pond fisheries


45 50


Warren fund


30 72


Collector of taxes


428.37


Indigent soldiers' aid


770 41


Oak Street school building


2,176 48


Stone street crossings


76 80


Abatements


2,969 14


Transfer from school building to schools


2 78


State of Massachusetts, one quarter liquor licenses, Fresh Brook fishery


150 75


11 80


Cash on hand 14,162 72


$112,556 77


6


The undrawn balances of the several appropriations aro as follows :


Abatements $1,227 15


Assessors.


105 70


Watch and police 68 24


Stone crossings


137 92


Town debt


596 38


Roads and bridges


630 13


Schools .


95 98


Insane poor


57 94


Vine Hills Cemetery


460 30


Oak Street school-house 423 52


Poor ..


811 27


Warren fund


1,035 63


Fresh Brook. 10 92


599 81


$6,260 89


The overdrawn balances of the soveral appropriations are as follows :


Lighting streets and Town House


21 38


Fire Department. 20 24


Indigent State Aid 378 94


Water Works


2,210 74


Contingent


193 60


New roads


4,228 50


Collector of taxes 2 11


$7,055 51


Training Green fund


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TOWN DEBT.


WATER LOAN FUNDED.


Seventy $1000 six per cent. bonds, pay-


able June 1, 1885 $70,000 00


Twenty $1000 six por cent. bonds ; due August 1, 1894 . 20,000 00


Note to Plymouth Savings Bank, due 1


April 1, 1890, at 5 per cent . . 6,000 00


Note to Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank, due August 2, 1890, at 4} per cont 6,000 00


$102,000 00 DUXBURY & COHASSET RAILROAD LOAN.


$40,000 seven por cent. bouds, due April 1, 1884. 40,000 00


TEMPORARY DEBT.


Note to State of Massachusetts, pay- ablo April 3, 1883 $5,000 00


Note to State of Massachusetts, pay- able February 3, 1883 6,724 65


Noto to Plymouth Savings Bank, pay- ablo Suptombor 18, 1883 10,000 00


Noto to Plymouth Savings Bank, on demand . 11,000 00


Notes to sundry parties on demand


. .


4,900 00


Amounts carried forward $37,624 65 $142,000 00


8


Amounts brought forward $37,624 65 $142,000 00


ENGINE HOUSE LOAN.


Note to H. Sherman, payable January 19,1882 600 00


Note to P. Hedge, payable January 12, 1882 1,200 00


Note to heirs T. Manter, payable De- cember 31, 1881 500 00


Note to Plymouth Savings Bank on demand 3,000 00


Undrawn balances of the several de- partments 6,260 89


$49,185 54


Less-


Uncollected taxes 1880 .... $1,053 70


Uncollected taxes 1881 ... 6,746 31


State aid due from State of Massachusetts. 2,557 50


Indigent soldiers' aid due from State 391 47


Cash on hand


14,162 72


$24,911 70


$24,273 84


Indebtedness Dec. 31, 1881


$166,273 84


Indebtedness Dec. 31, 1880


169,115 83


Decrease of debt, 1881 . .


$2,841 99


9


Which is made up of the following items :


Gain in bank tax over estimates ... $328 59


Gain in corporation tax over estimates 709 42


Liquor licenses


452 25


Difference in overdrawn balances


57 17


Sale of Herring brooks ...


47 00


Two-thirds dividend Old Colony Bank


266 67


Agawam fishery


87 00


Gain in non-resident bank tux


17 18


Miscellaneous receipts. ..


85 08


Gain in Stato aid, balance old account


91 63


Payment on principal, En-


gine house loan


1,000 00


$3,141 99


Less amount estimated as


.


revenue


300 00


$2,841 99


With the exception of the payment of $1,000 on the principal of the debt classed as Engiue House Loan the funded and tem- porary debt remains the same as reported last year. The cash balance as shown by the Treasurer's account has been increased by miscellaneous receipts covered into the treasury, in excess of the amount estimated as revenue for the year in the sum of $1,841.99, and including the payment above mentioned of $1000, shows a reduction in the debt of $2,841.99 the past year. The Sinking Fund to provide for the payment of loans in-


10


curred on account of subscriptions to stock in the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad amounts to $16,906.01 against $14,291.39 re- ported last year, showing a gain for the year of $2,614.62.


The Water Scrip Sinking Fund with its accumulation amounts to $2,096.29, a gain for the year of $182.57. Both sinking funds now amount to $19,002.30 leaving the net indebtedness of the town $147,271.54. The net debt exclusive of water loans is $47,376.83 equivalent to one and one-ninth per cont. on the assessed valuation of the Town, a sum less than is annually required and appropriated to meet current expenses.


It has been the practice in stating the indebtedness of the town, to include in the liabilities the unexpended balances of the several departments. This practice temporarily increases the debt statement, as by covering balances into the treasury at the close of the year as is the practice in many places, they would cease to be reported as a liability of the town. But as the appropriations for the following year would be correspond- ingly increased, it has not been thought advisable to change the practice.


Included in the undrawn balances aro amounts standing to the credit of the Warren fund of $1,000, and to the credit of Training Green fund of $599.81. These balances differ from other balances, inasmuch as they do not belong to departments requiring annual appropriations to meet current expenses.


The former amount when received was applied towards the payment of the indebtedness of the town and credited to that fund, with interest allowed at the same rate paid on other loans, The bequest was made to the town on condition that the income only was to be applied, first to the care of the tomb and lot of Richard Warren, the balance to the improvement of Burial Hill. The amount, so far as the investment is concerned, can; not be considered as a liability for which payment will ever have to be made by the town.


.


11


The Training Green fund has been derived from the amount received for the rent of the grounds in former years, the same having been deposited in the Five Cents Savings Bank, and with the accumulations represent its present value; it can be disposed of at any time by action of the town, or covered into the treasury, and both amounts can be applied to reduce the liabilities of the town.


There has been paid during the year on account of indigent aid $770.11. The amount to be reimbursed by the State will leave a deficiency of $378.94 to be provided for.


The action against the suroties of the late Collector is still pending and will be pressed to trial at the earliest opportunity. It is not believed that it can be postponed beyond the term of the Court in May.


Proposals looking to a settlement have not been accepted, and no satisfactory offers have been made by the defendants.


The amount of uncollected taxes is somewhat in excess of last year, being $7,801 against $5,637.28 last year; but taking into account the large amount committed to the Collector, is not proportionately greater.


Unless the appropriations recommended by the Selectmen should be increased at the annual meeting, the rate of taxation will not be likely to exceed that of last year.


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TOWN DEBT AND INTEREST ACCOUNT.


1880.


CR.


Dec. 31. By balance from old account, $492 50


1881.


April 4. By appropriation 6,000 00 Oct. 6 and 12. By rebate interest on loans 2 62


Dec. 31. By interest from deliquent taxes 320 95


- $6,816 07


CONTRA, DR.


To payment on Engine house loan ... $1,000 00 interest on Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad loan 2,800 00


interest on temporary debt 2,343 74


interest on loans in anticipation of


taxes


75 95


6,219 69


Undrawn $596 38


To provide for the interest on permanent and temporary loans in addition to a payment of $1,000 on account Engine house loan, will require an appropriation of $5,700, which is recom? mended.


13


ROADS AND BRIDGES.


CR.


By appropriation


$7,505 10


reimbursements


486 15


$7,991 25


DR.


To balance old account


$505 10


payment, 1881


6,856 02


7,361 12


$630 13 Undrawn


The amount expended on roads and bridges and permanent improvement on sidewalks, less the earnings of the teams in other departments, is $6,369.87, being $493.80 less expended than for the previous year. Included in this amount there has been expended for permanent improvements on sidewalks, and for laying 784 yards of concrete walks on Court, Leyden, Sum- mer and North Streets, $657.21. Under a vote of the town the Selectmen were instructed to include in their appropriation an- pually the sum of $500 for the improvement of sidewalks, and that the sidewalks from Town Square to Samoset Street, as the main avenue, be permanently improved. In compliance with these instructions, the larger portion of the work has been done on that line of street and a permanent sidewalk has been con- structed on the east side from North Street to Depot Avenue ; a considerable portion of the walk on the west side has also been supplied with a walk of the same material and furnished for a portion of the way with stone curbing. ₹


. In case the abutters north of Vernon Street can be induced to contribute a portion of the expense for furnishing curbing, the remainder of the walk on the west side may be nearly or


14


quite completed the present year. The Selectmen have adopted the rule to apply to other streets within the thickly settled por- tions of the town, whenever application is made by abutters, to: contribute one half the cost of concreting the sidewalks abutting their premises ou the street, and the improvements on Leyden and North Streets have been made in conformity with it ; the amount has been included in the sum reported as expended for sidewalk improvement.


. The general repairs of sidewalks with other materials than concrete is not included in the sum set apart for permanent im- provement of sidewalks, but is charged to the ordinary repairs of roads and bridges. There has been expended in connection with the ordinary repairs of roads the past year, a larger sum than usual for paving of gutters, some 3000 feet having boon laid on Russell, Court, South and North Streets.


The repairs on Russell Street, as well as on Court and South, are permanent improvements, and a much less sum than form- erly will bo required in the future to keep them in good condi- tion.


Improvements have been made in other sections of the town, including some $300 expended on the road to South Pond, which has been appreciated by those who have had occasion to travel over that road for the past few years. The roads in general have been kept, it is believed, up to the requirements of public travel, as far as the appropriation would permit. Very much more could and would be desirable to have been accom- plished ; but with so large an extent of roads, nearly or quite eighty miles within the limits of the town, and annually in; creasing, nothing like permanent improvement can be attempted outside the limits of the thickly settled portions of the town. ..


.


The absence of snow for the past two years has relieved the road department from a considerable portion of its usual ex penditure, and has consequently allowed a larger amount to be expended on permanent and temporary repairs.


.


-- ---- --


15


The scarcity of good road material and how to provide it is ecoming a serions question, and must necessarily increase the ost of maintaining roads in the future.


It is difficult at present to estimate with any degree of cer- inty what appropriation may be required for roads and ridges, until bills for the removal of snow have been deter- ined, and the matter will be deferred until that time.


NEW ROADS.


DR.


o payments on Water Street extension. $8,559 98


award paid Clark Finney for land damage on Cliff Street


50 00


payments on Allerton Street


136 31


- $8,746 29


OR.


'y balance from old account.


568 99


reimbursement on account Water


Street extension


448 80


appropriation 3,500 00


$4,517 79


Overdrawn


$4,228 50


¿. The expenditures for new roads have been larger than nticipatod, from causes which could not have been wholly preseen when the estimates were submitted to the town. At be date of the last report the petitions for the extension of Water Street had not been fully considered, and was not finally eported upon until the April meeting, when the matter was wrought before the town by the laying out of the Selectmen, which located the road on the line of the shore for reasons which were then submitted, and, after being fully discussed at


16


that and a subsequent meeting, was adopted, and the Select- men instructed to build the road in accordance with the plans of the engineer, which was prepared to give to the Town before taking action in the matter, the exact location which had been decided upon by the Selectmen in their report to the Town, The freight and travel by this route to and from the Old Colony Railroad station to the southern and lower portion of the Town, will find a shorter and easier route by avoiding the dis- tance and grade of North Street, which was one of the main reasons for the road urged by the petitioners and considered in the laying out, and has been agitated since the opening of the rail' road, but has been delayed by the opposition of land owners and the large expenditure which was considered unavoidable in its construction.


The estimates submitted by the Selectmen for building the road were based upon the opinion of road builders and those who had experience in such work, and the cost would not have exceeded their estimates for any considerable amount, had it not been found necessary to make some changes and support the road and protect it from the sea by a longer sea-wall than was at first thought necessary, and which could be done while the contractor was on the ground with the necessary tools for doing the work, at less expense than at any other time.


In laying out the road from Water to Howland Street, it Was impossible to locate the road with straight lines without in curring very large expenses for damage to property and land owners, and having high embankments on the upper side, which would have been costly to maintain. The cost would so far have exceeded the views of ovon the advocates of the road thal it is probable few, if any, would have been found to support:it? The land damage charged was so excessive on the location first made by the engineer between Ocean Place and the landed Josiah A. Robbins, which was ten feet above the location finall made and accepted by the Town, that the change was made


17


partly to avoid it, and with the belief that a curve or angle in the road between these points, where the road could serve no other purpose than accommodate the travel which from other portions of the road would divide at Ocean Place, would not be either serious or objectionable, connecting as it does with a street of no greater width or angles.


While the road was under construction, the advantage to be gained by straightening and widening the road from a point opposite the second angle in the sea wall to a point beyond Ocean Place was more apparent, and negotiations were made with George H. Jackson, the owner of the land and building, or the removal of the building and purchase of a strip of land, naking the road forty feet instead of thirty-five feet wide be- ween the points mentioned. The sum paid for the land was $150, the Town to assume the cost of removing the house and putting it in as good condition as before, which cost, in addition io the land, the sum of $325. The change was made and lia- bility assumed by the Selectmen, as it could not be referred to the Town without delaying the contractor, and with the belief bat the change would meet the approval of the Town, Mr. Jackson making as we considered reasonable terms for the change. An allowance was made by the contractor for the change in the wall to the amount of the damage paid for the land, so that the cost to the Town for the change was $325.


The contractor has finished his work, with the exception of fencing, which will be done as soon as the condition of the ground will permit, and in general has satisfactorily performed his contract.


There romains additional grading to the road bed opposite the land of George H. Jackson, which it is not economy to do until some action is taken by the Town to support the embank- ments against the land of George H. Jackson and J. A. Robbins; and in justice to these abutters, it should be stated that their awards were made with reference to the support 2


18


being furnished by the Town, and we think the Town is equit- ably, if not legally, bound to furnish it. The cost of a support- ing wall, say three to three and a half feet in height, with foundation of small stone, including the .excavation, will prob- ably cost not less than $700, and may equal $1,000, depending on the quality of the work and material required. The road in other respects is in fair condition, and nothing beyond the care which any new road requires is anticipated, unless on some portions where the clay foundation may need special repairs after the frost leaves the ground. Sooner or later a sea wall will be needed as a continuation of the present sea wall to a point fifty to one hundred feet north of Howland Street ; also, opposite the land of Alexander Jackson. At present temporary bulk -. heads have been supplied to protect those exposed places, and may serve the purpose for some time unless a heavy galo from the east should occur on high tides, in which caso the road would be likely to suffer at those points and more permanent work would have to be substituted.


The contract with C. V. Pendleton, Esq., of Norwich, Conn., to. whom it was awarded as the lowest bidder for the sum of $5,315, included the building of the road in accordance with plans and specifications furnished by the Selectmen, also a sea wall four hundred and twenty-six feet in length, of Rockport granite, and a 20-inch drain pipe under that portion of the road covering the brook near the depot. This, together with the land damage, would have made the cost of the road, including the timber furnished by the Town for foundation for sea wall, $7,215.34. There was paid in addition to the above amount of $5,315 to the contractor, for work which it was found necessary to do and not included in his contract, the sum of $115 for widening the road near the depot to fifty feet on top instead of at the foot of the slope and constructing the stone abutment to receive the pipes under the road ; $598.25 for extending the sea wall seventy feet and building a supporting wall back of the


19


house of George H. Jackson ; also, $325 for moving the house from the line of the road to conform to the widening before referred to.


These items, in addition to a bill of sundries of $16.60, makes the sum due and paid the contractor, less the sum of $152.70, allowed by him for change in the sea wall, $6,038.60.


There was paid by the Selectmen in addition $100.34 for lum- ber for foundation for sea wall ; $276.34 for an additional fifteen inch pipe under the road to provide in case of obstructions in the main pipe or from insufficient capacity in case of a freshet ; $124.50 for engineer expenses and plans; $271.41 for sundries, which included additional drains, bulkheads and lumber to pro- teet the road from the action of the sea, and covering the road bed with cinder after the contractor had removed the clay, which, if allowed to remain, and being covered with only the or- dinary covering, would have incurred additional expense for removal as soon as the road should have been opened and sub- jected to heavy travel.


These amounts, together with land damage paid of $1,300, aggregate the sum of $8,111.18, which is the amount expended on the road to the present time. There remains a balance due the contractor when his work is finished of $178.55, and awards for land damage not yet paid of $500, making the cost of the road when these items are paid $8,789.73.


That there was not sufficient allowance made in estimating the cost of such work is clearly shown ip comparing the cost with the estimates. But it is the experience both in public and private works of this nature that estimates are not infallible, and the only sufo rule to follow is to add quite a percentage to estimates, even of the best judges.


To provide for the payment necessary to complete the road, will temporarily add to our appropriations a larger sum than is


20


desirable, but we are of the opinion that the Town will not es gret its decision, and would not part with it even for the return of its cost.


There are petitions now pending for the laying out and widening of Ocean and Drew Places, on which final action has not been taken by the Selectmen. Both roads are neces sary to make connections with the new road, and will, without doubt, in addition to increased accommodation for travel increase the value of the vacant lands on its line which will be wanted for building purposes.


The widening of Howland Street on the north side will also become a necessity which cannot long be delayed.


The County Commissioners have decided to lay out Davis Street from Prospect to Vine Hills Cemetery. The time allowed for its construction, will allow it to be worked by the Town teams at such times as they can be spared from their ordinary work. The widening of the road at Wellingsley has also been decided. upon by the Commissioners, and we anticipate the Town will be instructed to work it during the Spring or earl Summer. The necessity has been apparent for a long time, and travel, especially in the Summer months, willbe accommodated by increased width in that locality. An appropriation to pro- vide for the deficiency and such amounts as are due but not yet paid, will only be provided for in the list of appropriations for the current year.


To distribute as far as possible the burdens, the Selectmen recommend that the amounts which may be expended for ad ditional work on new roads this year, be borrowed and included · in the appropriations for the following year.


21


CONTINGENT ACCOUNT.


DR.


To services Town Clerk $176 10


bell frame Unitarian Church 40 47 C. H. Holmes, looking up and recording deeds of Town property 75 00 rent of halls for Town meetings 70 00 guide boards and setting 44 49


sewer, Robinson Street 61 86


Charles Raymond and others, return of deaths ..


37 00


Ellis Benson, care Town clock


25 00 coal bills, Town House .. 49 62


John Atwood, serving notices, etc 26 25 Arthur Lord, legal services 8 00


stationery, stamps, etc 64 89


bills fire in the woods 297 02


Town forester bills 121 14




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