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TOWN OF PLYMOUTH
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REPORT OF THE TOWN OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1917
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF PLYMOUTH
For the Year Ending Dec. 31 1917
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1620.
SSA
ACHUSE
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PLYMOUTH: THE MEMORIAL PRESS 1918
INDEX
Abstracts of Records
6
Appropriations Recommended
23
Assessors' Report
166
Attendance Officer
276
Board of Health
195
Cemetery Commissioners
173
Fire Department
297
Fish Committee
192
Forest Warden
190
Gypsy and Brown Tail Moth
Account
186
Harbor Master
193
High School Report
260
Inspector of Gardens
270
Town Clerk's Report
127
Inspector of Slaughtering
202
Town Officers
3
Town Warrant
203
Tree Warden
188
Overseers of the Poor
170
Park Commissioners
183
Plymouth Public Library
178
Police Department
159
Primary Supervisor
268
School Committee
237
School Physician
281
School Superintendent
246
Sealer of Weights and Meas-
ures
181
Selectmen's Report
19
Superintendent of Streets
26
Supervisor of Shores
191
Town Accountant
35
Inspector of Milk
199
Town Engineer
194
List of Jurors
207
List of Teachers
278
Water Report
213
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TOWN OFFICERS, 1917
Selectmen-William T. Eldridge, Ephraim D. Bartlett, George W. Bradford, Dexter H. Craig and Henry O. Whiting. Town Clerk-George B. Howland.
Town Treasurer-George B. Howland.
Town Accountant-Richard T. Eldridge.
Collector of Taxes-Herbert W. Bartlett.
Clerk of Selectmen-Richard T. Eldridge.
Assessors-George Harlow, chosen 1915 for three years ; James C. Bates, chosen 1916 for three years; Nathaniel G. Lanman, chosen 1917 for three years.
Overseers of the Poor-Herbert W. Bartlett, chosen 1915 for three years; Charles A. Strong, chosen 1916 for three years; William T. Eldridge, chosen 1917 for three years.
Water Commissioners-John W. Churchill and Robert C. Harlow, chosen 1915 for three years; John H. Damon, chosen 1916 for three years; Eugene H. Dorr and William R. Morton, chosen 1917 for three years.
School Committee-Helen F. Pierce, chosen 1915 for three years; Edward W. Bradford, chosen 1916 for three years; Wal- ter D. Shurtleff, chosen 1917 for three years.
Burial Hill Committee-Cemetery Commissioners.
Agawam and Halfway Pond Herring Fishery Committee- Frank Harlow, Alfred Holmes and Arthur L. Morse.
Cemetery Commissioners-George Mabbett, chosen 1915 for three years; Henry W. Barnes, chosen 1916 for three years; Horace M. Saunders, chosen 1917 for three years.
Park Commissioners-John Russell, chosen 1915 for three years; Thomas R. Watson, chosen 1916 for three years; Ben- jamin F. Raymond, chosen 1917 for three years.
Surveyors and Measurers of Lumber-Edward B. Atwood, Cornelius C. Holmes and Warren S. Bumpus.
Surveyor of Wood and Bark-Alfred C. Finney.
Sealer of Weights and Measures-Frank L. St. George.
Beach Committee-Selectmen.
Superintendent of Streets-John B. Finney.
Field Drivers and Fence Viewers-Charles H. Raymond and Lewis F. Smith.
Superintendent of Water Works-Arthur E. Blackmer.
Collector of Water Rates-N. Reeves Jackson.
Pound Keeper-Russell L. Dickson.
Harbor Master-Alfred Holmes.
Committee on Inland Fisheries-James S. Clark, Warren S. Gale and Geoffrey D. Perrior.
Planning Board-Arthur Lord, LeBaron R. Barker, Francis C. Holmes, George Mabbett and Arthur E. Blackmer.
Board of Registration-George F. Anderson, appointed 1915 for three years ; Charles H. Sherman, appointed 1916 for three years ; Herbert W. Clark. appointed 1917 for three years.
Superintendent of Oak Grove and Vine Hills Cemeteries and Burial Hill-Edward F. Stranger.
Superintendent of Chiltonville Cemetery-Charles Rogers. Superintendent of Manomet Cemetery-George A. Manter. Superintendent of Cedarville Cemetery-James L. Haskell. Sexton-Thomas J. Kennedy.
Superintendent of Almshouse-Russell L. Dickson.
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Board of Health-Harry R. Talbot, chosen 1915 for three years; George H. Jackson, chosen 1916 for three years; Free- man Manter, chosen 1917 for three years.
Fire Commissioner-Robert C. Harlow.
Chief of Police-John Armstrong.
Committee on Sewers-Selectmen.
Tree Warden-Calvin S. Mixter.
Forest Warden-Ira C. Ward.
Local Moth Superintendent-Abbott A. Raymond.
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ABSTRACTS OF RECORDS OF 1917
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, MARCH 24, 1917
FRANK C. SMITH, Moderator.
On motion of Rev. Arthur B. Whitney it was unanimously voted: That the order of business be suspended for the pre- sentation of a resolution, and the following resolution was adopted :
That it be resolved by the Citizens of the Town of Plym- outh, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in Town Meet- ing assembled, this twenty-fourth day of March, 1917.
First: That the necessity be urged upon the President and Congress of the United States, of making immediate and ade- quate preparations to meet the contingencies of war, and for the protection of the lives of American Citizens, on land and sea.
Second: That we pledge to the President our loyal, reso- lute and united support in every measure requisite to the en- forcement and maintenance of our national rights and our national duties.
And that a copy of this resolve be sent, under the seal of the Town of Plymouth, to President Woodrow Wilson, the Senators in Congress from Massachusetts and to the Repre- sentative in Congress from this District.
Then on motion of Mr. Arthur Lord it was unanimously voted: In order that Plymouth may be ready in the event of any national emergency to cooperate with the Federal and State officials to the full extent of her resources, the Board of
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Selectmen are hereby authorized and requested to appoint a committee of fifteen, at least one of whom shall be a member of said board, to be known as the Plymouth Committee of Public Safety, to work under and assist the Governor and the Massachusetts Committee on Public Safety. This Committee shall have power to fill vacancies and increase its membership.
Article three :
On motion of William S. Kyle it was unanimously voted : That the Citizens of Plymouth, in annual Town Meeting as- sembled, respectfully request the Joint Ways and Means Committee of the General Court to report such legislation as will, if enacted, provide for carrying into effect the recom- mendations for Plymouth unanimously agreed upon by the Pilgrim Tercentenary Commission in its report to the pres- ent legislature.
On motion of George B. Howland: voted, that the reports of the several Boards of Officers and Committees of the Town be accepted and placed on file.
Article four :
On motion of Edward L. Burgess: voted, that the Town authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Select- men or a majority thereof, to borrow during the financial year beginning January 1, 1918, in anticipation of the revenue of said year, such sums of money as may be necessary for the current expenses of the Town, but not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand ($250,000.00) dollars, giving the notes of the Town therefor, payable within one year from the dates thereof. All debts incurred under the authority of this vote shall be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Article six :
Mr. Elmer E. Avery moved that the dog fund, amounting to $1,093.96 and the additional sum of $2,906.04 be appro-
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priated for the maintenance of the Plymouth Public Library; the necessary two thirds having voted in the affirmative the motion was carried.
Article seven :
Mr. Elmer E. Avery moved that the Town appropriate the sum of $250.00 in aid of the Manomet Public Library: the necessary two thirds having voted in the affirmative the mo- tion was carried.
Article eight:
Mr. Elmer E. Avery moved that the town appropriate fo- Parks the sum of $1,900.00; the necessary two thirds voting in the affirmative, the motion was carried.
Mr. Elmer E. Avery moved that the Town appropriate for the Training Green the sum of $200.00; the necessary two thirds having voted in the affirmative the motion was carried.
Mr. Elmer E. Avery moved that the Town appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 for granolithic walks on the Training Green, but the motion was lost.
Article nine :
Mr. Elmer E. Avery moved that the Town appropriate the sum of $225.00 to defray the expenses of Memorial Day; more than two thirds voting in the affirmative the motion was car- ried.
Article ten :
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: That the Town authorized the Selectmen to renew any note or notes heretofore authorized, which are now due or may become due the present year, for such time and on such terms as they may deem ex- pedient for the best interests of the Town.
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Article eleven :
On motion of Charles C. Doten, Voted : That the Town auth- orize the Selectmen to transfer from time to time the money from the Reserve Fund, to such other accounts as in their opinion may be necessary.
Article twelve:
On motion of Alton D. Edes, Voted : That the Officers of the Town authorized by law to expend money, may expend between January 1, 1918 and the Annual Town Meeting next following, such amounts as may be required for the expenses of their re- spective departments, not to exceed in the aggregate for each department, the amount expended by such department during any period of the same length during the preceding year, the same to be paid from any moneys in the Treasury to be reim- bursed from the tax levy of that year.
Article thirteen :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That the Town auth- orize the use of $1,400.00 in the Reserve Fund accumulations from overlay of taxes, to reduce the tax levy of 1917.
Article fourteen :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That the Town auth- orize the transfer of the balance of $153.57 remaining to the credit of the New School and Furnishings account, to the ad- dition of the Nathaniel Morton School.
Article fifteen :
On motion of Frederick D. Bartlett, Voted : That the Town authorize the Selectmen to sell and convey, in the name and on behalf of the Town, the school lot and property thereon, on Allerton Street near the junction of Allerton and Samoset Streets, on such terms and conditions as they may think proper.
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Article sixteen :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That the Town auth- orize the use of the balance of $90.98 remaining to the credit of the appropriation for the erection of fences on Stephens Field, for the further improvement of Stephens Field.
Article seventeen :
On motion of William T. Eldridge, it was unanimously vot- ed: That the Town accept the land offered by Mr. Elijah A. Keith, and that the Town Clerk be and hereby is, directed to write in the name of the Town to Mr. Elijah A. Keith thank- ing him and expressing our appreciation of his generosity and public spirit.
Article eighteen :
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: That the Town accept and allow the alteration of Sandwich Street, from Howes Lane north, as altered by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article nineteen :
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: That the Town accept and allow the alteration of Sandwich Street, from Lin- coln Street south, as altered by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article twenty :
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: That the Town accept and allow the layout of Highland Terrace at Manomet, as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article twenty-one :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That action under this article be indefinitely postponed.
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Article twenty-two:
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That the Town ap- propriate $2,000.00 for building a sidewalk at Manomet, on the Northerly and Easterly side of the State Highway, from a point opposite the Church to a point near the waiting station at Fresh Pond, or any part of the foregoing distance.
Article twenty-three :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That action under this article be indefinitely postponed.
Article twenty-four :
On motion of George C. Peterson, Voted : That the pay of the Town laborers be fixed at thirty-five cents per hour.
Article twenty-six :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That the Town ap- propriate from money in the Treasury not otherwise appro- priated, the sum of $476.21 to the Health Department; and the sum of $272.03 to Roads and Bridges; the foregoing amounts to be for the payment of bills contracted in 1916.
Article twenty-seven :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted: That the Town ap- propriate twenty-one thousand six hundred and seventy-six do !- lars to pay the damages caused by the alteration in the Easterly side of Main Street by the County Commissioners ; six hundred and seventy-six dollars of said appropriation to be included in the tax levy of 1917.
Mr. Elmer E. Avery then moved: That for the purpose of paying the damages caused by the alteration in the Easterly side of Main Street by the County Commissioners, the Select- men are hereby authorized to borrow the sum of twenty-one thousand dollars, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town there- for, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 41/2 per cent. per
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annum, payable semi-annually, with the principal payable in ten equal annual payments of $2,100.00 each; said bonds or notes to be signed by the Treasurer and approved by a majority of the Selectmen; sixty-eight having voted in the affirmative and none in the negative the motion was carried.
Article twenty-eight :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted: That the Town ap- propriate twenty-three hundred and ninety-two dollars to pay the damages caused by the alteration of Sandwich Street from Howes Lane northerly.
Mr. Elmer E. Avery then moved: That for the purpose of paying the damages caused by the alteration of Sandwich Street from Howes Lane northerly the Selectmen be authorized to borrow the sum of $2,392.00 and issue a bond or note of the Town therefor bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 41/2 per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually with principal pay- able within one year. Said note to be signed by the Treasurer, and approved by a majority of the Selectmen; sixty-nine hav- ing voted in the affirmative and none in the negative the motion was carried.
Article twenty-nine :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That the Town ap- propriate ten thousand eight hundred and seventeen dollars to pay the damages caused by the alteration of Sandwich Street from Lincoln Street southerly.
Mr. Elmer E. Avery then moved: That for the purpose of paying the damages caused by the alteration of Sandwich Street from Lincoln Street southerly, the Selectmen be hereby auth- orized to borrow the sum of $10,817.00 and issue therefor bonds or notes of the Town bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 41/2 per cent. per annum, with principal payable in five annual payments ; $2,817.00 payable one year after date, and $2,000.00 payable each succeeding year until the whole is paid ; said bonds
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or notes to be signed by the Treasurer, and approved by a ma- jority of the Selectmen; seventy-four voting in the affirmative and none in the negative the motion was carried.
Mr. Robert C. Harlow then moved: That the vote on the sidewalks appropriation under article five be reconsidered ; seventy-seven voting in the affirmative and fifty-eight in the negative the motion was carried.
Mr. Harlow then moved : That the sidewalks appropriation be increased to $7,000.00.
Mr. James S. Swanton moved: To amend by making the amount $10,000.00; ninety-eight voting in the affirmative and forty-nine in the negative the motion was carried.
Then the motion of Mr. Harlow as amended was put and carried.
Article thirty :
On motion of Elmer E. Avery, Voted : That the Town ap- propriate twenty-five hundred dollars, to conduct State Aided Vocational Education and Evening Classes in the practical arts; and place the same under the direction and control of the School Committee; said courses to be conducted in conform- ity with the requirements of Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1911, and Chapter 106 of the Acts of 1912, and any amendments thereto.
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: That the sum of two hundred sixty-eight thousand two hundred seventeen dollars and eight cents be raised and assessed upon the polls and estates of the inhabitants of the Town of Plymouth, and upon the estates of the non-residents to defray the expenses of the Town for the ensuing year.
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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, NOVEMBER 10, 1917.
CHARLES S. DAVIS, Moderator.
Article two :
Mr. William T. Eldridge moved : That the sum of $7,631.00 be transferred from the money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated to the reserve fund.
Mr. Harry B. Davis moved: That action under this article be indefinitely postponed, and the motion was carried.
Then on motion of Mr. Arthur Lord it was voted: That the Committee of Fifteen be requested to prepare for the action of the Town at the next meeting, By-laws providing for the ap- pointment and duties of an Advisory or Finance Committee of the Town, who may consider any or all municipal questions for the purposeof making reports or recommendations to the Town.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, NOVEMBER 24, 1917.
FRANK C. SMITH, Moderator.
Article two :
Mr. William T. Eldridge moved : That the sum of $13,670.00 be appropriated from money in the Treasury not otherwise ap- propriated for the several departments of the Town. Mr. Fred- erick D. Bartlett moved: That the appropriation for each de- partment be taken up by itself, and the motion was carried.
Mr. William T. Eldridge then moved: That there be ap-
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propriated from money in the Treasury not otherwise appro- priated for :
Law Department,
$150 00
Voted
Maintenance of the Town House,
200 00
Voted
Police Department,
200 00
Voted
Forest Warden's Department,
300 00
Voted
Roads and Bridges,
4,050 00
Mr. Harry B. Davis moved to amend
this item to $3,382.00 and the motion
was carried,
3,382 00
Voted
Samoset Street,
450 00
Voted
Main Street Widening,
1,270 00
Voted
Main Street Extension,
325 00
Voted
Sandwich Street, Water to Lincoln,
325 00
Voted
Sandwich Street, Lincoln Street south,
2,800 00
Voted
Miscellaneous,
100 00
Voted
Reserve Account,
1,000 00
Harry B. Davis moved to indefinitely postpone this item and the motion was carried.
Water Department maintenance,
750 00
Voted
Water Department construction,
750 00
Voted
Oak Grove and Vine Hills Cemeteries,
1,000 00
Voted
$12,002 00
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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, DECEMBER 29, 1917.
FRANK C. SMITH, Moderator.
Article two :
On motion of William T. Eldridge, Voted: That the sum of $300.00 be appropriated from money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated for the Police Department.
On motion of William T. Eldridge, Voted : That the sum of $50.00 be appropriated from money in the Treasury not other- wise appropriated for the Law Department.
On motion of William T. Eldridge, Voted : That the sum of $200.00 be appropriated from money in the Treasury not other- wise appropriated for the maintenance of the Town House.
On motion of William T. Eldridge, Voted: That the sum of $100.00 be appropriated from money in the Treasury not other- wise appropriated for the Miscellaneous Account.
On motion of William T. Eldridge, Voted : That the sum of $203.00 be appropriated from money in the Treasury not other- wise appropriated for Samoset Street.
OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK.
Plymouth, Mass., March 27, 1917.
The President of the United States,
Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C. Your Excellency :
I have the pleasure of informing you that at a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Plymouth, Massachusetts ; the following vote was passed :
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On motion of Rev. Arthur B. Whitney, it was unanimously voted that the order of business be suspended for the presenta- tion of a resolution, and the following resolution was adopted :
That it be resolved by the citizens of the Town of Plymouth in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in Town Meeting as- sembled this twenty-fourth day of March, 1917.
First: That the necessity be urged upon the President and Congress of the United States, of making immediate and adc- quate preparations to meet the contingencies of war, and for the protection of the lives of American citizens on land or sea.
Second: That we pledge to the President our loyal, resolute and united support in every measure requisite to the enforce- ment and maintenance of our national rights and our national duties.
And that a copy of this resolve be sent under the seal of the Town of Plymouth, to President Woodrow Wilson, the Senators in Congress from Massachusetts and to the Representative in Congress from this district.
Very respectfully yours, GEORGE B. HOWLAND, Clerk of the Town of Plymouth.
In compliance with a vote of the Town passed at the Town Meeting of March 24, 1917, the foregoing letter was sent to the President of the United States and similar letters were sent to Senators Henry Cabot Lodge and John W. Weeks and to Con- gressman Joseph Walsh and replies were received as follows :
The White House,
Washington.
The President thanks you cordially for the goodwill which prompted your kind message, which has helped to reassure him and keep him in heart.
PLYM. TWO
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United States Senate.
March 30, 1917.
My dear Sir :
I am very glad to receive the resolutions adopted at the Plym- outh Town Meeting and I shall present them to the Senate at the first opportunity. They are such resolutions as might well be expected from such a Town and it is a gratification that the citizens have taken this patriotic action.
Very truly yours, H. C. LODGE.
George B. Howland, Esq., Plymouth.
United States Senate.
Washington, D. C.,
March 30, 1917.
George B. Howland, Esq., Plymouth, Massachusetts,
Dear Mr. Howland :
I beg to ackowledge receipt of resolutions adopted by the residents of Plymouth, Massachusetts, pledging support to the Government in the pending crisis and shall take pleasure in calling them to the attention of the Senate.
Yours very truly, JOHN W. WEEKS.
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REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN
To the Citizens of Plymouth :
The past year has been a busy one in Town affairs, not only on account of the extra work entailed on the Street Depart- ment by the various street widenings, but our entry into the War has seriously disturbed all of the plans that were in pro- cess of being carried out for Public Improvement.
The expense of carrying on the Town's business has been materially increased in some Departments by unforseen cir- cumstances. The widening of Sandwich street for which esti- mates were made in 1915 and which contemplated only a re- pairing of the road and sidewalk surface, when actually com- menced, made a complete change of plan necessary. It seemed wise to the Board of Selectmen to make these improvements in such a manner that when completed there would be a per- manent and satisfactory sidewalk and road bed that would obviate the necessity of any repairs for a long time. This of course made the appropriations entirely inadequate and it was thought proper to ask the Town for sufficient funds for this purpose. This was done at a special Town Meeting and the money asked for was voted. We believe that any one viewing the work will agree that it was a wise conclusion.
The work on Main Street which consists of one side of the street being paved with stone blocks, the joints grouted with ce- ment, while not down long enough to make any sure conclusion, appears to be a substantial job and will be an economy for the future. There was a misunderstanding in regard to this piece of work and if the matter had been presented more in detail to the Board it is doubtful if the work would have been done on account of the large expense involved.
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The road work in the outlying districts has been made dif- ficult particularly in the Long Pond section on account of the former Road Surveyor refusing a reappointment. We have not succeeded in getting anyone to take his place and what work has been done there has been handled from this end and has naturally been more difficult to accomplish.
In the Cedarville District the changes made in the road grade by the Plymouth and Sandwich 'Street R. R. have neces- itated a large amount of cutting and filling. This expense while nominally a charge against the R. R. has not as yet been collected and has reduced the Road Appropriation very ma- terially.
There has been a large amount of work done on the side- walks more particularly away from the Main streets. A great many feet of cement curb laid on some of the streets where before there was no curb at all has resulted in a very noticable improvement in the conditions generally. A suitable curb keeps the walk in its proper place and seems to be an incentive for the abuttors to keep their own premises in better condition.
A number of granolithic walks have been made in various localities and there has been a very considerable improvement in sidewalk conditions.
A number of new sewers have been put in, notably on Sav- ery's avenue. This takes care of a number of houses that formally had no sewer facilities and provides ample sewerage for the street in the future.
It has been the custom of the department to use large quantities of dust laying oil on the streets, not only to keep down the dust, but to get the permanent improvement that such oiling gives. The past year, however, the price of the oil went to such prohibitive figures, and the oil itself proved to be of such inferior quality that after a trial the use of it was abandoned.
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