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SAUGUS Massachusetts
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LOCAL HISTORY
Ref. 352
Saugus
v.66
ANNUAL RENORO 1953
A New England Town Gratefully Acknowledges Its Liernic Dead
Framed in the perspective of Saugus' typically Victorian Town House-erected in 1875 after a titanic struggle which nearly divided the community into two separate towns-the beautiful Civil War memorial monument shown on the front cover of this Town Report is the most valuable gift ever presented the citizens of Saugus.
Its donor was the late Henry E. Hone of North Saugus, who left $10,000 in his will for the express purpose of erecting a memorial to the heroes of the Civil War. The granite shaft was carved by Sculptor M. H. Mosman of Chicopee and has been called by some experts the "finest example of Civil War monumental sculpture on the American continent."
The Monument is a modified form of Greek architecture, simple in its conception. The tablets, bearing the names of the 160 sons of Saugus who fought in the War of the Rebellion-all on the side of the North-and the statues of the soldier and sailor emblematic of the two branches of Federal service, are of bronze.
The emblematic figure of America is of granite. In the orna- mentation, the symbolic wreaths of oak, laurel, and palm are of granite, too, as are also the coats of arms of the United States and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The beautiful surmounting statue of America is from the model of the "Pallas Athenae" of the Greeks, adopted by the Romans as Minerva. She stands in a dignified position, clad' in classic robes, with her left hand resting upon and upholding the shield of the United States. The other noble emblem of our nation-the eagle-is introduced into the helmet.
From whatever angle the pyramidial form is examined, it is perfectly symmetrical and a delight to the eye. The granite figures of the soldier and sailor are standing in an easy yet watchful atti- tude, and are clothed in appropriate dress, with the sculptor giving unusual attention to the details of the accoutrements and battle equipment of the respective symbolic figures.
Geometrically, the Saugus Civil War Memorial Monument is also a masterpiece. The base is a parallelogram, with all above it to the base of the die, square in form, with projecting buttresses to the side statues, then square to the capstone, where it changes to octagonal.
This most generous and impressive gift in the history of Saugus was dedicated on July Fourth of 1895. More than 100 Civil War veterans of General E. W. Hinks Post 25, Grand Army of the Republic, of Saugus, led the line of march behind Commander C. D. Fiske. A detachment of 125 members of General Lander Post 5 of Lynn joined the line of march at the East Saugus bridge and continued to Cliftondale and thence back to the Town Hall, where 800 persons were served a buffet luncheon.
In the background stands the beautiful Town Hall-an out- standing example of New England architecture of the mid-19th century. It was built in 1875 at a cost of $75,000.
So disturbed were the people of East Saugus-then the home of many of the town's wealthier residents-that they filed a bill in the Legislature to secede and form a new town to be known as Westport. The bill passed the House of Representatives the first year and the Senate on the second attempt at passage. Lynn then stepped into the picture and tried to re-annex East Saugus to that city.
Cooler heads prevailed. A Special Town Meeting was called and it was voted to float a bond issue for the town's first water mains to be located in East Saugus.
The citizens of East Saugus got the first running water; Lynn sold it; and the attempt to divide Saugus into two towns died in committee on Beacon Hill. Today a controversy which split the town into two warring factions is forgotten by all but antiquarians and forgiven by all. So, too, will our petty disputes be dissipated into nothingness with the healing ministrations of time.
TOWN . OF . SAUGUS
...
1629.
1815.
SAUGUS MASSACHUSEOOS
IT ISN'T YOUR TOWN - IT'S YOU
If you want to live in the kind of a Town,
That's the kind of a Town you like,
You needn't slip your clothes in a grip, And start on a long, long hike.
You'll find elsewhere what you left behind,
For there's nothing that's really new,
It's a knock at yourself when you knock your Town,
It isn't your Town, it's You.
Real towns are made by men afraid,
Lest someone else gets ahead. When everybody works, and nobody shirks, You can raise your Town from the dead.
And if, while you make your stake, Your neighbor can make one, too, Your Town will be what you want to see, It isn't your Town-it's YOU.
IN
TO
GUS .. #
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1629.
1815.
SAUGUS PUBLIC LIBRARYR. W. GLOVER 295 Central St. Saugus, MA 01906
1953-
ANNUAL REPORT
ELECTORATE
TOWN MEETING
MODERATOR
FINANCE COMMITTEE
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
REGISTRARS OF VOTERS
ELECTION OFFICERS
TOWN MANAGER
BOARD OF APPEALS
BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
POLICE DEPT.
FIRE DEPT.
HEALTH DEPT.
LAW DEPT.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPT.
ENGINEERING DEPT.
BUILDING DEPT.
ASSESSING DEPT.
ACCOUNTING DEPT.
WEIGHTS 8 MEASURE
WELFARE
CEMETERY
VETERANS SERVICES
FORESTRY 8 PARKS
PLAY GROUND COMMISSION
PLANNING BOARD
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
TOWN CLERK COLLECTOR
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
TREASURER
TOWN MANAGER 3
HEALTH DEPARTMENT 54
SHOPPING CENTER
9
CEMETERY DEPARTMENT 55
SELECTMEN
10
FORESTRY DEPARTMENT 56
RESOLUTION
12
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
58
PUBLIC WORKS
14
BOARD OF APPEALS
58
ENGINEERING 21
LIBRARY 60
PLANNING BOARD 27
VETERANS BENEFITS 62
BUILDING DEPARTMENT 29
HARBOR MASTER
62
PLAYGROUND COMMISSION
34
CIVILIAN DEFENSE
64
FIRE DEPARTMENT
35
FIRE ALARM SIGNALS 68
POLICE DEPARTMENT 38
PICTORIAL REVIEW 71
ADVISORY COMMITTEE 75
SAFETY COUNCIL 44
TOWN CLERK and TAX COLLECTOR 45
ASSESSORS
46
TREASURER
48
FINANCE COMMITTEE 49
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
50
TOWN ACCOUNTANT
80
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
105
ELECTION 122
JURY LIST
124
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
125
DOG OFFICER 43
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013
http://archive.org/details/annualreport1953saug
TOWN MANAGER
SAUGUS' CHIEF EXECUTIVE, TOWN MANAGER WALTER E, LAWRENCE, on the job 24 hours in every day to direct every facet of public service, with the exception of the School Department. Shown here concentrating on a letter he is dictating to his always courteous and efficient secretary, Mrs. Blanche M, Quirk, you can be certain that his amazingly alert mind is simultaneously mapping out a half dozen other ventures, any one of which may soon be carried into reality, With a long career in public service, as a trained engineer of the Metropolitan District Commission, Mayor of Medford, member of the General Court, and member of the Medford City Council under Plan E, Manager Lawrence has a remarkable ability to both get along with people of divergent viewpoints and convince them of the soundness of his program, When the chips are down, however, and the decision, in his judgment, should be to the contrary for the benefit of all of the people of Saugus, he can be flint-like in his stern determination, In brief, he is the people's servant, but he never forgets that he is also the Town Manager, and must assume, alone, the obligations of his oath to perform that office to the best of his unquestioned ability.
MANAGER LAWRENCE REPORTS TO THE PEOPLE!
To the Citizens of Saugus:
Last year is history-its achievements and human errors alike indelibly written on the pages of time.
We are now in a new year, confronted with a fresh oppor- tunity to join together, both as town officials and private citi- zens, to build the type of Saugus we prefer both to call our home and pass on to posterity.
This is my second report as your Town Manager. It is my intention in discussing the achievements of 1953 as my first full year in that capacity to merely cite the record and let you be the judge of my stewardship.
I prefer to use the limited space at my disposal to draw your attention to the possibilities of the future. To focus your attention on the things I am certain we, as a single-minded and well coordinated team, can accomplish for the common good if we keep in mind the overall objectives and are not diverted into internal disunity over trivialities.
It is not important in the accomplishment of this goal of building a finer, cleaner, more attractive community for the en- richment of our own lives and those of our children, to whom the credit is extended.
When we have achieved our objectives, there will be suffi- cient laurels to distribute among all those who have unselfishly contributed to the attainment of our goal.
I am a sincere believer in the democratic progress. I share your pleasure in living in a New England town where the voice of the people, through their chosen representatives, can be raised both on the Board of Selectmen and within that reposi- tory of our democracy which is the Town Meeting.
Here there should be ample discussion and free expression of opinion before decisions are made.
Once a definite line of action has been established, however, and the will of the people has been ascertained, under the sys- tem of government freely accepted by the people of Saugus at the polls by an overwhelming majority, it becomes the re- sponsibility of the Town Manager, as the chief executive officer of the town of Saugus, to translate them into action.
That I have attempted conscientiously to perform. In doing so, I have not taken any line of action on any question because it pleased me, or because I felt that it would, necessarily, be pleasing to the administration.
The People's Manager
But I have constantly taken the line of action which I sin- cerely felt, based upon my experience of many years in both public and private enterprise, to be for the best interests of all of the people of the town of Saugus.
It is comparatively easy to be a "Monday morning quarter- back." Almost anyone can look back in retrospect and find minor
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and trivial deficiencies which, in his judgment, might have war- ranted a somewhat different course of action.
The test of real leadership, however, comes in the determin- ation, willingness, fortitude, and unswerving ability to constantly play the game for the best interests of the "team" even when the opposing force has the ball poised on the five-yard line and a touchdown appears inevitable.
It would be a very easy thing for me, as your Town Man- ager, to always bow to the will of pressure groups, or determined officials, or a carping and arrogant newspaper columnist who would take unto himself the duties which I in my oath of office swore to execute.
This would be the avenue of popularity, the short-term route sometimes traveled by politicians, or former politicians, seeking to temporarily ingratiate themselves with the public so that they may be elected, or re-elected to office.
Were I to take this course, however, I would not be your Town Manager-the chief executive officer of the town of Saugus-and I would not be either worthy of that high office or keeper of my own conscience.
As I glance back in retrospect over the record of 1953, it is a source of gratification to me-not as Walter E. Lawrence, but as your Town Manager-that, in the main, I have had the com- plete co-operation of the Board of Selectmen, Town Meeting, Finance Committee, heads of the various municipal departments, faithful town employes of all departments, and finally, but by no means least, the supporting hand of the right-thinking people of Saugus whose aspirations are identical with those I am guided by in all my actions.
I like to feel that this strong and favorable public opinion of the people of the town of Saugus is not an endorsement of me, but rather approval of the things I have daily attempted to accomplish to the end that we may enjoy the fruits of commun- ity co-operation together.
Appeals for Unity
We need unity. Not necessarily in details and certainly not at the expense of our democratic rights as citizens.
But we need the kind of community spirit which will put the welfare of Saugus first. And place our personal glorification or self-pride far down on the list.
With this type of spirit, Saugus cannot help but advance, physically, materially, and spiritually. There is no limit to our ability to meet and conquer those influences which would close their eyes to reality and confine their thinking to the days of our grandfathers.
As we symbolically close the books on Saugus' municipal year of 1953, I have dedicated myself, and what ability I may have to serve the people as your Town Manager, unswervingly in this ideal.
Will you join me?
SAUGUS FORGED AHEAD IN 1953
(The following goals for 1953 were outlined in the last Town Report by Walter E. Lawrence, Town Manager. How well they were accomplished is indicated by the number marked with checks.)
V 1-Start construction of new Saugus High School.
V 2-Secure new taxable property by new home developments and industrial and business expansion.
1/ 3-Advertise and boom Saugus by favorable publicity.
V 4-Initiate planned program of street, sidewalk, sewer, water and drainage improvements.
V 5-Repair all public buildings with a planned program.
V/ 6-Sell tax-title and low value land to get additional revenue by placing it onto the books as taxable property.
V 7-Increase license fees, permits, and service charges to pro- vide vital revenue for increases in cost of employe services and higher material charges.
V 8-Increase cemetery lot charges to a point comparable with surrounding communities.
V 9-Initiate steps to acquire a new cemetery site to relieve the situation caused by the fact that Riverside Cemetery is virtually filled.
V/ 10-Rezone available land for expansion of business and in- dustry.
V 11-Clarify the Zoning By-Law to provide for both heavy and light industrial districts.
V/ 12-Seek the construction by the Metropolitan District Com- mission of a playground in the Breakheart Reservation.
13-Acquire land in Cliftondale Square for a metered off- street parking area.
14-Install new mercury-vapor street lighting in Monument and Cliftondale Squares to promote safety and stimulate business.
1 15-Demolish the old and unused Mansfield School.
16-Properly lay out and beautify the triangular intersection of Main and Howard Streets.
V 17-Accomplish tax reduction.
V/ 18-Employ a permanent full-time tree climber to provide better services.
V 19-Re-organize the Engineering Department.
20-Add permanent laborers to the Public Works Depart- ment.
1/ 21-Re-construct Ballard Street under provisions of Chapter 90 with State and County assistance.
1/ 22-Improve Bristow Street Playground.
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V 23-Enlarge and improve the Anna Parker and Frederick L. Stocker Playgrounds.
24-Salvage loam and peat from the Anna Parker Playground for town-wide beautification projects.
\' 25-Stage"old-fashioned" Fourth of July program.
1' 26-Paint dilapidated Stackpole's Field bleachers.
1 '27-Renovate Town Hall auditorium and install sound system.
, 28-Form Saugus Safety Committee to initiate life-saving programs to reduce accident casualties.
'29-Form Town Beautiful Committee to work for a finer and cleaner and more attractive community.
1'30-Plan new parks and playgrounds in all parts of the town.
1/ 31-Relocate Shute's Brook.
1/ 32-Relocate Saugus River near Woodbury Avenue to reclaim valuable land.
v/ 33-Repair many unaccepted streets.
1 34-Start town-wide sidewalk and curbing construction.
35-Initiate suit in equity to recover damages from Lynn and additional tax revenue from water supply system of that city located in Saugus.
V 36-Purchase a one-half yard back-hoe and shovel for water and sewer construction.
V 37-Revise the Zoning By-Law and the Building Ordinances.
V/ 38-Appoint an electrical inspector and adopt an electrical code to curb property damages and loss of life due to faulty wiring.
V 39-Sell the 164 acres of town-owned land off the Newbury- port Turnpike for a shopping center.
V 40-Increase pensions of our faithful retired workers.
1/ 41-Reclassify jobs of town employes, utilizing fully, or in part, the Griffenhagen Job Re-Classification Study.
42-Publish brochure advertising Saugus' potentialities as an industrial and business center.
43-Appropriation for replacement of cement mains and new water mains of not less than six inch diameter to replace faulty and aged lines.
44 Initiate a sewerage extension program to service many additional homes.
V 45-Continue mosquito control program.
46-Reorganize the Public Works Department to obtain higher efficiency.
V 47-Install an encumbrance system of town bookkeeping as better service to the taxpayers.
V 48-Expand rubbish collection services to include Golden Hills, Lynn Fells Parkway, and other growing areas now with- out such elemental public improvements.
49-Attempt recovery of damages from Northeastern Natural Gas Transmission Company resulting from installation of its gas main.
50-Reclaim and beautify land along our main highways by removing ledge.
51-Launch program to beautify and develop the Lily Pond section.
V 52-Repair highways on Centennial Avenue, Tuttle Street, Eustis Street, Breakheart Road, Bennett Avenue, Lodge Avenue, Oaklandvale Avenue, Stone Street and Intervale Avenue.
1/ 53-Install sidewalks on Jackson Street, Hurd Avenue, and Main Street.
V 53-Install proper drainage on Woodbury Avenue, Winter Street, Fairmount Avenue, and Intervale Avenue.
54-Outline broad program for ice skating rinks and basket- ball courts to prevent juvenile delinquency.
V 55-Install spotlight on the Civil War Memorial in Monu- ment Square, thereby accentuating its majestic lines at night.
1/ 56-Continue close cooperation with the First Iron Works Association in the restoration of this great national shrine.
V 57-Appoint all school custodians as special police officers to promote safety about educational plants.
58-Properly control the town-dump at the former Concrete Materials Company plant on Main Street.
V 59-Work constantly for the highest possible degree of effi- ciency in town employes by improving their morale in all ways to the end that the people will be better served.
60-End or greatly curtail the losses incurred by the Water Department due to increased rates from the Metropolitan District Commission, and higher operating costs.
V 61-Add additional street lighting where it is most required.
1/ 62-Strive constantly for a high degree of cooperation be- tween the Manager and all town boards and committees to the end that the people of Saugus may be better and more economically served.
(These were the objectives of 1953. The degree of attain- ment is disclosed by the number of points in the program checked. They total 51 or 82.2 per cent of the total. This total percentage, while highly gratifying, acts merely as a spur to the Town Manager, as the chief executive officer of the town, to work even more untiringly in 1954 to the end that even better results will be shown when the accomplishments of the year are recapitulated. In this objective, which he cannot attain alone, he asks the complete cooperation of all officials, employes, and citi- zens, to the end that we may have an even better Saugus.)
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NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS OF 1953
Start of construction of our new $2,000,000 Saugus High School with the award of a contract to the Vara Construction Company, following a court ruling that it was the "lowest re- sponsible eligible bidder.,"
Negotiation of an agreement between the Town of Saugus and Allan and Milton Green of Brookline and Newton for the pur- chase of the Town Farm Lands on the westerly side of the New- buryport Turnpike, as ordered by vote of the Town Meeting, for the erection of a Shopping Center, with the Town of Saugus re- ceiving eventual payment of $175,000.
Completion of the construction of main drains and sewers, as authorized by a bond issue of $250,000 authorized by the Town Meeting, providing sewerage for the first time to the Town Hall, Fire and Police Station, old High School and Junior High School, Ballard School, and a new sewer line to the site of the new Saugus Senior High School.
Negotiation of a very favorable contract with the State De- partment of Public Works, Waterways Division, for the re-loca- tion of Shute's Brook in the rear of Riverside Cemetery, and a portion of the Saugus River, with the State to do the work and provide $15,000 of the cost. The project will involve only $10,000 of town funds and will start in March of the current year, thereby making possible development of a large area for ceme- tery, industrial and other uses.
Awarding a three-year contract for collection of rubbish at Every Home in Saugus for $27,000 annually. This compares with the former cost of collections by town employes at less than Two Thirds of the Residences at a cost in excess of $29,000 annually.
Increased activity of Manager-appointed Business and Indus- trial Commissions, which planned many developments, negotiated with business and industrial firms, and prepared brochure to at- tract new business and industrial firms under the direction of Thomas D. Morse, director. Some of these "contacts" will pay off in new and valuable business establishments in Saugus.
Obtained assurance of Federal aid in the re-construction of upper Main Street from the Lynn Fells Parkway to Warren Brothers' Plant, with the Federal government paying the entire cost of construction and the Town of Saugus assuming only land damages.
Succeeded in having the Commonwealth of Massachusetts dredge the Saugus River from Pines River to the Saugus River Yacht Club, with construction of a turning basin, thereby aiding local fishermen, lobstermen, and sportsmen.
Aided in passage through the Legislature and approval by the Governor of a bill permitting towns to repair unaccepted highways without subsequent liability, thereby making it possible for hundreds of Saugus homeowners to eventually obtain repairs to their streets.
Installed tide gates on Ballard Street to prevent flooding of several hundred acres of potentially valuable business and indus- trial land along both Ballard Street and the Salem Turnpike, pav- ing the way for eventual development and resulting increased revenue in taxation.
Accomplished all of the above significant points, in addition to almost all of those enumerated elsewhere as the achieved items proposed in last year's annual Town Report for 1953 goals,
PLUS-
After paying all outstanding obligations of the Town of Saugus, ending the fiscal year of 1953 on January 1, 1954, with: THE SECOND LARGEST SURPLUS CASH ACCOUNT IN SAUGUS' HISTORY!
and, finally
PAID A DIVIDEND TO THE HOMEOWNERS AND BUSI- NESS FOLK OF SAUGUS WITH A TAX RATE REDUCTION OF $2.60 PER THOUSAND!
(For further information on 1953 accomplished projects note the checked list of objectives listed in last year's annual report and how well they were achieved.)
PARAMOUNT OBJECTIVES OF THE TOWN MANAGER IN 1954
Hasten the day when Saugus' youth will have a secondary school education comparable with those of other communities in our economic strata by expediting as rapidly as is consistent with sound construction policies our new $2,200,000 Senior High School plant.
Continue by every possible expedient the movement to bring new business and industry to Saugus, thereby relieving home- owners of bearing almost 100 per cent of the tax burden. Assist the construction of the new $5,500,000 Shopping Center on the Newburyport Turnpike.
Complete the permanent reconstruction and widening of Ballard Street as a Chapter 90 project with State and County assistance.
Relay water mains in Essex Street preparatory to perma- nent construction as a Chapter 90 project, and install new 10 and 12 inch mains on Vine Street and the Newburyport Turn- pike, providing facilities for domestic use and fire protection for our new Senior High School, and lay a 12-inch main in Bristow Street.
Construct a new playground on available town-owned land at the rear of the Oaklandvale School to provide vital recrea- tional facilities for children of that expanding section.
Cut off the winding bend in the Saugus River at the rear of the Public Works Department building on Woodbury Avenue, thereby reclaiming valuable land; and straighten Shute's Brook
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at the rear of Riverside Cemetery, adding vitally needed land.
Install a new disaster warning system in various parts of Saugus, partially for the purposes of Civilian Defense, and also to alert those required in public emergencies of any character.
By the sale of town-owned land to both potential home- owners and business interests clear the municipal books of this non-revenue property, thereby restoring it again to valuable tax producing parcels.
Inaugurate a three-year plan of erecting new and attractive street signs, with one-third of the entire town being so equipped annually.
Purchase required land on upper Main Street and start construction of a vitally needed new cemetery to handle the town's needs for the next 75 years.
Reconstruct upper Main Street, from the Lynn Fells Park- way to almost the Wakefield line, with the Federal government bearing all construction costs and the town assuming only land damages.
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