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TOWN OF WEYMOUTH
1902
4
٠
PROPERTY OF THE
TUFTS LIBRARY
WEYMOUTH. MASSACHUSETTS
W.C. Ref
Added
May 8, 1939
Class No.
352
1902
Author
Weymouth, Mass.
c.B
Title
Town report
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN
OF THE
TOWN OF WEYMOUTH
CONTAINING THE
TREASURER'S SCHEDULE OF THE RECEIPTS
REPORT OF THE TOWN ACCOUNTANT
AND
A Statement of the Expenditures of the Different Departments, The Re- port of Overseers of the Poor, The Report of the Engineers of the Fire Department, The Report of the Treasurer of the Tufts Library, Assessors' Report.
THE REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
THE STATISTICS OF THE TOWN CLERK,
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE TUFTS LIBRARY, REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONERS, AND THE REPORT OF THE PARK COMMISSIONERS,
For the Year Ending December 31, 1902.
WEYMOUTH, MASS. : GAZETTE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1903.
W.C Ref 352 19.02 B
TOWN OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1902-1903
JOHN A. RAYMOND.
Town Clerk. P. O. address, East Weymouth.
JOHN H. STETSON.
Town Treasurer. P. O. address, South Weymouth. Selectmen. GEORGE L. NEWTON, Chairman. BRADFORD HAWES, Clerk. P. O. address, Porter.
ROBERT MCINTOSH, WALTER L. BATES, EDWARD W HUNT.
Overseers of the Poor. GEORGE Ł. NEWTON, Chairman. BRADFORD HAWES, Clerk. P. O. address, Porter.
ROBERT MCINTOSH, WALTER L. BATES. EDWARD W. HUNT.
Assessors. FRANCIS H. COWING, Chairman. JOHN W. BATES, Clerk. P. O. address, East Weymouth. GILMAN B. LOUD, GEORGE L. NEWTON, GEORGE C. TORREY.
Collector of Taxes.
WILLARD J. DUNBAR. P. O. address, East Weymouth.
Auditors. CHARLES, B. CUSHING, JOHN A. NEAL, GEORGE E. REED.
J Engineers of the Fire Department. EDWARD FAHEY, Chief. W. O. COLLYER, Clerk. P. O. address, North Weymouth.
J. RUPERT WALSH. DANIEL W. HART. WALTER W. PRATT.
School Committee.
MARY E. HOLBROOK
Term expires 1905
FRANK E. LOUD
·
66
66 1905
WILLIAM A. DRAKE
66
66 1903
H. FRANKLIN PERRY
66
66 1904
GEORGE L. WENTWORTH
66
66
1904
Park Commissioners.
LOUIS A. COOK
Term expires 1905
WILLIAM H. CLAPP
66
66
1903
FRANK H. TORREY
66
66 1904
.
66
1903
T. JOHN EVANS
.
.
Tree Warden.
GEORGE L. NEWTON.
P. O. address, North Weymouth.
MAY 8 1939
iii
Trustees of Tufts Library.
Term expires 1905
AUGUSTUS J. RICHARDS
66
66
1905
PRESTON PRATT
66
66 1905
JOHN B. HOLLAND
66
66
1903
LOUIS A. COOK
66
1903
JOHN B. RHINES
66
66
1903
EDMUND G. BATES
66
66
1904
FRANK H. MASON
66
66
1904
CHARLES P. HUNT
66
66
1904
Superintendent of Streets and Water. IVERS M. LOW. P. O. address, E. Weymouth.
Registrars of Voters.
PATRICK E. CORRIDAN
Term expires 1905
BENJAMIN F. SMITH .
.
MARSHALL P. SPRAGUE
66
1904
JOHN A. RAYMOND, Town Clerk (ex-officio).
Water Commissioners.
FRANK H. MASON
Term expires 1905
HENRY A. NASH .
66
66 1903
GUSTAVUS M. PRATT
66
1904
GEORGE L. NEWTON, Chairman of Selectmen (ex-officio).
JOHN H. STETSON, Town Treasurer (ex-officio) .
Commissioners of High School Sinking Fund.
AUGUSTUS J. RICHARDS
Term expires 1905
HENRY A. NASH .
66
66 1903
GUSTAVUS M. PRATT
66 1904
Sealer of Weights and Measures. FRANK D. SHERMAN. I. O. address, Weymouth.
Burial Agent for Indigent Soldiers. WILLARD J. DUNBAR. P. O. address, East Weymouth.
Constables.
ISAAC H. WALKER, B. FRANK RICHARDS,
JOHN D. WALSH,
GEORGE B. BAILEY,
MICHAEL ALLEN,
ASA B PRATT, NATHANIEL B. PEARE, GEORGE W. CONANT, THOMAS FITZGERALD, WILLIAM F. FRENCH.
The following persons have been appointed as members of the Appro- priation Committee for 1902-1903 by the Moderator of the annual town meeting held March, 1902 :
WARD 1.
C. H. BOLLES,
B. F. THOMAS, JOHN A. HOLBROOK.
WARD 2.
M. E. HAWES,
W. C. EARLE, M. SHEEHY. WARD 3.
G. H. BICKNELL,
J. B. WHELAN.
GEO. L. BARNES,
F. M. DROWN, WARD 4. S. S. SPEAR, WARD 5.
CHAS. HAWES.
G. E. REED, A. F. BULLOCK.
ALVIN HOLLIS, Attest : JOHN A. RAYMOND, Town Clerk.
.
66
1903
HERBERT A. NEWTON
INDEX.
PAGE
Town Officers .
II
Selectmen's Report
.
.
Treasurer's Report .
.
Auditor's Report
19
Town Accountant's Report
23
Trial Balance
24
School Department
26
Street Department
44
Removal of Snow
55
Fire Department
69
Police Department
78
Health Department .
81
Miscellaneous Account
86
Elcetion Expenses
92
State Aid .
98
Military Aid
103
Burial of Indigent Soldiers
103
Soldier's Relicf
104
Abatement and Remittance of Taxes
106
Printing and Advertising
106
Preservation of Shade Trees
. 107
Public Parks
. 107
Park Commissioners
108
Memorial Day
108
Hydrants and Drinking Fountains
108
Electric Lighting
. 108
Tufts Library
. 108
Reading Room, Fogg Library
109
Tax Deed Account
109
Tax Levied by State and County
109
Town Officers, Expenses of
. 110
Interest and Discount
. 113
Poor Department
. 114
Supplementary
130
Statement of Appropriations
132
Inmates of Almshouse
134
Jury List
136
Assessors' Report
. 141
Tufts Fund
143
Chief of Police Report
. 145
Report of Engineers of Fire Department
150
Report of Lighting Committee
152
Report of Park Commissioners
155
Town Clerk's Report :
Birtlis
158
Marriages
162
Deaths
· 168
Town Records .
· 180
217
Report of Trustces of Tufts Library Treasurer's Report . .
224
Report of Superintendent of Streets
228
Report of Commissioners of High School Sinking Fund
236
Report of Water Commissioners
237
Report of Town Accountant
241
Statement
252
Report of Town Treasurer
254
Report of Register and Collector
256
Report of Superintendent
259
Report of Engineer
268
Report of Overseers of Poor
.
.
273
I
10
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
The Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth submit herewith their annual report, together with the Accountant's Statement in detail of the expenditures under the several appropriations for the year ending December 31, 1902.
HIGHWAYS.
At the last annual meeting of the town action was taken re- commending the appointment of a man who should serve both as Superintendent of Streets and Superintendent of the physical por- tion of the water works. Acting upon this recommendation, the Selectmen and Water Commissioners met and proceeded to find a man who in their opinion would successfully fill the two positions. Eighteen applications were received and considered, most if not all of whom could probably have filled creditably one position or the other; after carefully considering them all the joint meeting of the two boards agreed upon Ivers M. Low, and his services were secured for a salary of $1,400 a year, the division of which between the two boards was agreed upon as follows : the Water Board to pay forty-three per cent. and the Selectmen fifty-seven per cent., or $602 and $798 respectively. Mr. Lowe is a com- paratively young man, but brings to the service of the town the benefit of a large experience in work of this character, and has demonstrated his ability to successfully fill the two positions. There is a possibility of friction arising by the combination of the two positions, but during the past year nothing of this nature has developed, and we do not hesitate to recommend the continuance of the practice with the present incumbent.
We enter into no detailed report of the highway work, as this will be found in the report of the Superintendent.
Perhaps the result of expenditures under this appropriation comes home closer to the general public than that of any other made by the town.
It is the constant effort of those in charge of the streets to leave them a little better each year than they were the previous one.
The appropriation which the town has been accustomed to make for highway repairs, when considered in connection with the whole town grant, and the fact that we are not a wealthy town, seems about as large as we can well afford; and yet, the
.
2
fact remains that while our streets compare favorably with those of neighboring municipalities, they are not up to the standard which we seek, and need the expenditure of increased amounts to make them so. It was expected and intended to complete the year within the appropriation, but considerable outlay for bridge work became essential late in the fall, which, together with the expenditures made necessary by the 'snow storms in December, have occasioned an overdraft of $844.40.
HIGHWAY SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS.
Of the new streets and extensions of streets which have been accepted by the town, there remain to be worked portions of Phillips street extension and Holbrook road.
FREE DELIVERY OF MAILS. .
As the free delivery of mails will go into effect within a few months, it will be needful for the town to take action concerning. the numbering of buildings upon most, if not all, the streets.
STREET RAILWAYS.
A location of tracks has been granted to the Holbrook, Wey- mouth and Nantasket Street Railway Company, upon Weymouth, Randolph and Hollis streets, from the division line between Hol- brook and Weymouth to Pond street, but no acceptance of the location from the company has yet been received.
The Old Colony Street Railway Company has been granted a location upon the new bridge over the Fore river, between Wey- mouth and Quincy.
A decision has been rendered by the Supreme Court of Massa- chusetts which involved an interpretation of the portion of the 1898 Street Railway Act which relates to the maintenance of the surface of the portion of streets occupied by street railway tracks ; and by this decision companies are released from obliga- tion to maintain any part of such surface except as required in original grants of location.
Especial attention is called to this decision, as it materially af- fects the use which may be made of the excise tax.
The town at its last annual meeting used the prospective tax for the year 1902 as a part of the highway appropriation, as it will now devolve upon the town to maintain the surface of the portion of the streets occupied by the tracks, it will require all of the income from this tax for that purpose, and it ought not therefore to be counted on to take the place in any part of the regular highway repairs appropriation.
WEYMOUTH AND QUINCY BRIDGE.
It now appears probable that this bridge will be open for pub- lic travel about March 1, 1903, and it will then remain to be de-
3
termined who is to pay the cost of construction and maintenance. Representative Gordon Willis has introduced a bill to the General Court, the object of which is to have a part of this cost placed upon Norfolk County. This seems a just and equitable measure, but will no doubt be hotly opposed from some quarters ; and it is of much importance that the town should be well represented when the hearing is called for its consideration before the legisla- tive committee having the matter in charge, unless we wish to have a burden placed upon us which will be heavy to bear for years to come.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Our Fire Department compares favorably with the department of other towns whose circumstances are at all comparable with those of Weymouth, and its efficiency has been fully maintained during the year, but in so doing they have found the appropria- tion insufficient, and have been obliged to exceed it by $157.27.
The report of the chief gives a detailed account of their work for the year.
POLICE.
The Police Force has remained with the same number of salaried officers as heretofore.
Something of an innovation was made in organizing the force by the appointment of a chief.
Thomas Fitzgerald was placed in that position, and we find that much is added to the efficiency and prestige of the force by the appointment. The limited amount of the appropriation ad- mitted of no increase of salary on account of this promotion, but, as the services rendered as Chief were really in addition to those which he was already performing as Inspector, they merited a recognition in the way of salary which we should have been glad to have recognized had we felt that circumstances permitted. The long service of Officer Fitzgerald upon the force and his well known ability in preparing cases for presentation in court render him an efficient aid in the preservation of order and enforcement of law.
Our police force is not large, when we consider the service that is expected of it, but we are glad to recognize its efficiency, which is acknowledged by those familiar with the work performed by it.
TOWN OFFICERS.
The reports under this appropriation for the last two years have not accurately shown its requirements by reason of the fact that the bills of the Collector of Taxes were at no time rendered to the date for which the report was made, and consequently the amounts appropriated have not been large enough to meet the requirements.
The bills of the Collector for two years have been paid this
4
year, and the unexpended balance for the remainder of the finan- cial year is but $6.29.
TOWN ACCOUNTANT.
The town at its last annual meeting voted : "That it is the sense of the meeting that the several boards of town officers em- ploy a Town Accountant at an expense not exceeding one thou- sand dollars." This action was, at least in part, an outgrowth of the recommendations made by the Auditors for 1901; and acting upon this expression of feeling by the town, the Selectmen and Water Commissioners held a joint meeting for the purpose of carrying out this wish of the town.
Eight nominations were presented for the consideration of the joint meeting, and from this number Charles B. Cushing was ap- pointed at the salary fixed by the town.
The town appropriated $500 toward the payment of an Ac- countant, and to provide for the remaining $500 the Water Board assumed the same proportion as for Superintendent of Streets and Water, or $215, and the Selectmen the remaining $285, to be paid from the appropriation for the payment of town officers.
Mr. Cushing assumed the duties of his office April 1, 1902, and has devoted himself to the painstaking establishment of a new system of accounts and for making payments. The system of payments is less cumbersome than the old one, and we hear many expressions of satisfaction with it from those who have business transactions with the town. The Accountant's report of payments under the several appropriations follows this.
METROPOLITAN PARKS.
The assessments upon the town of its apportionment for main- tenance of Metropolitan Parks for the last three years have been met in one assessment this year, which added $8,613.88 to the amount raised by taxation, materially increasing the tax rate.
Some towns have met this apportionment by taking advantage of the act of the last Legislature authorizing towns to borrow for this purpose. Inasmuch as this is an assessment which must be met annually hereafter, it seems to us the part of wisdom not to burden the future of the town with obligations which should be met by the present.
GREAT HILL PARK.
An amount of $1,330.20 has been carried for several years in the town accounts for the payment for land taken on Weymouth Great Hill for park purposes. When the award of $800.00 for the land so taken was made to the owner, James L. Bates, in 1895, he refused to accept it, and the case was taken by him to the Norfolk Superior Court, where judgment was rendered against the town February 7, 1896, in the amount for damages of
5
$1,212.68, which together with the plaintiff's costs, $59.03, and interest, $58.49, to November 6, 1896, when tender of payment was made, make up the first named sum. Mr. Bates at that time declined the tender, and the amount has since been held subject to his order, until payment was made during the past year.
SALES OF REAL ESTATE.
Under the vote of the town instructing us to " sell or give away the old North High School Property," we have disposed of the same for $700.00, with a prospect that in the near future it will be made a good tax-paying property.
We have disposed of the old Athens School House -to be removed from the premises - for $226.85.
SHADE TREES.
The Elm Leaf Beetle appeared in force in the south part of the town early in the season, and a spraying outfit was procured and at once put into operation with the result that the ravages of the insects were checked; it is probable, however, that they will ap- pear over an increased area the coming season, possibly re- enforced by the brown tail moth, which showed itself in town for the first time, last summer. It appears as if an annual warfare was upon us if the shade trees upon our streets are to be pre- served. If left unchecked, these insects by destroying the fol- iage cause the death of the trees in two or three years.
We would urge upon owners of land with shade trees upon it the necessity of keeping these insect destroyers in check, as it avails little for the town to fight them upon the highways if they are permitted to multiply unhindered upon adjoining property.
BILLS PAYABLE.
One note of $5,500 becomes due May 1, 1903, for the payment of which it will be necessary to provide.
SUITS AT LAW.
Five of the actions against the town, referred to in the report of last year, have been disposed of. The actions of Henry Gard- ner vs. Weymouth and of M. C. Dizer et als. us. Weymouth have been dismissed.
That of Jennie I. Loring, being a suit for damages for personal injuries alleged to have been sustained by her upon alighting from a street railway car on Commercial street, and that of Willie J. Loring, her husband, who sued to recover for expenses of medical attendance and loss of services of his wife, were tried at the October sitting of the Superior Court for this county and re- sulted in verdicts in favor of the town.
The petition of Charles M. Bryant, for assessment of land damages, occasioned by changing the grade of Washington street,
6
was heard in April, resulting in the jury assessing damages against the town in the sum of twenty-five ($25) dollars.
The actions of Mary A. Delorey, adm. of the estate of Linda Agnes Delorey, late of Rockland, and of Joseph U. Delorey as next of kin of said Linda Agnes Delorey, the same being actions brought to recover damages for injuries sustained by the deceased while travelling on Union street, have not been tried.
One new action against the town has been brought during the year. It is an action of contract brought by the City of Quincy to recover the sum of eighty-one and 25% ($81.25) dollars, that being the sum of money expended by said city in behalf of one Mrs. Sinnott, under the laws for the relief of the poor, and for which it is claimed Weymouth is liable.
The action is brought and defended more for the purpose of determining the place of legal settlement of Mrs. Sinnott, in an- ticipation of future expenditures, than for the amount of money involved in this particular action. The writ is dated January 30, 1903, and is returnable to the Superior Court of this county on the first Monday in March, 1903.
BOARD OF HEALTH.
No Board of Health being chosen by the town, the duties of the office devolved as heretofore upon the Selectmen.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
The following is a summary of the contagious diseases reported to the board during the year : -
Smallpox
9
Diphtheria
. 16
Scarlet fever
27 Measles . . . 40
The number of diphtheria and scarlet fever cases was about the average for the five years past.
The visitation of smallpox was a new experience for the town ; at least in late years.
Last year's report showed the adoption of a policy of furnish- ing free vaccination, which was we think a move in the right direction, and the same policy was continued during the early months of the present year, 1.572 persons availing themselves of the opportunity. As was to have been expected, some took ad- vantage of this arrangement who could probably without hardship have paid for their vaccination. Many persons, either from neg- ligence or because they were opposed to vaccination, did not sub- mit to it, and it was altogether from these classes that the cases occurred which we had to care for. The first case, which was
7
reported to the board January 7, was of an extremely malignant type from the first, and resulted fatally after a week's sickness. As the patient was too sick to be removed when it was confirmed as a smallpox case, he was treated at his home by Dr. Fred L. Doucett, who remained in quarantine with the case during its continuance. He was assisted by Miss Estelle Robinson, a trained nurse, who had been employed before the true nature of the disease was discovered, but remained afterward.
One argument in favor of the early removal of smallpox pa- tients to a hospital is here shown, at least where the tenement occupied is a rented one. The owner in this case has been un- able to rent his tenement, although otherwise desirable and in a neighborhood where empty houses are almost unknown, and has asked that he be allowed for deterioration in its value. While the decreased value of the building is undeniable, we have not felt that we had authority to make such compensation.
The second case and the six succeeding ones were promptly removed to the Town House, which was for the time converted into a hospital, and served the purpose admirably.
- As no town physician was found willing to treat the disease, the services of Dr. Charles S. Wright, of Boston, were secured at $15.00 a visit, and traveling expenses. Dr. Wright made daily visits, and although three of the patients were very sick, they were all treated successfully, none of the cases at the hospital resulting fatally. The last case admitted was that of a girl, and the services of Miss Robinson as nurse were again secured. A trained nurse, Percy E. Condon, was employed when the first case was admitted, who, under the supervision of Dr. Wright, had charge of the establishment, and remained until the last patient was discharged, March 28, with no other assist- ance than that rendered by convalescents.
One case presenting somewhat peculiar features was reported January 24 from the extreme South part of the town. This was the case of a man who died the day after the physician was called, and nothing appeared which suggested smallpox until a post mortem examination revealed certain symptoms which were so regarded, upon which the physician recommended that it be treated as an established case would be, although he was not willing so to report it.
While there was no certainty that the suspicions of the physi- cians were correct, and the Secretary of the State Board of Health, who was consulted in the matter, placed little reliance upon the symptoms revealed by the post mortem examination, yet under the circumstances then existing, the board considered that if they erred it had better be on the side of public safety, and all precautions were observed which would have been had it been a well developed case of smallpox.
In addition to the cases treated in town in the winter and early
1
8
spring, two cases were reported to us from the City of Everett, with settlements in this town, for which we paid $584.80.
No further cases occurred until November 16, although we felt that there was no certainty of freedom from it while cases were occurring every week in Boston. On this date a case was reported of a woman visiting here whose settlement is in Welles- ley, and the cost of which will be chargeable to that town.
Dr. Wright was again called in, and it being his opinion that in the condition in which he found the patient, her removal was unadvisable, and the locality such that a safe quarantine could be enforced, she was cared for at the house.
Mary A. Douglass, a trained nurse, was employed at the same price paid nurses in previous cases, viz. : $50 a week.
The patient recovered after a severe sickness, and we are glad to report the town free from small-pox. All places where there has been any chance of contagion have been thoroughly disin- fected, and we sincerely hope that it will be a long time before another visitation of the disease occurs here.
The cost of treatment of contagious diseases and for vaccination has been ·
$7,388 80
Refunded by individuals $512 50
Refunded, and to be paid by State . 477 57
To be refunded by Wellesley
. 727 06
1,717 13
Net cost to town
$5,671 67
Appropriation
3,803 80
Overdraft
$1,867 87
We submit the following recommendations for appropriations for the ensuing year, which, based upon the valuation of 1902, would give a tax rate of about $20 on a thousand :
High School Sinking Fund .
$5,000 00 Highway Repairs, in addition to Street
Railway taxes
10,000 00
Board of Health
.
1,000 00
Public Parks
50 00
Preservation of Shade Trees
500 00
Fire Department
6,500 00
Police Protection
4,500 00
Tufts Library
2,500 00
Fogg Library, Reading Room
500 00
Abatement and Remittance of Taxes
1,000 00
Interest and Discount
4,500 00
Printing and Advertising .
.
1,000 00
Amounts carried forward .
$3,705 00
·
9
Amounts brought forward
$3,705 00
Electric Lights .
.
·
7,800 00
Hydrants and Fountains
5,000 00
Memorial Day
400 00
Bills Payable
5,000 00
Miscellaneous Account
2,500 00
Election Expenses
700 00
Town Officers
6,800 00
Town Offices
700 00
State Aid, etc.
8,500 00
Military Aid
250 00
Soldiers' Relief .
3,700 00
Poor Account
17,000 00
Overdrafts and Deficiencies :
Highway Repairs
$844 40
Commercial Street
12 30
Broad Street
40 00
Board of Health
1,714 55
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