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TOWN OF WEYMOUTH 1909
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN WEYMOUTH
CONTAINING THE REPORTS OF THE
SELECTMEN, TOWN TREASURER,
TOWN ACCOUNTANT, TOWN CLERK, ASSESSORS, AND OTHER
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31,
1 909.
WEYMOUTH, MASS. : GAZETTE AND ' TRANSCRIPT PUBLISHING CO., 1910.
INDEX.
Town Officers
5
Report of the Selectmen
7
Jury List
18
Report of Town Treasurer
23
Report of the Auditors
29
Schools
33
Bridges
48 67
Public Parks
67
Preservation of Shade Trees
67
Surveying and Plotting Town
68
Suppression of Gypsy and Brown Tail Moths
68
Fire Department
70
Street Records Indexing
70
Street Watering
70
Police Department
80
Health Department
84
Miscellaneous Account
84 88
Town Offices
88
State and Town Election Expenses
89 92
State Aid
96
Burial of Indigent Soldiers
96
Soldiers' Relief .
97
Abatement and Remittance of Taxes
99
Printing and Advertising
100
Memorial Day
100
Hydrants and Drinking Fountains
100
Electric Lighting
100
Tufts Library
101
Fogg Library Reading Room
101
Assesssors' Card System
101
Interest and Discount
10 L 102
Tax Deed Account
102
Taxes Levied by State and County
103
Town Officers
103
Report of the Town Accountant
33
Street Department
Town Hall-Care .
Military Aid
Notes Payable .
Town Accountant's Report-Continued.
Poor Department
107
Statement of Appropriations
120
Statement of Appropriations and Expenditures Trial Balance
122
Report of Overseers of the Poor
.
124
Report of Town Clerk
128
Report of Assessors
181
Report of Tax Collector for Years 1904, 1905, 1906
183
Report of Tax Collector, for Years 1907, 1908 and 1909
183
Report of Superintendent of Streets
184
Report of Survey of the Town
189
Report of Chief of Police
193 199
Report of Lighting Committee
201
Report of Inspector of Animals
204 204
Report of Inspector of Licensed Slaughter Houses
205
Report of Burial Agent
205
Report of Park Commissioners
206
Report of Tufts Fund
208
Report of Trustees of Tufts Library
211
Report of Water Commissioners
237
Report of School Committee.
121
Report of Chief of Fire Engineers
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
TOWN OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1909-1910.
Town Clerk. P. O. address, East Weymouth
JOHN A. RAYMOND.
Town Treasurer.
JOHN H. STETSON. P. O. address, South Weymouth Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor.
GORDON WILLIS, Chairman. P. O. address, South Weymouth
BRADFORD HAWES, Clerk. P. O. address, East Weymouth GEORGE L. NEWTON, WILLARD J. DUNBAR, EDWARD W. HUNT.
Assessors.
GILMAN B. LOUD, Chairman
Term expires 1911
GEORGE C. TORREY, Clerk
1911
JOHN F. DWYER
66
66 1910
H. WALKER PRATT
66 1910
WALDO TURNER
66 1912
Collector of Taxes.
WINSLOW M. TIRRELL. P. O. address, East Weymouth
Auditors.
JOHN P. HUNT, WILLIAM H. PRATT, FRANK N. BLANCHARD.
Engineers of the Fire Department.
J. RUPERT WALSH, Chief. P. O. address, Weymouth
WALTER W. PRATT, Clerk. P. O. address, East Weymouth
MATTHEW O'DOWD, JOHN Q. HUNT, DEFOREST A. JONES.
School Committee.
THOMAS V. NASH .
Term expires 1912
JOHN F. REARDON
.
66
66 1912
EUGENE M. CARTER
FBANK H. TORREY
66
66 1911
LOUIS A. COOK
1910
H. FRANKLIN PERRY
66 1910
‹ : 1911
Park Commissioners.
Term expires 1912
66
1911
66
66 1910
Tree Warden.
GORDON WILLIS.
P. O. address, South Weymouth
Trustees Tufts Library.
JOHN P. HOLLAND
Term expires 1912
LOUIS A. COOK
66
1912
WILLIAM F. HATHAWAY
66
66 1912
FRANCIS M. DROWN
66 1911
HERBERT A. NEWTON
66
1911
PRESTON PRATT
66
66
1911
JAMES H. FLINT
66
66 1910
CLARENCE P. WHITTLE
66
1910
EDMUND G. BATES
66
66 . 1910
Superintendent of Streets and Water.
P. O. address, East Weymouth IVERS M. LOW.
Registrars of Voters.
MARSHALL P. SPRAGUE
Term expires 1910
PATRICK E. CORRIDAN
66
1911
BENJAMIN F. SMITH
66
1912
JOHN A. RAYMOND, Town Clerk (ex-officio) .
Water Commissioners.
DOUGLAS M. EASTON
Term expires 1910
GEORGE E. BICKNELL
66 1911
FRANK H. TORREY
66
" 1912
GORDON WILLIS, Chairman of Selectmen (ex-officio).
JOHN H. STETSON, Town Treasurer (ex-officio).
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
FRANK D. SHERMAN. P. O. address, Weymouth
Burial Agent for Indigent Soldiers.
WALDO TURNER. P. O. address, East Weymouth
Constables.
ISAAC H. WALKER, JOHN D. WALSH,
B. FRANK RICHARDS, GEORGE B. BAILEY,
NATHANIEL B. PEARE, MICHAEL ALLEN,
THOMAS FITZGERALD, GEORGE W. CONANT,
ARTHUR H. PRATT, JOHN L. MAYNARD.
Commissioners of Ward 2 Schoolhouse Sinking Fund.
FRANK H. TORREY
Term expires 1912
HENRY A. NASH
66 66 1911
GORDON WILLIS
.
.
66 6. 1910
-
.
·
WILLIAM H. CLAPP GEORGE L. NEWTON LOUIS A. COOK
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Weymouth :
The undersigned, Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth, hereby submit their report for the year ending December 31, 1909, together with the annexed schedule of appropriations and the payments made thereunder, as prepared by the Town Accountant.
APPOINTMENTS.
In accordance with the practice inaugurated by vote of the town at its annual meeting in the year 1902 and which has since been followed by the Board of Selectmen and the Water Board, a joint meeting of these two boards was held soon after the last annual meeting of the town, for the purpose of choosing an Accountant and a Superintendent of Streets and Water. Charles B. Cushing was appointed to serve his eighth term as Accountant, his salary of $1,000 to be paid as heretofore, $800 by the Select- men and $200 by the Water Board.
If any evidence was needed to demonstrate the wisdom of the action of the town in creating this office, the duties of which prac- tically involve the constant auditing of the town accounts, the ex- perience through which some of the Towns of the Commonwealth are now passing, would seem to furnish such evidence. The work of the present incumbent is done in a thorough and painstaking manner and it is his constant effort to make it a credit to the Town.
Ivers M. Lowe was also appointed to serve his eighth term as superintendent of streets and water, the salary of $1,700 to be paid, $950 by the selectmen and $750 by the water board.
For the purpose of compliance with law, Mr. Lowe was subse- quently appointed by the selectmen as superintendent of streets, which position he has filled acceptably throughout the year.
POLICE.
The Police Force was organized by the reappointment of Thomas Fitzgerald as Chief, Patrick Butler, Inspector, and four night patrolmen as follows :
8
Ward One, George W. Nash; Ward Two, Arthur H. Pratt; Ward Three, John D. Walsh ; Ward Five, Michael Allen.
The force has acted harmoniously and with a good degree of effectiveness. With a population of nearly or quite twelve thousand inhabitants distributed over a territory of eighteen square miles we think the general observance of law and order in our town compares favorably with that of any municipality in the state where at all similar conditions prevail. For the attain- ment of these conditions we give due credit to the faithful serv- ices of our police force. For particulars of the work we refer to the report of the Chief.
HIGHWAY REPAIRS.
We have endeavored to keep our long lines of highways fully up to the standard of former years, but realize that the standard of former years does not meet the more exacting demands of modern travel. The watering of the streets during the past season has tended in a large measure to preserve those ways. which were thus favored, but this is a comparatively small part of the whole milage. About fifteen miles have been covered by the water carts out of a total of approximately one hundred miles of public ways. The town will in a very few years be confronted with a scarcity of gravel suitable for road work, and it seems to. be the part of wisdom to be making more use of broken stones in our repair work.
For a detailed statement of what has been done in the line of highway repairs we refer to the report of the superintendent of streets.
SNOW.
We have been favored with comparatively light falls of snow, occasioning no great expenditure for its removal, until the storm the last week in December. This storm occasioned a cost of more than $1,100, and if followed by others of like severity the appropriation for this purpose will be more than exhausted.
STATE HIGHWAY.
The contract of 1908 with the Highway Commission for the working of a section of Main Street has been completed, the work now having been carried to Poole's Corner.
9
The whole cost for working this contract was $6,564.62. The receipts from the State amount to $4,083.57. This shows a loss in working the contract of $2,481.05.
GUIDE BOARDS.
The guide boards required by law to be maintained are in fairly good condition. Some of them will require relettering the coming year.
STREET WATERING.
At the last annual meeting of the Town, it was voted to accept. the Provisions of Sec. 22 of Chap. 25 of the Revised Laws, in relation to watering the public streets, as amended by Chap. 452, Acts of 1908. Uuder anthority of this vote, one street watering route was laid out in each ward and the streets upon these routes were watered through the season. Some dissatisfaction on the part of the abuttors has been manifested, principally on the part of those who have considerable frontage of vacant land upon the streets, from which little income is derived. In some instances of this sort hardship has no doubt been occasioned, and it may be advisable to make a different rate for such vacant land. In a few cases householders have protested that the watering is no benefit to them and they would rather not have it.
On the other hand, some call has been received for extending the service which we were not able to satitfy without establishing new routes, which it did not seem feasable to do the first year. The experience of the past year has been of value and the service can, no doubt, be more satisfactorily handled another year.
STREET RAILWAY PERMIT.
The Old Colony Street Railway Company presented a petition to the Board of Selectmen, asking for the approval by the Select- men, of the company acting as a common carrier of newspapers, baggage, express matter and freight, upon such parts of its rail- way as are within the town, under the provisions of Chapter 402 of the Acts of the year 1907.
The Selectmen, after notice, gave a public hearing upon the mat- ter and thereafter made an order of approval granting the authority asked for in said petition.
Said order, among other regulations, contained the following provision :
10
" And provided also that all rights and authority granted in this order shall cease at the expiration of twenty years from and after the acceptance thereof."
The officials of the street railway company, while expressing themselves as satisfied with all the other provisions of the order, objected to that relating to the time limit, and applied to the Board of Railroad Commissioners, for the approval, by said com- missioners, of the order of the Selectmen, with the above-men- tioned provision as to time limit, struck out.
The matter was before the railroad commissioners on two dif- ferent dates and at the last hearing, December 21st, 1909, the town, by its attorney, Albert P. Worthen, filed a brief, raising the point of law that the railroad commissioners had no authority under the law, to change or modify the order of the Selectmen, and that they could only approve or withold approval of the order.
This point of view, so raised by the town, was sustained by the Railroad Commissioners, and as the street railway company declined to accept the order as issued by the Selectmen the com- missioners took no further action. The matter now rests in that condition.
The Selectmen, in granting the railway company every right asked for in its petition, feel justified in making such a reserva- tion as will permit the town officials having authority in the premises twenty years hence to again pass upon the terms and conditions upon which the company may continue to act as a common carrier.
Our town is not alone in requiring a time limit, as the city of Quincy granted a similar order, with the provision that it expire at the end of ten years.
GAS.
Upon the petition of the Plymouth County Gas, Light, Heat and Power Company for a permit to lay pipes in the streets of the town for the distribution of gas, after a hearing as provided by law, and after consultation with the selectmen of the towns of Whitman, Rockland and Abington; all of which territory is petitioned for by said Company, a permit was issued under date of June 1, 1909.
11
It seemed desirable that the permits in the several towns interested should be uniform in their provisions, and to secure this object, at the request of the several boards of selectmen, the legal representatives of the four towns acted jointly in framing this permit, an acceptance of which was received from the company July 12, 1909.
It is probable that the work will be started as soon as the con- dition of the ground will permit in the coming spring.
GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS.
The work done in the suppression of the gypsy and brown-tail moths has been much the same as for the previous year. For- tunately for us the brown-tails have not appeared in any great numbers, and the work has therefore been concentrated on the gypsy moths, with the result that they have been kept within practically the same bounds as last year. Much is hoped for from the natural enemies of the moths with which the State authorities are experimenting, but if the work on this line is productive of the best results anticipated it will be several years before the par- asites can be distributed in sufficient numbers to make the work in which we have been engaged unnecessary or a less amount of appropriation advisable.
The leopard moth, which has appeared in considerable force in the vicinity of Boston for some years, has the past year done destructive work as far as the Fore River and may be looked for on our side of the river the coming season.
PRESERVATION OF SHADE TREES.
The elm leaf beetle appeared in large numbers early in the season and were ready to commence their work of destruction as soon as the leaves were out.
It would have been impossible to have checked their ravages in time to save the foliage of the elms had it not been for the power sprayer which the selectmen were enabled to procure the previous autumn by the state paying the greater part of the cost.
This sprayer was put to work soon after the middle of May, and all of the street shade trees in town were covered by the last week in June, and considerable other work done with it on the moth account.
12
The first brood of beetles was severly checked by the spraying, but a second brood, which hatched about the middle of August, by feeding upon the leaves of the new growth which was made after the spraying, matured in sufficient numbers to make it probable that spraying will be necessary the coming season.
As the shade trees are properly in the custody of the tree warden it may be thought that the report concerning them should be by that official, but as in our case the chairman of the select- men is tree warden and the other members of the board are appointed deputies, it seems proper that the subject should be considered in this place.
BILLS PAYABLE.
One note of the town debt, of $5,000, becomes payble May 8, 1910, and one note of the Shaw Schoolhouse, June 15, 1910, for $7,500, for which provision will need to be made.
The James Humphrey Schoolhouse Sinking Fund will call for an appropriation of $2,000 and it will be necessary to raise $1,000 for the Fore River Bridge indebtedness. It seems proper that attention should here be called to the fact that in addition to the last two amounts, there will be, commencing with next year, $2,500 on Athens Schoolhouse notes and $1,000 on Pratt School- house notes, to be raised annually for several years by taxation. The sum of the above, $6,500, will be required each year until the maturity of the last Fore River Bridge note, June 1, 1917; the others to continue as follows : Athens Schoolhouse notes, to May 1, 1920 : Pratt Schoolhouse notes, to Nov. 1, 1923 ; James Humphrey Schoolhouse notes, to Nov. 1, 1926.
LINCOLN CELEBRATION.
On January 11th the board was waited upon by a committee of Reynolds Post 58, G. A. R., consisting of the following named : J. Murray Whitcomb, Charles W. Hastings, George F. Maynard, Waldo Turner, Josiah Q. Spear and Benjamin J. Loring. This committee represented that it was appointed by the post with full powers to propose to this board that a celebration be held of the one hundredth anniversary of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln on the twelfth day of February under the joint auspices of Reynolds Post and the town. This proposition was cheerfully accepted
13
and arrangements at once commenced by a joint committee con- sisting of the above named members of the post and this board for celebrating in a fitting manner the day which was to be so generally honored throughout the nation. The committee consid- ered itself fortunate in securing as orator of the day the Hon. Robert Luce of Somerville. A chorus of members of the High School volunteered to assist in the musical part of the program. The celebration was carried out in a creditable manner under the able management of George L. Barnes, Esq .. as presiding officer.
The Town Hall, which had been tastefully decorated for the occasion, was well filled.
The oration of Mr. Luce was an eloquent and heartfelt tribute to the memory of our great war president, and was enthusiastically received.
All of the exercises were carried out in full appreciation of the life and services of the man who stands second to no other in the veneration and regard of the people of the United States.
The expenses of the celebration were provided for by private contributions. After the bills were all paid, there remained in the hands of the treasurer of the committee $25.19, which by vote of the committee was turned over to Post 58 with the recommendation that it be used toward defraying the expense of setting the government headstones which were to be placed at all known graves of soldiers of the War of the Rebellion, who are buried in this Town and have no Memorial Stones.
ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE SUFFERERS.
On January first a communication was received from the Executive Committee appointed by His Excellency, the Governor, for the purpose of soliciting and receiving contributions for the sufferers by the earthquake in Italy and Sicily on Dec. 28, 1908, in which they asked the Selectmen of Weymouth to issue an appeal to the people of this town for contributions for the above purpose, and that some suitable person be appointed to act as treasurer of such funds as might be received.
Such an appeal was made and John A. Raymond, Treasurer of the East Weymouth Savings Bank kindly consented to act as treasurer.
In response to this appeal $112.65 was contributed for the purpose designated and the same duly forwarded by the treasurer.
14
TOWN SURVEY.
The survey of the town has continued under the charge of Russell H. Whiting and commendable progress has been made thereon. The field work now completed comprises the territory north of a line running east and west near the southerly line of Wards 2 and 3. It is expected that the work to this line will be completed so as to be available for the use of the assessors the coming season.
For detailed statement of the work we refer to the report of Mr. Whiting.
It will be necessary this year to consider the matter of main- tenance of the system. This has thus far been done by Mr. Whiting in connection with the original survey work and all of the transfers and divisions of property brought down to May 1, 1909. In so doing, of course, the work done on maintenance was considerable and lessened the amount avallable for original work. The value of the system depends on its being kept up to date. This being the case it seems advisable that a somewhat larger appropriation should be made than heretofore.
BOARD OF HEALTH.
The town at its last annual meeting having voted to elect a Board of Health, which vote will go into effect at the coming meeting, this will be the last time that the above heading will appear in the reports of the Selectmen.
With a population of nearly or quite twelve thousand, and the increasingly intimate connections between the local boards and that of the state, the dignity of the town seemed to call for this action and we feel assured that however the incoming Board of Selectmen may be constituted, they will welcome the Board of Health and do all in their power to help its members to take up and carry on the duties of their office.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
The cases of contagious diseases reported were as follows :
Diphtheria
27
Scarlet Fever
,
14
Measles
26
Typhoid Fever
4
Whooping Cough
1
Tuberculosis
12
Chicken Pox
6
·
.
.
15
DEATHS.
Total number of deaths from all causes, exclusive of still-
births .
180
Number of still-births
. 14
DEATHS BY SEXES.
Number of deaths of males
. 99
Number of deaths of females
81
Number of deaths in which the sex was unknown
0
DEATHS BY AGES.
Total.
Males.
Females.
Un- known.
Deaths of persons under 1 year .
18
12
6
0
from 1 to 2 years .
·
5
0
5
0
from 2 to 3 years .
2
2
0
0
from 3 to 4 years
1
1
0
0
from 4 to 5 years
0
0
0
0
from 5 to 10 years
6
3
3
0
from 10 to 15 years
·
1
1
0
0
from 15 to 20 years
6
4.
2
0
from 20 to 30 years
8
6
2
0
from 30 to 40 years
18
9
9
0
from 40 to 50 years
7
4
3
0
from 50 to 60 years
21
10
11
0
from 60 to 70 years
28
17
11
0
from 70 to 80 years
42
22
20
0
over 80 years
17
8
9
0
ages unknown
0
0
0
0
Total
.
180
99
81
0
DEATHS BY MONTHS.
Deaths in January
12
Deaths in July
12
in February
16
in August
16
in March
20
in September
9
in April
.
.
14 in October
8
in May
. 20
in November .
16
in June
.
20
in December
.
17
Deaths, date unknown . 0
CAUSES OF DEATHS.
Deaths from phthisis or consumption
18
from small-pox
·
.
0
from measles
.
1
from scarlet fever
.
1
from diphtheria and croup
4
.
.
·
-
·
.
·
.
16
Deaths from whooping cough
5
from typhoid fever
1
from cerebro-spinal meningitis
1
from erysipelas
0
from puerperal fever
0
from influenza .
1
from malarial fevers
0
from cholera infantum
1
from dysentery
0
from diarrhea and cholera morbus
0
from pneumonia
17
from bronchitis
4
from diseases of the heart 32
from diseases of the brain and spinal cord
23
from diseases of the kidneys
12
from cancer .
9
Deaths from violence :
Deaths from homicide
1
from suicide
.
.
1
from accident
7
From unknown or ill-defined causes . 4
Number of deaths from all other causes not specified above (not including still-births) 37
Total
180 ·
SUITS AT LAW.
No new suits against the town have been brought during the year 1909.
Three actions in which the town was the defendant, and pend- ing for some time, have been brought to trial.
The first of these, was that of Sarah F. Page, who sought to recover $15,000 damages, for injuries sustained, in consequence of an alleged defect in Pond Street. All efforts on the part of the town to compromise having failed, the case came to trial in the Superior Court for the County of Suffolk, and was tried in Boston, on Novembe 12th, 15th and 16th. The jury found for the plaintiff and assessed damages in the sum of $3,700. Ex- ceptions to certain rulings of law made by the court have been filed by the town and are pending in the Supreme Judicial Court, where they will be argued at the March sitting of that court.
·
·
17
The second action to be tried, was that of John Connell, in a suit to recover $5,000 damages for personal injuries sustained by him while at work in a trench in which water mains or pipes were to be laid at East Weymouth, on June 15, 1905. The case was tried before a jury at Dedham, January 4th, 5th and 6th, 1910. The finding was for the plaintiff and damages assessed in the sum of $850.
The other action was that of Robert C. Steele, who sought to recover $500 for damages to his automobile, claimed to have been caused by an alleged defect in Commercial Street, near the Wey- mouth Rail Road Station. The alleged defect consisted of a stone curbing upon the side of the catch basin, at that place.
This action has been tried in the District Court at Quincy, but decision has not yet been rendered.
This disposes of all actions of tort against the town. The only suits now pending, are those of Thomas F. Brady, to recover $600 for services claimed to have been rendered overtime, as firemen of the pumping station, and the petition of Louis A. Cook, for assessment by jury, of land damages sustained in consequence of laying out and altering Pleasant Street, near Columbian Square, South Weymouth.
JURY LIST.
The following named persons are proposed for jury service :
NAME AND OCCUPATION STREET
Adams, Herbert D., expressman, 154 North
Alexanderson, Hans M., boatbuilder, 64 Bridge
Ashton, Joseph C., conductor, 51 Grove
Bailey, Charles T., watchman, .
204 Front
Bailey, Fred L., ice dealer,
4 Pond
Baker, Charles W., expressman,
139 Washington
Baker, Winfield B., shoeworker,
9 Curtis ave. 135 East
Bates, Abbott C., trader,
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