Town annual report of Weymouth 1913, Part 1

Author: Weymouth (Mass.)
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 326


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TOWN OF WEYMOUTH 1913


Presby E. I. Kant


THE TUFTS LIBRARY, WEYMOUTH, MA 3 1648 00373 5551


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


TOWN OF 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


. 11/2


1913


WEYMOUTH, MASS. GAZETTE AND TRANSCRIPT PUBLISHING COMPANY


1914


W.C Ref. 352 1913


Lower Stack


MAY 8 1939 EW Hurt


INDEX.


Town Officers


5


Report of the Selectmen . 9


Report of the Town Treasurer


23


Report of the Auditors


29


Report of the Town Accountant


33


Schools


33


Street Department


49 62


Bridges


62


Preservation of Shade Trees


Suppression of Gypsy and Brown Tail Moths


63 64 66


Street Records Indexing .


Street Watering and Oiling


66 66 66


Fire Department


Police Department


74 77


Health Department


Miscellaneous Account


78 79


State, Town and Primary Election Expenses


81


Town Offices


Town Hall Care


84 84 85


State and Military Aid


85


Printing and Advertising


85 86


Electric Lighting


86


Fogg Library Reading Room


86


Assessors' Card Index


86


Abatement and Remittance of Taxes


87


Memorial Day


87


Purchase of Land, Essex Street


Equipment of Town Vault


Interest and Discount


87 87 88 88


Taxes Paid to State and County


88


Tax Deed Account


89


Town Officers


89


Poor Department


93


Public Parks


Surveying and Plotting Town


Superior Court Judgments


Soldiers' Relief .


Tufts Library


Notes Payable


Town Accountant's Report .- Continued.


Statement of Appropriations


102


Statement of Appropriations and Expenditures Trial Balance


108


Report of Overseers of the Poor


106


Report of Town Clerk


110


Report of Superintendent of Streets


182


Report of Chief of Police


186


Report of Superintendent of Town Home


191 193


Report of Tree Warden .


194


Report of Committee on Athens School Addition


195


Report of Assessors .


197


Report of Fire Warden


Report of Burial Agent


198 199 199


Report of Inspector of Live Stock


200


Jury List


202


Report of Board of Health


207 207


Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures


209


Report of Inspector of Licensed Slaughter Houses


209


Report of Tax Collector for Years 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913


210


Report of Registrars of Voters


211


Report of Survey of the Town


212


Report of Fire Engineers 216


219


Report of Superintendent of Fire Alarms


218


Report of Park Commissioners


247


Report of Lighting Committee


249


Report of Water Commissioners


252


Report of School Committee


104


Report of Superintendent of Moth Work


Report of Tufts Fund


Report of Committee on Auto Fire Apparatus


Report of Trustees of Tufts Library .


TOWN OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1913-1914.


Town Clerk. JOHN A. RAYMOND,


P. O. address, East Weymouth


Town Treasurer.


JOHN H. STETSON, P. O. address, South Weymouth Selectmen.


EDWARD W. HUNT, Chairman. P. O. address, Weymouth BRADFORD HAWES, Clerk. P. O. address, East Weymouth


GEORGE L. NEWTON, WILLARD J. DUNBAR, HENRY E. HANLEY.


Overseers of the Poor.


EDWARD W. HUNT, BRADFORD HAWES, GEORGE L. NEWTON, WILLARD J. DUNBAR, A. FRANCIS BARNES.


Assessors.


JOHN F. DWYER, Chairman Term expires 1916


FRANK H. TORREY, Clerk


.


Term expires 1916


WALDO TURNER Term expires 1915


. WARREN T. SIMPSON Term expires 1914 .


EDWARD I. LOUD


· Term expires 1914


Town Accountant. CHARLES B. CUSHING.


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.


JOHN Q. HUNT, Chief P. O. address, East Weymouth


WALTER W. PRATT, Clerk P. O. address, East Weymouth


MATTHEW O'DOWD, CHARLES W. BAKER,


PHILIP W. WOLFE.


School Committee.


A. LILLIAN MCGREGOR .


Term expires 1914


ARTHUR H. ALDEN .


·


Term expires 1914


PRINCE H. TIRRELL


Term expires 1915


THERON L. TIRRELL


Term expires 1915


CLARENCE P. WHITTLE . Term expires 1916


ELMER E. LEONARD


Term expires 1916


Board of Health,


DR. GEORGE E. EMERSON


Term expires 1916


JOHN S. WILLIAMS . .


·


Term expires 1915


NELSON L. GLADWIN


Term expires 1914


Park Commissioners.


LOUIS A. COOK


Term expires 1914


WILLIAM H. CLAPP · .


Term expires 1915


WILSON F. BEANE


Term expires 1916


Tree Warden. CHARLES L. MERRITT.


Trustees of Tufts Library.


WILLIAM A. DRAKE


Term expires 1914


FRANCIS M. DROWN


Term expires 1914


JOSEPH E. GARDNER


Term expires 1914


JOHN B. HOLLAND . Term expires 1915 .


LOUIS A. COOK


Term expires 1915


WILLIAM F. HATHAWAY


.


Term expires 1915


JAMES H. FLINT


Term expires 1916


CLARENCE P. WHITTLE . .


Term expires 1916


Registrars of Voters.


PATRICK E. CORRIDAN . Term expires 1914


BENJAMIN F. SMITH .


Term expires 1915


MARSHALL P. SPRAGUE Term expires 1916 JOHN A. RAYMOND, Town Clerk (ex-officio. )


Superintendent of Streets. JOHN L. MAYNARD.


Water Commissioners.


GEORGE E. BICKNELL


Term expires 1914


FRANK H. TORREY


Term expires 1915


ROBERT S. HOFFMAN Term expires 1916 EDWARD W. HUNT, Chairman of Selectmen (ex.officio.)


JOHN H. STETSON, Town Treasurer (ex-officio.)


Sealer of Weights and Measures. FRANK D. SHERMAN.


Burial Agent for Indigent Soldiers. WALDO TURNER.


Chief of Police.


PATRICK BUTLER


P. O. address, East Weymouth


Constables.


ISAAC H. WALKER,


GEORGE W. NASH,


PATRICK BUTLER,


THOMAS FITZGERALD,


ARTHUR H. PRATT, JOHN D WALSH,


GEORGE B. BAYLEY,


GEORGE W. CONANT,


ELBERT FORD,


WILLARD F. HALL.


Commissioners of Ward Two Schoolhouse Sinking Fund.


HENRY A. NASH


Term expires 1914


FRANK H. TORREY . .


·


Term expires 1915


WILLARD J. DUNBAR


Term expires 1916


REPORT OF SELECTMEN.


To the Inhabitants of the Town of Weymouth :


The report of the Selectmen of Weymouth for the year ending December 31, 1913 is hereby submitted.


For a financial statement of the several appropriations we refer to the report of the Town Account.


As the heads of the several departments have submitted their reports, which appear elswhere in this volume, little need be said here of the work done in the several departments.


For a detailed statement of the work done in the several depart- ments we refer to these reports.


Charles B. Cushing was again appointed Town Accountant and his work needs no comment as it speaks for itself.


John L. Maynard was appointed Superintendent of Streets and has carried on the work of that department with good executive ability and with an earnest purpose to obtain the best results possible from his appropriation.


STREETS. WASHINGTON STREET


We have had an interview with the Highway Commision in re- gard to our petition for the taking of Washington Street as a state highway. We have received no definite decision as yet from the Commission. The attitude of its members at the hearing gave little encourgement that the petition would be granted.


They held that with the large number of petitions which they have on file many of them from towns having little or no state highway, we ought not to expect any more of our streets to be taken by the state for some time to come.


They held out some encouragement that if we would get in touch with the selectmen of the towns below us and secure concert- ed action of the towns through which the Plymouth turnpike pas- ses in improving this road. that the commission would come to our assistance with an appropriation from the motor vehicle tax fund of like amount to that of the several towns.


We wrote to the towns interested but have not yet learned that any of them are resdy to take up the work.


10


SIDEWALKS.


The extension of the work of laying concrete sidewalks under the provisions of law providing for the assessment of betterments has been continued. About a mile of this walk has been made . and is giving good satisfaction.


We have encountered some sentiment in favor of laying grano- lithic sidewalks rather than concrete.


Undoubtedly the granolithic is a longer lived construction and gives a smoother surface. Its cost is however twice that of con- crete and it has seemed more advisable to a majority of the board, under the present financial conditions to continue the concrete work unless in any case the abuttor wishes the granolithic and was willing to pay all above one half the cost of concrete.


SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS.


The several pieces of work for which special appropriations were made have been completed within the amount of the respec- tive appropriations, viz. : sidewalk on Bartlett Street, the bridge over the Herring Brook, the drain on Hill Street, the drain on Broad Street, near Vine Street, the sidewalk on Front Street, the working of Summit Street, the working of the extension of Tor- reys lane and the retaining wall on Norton Street.


STREET RAILWAY PERMITS.


Under date of June 2, 1913, an order was passed giving to the Bay State Street Railway Company a permit to relay and in part relocate its track on North Street from Church Street to Sea Street. The relocation mentioned was to enable the company to lay its rails the required distance from obstructions (trees and poles) in the edge of the sidswalk.


Under date of June 21, 1913, an order was passed giving a location to said company for its track, poles and fixtures on the Back River Bridge and abuttment in this town. This location was granted with a provision that "So much of this location as is upon the Weymouth Back River bridge is granted subject to the provisions of Chapter 739 of the Acts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the year, 1911, and all acts in amendment thereof or additional thereto and the construction thereon shall be such as is approved by the legally constituted authorities from time to time having charge of said bridge."


11


A petition was received from the company under date of July 24, 1913, "Praying that the Selectmen approve its becoming a common carrier of newspapers, baggage, express matter and freight along and upon its railway in the Town of Weymouth."


A hearing was duly had upon said petition in accordance with provisions of law, on August 20, 1913.


After due consideration the Board of Selectmen determined to approve the authority asked for in said petition, which was done under an order dated September 19, 1913.


A hearing was held on January 13, 1914, by the Public Ser- vice Commission at which nothing developed which will interfere with the permit going into effect at an early date. The approval of the commission is expected.


POLICE.


Patrick Butler was appointed Chief of Police and Thomas Fitzgerald, inspector.


No change has been made in the night patrol, either in the number or personel.


During the year the board has had to deal with its first case of discipline since the civil service law, so far as it relates to the police force, was accepted by the town. Certain reports reached the board involving the propriety of the actions and conduct of a member of the night patrol. Realizing that the maintenance of an efficient and well disciplined police force is of the highest import- ance to the town and to the public generally, the board promptly proceeded to investigate the matter, procuring all the information the circumstances would permit and, acting on what was learned, suspended the officer for a period of thirty days pending further investigation. A continued inquiry to ascertain the truth resulted in confirming the opinion of the board that the reports of mis- conduct had sufficient basis to require additional action. Accord- ingly, the officer was notified in writing what further action was proposed and the reasons therfor, as required by the civil service law. He thereupon asked for a public hearing, which was granted. He filed a written denial of all the specifications of unbecoming conduct and by his own evidence and that of witnesses produced by him, offered testimony to show he was innoncent ; other wit- nesses, summoned by the board testified in support of certain of the charges, but some of these were reluctant and unwilling to


12


testify, apparently fearing that any evidence they might give would be used against them in certain proceedings in court then pending, in which they themselves were the defendants.


All the evidence on both sides was carefully considered by the board and it was determined that three of the five allegations against the officer had been sustained. A further suspension of thirty days without pay, covering in all a period of 60 days was ordered.


No appeal was taken from this finding and order.


C


WATER SUPPLY.


The town, at the last annual meeting, instructed the Selectmen "To employ a competent engineer to investigate our water supply, the advisability of installing meters, the proper method of over- coming the lack of water in the high places af the town, the ex- tending, enlarging or replacing of mains with reference to our future growth, the possibility of a saving by having the water pumped by commercial electrical power, and such other changes as the water system may need."


Early in the season we took this matter up. Several names were brought to our attention of engineers who were engaged in work of this nature. Among these was Hiram Allen Miller, whose office is 8 Beacon street, Boston. We wrote to the Metro- politan Water and Sewerage Board in regard to Mr. Miller, and in their reply they stated :


"Mr. Miller was for a long time one of our division engineers, especially in charge of the construction of the Wachuset Reser- voir. After leaving us he was the chief engineer for the con- struction of the Charles River Basin. Since that time he has been considerably employed as an expert in water supply matters."


We then wrote Mr. Miller as follows :


May 7, 1913.


"At a meeting of the Board of Selectmen, held this day, it was voted to employ you as the engineer to do the various things designated in the vote of the town at its annual meeting of March 10, 1913 (a copy of which is herewith enclosed), provided you will do so for an amount within the appropriation, and will make a full and comprehensive report of conditions, together with such advice and recommendations to the town as, in your judgment, the situation seems to require."


13


To this letter we received the following reply :


"I have your kind favor of the 7th inst., with accompanying copy of the vote of the town of Weymouth, made at its annual ·meeting, held on March 10, 1913, appropriating the sum of $1,000 for an engineer to investigate the water supply, as stated therein, and beg to assure you that I will accept the appointment, and will make a full and comprehensive report of the conditions, to- gether with such advice and recommendations to the town as in my judgment the situation seems to require, and that the charge therefor will be within the above mentioned appropriation.'


We believe Mr. Mller has conducted his inquiry in a thorough and painstaking manner. Owing to the fact that certain of his inquiries had to be conducted through cold weather to obtain the desired results, he was unable to submit his report.in time for it to be printed herein.


We expect to have the report in print as a separate document, to be submitted at the coming town meeting.


BEQUEST.


By the terms of a will left by Joseph E. Trask (deceased) for- merly of this town, after the payment of certain bequests therein named, the remainder of his property (estimated at about $30,- 000) is placed in trust, the income to be paid to certain benefi- ciaries during their life, and upon the death of the last survivor the will provides as follows :


" The Trustee or his successor in said trust shall pay and deliver to said Town of Weymouth, or to the City of Wey- mouth, if such town shall have become a city before the time for such payment shall have arrived, the whole of said trust fund, including the principal sum and all income thereof which shall not have been paid out or expended under the foregoing provisions of this item of my Will. But such payments to said town shall be held by it upon the following-named trusts, to wit : -


" To hold and safely invest the sum at interest, more regard being had in such investment to its security than to the rate or per cent. of income, and to pay over one-half part of the income of said fund as it accrues to the Board of Trustees of the Public Library in said town, known as the ' Tufts Library,' to be expended by such Trustees in the purchase for the use


14


of the said library of useful books of a standard character, giving special prominence to those of a scientific nature. And to pay over in like manner to its Board of Selectmen, or, in case said town of Weymouth shall have become a city, to such board of its officers as 'shall have been lawfully charged with the duty of administering the fund bequeathed to said town by Quincy Tufts, Esq., for the maintenance of free public lectures in Weymouth for the benefit of all its residents. And I direct said Board of Selectmen or the officers substituted for them as above stated to expend the income of said trust fund allotted to them in maintaining a similar course of free public lectures in said Weymouth which shall be helful in imparting infor- mation in respect to the progress of the world in the arts and sciences."


COURT ACTIONS DURING THE YEAR IN WHICH THE TOWN IS A PARTY.


Alvin Hollis et al., vs. Water Commissioners. Petition for writ of mandamus. (Supreme Judicial Court, pending on ex- ceptions by the petitioner to the order of the Court dismissing the bill.)


Louis A. Cook vs. Town of Weymouth. Petition for assess- ment of land damages. (Norfolk Superior Court. )


Johanna Burke vs. Town of Weymouth. Tort, for alleged de- fects in Neck street. (Norfolk Superior Court. )


Herbert A. Billings vs. Town of Weymouth. Tort, for damage by blasting. (District Court of East Norfolk. )


Ellen F. Stetson vs. Town of Weymouth. Petition for abate- ment of taxes. (Norfolk Superior Court. )


John J. Naughton vs. Town of Weymouth. Contract, to re- cover money paid for alleged illegal tax titles. (Norfolk Superior Court. )


Town of Weymouth vs. Margaret E. Marion. Contract, to re- cover for board and lodging at Town Home. Judgment for plain- tiff for $366.70. (Municipal Court of the City of Boston. )


Brockton Lumber Co. vs. Miles Keene. (Town summoned as trustee. )


Petition by Leon J. Auger for registration of land title. (Land Court.)


15


Petition by Edna Pope for registration of land title. (Land Court. )


Petition by D. Arthur Brown for registration of land title. (Land Court. )


Petition by Selectmen for appointment of Special Commission in rewidening of Wharf street at R. R. crossing. (Norfolk Superior Court.)


RECENT LEGISLATION.


We consider several recent legislative enactments of sufficient importance to merit a place in this report as they closely connect with the financial administration of the town and should be avail- able for ready reference.


ACTS, 1913-CHAPTER 645.


"To provide for extraordinary or unforeseen expenditures, towns may at an annual town meeting appropriate a sum of money not exceeding 5% of the tax levy of the preceding year, to be known as the Reserve Fund. No direct drafts against this fund shall be made, but transfers from the fund may from time to time be voted by the finance or appropriation committee of the town, in towns having such a committee, and in other towns by the Selectmen ; and the town accountant, in towns having snch an official, and in other towns the auditor or board of auditors, shall make such transfers accordingly. The town treasurer shall honor drafts against the fund so transferred."'


ACTS, 1913-CHAPTER 669.


"All accounts rendered to or kept in the departments of any city shall be subject to the inspection of the city auditor or officer having similar duties, and in towns shall be subject to the in- spection of the selectmen. The auditor or officer having similar duties, or the selectmen may require any person presenting for settlement an account or claim against the city or town to make oath before him or them, in such form as he or they may pre- scribe, as to the accuracy of such account or claim. The wilful making of a false oath shall be perjury, and punishable as such. The anditor or officer having similar duties, in cities, and the selectmen in towns, shall approve the payment of all bills or pay- rolls of all departments before same are paid by the treasurer, and may disallow and refuse to approve for payment, in whole or


16


in part, any claim on the ground that it is fraudulent, unlawful or excessive, and in that case the auditor or officer having simi- lar duties, or the selectmen, shall file with the treasurer of the city or town a written statement of the reasons for the refusal ; and the treasurer shall not pay any claim or bill so disallowed."


Section 2. Nothing in this act contained shall be construed as abridging the powers and authority conferred on town accountants by the provisions of Chapter six hundred and twenty-four of the Acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten and acts in amend- ment thereof.


Section 3. All provisions of law inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.


Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.


Approved May 16, 1913.


ACTS, 1913-CHAPTER 692.


Section 1. The financial year of all towns of the common- wealth shall hereafter end on the thirty-first day of December, and the returns made to the bureau of statistics under the provi- sions of Chapter three hundred and seventy-one of the Acts of the year nineteen hundred and nine and amendments thereof shall show the financial condition of the town at the close of business on that day.


Section 2. During the interval between the thirty-first day of December in each year and the time of making the next annual appropriations the town officers who are authorized to make ex- penditures may incur liabilities in carrying on the work of the several departments entrusted to them, and payments therefor shall be made from the treasury from any available funds therein, and the same shall be charged against the next annual appropria- tion : provided, that the liabilities incurred during said interval do not exceed in any one month the sums spent for similar pur- poses during any one month of the preceding year ; and provided, further, that said officers may expend in any one month for any officer or board created by law an amount not exceeding one- twelfth of the estimated cost for said year; but all interest and debt falling due in said interval shall be paid.


Section 3. This Act shall take effect on the first day of Janu- ary, nineteen hundred and fourteen.


Approved May 21, 1913.


17


ACTS, 1913. - CHAPTER 706.


Section 1. Chapter five hundred and ninety-eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten is hereby amended by strik- ing out the first three sections and inserting in place thereof the following : Section 1. Any town at a meeting legally called for the purpose may petition the director of the bureau of statistics for an audit of its accounts ; and, as soon as possible after the receipt of such petition, the director shsll cause the audit to be made and shall at the time of making the audit cause a system of accounts such as may be approved by him to be installed in the town; and after an accounting system has been installed in ac- acordance with the provisions of this section, the town, at a town meeting legally called for the purpose, may petition for subsequent audits from time to time, or may provide in its by-laws for period- ical andits under the supervision of the director of the bureau of statistics, and said director shall cause such audits to be made.


Section 2. There shall be inserted in the warrant for the an- nual town meeting held in the year nineteen hundred and fourteen in each town of the commonwealth an article to see if the town will petition the director of the bureau of statistics for an audit of its accounts in accordance with the provisions of chapter five hundred ninty-eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten and amendmenes therof ; but this provision shall not apply to those towns which, prior to the passage of this act, shall have petitioned said director in accordance with the provisions of said chapter.


ACTS, 1913 .- CHAPTER 719. AN ACT RELATIVE TO MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS.


Section 3. Cities and towns, and fire, water and watch districts, so-called, may, by a majority vote, incur debt for temporary loans in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year in which the debt is incurred and expressly made payable therefrom by such vote, and may issue a note or notes therefor to an amount not ex- ceeding in the aggregate the total tax levy of the preceding finan- cial year, together with the bank, corporation and street railway tax received during the preceding financial year, exclusive of special or additional assessments or revenue from any other sonrce except payments made by the commonwealth in lieu of taxes on account of property taken for institutions or for metropolitan dis- trict purposes. Such notes shall be payable, and shall be paid,


18


not later than one year from from the date thereof, and shall not be renewed or paid by the issue of new notes, except as is provi- ded in section nine.


Section 5. Cities and towns may incur debt, within the limit of indebtedness prescribed in this act, for the following purposes, and payable within the periods hereinafter specified.




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