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TOWN OF WEYMOUTH
1917
Property of Howold Cincoty
assistant Town accountant
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
IT'S
1878
1917
THE CRAWFORD PRESS South Weymouth, Mass.
W.C Ref 352 1917
Lower Stack
MAY 8 1939 Harold C. Lincoln
INDEX.
Town Records
Town Officers
5
Town Meeting (Annual)
7
Precinct Officers
59
State Primary
61
State Election
73
Town Meetings (Special)
69
Town By-Laws
36
Jury List
84
Births
114
Marriages
106
Deaths
91
Report of Registrars of Voters
120
Report of Town Accountant
243
Schools
243
Edward B. Nevin School House
259
Street Department
262
Street Watering and Oiling
266
Public Parks
26S
Preservation of Shade Trees
269
Suppression of Gypsy and Brown Tail Moths
270
Survey and Plotting of Town
273
Fire Department
273
Police Department
281
Health Department
285
Miscellaneous Account
286
Election Expenses
292
Town Offices
295
State and Military Aid
296
Soldiers' Relief
296
Printing and Advertising
297
Electric Lighting
309
Alewive Account
300
Tufts Library
297
Fogg Library Reading Room
300
Memorial Day
300
Abatement and Remittance of Taxes
303
Interest and Discount
303
Notes Payable
304
State and County Taxes
305
Tax Deed Account
305
Reserve Fund
305
Town Officers
305
Poor Department
309
Statement of Appropriations and Expenditures 318
Trial Balance
320
Report of Town Treasurer
322
Town Auditors
333
Selectmen 171
66 Overseers of the Poor
178
Board of Health
182
66
Assessors
186
66
66 Collector of Taxes
188
66 Electric Lighting Committee
190
66
66 Committee on Public Safety
204
66
Chief of Police
195
66
66 Chief Engineer of Fire Department
199
66
Forest Warden
201
66
Superintendent of Moth Work
203
66
66 Tree Warden
202
66
Burial Agent
202
66
Park Commissioners
210
Tufts Library Trustees
219
66
Water Commissioners
337
66
School Committee
121
" Planning Board
216
66
Town Engineer
192
Superintendent of Fire Alarm
200
TOWN OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1917-1918
Town Clerk.
JOHN A. RAYMOND, P. O. address, East Weymouth
JOHN H. STETSON,
Town Treasurer. P. O. address, South Weymouth Selectmen.
HENRY E. HANLEY, Chairman, P. O. address, East Weymouth BRADFORD HAWES, Clerk, P. O. address, East Weymouth GEORGE L. NEWTON, JOSEPH KELLEY, ALFRED W. HASTINGS. Overseers of the Poor.
HENRY E. HANLEY,
BRADFORD HAWES,
JOSEPH KELLEY,
GEORGE L. NEWTON,
ALFRED W. HASTINGS.
Assessors.
LEAVITT W. BATES .
.
Term expires 1918
JOHN F. DWYER, Chairman
·
.
1919
FRANK H. TORREY, Clerk
·
.
1919
LEWIS W. CALLAHAN
. 1920
CHARLES H. CLAPP
1920
Town Accountant. CHARLES B. CUSHING.
Collector of Taxes.
WINSLOW M. TIRRELL, P. O. address, East Weymouth
Engineers of the Fire Department.
WALTER W. PRATT, Chief P. O. address, East Weymouth JOHN Q. HUNT, Clerk P. O. address, East Weymouth WILLIE B. LOUD, HENRY W. PHILLIPS,
PHILIP W. WOLFE.
School Committee.
PRINCE H. TIRRELL
Term expires 1918
THERON L. TIRRELL
-1918
ELMER E. LEONARD
1919
FREDERICK D. NICHOLS
1919
SARAH S. HOWE
1920
EDWIN R. SAMPSON
1920
Board of Health.
JOHN S. WILLIAMS
Term expires 1918
DR. GEORGE E. EMERSON ·
·
66 1919
DR. FREDERICK L. DOUCETT . .
1920
.
Park Commissioners.
J. HERBERT WALSH
NATHAN Q. CUSHING . LOUIS A. COOK .
Term expires 1918
1919
1920
Tree Warden. CHARLES L. MERRITT. Trustees of Tufts Library.
JOHN B. HOLLAND .
Term expires 1918
LOUIS A. COOK .
.
1918
WILLIAM F. HATHAWAY .
66 1918
JAMES H. FLINT
1919
CLARENCE P. WHITTLE
1919
JOSEPH CHASE, JR
66
1919
WILLIAM A. DRAKE .
1920
FRANCIS M. DROWN
1920
JOSEPH E. GARDNER
1920
Registrars of Voters.
BENJAMIN F. SMITH
Term expires 1918
MARSHALL P. SPRAGUE .
1919
PATRICK E. CORRIDAN
1920
JOHN A. RAYMOND,Town Clerk (ex-officio.)
Water Commissioners.
FRANK H. TORREY
Term expires 1918
GEORGE W. PERRY .
66
1919
GEORGE E. BICKNELL
1920
HENRY E. HANLEY, Chairman of Selectmen (ex-officio.)
JOHN H. STETSON, Town Treasurer (ex-officio.)
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
RUSSELL B. WORSTER, P. O. address, Weymouth
Burial Agent for Indigent Soldiers.
WALDO TURNER, P. O. address, East Weymouth
Chief of Police.
ARTHUR H. PRATT,
P. O. address, East Weymouth
Constables.
WILLIE F. TIRRELL,
GEORGE B. BAYLEY,
ELBERT FORD,
ARTHUR H. PRATT,
CHARLES W. BAKER,
CHARLES W. BARROWS,
THOMAS FITZGERALD,
GEO. W. CONANT,
GEO. W. NASH,
EDWARD F. BUTLER.
66
WARRANT FOR ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
NORFOLK, SS. To the Constables of the Town of Weymouth, in said County. GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of Weymouth aforesaid qualified to vote in elections therein and in town affairs, to meet at the Fogg Opera House, in said town, on Monday, the fifth day of March, 1917, at nine o'clock and fifteen minutes in the forenoon, then and there to act upon the following articles, namely :
ARTICLE 1. To choose a Moderator for said meeting.
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.
Art. 2. To choose all necessary town officers other than those elected by ballot, viz : Public Weighers, Surveyors of Wood, Lumber, and Bark, two or more Fence Viewers, two or more Field Drivers, one Pound Keeper and a Planning Board.
Art. 3. To hear and act upon the reports of the several boards of town officers and of any committee appointed at any former meeting, and to choose any committees the town may think proper.
Art. 4. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money in anticipation of the revenue of the current financial year.
Art. 5. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, on or after January 1, 1918, to borrow money in anticipation of the revenue of the year 1918.
8
Art. 6. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the reserve fund.
Art. 7. To see if the town will designate the Weymouth Trust Company, the First National Bank of Boston and the National Shawmut Bank of Boston as legal depositories for the funds of the town, and the First National Safe Deposit Company of Boston, Massachusetts, a legal depository for the securities of the town.
Art. 8. To see what action the town will take in the matter of the audit of its accounts and changes in its ac- counting methods; and to see what sum of money it will raise and appropriate for that purpose; or to take any other action in relation thereto.
Art. 9. To see if the town will vote to rescind its action of March 8, 1915, taken under article 77 of the warrant for the annual meeting whereby the issue of notes for a loan of $4,000 was authorized for certain specific improvements on Washington Street, the issuing of the notes having become unnecessary.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL PROPERTY.
Art. 10. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the support of public schools and for the transportation of pupils to and from school.
Art. 11. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate toward the sinking fund for the payment at maturity of the James Humphrey Schoolhouse Bonds.
PUBLIC PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS.
Art. 12. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the care and maintenance of its parks and playgrounds.
Art. 13. By request: To see what action the town will take toward acquiring playgrounds in different parts of the town and to raise and appropriate money for the purpose.
Art. 14. On petition : To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $600 for the purpose of
9
holding Band Concerts during the summer months, three each, at Beals Park, Webb Park, Jackson Square and Colum- bian Square, the same to be under the supervision of the Park Commissioners.
Art. 15. On petition : To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500 to be spent under the di- rection of the Park Commissioners for the purpose of fur- ther development of Webb Park.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Art. 16. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the support of the Fire Depart- ment.
Art. 17. On petition : To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500 for the purpose of re- pairing and remodeling the original Combination No. 3, W. F. D. hose wagon that it may be used as a Tractor in con- nection with Hook & Ladder Co. No. 3.
Art. 18. To see if the town will authorize the fire en- gineers to sell its two steam fire engines or take any other action in relation thereto.
Art. 19. On petition : To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the suppression of forest fires, the same to be expended under the direction of the Forest Warden.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Art. 20. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for police service.
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Art. 21. To see if the town will vote to appropriate from the revenue of the Water Works for the current year the sum of $36,240 to be expended for the following purposes, viz : $13,000 for Superintendent, maintenance and pumping station ; $3,000 for commissioners, office and current expens- es ; $2,000 for installation of meters; $4,600 for interest on sinking fund 4% bonds; $4,320 on Serial 41/2% and $320
10
on Serial 4% bonds; also $9,000 for serial bonds due this year.
Art. 22. To see if the town will vote to appropriate from the revenue of the Water Works the coming year, and di- rect to be paid to Trustees of the Sinking Fund, the sum of $5,000 to be set apart and invested as a Sinking fund for the payment at maturity of the Weymouth Water Loan Bonds.
Art. 23. On petition of the Moody Land Trust and oth- ers, to see if the town will, for the purpose of extending the water main on their property, (known as Idlewell), auth- orize the issue of bonds to the amount of $7,000 under auth- ority of Chap. 276 of Acts of 1913, entitled "An act to auth- orize the town of Weymouth to make an additional water loan."
HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SEWERAGE.
Art. 24. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the service and expenses of the Board of Health.
Art. 25. By request : To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of $1,500 to be spent under the direc- tion of the Selectmen for the purpose of commencing a topo- graphical survey of Weymouth with a future sewerage sys- tem as the end in view.
Art. 26. On petition : To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $800 to repair the drain that runs from Bicknell's meadow (so called) back of Everett Loud's store to the Herring river.
Art. 27. On petition : To see if the town will provide for a system of collection of garbage in the Town of Weymouth, the cost of same to be provided for by general taxation or such other method as shall seem meet and proper.
TOWN OFFICERS, ELECTIONS AND TOWN OFFICES.
Art. 28. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the payment of town officers.
Art. 29. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for election expenses.
11
Art. 30. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for rent and expenses of town offices.
WAYS AND BRIDGES.
Art. 31. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the repairs of highways, town- ways and bridges and for the removal of snow.
Art. 32. By request : To see if the town will vote that, that part of Commercial Street between the southerly end of North Street, and the northerly end of Middle Street, shall hereafter be known as North Street; and that, that part of Commercial Street between Middle Street, and the town line between Weymouth and Hingham shall hereafter be known as East Commercial Street.
Art. 33. To see if the town will raise and appropriate $200 for the further working of Fore River Avenue or take any action relating thereto.
Art. 34. On petition: To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money to repair Neck and River Streets from Bridge Street to the works of the American Agricultural Chemical Company.
Art. 35. On petition : To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $200 for the completion of the working of Hillcrest Road.
Art. 36. On petition: To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000 to reduce the grade on Green Street at the point nearest the Weymouth Heights Station.
Art. 37. On petition: To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate any sum of money to remove ledge and widen street front of Pratt School House.
Art. 38. On petition : To see what action the town will take in regard to the regrading and permanent construction of Columbian Square.
Art. 39. On petition: To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $300 for the purpose of
12
removing what is now a triangular culvert, and lay one straight and low enough to properly drain land on south side of High Street known as the Totman, Thompson and . French Meadow, which is dangerous to public health as well as partially ruined for tillage.
Art. 40. On petition: To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate $200 to repair Adams Place and put the same in good condition.
Art. 41. On petition : To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $800 for the purpose of gravel- ling and repairing the highway on Pine Street from Park Street to the Hingham Town line and for the construction of a sidewalk.
Art. 42. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the purpose of street watering and oiling.
Art. 43. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate or will appropriate for the building of permanent sidewalks, the same to be expended under the provisions of the Betterment Act.
Art. 44. To see if the town will accept the report of the Selectmen, laying out an extension of Burton Terrace.
Art. 45. To see what amount of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for working the extension of Burton Terrace.
Art. 46. To see if the town will accept the report of the Selectmen laying out a new town way northerly from Bridge Street, over the private way known as Birchbrow Avenue.
Art. 47. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the working of the town way called for in Article 46.
Art. 48. To see if the town will accept the report of the Selectmen laying out a new town way southerly from Bridge Street over the private way known as Sherwood Road.
Art. 49. To see what sum of money the town will vote to
13
raise and appropriate for the working of the town way called for under Article 48.
STATE AND MILITARY AID AND SOLDIERS' RELIEF.
Art. 50. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the payment of State and Military Aid and for burials under the provisions of Chapter 587, of the Acts of 1914, and to determine how much of the same shall be raised by taxation.
Art. 51. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the relief of disabled soldiers and seamen and for the families of disabled or deceased soldiers and seamen under Chapter 79 of the revised laws.
PUBLIC CHARITY.
Art. 52. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the relief and support of the poor.
PUBLIC LIBRARY AND READING ROOM.
Art. 53. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for Tufts Library.
Art. 54. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the maintenance of a public reading room at the Fogg Library.
STREET LIGHTING.
Art. 55. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the lighting of streets.
Art. 56. On petition : To see if the town will vote to place an additional electric light on Adams Place.
TOWN SURVEY.
Art. 57. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the maintenance of the town survey system, or take any other action in relation thereto.
TAXES AND INTEREST.
Art. 58. To determine in what manner taxes shall be col-
14
lected the current year and to fix the rate of interest on all taxes remaining unpaid after the time fixed for payment.
Art. 59. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the abatement and remittance of taxes.
Art. 60. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the payment of interest which may come due the current year.
SHADE TREES AND SUPPRESSION OF MOTHS.
Art. 61. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the preservation of shade trees, the same to be expended under the direction of the Tree Warden.
Art. 62. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the suppression of gypsy and brown- tail moths.
PRINTING AND ADVERTISING.
Art. 63. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for printing and advertising.
Art. 64. To see if the town will instruct the assessors to cause the valuations of real estate of the current year to be printed in the next annual town report.
Art. 65. To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to insert all warrants for annual and special town meetings in all weekly newspapers of Weymouth that have been published continuously for three or more years.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Art. 66. To see if the town will adopt an amendment to its by-laws relating to the licensing of pedlars and junk pick- ers.
Art. 67. To see if the town will vote to pay the dependent widow and children of Patrick Butler who on April 15, 1915, sustained fatal injuries arising out of the conscientious dis- charge of his duties as Chief of Police, a sum equal to that provided by Acts of 1913, Chapter 807, for the dependents of
15
all workmen, laborers and mechanics receiving fatal injuries arising out of and in the course of their employment by the town, to wit, the sum of $10 a week for 400 weeks from the date of his fatal injury ; and to see what sum the town will vote to raise and appropriate for this purpose; and to see what, if any, other action the town will take relative thereto.
Art. 68. To see if the town will take any action in rela- tion to insuring its property against loss by fire and will raise and appropriate any sum of money for that purpose.
Art. 69. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for Memorial Day.
Art. 70. To see if the town will authorize its Selectmen to commence suit for the recovery of any money or property due it or to prosecute a bill in equity or any other proceed- ings in court when in their judgment it is expedient in the interest of the town to do so.
Art. 71. To see if the town will instruct its Selectmen to in any way control, regulate or prohibit the taking of clams from the shores and flats of the town.
Art. 72. To see if the town will take any action in rela- tion to the acquirement or protection of the Alewive Fishery and to raise and appropriate money therefor.
Art. 73. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for miscellaneous expenses.
Art. 74. To see if the town will authorize its Selectmen to sell any real estate of which it may be possessed and for which it has no further use.
You are further required to notify and warn said inhabi- tants of Weymouth, qualified to vote in elections, to meet at the polling places in their respective precincts, to wit : In pre- cincts numbered One, Three, Five and Six, in the halls of the Fire Engine Houses located in those precincts respectively, in precinct numbered. Two, at the Odd Fellow's Opera House, and in Precinct numbered Four at the Hose House at Nash's Corner, on Monday, the twelfth day of March, 1917, at five o'clock and forty-five minutes in the forenoon, then and there
16
to bring in to the wardens of their several precincts their votes on one ballot for the following named public officers, to wit : Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, five Selectmen, five Over- seers of the Poor, two Assessors for three years, Collector of Taxes, three Auditors, two School committee for three years, one Park Commissioner for three years, one Water Commis- sioner for three years, one member of the Board of Health for three years, three Trustees of Tufts Library for three years, one Trustee of Tufts Library for two years, one Commis- sioner of the Sinking Fund of the James Humphrey School House for three years, one Tree Warden and ten Constables ; and to vote on the same ballot, "Yes" or "No" upon the following question :
"Shall license be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town ?"
The polls will be closed at one o'clock in the afternoon.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting a copy thereof, attested by you in writing, in each of two pub- lic places in each voting precinct in said town seven days at least before the time of holding the first meeting called for in this warrant.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk on or before the first day of March, 1917.
Given under our hands at Weymouth, this twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventeen.
EDWARD W. HUNT, BRADFORD HAWES, GEORGE L. NEWTON, HENRY E. HANLEY, RALPH P. BURRELL, Selectmen of Weymouth.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
NORFOLK, SS. WEYMOUTH, February 13, 1917.
I have this day served the within Warrant by posting a copy thereof attested by me in writing in each of two public
17
places in each voting precinct in said Town of Weymouth seven days before the time of holding said meeting.
ARTHUR H. PRATT, Constable of Weymouth. A true copy. Attest : JOHN A. RAYMOND, ... Town Clerk.
18
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
Pursuant to the foregoing Warrant the annual meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Weymouth was held at the Fogg Opera House, South Weymouth, on Monday, March 5, 1917, the meeting being called to order at 9.15 o'clock, A. M. and the warrant (except the several articles) was read by the Town Clerk.
Voted, On motion of Russell B. Worster to dispense with the reading of the several articles of the warrant.
ARTICLE 1. Hon. George L. Barnes was elected as Modera- tor by ballot, the check list was used in the election; and the oath was administered to him by the Town Clerk.
Art. 2. Voted, That a committee of two from each Ward be appointed by the Moderator, to nominate all officers not required to be elected by ballot, also a Planning Board. The following were appointed: Sidney G. Dunbar, Russell H. Whiting, Winslow M. Tirrell, James I. Peers, Patrick Casey, Russell B. Worster, Frank W. Rea, Walter W. Pratt, Frank E. Loud, W. L. Swan.
Art. 3. Voted, To accept the reports of the several Boards of Town Officers as printed.
Art. 4. Voted, That the Town Treasurer, with the approv- al of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1917, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year, any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Art. 5. Voted, That the Town Treasurer, with the approv- al of the Selectmen, be and is hereby authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1918, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year, any debt or debts
19
incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Art. 6. Voted, To appropriate the corporation tax for the reserve fund.
Art. 7. Voted, To designate the Weymouth Trust Com- pany of South Weymouth, Mass., the First National Bank of Boston, Mass., and the National Shawmut Bank of Boston, Mass., as legal depositories for the funds of the town, and the First National Safe Deposit Company of Boston, Mass., as a legal depository for the securities of the town.
Art. 8. Voted, To raise and appropriate the sum of seven hundred fifty ($750) dollars for the installation of a new sys- tem of accounting, and for an audit of the accounts of the town for the year 1917, by certified public accountant under the direction of the Appropriation Committee; and that the election of auditors by the town be discontinued.
Art. 9. Voted, That the town rescind its action of March 8, 1915 taken under article 77 of the warrant for the annual meeting whereby an issue of notes for a loan of $4000 was authorized by certain specific improvements on Washington Street.
The point of order was raised, that there was not a quorum present.
The Moderator appointed Frank E. Loud and Carmine Garofalo as tellers, and administered the oath to them.
The tellers reported that there were 73 voters present.
Voted, To adjourn until 11 o'clock.
At 11 o'clock the meeting was called to order.
The point of order was again raised that there was not a quorum present, and on count by the tellers, they reported that 127 voters were present.
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