Town annual reports of the officers of Mendon, Massachusetts 1917-1927, Part 1

Author: Mendon (Mass. : Town)
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Town of Mendon, Massachusetts
Number of Pages: 896


USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Mendon > Town annual reports of the officers of Mendon, Massachusetts 1917-1927 > Part 1


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Class


974,41


BC 3 7866


PRESENTED TO THE TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY


Town By


Mendon,


1930.


5099 15 ANNUAL REPORTS


OF THE VARIOUS


BOARDS OF TOWN OFFICERS


OF THE


TOWN OF MENDON


INCLUDING THE REPORT OF THE


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


FOR THE


Municipal Year Ending Dec. 31, 1917. (251ST ANNUAL REPORT.)


MILFORD, MASS. MILFORD JOURNAL CO., PRINTERS. 1917.


TREASURER'S REPORT,


The undersigned Treasurer of the Town of Mendon for the financial year ending December 31, 1917 submits an account of his doings.


The Treasurer debits himself with receiving the following sums viz :-


To cash received from Treasurer for the year ending December 31, 1916 $1,491 14 To cash received from Milford Savings Bank 7,500 00


To cash received from Collector, 1914 53 74


To cash received from Collector, 1915 355 90


To cash received from Collector, 1916


2,550 50


To cash received from Collector, 1917 10,404 94


To cash received from M. &. U. St. Ry. tax 238 78


To cash received from M., A. & W. St. Ry. tax 42 50


To cash received from Worcester Subur- ban St. Ry. tax 741 74


To cash received from State Treasurer, St. Ry. tax 921 12


To cash received from State Treasurer, Income School Fund 1,391 90


To cash received from State Treasurer, Inspection of Animals 19 02


To cash received from State Treasurer, Public Service Corporation tax .. 247 29


To cash received from State Treasurer, Business Corporation tax 11 02


To cash received from State Treasurer, Income tax 723 83


3


To cash received from State Treasurer, Income tax 68 00


To cash received from State Treasurer, National Bank tax 504 84


To cash received from State Treasurer, State Aid, 1916 248 00


To cash received from State Treasurer, Soldiers' Exemption 40 37


To cash received from State Treasurer, State Road 105 22


To cash received from State Treasurer, State Road 358 75


To cash reecived from State Treasurer, Assistant in High School 500 00


To cash received from State Treasurer, Tuition School Children 132 00


To cash received from Town of Ux- bridge, Tuition School Children .. 28 50 To cash received from City of Boston, Tuition School Children 52 50


To cash received from F. J. Dutcher, Account Supervision of Schools ... 375 00 To cash received from County Treas- urer, Dog tax 173 06


To cash received from F. H. Wood, Tui- tion Industrial School 46 60


To cash received from C. A. Fletcher, for School tickets 7 20


To cash received from M. & U. St. Ry. Co., Grove license 50 00


To cash received from Daniel H. Barnes, Bowling Alley license 15 00


To cash received from Frances Murphy Skating Rink license 10 00


To cash received from Arthur E. Brown, Janitor Town Hall 71 00


4


To cash received from Annie Darling, for Rent of Alliance room . 12 00 To cash received from Raymond L. Daley, Pool table license 2 00


To cash received from Charles H. Allen, for one copy Town Annals 3 00


To cash received from Clerk 3d District Court, Milford 29 51


To cash received from County Treas- urer for killing unlicensed dog ... 2 00


To cash received from W. A. Barry, one-half fees from hay scales .... 11 90


To cash received from Lena W. George, Library fines and merchandise sold 13 11


To cash received from Williams & Vin- cent from Albert Southwick. 63 11


$29,616 09


The Treasurer credits himself with paying the following sums, viz :-


By paying 215 Town orders $12,895 47


66 School department 2,796 27


2 notes new school building. . 650 00


66 2 notes anticipation of rev-


enue, 1916 2,500 00


66


1 note general expense


500 00


2 notes anticipation of rev- enue, 1917 6,000 00


66 Interest on notes


380 33


66 State Treasurer, state tax ..


1,870 00


66 County Treasurer, County tax 834 00


66 Bureau of Statistics 6 00


66 State Treasurer, penalty for failure to make returns ... 4 00


By cash on hand to balance 1,180 02


$29,616 09


5


AUSTIN WOOD RELIEF FUND.


DR.


To cash received L. T. Gaskill, treasurer 1916-1917, deposited in Milford Savings Bank $886 96


To cash received deposited in Worcester County Institution for Savings .... 759 31 To cash received from Selectmen account unexpended from order No. 60, de- posited in Milford Savings Bank. . 6 83 To cash received interest Milford Sav- ings Bank 35 94


To cash received interest Worcester County Institution for Savings. ... 30 66


$1,719 70


CR.


By cash paid two Town orders $50 00


By cash deposited in Milford Savings


Bank 879 73


By cash deposited in Worcester County


Institution for Savings


789 97


$1,719 70


Respectfully submitted,


LEONARD T. GASKILL,


Treasurer. Mendon, January 1st, 1918.


6


SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1 FUND.


DR.


To cash deposited in Milford Savings


Bank


$559 20


To cash received interest in Milford


Savings Bank


22 58


$581 78


CR.


By cash deposited in Milofrd Savings Bank $581 78


$581 78


The notes against the Town Januray 1st, 1918 are :- 6 New school building notes, $500 each $3,000 00 6 New school building notes, $150 each 900 00


1 Note anticipation of revenue 1,500 00


$5,400 00


Respectfully submitted, LEONARD T. GASKILL,


Treasurer. Mendon, January 1st, 1918.


7


SELECTMEN'S REPORT.


-


The Selectmen submit the following report of expenditures for the municipal year ending January 1, 1918.


TOWN OFFICERS.


Frank M. Aldrich, forest warden $10 00


George M. Taft, auditor 6 00


Charles H. Allen, assessor 90 00


Charles A. Fletcher, assessor 75 00


Samuel W. Wood, assessor


75 00


Arthur E. Brown, constable, Sept. 1,


1916 to March 1, 1917 12 50


Frank M. Aldrich, fire warden


10 00


Leonard T. Gaskill, tax collector, year 1915 100 00


Leonard T. Gaskill, treasurer, year 1917 100 00


Moses U. Gaskill, selectman 50 00


Edward T. Powers, selectman 35 00


Luther W. Holbrook, selectman 30 00


Moses U. Gaskill, overseer of poor . .


45 00


Edward T. Powers, overseer of poor .. 6 00


Luther W. Holbrook, overseer of poor .. 6 00


Arthur E. Brown, constable


25 00


Charles H. Allen, town clerk and reg- istrar 75 00


Charles H. Allen, recording and index-


ing 14 births 7 00


Charles H. Allen, recording and index- ing 7 marriages 1 40


8


Charles H. Allen, administering oaths


to 31 officers 7 75


Charles H. Allen, sealer of weights and


measures less fees 6 69


Charles H. Allen, recording and index- ing 15 deaths 3 00


Arthur E. Brown, dog officer 10 00


$786 34


BOARD OF HEALTH.


F. K. Brown, inspection of slaughtering $27 50


E. T. Powers, inspection of slaughter- ing 3 00


M. U. Gaskill, inspection of slaughter- ing 2 00


John C. Wood, inspection of slaughter- ing


30 00


Dr. F. H. Lally, fumigating three houses


12 00


$74 50


MOTH SCOUT.


Frank M. Aldrich


$252 07


George M. Aldrich


40 00


Carl Wilbur 28 00


George M. Taft, use of team 3 00


Staples & Gould, supplies


1 00


Clark Ellis & Sons, supplies


2 10


$326 17


TREE WARDEN.


Joseph W. Crockett, labor on trees $12 00


Frank M. Aldrich, salary, labor and team 47 50


G. M. Billings, printing notices 2 25


$61 75


9


INCIDENTALS.


Worcester County Abstract Co., assessors' supplies $12 39


Johnson & Ritz, moving furniture from bridge


26 00


J. M. Demers, labor at bridge 5 00


E. T. Powers, cash paid, labor and


supplies 10 25


Yale & Towne Mfg. Co., supplies 1 18


Williams & Vincent, legal services 121 83 . .. Hobbs & Warren, cash book for treasurer 3 33


Mathew Bender Co., law book


10 50


Carter Ink Co., state record ink 42


Arthur E. Brown, killing two unlicensed dogs 4 00


Sanford Putnam Co., order book


13 00


E. T. Powers, labor at watering tub. . .


6 50


Arthur E. Brown, services in criminal case 5 00


George K. Taft, caring for Town lawns


10 75


Moses U. Gaskill, postage and telephone calls 1 10


Herbert J. George, administering oaths


5 75


W. A. Barry, weigh book


1 42


M. U. Gaskill, inspector of animals 38 03 . . Smith A. Steere, petition to County Com- missioners relative to improvement of Providence road 3 00


Louis H. Barney, coal for record room 37 25


W. D. Howard 8 00


W. and L. E. Gurley, sealer of weights and measures 4 52


H. M. Burr, stamped envelopes 1 76


New England Tel. & Tel. Co. for Town phone toll charges 88


Worcester Suburban Elec. Co., Town


10


hall, record room and library, elec- tric lights 27 96


Arthur E. Brown, services in criminal


case 29 72


L. T. Gaskill, making returns to bureau of statistics 7 00


L. T. Gaskill, postage stamps 11 00


L. T. Gaskill, use of well 5 00


10 32


L. T. Gaskill, cash paid for car fares Charles H. Allen, sealing Town scales


1 00


Charles H. Allen, care of lawn and record rooms 8 00


Charles H. Allen, car fare and express. . 3 15


Charles H. Allen, postage and telephone 4 85


Charles H. Allen, expenses to Town


Clerks' meeting at Whitinsville .... 1 50


$441 36


BALLOT CLERKS AND TELLERS.


John J. Driscoll


$7 50


Edward F. Driscoll 4 50


Herbert J. George.


9 00


Arthur V. Pond


9 50


Raymond J. Daley


6 50


$37 00


POLICE.


John J. Noyes, police duty July 3 and 4


$4 00


Arthur E. Brown, police duty July 3 and 4 4 00


Joseph Alves, police duty July 3 and 4 4 00


$12 00


RETURNING DEATHS.


W. W. Watson, returning 5 deaths $1 25


G. W. Wood, returning 5 deaths 1 25


$2 50


11


TOWN HALL BUILDING.


Smith A. Steere, repairs $84 64


E. H. Taft, wood . 24 30


Staples & Gould, supplies 5 60


Otis Whitney & Son, flag-pole


10 95


Arthur E. Brown, Janitor 80 00


Moore & Shattuck, supplies


1 06


Arthur E. Brown, erecting booth


4 00


F. C. Townsend, repairs


35 60


Charles H. Allen, repairs


6 16


L. T. Gaskill, cash paid mending flag. .


1 00


$253 31


PRINTING AND SUPPLIES.


Milford Journal Co.


$103 07


Milford Daily News 47 75


G. M. Billings 19 75


A. W. Brownell


7 20


$177 77


SUPPORT OF POOR.


Order to Overseers of Poor


$1,510 47


SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS.


Order to School Committee


$4,025 00


TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY.


Order to Trustees of Taft Pub. Library $283 04


STATE AID TO PENSIONERS.


State aid to pensioners, Chap. 587, Acts of 1914, 12 months . $216 00


12


AUSTIN WOOD RELIEF FUND.


Austin Wood Relief Fund


$50 00


REPAIRS TO ROADS AND BRIDGES.


Orders to Highway Department $4,393 36


MONEY FROM STREET RAILWAY COMPANIES TO BE EXPENDED ON HIGHWAYS.


Milford & Uxbridge St. Ry. Co. $238 78


M. A. & W. St. Ry. Co. 42 50


Worcester Suburban 741 74


State Treasurer, St. Ry. tax 921 12


$1,944 14


STREET LIGHING.


Worcester Suburban Electric Co. $309 96


OLD CEMETERY.


Alonzo E. Brown, labor $47 00


MEMORIAL DAY.


Memorial Day Committee


$60 00


FIRE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING FOREST FIRES.


Arthur E. Brown, storing fire apparatus $9 00 Samuel W. Wood, repairs on fire station 5 25


F. M. Aldrich, bottles, telephone charges, etc. 4 92


13


F. M. Aldrich, L. Wise and P. O. Gaskill, fires 10 00


F. M. Aldrich, charging and transport- ing extinguishers 3 50


Jackson fire, pay roll 5 40


Samuel W. Wood, labor and supplies, fire station 3 05


Town of Hopedale, Frank Taft fire. ..


10 00


W. C. Tewksbury & Co., labor and sup- plies, fire station 8 45


Worcester Suburban Electric Co., heat for fire station 2 80


Clark Ellis & Sons, supplies 2 00


W. and B. Douglas, pump 12 00


W. A. Barry, supplies for fire station 2 00


$78 37


The Selectmen report the liabilities and assets of the town as follows :


LIABILITIES.


6 New school building notes, $500 each $3,000 00


6 New school building notes, $150 each 900 00


1 Note anticipation of revenue 1,500 00


$5,400 00


ASSETS.


Due from Collector, 1915


$18 20


Due from Collector, 1916


337 76


Due from Collector, 1917


2,855 18


Due from State account, State Aid for


1917


216 00


Due from State account, Tuition Indus- trial School 46 61


Due from State account, Mother's Aid 30 00


Due from State account, State road . 361 08


Due from County account, State road .. 361 08


Cash on hand 1,180 02


$5,405 93


14


APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1917.


Support of Schools


$4,000 00


School Physician


25 00


Support of Poor


1,500 00


Repairs of Roads and Bridges, including St. Ry. taxes


2,944 14


Taft Public Library


300 00


Interest


400 00


Town Debt


1,150 00


Incidentals


800 00


Salaries of Town Officers


800 00


Board of Health


200 00


Fire Department, including forest fire fighting


200 00


Soldiers' Relief


50 00


Tree Warden


50 00


Moth Scout


300 00


Street Lights


310 00


Repairs of Highways in connection with Highway Commission 500 00


Memorial Day


60 00


Care of Old Cemetery


50 00


Suppression of Liquor Selling and Vice


50 00


Repairs on State Highway at South Milford


500 00


RECAPITULATION.


Town officers


$786 34


Board of Health


74 50


Moth scout


326 17


Tree Warden


61 75


Street lighting


309 96


Old Cemetery .


47 00


Memorial Day


60 00


Fire Department, including forest fires


78 37


Incidentals


923 94


Support of Poor


1,510 47


Support of Schools and School physician


4,025 00


15


Taft Public Library


283 04


State Aid


216 00


State Roads


2,031 28


Roads and bridges


2,362 08


$13,095 90


Respectfully submitted,


MOSES U. GASKILL,


EDWARD T. POWERS, LUTHER W. HOLBROOK,


January 24, 1918.


Selectmen of Mendon.


16


COLLECTOR'S REPORT.


1914. DR.


To balance uncollected January 1st, 1917


$46 00


Interest received 7 74


$53 74


CR.


By cash paid Treasurer $53 74


$53 74


LEONARD T. GASKILL, Collector of Taxes, 1914.


Mendon, January 1, 1918.


1915.


DR.


To balance uncolleted January 1, 1917 $341 77


Interest received 34 33


$376 10


CR.


By cash paid Treasurer


$355 90


Abatements


2 00


Amount uncollected


18 20


$376 10


LEONARD T. GASKILL,


Collector of Taxes, 1915.


Mendon, January 1, 1918.


17


1916. DR.


To balance uncollected January 1, 1917 $2,822 09


Interest received


84 42


$2,906 51


CR.


By cash paid Treasurer


$2.550 30


Abatements


18 45


Amount uncollected


337 76


$2,906 51


LEONARD T. GASKILL,


Collector of Taxes, 1916.


Mendon, January 1, 1918.


1917.


DR.


To taxes committed for collection $13,218 66


Additional Assessments 1,040 87


Interest received


23 61


$14,283 14


CR.


By cash paid Treasurer $11,427 96


Amount uncollected 2,855 18


$14,283 14


Respectfully submitted, LEONARD T. GASKILL, Collector of Taxes, 1917.


Mendon, January 1, 1918.


18


REPORT OF HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.


RESOURCES.


Appropriation


$1,000 00


Excise tax, street railways


1,023 02


State Treasurer, street railway tax


921 12


$2,944 14


EXPENDITURES.


CLEARING ROADS AND PATHS OF SNOW, (LABOR.)


C. A. Fletcher


$11 25


Geo. B. Cromb


14 37


Nils Carlstrom


5 00


Leon A. Paddock


1 25


J. Wheelock Towne


1 25


Harold Wheeler


2 50


John Towne


5 00


Manuel Rogers


6 88


Ralph Harding


1 88


L. W. Holbrook


75


Bert Harding


4 38


Harold Steere


2 50


Harold Cannon


2 50


$59 51


TEAMS.


C. A. Fletcher


$49 00


Frank Harding


21 75


Ralph Phillips


21 75


P. T. Kinsley


4 50


$97 00


19


W. C. Robinson & Sons, team and labor $61 70


W. G. Larking, team and labor 8 00


E. H. Taft, team and labor 8 46


Wm. Irons, team and labor 9 10


$87 26


LABOR ON HIGHWAYS.


John Towne $87 92


Edw. Tancrelle


136 67


Joseph Stenson 60 15


A. E. Brown


91 67


Edw. Cook 14 65


Nils Carlstrom


47 50


Joseph Taylor


79 67


Oscar Courtemanche


35 00


I. O. Rhodes


5 00


Felix Brothers


2 50


Harold Steere


16 25


L. W. Holbrook


327 00


Walter Moore


47 50


Frank Brown


29 17


Nathan Towne


13 75


John C. Wood


50


Earle Gaskill


2 50


$997 40


TEAMS.


P. T. Kinsley


$311 00


Wm. Irons


276 00


Joseph Taylor


228 75


$815 75


20


GRAVEL.


Felix Brothers $3 00


Pierre Girrouard 3 40


Joseph Lamothe 3 00


Merril Wheelock


2 40


Austin A. Taft, Est. of


1 70


Geo. E. Phillips


6 20


C. A. Fletcher 56 40


D. H. Barnes


70


M. U. Gaskill


2 90


Alpha Tancrelle


80


W. W. Barr 16 20


H. A. Thayer


1 90


Lizzie Fletcher 2 40


5 30


M. & U. St. Ry. Co.


2 70


$109 00


M. & U. St. Ry. Co., flat car, carting gravel


$67 50


C. A. Fletcher, 836 ft. in. plank $25 08


M. U. Gaskill, 3 ch. posts


60


C. H. Ballou & Son, plank and stringers


17 76


John F. Powers, labor and team work ..


39 00


N. E. Road Mach. Co., steel blade .


9 57


Clark Ellis & Sons, supplies


6 25


W. A. Barry, labor and supplies


13 95


H. W. Gaskill, repairing culvert


3 00


Harry Taft. labor and supplies


9 00


L. W. Holbrook, telephone tolls and supplies 4 45


$128 66


$2,362 08


Unexpended


$582 06


Wm. Irons


21


STATE ROAD, NORTH AVENUE.


Balance from 1916


$465 24


EXPENSES (LABOR.)


Joseph Stenson


$12 50


Nils Carlstrom 11 25


Joseph Taylor


14 38


L. W. Holbrook


19 50


E. T. Powers 2 00


$59 63


TEAMS.


P. T. Kinsley


$33 00


Wm. Irons 21 00


$54 00


Walter A. Gaskill, gravel


$1 60


Town of Milford, steam roller 80 00


Town of Milford, watering cart


6 00


M. & U. St. Ry. Co., repairs for Jack


3 80


H. M. Curtiss Coal Co., coal


8 50


Thomas Carmondy, use of pump


10 00


D. H. Barnes, carting pump


4 00


C. A. Fletcher, freight and carting stone bounds


3 00


$116 90


Unexpended


$230 53 $ 234 71


STATE ROAD, NORTH AVENUE.


RESOURCES.


Apropriation


$500 00


State Highway Commission


500 00


County Commissioners . 500 00


$1,500 00


22


EXPENDITURES (LABOR.)


John Towne


$60 00


A. E. Brown


60 00


Edw. Tancrelle 50 00


Harold Steere


60 00


Frank Brown


58 75


Everett Ballou


22 50


L. W. Holbrook


72 00


$383 25


TEAMS.


P. T. Kinsley


$144 00


Wm. Irons


120 00


M. U. Gaskill


114 00


Joseph Taylor


102 00


Frank Harding


72 00


Earle Gaskill


84 00


$636 00


M. U. Gaskill, gravel


$59 50


Staples & Gould, drain pipe


4 50


$64 00


$1,083 25


Unexpended


$416 75


STATE ROAD, EAST MENDON. RESOURCES.


Appropriation


$500 00


State Highway Commission


358 75


$858 75


EXPENDITURES (LABOR.)


Oscar Courtemanche


$42 50


Henry Moore


25 00


Thomas McTurk


5 00


L. W. Holbrook


51 00


$123 50


23


TEAMS.


Wm. Irons


$132 00


Chas. E. Pinkham


24 00


$156 00


GRAVEL.


Abbie E. O'Connor


$14 20


Swan P. Pierson 2 25


$16 45


Standard Oil Co., 12 barrels road oil ... $52 65


N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R., freight on oil 5 34


4 00


D. E. Ward, carting oil to pit .. H. M. Curtiss Coal Co., coal and kind- lings 14 69


Town of Hopedale, steam roller 90 00


Town of Bellingham, oiling street be- tween Bellingham and Hopedale .. 36 64 M. & U. St. Ry. Co., labor and car sprinkler 17 80


$221 12


$517 07


UNPAID BILLS.


Mass. Highway Commission, 3000 gal. oil


$187 50


Mass. Highway Commission, Demurrage on car 12 93


$200 43


Unxepended


$717 50


$141 25


LUTHER W. HOLBROOK,


Superintendent of Streets.


24


TREE WARDEN'S REPORT.


Appropriation


$50 00


F. M. Aldrich, repair pump


$6 50


Jos. Crockett, trees


12 00


F. M. Aldrich, pruning


31 00


$49 50


Unexpended balance


50


F. M. ALDRICH,


Tree Warden,


25


REPORT OF OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.


The Overseers of the Poor submit the following report for the municipal year ending Jan. 1, 1918.


RESOURCES.


Appropriation


$1,500 00


EXPENDITURES.


For support of six persons having set- tlement in Mendon $1,365 33


City of Boston, care of one person hav- ing settlement in Mendon 17 14


Doctor's bills, funeral and burial of one person having settlement in Mendon 38 00


Milford Hospital, care of one person person having no settlement in Mendon 42 00


Town of Milford, care of one person having no settlement in Mendon .. 15 00


Transportation of one person having no settlement in Mendon 3 00


Mother's Aid account 30 00


$1,510 47


Amount overdrawn $10 47


Respectfully submitted, MOSES U. GASKILL, EDWARD T. POWERS, LUTHER W. HOLBROOK, Overseers of Poor.


Mendon, Jan. 23, 1918.


26


REPORT OF TOWN CLERK.


DOGS LICENSED IN 1917.


87 male dogs ..


$174 00


8 female dogs


40 00


$214 00


Clerk's fees


19 00


Paid County Treasurer


$195 00


BIRTHS REGISTERED IN 1917.


Date of


Birth 1917.


Name of Child.


Parents with Maiden Name of Mother.


Jan. 4. Albina Getti,


Jan. 16. Merton Forbes Barrows,


Feb. 7. Alfred Francis Caton Anthony,


Feb. 14. Daniel Hiscock Taft,


Feb. 21. Edwin Lorenzo Miller,


Mar. 18. Louise Adaline Daven- port,


Mar. 30. Harold Irving Miller,


Apr. 11. Evelyn May Rendo,


June 29. Earl Dalton,


Sept. 3. Edward Thomas Powers,


Sept. 8. Erle Warner Gaskill,


Sept. 11. Ethel Freelove Ballou,


Sept. 12. Franklin Wood White,


Oct. 1. John Dorman Cochrane, Nov. 17. Ethel M. Cook,


Antonio Getti and Marie Tognetti. Roy A. and Florence Forbes. Alves Joseph C. and Flora R. Cote.


Clarence A. and Mary E. Benner. Ernest F. and Elizabeth Mc- Cracken.


Ora P. and Florence Northrop. Archibald and Rose Wheeler. Joseph and Bessie M. Hogarth. John E. and Bertha Howe. Edward T. and Cecelia G. Conway. Erle F. and Myrtle M. Warner. Everett and Minnie Green. Edgar L. and Lillian Freeman. John D. and Lizzie Dawson. Lester E. and Ida Nutter.


Dec. 18. Doris Adelaide Leonard, ยท John S. and Althea A. Knights.


27


MARRIAGES REGISTERED IN 1917.


Date of Marriage. 1917.


Name of Groom and Bride.


Residence.


Mar. 29. Arthur Everett Ellison, Carrie Amber Cromb,


June 4. Bernard M. Hartshorn,


Uxbridge, Mass.


Mendon, Mass.


July 23. Aldor Oliver Lemieux,


Florida Julia Grandpre.


Bellingham, Mass.


Aug. 20. Earl G. Crockett, Lucilla G. Rogers,


Milford, Mass. Mendon, Mass.


Aug.


27. Clifford Nelson Pierce,


Mendon, Mass.


Providence, R. I.


Dec.


29. Herbert Allen Alger, Gertrude May Hobbs,


Mendon, Mass. Mendon, Mass.


DEATHS REGISTERED IN 1917.


Date of


Death. 1917.


Name.


Y.


Age. M.


D.


Jan. 16.


Jason Smith,


83


10


29


Jan. 30. Julius Allen George,


75


7


Feb. 3. Nancy Caroline George,


53


3


16


Feb. 11. Luther Ellis Taft,


88


11


16


Feb. 19. Austin Augustus Taft,


88


9


10


May


2. Charles Wesley Arrand,


73


9


June


Clothilde V. Lemieux,


53


13


July


30. 3. Charles Adin Brown,


33


11


11


July


9. Otis Jackson Cole,


68


2


7


Sept. 23. Willis E. Lynn,


63


5


17


Oct.


1. John Dorman Cochrane, Jr.,


4 hrs.


Oct.


6. Maria F. Howard,


94


10


10


Oct.


14. Charles E. Knights,


60


4


14


Nov.


7. Thomas S. Litchfield,


71


8


18


Nov.


21. Leon A. Paddock,


43


8


24


Uxbridge, Mass. Mendon, Mass.


Mary Etta Smith,


Mendon, Mass.


Ellen Elizabeth Miller,


28


If errors or omissions are discovered in the list of births, mar- riages and deaths, report them to the town clerk, that the record may be corrected. Section 6 of Chapter 29 of the Revised Laws requires that "Parents within forty days after the birth of a child, and every householder, within forty days after a birth in his house, shall cause notice thereof to be given to the clerk of the city or town in which such child is born. Every householder in whose house a death occurs, shall, within five days thereafter cause notice thereof to be given to the board of health, or, if the selectmen constitute such board, to the town clerk." Section 29 of Chapter 151 of the Revised Laws reads as follows: "If a marriage is solemnized in another state between parties living in this common- wealth, who return to dwell here, they shall, within seven days after their return, file with the clerk or registrar of the city or town in which either of them lived at the time of their marriage a certificate or declaration of their marriage, including the facts relative to marriages which are required by law, and for neglect thereof shall forfeit ten dollars."


Blanks for the return of all vital records can be obtained from the town clerk.


Respectfully submitted,


CHARLES H. ALLEN,


Town Clerk.


Mendon, January 1, 1918.


29


THE THIRTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


TRUSTEES OF TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY.


There are not so many material improvements to report at the library as last year. The lighting and heating systems have been put into good condition, and seem likely to remain satisfac- tory for some time. Perhaps a couple of hot air flues leading to the northerly corners of the room should be added before the system can be considered complete.


The circulation for the year shows a slight decrease in com- parison with the previous year. This may be due to the fact that since the entrance of our own country into the world war, people read the daily papers more and consequently patronize the library less. It is to be hoped that next year will show an increase.


Practically one-third of the books circulated during the year were non-fiction. This is a very creditable showing, as the vast majority of people read for entertainment rather than for enlight- enment. A certain exceedingly well read man once told me that he happened to read Carlyle's French Revolution when he was about twenty years of age. He was so fascinated by the work that he resolved then and there if truth was so interesting, never to read another book of fiction. Probably this is an extreme case, but it is certain that fiction is not the only interesting reading in a library.


The magazine department is pretty well stocked and is well patronized, more than one-fourth of the entire circulation of the library being from this department. This is further proof of the inclination of the people of Mendon to choose good reading.


Juvenile literature formed a good proportion of the books added during the past year. It is a wise policy to keep this de-


30


partment well supplied with the best of children's books, as it will tend to fix the habit of good reading early in life.


Respectfully submitted,


EDWIN L. WILSON, MOSES U. GASKILL, LYMAN COOK, F. G. ATWELL,


Trustees of Taft Public Library.


31


LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.


TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY :-


The circulation for the year was 6272. The largest for one week was 174, the smallest 81, the average 120 plus. The circula- tion by classes was as follows: fiction, 4028 ; magazines, 1607 ; bound magazines, 52; biography, 75; travel, 54; history, 90; literature, 110; useful and fine arts, 151; science, 39 ; all others, 66.


The number of books now in the library is approximately 6010. There have been 144 added the past year. Of those 93 were bought by the town and 51 were given as follows: Massa- chusetts Library Commission, 37; Secretary of the Common- wealth, 11; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1; Doubleday, Page & Co., 1; National Security Laegue, 1


The library subscribes for the Century, Harper's Monthly, Scribner's, Munsey, National Geographic, Field and Stream, Illustrated World, Scientific American, St. Nicholas, Woman's Home Companion and Ladies' Home Journal.




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