USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1921 > Part 7
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GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
Appropriation.
$3,000.00
Expended
Bookkeeper, part salary.
$874.50
Assistant Bookkeeper, part salary .
631.34
Assiatant Superintendent, part salary . . . .
1,124.16
Use of automobile .
370.00
3,000.00
110
CITY OF MELROSE
HIGHWAY REPAIRING
Appropriation.
$40,000.00
Balance 1920 account.
402.07
Collections per Treasurer
1,167.03
Transfer .
2,434.03
Street Railway Tax.
91.83
44,094.96
Expended
Pay rolls .
$40,936.37
Invoices and stock
29,892.00
Stock from other divisions
352.04
$71,180.41
Less transferred and sold to
other accounts
28,631.45
42,548.96
Balance
$1,546.00
APPLETON STREET
Appropriation
$3,900.00
Expended
Street work
$1,066.97
Paving.
728.04
1,795.01
Balance .
$2,104.99
Not completed.
FOLSOM AVENUE
Balance 1919 Account. $134.23
Expended
Stock and teams.
$91.36
Labor as per pay rolls
42.87
134.23
111
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
EAST FOSTER STREET
Appropriation.
$8,600.00
Less amount transferred.
2,191.53
$6,408.47
Expended
Labor and teams
$3,123.84
Stock and Insurance
3,284.63
$6,408.47
GENEVA ROAD
Balance from 1920. $53.86
Expended
Labor as per pay rolls $53.86
ORIENT PARK
Appropriation.
$1,540.00
Transferred from other accounts.
89.63
$1,629.63
Expended
Labor and teams
$1,054.75
Stock
574.88
1,629.63
ORIENT PLACE
Appropriation
$1,500.00
Received from other accounts.
1.31
$1,501.31
Less transfer
89.63
$1,411.68
112
CITY OF MELROSE
Expended
Labor and teams
$730.75
Stock.
636.48
1,367.23
Balance
$44.45
ROGERS STREET
Appropriation. $12,000.00
Expended
Labor and teams
$3,498.46
Stock.
2,438.70
5,937.16
Balance
$6,062.84
Not completed.
SANFORD STREET
Balance from 1920 accounts.
$238.17
Transferred from other accounts
1,022.38
1,260.55
Less transfers to Highway Repairs.
212.69
$1,047.86
Expended
Labor and teams
$367.83
Stock.
680.03
1,047.86
SEARS AVENUE
Appropriation.
$11,000.00
Transferred from other accounts 1,807.10
$12,807.10
113
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Expended
Expended during 1920.
$9,476.14
Street work.
1,854.86
Curbing. .
344.91
Land damages
732.25
Paving.
398.94
12,807 10
WARWICK ROAD
Appropriation $18,000.00
Expended
Paving
$908.76
Grading
992.01
Curbing.
3,499.88
Changing grade of manhole
28.65
5,429.30
Balance .
$12,570.70
Not completed.
WAVERLY PLACE
. Appropriation.
$11,000.00
Expended
Street work
$3,129.73
Curbing
2,302.82
Sidewalks.
3,107. 56
Change grade of manholes
19.25
8,559.36
Balance.
$2,440.64
Not completed.
Unexpended Balances
Main Street $1,124.32
Porter and Main Street (rouncing corner)
263.32
Survey and plans Public Works De; t:
Building Tremont St., Crder No. 13374, Board of Aldermen. 300.00 $1,687.64
:14
CITY OF MELROSE
GRAVEL SIDEWALKS
Amounts Expended, Stock, Teams and Labor
General repairs
$27.24
Ashland Place
12.75
Auditorium Driveway.
51.47
Cherry Street
24.06
City Hall Driveway
15.75
Damon Avenue
57.52
Dell Avenue
54.76
Gould Street.
79.82
Hancock Street
20.63
Linwood Avenue
33.11
Maple Street
20.74
Orris Street
49.49
Pleasant Street.
151.13
Spear Street .
72.14
Upham Street.
38.25
$711.86
HIGHWAY REPAIRS Amount Expended, Stock, Teams, and Labor
Albion Street
$4.12
Altamont Avenue .
63.73
Argyle Street .
104.00
Baxter Street
53.50
Chestnut Park.
9.22
Cleveland Street
132.37
Dell Avenue
44.01
East Street
226.05
Eleventh Street
44.33
First Street
632.51
Folsom Avenue
20.95
Geneva Road
74.88
Gibbons Street.
23.76
Grove Street.
41.62
Highland Avenue, East
275.08
Hillcrest Avenue
19.00
Holland Road.
320.13
Larrabee Street
74.38
Laurel Street
628.62
Main Street .
70.14
Maple Street
337.59
115
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Moreland Road
19.00
Mount Vernon Street
303.70
Poplar Street
213.57
Prospect Street .
28.38
Reading Hill Avenue
265.62
Sanford Street
11.63
Sixth Street .
153.19
Sylvan Street
168.56
Upland Road
142.33
Waverly Avenue
87.75
Winter Street
64.06
$4,657.83
MISCELLANEOUS
Ice for Drinking Fountain :
Appropriation
$50.00
Expended
Ice
50.00
Pensions:
Appropriation.
$4,000.00
Credits by Treasurer.
10.08
Transferred from other accounts
19.35
4,029.43
Expended
Pay rolls .
4,029.43
Vacations:
Appropriation
$4,500.00
Expended
Transferred to other accounts
$450.00
Pay rolls.
3,977.95
4,427.95
Balance
$72.05
116
CITY OF MELROSE
Removal of Snow and Sanding:
Appropriation.
$3,000.00
Overdraft to 1922 account.
3.64
$3,003.64
Expended
Labor and teams
$2,890.64
Stock
108.50
Overdraft of 1920 account.
4.50
3,003.64
Auto Truck:
Appropriation.
$1,850.00
Expended
Invoice
1,850.00
CITY HALL
Salaries and Wages
Appropriation
$2,500.00
Expended
Pay rolls .
$2,367.56
Invoices, Liability Insurance.
12.60
2,380.16
Balance
$119.84
Other Expenses
$4,000.00
Appropriation. Collections by Treasurer 1.92 $4,001.92
.
117
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Expended
Supplies
$344.87
Repairs
467.63
Coal and wood.
1,331.93
Electric lighting
1,292.23
Gas lighting .
99.20
Plants for vase
78.50
Water rates.
80.88
Labor
52.55
City teams
5.53
3,753.32
Balance
$248.60
CROSSWALKS AND PAVING
Balance from 1920
$2,946.70
Appropriation.
5,000.00
$7,946.70
Expended
Labor and teams
$835.03
Stock, Insurance and tools.
578.55
1,413.58
Balance
$6,533.12
INSURANCE
.
Appropriation.
$900.00
Return Premiums
1.46
Transferred from other accounts .
97.11
$998.57
Expended
Premiums on Policies . 998.57
PLANTING NEW TREES
Appropriation.
$250.00
Collections
420.00 $670.00
118
CITY OF MELROSE
Expended
Labor, and teams
203.16
Trees
150.00
Loam
75.95
429.11
Balance
$240.89
CARE OF TREES
Appropriation.
$1,500.00
Appropriation
500.00
Appropriation
3,000.00
Collections
86.21
$5,086.21
Expended
Labor and teams
$4,830.23
Stock, Insurance and tools
255. 98
5,086.21
STREET LIGHTING
Appropriation
$24,000.00
Collections, Park Dept ..
270.00
24,270.00
Expended
Invoices, Malden Electric Co., as per contract.
22,431.51
Balance
$1,838.49
STREET SPRINKLING
Expended
Labor and teams
$5,620.90
Tarvia
18,111.10
$23,732.00
Appropriations
$1,000.00
Assessments
24,241.58
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 119
STREET CLEANING
Appropriation $6,500.00
Expended
Labor and teams 6,500.00
COLLECTION OF ASHES AND RUBBISH
Appropriation.
Transferred from other accounts
$11,000.00 600.00
11,600.00
Expended
Labor and teams.
11,118.53
Insurance, tools and supplies
453.85
Labor, delivering ash cards
27.62
11,600.00
STREET GUIDE BOARDS AND NUMBERS
Appropriation $500.00
Expended
Labor
$106.13
Signs .
306.25
Sign irons
14.70
House numbers
11.44
City teams, insurance and tools.
43.31
Painting crosswalks
18.17
500.00
CONTINUOUS WALKS
Balance 1920
$15,169.09
Received from Repair of Walks
14.00
Transfer
16.00
Received from Individual Walks
216.20
Collections
6,949.21
$22,364.63
120
CITY OF MELROSE
Expended
Pay rolls .
$4,110.73
Invoices
14,972.16
Highway Division Account ..
269.24
Sewer Division Account.
7.75
Engineer's Salary Account
285.19
19,645.07
Balance
$2,719.56
INDIVIDUAL WALKS
Balance from 1920
$898.95
Appropriation
1,000.00
Collections
1,136.95
$3,035.90
Less refunds in 1920
118.50
$2,917.40
Expended
Labor as per pay rolls
$302.46
Invoices
1,879.25
Highway stock and teams
101.49
Sewer Stock
.90
Comtinuous walks stock
232.20
2,516.30
Balance
$401.10
REPAIR OF PRESENT WALKS
Appropriation.
£6,000.00
Transferred from other accounts
839.00
$6,839.00
Expended
Labor per pay rolls .
$535.91
Highway Division, stock and teams
125.99
Granolithic.
119.30
Paving brick.
29.85
Concrete work.
5,917.80
Insurance and tools
56.93
6,783.78
Balance. $55.22
INDIVIDUAL WALKS-1921
Edgestone
Granolithic
ABUTTORS
LOCATION
No. of Blocks
Straight
Curved
Concrete Są. yds.
Drives
Walks
Sodding Sq. ft.
Remarks
Bean, M. B.
14 Botolph St.
2
2.30
Blomquist, D. P.
75 Richardson Road.
1040 Franklin St ...
2
5.25
Clark, E. J.
22 Crystal St .. .
1
5.00
Clark, E. Greeley
261 Grove St ..
2
3.33
33.33
150.00
Dieter, A. A.
72 Cottage St.
2
4.44
Durgin, H. C.
82 Upham St ...
3.83
Deering Lumber Co.
Essex St. .
4
Dow, W. A.
Essex St. .
2
Dow, Lewis
127 Upham St.
2
Dugan, J. William
65 Orris St ..
3.00
2.83
80.08
528.00
Goss. F. H ..
473 Lebanon St.
12.01
73.06
Harrow, J ..
103 Malvern St ...
2.91
100.80
537.50
Laug, C. H.
Bellevue Ave. and Porter St.
30.80
218.61
627.00
563 ft. Seeded Drop Stone
Richardson, F. W.
92 Melrose St. .
Norris, W. A.
136 E. Foster St.
2
4.44
Short, F. M ..
100 Green St .. .
2
4.66
Spraker, E. E ..
32 E. Foster St.
3.06
Sutherland, J. W
386 Franklin St.
5.00
Tash, A. L ..
72 Stratford Rd.
3.15
Thompson .
65 Garfield Rd ..
Towle, Addie M.
43 Beverly St ..
2
Taylor, Bernard E
20 Beverly St ..
2
3.50
Willard, Mabel .
3 Alden St. ..
Winchell .
Garfield Rd. .
2
Moore, W. F ..
17 Holland Rd ..
5.00
Restall, Mrs. G. M.
19 Ferdinand St ..
3.80
2.64
1117 Main St ..
2
3.73
Carter, John .
4.33
Coleman, Mrs. Bessie
104 Sargent St ..
Brown, W. E. and E. G .:
123 Ashland St.
Drop Stone
Hovey, L. R
129 Bellevue Ave ..
Drop Stone
Knowlton, C. F.
W. Wyoming Ave ..
Drop Stone
2
7.77
3.31
Drop Stone
CONTINUOUS WALKS-1921
STREET
Side
From
To
Straight
Curved
No. of Blocks
Walks
- Drives
Concrete Sq. yds.
Sodding Sq. ft.
Seeding Sq. ft.
Ashland St ..
West .. . East. . .
Marvin Rd ..... Richardson Rd.
Southerly .... Southerly ... . Northerly . . .
125.70
8.88
541.00
Ashland St ..
East. . .
No. 123
291.00
2
285.93
26.63
1,472.00
Bellevue Ave ..
East. ..
Emerson St .... Brook. ... Maple St .. . . .
Northerly . . . Damon Ave .. Sanford St ...
422.50
15.70
14
127.88
43.56
Cleveland St ..
East. . .
Maple St ..
Southerly ..
215.00
1
124.32
12.95
E. Emerson St ..
South ..
Bellevue Ave .. . Upham St .. ..
179.00
25.00
2
106.44
14.24
East St .....
West .. .
Northerly .. . Chester St .. .
302.20
6
136.10
568.50
Florence St.
Wyoming Ave ..
133.50
30.10
2
10.42
2,362.00
Lincoln St ..
Both ...
Emerson St .. . . Upham St ... .
Sawyer Rd ... Emerson St ..
76.60
27.20
2
78.40
7.00
Maple St ..
South ..
Cleveland St .. . Mt. Vernon St.
213.10
15.80
2
119.88
10.03
752.50
.
Nowell Rd ...
Summit.
251.50
688.53
57.97
3,372.27
.
.
8.88
97.20
Sargent St ...
West .. .
No. 78.
50.00
8.88
218.70
Sargent St ...
West .. .
No. 86. .
23.47
6.46
97.20
Sargent St ...
West .. .
No. 90.
Warwick Rd ..
Perkins St ...
203.00
4
147.21
Willow St ..
Foster St ..
Northerly . Cherry St ....
-
-
.
4
Boardman Ave.
South ..
670.00
.
.
.
.
Florence and Chester Sts.
East. ..
Flaggs
School lot .. .
110.40
18.70
Mt. Vernon Ave ..
West .. . East. N. & E. South. . West ...
Dyer Ave .. . .. Cleveland St ...
Parkway
Easterly .
68.33
433.50
.
.
Sargent St ...
No. 74.
.
...
22.22
8.80
97.20
. . .
West .. . East. . .
.
.
.
Ashland St ..
104.30
26.64
359.40
Cleveland St ....
East .. .
Both ... W. & S.
377.00
429.30
27.30
1,462.00
.
Melrose St ..
South ..
Southerly .
.
Sewall Woods Rd.
Sanford St ..
22.50
2
192.80
Lincoln St ..
Stratford Rd.
231.00
139.60
17.76
523.30
356.00
.
I Edgestone
Granolithic
123
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
SEWER DIVISION
Construction
Balance 1920
$598.43
Appropriation.
10,000.00
Collections .
32.72
From other divisions, stock and labor
10,412.52
$21,043.67
Expended
Pay rolls.
4,851.03
Stock purchased.
7,617.92
Highway, stock and teams
1,843.24
Labor and stock transfer
66.76
14,381.95
Balance.
$6,661.72
COST OF SYSTEM
Construction to Jan. 1, 1921
$512,002.97
Construction 1921.
7,013.93
Total
$519,016.90
Maintenance
Appropriation.
$2,000.00
Collections by Treasurer
202.94
$2,202.94
Expended
Cleaning and repairing, labor and teams. .
$1,730.60
Stock and Invoices.
50.48
Insurance and tools
173.06
1,954.14
Balance.
$248.80
124
CITY OF MELROSE
PRIVATE SEWERS
Balance Jan. 1, 1921.
$335.24
Receipts .
4,631.44
Transfers.
44.65
$5,011.33
Expended
Pay rolls, stock and teams
$2,917.43
Sewer stock.
1,454.89
Metropolitan District Sewer Commission
35.00
4,407.32
Balance
$604.01
SEWER CONSTRUCTION, 1921
Pipe
Manholes
STREET
LOCATION
Size in.
Length ft.
Argyle Street.
No. 29, southerly.
6
130
Boardman Avenue.
Brook to Damon Ave ..
8
232
1
Corey Street ..
No. 10 southerly . ..
6
55
1
Lynn Fells Pkwy. (n'th'y side)
Green St., easterly .
6
145
1
Orient Park
Stratford Rd., westerly.
6
180
1
*Rogers Street
Argyle St. to Florence Ave.
6
445
2
Russell Street.
Trenton St., easterly.
6
400
2
1,587
8
*Also relaid 42 ft. 6 in.
SEWERS BUILT TO JANUARY 1 1922
Number of feet of 6 in. pipe.
124,379
Number of feet of 8 in. pipe.
55,572
Number of feet of 10 in. pipe
17,529
Number of feet of 12 in. pipe.
10,281
Number of feet of 15 in. pipe
3,839
Number of feet of 18 in. pipe
5,150
Number of feet of 20 in. pipe.
2,788
Number of feet of 24 in. pipe.
1,213
Number of feet of 18 x 20 in. brick .
3,035
Number of feet of 20 in. brick.
111
Number of feet of 24 in. brick .
28
Total
223,925
Note .- Total length of sewers 223,925 feet or 42.41 miles, 2.40 miles of which are owned and controlled by the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, but by Act of Legislature Melrose is permitted to use in the same manner as local sewers.
SURFACE DRAINAGE CONSTRUCTION-1921
. Pipe
STREET
LOCATION
Size Inches
Length Feet
Manholes
Catch Basins
Appleton Street. ..
Boardman Avenue
At brook
Ell Pond Brook ..
Wall at 413 Main St., east side.
24
140
2
Larrabee Street east .
12
347
2
4
Foster Street East
Elm Street, easterly .
12
152
2
Porter Street.
At Mooreland Road.
18
150
Spear Street.
Across private land.
20
350
Rogers Street.
Lower part east and west.
15
[ 388
10
Sargent Street.
Franklin Street, northerly
[ 18
690
3
Sixth Street. .
Laurel St. to E. Foster Street.
12
308
1
2
Sears Avenue. .
At Orris Street.
12
75
1
2
Warwick Road.
Perkins St., to Sherman Road.
12
236
1
1
Totals. .
4,080
15
27
.
Howard Street ...
.
1
Rogers Street.
Across private land.
1 12
(684
5
1 20
560
1
Swain's Pond Avenue.
Rogers St., northerly.
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
125
2
2
Franklin Street.
Albion Street to Sargent Street.
126
CITY OF MELROSE
SURFACE DRAINAGE
Construction
Appropriation
$30,000.00
Balance 1920.
353.03
Collections .
39.71
$30,392.74
Expended
Construction
27,080.70
Balance.
$3,312.04
MAINTENANCE
Appropriation $5,000.00
Expended
Transferred to other accounts
$600.00
Cleaning and repairing catch basins
3,387.64
Cleaning drains .
478.37
Stock and invoices.
164.36
Insurance and tools
369.63
5,000.00
CLEANING BROOKS
Appropriation $2,00.000
Expended
Labor and teams
$1,821.28
Sewer construction stock. 6.00
Insurance and tools
172.72
2,00.000.
127
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
SUMMARY OF IMPROVED SURFACE DRAINAGE CONSTRUCTED TO JANUARY 1, 1922
8 inch Apron pipe
808 lin. ft.
10 inch Akron pipe
4,735 lin. ft.
12 inch Apron pipe
31,724 lin. ft.
15 inch Apron pipe
16,692 lin. ft. 284 lin. ft.
16 inch Apron pipe .
18 inch Apron pipe
6,769 lin. ft.
20 inch Akron plpe
6,232 lin. ft. 120 lin. ft.
24 inch Akron pipe
2,392 lin ft ..
Brick conduit.
659 lin. ft.
Concrete conduit.
9,037 lin. ft.
Number of manholes
364
Number of concrete culverts
7
Number of catch basins
651
Cost of system to January 1, 1921
$246,283.86
Construction 1921.
27,080.70
Cost of system to January 1, 1922.
$273,364.56
Total length of improved surface drains
14.12 miles.
ENGINEERING DIVISION
Salaries and Wages
Appropriation.
$6,000.00
Transferred from other accounts
535.19
$6,535.19
Less transfer
97.11
$6,438.08
Expended
Salaries as per pay rolls
$6,398.45
Liability Insurance.
23.95
6,422.40
Balance
$15.68
20 inch iron pipe
128
CITY OF MELROSE
Other Expenses
Appropriation
$850.00
Collections by Treasurer
1.69
$851.69
Expended
Supplies
$401.29
Automobile supplies and expenses .
412.86
Carfares.
2.66
Miscellaneous
34.88
851.69
SYNOPSIS OF WORK DONE
Highway Division .- Street lines and grades have been given for construction of new streets, including gutters, crossings, guard rails, etc., and record plans made of same.
Sewer Division .- Estimates have been rendered, lines and grades given, records kept of "Y" locations, plans, and profiles made, and schedules for assessing all sewers constructed.
Water Division .- Estimates have been made and lines given for water mains, constructed and relaid. For locations, lengths and size of mains, see tables under "Water Division."
Surface Drainage .- Surveys, computations and plans have been made, lines and grades given, and records kept of "Y" locations of all new work constructed.
Sidewalks .- Plans and profiles have been made. Lengths and radii of curbing computed, work measured and schedules of assessments made.
Assessment Plans .- New buildings have been plotted. Common and private sewers have been added and sewer assessments data recorded on plans.
Street Numbering .- All new houses have been located and numbered -- Numbers have been furnished and put on 61 buildings.
129
REPORT OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES
Highways .- Comprising plans, estimates, titles, profiles, lines and grades, and all other engineering work relating to the Department.
$732.00
Continuous Walks
1,530.00
Sewers .- Comprising surveys, estimates, profiles, lines and grades, plans and assessments, and all other engineering work relating to sewers
898.00
Surface Drainage .- Comprising lines, grades, surveys and plans of all surface drainage work ..
836.00
Water Works .- Comprising lines, locations of mains, plotting of new mains, ete., on City water map. 572.00
Street Numbering .- Location of buildings, numbering plans, and affixing street numbers on houses
52.00
Street Signs .-
60.40
Street Lines and Grade for Abuttors .- Street lines and grades have been given for 64 abuttors
438.00
Assessment Plans
148.80
Office Work .- Records of locations, indexing, calculating and general draughting
904.40
Miscellaneous .
205.60
Board of Survey, Plans and Studies
44.80
$6,422.40
In conclusion I desire to express my appreciation to His Honor, the Mayor, the Board of Aldermen, and the City Officials, for courtesies extended, and the employees of this Department for their co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE O. W. SERVIS,
Engr. and Supt. Public Works
130
CITY OF MELROSE
MELROSE, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS
Location, 7 miles north of Boston.
Population, April 1, 1921
18,670
Number of Voters.
7,284
Greatest extent of city north and south
2.44 miles
Greatest extent of city east and west 2.95 miles
Valuation of real estate $19,871,300
Valuation of personal 2,606,050
Tax rate per thousand. 30.80
Area of City 3,115. 00 acres.
Land . 3,079. 50 acres
Water. 35.50 acres
Length of Public Streets. 49.09 miles
Length of Private Streets 16.03 miles
Total length of water mains 56.44 miles
Total length of sewers 42.41 miles
Range of pressure on mains from 100 to 23 lbs.
Number of 250 candlepower incandescent lights 48
Number of 60 candlepower incandescent lights 799
Number of luminous arc, 46 all night 24 to midnight 70
Areas of Parks:
Lincoln School Playground 1.60 acres
Horace Mann Playground. . 60 acres
Messenger's Meadow Playground. 2.89 acres
Melrose Common . 4.4 acres
Sewall Woods Park 9.0 acres
Ell Pond Park .
30.41 acres
Pine Banks Park
81.8 acres
Middlesex Fells 170.0 acres
Area of Wyoming Cemetery 43.5 acres
Bowden Park .
. 62 acres
Elevation Main Street at City Hall. 61 feet above mean low tide
Elevation Franklin Square 85 feet above mean low tide
Report of the Cemetery Committee
Melrose, Mass., Jan. 31, 1922
To the Honorable, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, City of Melrose.
Gentlemen :- In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 33, of the Revised Ordinances, the Cemetery Committee beg leave to submit their annual report for the year 1921.
APPROPRIATIONS
Annual Budget, maintenance, etc. $12,820.00
Care of Soldiers' Graves 180.00
Interment Joseph Lee.
10.00
Appropriation, Order No. 13489
1,800.00 $14,810.00
Expenditures 14,807. 57
Balance $2.43
Respectfully submitted, WILLIS C. GOSS, Chairman L. H. KUNHARDT P. H. ACKERMAN
Cemetery Committee
Report of Planning Board
The Planning Board submits the following report for the year ending December 31, 1921.
We have recommended that a signboard be placed at the corner of Upham and Main Streets, indicating the directions:
First .- To Newburyport Turnpike, Saugus and Lynn.
Second .- To Wakefield and Reading
Third .- To Malden and Boston.
A sign exists at this corner indicating the direction to Lynn and Saugus; but its quality is not such as should satisfy our civic pride. We suggest that it be made somewhat larger, black faced, wtih gilt letters. Such a sign might be placed substantially at the location of the present sign, or on suitable post to be erected on the site of the old watering trough opposite City Hall, and this post might be utilized for traffic regulation by requiring vehicles to pass to its right.
A similar signboard at the point where Lynn Fells Parkway crosses Main Street, indicating the boulevard route to Middlesex Fells, Spot Pond and Boston, would not only accommodate visitors passing through our city, but introduce them to some of the natural beauties of its environ- ment.
We have called to your attention, and that of the Metropolitan Park Commissioners, to the lack of warning signs at the dangerous point where Lynn Fells Parkway passes under the railroad tracks and then imme- diately across Vinton Street. The Metropolitan Park Commissioners have not seen fit to place such signs on the parkway; but the city has placed plain white board signs with red letters, "Dangerous Crossing", at each of the two corners of Vinton Street with the boulevard. Similar signs have been placed at divers other points in the city, and seem to serve a useful purpose; but these signboards are of the least expensive character, and are not pleasing to the eye. We suggest that they be of a better quality, possibly with a moulding border. Again, the present signs do not sufficiently gain or arrest the attention of the motorist, whose eyes are often so directed as not to notice them; and, with a view to lessening accidents, we urge that, wherever the surface of streets will permit, such danger points be indicated by standard white line markings, painted on the surface of the street. What we have said relative to the crossings at Vinton Street and Lynn Fells Parkway also applies to the crossings at Lebanon and Foster Streets, Lebanon and Upham Streets, Main and Emerson Streets, and Main and Lynde Streets.
Realizing that billboards have become practical nuisances, disfiguring the landscapes of our Commonwealth, and that they will have become established more firmly than ever when once they have been licensed
133
REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
under the new law which was designed to enable communities to restrain them if they so desired, we recommend that our city take advantage of the powers given by Chapter 545 of the Aacts of 1920, and at once amend Section 94 of the Building Ordinances in accordance with a proposed amendment, a copy of which we append as "EXHIBIT A", or by some similar and appropriate ordinance. In framing this amendment we have, however, considered not only the powers specifically given under the fiftieth amendment to our State constitution, but also the previously existing police powers. Under the police powers we have had especially in mind minimizing danger from storm and fire and preventing the use of spaces back of signs as public toilets. We have collected certain law on this general subject, and present it in "EXHIBIT B", hereto appended. The billboard may be further restricted under a zoning ordinance.
A zoning ordinance was already under our consideration when there was referred to us by the Board of Aldermen a communication from His Honor the Mayor relating to that subject, with such Board's request that we report not later than March 1, 1922. We believe that this matter is important for immediate determination by our city, and we expect to be prepared by March 1, to recommend the classes of building sections into which the city should be divided, with the restrictions applicable to each. But to recommend the exact boundaries of each section, for the entire city, is a task requiring such careful consideration that we may not be able to make such recommendation until a later date. Indeed, we feel that this is a task requiring the services of a zoning expert. We are in- formed that the city of Newton has obtained such services, of a satis- factory character, at a charge of twenty-five dollars a day.
The erection of "shacks" in certain sections of our city, especially in the vicinity of Wyoming Cemetery, and the prospect of their contin- uance and of further similar erections, seems to justify the city in employing all legal means to prevent the resulting disfigurement and the consequent depreciation of land values. Even a proper regard for the public health would seem to require their restriction.
An ordinance under the zoning law,-Sections 25 to 30 of Chapter 40 of the General Laws-will enable us to restrict such structures to certain parts of the city; and provision for this will be made in such zoning ordinance as we shall later recommend. We shall certainly recommend that disfiguring structures be excluded from the vicinity of Wyoming Cemetery. But under other now existing law we are not at present pre- pared to go further than to urge the strict enforcement in this respect of our present excellent building ordinance.
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