USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > History of Wakefield (Middlesex County) Massachusetts, compiled by William E. Eaton and History Committee > Part 8
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The department in 1944 is up-to-date with an efficient staff with Fred D. Graham, chief since 1920, a captain, lieutenant, twelve men, regulars,
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and several call men. The main department is housed in a fine brick building on Crescent Street, built in 1900, and a secondary fire station on Oak Street, Greenwood, is efficiently staffed. The fire equipment, thor- oughly modern with eight pieces of apparatus, is fully described in the annual report of 1943.
The firm alarm system with 106 boxes throughout the town, is under control of the Municipal Light Department, with mutual assistance arrange- ments with the neighboring towns of Reading (Box 6), Stoneham (Box 8), and Melrose (Box 7).
CENTRAL FIRE STATION
THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
The town voted, at the annual town meeting held April 4, 1887, under article 48, to install a fire alarm system and appropriated $1000 to be placed in charge of the fire engineers.
The fire engineers were H. W. Dalrymple, A. S. Cobb and Owen Corcoran.
A. S. Cobb was the first superintendent of fire alarms, H. W. Dalrymple the second superintendent, and William E. Cade the third superintendent.
The committee voted to install the George M. Stevens system.
There were ten miles of wire, and six boxes located as follows: Box 6 at Nahant and Farm Streets, Box 12 at Main and Oak Streets, Box 23 at Albion and Foundry Streets, Box 35 at Main and Albion Streets, Box 41 at Cordis and Pleasant Streets and Box 54 at Salem and Lowell Streets, and thirty cells of gravity battery, one ten-inch steam whistle, one galvan- ometer and one tapper in Hathaway's stable.
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The gong on the post office was loaned to the superintendent of fire alarms for one year and unless purchased by the town would be returned in May. The first alarm recorded on the new fire alarm system was from Box 12, on May 2, 1887.
Since February 1, 1887, the standard time has been struck at 9:00 a.m. and in more recent years at 9:00 p.m.
The firm alarm battery and apparatus were housed in the brick engine house on Church Street until 1892, when it was moved to the Central Fire Station on Crescent Street, corner of Mechanic Street, where it occupied excellent quarters on the second floor and remained there until October 23. 1899, when the station was destroyed by fire during the Hathaway stable conflagration. Some of the firm alarm apparatus was saved by citizens before the building was consumed.
The fire alarm equipment saved, with some borrowed equipment, was hastily installed on the second floor of the then Wakefield Block (Taylor Building), remaining there until 1900, when it was moved to the Light Plant on North Avenue and placed in charge of the Municipal Light De- partment, who have since cared for the system.
In 1914 the equipment was transferred to the rear of the Central Fire Station where it is still housed.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
From ye days of long ago the care of highways has been constantly a subject of general concern. In the years from 1644 to 1812, a matter of one hundred and sixty-eight years, very little had been done to better highway traffic conditions. Even then there were but about sixteen public roads in South Reading. To quote: "There was then but one single street, opening or leading from Main Street westerly from the north end of Read- ing Pond to the Malden line; and opening or leading easterly there were but three within the same limits. The streets were generally narrow, crooked, poorly graded, and without sidewalks, except for a short distance on one side of Salem Street, from the corner of Main Street to the Baptist Meeting House."
So in 1812 the new town named its Surveyors of Highways-three in number. In contrast, let this history present the 1944 highway conditions.
The first planned Highway Department set-up in Wakefield divided the town into sections, a man in each section being responsible for repairs and maintenance. Early in the 1900's work of the sectional bosses was placed in the hands of one man, who became known as the Superintendent of Streets. His work consisted mainly of gravel construction. In 1912 the
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road construction had reached a stage where tar and binding materials with crushed stone was being applied to road surface. From 1912 to the present time, practically every traveled road in the town of Wakefield has been surfaced with stone construction or built up by many treatments of tar materials.
The cost of highway construction and maintenance increased steadily from 1912, reaching a peak in 1931, when the general highways appropri- ation was $132,000.00, with substantial special appropriations.
According to the records, since 1903, the Highway Department has had seven superintendents, the present official being Robert B. Mackenna.
Previous to 1912, newly-accepted streets were built by the town with no cost to the abutters. The town meeting of July 15, 1912, voted to accept the section of Chapter 50 of the Revised Laws, which chapter relates to betterment and other assessments on account of public improvements. Since that time, on newly-accepted streets that call for the construction and relocation of same, one-half of the betterment must be borne by the abutters.
One item that has been carried on for many years by the department, of which the public sees little, is the matter of surface drainage. Much has had to be done in the latter years because of the building areas that were used for surface drainage. In 1930-1931 an expensive piece of drainage was completed through the Heywood-Wakefield properties on Water Street. Later this was followed by an ERA and WPA project enclosing the Wakefield Brook drainage from the Heywood-Wakefield properties to North Avenue. Many hundreds of feet of pipe have been laid to take care of surface drainage in all parts of the town. This problem is mounting steadily as the building of homes continues. The 1943 highway appropri- ation was about $46,000.
With the steady increase of automobile traffic, the department is forced to expend large sums for the care of highways during the winter season for street plowing, snow removal, and sanding. The department also has the care of street signs, traffic lines, coasting signs and snow fences.
At the present time the Highway Department personnel consists of fifteen permanent employees. During the heavy working season the crew is supplemented by temporary workers.
The department has nine motor vehicles, five tractors, a crushing and screening plant, two road rollers, two graders, a shovel and loader.
Office, garages, and yard are located on North Avenue.
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POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Police Department is the town's protective body, charged with a 24-hour duty, seven days a week, including all holidays. It regulates all traffic on the highways, investigates and prosecutes violation of state laws and town rules and regulations.
Its personnel requires all officers to be wise, humane, and with a re- sponsibility to be used justly, and patiently, but with full power to protect individuals and property from all violations of the rights and privileges of our citizenship.
The annual reports of this department name numerous and varied activities of accidents, recovery of lost or stolen property, defects in public utilities, lost children cared for, and prompt and efficient details at fires, weddings, parades, celebrations and public gatherings. The presence of officers at headquarters and on our highways from one sunrise to the next gives an assurance of safety that fully meets the wishes and demands of our people.
The department is staffed with a chief, John G. Gates, one lieutenant, two sergeants, fifteen regular patrolmen and six reserve men and 130 aux- iliary police.
Since the beginning of World War 11, many additional duties have come to this department. An auxiliary police school has been organized; blackout and dim-out regulations have been enforced; sub-police stations have been organized in the public schools; replacements have been made of officers lost to the armed forces; and there has been close.co-operation with the several defense organizations and other activities in public defense.
WATER AND SEWERAGE DEPARTMENTS
Wakefield has a pure and plenteous supply of water for domestic use and fire protection. The early story of the introduction of water dates back to 1872 when the Quannapowitt Water Company was incorporated to supply water to Wakefield and Stoneham, with authority to take water from both local lakes. It was not until 1881 that the Water Company submitted a proposition looking to a water supply. On July 3, 1882, the town took decisive action by the appointment of five citizens who reported April 2, 1883, that a contract for water and 60 fire hydrants had been executed. On May 12 following, the company began laying pipes with Crystal Lake as the supply. In the meantime, on April 23, 1883, the Company changed its corporate name to the Wakefield Water Company. A pumping station and an engineer's residence were constructed on the
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north shore on Broadway where both are still in operation and occupancy.
For several years, at numerous town meetings, the question of the town owning its water supply was debated vigorously-probably the most debatable question in the town's history-with the result that the town passed a favorable report, and in 1902 acquired the franchise and property of the Wakefield Water Company. The cost to the town was $230,000. The Wakefield Water Company had been supplying water to the town of Stoneham, but in 1901 Stoneham entered the Metropolitan system. The water system then in 1903 became the Wakefield Water Department and in 1910, it was consolidated with the Sewerage Department.
The main source of water supply is Crystal Lake. Auxiliary supply No. 1 consists of 48 driven wells located on the north side of Nahant Street on Smith Pond Brook. Auxiliary supply No. 2, located on Bay State Road, is a concrete well, 29 feet deep and 20 feet in diameter.
The Broadway Pumping Station at the present time has complete equipment.
The pump at the Bay State Road well is a Fairbanks Morse vertical turbine type submerged pump, capacity 500,000 gallons per day.
The auxiliary pumping equipment at the Broadway Station consists of two steam fire engines.
The filter plant which was put into operation February 9, 1928, has two slow sand filters and two aerators, with a capacity of 2,500,000 gallons per day each.
There are two standpipes owned by the Wakefield Water Depart- ment, one on Green Street, Stoneham, Massachusetts, built in 1883, with a capacity of 565,485 gallons, and the other on Hart's Hill, Wakefield, built in 1927, capacity 651,817 gallons.
In use within the town are 60.09 miles of mains, 858 gates and 383 hydrants; also, 26 sprinkler systems and fire pipes are served by the town.
Wakefield has two mutual aid connections with Reading, one with Lynnfield, two with Melrose and two with Stoneham.
In the Broadway Pumping Station is a fire alarm tapper and tape re- ceiving and recording all alarms of fire in town; also the station houses the thawing equipment, a portable chlorinator, a portable air compressor, a trench machine, etc.
SEWER DEPARTMENT
The first Sewer Department was organized on July 23, 1900 and until 1910 was in control of the Water Commissioners.
The gravity sewer system originally installed in 1900 has been
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extended, so that the greater portion of the thickly-populated section of the town is now served by it.
The outfall sewer, which connects all sewerage from various sections of the town, was built in 1901 and extends from the Melrose line northerly along the Boston and Maine Railroad to North Avenue near the corner of Main Street.
On March 16, 1910, the Sewer Department was consolidated with the Water Department under Chapter 106 of the Acts and Resolves of the Massachusetts Legislature, approved February 21, 1910, and accepted by the town under Article 33 of the Town Warrant.
The low level pumping station, built in 1926, is located about 350 feet east of Valley Street near the Saugus River on Vinton Street (so-called). Sewage is received from the buildings in the low area east of Pleasant Street and east and southeast of the Center Railroad Station.
The ejector station, constructed in 1937, is located on town-owned land between Main Street and Lake Quannapowitt, opposite Central Street, serving practically the entire territory north of Sweetser Street to the Reading line. The territory comprises part of Sweetser Street, part of Cordis Street, Main Street north of Sweetser Street, part of Lowell Street, and Walton Lane and also was extended to serve the adjacent land when developed.
The 1944 Water and Sewerage Board: Sidney F. Adams, chairman; John N. Bill and Herman G. Dresser, with Morrison Merrill, superin- tendent.
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The first mention of a School Committee is found in the records of 1792 and the first report was rendered in 1798. This department of the town government has therefore been functioning continuously for a little over a century and a half.
In the early portion of the 19th century, there seem to have been two sorts of committees-prudential committees, which under the instructions from their several districts, selected and contracted with teachers; and committees of superintendence and examination, whose duties seemed to include what we, in modern speech, would call the "rating" of teachers and oral examinations of pupils at the close of terms or school years.
Readers will find references to this latter group, with quotations from their reports, in the chapter on "Education."
This set-up of prudential and superintending committees seems to have merged into one body at least by the late '50's. This statement is inferred from the language of the records.
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HISTORY OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
Wakefield has had Superintendents of its schools since 1893, nine years before an act of the Legislature made the appointment of such mandatory upon towns and cities.
The School Committee has the responsibility of formulating school policies and regulations; of informing the voters of the needs for the proper education of its youth; and of the expenditure of appropriations. Its functions are administrative.
The School Committee is composed of six members, two of whom are elected each year for a three-year term. They are organized with a chair- man, a secretary and a treasurer, and each member is a sub-chairman of some special phase of the work of the committee, for the purpose of inves- tigation and report.
For many years the School Committee has met regularly twice a month, with many special meetings during the course of a year.
The 1944 School Committee comprises Patrick H. Tenney, chairman; Mrs. Eva G. Ripley, secretary; James M. Henderson, Mrs. Mary L. Tredinnick, Paul A. Saunders and Walter C. Hickey.
BOARD OF HEALTH
The Board of Health was in early years elected at the town meeting upon nomination by a committee, and as a result there were frequent changes in personnel. The town did not regard this Board as very essen- tial, for in 1874 it voted to pass by the article calling for an appropriation.
The first Board of Health elected at the annual town meeting of 1872, consisted of Dr. Charles Jordan, Dr. Azel Ames, Jr., Dr. John R. Mansfield, Chester W. Eaton, and J. M. Evans, and the first health regulations were adopted in May of the same year. It is evident from the regulations and records of the meetings that most of their duties were abating nuisances and seeing that privies and out-houses were properly cleaned. The only mention of health and disease was vaccination and small pox. An early epidemic of small pox was followed by vigorous vaccination in which physicians visited every house in town, street by street, and vaccinated everybody. Diphtheria was prevalent at times and the records of many meetings show cases of diphtheria and nuisances abated in the same list.
In 1900, the first comprehensive plumbing regulations were issued. In 1900 and 1901 an epidemic of small pox diverted attention from nuisances and drainage problems that generally occupied the attention of the board. In 1910 there was a second epidemic of small pox. In 1914 the first contract for collection of garbage was written, and an ordnance, ordering foods exposed for sale to be covered, was adopted.
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In more recent years the prevention of disease has been the principal problem. Tuberculosis is attacked by the sanatorium treatment of cases in the contagious stage, with X-ray of contacts and suspicious cases. All milk now has to be pasteurized, and continual inspection of dairies and dealers' plants goes far toward preventing milk-borne diseases.
Inoculations have largely abolished diphtheria. The board has charge of the collection of garbage, the care of the dumps, problems of drainage and the abatement of nuisances of all kinds, including the keep- ing of animals. It also has charge of the inspecting of plumbing, and oversight of the preparation and dispensing of foods.
The 1944 board consists of Wesley S. Goodwin, chairman; Ned C. Loud and Dr. Charles E. Montague.
PARK AND CEMETERY DEPARTMENT
The Wakefield Park System dates almost to the time of the earliest settlers, or about 1647, when the first general division of land was made by the early, sturdy settlers. Acreage was assigned in what is now Wakefield, a goodly stretch of land was set apart and reserved for the use of the community in general-for their use in common-hence the Common and the term have continued to this day, here and all over New England.
Our "Common" in its earliest years extended from a point near the present corner of Main and Albion Streets to the shore of "The Great Pond," and part way up the pond's east and west sides.
Parts of land were sold later, north of Church Street to private parties and built on, also the town built a town hall and an engine house and part of it was used for burial purposes.
About 1871 the town redeemed, by purchase, the land sold out of the Common, and in 1873 sold the old town hall, demolished the engine house and removed the cemetery to the Church-Street site.
In 1883 Cornelius Sweetser of Saco, Me., a native of South Reading, now Wakefield, bequeathed to the town $10,000.00, provided the town ap- propriate an equal amount, which was done "for the furnishing and beauti- fying of the Public Park."
In 1884 the town accepted an act, passed by the Massachusetts Legis- lature of 1882, authorizing the towns and cities of the state to lay out public parks within its limits, and Messers. James H. Carter, David H. Darling and James F. Emerson were elected the town's first Board of Park Commissioners. The care of the town's cemetery was later added to their duties.
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HISTORY OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
Since then, year by year, the Wakefield people have enjoyed their modern park system and the old "Common," besides taking pride in show- ing both to out-of-town visitors. Board after board of Park and Cemetery Commissioners have cared for both with due and proper faithfulness.
In recent years the park system has been increased by the addition of six playgrounds: Hart's Hill in the Junction District, Veterans' Field (former Church Street), Moulton Field on the west side, on Albion Street, Mapleway in Greenwood off Greenwood Street, Nasella Playground on Water Street towards Lynn, and Webber Field on Prospect Street at Hop- kins Street on the west side, and about seventeen triangles, odd bits and corners at street intersections in various parts of the town.
A modern bath house on Spaulding Street on the shore of Lake Quannapowitt (The Great Pond) is included in the park system, and is a source of refreshment and enjoyment to the townspeople, young and old.
The Old Cemetery, so called, on Church Street dates from 1688 up to 1860, since in later years few interments have been made there.
The original cemetery interments on the common, near where the band stand now is, were removed to this cemetery about 1873 or 1874.
Land for Forest Glade Cemetery was acquired in 1898, and with the help afforded through the W. P. A. it has been developed into a very modern and well-kept cemetery. It consists of about 30 acres divided equally for those of the Protestant and Catholic faiths.
The Park Commissioners of 1944: John W. MacGilivray, chairman; William E. Packard, and John T. Stringer.
BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT
Inspections of buildings first started in the town about 1900. The position of Building Inspector was a part-time position until the year 1941, at which time it was made a full-time position.
Buildings house people as they work, worship, shop, live and play. It is therefore necessary that all buildings be safe, not only structurally, but they must safeguard the health of the occupants as well as to prescribe reasonable measures for safety against fire.
The Building Inspector is charged with the survey and inspection of buildings and with the enforcement of the provisions of the Building Laws, and all other laws and ordinances relating to the erection, construc- tion, alteration, repair, removal and safety of buildings, signs, theatres, elevators, fire escapes, awnings, rooming houses, factories, public halls and all places of public assembly, convalescent homes, schools and to issue all permits for the use of sidewalks.
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Valuations for the construction, alteration and repair of buildings within the Town of Wakefield since 1935 have been as follows:
1935
$ 85,975.00
1936
163,860.00
1937
234,453.00
1938
223,329.00
1939
461,060.00
1940
573,342.00
1941
737,710.00
1942
431,390.00
1943
89,573.00
The War Production Board by order L-41 has restricted the con- struction of all structures not essential to the successful prosecution of the war, and which utilizes labor or material so urgently needed in the war effort.
The existence of order L-41 of the War Production Board explains, at least in part, the decrease in the value of construction and alterations in the years 1942 and 1943.
It is to be expected that when the war has been brought to a success- ful conclusion much critical material may be released for further building. The Town of Wakefield may expect to receive its full share of the post- war boom in building construction.
The Building Inspector also has the duty of enforcement of the Zoning By-Laws.
Zoning is a method of directing the development of property within the town in a sensible and orderly manner, rather than permitting it to take place haphazardly and injuriously, and to give a reasonable amount of space around buildings for proper ventilation and sunlight in order that health of the citizens of the town may be conserved.
The town of Wakefield is divided into four classes of districts as follows :
1. Single Residence
2. General Residence
3. Business
4. Industrial
Each district is a necessity and each can be an asset to the other pro- vided it is located properly. That is the purpose of zoning-to find a place for each district and keep each district in its proper place.
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COMPENSATION AGENT
The Inspector of Buildings also acts as Compensation Agent for the town of Wakefield.
Certain town departments are covered under the Workmen's Compen- sation Laws, providing for payments of medical and hospital bills and a weekly allowance in cases where a municipal employee is injured during his employment.
It is the duty of the Compensation Agent to make all necessary inspec- tions and investigations relating to causes of injuries for which compensa- tion may be claimed. If the investigation indicates that the injury occurred during the course of employment of the employee the Compensation Agent must arrange suitable medical and hospital services and provide payments therefor. He must also arrange to make the weekly compensation pay- ments to the injured employee in cases where the injury is of an incapaci- tating nature.
The Workmen's Compensation Act is administered under the super- vision of the Industrial Accident Board for the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts. All agreements with injured employees must be approved by that department.
The town of Wakefield voted to accept the Workmen's Compensation Act by ballot at the town election in March 1914. Since that time the acceptance has proven to have been beneficial to the town of Wakefield as well as to the employees of the town, covered by the provisions of the act.
Joseph W. MacInnis is Building Inspector and Compensation Agent.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
This is one of the town's major departments with a board charged with relief to the needy. It supplies cash, groceries, fuel, shoes and clothing, gas and light, ice, water, rents, board, medical care, hospitalization, burials, and other comfort necessities. In co-operation with the government, as to costs, the department cares for dependent children, with 1943 expendi- tures totaling $14,841.32.
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