USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1904-1907 > Part 11
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TOWN MEETING WARRANT.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
NORFOLK, S. S.
To either Constable of the Town of Norwood, in said county,
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Norwood, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to assemble in Village Hall, in said town, on Monday, the seventh day of March, A. D. 1904, at six forty-five o'clock in the forenoon, then and there to act on the following articles, namely :
ARTICLE 1. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting.
ART. 2. To choose all necessary Town Officers. The following are to be chosen by ballot, namely : Three Selectmen, who shall be Assessors, Overseers of the Poor and Surveyors of Highways, one Town Clerk, one Town Treasurer, one Collector of Taxes, three Audi- tors, three Park Commissioners, six Constables, one Tree Warden, all for one year ; one member of the Board of Health for three years, one Water Commissioner for three years, two members of the School Committee for three years and two Trustees of the Morrill Memorial Library for three years ; and also upon the same ballot to vote upon the question, "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in the town."
ART. 3. To hear and act on report of the Auditors on the Select- men's, Treasurer's, Tax Collector's, Water Commissioners' and Ceme- tery Commissioners' accounts.
ART. 4. To see if the town will vote to accept the List of Jurors, as prepared by the Selectmen, and posted as required by law.
ART. 5. To hear and act on report of committees. 1
ART. 6. To see what action the town will take in regard to the unexpended appropriations of the past year.
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ART. 7. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money in anticipation of the taxes for the present municipal year, and to issue notes of the town therefor. The debts incurred under the authority of this vote are hereby made payable from said taxes.
ART. 8. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Collector of Taxes to use the same means as a Town Treasurer may use when act- ing as Collector.
ART. 9. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate money for the support of the Morrill Memorial Library.
ART. 10. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate for the use of George K. Bird Post, No. 169, Grand Army of the Republic, for the purpose of decorating soldiers' graves on Memorial Day.
ART. 11. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate for the support of the Fire Department the ensuing year.
ART. 12. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the support of the Fire Alarm System the ensuing year.
ART. 13. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate to water the streets the present year.
ART. 14. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate for lighting the streets the current year.
ART. 15. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate for the support of the schools the ensuing year.
ART. 16. To see what appropriation the town will vote to convey children living in the outlying districts to the Norwood schools.
ART. 17. To see what appropriation the town will vote to pay the expense of children at the Truant School.
ART. 18. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate to meet the expenses of the Board of Health.
ART, 19. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate to be expended in trimming and care of shade trees, the current year.
ART. 20. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate for the prosecution of illegal sales of liquor.
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ART. 21. To see what sums of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate to defray the incidental and other necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, the current year.
ART. 22. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for the repairs of highways the current year.
ART. 23. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for building sidewalks and for setting edgestones the current year.
ART. 24. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate for paving gutters the ensuing year.
ART. 25. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate to be expended in sanding sidewalks during winter months, or take any other action in the matter.
ART. 26. To see what disposition the town will make of money received as excise tax from street railway companies.
ART. 27. To see what disposition the town will make of money received for dog licenses.
ART. 28. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate money for street signs, or take any action in the matter.
ART. 29. To see what sum the town will vote to raise and appropriate to pay bonds for the Town Treasurer and Tax Col- lector.
ART. 30. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate to be expended in macadamizing streets for the pres- ent year.
ART. 31. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate to grade Davis avenue.
ART. 32. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and appropriate to purchase a road machine, or take any other action.
ART. 33. To see if the town will vote to discontinue the insurance on its property when the present policy expires, or take any other action.
ART. 34. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate to pay for insurance the ensuing year, or take any other action in the matter.
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ART. 35. To see if the town will vote to accept Bond street, from . Walpole street to the present end, as laid out by the Selectmen Feb. 23, 1892, and raise and appropriate money to gravel the same, or take any other action in the matter.
ART. 36. To see if the town will vote to build Howard street one hundred and sixty (160) feet from the present end and raise and appro- priate money for the same, or take any other action in the matter.
ART. 37. To see if the town will vote to accept a drain as laid out by Selectmen, leading east from Walpole street, and raise and appro- priate money for the same, or take any other action in the matter.
ART. 38. To see whether the town will vote to choose a Board of Assessors which shall be separate and distinct from the Board of Selectmen, and fix the number thereof so that at the next annual town meeting said Board of Assessors shall be elected in the manner pro- vided by law.
ART. 39. To see whether the town will vote to raise and appro- priate the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) to procure plans for the use of the Board of Assessors of the town, or take any other action in the matter.
ART. 40. To see if the town will vote to appoint a committee of five to make a thorough investigation into the best methods for the disposal of the sewerage of the town and the cost of the same, together with such information as to the construction, operation and payment of a sewerage system for the town, and such recommendation as to action by the town in regard to same as will prepare the citizens for intelligent action, or take any other action in the matter ; and to raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars ($300) or any other sum for the expenses of said committee.
ART. 41. To see whether the town will vote to appoint a com- mittee to consider and report a revision of the by-laws of the town with its recommendations as to the same, or take any other action in the matter.
ART. 42. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate to repair fire engine No. 2.
ART. 43. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate to set a hydrant near the E. J. Shattuck Schoolhouse.
ART, 44, To see if the town will vote to increase its pumping
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facilities at Buckmaster pond, and raise and appropriate or borrow money for the same.
And the polls may be closed as early as four thirty o'clock in the afternoon of said day.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies in ten public places in this town, seven days at least before the day of said meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Selectmen, on or before the time and day of said meeting.
Given under our hands at Norwood, this twentieth day of Febru- ary, A. D. 1904.
FRED L. FISHER, RICHARD E. OLDHAM, SAMUEL M. WINSLOW, Selectmen of Norwood.
A true copy. Attest :
WARREN E. RHOADS, Constable of Norwood.
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REPORT 2
OF THE
Committee on Sewerage
FOR THE
TOWN OF NORWOOD,
MASSACHUSETTS,
1905.
NORWOOD, MASS. : AMBROSE BROTHERS, PRINTERS, 1905.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
To the Citizens of Norwood:
The following article appeared in the warrant for the town meeting of March 27th, 1904, "Article 40. To see if the town will vote to appoint a committee of five to make a thor- ough investigation into the best methods for the disposal of the sewerage of the town and the cost of the same, together with such information as to the construction, operation and payment of a sewerage system for the town and such recom- mendations as to action by the town in regard to same as will prepare the citizens for intelligent action or take any other action in the matter, and raise and appropriate the sum of Three Hundred (300) Dollars or any other sum for the ex- penses of said committee.
This article was referred to the Committee of Fifteen and its recommendation adopted at the meeting of April 4th, 1904, as follows: "Voted, That a committee of five be appointed by the moderator to make a thorough investigation into the best methods for the disposal of the sewerage of the town and the cost of the same and report on the same, together with such information as to the construction, operation and payment of the sewerage system for the town and such action by the town in regard to it as will prepare the citizens for intelligent action and that the sum of Three Hundred (300) Dollars be raised and appropriated to meet the expenses of said committee."
In pursuance of this action, the committee appointed has thoroughly investigated the sewerage problem in its many phases, has visited and examined into the sewerage plants at Franklin, Hudson, Brockton and South Framingham, has
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consulted with the engineers and others having these plants in charge, and by all possible means has endeavored to secure such practical knowledge of the subject as will enable the citizens to act intelligently in the installation and maintenance of a sewer- age system in the town.
After investigation, the general plan and estimates made by Mr. Freeman C. Coffin of Boston and submitted by a previ- . ous committee have been accepted and used as a working basis for all the estimates and recommendations of this report.
Several methods of sewer assessments have been consid- ered and are discussed at length in the report which follows.
More than ever is it necessary for the town to install at once a system of sewers, from both a standpoint of health and of business. The town has already accepted the legislative act giving it authority to construct a system of sewers and providing for the election of a board of sewerage commis- sioners. This act also defines in part the proportion of the entire cost of the system that shall be borne by the town, and also by the owners of estates abutting upon and benefitted by the lines of sewers.
Your committee is of the opinion that it is not for the best interests of the town to follow all sections of this act, as will be explained later. Believing that the individual property owner whose land abuts upon any line of proposed sewer pipes should be able to estimate the probable cost of his assessment, the committee has taken measurements of every lot of abutting land, as shown upon the accompanying plan of the proposed sewers, and later estimates will show the approximate cost to these owners.
The method of assessment proposed and recommended by this committee is not at all theoretical but has already been demonstrated elsewhere to be entirely practicable and, in gen- eral, as nearly ideal as has yet been devised.
It is hoped that the following detailed report, with plans. estimates, and so forth, will enable the citizens to at once pro- ceed with the construction of such sewers as are necessary for
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the protection and the welfare of the town of Norwood.
WHY NORWOOD NEEDS SEWERAGE.
First, Because the health of the people demands it.
To those of our citizens who have closely followed the reports of the Board of Health, it is clearly evident that the more serious contagious diseases are increasing in number each year, especially in certain thickly settled and poorly drained districts where it is practically impossible to remedy existing conditions except at a considerable expense to individual prop- erty owners, many of whom are not in a condition financially to assume such burdens.
In many cases, owing to the natural physical conditions, the land about these homes has become so completely saturated with sewage matter from the long use of privies and cess-pools that but little can be done to better existing conditions until other means are provided for the removal of these waste products of the home. A system of sewers is the only satisfac- tory solution of the problem presented, as every dollar expended in the construction of new cess-pools and other facilities will give but temporary relief. The owners of these homes are in favor of such sewer construction; their only demand is that sewers be constructed and paid for at as low a cost to the individual as is compatible with a proper degree of thorough- ness and safety.
Second, Because of the growth and prosperity of the town.
The thinking man of to-day, in looking about for a place in which to establish a home, considers what a town can offer him in advantages-has it good schools where his children can be properly educated, has it an abundant supply of pure water, are its streets well cared for, is it properly lighted and drained, has it a sewer system, in short, is it up to date, enterprising, modern? The heads of business enterprises, in looking about for locations, consider the same questions ; they want to locate in a town where their workmen can bring their families, where
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the conditions are such that they can educate their children and be contented and happy in their surroundings. For his home, however, the thinking man demands the best of physical and sanitary conditions, and nothing is so satisfying in this respect as modern plumbing connected with a practical system of sewerage.
Third, Because the State Board of Health has demanded that the town remove its drain now emptying into the Neponset River.
Many of the citizens of Norwood are probably unaware of the position in which the town has been placed by the action of the State Board of Health.
To be brief, two notices have been served the town order- ing the removal of the so-called "town drain" now emptying into the Neponset River, the latter notice fixing the time limit at July Ist, 1905. Your committee has the determination of the State Board of Health that if, at that date, the sewage now discharging into the river continues to pollute that stream, the matter will be placed in the hands of the attorney-general and action be brought against the town.
Such an action can have but one result-the state will win -and every dollar spent by the town in defense of such a suit will be just so much money virtually thrown away. If action is immediately taken by the town toward abolishing this drain, this threatened suit can probably be averted, as by the time mentioned, July Ist, such progress could be made toward the construction of a sewerage system as would at least indicate to the State authorities the town's intention to comply with their orders.
That the citizens may fully appreciate the conditions exist- ing, copies of these notices are herewith shown.
(Copy.) COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
OFFICE OF TIIE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
In accordance with the provisions of Chap. 541 of the Acts
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of the year 1902, all persons and corporations are hereby pro- hibited from discharging or permitting the entrance of sewage into any part of the Neponset river or its tributaries, and from discharging or permitting the entrance therein of every other substance which may be injurious to public health, or may tend to create a public nuisance, or to obstruct the flow of water, including all waste or refuse from any factory or other estab- lishment where persons are employed, unless the owner thereof shall use the best practicable and reasonably available means to render such waste or refuse harmless.
By order of the Board, (Signed) SAM'L, W. ABBOTT, Secretary.
(Chap. 541 of the Acts of the year 1902.)
AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE POLLUTION OF THE NEPONSET RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
SECTION I. The state board of health is hereby author- ized and directed to prohibit the entrance or discharge of sew- age into any part of the Neponset river or its tributaries, and to prevent the entrance or discharge therein of every other sub- stance which may be injurious to public health or may tend to create a public nuisance or to obstruct the flow of water, includ- ing all waste or refuse from any factory or other establishment where persons are employed, unless the owner therof shall use the best practicable and reasonably available means to render stich waste or refuse harmless.
SECTION 2. The board shall consult and advise with any such owner at his request, or of its own motion, as to the best practicable and reasonably available means of rendering such waste or refuse harmless, having regard to the circum- stances and requirements of the situation and to the industrial interests involved.
SECTION 3. The supreme judicial court or any justice thereof and the superior court or any justice thereof shall have jurisdiction in equity to enforce the provisions of this act, and
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any order made by the state board of health in conformity therewith. Proceedings to enforce any such order shall be instituted and prosecuted by the attorney-general upon the request of the state board of health, or of any other party in interest.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
(Approved June 28, 1902.)
(Copy.)
OFFICE OF STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, STATE HOUSE.
BOSTON, August 10, 1904.
To the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Norwood, Mr. Fred L. Fisher, Chairman.
GENTLEMEN :- On September 19, 1903, your Board was notified of the order of the State Board of Health prohibiting all persons from discharging or permitting the entrance of sewage into any part of the Neponset River or its tributaries, and from discharging or permitting the entrance therein of every other substance which may be injurious to the public health, or may tend to create a public nuisance, or to obstruct the flow of water, including all waste or refuse from any factory or other establishment where persons are employed, unless the owner thereof shall use the best practicable and reasonably available means of rendering such waste or refuse harmless.
It now appears upon further examination that nothing has been done to remove from the river the sewage discharged into the stream at Dean Street from a sewer of the town of Norwood.
The State Board of Health, in accordance with a request from the authorities of the town of Norwood in 1901 for advice as to the best practicable method of disposing of the sewage of the town, advised the purification of this sewage upon land south of the Ncponset River not far from the ink works in Norwood. This plan is described in the report of the com- mittee on sewcrage for the town of Norwood in 1901, and by
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constructing such portion of the main sewer as is necessary to divert the sewage from the present sewer and carrying it to the filtration area, and building a sufficient area of filter beds for the proper purification of this sewage the further pollution of the river can be prevented; and this, in the opinion of the Board, is the best practicable and available plan of preventing the further pollution of the river by this sewer. It is practica- ble for the town, by proceeding diligently with the work, to complete the construction of the necessary works within the next four months.
The State Board of Health hereby notifies the town of Norwood to cease from discharging unpurified sewage from the Norwood sewer into the Neponset River or any of its tribu- taries on and after July 1, 1905.
By order of the Board,
(Signed) SAM'L W. ABBOTT, Secretary.
Careful reading of these notices should give the individual citizen a good understanding of the existing conditions. The question now to be decided is "What are you going to do about it ?"
METHODS OF SEWER ASSESSMENT.
FRONTAGE PLAN.
By authority of the public statutes, sewcr assessments can be levicd upon owners of estates within the territory to be sewercd by a fixed uniform rate, based upon the estimated average cost of all the sewers within that territory, according to the frontage of such estates on any street or way where a sewer is constructed. This is one of the oldest methods of sewer assessment, but, owing to its inequalities, is not in general usc to-day.
As an illustration of the injustice of this method, let us consider three lots of land abutting upon a sewer, owned by
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A, B and C, with frontages respectively of 150, 100 and 50 feet. For the purpose of comparison, let us assume that the rate per front foot is one dollar ($1.00).
A, being a man of means, has a fine residence upon his lot and pays an assessment of $150 for the privilege of having the sewage of his one house taken away. B, with a frontage of only 100 feet but with a lot of sufficient depth to build upon it three cottage houses, pays an assessment of $100, only two- thirds of A's assessment, for which he receives relatively a benefit three times as great. C, whose frontage is but 50 feet, erects a hotel upon his lot and for the privilege of having the naturally large amount of sewage from such a building taken away, pays an assessment of but $50, an amount quite out of proportion as compared with the assessments of A and B and for benefits received. Similar cases can easily be found in any town or city and Norwood presents striking examples of just such conditions.
In order to determine an absolutely just assessment by this method it would be necessary to know just where the sewers are to be laid each year or during each period of years, their cost, and the frontages on the streets sewered. This being beyond our knowledge, it is obvious that the owners in the districts sewered at various times would pay assessments greatly varying in amount according to the different costs in construction. .
For instance, if the first district sewered cost to construct $100,000 and had a frontage of 70,000 feet, the rate of assess- ment per front foot, approximately one-half of cost of sewer, would be $0.71. If, five years later, a second district were to be sewered at a cost of $60,000, with a frontage of 35,000 feet, the rate would advance to $0.86 per front foot, an amount paid for similar benefits as in the first territory but for a shorter period of time. If, after a lapse of another five years, a third district were sewered at a cost of $45,000, with a frontage of 25,000 feet, the rate would again change to $0.90 per front foot. Under these changing conditions, sewer assessments are most unsatisfactory.
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AREA PLAN.
Under this system, all abutting land to a uniform distance in depth is assessed at a given rate per square foot, the depth taken varying according to local conditions, being generally one-half the distance between regularly laid out streets. In Brockton, 125 feet is the distance taken; in Norwood, 100 feet is probably the better distance to assume.
To show the inequalities of this method let us consider lots of abutting land owned by A, B and C, the rate of assessment per square foot being for illustration $0.02. A's lot has 125 feet frontage with a depth of 45 feet, containing 5,625 square feet ; his assessment is $112.50 and owing to the shape of his lot he can erect three cottage houses. B's lot is 75 feet front by 75 feet in depth, with an area equal to A's and the same assess- ment, but owing to the shape of his lot he can erect but two houses to A's three. C has a lot with a frontage of but 45 feet and a depth of 125 feet, his area and assessment being equal to each of the other two lots. On account of his narrow lot he can erect but one house with a street frontage, yet he must pay for his one house an amount equal to what B pays for two and A for three houses, receiving direct benefits one-half as great as B's and only one-third as great as A's.
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