USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1923-1927 > Part 74
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The organization for the year was perfected on January 19 by the re- election of Thomas B. Mulvehill as Chairman and James E. Pendergast as Clerk. Mr. Pendergast was also reappointed State Aid and Soldiers' Benefit Agent.
The following appointments were made during the year:
January 5. Frank W. Talbot, Forest Fire Warden, reappointment for one year, term beginning January 1, 1926. Approval by the Com- missioner of Conservation, Division of Forestry, reported March 8, 1926. Lewis D. Thorpe, Local Moth Suppression Superintendent, reappoint- ment for one year from January 1, 1926. Approval by the Division of Forestry, Department of Conservation, January 30, 1926.
January 26. Walter Hobson, Town Fish and Game Warden, reappoint- ment for one year from March 1, 1926. Approval by Department of Conservation, Division of Fisheries and Game, February 15, 1926.
February 9. Fred S. Barton, Inspector of Wires.
March 2. Albert Fales, Inspector of Animals, reappointment, term ending March 31, 1927. Approval by Department of Conservation, Bureau of Animal Industry, April 30, 1926.
March 9. Raymond K. Morrow, Registrar of Voters, to fill vacancy oe- casioned by the death of Patrick F. Brennan.
April 6. Edward J. Feeney, permanent patrolman in Police Department, eligible from the list submitted by State Division of Civil Service.
April 21. John J. Hannigan, Chief of Norwood Fire Department, effective May 1, 1926.
Patrick J. Lydon, Assessor for term of three years, reappointment. Con- firmed by Department of Corporations and Taxation.
April 27. Jennic F. Fales, John R. Parker, Mary G. Millett, Board of Relief, reappointments.
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William H. Sullivan, Dog Officer and Pound Keeper.
William J. Barrett, J. Irving Reid, Thomas C. Lydon, Field Drivers, re- appointments.
Charles C. Littlefield, Austin L. Maddox and John J. Flaherty (34 Granite Street), Fence Viewers, reappointments.
James A. Halloran, Town Counsel, reappointment.
Forrest M. Douglass, Inspector of Buildings, reappointment.
George A. Smith, Acting Inspector of Buildings in absence of Inspector Douglass, reappointment.
Walter S. Bagley, Constable, reappointment.
Thomas H. Hayden, Public Auctioneer.
The foregoing appointments made on April 27, 1926, are for terms of one year respectively from May 1, 1926.
There were appointed from time to time various sworn weighers, meas- urers of wood and bark, measurers of leather and special police officers. Licenses or permits were granted to various persons upon due consideration for the conduct of certain lines of business as approved by law as follows: common victualers, pool room, bowling alley, keeping, storing and selling gasoline, junk collectors, second-hand furniture, public and private garages, storage of fuel oil, Sanday sales, public amusement, second-hand motor vehicles, classes 1, 2 and 3, peddling (local) of fruit and vegetables, lodging house, sacred concerts on the Lord's Day, motor bus operation, public amusements.
Action by way of recommendation to the Director of Standards was taken as to licenses to peddle in other localities in the State on application by various parties.
There were also issued permits for various purposes including circus and street parades, public celebration of Independence Day by the American Legion Post No. 70, sale of fireworks, carnival features, displays of fire- works, street obstruction for removing buildings and for building opera- tions, and disturbance of street surface for underground work.
Public hearings were held from time to time on various matters as re- quired by law, including the following: maintaining public garages and repair shops, keeping and storage of gasoline, maintaining of private garages, street lay-outs.
Legislation
Petitions with appropriate bills were prepared and filed with the General Court for the purpose of securing necessary legislation as follows:
A. To permit the Town to incur further indebtedness to meet the ex- pense of completing the construction of the new senior high school building.
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B. To permit the Town to sell to the State for an armory site land owned by the Town and fronting on Nahatan Street and Lyman Place.
There was prepared and filed also a petition with an appropriate resolve for the investigation and for a report by the State Department of Public Health with respect to the necessity or advisability of the extension of the Metropolitan Sewerage system in the Neponset Valley. Such action was taken in accordance with the direction given by the citizens in Town Meeting. The legislation thus sought was obtained and acted upon.
State Armory Site
The developments in this important matter during the year 1925 were fully set forth in the report for that year.
The parcels of land required to provide the site acceptable to the State Armory Commission were owned by the Norwood Housing Association, Inc., and A. Balboni. These parcels were purchased as authorized by the action taken at the Special Town Meeting held in December, 1925. Title to the Nahatan Street parcel owned by the Norwood Housing As- sociation, Inc., was taken in December of 1925 while title to the Lyman Place parcel owned by Balboni was sccured on March 6, 1926. Therc- after, appropriate legislation having been obtained to permit a sale and conveyance to be made by the Town to the Commonwealth of the lot of the desired size as appcars elsewhere in this report, an agreement was promptly entered into with the Commonwealth for such sale and con- veyance and thereby the moneys appropriated by the State for this purpose were made available for future payment.
Later, namely on July 10, the transfer of title to the Commonwealth was made by a deed satisfactory to the Law Department and the purchase price, viz. $10,000, was paid to the Town.
It should be stated that the interest taken and the help given by our distinguished citizen, Honorable Frank G. Allen, were invaluable to the successful outcome of this undertaking from its inception, and a letter of appreciation was sent to him by the Selectmen thanking him particularly for his earnest and effective efforts in behalf of the Town to secure th legislation necessary to permit the Town to sell the land to the Common wealth.
Motor Bus Transportation
The importance of this subject justifies this rather extended statement of our activities.
An application was received and considercd on January 19 from the American Coach Company for permission to operate motor coaches on the main highways through Norwood.
On January 26 a representative of the Rhode Island Coach Company appeared and presented its petition for a license to that Company to operate its motor busses through Norwood. No action was taken on these applications in view of developments.
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On February 23 representatives of the Medway and Dedham Street Railway Company presented a statement indicating the service to be given and fares to be charged and route proposed to be used with respect to its petition for a license to transport passengers for hire in Norwood from the Westwood line, following notice from the Selectmen that such information was desired if its petition presented in 1925 was to be further considered.
The following action was then taken, viz .: Voted, to grant to the Medway & Dedham Street Railway Company a license under regulations now in effect to transport persons for hire over the following streets, namely, Winter Street from the Westwood-Norwood line to Prospect Street, Pros- pect Street to Nahatan Street, Nahatan Street to Washington Street, Washington Street to Guild Street and Guild Street to the Norwood Central Station, hourly service to be maintained and the rate of fare not to exceed ten cents in Norwood.
By action taken March 2 at the request of the Medway & Dedham Street Railway Company, the license granted as stated above was amended to permit the use of the following route in Norwood, namely, Clapboard- tree Street to Nahatan Street and Nahatan Street to Washington Street.
On March 2 the Medway-Dedham Bus Line, Inc. petitioner, for a license to operate motor busses into Norwood from Westwood over Na- hatan Street was given leave to withdraw its petition.
On June 8 on application of the Pierce Bus Lines, so-called, it was voted to grant under the regulations covering the transportation of passengers for hire to Fred W. Pierce of Walpole, a license to operate two motor busses from the Post Office Building, Norwood, to the Norwood-Walpole line on the Walpole Street route upon the expreess condition that no passengers were to be transported in conflict with the service furnished by the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company.
On December 21 a license was granted for the period of one year from January 1, 1927, to Fred W. Pierce of Walpole, Mass., operating the Pierce Bus Lines, so-called, to operate four motor coaches over the following streets, namely, Walpole, Washington, Cottage, Nahatan, Central and Railroad Avenue.
On January 26 the New England Transportation Company appeared though its representatives and requested a new consideration of its ap- plication made in 1925 for a license to operate motor vehicles for the trans- portation of passengers for hire through Norwood for the purpose of giving service to the district south of Walpole. A statement of the service with an outline of the present situation was submitted.
Upon due consideration, it was voted to grant to the New England Transportation Company a license under the regulations now in effect to operate four motor coaches over the streets of Norwood for the purpose of transporting passengers through Norwood for the district or territory south of Walpole and the district or territory north of the Norwood- Westwood line, on the understanding that the license does not give the
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right to transport passengers from Boston to Norwood or from Norwood to Boston.
On March 9 the New England Transportation Company advised the Selectmen of the desire of the Selectmen of Walpole for motor bus service from East Walpole to Boston, and indicated its willingness to operate over such a route if it could be done agreeably to the interests of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company, and without objection on the part of the Selectmen of Norwood.
By letter received on August 3, P. R. Allen, Vice-President of Bird & Son, Inc., indicated that it was desirable that the New England Trans- portation Company should operate on hourly runs between Boston and Providence by way of East Walpole with regular stops there and requesting the Selectmen to join with the Selectmen of Walpole and Bird & Son, Inc., in an application to the Department of Public Utilities requiring the Transportation Company to make a stop in East Walpole.
Thereafter a further request was received from Vice-President Allen that favorable action be taken by the Selectmen with respect to the pro- posed petition to the Public Utilities Commission for approval of such motor bus service through Washington Street in Norwood from East Walpole to accommodate East Walpole patrons, especially those connected with F. W. Bird & Son, Inc.
The Selectmen indicated on August 19 by letter that they would not be justified in acting as petitioners with respect to this matter, but would give prompt consideration to a petition for a license for such an additional route if the same should be presented by the New England Transportation Company.
On September 21 it was voted to grant to the New England Transporta- tion Company a license to operate one additional motor coach through the streets of Norwood upon the same route and terms and conditions as the license formerly granted.
On September 23 the Department of Public Utilities held a public hearing on the petition filed with it by residents of Walpole and others seeking an order requiring the operation of motor vehicles by the New England Transportation Company for the carriage of passengers for hire between East Walpole and Boston.
The Selectmen were represented at that hearing by Clerk Pendergast and Town Counsel Halloran and acting on the advice of the Town Counsel, that in his opinion the petition in question could not be legally acted upon by the Department of Public Utilities and that, therefore, the petition was without legal standing before that Department, the position taken by the Selectmen as stated at that hearing was in substance that if the De- partment ruled that it was without jurisdiction to act, the Selectmen were willing to give consideration to and to act upon the question of issuing a license to permit the use of the route desired in Norwood when a proper application was presented by the New England Transportation Company. but if the Department did take jurisdiction and heard the matter on its
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merits, the position of the Selectmen was that they were opposed to the granting of the license until they were fully informed as to its effect upon the service then rendered by the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company.
On October 11 notice was received from the State Department of Public Utilities stating in effect that it appeared to the Department that it had no authority to act wth respect to the granting of a license on the petition above referred to as the New England Transportation Company had not joined in the petition and therefore the petition was ordered dismissed.
On November 15, Henry W. Caldwell, Chairman of the Selectmen of Walpole, appeared and informed the Selectmen that the people of East Walpole desired the motor coach service to Boston which could be fur- nished by the New England Transportation Company and stated as reason therefor that there were but three trains a day operating over the Wrentham Branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company which were available for East Walpole riders. Thereafter the repre- sentatives of the New England Transportation Company and the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company appcared before the Selectmen and discussed the situation and indicated that they reached an agreement whereby the license desired might be granted with the consent of the Eastern Massachusetts Strect Railway Company, provided that out of each fare received by the New England Transportation Company for the carriage of passengers between Boston and East Walpole the sum of 18 cents should be paid to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Com- pany.
The representatives of the New England. Transportation Company further stated that if a license was granted the Company would observe any requirements as to speed which the Selectmen might see fit to impose.
On November 23, upon proper application therefor, it was voted to amend the present license held by the New England Transportation Company so as to read as follows, namely:
"The New England Transportation Company is licensed under the existing regulations to operate five motor coaches through the Town of Norwood over Washington Street from the Westwood-Norwood line to the Walpole-Norwood line at East Walpole or by the alternative route on Walpole Street from the junction of Walpole and Washington Streets in Norwood to the Norwood-Walpole line; such license being for the purpose of transporting passengers from the district or territory south of Walpole to points in Norwood and from Walpole to points northerly from Dedham towards Boston and of transporting passengers over the streets of the Town from the territory north of Dedham to points in Massachusetts south of the Norwood-Walpole boundary line; it being expressly understood that this license does not give to the New England Transportation Company the right to take passengers for transporta- tion in Boston and discharge said passengers at Norwood, nor to take passengers in Norwood for discharge in Boston."
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On December 14 as required by the Selectmen an amended application for the license granted was presented by the New England Transportation Company in which it was stated that there was an agreement with the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company to pay to said Company the sum of 18 cents for each passenger carried from East Walpole to Boston and from Boston to East Walpole, said amount to be revised from time to time by agreement between the respective companies as circumstances may warrant of which revision advice should be given to the Selectmen of Norwood. Thereupon the Clerk was authorized to issue the license voted by the Selectmen on November 23.
Fire Department
.. The Selectmen, being of opinion after due consideration, that Norwood had reached a position in size and as to valuation of property that made it desirable if not necessary for the employment of a permanent fire chief on full time service, presented its recommendation to the Town through an appropriate article in the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting held March 24, 1926, that the Fire Department be placed under the control of an officer to be known as the Chief of the Fire Department through the acceptance of Sections 42, 43 and 44 of Chapter 48 of the General Laws.
Favorable action having been taken on its recommendation the Fire Department so controlled was established and on April 21 John J. Hannigan of East Milton, Massachusetts, was appointed as Chief of the Norwood Fire Department, effective as of May 1, 1926. Mr. Hannigan has a record of twenty-two years of service in the Fire Department of the City of New York, having retired from that Department with a rating of Lieutenant following ten years of service in that capacity. He has had also excep- tional experience in fire department activities elsewhere.
Granolithic Sidewalks
Consideration was given in January to the policy to be followed in the future with respect to the construction of granolithic sidewalks and the method of payment, and it was determined that with the exception of a few small stretches of sidewalk as to which particular work should be done in 1926, all future permanent sidewalks should be laid on the basis of a deposit or of an assessment of 50% of the cost of the work, which per- centage should include the expense of installing curbing, and the period over which assessment payments could be apportioned should be limited to five years.
On August 17 an order was adopted directing the General Manager to reconstruct, with material of a more permanent character than the original construction, a portion of the sidewalk on the easterly side of Washington Street lying between the property of the Town of Norwood Hose No. 2 and the existing cement sidewalk on Washington Street at its intersection with Dean Street and that the grade of the sidewalk as reconstructed should conform to a plan prepared by Town Engineer Smith and directing that
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notice of such action should be recorded in the Registry of Decds and that notice should be given of an assessment of a reasonable amount not ex- ceeding one-half of the cost for such improvement upon the abutting estates owned as indicated.
At a meeting held August 31 after reconsideration of action taken at an earlier meeting respecting the construction of the granolithic sidewalk hereafter described, an order was adopted directing the General Manager to reconstruct, with material of more permanent character than that with which it was originally constructed, that portion of the sidewalk on Walpole Street on the easterly sidc lying between Walnut Avenue and Chapel Strcet, and that the grade of such sidewalk as reconstructed should con- form to the plan prepared by Town Engineer Smith and directing that notice of such action should be recorded in the Registry of Decds for Norfolk County, and that the same should set forth that the Selectmen would assess a reasonable amount not exceeding one-half the cost of such improvement upon each of the abutting estates owned as indicated.
Street and Main-Drain Layouts and Takings
After views taken and hearings held, layouts were made and filed with respect to various new ways and alterations of existing ways, and layouts were made and filed with respect to certain main drains, all as detailed below. Reports to the Town were made and acceptances were voted with such appropriations as were requested. Thereafter, viz., May 11, 1926, orders of taking werc adopted and betterments for improvements were cstimated where the same were to be assessed, and awards for damages were fixed as stated in the orders of taking, and the orders were filcd and recorded as required by law. These layouts and takings are briefly dc- scribed as follows, viz .:
Streets
Elm Street, new way, being an extension of existing Elm Street.
Cypress Strcet, new way.
Sycamore Street, new way.
Lincoln Street, new way, being an extension of existing Lincoln Street. Cleveland Strcet, new way.
Brookfield Road, new way.
CottageStreet, alteration by widening in part.
Winter and Bright Streets, alteration by widening in part.
Washington Street and Walnut Avenue, alteration by widening in part.
Walpole and Winter Streets, alteration by widening in part.
Dean and Pleasant Streets, alteration by widening in part.
Drains
(1) Leading from Chapel Street northerly through lands of William P. Nickerson and John Q. Peterson.
(2) Leading through proposed extension of Vernon Street and lands of Iva P. Gove and Norwood Housing Association, Inc.
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(3) Leading from Pleasant Street to Willow Street at junction of Lenox Strect, thence to New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company, Midland Division location.
There was also laid out and located at the same time as a public park a parcel of land adjoining the parcel taken for the alteration by widening of Washington Street and Walnut Avenue. This layout and location was reported to and accepted by the Town following which an order of taking was adopted, and damages were awarded and the order was filed and recorded.
Standard Oil Company of New York-Filling Station License
On June 22 the Standard Oil Company of New York applied through Mr. James M. Folan for a license to keep, store and sell gasoline in total quantity of three thousand gallons, also kerosenc and motor oil in certain smaller quantities on the premises at the northeasterly corner of Washington Street and Railroad Avenue. A plan was presented showing the location of proposed structures to be erected on the premises in place of the existing structure.
A public hearing was ordered on this application and it was held on July 13. Following this hearing it was voted, Selectmen Mulvehill, Dalton and Forrest voting in the affirmative, and Selectmen Baker and Endicott in the negative, to grant a license subject to certain conditions stated and further conditions to be fixed later.
On request of objectors made on July 20 a re-hearing of the petition was ordered and a largely attended public hearing was given on August 3, at which all interested parties were fully heard, and particularly those in opposition to the granting of the licensc.
On further consideration of the matter at the close of the hearing it was voted that the action taken at the meeting held July 13 be confirmed, Selectmen Mulvehill, Dalton and Forrest voting in the affirmative and Selectmen Baker and Endicott voting in the negative.
It was also voted that the Company be notified that the Selectmen desired a new plan of the premises showing the arrangement proposed with respect to approaches from the strect to the property and information as to the type of building and the location of structures to be crected above thic surface of the ground, and suggesting that with respect to the proposed establishment of a new line for Washington Strect the plan should be pre- pared on the basis of a possible widening of Washington Street by twenty feet.
On August 17 representatives of this Company were further heard relative to the conditions of the license and the following action was then taken, viz .: Voted to reconsider the previous action taken with respect to the limitations placed on structures to be maintained above the surface of the ground within a distance of fifty feet from the line of Washington Street as to standards or cquipment uscd in the sale of motor oil or gasoline as set forth in the vote of July 13 as reaffirmed by action taken on August 3 relative to license granted, and further voted to grant to the Standard Oil
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Company of New York a license to keep, store and sell volatile inflaminable fluid on the premises at Washington Street and Railroad Avenue in ac- cordance with the petition of said company dated June 2, 1926, for the storage of 3000 gallons of gasoline in two 1500-gallon tanks, also 300 gallons of motor oil to be stored in 60-gallon containers and 60 gallons of kerosene to be stored in one container, on the condition that the structures used in the sale of gasoline and motor oil be constructed and maintained only as shown on a plan marked (A) M 10, Norwood, Mass., Washington Street and Railroad Avenue, August 16, 1926, and signed Standard Oil Company of New York, New England Department, C. B. Jones, Manager, by H. R. M. Morse, Engineer and by Lewis D. Thorpe, General Manager, Town of Norwood; also on condition that the Standard Oil Company of New York agrees to remove and reset at its expense the existing poles and wires of the Town of Norwood at this location at such places and in such manner as shall be directed in writing by the General Manager of the Town of Norwood; that the present sidewalk to said filling station be removed and new walks and the necessary approaches as shown on the plan be con- structed at the expense of the Standard Oil Company of New York and in accordance with specifications and under the supervision of the General Manager of the Town of Norwood, and that existing trees in Washington Street in front of this property be removed also at the expense of the Standard Oil Company of New York. It is also understood as agreed by the Selectmen and Standard Oil Company of New York that on or before the license shall become effective the Standard Oil Company of New York will tender to the Town of Norwood a deed of gift conveying (as provided by later arrangement) an easement or right of way in said premises to sueh extent as may be necessary for the alteration of Washington Street by a widening at this location.
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