USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1930-1932 > Part 47
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
Orders of assessment of betterments were also adopted and the assess- ments made were committed for eolleetion where the improvements had been completed and the time had arrived for the imposition of sueh assess- ment, such action being in accordance with the provisions of law governing the same. Orders were adopted also for the imposition of assessments for sidewalk improvements where the time was ripe for such aetion.
Lay-outs were made and other necessary aets undertaken by the Seleet- men aeting as sewer eommissioners for the installation of common sewers under the provisions of law subject to betterments to be assessed.
With respect to the Federal Building (Post Office) site, pursuant to the authority voted to the Selectmen by action taken under Artielc I of the warrant for the special town meeting held on April 13 a proposal was made on April 14 to the Government of the United States of Amcriea to sell to the United States of America for the sum of $21,900 the land hereafter deseribed for sueh site. Thereafter and following action taken on October 2, under Artiele I of the warrant for the special town meeting held by adjournment on that date, through written ballot expressing the prefer- ence of the voters for the site of the proposed Federal Building, the result of the ballot was, in aeeordance with the direction eontained in the ballot, officially eominunieated to the appropriate Federal authorities in Wash- ington. By formal notiec under date of November 24 from the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury of the United States Government the Seleetmen were informed that their proposal of April 14 above mentioned was ac- eepted, subject to conditions governing purchases of Federal Building
226
sites and specifieation for vendor's survey and set forth in accompanying papers. The land to be conveyed to the United States (elear building space, exclusive of all sidewalks, etc.) is as stated in said notiee as follows:
"Lying and being in Norwood, Norfolk County, Massachusetts being an irregular traet of land located at the southwesterly corner of Guild Street and Central Street, extended, and containing Twenty- nine Thousand, Two Hundred square feet (29,200s'), with a frontage on Guild Street of approximately One Hundred Thirty and Twenty- one Hundredths feet (130.21'), and a frontage on Central Street, extended, of approximately Two Hundred feet (200'), as shown on the plat submitted with your proposal."
Said formal notice required an unqualified assent to all of the terms and conditions which was given through action taken on December 1 and thereafter forwarded to the United States Treasury Department. On December 15 notice was received from the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts acting under direction of the Attorney Gen- eral of the United States that your Seleetmen were required to provide a complete abstraet of title with certifieates in accordance with printed regulations furnished together with a plan of the engineer's survey to be made of the proposed site under specifications of the treasury department also furnished.
The Engineering Department of the town has prepared the plan re- quired and a copy has been forwarded to the Supervising Architect of the United States Treasury Department. The abstract of title with certificates required were referred on December 22 to the Legal Department for at- tention, and reports of progress in the preparation of the necessary papers have sinee been received and it is expected that the report on the title of the extensive character demanded by the United States Government will be submitted to the United States Attorney within the time given for the purpose.
Activities with respect to unemployment relief are briefly referred to as follows: On June 2 the local advisory committee on unemployment ap- pointed in 1930 presented its resignation which was accepted with an expression of appreciation for its valuable scrviee. It should be stated that this committee had been active from the time of its appointment and particularly during the last winter season and had conferred with the Selectmen and made reports from time to time on unemployment eondi- tions and its activities.
On August 25 a letter was received from Governor Ely relative to the unemployment situation and requesting aetion looking to the mobilization of local resources to meet local welfare and relief needs to be taken between October 20 and November 20. On October 27 a new local committee on unemployment relief was appointed in line with the request of Governor Ely and in accordance with the suggestions of the Chairman of the Massa-
227
chusetts Emergency Committee on Unemployment which committee has sinee been actively engaged in the performance of its duties. This Com- mittee has conferred with the Scleetmen and has presented suggestions which have met with sympathetie consideration by the Town Officials and the citizens generally. Independently of the committee the Seleetmen have endeavored to aid in the improvement of unemployment conditions through the Departments under their control and have had the active cooperation of the General Manager and other officials ineluding depart- ment superintendents. Every effort has been made to utilize the service of men who needed employment to the greatest possible extent permitted by the use of all funds available for the purpose. The committee on un- employment relief is as follows:
Arthur D. Rodgers, Chairman; Frank B. Coughlin, Assistant Chairman; Mrs. Evelyn M. Preseott, Financial Sceretary; Mrs. Amy E. Waldheim, Secretary; John V. Carlson, Chairman of Relief; Eleanor G. Montgomery, Chairman of Activities; Dimon E. Merrill, Chairman of Employment; Miss Mary E. Murphy, Chairman of Food Donations; Robert I. Wood- bury, Chairman of Merchandise Donations; together with the following members, Miss Nora A. Walsh, Henry Crosby, Oliver J. Barr, Jr., Paul Bernier, Spencer B. Montgomery, Hollis W. Plimpton, Franeis W. Smith, Salvatore Gulla, Joseph F. Coughlin, Daniel Collins, Stephen Hefferan, William Sadowy, Michael Shergals, Joel Tammelin, Louis Orent, Nicholas Abdallah.
Winter Street Widening and Re-Location
Smith, Jr. and O'Brien (Smith Construction Company) Contract
On July 15 Thomas Smith, Jr. and James A. O'Brien eo-partners, both of Fall River, doing business as Smith Construction Company, entered into a contract with the Town acting through the Selectmen for the con- struetion of a widening and re-loeation of a section of Winter Street at the westerly end which improvement was undertaken and carried on in accordance with specifications and plans prepared by the State Depart- ment of Publie Works. Said Department supervised the various pre- liminary details ineluding the proposal, bids, award, preparation and execution of the contract as well as the performance of the work by said contractors. The value of the work called for by the contraet at the unit priccs bid was $15,860.30. A bond to seeure the performance of the contraet was required of and furnished by the contractors in favor of the Town in the sum of $15,800.00 with the Standard Accident Insurance Company of Detroit, Michigan, authorized to do business and with an office in Massachusetts, as surety. The contraet required the entire work to be completed to the satisfaction of the Engineer of said Department of Publie Works. The completion of the work was delayed, due apparently to finaneial troubles, and the surety has represented to the Selectmen that
228
it has furnished funds in aid of the performance of the contract by said contractors.
By letter received on December 1, said State Department of Public Works notified the Selectmen that it had approved, by action taken on November 24, the work done under the contract and the value of the work done as of November 11, the date covered by the last estimate of the Chief Engineer, and received by the Town, including extras, was $16,972.38, of which sum there had been paid to or for the benefit of said contractors from time to time during the course of the work and prior to October 31 various sums, and the balance, or such part thereof as may be found to be due to said contractors has been retained by the Town as security in addition to the bond to satisfy proper claims. Several actions at law have been brought against the contractors by alleged creditors in which the Town was summoned and appeared and answered as alleged trustee of the contrac- tors. Numerous claims, totalling in amount in excess of $15,000.00, against the contractors have been filed with the Town Clerk by various parties who seek to establish the same as creditors of the contractors for labor performed or furnished or for materials used or employed by said contractors or both and which claims may in whole or in part constitute statutory liens against the contract funds retained by the Town as well as against the security held by the Town in the form of the bond above men- tioned. The legal status of an alleged assignment by the contractors of the sum of $3,000 as a portion of the amount due to them in the course of the work is involved in the existing situation and may require a Court determination. The surety also claims that it is entitled to all monies due to the contractors and held by the Town pursuant to an assignment made by the contractors to it at or about the time that the bond application was accepted of which claim however the Town was not notified prior to the receipt of a letter of its Attorney dated October 8. In this situation the Metropolitan Crushed Stone Company, one of the claimants above referred to, with claim in the sum of $5,879.64, being the largest in amount presented, brought a suit in equity through a bill of complaint filed with the writ which issued out of the Superior Court for Suffolk County on Decem- ber 9 and entered in said Court on January 4, 1932, in which suit said contractors, the surety company and the Town are made parties respond- ent. This suit is undertaken by the complainant in its own behalf and on behalf of all others who performed or furnished labor or materials used in the construction of the improvement in question. Through the Town Counsel, the Town has appeared and is answering the bill of complaint and seeks to bring in all other claimants whether by lien, trustee process, assignment or any other means and to have the respective rights and in- terests of all parties interested established and satisfied by resort solely to the funds retained and the bond security, if necessary. While litigation more or less prolonged is in prospect due to the unfortunate developments above recited and as to which the Town officials are in no way responsible,
229
it is expected that no added financial burden will result to the Town other than expense incident to its necessary part in the litigation.
Passenger Motor Bus Transportation
In our last report on the subject of passenger motor bus transportation, which covercd the activities of the year 1930, we endeavored to set forth at some length our viewpoint as well as our course of action and we have sought during the past year to deal with the matter from the samc view- point and in the light of developments which affected the situation as it existed when our last report was presented.
A license was granted on August 12, 1930, to Fred M. Pierce (Pierce Bus Lines) to operate motor busses in Norwood with respect to a proposed service between Park Square in Boston and points south of Norwood on his indication that he would be able to secure a license from the City of Boston as well as a certificate of public conveyance and necessity from the State Department of Public Utilities. Upon inquiry from time to time as to the status of the license application in Boston it was learned that no definite results had been sccured and on September 15 last Mr. Pierce reported that he had been unable to secure the desired license in Boston which was neccs- sary to permit the proposed service to be undertaken and that leave to withdraw had been voted on his petition by the Boston City Council. It appeared that the Boston Elevated Railway Company had opposed the grant of such license. While Mr. Pierce notified the Selectmen on Septem- ber 29 that he had filed a new application for a Boston license, yet there has been no indication that favorable action has been or will be taken upon it.
With respect to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company it was voted on February 4, 1930, to grant to it a license upon its applica- tion for the same for the purpose of carrying passengers for hire in motor vehicles between Guild Street in Norwood and the Forest Hills Terminal Station of the Boston Elevated Railway Company in Boston. In view of developments in other municipalities this license was not sought to be issued and was not issued until December 1, 1931. The officials of this corporation notificd the Selectmen, however, on November 3 that an appli- cation for the necessary license in Boston had been filed and that on November 24 it had been granted for the desired operation in that territory. It also notified the Selectmen that licenses had been secured previously in the Towns of Dedham and Westwood and that following the grant of the Boston license application had been made promptly to the Massachu- setts Department of Public Utilities for a certificate of public convenience and necessity which certificate was required before actual operation could be undertaken. A public hearing was held by the Department on this application on December 10 at which the Selectmen were represented and requested favorable consideration of the petition. At a conference held on September 29 with the Selectmen of Walpole and Westwood to consider
-
230
the situation, it was stated that Westwood had granted a license to that company for express motor coach service and that there was no demand for motor bus service such as proposed to be furnished by the New England Transportation Company and that it was doubtful if the people of West- wood would be willing to give up strect car service and it was reported that as to Walpole, it was solely an East Walpole problem, and that its Selectmen would not permit East Walpole Square to be used as a parking space for motor busses. Later, namely, on November 3, the Selectmen of Walpole reported that at a hearing held they were requested by Walpole citizens to favor the petition of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company. At the conference above mentioned a report was received also from the Selectmen of Dedham to the effect that the service then furnished by the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company was satisfactory.
Several conferences were held during the year with representatives of the New England Transportation Company, a subsidiary of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company, during which it was urged by them that the request made in 1930 for the removal of existing restric- tions in licenses granted some six years ago should be granted and the claim was made that the proposed service through Centre Street and Huntington Avenue in Boston to and from the Park Square Terminal would be beneficial to Norwood patrons and that such service would not compete with the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company service. In response to inquiries inade by the Selectmen in the course of these conferences a letter was received from the New England Transportation Company on December 8 in which it was stated that the suggested use of the twelve-ride rail ticket could not be consistently considered on the basis of such ticket being treated as a twelve ride combination rail and motor bus ticket. Discussion was had in these conferences as to schedules of fares and service under the desired un-restricted license status as pre- sented and as to the train service situation and its relationship to the pro- posed motor bus service. No action has been taken upon the request.
It should be stated that the Transportation Committee of the Norwood Chamber of Commerce as well as the Committee known as the Route No. 1 Transportation Committee held several conferences with the Selectmen and urged that action be held in abeyance on the applications of the New England Transportation Company and the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company that full opportunity might be given to the Pierce Bus Lines to secure the necessary licenses and certificate to permit the service to be furnished which it proposed.
On June 9 the application through its Treasurer of the Inter-State Motor Coach Corporation of Attleborough for license to operate motor coaches hourly from 6 A.M. to 11 P.M. between Norwood and Walpole was con- sidered and on June 23 the petitioner was given leave to withdraw.
On October 27 notice was received from the Johnson Bus Lines, Inc., through its Treasurer of the discontinuance of the Norwood-Westwood service effective on November 7.
231
In the light of the views expressed by Mr. Philip R. Allen in letters received from him it was voted on September 8 to request the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company to indieate its position as to applying for a Boston license to operate and the Pieree Bus Lines to report its progress made with respect to seeuring a Boston lieense.
Construetive suggestions and eritieism have always been desired in aid of the solution of this important problem and the course taken, in the light of all the faets and information obtained and in the knowledge that it is upon your Seleetmen the responsibility rests, appeared to them to be the proper one and will, it is confidently believed, prove to have been wisely taken in safe-guarding existing and dependable methods of transportation while opening the door to the motor bus inethod.
Kenneth Mckenzie
We reeord with great sorrow the death on January 7, 1932, of Kenneth MeKenzie who was appointed a member of the Board of Assessors on March 14, 1922, and served eontinuously in that important offiee until his demise which oeeurred during the three year term of service to which he was unanimously appointed in April, 1931. He was a faithful, efficient and eonseientious publie official and an excellent eitizen whose departure while in years of aetive and useful serviee will be mourned by all our eitizens and whose high place in our community will be most difficult to fill, while his splendid serviee will be long remembered.
Miscellaneous
The following brief referenees are made with respect to some of the matters which received attention during the year and whieh indieate in some measure the varied and extensive eharaeter of the duties which have been performed, viz .:
On March 24 regulations governing the eonduet of miniature golf courses with restrictions with respect to the Lord's Day (Sunday) ineluding fees to be paid for the lieenses required were adopted.
On February 3 warrant issued by the County Commissioners for the County of Norfolk eovering assessment for the eare, maintenance, repair and improvement of the Norfolk County Hospital for the year 1930 in the sum of $7,175.91 had attention.
On February 9 it was voted that the General Manager as representing the Seleetmen supervise the maintenance of all publie playgrounds and that the advisory committee to the Seleetmen on publie playgrounds be informed that it should aet in cooperation with the General Manager.
On April 7 report was received of notiee from the Metropolitan Distriet Commission under date of March 31 of its order of taking for the purpose of the construction of a main trunk sewer of two pareels of land owned by the Town and shown on plan, one with an area of 82,689 square feet and the other with an area of 26,462 square feet.
232
On March 3 it was voted to inform the Planning Board of the desire of the Selectmen that the Planning Board give consideration to the matter of recommending to a future Town meeting the adoption of an amendment to the existing zoning by-law by striking out Item 1, Clause B, Section 4, and by adding a new item to be designated as Itcm 9, under Clause A, Section 4 which would read as follows:
"9. Business garage, business stable, public garage, public stable, gasolene selling station, service station, garage repair shop, or motor vchicle repair shop."
or by so amending the existing by-law that the several kinds of business now appearing under Item 1 of said Clause B of Section 4 may be conducted in the business district without permission of the Board of Appeal.
On June 30 an order was adopted for the restraint of dogs from running at large for a period of ninety days from the seventh day of July, 1931, as requested by the Director of Animal Industries, State Department of Conservation. On September 22 it was voted to terminate as of September 26, 1931, the restraining order, due to improved conditions.
On July 14 the General Manager was directed to prepare a lay-out and takings for a main drain to be known as Clark Swamp Main Drain taking and easement extending from Railroad Avenuc to Pleasant Street.
On August 11 the General Manager reported that a permit had been received from the State authorities for the permanent retention and opera- tion of the existing overhead traffic signals on Washington Street.
On October 13 it was voted that the General Manager prepare an esti- mate of the cost including land damages of the construction of a trunk line sewer from a point in Short Strcet where the south Metropolitan Trunk Line sewer branch exists through Short Street and private property to a point in the Winslow Plant of the Winslow Brothers & Smith Company which line it appeared must be constructed as soon as the trunk linc Metropolitan sewer is completed for the purpose of disposing of waste from the tannery plant and of such size as to care for future requirements of the drainage areas in the Hawes Brook and Germany Brook sections.
On February 9 the General Manager was directed to consider and report upon a program for the ercction of buildings on the public playground known as the Civic grounds, being the property purchased from the Norwood Civic Association. On November 9 the General Manager sub- mitted a plan of development with drawings and reported an estimated cost of $120,000 and involving the construction of four units each requiring an expenditure of $30,000 but which could be carried out over a scrics of ycars.
On December 1 Walter II. Hobson, town fish and gamc warden gave notice of his retirement from office at the expiration of the present term, namely, on January 1, 1932, after twelve years of continuous servicc. The Selectmen wish to record at this time the appreciation of the officials and the citizens of the town generally of the long and meritorius service rendered by Mr. Hobson in his important office.
233
On December 1 the following regulation, of which notice was given to the several departments under the control of the Selectmen, was adopted, namely,
"Motor equipment owned by the Town of Norwood shall not be. driven beyond the confines of Norwood and adjoining towns except on Municipal business and when such business is at a distance of more than 50 miles, prior approval of the General Manager must be sccurcd."
On December 1 John Curran a permanent member of the fire department was retired on account of illness and placed on the pension roll of the department at half pay in accordance with the provisions of law.
On December 1 it was voted to notify the County Commissioners for the County of Norfolk that the Selectmen desired that Everett Street bc re-located from Washington Street to the Norwood-Westwood line and that the County and State share with the Town in the expense.
As requested by the Director of the Division of Fisheries and Game for the Commonwealth by action taken on December 22, there was submitted to him a list of three persons for use by him in connection with the appoint- ment of a town fish and game warden to succeed the retiring warden, Mr. Hobson, subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Conservation.
On May 12 it was voted to adopt the following new rate for electricity sold through the Municipal Light Department for off-peak water heating, to be designated as rate "W" as follows:
"Off-Peak Water Heating Rate"
RATE:
DEMAND CHARGE: $12.00 per year per kilowatt of capacity connected in excess of 5 kilowatts, payable monthly.
ENERGY CHARGE: 2} cents per kilowatt hour for the first 40 kilowatt hours per month.
1 cent per kilowatt hour for the excess.
No discount.
MINIMUM CHARGE: $1.00 per month.
TERM OF CONTRACT: No term contract required; customer may terminate service at any time by giving ten days' notice in writing provided that such termination is not made for the purpose of ob- taining the advantage of this rate for periods of less than one year."
Said rate to be subject to the terms and conditions contained in a form submitted to the Selectmen as of this date.
It was further Voted, that this rate be published and be made available to consumers at the earliest date consistent with controlling regulations.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.