USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1895 > Part 3
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500 00
500 00
500 00
Markers for Graves of Soldiers.
30 00
2 00
32 00
20 50
II 50
Thacher Brook Drain.
1,000 00
1,000 00
1,07I 22
71 22
8,000 00
109 67
8,109 67
8,324 66
214 99
Sidewalks ..
2,000 00
234 37
2,234 37
2,806 II
571 74
Record of 200th Anniversary
500 00
500 00
500 00
Decoration Day ...
250 00
250 co
250 00
4,000 00
15 85
4,015 85
4,118 0I
102 16
Fire Alarını Box ..
125 00
125 00
118 17
6 83
Printing Valuation Lists.
250 00
250 00
250 00
Soldiers' Burial.
70 00
175 00
105 00
Plans for Engine Honse, Union Street .
200 00
200 00
200 00
Express Wagon, Fire Department .
150 00
150 00
150 00
Carpenter Street School House, balance.
57 46
57 46
52 30
5 16
Extension and Improvement of Fire Alarm system ..
1,700 00
1,700 00
1,700 00
Flags and Flag Staffs.
450 00
450 00
437 00
13 00
$74,202 46
$6,538 85
$80,741 31
$80,045 84
$4,668 50
$5,363 97
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$ 83 00
State Aid.
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Fire Department (Current and Incidental)
70 00
Highways and Bridges.
1,186 00
1,186 00
55
ANNUAL REPORT.
WATER DEPARTMENT .- 1896.
RECEIPTS.
Cash on hand January 1, 1896, $11,685 64
Wm. J. Luther, Water Registrar, $14,329 57 Appropriation made by the town April 13, 1895, 7,325 00
--- $21,654 57
Total amount received for the year 1895, and cash on hand Janu- ary 1, 1895, $33,340 21
EXPENDITURES.
Interest.
Paid First National Bank of At- tleboro, interest on bonds due 1895, $6,400 00 Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Company, interest on bonds due 1895, 3,600 00
Interest on registered bonds due 1895,
400 00 $10,400 00
Miscellaneous.
Mar. 21. John T. Bates, treas- urer of Sinking fund of £ Water Depart- ment, $4,650 00
56
ANNUAL REPORT.
Dec. 31. Bills approved by the Selectmen, Mainte- nance account, $6,434 28 Construction account, 5,308 41
$16,392 69
Cash on hand January 1, 1896, 6,547 52
Total amount expended for the year 1895, and cash on hand, $33,340 21
Outstanding Bonds.
JANUARY 1, 1896.
4 per cent bonds due Jan., 1902, $20,000 00
7 per cent bonds due Jan., 1904,
40,000 00
4 per cent bonds due Oct., 1912, 20,000 00
4 per cent bonds due Sept. 1915, 12,000 00
4 per cent bonds due Jan., 1919, 20,000 00
4 per cent bonds due Jan., 1921, 18,000 00 4 per cent bonds due Oct., 1922, 25,000 00
4 per cent bonds due July, 1923, 35,000 00
4 per cent bonds due July, 1924, 40,000 00
-$230,000 00
57
ANNUAL REPORT.
RECAPITULATION.
Town Bonds.
4s A. & O., due April 1, 1897, $35,000 00
Deduct North Attleboro's propor- tion of bonds, 12,974 50
Bonded debt January 1, 1896, Floating debt,
$22,025 50
59,000 00
Total debt, January 1, 1896,
$81,025 50
Sinking Fund Assets,
21,827 98
Balance, net debt,
$59,197 52
Water Department.
BONDS.
4s A. & O., due Oct. 1, 1902, 7s J. & J., due January 1, 1904, 40,000 00
4s A. & O., due Oct. 1, 1912, 20,000 00
4s S. & M., due Sept. 1, 1915, 12,000 00
4s J. & J., due Jan. 1, 1919, 20,000 00
4s J. & J., due Jan. 1, 1921,
18,000 00
4s A. & O., due Oct. 1, 1922,
25,000 00
35,000 00
40,000 00
Bonded debt, January, 1896, Sinking Fund assets,
$230,000 00
25,758 14
Balance, net debt,
$204,241 86
.
4s J. & J., due July 1, 1923, 4s J. & J., due July 1, 1924,
$20,000 00
58
ANNUAL REPORT.
Total bonded debt of the Town and Water Department, less North Attleboro's proportion of bonds, $252,025 50
Floating debt of the Town and Water Department, 59,000 00
Total debt of Town and Water De- partment, January, 1896, $311,025 50
Sinking Fund assets of Town and Water Department, 47,586 12
Balance, net debt of Town and Water Department, $263,439 38
JOHN T. BATES, Treasurer.
REPORT
OF THE
SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS
OF THE
TOWN OF ATTLEBOROUGH,
MASS.
REPORT OF SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS .- 1896.
DR.
1896.
To cash received from Town Treasurer, from January, 1886, to January, 1895, as per last report, $46,200 00
To cash received from Town Treasurer, from January I, 1895, to January 1, 1896, To cash received for interest from January, 1886, to January, 1895, as per last report, 13,561 83
1,400 00
To cash received for interest from January, 1895, to January, 1896,
1,570 65 -- $62,732 48
CR.
1896. January.
By amount invested on mortgages of real estate, $17,650 00
By Attleboro's proportion of bonds paid July, 1894, and April I, 1895, 40,904 50 4,177 98
By cash on hand,
-$62,732 48
62
ANNUAL REPORT.
Water Department.
DR.
1896.
To cash received from Sinking Fund Commissioners of Attle- boro Fire District No. I, $2,392 33
Received mortgages of Real Es- tate from Sinking Fund Com- missioners of Attleboro Fire District No. I,
9,000 00
To cash received from Town Treasurer from March 29, 1893, to January 1, 1895, as per last report, 7,000 00
To cash received from Town Treasurer from January I, 1895, to January 1, 1896, 4,650 00
To cash received for interest from March 29, 1893, to January I, 1895, as per last report, 1,22I 98
To cash received for interest from January 1, 1895, to January I, 1896,
1,493 83 -$25,758 14
CR.
1896. January.
By amount invested on mortgages
of Real Estate,
$24,150 00
63
ANNUAL REPORT.
By cash on hand, $1,608 14 - -$25,758 14
SAMUEL P. LATHROP, FRANK I. BABCOCK, E. S. HORTON,
Commissioners of Sinking Fund.
JOHN T. BATES, Treasurer.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
ASSESSORS
OF THE
TOWN OF ATTLEBOROUGH,
MASS.
ASSESSORS' REPORT.
RECAPITULATION.
Number of Persons Assessed.
On property, For Poll Tax only, 1,425
1,579
3,004
Number of Polls Assessed.
Assessed, 2,277
Value of Assessed Personal Estate.
Excluding Resident Bank Stock,
$876,532
Resident Bank Stock,
86,875
$963,407
Value of Assessed Real Estate.
Buildings, Land,
$2,529,978 1,252,703
$3,782,681
Total valuation of Assessed Estate May Ist, 1895, $4,746,088
Tax for State, County and Town Purposes.
Personal, Real, Polls,
$19,268 14 75,653 62 4,554 00 -$99,475 76
68
ANNUAL REPORT.
Rate on Taxation, $20 on a $1,000.
Tax on each male, poll, $2. Number of horses,
781 º
" cows,
603
" neat cattle, 90
"' swine,
15I
dwelling houses, 1,498
" acres of land, 15,000
Appropriations for 1895.
School house and lot, Carpenter
street, and addition to High School building, $ 5,000 00
Cross walk, North Main Street,
100 00
Soldiers' Relief, (balance of year) 2,000 00
Ten Mile River, 550 00
School house in South Attleboro,
3,000 00
Medical attendance of paupers,
300 00
Medical attendance of Soldiers' Relief, 200 00
Military Aid,
300 00
Soldiers' Relief,
3,500 00
Sidewalks,
2,000 00
Highways and bridges,
8,000 00
Superintendent of Schools,
1,200 00
Educational Department,
20,000 00
Educational text books and sup- plies, 1,400 00
Educational incidentals and re-
pairs, 2,500 00
Conveyance of school children, 840 00
69
ANNUAL REPORT.
Current and incidental,
$8,000 00
Public library,
1,000 00
Decorating graves,
250 00
Paupers,
5,200 00
Street lights,
5,927 52
Plans for engine house, Union St.,
200 00
Fire alarm box,
125 00
Express wagon, Fire Department,
150 00
Valuation list,
250 00
Ten Mile River,
100 00
Record of 200th anniversary,
500 00
Liquor law,
500 00
Water Department,
7,325 00
Markers for graves,
30 00
Current and incidental, Fire De- partment,
4,000 00
Thacher Brook Drain,
1,000 00
-$85,447 52
Appropriations Required by Law.
State tax,
$2,760 00
County tax, 7,031 50
Grade crossing at Hebronville,
I,IOI II
Town Sinking Fund,
1,400 00
Interest on notes and bonds,
4,250 00
-$16,542 61
Total voted by town and required by law,
$101,990 13
A true copy. Attest :
JOHN THACHER, JOHN M. KNOWLES, Assessors. JOSEPH O. MOWRY,
REPORT
OF THE
COLLECTOR OF TAXES
OF THE
TOWN OF ATTLEBOROUGH,
MASS.
TAX COLLECTORS' REPORT.
Assessors' warrant,
Interest, Taxes added,
$100,238 76 42 31 636 60 -$100,917 67
CR.
Paid Town Treasurer,
$78,277 00
Cash on hand,
480 15 675 80
Taxes abated, Uncollected taxes,
21,484 72
-$100,917 67
J. O. MOWRY, Collector.
ATTLEBORO, MASS., JANUARY 1, 1896, To the Honorable Board of Selectmen. GENTLEMEN:
I herewith submit a summary of my year's work, for the year ending January 1, 1896:
DR.
Committed.
$ 18 63 Fire District. 540 83-1892. 4,476 67-1893. 19,830 79-1894. $24,866 92, Total.
Interest. $ 22 90-1892. 253 60-1893. 599 99-1894.
$876 49, Total.
74
ANNUAL REPORT.
CR.
Uncollected. Collected. Abated. $ 18 63 Fire Dist.
$ 92 85-1892. $ 251 35-1892. 219 53-1892.
486 72-1893. 3,561 47-1893. 682 08-1893.
2,959 81-1894. 16,404 71-1894. 1,066 26-1894.
$3,539 38, Total. $20,217 53, Total. $1,986 50, Total.
Grand Totals.
DR. CR. $24,866 92 Total Commit'd. $ 3,539 38 Total Uncol'ct'd.
876 49 Total Interest. 20,217 53 Total Collected. 1,986 50 Total Abated.
$25,743 41
$25,743 41
Paid John T. Bates, Town Treasurer $20,217 53 to balance total collections.
Respectfully submitted,
S. M. HOLMAN, Collector of Taxes.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR
OF THE
TOWN OF ATTLEBOROUGH, MASS.
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. 1
Report of the Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Attle- borough for the Year Ending January 1, 1896. DR.
To amount of annual appropria- tions, $5,200 00
To amount for medical attendance, 300 00
Received from State for support of paupers, 431 87
Received from cities, towns and individuals, 488 88
Received from guardians of Ruth C. Monroe, 169 46
Received on account of D. A. Swift, 42 71
Received from G. A. Monroe & Co., discounts on pauper bills, 59 73
--- $ 6,692 65
CR.
By amount bills paid by Town Treasurer : Groceries, $1,410 49
Lunatic hospitals,
1,888 96
Cities and towns,
434 97
Salaries of Overseers,
407 93
Physicians and nursing, 500 75
Burials,
40 00
Boots, shoes and clothing,
105 65
Transportation, 34 12
78
ANNUAL REPORT.
Office Expenses,
$ 38 05
Wood and coal,
222 78
Rents,
336 50
Meat,
89 00
Milk,
44 15
Board outside of Alms-house,
IO2 57
Miscellaneous,
66 10
Salary of Superintendent of Alıns- house,
350 00
Grain and supplies, Alms-house,
256 28
Horses for Town farm,
275 00
Unexpended balance,
95 35
$6,692 65
Alms=house Account.
DR.
To hay, stock, farming tools, household furniture, etc., ap- praised January, 1, 1895,
$1,722 85
Cash paid by Town Treasurer on vouchers,
$875 28
Cash paid by Superintendent,
767 87
Total expenditures,
$1,643 15
$3,366 00
CR.
By appraisal of personal property January 1, 1896, $1,995 85
Receipts by Superintendent, $771 16
Expense of supporting Alms-house,
598 99
$1,370 15
$3,366 00
79
ANNUAL REPORT.
Number of inmates at Alms-house
Dec. 31, 1895, 5
Average weekly number,
4 I-2
Average weekly cost per inmate,
$2 58
Expenditures in Detail of Maintaining the Alms=house.
Cash paid for grain,
$269 57
Provisions,
316 40
Seed and fertilizer,
74 0I
Blacksmithing,
59 00
Labor,
95 50
Lumber and repairs,
42 69
Coal,
28 71
Medicines,
I 45
Car fare,
2 00
Clothing, shoes, etc.,
28 22
House furnishing goods, etc.,
72 35
Stock,
293 00
Sundries,
IO 25
Salary of Superintendent,
350 00
$1,643 15
Cash in hands of Superintendent,
3 29
$1,646 44
Cash received for milk,
$354 26
Eggs,
77 34
Potatoes,
50 50
Geese,
46 00
Vegetables,
40 04
Pork,
5 00
Chickens,
6 40
80
ANNUAL REPORT.
Calf,
$ 5 00
Hay,
7 00
Labor,
IO 62
Board,
18 00
Wood,
151 00
$771 16
Town Treasurer,
875 28
$1,646 44
Amounts due from cities and
towns,
$518 46
Amount due from State of Mass., 200 00
$718 46
ELIJAH R. READ, WM. H. GOFF, Overseers of the Poor. G. B. FITTZ, S
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
BOARD OF ENGINEERS
OF THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ENGINEERS' REPORT.
To the Citizens of Attleboro:
The Board of Engineers of the Fire Department here- with submit their annual report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1895.
Force of the Department.
The department consists of a Chief Engineer, two As- sistant Engineers, twenty-four regular and six substitute hosemen, twelve regular and four substitute hook and lad- der men and five fire police, all located in the centre of the town.
A volunteer Hose Company of twelve men at Farmers Village and a volunteer double company (hook and ladder and hose) of thirty-seven men located at South Attleboro.
Roll of the Department ..
BOARD OF ENGINEERS.
Hiram R. Packard, Chief Engineer.
Edward A. Sweeney, Assistant Engineer and Clerk.
George O. Wilmarth, Assistant Engineer.
D. H. SMITH HOSE COMPANY NO. I. South Main Street.
Chas Bowen, Hoseman.
Chas E. Riley, Foreman. . E. B, Hill, Ass't Foreman. Sam'l McCartney, "
84
ANNUAL REPORT.
B. Bullock, Clerk.
E. V. Hicks, Hoseman.
M. S. Millard,
Frank Smith,
E. E. Culver, Hoseman. C. Atwell,
Fred Wilmarth,
E. H. Briggs,
Frank V. Stearns, 2 Herbert Hicks, Substitutes.
Charles Walton,
UNION HOSE COMPANY NO. 2. Dunham Street.
Geo. E. Morton, Foreman. George Lee, Hoseman. James Peers, Ass't Foreman James Rushton, and Clerk.
Arthur A. Guild, Hoseman.
Joseph Ellis,
Albert Parker,
Edward Chapman,
Lewis Goff, Chas. Rockwell, {Substitutes. Sidney Burton,
HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. I. Dunham Street.
O. W. Hawkins, Foreman. J. E. Pagney, Ladderman.
F. C. Gray, Ass't Foreman. C. E. Streeter,
I. F. Mott, Clerk. Eugene Cole,
W. C. Dix, Ladderman. Fred Miller,
A. S. Blackinton, Jr., S. C. Blaney,
E. F. Young, 66
G. B. Austin,
A. E. French, Harry Allen, F. L. Bellows, George Nash,
Substitutes.
George White,
Arthur Briggs,
Henry Gardner,
Thomas Stevenson,
85
ANNUAL REPORT.
HOSE COMPANY NO. 3. Farmers' Village. Edgar Tregoning, Foreman. James Waldron, Ass't F'man. J. H. Hatton, Clerk. Volunteer Company of twelve men.
HOSE COMPANY NO. 4. South Attleboro.
Jas. W. Orr, Foreman, M. Clarkson, Ass't Foreman. Alexander Fletcher, Clerk. Volunteer Company, (Hook and Ladder and Hose) thirty-seven men.
FIRE POLICE.
Seth R. Briggs, Captain.
Fred Goff, Dexter E. Newell, Irving G. Simpson.
Thomas Gilroy,
Salaries.
Chief Engineer, $250; Assistant Engineers, $75 each. Members of Hook and Ladder and Hose Companies, $50 each.
Apparatus.
The apparatus of the Department consists of one two- horse Hook and Ladder truck with three hundred feet of ladders and fully equipped with all the other necessary tools. Two one-horse hose carriages with thirty-seven hundred feet of cotton hose in good condition and fully equipped with other tools. One new four-wheeled supply wagon. All located in the centre of the town.
86
ANNUAL REPORT.
One hand hose reel with six hundred feet of cotton hose in poor condition and two hundred and fifty feet of leather hose, located at Farmers Village.
One hand hose reel with five hundred feet of cotton. hose in good condition, and one hundred feet of cotton liose in poor condition, and one two-horse Hook and Ladde.I truck fairly equipped, located at South Attleboro.
Horses.
The Department has the use of four horses, two owned by the town and used on the streets by the Highway De- partment and two hired by contract with L. Taylor.
Fire Alarm.
The Gamewell Fire Alarm system is in use and is in good working order, and consists of the following appa- ratus: Seven miles No. 14 copper wire, eighteen miles of No. 9 galvanized iron wire, two galvanometers, one switch- board and seventy-five jars in battery room, one steam gong on pumping station, South Attleboro, one indicator at each of the South Main and Dunham Street engine houses, one striker in belfry of Universalist Church, six tappers located as follows: Residence of Chief Packard, residence of Captain O. W. Hawkins and residence of L. Taylor. Shops of W. H. Wilmarth & Co., W. & S. Blackinton and Packard & Swift. Seven tappers in resi- dences and owned by members of the Department. Twenty five fire alarm boxes.
The additions and improvements now in process of construction by the town will greatly increase the efficiency of the system.
87
ANNUAL REPORT.
Houses.
The department houses are located as follows: South Main Street, occupied by Hose Co. No. I, in very good condition; Dunham Street, occupied by Hose Co. No. 2, Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1, and Fire Alarm headquarters in very poor condition and is not and never was adapted for the use of a fire department.
At each of these houses members of the department sleep nights, and being connected by Telephone with the Chief Engineer's house and the regular telephone circuit they are able to answer promptly any night calls. House at South Attleboro occupied by Hose Company No. 4, (double company) being almost new, is in very good con- dition. House at Farmer's Village, occupied by Hose Co. No. 3, is owned by Attleboro Steam and Electric Light Company.
Permanent Improvements.
During the past year there have been the following ad- ditions to the property of the Department: Twelve rubber coats to Hose Co. No. 3., one play pipe, supply wagon, South Attleboro engine house sheathed, and Fire Alarm box 63 located at corner of Park and Forest Streets.
Fires.
During the past year there have been eighteen alarms and fires and while several of them were in very bad local- ities we are happy to be able to record a very small loss for the year.
Jan. 22. At II:30 P. M. fire was discovered on roof of R. R. depot at Dodgeville. The telegraph operator sent a dispatch to the Center and Chief Packard with Hose Co. No. 2 responded, but the fire was extinguished before they arrived there. No damage.
88
ANNUAL REPORT.
Mar. 23. Alarm from Box 6 at 5:10 A. M. called the department to the brick building corner of Park street and Railroad avenue, owned by the Attleborough Savings and Loan Association and occupied by Hicks & Atwell, meat market, S. P. Clark, apothecary, and Public Library on ground floor, First National Bank, Town offices and office of Savings and Loan Association on second floor, and Masonic Hall on upper floor. The fire was located in the cellar and was a hard one to fight. At 5:30 a second alarm for additional help was sent in. The recall was sounded at 8:30, but a detail of eight men were kept on the ground until 11:00 o'clock. Loss, $5,938 oo. Insured. Cause of fire unknown.
Mar. 31. Brush fire near Rhode Island line. No alarm given in Attleboro. The Pawtucket department was called out, but the fire was under control before they reached it. No loss.
Apr. 6. An alarm from Box 6 at 6:25 A. M. called the department to the Briggs House, South Main Street, owned and occupied by S. R. Briggs. Fire was caused by an overheated stove in the laundry attached to the hotel and was extinguished before the arrival of the department. No damage.
Apr. 7. A still alarm at 5:15 P. M., called the members of Hose Co. No. 2 to a chimney fire in a house owned and occupied by Mrs. Patrick Whalen, 84 Pine Street. Extin- guished with the chemical. No damage.
Apr. 18. An alarm from Box 25 at 4:05 P. M. called the department to a fire in house and barn owned by Pros- per Duprez and located on Tiffany Street, Dodgeville. The barn was totally destroyed and the house burned on roof and jet. Cause of fire unknown. Loss, $550; insured.
Apr. 19. An aların from Box 39 at 2:05 P. M., called the department to a brush fire on the property of Lucius Dean on the Deantown road. No damage.
89
ANNUAL REPORT.
Apr. 23. A lunch cart, the property of Henry Heather was totally destroyed by fire as he was returning home at II P. M. from his stand, corner of Park and Bank Streets. Cause of fire, explosion of kerosene lamp. Loss, $300. Insured.
May I. An alarm from Box 71 at 10:08 A. M. called the department to a fire in building, 42 Pleasant Street, owned by G. D. King & Son, and occupied by The Daily Sun, P. E. Wetherell, J. E. Mattison and G. D. King & Son. Fire originated from explosion of a kerosene lamp in press room of The Daily Sun, but was quickly extin- guished on arrival of department. Loss, $183. Insured.
June 8. An alarm from Box 36 at 9:30 A. M., called the department to a fire in a rubbish heap on vacant lot rear of J. L. Sweet's house, Bank Street. No loss.
June 10. An alarm from Box 9 at 10:45 P. M., called the department to a small fire in shed attached to house, No. 90 Pine Street, owned by Emily Wilson and occupied by J. N. B. White. Caused by clothing hanging on par- tition catching fire from a kerosene lamp. No damage.
July 19. An alarm from Box 16 at 9:45 A. M. followed shortly after by a second, called the department in South Attleboro, and Hose Co. No. I from the centre, to a fire in a barn owned and occupied by Charles Phillips and situ- ated on Rockland Avenue, South Attleboro. There being no hydrants in that section of the town but little water could be had and the barn was totally destroyed and only the lack of a breeze saved the house. Loss, $1,700. No insurance.
Sept. 30. At 3 o'clock P. M., fire totally destroyed the old Lincoln Tavern situated at Briggs' Corner. The building was owned by G. A. Worrall and occupied by Arthur Reynolds. The property was taxed for $500 00, but no statement of the loss could be obtained. There was no alarm given in the centre for this fire.
90
ANNUAL REPORT.
Oct. II. An alarm from Box 39 at 11:30 A. M. called the department to a brisk fire in the old mill building, Deantown, owned by H. M. Daggett and the Dean heirs and occupied by George Carlisle as a laundry. Cause of fire, explosion of a gasolene tank. Loss, $250. Partial insurance.
Dec. 9. An alarm from Box 9 at 1:45 P. M. called the department to a slight fire in shop of Daggett & Clap in Bates building. Cause of fire, overheating of a box of celluloid combs. No damage.
Dec. 17. At 3:20 P. M. Hose Co. No. 4 was called by still alarm to a chimney fire in a shanty situated on Boston Pike, South Attleboro, owned and occupied by John Don- lan. Extinguished with chemical. No damage.
Dec. 24. An alarm from Box 6 at 11:40 P. M. called the department to a fire in tenement house, rear of 16 North Main Street, owned by George N. Crandall and oc- cupied by two families. This was a very stubborn fire to fight, as it was all located in the walls and ceilings. Recall sounded at 1:10 A. M. Cause of fire sparks escaping through the soot hole in chimney. Loss on building, $475; insured. Loss on contents, $200. No insurance.
Dec. 27. An alarm from Box 6 at 12:10 A. M. called the department to a supposed fire in the furniture store of G. A. Sweeney on Railroad Avenue. Night Officer Nerney discovered the store filled with smoke and rung in an alarm. On the arrival of the department it was found to be caused by the closing of a damper in a stove in which there was a wood fire. No damage.
Recommendations.
We would respectfully submit for consideration the following recommendations:
91
ANNUAL REPORT.
In view of the large amount of taxable property at risk and the long distance from any present fire station we would recommend that a volunteer Hose Co. be established in the village of Hebronville.
We would recommend that the heating apparatus in house of Hose Co. No. I be taken out and replaced by one that will do the work as originally intended.
We would recommend that the town purchase one thousand feet of cotton hose.
We believe it would be economy for the town and would recommend that the town employ one permanent man who shall have entire care of the houses of the de- partment and also the fire alarm system.
We would recommend that the town require the Elec- tric R. R. Co. to place proper guard wires over their trolley wire the entire length of that trolley in this village.
We would recommend that the town rebate to the volunteer members of this department the amount paid by them for poll taxes.
We would recommend that the horses used by the Hose Companies be not allowed to be worked outside a half-mile limit from the Center.
We would recommend that the Electric R. R. Co. be required to transport firemen going to and from a fire free of charge.
In closing our report we would add that our aim has been to not only promptly extinguish fires that may have started, but we have also taken steps to prevent the start- ing of them. During the last year we have made two in- spections of factory buildings, hotels, stores and cellars, one May Ist as required by the Statutes, and the other July 2nd. On these inspections we found some places where if a fire had from any cause got started a large amount of property and lives would probably have been
92
ANNUAL REPORT.
sacrificed. The occupants of these premises allowed this condition of things more from neglect and ignorance of the law than from any wilful intent and with but one exception readily complied with the request of the Board to remove the combustible materials. If the insurance companies would only enforce their requirements, or each individual take interest in the keeping of his property free from the accumulations of inflammable material, the danger of a fire starting would be greatly lessened, and if perchance one should be started the absence of the material would be a great assistance to the firemen in preventing the spread of same. The lessons dearly learned by some of our sister towns should be heeded by us.
HIRAM R. PACKARD, Chief Engineer. EDWARD A. SWEENEY, Ass't Engineer and Clerk. GEORGE O. WILMARTH, Ass't Engineer.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
Trustees of the Public Library
OF THE
TOWN OF ATTLEBOROUGH,
MASS.
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY. WWS
The Trustees of the Library in making their annual report are glad to announce a continued and growing in- terest on the part of the public in this important depart- ment of the town, and they have endeavored to foster this interest as far as the funds placed at their disposal would allow.
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