USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1911 > Part 10
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George A. Monroe Co 2.24
Cyrus B. Hutchinson
13.70
$931.87
Shoes and Clothing.
J. P. Mowry.
$97.24
San Souci Dept. Store 24.53
$121.77
Supplies.
E. C. Webb.
$25.20
Brownell Hardware Co 17.19
219
ANNUAL REPORT
G. A. Sweeney 193.39
A. R. Block. 7.80
Grain. $243.58
E. A. Briggs & Co. $944.12
$944.12:
Blacksmithing.
D. F. Baker. $11.80
J. M. Simpson 33.25
Repairs. $45.05
C. J. Jagger Co. $147.00
W. E. Barrett & Co
4.55
E. M. Fuller. 39.08
J. W. Bullock & Co. 55.69
A. R. Macomber Co
1.00
E. H. Frink.
9.95
McBride
1.00
H. E. White & Co
9.21
M. F. Ashley
21.33
Silva Dennis. 12.00
Cambridge Plumbing Supply Co 35.75
John Eden
10.20
Labor.
Wm. Beach
$40.00
Frank Giblin 80.00
Charles Petcoon
I20.00
$346.76
$240.00
220
ANNUAL REPORT
Medicine.
Lilly & Morgan $64.59
M. S. Mead. 8.15
Laundry. $72.74
C. I. Goss.
$36.00
Troy Steam Laundry 13.00
Fuel. $49.00
Attleboro Coal Co. $209.47
Salaries. $209.47
Nelson Hagar $500.00
$500.00
Telephone.
House telephone $32.50
Sawdust. $32.50
Brayton & Spink. $8.00
Cattle. $8.00
Ira Angell $ 60.00
C. E. Collins
115.00
$175.00
ANNUAL REPORT
221
Cleaning Cesspool.
Joseph McCra $6.00
Trees. $6.00
H. O. Chenery
$9.00
Spraying Trees. $9.00
Simeon Collins
$6.00
Victor Boucher
6.25
$12.25
Disinfectant.
West Disinfectant Co $7.50
$7.50
Money Expended.
By Superintendent $11.69
$11.69
New Carriage.
New carriage
$90.55
$90.55
New Work.
Installing electric lighting, as per
contract $212.58
$212.58
$4,269.43
222
ANNUAL REPORT
Total expenditure $11,385.16
Appropriation and credits. 10,517.02
Overdraft
$868.14
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH V. CURRAN, BENJ. P. KING, Clerk, GEORGE M. GUSTIN,
Overseers of the Poor.
Examined January 24, 1912, and found correct.
BENJAMIN F. LINDSEY, WILLIAM L. ELLIOT, FREDERICK L. LeBARON,
Auditors.
Auditors' Report
We, the undersigned, duly elected Auditors of the Town of Attleborough, respectfully report that we have examined the books and reports of the Water Commis- sioners, Water Registrar, Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, Tax Collector, School Committee, Overseers of the Poor, Trustees of the Public Library, Park Commis- sioners, Sewer Department, Board of Health, Selectmen and Town Treasurer, and have found them correct.
The books and reports of the several departments, agree with the books of the Town Treasurer.
The Town Treasurer's books and reports, agree with the Selectmen's orders, and also with the amounts of funds received from the Collector of Taxes, Water Regis- trar, and from sundry other sources.
We wish, at this time, to call the attention of the citi- zens of Attleborough, to the custom, in some of the de- partments, of making "padded" or misleading reports. This is accomplished, in some cases, by inserting in their reports, amounts of funds that have not been collected, but are simply in anticipation.
In one case, we find those in charge of the department, borrowing money from one branch of their department, to place to the credit of another branch, in order to cover an overdraft. The funds are undoubtedly replaced at the beginning of a new year, but, we consider the above prac- tice a questionable one, and also question the authority of the members of said board, to loan the funds of the town, even from one department to another.
The above customs are probably practiced in a spirit of pride, in order to make the very best showing, pos- sible, for the year's work, and while it is, at present, prac-
224
ANNUAL REPORT
ticed in perfect honesty, it is a custom that at some future time, may lead to dishonesty.
We believe, and advocate, that every report given out to the citizens of the town, should show only a true and perfect account of actual receipts and expenditures, and any transactions that may be to the credit of the depart- ment, or any bills remaining unpaid at the end of the year, should be embodied in their reports as an annota- tion.
We fell it our duty to call the attention of the citizens, to these matters, not in any spirit of antagonism to any who may have the different departments under their charge, but to give the citizens timely warning of such practices, so that they can not plead ignorance of such facts, and criticise the Auditors, for not calling their at- tention to such matters.
BENJAMIN F. LINDSEY, FREDERICK L. LeBARON. WV. L. ELLIOT,
Auditors.
Report of the Trustees of the Public Library
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
To the Trustees of the Attleborough Public Library :
I have the honor to submit my report for the year end- ing December 31, 19II.
Accessions.
During the year 1,282 new volumes have been added to the library, 1,094 by purchase, 85 by binding periodicals, 103 by gifts; the last class includes 64 volumes of vital records, and 23 government publications. One hundred and seventy-three books have been replaced, 119 books discarded. The actual number of volumes now in the lib- rary is 14,990. The purchase of two new editions of old reference sets this year, and the small discount now allowed libraries on fiction, have made an appreciable difference in the purchasing power of our book money.
Binding.
Number of books rebound 567
Periodicals bound 85
Total 652
Book Lists.
The printing of book lists in the Quarterly Bulletin, and the making of lists for general distribution from the desk, continues to be a useful part of the library's work. Holiday lists presenting the library's resources in that field, appeared in the first three Bulletins of this year, a
226
ANNUAL REPORT
list of story telling material was published in the last. A list of Books on Missions, compiled from recent and im- portant additions to the library, a list of Nine Good Books on Farming recommended by the Massachusetts Library Club, a list of Interesting Books of Travel, and other lists of fiction and of biography have been available.
Care of Books.
The number of books lost from the shelves during IQII has been 18 from the adult department. 15 from the children's department. An unprecedented number of books, 13, were replaced by the library owing to the scar- let fewer epidemic of last winter.
Books Lent.
The library was open for the circulation of books 304 days in 1911. The total number of volumes lent for home use during the year was 54,461, divided as follows :
Adult department 42,248
Children's department 12,213
Outlying schools
1,744
I. South Attleboro 1,087
2. Dodgeville 316
3. Hebronville 68
4. Briggs Corner 273
Book distribution :
I. South Attleboro
540
2. Hebronville 348
Divided into classes the circulation is as follows :
General works
1,261
2.32
Philosophy
402
.74
Religion
550
I.OI
Sociology
1,814
3.33
Philology
II4
.20
Natural science
896
1.65
Useful arts
1,045
1.92
227
ANNUAL REPORT
Fine arts
1,165
2.14
Literature
2,533
4.65
History
1,114 .
2.05
Travel
981
1.80
Biography
846
1.55
Fiction
41,740
76.64
Too great stress must not be laid upon the fact that one year's circulation of books far exceeds that of another. This alone does not prove an absolutely accurate index of the library's usefulness, any more than a less active year proves the opposite. Nevertheless there is always a satisfaction in being able to report a slow steady growth in the number of books distributed. The circulation statistics indicate that this has been the library's most successful year. 54.461 against 50,233 last year is a gain of 4,228. In 1908, the circulation reached 49,332, which was an advance of 5,000 over any previous year. At that time the rise in circulation was attributed to the fact that the library was housed in a new building and to the natural interest caused by that event. This year is the only one comparable to that leap of 5.000.
Exhibits.
The Library Art Club exhibited 14 sets of pictures here during the year.
Mr. C. Arnold Slade's exhibition of oil paintings, De- cember 2-15, was attended by between three and four thousand people.
Gifts.
Sixty-four volumes of vital statistics of Massachusetts. and 23 government documents are the largest single gifts of sets received by the library this year. We are in- debted to the Attleboro Equal Suffrage League for a 4- volume History of Woman's Suffrage; to the Massachu-
22S
ANNUAL REPORT
setts Anti-Suffrage League for Seawell's The Ladies' Battle, and to Mr. Sheffield for several books. The So- cialists of Attleborough give the library the New York Call. The Christian Register subscribed to by the Wo- man's Alliance of Pilgrim Church is a new addition to our magazines, as is the Church Militant given by the publishers, the Congregationalist given by the Ladies' Sewing Society of the Congregational Church, Facts for Farmers the gift of the Massachusetts Agricultural Col- lege, Two States from the State Executive Committee of the Y. M. C. A., The Woman's Journal the gift of the At- tleboro Equal Suffrage League and The Young Crusader from the W. C. T. U
By the will of Sarah F. Drown, the library received $1,000.00.
Mr. D. H. Smith has added to his original gift of $2,000.00, the sum of $3,000.00.
Lectures.
No lecture course was planned by the Library Trustees during 1911. That part of the work seemed only a dupli- cation of similar efforts on the part of church clubs, wo- men's clubs, the Y. M. C. A. and other town organiza- tions.
The hall was rented to the Teacher's Association, to the Equal Suffrage League, and to the Anti-Tuberculosis League.
Registration.
The total number of borrowers registered at the library up to December 31, 1911, was 5,399. Of these 244 have given up their cards, leaving the number of borrowers to date 5,155. The number of registrations during the year was 787.
229
ANNUAL REPORT
School Work.
There has been an increase in the number of books sent to the outlying schools this year, from 9,994 we have gone to 12,213. This is a good percentage of increase comparing it with the total increase in circulation already remarked.
An exhibition of books suitable for Christmas gifts to children occupied one corner of the children's room from December I-25.
There has been no new feature in the work for children this year.
But with the children's catalogue completed, the adult fiction recatalogued, and the non-fiction well on the way of revision it will, we hope by another year, be feasible to invite classes in the High School at least, to come to the library to learn the use of the catalogue, the indexes, and the many other tools which it is so necessary they should make use of, if they are to get the most from their school work and from the library.
Conclusion.
Greater demands have been made upon the library this year than heretofore. The circulation gives some indica- tion of this. The work for the schools, for the clubs, and for the groups of people interested in a particular subject, prove it conclusively.
The library's response to the demand has been an effort to put before each inquirer such books and articles as it already possesses, and to borrow and to buy wisely when doing so will assist. In this way collections of ma- terial on missions, on municipal government, single tax, cathedrals, machinery, farming and gardening, the Civil War, story telling, the holidays have been considerably augmented.
230
ANNUAL REPORT
The reference books proper have not been neglected in adding to the library's store. In fact so much does the reference room exceed the limits originally set for it, that it now occupies the study room and part of the reading room in addition to its own space.
Other changes have taken place in the arrangement of the library. The bequest of Sarah F. Drown provided for the equipment of some part of the building. It was thought wise to fit the basement with steel stacks; the money was accordingly used for that purpose. In the children's department books were so crowded, that a case IO I-2 by 2 feet will be placed there early in 1912. A great convenience is the new book-lift built in the work- room ; the space formerly occupied by the staircase gives more room for tables and desks and a consequent ease at work.
With a building conveniently arranged, with a good foundation of books well selected from the library's in- ception, with the liberal support of the town, with the en- couragement of another unusually successful year behind it, the library can promise a year of redoubled effort with the hope of redoubled usefulness.
Respectfully submitted,
EUGENIA M. HENRY,
Librarian.
231
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
The interesting report of the librarian, leaves but little for the trustees to say concerning the year's work at the library.
That the circulation has been the largest in its history, 54,461, is gratifying, and is most remarkable, when one considers that the total number of volumes in the library is but 14,990.
This circulation, however, is but one indication of the work accomplished. More and more, each year, students of every class call upon the librarian for assistance in in- vestigating subjects of study, and the information sought is most cheerfully furnished, and the habit encouraged.
With such increasing use, and provided as it is with so beautiful and spacious a building, the growth of the lib- rary is not commesurate with its needs. Twice as many volumes as are now upon its shelves should be provided. The annual appropriation of $7,000, by the town, is liberal, but from this sum, the amount available for the purchase of new books, permits of but slow growth. It is to be hoped that a larger appropriation will be avail- able before many years.
Two generous gifts have been bestowed upon the lib- rary during the year. Mr. Daniel H. Smith presented $3,000, which with his former gift makes a fund of $5,000, always to be kept intact, and to be known as the "Daniel H. Smith fund," the income alone to be used for the pur- chase of books. This gift, made in his lifetime, must be a source of constant satisfaction to the donor, as it will be one of gratitude on the part of many generations to come. May his generous example be followed by many friends of the library.
The other gift of $1,000, from the estate of Miss Sarah F. Drown, enabled the trustees to place new steel stacks
232
ANNUAL REPORT
on the lower floor of the stack room, thus providing much needed space for books.
The trustees lost by resignation a valued member of the board, in Mrs. Alice M. Wales, whose frequent and long absences from town made attendance at meetings impossible. A trustee for sixteen years, Mrs. Wales ren- dered faithful service to the town, and her resignation was accepted with regret. Miss Elizabeth J. Wilmarth, a former trustee, was elected to fill the vacancy.
The usual financial report, which includes the amount appropriated by the town, the receipts at the library, a statement of the condition of the "Daniel H. Smith fund," and the manner of expenditure of the Sarah F. Drown gift, is appended.
The trustees recommend the appropriation of $7,000 by the town for the maintenance of the library for the en- suing year.
ACCOUNTS-19II.
Receipts.
Balance on hand.
$II.82
January
23.78
February
18.34
March
21.15
April
15.83
May
20.90
June
15.13
July
14.17
August
18.03
September
15.70
October
17.82
November
22.90
December
17.91
$233.48
233
ANNUAL REPORT
Expenditures.
Incidentals
$116.94
Library Congress cards.
10.74
Express 36.65
Carrier
38.35
Gas
1.78
Balance on hand January, 1912
27.69
Returned on lost books found.
1.33
$233.48
Daniel H. Smith Fund.
Dr.
Amount of gift
$5,000.00
Interest 300.88
$5,300.88
Cr.
Fund, and interest on hand.
$5,300.88
$5,300.88
Sarah F. Drown Gift. Dr.
Amount received $1,003.61
Interest
11.14
$1,014 75
234
ANNUAL REPORT
Cr.
Art Metal Construction Co. . $1,000.00 Safe Deposit drawer, Attleboro Trust Co. 5.00
Balance on hand. 9.75
$1,014.75
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH L. SWEET, President ;
CHARLES H. WHEELER,
MARK E. ROWE,
GEORGE ST. J. SHEFFIELD,
PHILIP E. BRADY,
IRENE T. HILL,
ELEANOR S. CARPENTER,
ELIZABETH J. WILMARTH,
CHARLES S. HOLDEN, Secretary and Treasurer.
Examined January 26, 1912, and found correct.
BENJAMIN F. LINDSEY, W. L. ELLIOT, FREDERICK L. LeBARON, Auditors.
Annual Report of the Board of Assessors
To the citizens of Attleborough :
We hereby submit our annual report for the year 191I.
TABLE OF AGGREGATES, APRIL 1, 1911.
Number of Residents Assessed on Property.
Individuals 2,186
All others 537
Total 2,723
Number of Non-Residents Assessed on Property.
Individuals 533
All others 167
Total 700
Total number of persons assessed on
property 3,423
Total number of persons assessed on polls only 3,798
Total number of persons assessed
7,22I
Number of polls assessed on males, April I. 5,139
Number of polls added. 78
Total number of polls assessed .. 5,217 Tax on each poll $2.00
236
ANNUAL REPORT
Value of Assessed Personal Estate.
Excluding resident bank stock. $6,793.915 Resident bank stock. 243.150
Total $7,037,065
Value of Assessed Real Estate.
Excluding resident bank stock. . $6.793.915 Land, excluding buildings. 4.693.275
Total ȘII,534,330
Total value of property assessed. . $18,571,395
Taxes Assessed for State, County and Town Purposes,
April 1, 19II.
On personal estate.
. ȘI14.000.45
On real estate 186,856.15
On polls 10,278.00
Total $311,134.60 Rate per $1,000, $16.20.
Increase Values for 1911.
On buildings $279.255
On land 763,000
On personal property. 632,415
Total increase $1,674,670
Increase in number of polls. 240
Polls exempted . 40
Number of horses assessed. 722
Numbers of cows assessed. 807
Number of neat cattle other than cows. 91
237
ANNUAL REPORT
Number of swine. 649
Number of dwelling houses 2723
Number of fowls 7140
Value of fowis. $3,435
Amounts Appropriated March, 191I.
Water Department $14,000.00
Current and Incidental. 14,000.00
Board of Health. 3,000.00
Police Department 7,000.00
Fire Department (Current and In- cidental) 22,000.00
1,000 feet of Hose for Fire Dept .. . 650.00
Fire Alarm Boxes, Fire Dept ..... 125.00
Fire Alarm Boxes, Carpenter and Pine Sts. 75.00
Fire Alarm Boxes, Highland and Robinson Ave. 165.00
Motor Driven Hose Truck. 5,500.00
Hose Co. No. 3, Farmers Fire Dept. 1,000.00
Highway Department 19,500.00
Cleaning out Ten-Mile River and Thacher Brook Drain. 200.00
Torrey St., from Park to Emory St. 200.00
Jewell Ave., from County to Haw- thorne St. 600.00
Concrete Sidewalks
3,000.00
Curbing Sidewalks
3,000.00
Street Sprinkling
6,000.00
Street Lighting
15,800.00
Soldiers' Relief
2,600.00
Capron Park 3,000.00
Insurance
600.00
Finberg Playground 250.00
July 4th Celebration
300.00
238
ANNUAL REPORT
Decorating Graves, W. A. Streeter
Post, G. A. R. 300.00
Decorating Graves, Spanish War
Veterans 50.00
Rent of W. A. Streeter Post. G. A. R.
348.00
Library
7,000.00
Military Aid 100.00
Pauper Department
8.500.00
Educational Department
78,400.00
School House Lot, Thacher and
County Street
1.900.00
$219,163.00
Amount Required to Meet Former Votes of the Town.
Bliss School $5,000.00
Free Bed at Sanatarium 700.00
Soldiers' Monument and South Ave. 5,000.00
Washington Street School. 3.000.00
South Attleboro Fire Station. . . . .
3,000.00
Heating and Ventilating Sanford Street School Buildings. . . . . 3.500.00
$20.200.00
Amount Required by Law to be Raised by Taxation in IgII.
General Sinking Fund. $ 2,500.00
Interest on Bonds. 11.094.00
Interest on Notes. 4,300.00
State Highway Tax. 169.50
Grade Crossing Abolition and In- terest II.575.05
State Tax
21.560.00
239
ANNUAL REPORT
County Tax
19,869.84
$71,068.39
Bonds.
Sewer . $7,000.00 3,800.00
Fire Engine
$10,000.00
$321,231.39
Credits.
Premium on Bonds, Water Dept ..
$4,126.78
Premium on Bonds, Town General
Dept.
5,840.00
$9,966.78
Total
$311,264.61
Overlay
5,298.28
$316,562.89
Estimated receipts
5,428.29
$311,134.60
Non-resident bank tax.
920.97
$312,055.57
Total Levy Added tax
1,059.04
Excise tax
2,702.80
$315,817.4I
GEORGE M. WORRALL, WALTER J. NEWMAN, HARRY E. CARPENTER, Assessors of Attleborough.
·
Report of the Committee on Sewerage
The legislative act of 1909, which permitted the town to construct a system of sewerage, was amended by the legislature of 1911 in two particulars. First, the town was authorized to issue additional serial bonds to the amount of $200,000, making $500,000 available for this purpose ; and the second, continued the term of service of this committee until the annual town meeting in 1913, when sewer commissioners must be elected.
As the committee believes but $150,000 can be used ad- vantageously this summer, the town will be asked to issue only this amount of bonds at the annual town meet- ing, reserving the balance, until the needs of the depart- ment require its issue.
In accordance with the instructions of the town, your committee has continued the work assigned to it, with the same organization as before. During the year, by the death of Major E. S. Horton, the committee lost one of its most esteemed and valued members. Deeply in- terested as he was in the work, the committee relied upon him for wise counsel and suggestions, and his death was sadly felt. To fill the vacancy thus caused, Mr. M. F. Ashley, a selectman of the town, was elected.
The construction of the sewer during the year has progressed according to the plans outlined in the last report of this committee, and is described much in detail in the report of the engineer submitted herewith. Despite an unusually wet summer, and an annoying delay in the receipt of iron pipe, the work as layed out for the year, has been nearly completed.
The committee has nothing but praise to characterize the execution of the plans as designed by Mr. Van Valkenburgh, and is firmly of the opinion, that when
242
ANNUAL REPORT
completed, the town will have a system of sewerage sub- stantial in construction, economical in maintenance, and positive in efficiency.
In connection with the work of construction, two im- portant public improvements were made, partly at the expense of this department. South Main street, between Dodgeville and Hebronville, was straightened, elimi- nating two dangerous curves, and Thacher brook was en- larged and continued in an almost straight line, from the point below Maple street, where the town had stopped work several years before, to South Main street. This latter piece of work, done entirely at the expense of this department, besides draining the land in the vicinity. made possible the laying of the sewer in land belonging to the town, thus saving possible claims for land damages, and materially shortening the length of the East side main trunk line.
Where the sewer has been laved across private property, the committee. in three instances, has received claims for land damage. It is to be hoped these claims can be adjusted in a fair and equitable manner to all parties.
It is the purpose of the committee to begin. as early as possible in the spring, the further extension of the system, by the laying of pipes in the streets of the town. The plan provides for sewers for practically the entire town, and it is expected that the work can be nearly com- pleted this summer. Great effort will be made to subject the public to the least possible inconvenience, and it will be the aim. as in the past, to have the streets left in as good condition as the extensive work of construction will permit.
Another duty that entails to the committee. is to sug- gest to the town, the most equitable form of assessment for the payment for sewer privileges. Different plans have been adopted by different communities, and the committee will endeavor to formulate a plan that the town can accept or modify as it seems fit. This report
243
ANNUAL REPORT
will be made in print, and can be considered at some future town meeting.
A complete financial statement is furnished with this report, showing the actual cost of the system to date. Especial attention is called to the remarkable closeness of the estimate made by the engineer, and the ultimate cost. Instead of the cost exceeding the estimate, as is so frequently the case, there is a difference, in favor of the engineer of $5,270.48. The committee desires to congratulate Mr. Van Valkenburgh on this noteworthy result, and to thank him for his faithfulness in perform- ing his duties.
Respectfully submitted,
C. S. HOLDEN, Chairman ; M. F. ASHLEY,
S. A. BRIGGS,
A. R. CROSBY,
S. M. HOLMAN,
W. J. LUTHER,
J. W. ORR,
G. A. SWEENEY,
G. M. WORRALL, Secretary,
Committee on Sewerage.
244
ANNUAL REPORT
FINANCIAL REPORT OF SEWER COMMITTEE FOR 19II.
Dr.
Unexpended balance from 1910. . . S 96,806.08 Received from sale of bonds. 100,000.00
$196,806.08
Cr.
IgII.
Paid
J. J. Van Valkenburgh, civil engi-
neer .$ 13.803.75
Charles Miller & Son Co .. for iron pipe 34:451.82
R. H. Newell. construction filtra- tion field 11,599.13
Brownell Hardware Co .. for vitri- fied pipe 1,171.8I
Clinton Wire Cloth Co .. reinforce- ment 279.48
Bruno & Petitti, contractors 104.205.58
Ludlow Valve Mig. Co., valves 115.20
Springfield Foundry Co. 638.00
Trussed Concrete Steel Co .. rein- forcement 342.00
Water Dept., material and labor .. 324.98
Highway Dept., straightening So. Main St. and Thacher Brook Drain 1,191.02
Sundry and traveling expenses of Sewer Committee 13.30
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