USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1913 > Part 10
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Number of loads of stone to crusher 582
Number of loads of dirt removed from gutters 5,216
Number of loads of material
handled by So. West Division . 2,280 Number of loads of material handled by South Division . .. 4,928
220
ANNUAL REPORT
Total number of feet of streets recoated with stone
25,580
SPECIAL APPROPRIATION Thacher Street.
A special appropriation of $1,000. was provided to improve this street from County street to a point 1,340 feet leading toward South Main street. The street was brought to grade and 12 inches of gravel placed on the surface. The work of bringing this street to grade some somewhat difficult on account of a ledge which we blasted and removed a large amount of the stone.
Number of loads of gravel used 1,460
Number of loads of stone removed 75
Ten Mile River and Thacher Brook Drain.
The drain has been thoroughly cleaned from Maple street to Forest street and the brush and grass has been cut and removed from the banks of the drain.
The Ten Mile River has been cleaned from County Street to a point in the rear of S. O. Big- ney's factory and a large amount of refuse was re- moved from the river bottom. I would recommend that as soon as we cease to use the river for sewer- age purposes that a larger appropriation be made in order that the river could be cleaned from Mechanics street to the Dodgeville Pond.
Catch Basins, Bridges and Culverts.
The following bridges were replanked: Thacher street, Holden street, Holden street R. R. walk,
221
ANNUAL REPORT
Olive street R. R. walk, Bank street R. R. walk, Maple street.
Three new catch basins were built as follows: Mechanics street, Newport avenue, Falmouth street.
Catch basins cleaned once 72
Catch basins cleaned twice . 50
Catch basins cleaned three times 25
Akron pipe has been laid as follows:
Newport avenue 48 feet 10-inch pipe
Newport avenue 8 feet 8-inch pipe
Falmouth street
34 feet 12-inch pipe
Water street
36 feet 8-inch pipe
Mulberry street 8 feet 8-inch pipe
Park street
28 feet 8-inch pipe
County street
98 feet 30-inch pipe
County street
14 feet 12-inch pipe
West street
15 feet
8-inch pipe
North Main street
12 feet 8-inch pipe
Bank street
9 feet 8-inch pipe
Peck avenue
32 feet 10-inch pipe
Total
342 feet
In as much as the Selectmen's Financial Report does not show the names of the men employed in this department I herewith furnish the Roll with an itemized account of the money paid out.
Street Cleaning.
T. McCarthy
$624.50
D. Wilson
358.88
$983.38
Southwest Division. .
Chas. Howarth and Team 521.31 F. Cushman and Team 262.00
J. Paul 109.87
222
ANNUAL REPORT
J. Ware 106.50
W. Cale
82.87
G. Allen and Team 5.00
E. Paul
13.50
M. Quirk
1.50
F. Carpenter and Team 19.75
H. Knight .
2.75
Chas. Tomlinson
4.00
A. Cushman
5.50
$1,134.55
South Division.
H. A. Lord and team $641.22
A. S. Alvernaz
224.21
George Veno
212.99
W. Fountain
124.38
E. Guilbault
116.58
E. Dubeau and team
298.47
E. E. Perrin and team
38.31
F. Atwell
37.25
D. Wilson 65.50
J. Butler and team
94.44
P. Corregan
31.38
P. Guilbault 3.38
R. Galvin 6.40
F. Parmentell 13.75
H. Lawson 3.38
A. Reynolds
1.13
$1,867.77
North Division.
Weymouth C. H. $974.73
Sidall J. H. 725.93
Fountain Anthony 728.20
223
ANNUAL REPORT
Vance Samuel
651.40
Peasley Albert
668.37
Day G. E.
666.07
Perry Leon
264.79
LaMarche Frank
238.14
Batchalder J.
297.19
Sousi Manual
490.26
Chapland Richard
493.18
Freitas Jose
21.55
Fitzmorisy Thomas
109.56
McGoflin Thomas
13.76
Heaney Peter
12.65
Yates Frank
34.79
Heroux Nelson
549.47
Kimball Clarence
69.40
Weymouth John
2.00
Healey Patrick
2.00
Tatrow John
30.50
Gagne Wilfred
355.41
Ware A. B. (engineer)
70.00
McGoflin Patrick
26.55
Harris H. A. 376.44
Augusto Jose
99.19
Reggo Frank
38.69
Duffy James 15.19
Casto Jose
106.75
Donahue James
217.44
Keane W. E. .
25.77
Fitzpatrick Thomas
18.19
Norris E. A. (engineer)
571.93
Hefferon W. H.
12.50
Chapland George
51.75
Murphy Jerry 18.25
Parmenter Frank 57.80
Perry Solomon
10.00
Murphy Jesse
45.00
Talbott Archie
62.00
224
ANNUAL REPORT
Frigon John
35.00
Lozier Ame
47.00
Cocks H.
60.25
Thompson Thomas
23.75
Lewis M. C.
92.00
Dickinson Frank
8.30
Farris G. A.
144.00
Marden H.
22.50
Morrisy Timothy
12.99
Talbott E.
213.50
Peter Jose
192.75
Lemerier C.
4.50
Surprise James
151.75
Lamarre E.
11.25
Talbott J.
108.00
Knight Horace
5.00
Allen Thomas
33.75
Griswold E.
279.75
Phillips R. J. (engineer)
90.60
Frowley George
6.75
Godfrey R. .
67.00
Talbott Nelson
40.00
Skinner R. (engineer)
18.00
McCourt John
12.00
McClane Paul
4.50
Taylor James
4.00
$10,911.68
Concrete Walks.
Concrete walks have been constructed as fol- lows:
County street 247 yards
East street 439 yards
Peck street 462 vards
So. Main street
120 yards
225
ANNUAL REPORT
Sixth street 506 yards
Bank street
162 yards
Carpenter street
273 yards
John street
23 yards
Mechanics street 29 yards
Orange street 302 yards
Park street
62 yards
Sanford street
90 yards
Pine street
655 yards
Pearl street
104 yards
Thacher street
258 yards
Florence street
402 yards
Capron street
268 yards
Second street
260 yards
First street 33 yards
Fourth street 383 yards
Dean street 520 yards
Union street
637 yards
No. Main street
266 yards
Total
6,501 yards
Concrete Crosswalks.
· Hodges streets 52 yards
Mechanics street
55 yards
Sixth street 19 yards
Pearl street
10 yards
First street 15 yards
Forest street
21 yards
Carpenter street 38 yards
Park street 98 yards
Fourth street 7 yards
No. Main street
74 yards
County street 73 yards
Capron street 76 yards
Union street
124 yards
226
ANNUAL REPORT
Dunham street 49 yards
Total
797 yards
Walks Redressed.
No. Main street 290 yards
Union street
145 yards
County street
60 yards
Park street
325 yards
Dunham street
24 yards
Peck street
55 yards
Sanford street
145 yards
John street
52 yards
Hodges street
110 yards
Total 1.206 yards
New curbing was placed in sidewalks on the following streets:
Mechanics street
380
feet
Franklin street
406
feet
Jefferson street
318
feet
Sixth street
79815 feet
East street
361
feet
Carpenter street
feet
Florence street
229
feet
Angell street
371
feet
Maple street
561
feet
Third street
496
feet
So. Main street
21
feet
Newport avenue
32
feet
Fourth street
506
feet
Total 5.301 feet
227
ANNUAL REPORT
Resetting Curbing.
Maple street
126
feet
Sixth street
10
feet
Fourth street
20
feet
So. Main street
22
feet
Total
178
feet
New cement curbing was set in the following streets :
So. Main street
230
feet
Thacher street
690
feet
County street
100
feet
1,020
feet
Number of feet of new granite curb- ing
5,301 feet
Number of feet of new cement curbng 1,020 feet
Number of feet of new granite reset 178 feet
Total
6,479 feet
Gutters were paved as follows:
Fourth street
179 yards
Maple street
247 yards
Angell street 188 yards
Florence street
78 yards
Carpenter street
278 yards
East street
125 yards
Sixth street
280 yards
Franklin street
145 yards
Jefferson street
105 yards
So. Main street
82 yards
R. R. avenue
8 yards
Horton street
37 yards
Forest street
53 yards
-
ANNUAL REPORT
Holman street
10 yards
Bank street
45 yards
Total 1.980 yards
In the early part of the season water was used to sprinkle the street. The first oil was applied May 3 on streets in the center. Five grades of oil was used namely:
Standard road oil 12.100 gal. @ 512
Island Petroleum 29.800 gal. @ 734
Alden Speare Sons
18.993 gal. @ 814
Indian Refining
8.000 gal. @ 616
Dustaline Oil
16.763 gal. @ 834
Total number of gallons
used
85.656
The following streets have received three appli- cations of oil: Park street to Speedway. Emory street to Speedway. South Main street to Orange street. North Main street to West street. Pleasant street to Starkey avenue. Union street to Park to Capron. Bank street to Horton Angell shop. Monu- ment Square.
Streets that have received two coats of oil are as follows: Capron street. Pearl street. School street. Mechanics street. Hodges street. Brook street. Fourth street. Elizabeth street. Emory street. Morey street. Third street. Second street. Falmouth street. Mill street. Holman street. Bank street. Car- penter street, Orange street, South avenue. Newport avenue. South Main street. Grove street. Pine street. Prospect street. Highland street. West street. Thach- er street.
All resident streets have been oiled once. Twenty-nine miles of street have been oiled this Fear.
229
ANNUAL REPORT
In closing I again wish to thank those who have assisted the department by giving prompt notice of defects in the streets, also those who have assisted the department in numerous ways, all of which information has been of great benefit to the town in lessening the liability of accidents, thereby saving the town from damage suits of an expensive nature.
Respectfully submitted,
HUGH A. SMITH,
Superintendent of Streets.
Report of the Trustees of the Public Library
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
Attleborough, Mass., January 6, 1914.
To the Trustees of the Attleborough Public Library:
I have the honor to submit the report of the library for the year ending January 1, 1914.
Accessions.
The number of books added to the library this year was 1,267; 1,170 by purchase, 65 by binding periodicals, 32 by gift; 120 books have been replaced, 284 have been discarded. A word of explanation will perhaps account for the large number of dis- carded books. As the different classes: philosophy, religion, sociology, science, useful arts, fine arts, literature and biography have been reclassified and recatalogued, the dead books have been taken out; this weeding process has this year been applied to the fiction also. The actual number of volumes now in the library is 16,534.
After the unusually small number of books pur- chased last year-931-the library finds 1,271 books a very acceptable increase. With the ever greater number of books published, the problem of select- ing the most needed becomes more difficult. In ad- dition to this, styles in books change rapidly, aeronautics, and automobiles were subjects of en- grossing interest, and books about them in constant demand only a year or two ago, last winter's need
231
ANNUAL REPORT
was for books on scientific management, this year's tendency is toward literature on vocations. The books of permanent interest, history, biography (in which line the library has added this year all the standard biographies of Columbus, Washington, Lincoln and Napoleon which it lacked), philosophy, cannot be neglected. The music scores the stereo- graphs nad the French and the German books need some additions, if only a few at a time.
The Daniel H. Smith Fund has made possible the acquisition of much of this class of literature, which for the lack of a better term we call perma- nent.
Binding
Number of books rebound 450
Periodicals bound 60
Total 510
Care of Books
The number of books lost from the shelves dur- ing 1913.
Adult department 14
Children's department 5
This is the smallest number of books that has ever been missing at the end of a year.
Books Lent
The library was open 306 days for the circula- tion of books. The total number of volumes lent for home use was 58,573, divided as follows:
Adult department 44,536
232
ANNUAL REPORT
Children's department .14,037
Outlying schools 2.091
1. South Attleboro 1,268
2. Dodgeville 171
3. Hebronville 255
4. Briggs Corner 397
Divided into classes, the circulation was as fol- lows:
General works
1,856
3.14
Philosophy
334
.57
Religion
499
.85
Sociology
2,274
3.88
Philology
116
.19
Natural science
1,083
1.84
Useful arts
1,364
2.32
Fine arts
1,427
2.43
Literature
2,498
4.26
History
1,205
2.05
Travel
1,350
2.30
Biography
885
1.50
Fiction
43,742
74.67
58,573
100.00
.
A very slight increase, 385 volumes, is notice- able in the circulation. Many libraries are report- ing losses in circulation, ascribing them variously to the increase of people's patronage of the moving picture shows, and in some instances to the fact that the library has reached what would be considered the limit of its normal growth. It would seem that the very general reading of magazines, almost to the exclusion of other forms of literature, might be in some degree responsible for the standstill of some library's circulation. In our own town the circulat- ing library has taken some patronage from the pub- lic library, for it is in fiction the decrease has come.
233
ANNUAL REPORT
Cataloguing and Classification
The library has much reason to feel encouraged at the progress made in reclassifying and recata- loguing. Since January 1, 1913, 900 volumes have been changed to conform to the dictionary catalogue principles. With the children's room, the fiction and the first eight classes of the non-fiction com- pleted, it can reasonably be expected that the re- cataloguing of the entire library will have been fin- ished by the end of 1914.
Exhibit
Mr. C. A. Slade exhibited a number of the paint- ings, the result of his recent two years' stay abroad. Between November 18 and 27, when the pictures were at the library, they were seen by between 2,000 and 2,500 people.
Gifts
Besides the subscriptions to many magazines which have come to the library so regularly for a number of years that they do not receive the an- nual recognition in this report that they merit, this year have been added to our files the Board of Trade Journal, the Banker and Tradesman and the Com- mercial and Financial Chronicle from the Attleboro Trust Company, the Chattanooga Municipal Record, the National Jeweler, Remonstrance, the Statist from Mr. W. G. Meader, the Sunday School Times, and Two States from the State executive committee of the Y. M. C. A. The library was the recipient, too, of a number of unbound magazines from the
234
ANNUAL REPORT
A. H. Watkins estate. Two bound volumes of the Ladies' Home Journal came to the library from the R. F. Simmons Company, Mrs. Harold Sweet gave the library 21 volumes of fiction. Mr. G. St. J. Shef- field made the library a present of Campbell's Stel- lar Motions and five publications of the Carnegie In- stitute.
Lectures
The use of Library Hall this year has been greater than in any other year. Besides a course of six lectures on "Food, " given by Miss Abell of the Providence Technical High School, for the library, Mr. Cuthbert Lee of the Lane Publishing Company lectured on the "Making of a Best Seller." The Women's Clubs and three readings by Prof. Crosby of Brown University, and two lectures, one by Dr. Woods Hutchinson on "Eugenics, " and one by Rev. Frederic W. Perkins on "Civic Opportunities for Women." The Round Table had the hall for one afternoon. The Hospital Aid Association has had free use of the hall on the first and the third Mon- day afternoons in every month.
Reference Work
A general feeling that a part of any work has grown is a very pleasant sensation, but a more genu- ine satisfaction is experienced when facts appear in black and white. In order that we might have some basis for comparison another year, and in order that we might find out in what lines our refer- ence and other collections are weak we have writ- ten down the questions that needed more than casual looking up. That the resources of this library are not vet understood is one point of which we are
235
ANNUAL REPORT
sure. That the library can supplement its deficien- cies by inquiries, beggings and borrowings from larger institutions, we know is not generally real- ized. We have done more work, and more important in the reference line this year than ever before, but still we are not satisfied that "Ask at the Library" would be the first suggestion made by one person to another, or even by a man to himself were he at a loss for some definite piece of information.
School Work.
Last year's experiment, that of setting aside a section of the shelves for the book review work of the High School, proved so satisfactory that we have adopted the same plan this year. The books in the collection this year are all new and as far as possi- ble illustrated, though not necessarily expensive copies (we have followed Leroy Jeffers' recommen- dations in a list of economical editions).
Three schools during the spring term did work along the line of debates, for these, too, we put aside the books used.
The work with the outlying schools has gone along much as usual, but certainly one of the needs for the coming year is duplication of the best books in our juvenile department for this special work. As it is, so much that is wanted at the schools is already in use here in the center, and often the rule works the other way, too. Miss Fears in the Fall made out and sent to the schools lists of books for grades I-VIII to supplement the old catalogues and the later bulletins.
Registration
Total number of borrowers registered: December 31, 1913
6,887
236
ANNUAL REPORT
Number of cards cancelled. 393
Borrowers using cards. . 6,494 Number of new registrations during the year, 739.
Conclusion
A review of the year shows no very great gain in circulation of books, but what little there has been, can be accounted for almost entirely by the in- creased use of books dealing either theoretically or practically with industry. In May, 1913, the library issued a special bulletin, Books of Practical Interest to Jewelers. This was sent to every factory in town with the request that it be posted for the use of the employes. This bulletin contained over 200 titles bearing on the subject of jewelry, twice the number contained in a similar bulletin printed in 1909. This and later copies of the regular bulletin have been so widely distributed that the circulation is begin- ning to feel the results of the advertising.
One of the needs of the coming year is that the library be advertised. No surer or better way can be devised than that of giving good service to one library patron, in order that the fact may be passed on to another. However, that a number of people who do not already use the library may receive the suggestion to do so, short lists on topics of immedi- ate interest are to be published in the newspapers at stated intervals-some one list may be of value to some one person, or to many persons, at the right minute. "Knowledge is power," was never truer of any period than of today. To quote Luther Gulick, "There are conditions for each individual under which he can do the most and the best work. It is his business to ascertain those conditions and
237
ANNUAL REPORT
to comply with them." The function of the library is to help.
Respectfully submitted,
EUGENIA M. HENRY,
Librarian.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Dr.
Annual appropriation $7,200.00
Duplicate bill, Providence Tele-
phone Co. 4.70
Total
$7,204.70
Cr.
Salaries $3,351.00
Books, periodicals, etc 1,800.04
Binding books
264.09
Fuel and lights
1,009.13
Building
379.64
Sundries : printing, etc.
345.28
Unexpended balance
55.52
Total
$7,204.70
Examined Feb. 2, 1914, and found correct:
B. F. LINDSEY, W. L. ELLIOT, FRED L. MORSE,
Auditors.
236
ANNUAL REPORT
DANIEL H. SMITH FUND
Amount of Fund, $5,000.00
Dr.
Balance from last year
$410.81
One year's interest at 5% 250.00
Total $660.81
Cr.
Book labels 3.75
Books 315.48
Cash on hand, in bank 315.59
Total $660.81
FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUB FUND
Dr.
Balance from last year
$ 59.08
Cr.
By purchase of books $ 59.05
Postage .03
Total $59.08
C. S. HOLDEN.
Secretary.
Report of Moth Inspection Work
To the Citizens of Attleboro:
I herewith submit my sixth annual report as Superintendent of Moth Work for the year ending Dec. 31, 1913.
In the eighteen colonies previously discovered all the worthless trees and brush were cut and de- stroyed and cavities in the trees left standing were trimmed. The remaining trees were wrapped with burlap and the burlap turned daily throughout the larve season. They were also sprayed with arsenate of lead, with very good results.
In the annual fall scouting there were thirty new infestations of Gypsy moths discovered.
All brown-tail moth webs were cut and de- stroyed.
I recommend that $1,000 be appropriated for moth work for the year 1914.
I also submit my second annual report as Tree Warden, for the year ending Dec. 31, 1913.
Į removed nine dead trees from the town high- ways and trimmed trees on the principal streets of the town where required.
I recommend that $500 be appropriated for shade trees for the year 1914.
The financial statement is as follows:
Wm. E. S. Smith, salary $ 50.00
Wm. E. S. Smith, labor. 576.00
John A. Richardson, labor 468.39
Burlap 14.70
240
ANNUAL REPORT
Horse hire
14.25
100-ft. cotton hose 11.00
Transportation
5.05
Arsenate of lead
16.94
Twine. line. nails, etc
12.90
$1.169.89
Respectfully submitted
WM. E. S. SMITH.
Supt. of Moth Work. Tree Warden.
Report of the Sewer Committee
To the Citizens of Attleborough:
The Act of 1909 which authorized the Town to construct a system of sewers under the direction of a committee of nine, provided that in 1913 a board of three Sewer Commissioners should be elected. In accordance with the terms of this Act, the Town elected the undersigned as its first Board of Sewer Commissioners.
During the year, besides arranging for the in- numerable details that naturally accompany the or- ganization of a new department in the Town's affairs, the Board has had three important problems to consider and act upon :
First: The acceptance of the completed sys- tem.
Second: The development of a plan for making the system of value and of service to the community.
Third: The carrying out of the vote of the Town as regards the collection of sewer assessments from abuttors.
When this Board assumed the care of the De- partment, the system was nearly completed. There remained to be laid, after work ceased in 1912, only about two miles of lateral sewers. Work began promptly in the spring, and the system was finally completed and accepted June 30 by the Engineer in behalf of the Town. After careful inspection, this Board believes that the system is all that the Committee which authorized its construction claimed for it, namely, that it is scientifically de- signed and thoroughly constructed. The grades
242
ANNUAL REPORT
have proven adequate in the main trunk lines to allow a constant flow of sewage; the pipes are of the proper size to care for the locations intended; the construction is so thorough that there is only an infinitesimal amount of leakage of ground water into the system; and the material at the filter beds is so admirably adapted for its purpose that filtra- tion is promptly and thoroughly performed. So satisfactory has the system proven itself to be. that the Board feels that the cost of maintenance will never be a burden upon the Town. When one com- pares this system, so quietly and efficiently perform- ing its functions, with those recommended for adop- tion by former engineers, with large receiving tanks and an expensive pumping station. then only can he properly appreciate the worth of the present plant.
With the completion of the system arose the problem of adopting the most practicable and econ- omical plan for making it of service to the people. Under the direction of the old committee, an engi- neer and several assistants had been engaged with a force of men in making house connections, the abuttor to pay for the actual cost of work and ma- terial furnished. The plan was admirable in theory, but under the conditions as this Board found them, it proved most unsatisfactory in execution, and early in June a radical change was made. The em- ployes resigned or were discharged, and the work of making house connections was placed in the hands of four local contracting masons who were licensed as drain layers and compelled to give bonds for the faithful performance of their duties. The work is done under the surveilance of an inspector employed by this Department, and accurate and complete records of the location of each house drain is made and will be kept on file, on a system of cards, in the office of this Board.
243
ANNUAL REPORT
The Board further simplified matters and acted in the interests of economy by entering into a com- bination, so far as practicable, with the Water De- partment. Both Boards employ the same book- keeper and superintendent, and use the same office, telephone, yard, etc. Ultimately there seems to be no reason why one board of managers should not have charge of both Departments.
The third important problem that engaged the attention of the Board was the equitable enforce- ment of the vote of the Town on sewer assessments. It was provided that the Town should raise two- thirds of the cost by general taxation and the re- maining third by assessment on benefited abuttors, according to the following scale:
Twenty-five cents per foot frontage.
Four mills per sq. ft. of area to a depth of 100 ft.
Two and one-half percent of the previous year's valuation.
In determining the frontage and area of lots, the Board was obliged to use the plans of the Board of Assessors. Inaccuracies were found to exist in these plans, after the bills had been sent out, and several adjustments and abatements had to be made. The Board spent a great deal of time investigating every claim for abatement, and made its decision only after mature deliberation.
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