USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1917 > Part 12
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Elsie Isabel Fitzgerald
Rose An a Frawley Marjorie Adelaide Frear
Mary Louise Gaboury Blanche Mary Gagner William Hopkinson Garner, Jr.
Doris Jane Gaston
Walter Agusta Gay Ellen Catherine Gaynor Katherine May Geddes
Olive Harriet Geer Hime Globus
Dorothy Grace Gorman
Martha Charlotte Gorovitz
Robert Joseph Habershaw
Harry Kenneth Haselton
Evelyn Hildegarde Hasler
Solomon Hiller
Sophia Hiller
Rose Margaret Hoard
Annie Elsie Hoddie
Ruth Colby Holmes
Emily Isabel Horner
Howard Willis Huntress
Arthur Elliot Johnson
Carl Emanuel Johnson
Florence Gertrude Johnson
Margaret Rose Johnston
Frederic Kennerson Johnstone
Virginia Bradford Jones
Stephen Kelly
Aaron Nathan Kiff Bertha King
Joseph Ambrose King, Jr.
Walter Allan King
Ruth Ella Kinney
Richard Thomas Knowles
Elise Suzanne Kondi
Earl Lucien LaMarche
Margaret Lawton
Walter Miller Leach
Mary Ellen Levis
Harold Stephen Lewis Axel Fridolf Lind
Louise Ludwig Linkletter
Harry Leopold London
William Patrick Lyons
Fredrick Lea MacDonald
Robert Parker Mason John Carl McAuliffe Helen Mary McCaffrey Catherine Rose McCann
James Arthur McGann
Grace Elizabeth McLeod
Ernest Levi Mehring
Marcel Michael Messier. Jr. Prudence Loxley Middleton Levi Monast
Elbert Francis Money
Lawrence Wheaton Monroe Mary Grace Morowski Edward Joseph Mulkern John Joseph Mullaney, Jr. Dorothy Agnes Mulligan
Martha Evelyn Murray Agnes Lillian Nelson Audrey Zalmon Nicola
154
ANNUAL REPORT
Carl Robert Ockert Harold Irving Oulton Edith Lula Ousley Albany Alfred Paille Catherine Schiller Parker Carl Albert Peasley Roby Wilkinson Peck Theodore Barlow Peckham James Raymond Percy Eunice Ann Perry Emmy Lillian Peterson Armand Leonel Pinault
Francis George Ploudre Alvin Winifred Purdy Hattie Sophia Randall James Russell Read Muriel Read
George Edgar Robbins, Jr.
Louise Chester Roberts
Albert Ormond Saart Percy Sallet Adin Samuel Sargeant Leo Clement Scanlon
Edna Rosella Seguin Rose Emma Servais Sadie Louise Sharkey Frances Beatrice Sillman Alma George Siddall Dorothy Howard Slade Irene Slater
Clinton Thomas Smith William Leonard Stevens Laura Isabelle Stewart Edgar Leroy Stolfer Evelyn Eliza Street George Herbert Swanson
Alice Sykes Charles Everett Taylor
Herbert Louise Thomae Sarah Gertrude Thurber
Walter Percival Thurber Arthur Graham Tingley Earl Raymond Truell Frederick Rothwell Upton Anna Frances Whalen
William Ernest Walker Dorothy Mae Ward Edythe Irma Warren
Charles LeRoy Wendell Merton Eugene Whipple Ruth Alethea Whittaker Bertha Lenora Williams Howard Everett Williams Louis Edgar Williams Sabina Hope Williams Raymond Earl Wilmarth John Willy Woodward Lillian May Woodward Ethel Viola Wright Harry Llewellyn Young
155
ANNUAL REPORT
GRADUATION EXERCISES SOUTH ATTLEBORO SCHOOL Bethany Chapel, Wednesday Evening, June 20, 1917.
PROGRAM
March
MISS HELEN N. RICHARDS
Chorus-"America"
Invocation
REV. SEELYE BRYANT
Response-"God is my Strong Salvation"
"The Gettysburg Address"
HENRY P. ROBERTS
"Thou, Too, Sail On"
GEORGE E. REID
Vocal Solo
RUSSELL A. LENZEN
"The American Flag"
MARION A. DRISCOLL
Chorus-"Flag of Our Country"
"Marco Bozzaris"
THEODORE M. SHAW
"Horatius at the Bridge"
MILDRED L. TINGLEY
Piano Duet-"La Grace"
AMY E. ANDREWS VIVIAN M. SADLER
"Legend of Bregenz"
MABEL L. TINGLEY
"The Man Without a Country"
LOIS E. ANDREWS
Chorus-"The Call to Arms"
Presentation of Diplomas MR. WALTER A. BRIGGS Member of the School Committee
Benediction
"The Star Spangled Banner"
GRADUATES
Amy Henrietta Andrevys Lois Eunice Andrews Thomas Frederick Dean Marion Alice Driscoll Helen May Hopkins Russell Angilly Lenzen Charles Frederick Orr, Jr.
George Ernest Reid Henry Pierce Roberts Vivian Mildred Sadler Theodore McGinnis Shaw Mabel Lattime Tingley Mildred Lattime Tingley George Frederick Sumner
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ANNUAL REPORT
SOLDIERS' BURIAL
REPORT OF THE AGENT FROM JULY 1, 1917, TO DECEMBER 31, 1917.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council: -
Since assuming charge of this department only one soldier has been buried by the State, $50.00 being allowed for same, $48.00 to be paid to the person assuming the funeral expenses, and $2.00 to the Agent, said $2.00 being turned back to the City as a receipt of this department.
Respectfully submitted,
W. J. NEWMAN, Agent.
To be reimbursed by the State.
SOLDIERS' RELIEF
REPORT OF THE AGENT FROM JULY 1, 1917, TO DECEMBER 31, 1917.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council: -
Thirty-one (31) persons have been aided from this department, twenty-eight (28) now being on the roll.
Two persons have died since the first of July and one has been discontinued.
The sum of $1,313.00 has been disbursed to the above mentioned thirty-one persons.
Respectfully submitted,
W. J. NEWMAN, Agent for Soldiers' Relief.
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ANNUAL REPORT
SOLDIER'S SPECIAL RELIEF FUND
REPORT OF THE AGENT FROM JULY 1, 1917, TO DECEMBER 31, 1917.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council: -
Eleven persons have been aided by this department since I as- sumed charge on July 1, 1917, and the sum of $190.79 has been dis- bursed.
Respectfully submitted,
W. J. NEWMAN, Agent.
STATE AID
REPORT OF THE AGENT FROM JULY 1, 1917, TO DECEMBER 31, 1917.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council: -
Since assuming the duties of this office July 1, 1917, thirty-nine (39) different individuals have received aid from this department; $1068.00 having been disbursed.
There are now thirty-five (35) names on the roll, four (4) having been dropped, two (2) having moved from town and two (2) dropped for other causes.
Three (3) names on the roll are on account of the German war.
Respectfully submitted,
W. J. NEWMAN, Agent.
To be reimbursed by the State.
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ANNUAL REPORT
CITY SOLICITOR
December 20, 1917.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and Municipal Council of the City of Attleboro :-
During the year 1917 some of the law suits against the City of Attleboro have been disposed of.
The case of Joachin P. Duranleau against the City of Attleboro was tried at the March session of the Superior Court before Justice Dubuque and a jury. The plaintiff claimed damages for the alleged overflowing of his property south of Orange Street, by water passing through catch basins at the corner of Lafayette and Mulberry Streets, and at the corner of Lafayette and Orange Street, and then through a drain laid across Orange Street emptying on land south of Orange Street and north of that owned by the plaintiff. The trial lasted two days and resulted in a verdict for the defendant.
At the September session of the Superior Court the case of Elin Grahn against the City of Attleboro was on the list for trial, and was settled for $650.00. In this case the plaintiff claimed damages because she was injured while a traveler upon the highway, such injury having been caused by a defect in the way; namely, a water shut-off which protruded one and one-half inches above the surface of the center of the sidewalk.
The case of the Board of Sinking Fund Commissioners against Louis C. Luther pending in the same court was on the list for trial but could not be tried because the necessary evidence could not be pro- cured in time.
Another suit brought by the Board of Sinking Fund Commission- ers against Louis C. Luther is still pending in the Superior Court in Providence, Rhode Island, and cannot be tried for the same reason.
Suit was brought against the City by Frank H. Dickinson for dam- age to the plaintiff's auto truck which was alleged to have been caused by a defect in the highway on Union Street. This suit has not been brought to trial to date.
The claim of the City of Attleboro against the Interstate Con- solidated Street Railway for damage done to the South Attleboro fire truck was settled for $75.34, the amount of the damage.
Eight claims were made against the City for injuries to persons and property. Some of these claims have evidently been discontinued by parties making them. As soon as reported, each claim was in- vestigated by the City Solicitor and Superintendent of Public Works, and very valuable assistance was rendered by the Police Department.
However, two of these claims were settled during the year. The claim of Gertrude Robbins for clothing torn by a nail protruding from a garbage box was settled for $5.00.
The claim of Vito Pistolese which has been pending for three or four years was settled this summer for $300.00 and releases for past and future damages caused or anticipated by reason of the change of
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ANNUAL REPORT
location of certain drains crossing Maple Street, were given to the City.
A rent bill amounting to $15.00 was collected for the Board of Sinking Fund Commissioners.
Briefs were prepared and assistance given to the president of the Council in the case of Arthur F. Gehrung against Philip E. Brady and other members of the Municipal Council. This was a petition for a writ of certeriori in which Mr. Gehrung claimed that in canvassing the votes at the municipal election in December, 1916, the Municipal Council had made error and that he should have been declared a mem- ber of the Municipal Council instead of his opponent, Councillor Gar- ner. The Supreme Court ordered the petition dismissed.
Section 6 and Section 11 of Chapter 680 of the Acts of 1914 (the City charter) were amended by Chapter 141 of the Special Acts of 1917. The amendment to Section 6 relates to the election and quali- fication of members of the Municipal Council. Section 11 corrects an error relating to the time that city officers shall begin their terms of office.
The City Solicitor attended Legislative Committee hearings on bills of interest to the City, the most important of these bills being the bill relating to the distribution of the proceeds of the tax on incomes.
The Washington Street bridge matter was disposed of during the vear. In the early part of the year a petition was filed for the modi- fication of a decree granted by the County Commissioners September 23, 1913, and hearings were held in Attleboro and Taunton. As a re- sult of these hearings the matter was compromised so that a foot bridge eight feet in width was built at the expense of the railroad along the side of the existing bridge, and it was agreed that the matter be- fore the County Commissioners be postponed a few years, as the finan- cial condition of the railroad, as well as a contemplated change in the layout of the tracks, might cause a great loss if a permanent bridge was built at this time. The foot bridge has been completed and opened to public travel, and has relieved the traffic congestion at that point a great deal.
The City Solicitor attended a hearing given by the Public Service Commission regarding condemnation of certain land at East Junction. So far as could be ascertained the City of Attleboro was not inter- ested.
The controversy regarding boundary lines of the Farmers School property has remained unchanged for nearly a year. The City So- licitor requested that the Municipal Council re-layout West Street in front of the school property in order that the title to the school land could be regisered. Registration of this title would clear up all ques- tions relating to the boundaries of the land, and the rights of the City would be definitely determined thereby. The Municipal Council held a hearing on the re-layout of West Street, but up to the present time no definite action has been taken. It is urged that West Street be re- . laid out in the very near future as delay will impair the rights of the City very seriously.
Two tracts of land were purchased as additions to the Rifle Range, and the terms of purchase of another tract of land have been agreed upon by the City and its owner. It has been impossible to complete this purchase because of a defect in the title. This defect will be remedied very shortly.
The legal business relating to the layout of Union Street has been completed as far as necessary to date.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Several opinions were given the Mayor and Municipal Council and various departments during the year.
Matters of minor importance were attended to during the year, but to report these matters in detail would require a great deal of space, in fact more space than their importance permits.
Of the appropriation of $850.00 made for this department for the year 1917, $687.50 has been expended for salary, and $83.57 for ex- pense to the date of this report. $62.50 will be required for salary for the month of December and a balance of approximately $16.43 will remain at the end of the year unused.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN J. COADY, City Solicitor.
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ANNUAL REPORT
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
December 21, 1917.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council of the City of Attleboro :-
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my third annual report as Sealer of Weights and Measures for the City of Attleboro.
Scales-
Adjusted Sealed Non-Sealed Condemned
Platform, over 5,000 lbs ..
13
Platform, under 5,000 lbs.
40
149
2
2
Counter
10
118
Beam
1
5
Spring balance
13
116
4
Computing
2
49
Slot weighting.
12
Prescription
7
Weights-
Avoirdupois
32
1089
2
Apothecary
95
Metric
53
Measures-
Dry measures
15
Liquid measures
180
Automatic measuring
pumps
6
42
Milk jars
56
12
Yard measures
36
Total
104
2035
2
20
Fees.
Fees collected and turned over to City Treasurer
$156.59
1916 fees
11.72
Inspection of oil.
75.00
Total
$243.32
Uncollected fees
4.13
Office calls for sealing
54
Outside calls for sealing.
204
Articles reweighed.
406
During the past year the State Department has tendered the ser- vice of city and town sealers to the Food Administrator, Mr. H. B. Endicott, for the inspection and reweighing of articles of food. To give the efficient service required, the salary of the sealer should be considered.
I recommend the appropriation of one thousand ($1,000) dollars for year of 1918.
Respectfully submitted,
HUGH GAFFNEY Sealer of Weights and Measures.
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ANNUAL REPORT
INSPECTOR OF WIRING
December 20, 1917.
To His Honor, Harold E. Sweet, Mayor of the City of Attleboro.
Dear Sir :-
I herewith submit my annual report as Inspector of Wires for the year ending November 30, 1917.
Month
Applications
Permits
Inspections
Outside
January
57
57
57
February
25
25
31
March
26
29
30
April
26
26
29
May
24
24
24
June
13
13
20
46
July
28
28
30
August
16
16
17
September
22
22
22
October
14
12
20
November
18
18
18
269
280
298
46
46
Total inspections
344
I would recommend that the Rules and Regulations of the Inspec- tor of Wires be revised in accordance with the State and National Electric Code which are constantly changing from year to year.
Very truly yours,
B. C. WETHERELL,
Inspector of Wires.
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ANNUAL REPORT
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
To HIS HONOR, THE MAYOR, AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL:
GENTLEMEN :- I have the honor to submit, herewith, the third annual report of the Public Works Department, of the City of Attleboro, for the year ending December 31, 1917.
This department has the general care of all public highways (streets and sidewalks), construction of new streets and sidewalks, street lighting, street sprinkling, street signs and house numbering, street cleaning, and all work connected with surface drainage; sewers, including filter beds; water system, including reservoir, filter beds, standpipe and pumping station, except the collection of water rates and other bills incident to the various departments; and general supervision over all engineering work which is done by the engineer of this department. The completion of the new rifle range was also under the supervision of this department.
The department met with a sad loss on May 2, when three of its very efficient employees, Lester Ainsworth, Foreman of Highways, Earl W. Kimball, Engineer, and Clarence E. Jewell, Assistant Engineer, were killed in an automobile accident.
The present organization of the department is as follows: Robert Beverage, Foreman Water and Sewers; W. C. H. Stevenson, Foreman of Highways; George Cook, Engineer Pumping Station; Lula A. Fletcher, Clerk.
PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE.
Contracts have been made for tar concrete, cement concrete, curb- ing, water pipe, etc. Minimum rates and excess water bills, service con- nections, repairs, and other charges of the various departments have been billed and delivered to the City Collector, and detailed accounts of expendi- tures of all the departments have been recorded.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
The work in the Engineering Department has been hindered to some extent by the changes made during the year. Samuel Dyer, the engineer since the Town changed to the City form of government, resigned Febru- ary 15, 1917, to take a position with J. J. Van Valkenburg, C. E., Fram- ingham, Mass .; Earl W. Kimball, who had been his assistant, was promo- ted to fill the position. His death on May 2, again left the office vacant. Mr. John B. Wright was then engaged to fill the position, and he resigned in December to accept an appointment as Captain in the Reserve Officers' Engineering Corps, U. S. A. The position has not as yet been filled.
HIGHWAYS.
The usual amount of shaping the outside roads with the road machines was done this year in order to preserve the proper crown in the roads, keep the gutters and water ways open, and dispose of the worn out road materials. In this way we are enabled to prevent many washouts and it also preserves the roads and puts them in good condition for the seasons travel.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The gutters of the inside streets were thoroughly cleaned in the spring and fall. Total cost of this work $3,397.12.
For the past two years we have spent the most of our time and money improving the main arteries of travel into the city and have these in fair condition; but there is still a good deal of work which should be done on them.
This year we endeavored to improve the secondary and residential streets, although some work was done on the main streets, believing that all streets are entitled to a fair share of the maintenance appro- priation. Work was done on thirty-two (32) streets at a total cost of $13,305.08.
BRIDGES.
An unusual amount of work had to be done this year on bridges the flooring and timbers of which were in dangerous condition. Fourteen were wholly or partially rebuilt at a cost of $2,923.72.
There are now three bridges, Holden Street River bridge, Mechanics Street, and County Street Seven Mile River bridge, which are in a danger- ous condition and will soon have to be entirely rebuilt.
DRAINS.
All catch basins have been cleaned twice and some oftener, as needed. Thacher Brook and Ten Mile River have also been cleaned.
The main drains have given us a good deal of trouble this year, especially Dean Street, Emory Street, South Main Street, and Gardner Street. Total drain expense, $2,762.40.
CROSSWALKS.
Only repair work has been done on crosswalks this year, amount- ing to $14.01.
COMMON.
The usual care has been given the common this year, one man being employed during the season.
SNOW.
The total cost of snow removal, opening gutters, breaking out side- walks, and sanding, was $3,080.69.
MACHINERY AND TOOLS.
Two new road machines; two steel tanks for the watering carts; one street sweeper; eight snow plows; two industrial cars and truck; and the usual amount of small tools, brooms, etc., have been purchased this year at a total cost of $3,683.83.
STREET CLEANING.
Three street sweeping patrols have been maintained this year in the centre of the city.
PATROL SYSTEM.
Two men with a single team and kettle have been employed this year, with such additional assistance as was needed from time to time, in keeping the small holes, which are constantly coming in our oil roads patched up in order that we may keep the surface as even as possible. We believe that this method is essential to the preservation of the roads and gives as good return for the money spent as anything we do. Total expense, $2,572.98.
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ANNUAL REPORT
SIDEWALKS AND CURBING.
Bids were received this year for both cement and tar concrete walks, but as there were no requests from abutters to have this work done, all that was charged to this appropriation was the work done at Capron Park.
OILING.
This work has not been done as satisfactorily as we wished, due to the difficulties of obtaining the oil when needed, and from all indications it will be worse in 1918.
A total of 33.1 miles of streets have been oiled this year, divided as follows:
8.6 miles
Heavy Asphalt. Light
7.1
Tar
8.4
Dustoline 9.0
Total
33.1 miles
In addition 13.2 miles of street car track have been oiled.
UNION STREET (SPECIAL APPROPRIATION).
The preliminary work to prepare this street for paving has been done this year.
The curbs have been reset in their new location; cement gutter con- structed; cement walk built; and the old drain which was so badly decayed that it had to be abandoned was replaced with a new one and an overflow connection with the Mill Street drain made; new catch basins constructed and old ones rebuilt; and all the shop drains connected with the new drain. This completes the preliminary work with the exception of mov- ing the street railway track to a center location and the construc- tion of catch basins in the center of the track.
WATER DEPARTMENT.
For the second time the receipts of the department for the year have exceeded the expenses. These expenses include construction, main- tenance, amount paid into sinking fund, interest charges, and serial bonds. However, this is only temporary, as it will be necessary in the immediate future to expend a considerable sum of money to increase the ground water supply at the Pumping Station. Our surface water supply is sufficient for some years to come, but we are fast reaching the daily consumption which our ground water supply was designed to meet. It will also be necessary, in the near future, to relay some of our smaller pipes and lay new main line in order that the domestic and fire supply will be adequate to take care of the growth of the city.
PUMPING STATION.
The Pumping Station pumps, boilers, and grounds are in good condition and only minor repairs have been necessary to keep the Station and equipment in a high state of efficiency.
Stand Pipe
The repairs on the stand pipe, which were completed in 1915, were evidently well executed, as there are no evidence of any leaks up to the present time.
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ANNUAL REPORT
RESER VOIR.
There has been no occasion for making any repair at the reservoir this year.
The first water drawn from the reservoir this year was on July 22, and finally closed October 12. Between these dates the gates were opened or closed according as there was or was not water flowing from the Seven Mile River onto the filter beds. Total number of days water was drawn from reservoir, 37.
A total of 4,300,000 gallons was also pumped from Orr's Pond onto the filter beds.
MAIN LINE.
It will be noticed from the following table that both 6" and small pipe have been laid as mains this year. All the new work has been 6", the smaller pipes being laid in streets where they already existed and were extended to other mains to complete circulation.
SERVICES.
Although one more service has been laid this year than last they do not all denote new buildings, as a large number of them were laid into houses already served with water through having two or more houses supplied by one service and meter. Some of these have now been separated, so that each house has a separate service and meter, and this has proved an economical investment for the owner of the property as by this means he is enabled to obtain more accurate knowl- edge of the water used in each house and he can more readily detect leaks and have them repaired.
HYDRANTS AND GATES.
Special attention, and an unusual amount of it, has been given to hydrants and gates. Those found in questionable condition have been replaced with new; additional ones have been installed; and all have been carefully tested.
In general the Department is in good condition so far as service and domestic supply is concerned, and in most portions of the city the fire service is adequate. Another trunk line from the station and a few larger distributing mains would give nearly the entire city excel- lent fire protection. This should be the next consideration for increasing the efficiency of the system.
PUMPING RECORDS. Totals Per Month.
Month
Hours Pumping
Coal Consumed
Gallons Pumped
January.
299
89,965
30,754,432
February .
292
84,950
29,887,165
March.
302
84,150
30,632,028
April
297
81,200
31,259,078
May
314
87,637
33,827,614
June.
311
89,752
32,677,401
July
354
99,220
37,210,526
August.
364
102,085
36,589,197
September
329
100,407
33,137,351
October.
319
108,350
34,797,405
November
298
100,500
31,414,597
December
337
122,031
34,311,069
Totals.
3,816
1,150,247
396,497,863
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ANNUAL REPORT
PUMPING RECORDS. DAILY AVERAGES PER MONTH.
Month
Hours Pumping
Coal Consumed
Gallons Pumped
January.
9-40
2,902
992,078
February.
10-25
3,033
1,067,398
March
9-45
2,714
988,129
April
9-50
2,706
1,041,069
May
10-05
2,827
1,091,213
June.
10-20
2,991
1,089,246
July.
11-25
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