USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1936 > Part 10
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Of prime importance in the maintaining of a high standard of work is a more just and consistent system of grading of staff members, with higher wage scales. If the Attleboro Library and therefore the community at large, is to profit by the intelligent performance of assigned duties and the ability to put constructive effort into envisioned improvements, adequate salaries must be paid. Otherwise we can no longer hold present workers nor attract recruits of higher calibre. If we are to bring back to the city recent graduates of library training who are well equipped by education and temperament to make real contributions, some financial rewards commensurate with ability must be provided.
We are about to begin a new year. There is much to be done and there is faith that sufficient means will be found, not only to prevent the library service from disintegrating into mediocracy, but to enable it to reach out and become established as an indispensable factor in the cultural life of the community.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Lucile Palmer, Librarian.
124
ANNUAL REPORT
FINANCIAL REPORT City of Attleboro
Receipts-
Salaries (incl. Janitor)
$11,753.00
Other Expenses
6,950.00
Credits.
70.00
$18,773.00
Disbursements ----
Salaries (incl. Janitor)
$11,753.00
Other Expenses
Books.
$ 3,072.69
Fuel
551.83
Light.
973.02
Phone.
55.75
Building
592.84
Bindery
655.38
Dodgeville
11.95
Hebronville
63.30
South Attleboro
20,5.38
Washington
57.44
Printing
23.21
Postage
49.12
Insurance
218.13
Trucking
36.76
Carfares
9.57
Incidentals
441.99
7,018.36
Unexpended Balance
Trust Funds
Receipts-
Balance Jan. 1, 1936
Checking Accounts-
Attleboro Trust Co.
First National Bank
$ 927.59
Income from investments
Income securities sold .
6,302.14
$ 7,229.73
Disbursements-
Payroll.
$ 176.86
Building repairs
1,477.60
Books and papers
960.78
Bindery .
5.28
Office supplies
23.37
Light
117.09
Fuel.
121.75
Insurance
341.00
Incidentals.
26.77
Building equipment.
832.00
Auditing .
76.76
Safe dept ..
22.00
Investment coun.
25.00
Treasurer's Bond.
25.00
$18,771.36
$ 1.64
$ 4,231.36
$ 2,998.37
125
ANNUAL REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT Public Library, Attleboro, Mass.
Librarian's Report to the Board of Library Trustees for the Year 1936 Volumes in Library Jan. 1, 1936. Additions-
41,244
Books purchased
2,568
Books donated.
357
Magazines bound
29
Books rebound
1,001
Books worn out and withdrawn.
1,892
Volume returned.
1
Books repaired in library (June-Dec.)
1,221
New readers registered-Ad. 453
Juv. 265
718
Duplicates and replacements-Ad. 755
Juv. 458
1,213
Circulation-Central-
Number of books issued .
79,318
Number of days open for issue of books .
299}
Average daily circulation
264
Largest daily circulation (February)
495
Smallest daily circulation (May).
41
Percentage of fiction circulated
71%
Picture Collection.
2,306
Talking book records.
251
Receipts-
Fines on over-due books
$679.56
Cards to non-residents.
17.00
$696.56
CLASSIFIED REPORT
ADDITIONS
CIRCULATION
Adult Child.
Adult Child. Branches
Reference works
98
4
000. .
17
1
265
168
Dodgeville 3233
Religion
24
8
273
204
Sociology .
109
27
1328
2228
Hebronville
6266
Philology (Language) .
11
180
1
Natural Science
32
37
817
685
So. Attleboro
6888
Useful Arts
118
19
2199
1059
Fine Arts.
431
40
2477
451
Washington
9424
Literature.
133
37
3057
1265
History
86
33
922
779
Hospital
3908
Travel.
79
32
1893
940
Biography
58
13
1602
686
Schools
6903
Adult fiction
771
54732
Juvenile fiction
555
31299
I. L. L ..
81
(Inter Library Loan)
Foreign books.
98
207
Central
79318
Current periodicals
. .
4114
858
Bound periodicals
18
11
Total 2105
820
2925
75273
40667
115940
Pamphlets.
559
11
36622
Philosophy
22
3
567
33
Elizabeth Lucile Palmer,
Librarian.
126
ANNUAL REPORT
Sealer of Weights and Measures
April 26, 1937. Attlebro, Mass.
To the Honorable Mayor and Municipal Council, Attleboro, Mass.,
Gentlemen:
I hereby submit the annual report of the Weights and Measures Department for the year ending December 31, 1936.
Adjusted
Sealed
Not Sealed
Con- demned
Total
Scales
Over 5,000.
3
8
11
Under 5,000
10
69
1
1
81
Counter.
5
43
3
51
Beam.
1
6
7
Spring
1
15
2
18
Computing .
20
85
3
108
Personal.
4
11
15
Prescription
5
5
Weights
Avoirdupois
12
364
376
Apothecary
130
130
Troy.
19
262
9
290
Pumps
Gasoline
3
46
12
1
62
Gasoline Met.
47
132
179
Oil
1
21
1
23
Quantity Stop
30
364
394
Capacity Measures
Liquid.
76
76
Yard Sticks.
33
33
156
1670
20
13
1859
Trial weighing and measurements of commodities put up for sale included Bread, Butter, Coal in paper bags, Coal in transit, Flour, Grain, Fruits, Vegetables, Meats and Provisions.
Commodities of food and fuel were checked at various times for city depart- ments. With the co-operation of State Department all local Tank Truck meters were tested and sealed with state 100 Gallon testing apparatus.
Sealing fees collected and turned over to Treasurer
$265.34
Pedlars licenses-local, 17 @ $5.50 each. 93.50
Pedlars licenses-Special City, 12 @ $27.00 each. 324.00
Respectfully submitted, Daniel O'Connell.
127
ANNUAL REPORT
Report of Electrical Inspector
To His Honor the Mayor and the Municipal Council:
I herewith submit my report of the activities of the Wire Inspection Depart- ment for the year ending December 31st, 1936.
(To Electricians) Applica- tions
Permits
Inspec- tions
tions
Total
January.
87
87
116
61
177
February
107
107
145
66
211
March
143
143
191
96
287
April
153
153
204
106
310
May
123
123
164
125
289
June
109
109
145
159
304
July.
117
117
156
121
277
August
97
97
129
103
232
September
135
135
180
165
345
October.
165
165
220
144
364
November
168
168
224
118
342
December
128
128
171
120
291
1532
1532
2045
1384
3429
I wish to direct your attention to the above figures, calling your particular attention to the number of permits as issued to the electricians and contractors. These include permits for new work, alterations and repairs. This is the largest number of permits issued during the existence of this department. The records of these jobs must be kept accurate and with much detail to be of any use. This work takes considerable time and I therefore request that some provision be made for the employment of a part time clerk to keep these records up to date. With the present day trend of everyone using more and more electrical devices and appliances it has become necessary that more attention be given to the work in the field.
The Wire Inspection automobile is now in its sixth year of use and has reached the stage where it is not very reliable. Working parts of this machine are con- tinually wearing out and have to be replaced at a much higher cost because of the age of the machine. This does not seem to be in the line of good economy ard I, therefore, request that something be done this coming year toward the replace ment of this car.
Recommendations
Office Expenses .
Auto Maintenance.
$200.00 125.00
$325.00
At this time, I wish to thank His Honor, the Mayor, the Municipal Council and all officials and citizens for their courtesy and aid extended by them to this office during the past year of 1936.
Respectfully submitted,
William S. King, Electrical Inspector.
(To A.S. & E. CO.)
Re-Inspec-
128
ANNUAL REPORT
Fire Department
MAYOR H. Winslow Brown
COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON FIRE DEPARTMENT
David Lyon, Chairman Earle Swift Francis Manchester
BOARD OF FIRE ENGINEERS
William E. Sweeney, Chairman
Craig C. Pope
Chief Fred A. Clark, Clerk Asst. Chief Leonard Gould
PERMANENT MEN Located at South Main Street Station
Chief Fred A. Clark
22 Hayward St.
Asst. Chief Leonard Gould. 88 Forest St.
Captain Hiram R. Packard
8 Hope St.
Lieutenant Joseph O. Mowry
5 Second St.
Lieutenant Herbert E. Knight.
15 Angell St.
Frank E. Barney
681 Park St.
Charles E. Barrett
1 Parker St.
Francis J. Barrett
22 Foley Street North Ave.
William A. Demers
Clifford A. Dieterle
Charles I. Gay
Peter Godfrey
Herman F. Gorman
706 So. Main St. 248 So. Main St.
James W. Hatfield
1 Mulberry St.
John J. McGilvray
16 Martin St.
Harry E. Morris
94 Cumberland Ave.
Edward M. Paton
174 Pleasant St.
Harold T. Powers
56 Carpenter St.
William E. Riley
96 Park St. 48 Oakridge Ave.
John Stafford.
William A. Wheaton
66 Emory St.
Harold Cassidy
41a Holman St. 496 Newport Ave. 155 Park St. 116 Wilmarth St.
Leo A. Greve
129
ANNUAL REPORT
Located at Union Street
Captain Bert E. Riley
Lieutenant Herbert E. Brown.
21 Bicknell St. 9 Franklin St.
Lieutenant William F. Ahern
. 567 Thacher St.
Joseph I. Claflin.
24 West St.
Joseph W. Hearn.
53 Thacher St.
Ralph L. Hopkinson
Nelson B. Lees.
6 Benefit St. 61 Adamsdale Ave. 35 Baker St.
Delphis J. B. Paradis.
Herbert C. Parker
163 North Ave.
Charles E. Stewart
Herman M. Thurber
240} So. Main St. 38 Park St.
Located at South Attleboro Station
Captain Roy M. Churchill.
1536 West St.
Lieutenant Albert N. Knight
77 Peck St.
Albert W. Andrews
12 Olive St.
Henry E. Charon.
46 Hodges St.
Manuel Duigmedgian
105 Parker St. Curtis Ave.
Frederick W. S. Moore
54 Brownell St.
William J. Lees
31 Adamsdale Ave.
Joseph A. Smith
561 Washington St.
Located at Hebronville Station
Herbert E. Peets
32 Hebron Ave.
Thomas R. Leedham
130
ANNUAL REPORT
Report of Board of Fire Engineers
To His Honor, the Mayor and Municipal Council:
We have the honor of submitting the annual report of the Fire Department for the year ending December 20, 1936, together with such recommendations as we think necessary for increasing the efficiency of the department.
Organization
The Department consists of :
4 Engineers-2 Permanent, 2 Call 42 Officers and men-Permanent
Fire Station and Apparatus
Central Fire Station, South Main Street, Station No. 1
2 Ahrens-Fox Triple Combinations
1 Ahrens-Fox City Service Ladder Truck
1 Chief's Car
1 Asst. Chief's Car
1 Supply Car
Union Street Station, Station No. 2
1 Ahrens-Fox Triple Combination
1 Seagrave Tractor Drawn 75 foot Aerial Ladder Truck
South Attleboro Station, Newport Avenue, Station No. 4
1 Ahrens-Fox Triple Combination
1 Seagrave City Service Ladder Truck
1 Kelley-Springfield Combination Hose and Chemical
Hebronville Station, South Main Street, Station No. 5
1 Federal Combination Hose and Chemical
APPARATUS
4 Ahrens-Fox Triple Combinations
2 Hose and Chemical Trucks
3 Ladder Trucks
1 Chief's Car
1 Asst. Chief's Car
1 Supply Car
The Department, including all companies, has laid 48,700 feet of hose, raised 2960 feet of ladders, used 183 gallons of chemicals, 24 gallons of foam, 12 pyrenes, 399 water cans and the booster pumps 114 times.
131
ANNUAL REPORT
The Department has responded to the following alarms: Alarms from boxes .
64
Still alarms.
366
Assembly.
2 Total 432
Classification
Ash bin
3
Automatic sprinkler
1
Automobile.
20
Brush
163
Building
61
Chimney
34
Dump
18
Electric sign.
1
False
3
Fence
1
Flooding ice
3
Freight car
3
Gain entrance.
9
Gasoline .
2
Inhalator.
2
Lacquer in street.
1
No fire.
28
Oil burner
11
Overheated furnace.
3
Rescue animal.
7
Rescue person.
2
Rope in flag pole.
1
Sawdust.
2
Sleepers.
5
Syphon and pumping cellars
45
Telegraph pole.
2
Tree.
1
Total
432
We have not been out of the city this year.
FIRE LOSS
Value of buildings at risk
$ 532,975.00
Value of contents at risk.
1,101,950.00
$1,634,925.00
Insurance on buildings
$ 600,100.00
Insurance on contents
1,096,550.00
1,696,650.00
Loss on buildings
$ 16,417.07
Loss on contents
10,507.45
26,924.52
Insurance paid on buildings
$ 16,367.07
Insurance paid on contents
10,222.45
26,589.52
Loss not covered by insurance
$
335.00
LEARN THE LOCATION OF YOUR NEAREST FIRE ALARM BOX
132
ANNUAL REPORT
IMPROVEMENTS
The only improvement during the year was the installation of booster brakes on Engines, one, two and four, and Ladder three.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We again recommend the installation of a rew heating plant in the South Main Street station.
Also the purchase of a 500 gallon pump for South Attleboro. The piece now in use is obsolete and should be replaced.
The purchase of 1000 feet of new hose.
We also recommend that new wheels, steel, be placed on Engine four at South Attleboro. This piece of apparatus was put in commission in 1918. It has wooden wheels which are going to pieces and should be replaced before causing a serious accident.
We also recommend four more men, two for South Attleboro. This section of the City has been short of men for several years, especially as the two men pen- sioned from that section were not replaced by the City Council.
We recommend that the salary of the Chief and Assistant Chief be restored to the 1932 scale.
ESTIMATED EXPENSES
Heating plant. $1,062.00
500 gallon pump 6,400.00
1000 feet hose 1,150.00
New wheels 450.00
4 men. 5,042.00
800.00 $8,904.00 Restoration of pay
HOSE
The department has on hand 1500 feet of one and one-half inch hose. Two and one-half inch hose on hand and the year it was purchased.
1916- 150 feet 1918- 150 feet 1919- 50 feet
1920- 350 feet 1921- 250 feet 1922- 500 feet
1923-1050 feet 1924-1400 feet 1925- 950 feet
1926- 450 feet 1927- 800 feet 1928-1450 feet
1929-1500 feet 1930-1450 feet 1931-1350 feet
1932-1050 feet 1933-1000 feet 1934- 500 feet
1935- 600 feet 1936- 850 feet Total 15,850 feet
133
ANNUAL REPORT
APPRECIATION
We wish at this time to thank His Honor the Mayor, the Municipal Council, the Committee on Fire Department, and the Police Department for their assist- ance. And to the officers and men for the able manner in which they performed their duties.
We wish to thank Dr. Kent for his attendance and services rendered to our men injured at fires.
Respectfully submitted,
Board of Fire Engineers. William E. Sweeney, Chairman Chief Fred A. Clark Asst. Chief Leonard Gould Craig C. Pope
EXPENSES
Maintenance of equipment
$ 5,750.00
Other expenses.
2,860.00
Salaries . 81,128.75
$89,738.75
134
ANNUAL REPORT
Superintendent of Fire Alarm
To the Board of Fire Engineers, Attleboro Fire Department,
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my annual report as Superintendent of Fire Alarm for the year ending December 31st, 1936.
The Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph System is in use and is in very good working order. The equipment which makes up the system is listed below.
One steam whistle and equipment. Pumping Station, South Attleboro
One air whistle with compressed air equipment Central Station
One Excelsior Time and Date Stamp. Central Station
One Excelsior Punch Register Central Station
One Peerless Take Up Reel. Central Station
One Indicator. Central Station
Two Tower Bell Strikers (Spare) Union St. Station
Two Indicators Spare) . Union St. Station
One Excelsior Punch Register Union St. Station One Tower Bell and Striker South Attleboro Station One Indicator So. Attleboro Station
One Excelsior Punch Register So. Attleboro Station
One Tower Bell Striker . Hebronville Church
One Indicator Hebronville Station
There are 13 tappers and gongs located in the residences of the members of the department and 4 located in the N. E. Telephone Office, Police Station, Water Works Barn and the office of the Superintendent of Public Works.
There are 118 fire alarm boxes connected to the system, 112 of these are street boxes and 6 are owned by the following concerns :
Box No. 31 North Avenue Interstate Street Railway Co.
Box No. 851 46 Pine Street Bay State Optical Co.
Box No. 652 53 Falmouth Street
W & R Jewelry Co., Inc.
Box No. 751 56 Starkey Avenue
Re-enforced Paper Co.
Box No. 515 57 Mechanic Street
The C. L. Watson Co.
Box 554 32 Olive Street The Larson Tool and Stamping Co.
The Fire Alarm Headquarters is located in the Union Street Fire Station and consists of the following:
One twelve circuit storage battery switchboard
One twelve circuit protector board One ten circuit repeater
135
ANNUAL REPORT
255 Cells of storage battery One 1 KW Generator Set (Spare) One 12 KW Generator Set (Gasoline driven) (Spare) One Excelsior Punch Register Twelve Low Rate Rectifiers
Two High Rate Rectifiers Twelve Super Relays One Peerless Take Up Reel One 6 circuit storage battery switchboard (Storage) One 6 circuit protector board (Storage)
RECOMMENDATIONS
We wish, at this time, to call your attention to the total number of fire alarm boxes in our system. In comparison with cities of a similar size and population, this city is far behind in the matter of boxes. We have section upon section where there are no boxes at all, the residents in the districts relying totally on telephone to transmit an alarm of fire, which is not a very reliable means in time of storm. If a telephone line is dowr, it usually remains so urtil the following day where, on the other hand, the minute the fire alarm line is broken, a signal is given at once and the trouble has to be cleared just as soon as possible. In many of the areas where there are no boxes, there are thousands of dollars worth of property and we think that these owners and taxpayers should be given some thought. Only recently, there occurred a disasterous fire in the south end of the city and it was necessary for the person discovering the fire to travel over one-half mile to reach a fire alarm box to send in the alarm. This location is listed in the attached sheet, showing the approximate cost of the box, necessary attachments, cross arms and line wire to install boxes in the above mentioned areas. In the case of an accident, such as a car smashing a box on a pole or the box being burned out through a cross with high tension wires, this department does not even own a spare fire alarm box that could be placed in service to take the place of the one damaged. A nearby city of our own size has, at least, three boxes on hand at all times for use in such emergencies.
Fire protection is adequate only when there is proper fire alarm box distribu- tion. Inadequate box distribution contributes directly to delayed alarms and this delay contributes more than any other single factor to the annual fire loss. A fully manned and equipped fire department is of not much use to the citizens of a city if they have not got the means of transmitting an alarm of fire to the department as soon as the fire is discovered. The fire alarm system, with its apparatus and boxes, is in reality the nerve system of the department. The days of conflagration are by no means past, for each year one or more holocausts occur, striking in the most unexpected manner. Analyzing the Underwriters' Classification of the Fire Defenses of more than 100 cities, it is found that "Fire Alarm" is the most deficient of any of these defenses, except possibly "Structural Conditions," for the correction of which it is obviously difficult to make a place in a city budget.
The Fire Alarm System is essentially an emergency signalling system, having the safety of life and property dependent upon its successful operation. The fire alarm box is that element of the system with which the public comes in contact and which affords the only available means for the transmission of alarms directly to the fire-fighting forces. It is, therefore, the basic element of municipal fire alarm protection.
136
ANNUAL REPORT
FIRE ALARM BOXES AS RECOMMENDED FOR THE YEAR 1937
GEORGE STREET (Half way between Park and Maple Sts.)
1 Fire Alarm Box $135.00
11 Poles @ $1.25 Per for Cross Arm and Hardware 13.75
1 2 Mile wire. 26.00 $174.75
LINCOLN AVE. and BLACKBURN ROAD
1 Fire Alarm Box. 135.00
6 Poles @ $1.25 Per. 7.50
1 Mile wire 26.00
168.50
BISHOP and PIKE AVENUE
1 Fire Alarm Box. . 135.00
44 Poles @ $1.25 Per 55.00
11 Miles wire 78.00 268.00
PLEASANT STREET (Beyond Richardson Ave.)
1 Fire Alarm Box. 135.00
22 Poles @ $1.25 Per 27.50
1 Mile wire. 52.00 214.50
CUMBERLAND AVENUE (Half way between Newport Ave. and Washington St.)
1 Fire Alarm Box.
135.00
15 Poles @, $1.25 Per 18.75
1 Mile wire. 26.00 179.75
NEWPORT and RANDOLPH AVENUES
1 Fire Alarm Box. 135.00
38 Poles @ $1.25 Per 47.50
1를 Miles wire 78.00
260.50
DEANTOWN ROAD and CLIFTON STREETS
1 Fire Alarm Box
135.00
30 Poles @ $1.25 Per 37.50
1} Miles wire
78.00 250.50
COUNTY and READ STREETS
1 Fire Alarm Box .
135.00
54 Poles @ $1.25 Per 67.50
3 Miles wire 156.00
358.50
WEST STREET, front of Farmer's School
1 Fire Alarm Box (Existing line passing)
135.00
135.00
PARK STREET (Near House No. 1114)
1 Fire Alarm Box (Existing line passing)
135.00
135.00
PALM and LINDEN STREETS
1 Fire Alarm Box (Existing line passing)
135.00
135.00
Note: There is an additional expense at the pole where the Box is mounted of $1.70 for one insulating joint and about $1.50 for 1/2 inch conduit. The average pole needs about two ten foot lengths of conduit.
137
ANNUAL REPORT
This department trusts that some consideration may be given this year to the fire alarm box question and an appropriation be made to cover the cost and in- stallation of the boxes listed on the attached sheet. A few years ago, there was started a program of adding at least six new boxes every year to the system. This plan worked out fine until the beginning of the depression and then it came to a sudden halt as funds were not then available. No additional boxes have been installed since.
I also wish to request that a sum necessary to cover the purchase of and install one power winch on the present fire alarm maintenance truck which was originally designed to accommodate this valuable piece of machinery. The general line of work in the outside maintenance of this department can be carried on in a much more efficient and proper manner with the aid of the winch. At the present time, if we are installing a section of underground cable, it is necessary for us to do the pulling of the cable by attaching the pulling wire to the truck directly thereby having the wire stretched out on the surface of the highway. This method is certainly not a safe or proper way to do this kind of work and would not be thought of by any of the utility companies. Cable of the type used for the transmission of fire alarms has to be pulled in to the ducts with a very slow and steady pull so as not to cause damage to the lead sheath on the outside of the cable. It is impossible to do with the truck because the operator cannot throttle the machine down enough. 1500 feet of 10 conductor number 14 cable weighs approximately 1050 pounds, by these figures one may under- stand the extreme power needed to properly handle cable of the above descrip- tion. If one would stop to realize that we have almost four miles of underground cable in the south end of the city, this all being located in the middle of Washing- ton Street, which is part of U. S. Highway Route number one and is one of the most heavily traveled ways in this part of New England. It is one of the most dangerous highways that we have to work on and when a job has to be done there it has to be done at once and as quickly as possible. We may be called at any time of the day or night to pull out and replace this main line cable which supplies protection to the whole of the south end. A very good example of other uses that this winch could be used to the advantage of all the city was during the high wind storm which at times reached hurricane proportions last summer. Along with placing our lines back in service, we could have worked with the Tree Warden and the Highway Department and been of great help in opening up the streets that were rendered impassable by the large trees that were blown across the highways. We were all very fortunate that at this time no fires occurred in the Dodgeville-Hebronville section. The utility companies' trucks working in this area were all equipped with winches and were able to do some fine work with very small crews. The job of taking down wire with the aid of a winch which is equipped with a so-called split-reel, which when set in motion, pulls the wire down from the cross arms and winds it into regular coils ready for use again.
A very excellent idea of the comparison of working with the use of a winch and without may be had by the following: On one of our construction jobs a few years ago, it was necessary to us to handle eight wires, each one approximately a mile long. It took two of us one day and a half to haul this wire down and coil it by hand. The telephone truck accomplished the same job with twice the amount of wire in less than four hours. This truck being equipped with a winch of that type of which we are now asking for.
Regarding the matter of a telephone in the residence of the Assistant Elec- trician, it is a matter of vital importance to all that a phone be placed in this location. If by any chance anything should go wrong with the system we have
1
138
ANNUAL REPORT
to be notified at once. If the power supply fails, a warning bell and light come to life and we have to be on the job right away to comply with the requirements of the Underwriters in correcting the trouble. This alone really brings it down to the fact that it is either necessary to have an operator in this office 24 hours a day or phone in the home of the Assistant. I think that it is very evident that it is much less costly for the City to supply the phone in place of having to hire two more men for this department. The members of this department have been supplied with a phone for a long time and one of the two was always ready to go on call and that has happened many times. Only lately, one morning around 1:30 A. M. a machine knocked over three poles and broke a hydrant off in front of the South Attleboro Fire Station. This accident cut off the fire station from all communications with the outside. I was called by the police and within 20 minutes was on the job and had the trouble cleared up so that n alarm from the south end could reach the station. If this had happened on my night off there would have been no way of reaching my assistant other than traveling to his home. This is an emergency department and certainly the loss of this phone would impair the efficiency of our duties.
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