USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts 1920 > Part 4
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Outstanding December 31, 1920,
$5,776.92
JOHN T. BROWN, Tax Collector.
Treasurer's Report
RECEIPTS
Balance on hand January 1, 1920.
$53,203.49
John T. Brown, Tax Collector, tax, 1918,
$691.72
John T. Brown, Tax Collector, tax, 1919,
3,939.67
John T. Brown, Tax Collector, tax, 1920,
167,384.55
Commonwealth, various sources,
58,980.51
Cities, Towns and County, various sources,
2,793.80
Tax Loans,
75,000.00
Other Notes,
59,700.00
Three Rivers School Loan, No. 2,
55,000.00
All other sources,
25,594.69
$449,084.94
$502,283.43
DISBURSEMENTS
Paid out on Town Warrants,
$458,967.27
Balance,
43,321.16
$502,288.43
GEORGE E. CLOUGH, Town Treasurer.
Auditor's Report
To the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Palmer:
We have examined the books and accounts of the Treasurer and Tax Collector for the year 1920 and find the following :
TREASURER'S ACCOUNTS
Balance on hand January 1, 1920, $53,203.49 Receipts during year, 449,084.94
Total
$50,288.43
Total paid out on orders during year,
458,967.27
Balance on hand December 31, 1920
$43,321.16
Accounts of J. A. Hawkes, Tax Collector
1913
Outstanding December 31, 1920, $1016.12
1914
Outstanding December 31, 1920, $1096.42
1915
$2498.77
Outstanding December 31, 1920,
1916
Outstanding December 31, 1920, $3062.11
1917
Outstanding December 31, 1920, $3127.85
75
Accounts of John T. Brown, Tax Collector
1918
Outstanding January 1, 1920,
$1211.91
Interest,
43.41
Total to be collected,
$1255.52
Paid Treasurer,
$691.72
Abatements,
368.22
1059.94
Outstanding Decembr 31.1920, $195.38
1919
Outstanding January 1, 1920,
$4753.62
Additional assssments,
3.85
Interest,
105.18
Total to be collected,
$4,862.65
Paid Treasurer,
$3939.67
Abatements,
126.09
4065.76
Outstanding December 31, 1920, $796.89
1920
Amount of Assessors' Warrants,
$173,194.58
Interest,
84.09
Total to be collected,
$173,278.67
Paid Treasurer,
$167,384.55
Abatements,
117.20
167,501.75
Outstanding December 31, 1920,
$5,776.92
Trust Funds
Thompson Fund,
$951.28
Merrick Fund,
850.00
Perpetual Care Funds,
$17,385.00
January 17, 1921.
E. W. CARPENTER, R. L. McDONALD, Auditors.
License Commissioners' Report
Palmer, Jan. 12th, 1921
To the Voters of the Town of Palmer:
The Board of License Commissioners organized April 14th, 1920, electing William Burdick as Chairman and Edwin J. Duncan as Clerk.
It was voted to have all the fees the same as in pre- vious years.
The number of licenses granted was as follows: 1st to 5th, none; 6th class, two; common victuallers, sev- enteen ; Sunday licenses, seventeen ; lodging house, four ; inn holders, five.
WILLIAM J. BURDICK, JAMES COUGHLIN, EDWIN J. DUNCAN, Clerk.
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is now selling for from $2.00 to $2.50, with a prediction of a still higher cost. Our appropriations have not kept step, by any means, with costs. Less money, relatively speak- ing, means less service ; less service means less circulation.
As compared with most town and cities, our circula tion per capita, 5.7 books for each person, especially in view of the fact that surely twenty-five (25) per cent. of the population cannot read and write English, compares very favorable. Our library is doing, all things considered, a very fine "piece of work."
FUTURE PATRONS
One of our strongest hopes for the library's con- stantly increasing use and usefulness is the fact that so many of the children of grade age are steady patrons. They are acquiring a habit of reading that will, in many cases, persist throughout life. Not only will they be pa- trons for life, but they, in turn, will be recipients of that vast knowledge stored within the pages of books. Nothing "makes more" for good average intelligence than wide reading. The educative process is bound to be in operation if only one reads.
STATISTICS The following statistics are given: CIRCULATION
Main Library, Fiction,
26,991
Main Library, Non-Fiction,
5,927
32,918
Branch Library, Three Rivers, Fiction
10,956
Branch Library, Non-Fiction,
4,585
Branch Library, Three Rivers, Magazines,
1,237
16,778
Branch Library, Bondsville,
4,522
Branch Library, Thorndike,
2,281
Total,
54,499
Last Year,
55,472
Increase,
1,027
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BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
Books on hand January 1, 1920,
13,916
Purchased during year,
509
Received by gift,
75
Number of papers and magazines supplied,
50
Respectfully submitted,
CLIFTON H. HOBSON, Librarian.
Palmer, Mass., January 7, 1921.
REPORT OF THE TREASURER
RECEIPTS
Cash on hand December 31, 1919,
$53.13
Fines,
124.69
Town of Palmer,
4000.00
DISBURSEMENTS
Miss May Robinson, librarian,
$812.46
Miss Grace Swann, assistant,
649.98
Mrs. Katharine Loftus,
104.00
Lewis R. Holden, branch,
104.00
Janitor,
208.00
Lights,
76.05
Magazines,
288.85
Books,
897.01
Repairs,
32.59
Fuel,
501.46
Labor,
33.02
Postage,
8.50
Cartage,
5.35
Printing,
1.50
$4,122.75
Balance on hand, December 31, 1920, $55.09
LOUIS E. CHANDLER, Treasurer.
Town Warrant
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
County of Hampden, ss.
Town of Palmer
To either of the Constables of the Town of Palmer, in said County,
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn all the in- habitants of the Town of Palmer, qualified to vote in elections of town officers, to meet at the several polling places in said Palmer, designated by the Selectmen, to wit: In Precinct A, at Holbrook Hall in the Holbrook Building on Main Street in the Depot Villege; in Precinct B, at the Recreation Building (room on the street floor) on Commercial Street in Thorndike; in Precinct C, at Cercle Canadien Hall on East Main Street in Three Rivers ; and in Precinct D, at Boston Duck Company's Hall on Main Street in Bondsville, on Monday, the seventh day of February, A. D. 1921, at six o'clock in the forenoon, then and there to give in their votes on one ballot to pre- cinct officers of the several voting precincts of said town for the following town officers, to wit: Three Selectmen, a Town Treasurer, a Tax Collector, two Auditors, five Con- stables, three License Commissioners, and a T ree War- den, all for the term of one year ; a Town Clerk, one Asses- sor, one Overseer of the Poor, two members of the School Committee, one member of the Board of Health, one Cemetery Commissioner, and one Road Commissioner, all for the term of three years ; also to vote by ballot, which shall be "Yes" or "No," in answer to the question "Shall
84
licenses be granted for the sale of certain non-intoxicating beverages in this town?"
The polls will be open at six o'clock in the forenoon and will be closed at three-thirty o'clock in the afternoon.
And you are further hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Palmer, qualified to vote in town affairs, to meet at the Town House at Four Corners, in said Palmer, on Monday, the fourteenth day of Febru- ary, A. . D., 1921, at seven o'clock in the evening, then and there to act on the following articles, viz:
Article 1. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting.
Article 2. To choose all other usual town officers.
Article 3. To act on the reports of the town officers.
Article 4. To raise money and make appropriations to defray expenses of the town for the ensuing year.
Article 5. To see if the Town will authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow during the ensuing financial year, in anticipation of the revenue of said year, such sums of money as may be necessary for current expenses of the town, but not exceeding in the aggregate the amount permitted by law, giving the note or notes of the town therefor, payable within one year from the date thereof ; all debts incurred under authority of this vote to be paid from revenue of the said financial year.
Article 6. To hear and act on the reports of com- mittees.
Article 7. To choose committees and give them in- structions.
Article 8. To determine the manner and state the terms and conditions of collecting the taxes for the ensu -. ing year, and fix the compensation of the Collector of Taxes.
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Article 9. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate money to suppress the illegal sale of intoxicating li- quors.
Article 10. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate money for the Young Men's Library Association, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 11. To see if the town will raise money to convey pupils to and from the public schools, and instruct the School Committee as to the manner of letting the contract for such conveyance.
Article 12. To see if the town will vote to raise money for the observance of Memorial Day.
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Article 13. To see what action the town will take in relation to sewers.
Article 14. To see what action the town will take in respect to lighting the streets, and whether it will au- thorize the Selectmen to make contract therefor, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Article 15. To see what action the town will take in reference to the planting and preservation of shade trees.
Article 16. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate money for the improvement of cemeteries.
Article 17. To see what action the town will take in regard to sidewalks and curbing.
Article 18. To see if the town will vote to maintain night police in the several villages, authorize the Select- men to employ and appoint in addition a chief of police and to make rules and regulations for the government of all the police officers of the town, and raise and appropri- ate money for the same, or take any action relative there- to.
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Article 19. To see what action the town will take relative to suits and claims now pending against the town.
Article 20. To see if the town will appropriate money for the supression of gypsy and brown-tail moths and elm tree beetles.
Article 21. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate money for insurance and maintenance of the auto fire trucks for the ensuing year, or see what action it will take relative thereto.
Article 22. To see if the town will appropriate money for defraying the town's share of the support of the District Court.
Article 23. To see if the town will appropriate such sum of money as may be necessary to defray the cost of the rent, janitor service and maintenance of the town of- fices in the Holbrook Building.
Article 24. To see if the town will vote to sprinkle or spread upon its public ways, or parts thereof, water or any liquid or material suitable for laying or preventing dust and preserving the surface of such ways and for san- itary purposes, the cost thereof to be assessed upon abut- ting estates, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 25. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate any sum of money to be paid to the Wing Memorial Hospital Association for the charitable purposes of said association in this town, or for the care and support in said hospital of persons wholly or in part unable to sup- port or care for themselves, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 26. To see if the town will make provision for reimbursing the police officers for expenses incurred in the investigation of cases and otherwise in the dis- charge of their duties.
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Article 27. To see if the town will vote to appropri- ate the sum of $1000.00 and pay the same to the Spring- field Street Railway Company under authority of Chapter 353 of the Special Acts of the year 1917 entitled "An Act to authorize the Town of Palmer to appropriate money toward the cost of a street railway bridge over Ware River."
Article 28. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate the sum of $500.00, or any sum, to be expended within the town under direction of the Trustees for Coun- ty aid to Agriculture for the promotion of boys' and girls' work in agriculture, home making and country life, and the improvement of agriculture and country life in the town, including agricultural demonstration work on land owned by the town or owned by any resident of the town, in accordance with the provisions of Section 45 of Chapter 120 of the General Laws.
Article 29. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate money to meet the town's share of the cost to the county of Hampden for providing adequate hospital care for consumptives under the provisions of Chapter 111 of the General Laws.
Article 30. To see if the town will instruct the se. lectmen to petition the County Commissioners to discon- tinue that part of the highway known as the old Boston Road, lying between the boundary line of the Town of Brimfield, at the Blodgett Bridge, so-called, over the Qua- boag River, near West Brimfield, and the intersection of said road with the present Boston Road, a distance of about 400 feet, or take any action in relation thereto.
Article 31. To see if the town will pass any vote re- garding the care, custody, upkeep and repair of the Me- morial Hall and Library Building.
Article 32. To see if the town will vote to build a gravel or cinder sidewalk along the easterly side of North
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Main Street (or the Three Rivers Road) from a point near Shearer's Corner to the Wire Mill School, or take any ac- tion relative thereto.
Article 33. To see if the town will vote to macadam- ize or otherwise improve State Street, from Main to High Street, in the Village of Bondsville.
Article 34. To see if the town will vote to dispose of the steam fire engine by sale or otherwise.
Article 35. To see if the town will vote to install and maintain electric street lights on Hill Crest in the Village of Bondsville, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 36. To see if the town will vote to resurface the highway from Potter's icehouse in Bondsville to Four Corners, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 37. To see if the town will install one elec- tric light on the highway leading from Bondsville to En- field at the point where the Massachusetts Central Rail- road bridge crosses the road and river.
Article 38. To see if the town will vote to build a gravel or cinder sidewalk, with curbing, from the corner of High and Griffin Streets to Stewart Street in the Vil- lage of Bondsville, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 39. To see if the town will vote to build a gravel or cinder sidewalk from the corner of High and Spring Streets to the corner of High and State Streets, in the Village of Bondsville, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 40. To see if the town will vote to recon- struct the cement steps at corner of State and Main Streets in the Village of Bondsville, known as Parent's Corner, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 41. To see if the town will vote to repair Main Street in the Village of Bondsville, or take any ac- tion relative thereto.
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Article 42. To see if the town will vote to buy a new road scraper.
Article 43. To see if the town will vote to repair and improve the gravel roads built in 1913.
Article 44. To see if the town will vote to gravel or otherwise improve that portion of Church and Pleasant Streets in the Village of Thorndike beginning at the end of the macadam road in Church Street, near the gate of the No. 1 Mill of the Thorndike Company, and extending northwesterly towards Bondsville a distance of about 1200 feet.
Article 45. To see if the town will vote to maintain two electric lights on Hobbs Street and five electric lights on Hill Street in the Village of Thorndike.
Article 46. To see if the town will approve an ad- ditional appropriation for the completion of the sewer in the Village of Bondsville from Spring Street northeast- erly to a point opposite Maple Stree, a distance of about 159 feet.
Article 47. To see if the town will vote to improve the approach to the Rogers Bridge, so-called, near West Brimfield Station.
Article 48. To see if the town will vote to extend the South Main Street sewer in the Village of Palmer to a point where connection can be made to the property of the Central Vermont Railway Comapny.
Article 49. To see if the town will approve an addi- tional appropriation for the completion of the sewer in East Main Street in the Village of Three Rivers from the end of work done in 1920 to Charles Street, a distance of about 250 feet.
Article 50. To see if the town will vote to have pre- pared and kept on file in the Road Commissioners" Office a plan of all sewers in the villages of the town, showing size, grade, depth and location.
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Article 51. To see if the town will vote to construct a sidewalk and curbing made of concrete on the easterly side of Main Street in the Village of Three Rivers from the end of the walk constructed in 1920 ending at the property line of Dora E. Chalifoux, to the intersection of Main and Pleasant Streets.
Article 52. To see if the town will vote to repair and rebuild the road from Four Corners southerly to point known as the Old Burleigh Schoolhouse.
Article 53. To see if the town will vote to improve High Street in the Village of Bondsville.
Article 54. To see if the town will vote to install a stone curbing on the east side of Main Street in the Village of Bondsville from the present curb near the grammar school to a point near the corner of State and Main Streets.
Article 55. To see if the town will vote to provide additional school accommodations, to acquire, by purchase or by right of eminent domain, any land or site for a school building or buildnigs, or for school purposes, and raise money for the same by taxation or by an issue of bonds, notes, or script, and appropriate such sums of money as may be necessary therefor, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 56. To see if the town will vote to establish a public playhouse or grounds and employ necessary teachers, supervisors, and officers, under authority of sec- tion 14 of chapter 45 of the General Laws, and authorize the school committee to exercise, on behalf of the town the powers conferred by said chapter.
Article 57. To see if the town will vote to place and maintain electric lights on Shearer Street in the Depot Village, at three different locations, one on the hill near the houses of Lavene and Patterson, one at the intersec- tion of Randall Street, and another near the house of Charles L. Forsman.
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Article 58. To see if the town will vote to enlarge the present sewer or build an additional sewer to take care of the surface water on Converse Street in the Depot Village.
Article 59. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate money for the purpose of hiring or engaging another patrolman for duty in the Depot Village of Pal- mer, or take any action relative to the better protection of school children.
Article 60. To see if the town will vote to authorize or instruct the Overseers of the Poor to become a part of the Worcester-Hampden Farm Association.
Article 61. To see if the town will vote to rent the town farm to the Worcester-Hampden Farm Association.
Article 62. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate money for the town's share of the expense of the establishment and maintenance by the Worcester-Hamp- den Farm Association of a plant for the support of poor on the co-operative plan and for the support of the town's poor thereat.
Article 63. To see if the town will vote to construct a sewer from Four Corners to connect with the present sewer in East Main Street in the Village of Three Rivers, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 64. To see if the town will vote to construct a cinder or gravel walk from Four Corners to connect with the tar walk at Charles Street in the Village of Three Rivers, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 65. To see if the town will vote to construct a tar walk on Bourne Street in the Village of Three Rivers beginning at a point opposite land of William Potvin and ending at a point opposite the residence of Jan Banart, or take any action relative thereto.
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Article 66. To see if the town will vote to place two electric lights, one on each end of Dutton Bridge on Bondsville Road, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 67. To see if the town will vote to repair North Street in the Village of Three Rivers, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 68. To see if the town will vote to resurface East Main Street in the Village of Three Rivers, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 69. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 to help defray the cost of maintaining the district nurse.
Article 70. To see if the town will vote to join with Monson in the construction of a new bridge over the Qua- boag River at or near the present Fay bridge, so-called, relocate and improve the approaches thereto, or take any action relative to said bridge or the highway near the same.
Article 71. To see if the town will vote to join with Monson in the construction of a new bridge over the Qua- boag River between Bridge Street in Palmer and State Avenue in Monson, and improve the approach on the Pal- mer side, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 72. To see if the town will vote to release and quitclaim to the Thorndike Company the rights and privileges conveyed to the town by deed of Charles C. Hamilton and Eva M. Hamilton dated June 5, 1911, and recorded with Hampden County Deeds, Book 806, Page 226, in, upon, over and through the land and premises described in said deed and now owned by said Thorndike Company, upon consideration that said Thorndike Com- pany shall forever supply from its pipe line water to the town farm buildings, free of charge, or take any action relative thereto.
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Article 73. To see if the town will vote to build an ash walk on Park Street in the Depot Village, between its junction with Pinney Street and the residence of the late F. H. Conant, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 74. To see if the town will vote to give the Palmer Fire District the use of the engine house the ensu- ing year, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 75. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate money for the repair and maintenance of the clock located in the Universalist Church tower in the De- pot Village, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 76. To see if the town will take any action in regard to completing the repair and improvement of Bridge Street in the Village of Three Rivers.
And you are hereby directed to serve this warrant by posting up attested copies thereof in some one public place in each of the four villages of the town, known as the Depot Village, Thorndike, Three Rivers and Bondsville, seven days at least before the holding of said meeting, and by publishing an attested copy thereof in at least two issues of the Palmer Journal, a newspaper published in said Palmer, the first publication to be not less than seven days before the holding of said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant, with your doing thereon, to the Town Clerk, at or before the holding of said meeting.
Given under our hands this twenty-fourth day of Jan- uary, A. D. 1921.
WILLIAM B. KERIGAN, FRANK N. ROGERS, CHARLES D. HOLDEN,
Selectmen of Palmer.
TOWN OF PALMER
SCHOOL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1920
School Committee 1920-1921
Dr. George A. Moore, Chairman Clifton H. Hobson, Secretary
George L. Warfield, Term Expires 1923
Dr. Charles H. Giroux,
, Term Expires 1923
Dr. George A. Moore,
Term Expires 1922
John F. Shea,
Term Expires 1922
Dr. John F. Roche,
Term Expires 1921
Harry M. Parsons,
Term Expires 1921
Regular meeting of the School Committee are held at 7.30 p. m. on the Tuesday before the last Friday of each school month.
All bills must be in the hands of the Superintendent on the Monday before the above date.
Superintendent of Schools, Clifton H. Hobson.
Office, High School Building. Telephone 54-W.
Residence, 30 Pearl Street. Telephone 54-R. Office Hours :- 8 a. m. to 12 m., 1:30 to 5 p. m .;
Saturdays, 9 a. m. to 12 m .; Tuesdays, 7 to 8 p. m., except the Tuesday before the last Friday of each school month.
ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
Patrick McKelligett,
Depot
Charles Thomas,
Depot
T. J. Crimmins,
Patrick Nagle,
Depot Thorndike Three Rivers
Thomas Holt,
William Smith,
Three Rivers
John Mansfield,
Bondsville
Arthur Bennett,
Forest Lake
JANITORS
Patrick McKelligett,
High School Palmer
Patrick McKelligett,
Patrick Nagle, C. F. Fuller,
William Smith,
Thorndike Bondsville Three Rivers
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ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS
January 13, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Giroux, Mr. Thayer, Mr. Shea, Mr. Foley.
February 3, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Giroux, Mr. Shea, Mr. Warfield. March 23, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Giroux, Mr. Foley, Mr. Warfield. April 13, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Giroux, Mr. Shea, Mr. Foley. May 25, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Dr. Giroux, Mr. Shea, Mr. Warfield.
June 22, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Giroux, Dr. Roche, Mr. Shea, Mr. Parsons.
July 13, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Giroux, Mr. Shea.
September 28, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Giroux, Dr. Roche, Mr. War- field, Mr. Parsons, Mr. Shea.
October 26, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Dr. Giroux, Mr. Parsons November 23, 1920-Dr. Moore, Dr. Giroux, Dr. Roche, Mr. Shea, Mr. Parsons.
December 21, 1920-Dr. Giroux, Dr. Roche, Mr. Warfield, Mr. Parsons.
Calendar
HIGH SCHOOL
Winter term begins January 3, 1921; ends February 25, 1921. Spring term begins March 7, 1921; ends April 29, 1921.
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