USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts 1927 > Part 3
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Butter
8
8
Meats and Provisions
8
8
Fruit and Vegetables
8
8
Bread
35
11
24
Special Scale Inspections
5
4
1
Clinical Thermometers
14
14
Retests of Gasoline Devices
2
1
1
Inspection of Hawkers and
Pedlers License
3
TOTALS
Adjusted
117
Sealed
1729
Condemned
25
Tested
181
Receipts of Office, Paid Treasurer
$178.81
LOUIS LEVEILLEE,
Sealer of Weights and Measures
Report of License Commissioners
The board of License Commissioners met and orga- nized March 26, and voted to have fees for licenses the same as previous years. The following licenses were granted :
Sunday
65
Common Victuallers 39
Innholders 8
Third Class (Druggists)
3
Lodging House
7
MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN (Chairman) NEIL McDONALD (Clerk) OSCAR BRESSETTE
Report of Road Commissioners
To the Voters of the Town of Palmer :
The Board of Road Commissioners herewith submit their eighth annual report for the year ending December 31, 1927.
The organization of the Board was as follows: Thomas J. Moran, Chairman, Jno. J. Conway, Clerk, Homer A. Shaw.
Sherman M. Stebbins was reappointed Superinten- dent of Streets.
Highways
All work for which the Town voted special appro- priations has been completed, including Belchertown Road which has been approved by both the County Commis- sioners and Massachusetts Board of Public Works, the Town having received checks for their portion of cost of this work.
The Board wishes to call your attention to the large amount necessarily expended during the past year owing to the removal of Street Railway track. We expect to be obliged to spend as much, or more, the coming year, due to the further removal of more trackage. This has depleted our Highway account of sums which were really needed for the repair of other highways.
78
The purchase of Oil has gotten to be a serious pro- blem for this Department, the cost of this one item for 1927 being approximately $5,000.00. We recommend an additional appropriation to aid in taking care of this item, this amount to be added to the usual Highway appropriation.
Snow Removal
Owing to a change in policy of the Massachusetts Board of Public Works, it will not be possible for the Town to obtain any aid from them on snow removal dur- ing 1928 or probably in the future owing to the town not owning snow removal apparatus suitable for the work. The sole possession of the Town which can be used for the purpose being a tractor and plow. This is not con- sidered anywhere near adequate for the work. The Department must hire trucks for this work, and the num- ber of trucks available which are suited for the work are very limited. We recommend the purchase of a three- ton truck with dump body and plow, of a type particularly suited to the removal of snow and which can also be used at all times in the regular work of the Department. At the present time we have but one 11/4 ton truck in good condition and a 1%-ton truck which has outlived its use- fulness and is suitable for only the lightest work.
The following statement shows in condensed form the appropriations handled by this Board.
(!)
Appropriation Expended Balance
Highways
$ 15,500.00§
15,477.69
22.31
Snow Removal
3,000.00
3,000.00
None
Bridges
1,500.00
1,046.10
453.90
Railings
400.00
285.33
114.67
Sewers & Culverts
3,000.00
2,862.01
137.99
Curbing
1,250.00
1,250.00
None
Walks Repairs
2,400.00
2,293.20
106.80
Belchertown Road
4,050.00§§
4,050.00
None
31,100.00
30,264.33
835.67
§ Includes $500.00 transferred from Reserve Fund.
§§ Includes two amounts of $1350.00 each paid the Town, one by the Commonwealth and the other by the County.
Reimbursements to Town on account of this Depart- ment.
Sewer Permits
$425.00
Rental of Steam Roller
746.50
Rental of Tractor
15.00
Rental of Truck
20.00
Refund, Bridges
32.19
Outstanding Bills (Town of Brimfield)
141.45
Curbing
601.34
Total
$1981.48
80
RECOMMENDATIONS
As called to your attention in our previous year's report, the Commission strongly recommends that Walnut Street and Converse Avenue in the Village of Palmer be hardened, as we feel that these two streets need this improvement very badly. Also road from Three Rivers to Wilbraham line on the Ludlow road, so called.
Recommendations for regular appropriations for 1928 are as follows :-
Highways
$17,000.00
Snow Removal
3,000.00
Bridges
1,500.00
Railings
500.00
Sewers and Culverts
3,000.00
Repairs of Walks
2,400.00
Curbing
1,250.00
THOMAS J. MORAN
JNO. J. CONWAY
HOMER A. SHAW
Road Commissioners
Report of Board of Health
To the Honorable Selectmen and Citizens of Palmer:
The Board of Health of the Town of Palmer herewith submit its annual report for the year ending December 31, 1927.
Table No. 1
Chicken Pox
Diphtheria
Measles
Mumps
- Scarlet Fever
Tuberculosis
co Whooping Cough
- Meningitis
Pneumonia
Membraneous Croup
January
February
March
April
3
May
1
2
1
June
1
3
1
July
August
2
September
?
1
1
October
1
November
December
1
1
1
17
1
4
2
8
3
1
2
1
3 3 4 A CO CO
1
3
1
1
82
Table No. 2
Number of Deaths reported from January 1, 1927 to January 1, 1928.
January
13
February
12
March
9
April
13
May
7
June
4
July
5
August
6
September
12
October
9
November
9
December
8
Total
107
Table No. 3
Total
Male
Female
Less than 1 year
16
10
6
2 “
3
3
4
4
5 66
2
2
5
10
66
2
1
1
10
15
66
3
2
1
15
20 30
66
3
2
1
30
66 40
66
4
3
1
40
50
6
4
2
50
60
66
14
8
6
60
70
66
15
8
7
70
80
12
7
5
80
90
66
4
2
2
90
100
4
4
Over
100 years
Still Born
16
7
9
Totals
107
55
52
1 to
2 years
1
1
3
3
1
1
1
1
20
83
REPORT OF MILK INSPECTOR
To the Board of Health of Palmer:
I have granted the following permits and licenses :
Dealer's licenses
100 @ .50 $50.00
Oleomargarine licenses
5 @ .50 2.50
Producer's permits
81
No fee
$52.50
Have carefully inspected all places where milk is produced or sold one or more times as has seemed neces- sary.
The continued use of the Sediment Tester is keep- ing the condition of the milk sold in Palmer at a high standard as compared with places where it is not used.
Respectfully submitted,
A. F. BENNETT,
Milk Inspector
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING
To the Board of Health of Palmer:
I have made the following inspections:
Hogs
98
Beef
7
Veal
5
Respectfully submitted,
A. F. BENNETT,
Inspector of Slaughtering
S4
RECEIPTS
From Appropriations:
Salaries
175.00
Clerical Work
100.00
Vital Statistics
700.00
Hospital & General Expenses
1,550.00
Meat & Cattle Expenses
1,000.00
Toxin-Antitoxin
500.00
$ 4,025.00
Licenses :
Alcohol
19.00
Druggists
15.00
Bottling
3.00
Milk
52.50
Undertakers
4.00
$ 93.50
Tuberculosis :
Reimbursement from State
438.64
$ 438.64
Total Receipts
$ 4,557.14
85
EXPENDITURES
For:
Salaries
175.00
Clerical Work
100.00
Stationery and Postage
5.91
Printing and Advertising
3.00
Telephones
32.50
Fumigation and Disinfectant
44.75
Sundry Items
15.00
376.16
Contagious Diseases :
Medical Aid
8.00
Medicine
6.85
Hospital Care
187.56
$ 202.41
Tuberculosis :
Hampshire County Hospital
209.14
Westfield State Sanatorium
456.00
$ 665.14
Toxin-Antitoxin :
Administration
558.90
$ 558.90
Inspection :
Meat and Milk
400.08
$ 400.08
Total Expenses $ 2,202.69
86
The Board recommends the following appropriations for the ensuing year, namely :
Salaries 175.00
Clerical Work
100.00
Vital Statistics
600.00
Meat, Milk & Animal Inspection
1,000.00
Contagious Diseases & Sundry
Expenses
1,600.00
Toxin-Antitoxin
200.00
$ 3,675.00
January 13, 1928
To Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Palmer, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :
We herewith submit the following report of Toxin Anti Toxin for Prevention of Diptheria which was authorized by the voters at the last Town Meeting:
There was an appropriation of $500 to be used on all children of pre-school age. There were so few appli- cants of this classification that after conference with your Board it was decided to extend this service to the Parochial Schools as well.
We fully intended to complete this work before the end of the fiscal year, but the Holiday Season and Vaca- tion Period rather interfered with our Plan. There are
87
still a number of cases pending which will be taken care of promptly and we are asking for a small appropriation of $200 to complete this work and to care for any new cases that may come to our attention during the com- ing year.
The Town Doctors were very prompt and courteous in assisting in this work and they were paid to the best of our judgment according to the time they put into the work.
We are grateful to the School Board for their co- operation and wish especially to thank the School Nurse who so willingly gave her time up to this work with- out any extra compensation.
Approximately 550 children of pre-school age and Parochial School children took this Toxin and Anti-Toxin and we have not had a single case of Diptheria in any child who took this service excepting one case that con- tracted Diptheria three months after taking treatment and six months should elapse before the treatment be- comes fully effective.
We are confident the Town may feel repaid for this investment both from an economical and a Medical point of view.
J. P. SCHNEIDER, Chairman M. WILLIAM HOLDEN WILLARD C. HITCHCOCK
Board of Health
Report of Tree Warden
Appropriation $100.00
Amount Expended in the care of trees on several streets in the Town of Palmer $141.42 Overdraft $41.42
Overdraft was caused by two large trees located on North Main Street, one in front of the Wing Memorial Hospital, the other in front of B. L. Beers' residence, splitting during a high wind which left them in such a dangerous condition that it was necessary to remove them.
Respectfully submitted,
J. H. MacGEACHEY
Report of Young Men's Library Association
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN Year Ending December 31, 1927
To the Members of the Young Men's Library Association;
I herewith submit my seventeenth annual report as Librarian of your Association. The report will be brief.
CIRCULATION
The total circulation for the year was 69,687 divided as follows: Main Library, 36,700; Three Rivers Branch, 16,191; Thorndike Branch, 7,019; Bondsville Branch, 9,777.
The increase over that of last year is 2,823. This circulation is the largest which the library has ever at- tained. The largest previous circulation was gained last year. The increase of 1926 over 1925 was 4,495. This 4,495, coupled with the gain of 1927 over 1926 makes a total increase, in a two-year period, of 7,318, which is a gain to be commended, in view of the fact that our circu- lation for several years has been at a high point. This is especially noteworthy when you remember that pre-
90
vious to 1911, over a period of many years, the largest circulation ever attained was about 18,000. Since then by rather marked leaps and bounds, nearly every year the circulation has steadily grown. A circulation of approximately 70,000 is good, in view of the vact that, with our large non-English-speaking and-reading popu- lation, which, roughly, is about one out of four, our potential readers are distinctly lessened in number.
Comparing, branch by branch, this year's circula- tion with that of last year, we find that Palmer had an increase of 1,085; Bondsville, 2,946; and Thorndike, 222; Three Rivers had a loss of 1,430. In view of the fact that the library has been operated upon a reduced budget of about 13%-in other words, the Town's apporpriation this past year was $4,000, instead of $4,600, and, conse- quently, the amount of new books and replacements was greatly reduced-this increase in circulation is still more remarkable. There must be some reason for it.
State Reading Plan
The reason, to a large degree, is the keen interest that is being taken in the schools in the State Reading Plan. This plan calls for the reading of five books from an approved graded list, for which a certificate is given. As a result of this plan, during the past year, 6,110 books were read in the schools. Last year, 3,213 books were read and 224 certificates were issued. From September, 1926, to July, 1927-the school year- 800 certificates were issued. out of an enrollment of 998 pupils in grades four to nine, both inclusive, 800 certificates were issued. In other words, all but 198 pupils secured certificates. Expressed in terms of per cent., certificates were issued to 80.16% of the pupils who were eligible to obtain them. At the close of this school year in June, 1928, I believe that practically 100% will attain certificates. Many of
91
the pupils have already read the required number of books. I question if any school system has taken hold of the State Reading Plan with any more zest and zeal than the local one. A great deal of credit is due to the libra- rians and teachers for these excellent results.
Reduced Budget
I personally feel, and I believe I am expressing the sentiment of every member of the Trustees of the Young Men's Library Association, that a real harmful and hurt- ful mistake was made in reducing the budget last year. There is no organization, public or private, that can operate as successfully, if it is efficiently managed, on a budget reduced one-seventh as it can on its full budget.
I realize the necessity of economy in the management of all town departments, especially at the present time in view of the financial situation of several of our manu- facturing corporations. I also appreciate, after seventeen years of intimate contact, the work that the library is doing. I know something of its economical administra- tion. I also value the judgment of the Trustees, several of whom have spent some fifteen to twenty years upon the board-men who are connected with our leading banks, manufacturing plants, and retail business houses. When these gentlemen, in view of all circumstances, feel that the appropriation should be $4,600, instead of $4,000, I am inclined to think that they know more about the situation than those who, from a mere cursory glance, attempt to set aside judgment substantiated by business acumen, intimate contact with the organization, and a definite knowledge of its work and the need thereof.
92
It is well to remind you that, whether the appropria- tion is $4,600 or $4,000, $200.00 or more of this goes to furnish janitor service and fuel for the American Legion. This amount is included in our appropriation by an agree- ment entered into with the Town, when the Grand Army relinquished Memorial Hall and the Town voted to place it in the hands of the American Legion. We had, then, of town money approximately $3,800 for expenditure for library support. Of this, $2,590.69 went for salaries. Fuel, light, telephone, supplies, etc., cost us $397.65, leaving us $1,159.78 for the purchase of books and maga- zines. Deducting our income from fines of approximately $150, we had left last year to supply reading material approximately $1,000 from the Town's contribution.
There is economy and there is parsimony. He who is penurious and parsimonious, who will not send a new penny forth to get back an old dollar, is not economical.
I feel that the Town made a big mistake in cutting the appropriation. In fact, I feel that, if the matter were placed before the Town Meeting as a whole, it would not have refused our request for $4,600 last year.
Aim
It is our purpose to serve the public as efficiently and as broadly as our money will allow. We do not con- trol the purse strings. We can spend only what is given us. What we get, we will spend wisely.
We hope that the $4,600 appropriation will be re- turned to us, as our library will suffer, even more than it has this year under a continued retrenchment because of lack of funds to purchase a sufficient amount of new books and to replace old, soiled, and worn-out books, espe- cially juveniles.
93
STATISTICS
The following statistics are given:
Circulation
Main Library
36,700
Three Rivers Branch
16,191
Thorndike Branch
7,019
Bondsville Branch
9,777
Total
69,687
Last Year
66,864
Increase
2,823
Books
Books on hand, January 1, 1927
18,400
Purchased during the year
430
Received by Gift
36
Books on hand, January 1, 1928
18,866
Respectfully submitted,
CLIFTON H. HOBSON,
Librarian
94
TREASURER'S REPORT FOR 1927
Receipts
January 1, 1926, Balance
$ 13.99
Received from Town
4,000.00
Fines
137.98
Total
$4,151.97
Disbursements
Salaries
$2,590.69
Books and Magazines
1,159.78
Supplies, Lights, and Telephone
159.13
Fuel
195.72
Removal of Ashes
19.35
Repairs
15.45
Miscellaneous
8.00
$4,148.12
Balance, January 1, 1928 $ 3.85
FRANK S. KEITH,
Treasurer
Report of Planning Board
January 5, 1928
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Planning Board recommends that the Town be zoned and that in connection with zoning, steps be taken towards a properly developed plan to guide the Town in its growth.
Several conditions exist which make prompt action advisable.
The establishment of an aviation field in Palmer is receiving consideration. The logical location for this seems to be near Three Rivers or Bondsville. A well planned and correctly placed airport would be of im- measurable future importance, but the value will depend largely on well planned surroundings.
A new highway for through travel is receiving fav- orable attention. This starts at the North End Bridge in Springfield, thence to Carew Street, East Springfield, Indian Orchard, Ludlow, Red Bridge, Three Rivers, Thorndike, Ware and West Brookfield. This offers im- portant development for the villages, but if we do not take steps for our own protection and advantage, the plans will necessarily be made by outside interests.
96
In the Depot Village, the Holbrook-Pine Streets sec- tion is being development to suit the convenience of almost anyone who owns sufficient land for a house-lot in that vicinity. Commonsense plans must be substituted for the present haphazard development if it is desired to maintain residential values in that section. Further- more, the large tract lying northerly has greater poten- tial residential value than any other section in Palmer- if it is correctly planned and laid out. Otherwise, develop- ment will be greatly retarded if not diverted.
Park Street on the main highway from Boston to New York has two school houses, one for our smallest children, and two right angle turns in our business cen- tre. The dangerous condition existing at the two under- passes will soon be corrected, but beyond casual discus- sion no attempt has been made to correct the conditions which are most dangerous to our inhabitants and to our business interests. The State officials have several plans for diverting this through traffic to other routes, and the the amount of through traffic which we retain will pro- bably be commensurate with our co-operation.
In closing we would emphasize this; the object of zoning is to promote the health, safety, convenience and welfare of the inhabitants, lessen fire hazard and serve the interests of all by directing growth upon a carefully developed plan protected by law. Haphazard growth is invariably expensive. The saving to a single property owner may easily exceed the entire cost of zoning to the Town. In our opinion a greater economy will be effected by making a zoning appropriation at once than by post- poning it.
HARRIE M. HOWE, Chairman
M. Wm. HOLDEN, Secretary
Report of Auditors
We have examined the books and accounts of the Treasurer, Tax Collector, Town Clerk, Sealer of Weights and Measures, and Secretary of the Cemetery Commis- sion for the year 1927, and beg to submit the following:
TREASURER'S REPORT
Receipts
Balance on hand January 1, 1927 $ 71,891.65
John T. Brown, Tax Coll., taxes '25 $7,304.98
John T. Brown, Tax Coll., taxes '26 22,032.56
John T. Brown, Tax Coll., taxes '27 212,216.46
John T. Brown, Tax Coll., Interest 1925 -- 1927 1,702.90
Anticipation of Revenue Loans
275,000.00
Commonwealth: Taxes, Reimburse- ments 104,595.53
All other Sources
27,844.81 650,697.24
$722,588.89
Disbursements
Paid out on Town Warrants
$624,720.27
Balance, December 31, 1927 97,868.62
$722,588.89
98
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Dog Licenses
LICENSES ISSUED :
Males and Spayed Females, 482 @ $2.00 $ 964.00
Females Spayed, 89 @ $2.00
178.00
Females, 74 @ $5.00
370.00
Breeders, (1)
25.00
$ 1,537.00
Less Fees
646 @ $ .20 129.20
$ 129.20
$ 1,407.80
PAYMENTS TO COUNTY TREASURER
June 1, 1927
$1,254.80 153.00
. December 1, 1927
1,407.80 $
Collected Since December 1, 1927 2 Males at $2.00 $ 4.00
99
TAX COLLECTOR'S REPORT
Account of 1925
Outstanding January 1, 1927
$ 7,914.12 800.16
Interest
Added Assessments
10.00
8,724.28
Paid Treasurer
$ 8,105.14
Abatements
554.64
8,659.78
Balance outstanding $ 64.50
Account of 1926
Outstanding January 1, 1927
$ 30,575.13
Interest
829.22
$ 31,404.35
Paid Treasurer
$ 22,861.78
Abatements
64.44 22,926.22
Balance outstanding $ 8,478.13
Account of 1927
Assessors' Warrants to be col-
lected
$280,495.02 73.52
Interest
$280,568.54
Paid Treasurer Abatements
$212,289.98
133.18 212,423.16
Balance outstanding
$ 68,145.38
100
CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS ACCOUNT
Appropriation Expenditures Balance
$ 3,500.00
$ 3,437.34
62.66
$ 3,500.00
Amounts Collected and Paid Town Treasurer as Follows:
Sale of Lots
$ 163.00
Care of Lots
1,373.00
Grading Lots
101.00
Opening Graves
459.35
Foundation
448.56
$ 2,544.91
CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS' FUND
Balance January 1, 1927
$
1,534.48
Interest to December 31, 1927
$1,136.66
Care of Lots for the year
907.50 229.16
Balance December 31, 1927
$ 1,763.64
Balance Perpetual Care Fund,
December 31, 1926
$ 22,046.00
Perpetual Care Fund, December 31, 1927
$ 22,746.00
101
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
FEES Collected 1927 as per re- ceipt book $ 179.31
$ 179.31
Paid Town Treasurer:
May 10, 1927
$ 145.49
December 31, 1927
34.42
179.91
Overpaid Town Treasurer $ .60
Respectfully submitted,
ROBERT J. WILDER
FRED S. POTTER
HOWARD S. CURTIS
Auditors
Report of Selectmen
The Selectmen respectfully submit the following report :
ORGANIZATION
The Board organized with the choice of Andrew B. Rathbone as Chairman and Frank G. Rogers as Tem- porary Clerk. During the past few months, Louis Mar- helewicz has been acting as Clerk.
APPOINTMENTS
Ernest E. Hobson was appointed Town Counsel, Harriette Paine, Bookkeeper, David L. Bodfish, Burial Agent and Superintendent of Graves, M. Scott French, Chief Engineer; Fred H. Smith and Michael H. Davitt, Inspectors of Animals, and Timothy J. Crimmins, Chief of Police.
POLICE
All day and night police officers were re-appointed. Acting under authority of Chapter 304 of the Acts of 1927, the Selectmen accepted the pertinent provisions of Chapter 147 of the General Laws, excusing police officers from duty for one day out of every eight, with- out loss of pay. The Board felt that full time officers
103
of the town were entitled to this consideration, and feel therefore that their action will meet with the approval of the citizens.
In conjunction with Representative Daniel W. O'Connor of Palmer, the Board signed a petition to the General Court asking that the office of Chief of Police of the Town of Palmer be placed under civil service laws and that the present incumbent continue to hold the same without taking civil service examination. At the time of the writing of this report the Committee on Civil Ser- vice of the Legislature had held a hearing upon the peti- tion, acted favorably thereon, and reported the bill to the House. It is hoped to have the bill passed under a suspension of the rules so that it may be acted upon by the voters at the town meeting. The Board feel that the citizens of the town will welcome an opportunity to show their appreciation of Chief Crimmins by accepting this act and taking his office out of the hazards of politics.
GAY AVENUE SEWER
Under date of September 7, 1927, the Department of Public Health granted a temporary permit to discharge sewage from Gay Avenue and vicinity, in Thorndike, into the Ware River near Church Street, and acting un- der authority of the vote passed at a special town meet- ing, the Selectmen arranged with the Road Department to put in the sewer. The work was immediately under- taken, following the granting of the permit, and season- ably completed at a cost approximately $900.00 less than the amount appropriated therefor.
104
ABOLITION OF UNDERPASSES NEAR ELECTRIC LIGHT STATION
During the year the Board has given considerable attention to the matter of abolishing the underpasses easterly of the Depot Village on the Boston Road. It has interviewed the Department of Public Works, the New York Central Railroad officials, and has attended two hearings given by the County Commissioners. It learned that a proposition to construct the Boston Road through Palmer Center was seriously considered by the Depart- ment of Public Works, which project, if undertaken, would leave the present state highway from a point near the Warren line to the Depot Village a town highway, to be maintained by the town, and would also leave the underpasses in their present dangerous condition. In addition it would mean there would be some six or seven miles more of state highway for the Town to be assessed for upkeep, averaging from $300 to $500 per mile, to- gether with an economic loss to the largest village of the town, which would be hard to estimate. Officials of the Department of Public Works petitioned the County Com- missioners for an alteration in the underpasses and two hearings upon this petition were held. The Selectmen have taken the position that the underpasses should either be altered or a new road constructed along the northerly side of the tracks of the New York Central Railroad and that the plan which proved to be the most feasible, consistent with cost, should be adopted. The County Commissioners still have the matter under ad- visement. The Board suggests that this is a matter of vital interest to the town and its development should be carefully watched.
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