USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1920-1925 > Part 30
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Merrill S. and Doris L.
Burt
November
James and Florence M.
Murray Ahlquist Redmond
January 28
Malcolm Mosher
Graham Allan Arnold
Nathan P. and Margaret G.
Ashbrook
Perley S. and Carrie E.
Phillips
March 11
Jaakko and Minnie
William N. and Mary E.
Reardon
Wesley F. and Florence
James and Mary
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TOWN MEETINGS
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, MARCH 1, 1924
In the absence of the Town Clerk, the Chairman of the Selectmen, Sidney C. Soule, called the meeting to order. Wendell B. Phillips was elected Town Clerk, pro tem. Henry P. Moulton was elected Moderator.
Herbert Packard, Harry A. McNaught and Robert I. Tower were appointed Tellers and sworn by the Mod- erator.
Voted, that the Selectmen appoint the necessary offic- ers not chosen by ballot.
The reports of the various Town Officers, as printed in the Town Report, were accepted.
Voted, to raise and appropriate $39,054.93 as follows: Resurfacing Washington Street, loan, 1919, $1,000 00 Resurfacing Columbus Avenue and Marshall
Street, loan, 1919, 2,200 00
Resurfacing Chestnut, Toby Garden and
ยท Elm Streets, loan, 1920, 6,000 00
Resurfacing Harrison Street, loan, 1923, 4,000 00
3,000 00
Interest,
Gypsy and Browntail Moth, 1,854.93
State, County and Highway Taxes, estimated, 21,000 00 Voted to raise and appropriate for :
Cemeteries, 3,500 00
Plymouth County Hospital, Maintenance, 1923, 1,256 03
Support of Schools, 36,500 00
Fire Protection,
700 00
Forest Warden,
1,100 00
Tree Warden,
300 00
Snow Removal,
1,000 00
Health Department,
1,000 00
Vital Statistics, 50 00
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Animal Inspection Department,
150 00
Department of Inspection of Slaughtered Animals,
150 00
Charities,
6,000 00
Soldiers' and Sailors' Aid,
250 00
Town Physicians,
400 00
Repairs to Gurnet Bridge,
1,337 49
Selectmen's Department,
1,500 00
Voted, to take up Article 17 in connection with the ap- propriation for the Selectmen's Department, and
Voted, that the salary of the Chairman of the Select- men be $700; of the Chairman of the Assessors, $500; and of the Chairman of the Overseers of the Poor, $100, ninety-five voting in favor and twenty-seven against.
Voted, to raise and appropriate for :
Election and Registration Department, $400 00
Treasurer's Department, 1,000 00
Collector's Department, 1,000 00
Assessors' Department,
1,200 00
Law Department,
300 00
Town Hall and Office,
1,000 00
Town Clerk's Department,
450 00
Clerk (Selectmen, Assessors and Overseers of the Poor), 800 00
Police Department, 1,500 00
Department of Sealer of Weights and Measures, 200 00
Bounties on Hawks, Crows and Seals, 100 00
Unclassified Department, 1,300 00
Town Dump, 150 00
and it was voted that a Committee of Three be ap- pointed by the Chair to act in regard to change in location of the town dump. Hortense E. Merry, Frederick B. Knapp and Sidney C. Soule were appointed as this Com- mittee.
Voted, to raise and appropriate for : Highways, Bridges and Sidewalks, 11,000 00
$1,000 of this appropriation to be expended by a Com- mittee of Three to be appointed by the Chair, for expert
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advice and temporary repairs of Bluefish River Bridge. The Chair appointed as this Committee, Edward' S. O'Neil, Wendell Phillips and John K. Parker.
Town Landings, 300 00 In connection with the Street Lighting Department it was voted to take up Article 21 and
Voted, to raise and appropriate $1,888.00 to include placing three lights at North Duxbury as follows: One at the crossing of Temple and Franklin streets; one at the junction of Lincoln and Franklin streets, in front of or near the Fire Station; and one at the junction of Acorn and Franklin streets.
Voted, to raise and appropriate for :
American Legion Post No. 223, 100 00
Voted, to raise and appropriate the sum of $350 to be expended under the direction of William Wadsworth Post No. 165, G. A. R., for the observance of Memorial Day.
Voted, that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of revenue for the financial year, beginning January 1, 1925, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year, any debt or debts in- curred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Voted, to raise and appropriate the sum of $500 for a Reserve Fund for the year 1924.
Voted, to raise and appropriate for the use of the Ply- mouth County Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture the sum of $200.00, as provided in Sections 41 and 45 of Revised Chapter 128 of the General Laws, and chose Theodore W. Glover, Jr., Director.
Voted, to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 for the Duxbury Free Library.
Voted, that the sum of $11,000.00 from the Excess and Deficiency Account be used by the Assessors in mak- ing the tax rate.
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Voted, to raise and appropriate a sum of money not to exceed $15,000.00, to resurface with sand asphalt the road called Surplus Street, beginning at the easterly end at Washington Street, through said Street to westerly end which joins Depot Street, notes to be issued therefor, payable in five annual payments. Eighty-three (83) voted in favor and forty-four (44) against. More than two-thirds having voted in favor, the motion was car- ried and was so declared by the Moderator.
Voted, to raise and appropriate $300 to straighten the two dangerous curves on Franklin Street, one on the northerly side of said street near the junction of West and Franklin streets, and one on south side of said street opposite the house of John Lovell.
Voted, to raise and appropriate a sum of money not to exceed $10,000.00, to resurface with sand asphalt Union and Congress streets, subject to the State and County appropriating an equal amount, and to issue notes there- for, payable in five equal annual payments. Eighty- seven (87) voted in favor and thirty-eight (38) against. More than two-thirds having voted in favor the motion was carried and was so declared by the Moderator.
Voted, to accept the road as laid out by the Selectmen, beginning at a point on Tremont Street and running across the Cemetery Extension to a point on Mayflower Street near the town dump, and to raise and appropriate $3,000.00 for the construction thereof.
Voted, to discontinue that portion of Mayflower Street beginning at Tremont Street and running to a point where the new proposed street across the Cemetery Ex- tension enters Mayflower Street near Town Dump.
Voted, to indefinitely postpone Article 16, which reads : "To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money to remove the Cemetery fence bordering on Mayflower Street, and set same along Tremont Street, and take, any other action thereon."
Voted, to lay on the table Article 18, which reads: "Will the Town vote to raise and appropriate the sum of
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$1,000.00 for the purpose of repairing and extending the road work on Temple Street, North Duxbury? The new work to extend in either direction the Selectmen decide upon."
Voted, to lay on the table Article 19, which reads: "To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money to grade and resurface with sand asphalt Crescent Street and take any other action thereon."
Voted, to resurface with sand asphalt South Station Street from Depot Street to Partridge Road, the amount expended to be taken from the Highway appropriation.
Voted, to increase the wages for unskilled town labor to $4.50 per day for eight hours.
Voted, to give the Selectmen authority to relocate the Landing Road to the satisfaction of Mr. Timothy Cough- lin and the Selectmen.
Voted, under Article 24, to name the square where the World War Veterans Monument stands, "Charles Boom- er Square"; and to lay on the table the clause in this article which reads: "To see if the Town will dedicate the World War Monument and Square to the Duxbury Post, 223, American Legion."
Voted, to instruct the Selectmen not to sell or convey any Town land without the consent of the Town.
Voted, to apply the dividend from the Plymouth County Dog Fund to the support of Schools.
Voted, to raise and appropriate the sum of $535.00 to purchase two traffic beacon lights, and that the Select- men, with Harry B. Bradley, relocate the Millbrook traf- fic beacon, and that the Selectmen be instructed to view the location of the other beacon with view of relocating.
Voted, to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,150.00 toward the purchase of a tandem roller, the understand- ing being that $1,000.00 will be allowed for the old steam roller.
Voted, to raise and appropriate $1,000.00 for the im- provement of Train Field Playground, to be expended under the direction of a Committee appointed by the
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Chair. H. B. Bradley, Paul C. Peterson and William J. Burke were appointed as this Committee.
Voted, to lay on the table Article 30, which reads : "To see what action the Town will take regarding the pay of the Chairman of the Board of Health."
Voted, to lay on the table Article 31, which reads: "To see what action the Town will take regarding the pay of the Chairman of the Board of School Committee."
Voted, to lay on the table Article 32 which reads: "To see what action the town will take regarding the pay of the chairman of the Board of Cemetery Trustees."
Voted, to accept the offer of the Trustees of Partridge Academy of the Academy Real Estate and furnishings for $1.00, and subject to the following restrictions :
First. That the building shall be used for school pur- poses for not less than thirty years.
Second. That no structural changes shall be made in the original building.
Third. That any addition to the original building shall be in the rear of the back line of said building, or said line prolonged.
Fourth. That the same order of architecture shall be carried out in any addition, as in the original build- ing.
Fifth. That the general wooded effect as now existing on the Academy land, northeasterly and southeasterly of the buildings, be preserved as far as possible.
118 voted in favor and 54 against.
Voted, that a sum not to exceed $85,000.00 be raised and appropriated for the purpose of building a Junior- Senior High School Building joining or attached to the Academy Building, said sum to be raised by twenty-year bonds. 115 voted in the affirmative and 29 in the nega- tive. More than two-thirds having voted in favor, the motion was carried and was so declared by the Modera- tor. This money is to be expended under the direction of a Committee of Seven Persons, one to be a member of the Board of Selectmen, to be selected by that Board;
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one to be a member of the School Committee, to be se- lected by that Committee; and five to be chosen by this meeting, which chose' unanimously, Harry B. Bradley, Nathaniel K. Noyes, Miss Sally Freeman Dawes, Mrs. Paul C. Peterson and Robert Cushman.
Voted, to accept the report of Joint Committee on Schools.
Voted, to exchange a piece of land at Town Landing at Old Cove, so-called, for a piece adjoining said Town Landing, now belonging to Mrs. Helen Ripley Clapp and and Mrs. Clara Ripley Evans.
Voted, to accept Section 6, Chapter 148, General Laws.
Voted, to raise and appropriate $4,200.00 to purchase new equipment for Engine House No. 1.
RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED, that the citizens of Duxbury in Town Meeting assembled, empower the Selectmen to ap- point a Committee to oppose any and all legislation hav- ing for its purpose the removal of the statue of Miles Standish from its place on the top of the monument on Captain's Hill, South Duxbury.
Voted, that the Moderator be paid the sum of $25 for his services.
WENDELL B. PHILLIPS,
Clerk, Pro Tem.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS, MARCH 8, 1924
The polls were opened at 7 o'clock a. m. and were closed at 1 o'clock p. m.
The register on the ballot-box indicated 372 and 372 ballots were counted out.
Following is a result of the balloting for Town Officers : For Selectmen for one year, three to be elected :
Harry B. Bradley,
174 votes
Alfred E. Green,
234 votes
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Wendell Phillips, Sidney C. Soule, Scattering, Blanks,
253 votes 306 votes 1 vote 520
For Assessor for three years, one to be elected :
Harry B. Bradley,
93 votes
Sidney C. Soule,
Blanks,
239 votes 412
For Overseers of the Poor for one year, three to be elected :
Harry B. Bradley,
173 votes
Alfred E. Green,
231 votes
Wendell Phillips,
239 votes
Sidney C. Soule,
305 votes
Blanks, 539
For Town Clerk for one year :
George H. Stearns,
323 votes
Blanks,
49
For Town Treasurer for one year :
George H. Stearns,
320 votes
Blanks,
52
For Collector of Taxes for one year : George H. Stearns,
318 votes
Blanks,
54
For Constables for one year :
Andrew J. Delano,
296 votes
Charles S. Pierce,
284 votes
Warren C. Prince,
272 votes
Blanks,
263
For School Committee for three years : John Simmons,
302 votes
Scattering,
2 votes
Blanks,
68
For Board of Health for three years: Charles W. Eaton,
286 votes
Blanks,
86
For Cemetery Trustee for five years : John Simmons, 299 votes
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Blanks,
73
For Tree Warden for one year :
John D. Morrison,
300 votes
Blanks, 72
For Auditor for one year :
Myron M. White,
16 votes
Scattering, 12 votes
Blanks,
344
"Shall licenses be granted for the sale of certain non- intoxicating beverages in this town?"
"Yes,"
175
"No," 125
Blanks, 72
Voted, to adjourn.
GEORGE H. STEARNS, Town Clerk.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, MAY 24, 1924.
The meeting was called to order by the Town Clerk.
Voted, unanimously, that the reading of the Warrant be waived.
Voted, unanimously, that the Town Clerk cast a ballot for William N. Cronin for Moderator.
Herbert Packard, William J. Burke, Warren C. Prince and Robert I. Tower were appointed Tellers and sworn by the Town Clerk.
Uuder Article 2 it was voted, to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000 for the purpose of resurfacing with sand asphalt the road called Surplus Street, beginning at the easterly end at Washington Street, through said Surplus Street to the westerly end which joins Depot Street: and that to meet said appropriation there be raised in the levy of the current year the sum of $3,000, and that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select- men, be and hereby is authorized to borrow a sum not to exceed $12,000, and to issue bonds or notes of the
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Town therefore, said bonds or notes to be payable in ac- cordance with the provisions of Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than five years from the date of issue of the first bond or note. One hundred and thirty-seven (137) voted in favor and twelve (12) in opposition. More than two-thirds having voted in favor, the motion was carried and was so declared by the Moderator.
It was voted that Article 3 of the warrant be adopted as read, as follows: "To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000, for the purpose of resurfacing with sand asphalt Union and Congress Streets, said sum to be used in conjunction with a like sum allotted by the State and the County, and that to meet said appropriation there be raised in the levy of the current year the sum of $2,000, and that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and is hereby au- thorized to borrow a sum not to exceed $3,000 and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than five years from the date of issue of the first bond or note." One hundred and fifty-two (152) voted in favor and five (5) in opposition. More than two-thirds having voted in favor, the motion was carried and was so declared by the Moderator.
Under Article 4, which reads: "To see of the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $85,000 for the purpose of building a Junior-Senior High School Building adjoining or attached to the Academy Build- ing and for the original equipment and furnishings of said building or addition, and that to meet said appro- priation there be raised in the levy of the current year the sum of $2,000, and that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the sum of $83,000 and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in ac-
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cordance with the provisions of Section 19, Chapter 44 of the General Laws, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty years from the date of issue of the first bond or note." One hundred and four (104) voted in favor and eighty-five (85) in opposition. Less than two-thirds having voted in favor, the motion was lost and was so declared by the Moderator.
Voted to indefinitely postpone Article 5, which reads : "Will the Town vote to use the Town Hall for school pur- poses and the Committee be given authority to enlarge and repair the same according to plans procured by the school-house building committee, subject to the follow- ing restrictions, that the hall shall be open at all times for any meetings duly authorized by the Selectmen ?"
Voted to indefinitely postpone Article 6, which reads : "To see if the Town will raise and appropriate $1,000 for procuring plans and specifications for a Junior-Senior High School Building or such other school building as the Town may direct (to be erected on a site other than land of Partridge Academy) and to designate or appoint a committee to procure such plans and specifications and to recommend a site for said building, said committee to report at a town meeting to be held not later than July 15, 1924." Ninety (90) voted in favor and eighty- one (81) in opposition.
Under Article 7, voted not to rescind the vote under Article 33 of the Annual Town Meeting of March 1, 1924, whereby the Town voted to accept the offer of the Par- tridge Academy Trustees of the Academy real estate and furnishings for the sum of one dollar and subject to their restrictions. Eighty-one (81) voted in favor of rescinding and ninety (90) in opposition.
Under Article 8, voted to rescind the entire action taken under Article 34 of the Annual Town Meeting of March 1, 1924, whereby the Town voted an appropria- tion of Eighty-five Thousand Dollars ($85,000) for a
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Junior-Senior High School and elected a building con !- mittee to expend the said amount.
Voted that the Moderator be paid $25 for his services. Voted to adjourn.
GEORGE H. STEARNS,
Town Clerk.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, MAY 10, 1924. Chose Alfred E. Green, Moderator.
The Moderator ruled that no action be taken on Ar- ticle 2, as the subject matter was not legally passed at the Annual Town Meeting.
Voted, to lay Articles 3 and 4 upon the table.
Under Article 5, which reads: "Will the Town vote to use the Town Hall for school purposes and the Commit- tee be given authority to enlarge and repair same ac- cording to plans procured by the school-house commis- sion, subject to the following restrictions, that the hall shall be open at all times for any meetings duly author- ized by the Selectmen," thirty-six (36) voted in favor and seventy (70) against, and the motion was declared by the Moderator as not carried.
Voted, to adjourn.
GEORGE H. STEARNS, Town Clerk.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, DECEMBER 27, 1924.
In the absence of the Town Clerk the meeting was called to order and the warrant was read by the Chair- man of the Selectmen, Sidney C. Soule.
Sally Freeman Dawes was chosen Clerk Pro Tem. .
Chose, Harry B. Bradley to act as Moderator.
Voted, that the Town appropriate from the Excess and Deficiency Account the sum of $2,159.19 for the various departments : Election and Registration, $100; Fire Protection, $800; Forest Warden, $900: Unclassified,
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$112.57: Street Lighting, $91.24: Junior-Senior High School appropriation, $155.38.
Voted, that the Town Hall be used for school pur- poses under restrictions which the Selectmen may im- pose, for a term of two years unless sooner revoked by the Selectmen.
Voted, that Article 4, "To see of the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $4,000 for the payment of architect fees in relation to Junior-Senior High School and take any other action thereon," be laid on the table.
Voted, that the meeting adjourn.
SALLY FREEMAN DAWES,
Clerk Pro Tem.
STATEMENT OF DOG LICENSES ISSUED.
Whole number of dogs licensed,
166
Males, 130
Females, 36
Kennel or breeders,
1
Paid County Treasurer,
$431 60
Fees, paid Town Clerk,
$33 40
Duxbury, December 31, 1924
GEORGE H. STEARNS, Town Clerk.
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ASSESSORS' REPORT
Value of buildings assessed,
$3,251,215 00
Value of land assessed,
$1,414,619 00
Total value of real estate,
$4,665,834 00 $368,298 00
Total value of personal estate,
Total valuation,
$5,034,132 00
Increase from last year in real estate,
$413,894 00
Decrease in personal estate from last year,
$13,573 00
Rate of taxation on $1,000.00-$22.00.
Number of houses assessed,
1,059
Number of acres of land assessed,
14,297
Number of horses assessed,
118
Number of cows assessed,
211
Number of sheep assessed,
4
Number of neat cattle, other than cows,
42
Number of swine assessed,
26
Number of fowl assessed,
8,055
Number of persons assessed on property,
1,490
Residents,
770
Non-residents,
720
State tax,
$6,800 00
State Highway tax,
$1,783 40
County tax,
$8,222 23
State Audit tax,
$273 37
Gypsey and Brown Tail Moth tax,
$932 29
Tax on personal estate,
$8,102 60
Tax on real estate,
$102,648 36
Tax on polls,
$1,136 00
Number of polls assessed, 568
Respectfully submitted,
SIDNEY C. SOULE, WENDELL PHILLIPS, ALFRED E. GREEN, Assessors of Duxbury.
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REPORT OF OVERSEERS OF THE POOR
Your Board of Overseers make the following report:
The number of inmates in the Almshouse are the same as last year being four in all, three females and one male. One of these being a soldier's widow who pays her board.
The expense of running the department will be found under the financial report.
We have at the present time one State and one out of town case that we are partially supporting for which we should receive reimbursement.
There are some necessary repairs needed at the Alms- house the coming spring.
Our recommendations for amount to be raised will be found in the general recommendations of the Board of Selectmen.
Respectfully submitted,
SIDNEY C. SOULE, WENDELL PHILLIPS, ALFRED E. GREEN, Overseers of the Poor
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REPORT OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
There have been reported to the Board of Health from January 1, 1924, to date, the following cases of com- municable diseases : Chicken Pox, 59; German Measles, 3; Measles, 62; Mumps, 59; Opthalmia Neonatorum, 3; Scarlet Fever, 2; Typhoid Fever, 1; Whooping Cough, 3; Tuberculosis, 2nd attack, hospital case, 1; Tuberculosis, 1st attack, home case, 1; making a total of 194 cases.
By months, these were reported as follows: In Jan- uary, from all diseases, 6; February, 13; March, 28; April, 21; May, 29; June, 14; July, 6; August, 2; Sep- tember, 2; October, 0; November, 44; December, 28. From February to July, mumps prevailed ; from March to December, chicken-pox; from the middle of May to Nov- ember 26, a few scattering cases of measles; and from then to the middle of December, an epidemic of them.
If we add an estimate of 10% of the 194 reported cases, or 20, as not having been reported in any way to the Board of Health, we have a total of 214 cases of com- municable diseases. Why this large number? Simply because the first case is not reported, or if reported, not until after the seed has been sown over a wide area. On receipt of a report of a case, we are required by law to investigate the same. We have regulations for handling the cases. While investigating a reported case, we may hear of three or four other cases, "unreported", which have to be traced and followed up. When we reach home we find that so and so at the other end of the town has left phone message to come there at once; and so it goes, day after day. The last few days of the incubation peri- od, the suspect should not be allowed to leave his prem- ises. This requirement is very hard to enforce.
Again, perhaps we have a case where there is doubt as to the legal settlement. We learn that no settlement
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has been gained here; then we have to see if residence has been established in any other city or town of the state. Before we can charge a settlement against a city or town, our statement of facts must show our claim "beyond a reasonable doubt." If we can find no such settlement, then the case comes to the Commonwealth and here the evidence must be not only beyond reasonable doubt, but beyond a doubt. Having established this, our troubles have just begun and end only when we learn that the town has received a check for the amount in- volved.
At the present time there is due from the State, the sum of $449.43, which has been expended by the town of Duxbury from the Board of Health appropriation for the past year.
In nearly every case where a physician is called, he thinks even if he does report a communicable disease, that he is not really obliged to do so; which idea is in- correct, as the law puts the same obligation on him as on the family.
Even in view of this explanation of long and de- tailed casework, someone will say, "Look at the bills for transportation ! Have you done all you could to make such bills less ?"
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