USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1926-1930 > Part 17
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831
State Tax,
$6,715.00
State Highway Tax,
3,536.46
County Tax,
11,121.79
State Audit Tax,
286.80
Tax on personal estate,
8,011.36
Tax on real estate,
131,029.24
Tax on polls,
1,192.00
Number of polls assessed, 596
Respectfully submitted, SIDNEY C. SOULE, WENDELL PHILLIPS, ALFRED E. GREEN, Assessors of Duxbury.
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Report of Chief of Police
The work of the Constables and Special Police has been mostly attending to traffic duty. The automobiles have changed conditions in every way.
The question of discontinuing Gurnet Bridge as rec- ommended by the Legislative Committee if passed will make quite a difference in police expenses at that point thus giving an opportunity to station officers at the dan- gerous crossings where their services are much needed.
There have been several petty breaks requiring some time and expense.
There has been one conviction for the sale of intoxi- cating liquor, with a fine of $100.
Respectfully submitted,
SIDNEY C. SOULE.
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Report of Department of Public Welfare
To the Citizens of Duxbury :
Your Board make the following report :
The work of the department is of a routine nature. At the present time there are five inmates in the Infirm- ary, one of these being blind; one being unable to get around and obliged to sit in a chair or in bed.
This makes the work of caring for them very hard.
The amount of money required for running the department is very uncertain.
We have had several cases the past year in town and, out of town which have required a large amount of medi- cal attention at home and in various hospitals, this bring- ing the expense to quite an amount above the appropria- tion.
We shall be obliged to ask the town for a sum of money for unpaid bills of 1928.
You will notice that under receipts in the front part of the town report there was reimbursed the town about $1,100.00 which cannot be used by the Overseers without a vote of the town.
Respectfully submitted,
SIDNEY C. SOULE, ALFRED E. GREEN, GORDON TWEED, Board of Public Welfare.
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Report of Fire Chief
We have had a number of building and chimney fires in the past year, but the town has suffered no serious f financial loss by them. The selectmen have received several letters from citizens highly commending this department in its splendid work. The apparatus is in first class condition but I may be obliged to buy a few hundred feet of hose this year and some replacement extinguishers. I wish to call your attention again to the highly protective value of bicarbonate of soda in the homes and cars. I have had several communications of where it saved property and at least slowed their fire up so it simplified the work of the firemen on arrival at the f fire. This can be procured in pound packages at the No. .2 engine house on request. The new engine house at South Duxbury, has been completed and a man has been there since November 15 cleaning, painting, and putting in condition all kinds of apparatus and supplies. The over- hauling and cleaning up was very much needed. It is no use to have apparatus unless it is properly taken care of and ready for any emergency. The new building, we feel is a credit to the town, and the most for the money we ever obtained. The building is open for inspection of the building and apparatus. We will be glad to have you come at any time and we feel that you will say that we are justified in being proud of our work. If you have a fire, simply notify central and they will see that the de- partment is promptly notified as the arrangements have been made with the manager to that affect. One fire call box is in the central office and operated by the operator of the exchange.
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Thank you for your hearty co-operation both finan- cially. physically, and morally.
We respectfully submit this report,
H. E. MERRY, Chairman Board of Engineers, Chief Fire Department.
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Report of Forest Fire Warden
to of
Honorable Board of Selectmen and Citizens of Duxbury : Greetings :
The apparatus in this department has been thoroughly overhauled and everything is being done to safe-guard your property and homes. I anticipate a very busy season this coming spring, so much dried grass and so many cigarettes being carelessly thrown about makes it doubly dangerous. Any one wishing to burn and clean up their dangerous spots, I will be glad to help them either by the loan of pump cans and torches or assisting them personally or with a deputy. The permit law has been changed in Barnstable and Plymouth counties so as to read, "No fires without permits unless the ground is covered with snow." I am calling your attention to this. In other towns than Duxbury, the permit fires got beyond control and caused several serious fires, but thanks to your co-operation in this matter, I have nothing of that kind to report. The fires in the last year, as in the pre- vious years, have amounted to practically nothing. But it is being constantly on the alert that keeps them this way. My deputies and men can't be too highly praised for quick response and splendid work they have always done.
Respectfully submitted,
H. E. MERRY.
Sta aid
To Ger
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Report of Dump Department
Honorable Board of Selectmen and Citizens of Duxbury : Greetings :
The plan formulated and worked out by me at this place, through the co-operation of the users we have had a very successful year. The place is no longer a menace to the health and property as a fire menace to the citizens of Duxbury. Officials from different towns have visited it this year and were very much pleased and are using this as a model in their own towns. I think you will agree with me that a man on duty there three days a week at a small expense is well worth while.
Thanking you for your co-operation and asking for a continuance of the same, I am,
Respectfully yours, H. E. MERRY.
Report of Moth Department
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of Duxbury : Gentlemen :
At the last annual town meeting in March, 1928, the town generously appropriated the sum of $5,000, for the work of this department. The moth situation at the time was distinctly bad, partly because of the refusal of the State for the two preceeding years to continue its local aid in fighting the pest. The whole expense fell on the
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town, which could not make up the deficiency. The ap- propriation of last year however enabled the department to do effective work in creosoting and spraying and as a result the general situation at the end of 1928 was a good deal better than in the years 1926 and 1927.
Complete extermination of the gypsy moth is of course impossible under the circumstances. The best this department can do is to keep the moths from spread- ing to the belts of shade trees along the public roads and starting new colonies where they would do more serious damage to inhabitated areas than they now accomplish. Some bad infestations are present in several places to wit: about 100 acres in the vicinity of Mayflower cem- etery ; 100 acres on the right hand side of Toby Garden Street, in the direction of the Mayflower colony ; 75 acres between Toby Garden Street and the State highway. Other smaller infested areas are scattered throughout the town. This year the department will have to watch these colonies and fight back their encroachments upon the highways and other important areas. The efficiency of the work will naturally depend upon the amount of money the department has at its disposal. The cost of putting out one spraying machine per day is about $23, for labor alone. The department has at present three machines, each of which can distribute about ten loads a day with water as conveniently obtained as it is now, a privilege for which this department wishes to thank the Water Commissioner. The season for spraying an im- portant part of the departments activities extend from the middle of May to the latter part of June. We must creosote and we must spray.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN D. MORRISON, Local Superintendent.
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Report of Tree Warden
To the Citizens of Duxbury :
The work in this department this year has been mostly trimming up road sides where the limbs were low, and cutting down several dead trees.
Last spring we had quite a few Maple trees that were infested with scale and these were sprayed with lime sulphur.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN D. MORRISON, Tree Warden.
Report of Town Forest Committee
To the Selectmen and Citizens of Duxbury :
Your Town Forest Committee purchased 22 acres of upland on Mayflower Street in 1926. At our last Town meeting we had an Article in the Town Warrant asking for $200.00 to clean the lot up but through an error it was printed in the Warrant $200, to buy more land. Your committee purchased 6 acres of land for $75.00 leaving a balance of $125.00. This land joins the land on Mayflower Street. We would like to have enough money to clean up this land ready to set out trees which can be procured from the State Nurseries.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN D. MORRISON, Chairman of Committee.
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Report of Street Department
To the Selectmen and Citizens of Duxbury :
Another year has past and the usual road work has been done.
The appropriations made by the Town were used in extending Franklin Street to Congress Street, also the building of a tarvia and gravel road from Temple Street, North Duxbury over River and Keene Streets to Union Street, Ashdod.
The clearing of the road sides had to be done to quite an extent as the past two years have been so wet the bushes had grown in badly making the roads narrow for traffic.
Respectfully submitted, EDWARD S. O'NEIL, Superintendent of Streets.
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Report of Memorial Day Committee for G. A. R.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and Citizens of Duxbury :
In accordance with the usual custom Myles Standish Camp 115 S. U. V. C. W., appointed a committee to take charge of the Memorial Day observances for the Grand Army of the Republic.
We respectfully submit the following report :
We procured the music, speaker, flags, flowers, trans- portation, and printing, also dinner for over 80 school children that brought flowers. The Camp and local American Legion Post worked together in decorating all Soldiers' monuments in Duxbury and all kown soldiers graves with flags and potted plants also cut flowers furn- ished by the school children.
In all we decorated 3 monuments
22 Revolutionary Soldiers' graves
1 War of 1812 Soldiers' grave
214 Civil War Soldiers' graves
6 World War Soldiers' graves
We wish to thank all citizens who helped in any way, and especially the school children, and teachers.
Appropriation, $400.00
Balance 1927, .83
$400.83
Speaker, $15.00
Music, 166.25
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Auto hire,
29.00
Printing,
14.50
Flags,
65.50
Flowers, 65.00
Dinner,
37.00
$392.25
Balance on hand,
8.58
Respectfully submitted,
PARKER B. CHANDLER, Chairman.
EARL W. CHANDLER,
GEORGE B. CUSHING,
EDEN S. GLOVER,
OSCAR B. RYDER,
GEORGE B. CUSHING, JR.
WILLARD CHUBBUCK,
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Report of the Planning Board
To the Citizens of Duxbury :
Your Planning Board makes the following report for the year of 1928.
Nine meetings have been held during the year, at which important matters have been discussed, among them the following items :- a set-back of 30 feet from the road way for all buildings erected in the future to allow for widening of roadways when needed; a partial zoning plan for residential sections in the town. These two rec- ommendations with a map of the proposed zoning plan prepared by the Chairman, Franklin Brett, were pre- sented to the Selectmen.
As many of the streets in town had inadequate signs and some of the streets had no signs at all, the Board prepared a list of needed sign posts to be erected through- out the town which was given to the Selectmen.
Through the efforts of the Board through its Chair- man, the new Post Office building, in the Village, was set farther back from the street than was at first planned. In view of the vacant land adjoining, the Board recom- mended a much further set-back from the street, but that proving impossible, the building was erected on the present lines, which is an improvement over the pre- vious post-office site.
The feasability of an Air-port in an outlying section of the Town, was investigated and the Chairman of the Board prepared a map of the section, which with a letter, was presented to the Selectmen for their approval, with
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the intention of submitting the plan to the Federal Government for their investigation.
The Planning Board recommends that the town have the first week in April, 1929, as Clean-up Week, and that an article be inserted in the Warrant for the coming Town meeting to raise and appropriate the sum of $100, to provide trucks for the collection and disposal of the rubbish, as was done in the Spring of 1927.
There seems to be need of reserving the floor of the High School auditorium during town meetings for the voters of Duxbury, and the Board recommends that a checking list be used at the doors of the auditorium when voting on appropriations is in order.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANKLIN BRETT, Chairman.
B. F. GOODRICH, CHARLES BITTINGER, MRS. JOSEPHINE H. SHAW, AGNES S. ELLISON, Secretary.
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Report of the Treasurer of the Duxbury Free Library, Inc.
For the year ended December 31, 1928 January 1, 1928. Balance on hand $1,664.36
Receipts
Return insurance premium $29.53
Interest on deposits
16.45
Income from Invested Funds :
Wright Fund
3,031.67
Winsor Fund
260.00
Hathaway Fund
118.50
Duxbury Hall Fund
127.50
Harding Fund
91.51
$3,675.16
Total
$5,339.52
Payments
Salaries, care of library and grounds
$1,924.30
Insurance
391.50
Plumbing
86.60
Telephone
44.95
Electric Light
91.61
Coal and Wood
254.35
Books and Magazines
963.47
Water
30.00
Sundries
91.87
Treasurer's Bond
37.50
Book Cases
60.00
$3,976.15
December 31, 1928. Balance on hand $1,363.37
B. C. LEAVITT, Treasurer.
Correct
C. R. BELCHER, Auditor
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Report of Trustees of Duxbury Free Library, Inc.
The following statistics are taken from the annual report of the Librarian of the Duxbury Free Library for the year ending December 31, 1928.
New names added to the register
296
Total number of books issued
15,636
Non-fiction
4,215
Issued by basket delivery Additions
472
By purchase
184
Gift
84
Binding magazines etc.
22
290
The policy of arranging the library hours on certain days to suit the convenience of the high school pupils has been continued, and in the Librarian's report it is stated that they have been eager for this privilege, and their conduct testifies their appreciation. The total at- tendance on high school days was 4,053.
On July 1, Miss Mary Peterson in behalf of the Sons of Union Veterans Auxiliary presented to the Li- brary a beautiful silk flag. Among other friends that made gifts to the Library were Mr. George B. Frazar, who gave three books on Japanese subjects, and the Reverend Walter R. Hunt, who gave sixty-two volumes.
During the year there has been a number of inter- esting exhibits of picture cards and other matter for special occasions.
At the close of the year, the Reverend Lewis J. Thomas, who had served faithfully as a member of the corporation for nearly sixteen years, tendered his resig- nation which was later accepted.
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At the same time, Miss Sara B. Higgins, who had served loyally and efficiently as librarian for twenty-six (26) years, was retired on pension. The following table gives the circulation from 1902 to 1928 inclusive :
Year
Volumes :
Year
Volumes :
1902
5,484
1916
10.401
1903
7,144
1917
12,052
1904
7,868
1918
11,571
1905
8,519
1919
12,065
1906
8,049
1920
13,488
1907
6,766
1921
15,561
1908
8,619
1922
15,545
1909
8,004
1923
16,186
1910
10,543
1924
17,302
1911
9,900
1925
18,031
1912
9,571
1926
15,500
1913
9,362
1927
17,131
1914
8,978
1928
15,636
1915
10,789
Total
310,065
Respectfully submitted, HERBERT E. WALKER,
Clerk of the Duxbury Free Library for the year 1928.
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Report of Cemetery Trustees
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and Citizens of Duxbury :
Another year has passed and again we are called upon to make a report of work accomplished in this de- partment. After the death of Mr. Martin Hanigan in October 1927, John Simmons took charge of the cemetery work. He carried this work along until March 1, 1928 when Thomas W. Herrick was elected Superintendent of Cemeteries. As the work of this department is all under town management, a State law recently enacted does not allow any private work to be done by a superin- tendant in town controlled cemeteries. All work done must be under the supervision of the Cemetery Trustees and the money for same paid into the town treasury. The opening of graves, building of foundations and building and care of lots has always been done by the superintendent and the money he received for same, after paying his men, helped to pay his salary. As this could not be done, under the new law, it became necessary to pay him a fixed salary which was done. All bills now for work done have to be sent out by the secretary of the cemetery trustees, payable to the Town Treasurer and a record of same kept for the benefit of the State Auditors. This has been a hard proposition as the address of many of the lot owners was not known but we now have most of them and we believe this system will work out very satisfactorily this coming year. Much credit is due Miss Ellen Hanigan for the assistance she gave us in this work. The usual work of raking and burning the leaves and
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sticks was done and it became necessary to remove sever- al of the trees that had died. Quite a few lots have been added in the new part of the cemetery. New avenues have been added and plans made for extending this work during the coming year. As the old Mayflower Street is now the main entrance to the cemetery it seems neces- sary to macadamize or gravel and oil that part of it lead- ing from Tremont Street to Oak Avenue, which runs through the center of the older part of the cemetery and we would ask for a special appropriation for this work. Ashdod, Standish and Dingley Cemeteries have been mowed and raked and the trees trimmed where necessary.
The lots have been well fertilized and that together with the rains in the early part of the summer kept them looking in fine condition.
We have purchased this past year a casket lowering device and grass mats for grave lining and sand covering. These are being used now in a great many cemeteries and are being called for by all undertakers, especially those from out of town. With few exceptions out of town funerals do not bring bearers with them and the lower- ing device is very necessary. The town will receive com- pensation for its use. There have been seventeen inter- ments of those who died in town and thirty-three from out of town during the past year ..
Twenty-eight foundations and forty-three lots have been built during the year. Seventeen lots have also been put in "Perpetual Care."
We have purchased small iron markers for all "Per- petual Care" lots. As there are so many lots now in this list, it is very hard to distinguish them all without look- ing up the number of the lot on the records and these markers will be of great value. We appreciate the sup- port and help of our town's people given us in the past and ask for your cooperation this coming year. Under
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the present system it seems necessary to ask for an ap- propriation of $6500 to carry on the work in 1929 as quite a substantial amount will go back into the town treasury.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT M. GOULDING, Chairman. JOHN SIMMONS, Secretary. THEODORE W. GLOVER, ERNEST H. BAILEY, THOMAS W. HERRICK,
Trustees.
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Report of the Board of Health
To the Selectmen and Towns people of Duxbury :
There has been reported 94 case of communicable diseases during the past year as follows :
Chickenpox,
9
Measles, plain
37
German Measles,
1
Black Measles,
1
Mumps,
27
Scarlet Fever,
5
Pulmonary T. B.
1
Pulmonary T. B., continued from 1927,
1
Tuberculous Ankle, continued from 1927,
1
Lobar Pneumonia,
1
Whooping Cough,
10
Ophthalmia,
1
Supparative Conjunctivitis,
1
There were 2 deaths, 1 from black Measles, and 1 from Pulmonary T. B. at Plymouth County Hospital with a settlement outside of Duxbury.
We thank all who have reported diseases to us which has helped in the tabulations.
The venereal situation looks more promising as no new cases have been found, and the cases we now have are doing well.
The milk and dairy conditions while not perfect are better than for some time, and as we compare them with some we found in Plymouth County where the bacteria count went into the millions per c. c. we felt that Duxbury was not so bad, but when we think of the Septic Sore Throat Epidemics spread by raw milk, and the one in a
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town of 4000 population, where the approximate total cases was 1,000, with 40 deaths and others quite near us, we realize that clean and safe milk is only had by con- stant vigilance.
The Pasteurized milk is not immune to lax methods of handling, bottles, caps or utensils.
We have issued 33 permits to stores and wayside stands to sell milk.
There has been more complaints of real or fancied nuisances, two of which we deemed of sufficient impor- tace to place before the District Health Officer. Com- plaints from the summer residents along certain sections of the shore, as to the condition of the water at times led us to investigate, and to have water and clams from these points examined and analyzed. The findings show- ing the presence of sewage in the water, and Colon Bacilli in the clams.
We have recovered all expenses incurred in caring for the out of town T. B. case.
Again thanking you all for your co-operation with us in our efforts to preserve the health of the public, we are,
Respectfully yours,
EUGENE E. COVELL, C. W. EATON, G. E. BELKNAP,
Board of Health.
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Majority Report of the Duxbury Beach Committee
To the Citizens of Duxbury :
Your committee have held many meetings, also meet- ings with the State Commission, and sub-committees of this commission.
The public hearing on September 8, 1928 in Dux- bury, before the State Special Commission on Salisbury and Duxbury Beaches, of which all voters were notified by postal card seemed to show conclusively that the people of Duxbury by a very large majority would oppose a State Reservation if the travel to it were to pass through the main streets of Duxbury, with the consequent cutting of trees and widening of streets.
Another public hearing on September 14, 1928 at the State House showed the same sentiment in a very marked degree.
The committee has seen typewritten copies of what purports to be the bill now introduced in the Legislature affecting Duxbury and Salisbury Beaches. The bill is not in printed form at the time of the writing of this report.
The bill provides for the taking of some four miles of beach extending roughly speaking from the Hummock to the Plymouth line, also provides for taking a large amount of marsh land extending from the Beach west- erly to the channel of Little Wood Island River, and pro- vides for the taking and for the removal of Gurnet Bridge.
That part of the bill which particularly applies to Duxbury is worded as follows: A parcel of land bounded and described as follows :- Beginning at a point in the
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Boundary Line between the Towns of Marshfield and Duxbury and on the easterly side of Gurnet Road, said point being assumed to be a stone bound now located in the aforesaid position, approximately, thence following the easterly side of Gurnet Road as laid out by the Town of Duxbury southerly to an intersection with the east- erly side of that portion of Gurnet Road which is a straight line to the Hummock, as described in Town of Duxbury records, thence at right angles to this portion of Gurnet road in an easterly direction to a point 40' distant from the westerly side of this same portion of Gurnet road,
thence southerly in a line parallel to the westerly side of Gurnet road and distant 40 ' therefrom to an in- tersection with the northerly boundary of the land of the Ocean Telegram Company (Western Union Telegraph Co.) at Rouses' Hummock ;
thence easterly in the aforesaid northerly boundary of the land of the Ocean Telegraph Co. to its intersection with the Mean Low Tide Contour in Mass. Bay on Dux- bury Beach, thence southerly along said Mean Low Tide Contour to its intersection with the Boundary Line be- tween the Towns of Plymouth and Duxbury,
thence westerly in said Town Boundary to its in- tersection with the Mean Low Tide Contour in Duxbury Bay,
thence following said Mean Low Tide Contour in Duxbury Bay to its intersection at Point C with the line AB on the Map, said line AB line described hereafter,
thence following said line AB to its intersection with the same Mean Low Tide Contour in Duxbury Bay at Point A, on the map, said Point A being approximately 100 Rods distant from Mean High Water in Duxbury Bay beyond the mouth of High Pines Creek,
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