USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1897 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
Paid Pettingell Andrews Co., wire and supplies . $51 83
New England Gamewell Co., 3 boxes 156 00
Electric Light Department, labor 118 10
Fore River Engine Co., labor 49
$326 42
INCIDENTAL EXPENSES AND REPAIRS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Appropriation . $925 00
Paid New England Gamewell Co., supplies $42 10
George Sampson, painting 5 00
Beatie Zinc Works, chemi- cals . 60 00
E. & L. King & Co., chem- icals . 20 05
Amount carried forward, $127 15
37
Amount brought forward, $127 15 Paid Holbrook Fire Department, attending fire on Di- vision street .
40 00
Woodsum's Express Co., drawing apparatus to fires . 85 00
O. Q. Ball. drawing appar- atus to fires 5 00
R. Allen Gage, drawing apparatus to fires .
12 00
Braintree Water Depart- ment, water 30 00
A. S. Jackson, supplies 62 00
Electric Light Department,
light, 3 houses . ·
41 45
Electric Light Department,
repairs on fire alarm . 12 50
John Anderson, watching
fire . ·
2 00
Patrick Dugan, watching fire ·
2 50
A. H. Gigie, watching fire 2 00
E. W. Dubois, watching fire 2 00
Richard DeNeil, watching
fire ·
2 50
Pettingell Andrews, sup- plies . .
22 65
Fore River Engine Co .. labor ·
4
6 53
C. V. Cottrall, labor and supplies 11 00
William Hill, glass and set- ting . 2 25
Amount carried forward, $466 53
38
Amount brought forward, $466 53
Paid Gem Mfg. Co., soap powder 6 00
F. O. Whitmarsh, repairs on team · 8 85 F. O. Whitmarsh, repairs on houses . 48 52
A. W. Baker, expressing . 2 90
Richard Belyea, iron work 6 00
John Robbins Co., badges 3 90
W. P. Brown, expressing . American Electrical Works. wire . 27 03
3 85
William Hall & Sons, keys 3 35
H. H. Thayer, repairing and painting truck 64 75
A. H. Gigie, painting 26 75
Combination Ladder Co .. supplies
30 00
Frank W. Newhall, painting
20 59
H. W. Borden, carpenter work
42 .77
Charles O. Miller, carpenter work
9 28
B. H. Woodsum Co., coal 6 00
Edward J. Thomas, refresh- ments 6 00
J. F. Perry, care of fire alarmı 109.62
Credit.
By sale of hose reel .
10 00
$894 69
39
NEW HOSE.
Appropriation .
$325 00
Paid Combination Ladder Co., new hose
$325 00
NIGHT POLICE.
Appropriation
$1,800 00
Paid Henry Dugan, Jr., services $600 00
Horace F. Hunt, services . 600 00
John Gallivan . .
509 48
Thomas Downey .
79 04
James R. Qualey
11 48
John P. Lovell Arms Co.,
2 revolvers ·
24 65
Henry Dugan, Jr., cash
expenses 55
$1,825 20
COURT FEES AND EXPENSES.
Paid Horace F. Hunt
$9 95
Henry Dugan, JJr.
.
3 30
John Gallivan .
4 00
James R. Qualey
3 10
James A. Reynolds
3 42
Joseph W. Stetson
4 24
John A. O. Bryne
5 47
Daniel R. McKay
5 72
Amount carried forward, $39 20
40
Amount brought forward,
$39 20
Paid N. B. Furnald
4 90
Thomas F. Ferguson .
8 80
Edwin F. Knight
4 65
John Kelley, services pros-
ecuting liquor cases ·
160 00
John Kelley, court fees .
29 17
City of Quincy, use of lockup
4 90
$251 62
Credit.
By fines paid and returned to
Town Treasurer in
liquor cases ·
$162 79
All others
50 40
.
$213 19
.
COLLECTION AND ABATEMENT OF TAXES
Appropriation
$1,500 00
Paid Margie K. Trower, abate- ment tax, 1895 $1 72
N. F. Hunt, collector abate- ment tax, 1895
565 86
N. F. Hunt, collector abate-
ment tax, 1895 6 00
N. F. Hunt, collector abate- ment tax, 1896
314 64
Benjamin Hawes, Jr., abate- ment tax, 1895 2 00
George A. French, execu-
tor, abatement tax, 1897 141 47
Amount carried forward, $1,031 69
41
Amount brought forward, $1,031 69
Paid William Buker, estate, abatement tax, 1896 6 68
William Buker, estate, abatement tax, 1897 2 35
N. F. Hunt, collecting tax of 1894 . 72 22
N. F. Hunt, collecting tax of 1896 . ·
400 00
N. F. Hunt, tax deed .
18 97
$1,531 91
THAYER PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Appropriation .
$800 00
Paid Nathaniel N. Hunt, treas-
urer of trustees
$800 00
$800 00
DISTRIBUTING BOOKS.
Appropriation .
$100 00
Paid Alverdo H. Masón
$100 00
$100 00
INSURANCE ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Appropriation .
$700 00
42
Paid Charles B. Cummings
$641 25
C. H. Hobart .
43 20
E. O. Underwood, receiver
10 46
$694 91
EXTENSION OF WATER MAINS.
Appropriation . $2,000 00 .
Paid P. D. Holbrook, treasurer of Water Board $2,000 00
$2,000 00
WATER LOAN SINKING FUND.
Appropriation .
$5,120 00
Paid P. D. Holbrook, treasurer $5,120 00
$5,120 00
POST 87, GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.
Appropriation .
$175 00
Paid Henry A. Monk, quarter- master
$175 00
$175 00
HYDRANT SERVICE.
Appropriation .
$4,050 00
43
Paid P. D. Holbrook, treasurer. of Water Board . $4,050 00 .
$4,050 00
CONCRETE SIDEWALKS.
Appropriation .
$1,000 00
Paid George W. Caldwell . $49 20
$49 20
HILLSIDE ROAD.
Appropriation $1,050 00
Paid White & Wetherbee, sur- .veying . .
$49 50
H. L. White, Superintend- ent of Streets (pay rolls) 982 34
W. H. Cobb, tools, etc. 10 83
W. F. Sanborn, lumber 9 45
L. B. Hollis, gravel .
14 55
J. B. Rhines & Co., drain pipe 8 10
$1,074 77
WIDENING WASHINGTON STREET.
Appropriation
$1,745 00
.
44
Paid White & Wetherbee, sur- veying . $27 25
H. L. White, Superintend- ent of Streets, pay rolls George H. Wetherbee, re- moving ledge 120 00
1,291 49
B. H. Woodsum Co., drain pipe
37 82
David W. Lewis, casting for catch basin
3 00
Thomas Penniman, labor on fence 14 81
William H. Cobb, tools
14 80
C. H. Hobart, supplies
2 72
W. F. Sanborn, lumber
23 63
Richard Belyea, iron posts
22 32
Appropriation for painting, paint 1 98
H. M. White, paint .
15 64
N. H. Hunt, gravel .
.
59 45
L. B. Hollis, gravel . .
88
Mary E. Finnegan, gravel .
37 17
$1,672 96
LAND DAMAGE PAID.
Paid John Kelley $410 00
Heirs of Michael Finnegan
1,250 00
Frances A. Finnegan 200 00
Due from county
$1,860 00
$1,860 00
45
PAINTING PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Appropriation
$800 00
Paid J. & W. Bird & Co. for paint
$201 18
Peter Ness, painting Town
House, two coats on two sides and one coat on two sides 174 70
Peter Ness, painting Monat- iquot School House, in- cluding fence, two coats Peter Ness, painting Union
199 83
School House and fence . 52 50 Peter Ness, painting Engine House No. 3 . 25 00
Thomas Penniman, painting Engine House No. 2 18 00
Robert Brooks, painting Engine House No. 1 50 03
Frank W. Newhall, painting
Pond School House 65 80
Frank W. Newhall, painting fence, Pond School House 31 72
$818 76
Credit.
By cash, J. & W. Bird & Co., discount on bill $5 00
4
Paint used on fence widen-
ing Washington street 1 98
$6 98
46
RECAPITULATION FOR 1897.
1,309 orders drawn.
For pay of school teachers ·
$13,792 50
Pay of school janitors ·
1,584 08
Pay for fuel
62 50
Pay of Superintendent of Schools (salary) 1,200 00
Conveyance of pupils 700 00
Text books and supplies
1,544 20
Incidentals for schools
666 80
Incidentals for school houses 970 26
Almshouse
2,001 66
Out door poor .
1,815 81
Soldiers' relief (Acts of
1890) .
422 32
Hospital account
$40 93
State aid, Chap. 301 .
2,077 00
Soldiers' aid, Chap. 279
144 00
Incidental expenses
2,493 96
Town officers · 3,517 66
Removal of snow
1,441 26
Highways and bridges
7,966 99
Electric Light Department
19,629 00
Town Hall
620 28
Janitor Town Hall and
Public Library ·
600 00
Plain Street Cemetery and town lands ·
284 36
Fire Department, pay of members
1,182 00
Fire Department, incident- als 894 69
Fire Department, new hose 325 00
1
Amount carried forward,
$66,577 26
.
.
47
Amount brought forward,
$66,577 26
For Fire Department, fire alarm extension
326 42
Night police
1,825 20
Court fees and expenses
251 62
Collection and abatement of
taxes
1,531 91
Thayer Public Library
800 00
Distributing library books
100 00
Insurance on public build-
ings
694 91
Extension of water mains .
2,000 00
Water loan sinking fund .
5,120 00
Hydrant service
4,050 00
Post 87, Grand Army of the Republic .
175 00
Hillside road
1,074 77
Widening Washington street
1,672 96
Concrete sidewalks
49 20
Painting public buildings .
818 76
Land damage, widening
Washington street .
1,860 00
$88,928 01
48
ASSESSORS' ACCOUNT.
Pay of school teachers $12,300 00
Superintendent of Schools 1,200 00
Janitors for school houses
1,568 00
Text books and supplies
1,700 00
Incidentals for schools
400 00
Incidentals for school houses
900 00
Fuel for schools
1,235 00
Conveyance of pupils
700 00
Repairs on South West School House .
225 00
Operating South West School, four months 250 00
Fire Department, general ex- penses .
800 00
Repairs on engine houses .
125 00
Pay of engineers, stewards and members
1,180 00
Purchase of hose
325 00
Extending fire alarm
300 00
Water department, hydrant ser- vice 4,050 00
Water loan, sinking fund
5,120 00
Extending water mains
2,000 00
Electric light department, street lighting
8,425 00
Notes, Jonas Perkins
School
house . 3,100 00
Notes, Monatiquot school house
3,300 00
Notes, electric light
2,000 00
Interest on town debt
5,000 00
Highways and bridges
6,500 00
Amount carried forward, $62,703 00
49
Amount brought forward,
$62,703 00
Removal of snow
1,500 00
Town officers .
3,480 00
Support of poor
4,000 00
Night police
1,800 00
Janitor Town Hall and Library.
600 00
Town Hall
175 00
Town lands · .
275 00
Insurance
700 00
Incidental expenses .
2,000 00
Abatement and collection of
taxes .
1,500 00
Court fees and expenses
100 00
Public Library
800 00
Distributing library books
100 00
Post 87, G. A. R.
·
175 00
Soldiers' relief
400 00
Soldiers' aid
100 00
Hillside road
1,050 00
Widening Washington street
1,745 00
Concrete sidewalks .
1,000 00
Painting public buildings .
800 00
State tax
3,115 00
County tax
4,366 14
Overlay .
1,311 77
$93,795 91
Less bank and corporation
tax deducted . 7,000 00
$86,795 91
·
TREASURER'S ACCOUNT.
P. D. HOLBROOK, Treasurer.
Dr.
To balance in treasury Jan. 1, 1897
$26,122 91 .
Received from :-
Collector of Taxes, 1895 933 49
Collector of Taxes, 1896
17,986 54
Collector of Taxes, 1897 . 57,379 04
A. O. Clark, Manager Elec-
tric Light Department .
6,990 63
For sundry notes :-
Boston Five Cent Savings · Bank
$25,000 00
New England Trust Co.
20,000 00
Mary A. Prescott
500 00
New England Trust Co.
15,000 00
Received from State Treas. Cor-
poration and Bank Tax, 1896 .
717 83
Corporation Tax, 1897
5,984 78
Bank Tax, 1897
1,390 13
Military Aid, Chap. 279
88 00
State Aid, Chap. 301
2,134 00
Amount carried forward, $180,227 35
51
Amount brought forward, $180,227 35
Received from Armory rent 400 00
Braintree School Fund
350 00
National Mount Wollaston Bank, interest
254 93
Received from County Treas.,
dog tax for 1897
706 67
Received from Selectmen :-
Fines from District Court .
210 24
Lots in Plain St. Cemetery
41 00
Tuition of boy in kinder- garten .
5 50
Tuition of Bicknell child
18 00
Tuition of Taylor child
.
7 00
Sale of hose reel
10 00
Licenses for billiards and
bowling alley
16 00
Use of Town Hall
.
248 00
Licenses for druggist
2 00
License for slaughter house
1 00
Use of steam roller, Town of Randolph .
95 75
Braintree & Weymouth
R. R. .
7 61
From hospital account
474 24
Removing snow
56 05
Rent of land, city of Quincy
45 58
Gutter cleanings
92 53
Error in bill of L. E. Pen-
niman .
1 00
Error in bill of N. F. Hunt
2 04
Highways.
14 58
Sale of hay
5 00
Burial of poor person
20 00
.
Amount carried forward, $183,312 07
52
Amount brought forward, $183,312 07
Received from Selectmen :-
A. O. Clark, order over- drawn .. .
60
A. O. Clark, admr. of the estate of James W. Thayer 127 21 J. A. & A. W. Bird, dis- count on lead 5 00
Rent of Co-operative Bank 6 00
Order of Braintree Water Dept. unpaid 65 50
Treas. water board for in-
terest on notes paid by the town
240 00
For widening Washington street
1 98
Received from Overseers Poor Department :--- City of Quincy . 71 29
Town of Easton
4 17
Town of Weymouth .
9 55
Town of Canton
12 25
Town of Duxbury
55 02
For sale of hay
70 15
.
$183,980 79
Cr.
By cash paid on orders $88,880 07
Sundry notes paid :-
Jonas Perkins school house
3,100 00
Warren Institution of Savings
3,300 00
State Treasurer's note 2,000 00
New England Trust Co. 12,800 00
New England Trust Co. 20,000 00
Boston Five Cents Savings Bank
25,000 00
Amount carried forward,
$155,080 07
53
Amount brought forward,
$155,080 07
G. D. Willis
5,000 00
Mary A. Randall
1,000 00
Mary A. Prescott
500 00
County tax to Treasurer for 1897
4,366 14
State tax to Treasurer for 1897.
3,115 00
Penalty for failure to make re- turns
10 00
For interest and discount on notes :- R. H. Gardiner, Treasurer,
Thayer Academy . 400 00
State Treasurer on Jonas
Perkins school house 900 90
State Treasurer on notes
1,080 00
Electric Light bonds . .
660 00
Warren Institution of Sav- ings
631 08
Boston Five Cents Savings Bank 541 67
New England Trust Co. ·
439 92
G. D. Willis
.
135 42
Mary A. Prescott .
60 00
Annie L. Prescott . .
60 00
Mary A. Randall
29 17
State Treasurer druggist's
license .
.
1 00
- $174,010 37
To balance in treasury JJan. 1,
1898
$9,970 42
$183,980 79
.
54
Accounts of P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer, for 1897, ex- amined and approved ; the balance of $9,970 42-100 (nine thousand nine hundred and seventy and forty-two one hun- dredth dollars) represented to be in deposit in the National Mount Wollaston Bank of Quincy.
DANIEL POTTER,
Auditor.
BRAINTREE, Jan. 29, 1898.
BRAINTREE SCHOOL FUND TRUSTEES.
P. D. HOLBROOK, Treasurer.
Dr.
To balance cash on hand, Jan.
1,1897.
$1,020 46
Cash received of N. E.
Hayden, rent 199 02
Cash received of G. W.
Osgood, rent ·
25 00
Cash received from dividend
Eliot National Bank 18 00
Cash received from dividend
National Granite Bank . 60 00
Cash received from dividend
Weymouth National Bank
35 00
Quincy Savings Bank inter- est - 1 78
Braintree Savings Bank in-
terest 40 40
State Treasurer, rebate on bank tax. 42 85
$1,442 51
Cr.
Cash paid A. E. Bradford for whitewashing and hang- ing paper ·
$5 58
Paid S. David for paper 2 78
Amount carried forward, $8 36
56
Amount brought forward,
$8 36
Paid J. B. Rhines & Co.,
lumber ..
24 55
Paid T. B. Stoddard for painting and paints .
14 67
Eugene Coy ·
.
6 80
Wales Brothers
.
3 00
P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer
350 00
For services of committee :
A. S. Morrison 5 00
Will W. Mayhew
5 00
G. D. Willis .
5 00
F. A. Hobart
5 00
P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer
15 00
Balance on hand deposited in
Braintree Savings Bank .
655 40
Quincy Savings Bank .
344 73
$1,442 51
The above accounts of P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer, exam- ined, and the balance of $1,000.13-one thousand and 13-100 dollars-deposited in Braintree and Quincy Savings Banks as per certificate from said banks.
Braintree Savings Bank $655 40
Quincy Savings Bank
344 73
$1,000 13
DANIEL POTTER,
Auditor.
BRAINTREE, Jan. 6, 1898.
TOWN OF BRAINTREE.
Report of the
SUPERINTENDENT
OF
STREETS.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
· To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of Braintree.
GENTLEMEN :- In accordance with the vote of the town, passed at its last annual meeting, I herewith respectfully submit for your consideration the following report of the Highway Department for the financial year ending Dec. 31, 1897 :
In submitting this report of the doings of the Highway Department for the past year, I wish to state briefly the condition of the various structures which have been placed under my supervision, and to suggest possible remedies for the more urgent needs of this department.
Braintree is largely a residential town for people doing business in Boston, and, if I read correctly the signs of the times, is destined to become much more so in the next few years. Already developments are being made in almost every section of the town to meet the small, yet growing de- mand, for country homes. Few towns are so well situated to become such, and few can offer such great facilities, both natural and artificial, as can here be found. The proximity to the city of Boston, the unexcelled steam railroad accom- modation, supplemented by the street railways, a system of water works, electric lights, and public schools of which we may justly be proud, with a wealth of natural beauties un- surpassed by any town in this part of the country, at least ;
60
these facts stand forth and speak with no uncertain voice to those who seek a desirable place in which to live, within reasonable distance from the city.
But what shall we say of our streets, by which we arrive. at the full benefit and enjoyment of these advantages? That we are blessed with a few miles of good roads is true, but of the fifty miles of public roads, a large per cent. cannot be so classed. Should we not do more to place our highways in such condition that they, too, may join in and emphasize the attractiveness of our town. Not only does the comfort of our own citizens demand these much needed improve- ments, but the facility with which the home business of our town is carried on. depends largely upon the good condition of our roads. Within the limits of our town are many thrifty farms, the produce of which finds, to some extent, its market in Boston, but a large proportion of it is sold from door to door among our own people. Again, the fact that the town is made up of three villages, and that at East Braintree and Weymouth we receive the greater portion of our eoal and lumber supplies, creates an internal traffic un- common to many places.
A new element of travel has been introduced within the past few years, an element which has grown to enormous proportions, namely : the bicycle. To this element is due, perhaps more than to any other cause, the great demand for and the continually increasing effort to make better roads. So universal has the bicycle travel become, that during the open months of the year, it equals or exceeds all other combined, and the time has come when this demand for bet- ter roads by the patrons of the wheel must be recognized by those in a position to bring about needed improvements along these lines.
We read that in a neighboring city the wheelmen's clubs have voluntarily asked to be taxed one dollar per head, pre- vided this tax may be credited to the highway department
61
and used for the purpose of building macadam roads. This, and similar instances, show how the interest in this subject is growing. That this interest will continue to increase is certain, for every man, woman and child is vitally interested to see our streets and sidewalks made not only comfortable to travel but attractive as well. Many State legislatures, recognizing these demands, and realizing now, more fully than ever before, the importance of good roads, have cre- ated commissions for the purpose of building, under the best supervision, good roads traversing the country in vari- ous directions. Many of us are familiar with some of the work accomplished by our own State in the past three years.
In view of all this, does it not become the town to give more attention to this important subject, and anticipate, to a great extent, the wants of every inhabitant. It is sometimes said we are too poor to build macadam roads. The truth is, we are too poor to do without them, and so long as our bad roads continue we may expect to be poor. Indeed, as com- pared with other places, we may expect to become annually poorer. Without good roads every phase of progress will be retarded. The public road problem is of too vital im- portance to remain longer in the background. We must accept the situation as it is, and give it the recognition which its importance demands. We must regard road build- ing as a business which requires skillful supervision, as much as railroad building or manufacturing.
As we increase our mileage of macadam roads, our annual cost of road repairs will proportionately decrease. This condition will not obtain, however, unless greater progress is made than heretofore. We may reasonably expect an ordinary macadam road to last twenty-five years, and we have at least twenty-five miles of road which should be made by this method. Our rate of progress now is about one- half a mile per year. That this method is the one best adapted to our needs appears for several reasons.
62
First. The loads generally carried over our streets do not exceed four tons, including the weight of trucks; to provide for this weight and at the same time to provide a road which will be comfortable for our light carriages, can best be done by a macadam road which shall have sufficient depth to carry this heavy load without injury to the roadbed.
Second. The supply of stone, although not of the best quality, is practically inexhaustible in our own town.
Third. The supply of gravel is limited, and while not as desirable, is quite as expensive as the crushed stone.
Fourth. The cost of maintenance of our macadam roads is much less than those of gravel.
Fifth. With the exception of a few repairs and improve- ments in our present crushing plant, we are well equipped for doing this class of work.
Our present method of obtaining crushed stone is un- doubtedly the best and cheapest, and for the present I would recommend no change in the location of the crusher, but I believe a saving of from ten to fifteen per cent. can be made in handling the stone after it is crushed by the erection of suitable bins for storing the stone. The quality of our roads would be improved by using the screen which we possess, but at present lack power to operate. I would urge that means be provided so that immediate attention can be given this matter, and no delay caused by the change in the Spring. The streets requiring this class of work the coming year are as follows : Washington street, from French's com- mon to South Braintree square ; portions of Hancock street, from South Braintree square to Cart Bridge, portions of Union street ; Adams street and a portion of Commercial street, from the Jonas Perkins School, one thousand feet easterly. This last section is very narrow, the travelled way being only fifteen feet wide for a considerable distance. An effort is being made to have this street widened by the County, and I earnestly recommend that this be done, if
63
possible, and a suitable drain provided before this street is macadamized.
During the past year we have macadamized Washington street, from Elm street, about seventeen hundred and sixty- five feet southerly to a point opposite Mr. William May's house, also from Mt. Vernon avenue, about seven hundred and fifty feet southerly to a point near private way leading to Mr. Josephus Sampson's stable. This latter section is of very light construction, however, and cannot be expected to remain intact for many years. So far it has acted well and exceeded my expectations. The crushed stone used on these two sections amounts to two thousand and twenty-nine (2,029) tons.
A summary of the cost is as follows :
Cost of stone, crushed .
$743 48
Fairbank's scales and setting
.
147 75
Stone delivered at crusher
516 35
Stone delivered on street and rolled
1,131 45
Salary of superintendent
121 57
Total
$2,660 60
STREET WATERING.
The subject of street watering, in connection with our macadam roads, deserves serious consideration. We ex- pend large sums of money in building these roads, but fail to provide one of the most important means for their care and preservation. As the exposed edges of the small pieces of stone at the surface of a macadam road are broken off, they are soon ground to powder by the grinding process of passing teams. Especially is this true of the hard, brittle granitic stone we are obliged to use here. When this powder is retained on the street surface, the stones them- selves are not exposed and the roadway presents a smooth and slightly elastic surface. When, however, this dust is
64
continually blown or washed away, the macadam road is easily broken up, and always presents hard, bare surfaces of stones which are very disagreeable, especially for light driving. The macadam road is designed to be continually producing its' own wearing-surface, and whatever helps this process adds to the life of the road. The surest method of retaining this dust is to keep it moist ; it then neither blows nor washes away as easily as when dry. As a matter of economy, I urge an appropriation, though small, be made for this purpose, to be expended at the discretion of the Superintendent, unless some definite territory be specified. I feel sure that the money so expended would prove a source of great satisfaction to the town, and also a direct benefit to the street.
GRAVEL ROADS.
Our supply of gravel is limited almost entirely to the south part of the town; there being none whatever fit for road work in East Braintree, while at the north part of the town the supply is practically limited to a remote section so that its cost delivered near the center is greater than that of stone from the present location of the crusher. We can therefore use gravel to a considerable extent, and especially for the side streets and outlying districts where the traffic is not es- pecially heavy. Much of the expense of obtaining gravel could be saved if the town owned its own pits. Every pro- duct of the gravel pit including sand, screenings, cobbles, boulders, and screened gravel can be used by this depart- ment. As we are now situated we spend much time and labor screening our gravel but derive no benefit whatever from more than one of these products, namely, the screened gravel. I believe we should make a great saving by secur- ing at least two pits the coming year and I recommend the appropriation of $1,000 for this purpose.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.