USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1898 > Part 3
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$16,500 00
$16,500 00
73
Net debt municipal lighting loan, State treasurer, nine notes of $2,000 each, at 4 per cent. per annum, one note pay- able annually, May 2, 1899, May 2, 1907, inclusive, issued on account of elec- tric light plant .
Special loan, electric light de- partment, for new dynamo and new building :-
Mary A. Prescott, two notes of $500 each, at 4 per cent. per annum, one each, pay- able Oct. 26, 1899, Oct. 26,1903 .
Annie L. Prescott, three notes of $500 each, at 4 per cent. per annum, one each, pay- able Oct. 26, 1900, Oct. 26, 1901, and Oct. 26, 1902
Net electric light debt .
Dr. Cr.
$14,172 39
18,000 00
$1,000 00
1,500 00
$34,672 39
NOTES OUTSTANDING.
The town owes the following notes, with accrued interest : Trustees of Thayer Library, note dated March 7, 1894, due on demand, at 4 per cent. per annum $10,000 00
Trustees of Thayer Academy, note dated March 7, 1894,
74
due on demand, at 4 per cent. per annum
Warren Institution for Savings, three notes dated July 1, 1891, of $3,300 each, due July 1, 1899, 1900 and 1901, at 44 per cent. per annum, issued on account of the Monatiquot school building
State Treasurer, six notes dated February 1, 1894, of $3,100 each, due annually Febru- ary 1, 1899, to February 1, 1904, inclusive, at 3% per cent. per annum, issued on account of the Jonas Perkins school building Bond & Goodwin, note dated October 5, 1898, on six months, at 3.03 per cent. per annum
Total notes (except electric light notes)
$10,000 00
9,900 00
18,600 00
15,000 00
$63,500 00
RECAPITULATION OF BONDED DEBT.
Dr.
Cr
BONDS 18BURD.
BINKING FUNDS.
Water bonds
$256,000 00
$51,649 52
Municipal lighting bonds .
16,500 00
2,327 61
Balance due on bonds
218,522 87
$272,500 00 $272,500 00
Dr.
December 31, 1898, balance.
. $218,522 87
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
OF THE TOWN, DEC. 31, 1898.
Dr. Cr
Net debt, water loan bonds . $204,350 48
Net debt, municipal lighting bonds
14,172 39
Notes issued on account of elec- tric light plant
20,500 00
Sundry notes outstanding
63,500 00
Accrued interest on water bonds
600 00
Accrued interest on municipal lighting bonds 165 00
690 31
Accrued interest on sundry notes Sundry bills, rendered to late for payment in 1898 1,931 13
$305,909 31 -
ASSETS OF THE TOWN-NOT INCLUD- ING PUBLIC PROPERTY, Dec. 31, 1898.
Balance in the town treasury 6,126 96
Balance in the water works treasury ·
5,699 56
Due from collection of taxes, 1897 5,187 70
76
Due from collection of taxes, 1898
$28,412 60
from electric light depart- ment, unpaid bills .
3,561 97
from water department, un- paid bills for service and pipes 3,329 00
from State for State aid, Chapter 301 .
2,392 00
from State for State aid, Chapter 279 . 123 00
from State for State aid, Chapter 561 . ·
120 00
from cities and towns pau- per account 176 36
from hospital account
646 54
from City of Quincy reser- voir rent . 98 05
from Braintree Street Ry.
Co., account, snow bills
81 65
from Braintree & Wey- mouth Street Ry. Co., ac- count, snow bills. . ·
39 80
from Braintree & Wey-
mouth Street Ry. Co., ac- count, snow bills .
2 30
$55,997 49
Balance carried forward
249,911 82
$305,909 31 $305,909 31
Dr.
Net debt of town, December 31,
1898
$249,911 82 .
DANIEL POTTER, Auditor.
INSURANCE ACCOUNT.
Insurance in force from December 31, 1898.
On Buildings.
On Contents.
Total.
Monatiquot School
$27,000 00
$1,500 00
$28,500 00
Perkins School
27,000 00
3,000 00
30,000 00
Union School
8,000 00
500 00
8,500 00
Pond School
9,050 00
900 00
9,950 00
Middle St. School
800 -00
800 00
Town Hall .
19,100 00
900 00
20,000 00
Almshouse .
9,000 00
2,200 00
11,200 00
Almshouse barn .
1,100 00
1,100 00
Electric Light
Station
5,369 00
11,681 00
17,050 00
Union Engine
House
1,800 00
1,800 00
Butcher Boy
House ·
1,000 00
1,000 00
Wampatuck hook
and ladder house 1,000 00
1,000 00
Boiler insurance :
Town House 5,000 00
5,000 00
Electric Light
10,000 00
10,000 00
Perkins School
10,000 00
10,000 00
$135,219 00 $20,681 00 $155,900 00
Electric Light Department :
"Liability" em-
ployes $5,000 00
$5,000 00
"Liability " public 10,000 00
10,000 00
$150,219 00
$20,681 00 $170,900 00
COLLECTOR'S ACCOUNT.
N. F. HUNT, Collector.
Dr.
Balance due on tax of 1895
$108 10
Interest collected on tax of 1895 19 26
$127 36
Cr.
Principal paid Treasurer .
$108 10
Interest paid Treasurer
.
19 26
$127 36
Dr.
Balance due on tax of 1896
$1,150 61
Interest collected on tax of 1896
85 02
$1,236 63
Cr.
Principal paid Treasurer
$1,150 61
Interest paid Treasurer
85 02
$1,235 63
DANIEL POTTER, Auditor.
BRAINTREE, Jan. 3, 1899.
FRANK A. SMITH, Collector. Dr.
Balance due on taxes, 1897
$29,516 65
Interest collected on taxes, 1897
374 85
79
Cr.
$23,671 02
Paid P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer Interest paid P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer 357 43
Paid Benj. F. Dyer, Treasurer
657 93
Interest paid Benj. F. Dyer, Treasurer · ·
17 42
Balance due from Collector on 1897 taxes
5,187 70
$29,891 50
$29,891 50
Dr.
Total tax, 1898
$86,301 42
Interest collected
19 63
.
Cr.
Paid P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer Interest paid P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer .
9 63
Paid Benj. F. Dyer, Treasurer .
5,485 81
Interest paid Benj. F. Dyer, Treasurer 10 00
Balance due from Collector on 1898 taxes
28,412 60
$86,321 05
$86,321 05
Amount taxes due from 1897
$5,187 70
Amount taxes due from 1898 28,412 60
$33,600 30
DANIEL POTTER,
Auditor.
BRAINTREE, Jan. 19, 1899.
$52,403 01
BRAINTREE SCHOOL FUND TRUSTEES.
P. D. HOLBROOK, TREASURER.
Dr.
To balance on hand Jan. 1, 1898, $1,000 13
Cash received from dividends of
Eliot National Bank, Bos- ton 18 00
Union National Bank, Wey- mouth . 28 00
National Granite Bank,
Quincy . 60 00
Quincy Savings Bank, in- terest 6 39
Cash received of N. E. Hayden
on account rent 200 00
Cash received of G. W. Osgood
on account rent Cr.
18 75
By cash paid C. H. Hobart for insurance $13 80
Balance on hånd deposited in Braintree Savings Bank
655 40
Quincy Savings Bank
I
662 07
$1,331 27
$1,331 27
81
Examined the account of P. D. Holbrook, Treasurer, and the balance of ($1,317.47) thirteen hundred seventeen and roo dollars, deposited as follows :
Braintree Savings Bank book
No. 2,210 $655 40
Quincy Savings Bank book No. 19,284
662 07
$1,317 47
DANIEL POTTER,
BRAINTREE, Jan. 12, 1899.
Auditor.
AUDITOR'S REPORT. STATEMENT OF APPROPRIATIONS AGAINST EXPENDITURES FOR 1898.
APPROPRIATIONS.
EXPENDED.
UNEXPENDED.
IN EXCESS.
CREDITS.
For pay of school teachers
$14,145 00
$15,151 19
$15,164 50
$13 31
dog tax, 1898
656 19
school fund 350 00
Superintendent of schools .
·
·
1,400 00
1,348 02
51 98
Janitors for schools
1,800 00
1,758 02
41 98
Text books and supplies
1,600 00
2,035 30
435 30
151 18
82
Incidentals for school houses
1,000 00
1,465 61
465 61
Fuel for schools
1,200 00
2,322 03
1,122 03
Conveyance of pupils
725 00
781 00
56 00
Fire department general expenses and repairs . . .
1,000 00
1,283 32
283 32
5 00
For new hose
325
00
324 35
65
For pay of members and engineers
1,225 00
1,170 53
54 47
Water department hydrant service
4,150 00
4,150 00
Water loan sinking fund .
5,120 00
5,120 00
Electric light department
for street lights . $9,000 00
16,409 23
16,450 10
40 87
Revenue from light and
jobbing . 7,409 23
.
Incidentals for schools
400
00
496 18
96 18
·
·
·
·
·
.
Note Jonas Perkins school house Note Monatiquot school house
·
3,100 00
3,300 00
Note electric light plant .
2,000 00
Highways and bridges Additional ·
$3,000 00 1
4,000 00
4,907 51
907 51
60 36
Removal of snow
1,500. 00
2,850 87
1,350 87
Interest on Town debt
.
.
.
5,000 00
5,000 00
Town officers
3,650 00
3,714 99
64 99
Support of poor
4,000 00
4,986 19
986 19
676 53
Night police
2,190 00
22 00
Janitor Town Hall and Library
600 00
600 00
Town Hall
150 00
574 58
424 58
248 90
Town lands .
·
·
100 00
59 00
41 00
1 00
Insurance
700 00
1,082 75
382 75
83
Incidental expenses .
2,500 00
3,259 93
759 93
400 00
Collection and abatement of taxes
1,500 00
587 12
912 88
101 99
: 87 20
Public Library . ·
1,000 00
1,000 00
Distributing books
100 00
100 00
Grand Army of the Republic
175 00
175 00
Soldiers' relief, Acts of 1890
400 00
395 52
4.48
Soldiers' aid, chap. 279
100 00
144 00
44 00
72 00
State aid, chap. 301, special
2,300 00
2,212 00
88 00
2,212 00
Widening Washington street, land damage
205 00
205 00
State aid, chap. 561 Acts 1898 .
120 00
120 00
120 00
Hospitals, special
600 00
773 29
173 29
773 29
.
.
.
.
·
.
·
.
·
.
·
.
.
·
Court fees and expenses
·
·
100 00
201 99
.
.
·
.
·
·
.
·
·
.
1,000 00 S
.
3,100 00 3,300 00 2,000 00
2,168 00
AUDITOR'S REPORT - Continued.
A " PROPRIATIONS.
EXPENDED.
UNEXPENDED.
IN EXCESS.
CREDITS.
Widening Commercial street, special Widening Mt. Vernon square, special
$10,000 00
$ 98 60
$9,901 40
500 00
175 55
324 45
Franklin street drain
500 00
326 00
174 00
Lowell and Park streets, special
500 00
286 61
213 39
Stone roads
3,500 00
3,764 07
$264 07
Sidewalks
1,000 00
375 92
624 08
Surveying Hancock avenue, special
200 00
7 15
192 85
Assessor's plans
1,000 00
913 25
86 75
Company K, 5th Regiment
250 00
325 71
75 71
Patriotic demonstration and flag rais-
ing
467 17
467 17
$108,020 42
$104,126 73
$12,734 36
$8,840 67
$4,807 46
·
·
·
.
·
DECEMBER 31, 1898.
84
SINKING FUND ACCOUNTS.
P. D. HOLBROOK, TREASURER.
Dr. Cr
Water loan of 1887 $27,360 82
Less premium 41 50
$27,319 32
Water loan of 1891 .
24,046 30
Water loan of 1896 .
· 242 40
Electric loan of 1893
2,327 61
Amount transferred (see sched-
ule) to Benj. F. Dyer, Treasurer $53,935 63
December 31, 1898 .
$53,935 63
$53,935 63
1
BENJ. F. DYER, TREASURER.
Water loan of 1887 $27,319 32 Less amount carried
to premium ac- count on bonds 800 70
$26,518 62
Water loan of 1891 $24,046 30 Less amount carried to premium ac- count . 1,222 61
22,823 69
86
Electric light loan of 1893 $2,327 61 Less amount - car-
ried to premium
account
98 33
$2,229 28
Water loan of 1896 .
242 40
$51,813 99
Net amount of loans $51,813 99 Amount of premium
account 2,121 64
$53,935 63
The accounts and securities from the late treasurer, P. D. . Holbrook, having been transferred to Acting-Treasurer Benj. F. Dyer, the latter has recorded, as per statement above, all the bonds belonging to each separate loan, at their par value and carried all premiums and accrued interest paid on said bonds to the premium account of each loan.
DANIEL POTTER,
Auditor. -
BRAINTREE, Dec. 31, 1898.
BENJ. F. DYER, TREASURER SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS, IN ACCOUNT WITH THE TOWN OF BRAINTREE.
December 31, 1898. Dr.
Investment :-
One Canton, Ohio, bond,
due 1911, 5 per cent.
$1,000 00
87
Investment :-
Two Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad 43 per cent. bonds, due 1927 One Rumford Falls and Rangely Railroad 5 per cent. bond, due 1937 . Three Town of Braintree water bonds, 4 per cent., due 1921
$2,000 00
1,000 00
3,000 00
Eleven Town of Braintree municipal electric light bonds, 4 per cent., due 1917
10,500 00
Four Fitchburg Railroad bonds, $1,000 each, 4 per cent., due 1920, cost Mortgage note, H. L. Dear- ing, 4} per cent.
3,877 11
3,500 00
Deposit in Braintree Sav- ings Bank 594 82
Deposit in Randolph Sav- ings Bank 1,021 69
Deposit in Quincy Savings Bank 25 00
$26,518 62
Cr.
Sinking funds :- For water loan of 1887 $26,518 62
26,518 62
Dr.
Investments :-
Six Canton, Ohio, bonds,
· due 1911, 5 per cent.
.
$6,000 00
88
Investments :-
Three Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad 4} per. cent. bonds, due 1927 Six Town of Braintree mu- nicipal electric light bonds, 4 per cent., due 1917
$3,000 00
6,000 00
Three Town of Braintree water bonds, 4 per cent., due 1921 . Mortgage note, H. A. Jones, 4} per cent. .
3,000 00
3,500 00
Deposit in Quincy Savings Bank ·
1,323 69
$22,823 69
Cr.
For water loan, 1891 $22,823 69
22,823 69
Investments :-
Dr.
One Town of Braintree wa- ter bond, due 1921, 4 per cent. $1,000 00 Deposit in Braintree Sav- ings Bank 329 97
Deposit in Weymouth Sav- ings Bank 899 31
$2,229 28
Cr.
For municipal lighting loan of 1893 $2,229 28
$2,229 28
89
Dr.
Investments :-
Deposit in East Weymouth Savings Bank $242 40
$242 40
Cr.
For water loan of 1896
$242 40
$242 40
/
-
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE THAYER PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The statistics furnished by the librarian, and accompany- ing this report, supply all the essential information in regard to the use and growth of the library. Continued prosperity has marked its progress during the year, as in former years.
At the last annual meeting of the town, the following resolution was adopted :-
"That it is the sense of this meeting that the Public Library be kept open during the month of August, the same as during other months of the year."
In compliance with this request, the library has been kept open for the withdrawal of books during a portion of every secular day in the year, excepting holidays and the last week in August, when all unreturned books are called in, con- formably to a custom which has been followed since it was first opened. This course will be pursued in the future.
Early in the year a communication from the School Com- mittee was received by the trustees, requesting that certain special privileges in the borrowing of books from the library might be accorded to the teachers of our public schools for the benefit of their pupils. This request had the cordial en- dorsement of Superintendent Horne, upon information furnished by whom, in addition to that derived from other sources, it appeared that the 'plan had been adopted in a large number of public libraries in the Commonwealth, in-
91
cluding several in this immediate vicinity, and had been found to work great benefit to the schools, without interfer- ring with the general purposes for which such libraries are established and maintained.
After careful consideration, the trustees determined to adopt it here, under the following restrictions, which it was believed would obviate any objections that might be brought against it, namely :
1. Ten books may be taken at a time for school use.
2. Books thus taken must be upon subjects connected with the studies of the school.
3. Teachers shall be responsible for all books taken, and shall return such books upon the written notification of the Librarian, that the same are desired by other persons than teachers.
4. Books taken on Teacher's Cards, are subject to the conditions governing the loan of single volumes on ordinary Library Cards.
5. Books taken by teachers on such cards, shall be returned at the expiration of one month from date of taking and all such shall be returned at least three days before the close of the Summer term.
6. Upon the return of said books, as provided in the first clause of Regulation 5, and subject to the above restric- tions, any or all, of them may again be withdrawn by the same teacher for an additional period not exceeding two weeks, unless they have been called for in the meantime by some person other than a teacher.
7. No book shall be taken on such cards until it shall have appeared on the Library Catalogue for the period of two months.
8. The foregoing regulations are applicable to the teachers of the Thayer Academy, and of the High and Grammar schools, only.
These regulations are printed on the back of the card upon which the books are withdrawn.
92
The sole purpose of this arrangement, as will be seen, is to enable the teachers to encourage the reading of such books by the scholars as shall aid them in connection with their school work, and incidentally to foster the habit of the sys- tematic reading of good books. Should this purpose be ac- complished even in a limited degree, the result cannot fail to greatly increase the usefulness of our public library.
Among the books and pamphlets which have been donated to the library, a list of which is appended to the librarian's report, special mention should be made of the twenty volumes of the " Scientific American," presented by our former towns- man, Mr. Eben Denton, in addition to the large number of volumes in the same series given by him in former years, which together constitute a very important accession to the reference branch of our library.
A mahogany office-desk has recently come into the pos- session of the library by gift, which once belonged to Mr. Benjamin Vinton French, a native and honored citizen of the town, who died April 11, 1860.
ASA FRENCH,
F. A. HOBART,
N. H. HUNT, E. WATSON ARNOLD, HENRY A. JOHNSON.
Trustees.
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
Number of days the Library was open 299
Number of volumes borrowed . 29,201
Of this number 26,816 were for home use and 2,385 for use in the Library.
93
Average daily issue
97+
Largest daily issue, Dec. 21 .
292
Smallest daily issue, June 17
4
The number of volumes circulated of each class is as follows :-
History
965
Fiction .
17,421
Biography
666
Poetry
406
Travel
845
Juvenile · 4,469
Science and Art
785
Miscellaneous . 812
Literature . 447
Reference
2,385
Number of bound volumes added .
630
Number of pamphlets. papers, etc .
. 343
Names registered during the year .
216
Total number registered
5,769
Number of bound volumes in the Library (approxi- mately)
12,285 .
A. M. ARNOLD, Librarian.
GIFTS TO THE LIBRARY, 1898.
Bonnd Volumes. 1
Pamphlets.
Adams, Hon. Charles Francis .
Bates, Frank Amasa
50
Boston Public Library
1
Baltimore Consolidation Coal Company
1
Boston Metropolitan Water Board
1
Barnes, William A., Boston
·
1
Bradford Public Library, Connecticut Chase, Walter G., Boston
1
2
Cambridge Woman's Christian Union · City of Chelsea 1
1
Crooker, F. W. Braintree Observer. Denton, Eben, Scientific American Sup- plement . 27
94
Bound Volumes. Pamphlets.
Francis, John C., London
1 1
Free Public Library Commission
Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass. · Free Religious Association
1 2
Gallinger, Hon. Jacob H., New Hamp- shire .
1
Hartford Public Library . 1
Home Market Club, Boston
12
Holbrook, W. C., Mrs. Hollis, Mrs. Nixon, Christian Science Journal 12
Holbrook, W. C. and others 1
Jones, Hon. James K., Arkansas
1
Kane, W. A., Braintree Reporter.
Lummis, Charles F., California, " Land of Sunshine " 12
Littlefield, Ethel F., " Glimpses of Brain- tree " 1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1
Mohouk, Arbitration Conference, New York 1
L. A. W. Co., Magazine for Good Roads, Roads.
Palmer, Mrs. Charles Fallen, New York . 1
Pratt & Pratt, Braintree Bee.
Parsons, J Russell and others, Chicago 1
Pitkin, Caroline G., Miscellaneous Writ- ings. · Penniman, Mrs. Edwin 2 .
40
Pratt, Sterling E., Boston .
1
Pratt, Charles, Miscellaneous Pamphlets . 20
Record, S. P., New England's Prospect, 1629-1634, by William Wood . 1 ·
Syracuse Central Library, New York 1
95
Bound Volumes. Pamphlets.
Smith, Charles H., Norfolk County Treas- urer
1 .
Somerville Public Library · Tufts Library, Weymouth
1
2
Towle Manufacturing Co., Northampton, Mass 1
Thayer, Misses Susanna and Sarah H., 3 papers.
Mayhew, Will W., "Bradford's History of Plimouth Plantation" 1
TREASURER'S REPORT.
RECEIPTS.
Cash in Braintree Savings Bank $501 06
Received of Town Treasurer,
Town appropriations ·
1,000 00
Town Treasurer, interest on note 400 00
Librarian, fines
35 39
Librarian, catalogues
65
Braintree Savings Bank, in-
terest 82
$1,937 92
EXPENDITURES.
Paid Abbie M. Arnold, Librarian $500 00
Abbie M. Arnold, assistant
125 00
Abbie M. Arnold, incident- als 6 91
Estes & Lauriat books
256 58
Charles E. Lauriat Co., books · 220 74
96
Paid Little, Brown & Co., $42 00
Little, Brown & Co., bind- ing books 12 00
Wm. H. Guild & Co., mag- azines . ·
46 95
Geo. H. Walker & Co.,
map ·
12 00
Ticknor & Co., book 3 00
Home Science Pub. Co., magazine 1 00
F. J. Barnard & Co., bind- ing books 67 52
Geo. W. Prescott & Son,
printing and advertising 20 00
Nash & Nye, printing ·
7 00
Charles E. Nye, slips
19 00
Alfred Mudge and Son, cards and slips
7 00
Braintree & Weymouth
Pub. Co., printing
1 00
J. F. Sheppard & Sons., coal
106 08
Town of Braintree, electric
lights ·
47 82
Town of Braintree, water . 11 00
Town of Braintree, kind- lings ·
6 60
C. H. Hobart, insurance 152 00
C. H. Hobart, sundries 4 59
A. W. Hobart, repairs .
18 38
Charles A. Hobart, labor
2 53
Thomas B. Stoddard, glaz-
ing 1 50
John Gallivan, repairing boiler 13 90
97
Paid N. A. Torrey, station- ery
$3 25
Woodsum's Express Co.,
expressage 5 90
New York & Boston Ex- press Co., expressage ·
1 60
Perry's Express Co., ex- pressage 35
Pratt & Pratt, advertising .
1 00
Henry W. Mansfield,
brooms . 40
O. M. Rodgers, grate
50
Postage
38
$1,725 48
Balance in Savings Bank
212 44
$1,937 92
N. H. HUNT, Treasurer.
BRAINTREE, Jan. 19, 1899.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Chief Engineer's Report for the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1898. To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :
GENTLEMEN,-I herewith submit my annual report of the Fire Department for the year ending Dec. 31, 1898, to- gether with some recommendations for the ensuing year :
FORCE OF DEPARTMENT.
The department consists of a chief engineer, two assist- ants, 39 hose men and 24 ladder men.
ROLLING STOCK.
The rolling stock of the department, -2 hand engines, 2 hose reels, 2 hose wagons, 2 ladder trucks, 1 hose and ladder wagon.
FIRE ALARM.
I would recommend that the town adopt some different method than that in use at the present time, as in my opin- ion the cost of maintainence is many times more than it should be.
FIRE ALARMS, LOSSES AND INSURANCE. The loss by fire for the past year is as follows :
$11,140 00
Losses on buildings
Losses on contents 5,718 85
Value on buildings 35,500 00
Value of contents
117,575 00
Insurance of buildings
31,500 00 ·
Insurance of contents
116,168 85
99
There were fourteen alarms the past year, as follows :
Six first alarms for buildings, one second alarm, two alarms for woods, five false alarms, and three fires when no alarm was sounded.
HOUSES.
The engine houses are in good repair at the present time.
HOSE.
I would recommend that the town purchase more hose the present year.
APPROPRIATIONS. .
To meet the expenses of the department for the ensuing year, I would recommend appropriations for salaries for en- gineers, firemen and stewards, $1,255, for expenses, care of fire alarm, engine-houses, apparatus and incidentals $800, for repair of fire alarm $300, for new hose $325, for repairs on apparatus $100, for change in battery $300, for three fire alarm boxes $300.
Respectfully submitted,
0). B. BATTLES, Chief.
TOWN OF BRAINTREE.
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT.
January 1, 1898, to January 1, 1899.
L
REPORT OF MANAGER OF ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT.
During the past year the street lighting system has been extended on Hayward street to Shaw street where one arc light and two incandescent lights have been installed, and on Fountain street to Boscobel street, one arc light was installed, which was removed from Cleveland avenue where an incan- descent light was substituted.
There has been thirty-one new consumers added to the house lighting system with 810 lights, making a total num- ber of 5,614 house lights now connected with the domestic and commercial lighting service.
The present capacity of the steam plant is as follows :-
Two steam boilers
125 horse power- each
One Rollins engine
125 horse power
One Green engine
100 horse power
With no reserve power to depend upon, it is evident, the power at the station must be increased in the near future, as the present capacity of the plant cannot be depended upon to furnish power sufficient to operate the system when we take into consideration the large number of lights that are liable to be in use at any one time.
And I hereby recommend that the town take action to pro- vide additional power at the earliest possible date, as the liability of a failure to furnish light to the large number of
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consumers calls for some immediate action to be taken in order to supply additional power.
During the past year we have had two very severe storms which caused a great amount of damage to the street lines, besides causing great annoyance to consumers of light, hence the large amount expended for repairs of lines and lamps, viz., the sum of $2,136.79.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT DE- PARTMENT.
For street lighting and exten- sions
$9,000 00
The revenue from house light- ing, meter rent and jobbing (net) 7,409 23
Orders drawn in excess of ap- propriations 40 87
$16,450 10
Amount expended :
For operating expenses
$14,189 38
For extension of plant 1,830 72
For sinking fund 430 00
$16,450 10
Revenue from light, meter rent and jobbing for the year end- ing Dec. 31, 1898 :
Charged to consumers for light $6,385 29
Charged to consumers for meter rent 266 57
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Revenue Charged to consumers for jobbing .
$850 38
$7,502 24
Less abatements
93 01
$7,409 23
Due from consumers Jan.
1,1898
3,394 04
10,803 27
Cr.
By cash received and paid P. D. Holbrook, treasurer 7,003 77
By cash received and paid B. F. Dyer, treasurer
237 53
Due from consumers Jan. 1, 1899
3,561 97
10,803 27
OPERATING EXPENSES.
Paid W. P. Mercer, superin-
tendent .
1,150 00
Station wages
2,629 78
Distribution wages
360 09
Jobbing wages
309 14
Repairs of lines and lamps
2,136 .79
Repairs of real estate
171 78
Repairs of electric plant
271 93
Repairs of steam plant
888 54
Distribution tools and stable
account
693 39
Coal
3,117 81
Water
.
.
278 43
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