USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Ipswich > Town annual report of Ipswich 1938 > Part 3
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Respectfully submitted, C. GARDNER CAVERLY,
Tree Warden.
REPORT OF THE FOREST WARDEN
To the Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
I submit herewith the report of the Forest Warden for the year ending December 31, 1938.
Wood, Brush and Grass Fires 29
Acres Burned Over 35
The following supplies are now on hand:
Pump Cans 14
Fiber Brooms 30
Shovels
10
41
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
We were fortunate this year in having a wet season, which helped to prevent many wood and grass fires. Also, many of the people of the town cooperated with us in having the grass surrounding their houses burnt over. We wish to thank them for their cooperation, and hope that any one wishing to have their land burnt over will notify the Forest Warden. We shall be glad to furnish the apparatus and payment need only be made for the work of the men.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE W. BROWN,
Forest Warden.
REPORT OF CLAM COMMISSIONERS
To the Board of Selectmen:
The condition of the clam flats is good. In fact they are in as good a condition, if not better, than in many years. There are plenty of small clams in the flats and we are in hopes that many of these will be transferred under a large W. P. A. project that is now in operation. Market conditions have changed to such an extent in the last few years that it leads one to believe that clamming is poor. A few years ago a clam-digger could go on the flats and dig any kind of clam and find a market for it. Today he must dig a certain kind of clam. It must be of a certain size and color and of course that makes difficult digging.
This board has no control over market conditions, despite the fact that some would lead you to believe we do.
42
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
We are again faced with the green crab menace. This situ- ation was so bad this last year that we requested the services of a State biologist. He spent several days in Ipswich and he found that the crab menace had reached dangerous proportions and recommended immediate action, which resulted in a W.P.A. project.
We experimented with several small beds of clams this year on flats that have never been known to produce clams, and we are pleased to report that they were successful. We hope that this work will be carried on this next year in a larger way.
Our closed area was not as successful this year as usual, due to the fact that there are too many small clams in it. We hope that the project now in force will greatly improve these conditions before next year.
At a special Town Meeting held last fall it was voted to abolish the present Board of Clam Commissioners. We do not believe that this is a wise move. It does not seem reason- ble to us to take an industry as large and as valuable to the Town of Ipswich as the shellfish industry and toss it into one man's lap to gamble with. We believe that a committee should be appointed by the Town Meeting to make a careful study of the industry from all angles and report back before any action is taken. As this board is through at the annual Town Meeting we wish at this time to thank everyone who helped in any way, "back through the years," to make our work suc- cessful.
We are pleased to report that violations of the shellfish rules the past year were very few.
We wish to thank most kindly the Board of Selectmen for the wonderful co-operation that they have always given us.
HENRY SHAW, Chairman HENRY S. BOWEN,
THOMAS R. ROBERTS,
Clam Commissioners.
43
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
I have the honor to submit to you the duties performed by the Sealer of Weights and Measures from January 1, to Decem- ber 31, 1938, inclusive.
Scales
Con- Adjusted Sealed demned
Platform scales over 10,000 1bs.
1
5
Platform scales 5 to 10,000 lbs.
1
1
1
Platform scales 100 to 5,000 1bs.
6
25
Counter scales 100 to 5,000 1bs.
2
8
Counter scales under 100 1bs. Beam scales 100 to 5,000 1bs.
1
18
Beam scales under 100 1bs.
1
Spring Scales 100 to 5000 1bs.
1
Spring scales under 100 1bs.
7
32
3
Computing scales under 100 1bs.
5
35
2
Personal weighing scales (slot)
10
4
Prescription scales
1
4
Jewelers' scales
1
Weights
Avoirdupois
32
226
7
Apothecary
4
79
Metric
14
Volumetric Measures
Liquid measures over 1 gallon
12
Liquid measures 1 gallon and under
88
3
Oil jars
6
Fuel baskets
33
3
44
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Automatic Liquid
Measuring Devices
Gasoline pumps
51
2
Stops on pumps
2
133
Oil pumps
1
2
Tank truck meter systems
3
7
Grease measuring systems
7
Linear Measures
Yard sticks
4
Tapes
2
Leather Measuring Machines
Power Machines
5
Totals
66
813
22
. ..
Trial weighings and measurements of commodities sold or put up for sale : -
Total number tested
number
correct
under
incorrect over
Beans
4
4
Bread
74
44
12
18
Butter
37
17
13
7
Coal in (bags)
8
8
Dry commodities
13
9
4
Fruit & vegetables
15
15
Lard
10
10
Liquid Com. (oil)
721
721
Meat & Provisions
8
5
3
Milk bottles
400
400
Sugar
52
52
Ice cream containers
300
300
-
-
Totals
1642
1562
36
44
-
-
45
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
During the year I have worked some part of 207 days and have put in a total of 691 hours. State Inspector Jones has worked with me five full days and a part of six more days. His experience and instructions have aided me greatly and I wish to thank him through the State Director of Standards for their co-operation. 12 out of Town peddlers were stopped and in- spected as to proper scales, plates, and licenses. 25 complaints were received during the year, 1 coming through the local Po- lice Department and 1 coming from the State Department; 17 fish, ice cream, and meat peddlers' and 1 transient vendor li- censes were signed by me; 4 sets of privately owned bath scales, and 2 sets of privately owned gas pumps were examined. I have been on business matters to Newburyport, Beverly, Boston, and twice to Danvers. I also sealed 40 automatic measuring devices.
You will note in looking over the annual reports during the past twenty years that there has been a decided drop in ker- osene tanks and stops on pumps. The reason for this is because of electrical pumps and also the delivery of fuel by trucks over the meter system. In comparing reports I find a drop on certain kinds of scales, the reason for this is because a large amount of food comes all done up in packages with the weight stamped on the wrapper. Of course this means the additional work of re- weighing commodities sold or put up for sale, of which you will find in my report.
I have collected and turned over to the Town Treasurer $107.30 of which $103.20 was for sealing fees and $4.10 ad- justing charges. During the past twenty years this has been the highest collection ever received for this work. I feel quite pos- itive that figure will be increased in the year 1939 in spite of the fact that some of our larger businesses have closed and moved out of Town. The work in this Department is increasing year by year and eventually the State will demand a full time man for this work. At all times I have tried to be accommodating.
In condemning 22 devices for weighing and measuring during the year I was not too harsh, and the owners of these
46
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
various devices were well aware that their usefulness was gone. Before condemning, they were always given a chance to have them repaired but, in most instances they had gone beyond the repairing stage.
The conditions in my office are very bad. If the wind is blowing to any extent it is impossible for me to use my small balances, and I cannot test liquid measures on account of not having a sink and running water. The plaster is falling down and it needs repairing very badly.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen for their consideration in appointing me as Sealer of Weights and Measures and I also wish to express my appreciation for the co-operation which I received from the var- ious Town officials and departments.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM J. H. EWING,
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
I submit herewith the annual report of the Highway De- partment for the year ending December 31, 1938.
Of the one hundred and twenty-two streets, each street had a different problem to contend with. The sidewalks that were built of cement have needed very little maintenance. The gravel sidewalks are continually causing a maintenance cost.
47
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
The street cleaning problem grows more each year. The business section has been swept two or three times a week as the conditions needed; other streets were cleaned at different times. The men sent in by the Welfare Department have made it possible to do a great deal more street cleaning, gutter work, and cleaning sludge from catch basins, than could have been done by the regular department.
Sixty-six streets were graveled and gravel patched; fifty streets were scraped after the rains and when needed. Five streets were widened. It was necessary to cold patch fifty-six streets. Tar and asphalt were applied to forty-four streets.
Other routine work of the department for the year was to repair washouts after heavy rains, replank in sections two bridges, and guard rail repairs to four bridges. Some street marking signs were erected and made up, painted and repaired. Traffic work seems to be an item that increases every year.
The department transported food and materials to and from different places for the Welfare Department. Minor re- pairs were made at the wharf.
Care of the clam shells has taken a great deal of attention. Although a very good dumping place has been laid out by the Board, some of the people dumping the shells insist on dumping on the sides of the roads and on the highways.
On Market Street where the sidewalk was narrowed up it was necessary to widen the street with a six inch layer of stone, and an application of a binder asphalt was applied to bind the stone. The width varied from two to six feet; the length was approximately four hundred feet long.
The heavy rains this year caused a great many washouts and kept the department very busy during the heavy rains fill- ing up the bad places that were gouged out of the sidewalks and streets. A great deal of scraping was necessary on the graveled roads because of the unusual wet season, to eliminate pot holes in the roads.
In the Spring when the frost was coming out of the ground, it was necessary to gravel a number of places in a hurry
48
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
so that they would be passable. The worst conditions were: Avery Street, Boxford Road, Blaisdell Terrace, Gravely Brook Road, Leslie Road, Mitchell Road, Newbury Road, Old Eng- land Road, Old Right Road, Mile Lane, Pineswamp Road, Sagamore Road, and Vermett Court. Later, when we could find the time, we put more gravel on these streets named, and graveled additional streets such as a section of Brown Square, a section of Brownville Extension, Payne Street, Locust Road, Spring Street, Paradise Road, Summer Street, the rear of the Town Hall, and Willowdale Road. Thirty-three of the other streets were gravel-patched.
In our drainage system, a number of streets had to have different readjustments or extensive clean out work done. One bad condition on Liberty Street was changed where the roots of the trees clogged the old stone culvert and retarded the flow of the water. In this case, the old stone drain was renewed with a clay pipe. Summer Street also had trouble with tree roots clogging the drain. A clay pipe culvert on Argilla Road beyond the Argilla Farm was replaced with corrugated pipe. On North Gate Road an old stone drain had to be rebuilt with a corrugated pipe. A stone culvert near Mr. Sidney Perley's residence on the Linebrook Road had to be replaced with corrugated pipe. On the upper end of Spring Street, two culverts had to be installed to eliminate bad conditions there. Sixteen other drains had to have different kinds of repairs. Ten different catch basins had to be raised or lowered, so that they would care for the water properly. A manhole was installed in the sidewalk on the cor- ner of Mineral and High Streets where we have had a lot of trouble from debris clogging up the pipe in the winter time. Another manhole was installed on Central Street in front of the Fire Station, right over the old covered brook. These man- holes save digging up the streets where trouble occurs at these points, which has happened a number of times in the past. A side drain was installed on Brownville Extension which should improve a bad condition that has existed there every Spring when the frost was coming out of the ground.
49
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Because of the frost action, it was necessary to scarify and roll sections of ten streets, that they might be smoothed out and made passable.
38918.2 gallons of Asphalt and Tar were used on main- tenance of streets this year, including 1488 gallons of K. P. tar, 2240 gallons of Cutback (Asphalt), and 3165.2 gallons of Emulsion, that were used to mix cold patch for filling holes in the streets.
The tar and asphalt was used on the streets and roads as follows:
Argilla Road, 750 gals .; Avery Street, 2095 gals .; Brown Square, 550 gals .; Brownville Avenue, 1832 gals .; County Street gutters, 494 gals .; East Street gutters, 245 gals .; Elm Street, 467 gals .; Estes Street, 660 gals .; Fairview Avenue, 846 gals .; Farley Avenue, 668 gals .; Fellows Road, 1408 gals .; Highland Avenue, 600 gals .; Kimball Street, 411 gals .; Kim- ball Avenue, 1198 gals .; Lafayette Road, 734 gals .; Liberty Street, 880 gals .; Linebrook Road, 3267 gals .; Linden Street, 1150 gals .; Locust Street, 1000 gals .; Manning Street, 880 gals .; Meeting-House Green, 200 gals .; Mitchell Road, 1020 gals .; Mt. Pleasant Avenue, 1050 gals .; Market Street, 600 gals .; Newmarch Street, 510 gals .; North Main Street, 3082 gals .; Payne Street, 700 gals .; Perley Avenue South, 542 gals .; Pleasant Street, 792 gals .; Poplar Street, 865 gals .; Prescott Road, 260 gals .; Putnam Road, 301 gals .; Riley Avenue, 234 gals .; South Main Street one way, 396 gals .; Spring Street, 420 gals .; Summer Street, 1538 gals .; Town Hall Drive, 200 gals .; Topsfield Road, 900 gals .; Ward Street, 222 gals .; Wayne Avenue, 374 gals .; Warren Street, 434 gals .; Water Street, 1803 gals .; Willowdale Road, 529 gals .; Wood's Lane, 1284 gallons.
Eight of these streets had never been oiled or tarred. The Works Progress Act project of graveling Avery Street, Mitchell Road, and Water Street improved them a great deal. Asphalt and tar were applied to save the gravel and to improve the riding conditions. Highland Avenue, Locust Street, Summer
50
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Street, Willowdale Road, and a section of Brown Square were graveled and then an application of tar and asphalt was applied, improving the travelling conditions on these roads considerably.
The three new streets accepted by the Town are in very good shape at present. They are Masconnomet Road, Currier's Park, and Nabby's Point Road. Masconnomet Road was graded and graveled by Miss Valina Porter, Nabby's Point Road was graded, drained, graveled, and oiled through a W .- P. A. project. Water was also installed on this street. Currier's Park was drained, graveled, and oiled by the Chapter 500 funds.
The W. P. A. Drainage Projects installed in 1938 have been a big improvement to the streets upon which they have been installed, the streets being Spring Street, East Street, Wain- right Street, Hovey Street, Highland Avenue, County Street, Green Street, Manning Street, and sections of Central, High, and Mineral Streets. These drainage projects will drain the water from the streets a great deal faster now, and will eliminate the health and traffic hazards that existed before.
W. P. A. Farm-to-Market graveling projects have certain- ly improved the bad conditions that existed on the streets gravel- ed, and should last for a number of years to come, providing the traffic does not increase too much for them. These streets were Mitchell Road, Avery Street, Waldingfield Road, North Gate Road, and a section of Candlewood Road.
The special appropriations on the Neck Road and Can- dlewood Road made it possible to put Pea Stone on the Neck Road, and to put three inches of stone on a section of Candle- wood Road. The pea stone top on the Neck Road should be good for four or five years at least. The section of Candlewood Road between Essex Road and Fellows Road, upon which we put the three-inch layer of stone has improved a very bad con- dition that existed there. This short section should care for the traffic conditions there for the next fifteen or twenty years.
Mill Road was improved a great deal through the Chapter 90 Allotment. The grades were changed a little, bad material was excavated, and an average of a foot or more of good gravel
51
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
was then added where needed. An average of three inches of stone was then added, with a two-inch course of Class I Bitu- minous Concrete laid as the riding surface. This Class I Bitum- inous Concrete makes a smooth, quiet, non-skid riding sur- face. Culverts and drains were put in where needed, and the slopes were loamed, ready for seeding in the Spring.
Unfortunately, there was some misunderstanding with the County on the Topsfield Road, Chapter 90 Allotment, as it was delayed until very late in the fall, so that drainage work was about all that was accomplished this fall on Topsfield Road.
I recommend that we continue the Chapter 90 work this year on Topsfield Road.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the public and all of the departments that have co-operated with the High- way Department in the past.
TABULATION OF TIME EQUIPMENT WORKED, 1938
Equipment
Miles
Hours
Gals. Gas
Qts.
Oil
Old Truck No. 1
3927
728
631
301/2
Old Truck No. 2
5229
7941/2
627
43
New Truck No. 1
7186
14881/2
1152
53
New Truck No. 2
6676
14381/2
805
38
Grader Rome
2342
1033
2091
98
Fordson Tractor No. 2
74
114
10
Cletrac Tractor
261
472
7
Loader
120
44
Roller
5521/2
899
12
Mixer
2271/2
82
Tractor No. 1
51
94
14
52
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Equipment
Hours Plowed
Other Hours
Rate
Total
Old Truck No. 1
94
$2.50
$235.00
Old Truck No. 1
634
1.00
634.00
New Truck No. 1
50
2.50
125.00
New Truck No. 1
14381/2
1.00
1438.50
Old Truck No. 2
801/2
2.50
201.25
Old Truck No. 2
714
1.00
714.00
New Truck No. 2
63
2.50
157.50
New Truck No. 2
13751/2
1.00
1375.50
Fords'n Tract'r No. 2 57
2.00
114.00
Fords'n Tract'r No. 2
17
1.00
17.00
Cletrac Tractor
2471/2
3:00
742.50
Cletrac Tractor
131/2
1.50
20.25
Loader
120
.50
60.00
Roller
5521/2
1.50
828.75
Fords'n Tract'r No. 1 32
2.00
64.00
Fords'n Tract'r No. 1
19
1.00
19.00
Grader Rome
1033
1.50
1549.50
$8,295.75
INVENTORY, DECEMBER 31, 1938
1 pair blankets
$ 2.00
1 cart, two-horse
25.00
1 cart, watering
50.00
6 drags, road
250.00
1 drag, stone
10.00
1 forge and anvil
35.00
7000 ft. snow fence
900.00
1 grader Whier
300.00
1 grader Rome
4000.00
1 kettle tar
35.00
1 loader, gravel
700.00
4 machines, road
250.00
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
1 mixer, cement
300.00
1 plow, road
25.00
5 plows, blade snow
800.00
1 plow, V-shaped for truck
150.00
1 plow, V-shaped for tractor
1000.00
1 plow, sidewalk snow for tractor
200.00
5 plows, sidewalk snow
375.00
1 roller, stone two horse
25.00
1 roller, gasoline
3500.00
1 sweeper, two horse
100.00
5 screens, gravel
30.00
1 shovel, scoop tractor
20.00
1 tractor, Fordson
100.00
1 tractor, Cletrac
2500.00
2 trucks, dump
1800.00
1 truck, pickup
400.00
1 wagon, oil
50.00
1 sanding machine
75.00
18007.00
Other tools and supplies
3461.25
Grand Total
$ 21468.25
Respectfully submitted,
FRANCIS E. WOOD,
Superintendent of Highways.
54
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
To the Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
The following is the report of the Engineers of the Fire Department for the year 1938.
There were:
28 Bell Alarms
73 Still Alarms
101 Totals Alarms. Compared with 139 last year. Including :
29 Grass and Woods Fires
7 House Fires
10 Dump Fires
19 Chimney Fires
1 Oil Burner
2 Oil Stoves
6 Automobile Fires
4 False Alarms
2 Calls to River
21 Miscellaneous
Alarms sent in from street boxes 13
Alarms transmitted from station 15
Engine 1 made 14 runs
Engine 2 made 33 runs
Engine 3 made 51 runs Ladder truck " 44 runs
Total mileage 275.1 miles.
4,120 feet of 21/2" hose laid
55
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
300 feet of 11/2" hose laid 448 feet of ladders used
300 gallons of water used from boostertanks
25 gallons of chemicals used
Brooms used 15 times Engine 2 pumped 3 hours Engine 1 pumped 21/2 hours
1 two wheel chemical tank at Little Neck.
At the present time the apparatus consists of:
Engine 1 500 gallons White pumping engine
Engine 2 1000 gallons Seagrave pumping engine
Engine 3 150 gallons Ford Combination Ladder truck with about 300 feet of ladders
Each piece is equipped with a booster tank and suitable equipment to handle them.
Tank capacity :
Engine 1 40 gallons with 100 feet 34" hose
Engine 2 100 gallons with 200 feet 3/4" hose
Engine 3 200 gallons with 400 feet 34" hose on two reels Ladder truck 150 gallons with 300 feet 3/4" hose
We have purchased this year 150 feet of 21/2" hose, 100 feet of 11/2" and 200 feet 3/4" booster line hose, so that we have at the present time:
4500 feet of 21/2" hose 1000 feet of 3/4" booster 650 feet of 11/2" hose
The fire alarms system consists of 23 street boxes, 1 trans- mitter, 1 air compressor, 1 air whistle, 1 whistling machine with batteries and all other equipment needed to maintain it in good working order.
We recommend the purchase of new hose this year and would like to replace the large doors in the apparatus room with overhead doors.
56
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
We feel that the bill for fuel for the oil burner to heat the building is too large and that it would be advisable to replace it with an automatic stoker which would reduce the bill one- half, according to those who have had experience with them.
According to the vote passed at the last annual town meet- ing appropriating $2000 for the purchase of a new piece of ap- paratus to replace the old Engine 2, such a machine was pur- chased and placed in commission in May-a Ford truck chassis with a body capacity of 1000 feet of 21/2" hose and 500 feet of 11/2" hose and a compartment for brooms and shovels, also in front of the body is a tank for water, capacity of 200 gallons, two hose reels with 200 feet of 3/4" hose each, and a 150 gallon capacity pump, also 7 Indian pump cans mounted on the side of body. This machine is used to answer all alarms and is especial- ly equipped to handle grass and brush fires and is a valuable addition to our equipment. This new piece of apparatus is known as Engine 3.
We are pleased to report the smallest loss by fire this year that we have had for a long time-the total loss being $4,314.75 divided as follows:
$2,285.20 on buildings $2,029.55 on contents
Total insurance on this property was $184,800.00 and the amount of insurance paid was $4,064.75.
The average yearly loss for the previous five years was $23,841. so you see that we made a very good showing this year.
This small loss may be accounted for in part anyway to good luck in not having a fire start in a bad place and get going good before being discovered and to the response of the men and apparatus when they receive the alarm, and the fact that each machine is equipped with a booster tank and can go to work on the fire at once before it gets a good start, without having to lay a hydrant line thereby saving valuable time.
57
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Semi-annual inspections of our school buildings by the chief during the last two years have helped improve the house- keeping conditions in regard to fire hazards. Inspections of the buildings in our business district for fire hazards have been lim- ited although we feel that what we have done has done some good.
Our efforts along the line of fire prevention have been very limited and we hope that our newly organized Chamber of Com- merce will help us in our program this year as such organiza- tions in other places have been active and quite a factor in fire prevention activities.
We are having a fire alarm tapper and indicator installed at Police Headquarters at the Town Hall for the purpose of giving the officers there a chance to get an early start to the loca- tion of the fire to help control traffic and help in rescue work if necessary. Automobiles racing to fires and parking where they will be in the way of the firemen may be prevented by the prompt arrival of the officers.
We wish to say at this time that we appreciate very much the splendid cooperation of our Police Department during the past year in the work that we have been called upon to do.
Respectfully submitted, EDWARD H. SMITH LIONEL SHEPPARD SAMUEL W. ATHERLEY
Board of Fire Engineers.
1
58
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL SURPLUS COMMODITIES DIVISION
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my report of the activities of the Fed- eral Surplus Commodity department for the year ending Decem- ber 31st, 1938.
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