USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Ipswich > Town annual report of Ipswich 1943 > Part 2
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Inspector of Slaughtering
Hilmer H. Lindgrin Term expires 1944
Sanitary Agent
Paul M. Jodoin
Term expires 1944
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Inspector of Milk
Paul M. Jodoin Term expires 1944
Child Hygiene
Frank L. Collins, M. D. Director
Term expires 1944
Muriel E. Riley, Nurse Term expires 1944
Agent, Board of Public Welfare
Nelson W. Pascoe Term expires 1944
Clerk, Board of Assessors
C. Chester Caldwell Term expires 1944
Inspector of Wires
Gordon D. Player Term expires 1944
Bell Ringer
Guy E. Wells Term expires 1944
Janitor, Town Hall
Samuel H. Williams Term expires 1944
Sworn Weighers for Town Scales
Elwyn F. McCarthy
Term expires 1945
Howard N. Doughty Term expires 1946
Samuel H. Williams Term expires 1946
Manager, Water and Light Department
Charles A. Mallard
Burial Agent for State and Military Aid
Edward S. Cogswell Term expires 1944
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Playground Committee
Henry S. Bowen, Sr.
Term expires 1944
James M. Burke
Term expires 1944
Clarence J. Dupray, Chairman
Term expires 1944
John J. McCormack
Term expires 1944
*Resigned.
Superintendent of Cemeteries
Benjamin W. Homans
Term expires 1944
Town Forest Committee
·
George E. Rose *
Term expires 1944
Joseph E. Thomas
Term expires 1944 Term expires 1945
Samuel C. Gordon
*Resigned
Dog Officer
Thomas G. Gauld
Term expires 1944
Finance Committee
M. Charles Arthur
Term expires 1944
Edward J. Marcorelle *
Term expires 1944
Edmund H. Kelleher
Term expires 1944
Charles E. Goodhue, Jr. Term expires 1945
Louis Bournazos Jesse M. Morehouse
Term expires 1945 Term expires 1945
Jerome Richardson, Chairman
Term expires 1946
Wilmot E. Hall, Secretary Trem expires 1946
Walter E. Lezon *
Term expires 1946
*Appointed by Town Meeting. ** Appointed by Selectmen. *** Appointed by Moderator.
1634
1944
REPORTS
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF
IPSWICH, MASS.
THE BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE
$5219
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1943
and the
THREE HUNDRED AND TENTH YEAR
of the
TOWN'S INCORPORATION
Chronicle Publishing Co., Printers Ipswich, Mass.
11
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Selectmen's Report
To the Citizens of Ipswich:
This year the Board continued its policy of prudent, and careful supervision of the affairs entrusted to it, having always in mind that the best service that may be rendered to the taxpayers of the Town is a conservative husbanding of the Town's assets, with a due and diligent regard to the great in- crease in popular demand for expenditures that will accompany the Post-War Era.
At the present time over seven hundred of our fellow townsmen are serving our country in the various branches of the Armed Services. We have this year, in conjunction with the Service Flag Committee, attempted to commemorate and honor these boys and girls by purchasing an Ipswich Service Flag, and raising the same for all to see over the Soldier's Monument, in the center of the Town. There has been some suggestion that an Honor Roll should be purchased by the Town, and inscribed with the names of all of our citizens in the Armed Services, be erected in the center of the Town. An article has been inserted in the Warrant covering this matter, and at the Annual Town Meeting the voters of the Town will be given an opportunity to discuss, and pass judgment on this suggestion.
The year 1943 saw the end of the program developed under the sponsorship of the Work's Progress Administration. We were able to continue the installation of the drainage system on Argilla Road to the top of the hill opposite the
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Merrill farm. At some future time the system of drainage on Argilla Road should be continued to the entrance of the Crane Estate, and we submit this suggestion to some future Board of Selectmen. For a great many years the Town has expended large sums of money for engineering surveys, plans and blue prints. On too many occasions these have been lost or misplaced with consequent great loss to the Town. Your Board deter- mined this year to remedy this condition and has had these plans and blueprints codified and indexed, and bound into a large, permanent, plan book. They are now permanently kept in the Selectmen's Room where they may be examined and copied by all interested parties.
For the last two years the Board has pursued a policy of modernizing the office floor of the Town Hall. In 1943 the toilet facilities of the building were relocated and rebuilt, and this improvement has merited the approval of the townspeople. The Board is recommending to the citizens that in 1944 a sum of money be appropriated to renovate the rooms occupied by the Police Department. It is proposed, among other things, that a new room be finished off in the cellar as a police room, where the personal effects of the policemen may be stored. The Town has never possessed a garage wherein the police car could be quartered, and the cruising car has at all times been left out- doors, subject to the elements. Plans have been completed pro- viding for garaging the car in the cellar of the Town Hall when the car is not in use. This provision may be made with- out impairing any of the facilities of the department.
During the year the Board was called upon, as custodi- ans of Town Properties, to offer for sale real estate acquired by the Town under foreclosure of Tax Titles. This we did, as empowered under the terms of the vote taken at the Annual Town Meeting of March, 1943. It was decided to retain for use of the Town two lots of shore property located on Bar Island, Plum Island. It was felt that the interests of the Town
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
would be better served by holding these small properties for use of generations to come, rather than sell them off, for a few dol- lars, at the present time. Lately a large area has been acquired by the Town on Grape Island. Your Board recommends that this property be likewise retained by the Town. With a return to normalcy these properties may well prove to be important assets to the townspeople, inasmuch as they will provide public facilities in an important shore play area. We have also reserved from public sale the store property located at 76-78 High Street (corner of Lord's Square) and the dwelling house and land located adjacent to the aforementioned property and located at 80 High Street. We will discuss the reasons for our reservations of these properties in another part of this report. Altogether 22 parcels of property were taken over by the Town and offered for sale at Pubilc Auction after the same had been duly adver- tised in our local newspaper. These properties had cost the Town, $10,211.90 in taxes and expenses to the date of final taking by the Town. We were able to dispose of these properties for $10,115.00, showing a net loss to the town of only $96.90.
During the past year the Board, and the Highway De- partment, constructed Hayward Street and continued the con- struction of Peabody Street. These new roads offer safe and long needed access to the Hayward Hosiery plant. We have received requests to lay out certain additional streets, in 1944. We shall make our recommendations in regard to the same at the Annual Town Meeting.
Your Board will be faced with the need of procuring new dumping facilities for refuse in 1944. The Town Dump now located at the rear of the High School is being rapidly filled in, and it is expected that before 1944 has come to an end the dumping facilities offered at this location will be exhausted. Your Board will make its recommendations at the Annual Town Meeting on this matter.
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
For a great many years the traffic hazards existing at the corner of Lord's Square and High Street has excited the concern of the Townspeople, and suggestions have been made from time to time as to the means that must be employed to alleviate this condition. In 1943 the Town acquired through foreclosure of tax title interest two parcels of property located on this corner. Your Board, as hereinbefore stated, decided to reserve these properties to the Town by not offering them for sale at public auction. The Board considered that by retaining these properties in public ownership the Town might well go ahead and recon- struct this corner and avoid the substantial claims for damage that would result if these properties were owned privately. Thus, with public ownership of substantially all the property required, your Board recommends that in 1944 the entire program of re- constructing Lord's Square be attended to. Although any sums appropriated for this project must be raised by taxation we would like to call attention to the fact that the amount estimat- ed to carry out this needed improvement is somewhat less than the amount the town obtained from the sale of property ac- quired by tax title.
Your Board has had plans prepared covering the entire project. These may be seen at the Selectmen's Room by all in- terested persons. Your Board will recommend to the Town Meeting that the work of reconstructing this corner be carried out in 1944.
It is not too early to prepare for the Post-War period, and the Board feels that it would be prudent for the town to anticipate the many problems that may well arise when the world is once again at peace. We have been told that there well may be extensive unemployment for a more or less indeterminate period of time, and that dislocations in industry may well bring with it many attendant problems. The Board recommends that a Committee be established to study these problems insofar as they may effect the town of Ipswich, and plan for the establish-
15
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
ment of such projects as may well serve to alleviate these condi- tions. We feel that should the Town once again be faced with the problem of unemployment as a condition accompanying the Post-War era, that various worthwhile projects of a substantial and permanent benefit to the Town should be carried out, and that it is not too early to prepare such projects for future use.
BERNARD M. SULLIVAN WALLACE J. LATHROP JOHN F. CONLEY
Board of Selectmen
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Report of Town Counsel
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :
Gentlemen :
Following is the Report of the Town Counsel for the year 1943.
At the beginning of the year 1943 there was only one case in the Superior Court pending trial. That was a suit brought by the City of Boston against the Town of Ipswich.
That was a suit against the Welfare Department for assistance claimed to have given to persons who had a legal set- tlement in Ipswich. The suit was commenced in January 1937 and the claim was made that Ipswich owed Boston $7,583.00. This amount was later increased by amendment by adding $1.493.82 making the total claim $9,076.82.
I filed an answer to this suit setting forth that the causes of action mentioned in the suit did not accrue within two years before the suing out of the Plaintiffs Writ and filed tlso a De- claration in Set Off for $766.44.
During the past six years the case has not come for trial but there have been a number of meetings of your Town Counsel and Attorneys representing Boston and the whole case has been discussed to see if some agreement could not be reached to de- cide how much was owing to Boston.
Finally, in 1943 more attempt was made to settle the case and Mr. Nelson Pascoe of our Welfare Board and Boston Representatives went over the whole case again.
As a result of the previous investigation and particularly of the very valuable assistance given by Mr Pascoe, we finally reached an agreement whereby we settled with Boston for
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
$1,585.96 and they settled with us by the payment of $227.77, a total difference of only $1,358.19. Papers were drawn up and signed by both sides for those figures and an Agreement for Judgment and Judgment Satisfied filed in the Court.
When one considers the amount of the claim six years ago and then sees it reduced to the small amount that was actu- ally paid to settle the whole affair, I think it will be agreed that the settlement was a good one for the Town.
The cases in the District Court during this year have been fewer than has been the case for a number of years and there are no cases pending there now. Neither are there any cases now pending in which the Town of Ipswich has a part in the Superior Court. The docket seems to be clear as far as Ipswich is concerned.
There have been the usual requests from different Boards when they wanted legal information, which I have always tried to give them. Due to the condition of my health for the past year I have been unable to attend all of the meetings of the Board of Selectmen but I have attended very many of them whenever I was able to do so.
Owing to my health condition I am unable to write more at length for this report. At any rate it would be the usual things that appear in all such reports. All of the Town Officials, Boards and Committees have, as always, been cooperative in giving me information whenever requested to do so. I again thank them all for the many courtesies shown me during the many years I have been Town Counsel and I again want to point out that I am especially indebted to Mr. Pascoe for the work which he did in connection with the Boston case.
GEORGE A. SCHOFIELD
Town Counsel
18
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Assessor's Report
To the Citizens of Ipswich:
In making this, the annual report of the Board of As- sessors, there has been included the work sheet that is used in computing the tax rate and tables of aggregates covering the work of this department.
Owing to smaller appropriations and a conservative estimate of receipts we were able to reduce the tax rate $2.50 per thousand, making a rate of $36.00.
So doing we had a substantial balance, therefore an honest tax rate.
Respectfully submitted,
C. CHESTER CALDWELL
JOHN E. NORMAN WORTHINGTON H. MANSFIELD
1943 RECAPITULATION
Town Appropriations
$356,393.77
Deficit in 1932 Overlay
58.82
Deficit in 1933 Overlay
27.76
Deficit in 1934 Overlay
229.38
Deficit in 1935 Overlay
310.79
Deficit in 1936 Overlay
69.59
State Tax
5,600.00
19
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
State Parks and Reservations
187.84
1,764.91
State Audit of Municipal Accounts County Tax Tuberculosis Hospital Assessment
9,888.39
4,318.38
Overlay
5,835.34
384,684.97
Estimated Receipts and Available Funds
Income Tax
24,851.29
Corporation Tax
11,225.22
Reimbursement on account State Owned Land
1,580.54
Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise
5,000.00
Licenses
5,000.00
Fines
70.00
Grants and Gifts
750.00
Special Assessments
650.00
General Government
1,100.00
Protection of Persons and Property
400.00
Health and Sanitation
400.00
Charities (other than Federal Grants for aid to dependent children)
2,000.00
Old Age Assistance (other than Federal Grants)
17,746.52
Soldiers Benefits
1,055.00
Old Age Tax (Meals)
765.17
Schools
3,100.00
Public Service Enterprises (such as Water Department, etc.) 30,000.00
Cemeteries (other than trust funds and sale of lots)
868.00
Interest on Taxes and Assessments
2,000.00
Available funds approved by Commissioner
18,640.69
Total Estimated Receipts and available funds 127,202.43
20
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Net amount to be raised by Taxation on Polls and Property 257,482.54
Number of Polls (2120) $ 4,240.00
Valuation Personal Property ($487.890.00) Tax on Personal Property 17,564.04
Valuation Real Estate
($6.546,625.00)
Tax on Real Estate 235,678.50
Tax Rate-$36.00
Net amount to be raised on Polls and Property 257.482.54
Moth Assessment 252.75
Water Liens
517.73 770.48
Committed to Collector in 1943
258,253.02
Table of Aggregates
Number of Persons Assessed :
On Personal Property only 319
On Real Estate only 1,392
On both Personal and Real Estate
111
Number of Persons Assessed
1,822
Number of Polls Assessed
2,120
Vaule of Assessed Personal Estate:
Stock in Trade
119,940.00
Machinery
41,000.00
Live Stock
53,775.00
All other Tangible Personal
Property 273,175.00
487,890.00
Value of Assessed Real Estate:
Land, exclusive of
Buildings $1,605,700.00
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Buildings, exclusive of Land 4,940,925.00
$6,546,625.00
Total Valuation of Assessed Estate
$7,034,515.00 Tax Rate per $1,000.00-$36.00 Taxes for State, County, or Town Purposes,
Including Overlay :
On Personal Estate $ 17,564.04
On Real Estate
235,678.50
On Polls
4,240.00 $257,482.54
Number of Live Stock Assessed :
Horses
96
Cows
601
Yearlings
147
Swine
25
Sheep
48
Fowl
6,135
All Other
25
Number of Acres of Land Assessed
17,730
Number of Dwelling Houses Assessed
1,787
22
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Report of Town Clerk
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen: 1
I herewith present to your Board a report of the Town Clerk for the year 1943.
VITAL STATISTICS
During the year 1943 the births numbered 199, an increase of 30 from the previous year.
Males 100
Females 99
Parents residing in:
Ipswich
123
Salem
1
Essex
27
Gloucester
5
Rowley
27
Topsfield
1
Lynn
1
Boxford
1
Manchester
2
Hamilton
9
Beverly
2
Total 199
Fathers born in:
Mothers born in:
Ipswich
46
Ipswich 53
Massachusetts
112
Massachusetts
98
U. S. A.
24
U.S .A.
32
British Prov.
10
British Prov.
10
Italy
1
England
1
England
2
Scotland
1
Ireland
1
Ireland
2
Greece
2
Greece
1
Unknown
1
Poland
1
199
199
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Marriages
Total number received and recorded
99
Grooms born in: Brides born in:
Ipswich
22
Ipswich 35
Massachusetts
48
Massachusetts 32
U. S. A.
21
U. S. A. 24
British Prov.
1
British Prov.
2
Greece
3 Ireland
1
Ireland
2
Greece
2
England
1
Scotland
1
Poland
1
Poland
2
99
99
During the year 1943 the deaths numbered 90 a de- crease of 17 from the previous year.
Males 53 Females 37
The following persons were, at the time of death, over 80 years old:
Allan Watson Brown
83 yrs. 3 mos.
Charles Hanson Andrews
80 yrs. 1 mo. 6 days
Eudora A. Perkins
81 yrs.
Eben H. Bailey
99 yrs.
Annie M. Rust
83 yrs.
Julia Pappalimberis
83 yrs.
Aline Julie (Petre) Culot
87 yrs.
Philip Hinckley
96 yrs. 6 mos. 14 days
Marietta (Poor) Grant
94 yrs. 1 mo. 7 days
James A. Crocker
82 yrs.
J. Warren Perkins
80 yrs.
Joseph Stinson . 91 yrs. 9 mos. 12 days
24
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
NOTICE
The attention of parents is called to the law relating to the registering of births. The present requirements are as follows:
Chapter 29, Section 6 of the Revised Laws. Parents within forty day after birth of a child. . . . shall cause notice thereof to be given to the clerk of the town or city in which such child is born.
Section 8. A parent. .. . who neglects so to do for ten days after the time limited therefor. . .. shall forfeit not more than five dollars for each offense.
The Attention of Physicians and Midwives is Called to Chapter 46, Section 6.
Section 1. Physicians and midwives, shall, within, forty- eight hours after the birth of every child in cases which they were in charge, mail or deliver to the Clerk or Registrar of the City or Town, in which the birth occurred, a notice stating the date and place of birth, giving the street number, if any, the number of the ward in a city and the family name. Failure to mail or deliver the said notice shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars for each offense.
I wish to call attention to the foregoing vital statistics:
It is important that these records shall be correct. If any errors are discovered, the Clerk will deem it a favor to have them reported at once, so that correction may be made.
Some of the many reasons why births should be recorded:
To establish identity.
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
To prove nationality.
To prove legitimacy.
To show when the child has the right to enter school.
To show when the child has the right to seek employ- ment under the child labor law.
To establish the right of inheritance to property.
To establish liability to military duty, as well as exemption therefrom.
To establish age and citizenship in order to vote.
To qualify to hold title to, and to buy or sell real estate. To establish the right to hold public office.
To prove the age at which the marriage contract may be entered into.
To prove age to determine validity of a contract entered into by an alleged minor.
To prove age for Old Age Assistance.
To prove age so as to have right to take Civil Service Examinations.
Your co-operation to the end that all births may be properly recorded will be greatly appreciated.
The following licenses were granted through this office:
Resident Citizen Fishing 50
Resident Citizen Hunting 173
Resident Citizen Sporting 37
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Resident Citizen Minor and Female Fishing 13
Resident Citizen Minor Trapping 2
Resident Citizen Trapping 5
Resident Citizen Sporting (Free) 13
Duplicate Licenses 3
Resident Military or Naval Service Sporting (Free) 14
The following dog licenses were issued through this office:
Male 387; Female 52; Spayed Females 50; Kennel 2
For the benefit of the owners and keepers of dogs the following extract of the General Law is hereby submitted:
General Laws, Chapter 140, Sections 136A-175 amended by Chapter 298 of 1932 and Chapter 320 of 1934:
Section 137. Licenses and Tags. The owner or keeper of a dog which is three months old or over, shall annually, on or before March thirty-first, cause it to be registered, numbered, described and licensed for one year from April first following, if the dog is kept in Boston, in the office of the police commis- sioner or if kept in any other town, in the office of the clerk thereof. The license shall be in a form prescribed by the director upon a blank to be furnished, except in the County of Suffolk, by the county in which the town is located, and shall be sub- ject to the condition expressed therein, that the dog which is the subject of the license shall be controlled and restrained from killing, chasing or harassing livestock or fowls. The owner or keeper of a licensed dog shall cause it to wear around its neck or body a collar or harness of leather or other suitable material to which shall be securely attached a tag in a form prescribed
27
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
by the director, and upon which shall appear the license num- ber, the name of the Town issuing such license, and the year of issue. Such tags shall be furnished in the same manner as the license blanks, and if any such tags shall be lost, the owner or keeper of such dog shall forthwith secure a substitute tag from the Town Clerk, at the cost of ten cents, which shall be retained by the Clerk unless otherwise provided by law. Any person may bring, or cause to be brought, from another state or county, any dog licensed under the law thereof and keep such dog in this Commonwealth for a period not exceeding thirty days without licensing it hereunder, and during such period foregoing provisions of this section shall not apply to such dog.
Section 138. Licenses. The owner or keeper of a dog may at any time have it licensed until April first following: and a person who after April first becomes the owner or keeper of a dog which becomes three months old after March thirty- first in any year, shall, when it is three months old, cause it to be registered, numbered, described, licensed, collared or harness- ed and tagged as required by section one hundred and thirty- seven.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD S. COGSWELL
Town Clerk
28
IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Report of Police Department
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
I have the honor to submit to you a resume of the duties performed by the Police Department for the year end- ing December 31, 1943.
In time of war the Police Department is called upon to perform a multitude of duties that either may not usually be undertaken during normal times or else they may be abnor- mal extension of customary duties. It is with great pleasure that I may state that due to the splendid cooperation of the various Civilian Defense Units it has made this additional work a pleasure.
The Chief duties of the Police Department are of course, to detect and arrest criminals, the prevention of crime, the pro- tection of lives and property, and the enforcement of all laws and ordinances.
The Police Department is often judged favorably or unfavorably by the actions of its individual members and I have brought this to the attention of my Officers and have instructed them to be at all times courteous in the performance of their duties.
During the past year a fingerprint outfit which was needed was added to the equipment of the Department and has proved very satisfactory. We are at the present time in the pro- cess of securing a Two-Way-Radio for the cruising car and station which when installed will prove most valuable to the
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IPSWICH TOWN REPORT
Department. There are suggestions for additional equipment which although needed can wait until a more appropriate time for purchase.
The traffic situation is satisfactory but not ideal and · much work remains to be done along this line to make our Town safer in this respect. All must realize that strict and impartial enforcement is the only way to obtain results.
In conclusion I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Selectmen, the Justice and Attaches of our Court, the Auxiliary Police and all public spirited citizens who have assisted me and the Department in the performance of its duties.
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