USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1924 > Part 8
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
In conclusion, I hope that the tax payers of the town of Middleboro will feel free to call upon us for any of this kind of work.
Respectfully submitted, JESSE CARPENTER. JR. Local Moth Superintendent.
-
129
MIDDLEBOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
To the President and Board of Trustees,
Middleboro Public Library.
Gentlemen :
I have the honor to submit the annual report of the work of the Public Library.
Statistics of circulation give only a partial account of the work of the Library, therefore tabulated facts must be supple- mented by a less formal statement.
That the Library is a community institution, is evidenced by the increasing use of its facilities. An unoccupied room on the second floor has been converted into a substitute for the rooms formerly used by the Community Center. In this room are held the Community dressmaking and millinery classes, and the meetings of the District Nursing Association. In the Spring of 1924, a school health clinic was held here, and various committees of the Cabot Club have availed themselves of the opportunity to use this room.
Children's Book Week, in November, marked the inaug- uration of story-telling,-a feature which will be made perman- ent.
In order that boys and girls might have a better acquaint- ance with the facilities of the Library, and instruction in the use of books, a course of five lessons has been given weekly to all the ninth grade pupils from School Street School. High School pupils who live out of town and are therefore not en- titled to secure books on the same basis as resident pupils, have been granted special student privileges enabling them to secure
130
the requisite collateral reading and aid in preparation of their lessons.
The out-of-town depository collections continue to act as proxy for the Library in the outlying districts. Much credit and thanks are due to the people who give so generously of their time in this volunteer service, namely,-Miss Laura Deane, of East Middleboro, and Miss Margaret Mostrom, who continues in charge of the semi-permanent collection at the South Middleboro School.
In order that the local Library may be a more active unit in Library activities of this vicinity, the Trustees have voted to make the Library an institutional member of the Old Colony Library Club, of which three members of the staff hold personal memberships. The Middleboro Library is represented in the national library organization, The American Library Associa- tion, by two members of the staff. During the year the Library has kept in touch with the work of other institutions by representatives at several regional meetings and round tables. In June, the Librarian, through the courtesy of the Trustees, had the privilege and pleasure of attending the three day session of the Massachusetts Library Club, at Swamp- scott. Mrs. Witbeck was on leave of absence for six weeks during the summer, to attend the session of the School of Library Science at Simmons College, where she took courses in Children's work and School libraries.
The Librarian takes this opportunity to express her appre- ciation and gratitude to the members of the Board of Trustees for their cooperation and helpfulness, and to her co-workers on the staff, without whose efforts and loyalty the library would have been unable to fulfill its place in the community.
Respectfully submitted,
E. LUCILE PALMER,
Librarian.
Population served Terms of use .
8,453
Free for reading and reference
131
Total number of agencies, consisting of
Central Library South Middleboro Branch East Middleboro Depository Collection School buildings
Other agencies
Number of days open
303
Hours open each week
72
Total number of staff
Full time 4
Part time 1-Page duty
Number of volumes at beginning of year, approxi- mately 26,540
Number added by purchase
866
Number added by gift
49
Number added by binding
59
Total
27,514
Number lost or withdrawn
494
Number at end of year
27,020
Total number of volumes lent for home use
Central Library
70,587
Number by classes
General
3,976
Philosophy
282
Religion
184
Sociology
407
Philology
62
Science
562
Useful Arts
822
Fine arts
872
Literature
1,215
History
702
Travel
665
Biography
783
Fiction
40,005
Juvenile fiction
10,086
132
Juvenile non-fiction
9,771
Foreign.
193
Total branch circulation
1,191
School Depository Collection (South Middleboro
excepted)
685
New cards issued
451
Adults
276
Children
175
Number of registered borrowers
4,322
133
REPORT OF DOG OFFICER
There have been 875 dogs licensed, 666 males, 209 females. There have been 9 dogs killed,strays of unknown ownership. There have been no arrests, therefore no court proceedings.
Yours respectfully, JESSE C. WILBUR,
Dog Officer.
134
REPORT OF ASSESSORS
It is not with much alacrity that we submit the following report. This year's work has been composed of many ob- stacles, some of which have been easily overcome, but others have made a hardship on the tax payers. We regret that we were forced to change the tax rate from $30.00, as was first published, to $31.00. This change in rate, however, was due to the State Auditors verifying the books of the town, and they failed to agree with the budget as submitted to the Assessors.
The State has again seen fit to send us a copy of registra- tions of all automobiles in our town, from the first of January to the first of April. It is greatly appreciated by the Board, as they have been an "argument settler" in many cases, the past year.
It no doubt will be interesting to know that 1631 auto- mobiles were registered in our town the first four months of the year, valued at $473,550.00.
Every year it becomes more necessary that plans of our town be made, and it is still the wish of the Assessors that an appropriation be made each year for this purpose, until plans are made to cover the entire town.
The equalization of taxation will never be satisfactory, as long as assessments are made only from visiting the property.
Again an automobile was purchased for the use of the Assessors in doing their season's work, and it proves a very satisfactory way to furnish transportation; also a very economi- cal way, as the financial report of the Treasurer should show.
Once more we want to impress upon the tax payers the neces- sity of filing their list of property, personal and real estate, on or before the 15th of May. There have been some instances this last season, where there could have been more satisfactory
135
adjustments made, had these lists been filed at the proper time.
It is our desire, as the Assessors of the town of Middle- borough, to keep as near to our oath of office as possible, that we assess property for the "full and fair cash value" and any time a tax payer feels an injustice has been done, we are always ready and willing to make the proper adjustments, and be within the law, upon their application.
Respectfully submitted,
BENJAMIN C. SHAW, JAMES F. GARDNER, ERNEST S. PRATT,
Assessors of Middleborough
136
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF WIRES
To the Board of Selectmen: Number of jobs inspected Number of jobs condemned
177
4
1 Number of jobs passed after some alterations 14
Respectfully submitted,
JESSE C. WILBUR,
Inspector of Wires.
137
REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
I herewith submit the report of the Weights and Measures department for the year 1924.
The State Standards are in excellent condition, as is nearly all the working equipment of this department. The standard test weights should be adjusted to the state standards, as this has not been done for a number of years. A new standard yard measure is asked for by the State Department. One new test measure is needed, but aside from this, little is needed outside the regular yearly supplies, to.carry on the work this coming year.
An excellent set of 20 ton auto truck scales were installed at the town barn, and is a big asset to the department.
Warnings have been issued in several instances where men were found to be evading the law, but in each case these warn- ings have been heeded.
Something should be done to give the Sealer more time, as the demands upon this department are greater than can be reasonably taken care of. Much mork has been done the past year after hours.
Work performed this year as follows :-
1281 pieces sealed, 84 pieces adjusted, 16 condemned.
There were 657 reweighings, 538 correct, 67 underweight, 52 overweight.
All coal reweighings were well within the tolerances.
174 scales, 331 weights, 13 measures, 26 yardsticks, and 2 gasolene pumps with 136 stops, were retested and found to be O. K.
Eight peddlers' licenses and scales were inspected and found to be according to law. Bread and package goods were also inspected and found to be in form.
Respectfully submitted,
LOUIS C. LITTLEJOHN
Sealer.
138
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN
The total expense of this department this year as has been the case the past four years, has been for labor on our trees, as your Town Manager, who is also the Tree Warden, receives no compensation for fulfilling the duties of this office.
This appropriation has been used to take down a few dead trees, and the removing of dead limbs from others.
Complaints still come in regarding damp and dark houses, and of the damage to roofs from over-hanging branches of the shade trees. These have been corrected in so far as the appro- priation would permit.
The heavy snow storm late in the winter, and the severe wind and rain storm during the summer, which uprooted many of our large and beautiful shade trees, damaged others so badly that many more will have to be taken down this year, and will also necessitate a large amount of trimming. For this reason we feel that a larger appropriation for this department should be made this year.
Respectfully submitted,
H. J. GOODALE,
Town Manager and Tree Warden.
139
FOREST WARDEN REPORT
A total of 64 grass and forest fires has been reported this year. Of these, 33 were set by the railroad locomotives, and 31 by carelessness of individuals. The total estimated acre- age burned over is 292, causing a loss of $4,809.00. The largest fire was on Miller Street, being caused by some children lighting a bonfire. This burned over 100 acres, with an esti- mated loss of $4,000.00 exclusive of the cost of extinguishing, which amounted to $76.03.
We have one of the best forest fire fighting organizations in Plymouth County. We are fortunate in having a forest fire observation tower located in our town, and manned by a very efficient observer, who is intimately acquainted with the sur- rounding territory. This protection is supplemented by a piece of fire apparatus fully equipped with extinguishers and material for replenishing them, together with brooms,shovels, hose, etc. for use at the fire, and fourteen deputy wardens, who are thoroughly interested in this work. This department is also supplemented by the force in the Moth Department, who carry on their truck all during the forest fire season, tools and equipment to aid in fighting this menace.
At the sound of the forest fire call on the fire alarm, the men in the Moth Department, and the deputies immediately get in touch with the fire station or the observation tower, to as- certain its location, and then immediately go to the scene of the fire. In the meantime, the apparatus from the fire station has responded to the call with such men as are available, so that in a very short space of time there is sufficient force to handle almost any fire, and to extinguish it before it has made much headway.
Your Forest Warden, who is also your Town Manager, keeps in close touch with the progress of the fire through the
140
observation tower, and should additional help be needed, the men in the highway department are called upon, thus having a large force of men available at all times, and at short notice.
The expense of operating this department is wholly for labor and supplies, as the Forest Warden receives no salary, but is recompensed for the damage to his clothing resulting from attending these fires.
Respectfully submitted, H. J. GOODALE,
Town Manager and Forest Warden.
.
141
REPORT OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
H. J. Goodale, Town Manager,
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my report as Health Officer for the year ending December 31, 1924.
There has been a marked improvement in the number of cases of contagious diseases recorded by the health department during the past year, as compared with the number recorded by that department during 1923. In 1923 there were 816 cases recorded, and in 1924, 372 cases.
During the month of February, 1924, the School Physician in co-operation with the Health Officer and Health Nurse pre- pared and had printed for distribution to the pupils of the schools of Middleboro, a card explaining the Shick Test, the method of performing this test, and benefit to children in hav- ing the test applied. Parents were requested to give their consent for the health department to Shick test their children by signing and returning the card to the health department. Before the cards were received from the printer, a number of children in Concord and Bridgewater were poisoned by inject- ing toxin antitoxin that had been frozen, into their arms while applying the Shick test. The reports of the poisoning created such excitement, and parents became so alarmed that the dis- tribution of the cards was held up for a few weeks, and when they were finally given to the children to take home, a very small percent of the parents gave their consent to have the test applied.
HEALTH NURSE
As the Health Nurse and the School Nurse are combined in one person, and as the health work done by the health nurse is principally among the scholars of the schools, to save du-
142
plicating, a record of the health work of the nurse will be printed in the report of the school department.
In justice to Miss Canning, the Health Nurse, I want to express my appreciation of the excellent co-operation in the suppression of the contagious diseases, and in health work, of the faithful and efficient services rendered during the past year.
TUBERCULOSIS
Miss Canning the Health Nurse, while weighing and measuring the pupils of the schools, has given careful attention to those children 10% or more under weight. Milk was fur- nished to these pupils when their parents could not afford to pay for it. The children who persisted in being under weight were examined at the clinic held in the public library, under the supervision of Dr. Milliken, State Inspector of Health, and Dr. Pinkney of the Department of Public Health. All sus- picious cases were reported to the health nurse for supervision, and follow up work. One girl and one boy were sent to the Tuberculosis Camp at So. Hanson, having been reported in need of treatment at that clinic. One boy reported positive was sent to the Sanitorium at So. Hanson for treatment. Six cases of tuberculosis were reported to the health department during the past year; three deaths were reported from tuber- culosis. On Jan. 1, 1925, there were three cases of tuberculosis in the Sanitorium at So. Hanson, from Middleboro.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
The following named diseases have been recorded by the health department during the past year :-
Chicken Pox
41
Diphtheria
41
Pneumonia Lobar
23
Measles
4
Mumps
188
Scarlet Fever
25
Tuberculosis Pulmonary
6
143
Whooping Cough 73
Anterior Poliomyelitis
1
LICENSES AND PERMITS
There were issued by the health department licenses and permits as listed below :-
No. Price
Retailer Milk License
65
$.50
$32.50
Producer Permit
35 no fees
Alcohol License
18
1.00 18.00
Oleomargarine
14
.50
7.00
$57.50
Respectfully submitted,
J. H. WHEELER,
Health Officer.
144
MIDDLEBORO FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT OF THE CHIEF
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
I have the honor to present herewith, for your consideration, the fourth annual report of the Chief of the Middleboro Fire Department, for the year ending December 31, 1924, in accord- ance with Section 21 of Chapter 592, Acts of 1920.
APPARATUS
The apparatus of the department consists of the follow- ing :-
1 Maxim 500 Gallon Pumping Engine, purchased June 28, 1920.
1 Knox Combination Chemical and Hose Car, purchased Oct. 14, 1912.
1 Maxim City Service Ladder Truck, purchased Oct. 11, 1915.
1 Maxim Hose Car, purchased May 12, 1914.
All are well supplied with ladders, 3 gallon hand exting- uishers and the most necessary appliances for aiding the ex- tinguishing of fires.
REMARKS
The apparatus as a whole is still in good operating condition. On account of increased service demanded of Engine 1, it was deemed advisable to change the rear tires from Combination 1 to Engine 1 and those from Engine 1 to the Combination wagon. This was done to avoid, if possible, the purchasing of new tires this year. But during the coming year, as a matter of safety to apparatus and men, new front tires should be pro-
145
vided for Engine 1 and Combination 1, as the present ones have been in service five and six years respectively. Some of the pieces should be match painted and varnished.
The efficiency of the personnel has been greatly increased because of the attendance of Capt. Ryder at the Brockton Drill School, and wish at this time to acknowledge the favor shown us by the Brockton Department and to express my personal thanks for the same. The benefit derived from the knowledge obtained while there has already in a great measure been made manifest.
Recent as well as former experience has shown the need of providing some way of either getting to the pond at Rock Village or piping from the pond to some accessable place for the pumping engine, and whatever other means are provided for property protection, would recommend that measures be taken to provide whichever of the two ways seems best for this purpose.
The hose now available, fit for service, is approximately 4500 fit. During the year 550 ft. of new hose was purchased but some of the very oldest now in service will probably go bad with the increased pressure on the water mains, and, in order to be prepared for any emergency, would recommend the purchase of 1000 ft. of new hose this coming year.
The present fire station is still in the same unsanitary and unsafe condition and continues to be a menace to surrounding property and possibly to the whole business section of the town. It is sincerely hoped by those most directly connected with the department that some definite action may be taken at the coming Town Meeting to remedy the deplorable state of affairs now responsible for the keeping of such good equip- ment in the place now provided.
ORGANIZATION
The personnel of the Department remains the same as at the close of last year,-
One Call Chief.
146
One Call Deputy Chief and two Assistant Call Deputy Chiefs.
One Permanent Captain.
Three Call Captains.
Four Permanent Drivers.
Forty-six Call Men and nine Substitute Members.
One Fire Police.
A total of 68 members.
FIRE LOSSES
Assessed value of Buildings, (Value of Contents)
$90,350.00
Insurance on same,
92,500.00
Damage
15,175.20
Insurance paid
9,452.70
Total loss not covered by insurance
5,722.50
ALARMS
Box
18
Squad
77
Still
82
Warden
55
Out of town
12
Total 244
For the following :
Buildings
30
Chimneys
106
Brush
80
R. R. bridges
2
Mattress
1
Waste
1
Needless
7
Automobile
8
False
1
Automatic
3
147
Sawdust 2
Oil Stove Tar Kettle 1924 mileage of Engine 1,
1
1
727.1 miles
The systematic inspection, commenced in 1923, of cellars and such other fire hazards as may come to the attention of the Department has been continued during the year and records of such inspections kept.
The following permits have been issued :
Blasting
2
To maintain garages,
6
To construct garages
5
To keep and store inflammable liquids
11
Respectfully submitted,
C. W. MAXIM,
Chief
Middleboro Fire Department.
148
REPORT OF THE GAS AND ELECTRIC PLANT FOR 1924
H. J. Goodale, Town Manager,
Town of Middleboro,
Dear Sir:
Again I have the privilege and honor to present for your consideration and approval the thirty-first annual report of the Gas and Electric Department of the Town of Middleboro for the year ending December 31, 1924.
GAS AND ELECTRIC
The years business shows a substantial increase over the preceeding year. The combined manufacturing profit of $33,501.30 being the largest of any one year in the history of the plant and nearly $5,000.00 greater than that of 1923 not- withstanding the fact of the reduced price of gas that went into effect July 1st.
ELECTRIC
The damage resulting from the sleet storm of last March and the wind storm of August has been practically all repaired except on Everett Street where it was deemed advisable to change the lines onto the new telephone poles on the East side of the street the entire distance from North Street to Purchade Street. This will be completed early in 1925. In this case larger wire has been run and this with other contemplated im- provements will tend to give better service and at the same time provide wire of ample size to furnish power at North Middleboro should occasion arise. Because of the number and extent of new extensions that were promised previous to the storms, the work on the permanent repairs were not started
149
until late in the year but with the extra help recently hired the worst conditions have been remedied and work is so pro- gressing that soon the lines will be in better condition as a whole than ever before. Already 10.2 miles of old and bare wire has been removed and replaced with new. Work along this line will be pushed as fast as circumstances will permit. The pro- blem of keeping lines from coming in contact with the trees has been one of the hardest to meet in the course of permanent repairs. Much needed trimming of the trees has been done by this department which not only has been a benefit to the line construction but also to the trees as well as improving the appearance of them. A number of people have expressed their appreciation for the work done because they now have both more light and air because of it.
In many cases a specially constructed tree wire is being used to avoid excessive or unnecessary cutting away of the tree.
Especial attention is now being paid to this part of the work in an attempt not only to better the electric service, but also to eliminate so far as the department is able, such interference to radio reception that might be caused by the wires coming in contact with trees or limbs. In the last few months the num- ber of tree grounds and trees burning have been greatly re- duced.
Burned out and broken street lamps have been replaced as follows :
60 candle power 974 (324 of these at No. and So. Middleboro and Rock)
250 candle power 71
400 candle power 49
600 candle power 13
Total 1,107
With 15.6 miles of wire added to the distribution system in making the years extensions there is now in service 255.4 miles of wires. .
The new additions increase the miles of pole line located on public ways to 70.34 miles. The pole line on private ways re- main the same, 7.07 miles.
150
GAS .
6525 feet of 4 inch gas mains have been laid at a cost of $8,081.85, on the following streets :- West St. 2000 ft., West Grove St. 800 ft., Lane St., 1,000 ft., Arlington St., 350 ft., Montello St., 475 ft., East Main St., 1,000 ft., Star Ave., 500 ft., LeBaron Ave., 400 ft. A survey of the town shows streets amounting to 14,450 ft. in length in which no mains exist. By extending the installing of mains on these streets over a period of two years, it would not impose a burden on the plant in doing this work out of the earnings, and at the end of that time all parts of the town, viewed from a profit making point, would be supplied with gas mains. It also would better the service by tying in some of the lateral mains now laid, and would tend to eliminate the almost serious trouble resulting in low pressure that existed the last few days of the year. Best results will never be obtained until the mains on So. Main St. to Grove St., and on Courtland Street are replaced by pipe of adequate size.
In the near future some consideration must be given to in- creasing the storage capacity, in the form of a new additional holder. The capacity of the present holder is 100,000 cu. ft.
During the month of July the output of 20 of the days ex- ceeded 50,000 per day, and an average daily output of 51,200 with the maximum of 63,020. In September 24 days the out- put exceeded 50,000 cu. ft. and 14 of these the output exceeded 60,000, while the average daily sendout was 59,913 cu. ft. and maximum was 81,150 cu. ft.
From the above it can be readily seen that at no time is there a surplus supply for 24 hours in case trouble of a serious nature occurs in the gas making apparatus. Together with the above condition, another fact must be kept in view, which is that there is only one small boiler and one set of gas making apparatus upon which the homes and industries are dependent for their supply of gas.
When repairs have to be made to the apparatus or boiler, it becomes necessary to fire up immediately after the completion (which is detrimental to the set) and make gas part or all night,
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.