USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1932 > Part 8
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Articles sealed 1465, non-sealed 12, adjusted 85, con- demned 16, Trial weighings 1590, 14 underweight, 9 over- weight.
132
Inspections : Papér cartons 82, peddlers licenses 19, milk jars 60, Food Markings 89, bread labels 168, milk cans 31, clinical thermometers 34, peddlers scales 10, ice scales 17, junk scales 2, ice cream cans 5, molasses devices 10, oil inspect. 18, re-inspections 35, gasoline retests 108, gas pumps tested 124, stops on gas pumps 362.
Reweighings: Bread 324, butter 324, candy 36, flour 225, dry commodities 446, fruit and vegetables 188, grain 60, hay 9, coal 8, meat 50.
A number of warnings have been given and heeded.
In closing I wish to thank each and every one who has helped make the year as successful as it has been.
Respectfully submitted,
LOUIS C. LITTLEJOHN, Sealer.
-
133
REPORT OF THE MARIA L. H. PEIRCE LUXURY FUND
To the Selectmen, Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen:
I beg to report that the income of the Maria Peirce Fund has been used during the current year for the benefit of the inmates of the Town Infirmary.
The newspapers and tobacco were purchased from this fund for the greater part of the year. The tables were decorated with potted plants and cut flowers on Easter and Christmas and candy was given to each one on Easter.
The Christmas entertainment was held on Christmas eve with presents on the tree for each one and Santa Claus in person to deliver them. A group of young girls from the High School sang songs during the entertainment.
Religious services were held at various intervals during the year by both Catholic and Protestant clergymen.
Several special articles were bought for different resi- dents as they were needed.
Allow me to again express my appreciation of the kindly thoughtfulness that prompted this trust fund and also of the opportunity given to me to administer it.
Very truly yours,
LELAH M. HATHAWAY,
Trustee Maria L. H. Peirce Fund
134
REPORT OF THE MOTH DEPARTMENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen Middleboro, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
May I present for your approval, the report of the Moth Department for the year ending December 31, 1932.
As you will gather from reports of this department from time to time, our work and program varies but little from one year to another. We do, however, find conditions some- what different, due to weather, time and the infestation of the pests which we must combat.
It was apparent from the abundance of gypsy moth egg clusters encountered at the outset of the year, that the moths would be extremely plentiful in certain sections of the town. This proved to be the case in portions of the Rock, South Middleboro, East Middleboro and Rockymeadow sections.
Through the late winter and early spring months, the department creosoted egg clusters and destroyed browntail moth nests as found throughout the town.
Through April, May and June our sprayers were kept constantly on the move, beginning with the tent caterpillar spray, through the roadside application for gypsy moths, then the orchard spray, and finally the cranberry bog work. In most cases an arsenical spray was applied but this was varied somewhat in the orchard and cranberry bog work, as the nature of insect combated required.
Though the number of individual spray jobs applied in 1932 was somewhat less than in 1931, the extensiveness of cranberry bog work done was such that our receipts were considerably greater.
At this season also, we were faced with the elm leaf beetle problem. These insects were suppressed by an application
135
of arsenate of lead. Much of this work in the village was done early in the morning before traffic started, because it would hinder spraying during the day.
It was my pleasure to meet and compare notes with the men of the Entemology Bureau of the United States De- partment of Agriculture, who were stationed in Middleboro for experimental work during the spray season. They told me that the gypsy moth infestation in South Eastern Massa- chusetts for 1932 was the heaviest in twenty years. Be- cause of the presence of parasites and wilt disease this past year, and because of the help through creosoting and spray- ing by private individuals and this department, we feel that the infestation this next season should be materially lessened.
The department begins the year of 1933 with equipment in good condition. The spraying is done by one, four hun- dred gallon Fitzhenry Guptill outfit, now mounted on a White chassis, and by two, two hundred gallon Fitzhenry Guptill spray pumps. These two sprayers are carried on Chevrolet trucks, one purchased in 1926 and the other owned jointly with the Highway department. It is a second-hand truck purchased this year.
With the sprayers now motorized, the housing problem has been felt for several years. We have recently completed a shed which can house three cars and will give the depart- ment room in which to dry the hose, store oil and creosote barrels, etc.
I should like to include herewith, my thanks to the town officials, the several departments and the townspeople for their co-operation and thoughtfulness throughout 1932.
Very respectfully,
GEORGE WARD STETSON,
Local Moth Superintendent.
136
INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS
December 31, 1932.
Board of Selectmen,
Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen :-
I herewith submit my report as Inspector of Animals for the year of 1932.
The annual inspection of all neat cattle, swine and sheep and goats was completed Dec. 28, 1932, with results as fol- lows.
Total number of premises inspected
267
66
" cattle owners
229
" cattle
1339
66 66 " swine
195
66
66
sheep
46
66
66
goats
30
The cattle were divided as follows:
Tested under State and Federal Super- vision
Un- tested
Pure Bred Cows, all breeds
64
2
66 young stock all breeds
49
1
66 bulls, all breeds
13
1
Grade Cows
806
131
Young Stock
199
42
Oxen
4
2
Grade Bulls
20
5
Total
1155
184
1
137
Nearly all of this live stock appeared to be healthy and the conditions under which they were kept were, in most cases, satisfactory. As there are more than 85% of the cattle in town now tested under State and Federal supervision, the Division of Animal Industry expect to test the remainder early in 1933, under the Area Test.
The other activities during the year were as follows:
Permits to ship cattle into town from out of State 21
Cattle shipped on these permits 127
Cattle reacting to T. B. test 192
of this number 155 were first tests.
Cattle quarantined
3
released 1
slaughtered 2
Dogs quarantined
1
Dogs released
Premises inspected for proper disinfection
1 60
Many of these premises were visited two and three times.
Respectfully submitted,
LESLIE N. CLARK,
Inspector of Animals.
138
REPORT OF WIRE INSPECTOR
Board of Selectmen
Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my fifth annual report as Inspector of Wires in the Town of Middleboro ending December 31, 1932.
Total number of Electrician Reports Received 598
Number of miles traveled on Inspections 1362
I have attended ten meetings of the Massachusetts Asso- ciation of Electrical Inspectors held at Boston and at the Annual Meeting in June 1 was again re-elected a member of the Executive Committee.
There is an increasing demand on this department for inspection of wiring which has been done by the owner. While an owner may do his own wiring he should not at- tempt it unless he is familiar with the electrical code also the regulations and rules of the Lighting Department, as the wiring done by the inexperienced owner has in nearly all.cases been below the Code requirements which is only a MINIMUM of safety and therefore can not be approved until a subsequent inspection.
This causes an additional expense for transportation which I am trying to keep to a minimum.
The efficiency of this department is governed by the amount allowed for transportation.
There is one important improvement the past year and that is the situation of portable cords which has been one of the greatest causes of electrical fires throughout the Coun- try.
The new approved cords now have a small zinc marker at five foot intervals and only cords that have passed the tests of the Fire Underwriters Laboratories have this marker.
139
I have had an increasing number of calls from those who want their wiring inspected before they pay their electrician which shows that they are demanding safer wiring and look to this Department to assure them that they are getting what they pay for properly installed.
To all those and the Town Manager who has been of great assistance to me in fullfilling my duty, I am,
Respectfully Yours,
RALPH SAMPSON,
Inspector of Wires.
140
FOREST WARDEN
While we have had more fires this year than last, the loss has been much less and also the cost of extinguishing, much less.
Total number of fires -- 60; of these 15 were in second growth woodlands, burning over 6034 acres. The rest were on grass lands which did no damage.
Total damage $530.00. Cost of extinguishing $816.43.
The largest fire occurred on Barden Hill Sunday after- noon, April 3rd, and burned over 45 acres of grass land and second growth timber lying between Barden Hill Road and Sachem St. It was a very windy day and sparks from an incinerator landed in the dry grass and a fire immediately started, which soon got beyond the control of the person using the incinerator. The loss amounted to $300.00 and it cost $133.14 to extinguish the fire. The person causing this fire was cited into court, found guilty and fined.
The second largest fire occurred on Plain St. April 24th, of unknown origin and burned over nine acres of second growth.
All the other fires were of one acre or less.
Our forest fire equipment is all in good condition and nothing new will be needed this year.
H. J. GOODALE,
Forest Warden.
141
REPORT OF DOG OFFICER
Number of Males licensed
653
1
Number of Females licensed 133
Number of Kennel licenses
1
Number of dogs picked up
79
Owners found for
17
Homes found for
5
Number of dogs killed
57
Respectfully submitted,
ROBERT E. HEWITT
Dog Officer.
142
APPOINTMENTS MADE BY THE SELECTMEN AS OF MARCH 1st, 1932.
Office
Name Term expires
Assessor
Harrison F. Shurtleff March 1, 1935
Board of Public Wel-
fare and Old Age Assistance
Lelah M. Hathaway
March 1, 1935
Registrar of Voters
Minnie A. Jones
March 1, 1935
Tr. of Public Library
Walter L. Beals
March 1, 1935
Leonard O. Tillson
March 1, 1935
Nathan Washburn
March 1, 1935
Tree Warden
Harry J. Goodale
March 1, 1933 Kendrick H. WashburnMarch 1, 1933 Robert Hewitt March 1, 1933 Leslie N. Clark
Inspector of Animals Insp. of Slaughtering
Leslie N. Clark
March 1, 1933
Inspector of Milk
John T. Connor
March 1, 1933
Inspector of Wires
Ralph Sampson March 1, 1933
March 1, 1933
Inspector of Plumbing John J. Pearson Sealer of Weights & Measures
Louis C. Littlejohn
March 1, 1933
Town Counsel
Nathan Washburn
March 1, 1933
Keeper of Lockup
Alden C. Sisson
March 1, 1933
Soldiers' Physician
Dr. E. L. Perry Dr. A. Vincent Smith
March 1, 1933
Field Driver & Pound, Alden C. Sisson Keeper
March 1, 1933 March 1, 1933 March 1, 1933
Town Hall Agent
March 1, 1933
Fence Viewer
E. Kimball Harrison E. Kimball Harrison Frederick S. Weston Frank S. Thomas
March 1, 1933
March 1, 1933
Ernest S. Pratt
March 1, 1933
Burial Agent
Dog Officer
March 1, 1933
143
Constables E. Kimball Harrison Harry E. Allen Alden C. Sisson
March 1, 1933
March 1, 1933
March 1, 1933
Collector of Water, Gas & Electric and all other departmental bills W. W. Brackett
March 1, 1933
Public Weighers
Garrett E. Whitty
Ivan B. Sparrow
Lewis F. Harding
John E. McManus
Ernest S. Pratt
Ralph D. Kelley
Alden C. Sisson John Dutra
Elliot H. Perkins Howard T. Lincoln
Louis C. Littlejohn
Albert F. Soule
Harold P. Arnold
Lura A. Bradford Annie Place George F. Keyes
Charles Ruhmpohl
Wm. F. Fickert
Vernon Briggs
Paul E. Gamache
Special Police Officers
Warren E. Jefferson
Ralph Sampson
Paul Anderson
William O. Casey
Samuel Hathaway
Walter Carmichael
E. Kimball Harrison
Patrick McMahon
Alton T. Smith James McDonald John T. Connor LeRoy Mawhinney George Besse Alexander Heath William Watson Jesse Carpenter, Jr.
Myron A. Bump Louis C. Littlejohn Arthur B. Caswell Harold Moranville Robert E. Hewitt
S. Edward Matthews James J. Vigers Lorenzo W. Rice John J. Sullivan Wallace Grant Herbert W. Batchelder
Harold S. Wood
Harry W. Hull Arthur L. Smith
144
Archer S. Phillips Norman Carmichael Byron Cotter Robert E. Taylor
John S. Cobb Alton Barney (until July 1st, for hearing)
Measurer of Wood, Bark and Lumber
William F. Clark
H. S. Cushing, Jr.
Henry W. Sears, Jr.
Robert R. Melville
Davis P. Wilcox
Albert T. Savery
Benjamin C. Shaw
Levi O. Atwood
Albert Deane Frederick S. Weston
Frank S. Thomas
Edgar Wilcox
Gilbert F. Simmons
Ernest S. Pratt
Ernest I. Perkins
Myron W. Baxter I. Mendall Boehme Harrison F. Shurtleff Forest S. Churbuck Charles N. Warren
James A. Thomas Chester E. Weston Leo A. Quindley William G. Wilcox Ernest L. Standish Kenneth J. Washburn
145
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
The cost of this department was reduced considerably this year, but we have accomplished much needed work.
The following streets were given a coat of gravel from our plant which was in North Middleboro the first of 1932.
Clay St. from Center to Bedford St. 5000 ft.
Vernon St. from near Center to Taunton Line 3400 ft.
Purchade St. from Plymouth to Center St. 7656 ft.
Ash St. from Clay towards Center St. 700 ft.
Taunton Road widening 1584 ft.
The last of July we moved our crusher to East Middle- boro, where the following roads were gravelled.
Wall St. from Plymouth St. toward Rocky Meadow 6864 ft. Soule St. from Cedar St. to Plympton line 3200 ft.
Purchase St. from Carver St. toward Carver line 700 ft.
Forest St. from Clara St. to Isaac St. 1500 ft. Jackson St. from No. Main St. to Maxim Motor Co. 800 ft. High St. from Oak to Pearl St. 400 ft.
Hillside Ave. 926 ft. -
A total of 32,730 ft. or 6.2 miles.
Using the men sent by the Welfare Dept. we also gravel- led by hand shoveling the following streets:
Fuller St.
4000 ft.
Precinct St.
3700 ft.
Cherry St.
1500 ft.
Vaughn St.
2648 ft.
Miller St.
2600 ft.
River St.
400 ft.
Winter St.
300 ft.
Total
15,148 ft. or 2.8 miles.
146
Forest St. extension was built, using the unemployed men and veterans, with the Highway equipment. This road was built with a sidewalk and tree line and 24 ft. road- way, which was given a coat of tar, making a vast improve- ment over the previous conditions.
Hillside Avenue was started by the same unemployed men and veterans, and finished by the Highway Depart- ment. This street was also made with sidewalk and tree line, but with a 22 ft. roadway. The drainage is taken care of thru four catch basins and necessary drains. We hope to give this street a coat of tar in 1933.
Through the Peirce Estate Trustees the drainage of Vine and West Streets was taken care of by the installation of catch basins and pipe large enough to care for the ex- cessive amount of water these streets formally had. This has corrected a situation that had previously given much trouble. Many men outside of the Highway Department were given work on this job which helped relieve the Wel- fare Department.
The Peirce Trustees also paid the cost of graveling Jack- son St. and putting on a coat of tar.
The approach to our town from Taunton was vastly im- proved by widening Taunton Road and giving it a retread job.
That part of Rhode Island Road belonging to the town was rolled and oiled, making it much better.
PATCHING
The present condition of the oiled top roads show that attention to patching has its results. In this work we used 7456 gal. patching material.
OILING
Not so much asphalt was used this year (9500 gal.) as formerly, as we gave many of our roads the Retread Honing Process, using 15,241 gal. of tar in this work.
147
The most satisfactory job of this kind was on the road to the Middleboro Green where we corrected a very rough and dangerous condition and the improved riding of the street certainly shows its advantage over the former method of resurfacing. We also used this process on the hill at the Star Mill, No. Main St. from the fire station to Montello St., So. Main St. from Nicherson St. to Grove St., and in North Middleboro on Plymouth St. from the State Farm Road towards a point near Purchade St., also that part of State Farm Road or Titicut St. from Plymouth St. to the River Bridge.
SIDEWALKS
No new sidewalks were built as we had no appropriation for this work. The gravel walks were repaired in the various parts of the village.
BRIDGES
Some maintenance was required on our bridges but no new work was necessary this year.
SEWERS AND DRAINS
New sewer connections were made to the Baptist Church, also into the new Post Office and into the home of the late D. H. Farrar on High St; also the home of J. Curley on Alden St. We used almost all unemployed labor on these jobs to help relieve the Welfare and Soldiers' Relief Funds.
The usual number of stopages were corrected in the different sections of the town
SNOW AND ICE
Not much trouble was given by snow this year as we only plowed three times; Jan. 10th, Feb. 4th and March 1st, but considerable time was spent in sanding icy conditions.
148
EQUIPMENT
Our equipment is in very good condition to start the year of 1933. We have purchased two second hand dump trucks to be used in giving the Welfare men a job working out their work slips.
Respectfully submitted,
PAUL F. ANDERSON,
Supt. of Streets.
149
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY AID TO AGRICULTURE.
During the past year the Extension Service has been called upon to fill a more important place in Plymouth Coun- ty than ever before. Narrow margins of profit have made the best farming practices of utmost importance, hundreds of families have turned to agriculture as a help toward their support. Homemakers have felt more than ever the need to buy foods and clothing to the best advantage and to make the most satisfactory use of materials at hand.
The Extension Service has been called upon increasingly ·by those feeling the pressure of present conditions to teach methods by which established farmers may continue to make a profit, new men entering the field may avoid un- necessary mistakes and families may use their resources to the best advantage. Boys and girls, through membership in 4-H clubs, have learned to assist in meeting the problems of their parents and have found pleasure and profit in doing so.
During the year 7300 different people received advice and help from the extension service. 711 meetings were held with a total attendance of 24,222. 77,099 circular letters were mailed. 5103 telephone calls received. Farm and home visits totaled 1227 and office calls 1243. There were 531 women enrolled in homemaking projects and 1352 boys and girls in the 4-H clubs. These clubs held 895 meet- ings with a total attendance of 457,800.
The following report tells briefly some of the ways in which this work directly affected the citizens of Middleboro. Its results can not be readily expressed in figures.
The farmers of Middleboro were actively interested in all of the countywide projects of the Extension Service and took full advantage of them.
432 men were carried on the agricultural mailing lists and received information and suggestions on crop, livestock
150
and poultry management and production during the year. 68 personal visits were paid to individual farmers in the town during the year to give advice on various problems. In addition a dairy meeting with an attendance of 35 men, three poultry meetings with 98 men present, a turkey growers' meeting, a fruit growers' meeting for 55 men, a forestry tour, a pruning demonstration with 35 men present and a corn borer control demonstration with an attendance of 50 were all held in Middleboro during the year.
More than almost any other town in the county, Mid- dleboro takes advantage of the opportunity to secure advice and information through the Extension Service.
HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK
Our four leaders' conferences in Economical Meal Plan- ning were held in Middleboro. Nearly a hundred home- makers enrolled in this project, and information was given to nearly two hundred more.
The town was also the center for a demonstration and a class in home grounds improvement and there was a good enrollment of townspeople.
North Middleboro carried through a Children's Clothing project and took part in the recreation program. A large number of homemakers from all parts of the town have re- ceived the monthly Mothers' Service letters. Several oper- ators of tea rooms and wayside stands enrolled in the two- day school arranged for the entire county.
CLUB WORK
185 boys and girls enrolled as 4-H club members in the following clubs-clothing, food, garden, handicraft, music lovers, and poultry.
Each club was organized with its own officers and met regularly under the supervision of an adult local leader.
As a result of her accomplishments while a 4-H club member, Lillian Jackson won the Ruth S. T. Cotting Memorial Scholarship awarded annually to some New England girl.
151
Charlotte DeMoranville was elected as the outstanding food club member in Plymouth County and as an award attended Camp Farley, a camp for 4-H club members in southeastern Massachusetts.
ALBERT DEANE,
Town Director.
152
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING
December 31, 1932.
Board of Health, Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen:
I herewith present my report as Inspector of Slaughter- ing for the year of 1932.
Total number of hogs slaughtered and inspected 2 Total number of calves slaughtered and inspected 2 These were all found to be clean, and passed.
Respectfully submitted,
LESLIE N. CLARK
Inspector of Slaughtering.
153
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF MILK
Board of Health, Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen: -
I herewith present my report for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1932:
I have been unable to make as many collections of milk as in the past as my appropriations were not as large. I collected every other month, but conditions are such more producers going into delivery of milk that it should be done oftener. In May, I found two producers under standard for butter fat and solids, but on most collections on the whole all had come up to standard.
On October 5 two were found with garget and October 13 they had cleared up.
The Board passed a new regulation to take effect on October 1 that no milk could be sold in Town unless from Tubercular tested cows or pasteurized, but on account of the State Department being unable to get the area cleaned up, nothing has been done about it, but I have been advised that they are coming in some time after the new year and finish up.
The Board has granted a license to the Purchade Dairy to pasteurize making a total of three dairies pasteurizing now. I think for a town of this size we are pretty well taken care of.
The following list shows the yearly averages of all dealers in both pasteurized and raw milk as regards the percentage of solids and fats in their product, for 1932 :---
154
Name
Solids
Fats
E. M. Burgess
14.86
5.11
B. A. Kinsman,
14.65
5.58 (Pasteurized Milk)
Chester Camadone,
14.54
5.16
A. R. Parker Co. (Grade A)
14.40
5.00 (Pasteurized Milk)
A. R. Parker Co.
(Family Milk)
14.10
4.80 (Pasteurized Milk)
Charles E. Hunt,
13.88
4.76
Dr. Putnam,
13.74
4.67
Clyde Turner,
13.70
4.63
Ernest Pratt,
13.70
4.45
First National, (Jepson) B. F. Elliot,
13.56
4.72
J. C. Martin,
13.55
4.63
Louis Pratt,
13.52
4.37
H. Soderholm,
13.50
4.50 (Pasteurized Milk)
Leslie Clark,
13.43
4.53
T. Smith,
13.23
4.33
Mrs. Bell,
13.20
4.60
Max Greene,
13.20
4.41
Mina Carleston,
13.17
4.18
Paul Roberts,
13.16
4.41
Frank Maddigan,
13.16
4.34
J. M. Foster,
13.15
4.35
Tony Rose,
13.07
4.06
W. I. Badger,
13.06
4.28
A. Boudreau,
13.05
4.25
Albert Deane,
13.03
4.61
D. J. Crist,
13.02
4.06
D. H. Place
13.00
4.21
Atlantic & Pacific,
12.95
4.23 (Pasteurized Milk)
Arthur Angell,
12.95
4.01
D. P. Kinsman,
12.94
4.38
J. O. Wikstein,
12.91
4.01
Fickert & Son,
12.86
4.08 (Pasteurized Milk)
G. H. Haskins,
12.80
3.70
13.60
4.60
(Pasteurized Milk)
155
Name
Solids Fats
A. Sabalewski,
12.78
4.07 (Pasteurized Milk)
F. Field,
12.78
4.05 (Pasteurized Milk)
M. G. Kayajian,
12.76
4.09
G. Augers,
12.64
4.21
A. B. Gibbs,
12.61
3.93
Paul Silvia,
12.60
3.81
H. A. Standish,
12.60
3.79
D. Gidaboni,
12.60
3.51
Jepson, Nook Dairy,
12.50
3.80 (Pasteurized Milk)
John Cushman,
12.35
3.40
Jost,
12.33
3.78
Charles Clark,
12.31
3.45
S. J. McKenna,
12.30
3.86 (Pasteurized Milk)
Robert Fickert,
12.28
3.71
F. Field, National Store,
12.25
3.70 (Pasteurized Milk)
George A. Deane,
12.24
3.70
John Bernier,
12.10
3.60
Following is a list of the pasteurized milk dealers showing their bacterial averages for the year 1932: -
Name
Bacterial Average
A. R. Parker Co., (Family Milk)
Below 100
H. Soderholm,
100
A. R. Parker Co., (Grade A)
1,300
B. A. Kinsman,
3,500
Jepson, Nook Dairy,
2,900
First National, (Jepson)
2,300
A. Sabalewski,
6,400
Atlantic & Pacific
7,400
Fickert & Son,
10,000
S. J. McKenna,
19,700
F. Field,
34,200
F. Field, National Store,
97,000
156
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