USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1934 > 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 | Part 11 | Part 12
This fund still stands unique among the many charitable funds of the Commonwealth and is an ever living tribute to the kindly thought of its founder, our former towns-woman, Mrs. Maria L. H. Peirce.
Thanking you for the privilege of using this fund for its beneficiaries, I am
Very truly yours,
LELAH M. HATHAWAY, Agt. . Maria L. H. Peirce Fund.
143
INSPECTOR OF WIRES REPORT
Board of Selectmen, Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen,
I herewith submit my seventh Annual report as Inspector of wires in the Town of Middleboro, ending December 31, 1934.
Total number of electrician report cards received, 512
Number not passed until corrections were made, 32
Number of condemned notices issued, 17
Number of miles traveled on making inspections, 1395
I have attended eight meetings of the Massachusetts Association of electrical inspectors held at Boston and at the Annual meeting in June, I was reelected chairman of the Executive Committee.
These meetings are conducted for the purpose of keeping the Inspectors informed of the new developments in the installation and uniform inspection of the fifteen methods of wiring as approved in the National Electrical Code.
There was an average attendance of thirty inspectors at these meetings which shows they are of great value to the inspectors.
With the constant increase in use of electrical appliances, the service and equipment which carries the current into the buildings must be considered, as satisfactory and safe service can only be maintained when equipment of ample size is used.
While a wire will carry an overload to a certain extent, it is like overloading a truck, it will eventually break down. The breaking down of an overloaded electric circuit is often the cause of a fire.
The proper size fuse for branch circuits supplying lights and small appliances is 15 amperes. To overfuse is to invite danger.
144
I recommend that this Department be authorized to charge a reinspection fee where wiring does not meet re- quirements on first inspection and calls for subsequent in- spections, as in one case the past year, four inspections were made before the wiring could be approved. This adds to the expense of the department and is caused mainly by owners who do not understand wiring regulations, or by their friends who undertake to help them but in many cases, aside from not being correct makes the job cost more than it would have, had a competent electrician been hired at first to do the work.
A wiring system properly installed, may be rendered defective and unsafe by the addition of another outlet in an improper manner, and it is for this reason that I insist that any additional wiring be reported to this Department, on regular forms, as required in our By-Laws.
In conclusion, I want to thank the Town Manager and all others who in any way have assisted me in fulfilling my duty, I am.
Respectfully yours,
RALPH SAMPSON,
Inspector of Wires.
145
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
To the Town Manager, Middleboro, Mass.
Dear Sir :-
GRAVELING.
While all necessary maintenance of our streets was ac- complished, this Department also rebuilt and tar bound some of our much traveled inside and outside roads.
West Street-1680 ft. This street was graveled, rolled and water bound, then given a treatment of Tarvia.
Star Avenue 500 ft. Graveled, rolled and Tar bound.
Tispaquin Street-1795 ft. Scarified, reshaped, rolled and treated with Tar, and later sealed with Asphalt.
Plymouth Street-3168 ft. Scarified, reshaped, rolled and Tar bound.
Cambridge Street. The lower end was widened, gravel- ed, rolled and given a treatment of Tar.
We also rebuilt Myrtle Street, a distance of 618 ft., build- ing 5 ft. gravel sidewalks with 4 ft. tree lines, which were sodded both sides and the center loamed and seeded. We then built a road surface 22 ft. wide with about 8 inches of gravel, which was rolled, shaped and treated with Tar, making this street one of the most attractive in this section of our Town.
This Department has also graveled the following streets: Plain Street from Thompson St. 500 ft.
Wood Street between Sachem and Wareham St. 900 “
Plymouth Street north of East Main St. 200 “
LeBaron Avenue north of West St. 300 "
Cross Street between Taunton Road and Center St. 1700 " Sachem St. 200 “
France St.
6336 “
Pine St.
500 “
Making a total of 10,436 ft.
146
Gutters on School and North Main Streets and the drive- way leading into the Water Works on Grove Street were graveled and rolled.
We moved the gravel crushing plant from the pit on Plymouth Street into a pit on Thomas Street early in the Spring, from which we have been hawling our gravel both for the Highway Department's use and the E.R.A. Tis- paquin and Chestnut Street jobs.
Thru the E.R.A. we have kept a large force of men busy widening and removing stones, etc., from Chestnut Street, after which it was given a surface of crushed gravel. The section of this street between Thomas and Tispaquin Street has been completed for a distance of one mile and at present the E.R.A. men are working on Tispaquin Street widening and removing stones. This is a very much needed improvement.
PATCHING AND OILING.
The extreme cold of the past Winter played havoc with our black top roads making it necessary to patch and oil a great many streets. In this work we used 7,021 gals. of patching material and 4,028 gals. of tar for treating the larger holes previous to putting in our patches.
We also oiled or surface treated the following streets :- Pleasant St., Plymouth St. at North Middleboro, Bourne St., South Main St., North St., Forest St., Webster St., Clifford St., Benton St., Coombs St., Montello St., Alden St., Cambridge St., Barden Hill Road, Prospect St., East Main St. towards Middleboro Green, Plymouth St. towards Nemasket Cemetery, Southwick St., Elm and Oak Streets, which were honed. In all, we used 14,864 gals. Asphalt and 13,094 gals. Tar.
SIDEWALKS.
New cement sidewalks were built under the C.W.A. giving work to about 20 men. These were constructed on
1
147
Court End Avenue, Pierce St. south side from Pearl to Oak St., Forest St. east side from Center St. to Frank St., Everett St. east side from John Glass Jr. Square to Frank St.
More of this work could have been done if the Town could have afforded to purchase cement and other material which is required under the C.W.A. as our share of this work.
The necessary maintenance of our gravel sidewalks was done on the following streets :- North, Oak, Clifford, Alden, Arch, West, Center, Bourne, Everett, Reland and Barrows Streets.
BRIDGES.
New Asphalt Planking was laid on the Railroad Bridge on West Grove St., also on Center St. near C. P. Washburn Co., but the last named job was not very satisfactory as the wood planking underneath was in poor condition and we could not afford to renew them this year, consequently we have had to replace several of the top planks since, but we hope to be able to correct this condition next year.
The bridge over the Taunton river at Titicut Street was repaired and as half of this bridge is maintained by the Town of Bridgewater, our men worked with them and the bridge was scraped and two coats of paint applied. Twelve new steel I beams were fastened to replace those that had rusted out, making the under structure almost as good as new, after which the deck of three-inch plank was relaid and some new plank used to replace broken ones. After this, a new deck of two inch plank was laid on top running parallel with traffic, and spiked to the lower deck. This corrected the noisy and loose condition which had existed in the past and which had troubled us for some time.
The vast amount of ice floating down the Taunton river last Spring displaced two of the piers in the old bridge on Vernon Street on the Bridgewater side and after a while the flooring fell into the river, taking some of the Middleboro side with it, so we gave some assistance to Bridgewater in
148
repairing the same. We hope in the near future to receive help from the State and County to co-operate with Bridge- water in building a new bridge, as the present one is not very safe.
SEWERS AND DRAINS.
The usual amount of stoppages were corrected and our catch basins cleaned; some of them twice, as the amount of sand used in snow work and street oiling was greater this year.
New sewers were laid into the Catholic Church Rectory, also Sukeforth's Filling Station and John Martin's new home on Webster Street.
SNOW AND ICE.
The snow storm of December 26, 1933 gave us some work to finish up in 1934, after which we had three more storms- Feb. 2nd, Feb. 26th and March 10th, which we had to plow and remove the snow from the center of the town.
The storm of Feb. 26th was quite severe and kept our men busy for four days and two nights, as the snow drifted badly on some of our outside roads.
We have had considerable sanding to do the past winter as we feel obliged to do this on account of the increased amount of automobile travel both day and night.
EQUIPMENT
Our trucks and equipment are beginning to show signs of wear, except the new truck which we purchased in the spring of 1934.
Our crushing plant has been working almost every day for about five months, as the E.R.A. Project of widening and graveling Chestnut and Tispaquin Street takes gravel from our plant in addition to the graveling done by our own Department.
149
Some of our older trucks should be replaced this year as it has been difficult to get parts for them, as they date back to 1928, they are also not economical to operate. They have had more than six years of continuous use in both E.R.A. work and our department.
At this time I wish to thank all the men in this depart- ment who have worked so faithfully thru the year to assist me in carrying on my work.
Respectfully submitted, PAUL F. ANDERSON,
Supt. of Streets.
150
REPORT OF COUNTY AID TO AGRICULTURE (Plymouth County Extension Service) MIDDLEBORO
1934
In every branch of agriculture the Extension Service endeavors to keep the farmers of the county acquainted with developments in production and marketing, to give specific advice on individual problems and lend aid in coopera- tive enterprise. In addition to the usual lines of work it has been important this year to keep the farmers of the county fnformed of their position under the agricultural programs of the federal government.
Marketing programs and new farm credit facilities have been most helpful here. Farmers of the county took ad- vantage of the latter to an amount of nearly $400,000 during 1934. During the year over 3200 farmers in the county were supplied with information in some form on problems directly affecting their production problems.
It is a responsibility of the Extension Service. to make available to women in the home a knowledge of the best current practices relative to keeping the family satisfactorily fed, clothed, and housed, and to aid in adjusting these prac- tices to the family standards and pocket book.
Our home program has reached at least 3000 people either indirectly in solving problems, or through groups organized to study specific points of homemaking. In our major projects alone-Children's Coats, Home Furnishing, Chair Seating, and Parent Education,-fifty-three study groups were formed with over five hundred women enrolled.
In 4-H Club Work, the Extension Service provides for the boys and girls of the county an opportunity for educa- tional development through study and practice in home economics and agriculture, as well as an opportunity for self improvement. It emphasizes the home and brings club members and parents together in a common interest.
151
It develops cooperation, leadership, self-confidence, ambi- tion, sportsmanship, ability to think, responsibility, and community spirit.
Middleboro citizens, in addition to participating in the many county-wide activities of the Extension Service, have benefited by the following specific activities which were carried on in the town itself.
The extension service mailing lists include the names of practically every one in Middleboro interested in poultry, fruit growing, dairying, cranberry growing, or other agri- cultural enterprises. These men receive regularly mimeo- graphed material giving timely information and suggestions on the problems with which they are concerned. Personal visits were made to over fifty individuals to give advice on special problems. In addition, two fruit meetings and one meeting for dairymen were held in town and speakers were furnished for several meetings of local organizations.
Center and North Middleboro both organized groups in Children's Coat Construction. Two groups in the Living Room project were attended by women from all sections of the town. Many are enrolling now for a study course in Garden Maintenance.
Four-H club members in Middleboro during 1934 enrolled in the following clubs: garden, handicraft, poultry, home craft, clothing, food, canning, and room improvement, which were organized in the following communities: Fall Brook, Waterville, North and South Middleboro and Mid- dleboro Center.
Committees appointed by the Grange visited the garden club members and inspected their gardens.
Several prizes were won by girls in the annual dress contest. Bertha Porter attended the state dress contest as a result of winning first prize in the party dress class of . the contest.
H. ARTHUR STANDISH,
Town Director.
152
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING.
December 31, 1934.
Board of Health, Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen :---
No animals have been slaughtered for inspection during 1934.
Respectfully submitted,
LESLIE N. CLARK, Inspector of Slaughtering.
153
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF MILK
Middleboro, Mass. December 31, 1934.
Board of Health,
Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen :-
I herewith present my Annual Report as Inspector of Milk.
I have made the usual number of collections of milk and cream for Analysis, for butter fat, solids and bacteria.
The new law on Inspection of Dairy Farms will tend to keep the quality of milk to a high standard, in keeping uten- sils and surroundings clean which helps to get their certificate.
The new Milk Control Board will be a big help to the producers and keep a uniform price in the different areas.
Analysis of Milk and Cream :-
Butter fat
230
Solids
230
Bacteria
230
690
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN T. CONNOR,
Inspector of Milk.
Middleboro Board of Health.
The following list shows the yearly averages for 1934 of all dealers in both pasteurized and raw milk as regards the percentage of solids and fats in their product :-
154
Name
Solids
Fats
Alden Sisson,
14.63
4.90
Clyde Turner,
14.19
5.33
Lewis Shaw,
13.82
4.78
Fickert & Son,
13.82
4.67 (Pasteurized Milk)
B. F. Elliott,
13.77
4.74
P. White,
13.75
4.50
Ernest Pratt,
13.67
4.70
J. O. Wikstein,
13.67
4.58
(Pasteurized Milk)
Chester Camadone,
13.67
4.54
Perley Sleeper,
13.61
4.55
Chester Porter,
13.58
4.68
D. P. Kinsman,
13.57
4.68
Lewis Pratt,
13.53
4.49
John Cushman,
13.51
4.61
Charles Hunt,
13.49
4.48
Arthur Angel,
13.46
4.54
B. W. Shaw,
13.45
4.40
J. M. Foster,
13.37
4.53
W. I. Badger,
13.28
4.46
Forrest Smith,
13.25
4.46
Rudolph Bros.,
13.20
4.40
Robert Fickert,
13.13
4.38
J. C. Martin,
13.03
4.37
D. Gidaboni,
12.99
4.13
George Augers,
12.96
4.31
Tony Rose,
12.91
4.01
Albert Deane,
12.88
4.29
H. A. Standish,
12.84
4.23
Paul Roberts,
12.81
4.16
Albert Fickert,
12.81
4.15
Mina Carlston,
12.80
4.13
B. A. Kinsman,
12.76
3.98 (Pasteurized Milk)
Frank Maddigan,
12.61
4.15
Paul Silvia,
12.61
4.06
Soderholm,
12.50
4.10
(Pasteurized Milk)
M. G. Kayajian,
12.48
3.65
155
Charles Clark,
12.48
3.64
Jost,
12.42
3.85
A. B. Gibbs,
12.39
3.94
Crist,
12.33
3.79
George Deane,
12.02
3.54
Following is a list of the dealers in pasteurized milk showing their bacterial medians for the year 1934 :-
J. O. Wikstein, 600
Soderholm,
1,900
B. A. Kinsman,
5,000
Fickert & Son,
7,900
Following is a list of the dealers in raw milk showing their bacterial medians for the year 1934 :-
Name
Bacterial median
B. W. Shaw,
Below 100
Charles Hunt,
2,200
Lewis Pratt,
4,100
B. F. Elliott,
5,150
Clyde Turner,
5,800
Lewis Shaw,
5,900
P. White,
6,100
Paul Roberts,
7,400
Forrest Smith,
7,500
D. P. Kinsman,
7,600
Alden Sisson,
8,300
Perley Sleeper,
8,700
Mina Carlston,
9,500
H. A. Standish,
9,900
A. B. Gibbs,
10,000
Chester Camadone,
10,450
M. G. Kayajian,
10,700
Arthur Angel,
12,000
W. I. Badger,
12,100
156
Albert Deane,
12,800
J. M. Foster,
13,300
Charles Clark,
13,400
Frank Maddigan,
15,600
George Deane,
20,000
Alfred Fickert,
20,000
Ernest Pratt,
20,000
Chester Porter,
20,800
John Cushman,
21,500
Tony Rose,
23,000
George Auger,
24,350
Jost,
25,450
Paul Silvia,
28,900
Rudolph Bros.,
35,700
Crist,
37,000
D. Gidaboni,
37,300
Robert Fickert,
47,800
J. C. Martin,
50,500
Following are the results of the averages of the cream for 1934 :-
Name
Fat average
B. A. Kinsman,
52%
White Bros.
48%
Fickert & Son,
46%
157
REPORT OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
Middleboro, Mass. December 31, 1934.
Board of Health,-
Gentlemen :----
Following is the report of the contagious diseases for 1934 :-
The measles started in May and ran through the year in all sections of the town :-
Measles
592 cases
Scarlet fever
15
Lobar Pneumonia
5
Chickenpox
12
Whooping Cough
86
66
Influenza
1
German Measles
2
66
Typhoid Fever
1
Dog-Bite
1
Tuberculosis
2
I wish to thank the doctors and parents for their co- operation in my work.
Patients in Plymouth County Hospital.
January, February, March
4 cases
April, May, June, July, August
5
66
September
6
66
October, November
5
66
December
4
One patient died and one was released as an arrested case.
Following is list of Contagious Diseases in the month in which they occurred:
158
Chicken pox
Measles
Scarlet Fever
Whooping
Cough
Lobar
Pneumonia
Influenza
Dog Bite
German
Measles
Typhoid
Fever
Tuberculosis
1
1934
Jan.
3
1
10
1
1
Feb.
1
1
4
2
1
Mar.
1
4
1
3
Apr.
2
36
31
1
May
5
48
2
38
1
June
1
37
1
2
July
2
9
Aug.
10
Sept.
1
2
1
Oct.
57
1
1
Nov.
197
1
1
Dec.
180
2
1
1
1
1
Totals:
12
592
15
86
5
1
1
2
1
2
RESTAURANTS, STORES, WAYSIDE STANDS
Have made numbers of calls and find they all are trying to do all the law requires. I have also made calls on baker- ies, and they also are doing everything possible to keep things clean.
GARBAGE, RUBBISH
Both of these still keep up their good work, and if the public will only cooperate with them there will be very little trouble.
PUBLIC DUMP
Some of the people bringing rubbish to dump allow it to blow off along the street. Kindly see that it is packed on safely, as I have numbers of complaints about this. Mr. A. A. Sisson is doing good work keeping things around the dump as orderly as possible.
159
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
88 milk licenses at 50c.
$44.00
1 Oleomargarine license at 50c.
.50
3 Pasteurization licenses at $10.00
30.00
32 Alcohol licenses at $1.00
32.00
1 Nemasket Spring Water at $5.00
5.00
$111.50
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN T. CONNOR,
Agent.
160
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF PLUMBING
For a number of years this town was without any plumb- ing inspector, and conditions were getting quite bad.
While the local plumbers did very good work, there were a number of out of town plumbers who came here to do work, and anything went.
The parties having the plumbing installed expected that it would be done in a sanitary manner, but in many cases it was not.
Unless one is familiar with plumbing, he little realizes the dangers that may arise from faulty workmanship.
It is the duty of the Inspector of Plumbing to see that all plumbing work installed in Middleboro meets the re- quirements of the plumbing regulations, and it has been quite difficult to make some of the plumbers realize that these regulations must be lived up to.
To some, the inspector's fee seems a useless charge, but if they could only realize the difference in the quality of work done with and without inspections, they would readily see that the inspection fee is money well spent, particularly with some of the out of town plumbers doing work in the Town.
Number of applications
75
Water Closets
48
Bath Tubs
42
Sinks
53
Lavatories
53
Urinals
5
Shower Baths
1
Wash Trays
8
Refrigerators
1
Floor Drains
2
Cesspools
37
Sewers
30
Septic Tanks
5
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN J. PEARSON, Inspector of Plumbing.
161
REPORT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
January 17, 1935.
To the President and Board of Trustees, Middleborough Public Library:
I have the honor and pleasure to present the annual report for the year ending December 31, 1934.
We are very much pleased that our public library shows an increase in circulation for the past year, while the majority of libraries all about us have suffered a decided decrease. It is true the increase is not large, 3,543 volumes, but com- paring our records with those of libraries all over the country we feel very much gratified that our records show even a slight gain.
Perhaps some of this increase is due to a new rule we made for the summer, that during summer vacation children under fourteen might take three books at one time, whereas at other times they are limited to two books. The children were delighted with this innovation and all of them took advantage of it.
RENTAL COLLECTION
Even the rental collection of new fiction for which we charge two cents a day shows an increase in circulation, a gain of 527 over last year. In fines for these rental books we collected $158.92, and with this money have bought 84 new books for this collection.
BOOK COLLECTION
Our book collection has been increased during the past year by 1,130 volumes. This makes the total number of volumes in the library 34,251.
162
It has been impossible to fill all requests for new books, but we have done our best and suggestions and requests regarding new purchases are always gladly received. Every book added to the library is given most careful consideration before it is purchased. Our aim is to have a well rounded collection, with books on all subjects, and one that will meet the popular demand and fill the reference requirements of the library.
Groups of books in Armenian, Italian, Spanish, Portu- guese, Polish and Swedish languages have been borrowed from the Division of Public Libraries at the State House. This Division has also been most accomodating in lending us books that were requested by our borrowers but which were not in this library.
DEPOSITS
The library has deposits of books at the following schools: Purchade, South Middleboro, Thompsonville, Waterville, Bates, West Side and the High School. These collections are much appreciated by the children, especially those in the rural districts who are unable to come to the library.
Residents of Montgomery Home frequently express their appreciation for the privilege of having a collection of library books always available at the Home. These collections are changed as soon as notice is received that another group of books is needed.
The people in the East Middleborough section of the town are grateful to Mrs. Thomas Pollitt, who gives her time and her home that they may have library service with- out coming the long distance into town.
WORK WITH SCHOOLS
The Junior High School came in the Fall for lessons in the use of the library. This instruction consists of four
163
lessons and an examination. This course has proven a mutual benefit. It teaches the children how they may themselves find much of the information they seek in a library, thus relieving the library staff of much reference work. However, the children are always given to under- stand that the staff stands ready to help them with any problems they cannot solve themselves.
Once the children understand the working and arrange- ment of the library, they are much more interested in everything connected with it. They regard these lessons as sort of a game and always express regret when they are completed.
Mrs. Benson, teacher of literature in the Junior High School, conducts a reading club that is exceptionally suc- cessful. The children are brought in contact with the best books and their interest stimulated to read them.
In this club and with all her pupils, Mrs. Benson does excellent work with the State Reading Certificates. Many of the first certificates and a number of honor certificates have been awarded during the past year.
The librarian made her annual address before the Bates Junior High School at the beginning of the school year on "How the Library may aid the Pupil and How the Pupil may aid the Library."
REPAIRS
This past year it was found necessary to do considerable repairing to the outside of the building. The chimneys were repaired, window casings tightened and the bricks over the entire building repointed, all chinks and crevasses filled in. With the complete redecoration of the inside of the building done in 1933 and the extensive repairing of the outside this year, the building is now in excellent condition.
The heating apparatus is very old and before the State Inspector would sign a certificate extensive repairing was
164
necessary. The time is probably not far distant when the installation of a new heating system will have to be consider- ed.
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.