USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1875-1879 > Part 4
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1. To Choose a Moderator.
2. To choose all necessary Town officers.
3. To choose a Water Commissioner.
4. To choose a Committee to regulate the fisheries in Aga- wam and Half-way Pond rivers, and to take such other action relative to the same as may be necessary.
5. To hear the report of the several officers and Committees of the Town, and act thereon.
6. To see if the Town will authorize the Treasurer, under the direction of the Selectmen, to borrow money in anticipa- tion of taxes, and for disbursement under the provisions of the laws relating to State Aid, and to defray the expenses of the Town after January 1, 1876.
7. To revise and accept a list of Jurors prepared by the Selectmen.
8. To see if the Town will authorize the Collector of Taxes to use all means of collecting the taxes which a Town Treas- urer, when appointed a Collector, may use.
9. To make the necessary appropriations to defray the ex- penses of the Town, and for other purposes, and to raise such sums of money therefor as the Town shall deem expedient.
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10. To see if the Town will take measures to establish a Sinking Fund, for the redemption of the bonds issued for stock in the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad Co., as authorized by an act of the Legislature, and elect Trustees for the same.
11. To hear the report of an alteration of Oak street, with the boundaries and admeasurements thereof, and to see if the Town will accept and allow the same.
12. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars to fit up the Armory of the Standish Guards, petitioned for by Herbert Morissey and others.
................................
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF PLYMOUTH,
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING JAN 1, 1876,
TOGETHER WITH THE
REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS,
FOR THE YEAR 1875-6.
LYMOU
PLYMOUTH : AVERY & DOTEN, STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS. 1876.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE'
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF PLYMOUTH,
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING JAN 1, 1876,
TOGETHER WITH THE
REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL'S,
FOR THE YEAR 1875-6.
PLYMOUTH : AVERY & DOTEN, STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS, 1876.
PIVMOUTU BUDIS FIDALAU
104
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
The Selectmen respectfully submit the following report for the year eighteen hundred and seventy-five.
The Treasurer's books have been examined and found cor- rect, and all payments properly vouched.
The Treasurer is charged for the year with :
Cash on hand, January 1, 1875 $8,274 89
Dog fund from the County. . .
417 81
School fund from the State 371 22 .
Sale school books. 899 37
Sale Cedarville school house and rent 175 50
Militia armory rent refunded. 350 00
Almshouse reimbursements
1,132 47
Water rents, labor and materials
8,537 75
Circus license .. 50 00
Interest on taxes 842 94
Dividend from Old Colony National Bank . 450 00
Amount carried forward. $21,501 95
4
Amount brought forward $21,501 95
Agawam and Half-Way Pond fishery 288 36
J. C. Fuller, settlement Liquor Agency 300 00
Fines for violation of Town By-Laws
40 00
Rebate of interest on loans . 11 34
Interest on Training Green fund
36 78
Vine Hills Cemetery, sale of lots.
286 25
Road department reimbursement
720 59
State aid refunded
3,306 20
National Bank tax from State 3,590 14
Corporation tax 4,832 61
Insane Poor reimbursements
37 55
Fire department reimbursements
96 71
Contingent
16 39
Fresh Brook fishery.
10 00
Reuben Sherman loans
1,600 00
P. H. Haskell loans
1,500 00
Taxes, 1869
31 22
Taxes, 1870
48 65
Taxes, 1871
159 66
Taxes, 1872
1,370 94
Taxes, 1873
2,136 53
Taxes, 1874 8,344 56
Taxes, 1875 50,478 71
Non-resident Bank tax . . 4,121 15
Miscellaneous receipts 2 25
712 50
Liquor Licenses .
New road reimbursements 1,002 75
$106,583 79
5
The Treasurer is credited for the year with payments as follows :
Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad sinking fund $2,526 54
State tax
5,480 00
Bank tax 3,960 14
County tax
4,588 76
Cedarville school house
27 70
Vine Hills Cemetery
215 76
Widows
315 00
Water Scrip sinking fund
500 00
Water Works, and interest on scrip
10,232 58
Watch and Police
1,081 08
Treasurer's salary
500 00
Town debt. 8,743 80
Collector of Taxes
450 00
Sexton
125 00
State Aid
3,552 42
Schools .
17,040 48
Roads and bridges
7,469 03
New roads ...
6,344 98
Insane poor
1,081 27
Poor
7,374 06
Abatements
932 46
Herring money .
254 35
Fire department
2,890 94
Burial Hill.
291 62
Contingent
3,633 35
Lighting streets and Town House
1,148 27
Assessors
646 43
Training Green fund
178 20
South Plymouth Burial Ground.
200 00
Plymouth Savings Bank loans
3,000 00
Armory Standish Guards
298 87
Agawam fishery.
35 00
State of Massachusetts, liquor licenses
178 12
Cash on hand 11,287 58
$106,583 79
6
The undrawn balances of the several appropriations are as follows :
Assessors
$421 91
Contingent
1,007 17
Abatements .
656 95
Poor
203 00
Insane Poor
117 89
New roads.
2,302 35
Roads and bridges
792 58
Collector of taxes.
4 59
Town debt
347 06
Widows
23 01
Vine Hills Cemetery
40 54
Watch and police.
20 17
Training Green fund
462 83
Armory Standish Guards
1 13
Fresh Brook fishery
66 72
Warren fund
1,000 00
$7,467 90
The expenditures in excess of appropriations are as follows :
South Plymouth Burial Ground.
$200 00
Water works
2,252 48
Herring money
6 21
Schools .
438 87
Fire department
1,246 41
Lighting streets and Town House
235 44
Burial Hill
8 67
Cedarville school house 16 27
$4,404 35
7
TOWN DEBT.
WATER LOAN.
Seventy $1,000 6 per cent. coupon bonds,
dated June 1, 1855, payable June 1, 1885 $70,000 00
Twenty $1,000 6 per cent. bonds, dated
Aug. 1, 1864, payable Aug. 1, 1894 .... 20,000 00
$90,000 00
DUXBURY & COHASSET RAILROAD LOAN. $40,000 7 per cent. bonds, dated April 1, 1874 ; payable April 1, 1884 40,000 00
FUNDED DEBT.
Note to State of Massachusetts, dated
April 13, 1868 ; payable in ten years, interest 6 per cent. $5,000 00
Notes to State of Massachusetts, dated Sept. 18, 1868; payable in ten years ; interest, 6 per cent. 10,000 00
Note to State of Massachusetts, dated Feb. 18, 1868 ; payable in ten years ; interest 6 per cent .. . . 6,724 65
Note to Plymouth Savings Bank, dated Aug. 5, 1872, on demand ; interest, 6} per cent. . 11,000 00
Note to Plymouth Savings Bank, dated April 12, 1875, on demand ; interest, 6} per cent. 2,500 00
Notes to Henry Sherman, on demand ; in- terest, 6 per cent. 1,250 00
Amounts carried forward. . . $36,474 65 130,000 00
8
Amounts brought forward. .. . $36,474 65 130,000 00 Note to Reuben Sherman, on demand ; interest, 6 per cent. 3,200 00
Note to A. M. Diaz, on demand ; interest, 6 per cent
100 00
Note to Emma Davee, on demand ; inter- est, 6 per cent. 300 00
Note to Philip H. Haskell, on demand ; interest, 6 per cent
1,500 00
$41,574 65
Undrawn balances
7,467 90
$49,042 55
Less uncollected taxes :
1870
$8 55
1871
203 37
1872
295 89
1873
277 95
1874
496 11
1875
7,012 90
$8,294 77
Due from State of Massachu-
setts, for State aid
3,445 27
Cash on hand.
11,287 58
$23,027 62
$26,014 93
Total debt.
$156,014 93
Indebtedness, Jan. 1, 1875
$169,526 78
Water loan paid in 1875 ... $12,000 00
Temporary loan paid in 1875, 1,511 85
13,511 85
$156,014 93
9
The principal of the Town debt has been reduced the past year in the sum of $13,511.85, as appears in the foregoing state- ment, not counting the amount to the credit of the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad sinking fund, $1,500 of which was appro- priated and paid the past year. $12,000 of the above amount was for the payment of the water debt, which became due June 1st, and was derived from the sinking fund created and set apart for that purpose.
The further sum of $1,511.85, which is the reduction of the funded and temporary indebtedness, is less by the sum of $988.15 than was anticipated at the commencement of the year, and included in the appropriation for Town debt. The difference is explained by the large overdrafts in the Water and Fire de- partments, increasing the aggregate overdrafts over last year in the sum of $1,668.16, and in leaving out of the assets the amount due from water rents in arrears.
This has been partially offset by the increased revenue de rived from miscellaneous receipts over the estimates made from the appropriation list, and which it is hoped may be remedied in the future by the different departments confining themselves strictly to the appropriations made at the annual meetings. It may be proper here to say that the large overdrafts, which is principally in the Water department, has been caused by the large outlay necessitated by the severe weather of the past win- ter, which by freezing the pipes diminished the receipts from water rents, and occasioned, in the opinion of the Commission- ers, a survey of the works by a competent engineer, and to car- ry out his suggestions by the insertions of gates, &c., incurred large expenditures.
Under these circumstances, the Selectmen did not feel war- ranted in refusing to draw orders for the expenditure, al- though in excess of appropriations.
2
10
There has been paid during the year note to State of Massa- chusetts for $5,000; also note to Plymouth Savings Bank for $2,500, and additional payments made on account of the.princi- pal of notes at Plymouth Savings Bank, and individual loans to the amount of $4,200, in all $11,700. New loans have been effected, in lieu of the same, in the sum of $8,100, leaving the funded debt less by the sum of $3,600 than was reported last year. $1,000 of the above payments was derived from the leg- acy left by the will of Richard Warren in trust to the Selectmen and their successors forever, the same to be by them safely in- vested, the income to be applied by them in accordance with the provisions of the trust and for the improvement of Burial Hill.
It was deemed by the Board the safest form of investment to cancel so much of the indebtedness of the Town by applying it for that purpose; the sum so received and paid has been cred- ited on the Treasurer's books to the Warren fund, which is in- cluded in the undrawn balances and appears in that form as indebtedness of the Town.
The apparent discrepancy in the reduction of the funded debt as compared with the last report, viz., $3,600, and the actual reduction, viz., $1,511.85 is caused by the excess of overdrafts, &c., heretofore alluded to.
The depression in business is more general than at any time for many years. The result is seen in the depreciation in all classes of property. Failures are of daily occurrence, and dis- trust in business circles everywhere prevails. Labor is poorly paid, and without steady employment in most if not all the dif- ferent branches of manufacture, and economy in every direction is demanded, not less in Town and City governments,than in
11
State and National affairs. And while taxation is always con- sidered burdensome, it becomes doubly so under the present condition of affairs. And while there are necessary expendi- tures in Town affairs which must be provided for, there are many which can be dispensed with without serious detriment when occasion demands it, and in submitting to the Town the list of appropriations for the current year, the Selectmen feel themselves justified in making reductions wherever practicable, and postponing all projects which can be with safety delayed until the burdens can be more easily borne than at present, and trust it will be so considered and acted on by the Town.
The compliance with the vote of the Town by the Collector of Taxes has reduced the outstanding taxes within the past year from $13,373.47, as appears in the last report, to $8,294.77 at the close of the books, Dec. 31st, 1875. The same policy should be adhered to, and if followed, will save the Town much which will otherwise be lost, and prove, in most cases, beneficial to the tax payer, who can pay a small tax easier than a large one grown from the accumulation of several years with interest and expenses added to it.
The Selectmen recommend that the note at the Plymouth Savings Bank of $2,500 be paid during the year, and included in the appropriation for Town debt.
12
TOWN DEBT AND INTEREST ACCOUNT.
By undrawn balance $1,736 58
Appropriation 6,500 00
Interest received from Collector of Taxes 842 94
Rebate of interest. 11 34
$9,090 86
EXPENDED.
Interest on Duxbury & Cohasset R.R. loan $2,800 00
Interest on Funded debt. 2,862 06
Paid note at Plymouth Savings Bank . 2,500 00
Paid note of B. L. Battles. 100 00
Paid on account note A. M. Diaz 100 00
Interest on loans in anticipation of taxes,
381 74
8,743 80
Undrawn. .
$347 06
There will be required to meet the interest on the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad, and Funded loan, and loans in anticipa- tion of taxes, about $5,800. In order to pay the note due to the Plymouth Savings Bank of $2,500, as desired, an appropria- tion of $7,500 will be needed, in addition to the balance now standing to the credit of the account, and interest, which may be expected from delinquent taxes.
13
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
By appropriations
$7,700 00
Reimbursements
720 59
$8,420 59
Overdrawn balance, 1874
$158 98
Amount expended in 1875
7,469 03
7,628 01
Undrawn.
$792 58
Orders drawn not paid. $102 86
The amount expended on roads and bridges the past year is $7,469.03, from which should be deducted the earnings of the teams in other departments, leaving $6,748.44 as the actual ex- penses of the department. Of this amount, $1,052.97 was ex- pended in March for the removal of snow, and which occasioned an additional appropriation at the April meeting.
There has been no unusual expense during the year, with the exception of a wall to support the road near the estate of Ellis Whiting, in Chiltonville, which cost the sum of $100. A con- siderable amount of drain pipe has been laid where the gutters crossed the road-ways. The grade of High street has been changed, and paved gutters on each side of the road sub- stituted for the paved street, and sidewalks constructed, making it more convenient and safe for public travel.
The roads in general throughout the Town have been, it is believed, improved, and kept up as near as possible to the re- quirements of public travel over them. The teams and equip- ments have been kept in order and repair, and the value of the property has not materially decreased.
The uncertainty as to the expenditure on account of snow makes it difficult to estimate with any degree of accuracy how
14
much can be relied upon from the appropriations for the neces- sary repairs of roads. The appropriations last year were re- commended at the last moment, with the belief that we should escape with little, if any, expense from that source, and the whole snow bills for the year occurred after that date.
There has been added to the department since last year, by the completion of the Rocky Hill and other roads, some four miles of new road, a portion of which will require considerable outlay to meet the expectations of the public, principally on the Rocky Hill road and beyond. The roads otherwise, it is ex- pected, can be kept up to the present standard, and the appro- priation somewhat reduced from that of last year. An appro- priation of $7,000 is recommended.
NEW ROADS.
CR.
By undrawn balance $1,944 58
Appropriation . 5,700 00
Received from Town of Kingston 2 75
Reimbursements from the County .. 1,000 00
DR.
$8,647 33
To payments on Oak Street . $943 12
Payments on Rocky Hill road. 4,492 33
Payments on Depot road, Kingston. . 26 80
Payments widening bridge and road at Manomet Ponds.
728 72
Payments on Holmes' road 154 01
$6,344 98
Undrawn ..
$2,302 35
Orders drawn not paid $91 99
15
During the year there has been expended, as appears from the above statement, for labor and materials on new roads, the sum of $6,344 98. The Rocky Hill road, which was under contract to Phillip H. Haskell, was completed about July 30, and accept- ed by the Commissioners, and opened for public travel soon after. The obstacles in building the road were greater in some portions than were anticipated, and which delayed the work, but the contractor in general faithfully performed his work, and the road, it is believed, will compare favorably with any new road built in this vicinity by contract. The road, from its com- mencement to the meeting house at South Plymouth, was all in- cluded under one survey, and known under the name of the Rocky Hill road. The cost to date has been $7,583.10, and including the widening at the mill site beyond, viz., $728.72, has cost $8,311.82. The Commissioners have awarded to the Town, to- wards the construction of the road, the sum of $1,000, which appears as an item of credit to new road account.
There has been expended on Oak street during the year, the sum of $943.12, and, with the amount expended last year, viz., $798.18, makes a total expended to date of $1,741.30. The road in general is reduced to grade, and will only require a small amount of grading over the land of Mrs. Field to complete it. The embankments will require grading after the action of the frost has ceased, and a portion of the road will require loaming and fencing. To complete the road, including the land damages awarded but not yet paid, will require an estimated outlay of $1,000.
The Holmes' road at Manomet has been completed at an outlay this year of $154.01, and including the amount expended last year, makes the whole cost of the road $260.96. The road
16
to the Seaside depot, which has been worked in connection with the Town of Kingston, has cost $113.79,-$88.99 of which had not been paid when the books were closed, and is included in the orders drawn and not paid.
Of the various petitions submitted to the Selectmen for the laying out of new roads, only two have been favorably con- sidered. 'The most important of which is the road leading from the Cliff by the house of David Finney to the Sandwich road, and which had been surveyed and partial action taken for the laying out some three years since, and was postponed on ac- count of the large outlay required in other directions. While the road, if worked and widened, would be a public convenience, it being the only connection with the Sandwich and Warren roads running parallel for a distance of 12 miles, still the greater convenience would accrue to the people living on and near the line of it. The chief obstacle to the laying out lies in the land damages claimed by the abuttors, and which the Selectmen con- sider excessive. The laying out and awards for damage will be made by the Selectmen at the annual meeting, and the Town can then either accept or reject their action.
The other petition is simply for a widening of the Beaver Dam road from its commencement past the Parish House, so called. No land damage is claimed by the abuttors, and the expense to the Town will not exceed $75. The widening will save in the removal of snow, and the material is needed to re- pair the roads in the vicinity.
The sum to the credit of new roads will complete all that is anticipated, and no appropriation is asked for.
.
17
WATER WORKS.
DR.
To overdrawn balance $557 65
Interest on scrip . . 5,883 00
Repairs, extensions, and engineers' expenses 4,349 58
$10,790 23
CR.
By water rents and materials . .. 8,537 75
Overdrawn.
$2,252 48
Orders drawn not paid . $3 80
The expenditures on the Works the past year have been larger than usual, from causes heretofore alluded to, and will be more fully explained in the report of the Commissioners.
The interest on the Water loan has been reduced in the sum of $720 by the payment of that portion of the debt which matured June 1.
The Collector reports the amount of water rents in arrears and uncollected $430, notwithstanding the explicit vote of the Town, which required the Superintendent to shut off water from all parties in arrears. The Selectmen recommend an appro- priation of $1,000, which, with the amount of water rents in arrears, and the surplus income, which may be expected in case only the ordinary expenses are incurred, will meet the deficiency.
3
18
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
DR.
To overdrawn balance, Jan. 1, 1875 $452 18
Amount expended in 1875
2,890 94
CR.
$3,343 12
By appropriation $2,000 00
Cash from sale of old hose 90 23
Cash received from Water Works. . 6 48
2,096 71
Overdrawn
$1,246 41
Orders drawn not paid. $43 70
The large expenditure in this department is explained by the removal of the Engine house from Russell street to Seaside, and fitting up the same, the expense of which, amounting to $387.23, has been charged to this account. There has also been ex- pended for new hose $825.93, of which $273.38 was required to fit up the engine at Seaside, making the whole cost of locating an engine there, $6 66.01.
The expenses on the steamers have been larger than usual, and in locating and repairing hydrants, which should make the department in good condition, and requiring less outlay in these directions the coming year.
The expense of maintaining an engine at Seaside, with a full complement of men at the same pay as allowed those attached to the engines in the central portion of the Town liable to much greater service, would seem to be an unnecessary expense, as the cost of fully insuring all the property protected would not exceed the sum required to maintain a full paid company in that locality.
The Selectmen recommend an appropriation of $3,500 to meet the deficiency and provide for the expenses of the current year.
19
POOR.
CR.
By appropriation
$6,500 00
Reimbursements
1,132 47
$7,632 47
DR.
To overdrawn balance $55 41
Payments in 1875
7,374 06
$7,429 47
$203 00
Orders drawn not paid. . $62.86
The net expenses of this department have exceeded the pre- vious year in the sum of $57.70, while the outstanding orders drawn but not paid are less in the sum of $214, taking into the account the payment of a large sum to the Town of Sandwich charged in the expenditures of last year, and the amount re- ceived from the city of Boston in settlement of a similar claim, show that the expenses have actually exceeded those of last year in the vicinity of $500, notwithstanding the decline in most articles of consumption.
Whether we are more unfortunate than other towns in the number and condition of those requiring aid, cannot so readily be ascertained, but that our expenses far exceed the ratio of other towns is apparent from their reports. The Overseers' re- port will explain more fully, it is expected, the condition of the department.
The Overseers ask the same appropriation as last year, viz., $6,500.
20
INSANE POOR.
CR.
By appropriation
$1,500 00
Reimbursement 37 55
$1,537 55
DR.
To overdrawn balance
$338 39
Payments in 1875
1,081 27
1,419 66
Undrawn
$117 89
The number of persons wholly supported at the State Asy- lums for the Insane is five, and outside aid is given in one instance.
Application has been made recently to the Overseers to re- move a person to one of the Asylums, and the probability is that she will become dependent on the Town, which will neces- sitate an increased expense in this department.
The sum of $1,250 is recommended as an appropriation for the current year.
CONTINGENT.
CR.
By appropriation $3,500 00
Undrawn balance 1,124 13
Cash from pipe sold. 16 39
$4,640 52
DR.
To amount expended in 1875 3,633 35
Undrawn
$1,007 17
Orders drawn not paid $5 55
An appropriation of $3,000 is recommended.
21
TRAINING GREEN FUND.
CR.
By undrawn balance
$604 25
Interest received
36 78
$641 03
DR.
To expended in 1875.
.
178 20
Undrawn
$462 83
The sum placed at the disposal of the Selectmen to protect the Soldiers' Monument was found insufficient to fully carry out the plan proposed. An architect was consulted, who viewed the grounds and monument, and submitted a plan for a fence, which was generally acceptable and in harmony with the design of the monument, but which would not fully answer the main purpose in keeping away from the base the children who now play about it and deface it. It was finally decided to flag the space between the steps and base of the monument with marble tile, which has been done in a thorough manner, and has cost, with the amount paid the architect, the sum expended in the account. The fence completed would cost in the vicinity of $400, which, added to the amount already expended, would exceed the appropriation in the vicinity of $200. And before assuming any further outlay, which some think may be dis- pensed with, and which if carried out would dwarf and detract from the appearance of the monument at a distance, the Se- lectmen prefer the expression of the Town in the matter, and have consequently delayed further action until that time.
22
VINE HILLS CEMETERY.
CR.
By cash received from sale of lots $286 25
DR.
To overdrawn balance.
$29 95
Amount paid in 1875 215 76
245 71
Undrawn. $40 54
There has been lots sold and deeds not yet delivered amount - ing to $112.30, which, with the balance on hand, will be availa- ble for the care and improvements of the grounds already laid out. The Superintendent asks for an appropriation of $200 to complete the grading of avenues now only partially worked, and to open avenues to lots not now available, and which are called for.
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