USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1875-1879 > Part 9
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PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS.
32
Graduating Class.
Abbie I. Bartlett,
Clara Z. Blackmer,
Lizzie F. Byrnes.
Rebecca J. Churchill,
Ella M. Collingwood, Hannah W. Doten,
Sarah A. Hayden,
Annie S. Loring,
Jennie H. Paty,
S. Emmeline Pratt,
George L. Calloway,
Eugene W. Godfrey,
John T. Gooding.
...
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN . OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF PLYMOUTH,
FOR THE
1
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING JANUARY 1, 1877, c
TOGETHER WITH THE
REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS,
FOR THE YEAR 1876-7.
PUBLIC
LIBRARY
1
PLYMOUTH : AVERY & DOTEN, STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS. 1877.
-
1g.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF PLYMOUTH,
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING JANUARY 1, 1877,
TOGETHER WITH THE
REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS,
FOR THE YEAR 1876-7.
PLYMOUTH : AVERY & DOTEN, STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS. 1877.
PLYMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY
18:77
-
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
The Selectmen respectfully submit the following report for the year eighteen hundred and seventy-six.
The Treasurer's boooks have been examined and found correct, and all payments properly vouched.
The Treasurer is charged for the year with :
Cash on hand, January 1, 1876 $11,287 58
Dog fund from the County 351 13
School fund from the State 330 58
Sale school books 649 61
School reimbursements 6 90
Armory rent refunded
264 00
Almshouse reimbursement
1,789 92
Water rent, labor and materials
8,658 23
Circus licenses. 37 50
Interest on taxes.
353 29
Dividend from Old Colony National Bank
400 00
Agawam and Half-Way Pond fishery
232 04
Rebate of interest
15 40
Fines for violation of Town By-Laws
5 00
Interest on Training Green fund
23 40
Sale of lots in Vine Hill Cemetery
498 85
Road department reimbursements. 820 23
State aid refunded
3,378 47
National Bank tax from the State
3,170 54
Corporation tax from the State
3,983 47
Amount carried forward $36,256 14
4
Amount brought forward $36,256 14
Insane Poor reimbursements
145 80
Contingent reimbursements
54 40
Fresh Brook fishery
8 00
Taxes, 1871
142 06
Taxes, 1872
203 41
Taxes, 1873
123 31
Taxes, 1874
245 71
Taxes, 1875
5,293 88
Taxes, 1876
46,296 84
Non-resident Bank tax
3,885 14
Miscellaneous receipts
30 50
Liquor Licenses
912 50
New road reimbursements
2 69
$93,600 38
The Treasurer is credited for the year with payments as
follows :
Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad sinking fund $1,500 00
State tax.
4,464 00
National Bank tax 3,752 23
County tax .
4,909 81
Vine Hill Cemetery
689 86
Widows 156 00
Water Works and interest on sinking fund.
8,640 45
Watch and police 1,361 08
Treasurer's salary.
500 00
Town debt .
8,543 29
Collector of taxes.
450 00
Sexton
125 00
State aid.
3,230 47
Schools.
18,075 50
Roads and bridges
5,989 73
New roads . 2,632 82
Insane Poor. 1,463 11
Amount carried forward $66,483 35
5
Amount brought forward .
$66,483 35
Poor
7,971 70
Abatements
650 00
Herring money
230 80
Fire Department
2,016 02
Burial Hill
197 69
Contingent
3,424 42
Lighting streets and Town House
1,107 71
Assessors .
831 20
South Plymouth Burial Ground
125 49
State of Massachusetts, licenses
228 12
Widening Main Street
400 00
Armory, &c., transferred .
1 13
Cash on hand
9,932 65
$93,600 38
The undrawn balances of the several appropriations are as
follows :
Assessors .
$290 71
Lighting streets and Town House
6 85
Burial Hill
43 64
Contingent
637 15
Fire Department.
237 57
Abatements
1,026 84
Insane Poor
50.58
Roads and bridges
2,623 08
Collector of taxes
454 59
Widows
34
Herring money
29 65
Training Green Fund.
486 23
Fresh Brook
74 72
South Plymouth Burial Ground
24 51
Warren fund
1,060 00
Poor
521 22.
Vine Hill Cemetery
49 53
$7,617 21
1
6
1
The expenditures in excess of appropriations are as fol-
lows :
New roads
$327 78
Schools
176 15
Widening Main Street
400 00
Town debt
327 54
Watch and police
115 91
Water works.
1,234 70
Cedarville school house. 16 27
$2,598 35
TOWN DEBT.
WATER LOAN.
Seventy $1,000 6 per cent. 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. coupon bonds, dated
April 1, 1874, payable April 1, 1884. 40,000 00
TEMPORARY DEBT.
Notes to State of Massachusetts, bearing 6 per cent. interest, viz :
Note dated April 3, 1868, payable in ten years $5,000 00
Note dated Sept. 18, 1868, payable in ten
years
10,000 00
Amounts carried formard ... .
$15,000 00 $130,000 00
[
1
7
Amounts brought forward. . $15,000 00 130,000 00
Note dated Feb. 18, 1868, payable in ten years. 6,724 65
Note to Plymouth Savings Bank, dated Ang. 5, 1872, on demand; interest, 6 per cent. . 11,000 00
Notes to Henry Sherman, on demand ; interest, 6 per cent 1,250 00
Notes to Reuben Sherman, on demand ; interest 6 per cent. 3,200 00
Note to A. M. Diaz, on demand 100 00
Note to Emma Davee, on demand 300 00
Note to P. H. Haskell, on demand. . 1,000 00
$38,574 65
Undrawn balances of the several depart-
ments 7,617 21
$46,191 86
Less uncollected taxes :
1870
$8 55
1871
61 31
1872
92 43
1873
154 64
1874
250 40
1875
1,719 02
1876
9,497 03
$11,783 38
Due from State for State aid. $3,212 32 Cash on hand 9,932 65
24,928 35
21,263 51
Total debt $151,263 51
Indebtedness, Jan. 1, 1876
156,014 93
Indebtedness, Jan. 1, 1877 151,263 51
Reduction of indebtedness in 1876. $4,751 42
20 00
100
100
35
1 70 27 -
1-
8
The temporary debt has been reduced the past year in the sum of $4,751.42, as appears in the foregoing statement, making the outstanding temporary indebtedness, exclusive of uncol- lected taxes and amounts due from the State, and cash on hand, $21,263.51 at the close of the financial year, December 31.
The amount of fifteen hundred dollars appropriated toward the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad sinking fund, and paid over to the Trustees, makes the total amount of reduction the past year, and applicable for that purpose, $6,251.42. The fact that this has been accomplished with a reduction in the rate of taxation, gives assurance that with economy in expenditures the burdens of taxation may be lightened, and unless new projects already foreshadowed shall be assumed, the rate of taxation may be still further reduced the present year.
There has been no unusual expenditures of large amounts during the year, save in the enlarging and repairs of the High School House, which was provided for by appropriation, and no new loans have been made. The temporary indebtedness, con- sisting of the notes of the Town, has been reduced in the sum of three thousand dollars by the payment of a note of $2,500 to the Plymouth Savings Bank, and payment of $500 on note of P. H. ,Haskell, the additional sum of $1,751.42 applied to the reduction of the indebtedness was dervied from the dif- ference in the undrawn balances and revenue derived from miscellaneous sources over the amount estimated as revenue for the year.
The expenditures in the several departments have been kept, with few exceptions, within the appropriations, and the only large balances overdrawn are in the Water department, caused by the extension of the pipes in several localities which was not contemplated at the commencement of the year; and for
ta $3 &cc
C
la
9
the widening of Main Street, by the County Commissioners, in front of the Odd Fellows' building, for which was assessed upon the Town the sum of four hundred dollars.
The interest on the temporary debt, a part of which bore in- terest at seven per cent. until 1875, and was then reduced to 63 per cent., has within the year been reduced to 6 per cent. ; and aside from the interest on the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad loan, no higher rates are paid on any notes of the Town.
The interest on loans made in anticipation of taxes was obtained at the rate of 4} per cent. for the year, and the amount paid as interest has been more than offset by the in- terest received from delinquent tax payers.
The law of 1875, regulating the indebtedness of Towns and cities, requiring an annual appropriation for the reduction of all indebtedness, other than for water, sewerage and railroad loans, of not less than eight per cent. annually of the indebtedness, has been more than provided for in the reduction the past year, and unless the appropriations can be so far reduced as to make it desirable to include in the appropriations for this year for some payment of the loans, it can be deferred for the present year, the provisions of the law having already been met.
The sinking fund created for the payment of the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad loan, will meet the provisions of the law.
But it will become necessary to meet the requirements of the law by providing a sinking fund to meet the Water loan, a large portion of which will mature in 1885.
The Collector's account show a larger amount of uncollected taxes than at the close of the last year, the amount being $3,488.61 in excess of the last year, which may be partially accounted for in the depression of business and diminished in-
2
10
comes among a large class of tax payers, and partly from a failure to comply with the vote of the Town to enforce the collection.
The salary of the Collector is a yearly salary, and the duties are not defined by any vote of the Town as to whether he shall be required to collect the taxes assessed for the year for the salary fixed, or otherwise. At present he receives his salary yearly, without reference to the taxes collected.
The Selectmen would recommend that in future the duties of the Collector be defined, so that in the settlement with him it shall be understood whether the full payment for the year be allowed, or only in the proportion which his collections bear to the whole amount placed in his hands for collection.
TOWN DEBT INTEREST ACCOUNT.
DR.
To interest on Duxbury and Cohasset
Railroad loan.
$2,800 00
interest on temporary debt .. 2,450 28
interest paid on loans in anticipation of taxes. .
293 06
note paid to Plymouth Savings Bank, 2,500 00
amount paid on note of P. H. Haskell, 500 00
$8,543 34
CR.
By undrawn balance, Dec. 31, 1875 $347 06
appropriation
7,500 00
interest from collected taxes
353 29
rebate of interest
15 40
$8,215 75
Overdrawn
$327 59
B
11
The amount expended in the above account for reduction of the Town debt is larger by the sum of five hundred dollars, the amount paid P. H. Haskell on his note, than was recom- mended for the year and included in the appropriation, pro- vision being only made to take up the note of two thousand five hundred dollars to the Plymouth Savings Bank.
To provide for the deficiency and current expenses will require the sum of $5,742.01. The Selectmen recommend an appropriation of six thousand dollars, balance to be applied to reduction of Town debt.
NEW ROADS.
DR.
To payment for construction of Oak street $579 39
payment of award to Eveline B. Field, Oak street. 620 00
payment for construction and award, Cliff street 678 05
payment for construction of road, at Cedarville 603 05
payment for construction of Beaver Dam Road 68 34
payment for construction of road to depot at Seaside. 83 99
$2,632 82
CR.
By balance, Dec. 31, 1875.
$2,302 35
amount received Town of Kingston. . 2 69
$2,305 04
Overdrawn. $327 78
12
The balance remaining at the close of the last year to this account was $2,302.35, which was considered sufficient to com- plete the new roads in process of construction, and the working of Cliff street, which had been laid out, awaiting final action by the Town, and was accepted at the annual meeting.
Oak street, on which there had been expended to Dec. 31, 1875, the sum of $1,741.30, remained incompleted, and there remained to grade the entrance to Summer street and the slopes in the cut, and the removal of the material thrown down by the action of the frost during the winter. The road also required some 1,750 feet of fencing along the embankments, including which was expended the sum of $579.39; the land damages, amounting to six hundred and twenty dollars, remained unpaid, and, including the working, made the total expenditures this year $1,199.39, and, added to the amount previously paid for construction, of $1,741.30, makes the total cost of the road $2,940.69.
The working of Cliff street was made under the super- vision of Mr. Thrasher, the Surveyor for that District, and with the Town teams under his charge, and in connection with the ordinary repairs of the road in his District; and, although his experience in the building of new roads had previously been limited to work in connection with others on similar work, we feel satisfied, from the opinion of those competent to judge in such matters, that the work was faithfully and economically done.
The total cost of the road to date, including the land dam- ages of $264.00, and $67.88 for drain pipe and $20.00 for fenc- ing, is $678.05.
There remains unpaid the sum of $50.00, as award for land damage ; and, with the exception that a small portion may require loaming in the Spring, no outlay beyond the ordinary repairs will be required.
U
S
a
ve
n
OD
Siz
d
S t
13
The widening of the Beaver Dam road, which was ac- cepted by the Town at the annual meeting, was worked at an expense of $68.24, and within the cost as estimated in the report of last year.
An order of notice for the construction of a road on or before Nov. 1, 1876, from a point near the school house in Cedarville, through the Indian Village near Herring Pond, to the Sandwich line, to connect with a road being built to that point by the town of Sandwich, was served on the Town in April last by the County Commissioners. A hearing had been previously had in that locality on a petition from the people in that section for the laying out of the road, which was attended by the Selectmen and opposed, except so far as to afford those living in the Indian Village, who had recently become tax- payers, a way to reach the main road through Cedarville, and allow their children to attend the school, which otherwise there was no convenient way to reach.
The Commissioners, while not granting the petition for the whole length of the road asked for, extended the same to the Sandwich line, and required, in grade and general specifica- tions, a more costly road than the Selectmen deemed the neces- sities of public travel in that locality required.
To let the road under contract would require specifications and otherwise increase the expense, and the Selectmen finally decided, as a question of economy, to place the construction of the road under the supervision of Mr. Clark, one of the Sur- veyors, and also one of the Board, whose experience in building new roads gave ample assurance that the work would be econ- omically and faithfully done. The road was commenced early in October, and completed, with the exception of the fencing, in the following month, and has been open for public travel since that time.
14
The outlay was not known to be required when the appro- priations were made, and occasioned the overdraft in the ac- count.
A question has arisen as to the boundary line between this Town and Sandwich, and in case it shall be found by the Com- missioners that the road, as now completed, is not fully worked to that point, a small sum only will be required to complete it.
The working of the road at Seaside, in connection with the Town of Kingston, was completed last year, but the expense of the same had been paid by the Town of Kingston, and was not presented for payment until this year, although it was stated in the report of last year as among the orders drawn not paid.
A petition was presented to the Commissioners in the early part of the year, signed by only a few persons, for the widening and straightening of Court street from near the house of Joab Thomas to the Kingston line, on which a hearing was granted, and resulted in an order of notice being served on the Town for the widening and straightening of Court street in many places to Kingston line, the same to be completed to the satisfaction of the Commissioners before Nov. 1, 1877.
The Selectmen believe that neither the necessities or con- venience of public travel require the outlay, and it would impose an additional burden on the Town, which, at the present time, it would be unwise to incur.
The Selectmen recommend that the matter be deferred for the present, and have made no provision for the working this year ; and, unless the Town shall instruct them otherwise, the work will not be undertaken.
The Town has expended large sums within the past few years in the laying out and construction of new roads, which, at present, do not promise any return for the outlay, but impose additional burdens in the repairs necessary to keep them in
15
good condition, and we think it will be wiser for the Town in the future to improve the roads we already have, than to antici- pate the future by laying out new roads in advance of the necessity existing for them.
An appropriation of $600.00 to provide for the deficiency and for the completion of unfinished work will be required.
CONTINGENT.
CR.
By balance, Dec. 31, 1875. . $1,007 17
from Armory account, trans- ferred
1 13
appropriation
3,000 00
reimbursement from G. W. Griffin. . . 41 66
for edge stone . .
11 61
$4,061 57
DR.
To payment for fires in the woods ...... $740 05
to Leander Lovell, Town clerk. 193 65
John Perkins, serving
warrants, &c 29 50
sexton, care Town House, 5 00
S. H. Doten, armory rent 350 00
Grand Army
100 00
Amount carried forward ... $1,418 20
16
Amount brought forward $1,418 20
To payment to Hosea C. Bartlett, in-
jury to horse 100 00
4th July celebration . . . 293 46
H. B. Chandler, damage on highway .. 125 00
Boston Directory . 5 00
Tax Town of Carver ... 4 95
Tax Town of Kingston,
2 04
C. Bates and others, ringing bells, July 4,
4 00
J. T. Holmes, painting street signs. . .... A. Kendrick, labor on steps, Cole's Hill .... 14 19
12 00
Robbins & Morton, lumber, Cole's Hill .. 26 14
. Wm. Weston and others, labor and materials on steps, widening Summer Street. ....
27 65
J. Thrasher, posting notices. 5 00
John Atwood, serving
warrants, &c. 31 00
Ellis Benson, care Town clock. 25 00
Thos. Churchill, setting
edge stone 9 25
Chas. Raymond, certify- ing deaths. 47 75
Amount carried forward
$2,150 63
17
Amount brought forward $2,150 63
SERVICES SELECTMEN.
To payment to William H. Nelson .... $125 00
Lemuel Bradford .. 200 00
Lemuel Bradford, ex-
penses to Boston .. ..
2 30
Chas. B. Stoddard . 75 00
Henry Whiting. 75 00
David Clark.
75 00
Stamps and envelopes ..
75 40
Damage caused by ser- vice pipe 91 65
Coal. .
61 12
Lumber bills
25 81
Express bills
6 30
Avery & Doten, print-
ing
399 29
Sundries
60 68
3,423 18
Undrawn.
$638 39
As the expenditures from this account are more general than those in other departments, and embrace all expenditures not provided for by direct appropriation, and it being the desire of the tax payers to know for what, and to whom, expenditures are made under this account, the Selectmen have varied from the custom heretofore practised of giving only the sum total of payments, and have given, as far as possible, a detailed account of all money expended during the year and charged to this department.
The amount paid for armory rent is partly reimbursed from
3
-
18
the State, and credited in miscellaneous receipts, and appears as an item of credit in the Treasurer's account. The amount paid for services for fires in the woods is a large item, and the claims presented are so numerous and embarrassing, that pay- ments are, without doubt, often made for which no adequate service is performed, - of late the better organization of the Fire Wards has, in part, remedied the evil, but it is still the avenue for doubtful claims; and as it is a question of doubt whether the Fire Wards, without an express vote of the Town, have any power to approve bills to be drawn from the Treasury of the Town, and, if so, whether owners of wood lands should be included. The Selectmen recommend that the Town should take some action in the matter to guide them in the payment of these claims.
An appropriation of $3,000 will be required for the current expenses of the year, and is recommended.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
CR.
By balance Dec. 31, 1875 $792 58
Reimbursement 820 23
Appropriation 7,000 00
$8,612 81
DR.
To payment in 1876
$5,989 73
Undrawn $2,623 08
19
The expenditures chargeable to roads and bridges the past year, deducting the earnings of the teams in other depart- ments, and including the orders drawn, but not paid, is $5,372.71, and less in the sum of $1,375.74 than was expended the previous year, considering the addition of some four miles of new roads added to the department the present year, which required a considerable sum for repairs, especially on the Rocky Hill road, and the addition and renewal of fencing on a large portion of the old roads makes the sum expended for ordinary repairs less than for several years.
The difference in the expenditures may be partly accounted for by the small sum expended for the removal of snow; but the roads in consequence were subject to much greater wear during the unusually mild winter, and required more than usual repairs during that time.
The only expenditures for other than ordinary repairs was the widening of the road from the guide board to the Plymouth Mills, and in front of the house of Mrs. Saunders, and the con- struction and widening of the sidewalk and paving of the gutters in the vicinity, which was done by the Town teams in connection with their ordinary work, and the addition to the road equipment of a roller and stump-lifter at an expense of $100.00
On many of the streets in the central portion of the Town the grade cannot be raised, and the worn-out material has to be removed before new material can be added; and as only the best material can be used, which is costly to obtain, increases the expense materially.
It must be borne in mind that the public travel demands better roads than formerly, and the scarcity of material, most of which has to be paid for, should be considered in making comparisons with former years. Unless snow bills for the re-
20
mainder of the winter shall be larger than usual, or some un- looked for expenditure be required, it is believed the roads can be kept up to the present standard with an appropriation of $4,200.00 in addition to the balance now to the credit of the account, and it is recommended.
The following property of the Town, belonging to the Road department, is in good condition, viz :
Four horses,
Four cart harnesses,
Four gravel carts,
Three truck saddles, &c.,
Two single truck wagons,
Two scrapers,
One double horse wagon,
One double horse roller,
One light wagon,
One rock lifter,
One double horse sled,
Twelve shovels,
Two single horse sleds,
Six picks, &c., &c.
WATER WORKS.
DR.
To balance, Dec. 31, 1875 $2,252 48
expenditures in 1876. 8,640 45
10,892 93
CR.
By appropriation.
$1,000 00
receipts, 1876.
8,658 23
9,658 23
Overdrawn . $1,234 70 The income from Water Works the past year shows a bal- ance over the expenditures of $17.78 only, and, with the appro-
21
priation of $1,000 made to provide for the deficiency of last year of $2,252.48, and the amount of Water Rents in arrears and uncollected, amounting to some seven hundred dollars, will still leave a deficiency of $534.70 to be provided for.
In the report of last year the Selectmen recommended an appropriation of one thousand dollars, which, with the surplus income estimated in case only the interest on scrip and expense of management and repairs were charged to the account, would provide for the deficiency then existing. No extensions were then contemplated, but during the year extensions have been made by the Commissioners in several localities, requiring an expenditure of some twelve hundred dollars, and will be more fully explained in their report, and occasioned the overdraft in the account. The law of 1875, regulating the indebtedness of cities and towns and requiring payments to be made of out- standing loans issued for supplying the inhabitants with pure water, at a period not exceeding thirty years from the passage of the act, will make it necessary to make some provision for a Sinking Fund to meet the requirements of the law, and to suc- cessfully negotiate for a renewal of such portion of the loans, becoming due in 1885, as have not otherwise been provided for.
The annual income from the Water Works, as shown by the collections of the past two years, gives an average of eight thousand six hundred dollars, and, if collections are fully made, will somewhat exceed that sum; while expenditures for the present year, exclusive of extensions, are about seven thousand three hundred dollars, leaving some thirteen hundred dollars of surplus yearly income to create a sinking fund.
And the Selectmen recommend that the Treasurer be in- structed to charge in future to the account of Water Works only the interest on scrip, and expense of management, and material for repairs, leaving the surplus income to be applied to a sink-
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