USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1890-1893 > Part 16
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PATHS.
Foot paths have been extended by making about half a mile of path leading from Hathaway's Point toward the Carver road, following the general direction of the road by the way of Red Spring.
Other parts of the park can be made accessible by paths where roads cannot be built to advantage.
Corduroy Path is so novel and interesting at every turn that we beg to mention it again, as it is too fine to be missed by any who visit the park. The route of Corduroy Path leads to the outlet of Billington Sea, the source of town brook, that stream once so beautiful throughout its whole course. It here retains much of its natural beauty.
TREES.
No trees were purchased this year, but several hundred white pines were gathered and set out on the hill tops and slopes.
Several dozen pitch-pines were set out at the old grove in pursuance of the plan to make that a grove mostly of pitch- pines. It is hoped that the pines will grow rapidly enough
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to replace the oaks now going to decay. The early part of the season was so wet that nearly all the transplanted trees lived. Mid-summer was very dry and warm, but our white pines were so well sheltered by the neighboring oaks that but few of them died. The pitch-pines were kept alive by water carried from the pond close by. Deep-rooted trees seemed to rejoice in the hot and dry weather.
The one hundred trees in our sweet chestnut grove and scattering chestnut elsewhere are making large growth every year. The sugar maples and larches are thriving. Trees on the white pine lands are soaring and spreading so rap- idly that they will soon merit the name of grove. Some trees near the roadsides have been cut down to open views of the Autumn foliage of the tupelo, and scarlet and yellow maple, all of which abound in the swamps.
The old gunning stand at Hathaway's Point can now be used by picnic parties or as a shelter from showers.
The Commissioners have, what they consider, certain worthy projects for the improvement of Morton Park, requir- ing an outlay of money so large that they do not wish to ask the Town to supply it. They desire to have a contribution by any one who feels an interest in the park, the money to be given in the same spirit that governed the subscriptions by whichthe park land was procured and given to the Town. All donations for such purpose will be kept until the requi- site amount is secured.
BATES PARK.
The Commissioners having no definite plan for laying out this park consulted Messrs. F. L. Olmsted & Co. Their suggestions and plans were accepted and have been carried out so far as the appropriation would permit. By their advice, and by consent of the Selectmen, six feet of the side-
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walk on Allerton Street, for a distance of 130 feet, was made a grass plot with a row of elm trees in the middle of it, and a sidewalk eight feet in width, made on the park land inside the grass plot. This arrangement brings the walk in the shade of the trees at mid-day and later. Other trees have been set out to. shade the diagonal path made across the grounds from Allerton Street to Vernon Street. Many loads of soil and dressing were donated by residents in the vicin- ity. More will be needed next Spring. Some of the trees need to be replaced and shrubbery is to be set out to com- plete the plan. It is designed to have grass the prominent feature of this park.
BURTON PARK.
The sandy gully in the side of Jumping Hill has been partly filled and covered with soil in which vegetation has taken root. Clumps of juniper and barberry, pitch-pine and white pine have been set out in what seem to be appropriate places, and also a row of elm trees on the Whiting Street side of the grounds.
This broad hillside now so scantily covered with vegeta- tion can be made more attractive by growing large masses of shrubbery.
TRAINING GREEN.
Training Green, which for more than two centuries has been used for a play-ground and for military purposes, by recent action of the Town is now kept as an ornamental park, thereby increasing the beauty of the locality and the comfort of the neighborhood.
To take away a play-ground and provide no substitute seems to many to be unjust and unwise. A piece of land larger than the Green is needed for a play-ground, in a place more retired from the public street.
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The most desirable plan for this purpose that has been considered by this Board is to enlarge the play-ground of the Mount Pleasant Grammar school by purchasing some adjoining land of Seth W. Paty and the estate of Lemuel Stephens, to be held as a part of the school house lot, or to be held through the Park Commissioners.
The necessary land can be purchased for $1,125. To drain, grade and fence the grounds may take $375, making a total cost of $1,500. The draining and the most of the grading is needed to make the school house lot suitable for the purposes for which it is now used.
The following appropriations are requested for the year 1893 : -
Morton Park, $600.00 ; Beach Park, $200.00 ; Bates Park, $75.00; Burton Park, $50.00. We recommend an appro- priation of $200.00 for Training Green, whether it is to be expended under the direction of this Board or other ser- vants of the Town.
Respectfully submitted,
NATHANIEL MORTON, ) WALTER H. SEARS, GEORGE R. BRIGGS,
Park Commissioners.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
We herewith submit the following report for the year 1892 : The rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Health were published in the Old Colony Memorial and Free Press, posted about the Town in conspicuous places and also dis- tributed among the families of the Town by an agent ap- pointed by the Board to inspect the sanitary condition of the Town, so that everyone could familiarize themselves with the same.
The usual number of complaints of nuisances have been received and orders for their abatement have been sent, and with few exceptions have been cheerfully complied with. Many places have been examined and nuisances abated without having received any formal complaint.
Communications from time to time have been received from the State Board of Health notifying this Board of for- eign arrivals in this country of parties whose destination was Plymouth, who had been in danger of typhus fever, small pox or cholera. The Board realizing the danger that might occur from such sources have looked up the parties mentioned, and in every case have located and surveilance placed over them within 24 hours of receiving such notice, until all danger had passed.
The number of deaths registered for the year is 159. Of this number 34 have died out of town.
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CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
The number of contagious diseases reported for the year is 59. The number of each is as follows : -
Scarlet fever 29
Typhoid fever 19
Diphtheria 11
A number of the diphtheria cases took a bad form, and of those reported five have died. The most alarming out- break of this disease was in the South Street district, where, six cases were reported, four of which died. Some of these cases might have been prevented had not the parties been careless. In one case the party who laid out the body of one who died with the disease went to her own home directly after and slept in the same bed with her child-that child took the disease and died. A cousin of the child took the disease from her by sleeping with her when she was first taken sick. Before the physicians' notice was received by the Board of Health of the first case, the patient was dead. Two members of the Board immediately went to the house of the deceased and gave instructions to the parents of the child what to do in the way of disinfecting the house and clothes, and the method of washing the clothing and bed- ding. They were informed by the parents that no one had been in the house outside of the family, and so the Board were led to believe at that time that others had not been in danger. After learning the facts in the case the Board is- sued orders to those families from which cases were re- ported and had them enforced, and the Board felt that after the last case was reported well and the places had been dis- infected that there would be no danger from these sources. During this time circulars were distributed by the Board throughout the Town giving instructions what to do in case
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of diphtheria. The schools in that district were ordered closed and the school buildings disinfected. Of the 11 cases reported during the year, 5 have proved fatal.
SCARLET FEVER.
Scarlet fever cases have, during the year, taken a mild form, and no deaths have occurred.
TYPHOID FEVER.
Typhoid fever is not contagious like diphtheria or scarlet fever, but care should be taken that the excrements from a typhoid patient should be buried deeply in the ground and not be thrown upon the surface of the ground or into vaults, the contents of which may be cast upon the ground for dressing, as the germ of typhoid fever lives for years and years. Of the 19 cases reported during the year, only 3. have proved fatal.
CHOLERA.
During the cholera scare throughout the country the Board of Health issued circulars and had them distributed throughout the Town calling the attention of the citizens to the condition of the drains and vaults upon their premises, and the necessity of having them thoroughly cleaned out and the contents carried away. These circulars did a great deal of good and the Town had a general cleaning up.
GLANDERS.
The Board has been called to investigate four suspected cases of glanders, namely : Two mules of P. S. B. Bartlett,
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horse of John Burt and horse of B. Hedge. These ani- mals were isolated by the Board of Health and notice sent to the Cattle Commissioners, who, upon examination, pro- nounced Mr. Bartlett's and Mr. Burt's animals sick with glanders, and ordered the same to be killed, which was done. In the case of Mr. Hedge's horse, it was kept in isolation, and no further symptoms of glanders having developed at the end of two weeks, the animal was allowed to leave quar- antine. The Board also took the precaution to have all of the drinking troughs cleaned out and the hitching-posts around town to be cleaned with carbolic acid so as to pro- tect the horse owners against this dreaded disease among horses.
SEWERAGE.
In September the Board of Health invited a number of gentlemen whom they thought would be interested in the question of sewerage to meet with the Board to devise some plan to present to the Town for a better system of sewage than we already had. After discussing the question, it was decided to call a public meeting, which was done. At that meeting a committee was appointed to make inquiries and recommend a plan that in their judgment would meet the requirements of the Town. That committee called in the Board of Health to help them, as they had no means to work with. The Board gave them all the necessary assist- ance they asked for, in the way of precuring an engineer to look the ground over to see if he could suggest anything better and cheaper than the plan which the Town already has. Mr. Chase of Providence, an engineer of high recom- mendation, was engaged, who, with a member of the Board of Health, made a thorough examination of the district of the Town which it is deemed necessary to sewer. Mr.
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Chase came to the conclusion that a great improvement could be made, and he made suggestions and plans for the construction of an intercepting sewer running the length of Water street, whereby the cost could be greatly reduced from the estimate of the old plan. He suggested a different outlet from which the sewage would be emptied into North Guzzle 1,000 or 1,200 feet from the shore, thus doing away with the nuisance which might acrue from having the sew- age empty at the end of Long Wharf, as called for in the old plan. He also suggests that the large amount of catch- basins for surface water to connect with the sewage system, as shown in the old plan, be done away with, with few ex- ceptions, thereby greatly reducing the cost of the whole system. The Board of Health would therefore recommend the system of sewage as planned by Mr. Chase, and which will be submitted to the Town at the annual meeting in March, be adopted by the Town, and that an appropriation be made to build the same.
There is no question to come before the Town at the an- nual meeting of March next of so much importance as the question of sewerage. We have a vast amount of privy vaults and sink drains which are a nuisance, and always will be until they are done away with forever, owing largely to the fact that either the ground has become thoroughly saturated with their contents, as they are situated in a clay pan which will not allow the liquids to drain away. Many of our sewers are very defective, and should come up at once. Town Brook has pouring into it the drainage and sewage of about 150 families, making the brook a source of danger and a nuisance. Other sewers emptying on the shores of our town from the woolen mill to Fremont Street are another nuisance, especially the sewer emptying at the
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foot of North Street, which in its present condition should not, in the opinion of the Board, be allowed to exist another season.
PLUMBING.
Owing to many houses being defective in their plumbing arrangements as regards connection with drains or sewers, traps, ventilating pipes, etc., we would recommend that the Board of Selectmen pass an ordinance under Act of 1888, Chapter 105, Sections 1 and 2, whereby an Inspector of plumbing shall be appointed.
Appended to this report will be found the report of the Committee appointed at a special meeting to devise and recommend a plan for a system of sewage.
Respectfully yours,
CHARLES H. HOLMES, Chairman, HENRY HARLOW, Secretary, DR. E. D. HILL, Physician, ALONZO WARREN,
FRANK B. HOLMES,
Board of Health.
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COMMITTEE REPORT.
The Committee appointed at a meeting of citizens called by the Board of Health, Wednesday, Sept. 28, to devise some better plan of sewerage, make this report : -
They have considered the plans offered some years ago by Mr. Rice, with the help of such expert testimony as was available, and would recommend : -
That the Town build a main intercepting sewer from Arch bridge to a general outlet north of North Wharf, with with an extension of about 1.000 feet 12-inch cast iron pipe to North Guzzle ; cost estimated at $8,200.
Also a sewer from the Arch through Summer to Oak Street. Estimated cost, $3,100. These estimates include man-holes and branches for house connections, but no al- lowance for engineering.
The Committee recommend the construction of these sewers, first, as an essential part of a general system which shall finally, by yearly extensions, accommodate the thickly settled parts of the town, as provided in Mr. Rice's plans, from Lothrop Street, north, to Fremont Street, south. It is not deemed necessary by the Committee, as at present advised, to provide for surface drainage, except on some of the main streets, when the additional expense would be justified, but to provide for house sewerage and drainage, letting the rain floods run into Town Brook and the harbor.
By the sewers proposed above, all sewage now running into the brook and harbor as far north as Brewster Street
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would be discharged at such distance from shore as to oc- casion the least possible offence. They would also give chance for needed extensions for some years, and in most cases the extensions could be carried out by our own Town labor.
The Committee would therefore further recommend : That. thie Town issue bonds in accordance with the statutes for the sum of $15,000, the proceeds of such bonds to be used in constructing sewers, and that all estates using such sew- ers shall be charged such rates as the Board having charge of sewerage shall from time to time establish. Future ex- tensions to be according to the needs and ability of the Town.
Signed,
CHARLES B. STODDARD, } WILLIAM W. BREWSTER, ARTHUR LORD, SAMUEL HARLOW, JAS. B. COLLINGWOOD,
Committee.
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ASSESSORS' REPORT.
THE ASSESSORS SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING REPORT.
Value of real estate $3,928,425
Value of personal estate 2,025,175
Total valuation $5,953,600
Value of buildings, excluding land. $2,656,100
Value of land, excluding buildings 1,272,325
$3,928,425
Value personal estate, excluding bank stock
$1,797,850
Value resident bank stock. 227,325
$2,025,175
Tax on personal estate $29,972 59
Tax on real estate 58,140 69
Tax on polls 4,269 00
$92,382 28
Number of residents assessed on property 1,434
All others. 147
Number non-residents assessed on property 335
All others 59
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Gain in real estate $74,675
Loss on personal estate. $37,675
Number of persons assessed 1,975
Number of persons assessed for poll tax only 1,196
Number of polls assessed 2,130
Female polls assessed 18
Number of-
Horses assessed
745
Cows
560
Sheep.
31
Neat cattle
34
Swine
20
Dwelling houses
1,502
Acres of land.
50,796
CR
By -
Appropriation
$1,200 00
Balance of old account
17 60
$1,217 60
Overdrawn balance
57 93
$1,275 53
DR.
To-
Services of Assessors $1,172 58
D. W. Andrews, printing 70 00
Avery & Doten
10 20
Holmes & Hall
1 25
111
M. B. Blackmer, 2d, horse hire $4 50
A. C. Chandler, horse hire 11 00
A. S. Burbank, stationery 3 50
William Allen, book binding 1 50
Postage 1 00
$1,275 53
It will be seen that there has been a falling off in per- sonal property the last year to the amount of $37,675, the causes of which are due largely to the shutting up of the shoe factories and of distribution of estates that have gone out of town, which, with the increase of the appropriation of $5,255.46, made it necessary to increase the rate 80 cents on $1,000 over that of last year. It will also be seen that an overdrawn balance is charged to the Assessors' account of $57.93.
Under Chapter 91 of the Acts of 1883, copies of Asses- sors' valuation books shall be deposited every third year with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. This last year a complete copy had to be made and returned to the Secretary of the Commonwealth before Oct. 1. The extra writing of the valuation book, accounts for the overdrawn balance.
CHAS. HENRY HOLMES, - Assessors BENJAMIN F. WARD, of
ALONZO WARREN, Plymouth.
PLYMOUTH, Jan. 1, 1893.
ANNUAL REPORT
-OF THE -
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
- -AND- -
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
-OF THE
TOWN OF PLYMOUTH
-FOR -
1 892.
PLYMOUTH : AVERY & DOTEN, PRINTERS, 1893.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
TERM EXPIRES.
CHARLES I. LITCHFIELD,
1895
JAMES MILLAR,
ยท
1895
H. N. P. HUBBARD,
1894
GIDEON F. HOLMES,
1894
CHARLES H. HOWLAND,
1893
ELIZABETH THURBER,
1893
CHAIRMAN - Charles I. Litchfield.
SECRETARY - Elizabeth Thurber. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS - Charles Burton.
At the annual meeting in March, elections must be held for two members of the School Committee for three years.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The School Committee respectfully submit their an- nual report for the year ending December 31st, 1892, together with the report of the Superintendent of Schools.
At the annual meeting in March, 1892, the town made the following appropriations :
$24.700 00
Support of schools
Books and supplies . :
1,800 00
Repairs on Spring Street school-house ... 500 00
$27,000 00
In addition to the above, the School Department has placed
to its credit :
Pasturage .
$2 00
Insurance High School. 65 00
Ginn & Co. 73 88
Plymouth Mills 18 00
Income of Murdock fund 18 25
Balance undrawn, 1891
389 42
566 55
Cr.
$27,566 55
Expenditures for 1892
27,602 37
Balance overdrawn $35 82
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CLASSIFIED EXPENDITURES.
Salaries of teachers. $18,218 25
Salary of Superintendent. 1,200 00
Horse hire for Superintendent 150 00
Salary of music teacher and horse hire. 750 00
Books and supplies. 1,890 08
Fuel
1,352 97
Janitors and care of school-houses
1,423 16
Truant officer 100 00
Repairs
1,388 32
Printing 108 00
Furniture 432 36
High School exhibition and diplomas 52 88
Insurance on High School-house 440 00
Incidentals
96 35
$27,602 37
The Committee recommend the following appropria- tions for the current year :
Support of schools.
$26,200 00
Books and supplies 1,800.00
$28,000 00
The school-houses, of which there are 27 in the Town, are with the exception of the one at Indian Brook, in very good condition and will not need any extensive repairs during the present year.
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With the appropriation of $500 made at the last annual meeting, the school-house on Spring Street has been enlarged, and with new furniture much better accommodations have been afforded.
The $2500 appropriated for a new school-house be- tween Russell and Samoset Streets has not been ex- pended ; the land selected by the Committee being held at so high a price, that the school-house could not be completed and furnished within the appropriation.
The Committee would recommend an additional ap- propriation of $500 for the same.
Last year the attention of the Town was called to the crowded condition of the schools in the northerly part of the town, and an article inserted in the Warrant for the erection of a school-house, but through an error in the wording of the same no action was taken.
Temporary relief as stated in our last report has been obtained, but the increase in the population and the educational requirements of that portion of the town demand that a new school-house should be erect- ed, and we recommend an appropriation of $2,500 for the same; the school-house to be located north of Cen- tennial Street.
Two years since the school at Indian Brook was re- opened and continued through the past year.
The small number of scholars attending both at this school and the one at Ellisville, and the difficulty of obtaining teachers for those localities, for reasous stated in our last report, have induced the Committee to close
6
the former school, transferring the teacher and scholars to Ellisville.
It is very evident to your Committee that some ar- rangement will in the near future be necessary to pro- vide for the educational wants of the Ellisville and Ship Pond localities, and although we are not prepared to give any decided opinion as to what we consider for the best interests of the two localities, yet from inform- ation received of the laying out of a new road, bring- ing the two places nearer together by a public highway, it may be advisable to locate a school-house at a point between the two and not more than a mile distant from either.
Several vacancies have occurred in the corps of teachers during the past year. Miss Mary A. Morton, of the South Street Sub-primary, Miss Myra C. Holmes, of the Cold Spring, Miss Nellie Smith, of the Oak Street, Miss. Lina F. Bates, of the Oak Street Primary, and Miss Laura Holmes, of the So. Plymouth Primary, have the past year resigned their positions as teachers, necessi- tating the following changes :
Miss K. A. O'Brien, of the South Street Sub-primary, was transferred to the Oak Street Primary, Miss Theresa Rogan filling the vacancy in the Oak Street Sub-primary, and Miss Susan C. Thomas and Miss Lizzie C. Holmes filling the vacancies in the South Street Schools. Miss Lizzie H. Sampson was transferred from Long Pond to the Cold Spring Sub-primary, Miss Florence Darling
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filling the vacancy at Long Pond. Miss Mary S. Clark fills the vacancy at South Plymouth.
Two vacancies which occurred in the High School were filled at the commencement of the school year by the engagement of Miss Grace W. Irwin and Miss Jennie W. Geer.
Few cases of truancy have come to our notice during the past year, and in only one case has punishment been inflicted and then only for a short time.
The methods of teaching in the several schools are satisfactory, and with an efficient corps of teachers now in the employ of the Town good results can but be ob- tained.
We desire to call attention to the specimens of work collected from a few of the schools of the Town and exhibited at the Town House the last of December.
This exhibition, though incomplete, was very satis- factory and gave to the many persons who attended an idea, though imperfect, of the work of the school- rooms.
It is the intention of the Superintendent to make a more extensive and interesting display at the close of the school year, at which it is hoped all interested in the cause of education will attend.
Although your Committee have in years past deemed it unnecessary to insure the school-houses of the Town, they did not desire to assume the responsibility in rela- tion to the new High School-house, and consequently have insured the same and furniture for $25,000.
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The number of school-houses is 27, with 33 teachers and 1533 scholars.
Reference is made to the Superintendent's report for the names and salaries of teachers, attendance of scholars and course of studies.
CHARLES I. LITCHFIELD, } JAMES MILLAR, H. N. P. HUBBARD,
GIDEON F. HOLMES,
ELIZABETH THURBER.
CHAS. H. HOWLAND,
School Committee.
PLYMOUTH, January 28, 1893.
9
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
To the School Committee of the Town of Plymouth :
GENTLEMEN : In accordance with your rules, I present the following as my report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1892 : -
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