USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1897-1899 > Part 14
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 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
March 6. Voted, That the treasurer be authorized under the direction of the Selectmen to borrow money in anticipation of taxes, and for disbursement under the provisions of the law relating to State Aid and Military Aid, and to defray the expenses of the Town after January 1, 1900, and that for the purpose of defraying the cost of constructing a bridge and rebuilding the road at the head of the beach, and the cost of the removal of snow, the Treasurer be further authorized under the direction of the Selectmen, to borrow a sum not exceeding six thousand dollars under the authority and limitations contained in the 6th Section and 29th Chapter of the Public Statutes relating to tempor- ary loans.
March 6. Voted, That the sum of ($500.00) five hundred dollars be appropriated for the care and improve- ment of the Public Parks of the Town, sixty-four voting in the affirmative and ten in the negative.
March 6. Voted, That the Town appropriate the sum of ($150.00) one hundred and fifty dollars to pay the expense of Decoration Day.
March 6. Voted, That the dog fund for the year 1898, amounting to ($889.42) eight hundred and eighty-
-8-
nine and 42-100 dollars, and the additional sum of ($410.58) four hundred and ten and 58-100 dol- lars be appropriated for the use of the Public Li- brary for the current year.
March 6. Voted, That the Town authorize the Selectmen to renew any note or notes heretofore authorized, which are now due or may become due the present year for such time and on such terms as they may deem expedient for the interests of the Town.
March 6. Voted, That the Town authorize the Selectmen to compromise or defend any suit or suits within the Commonwealth in the name of the Town.
March 6. Voted, That articles ten and eighteen be referred to a committee of seven to be appointed by the Moderator who shall examine into the subject mat- ter of said articles, and report thereon to the Town at some subsequent meeting or at the adjournment of this meeting.
March 6. Article eleven being under consideration, voted to accept the report of the committee and place it on file.
March 6. Voted, That the Town accept and allow the al- terations or widening of Middle street on the south side as altered and widened by the Selectmen, and reported to the Town.
March 6. Article thirteen being under consideration, voted that the subject matter of this article be referred to the committee of three, to be appointed by the Moderator, by a vote under article two.
March 6. Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to ex- tend the sewer from the foot of Howland street to Murray street, and if the Selectmen so desire to empty into Railroad Brook.
-9-
March 6. Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to bor- row the sum of ($3,500.00) thirty-five hundred dollars, and to issue therefor the note or notes of the Town bearing interest at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum payable semi-annually, dated July I, 1899, and payable in ten years in equal annual pay- ments of ($350.00) three hundred and fifty dollars each. The said note or notes to be signed by the Treasurer and approved by the Selectmen.
March 6. Voted, To accept and allow the layout of Standish avenue across the Plymouth and Middle- boro Railroad, as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
March 6. Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to bor- row the sum of ($6,000.00) six thousand dollars and to issue therefor the note or notes of the Town, bearing interest at the rate of four per centum per annum, payable semi-annually, dated July 1, 1899, and payable in ten years, in equal payments of ($600.00) six hundred dollars each. The said note or notes to be signed by the Treasurer and ap- proved by the Selectmen.
March 6. Article nineteen being under consideration. Voted, On motion of Charles S. Davis that the subject matter of this article be referred to the Selectmen, to report thereon at some subsequent meeting, or at an adjournment of this meeting.
March 6. Voted, That the Engineers be instructed to put a fire alarm box in Billington street, near the Standish Worsted Company, and the expense of the same be charged to the appropriation for the Fire Department.
March 6. Voted, to accept and allow the layout of Cherry street from Court street to the woods as
-10-
laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
March 6. Voted, That the sum of ($105,165.79) one hun- dred and five thousand one hundred and sixty-five and 79-100 dollars be raised and assessed upon the polls and estates of the inhabitants of the Town of Plymouth, and upon the estates of non-residents to defray the expenses of the Town for the enusing year.
March 6. Voted, That the Treasurer's salary be increased ($100.00) one hundred dollars for the ensuing year.
March 6. Voted, That the Tax Collector's salary be in- creasd ($100.00) one hundred dollars for the ensu- ing year.
March 6. Voted, That the ($200.00) appropriated for the increase of the Treasurer's and Tax Collector's salaries be charged to the contingent account.
March 6. Voted, On motion of Nathaniel Morton, that a committee to consist of the Water Commissioners and five others, be appointed by the Moderator, to take into consideration the whole matter of our future water supply, and report at some subsequent meeting.
July 20. Voted, That the report of the committee on water supply be accepted.
July 20. Voted, That a committee of five be appointed from the committee of ten, by the chair to take into consideration the question of such control by the Town of the sources of its water supply as will most fully insure freedom from contamination, and report thereon at some future meeting with such recommendations as seems to them desirable for adoption by the Town.
-II-
July 20. Voted, That the Water Commissioners are hereby instructed to provide an additional supply of water throughout the Town by laying new cement lined pipes, with all necessary gates, hydrants and con- nections to carry out the recommendations of the Committee on Water Supply, substantially in ac- cordance with their report.
July 20. Voted, That for the purpose of procuring money to improve and extend the water supply of the Town the Selectmen are hereby authorized to bor- row the sum of ($30,000.00) thirty thousand dol- lars, and to issue therefor the notes of the Town, each for the sum of ($1,500.00) fifteen hundred dollars, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding four per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually, dated October 2, 1899, and payable one at the end of each sucessive year thereafter, until the whole are paid. The said notes to be signed by the Treasurer and approved by a majority of the Selectmen of the Town. There were thirty-two voting in the affirmative and four in the negative, and the vote was declared carried, more than two-thirds having voted in the affirmative.
July 20. Voted, That the Water Commissioners are hereby authorized to procure machinery, tools and other facilities that may be needed for the manufacture of cement lined water pipe, and buy or lease land for that purpose, or use land belonging to the Town by consent of the Selectmen. Also to use for such purposes any money that may be to the credit of the Water Department in the accounts of the Town Treasurer.
July 20. Voted, That the Town authorize the Water Com- missioners to reduce the rate of interest on guaran- tee hereafter made of cost of extension of water
.
-12-
pipes, from 6 per cent., as now required under vote of the Town, to a rate not less than four per cent.
July 20. Voted, That the number of the School Committee be increased from three to six, in a manner pro- vided by the statute.
July 20.
Voted, That the Selectmen be instructed to build a receiving tomb in Vine Hill Cemetery, as voted by the Town at its annual meeting, March 9, 1891, and the same to be charged to the contingent ac- count.
July 20.
Voted, That the Selectmen are hereby authorized to pay Ernest L. Sampson the sum of $8.35 for work done on the sewer in January, 1894, and the same be charged to the sewer account.
July 20.
Voted, That the Board of Fire Engineers be authorized to have steam fire engine No. 2 fitted with a new boiler, and make such other repairs as they may think necessary to put the machine in good order.
July 20.
Voted, That the sum of ($1,500.00) fifteen hun- dred dollars be and is hereby appropriated for the purpose, and that the Selectmen are hereby author- ized to issue a note of the Town for ($1,500.00) fifteen hundred dollars, dated August 1, 1899, pay- able in one year with interest semi-annually, at a rate not exceeding four per cent. per annum. There were forty-five votes in the affirmative and one in the negative, and the vote was declared carried, more than two-thirds having voted in the affirma- tive.
July 20. Article eleven being under consideration- Voted, That this article be referred to a committee of seven, to be appointed by the chair (of which the Moderator shall be one) to consider the whole subject and report at the next annual meeting.
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
The Selectmen respectfully submit the following report for the year ending December 31, 1899.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
Various causes have contributed to make the past year a busy and trying one in the road department. The great storm of November 27, 1898, and the snow storm of Febru- ary 12th and 13th, 1899, necessitated an unusual expendi- ture, which in addition to the extended dry weather through the summer and fall, and work carried on by the Electric Railway Co. have added materially to the labor and expenses of the department.
WATER STREET.
The sea wall on Water street has been relaid in cement in a substantial manner; the unsightly angle replaced by an easy curve, and wall raised the entire length one foot higher than before the storm, which with the filling and raising of the street and sidewalk, rip rap protection and fencing, (in- cluding that near the Plymouth Iron Foundry), cost ten hundred ninety-seven dollars ninety-four cents, ($1,097.94).
MANTER'S POINT FOOT BRIDGE.
A substantial foot bridge to replace the one carried away by the November storm has been erected across Eel river from Manter's Point at a cost of eighty-six dollars, ($86.00).
WARREN AVENUE.
The expenditures on Warren Avenue near Eel River, in- cluding an iron bridge with stone abutments, raising the
-14-
grade of the street for a distance of about eight hundred feet from one to three feet higher than before the storm, cut- ting the hill north of the river about three feet, fencing, rip rap wall to protect the bridge, and approaches were three thousand eight hundred forty-seven dollars twenty-one cents, ($3,847.21). The Plymouth & Kingston Street Railway Company contributed five hundred dollars, ($500.00), leaving a net expenditure by the town of four thousand five hundred thirty-one dollars and fifteen cents, ($4,531.15), at the three points named necessitated by the storm of Novem- ber 27, 1898.
REMOVAL OF SNOW.
The removal of snow for the year ending December 31, 1899, cost the town four thousand seven hundred and sev- enty-nine dollars eighty-five cents, ($4,779.85,) three thou- sand four hundred and twenty-eight dollars and sixty-one cents, ($3,428.61), of which was expended for the removal of the snow of the great February storm.
COURT STREET.
In compliance with a request of this Board the Electric Railway Company raised their tracks on Court street in or- der that much needed improvements might be made, thereby permitting the laying of pipes of sufficient size to take care of surface water, and overcoming the dangerous grades pre- viously existing at the junction of Clyfton, North and South Russell streets, and conducing to the convenience and safety of the public, at a total cost to the town of three hundred and eighteen dollars thirty-two cents, ($318.32). The Railway Company assumed all expense of regrading, paving and sur- facing their tracks, and one half the expense of paving the gutter.
HIGH AND RUSSELL STREETS.
By raising the grade and laying a twenty inch pipe to
-15-
carry the surface water at the junction of High and Russell streets, a much needed improvement has been made in that locality at a cost of three hundred ninety-six dollars eighty- four cents.
CHESTNUT STREET.
Chestnut street has been much improved, the grade ma- terially reduced, sidewalks made, and the street re-surfaced with good material at a cost of one hundred and fifty dol- lars, ($150.00).
WINTER STREET.
In the laying out of Winter street some years ago, the town authorities accepted land from the abutters with the understanding that the street should be worked and improv- ed, your Board have therefore caused the same to be done in a thorough manner, covering the sidewalk on one side with crushed stone, and the street with good gravel, at a total cost of one hundred and sixty dollars, ($160.00).
SANDWICH STREET WIDENING.
In new work the department has also been active, and im- portant improvements have resulted, the most important per- haps being the widening of Sandwich and Middle streets, the former from the corner of Winter street, to the residence of George Fuller being transformed from a cramped and dangerous condition to one of safety and convenience, in- cluding a concrete walk, the entire length costing the town nine hundred and eigthy dollars and forty-six cents; the County paying all land damage.
MIDDLE STREET WIDENING.
The widening of Middle street, although delayed by un- avoidable circumstances, (including two leases of which the committee in their report to the town made no mention, together with excessive demands by some of the abutters),
-16-
has been accomplished, and all claims, (including leases), settled by the Stickney bequest; the cost to the town for working the same being six hundred forty-four dollars and forty-nine cents.
FORGE POND BROOK.
In compliance with a decree issued by the County Com- missioners, the old wooden bridge at Forge Pond Brook, (which had become absolutely unsafe) has been replaced by a stone arch bridge, the street widened, raised and re- surfaced with good material at a cost of two thousand nine hundred and fifty-six dollars and eighty-six cents, ($2,956.86). Mr. Eben D. Jordan contributed his land for the widening, and agreed to give seven hundred and fifty dol- lars, and complete the bridge with stone parapets; the Com- missioners also give assurance of substantial aid from the County. In consideration of safety and permanency of work your Board believe the expenditure a judicious one, and that the future policy of the town should be to replace by permanent structures, the wooden bridges whenever they need extensive repairs.
STANDISH AVENUE.
The work on Standish avenue has been carried forward and (with the exception of about five hundred feet of cut south of the railroad bridge with which it is intended to fill the northerly approach) is ready for the water pipes. The substructure for the bridge is all completed and awaiting the superstructure which is being built by the Groton Iron Bridge Company, of Groton, N. Y., consisting of three spans of thirty-eight feet each, with a roadway of twenty feet in width and additional five feet sidewalk. Owing to the en- hanced cost of iron and steel since the town laid out the ave- nue, the bridge will cost, complete, three thousand one hun- dred dollars ($3,100.00). The expenditures the past year on the avenue, including the abutments and one thousand one
-17-
hundred and seventy-five dollars ($1,175.00) for land dam- ages, are four thousand four hundred and sixty-four dollars and sixty cents ($4,464.60). The board recommend that the sum of three thousand dollars be appropriated for work on the avenue the coming year.
CHERRY STREET.
Cherry street has been widened and worked from Court street to Standish avenue, B. Hedge giving his land abut- ting and paying all other land damage. The street has also been worked about twelve hundred feet west of Standish ave- nue and is now nearly completed the whole distance at a cost of six hundred and ninety-six dollars and seventy-four cents ($696.74). For this outlay quick and ample returns are assured, the past eighteen months having witnessed the erec- tion of twenty-one houses, and projected buildings promise to soon occupy every available site as far as the street is worked.
NEWFIELDS STREET.
A petition for the extension of Newfields street to South street, has been considered by the board, but no definite con- clusion reached. The Selectmen recognize the value of an- other road to the center of the town from the south, but the increased expense attending the building of Standish avenue and the large expenditure incurred by the great storm to- gether with the difficulty of determining the most practical route, seemed to the board sufficient cause for delay.
ROAD ROLLER.
In the opinion of your board the road department was greatly in need of a road roller, and they therefore caused one to be purchased at a cost of two hundred and eighty dollars ($280.00), weighing three and one-half tons, and the work accomplished by it has fully demonstrated the expediency of its purchase.
-18-
ROAD DISTRICTS.
There are in the town about one hundred and thirty-six miles of streets and highways, embraced in a territory seven- teen miles long and eight miles wide, under the supervision of Stillman R. Sampson. This area is divided into twelve road districts, beginning with district number one at Kings- ton line, running south to Jabez' Corner and west to the town of Carver.
District No. 2, from Jabez Corner to the foot of Pine hills, including Warren avenue, Sandwich and River streets. District No. 3, from Bramhall's corner to Quaker tavern, in- cluding Russell Mills. District No. 4, the shore road from Sawyers' corner to Manomet Meeting House. District No. 5, from Manomet Meeting House to Indian Brook. District No. 6, from Quaker tavern to the Chamberlain Place on the south and Long Pond on the west. District No. 7, from Gravelly hill to Raymond's Hollow. District No. 8, from Raymond's Hollow to the Wareham line. District No. 9, from the Mast road to and including the territory about Long Pond. District No. 10, from the Chamberlain Place to the top of Black Sandy Hill, including Vallerville. Dis- trict No. II, from Black Sandy Hill to the Bourne line. Dis- trict No. 12, Red Brook. There was an expenditure the past year on roads and bridges, including removal of snow, of twenty-two thousand three hundred eighty dollars and two cents, distributed as follows :
District No. I. Supt. S. R. Sampson, 40
$12,90I 4I
2. Asst. R. H. Leach, 53 2,602 64
3. Asst. B. H. Pierce, II 2,227 41
4. Asst. Joseph Sampson, 5 219 65
5. Asst. David Clark, 15
1,182 03
6. Asst. Geo. R. Briggs, 16
315 55
7. Asst. G. G. Sampson, 63 745 97
8. A't. M. V. B. Douglas, 10 544 16
9. A't. John F. Raymond, 8 213 48
-19-
IO. Asst. Z. R. Ellis,
9
466 24
12. Asst. R. H. Holmes,
40 76
II. Asst. George E. Swift, 92
920 72
Total,
136
$22,380 02
ROAD INDEX.
In compliance with a vote of the Town at the last annual meeting the Selectmen have employed the Hon. William T. Davis to make a uniform index of the proceedings of the Town and County Commissioners in laying out streets, ways, highways and roads.
GUIDE BOARDS.
In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 53, Section 2, of the Public Statutes, the board publish the following list of guide boards of the town :
One each at junction of Summer and Billington streets, North Carver and West Ponds roads, Wenham and Plymp- ton road, North Carver and Wenham road, Dunham and South Meadow road, South and Pleasant streets, Long Pond and Mast road, Half-way Pond river, Half-way Pond and Wareham road, Long Pond road, near residence of F. A. Hatch, Long Pond road at Shaw place, Morton's Corner, Bramhall's store, Doten road, Warren avenue and Clifford street, Manomet and Rocky Hill road, Manomet and Tay- lor road, Manomet and Point road, Manomet and Indian Brook road, Sandwich and Island Pond road, Sandwich and Clark road, Long Pond and Jordan road, Russell Mills and Jordan road, Doten and State road, two on Beaver dam road, two on Sandwich road near Chamberlain place, three at Ellisville, and five at Cedarville, three of which have been erected the past year.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING.
By vote of the town the Selectmen were instructed to take action to improve the street lighting. The board immedi-
-20-
ately upon entering upon their duties began an investigation of the lighting system.
It was found that no contract existed between the town and the Electric Light Company, except that the company agreed to furnish the town with lights of certain candle power at a fixed price per light. As it was evident the lights were not up to the required standard, the board determined to have them tested by an expert. The services of Professor W. L. Puffer, from the Institute of Technology, were se- cured, who made a series of scientific tests, and reported as follows :
COPY.
BOSTON, April 14, 1899.
To the Selectmen, Plymouth, Mass .:
GENTLEMEN-At your request I have made such tests upon your incandescent street lamps as were necessary to form an opinion as to whether or not you were getting the quality of light you should have, as well as to whether or not the general plan of lighting the streets was a good one. I found in all of the ten locations taken at random that the current of electricity was not of sufficient strength to prop- erly burn the lamps, and consequently that the quality of the light was very poor. I also actually measured the light with the same results as shown in the following table :
Nelson street,
16.5 candle power
Court street,
9.8
Chilton street,
12.7
Sandwich street,
10.5
Sandwich street, at foot of hill,
II.8
Cliff road,
6.3
Warren avenue,
5.6
Plymouth Rock House,
14.4
Samoset House,
14.2
John Finney's lane,
7.1
-21-
In all cases when the original label was on the lamp, it said the lamp was a 25 candle power lamp; and I saw none that I thought were larger, although I probably could not tell simply by the looks.
As those lamps were supplied by the same machine that was supplying the arc lamps with power, of course they were not as bright as they ought to be.
The results of this kind of service are these-the light is poor and of too small amount; the lamps do not burn out so fast; less coal is burned under the boiler. If 16 candle power lamps were used and supplied with the right amount of cur- rent there would be a much better light obtained and no more power would be used, so that if the dynamos are too small this is what ought to be done.
I do not mean to say that 16 candle power is the same as 25, but if proper 16 candle power lamps were used the light- ing would be better than now on about the same amount of power.
According to the labels on the lamps the current ought to have been 6.8 units strong, but I found it never above 6.25 and as low as 5.7 units.
The brightness of the incandescent lamps falls off very many times faster than the strength of the current, so that it is necessary for good lighting to have reliable instruments for properly showing any variation from the standard value.
If the expense of the lighting is too much I would suggest that in the thinly settled portion that every other lamp be re- moved, or better still that they be simply changed for smaller lamps; and the arc lights be exchanged for three or four in- candescent lamps, because the enormous brightness of the arc blinds anyone while approaching, and then as they arrive under the lamp they cannot see as well as they otherwise would.
Anyone in the habit of driving at night will recollect how much pleasanter the smaller lights are than the larger arcs with the light too much concentrated.
-22-
The plan of the arc is in large open places like squares and busy, large streets, and not in narrow roads where they are generally placed too low down.
I could not make a careful study of all the conditions of lighting used, but it struck me forcibly that the general dis- tribution of the lights was very poor, much of it being wasted on open land, and but very little used in the places where it seemed to me there was need of it.
I took one of the lamps away with me and tested it to see whether it would give out the 25 candle power if the current should be made of the strength marked on the lamp. I found that it did give a little over 25 candle power, although it only gave 16} when tested in Plymouth.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM L. PUFFER.
It will be seen by this report that none of the lamps tested anywhere near approached the candle power for which the town was paying.
The company claimed that the indicator at the power sta- tion, however, showed that the current was up to the stan- dard required to furnish the full twenty-five (25) candle power. The company also claimed this was all that could be expected of them as they made no guarantee by reason of loss in distribution or deterioration in the lamps by use. Under existing conditions there appeared to the board to be but one remedy and they decided to act upon the suggestions contained in the report of Professor Puffer. The greatest loss to the town was in the arc lights, and they were at once removed and incandescents substituted in such numbers as was deemed necessary. The lights in the more sparsely set- tled parts of the town were also redistributed. In certain por- tions the lights were placed at irregular intervals, in other localities every other light was removed. It has been the policy of the board to mass the lights where most needed, that is where the largest number of people congregate or
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.