USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1897-1899 > Part 19
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HOSE.
We have about 6,000 feet of 22 inch cotton rubber lined hose in good condition; 500 feet having been purchased the past year.
BUILDINGS.
The buildings used by the Department are in fair condi- tion, but some of them should be painted the coming year.
HYDRANTS.
Number of hydrants on high service, 60; on low service, 35; post hydrants, 52; flush hydrants, 43; private hydrants, 35; total available, 130; all in working order.
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RESERVOIRS.
The fire reservoirs belonging to the Town are tight and in good condition.
FINANCIAL.
DR.
To payment, 1899, $6,853 79
CR.
By appropriation, 1899,
$5,200 00
By appropriation, 1899,
1,500 00
Overdrawn balance,
I53 79
$6,853 79
$1,500 of this sum was paid for repairs on Steamer No. 2.
FIRE ALARM BOXES.
One new alarm box, number 27, has been located near the Standish Worsted Co. Mill on Billington street, as voted by the Town. The cost of this was much above the average, as it required a long line of wire, and a large number of poles. There are now 17 boxes in the fire alarm system, all in good order. The cost of this work will more than ac- count for the overdraft, as no appropriation was made.
FURNACE.
The furnace in Central Engine house, having been found unsafe to use, a new one has been put in, which has proved very satisfactory.
Covered ways have also been built over the outside cellar stairs, which has long been wanted to keep out snow and rain in winter storms.
APPROPRIATION.
We estimate that an appropriation of $5,200 will meet the expenses of the Department the coming year, and is recom- mended.
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Should the Town adopt the recommendations of the com- mittee appointed by the Town, in July last, to provide better accommodations for Town officers, it will be necessary to provide new quarters for the hook and ladder company, now. located in basement of Town House. The refusal of a building near by has been obtained, which with some altera- tions may be made suitable for the purpose.
FIRES AND ALARMS, 1899.
Jan. 27 .- Alarm from Box 37, for chimney fire in house on Samoset street, owned by Mrs. Erickson; no damage.
Jan. 29 .- From Box 37, for fire on roof of house on Sa- moset street, owned by Samoset Building Co .; damage, $4.00.
Jan. 30 .- Alarm from Box 35, for fire in house in Hall Place, owned by Herbert Bourne; damage, $300.00.
April 29 .- Alarm from Box 45, for fire in house on Sand- wich street, owned by David Manter; loss $425.00.
June 12 .- Alarm from Box 35, for fire in house on Court street, owned by Alexander Morisson; damage, $500.00.
Dec. 8 .- Alarm from Box 38, for fire in house on Court street, owned by Abby Wells; damage about $25.00. At this fire Mrs. Lynn was so badly burned as to cause her death soon after.
Dec. 30 .- Alarm from Box 62, for fire in house on Water street, owned by Wm. R. Drew; damage slight.
Respectfully, H. P. BAILEY, Chief.
BOARD OF ENGINEERS.
D. M. Bosworth. H. P. Bailey.
F. H. Lanman.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
GENTLEMEN-I have the honor to submit for your con- sideration a report of the work performed by the Police Department for the year ending December 31, 1899.
Following are the statistics :
Whole number of arrests,
I20
Arrested on warrants,
63
Arrested without warrants,
57
Number of males arrested,
II5
Number of females arrested,
5
Residents,
98
Non-residents,
22
Adults,
103
Minors,
17
The offences committed were as follows :
Assault with intent to kill,
I
Assault on officer,
I
Assault and battery,
I
Assault,
5
Breaking and entering,
6
Embezzlement,
4
Liquor raids,
18
Violation town by-laws,
2
Breaking glass,
8
Larceny,
4
Drunk,
20
Common drunk,
2
Adultery,
2
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Unlicensed dogs,
I
Bastardy,
I
Burglary,
I
Disturbance of the peace,
14
Contempt of court,
2
Insane,
3
Interfering with officer,
I
Building bonfire in street,
3
Non-support,
3
Night walking,
I
Suspicion,
I
Keeping vicious dog,
I
Disorderly house,
I
Lewd and lascivious conduct,
I
Obstructing sidewalk,
I
Obstructing highway,
I
Killing deer,
2
Tramps,
2
Short lobsters,
6
Accommodated with lodging,
I6
In examining the town reports of past years I have found no record of the work of the Police Department embodied therein. In making this report for the year 1899, and of which every citizen ought to be informed, I will state that the above enumeration of cases does not cover the entire work of the Department.
There are seven constables elected annually, four of which are appointed by the Board of Selectmen regular police officers. There are also appointed by them several special police for certain buildings, halls and clubs, without pay from the town; some of these officers have been employed on holidays, and such other times as I have thought necessary, receiving 25 cents per hour for their services.
The amount of fines imposed in the District Court has
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been $833.00. Total amount collected and received by the town, $819.13.
The officers have been instructed to use discretionary power in assisting or sending to their homes all persons under the influence of liquor, whenever these persons mani- fest a willingness to go, instead of arresting them and thereby bringing additional disgrace upon their families, who are not directly responsible for their condition. The officers have as a rule, I think, used these powers judiciously.
Many domestic quarrels have been settled without resort to court prosecutions. Numerous street lights have been reported out and dangerous light wires have also been re- ported to the Superintendent of the Electric Light Plant; defective hydrants have been reported to the Chief Engineer of the Fire Department. Defects in highway to Superin- tendent of Streets, leaks in water mains to Water Depart- ment.
Frequent visits and inspection of the "Book of Sales" of the licensed druggists have been made, and as far as I per- sonally know, they have conformed to the requirements of the law. Some slight clerical errors have been noticed. A book is kept by each, in which are recorded the names of all, to whom the officers think it unwise to sell. The average daily sales by the three druggists have been 30. The largest number of sales recorded in one day by either, was 34.
The books of the express companies are always available for examination, and I have reason to believe that they have complied with the law, relative to the receipt, trans- portation and delivery of liquors.
Warrants to search the premises of persons suspected of illegal selling have been obtained from the court and visits have been made whenever and wherever the evidence secured would seem to justify such a course and warrant a convic- tion.
These raids have resulted in the trial and conviction in the
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District Court of seven persons. In two cases the owners of the liquors seized were unknown. Five were discharged. In four places raided no liquors were found. All liquors seized where the owners are convicted are forfeited to the Commonwealth, and are forwarded, by order of the court, to Rufus R. Wade, Chief of the District Police, Boston, and his receipt received therefor.
In view of the fact that one-half of the population of the town are located north of Chilton street, and that probably two-thirds of the entire business of the town is transacted in the same section, I think that one regular patrolman should be employed there; that the residents and property owners of that section are entitled to, and should receive the same police protection as other portions of the town. This at present is not the case. I would recommend that the ap- propriation for the Department for the coming year be $3,500.00.
In conclusion, I desire to thank your honorable body for the uniform courtesies and suggestions extended to me during the year.
Respectfully submitted, B. F. GODDARD, Chief of Police.
TOWN HOUSE.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BETTER AC-
COMMODATIONS FOR TOWN OFFICERS ..
The committee appointed under a vote passed at a special meeting of the town, held July 20, 1899, to consider the pro- vision of better accommodations for the town officers and the Police Department, submit the following :
Report.
After a thorough investigation of the accommodations of the town house the committee have become satisfied that they are not only inconvenient but wholly inadequate to meet the wants of the town. A recital of these wants cannot fail to convince the town that some immediate action is necessary to supply them.
An examination of the basement discloses a condition far from creditable to a self respecting and enlightened com- munity. The police, which must be increased in number with the growth of our population, have no office, and the mem- bers are obliged, when at headquarters, to sit around the fur- nace in what is little better than an open cellar without suit- able conveniences for ordinary business. Into this dark and dreary den the authorities of other towns are introduced to confer with our chief of police.
To the lock-up cells no words of condemnation are too strong to be applied. Warm enough in winter because of their proximity to the furnace, they are for one-half of the
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year chilly and damp and without a ray of sunlight to cheer and comfort those confined in them. Here our fellowmen are imprisoned who, for the most part, charged only with slight violations of law, have not as yet been proved guilty of any. The committee invite the voters of the town to visit the cells and judge for themselves whether they are such as the dic- tates of humanity can approve.
Again in the basement there is a need of lavatories not only for town officers but for the public as well. Outside of the hotels and Pilgrim Hall, excursionists to Plymouth, numbering annually from thirty to thirty-five thousand, are dependent on the courtesy of householders for conveniences which it is incumbent on the town to supply.
The inadequate accommodations on the first floor are as marked as those in the basement. The office of the Col- lector of Taxes is too remote from the treasurer and the safe for either easy communication or safety. The necessity of conveying his collections, often considerable in amount, from one office to the other through a public hallway, to which everyone has access, may, if continued, result at some unex- pected time in an attack causing injury to him, and pecuniary loss to the town. Situated as his office is in the Selectmen's room, the deliberations of the board are constantly inter- rupted by persons having business with his department.
Should his office be removed, the room is insufficient in size to accommodate the hearings which the board are fre- quently called on to hold. The committee are of the opinion that the departments of treasurer, town clerk, collector of taxes and collector of water rents should adjoin each other and becontiguous to the safe. Perhaps the most pressing want on this floor is that of a larger and more commodious safe. The present safe is absolutely of too contracted dimensions to contain with decent method and without confusion the various articles for which it is the legal place of deposit. Its interior measurements from wall to wall are five feet nine
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inches by four feet, with a standing room, clear of the shelves, of two feet six inches square, while its height from floor to the spring of its arched ceiling is only seven feet. If two persons have occasion to visit it at the same time, one must remain outside and await the exit of the other.
In the second story the needs are of a spacious room for the special use of the Selectmen where they can deliberate without interruption, hold hearings and have places of de- posit for their documents and papers; a library for shelving the increasing number of books belonging to the town; a room for the board of engineers; a closet of ample size for the safe-keeping of scales, weights and measures and vot- ing apparatus of the town, and a room for committee meet- ings and hearings and for political caucuses. Section 95, Chapter 548, of the Acts of 1898, provides that "At least two weeks prior to the date on which caucuses are to be held the chairman or secretary of the city or town committee shall notify the aldermen or the selectmen respectively of such date and said aldermen or selectmen shall at the expense of the city or town provide polling places for said caucuses, in case of a city not less than one for each ward, and shall at least ten days prior to the date of said caucus, give said chairman or secretary notice of the places provided." These caucuses are now usually small and can be accommodated in the town house with a saving of rent for outside halls.
In considering the wants above enumerated the committee were confronted with the alternative of a new building or an extension and partial rearrangement of the old. A new building constructed on the same site of brick or stone in compliance with the By-Laws of the Town, would cost thirty-five thousand dollars, while the cost of an extension and a rearrangement is estimated by competent experts af- ter an examination of the plans prepared for the committee at ten thousand dollars. Thus the adoption by the town of the recommendations of the committee would, while ac-
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complishing all that is needed, save an expenditure of twenty-five thousand dollars. The interest on this sum at four per cent. would represent a saving to the town of a thousand dollars a year as long as the building shall escape the ravages of fire.
But aside from the matter of dollars and cents, the thought of removing the old building has never for a moment been entertained by the committee. It is undoubtedly the oldest government building in New England and probably in the country, and no other is invested with such historic associations. Standing on a site always used for govern- ment purposes. the successor of the Country House in which the Plymouth Colony General Court held its sessions, it was built in 1749 for a court house, and in consideration of a contribution by the town of one thousand pounds, old tenor, more than its share of the cost of its construction, it was used jointly by the county and town until the erection of the new court house in 1820, when it became the exclusive possession of the town and has since been devoted to town uses.
Let the people of Plymouth feel that they hold this me- morial of the past in trust for the State, and tenderly pre- serve it as an invaluable landmark, and one of the most in- teresting features of our ancient town.
The plans drawn for the committee on the basis of which the estimate of the cost of the extension and rearrangement has been made provides for all needed conveniences and ac- commodations. They include an extension to the line of Market street, with an interior measurement, in round num- bers, of twenty feet by thirty, with brick walls on the east and south and a slated roof for the whole building. . The precise treatment of the front on Town Square the commit- tee leave for future consideration. Three methods have been suggested. one for a brick wall for the extension, with the front of the old building of wood, one with the same brick wall with a brick veneering over the old front, and a third
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with the entire front of wood. The estimate of $10,000 covers the most expensive of these methods which exceeds the cost of either of the others from three hundred to four hundred and fifty dollars. All three contemplate a piazza with two flights of steps, one leading to the old entrance and the other to a new entrance opening through a vestibule into the office of the treasurer and collector in the extension.
For the basement the plans provide for a police office, four cells constructed of iron lattice work, a brick stack sup- porting the safe and forming a closet for the deposit of seized articles, a janitor's room, two lavatories, one for women and one for men, a furnace for heating with hot water with all necessary pipes and radiators, and a water closet and urinal for those in confinement within an iron lattice work fence which encloses a corridor in front of the cells.
For the first story they give the present Selectmen's rooms to the School Committee and Superintendent of Schools, a portion of the present treasurer's room to the assessors, the entire floor of the extension to the Treasurer, Collector of Taxes and Collector of Water Rents with a safe twelve feet by eight in the clear and ten feet high opening into the treasurer's room, and a passage way between the assessor's room and the safe leading from the hall to the treasurer's office, thus securing two entrances to that office, one from the hall and the other already mentioned directly from the outside.
At the westerly end of the large safe is another smaller one opening into the above passage way to be used by the assessors. Instead of the present stairway which will be removed another is provided for leading from the hall to a landing and thence by a return to the floor above.
For the second floor the plans give to the Selectmen a room covering the whole floor of the extension, to be reached by the present upstairs entry. On the southerly side of this
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entry there will be a library opening into both the Select- men's room and the entry, and on the northerly side a por- tion of the present Assessors' room will be taken into a con- venient closet for the scales, etc., above mentioned, opening from the room of the Selectmen. The remainder of the pres- ent Assessors' room will furnish the engineers with a conven- ient room, and the large room now used by the School Com- mittee and Superintendent of Schools it is designed shall be used as the committee and caucus room already referred to.
It is perhaps unnecessary to state that the plans of the committee, if fully carried out, will involve the removal of the Hook and Ladder Company from the building. Though it is not within the province of the committee to make any recommendations concerning the disposition of this com- pany, they believe they express the opinion of the company and of all interested in the welfare of the Fire Department, that more suitable quarters should be provided.
In preparing plans, which the voters of the town are in- vited to examine at the town house, the committee have kept in view the importance of designing a structure which shall be architecturally correct, pleasing to the eye and a credit- able ornament to the town.
In conclusion the committee recommend the adoption of the following votes at the coming annual meeting of the town.
Voted-That a committee of seven be appointed, who shall have full authority to proceed with the work of enlarging and partially rearranging the Town House in such manner as they shall consider expedient for the better accommoda- tion of town officers and the Police Department.
Voted-That for the purpose of executing the work of enlarging and partially rearranging the Town House, the Treasurer be authorized, with the approval of the Select- men, to borrow a sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars
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at such a rate of interest as the Selectmen shall consider ex- pedient and payable in ten years in ten equal annual install- ments of one thousand dollars each in compliance with the provisions of law.
CHARLES P. HATCH. JAMES D. THURBER. WILLIAM W. BREWSTER. CHARLES S. DAVIS. H. P. BAILEY. BENJAMIN F. GODDARD. WILLIAM T. DAVIS.
. Plymouth, February 9, 1900.
BY-LAWS.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON REVISION OF BY-LAWS.
The committee appointed to revise the By-Laws of the town, recommend the adoption of the following By-Laws :
Highways.
SECTION I. No person shall coast upon a sled, or shall throw stones, sticks or other missiles, or kick at foot-ball, or play at any game, at which a ball is used, or shoot with, or use a bow and arrow, in any of the streets, or upon any of the sidewalks in this Town.
SEC. 2. No person having charge of any beast, with in- tent to drive the same, shall suffer or permit any such beast to run, gallop, trot, pace, or go at any rate exceeding eight miles to the hour, through any way or street in this Town, southerly of Cold Spring, northerly of Jabez' Corner, and easterly of the Oak Grove School house.
SEC. 3. No horse or other grazing cattle or swine shall be suffered to run at large within the principal inhabited parts of this Town, or to remain or loiter by the roadside, or the roadside of any railroad corporation, or to feed upon or root up the herbage therein, either with or without a keeper; and no person shall voluntarily permit the same to go upon any sidewalk, harnessed or unharnessed.
SEC. 4. No person shall tie or fasten any horse to, or have the same standing by, any ornamental or shade tree, in or
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near the streets, lanes or places of this Town, so near as to injure any unprotected tree, or wrongfully injure or abuse such tree in any other manner.
SEC. 5. No person shall place or caused to be placed upon any foothpath, sidewalk or street, any wood, coal, lumber, iron, trunks, bales, boxes, crates, casks, barrels, packages or other thing, after being notified by a constable or police officer not to so place the same; and the owner of or any person who may have placed any of said articles upon any footpath, sidewalk or street, shall remove the same within ten minutes after being notified by a constable or police officer to remove the same.
SEC. 6. The tenant, occupant, and in case there shall be no tenant, the owner or any person having the care of any building or lot of land bordering on any street or public place within one mile of Town Square where there is any foot way or sidewalk in front of the same shall after the ceasing to fall of any snow within twenty-four hours, cause a passable path or track to be cleared, made, or beaten through the snow, and wherever within said limits there may be a con- crete or brick sidewalk, the same shall be cleared within six hours of daylight after the ceasing to fall of any snow, so that not more than one inch of ice or snow remains thereon, and in default thereof, shall pay a penalty of not less than two or more than ten dollars.
The Selectmen may from time to time, for periods of not more than one year, grant in writing exemptions from the operation of this By-Law for such places as they may think proper.
SEC. 7. No person shall behave in a rude, disorderly, or boisterous manner, sing any song or refrain, or use any in- decent, profane, or insulting language, in any street or other public place in the Town, or near any dwelling-house, or other building therein, or be or remain upon any sidewalk, public passage-way, or way to any public hall, or church,
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court, or public office, or upon any doorstep, portico, or other projection from any house or other building, to the annoyance, disturbance, or obstruction of any person law- fully entitled to pass, inhabit, or resort thereto; and no per- son shall sit upon any wall, fence, bank, or doorstep facing on any public place, not being the occupant or owner thereof, without the express consent of the owner or occupant of the premises, as his companion or guest, or at his invitation or request; nor shall any person, by any noise, gestures, or other means, wantonly and designedly frighten or drive any horse in the charge of another, in any street or public place in the Town.
SEC. 8. Three or more persons shall not stand in a group, or near each other, on any sidewalk in such manner as to obstruct or impede a free passage for foot-passengers, and any person standing or loitering in any street or sidewalk shall at once move on at the request of a constable or police officer.
SEC. 9. No person shall fire or discharge any gun, fowl- ing piece, pistol, or fire-arm, or any fire-crackers, or tor- pedoes, or make any bonfire or other fire in any street or public place of the Town, within the principally inhabited parts of the Town, or within ten rods of any dwelling- house, excepting burning grass and garden refuse under constant, proper supervision; and no person shall fire any firearm, nor kindle any fire, out of doors, in or near any woodlands in this Town, during the months of March and April in each year.
SEC. 10. No person shall make any indecent figures, or write any words, or make any marks upon, or cut, whittle, or deface in any manner, any wall, post, fence, or building, or in any public place whatever in this Town, nor post nor paint any advertisement of patent or proprietary medi- cines, oils, perfumes, or preparations, upon any rail, rock, bridge, wall, fence or building without the express consent
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of the owner or occupant thereof, and of the Selectmen of the Town, in case the property or structure is the property of the Town.
SEC. II. All persons intending to erect, repair, or take down any building, on land abutting on any way which this Town is obliged to keep in repair, and who desire to make use of any portion of said way for the purpose of placing thereon building materials or rubbish, shall ten days, at least, before so placing any public materials or rubbish, give notice in writing to the Selectmen of such wish. And thereupon the Selectmen are to cause to be allotted such portion of said way to be used for such purpose, as in their judgment the necessity of the case demands and the security of the public allows, and to grant a permit accordingly, and may require that the same shall be enclosed in such manner as they may direct.
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