USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1900-1902 > Part 12
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Racks to carry three or four extinguishers were furnished some of the deputy fire-wards and fitted to their business wagons: it is planned to add to the number of these small equipments the coming season; also to substitute a new wagon, with greater capacity and strength, for the one now located in town, sending the latter to the proposed new station at Manomet.
Woods fires caused little damage last year. The worst fire originated at a cranberry bog in Carver and, running before a north-west gale. burned over one hundred acres in Plymouth on Sunday, November tenth. Other fires were small and mostly along the line of the Middle- boro Railroad where the locomotives, often strained to the limit of their strength in climbing the heavy grades with the freight train, send showers of sparks into the woods. As this train leaves Plymouth at noon the conditions are most favorable for fires to catch from these sparks.
I recommend an appropriation of $1.000.00 to be drawn upon next winter for the extension of the lane system de- scribed above.
GEORGE R. BRIGGS.
Forester.
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN.
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF TREE WARDEN ELECTED MARCH, 1900.
Cash on hand, as per report,
January 1, 190I,
$25 52
Expenses-
Filing saws,
$ 2 35
Telegrams to Springfield,
I 40
Trip to East Walpole,
3 60
Services paid for trimming trees,
Paid to H. L. Frost,
6 50
Paid to Henry Brooks,
12 00
Balance donated,
33
$25 85 $25.85
NATHANIEL MORTON, Tree Warden for 1900 until the election of Geo. R. Briggs. Plymouth, Mass., Dec. 31, 1901.
TREE WARDEN'S ACCOUNT.
The Town Treasurer has credited the account with : Appropriation,
$1,400 00
Received for work on Burial Hill,
93 00
Received for work on Railroad avenue, 20 00
Received for work on private lands, 4I 54
$1,554 54
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The Treasurer has paid for :
Labor.
$1.083 44
Spraying outfit, 146 77
Insecticides, 127 38
Tools, guards for trees, etc.,
82 51
Trees,
6 00
Repairs to damaged fence,
2 75
1,448 85
Leaving a balance to credit of account, Jan.
I, 1902, $105 69
This balance will be increased by payments of accounts due, made since Jan. I. and decreased by the amount of bills paid by the treasurer since that date. It is estimated that the balance to the credit of the account will be about fifty dollars on March I.
The sum of $55.70 will therefor be available for the work of the coming season.
In the report of the Tree Warden for the year 1900 the attention of the Town was called to the fact that the elm leaf beetle had attacked our trees and would undoubtedly do great damage in 1901 unless vigorous measures were taken to fight it. A plan of campaign was outlined. the expense of which, outside of the Tree Warden's salary, was estimated at $1.400.00. At the March Meeting this sum was cheerfully appropriated by the Town and has proved sufficient to do the work. Some unforeseen condi- tions made slight modifications of the original plan neces- sary but the work was done practically as outlined in the report mentioned above.
Nearly all the trees in Town needed thorough trimming; there were many dead branches among them and in many instances limbs which had been injured either by chafing
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together, by faulty trimming in the past, by wires carelessly strung and without sufficient insulation, or by some other cause were becoming a source of danger to people using our streets, besides weakening the trees. It was not possible to trim thoroughly all parts of the Town during the time avail- able for this work; nor was the estimate of $300.00 for trimming made by my predecessor with the hope that all desirable work of this kind could be done in a single year. Probably half the trimming has been accomplished; it can be finished during the coming spring if the Town supplies the means.
The trunks of a few trees were scraped in March but very few beetles were found in the crevices and it was impossible to reduce the number of beetles much in this way. Some householders reported that large numbers of beetles were found in their attics and unused rooms and that these were readily swept up and burned. It is probable that a great many colonies hibernated in such places undisturbed and escaped in the spring without the knowledge of the owners of the attics, lofts, and out-buildings where they found shelter. The experience of last year indicates that such places are the only accessible ones where the beetles hiber- nate in numbers and so the Tree Warden must depend upon the cooperation and interest of householders for the most important work of destroying the beetles at a time when each female killed will probably reduce the number of grubs in the summer by a large number. It is our wish to ex- press hearty thanks for the interest and pains taken by those who discovered this opportunity to help last year and we ask every person having charge of attics or lofts to aid us. The beetles are about one-quarter of an inch in length and are described as yellowish brown with black stripes along the back; many have a greenish tinge. When the warm days come in May the beetles can be seen crawling about the rooms where they have been concealed and upon
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the windows; they continue to make their appearance from time to time for several weeks and may be delayed by cold weather until June.
The new spraying outfit was satisfactory but it was im- possible to spray the trees fast enough with this and the old one belonging to the Town. Two new outfits, similar to our new one, were hired and with all these the work was car- ried on with reasonable speed and success. A careful ob- server could notice that the leaves of many trees were eaten somewhat. A few English elms for which the beetles have a special liking, and occasional branches which it was im- possible to reach with the insecticide, or which the workmen had overlooked, were partially defoliated; otherwise the leaves of our public trees were green and the few exceptions served to illustrate what would have been their fate if the · spraying had been omitted. It is doubtful if casual ob- servers noticed that the foliage of our trees was eaten, un- less, perchance. they passed some of the defoliated trees on private land whose owners did not guard against the attacks of the beetle. The Town gladly did the spraying at cost, for many persons, and there was only one instance where, through a misunderstanding, a request for spraying was dis- regarded. There were a number of trees in backyards or private lands, in the preservation of which the owners showed little interest, that were practically stripped of leaves. The trunks of some of these were treated with kerosene emulsion in mid-summer to kill as many of the pupæ as possible. The emulsion was also used on the ground around such trees when practicable. While this simple and inexpensive work doubtless destroyed large quantities of pupæ and larvæ the total number on these trees was so great that many must have escaped and the beetles from these pupæ will doubtless be on hand next May to help perpetuate their species.
It is probable that thorough spraying of the public trees
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will be necessary the coming season and this work should be extended to all elms in the infested districts. The Tree Warden dislikes to ask the Town to appropriate money to do such work for private parties who often do not value their elms and may remove them at any time; but, apart from the precedent involved, it would seem good judgment to make the work of exterminating the beetle as thorough as possible. The enemy is relentless and will make use of every safe spot to reinforce its numbers. Until we fight it in all its breeding grounds, we can not hope for the best success.
The ravages of storms, time, wires carrying electricity, and leaky gas pipes injure or destroy some trees each year. Some of these dangers can be made much less than they have been, except that the territory covered by the wires constantly increases. Better insulation of wires should be insisted upon where the wires are near enough to the limbs of trees to chafe upon them when they sway in violent winds. It is difficult for a "line-man," to whom trees and their limbs are obstructions to be overcome, if not removed with his hatchet, to appreciate their beauty and importance. Con- sequently it is not surprising that many of our trees have been mutilated when the trimming has been left to the judg- ment of the men that strung the wires. While more care is now used in doing this work there is room for further im- provement.
A number of young elms were set out last spring at places where gaps in the lines of trees made it seem desirable, and along some streets where no trees were planted previously.
There is room for much more work of this kind and the cooperation of abuttors can often be obtained so as to make the expense to the Town small.
The Tree Warden received a petition, with ten signa- tures, for the removal of the fine elm in Franklin street. Not all of the signers use this street frequently and most of the residents of that vicinity did not sign the petition, many pro-
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testing against its object. While the location of the tree in the middle of the sidewalk doubtless occasions some incon- venience to a few people it cannot be considered a source of danger. It is the only tree on the street and should be the pride of those who can enjoy its beauty and grateful shade which must greatly outweigh the inconvenience it causes. The improvements in city and town streets often result in leaving old trees in awkward positions and numerous in- stances may be found where trees inferior to this elm are as inconveniently located in sidewalks where there is much more travel than on this short street. Under the circum- stances a hearing on this petition seemed unnecessary.
'In the estimates of last year no provision was made for the salary of the Tree Warden. It is probable that less money will be needed this year for new equipment so that an appropriation of $1.400.00 should be sufficient to cover the whole cost of the department.
GEORGE R. BRIGGS. Tree Warden.
PLYMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
The Directors of the Library respectfully make the fol- lowing report of the work of the Library during the past year, and of its present condition :
Bound volumes added for circulation in 1901, 232
Bound volumes withdrawn from circulation in 1901, IIO
Total gain in volumes for circulation, I22
Bound volumes added for reference in 1901, 90
Total number of bound volumes added. 212
Unbound volumes and pamphlets added in 1901, 76
Total number of additions, 288
Number of volumes for circulation Jan. 1, 1901, 10,890 Number of volumes for circulation added during 1901, 122
Total number of volumes for circulation, Jan. I, 1902, 11,012
Volumes in Reference Department, Jan. I, 1901, 2,4II
Volumes added in 1901,
90
Total number of volumes for reference, 2,50I
Total number of volumes in Library, 13,513
Books given out for circulation during 1901- History, 874
Biography, 690
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Travels,
532
Poetry,
269
Literature,
1807
Fiction,
25,424
Science,
850
Theology,
269
Miscellaneous,
457
Total circulation for the year, 31,172
The following magazines and periodicals are provided in the Reading Room for the use of the public, viz :
Harper's Monthly.
Harper's Weekly.
Atlantic Monthly.
Century Magazine.
Scribner's Magazine.
New England Magazine.
McClure's Magazine.
St. Nicholas.
Review of Reviews.
North American Review.
Forum.
Popular Science Monthly.
Scientific American.
Scientific American Supplement.
Cosmopolitan. Youth's Companion.
New York Tribune.
Plymouth Free Press (Gift of Publishers).
Union Signal (Gift of local W. C. T. U.) Outlook.
Magazine of Art. (To be had on application. ) Library Journal. (To be had on application).
Public Libraries. (To be had on application.)
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The following photographic collections from the Library Art Club have been on exhibition, viz :
South Pacific Railroad Scenery.
Oberammergau.
Perugia. York, England.
At Christmas pictures from the Mary G. Bartlett collec- tion of photographs, belonging to the Library, illustrating the birth and early life of Christ, were exhibited in the Reading Room.
The new Library Building, presented by the children of the late William G. and Mary Ellen Russell, has been most thoroughly and substantially built, and is now nearly com- pleted. The building is colonial in style, in keeping with the historical associations of its location, and, with its ex- cellent proportions and simple yet beautiful interior, will be an ornament to the Town, and of great use and benefit to the public. The building will be ready for occupation early in March. The Directors have taken advantage of the contemplated removal of the Library to prepare for sev- eral improvements in its work, viz: The adoption of the Browne System of Book delivery, and the Dewey System of Classification, the latter being an entirely new card cata- logue of all the books in the Library arranged under the re- spective heads of author, title and subject, and allowing in- definite expansion as new books may be added in the future. This laborious work has been successfully ac- complished by Miss Thomas, the Librarian, without closing the Library, and without interrupting its regular work.
WILLIAM HEDGE. President.
For the Directors.
PLYMOUTH, Feb. 1, 1902.
Plym 6
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH. FOR THE YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1901.
About the same number of complaints were made and in- vestigated this year as last and in fourteen instances premi- ses ordered connected with the sewer, while in one case the conditions were such that a house was ordered vacated until it should be made habitable in the opinion of the Board.
It has been repeatedly brought to the attention of the Board that the small brook running in the vicinity of Sam- oset street and Depot avenue and thence to the harbor is a nuisance during the summer months, because it is used for the disposal of a large and constantly increasing amount of sewage for which its limited capacity and central location render it absolutely unfit. The Board has accordingly taken measures which will lead, as soon as satisfactory arrange- ments can be made, to the removal of objectionable matter from the brook, leaving it to its legitimate work, the dis- posal of surface water.
During the summer the flats near the outlet of Eel River become a source of annoyance at low water. As the river now empties directly into the bay, each severe north-east storm carries large quantities of marine vegetation of- vari- ous sorts up to a point where the stream becomes broad and shallow, depositing it there where it decomposes, giving off at times a horrible stench, and affording a breeding place for clouds of insects, making the locality an extremely un- comfortable one for residents or even for the passer-by.
Taking advantage of a low condition of water in the river
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the Board caused the channel below the flats to be cleared of obstructing rocks and sand bars, thus getting a swifter current and draining the objectionable flats from which the decomposing mass was scraped as far as possible. By these means the matter was greatly helped, but they were of course only palliative, for so long as the river empties as at present the same conditions must arise and must be met every year.
The record of contagious diseases reported to the Board is as follows :
Diphtheria, I9
Scarlet fever,
I3
Typhoid fever, II
Measles,
3
Membraneous croup,
I
Small pox, I
The total number of cases is but one greater than last year, but the significance of the list bears no relation to the figures. The number of cases of diphtheria is serious when compared with the one case which occurred in 1900, but happily the free antitoxine furnished by the State Board for those who cannot obtain it for themselves, has been available, some fifty bottles having been used in Plymouth and Kingston, and has perhaps prevented a more alarming epidemic. Moreover the culture tubes, of which about two dozen have been sent to the State Board, have made it pos- sible to diagnose and isolate cases which otherwise might have spread the disease.
Typhoid fever shows seven more cases than last year. Not a great increase, but one which should make us alert for possible avenues of contagion.
Measles has apparently used up all the available material and is dying out for want of it.
For a long time the town has been free from small-pox until this year. The prevalence of the disease in Boston and
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vicinity led the Board to feel that as the efficiency of vac- cination in preventing or at least modifying small-pox is generally conceded, the opportunity to protect themselves should be placed within the reach of all. In accordance with this idea, beginning early in December and continuing until January Ist, 1902, free vaccination cards were issued by the Board, entitling the holder to vaccination by any of the practising physicians in the town. The record, which gives the number, names and addresses of each applicant, shows that over eight hundred individuals availed themselves of this offer.
On the sixteenth day of December a case of small-pox was reported at Prospect Farm. Fortunately this place is remote from the thickly settled portions of the town and could be conveniently and rigidly quarantined. This was immediately done. The services of a physician were at once secured and a nurse telephoned for, while a guard was sta- tioned on the premises both night and day, to insure the efficiency of the quarantine and provide for the comfort and safety of the patient and others under quarantine. At the request of your Board Dr. Morse, expert for the State Board, visited the case and pronounced it one of small-pox of the most malignant type. Dr. Morse recommended that another nurse be procured, which was promptly done.
On Monday, December 23rd, the patient died and was buried with every precaution in the way of disinfection. All persons exposed to the disease were subjected to a quarantine of two weeks, and the premises thoroughly dis- infected, such articles as could not be thoroughly cleansed being destroyed, entailing much hard as well as careful and painstaking labor by the physician and nurses. This case has been an expensive one necessarily for the Town, but an economy which would result in even one additional case would be fallacious. With the continued preval- ence of small-pox in this vicinity and the imminent danger
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of its reappearance in our community it becomes obvious that the Town should own a suitable building properly located to which, provided the patient's condition shall admit, and it seems otherwise desirable, he or she may be conveyed and cared for well and economically.
The public dump which was established in the south part of the Town last spring, near the old "pest house" site, has proved its usefulness, and has done much towards prevent- ing unsightly accumulations of rubbish in vacant lots about Town.
The Board has purchased two formaldehyde disinfectors which can be obtained on application by physicians wishing to disinfect premises where contagious disease has existed. Pastiles will be furnished for use with the apparatus and it is to be hoped that general use will be made of them.
The following is a statement of the expenditures made by the Board of Health during the year :
Agent and Inspector, salary and expenses,
$102 40
Secretary,
27 3I
Labor and material, public dump,
15 83
Printing and advertising,
42 25
Two formaldehyde disinfectors and pastiles,
15 00
Burying seal, washed ashore near Foundry dump,
I 00
Burying ox, washed ashore near Gurnet, 5 00
Sign boards,
2 60
Picking up and burying herring on shore of Great Herring Pond, 16 00
Digging out Eel River, 55 05
Lea Bros. & Co., "Harrington's Hygiene,"
4 25
Record book and letter file,
2 05
Horse hire,
6 00
Physicians, account "Free vaccination,"
150 50
Expense account small-pox case- Physician, 532 50
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Nurses, including fee to Nurses Directory, 245 99
Watchmen, 127 50
Undertaker, 50 00
Carting swill to Prospect Farm during sickness
and quarantine (to be reimbursed), 31 50
Groceries, provisions, coal, etc. 29 75
$1,462 48
J. HOLBROOK SHAW, JOSIAH MORTON, FREDERICK D. BARTLETT, Board of Health.
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF CEMETERIES.
The following is the report of the Superintendent of Cem- eteries for the year 1901 :
During the year much has been done towards the per- manent beautifying of the cemeteries, although much more might have been done if the Superintendent had more power to act at his own discretion; in other words, if he was ac- tually Superintendent in fact as well as in name.
The receiving tomb has been built and will, I think, prove a wise provision and lasting benefit to the Town. About eight hundred feet of line fence has been constructed. This is a wire fence and does not obstruct the view, besides be- ing of a more permanent character than wood, as well as be- ing cheaper in construction. More fencing is needed. The entrances to the cemeteries, as mentioned last year, are out of repair and could be much improved as well as made per- manent in character and thereby would need no annual re- pairs. The water supply is still inadequate and should be extended the coming season.
Another matter, which is to my mind of perhaps greatest consequence at this time, is the lack of suitable ground for use as burial lots. I do not mean by this any lack of land, but much of what remains within the limits of the ceme- teries is not in available condition for sale as lots and should at once be prepared, since the demand for such lots is fast encroaching on what may be termed the wild land of the cemetery. This is of immediate importance and should be attended to at once.
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On Burial Hill many of the most important and historic gravestones have been covered the past year and some work in the same direction remains to be done. On account of the great number of visitors to this historic spot some action should be taken to make the paths of a permanent character so as to save annual outlay for their repair.
In conclusion I recommend that the Superintendent be given more power, and then if found incompetent let the Town remove him and put in his place one who is compe- tent. I also recommend that appropriations be made for the several cemeteries at least equal to the amount voted at the last annual meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
E. F. STRANGER.
Superintendent Oak Grove, Vine Hill Cemeteries and Buri- al Hill.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
Gentlemen-I have the honor to submit the following re- port of the Police Department for the year ending Decem- ber 3Ist, 1901 :
Total number of arrests, 209
Males, 204 Females, 5
Residents, 143
Non-residents, 66
Adults, 191 Minors, 18
Number of fines imposed, 109
Sent to jail, IO
Sent to State farm, 8
Sent to Concord, I
Sent to Sherborn,
I
Cases appealed, 2
Cases discharged,
19
Placed on probation, 40
Amount fines imposed,
$1,835 90
Amount fines paid, $1,465 90
Cases now in Superior Court, 2
Classified as follows :
Assault,
12
Drunks,
89
By-laws,
4
Liquor laws,
15
Insane,
5
Larceny, II
Non-support,
2
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Adultery,
2
Pedlers' laws,
2
Breaking and entering,
4
Disturbing peace,
3
Bastardy,
2
Stubborn child,
I
Vagrant,
5
Capias, 1 I
Trespass, 2
Gaming nuisance,
2
Murder, I
The accommodations at the lockup are not in keeping with the progressive spirit of the Town, it having been con- structed many years ago when the population was much less than at present. It consists of three dark cells, with little or no ventilation, and as one cell is constantly used for seized goods, it only leaves two cells for those under arrest, not only for Plymouth, but for the whole of the Third District. I strongly urge that you take measures to secure an appropriation to effect a radical change in this depart- ment.
The force consists of four regular men, as follows : Sam- uel Ferguson, Michael Casey, Peter Wood and Augustin J. Hogan.
I desire to return my thanks for the courteous manner in which I have been treated during the year.
Respectfully yours,
SAMUEL FERGUSON, Chief of Police.
Plymouth, Mass., Jan. I, 1902.
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HORSE SERVICE.
The horse service has been as good during the past year as is possible with the present method of obtaining horses at a nearby stable.
Much delay is often experienced in making hitches, by reason of the horses being unacquainted with their duty, and often they are unfitted for the work required of them. No dependence can be placed on having horses at all times, as it frequently happens that they are all engaged in other work, and in the event of an alarm the department would be thrown on its own resources. The horse service the past year has cost $550.00.
The Board most earnestly recommend that a suitable ad- dition be built in the rear of the central fire station, and that horses owned by the Town be kept there, and worked in conjunction with the street department.
HYDRANTS.
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