USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1900-1902 > Part 6
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$22,568.53
Paid bonds, $6,640.00
F. No charge made for water used by the Town.
Carried to Construction Acc. 1,200.81
K. Gross receipts,
$22,568.53
EE.
Total,
$22,568.53
CONSTRUCTION.
Balance, Bonds issued,
$6,620 59
Construction of Plant,
$5,221.58
Extension of Mains, vote of the Town,
36,945.63
FF. Extension of Mains, by Commissioner,
3,413.90
GG. Extension of services,
342.80
Boiler room,
95.46
HH. Reservoirs, Gates, New Screens,
95.41
168.42
Cost of works to date,
$313,189.09
Town appropriations, From profits,
$170,902.23 132,286.86
$313,189.09
$6,640.00 paid yearly on principal. Bonded debt, $105,960.00 at four per cent.
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Profits of maintenance, Overdrawn,
30,621.00 1,200.81 7,847.94
$46,290.34
7.14
$46,290.34
CC.
Total,
$14,727.72
B. Water rates, manufacturing.
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DISTRIBUTION.
1.
Kind of pipe used : Wrought iron, cement-lined; wrought iron on Beach.
2. Sizes, from 2 inch to 20 inch.
3. Extended 6,932 feet.
4. Discontinued. 300 feet.
5. Total now in use. 37 miles and 1,743 feet.
6. Cost to repair per mile, $10.87.
7. Number of leaks per mile, 2.
8. Small distribution pipes, less than four inches: Total length, 9 miles.
9. Hydrants added, 2.
10. Number now in use. 97 public, and 35 private.
II. Stop gates added, 15.
12. Number now in use, 349.
13. Small stop gates, less than four inches, total, 135.
14. Number of blow-offs, 22.
SERVICES.
16. Kind of pipe: Lead and cement-lined.
17. From one-half inch to one inch.
18. Extended, 569 feet.
20. Total now in use. 5 miles and 5,206 feet.
21. Service taps added, 61.
22. Number now in use, 1,894.
23. Average length of service, 16 feet.
24. Average cost of service, $5.62.
27. Motors and elevators added, none.
28. Number now in use, I motor.
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REPORT OF THE COLLECTOR OF WATER RATES.
Gentlemen-I hereby submit the annual report of the Col- lector's department of the Water Works for the year 1900:
The Collector is charged as follows :
Arrears.
$933 09
Water rates,
22,446 31
Labor and material,
734 35
Miscellaneous,
280 22
$24,393 97
CR.
Abatements,
$555 53
Uncollected labor and material,
132 36
Uncollected rates,
1,289 42
Total collections,
22,416 66
$24,393 97
Water is supplied to 1,895 families; 886 water closets; 367 bath tubs: 105 stores, offices and shops; 169 stables; 467 horses: 156 cows: 10 urinals; 3 cemeteries; 10 engines; 10 fish and meat markets; I water motor; 3 laundries: 4 banks; 7 churches; 10 manufactories; 2 photograph saloons; 4 sa- loons; 4 bakeries; 5 hotels and boarding houses; 3 hot- houses; 3 printing offices ; 5 public halls; 2 banquet rooms ; 2 billiard rooms: 2 cigar manufactories; 241 hose; gas works; N. Y., N. H. & H. railroad engines ; 2 electric plants; woolen mills and county buildings; public town buildings; fire purposes, and watering streets.
Yours respectfully, N. REEVES JOHNSON, Collector of Water Rates.
1
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the Board of Water Commissioners:
GENTLEMEN : I respectfully submit my twenty-seventh annual report, and the forty-sixth report of the Plymouth Water Works for the year ending December 31, 1900.
PIPES LAID DURING THE YEAR 1900, AND
COST OF THE SAME.
WHERE LAID.
NO OF FEET.
SIZE.
COST.
Doten's Lane,
28
2 inch.
$8 00
Warren Avenue,
2,705
4
6.
1,358 20
Summer Street,
838
4
66
453 88
Oberry Street,
645
4
305 77
Sandwich Street,
722
2
212 75
Forest Ave.,
865
4
60
449 80
Rear of Alden,
124
2
59 38
Bay View Ave.,
1,005
4
566 12
6,932
$3.413 90
STREET MAINS.
The street mains, as far as can be ascertained, are in good condition.
LEAKS.
There have been fifty-eight leaks in the main and distri- bution pipes. There have been fourteen in ten-inch pipes; three in eight-inch pipes; five in six-inch pipes; nineteen in
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four-inch pipes; four in three-inch pipes; thirteen in two- inch pipes, and all repaired at a cost of $402.35.
SERVICE PIPES.
The street mains have been tapped for new supplies in sixty-one places, at a cost of $324.80. Add those in use as per last report, making 1,896, Deduct two services that have been discontinued, leaving a total of 1,894 services in use. The street length of service pipes is 31,606} feet. There have been fourteen leaks in service pipes this year, the cost of repairs being $51.59.
GATES.
Fifteen new gates have been set this year. One four-inch set on extension of Warren avenue; one four-inch on exten- sion of Summer street; one four-inch on extension of Oberry street; one two-inch on extension of Sandwich street to Na- thaniel Ellis'; one four-inch on Forest avenue, branch junc- tion of Spooner between Spooner and Court streets; one four-inch north of Forest avenue branch on Spooner street; one four-inch for Forest avenue at junction of Court street; two four-inch on Water street, one each side of connection to Electric power house service; the two gates for the power house they paid for. The cost of the seven above gates are in- cluded in the extensions to which they belong. One four-inch on Court street, south of Forest avenue branch, at a cost of $17.12. One two-inch gate on State street, branch junction of Court street, at a cost of $9.50; one four-inch on Court street, south of State street branch, at a cost of $13.65; one four-inch on Court street, north of State street branch, at a cost of $13.65; one four-inch for Chandler's lane at a cost of $13.60: one four-inch for Oberry street, junction of Sand- wich road, at a cost of $13.65; one four-inch for Bay View avenue, junction of Sandwich street; the cost of this gate is in the extension. All gates have been inspected and put in good condition.
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RESERVOIRS.
Both high and low service reservoirs are in good condi- tion. 3 The weeds have been cut down and removed, both inside and outside of the enclosure, and the fences have been put in order. The high service reservoir has been drawn off and cleaned out, all at a cost of $95.21.
BUTMENTS AT THE PONDS.
The three butments at the ponds have been inspected and found to be in good condition; there has been no expense on them this year. There has been a new screen put in at the inlet of pipe at a cost $7.14.
PUMP STATION.
The roof of Pumping Station has been shingled at a cost of $86.50. The boiler room has been whitewashed; boilers have been painted; two closets have been built for the tools, and ashes carted off, all at a cost of $95.46.
MACHINERY.
There has been machinery for making pipe put in the shop as follows : One punching machine, one former for 10, 12, and 14 inch pipe; one former for 4, 6, and 8 inch pipe; two riveting stakes; one lining-machine with 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 inch cones; two cement mixing machines; one filling machine, and one punching machine, and one former for making sleeves; one 5 H. P. and one I H. P. electric motor, together with tools necessary for making pipe, all at a cost of $4,955.18 Machinery put in in year 1899, 195 36
Total cost of machinery and tools, to date, $5,150 54
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NEW TAKERS.
There have been added to the water-takers this year, 124 tenements; 166 water-closets; 74 bath tubs; 8 stables; I casino; I power station with 75 H. P. engine; I woolen mill; 3 stores; I fountain; 3 urinals, and I bakery.
BOXES.
There have been 63 service boxes and 3 gate boxes re- placed by new ones, at a cost of $86.87.
DRINKING FOUNTAINS AND STAND PIPES.
There are 5 stand pipes for sprinkling streets, and 7 drink- ing fountains, all of which are in good condition. No ad- ditions this year.
WORK SHOP.
The platform for filling pipe has been extended 50 feet, at a cost of $266.40. Some repairs have been made in the office at a cost of $39.59.
LABOR.
On extensions, $1,001 20
Trenching for service pipes, 99 33
All other labor, 2,257 96
Whole amount expended, $3,358 49
Amount received for trenching, $243 93
Amount received for shutting off services, 92 50
Total cost of labor during the year
$336 43 less refunded, $3,022 06
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SCHEDULE.
Showing the number of feet of each size pipe and number and size of gates.
SIZE IN INCHES.
LENGTH OF
PIPE IN FT.
No. of Gates.
| No. of Check
Valves.
No. Air Cocks.
No. of 10-inch
Blow-offs.
No. of 6-inch
Blow offs.
No. of 4-inch
| Blow-offs.
| No. of 2-inch
Blow-offs.
No. Hydrants.
20
65
2
2
1
1
1
2
12
141
3
10
19,749
20
2
5
1
1
6
8
4,732
11
2
10
6
13,167
26
2
15
4
84,9563
145
3
1
7
60
3
9,562
19
1
1
2
2
47,006₺
109
3
5
2
1
1,177
6
3
780
1
Total,
197,103
348
3
23
2
2
5
13
97
MILES OF PIPE.
Thirty-seven miles and 1,743 feet of main and distribu- tion pipes, the street length of service pipes being 31,606} feet, with the main and distribution pipes; makes a total of 228,709 feet of pipe, or 43 miles and 1,669 feet.
HYDRANTS.
Hydrants on high service, 61; hydrants on low service, 36; post hydrants, 56; flush hydrants, 41 ; private hydrants, 35; number of hydrants available. 132.
16
7,515
14
8,252
6
1
8
4
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STOCK AND TOOLS ON HAND DEC. 31, 1900.
Inventory at shop.
$4,948 43
Office,
257 50
Pumping Station, including coal,
1,265 00
Stable.
47 00
$6,517 93 Yours respectfully, R. W. BAGNELL, Superintendent.
PUMPING STATION RECORD FOR THE YEAR 1900.
MONTHS.
Hours Run.
Total lbs. Fuel Used.
No. Revolu- tions.
No. of Gals. Pumped.
Av. Head
Dynam.
No. Gals. Pumped with 1 1b. of Fuel.
Average Duty.
Inches. Rainfall.
Average Temperat're
Max.
Min.
Daily Aver- Daily Av. age Water Pumped. Fuel Used in Pounds. Gallons.
January,
131
22,938
171,300
8,140,176
66
354.87
19,533,464
4.86
40.
20.93
262,586.32
739.93
February,
112
20,970
165,600
7,869,312
66
375.26
20,655,811
5.35
36.
20.82
281,261.14
748.92
March,
113
19,660
170,300
8,092,656
66
411.63
22,657,761
3.62
42.9
23.96
261,053.41
634.19
April,
120
19,560
168,800
8,021,376
66
410.09
22,572,993
1.95
53.9
36.03
267,379.2
652.
May,
144
22,170
196,200
9,323,424
66
420,54
23,148,203
5.11
63.93
43.67
300,078.19
715.16
June,
202
28,950
266,600
12,668,832
66
437.61
24,087,804
2.29
76.7
56.1
422,294.4
965.
July,
242
34,460
330,600
15,710,112
80
455.9
30.417,648
1.37
85.67
64.25
506,777.8
1111.61
August,
199
29,960
274,300
13,034,736
80
435.06
29,047,203
3.28
79.48
61.45
420,475.35
966.35
September,
191
28,900
267,300
12,702,096
80
439.51
29,324,107
3.10
72.76
54.5
423,403.2
963.33
October,
168
25,610
229,700
10,915,344
66
426.21
23,460,303
5.40
64.03
51.12
352,107.87
826.12
November,
225
25,960
246,200
11,699,424
66
450.67
24,806,679
5.36
52.8
37.7
389,980.66
865.5
December,
194
27,380
253,700
12,055,824
66
440.31
24,236,423
3.15
39.48
22.74
388,897.54
883.2
Totals,
2,041
306,518
2,740,600
130,233,312
44.84
Average head for year, 69.5 foot Dynamic. Average duty for year, 24,626,739. Average number of gallons pumped with one pound of coal, 424.87. The above figures are a report of the year 1900 and are correct to the best of my knowledge.
W. A. H. JONES, Engineer in Charge.
-- 601-
-
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
FOR THE YEAR
1 900
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
FRANK H. PERKINS,
Term Expires. 1901
INCREASE ROBINSON,
1901
ARTHUR E. LEWIS,
1902
ELIZABETH THURBER, 1902
J. HOLBROOK SHAW, 1903
WM. S. KYLE, 1903
Chairman, WM. S. KYLE.
Secretary, ELIZABETH THURBER.
The committee meet regularly at the Town House on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7.30 p. m.
Superintendent of Schools, FRANCIS J. HEAVENS. Office hours, 8.30 to 9 a. m., and 1.15 to 2.00 p. m.
Truant officer, J. W. HUNTING.
CALENDAR FOR 1901.
Winter term began January 2nd. Summer term begins April 8th. Fall term begins September 9th.
-
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The School Committee respectfully submit their annual report for the year ending December 31, 1900, to which is appended the reports of the Superintendent of Schools and of the Truant Officer.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
The following amounts have been available for school pur- poses the past year :
Unexpended balance of last year,
$ 83 35
Appropriation,
35,000 00
Special appropriation, Mount Pleasant school- house,
600 00
Proceeds, sale lots and buildings,
105 00
Interest, Murdock fund,
18 25
Books sold,
12 42
$35,819 02
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries,
$24,613 95
Fuel and light,
2,915 08
Books and supplies,
3,021 81
Repairs,
2,248 56
Janitors.
1,745 13
Truant Officer,
100 00
Transportation of pupils,
655 80
Freight and cartage,
135 2I
Printing,
55 20
Incidentals,
205 34
$35,696 08
Unexpended balance,
$122 94
Plymouth 8
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The appropriation for the general maintenance of our schools has remained stationary for several years, although the gradual increase in the number of pupils represents a gain of nearly eighteen per cent. in the past five years. In order to meet the large additional expense entailed by this increase, and keep within the appropriations it has been necessary for your committees to economize to a degree that has made an adjustment of means to ends no easy task. This condition is regrettable for several reasons, but chiefly because with the sum available it has not been possible in all cases to pay salaries adequate to the service, and by so doing avoid the occasional loss of exceptionally capable teachers which is always a serious detriment to the welfare of the schools. We feel constrained, however, not to ask at this time, for the ordinary expenses of the schools, any increase in the amount which for several years has been allowed this department, in view of the special appropriation imperative- ly needed for new buildings and other purposes referred to, and asked for elsewhere in this report.
A proposition from the Plymouth Lend-a-Hand Society to equip a twenty-five bench school room for Manual Train- ing, provided the Town would maintain the school as a per- manent part of its educational system, was accepted by the committee, and the basement of the Cornish school building was fitted for the purpose. The society has formally trans- ferred to the Town the full equipment of tools, benches, etc., now in use, with the proviso that if instruction be discon- tinued by the Town for a period of more than twelve con- secutive months during the next five years, the outfit furnished shall revert to the society. The school has now been several weeks in active operation, under a competent teacher, four half days each week being devoted to the work, and its educational value and importance have already been demonstrated, for not only is skill acquired in the use of tools, and in the mechanical drawing which is a part of
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the system, but the training gives constant and impressive proof to the boys that thought, thoroughness, perseverance and care are essential to the best work, and to the success that is sure to follow it. The Committee desire to express a grateful appreciation of the generous action of the Lend- a-Hand Society in thus opening the way to this valuable ad- dition to the work of our schools, and they confidently ex- pect that results will fully justify its comparatively small expense. This has been the case in many other towns where Manual Training has long been a part of the school work, and it is not likely to be otherwise here.
A long established rule of this department requires that pupils entering the First-grade schools must do so at the be- ginning of the fall term. Many unaware of this rule, and others knowing its existence but believing it elastic. have found fault with the Committee when admission out of term has been denied their children. It must, however, be ob- vious that a child entering this grade long after the begin- ning of the term, would require for some time a degree of direct personal attention from the teacher, such as could not be given without retarding the progress of the school as a whole. Your committee are therefore strongly of the opinion that the established policy in such cases is wise and just, and should be continued.
The heating and ventilating system of the High School building which had become defective, and in parts much out of repair, was thoroughly examined by an expert whose re- commendations have recently been carried out by the Com- mittee. Not only has a marked improvement resulted therefrom, but it is expected that the changes made will se- cure such an economy in fuel that the cost of the improve- ments will be covered by the savings of a single year.
Fire insurance upon this building, to the amount of twenty thousand dollars, expires during the present year, and its renewal for three years (the term of the policies now
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in force) will entail an expense of about two hundred and seventy-five dollars. It appears to be the policy of the Town not to insure its property (excepting the High School build- ing as above) and unless instructed to the contrary the Com- mittee must assume that the Town prefers to make no change in this direction.
At the Mount Pleasant school house the primitive out- door sanitary arrangements, which had long been offensive, were removed, and modern closets and urinals placed in the basement and connected with the sewer. This improve- ment was provided for by a special appropriation of six hundred dollars made last year by the Town, and the amount expended therefor is included in the item of "Repairs" in the financial statement herewith. The cementing of the base- ment floor, and other much needed work done at this school house, also added materially to the item of "Repairs."
The building used by the Primary school at Manomet has for some time been inadequate for the number of pupils at- tending it. Thirty-two children are now being housed there five hours every school day in the vitiated air of a small, un- ventilated room. Such a condition is intolerable, and should be remedied by the enlargement of the building as soon as possible. It is estimated that four hundred dollars will be needed for that purpose.
The school house at Vallerville was totally destroyed in the great fire of last September. Through the kindness of Mr. Benjamin W. Hatch, the Committee were given free use, for temporary quarters, of a portion of the only avail- able building in that vicinity which escaped the flames. This was fitted up and made as acceptable as possible for school purposes until such time as a permanent building shall be authorized by the Town and constructed. Your Commit- tee estimate that it will require about fifteen hundred dol- lars to build and furnish this school house.
Plymouth has at the present time twenty-five school build-
-II7-
ings, a greater number than any other town in the State of approximately the same population. Most of them are single-room buildings of a primitive type necessarily lacking the conditions essential to the physical well-being of teachers and pupils, while many of them are so utterly devoid of ven- tilation that work is carried on in an atmosphere vitiated to a degree that not only renders the best work impossible, but involves the health of the teachers and pupils in serious peril. This condition is intensified in several crowded school rooms, the atmosphere of which, by recent official tests, showed a proportion of carbon dioxid more than three times the percentage regarded by authorities as perilous to health. It would be positively criminal to continue such conditions longer, and if not voluntarily remedied, the stringent laws now in force can be invoked to compel the Committee to act in the matter immediately.
Fortunately in some of the buildings this dangerous con- dition can be greatly lessened, if not wholly removed. by simple means and without large expense, and something is being done in that direction at this writing. In some other instances, however, in view of existing conditions, it would be wise to dispose of the land and the inadequate and unfit buildings now in use, and to concentrate the schools elsewhere in modern buildings. In this way ample room for present and prospective needs and conditions essential to the best physical and educational results can best be secured. This is convincingly the case at the North part of the town where the number of children has so increased that the schools are crowded to suffocation, notwithstanding the transfer (at considerable expense) of as many children from that sec- tion as room could be found for at the centre of the Town .. This condition was predicted in the School Committee's re- port of last year, and the present Committee, coinciding with a suggestion then made, now urge the construction of a four-room school house on the lot where building No. 3
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(Miss O'Brien's school) now stands, utilizing that building to the best advantage in the scheme of construction.
At the Summer street section of the town the conditions are much the same as at the North end." The difference is one of degree only. The schools are very greatly over- crowded, and relief cannot be secured by transfers, for there
is no surplus room in other schools near by. The Spring street building, and one of the two at Oak street, are very old and now inadequate for the needs of that district. The ab- sence of proper ventilation, the faulty method of heating, and the unsanitary conditions at all three of these buildings cannot be continued without violation of law and a criminal disregard of the health of teachers and pupils. This has
been determined by recent official inspection. Something must therefore be done without undue delay to meet the school needs of this section for more room and for condi- tions conducive to the health of the children. Your Com- mittee after due consideration are convinced that in the in- terest of the schools, and in the interest of the taxpayer as well, it is far wiser to construct a new building in this sec- tion to accommodate the three schools now there than to en- large and otherwise improve the old buildings, the condition of which would require a large outlay to make them ade- quate and suitable. A new building would provide amply for present and future needs; it would secure to the pupils the attractive, comfortable and healthful surroundings every school should have; the cost of heating and of care would be much less than at present, and the sale of such property as it may be deemed best to abandon. would lessen the sum required for a new building.
Your Committee are deeply solicitous for the interests of the schools and the well-being of the children, but they are considerate of the tax-payers' interests as well, and will not add to their burdens unduly; a thoughtful and judicious consideration however impels the Committee to ask not only
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for the thirty-five thousand dollars allowed for some years for the running expenses of the schools, but also for a special appropriation of ten thousand dollars for new buildings and extraordinary repairs absolutely needed at this time.
The Committee commend to the thoughtful consideration of the tax-payers and others interested in the welfare of our schools, the admirable report of the Superintendent which follows. The criticisms, suggestions and advice of this conscientious and capable officer are based upon an intelli- gent and comprehensive knowledge of the work and needs of our schools, and have the cordial indorsement of the Com- mittee.
.
WILLIAM S. KYLE, ELIZABETH THURBER, J. HOLBROOK SHAW, ARTHUR E. LEWIS, INCREASE ROBINSON, FRANK H. PERKINS. School Committee.
PLYMOUTH, February 1, 1901.
1
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
To the School Committee of Plymouth:
The report of the Superintendent of Schools for the year 1900 is herewith respectfully submitted.
It has been the custom in this town for some time to re- gard the school year, for purposes of statistics, as covering the same period as the financial year. In accordance with the request of the State Board of Education, recently made, the statistics of attendance are now made to cover the nat- ural school year,-from September to July. Thus the financial and attendance periods used in this report are not identical; but since each covers a full year, the one period only a little in advance of the other, the returns they furnish are reliable. The statistics of attendance given in this re- port, therefore, cover the fall term of 1899, included in last year's report, and omit the record of the fall term of the present year.
The annual school census taken, as required by law, dur- ing the month of September, gave the following returns : Number of boys between the ages of five and fifteen, 774 Number of girls between the ages of five and fifteen, 708
I482
Number of boys between the ages of seven and fourteen, 530 Number of girls between the ages of seven and fourteen, 503
1033
Number of school buildings in use, 25 Number of school rooms in use, including High school, 45 Number of teachers regularly employed, 44
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High school, 7
Grammar schools,
12
Primary schools,
2I
Ungraded schools,
4
Special teachers, one each in music, drawing, and Sloyd, 3
47
Whole number of pupils enrolled for the year,
1,627
Number under 7 years of age,
325
Number between 7 and 14 years,
1,096
Number between 14 and 15 years, 78
Number over 15 years,
I28
1,627
Average membership of all schools,
1,460
Average daily attendance,
1,346
Per cent. of attendance,
92.2
Number days' absence of pupils,
26,013
Number of cases of tardiness,
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