USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1906-1908 > Part 22
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 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31
-11-
On motion of Frederick D. Bartlett : Voted, that the Treas- urer is hereby authorized to pay bills of the various departments of the town when approved by the board in charge of such de- partment.
Article twenty-one being under consideration : On motion of Frederick D. Bartlett: Voted, that the town accept and allow the alteration of part of the road from Russell Mills to Clark's Valley as altered by the Selectmen and reported to the town.
Article twenty-two being under consideration : John B. Washburn moved that the sum of $500.00 be appropriated for the celebration of the Fourth of July, to be expended for music and fireworks under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
Samuel Bradford moved to amend by substituting $1000.00 in place of $500.00, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Vahey moved to amend the motion so as to read as fol- lows: Voted, that the sum of $1000.00 be appropriated for the celebration of the Fourth of July, and the committee of citizens of the celebration of last year be a committee of the town to expend the same. The amendment was adopted and the matter as amended was then carried.
Article twenty-three being under consideration: Frederick D. Bartlett moved that the town transfer the amounts now standing to the credit of the public sanitary arrangements and the amounts now or hereafter standing to the credit of Fresh Brook, or either of them, to the contingent fund.
Article twenty-four being under consideration : Frederick D. Bartlett moved that the town accept the provisions of Section 21 and the four following sections of Chapter 78 of the Revised Laws in regard to Cemetery Commissioners, and the motion was carried.
Article twenty-five being under consideration : Frederick D. Bartlett moved that the town accept Chapter 531 of the Acts of 1907 in regard to a channel in Plymouth harbor and more
-12-
than two thirds of those present and voting in the affirmative the motion was carried.
Article twenty-six being under consideration : On motion of Frederick D. Bartlett: Voted, that the Selectmen as said board may from time to time be constituted, be and are hereby ap- pointed agents of the town with full power to enter into con- tracts and agreements in regard to the money which the town may be called upon to pay under Chapter 531 of the Acts of 1907 in regard to a channel in Plymouth harbor, such contracts or agreements to provide for the payment or repayment to the town on demand of all sums which the town may pay or be called up- on to pay under said chapter.
Article twenty-eight being under consideration :- John B. Washburn moved that a committee of five be appointed by the Moderator, such committee to have full powers in the name and on behalf of the Town to erect a building for said Town Hall including entering into contracts therefor: said Town Hall shall contain a hall suitable for Town Meetings and proper ante- rooms, but shall not contain rooms for town offices, but shall be so lanned that rooms for town offices may be added in the future.
Mr. Barnes moved to amend by adding that the committee be appointed by the Selectmen.
Mr. Cushman moved to amend by adding that the committee report to the Town at an adjourned meeting.
William S. Kyle moved that this article be indefinitely post- poned and the motion was lost.
Frank S. Finney moved to substitute for the motions and amendments, the following: A committee of five be chosen to procure plans and specifications, and also a list of available lots suitable for a Town house and obtain options therefor subject to the approval of the voters of Plymouth in town meeting as- sembled.
Mr. Burnett moved to amend by inserting the words "and ob-
-13-
tain options therefor," after the words "town house" and the amendment was carried. The vote of Mr. Finney as amended was then put and adopted.
John P. Vahey moved that the committee of five be appoint- ed by the Moderator and the motion was carried.
On motion of William W. Brewster: Voted, that when this meeting adjourn, it adjourn to the first Saturday in June at 2 o'clock at this place.
Article thirty being under consideration : On motion of Fred- erick D. Bartlett: Voted, That the Town accept and allow the layout of the extension of Newfield street as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article thirty-one being under consideration : On motion of Frederick D. Bartlett : Voted, That the Town accept and allow the alteration of Water street as altered by the Selectmen and re- ported to the Town.
Article thirty-two being under consideration :- William W. Brewster moved that the Town accept Chapter 308 of the Acts of 1906 entitled an act to authorize the Town of Plymouth to acquire the Barnes Mill Pond and adjacent land and buildings, more than two thirds of those present and voting thereon, vot- ing in the affirmative, the motion was carried.
Article thirty-three being under consideration :- On motion of John B. Washburn : Voted, That the sum of $750.00 be ap- propriated for the purpose of laying new water pipes on Mur- ray street.
Article thirty-four being under consideration: On motion of Frederick D. Bartlett: Voted, That the Town accept and al- low the layout of Bay View Avenue as laid out by the Select- men, and reported to the Town.
On motion of Edward L. Burgess : Voted, That the Collector of Taxes be authorized to receive taxes for the ensuing year at such places as he shall designate, on or before the fifteenth day of October, that interest be charged on all taxes remaining un-
-14-
paid on the said fifteenth day of October, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, and such rate shall continue until otherwise ordered by the Town, and all taxes and interest remaining un- paid on the first day of January following, shall be collected forthwith by legal process, and the Collector is hereby author- ized to collect at once by legal process all taxes of previous years outstanding.
On motion of Edward L. Burgess :- Voted, That the sum of one hundred sixty-two thousand five hundred twenty and 84-100 dollars ($162,520.84) 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 ensuing year.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, JUNE 6, 1908.
Meeting called to order by the Moderator at 2 o'clock P. M.
Article sixteen being under consideration :- The report of the committee appointed at the last March meeting under article sixteen was accepted and placed on file.
Arthur Lord moved that the town discontinue so much of the highway location lying north-easterly of the present fence line or stone wall on Water street as lies north-easterly of a line par- allel to said fence line or stone wall and six (6) feet therefrom, said line extending from the southerly line of the mill premises of Geo. Mabbett Sons Co. northerly to a point in line of the northeasterly line of the mill building extending towards the shore, and the motion was carried.
Article twenty-eight being under consideration :- John P. Vahey, chairman of the committee appointed at the last March
-15-
meeting under article twenty-eight, read the report which had been prepared by the committee.
Charles H. Raymond moved that the further consideration of this article be indefinitely postponed, and the motion was lost.
Charles C. Doten moved that the report of the committee be accepted and placed on file, and the motion was carried.
Arthur Lord moved that when this meeting adjourns, it ad- journ to the first Saturday in October at 2 o'clock P. M. at the Armory and the motion was carried.
Arthur Lord moved that the question of Town House be re- ferred back to the committee with instructions to report at the adjournment of this meeting, plans of building, plot and pro- file of lot selected, and estimates of cost of land, building and furnishings, which report shall be printed at least two weeks before such meeting.
John B. Washburn moved to take up article three and the motion was carried.
The report of the committe on insurance on Town buildings was read and accepted. Voted, That the Selectmen be re- quested to publish said report in the next printed report of the Town and insert an article in the warrant for the next Town meeting in regard to insuring Town buildings.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING, OCTOBER 3, 1908.
Meeting called to order at 2 o'clock P. M. by the Moderator.
Voted, That the report of the Committee on Town House be accepted and placed on file.
John P. Vahey moved that a committee of seven be appointed
-16-
by the Moderator to erect a Town Hall, procure the land neces- sary therefor on the lot recommended by the committee hereto- for appointed and substantially in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted by Hill & James, architects to the aforesaid committee and that for the purpose of raising money for the same, the Treasurer of the town be authorized to issue from time to time, as occasion may require, bonds or notes of the town to the amount of one hundred twenty-four thousand dollars, principal payable $6,200.00 per year for twenty years, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding four per cent. per an- num, payable semi-annually, said notes to be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by a majority of the Selectmen.
Charles H. Raymond moved that this matter be indefinitely postponed and the motion was lost.
After some discussion the motion of John P. Vahey was put and twenty voted in the affirmative and one hundred and ninety-one in the negative and the motion was lost.
Report of the Selectmen
Report of the Selectmen for the year ending December 31st, 1908.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
The larger items of work done in this department during the year are as follows :
The macadam on Court street between Shirley Square and Park Ave. has been redressed about four inches deep after roll- ing. This job took 1813 tons of crushed stone, and the labor and team cost was $665.62. The Jordan road, so-called, has had to be further strengthened at various points between Clark's Valley and the Jordan estate, the cost being $450.00 exclusive of the crushed stone. The spring season is very trying on this road between the above mentioned points on account of the wet nature of the ground, and the open winter we are now experienc- ing has further aggravated the conditions there, the alternating freezing and thawing with complete absence of snow so far obliging work to be done on the road that ordinarily comes only in the spring.
The hill on the Sandwich road, near R. B. Symington's place, has been cut nine or ten feet at the highest point and the road northerly from there graded and graveled for about a half mile, the expense being about $1000.00.
Plymouth 2
-18-
Samoset street, between Vine Hills cemetery and the North Carver road, has been further improved for about three-fourths of a mile by widening, straightening, grading and graveling, the cost being about $500.00. The expenditure of a similar sum will complete the improvement to this piece of road.
About $400.00 has been expended in improving the West Pond road for a distance of about a half mile. To complete this improvement to the Carver line it is estimated that $350.00 more will be required. Prior to 1907 no work had been done on this road for nearly forty years, except to mow the bushes.
Some graveling has been necessary on Court street northerly from Russell Ave., not anticipated at the beginning of the sea- son. This is undoubtedly due to the constantly and fast in- creasing number of automobiles, a factor of great importance to the town in the future care of its main traveled streets.
In view of the natural increase of traffic from the growth of the town, and the additional wear caused by automobiles, your board is of the opinion that the town should extend the ma- cadam on Court street from its present terminus near Lothrop street to the Kingston line, spreading the work over a period of three or four years.
The macadam on Water street from the depot to Town Brook is in bad condition and unless redressed the coming year will undoubtedly go to pieces. It should be extended southerly at least as far as Simmons' grain store to get rid of the bad slough hole at the junction of Water and Union streets. The esti- mated cost of redressing and extending is $3000.00, and we rec- ommend that it be done the coming season, and paid for out of the regular appropriation.
Four catch basins have been built to take care of the sand previously going into Town Brook with the surface water from the streets. One is on Willard Place, one on Summer street at foot of High street, one on Billington street, and one on Main Street Extension.
Gutter paving has been confined to relaying made necessary by setting curbing.
-19-
About 3000 tons of stone have been crushed at the Alden street pit, and the quantity on hand there is approximately 2000 tons, and 350 tons at South street.
One of the horses has been exchanged for a new one at a net cost of $185.00.
The street signs purchased in 190? have been erected, but we regret to state that quite a few of them have been stoned by boys and defaced so badly as to necessitate new ones in their places. The signs are attractive and unless wilfully destroyed will serve the town for many years. The cost of erecting was $278.46, and the signs and pipe (purchased in 1907) cost $291.28, making the total expense $569.74. It is the intention of the board to discourage to the fullest extent the further ma- licious destruction of the signs, and it is earnestly hoped that the public will co-operate.
The undrawn balance of 1907 was
$ 47 98
Appropriation for 1908 was
19,000 00
Reimbursements have been
3.640 30
$22,688 28
Expenditures,
22.535 25
Undrawn,
$153 03
For 1909 we recommend an appropriation of $19,000.00 and a special appropriation of $2,000.00 to build a section of ma- cadam on Court street.
NEW ROADS.
The change in Summer street, done under decree of the County Commissioners, dated July 27, 1906, has been com- pleted, the total cost being $7,055.38, of which $1,000.00 was re-
-20 --
imbursed by the county. On petition of the Selectmen, the County Commissioners have made a further layout of Summer street, from Billington street to the entrance to Morton Park.
Robbins Road has been worked practically to finished grade except for shaping, the estimated cost of additional graveling to complete that part of the work being $50.00. There is a small fill to be made on the right of way of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co. at the lower end of this road, which will allow of a more finished job than otherwise, and the necessary permission to do this has been obtained from the railroad company. The expen- diture has been $2,134.58. This is exclusive of filling and cov- ering material, bills for which, not yet rendered, amount to $54.27 for the former and $34.70 for the latter.
Newfields street has been rough graded for a distance to al- low laying water pipes and sewer to accommodate a new house constructed on the line of the extension, the expenditure there being $213.00.
Royal street has been graded from Samoset street as far as the house of Capt. LeBlanc, but not the full width all of the way, and some graveling has been done. The cost has been $485.25.
The extension of Bay View Ave. has been shaped at a cost of $54.50.
Main Street Extension was accepted by the County Commis- sioners Oct. 6, 1908, and since taking charge of it the Select- men have expended $392.26.
On the widening of Water street near the Plymouth Foundry the expense has been $48.50.
In addition to the layout of Summer street the County Com- missioners have made a widening on the easterly side of Sand- wich street northerly from Winter street, on a petition from the Selectmen. This is a duplicate decree of several years ago, the prescribed time on which clapsed before any work was done.
There are petitions before the Selectmen for laying out Castle street, Stoddard street, an extension of Alden street to
-21-
the northerly end of Royal street, and an extension of Water street to a point on the easterly side of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co. right of way opposite the lower end of Nelson street, plans for all of which are being prepared.
By consent of the Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Co. one of the bridges at the north-easterly side of their mill has been re- moved and a pipe substituted for it. The expense of the work done on the piece of road at that point has been $259.80, which includes lengthening the remaining bridge, widening the road and building necessary fence.
By the raising of the Quinlan block, so-called, on Union street, an opportunity was offered to obtain a strip of land across the front of the lot which could be utilized in any future widening, and the board took advantage of it by having the building moved back and securing a deed to the town for the strip, the price being $300.00.
The undrawn balance of 1907 was
$ 286 78
Appropriation for 1908 was
5,000 00
Reimbursements have been
1,000 00
$6,286 78
Expenditures,
5,971 65
Undrawn,
$309 13
For 1909 we recommend an appropriation of $5,000.00.
STATE HIGHWAY.
The section of state road mentioned in last year's report has been built, the terminus being about 400 feet southerly from Fresh Pond.
The tax paid in 1908 for state highway repairs was $251.10.
-22-
There is a petition from the Selectmen before the Highway Commission for a further extension of this road, but it is not known at this time what action will be taken on it.
SIDEWALKS.
Granite curb has been laid on Carver street, northerly side, 116 feet : on Water street at the foot of Cole's Hill 270 feet; and 132 feet on Main Street Extension and around into Water street.
Granite block paving for curb has been laid as follows: 408 feet on the easterly side of Court street southerly from Nelson street, 660 feet on the southerly side of Clyfton street, 300 feet on the easterly side of Allerton street between Clyfton and Sea- ver streets, 460 feet on Alden street from Allerton street west- erly, 258 feet on Russell street between Allerton and Seaver streets, 1215 feet on northerly side of Samoset street between Allerton street and Standish Ave., 175 feet on the easterly side of Standish Ave. near the old Goddard place, 348 feet on the northerly side of Howland street, 168 feet on North Spooner street, both sides westerly from Court street, 240 feet on the southerly side of Hall street, and 165 feet on the easterly side of Warren Ave. from Jabez Corner southerly, a total of 4397 feet.
Except for the strip on Standish Ave., which is covered with dirt temporarily, and that on Alden street, which lacks the stone surfacing, the sidewalks for all of the distance have been treated with a foundation of ashes and a surface of crushed stone. It is planned to surface Alden street as soon as the material is available. A strip of the same kind of sidewalk, without curb- ing, was laid on the easterly side of Warren Ave. for about 300 feet southerly from where the block pavers ended, and about 500 feet was laid on the easterly side of Court street southerly from
-23-
the golf field. Three hundred and eighty tons of crushed stone were used for this purpose.
No new concrete work has been done.
The appropriation for 1908 was
$3,500 00
Reimbursements have been
498 05
$3,998 05
Overdraft of 1902,
$ 17 57
Expenditures have been
3,906 69
$3,924 26
Undrawn,
$73 79
For 1909 we recommend an appropriation of $3,500.00.
SEWERS.
There has been little call for additional main sewer the last year. That on Newfields street has been extended about 100 feet, on Alden street about 180 feet, and on a proposed extension of Stafford street about 76 feet, all eight-inch pipe. About 65 feet of six-inch sewer was laid on Mayflower street, southerly from near the head of Franklin street, and the Nelson street sewer was extended about 30 feet, also six-inch pipe.
The undrawn balance of 1907 was
$ 742 17
Reimbursements and entrance fees,
1,216 10
$1,958 27
Expenditures have been .
590 23
Undrawn,
$1,368 04
No appropriation is recommended for 1909.
-24-
STREET LIGHTING.
Twelve incandescent lights have been added during the year, as follows: One on Standish Ave. just north of Alden street, one on Oak street southerly from Davis street, one on New- fields street, one on Brewster street, three on Main Street Ex- tension, one on Sandwich street at head of Lincoln street, one on Sandwich street between Obery street and Jordan Hospital, two on Samoset street between Standish Ave. and Royal street, and one on the extension of Bay View Ave. All of these have been tungsten lamps, and many of the old carbon filament lamps have been replaced with tungsten, so that there are now about 200 of the latter in commission.
The town now has-
319 incandescent lights at $20.00. $6,380 00
3 incandescent lights at $21.00, 63 00
7 1200 candle power arc lights at $125.00. 875.00
1 1200 candle power arc light at 85 00
Totaling (per year). $7,403 00
In previous reports the arc lights have been given as 2000 candle power, which was an error, the correct rating being 1200 candle power.
The tungsten filament lamps have proven so far to be much superior to the old type of incandescent lamp, the increased effi- ciency being very apparent wherever there is a chance to com- pare them. A cluster of five of the tungsten lamps of 50 candle power each was substituted for the arc lamp at the head of Brewster street for several nights, and it was the opinion that the five lamps illuminated better than the arc lamp.
The Selectmen have taken up with the Plymouth Electric Light Co. the question of the cost of street lights, with a view to securing improved service, and after several conferences the fol- lowing propositions are submitted by the company to the Select-
-25-
men, both on the basis of a five-year contract, and we submit them to the town for its consideration and decision :
First .- Continue the present hours of lighting, which are to midnight for the incandescent lamps and all night for seven of the arc lamps, at $18.00 per year for the former and $105.00 per year for the latter.
Second .- All night lighting at $21.00 per year for the incan- descent lamps, arc lights $105.00 per year.
Both propositions are based on the so-called moonlight schedule which is what the town has had for years, and in both cases all incandescent lamps would be 40 candle power, tung- sten, to be installed immediately the contract was effective. The old incandescent lamps are rated 25 candle power.
In the opinion of the board it would be better to substitute in- candescent lights for the present arcs, say on the basis of three for one, placing the incandescents in clusters or spreading them in the territory served by the arc, as might be deemed best. On all night lighting the 24 incandescents (if that number were necessary) required to replace the eight arcs would cost $504.00 per year as against $840.00 for the eight arcs, and we believe the streets would be better lighted than at present. Adding 24 lights to the present number would give 346 incandescents, which at $18.00 per year, for midnight lighting, would make the cost $6,228.00, and at $21.00 per year, for all night lighting, $1.266.00, the latter a saving of $137.00 per year over the pres- ent cost, and an estimated increase of nearly 60 per cent. in hours of lighting. Summing this up it is an increase of 60 per cent. in rated candle power of lights, a decrease of not quite 2 per cent. in aggregate cost per year and an increase, as stated, of nearly 60 per cent. in hours of lighting. The board unani- mously recommends that the town adopt all-night lighting and that authority be given the Selectmen to make a contract with the Plymouth Electric Light Co. on the above basis.
-26-
The undrawn balance of 1907 was Appropriation,
$ 207 10
7,200 00
$7,407 10
Expenditures,
7,229 63
Undrawn,
$177 47
For 1909 we recommend an appropriation of $7,300.00.
STREET SPRINKLING.
One new watering cart has been purchased at a cost of $365.00, making five carts now owned by the town.
Five new stand pipes have been put in, as follows: One on Warren Ave., one on Samoset street, one on Sandwich street be- tween Jabez Corner and the Jordan Hospital, one on Standish Ave., and one on Mayflower street.
The unusually dry season necessitated operating the watering carts more than was anticipated in making the year's appropri- ation, thus causing an overdraft.
The undrawn balance of 1907 was Appropriation,
$ 89 30
3,000 00
$3,089 30
Expenditures,
$3,525 62
Overdrawn,
$36 32
For 1909 we recommend an appropriation of $2,500.00 and $436.32 to cover the overdraft.
-2 :-
CONTINGENT.
This appropriation is largely overdrawn, this condition being due to several large expenditures wholly unanticipated at the beginning of the year. The Committee on Inland Fisheries ex- penditures have been $537.60. As there is no provision of law or by the town relative to the expenditure of money by this com- mittee, it would seem desirable that the town take some action to define its authority. The expense of fighting forest fires has been $2,647.46, more than $1,600.00 in excess of the previous year. There is due the town from the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co., to go to the credit of the contingent account, about $550.00, for expense incurred in fighting forest fires set by their locomo- tives in 1908, for which settlement will'be made very soon. The town received in 1908 $1,199.12 from the same source, covering expense of fighting fires in 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1907.
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.