USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1909-1911 > Part 23
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ABSTRACT OF RECORDS OF 19II
TOWN MEETING, MARCH 25, 1911.
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William W. Brewster reported for the Committee on Audit- ing and the report was accepted and placed on file.
Voted: To take up Article Twenty-six. Mr. William W. Brewster moved that the Selectmen be and are hereby au- thorized to dispose of the Primary School building and lot at Manomet, by public or private sale, or otherwise, as they may deem to be for the interest of the Town and to execute such papers in the name of the Town as may be necessary, and the motion was carried.
William S. Kyle moved that the Selectmen be authorized to appoint a Town Accountant, whose term of service shall begin. Jan. 1, 1912, and to report to a future meeting of the Town, their recommendation as to the annual salary to be paid to such officer, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Kyle moved that from Jan. 1, 1912, the office of Town Auditor be abolished, and the motion was carried.
On motion of William W. Brewster: Voted, that the Moderator appoint a committee of three, who shall arrange for the installation of an improved system of accounting in the various departments of the Town, the same to be installed with the beginning of the next financial year, all expense incurred by this committee to be charged to the Contingent Fund.
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Voted: That the report of the various officers and commit- tees of the Town be accepted and placed on file.
On motion of E. L. Burgess: Voted, that the Town author- ize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, or a majority thereof, to borrow during the municipal year begin- ning January 1, 1912, in anticipation of the collection of taxes of said year, such sums of money as may be necessary for the current expenses of the Town, but not exceeding one hundred and twenty-five thousand ($125,000.00) dollars, giving the notes of the Town therefor, payable within one year from the dates thereof. All debts incurred under authority of this vote shall be paid from the taxes of said municipal year.
Mr. Talbot moved that the Town appropriate the additional sum of $4,000.00, making the total appropriation called for $9,000.00, and the Selectmen be instructed to finish the Darby road, so-called, to the Carver line, and the motion was lost.
Mr. Avery moved that no appropriation be made for the macadamizing of Court street until all necessary widening and straightening has been made as recommended by the Selectmen on page 1î of their report for the year 1909.
Mr. Bartlett moved to amend by adding $6,500.00 for ma- cadamizing Court street.
Mr. Burns moved to amend the motion of Mr. Bartlett by adding that the portion of Court street now being considered by the County Commissioners with a view to widening remain open pending the action of the County Commissioners, and the motion was carried.
The motion of Mr. Bartlett as amended was then put and carried.
Mr. Avery moved that the Dog Fund amounting to $1,367.66 and the additional sum of $132.34 be appropriated for the use of the Public Library.
Mr. Hathaway moved to amend by adding $100.00, making
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the amount $232.34, and the amendment was carried. The motion of Mr. Avery as amended was then put and carried.
Mr. Bartlett moved that the Town authorize the Selectmen to renew any note or notes heretofore authorized which are now due or may become due the present year for such time and on such terms as they may deem expedient for the interests of the Town.
On motion of Mr. Avery: Voted, that the Town appropriate the sum of $1,200.00 for Parks and one hundred and seventy- five ($175) dollars for Training Green.
Mr. Avery moved that the Town appropriate the sum of two hundred and twenty-five ($225) dollars to pay the expense of Memorial Day, and the Motion was carried: Article Ten being under consideration, Mr. Avery moved that the subject matter of this Article be referred to the Selectmen, with full power to take such action in the premises as they may deem for the best interests of the Town, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Avery moved that Articles 11, 29 and 30 be considered together, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Avery moved that Articles 11, 29 and 30 be referred to a committee of five, to be appointed by the Moderator, relating to the compensation of Assessors, Chairman of Selectmen and Tax Collector, to report at a future meeting of the Town what readjustment of the salaries and compensation of the officers of the Town is advisable, together with their recommendations as to the apportionment of duties and compensation of the members of the several Boards and Committees of the Town, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Avery moved that no action be taken under Article Twelve until the Selectmen can assure the Town as to the actual cost of the layout of said alterations as reported to the Town, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Lahey moved that the Town establish convient voting precincts in the Town, and the motion was carried.
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Mr. Avery moved that the Town lay out and establish the school house lot on South street as a public park, and that the expense of maintenance be paid out of the general appropria- tion for parks; one hundred and twenty-one having voted in the affirmative and twenty-three in the negative, more than two-thirds having voted in the affirmative, the motion was carried.
Mr. Sampson moved that Article Fifteen be indefinitely postponed ; one hundred and fifty-seven voting in the affirmative and two hundred and one in the negative, and the motion was lost.
Mr. Bartlett moved that the Selectmen for the time being be and are hereby authorized in the name and on behalf of the Town to subscribe for or purchase five hundred (500) shares of the capital stock of the Plymouth & Sandwich Street Rail- way Company at a price not exceeding the par value thereof. Such subscription or purchase shall not be made by the Select- men until they are satisfied that the balance of the amount necessary for the construction and equipment of said road is fully provided for.
Mr. Burns moved to amend by substituting one hundred and fifty (150) shares in place of five hundred (500) shares, and the motion was lost.
The motion of Mr. Bartlett was then put. Two hundred and fourteen voted in the affirmative and fifty-two in the nega- tive, and the motion was carried.
Mr. F. D. Bartlett moved that for the purpose of raising money to be expended for shares of the capital stock of the Plymouth & Sandwich Street Railway Company, the Selectmen are hereby authorized to issue bonds of the Town to an amount not exceeding fifty thousand dollars. Such bonds shall bear on their face the words "Town of Plymouth, Railroad loan, Act of 1911," and shall be payable five thousand dollars at the expira- tion of each year from the date of issue for ten years, and shall.
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bear interest payable semi-annually at a rate not exceeding four per cent. per annum; shall be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by a majority of the Selectmen.
Voted: That the Selectmen are hereby authorized to sell said bonds at public or private sale upon such terms and con- ditions as they think proper, provided that such bonds shall not be sold for less than their par value.
Mr. Avery moved that the money received by the Town front. the Commonwealth in payment for the Armory be applied to the liquidation of the Armory loan and to other outstanding indebtedness of the Town under the direction of and as the- Selectmen think advisable, and the motion was carried.
On motion of Mr. Avery : Voted, that further consideration of Article Eighteen be postponed until some later meeting of the Town.
On motion of F. D. Bartlett : Voted, that the Town accept. and allow the layout of Stafford lane, so-called, and change the. name of the same to Wood street, as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
On motion of F. D. Bartlett : Voted, that the Town accept and allow the layout of Ocean and Weston avenues as laid out. by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Mr. Avery moved that the Town accept and allow the layout of a common landing place at Cedarville as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town and an appropriation of one hundred dollars ($100.00) be made therefor. Mr. Briggs moved to postpone until some future meeting of the Town, and the motion was carried, forty-one voting in the affirmative and thirty-five in the negative.
Mr. Bartlett moved that the Town authorize the Selectmell to transfer the balance of $14.38 from the fund for the oil road at Manomet to the Contingent account, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Bartlett moved that the Town accept and adopt by-laws-
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regulating the materials, construction and use of buildings and other structures within the limits of the Town as provided in Section I. of Chapter 104 of the Revised Laws.
Mr. Raymond moved that this matter be indefinately post- poned, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Avery moved that the Town appropriate one hundred and twelve and 88-100 dollars ($112.88) for the deficit in ex- pense for the celebration of July 4th, 1910, and the motion was carried.
On motion of Mr. Avery: Voted, that the Town authorize the Fire Department to use the Grammar School house at Man- omet for a fire station, whenever the said building is abandoned for school purposes, and that an appropriation of the sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for the purposes of making necessary alterations and for furnishing the said building be made.
Mr. Avery moved that the Town authorize the School Com- mittee to take the South Street Engine House for School pur- poses and that an appropriation of four thousand dollars ($4,000.00) be made for necessary alterations and for furnish- ing the same, and the motion was carried.
On motion of Arthur Lord: Voted, that the Town authorize the Selectmen to take a lease of Pilgrim Wharf in Plymouth for such time and on such terms and conditions as the Select- men may deem for the interests of the Town, and make an ap- propriation of fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500.00) for the pur- poses therefor.
Mr. Avery moved that the sum of two hundred and fifty dol- lars ($250.00) be appropriated for the erection and mainten- ance of public bath houses under the direction of the Park Commissioners, at such places as they may deem advisable, and the motion was carried.
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Elmer E. Avery moved that action under Article Thirty-two be indefinitely postponed : forty-one voted in the affirmative and seventy-nine in the negative, and the motion to postpone was lost.
J. J. Lahey moved that it is the sense of this meeting that the Town pay its laborers 30 cents per hour, and the motion was carried.
Voted: That the Board of Selectmen be a committee to act in conjunction with a committee of the Plymouth Commercial Club and any interested citizens of the Town in procuring from the management of the New York, New Haven and Hart- ford Railroad Company increased facilities for passenger and freight traffic with Plymouth, including a double track between Whitman and Kingston. And further to request such improve- ment and care of the local premises of the company as will convenience its patrons and make attractive to the many thou- sands of visitors to this historic town, so important a terminal station of the New York, New Haven & Hartford system.
Voted: That the expenses of the Town officials so serving shall be paid from the Contingent Fund or moneys not other- wise appropriated.
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- 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 forth- with by legal process, and the Collector is hereby authorized to collect at once by legal process all taxes of previous years out- standing.
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On motion of Edward L. Burgess: Voted, that the sum of one hundred eighty-three thousand seven hundred and 78-100 dollars ($183,700.78) be raised and assessed upon the polls and estates of the inhabitants of the Town of Plymouth, and upon the estate of non-residents, to defray the expenses of the Town for the ensuing year.
TOWN MEETING, JULY 29, 1911.
Benjamin A. Hathaway moved that the Town sell or dispose of all its shares of the capital stock of the Plymouth & Middle- boro Railroad Company to or in the interests of the Old Colony Railroad Company or the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company upon terms which shall secure to the Town not less than $76.00 in cash for each of its said shares; and that the Selectmen be and hereby are authorized in the name and behalf of the Town to take all the steps necessary and in their judgment proper to carry out and make effective the pur- poses of this vote, including the authority to vote upon all the shares of the Town at any meeting of the stockholders of the Plymouth & Middleboro Railroad Company upon any question in connection with the sale or disposal of said shares, and the motion was carried.
On motion of Elmer E. Avery: Voted, that the Selectmen be hereby authorized to build a sewer on Sandwich street from Bay View avenue to the Jordan Hospital, and on Warren ave- nue from Jabez Corner, so-called, to a point opposite the resi-
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dence of George E. Mabbett, and that an appropriation of $6,000.00 be made therefor.
Mr. Elmer E. Avery moved that for the purpose of building said sewer on Sandwich street from Bay View avenue to the Jordan Hospital, and on Warren avenue from Jabez Corner to a point opposite the residence of George E. Mabbett the Select- men are hereby authorized to borrow the sum of $6,000 and to issue therefor notes of the Town bearing interest at a rate not exceeding four per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually, the principal payable in six annual payments of $1,000.00 each, said notes to be signed by the Treasurer and approved by the Selectmen.
Mr. Bartlett moved to amend the motion of Mr. Avery by adding notes or bonds in the place of notes, and the motion to amend was carried.
The motion of Mr. Avery as amended was then put and twenty-eight voted in the affirmative and none in the negative; more than two-thirds having voted in the affirmative the mo- tion was carried.
Mr. Avery moved that the Town accept and allow the altera- tion of Main Street Extension as altered by the Selectmen, northerly from the bridge to the southerly line of the Drew land and reported to the Town, and that an appropriation of $1,150.00 be made therefor, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Avery moved that the Selectmen be and are hereby au- thorized to purchase a new twelve ton steam roller and to make such sale or other disposal of the steam roller now owned by the Town as they may deem most expedient for the Town, and the motion was carried.
On motion of F. D. Bartlett : Voted, that the Town author- ize the Selectmen to stipulate in writing to indemnify and save
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harmless the Commonwealth against all claims and demands for damages which may be sustained by any person whose prop- erty has been taken from them, or has been injured by the con- struction of a highway which the Massachusetts Highway Com- missioners propose to lay out and construct from the road op- posite the property of Levy Meyer southerly to the Bourne line.
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William W. Brewster moved that the Town authorize the Selectmen to release to the Trustees of the Stickney Fund all the land lying between Carver and Water streets and Middle and Leyden streets, in Plymouth, and to execute and deliver in the name and behalf of the Town the necessary instruments of conveyance, and the motion was carried.
William W. Brewster moved that the Town authorize the Selectmen to determine the rights of the Town in the Barnes; Mill Pond and Town Brook, and to adjust the claims of the: abutting owners therein, in such manner as said Selectmen may deem for the best interests of the Town.
William W. Brewster moved that the Town appropriate the. sum of one hundred dollars for the purchase of the shore rights. on Water street, now belonging to the estate of the late Josiah, A. Robbins, to be expended by the Selectmen, and the motion: was carried.
On motion of William W. Brewster: Voted, that the Director of the Bureau of Statistics be hereby petitioned to make such an audit of the accounts of the Town as may be necessary for the installation of such system of accounts as may be approved by him in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 598 of the Acts of 1910.
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Report of the Selectmen
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1911.
GENERAL REMARKS.
Departing from past custom the account of work done and expenditures made in the various departments under the direct supervision of the Superintendent of Streets will be found in his report following this.
In pursuance of the desire of the Town as indicated by the vote at the annual meeting of 1911 relative to the pay of the men employed by the Town, the wages have been increased from 25 cents to 30 cents per hour.
As the estimates for 1911 appropriations were based on a 25 cent per hour rate and no additions were made to the appropria- tions as estimated, this increase of twenty per cent. in labor cost resulted in a considerable overdraft in the Roads and Bridges and Court Street appropriations, as shown in the re- port of the Superintendent of Streets.
The increasing use of automobiles and the consequent de- mand for better roads, together with the increased cost of labor, necessitates larger appropriations for that depart- ment, and we are recommending appropriations totalling $2,400.00 net more than for 1911.
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In recommending appropriations for 1912 we follow the suggestions of the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics, under whose supervision a new system of Town accounting will be installed as soon as his department can send a man here. This new system is in pursuance of votes of the Town at the annual meeting of 1911 and the special meeting of July 29, 1911.
These suggestions of the Bureau of Statistics call for an appropriation for the several items, sufficient to cover the es- timated expenditures, disregarding any estimated receipts or undrawn balances of annual appropriations. Such estimated receipts and undrawn balances of annual appropriations are then totalled and deducted from the aggregate of the several appropriations to ascertain the net amount to be raised by taxation, the net result to the Town being the same as here- tofore when the several undrawn balances and the estimated receipts of the various accounts have gone to the credit of their individual accounts for the ensuing year.
The undrawn balances of appropriations for specific work uncompleted, remain to the credit of their several appropria- tions.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $18,000.00, and of $3,020.63 to cover the overdraft of 1911.
DARBY ROAD.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $2,837.00, to- gether with the sum of $663.00, the amount of the final divi-
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dend on the Town's subscription to the stock of the Plymouth, Carver & Wareham Street Railway Company, to complete the macadam to the Carver line on both the North Carver and the Wenham roads, a distance of 2,700 feet, and an appropriation of $182.98 for the 1911 overdraft.
We also recommend appropriations for special items of road work, as follows:
For Tarvia grouted macadam on Water street, from Leyden to Sandwich street, 738 feet in length, $2,300.00.
For the same type of road on Summer street, from Newfields to Oak street, 840 feet, $2,000.00.
For a Tarvia coating (including a change in the crown of the road) on Court street, from Shirley square to Lothrop street, $5,000.00. The distance here is 3,024 feet and the job proposed the same as was done on Main street in the fall of 1911.
For a bituminous surface on Sandwich street, from Training Green to Jabez Corner, 4,480 feet, $2,000.00.
For a bituminous surface on Court street, from Russell ave- nue to Cherry street, 3,800 feet, $1,600.00. This includes widening the macadam in several places, which it seems advis- able to do to get rid of some muddy places between the present macadam and the sidewalk.
As authorized by the Town at the special meeting, July 29, 1911, the Selectmen have purchased a new 12-ton, Buffalo-Pitts steam road roller.
The price was $2,300.00 and the old roller. This was paid for out of the money received from the State for the Armory.
SUMMER STREET.
The overdraft on this item of special work is $142.01, for which sum we recommend an appropriation.
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COURT STREET.
The overdraft on this work is $3,320.13, for which sum we recommend an appropriation.
NEW ROADS.
Petitions have been received to lay out Town ways as follows :
Two extensions of Cherry street, a way from a point on Allerton street northerly of the Pilgrim Monument to Standish avenue; Lewis street, Savery's avenue, a way parallel with the shore at White Horse Beach, running southerly from the pres- ent Town way to the shore, for a distance of about 1,000 feet; a way from Warren avenue, at Cliff street, to the shore, and the widening of Water street from the end of the 1908 layout to Sandwich street ..
Hearings on the Cherry street extensions, Savery's avenue and the White Horse road have been held and layouts will be reported to the Town for action at the annual meeting.
On acount of the number of new street layouts already accepted by the Town, on which in some cases no work has been done, and which in other cases are only partially worked, no hearings have been held on the other petitions. We recom- mend that a number of these unworked and unfinished Town ways be taken up promptly the coming spring and completed as far as possible.
A favorable opportunity offering to secure a piece of land on the easterly side of Water street at the foot of Leyden street for the future widening of Water street, the title to it was taken for the Town from Ellis W. Harlow. The area was about 940 square feet and the price $385.40.
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Title to another piece of land, corner of Summer street and the way leading to the Almshouse, was taken from Bessie M. Markus, allowing a widening of the entrance to the above way five or six feet. The price of this was $250.00.
The undrawn balance of 1911 is $1,834.54. For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $5,600.00.
SIDEWALKS.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $3,000.00, and $389.56 to cover the overdraft.
SEWERS.
The undrawn balance of 1911 is $2,908.42.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $3,000.00.
Except for laying the new iron outlet at the north part of the Town, which should be done as soon as the weather will permit, no particular item of sewer work is in sight. The es- timated cost of laying this iron pipe is $2,000.00, and we think there should be at least $1,000.00 available for general purposes.
WELLINGSLEY SEWER.
The cost of this will greatly exceed the original estimate of $6,000.00, as will be seen by the financial report of the Super- intendent of Streets.
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This is due largely to the nature of the material in the line of the trench from Sandwich street to the shore, for part of the distance there being rocks which had to be blasted, and in other places the material was so soft as to greatly impede the progress of the work.
The pipe, manhole frames and covers and the most of the brick to complete the work are paid for and we estimate the completion of the job to cost $3,000.00, and recommend that the Town appropriate this sum from the money received from the sale of its Plymouth & Middleboro R. R. Co. stock to com- plete the work.
The undrawn balance is $233.23.
STREET SPRINKLING.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $4,000.00, and of $961.05 to cover the 1911 overdraft.
MAIN STREET EXTENSION.
The undrawn balance is $457.40.
REMOVAL OF SNOW.
The undrawn balance is $615.25.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $600.00.
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STREET LIGHTING.
Last year's report was in error in stating a total of 336 in- candescent lights. The correct number was 339.
Three lights have been added during the year, one on Sum- mer street, near the residence of John A. Palmberg; one on Cherry street, between Court street and Standish avenue, and one on Main street at the head of Middle street.
Under date of July 28, 1911, a decision was received from the Board of Gas and Electric Light Commissioners in response to our petition of April 18, 1910, relative to the price of street lights.
This decision recommended that on and after August 1, 1911, the prices of street lights supplied by the Plymouth Electric Light Company shall not exceed $16.00 per year for 50 watt 40 candle power tungsten lamps burning until midnight, or $20.00 per year burning all night.
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