USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1909-1911 > Part 24
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For 250 watt 200 candle power tungsten lamps or their equivalent in clusters of five 50 watt 40 candle power lamps burning until midnight not more than $71.00 per year, or not more than $89.00 per year burning all night.
Prior to that incandescent lights cost the Town $20.00 each per year for midnight lighting, and clusters of five lamps cost $125.00 each per year for all night lighting.
By authority of the vote of the Town at the annul meeting of 1911 the Selectmen decided to adopt all night lighting from September 1, 1911 ..
There are now ---
342 incandescent lights at $20.00,
$6,840 00
8 clusters of five each at $89.00,
/12 00
$7,552 00
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"The undrawn balance of 1910 was, Appropriation for 1911,
$102 00
7,600 00
$7,702 00
Expenditures,
7,544 49
Undrawn balance,
$157 51
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $7,700.00.
CONTINGENT.
A large item of expense charged to this account in 1911, and more than equalling the overdraft, was for dredging.
In building the new dam at the foot of the Barnes Mill Pond in 1910, considerable mud from the bottom of the pond went into the harbor and settled in the channel and basin around the wharves, shoaling the water to such an extent as to neces- sitate some dredging. This work cost $854.70.
Heretofore our Contingent account has been a general dump- ing ground for unclassified expenses and receipts, but under the Bureau of Statistics system it is proposed to be an account from which transfers may be made to other accounts by the Selectmen, under proper restrictions and for good and sufficient reasons.
For this account we recommend an appropriation of $5,000. The undrawn balance of 1910 was, $1,260 09
Appropriation, 5,000 00
Reimbursements,
3,008 64
Overdraft, 708 28
Expenditures,
$9,977 01
$9,977 01
We also recommend an appropriation of $708.28 to cover the above overdraft.
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WATCH AND POLICE.
The State Board of Health has condemned the present lockup as unfit to keep prisoners in and we therefore recommend that the Town building now occupied by Mr. J. W. Mixter be util- ized for a lockup. A plan has been prepared and an estimate of cost made. The estimate is $3,000.00. The plan must be approved by the State Board of Health.
It provides for nine cells, three toilets and one bath, and gives ample room for the Chief and officers.
We recommend that $3,000.00 of the money received by the- Town for its Plymouth & Middleboro Railroad Company stock be applied to this purpose.
In line with the advance in pay of the men employed by the Town in other departments, the pay of the patrolmen was in- creased May 1st to $18.90 per week. As this was not antici- pated in making the appropriation an overdraft results.
In view of the expense of a new lockup, which cannot be avoided, and the fact that the streets are now lighted all night, which latter is a measure of protection, we do not feel like en- dorsing at this time the recommendations of the Chief of Police to instal a police signal system and to add two more men to the- force.
The undrawn balance of 1910 was, $776 76
Appropriation, 6,000 0.0
Reimbursements, 7 44
Overdraft, 421 31
Expenditures,
$7,205 51
$7,205 51
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $8,000.00, and of $421.31 to cover the overdraft.
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CULTIVATION, PROPAGATION AND PROTECTION
OF SHELL FISH.
One grant was made in 1911, that to Orrick A. Robbins of the Middle Ground, so-called, for a term of five years.
No clams have been planted by the Town during the year. The three years close season on White Flat and Corey's Flat expired in 1911, and the clams that had accumulated during the close season were very quickly dug out.
Also the close season on the part of Plymouth beach north. of Pavilion wharf expired and the Board restricted the dig- ging to one bucket per day to a person. These clams, too, have now been practically dug out. A close season of one year has been placed on Wine Flat. As noted last year, there is a gen- eral indifference or unwillingness of people here who would most naturally be the greatest gainers to engage in the cultiva -- tion of clams.
Since last summer, however, a gentleman who is engaged in the clam canning business elsewhere has looked over the. Plymouth, Kingston and Duxbury flats with a view to locating a canning plant here if suitable areas of flats could be leased for a sufficient length of time to warrant the necessary invest- ment.
A change in the 1870 clam law applying to these three towns- has been secured from the Legislature, extending the maximum term for which grants can be made from five years to fifteen years, subject to acceptance of the act by the Town.
This is Chapter 57, Acts of 1912, and there is an article in the warrant to see if the Town will accept it. Also there is another article to see if the Town will reconsider its vote limit- ing to one acre the area to be granted an individual.
It is hoped that the Town will act favorably on both arti- cles.
Up to November 1, 1911, the supervision of the clam busi- ness has been by the Police, but believing that the possibilities-
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of the business warranted a trial of some other method of su- pervision whereby the Town could have the benefit of the advice, knowledge and experience of some one who could de- vote more time to the work than could be given by any of the police, and in view of the possible establishment of a clam busi- ness, in which event it would seem desirable to have some one to look closely after the Town's interest in any grants that might be made, the Board has appointed Alfred Holmes for that duty, from the above date to May 1, 1912.
It is hoped that the Town will approve of this action and ap- propriate a sufficient sum to continue the arrangement through the year to give it a fair trial.
Mr. Holmes' duties cover the supervision and care of Pilgrim Wharf now leased to the Town. He has also been appointed Harbor Master.
His pay for the care of flats, shores and the wharf is $50.00 per month, which includes the use of his power boat.
Salary as Harbor Master $150.00 per year.
The undrawn balance of 1910,
$172 50
Appropriation,
150 00
$322 50
Expenditures,
325 60
Overdraft,
$3 10
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $800.00, and of $3.10 to cover the overdraft.
There have been 11,347 buckets of clams dug on the shores and flats during the year, as near as can be told under the method of supervision in effect up to November 1, 1911.
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SUNDRY MATTERS.
Pursuant to a vote of the Town at the Annual Meeting of 1911, the Selectmen have divided the Town into two voting precincts, a description of the proposed precincts being filed with the Town Clerk, to be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting, March 23, 1912.
By authority of a vote at the Annual Meeting of 1911, the Selectmen have leased from the Pilgrim Society, Pilgrim Wharf, so-called. The lease is of date May 1, 1911, and is filed with the Town Clerk.
An appropriation of $1,500.00 was made for repairs to this property.
The repairs as far as contemplated for 1911 have been completed, at a cost of $1,490.35, leaving an undrawn balance of $9.65.
The work was done and material furnished by D. H. Craig.
The south side, the end and about sixty feet of the north side were replanked, using about 20,000 feet of 3-inch spruce. Forty-four new piles were driven, new stringers and plank floor for the end put in, new plank cap log for four hundred feet or more, and all new planking was packed to prevent filling from washing out.
This puts the wharf proper in very good condition for a number of years, except that some filling is needed to bring the surface to the proper grade, and the bulkhead between Pilgrim and Atwood's wharves needs some repairs.
The new fire station at the north part of the Town, begun in 1910, has been completed and turned over to the Fire Depart- ment.
The cost of the building was $12,038.60, as below :
Ernest L. Sampson, general contractor, $10,179 00
John E. Jordan, heating contract, 525 00
John E. Jordan, gas piping contract, 25 00
John E. Jordan, gas piping, extra, 10 00
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John E. Jordan, hardware, etc.,
96 43
Thomas M. James, architect,
394 16
Joseph Barnes, supervision, 265 97
Plymouth Cordage Company, sewer permit, 105 00
Stuart-Howland Co., electrical supplies, 64 74
Western Electric Co., electrical supplies,
51 63
20th Century Electrical Co., electrical supplies, 5 95
5 80
John F. Waters, electrical supplies,
45
Edwin C. Lewis, Inc., electric fixtures, 66 75
McKenney & Waterbury, electric fixtures, 24 00
Labor connecting sewer,
22 75
Street Department, grading lot and paving front of station, 178 50
Water Dept., connecting with water main, 7 50
C. W. Blackmer, horse hire, 1 00
E. D. Bartlett, expense to Boston to consult architect, 4 80
State of Massachusetts, boiler inspection, 2 00
A. J. Smith, machine work, 1 35
N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co. freight, 82
$12,038 60
Appropriation,
12,000 00
Overdraft,
$ 38 60
For which sum we recommend an appropriation.
The Warren Fund, Murdock Fund and Nathaniel Morton Park Fund have up to 1911 been carried on the books as a lia- bility of the Town, interest being paid by the Town and credited to the several accounts entitled to the income from said funds. This was due to the fact that the money for the several funds had been turned into the Town Treasury, so that the funds existed in name only.
The Treasurer has now by direction of the votes of the Selectmen deposited in the Plymouth Savings Bank the several
John J. O'Brien, electrical supplies,
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sums belonging to the three funds, viz: Warren Fund, $1,000; Murdock Fund, $730.00; Nathaniel Morton Park Fund, -$2,000.00, this complying with the provisions of the several wills establishing them and creating funds in fact in place of funds in name only.
By authority of the vote of the Town, August 20, 1910, the engine house and lot at Seaside have been sold, and the pro- ceeds, $250.00, placed to the credit of contingent account.
Alexander McLean, Jr., paid $200.00 for the lot, and Joe Furtado $50.00 for the building.
Under the vote of the Town at the Annual Meeting of 1911, the Selectmen have purchased all but one of the Armory bonds then outstanding, the owner of the bond maturing in 1915. declining to sell.
Disposition to date of the money received from the State for the Armory is as follows :
Received from the State,
$28,771 89
Bonds repurchased :
Principal,
$21,000 00
Accrued interest,
235 33
Premium,
124 50
$21,359 83
Paid for road roller,
2,300 00
$23,659 83
Undrawn balance,
$5,112 06
As authorized by the Town at the 1911 Annual Meeting, the Primary School building at Manomet has been sold, the pur- chaser being James W. Hazen, and the price $100.00. The ex- pense of selling was $10.00. No purchaser has been found for the lot.
By authority of a vote of the Town at the special meeting of July 29, 1911, the 500 shares of the Plymouth & Middleboro R. R. Co., owned by the Town, have been sold at $78.50 per
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share, aggregating $39,250.00. This sum was received October- 19, 1911, and on October 24, 1911, was deposited with the State Street Trust Company of Boston at a 3 per cent. interest rate, pending the decision of the Town as to the disposition of the money.
We recommend that, except for the $6,000.00 recommended to be taken from this for completing the Wellingsley sewer and. fitting up a new lockup, the money and its accumulated interest be used to liquidate outstanding indebtedness of the Town.
By authority of a vote of the Town at the special meeting, July 29, 1911, the contention between William C. Chandler and the Town as to the ownership of certain land bordering the southeasterly side of Barnes Mill Pond, so-called, including part of the bottom of said pond, has been settled by an exchange of deeds between Mr. Chandler and the Town, which deeds have- been recorded, and the deed from Mr. Chandler to the Town is filed with the Town Clerk.
During the year title has been taken to the land at and north- erly of the foot of Nelson Street, from Nelson Sherman and the Jeremiah Murray Estate, appropriations for which were- made several years ago.
Appropriations, $5,200.00
Cost of land, 5,200.00
On a petition from this Board the County Commissioners have altered, widened, and relocated the Plymouth and Sand- wich road at Ellisville from the end of the 1911 State Highway layout to the Bettysfield road, so-called, the Plymouth & Sand- wich St. Ry. Co., having agreed to reimburse the Town for any expense of land damage or working the said section. This agreement is filed with the Town Clerk.
Because the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics has up to the present time been unable to spare a man to install the new system of accounting, which the Town has voted to adopt,
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the Board has not yet appointed the Town Accountant as in- structed by the Town at the Annual Meeting of 1911.
We recommend that the Town Accountant when appointed, be paid a salary of $1,000.00 per year.
The following appropriations are asked for by the different departments :
Roads and bridges,
$18,000 00
Darby road,
2,837 00
Water street,
2,300 00
Summer street,
2,000 00
Court street (Shirley square, north)
5,000 00
Sandwich street, 2,000 00
Court street, (Russell avenue to Cherry street),
1,600 00
New Roads,
5,600 00
Sidewalks,
3,000 00
Sewers,
3,000 00
Street Sprinkling,
4,000 00
Removal of snow,
600 00
Street Lighting,
7,700 00
Contingent,
5,000 00
Selectmen's dept.,
1,300 00
Accounting dept.,
1,300 00
Town Treasurer's dept.,
1,200 00
Tax Collector's dept.,
1,000 00
Town Clerk's dept.,
150 00.
Law dept.,
800 00
Election and registration,
900 00
Maintenance of Town House, including new heater,
1,600 00
Miscellaneous,
1,800 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures dept.,
500 00
Harbor Master, 150 00
Watch and Police,
8,000 00
Sexton,
125 00
Poor,
11,000 00
Plymouth 3
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Oak Grove and Vine Hills cemeteries, 5,000 00 Burial Hill, 800 00
Chiltonville, Manomet, Cedarville and South Ponds, cemeteries, 150 00
Addition to Manomet cemetery,
150 00
Schools,
63,000 00
Town debt and interest,
33,000 00
Assessors,
3,200 00
Parks,
1,200 00
Training Green,
185 00
Shelter and bath houses at Beach Park,
500 00
Tree Warden,
1,000 00
Gypsy and brown tail moths,
2,200 00
Fire department,
14,500 00
Forest Warden,
2,000 00
Shell Fish,
800 00
Board of Health,
3,500 00
Board of Health (land for dump),
200 00
Inland fisheries,
500 00
$224,347 00
APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEFICIENCIES.
Military Aid, one-half,
$162 00
Sidewalks,
389 56
Street sprinkling,
961 05
Fire Department,
1,500 99
Town debt and interest,
188 34
Soldiers' Relief,
2,480 21
Watch and police,
421 31
Darby Road,
182 98
Manomet School loan,
1,608 22
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Roads and bridges,
3,020 63
Burial Hill,
36 92
Contingent,
708 28
Board of Health,
402 85
North Fire Station,
38 60
Shell fish,
3 10
Summer street,
122 01
Court street,
3,320 13
Main street extension (1910),
13 86
Stable (1903),
103 26
$15,664 30
$240,011 30
Less-
Undrawn balances :
New roads,
$1,834 54
Sewers,
2,908 42
Removal of snow, 615 25
Lighting streets and Town
house,
157 51
Sexton,
26 04
Poor,
62 07
Oak Grove and Vine Hills
cemeteries, 493 41
Chiltonville, Manomet,
Cedarville and South
Pond cemeteries,
101 41
Schools, 74 32
Schools, Medical Inspection, 31 66
Assessors,
240 57
Training Green,
2 45
Tree Warden, 266 27
Gypsy and brown tail moths, 633 67
Forest Warden, 550 70
Inland fisheries, 493 51
$8,491 80
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Estimated receipts :
Sewers, $1,000 00
Miscellaneous, 1,275 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures,
125 00
Poor,
1,800 00
Oak Grove and Vine Hills cemeteries :
Due Jan. 1, 1912, from sale and care of lots, etc., 1,845 38
Sale of lots in 1912, 500 00
Care of lots in 1912,
1,300 00
Town debt and interest,
2,300 00
Roads and bridges, 1,000 00
Forest Warden,
242 46
Board of Health,
450 00
$11,837 84
$20,329 64
Corporation tax, (business)
$20,214 42
Corporation tax, (public service)
3,866 44
National Bank tax, 1,129 05
$45,539 55
$194,471 75
To cover the amount required above, it will be necessary to raise by taxation the sum of $194,471.75 to meet the expenses of the Town for the year 1912.
Respectfully submitted,
FREDERICK D. BARTLETT,
CHARLES W. EATON, JOHN W. CHURCHILL, THOMAS SWAN, ALFRED S. BURNS.
Selectmen.
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS
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To the Honorable Board of Selectmen-
I herewith submit the report of the Street Department for the year 1911:
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
On Main street, between Court and Leyden streets, a Tar- viated macadam surface has been put on to the existing ma- cadam street. The object in doing this was to give it a better wearing surface, to make it more easily kept clean and to improve the grades, which, at some points, were not satis- factory ; and also to eliminate the crossings, which are always an objectionable feature to people using the street for driving and motoring purposes. The grades at the entrances to North and Middle streets have been changed, so that much better approaches to these streets have been obtained. The old sur- face was picked up with the steam roller and a layer of No. 2 stone was put on and thoroughly rolled, after which Tarvia X-II was applied hot at the rate of two gallons per square yard. Another layer of No. 2 stone was then put on and rolled lightly and a second application of Tarvia, three-quar- ters of a gallon per square yard, was made. This was covered with a coating of sharp, clean sand. This work cost $1,821.57. There are 2,600 square yards of surface treated, making the cost per square yard 70 cents.
Considerable work has been done on the road leading from Long Pond to Cedarville in widening, grading and covering, the amount expended here being $1,075. This work completes
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quite extensive repairs which have been made on this road and leaves the entire surface in good condition for travel.
On the Chiltonville road, between Morton's corner and the factory of the Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Company, a sec- tion of road which was very clayey has been excavated and a foundation of rubble stone put in to a depth of eighteen inches, after which a top surface of gravel was applied. This has so far worked well. The cost of this work was $450.
The Roads and Bridges appropriation for 1911 was, $18,000 00 Undrawn balance from 1910, 828 62 Reimbursements,
3,307 04
$22,135 66
Expenditures,
25,156 29
Overdraft,
$3,020 63
From this amount of overdraft should be deducted the crushed stone stored on the Oak street lot. It was deemed expedient, while running the crusher at this location, to draw in and crush all the stone available in that section, as the cost of this stone was but $1.00 per ton crushed and banked on the lot, thus securing a large amount of good road build- ing material at a very low price. Of this stone there was banked 2,680 tons, of which 291 tons have been used or sold and the proceeds credited to the Roads and Bridges account, leaving 2,389 tons still stored at Oak street. At $1.00 per ton this stone would amount to $2,389, which being deducted from the overdraft of $3,020.63, would leave a net deficit of $631.63.
As the estimates for this and other road work were made before the 20 per cent. increase in the price of labor was voted, it will easily be seen that this overdraft is more than accounted for.
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SUMMER STREET.
This street was built in the following manner: The sub- grade was carefully prepared and a layer four inches thick, after being rolled, of No. 1 stone, was put on and bound with screened gravel. Then another layer of the stone, two inches thick after being rolled, was put on and two gallons per square yard of Tarvia X-II was applied hot. On the easterly portion a coating of screened sand was applied and rolled in. This was carefully swept and an application of one-half gallon per square yard of Tarvia put on and a covering of pea stone rolled in. On the westerly section the first application of Tarvia X-II was covered with a thin layer of No. 2 stone, which, after being rolled, was treated to a second coat of Tarvia, one-half gallon per square yard, and this covered by screened sand. The result obtained by the latter method was. a mosaic surface, which will not be as slippery as the usual Tarviated macadam. This work extends from Market street to Newfield street, a distance of 840 feet.
The appropriation for the work on Summer street
was,
$2,500 00
Reimbursement from Barrett Mfg. Co.,
% 48
$2,507 48
Expenditures,
2,649 49
Overdraft,
$142 01
DARBY ROAD.
An appropriation of $5,000.00 was made to extend the Darby macadam road and a section 3,500 feet in length was graded for macadam. This included the hill near Mr. Dow- sett's house, the top of which was cut three feet and the ma-
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terial used to widen the road at the foot of the hill. After completing this section of macadam it was found that not all of the appropriation had been used, so the work was ex- tended 1,300 feet, making 4,800 feet in all. The total length of macadam on this road is two and two-thirds miles, the width being 15 feet of macadam six inches thick, with a three-foot shoulder on each side, making a total width of road of 21 feet. The surface has been protected with a covering of sharp, clean sand, which has been renewed when necessary at a very small cost. The sand covering on this road has proven very satisfactory, the first application on the 4,800 foot section cost- ing $52.80, while the old section, 9,180 feet long, where it was renewed cost but $15.00. The cost per square yard for this work was 65 cents, including grading and covering the finished surface with sand.
The appropriation for the Darby road was,
Appropriation for 1910 overdraft,
$5,000 00 900 93
$5.900 93
Expenditures for 1911,
$5,182 98
Overdraft of 1910,
900 93
$6,083 91
Overdraft for 1911,
$182 98
COURT STREET.
For this work the sum of $6,500.00 was appropriated, the distance being about the same as last year, 3,800 feet, but after the estimate was made the width was changed from a uniform width of 17 feet of last year to an average width of 22 feet, thus increasing the area about 30 per cent. When worked this street was widened, under a decree of the County Com- missioners, from Cherry street north to the corner of the
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Cordage Company's land, the greatest gain in width being 10 feet. This street is a strong six-inch Tarviated macadam road. Two and three-quarters gallons of Tarvia X-II per square yard was used .in two applications, a mosaic surface being desired so as to afford a good footing for horses.
The appropriation for Court street was,
$6,500 00
Undrawn balance for 1910,
103 85
Reimbursement from New Roads account,
549 52
Reimbursement from Barrett Mfg. Co.,
137 20
$7,290 57
Expenditures,
10,610 70
Overdraft,
$3,320 13
From this overdraft should be deducted the cost of stone banked on this work, 718 tons, which at $1.00 per ton would amount to $718.00, leaving a net overdraft of $2,602.13. This overdraft can more than be accounted for by the 30 per cent. increase in the width of the road and the 20 per cent. increase in the cost of labor.
NEW ROADS.
The widening of Water street, which was begun last year, has been completed and was a much needed improvement. It was widened 25 feet at the greatest point. The concrete work at the dam has also been finished and a new fence built on the west side. The expenditure for this work was $441.66.
A small amount of work has been done on Summer street above Billington street, and it is hoped that this work will be finished in 1912. The expenditure for this work was $98.00.
Under a decree of the County Commissioners, the east side of Court street, from Cherry street to the corner of the Cordage
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Company's land, a distance of 1,500 feet, has been widened, the width at the greatest point being about 10 feet. A retain- ing wall 150 feet long has been laid near the Hedge residence- and a guard rail built on the same. The cost of this work was $887.24.
The sum of $50.00 has been expended for engineering ex- penses on new roads.
The appropriation for New Roads was,
$4,000 00.
Expenditures for 1911,
$2,112 30
Overdraft for 1910, 53 16
$2,165 46
Leaving an undrawn balance of $1,834 54.
STATE HIGHWAY.
The State Highway Tax for 1911 was $365.50.
An allotment of $10,000.00 was made by the Highway Com -- mission for the state roads in this town for 1911. The State Highway located in this town is described as follows :
Macadam with oil surface, 31,293 feet
Oil and sand road, built in 1911, 7,280 feet
Oil and sand road, built in 1909 and 1910, 5,700 feet.
Making a total of 44,273 feet or a little over eight and one-third miles. In addition to this. there is under construction a section of new road, 5,700 feet (one and one-twelfth miles) in length. This section leaves the line of the old road at Ship Pond village and passes to the westward of Mr. Hatch's bog, thereby making the road more nearly straight and shortening the distance by about 1,700 feet. The remaining distance between the end of this section and the Bourne line at Sagamore is about three and. one-half miles.
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