USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1915-1916 > Part 8
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Statute 1911, Chapter 576 (as amended by Statute 1914, Chap- ter 408) provides that "Every city and every town containing a population of 10,000 or more, as determined by the latest U. S. census, shall establish and maintain within its limits a dispens- ary for the discovering, treatment and supervision of needy persons resident within its limits and afflicted with tuberculosis, unless there already exists in such city or town a dispensary which is satisfactory to the state board (department) of health. The said dispensaries shall be subject to the regulations of the boards of health of the cities or towns in which they are respect- ively situated, and shall be inspected by and shall be satisfactory to the State board (department) of health."
A city or town subject to the provisions of this act which, upon the request of the state board (department) of health refuses to comply with the provisions hereof, shall forfeit not more than $500 for every such refusal or neglect.
The Commonwealth further demands that "The dispensary shall have at least two outside rooms :
(a). Anteroom or waiting room. (This may be used in com- mon with other dispensary departments.)
(b). Examining room. (This room must be reasonably quiet.)
The rooms of the dispensary shall be well lighted during the day without the aid of artificial light, shall be heated comfort- ably in cold weather, and shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.
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Equipment :--
Each dispensary shall be furnished with :-
a. A pair of accurate scales.
b. A desk or filing cabinet for records.
c. Record blanks.
d. Examining stools and couch or table.
e. Clinical thermometers.
f. Running water and adequate toilet facilities.
g. Facilities for receiving and transmitting to a laboratory sputum specimens and a supply of sputum containers for dis- tribution.
h. Accessories such as :
Paper napkins, sputum cups, etc.,
Leaflets of direction and advise.
Diet lists, etc.
All equipment shall be kept in a clean and satisfactory con- dition at all times.
Service :-
All tuberculosis dispensaries shall be open for at least one hour on one day, and on one evening per week. Days and hours shall be determined by the local authorities as seems best to fit local needs.
Staff :-
Each dispensary shall have appointed at least one physician and one nurse, both of whom shall be in constant, regular at- tendance. The qualifications and training of the physician so appointed must be approved by the state department of health.
Location :-
The location shall be reasonably accessible for the citizens who most need the services of a dispensary."
Two rooms situated in the Bradford Building and formerly used by the Government as a Custom House were leased by the Board for a period of one year.
The necessary equipment was provided and upon approval of the State Board of Health this place was opened as a dispensary about the first of August last year.
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Contagious Cases in General.
In November a ward for the reception of contagious cases was opened in connection with the Jordan Hospital and since that time the Board has required all indigent cases to be sent there for treatment.
There is no doubt as to the value of this institution to the Town and any reasonable charge the hospital thinks wise to exact for the care of contagious cases, is cheaper, than to care for a whole family as was done under the old system.
Quarantine.
In all cases of the more highly contagious diseases quarantine has been enforced as in the past.
On receipt of notice from the attending physician thorough disinfection has been done and after a period of a few days all restraint has been removed. At no time has a second infection occurred, and the work for the past year has in all ways been sat- isfactory to the Board.
The regular biological products of the State laboratories have been furnished the local physicians and to the Hospital when- ever demanded.
Milk Production and Sale.
Attention is again called to the law requiring all producers of milk to obtain a permit from the Board of Health before sale and delivery for sale. The Board would request that all pur- chasers of milk see that the party from whom they are purchas- ing have the required license, and if not, call the attention of the Board to the fact.
The Board believes that the recent milk legislation requiring inspection by the Board of the place in which, and circumstances under which such milk is produced is bound to result bene- ficially to the consuming public.
In accordance with the provisions of the law the Board after personal inspection granted fifty-four licenses and refused six.
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In addition to the work of the local Board the State has caused a general inspection of many of the dairies in this vicin- ity, and rated them on a percentage basis thus affording the pro- ducer a scientific and detailed account of the good and bad con- ditions under which his milk is produced so that he may know what steps to take in order to improve conditions.
The Board is of the opinion that the time has come for the appointment of a regular milk inspector serving with pay, who should be a chemist and able to make such tests as from time to time might be required, and in its request for an appropria- tion for the current year has included a small allowance for the same, in order to try out the system which it has in view.
Disposal of Rubbish.
The general methods followed during the past year have been those employed for the last few years, that is, public dumps have been maintained in charge of a regular caretaker and substan- tially all the rubbish and waste matter has been burned with results satisfactory both as to the general appearance as well as to the sanitary conditions of the same.
Through the kindness of the Plymouth Cordage Co. a large tract of land has been secured off Standish Avenue for use as a public dump. The Board has installed a fire hydrant and the necessary equipment to prevent fires arising on private property in the event of the burning of waste matter.
Plumbing Inspection.
The inspectors report that 122 permits were granted, and that they made 113 examinations, and 169 inspections. Of the num- ber of permits granted, 83 were for old houses and 35 for new houses.
Expenses.
For the past few years the ordinary expenses of the Board have been about $6,000. During the past year the expenses, in
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spite of every effort to keep down the same, have increased sub- stantially. While general conditions would tend to increase the expense ratio, even under ordinary conditions, with the general rise in cost of medicine and supplies furnished, a considerable expense has been put upon the Board by the demand of the State in regard to the maintenance of the Tuberculosis Dispensary which involves an annual outlay of approximately $1000. The Board believes, however, that this money is well spent, and that it will eventually prove most efficient in the early detection and suppression of Tuberculosis. The Board also recommends that the sum of $200 be added to its general appropriation to be used for milk inspection work, making the total sum asked for for the ensuing year $7,200, which apparently is absolutely needed in order to carry forward the work which is confided to its care.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE H. JACKSON, M. D., HARRY R. TALBOT, FREEMAN MANTER.
.
Plymouth twelve
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FIRE DEPARTMENT
To the Board of Selectmen :-
The Board of Engineers present the following report for the year ending December 31, 1915 :-
APPARATUS
The following pieces of apparatus are in commission :- Four Steam Fire Engines.
Two Hose Wagons.
One Ladder Truck.
One Combination Ladder and Chemical.
One Combination Hose and Chemical (Motor).
One Chemical Engine.
One Supply Wagon.
Two of the steam fire engines,-one purchased in 1869 and one in 1874-and the ladder truck, also purchased in 1874, are not dependable pieces of fire fighting apparatus on account of their long service, and should, in the opinion of this Board, be supplanted by motor drawn equipment. The other pieces of apparatus are in excellent condition.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
This important branch of the Department has been brought back into first class order by the employment of the present
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permanent electrician, who also performs the duties of a fireman.
During the year the lines have received careful attention, nec- essary repairs promptly made and one and one-half miles of new lines have been built.
A new Peerless Succession Box has been installed in place of the older pattern at number 39.
A new box, No. 131, has been purchased and will be installed at the corner of Forest Avenue and Spooner Street, as soon as the necessary line material is at hand.
ALARMS
The Department has answered one hundred and eight alarms during the year, as listed below :-
Box Alarms, 19 :- 8 houses, 3 stores, 2 barns, 1 chimney, 2 woods, 1 coal shed, 1 rubbish, 1 tar kettle.
Still alarms, 83 :- 1 theatre, 8 houses, 5 roofs, 4 stores, 2 barns, 22 chimney, 3 grass, 8 woods, 15 bonfires in street, 2 beds, 1 dump, 2 coal shed, 4 rubbish, 1 bridge, 3 rags, 1 electric car, 1 gas leak.
False alarms, 6.
Calls for pulmotor, 2.
In eight instances the Department received both still and bell alarms for the same fire, and are counted in under proper head- ing.
HOSE
The Department has on hand fifty-five hundred feet of two and one-half inch, double jacket hose, all of which is either new or been tested during the year.
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A hose testing and coupling machine has been purchased, and fills a long felt want.
HYDRANTS
One old hydrant has been replaced, and two new ones set dur- ing the year.
In view of the proposed new water pipes to be laid the coming year, the Board would recommend that the following hydrants be placed as stated below, when these new pipes are laid :-
One on Washington Street.
Two on Franklin Street.
Two on High Street.
Two on Vernon Street.
Three on Davis Street.
BUILDINGS
It was necessary to put a new covering of tar and gravel, and repair the roof of the Central Station. The other buildings occu- pied by the Department have been repaired as occasion required, and they are all in good condition.
FINANCIAL
Appropriation,
$15,000 00
Expenditures,
14,889 06
Balance unexpended,
$110 94
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RECOMMENDATIONS
The Board would recommend $14,500.00 to run the Depart- ment for the year nineteen hundred and sixteen; and an addi- tional appropriation of six hundred dollars to install ten hydrants on proposed new water pipes; making a total appropriation of $15,100.00.
The Board at this time refrains from making any specific rec- ommendations as far as motor apparatus is concerned, in view of the fact that a Special Committee has been appointed by the Town for this purpose.
Respectfully submitted, ALVIN A. HALL, Chief, JAMES S. KIERSTEAD, EARL W. GOODING, Clerk,
Board of Engineers.
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REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS
During the past year the various parks of the Town have been cared for to the best of our ability, and improvements have been made according to our best judgment which seems to be appreci- ated by the townspeople and especially by the visitors who make their residences here in the summer time.
In Morton Park new paths have been made and different vari- eties of trees planted in localities where the old growth was fast dying out.
The forest tent caterpillars and brown tail moths were not so numerous as last year but the gypsy moths were more widely scat- tered. We have several bad colonies of gypsy moths in Morton Park but with the new power sprayer which we bought last spring and also with the assistance of the Moth Department and their apparatus they were kept from doing any material damage.
We would like to add that our new power sprayer has given the best of satisfaction. During the months of October and November this park which contains more than one hundred acres of woodland was thoroughly searched for the moth eggs and treated in the usual manner with creosote to prevent their hatch- ing in the spring.
We realize that every precaution available must be used to preserve this beautiful place.
At Bates Park, Burton Park and South Street Park no im- provements have been made, but the shrubs, trees, etc. have been properly taken care of. .
The bathhouses, one at Nelson street and especially the one at Beach Park were very much appreciated the past season although the latter proved to be altogether too small to accommodate the
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vast crowd of people who came there to bathe in the summer months; therefore we see the absolute necessity of having the bathhouse enlarged to a great extent before another season and for this addition to the house and also for the construction of a public float at this place your Park Commissioners recommend an appropriation of one thousand dollars, the same to be used for enlarging said bathhouse, construction of a public float, and sanitary improvements connected with said bathhouse.
Training Green.
Everybody makes the remark, especially in the summer time, "how nice the Green looks." But do they stop and consider how much better it would look, how much safer and convenient it would be to the thousands of people who travel across there daily, if those old board walks could be replaced by a nice granolithic walk. This would not only be a great improvement but we are positive it would mean a saving for the Town. In a very short time the present walks will have to be replaced by something, and if boards are used again that will cost at least $200 besides the expense of taking them up in the spring and putting them back in the fall, and the gravel walk has to be filled and graded more or less each year. Why not put this money into something permanent. Your Park Commissioners recommend an appro- priation of one thousand dollars for the construction of gran- olithic walks on Training Green.
We ask for an appropriation of $1,500.00 for Parks, $1,000.00 to be used for additional shelter, public float and sanitary im- provements at Beach Park bathhouse; $1,000.00 for granolithic walks on Training Green, $250.00 for care of Beach Park bath- house, $150.00 for care of Nelson Street bathhouse, $200.00 for Training Green, and $200.00 for cleaning up and otherwise im- proving the Indian Land at Manomet which was placed under our jurisdiction by the town in 1915.
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REIMBURSEMENTS.
Beach Park bathhouse, 1914,
$160 50
Nelson Street bathhouse, 1914,
33 60
Morton Park, for wood, 1914, Appropriation,
24 00
$2,150 00
Income from Morton Fund,
101 25
$2,251 25
PAYMENTS.
Park Department.
Administration-
General,
$1,184 85
Salaries and wages,
183 82
Teams,
229 02
Bathing Beaches,
653 56
Total payments,
$2,251 25
Training Green.
Appropriation,
$200 00
Salaries and wages,
$158 80
Teams,
9 40
All other,
31 79
Total payments,
$199 99
Unexpended,
$0 01
All other,
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Power Sprayer.
Appropriation, From reserve,
$200 00 50 00
$250 00
Payments.
Sprayer,
$250 00
Respectfully submitted, BENJ. F. RAYMOND, JOHN RUSSELL,
Park Commissioners.
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GYPSY AND BROWN TAIL MOTH ACCOUNT
REPORT OF THE MOTH DEPT. FOR THE YEAR 1915
Dr.
To appropriation,
$2,800 00
To reimbursement from Reserve Account,
5 04
$2,805 04
Cr.
By Supt.,
$444 00
By labor,
1,028 30
By teams,
644 95
By printing, etc.,
3 50
By insecticides,
521 09
By hardware and tools,
79 07
By telephone,
9 94
By other expenses,
74 19
$2,805 04
Special Appropriation for Sprayer-
Dr.
To appropriation,
$250 00
Cr.
By sprayer, $250 00
The moth work was carried along on the usual lines with good results up to August 1; then the work had to stop on account of
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lack of financial support, and nothing was done until Jan. 1, 1916. Consequently, on the whole, we lost ground. The resi- dential section is looking very good, but in the outlying districts there must be more work during the coming year, especially around the summer colonies and the cranberry districts. There- fore, I respectfully recommend an appropriation ยท of $5,000.00 for this department for the ensuing year.
ABBOTT A. RAYMOND, Superintendent ..
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TREE WARDEN.
STATEMENT OF TREE WARDEN'S APPROPRIATION,
1915
Appropriation,
$1,200 00
Appropriated from Reserve Account, 11 40
$1,211 40 Total,
Payments.
Salaries and Wages-
Tree Warden,
$378 75
Labor,
430 60
Total salaries and
wages,
$809 35
Other Expenses-
Teams,
$200 15
Hardware and tools,
57 96
Telephone,
17 76
Insecticides,
94 53
All other,
31 52
Total other expenses,
$401 92
Total payments,
Balance remaining,
$1,211 27 $ 13
All shade trees of the town have been well cared for and an improvement made wherever knot holes or cavities existed, by cleaning out all the decayed matter and re-enforcing the same with wire and a cement filling. Many of the older trees having these defects were formerly covered with a sheet metal which
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answered the purpose of protection until worn by years of ex- posure and constant growth of the tree to such an extent that they were beyond further use. These coverings have been re- moved, cavities cleaned and also given a cement filling. The spraying was done in its season with a result that the usual ravages of the elm tree beetle were scarcely noticeable, no com- plaints having been brought to my notice concerning them. A large amount of dead wood has been removed and pruning done where necessary. Several trees, both large and small, were removed which were either dead or in such condition as to menace public travel.
Though in accord with the much improved condition of our streets and sidewalks with tarvia and concrete for better traffic, I feel convinced that it is at least one reason other than age, that some of our old trees are showing a gradual tendency to go backward. Such trees will need special attention and care from year to year by removing all the dead limbs and also any of the others that would be a detriment toward prolonging the life of a tree, or wherever there may be the slightest indication of becoming in any way dangerous to the public welfare.
Considering the unusual number of. severe storms, accom- panied by high winds, some of almost hurricane velocity during the past season, the town trees have suffered very little damage as compared with reports from many other places.
Unless it becomes necessary for the removal of any trees, as is being considered toward the proposed widening of certain high- ways, I would respectfully recommend an appropriation of $1,200.00 (as was granted this year) to provide for the ensuing year.
C. S. MIXTER,
Tree Warden.
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.
REPORT OF FOREST WARDEN
Plymouth, Mass., Jan. 1, 1916. To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
I submit the following report for 1915 :
Forty fires were reported during the past year. The first one occurred Feb. 26; the last one Oct. 23. None of them covered a very large area. The largest was May 28, estimated 150 acres. A new engine has been installed in the motor truck and the , wagons have been repainted and put in thorough repair. Twelve old extinguishers have been replaced with 12 new ones and 12 other new ones have been added. The department now has four wagons, one motor truck and 75 extinguishers. All are ready for immediate use if needed. The expense of this department is subject to a great variation and cannot be estimated. The total expenditures for 1915 were $2,042.52, leaving a balance on hand of $517.48. I recommend an appro- priation of $2,500.00 for this department for 1916.
Respectfully, IRA C. WARD, Forest Warden.
List of 1915 Deputy Forest Wardens: F. L. St. George, N. T. Clark, L. B. R. Barker, D. E. Raymond, W. F. Doten, A. A. Raymond, George H. Pierce, John F. Raymond, John W. Churchill, Barnabas Hedge, E. P. Bartlett, James W. Hazen, Walter H. Brown, Joseph L. Manter, James H. Nixon, Fred L. Sears, B. F. Raymond, W. S. Bumpus, Aaron Sampson, Seth C. C. Finney, George W. Douglass, Henry Ware.
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SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
Gentlemen: In compliance with the public statutes, I here- with submit my report for 1915 as Sealer of Weights and Measures :
Property of the Town in the Department when I took the office,
May 15, 1915.
One brass beam scale and cabinet.
One each 50-1b., 25-1b., 20-1b., 10-1b., 5-lb. weights, nickel.
One each 4-1b., 2-1b., 1-1b., 8-oz., 4-oz., 1-oz., 1/2-oz., 1/4-0Z., 1-16-oz., brass.
Dry measures, 1/2 bushel, 1 peck, 1/2 peck, 2 quarts, 1 quart, iron.
Liquid measures, 1 gallon, 1/2 gallon, 1 quart, 1 pint, 1 gill, iron.
Linear measures, one steel tape, one yard measure, brass.
Working Set.
Nineteen 50-lb. weights, iron; 4-1b., 2-1b., 1-1b., 8-oz., 4-oz., 2-oz., 1-oz., 1/2-oz., 1/4-oz., 1-8-oz., 1-16-oz., brass.
Since I took the office I had to get one 25-1b., one 10-1b., one 5-lb. weight.
Dry measures, 1/2 bushel, 1 peck, 1/2 peck, 2 quarts.
Liquid measures, 1/2 gallon, 1 quart, 1 pint, 1 gill, brass ; 1 gallon, 2 quarts, tin. I have also put in one 5 gallon, one 3 gallon, one 2 gallon, one 1 gallon, one 2 quarts, one 1 quart, one pint, one 1/2 pint.
One portable balance with case.
One hanger weight, nickel.
One sealer's case with tools.
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One hand press seal.
One sealing clamp.
Wire and paper seals, rubber stamp, marking acid, record book, steel alphabet dies and numbers, safe.
Scales, Etc., Tested.
Sealed Adjusted Condemned
Scales over 5,000,
15
2
Scales under 5,000,
53
17
1
All other scales,
171
15
ry
Computing scales,
33
3
2
Prescription scales,
Automatic weighing scales,
2
Slot weighing scales,
Apothecaries' scales,
4
Weights,
323
48
3 3
Steel yards,
Milk jars,
1,824
Berry basket,
90
Cranberry crates,
310
Cranberry barrels,
36,000
900
38,844
87
920
Funds collected and turned into Treasurer, $47.22. The licensing of hawkers and peddlers has been transferred from the Secretary of the Commonwealth to Commissioner of Weights and Measures. All licenses must be signed by the Sealer of Weights and Measures. I recommend an appropriation of $800.
F. L. ST. GEORGE, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
G
P
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PLYMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
The Directors of the Library respectively submit the follow- ing report of the work of the Library during the past year and of its present condition.
Bound volumes added for circulation in 1915, 360
Bound volumes added for reference in 1915, 26
386
Total circulation during 1915, 26,175
PERIODICALS.
American Forestry
American Journal of Archaeology (Gift of Dr. Helen Morton)
Atlantic Monthly
Bird Lore
Bookman
Book Review Digest
Century
Country Life in America
Craftsman
Etude
Fibre and Fabric
Good Housekeeping
Plymouth thirteen
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Harper's Monthly
Indian's Friend (Gift of Dr. Helen Morton)
Library Journal Literary Digest
Littell's Living Age
Musician Nation
National Geographic ~ New England
North American Review
Old Colony Memorial (Gift of Publishers) -
Our Dumb Animals
Outing Outlook v
Popular Mechanics
Popular Science Monthly v
Public Libraries
Publisher's Weekly
Review of Reviews
Saint Nicholas
School Arts
Scientific American
Scientific American supplement
Scribner's
Woman's Journal ~
Youth's Companion
Boston Transcript
New York Times V
New York Tribune
Religious Weeklies presented to the Library- America L Christian Register Church Militant
Congregationalist
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Union Signal 1 Christian Science Monitor Watchman Zion's Herald
The past year has been the saddest and the most eventful in the history of the Library, for in the early summer Miss Nellie Thomas, who had been the conscientious and faithful Librarian for about a quarter of a century, was striken down with pneu- monia, and in the Fall, Miss Stevens, who had been a faithful assistant Librarian for a number of years, fell a victim to disease of the heart.
The Directors spent a great deal of time and trouble in their efforts to secure a fully trained Librarian and finally succeeded in securing the services of Mrs. Flora E. Whyte, a graduate of McGill University, Montreal, a graduate of the Library Staff of that University and a Librarian for a number of years at Cal- gary and Victoria, B. C.
As there had not been a general overhauling of the Library since 1880, and the books had accumulated to an extent of almost congestion on the shelves, it was deemed advisable to thoroughly reorganize the Library, and that work is now being done in the most thorough manner. Every book in both the Reference De- partment and the Circulating Department is being carefully ex- amined.
As a result hundreds of the books were found to be so utterly worn out that they can not be rebound, and must be discarded- about one thousand others are now being rebound, and thousands of others are being repaired, cleansed, and put into proper con- dition for the shelves. This will explain why it is impossible in this Report to give the number of volumes in the Library at the present time.
As many patrons of the Library had died or moved away since the last Registration, made several years ago, a new and complete
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Registration is now being made which will make an exact record possible of the books of the Library after their delivery.
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