USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1926-1927 > Part 24
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-83-
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the Board of Water Commissioners :
Gentlemen: In accordance with the custom of this de- partment, I submit herewith the annual report of the Superintendent of the Plymouth Water Works for the year ending December 31, 1927.
TABLE SHOWING LOCATION, SIZE AND COST OF PIPE LAID
Location
Length
Size
Cost
Chilton Street,
690'
6"
$1,101.60
Leyden Street,
480'
6"
1,092.07
Bradford Street,
680'
6"
1,425.26
440'
6"
Alvin Road,
85'
2"
691.30
Town Wharf,
400'
21/2"
261.00
Total.
2.775'
$4.571.23
The table given above shows the location, length, size and cost of pipe laid during 1927 in accordance with a recommendation made in report of 1926.
The pipe laid on Chilton, Leyden and Bradford Streets was to replace old 2" and 4" pipe that has probably been in service since about the year 1855.
The pipe laid on Alvin Road, west from Oak Street, was a new line on a newly opened road running westerly from Oak Street.
NEW WORK
There is, at present a 6" line on the low service sys- tem on Court Street, 1,300' long, extending from Samoset Street to Lothrop Street. This pipe has been in service since 1858 and is in poor condition and should be renewed during 1928.
The estimated cost of this work is $3,000.00.
There still remains about 450 feet of old 2" pipe on Union Street, between Bradford and Water Streets, which should be replaced by 6" pipe at an estimated cost of $1,00.0.00.
-84-
There is a 6" high service pipe on Lothrop Street, run- ning to a dead end near Water Street Extension, and a 6" pipe along Water Street Extension, southerly from Nelson Street, running to a dead end near the canning factory. These two dead ends should be connected by about 500 feet 6" pipe at an estimated cost of $600.00.
Almost every year there are requests for minor exten- sions of mains that are not anticipated when the appro- priations for new work are requested, therefore, I recom- mend an appropriation of $5,000.00 for new work for 1928.
METERS
There have been 301 new meters set during the year. Of these 38 were on new services and 263 on old services, m aking 54% of all services now metered.
I recommend a continuance of this policy for 1928, of metering all new services and about three hundred old ones.
HYDRANTS There are 248 hydrants now in use.
Every hydrant has been inspected at least three times during the past year and has been carefully oiled and packed, and I am able to report that all are in good work- ing order.
A book of records has been made, in which is kept a copy of all hydrant inspections, showing date of inspec- tion, character or repairs, if any, and any other pertinent information.
GATES
All gate valves have been inspected twice during the year, packed and oiled when necessary, and operated sufficiently to indicate they are in satisfactory condition.
-85-
CONSUMPTION .
On Plate II, opposite page 88, is shown the usual con- sumption chart for the year 1927.
This chart shows the average daily consumption for each week of the year, on the high service system and the low service system, and also the sum of these which is the average daily total consumption.
The average daily low service consumption was 679,00.0 gallons compared to 758,000 gallons for 1926, a decrease of 79,000 gallons daily, and the average daily high service consumption was 821,000 gallons compared to 917,000 gallons in 1926, a decrease of 96,000 gallons daily.
The average daily total consumption was 1,500,000 gallons compared to 1,675,000 gallons in 1926, a decrease of 175,000 gallons.
The total consumpton for the year was 547,398,000 gal- lons compared to 611,836,000 gallons for 1926, a decrease of 63,988,000 gallons, or 14%.
This substantial decrease in consumption I attribute in part to the unusual distribution of rainfall during the year. For instance, the month of August is usually one of the months of high consumption and the normal August rainfall is about 3.2". The rainfall during August, 1927, was 11.36" and the consumption was 47.8 million gallons, and in 1926 the August rainfall was 2.84" and the consumtion was 55.2 million gallons.
The increase in the number of metered services has also undoubtedly helped to decrease consumption.
PUMPING RECORDS
Month
Hours Run
Total Lbs. Fuel
Gravity
Pumping
Daily Pumping
Rain in Inches
Av. Max. Temp.
Av. Min. Temp.
Daily Av. Fuel Lbs.
January
292
57,830
20,695,000
26,057,000
840,500
3.39
40
26
1,865
February
251
49,240
19,416,000
21,957,000
748,400
4.59
41
30
1,758
March
276
50,950
23,144,000
24,367,000
786,000
.70
51
34
1,643
April
259 1/2
48,590
23,181,000
23,190,000
773,000
1.03
59
41
1,619
May
305
54,470
24,980,000
24,303,000
784,000
.96
66
50
1.757
June
3231/4
58,805
20,657,000
28,809,000
960,300
1.62
79
61
1,960
July
3311/2
60,410
20,980,000
29,943,000
966,000
3.93
84
70
1,981
August
303
54,520
21,001,000
26,826,000
865,300
11.36
80
66
1,758
September
276
50,460
18,362,000
24,324,000
810,800
2 89
76
63
1,682
October
282
50,575
19,065,000
24,255,000
782,400
4.40
69
54
1,631
November
2641/2
48,250
18,257,000
22,607,000
753,500
3.48
60
47
1,608
December
2671/4
50,320
17,938,000
23,084,000
744,600
5.38
46
33
1,623
3,431
634,420
247,676,000
299,722,000
43.73
Hours Run
Total Lbs. Fuel
No. Gals. Pumped
Av. No. Gals. to 1 Lb. Coal
Av. Duty For Year
Barr Pump Worthington Pump
3,027
480
28,600,000
404
560,200 74,220
268,314,000 31,408,000
428
25,600,000
-86-
-87-
POND ELEVATION AND STORAGE DEPLETION
Plate No. 1, opposite page 88, shows, graphically, the fluctuation in pond heights and storage depletion for the past year.
On December 31, 1927, the ponds were approximately five inches higher than they were on December 31, 1926, and the available storage was approximately 550,000,000 gallons on December 31, 1927, compared to 500,000,000 gallons on December 31, 1926.
ANALYSES OF WATER
The State Department of Health has made the usual analyses of samples of water from our supply during the. past year and copies of these reports are on file in the office of the Superintendent.
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR E. BLACKMER,
Superintendent.
Combined Storage of Great & Little South Ponds- Grade 98.0-106.0.855-000-000 Gallons
PLATE I
E.R. Marlow. Jr
ANNUAL
MONTHLY
RAINFALL
102.0
103.0
1020
105.0
106.0
500
600
700
800
900
Jan.
2.95
F&b
2.62
Apr.
6.82
ONJune
July
0 2.64 0
20 1.61 15
Sept
3.63
a.t.
0.7/ 1
You.
Mor
6.06
AP
1.77
May
4 5.47
June
2 07
July
₦ 4.75
Aug.
4.95
Oct
2.67
S SY
Doc.
4.24
ROS.
9.0℃
Mar
5.60
4.18
. 4
. 1920
Aug
...
SOPA
2.73
OCH
1.24
Ner.
5.11
Dec.
4.19
Jan
2.90
Fel.
3.47
3.77
Apr
5.96
1121
May
৳ 5.23
June
2 41
July
V
,.14
Aug.
2.55
Sepr.
1.07
Oct
1.56
Mer.
9.10
Dac.
2 10
Jan
2.>¿
F&b.
4.45
6.50
Apr.
2.36
S. IT
June
V
4.84
July
V
៛ 17
Aus
.
9 20
1.60
2.70
Not.
1.13
Dec.
4.15
Jon.
7.11
F&b.
2.32
Mar.
5.30
AN.
5.75
May
0.34
1923
June
July
2.07
0 2.45
Jab+
1.62
$42
Nor
1.73
OEG.
5.28
Jan.
J.69
Feb.
2.55
Mor.
3.94
AM
6.05
May
2.14
June
2.75
July
Z
1.zr
Rug.
0 7. 12
Sept
2.76
Oct
0.16
Non
2 02
Dec
1.22
Jan.
410
F.b.
Mar
2.95
ANY
2.33
May
৳ 3.22
June
2.46
July
4.25
Rug.
. 2.24
Sept.
406
Oct
4.36
Nor
3.55
Dac.
3.83
Jan
3.22
...
F&b
8.76
Mer.
3 27
2.27
3.11
3.22
July
3.75
Aug
9 2.84
Jap+
1. 01
Oct
7 20
Nor.
4.23
Dec
9.67
In.
3.54
F&b
4.59
Man
0.70
1.03
0.96
May
June
€ 1.62
July
V 3.73
Aug.
4/1-36
Sept.
2.89
Det.
4.70
Nor.
3.48
5.38
ANNUAL
SMONTHLY
NO CAMIFALL
102.0
103.0
1000
105.0
106.0
500
600
700
800
900
Little
Great South
For Donc - Catasto above mem
0.53
1918
2.35
South D
4 ...
Jan
3.77
1919
4.59
Mar
June
6
1926
May
1924
1925
1922
C 4.47
July
3.04
3.13
2.25
1927
DAILY CONSUMPTION IN GALLONS
DATA SHOWN WEEKLY
500-000
600-000
700-000
800-000
900.000
1-000-000
1-100.000
1-200-000
1-300.000
1-400-000
1-500.000
1-600-000
1-700-000
Jan.
2
a
16
23
30
Feb. 6
13
20
27
Mar.
..
3
20
27
Apr.
3
10
17
24
May
8
N
15
₦
22
₹ 29
June
5
₹ 12
Average Daily hom Sen
Average Daily High Service High service
fel wios Jerricel con
Consumption
= 821-000 Gallons
E.R. Harlors, Jn
,
500-000
600-000
700.000
800.000
900-000
-000
1-100.000
1-200-000
1-300-800
1-400-000
1-500.000
1-600-000
1-700-000
PLATE II
. 18
25
Oct.
2
a
16
23
30
Nor.
t
13
20
- 27
Dec.
4
₹
. 18
25
Jan.
sumotion _= 679-000 Gallons
In
17
24
31
Aug.
A
=
14
21
28
Sept.
4
Average Daily Total Consumption = 1-500-000 Gallons
Total
Consumption
19
26
July
5
10
for Service
1-
-89-
POLICE DEPARTMENT
-
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
Gentlemen : I have the honor to respectfully submit my annual report of the Police Department for the year ending December 31, 1927.
ROSTER OF DEPARTMENT
John Armstrong, Chief
Patrolmen
Joseph W. Schilling, Lincoln S. Wixon, John Gault, Jacob E. Peck, Peter W. Winter, Robert M. Fogarty, Leo M. Murphy, Edward A. Smith, Lawrence J. Savoy, and John H. Barrett.
Constables
John Armstrong, Joseph W. Schilling, Lincoln S. Wixon, John Gault, Jacob E. Peck, Peter W. Winter, Robert M. Fogarty, Leo M. Murphy, Edward A. Smith, Lawrence J. Savoy, John H. Barrett, Herman W. Tower, and Edwin A. Dunton.
Special Police Officers
Lee W. Cole, Charles J. Grandi, Nicholas Stephan, John Nauman, Fred Longhi, Arthur G. Mayo, Daniel E. Beaton, John Kennedy, William Armstrong, Ralph E. Cook, Daniel J. Sullivan, Thomas W. Regan, Antonio P. Diegoli, Nelson Cushing, Arthur Terry, Edward K. Morse, James W. Lewis, Charles Webber, Joseph W. Rich- ardson, Neil Mckay, Leon D. Badger, Seth E. Wall, Henry Dries, John F. Hollis, Daniel E. Ellis, Guy C. Bunker, William H. Armstrong, Charles W. Packard,
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James Cassidy, Joseph Morey, and William Gault, Rus- sell Dickson and Albert Mayland.
Special Police for Limited Territory
Edward F. Stranger, Cemeteries and Burial Hill; Mar- tin W. Holmes, Burial Hill; John Yates, Junior High School; William H. Raymond, Mount Pleasant School; Charles Coats, High School; Abbott A. Raymond, Jr., Fresh Pond; William S. Fuller, South Pond; Ralph Ma- tinzi, Boy's Club; Frank Thomas, R. B. Symington's Es- tate; Fred Smith, South Street School; John Goodwin and Alfred Nickerson, George Mabbett and Sons Co .; Charles Williamson, James Cameron and William Cam- eron, Plymouth Theatre; Malcolm Robicheau and George T. Wood, Old Colony Theatre; Martin Anderson, Charles Wedell, Samuel Gray, Alex Bongiovanni, John F. Doyle, David Dean, James Shaw, Edward White, A. M. Doug- las, John McCormick, Antone F. Lorenzo, George K. Harding, Robert Anderson, Axel Frieburg, George Fox, John Grandi, James Bain, Robert Fox, Arthur W. Stone, Charles L. Robbins, Plymouth Cordage Company ; Lewis F. Smith, Training Green; Thomas Baldner, State Armory; Anton Rossler, Manomet; George F. Barlow, Beach Park; Albertus Williams, Little Pond Grove; Nicholas Keefe, Memorial Hall.
Arrests by the Month
Males
Females
Total
January,
12
0
12
February,
35
2
37
March,
44
0
44
April,
30
6
36
May,
43
0
43
June,
61
4
65
July,
39
1
40
August,
26
2
28
September,
42
2
44
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October,
49
0
49
November,
27
1
28
December,
53
0
53
461
18
479
DISPOSITION OF CASES
Total number of arrests,
479
Males,
461
Females,
18
Residents,
293
Non-Residents,
186
Amount of fines imposed,
$6,315.00
Number of fines imposed,
184
Appealed cases,
21
Continued cases,
19
Discharged,
75
Released,
64
Suspended sentences,
3
Filed,
42
Probation,
6
House of Correction,
10
Taunton Hospital,
7
Arrested for out of town officers,
14
Held for Grand Jury,
14
Defaulted,
10
State Farm,
1
Returned to their homes,
2
Lancaster school for girls,
1
State Board of Charity,
3
Public Welfare Department,
3
479
-- 92-
OFFENCES
Males
Females
Total
Assault,
12
0
12
Attempted Robbery,
2
0
2
Annoying the opposite sex,
1
0
1
Breaking and Entering,
15
0
15
Bastardy,
2
0
2
Conspiracy,
6
0
6
Carrying revolver,
2
0
2
Drunk,
118
0
118
Disturbing the Peace,
11
0
11
Embezzlement,
1
0
1
Exposing his person,
1
0
1
False fire alarm,
3
0
3
Forgery,
3
0
3
Gambling,
37
0
37
Gambling Nuisance,
2
0
2
Insane,
2
5
7
Impersonating an officer,
1
0
1
Idle and Disorderly,
0
5
5
Keeping children from school,
1
0
1
Larceny,
17
0
17
Lewdness,
1
0
1
Promoting a Lottery,
2
0
2
Malicious Mischief,
5
0
5
Non-support,
9
0
9
Neglect of Children,
8
3
11
Peddling without license,
2
0
2
Rape,
4
0
4
Runaway boys,
4
0
4
Short weight,
3
0
3
Trespassing,
11
0
11
Viol. Probation,
2
0
3
Viol. Auto. Laws,
129
1
130
Viol. Liquor Laws,
26
2
28
Viol. Clam Law,
14
0
14
Viol. Town By-Law,
3
0
3
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Vagrancy,
1
0
1
Wayward Girl,
0
1
1
-
461
18
479
MISCELLANEOUS WORK OF DEPARTMENT
Nights lodging,
32
Children lost and found,
3
Buildings found open,
121
Patrol wagon calls,
79
Patrol wagon conveying injured to Hospital,
17
Accidents investigated,
49
Other investigations,
163
Telephone calls,
6,895
Places searched for liquor,
53
Liquor turned over to Federal Officers, (Gallons), 1,216
Seized transporting liquor and turned over to Fed-
eral Officers, one White Truck.
Dogs disposed of by Dr. Bradley at Police Station, 15
During the year the Police Department has made a strong effort to keep our serious accident record as low as possible.
Persons who were required to report at the Police Sta- tion for minor infractions of the motor vehicle laws, re- ceived warnings and when necessary were advised in reference to the laws, and how to correct their faults.
Cities and Towns all over the country are installing traffic lights to regulate motor vehicle and pedestrian travel. Again I wish to call your attention to this fact and recommend that such a system be installed, by so doing we would be able to use our traffic officers elsewhere to good advantage.
The majority of the patrolmen feel that they should
-94-
work but eight hours per day as they are doing in a great many other Police Departments.
This would necessitate four additional men to patrol the town as it is at present.
Again I wish to call your attention as to new quarters for the Police Department. This matter should be given serious consideration.
I respectfully recommend an appropriation of $27,- 600.00 to defray the expenses of this department for the year 1928.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN ARMSTRONG,
Chief of Police.
-95-
ASSESSORS' REPORT
Aggregate Valuation,
$26,931,825 00
Exempt under Clauses 11-17-18-23,
97,225 00
Available for Revenue,
$26,834,600 00
Valuation, Personal,
$5,666,125 00
Valuation, Real,
21,168,475 00
Gain on Valuation,
962,175 00
To be raised by Taxation :
State,
52,080 00
State Highway, 5,595 13
County,
64,526 70
Auditing Tax,
2,026 84
Town,
770,186 60
Overlay,
2,590 21
Estimated Receipts,
234,598 88
$662,406 60
April 1. Division of Taxes,
Personal,
$138,084 48
Real, 516,316 12
Moth,
646 35
Dec. 31.
Additional,
469 70
Reassessed,
272 06
July 1. Polls, 8,006 00
Dec. 31. Polls, 118 00
$663,912 71
Warrants to Collector :
Property,
$655.788 71
Polls,
8,124 00
$663,912 71
$897,005 48
-96-
Exempted under Chap. 59, Sec. 5, Gen. Laws : Charitable, Benevolent, Literary, Edu- cational, $789,975 00
Houses of Religious Worship,
345 150 00
Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
177,500 00
United States of America,
118,200 00
Town of Plymouth,
1,652,650 00
County of Plymouth,
598,550 00
Table of Aggregates :
Residents assessed on property,
3,173
Corporations, Firms, etc.,
710
Non-residents,
1,260
Polls assessed,
4,062
Polls exempted, Clause 18,
42
Polls exempted, Clause 23,
13
Horses,
182
Cows,
359
Neat Cattle,
14
Sheep,
19
Swine,
14
Fowl,
5,050
Dwelling Houses,
3,844
Acres of Land,
48,000
ABATEMENT ACCOUNT
Levy of 1925,
Dec. 31, 1926.
Balance, $126 60
To Reserve Overlay, $126 60
Levy of 1926,
Dec. 31, 1926.
Balance,
$2,152 23
Dec. 31, 1927.
Abatements :
Personal, $248 40
Real,
135 00
383 40
$1,768 83
To Reserve Overlay, $1,768 83
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Levy of 1927,
Oct. 6, 1927. Overlay, $2,590 21
Dec. 17, 1927. Appropriation from
Excess and Deficiency, 4,000 00
Dec. 31, 1927. Reassessed,
272 06
$6,862 27
Dec. 31, 1927. Abatements :
Polls,
$256 00
Personal, 3,630 20
Real, 1,949 98
5,836 18
$1,026 09
Reserve Overlay
Dec. 31, 1926. Balance,
$10,296 20
From Overlay of 1925,
126 60
From Overlay of 1926,
1,768 83
$12,191 63
Transferred to Reserve
Account, 2,354 58
$9,837 05
We recommend an appropriation of $6,300 for sal- aries and expenses, and an appropriation of $1,000 for surveying and plans for the year 1928.
On October 9, 1927, Mr. James C. Bates, a member of the Board of Assessors since 1901 and Chairman since 1912, passed away. Up to the present time the vacancy caused by his death has not been filled.
NATHANIEL G. LANMAN, CHARLES H. SHERMAN,
Dec. 31, 1927.
Assessors.
Plymouth Seven
-- 98-
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1927
Infirmary
Number of inmates January 1, 1927,
12
Admitted during the year,
1
-
13
Discharged, 2
Died,
1
3
-
Number remaining December 31, 1927, 10
According to Chapter 203, Acts of 1927, all Alms- houses within the Commonwealth of Msasachusetts be- came Infirmaries, and by virtue of the provisions of Chap- ter 165, in the same year, Overseers of the Poor are now to be known as a Board of Public Welfare.
Russell L. Dickson as Superintendent, with Mrs. Dick- son as Matron over the eight men and two women at the Infirmary, carefully provide for the material needs of these people, and we are well satisfied that as a home pro- vided by the municipality for those having none of their own it stands well at the front. At Christmas time the fund-interest of the Julia P. Robnison Fund was dis- bursed to the inmates as was provided by the donor.
In a building as old as ours it becomes necessary each year to make some repairs, this year we shall have to replace some of the ceilings in the basement rooms which have fallen; also we are obliged to reshingle the roof of the large wood house, this with the ordinary things that
-99-
arise from time to time will make maintenance more cost- ly than usual.
Outside Aid
Inidviduals to the number of 240 living here, with 20 in other places, but retaining their settlement here, were aided outside the Infirmary. We have paid all bills that were presented up to the day the books were closed, about Jan. 12th, and closed the year with a small credit balance as may be seen by reference to the Accountant's figures which appear at the end of this report.
Mothers' Aid
Aided under a special law these cases require consider- able investigation in order to comply with the law, and with the rulings of the State Department on the same. We began the year with five families, under direction of the State we have closed two of them, leaving three mothers with eleven children receiving this class of aid at the close of the year.
We recommend an appropriation of $27,000.00 for the year 1928, which also includes Mothers' Aid.
-100-
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE
Appropriation (Including Mothers' Aid),
$26,000 00
Income from Trust Funds,
111 43
$26,111 43
Payments
General Administration-
Salary of Chairman,
$50 00
Salary of Secretary,
350 00
Stationery and Postage,
11 46
$411 46
Almshouse-
Salary of Superintendent, $624 00
Other Salaries and Wages, 1,506 60
Groceries and Provisions, 2,281 02
Dry Goods: Clothing,
265 19
Building,
226 25
Fuel and Light,
1,053 48
Equipment,
140 71
Hay and Grain,
237 65
Ice,
107 49
All Other,
463 09
6,905 48
Outside Relief by Town-
Cash,
$5,146 50
Rent, 2,120 35
Groceries and Provisions,
3,783 38
Coal and Wood,
1,060 05
Dry Goods : Clothing,
13 75
Medical Attendance,
228 00
Burials,
60 00
-101-
Institutions other than State, 102 90 Care and Nursing, 1,634 00
14,148 93
Relief Given by Other Cities and Towns-
Cities, Towns, 903 08
$1,183 21
2,086 29
Other Expenses- All Other, 2 90
$23,555 06
MOTHERS' AID
Payments
Cash,
$2,387 00
Rent,
63 00
Medical Attendance,
8 00
2,458 00
Total Payments,
26,013 06
Balance to Excess and Deficiency, $98 37
INCOME FROM JULIA P. ROBINSON FUND
Expended by the Board of Public Welfare for Inmates of Infirmary, $13 64
INFIRMARY
Credits-
Sale of Produce,
$216 65
Board,
326 00
Trees,
5 00
Miscellaneous,
3 20
$550 85
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OUTSIDE
Reimbursements- Individuals, Cities and Towns,
Mothers' Aid- State,
$43 43
1,107 75
State,
392 00
1,543 18
806 32
$2,900 35
WILLIAM T. ELDRIDGE, GEORGE L. GOODING,
HERBERT W. BARTLETT, Board of Public Welfare.
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REPORT OF FOREST FIRE WARDEN
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Gentlemen :
I submit the following report for the year 1927:
Early in the Spring of 1927, a fire patrol system was established in Plymouth. This patrol consisted of auto- mobiles on the most traveled roads Saturday after- noons, Sundays and holidays, during the dry season. Similar efforts in fire prevention have been in effect on Cape Cod the past two years. For the benefit of those not familiar with conditions in the Cape District, I will give a brief history of the experimental work now being carried on. In the Spring of 1926, the Massachusetts Forestry Association commenced an experimental work. on Cape Cod, to try out new methods of fire fighting and fire prevention with the object of reducing the fire men- ace. The Cape District was chosen for this work as more fires had occured there than in any other part of the State. The Towns included in this experiment were Barnstable, Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, Sandwich and Yarmouth. The six Towns mentioned comprised an area equal to about twice that of Plymouth. This work con- sisted mainly of trimming out old roads, and a permanent patrol on roads most traveled. Nearly $12,000 was ex- pended during the year, and an area of about 3700 acres was burned over. Plymouth, with no fire patrol, burned over an area of 4,500 acres that season.
In 1927 the Cape District burned over an area of 1000 acres. Plymouth, with a fire patrol, burned over an area of 300 acres, less than one-third of that burned over on the Cape District. The effectiveness of the fire patrol was clearly shown in one case last season. On Sunday, May 22nd, a fire was discovered by one of the patrolmen on the Cook's Pond Road. This fire had evidently just
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started, and did not show up enough at that time to be seen by the watchman in the tower at Monks Hill. With the high wind prevailing at the time, it was spreading rapidly towards the South Pond Road. The patrol- man made all possible haste to the nearest telephone, and the fire truck was sent at once, also another truck from the County Farm with twenty men. Ten minutes later, the fire was reported from the Monks Hill Tower. At that time the fire truck men from the County Farm were on the spot. Had that ten minutes been lost, the fire would certainly have crossed the South Pond Road, and with the gale that was blowing, the whole of Chiltonville would have been endangered. That one instance alone saved the expense of the fire patrol many times.
An article appeared in the Old Colony Memorial, De- cember 30, 1927, calling the attention of the people to the increase in the appropriations of the various depart- ments of the Town the past ten years. That article was misleading as no comparison was made of conditions existing then and now. In the year 1914, when I first assumed the duties of Forest Fire Warden of Plymouth, the appropriation for this Department was $2,000. At the close of the season, $890 was drawn from the contin- gent fun to make up the deficiency then existing, making the total expenditures for that year, $2,893. Let us compare the conditions of 1914 with those of 1927. In 1914, the Town paid twenty-five cents an hour for fight- ing fire, in 1927, fifty cents. In 1914 shovels were $12.00 per dozen, in 1927, $27.00. In 1914, fire extinguishers were $8.00 each, in 1927, $13.00. It will readily be seen from the above figures that $2,893.00 in 1914 was a larger sum than $3,746.00, (the amount of expenditures last season) was in 1927, and that the appropriation has really decreased rather than increased.
The season of 1927 was a record one for Massachusetts, more fires occurring than in any previous year. Plym- outh's record of 300 acres burned over is one of the best
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in the State. This, I consider, is largely due to the effec- tiveness of the fire patrol system.
About 20 miles of old roads were trimmed out last sea- son. These roads had grown up from disuse and were no longer accessible for fire apparatus. It is to be hoped that more trimming can be done the coming season, as it is a great advantage in getting to fires traversed by these roads.
The expenditures last year were as follows:
Fire Patrol,
$748 50
Trimming out old roads, 426 50
All other expenses, 2,571 57
$3,746 57
This leaves a balance on hand of $253.43.
I recommend an appropriation of $4,000.00 for 1928.
I append below, copy of letter from Secretary Rey- nolds of the Massachusetts Forestry Association, received shortly after the close of the fire season of 1927.
IRA C. WARD, Forest Fire Warden.
MASSACHUSETTS FORESTRY ASSOCIATION
4 Joy Street, Boston 9, Mass.
Dec. 9, 1927
Mr. Ira C. Ward, Fire Warden's Office, Plymouth, Mass.
Dear Mr. Ward :
I am glad to know that you are brushing out the roads. There is no doubt but that this action on the Cape has helped to reduce the fire losses. I am singing the praises
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of your work in patrol last summer. Am mentioning it again in the program prepared by the Worcester County Committee similar to the one made for Cape Cod.
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