USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1926-1927 > Part 3
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The Committee recommends that the sum of one hun- dred and eighty (180) dollars be appropriated and trans- ferred as stated in the above article.
Article 17. To see if the Town will appropriate and transfer for Sewers the unexpended balance amounting to four hundred, fifty-one and 14/100 (451.14) dollars, of an appropriation for Court Street Drain.
The Committee recommends that the amount be appro- priated and transferred as stated in the above article.
Article 18. To see if the Town will authorize its Re- location Committee to amend the agreement made by and between the Town and the James Millar Company, said agreement being dated October 6, 1924, so that the rental for the premises as described in said agreement shall be
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one thousand (1,000) dollars per annum and not fifteen hundred (1,500) dollars per annum as now provided under Article C. of said agreement; it being understood that in event of the renewal of the agreement as provided in Article D. of said agreement that the rental shall be such sum as at that time shall be just and reasonable.
The Committee recommends favorable action under the above article.
Article 19. To see if the Town will authorize the said Re-location Committee to further amend said agreement so that said agreement shall be binding for the period of ten (10) years from the date the Committee notifies said James Millar Company that the premises are ready for use and not ten (10) years from the date of the agreement (October 6, 1924) as now provided under Article D. of said agreement.
The Committee recommends favorable action under the above article.
Article 20. To see if the Town will accept from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston its right, title and interest in and to the strip of land twenty-four (24) feet in width, and being the right of way now existing be- tween the land of the Town of Plymouth, upon which stands the Memorial Hall, and St. Peter's Rectory, upon condition that the Town will lay out and construct the right of way and proposed road as shown on a plan dated November 23, 1925 "showing Memorial Town Hall," as a public street, twenty-four (24) feet wide, and to main- tain said public street continuously and forever at said width, and shall cause all vehicles in and over said public street to travel only in one direction, and will not permit automobiles or other vehicles to park within the limits of said public street, and will exclude therefrom all ve- hicles except pleasure vehicles, reserving to said Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston the right to enter and leave St. Peter's Rectory and the building appurtenant
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thereto on said premises, free access thereto and there- from from any direction in said public street.
The Committee recommends favorable action under the above article.
Article 21. To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to lease for a period of ten (10) years upon such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen may determine, the following described parcel of land, property of the Town of Plymouth, to wit :- A parcel of of land situated on the Obery Road and bounded easterly by land now or formerly of D. H. Craig; southerly and westerly by Obery Road; and northerly by land of Ca- pella.
The Committee recommends favorable action under the above article.
Advisory and Finance Committee, Town of Plymouth : Alton D. Edes, Chairman, Albert S. Anderson, Howard M. Douglas, William H. Harriman, Philip Mayher, Mans- field S. O'Brien, Alfred L. Barnes, Edward A. Buttner, Isaac B. Holmes, Herbert A. Stockbridge, Roy E. Bea- man, Aldo Giovanetti, Myron L. Smith, George B. Sween- ey, William P. Libby, Chairman, pro tem.
Elmer R. Harlow, Secretary.
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REPORT OF SELECTMEN
In presenting this the Annual Report of the Town for the year 1926 we do so with the hope that the Citizens will give the various recommendations a very serious consideration. The note is being sounded on all sides that Taxation is fast assuming proportions that will make an intolerable burden on not only the private citizens but will seriously hamper the Industries on which the Su- premacy of New England depends. Already in many of the Manufacturing Cities of our State mass meetings are being called to see if some measure of relief can be found to ease the burden which is sapping the strength and vitality of our large Textile Mills. It therefore be- hooves every voter to give his or her best efforts to the question. The Budgets presented by the different De- partments represent what the Head of that Department thinks is neccessary for the successful conduct of his par- ticular work. And it will be found on close investigation that these amounts are usually not far from right if we are to enjoy the facilities that we are accustomed to. It is in the new projects involving as they do large sums that the Voter should carefully study and form his opinion as to the desirability from a standpoint of the greatest good to the greatest number. Many an other- wise valuable project when considered from the point of a reasonable Tax Levy may be found to be unwise at this particular time, and any proposition should be viewed not from a purely local standpoint but as to its value to the Town as a whole.
In the past year the Memorial Hall has reached com- pletion and has been occupied by many Organizations and
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Societies for the various purposes of their entertainment.
It has proved itself to be well adapted for the many diversified gatherings which have taken place there and the Town can congratulate itself on having a public meeting place second to none and fully competent to care for any gathering that will be likely to come to our Town. There are some few matters connected with the surround- ings that remain to be completed but these will be taken care of as they present themselves.
At this time it is with the deepest feelings of appreci- ation that we wish to record the generous action of our friends of St. Peter's Parish in turning over to the Town (through His Eminence, Cardinal O'Connell) their fee in the right of way between the Parish House and the New Hall.
This gift by them is all the more commendable from the fact that the new hall is more or less of a detriment to their parish house, and the spirit of civic pride shown by them at this time is one that any citizen in Town could well follow.
The Town Wharf, another enterprise that was in an uncompleted state at our last report has made great progress during the past year and although not entirely finished, is at the present time functioning as a Coal Wharf, Millar & Co. doing business there now. It will be necessary to provide funds for the shifting of the road way to carry out the bargain made with the Old Colony Railroad which we gave to the Road a strip of land com- prising the width of Water Street Extension, the length of their property and received from them a large part of their holdings between the Railroad Station and Court Street. It would seem to be the proper time, too, to carry out the deferred plan of a substantial surface on the street from Ripley & Bartlett's Factory to the Railroad crossing at the foot of Nelson Street.
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HIGHWAYS
The highways of the Town have been kept up to their usual good standard, and many additions have been made to the street surfaces.
It is our policy in so far as possible to have all of the streets hard surfaced, this not only from the standpoint of public efficiency, but it will result in a great saving and maintenance cost. A detailed list of expenditures will be found in the report of the Superintendent of Streets.
POLICE
The situation in the Police department is not materi- ally different from the past. The patrolmen are func- tioning well and the department as a whole has done good work during the year.
The streets have been orderly and quiet and any dis- turbances have been quelled and the offenders promptly punished.
STREET LIGHTING
During the past year, there have been, as usual, a num- ber of new lights added, both in new streets and in places where the former lighting seemed to be insufficient.
An experiment is now being made on the so-called White Way, by substituting high powered incandescent lamps for the arc lights formerly used. This is expected to do away with the fouling up of the globes which has been a source of trouble ever since the system has been installed.
In conclusion, we wish to express our appreciation in the work of the different departments of the Town and as we have previously stated in other reports, the effici- ency of any department can be greatly increased if the ordinary citizen would interest himself to the extent of notifying the department head of any defect in his par- ticular line.
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With a Town as widely spread out as ours, it is impos- sible for any department to know at the moment of all defects.
We would urge upon the voters to carefully go over the items in the different budgets and inform themselves as to the manner in which their money is spent, and again, we reiterate the the large items of new expenditures be given the gravest and most careful consideration.
WILLIAM T. ELDRIDGE,
FRANK C. SMITH, HENRY W. BARNES, JR., FRANK EASTWOOD, WALTER E. BENT, Selectmen of Plymouth.
ยท
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS AND TOWN ENGINEER
To The Honorable Board of Selectmen, Plymouth, Mass.
Gentlemen :-
In accordance with an annual custom I herewith sub- mit a report of the work done by this Department during the year 1926.
An enormous increase in automobile and heavily load- ed truck travel is noticeable even to the casual observer. As you well know the appropriations for road mainten- ance have not begun to keep pace with the increase in travel over the roads. I. am of the opinion that the time has come when we should consider the advisability of building a much heavier type of road on the main high- way to take care of the increased wear caused by the increased travel and these heavier loads. Either some type of reinforced concrete or granite block pavement on concrete base would, in my judgment, be a desirable type to adopt.
I recommend that an appropriation of ten thousand dollars be made to build a section on Main St. Extension during the coming year, of whichever one of the above types a further study would make appear desirable.
EQUIPMENT
In 1921 a G. M. C. truck was purchased and has been in continuous service since that time. I recommend the purchase of a new truck this year to replace this truck. The cost of the new truck would be about $3,700.
In the past two years we have used our five ton cater- pillar tractor with the road machine for road grading. I am of the opinion that, considering the amount of
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money invested in this tractor, it is better judgment to keep this in good shape as a snow plow unit, rather than to use it for road work. I think a Fordson tractor with an attachment for grading which can be purchased for about $1,900, and requires only one man to operate it, would make a satisfactory substitute for the outfit we have been using, except in very heavy work when the caterpillar tractor could be brought into use,
There is on the market a small outfit for making a hot asphalt and sand mix which seems to produce pretty sat- isfactory results. The Town of Walpole owns such a machine. An examination of road patching and sidewalk work done by them with this machine appears to indi- cate that very satisfactory work can be done. There are many miles of sidewalk in Plymouth which should be built with some type of surface that is durable and smooth to walk on. Since it is hopeless to expect that all sidewalks can be built of granolithic, I think a ma- chine of this sort would do satisfactory work for us in constructing this cheaper type of asphalt and sand sur- face, and I recommend the purchase of one. The cost of this machine would be about $1,650.
I recommend an appropriation of $7,250 for the pur- chase of new equipment as outlined above.
SNOW REMOVAL
The total cost of snow removal for the year 1926 was $16,000.
The following equipment was used :-
One five ton Holt Caterpillar tractor and Sargent plow owned by the Town, one F. W. D. truck and blade plow loaned to the Town by the State Department of Public Works, two five ton Mack trucks with bladeplow hired from A. K. Finney, one Fordson tractor and Stark V plow hired from Joseph Malaguti, and one tractor and V plow hired from Elmer Raymond at Long Pond.
Each of the outfits had a definite route assigned to it,
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and started out at approximately the same time, viz: when two inches of snow had fallen.
When a snow storm starts at night the patrolmen not- ify the foreman so that a prompt start may be made.
The crews that operate these snow plow units deserve a great deal of credit for sticking to their tasks in cold, dark and stormy weather. They show a fine spirit of courage and endurance in facing what are often severe blizzards, in their successful efforts to keep the roads open for travel, and it is a pleasure to record this tribute to their loyalty to duty under adverse conditions.
With the great increase in winter automobile travel it is apparently going to be increasingly necessary to cart off snow from the business section of Main and Court Streets and some of the adjacent narrow side streets.
The more of this sort of work that is done after each heavy storm the sooner will normal conditions be re- stored, insofar as they relate to vehicular travel on the highways.
One fact must not be lost sight of however, and that is that to meet the demand for snow plowing and snow removal, much larger expenditures must probably be made in the future than we have been accustomed to make for this sort of work in the past.
One helpful feature in reducing snow drifting on the highways has been snow fences that have been erected in cooperation with the Plymouth and Brockton Street Railway.
An additional thousand feet of snow fence was put up this past year, and further additions will undoubtedly be desirable from time to time.
SEWERS AND DRAINS
Two extensions have been made to the sanitary sewer system during the year.
An extension of 400' of 8" tile pipe was made on Stand- ish Avenue at a cost of $619.14, and one of 275' of 8" on
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Cotton Street west from Standish Avenue at a cost of $437.06.
Two lines of 15" storm water drains were laid during the year to improve drainage conditions in the localities in which they were built.
One line of 380' with a necessary catch basin was laid easterly from South Street through land of Morton Rob- bins and Edward L. Burgess. The total cost of the job was $688.50.
Another line, 390' long, was laid on Atlantic Street from a low spot in the street west of the railroad, cross- ing under the railroad track, and running to the shore. The cost of this work was $1,722.74.
A considerable part of this cost was due to the fact that the drain crossed two tracks of the New Haven Road at a depth of about 10'.
With the completion of this drain, a condition that has heretofore been a very unsatisfactory one in this low spot during the winter, and in heavy rains, will be greatly improved.
I recommend an appropriation of $6,000 for the en- suing year.
ROUNDING STREET CORNERS
The 1925 report of the Planning Board contained a recommendation to the Selectmen that an appropriation' of $1,000 be made to improve various street corners by putting in corners of longer radius.
This recommendation was approved by the Selectmen, and the Town appropriated $1,000 to be used for this purpose.
With this appropriation the radius of curvature at the following corners has been increased and conditions greatly improved.
Court Street at North and South Park Avenues.
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Court Street at Samoset.
Court Street at Vernon.
Court Street at Clyfton
Court Street at Brewster.
DARBY ROAD
An appropriation of $5,000 was made for continuing the work begun in 1925 of widening the shoulders on the Darby Road.
This work was substantially completed during the sum- mer of 1926, and what small amount remains uncom- pleted can be finished the ensuing year without a special appropriation.
All of Samoset Street from Court Street to Darby Road, and all of Darby Road that was not sealed in 1925 has received a seal coat of 85% asphalt and sand.
LIGHT SURFACING STREETS
A special appropriation of $1,000 for light tar sur- facing on River Street, and a general appropriation of $7,500 for similar work on various other streets, was made at the March meeting.
The River Street appropriation was not sufficient to fin- ish the whole of the street, but it can be finished the com- ing year without a special appropriation.
The following other streets were given their initial tar treatment this year, viz: Cliff, Town Square, South Rus- sell, Davis (from Oak Street to Cemetery), Lothrop, South Green, North Green, High, Castle, Sever, Murray, Chestnut, Vernon (west from Allerton), Atlantic and Highland Place, totalling approximately 21,815 sq. yds.
I recommend that Clifford Road from Warren Avenue to Doten Road be treated during 1927, at an estimate cost of $2,500, and I also recommend an appropriation of $7,500 to continue the work on other streets.
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BRIDGES Standish Avenue Bridge
Standish Avenue Bridge over the tracks of the Plym- outh and Middleboro Railroad required an unexpectedly large expenditure for repairs during the past year.
When the engineers from the Boston Bridge Works made an inspection of the bridge it was found that con- siderable deterioration had taken place, and extensive repairs were necessary to make the bridge safe for travel.
After the repairs were completed the bridge was care- fully painted and is now safe for loads of eight tons.
The total cost of this work was $4,793.
Watson Ellis Bridge
The old wooden bridge over Beaver Dam Brook at the Watson Ellis place, so-called, was removed, and three 42" and two 12" pipes were substituted for it. The total cost of this work was $470.37.
Newfields Street Bridge
In accordance with a recommendation made in the last annual report an appropriation of $1,500 was made to replace the wooden floor on the Newfields Street Bridge over Town Brook with a reinforced concrete one. This work was done in accordance with plans prepared in this office and on file here.
Bartlett Road
The Manomet Cranberry Company replaced an old wooden flume on the Bartlett Road with a concrete struc- ture, and the Town put a reinforced concrete slab floor across this flume.
Brook Road Bridge
The bridge on the Brook Road at Manomet has a wood- en floor on masonry abutments.
In conformity with the practice we have followed for the past few years, I recommend that this wooden floor be
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replaced with steel 1 beams and a reinforced concrete slab, and that the masonry abutments be pointed.
I estimate the cost of this work to be $500, and I recom- mend an appropriation of this amount to do this work.
CALCIUM CHLORIDE
The use of calcium chloride as a dust layer has been continued with satisfactory results during the year. The- increasing use of a light surface of tar and stone for side streets near the center of the Town has enabled the De- partment to extend the use of calcium chloride to roads that have not previously been treated, principally the shore road beginning at the State Highway near Golf Course and going south to Stone's and Greenwood's.
The Long Pond Cedarville Road received its usual cal- cium treatment.
I recommend an appropriation of $6,000 for dust lay -- ing for the ensuing year.
SANDWICH ROAD
An appropriation of $7,000 was made to continue the: work of rebuilding Sandwich Road.
I recommend an appropriation of $8,000 to carry on: this work during 1927, and thus complete the project. started in 1925 of rebuilding this road from Bramhall's, Corner to Terry's Corner.
SIDEWALKS
The sidewalk work during the past year has consisted' of building about 1,581 lineal feet of granolithic curbing- and 1,953 square yards of granolithic walk. There has also been built approximately 1,102 square yards of a so- called K. P. walk during the year.
I am of the opinion that in the future we should spend more money on sidewalks than we have heretofore done.
If we buy the asphalt mix machine referred to earlier in this report, I think we shall be able to build a sidewalk
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with a somewhat smoother surface than those we have made with the mixture of pea stone and K. P.
It has been our experience each year that the amount of money appropriated for the building of granolithic sidewalks has not been sufficient to meet all of the re- quests for granolithic sidewalks in those cases where the abutting owners are willing to pay one-half the cost of the walk.
I therefore, recommend that an appropriation of $6,000 be made for the construction of granolithic sidewalks dur- ing the ensuing year, and an appropriation of $7,000 for the asphalt and sand type.
The necessary lines and grades for new road con- struction and sewer work have been furnished from the Town Engineer's Office during the past year, and record plans for sewer construction and miscellaneous work have been prepared, and are on file.
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR E. BLACKMER,
Superintendent and Town Engineer.
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REPORT OF PLYMOUTH RELOCATION COMMITTEE
The Plymouth Relocation Committee submits here- with a report reviewing, in a general way, its activities since its appointment.
At a Special Town Meeting, held on January 29, 1921, it was voted "that a Committee of ten be appointed by the Selectmen to be known as the Plymouth Relocation Committee, said Committee to represent the Town in all matters pertaining to the relocation of wharf facilities."
Acting under this vote, the Selectmen appointed the following Committee, which had earlier been appointed by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce to study the project, Frank Eastwood, Chairman, Arthur E. Black- mer, Secretary, Ellis W. Brewster, Charles Otten, Jr., Harry B. Davis, LeBaron R. Barker, John J. O'Brien, Charles F. Gardner, Charles W. Gifford and Colburn C. Wood.
The Committee submitted a report to the Town in March, 1922.
In this report they made no recommendation as to whether or not the Town should build a wharf, but did recommend that if a wharf were to be built it should be on Water Street, beginning at the foot of South Park Ave., and extending northerly to the foot of Lothrop Street. The estimated cost of construction was $130,000.00.
At the Annual Town Meeting, held March 24, 1923, the Town voted (343 in the affirmative, and 40 in the nega- tive) to erect a Wharf and Public landing on the location recommended by the Committee; and appropriated $130,000.00 for the construction of the same.
Prior to the passage of this vote by the Town, your Committee had numerous meetings with the United States District Engineer, in Boston, and the Waterways Division of the State Department of Public Works,
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relative to dredging a channel from the State Pier to the new Town Wharf, when built.
The estimated cost of this channel was $102,000.00.
The Committee, with the assistance of Senators and Representatives of the State and United States Govern- ment, secured the passage of two bills, one for $51,000.00 by the State Legislature, and one for $51,000.00 by Con- gress, to dredge a channel to the new wharf, when com- pleted.
The Federal Government made its appropriation for channel dredging conditional upon the erection on the new wharf of a modern freight handling equipment but later modified this condition by changing it to a modern coal unloading equipment.
Mr. James Millar of the James Millar Coal Company, who owned and operated a coal wharf just south of Plymouth Rock, but who was forced to change his loca- tion by the Federal and State Authorities, to make room for the State Park, was very anxious to relocate on tide water, and was willing to install the required coal un- loading equipment on the Wharf if the Committee would give him a lease to a portion of the property for a term of ten years.
The Committee had no authority to do this, but on July 21, 1923, at a Special Town Meeting, they were authorized to lease space for business purposes on the contemplated new wharf, this lease to be approved by the Board of Selectmen.
On October 6, 1924, an agreement was concluded with the James Millar Company to lease to them about one and one-third acres on the new wharf, at a rental of $1,500.00 per year for ten years, with a privilege of renewal for ten years more, but owing to the trouble with the bulk-head we had to change our style of wharf from our original plans, the result being that Mr. Millar could not put in the unloading plant he had in mind at the time the lease was signed, but had to put in a more expensive plant. He
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was forced to spend over $10,000.00 more than he orig- inally intended.
The Committe, after careful consideration, decided it was no more than right that the Town should stand at least $5,000.00 of this additional expense, since Mr. Millar was in no way responsible for the change, and was get- ting a much better equipment. The result was, at a Special Town Meeting, held Nov. 13, 1926, the Commit- tee asked to have Mr. Millar's rent changed from $1,500.00 per year for ten years, with option of renewal ten years more, to $1,000.00 per year for ten years, with option of renewal for ten years more, at a rent that was just and reasonable.
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