USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1941 > Part 12
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[Dec. 31
Report of the Police Department
January 1, 1942
To the Honorable Board of Select- men :-
It again becomes my pleasure to present to you my eleventh annual report of the Police Department during the year 1941.
The Department consists of a Chief, one Captain, one Lieutenant, and eleven Patrolmen, and five Re- serve Officers. There are forty- five Special Police Officers. Of this amount nineteen of them are equipped with uniforms and are capable of doing regular Police work in case of emergency. There are also the watchmen at the Lynn Water Shed, who are Special Po- lice Officers. There are eight in this group.
The Roster of the Police De- partment is as follows :-
Chief
John T. Stuart
Captain
Henry P. Wheaton Lieutenant Roland E. Mansfield Regular Patrolmen
James P. Sullivan
Clarence H. Berrett
William MacDougall Joseph A. Lambert, Jr. James F. Maher Thomas F. Spencer Walter F. Neal
William F. Cahill
Ernest A. Dunham
Howard P. Berrett
Carl G. W. Pearson
Reserve Patrolmen
Rosario A. Bucchiere
Walter J. Elsmore John E. Luoma
Edgar T. McKenney
Edward F. Newbury
Police Matron Mabel D. Murdock
Daily reports of Officers show the following :- Complaints and reports received 2273. Autos stolen 11, Article found 65, Articles lost 37, Autos recovered 22, Birds or
animals killed by dogs 16, Breaks 56, Conveyed to hospitals 181, conveyed from hospitals 56, Dogs lost 110, Dogs found 99, Dogs barking 32, Dog bites 32, Drunken persons, 48, Domestic trouble 30, Disturbances 38, Assaults 9, Doors and windows found open 230, Fires discovered or responded to 56, Holes in sidewalks or streets 31, Investigated or notified for other authorities 202, Animals killed 66, Women or girls accosted prowlers and peepers 30, Persons missing 49, persons found 49, Larcenies 106, Windows broken 55, Missiles thrown 20, property dam- aged 32, Playing in streets 36, Investigations made 436, All others 845.
During the year 1941 there were 544 arrested. Of this amount 525 were males, 16 females, 3 Juve- niles.
Disposition of the year's arrests are as follows :- Fined 195, Filed 147, Released 112, Dismissed 42, Costs of Court 7, House of Correc- tion 15, Cases appealed 40, Grand Jury 12, Probation 26, Concord Reformatory 4, Lyman School 1, Shirley Industrial School 2, Sher- born 4, Arrests for Out of Town Police 275.
In conclusion I wish to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen, the several Town Officials, and all other good citizens of the Town who by their co-operation, and good will aided me in maintaining the high degree of efficiency that our Police Department ranks. I also want to thank the Justices of both the Saugus Trial Justice Court, and the Lynn District Court for their co-operation during the past vear. Last. but not least I want to thank all the members of the Police Department for the won- derful work that they have done in the past vear in keeping the efficiency of the Department at a high standing.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN T. STUART, Chief of Police.
1941]
REPORT OF FIRE ENGINEERS
117
Report of the Board of Fire Engineers
To the Honorable Board of Sel- ectmen and the Citizens of the Town of Saugus:
We herewith submit the annual report on the personnel, condition, and activities of the Fire Depart- ment for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1941.
ROSTER
Chief William R. Salsman Captain George B. Drew Lientenants Ralph E. Berrett
Joseph L. Maguire
Permanent Firemen
Harold Atkinson
Alfred Bird
Albert Jervis
Warren Newhall
Norman Hull
George Parrott Leo Cahill
Guy Collins
Frank Beckford
Robert Jacobs
John Ward
Call Firemen
Lewis O. Gray
Frank Garofano
Randolph Popp
Fred Chesley Peter Walzer
Lewis Richardson
Joseph Vatcher
John Cahill
Arthur Gustafson Leslie Hitchings
The assessed valuation of build- ings, auto, trucks, the insurance on buildings, automobiles and their contents, etc., were, as nearly as possible ascertained as follows:
Assessed valuation of buildings, autos, trucks, etc. $174,285.00
Insurance on buildings, etc.
500,556.00
Loss on buildings, motor vehicles, etc. 24,073.35
Insurance paid for losses on buildings, etc. 21,798.35
Estimated value of contents
338,000.00
Loss of contents
12,085.00
Insurance on contents
297,200.00
Insurance paid for loss of contents
8,670.00
During the year 21,850 feet of 21/2 inch hose, 34,400 feet of 11/2 inch hose, 121,500 feet of 34 inch hose was laid to extinguish fires, a total of 177,750 feet of hose. Of the above hose laid 109,000 feet of hose was used at dump fires, etc.
George M. Berrett Theodore Frieswyk Robert Griffin Samuel Ludwig
Board of Fire Engineers
Edward R. Gibbs, Jr.
George H. Quarmby Harold Rice, Chairman William R. Salsman, Clerk
During the year 1941, the Fire Department responded to 690 alarms and calls for fires and other duties. There were 88 box alarms and 602 telephone calls, of which 58 were followed by box alarms. Eighty-six of the calls were need- less or false.
The apparatus travellel a total distance of 3,016 miles in respond- ing to calls. Eng. No. 1, 237 miles; Eng. No. 2, 762 miles; Ladder No. 1, 474 miles; Tender No. 2, 1542 miles The Chief's car traveled 11,187 miles in responding to alarms and in the performance of other duties. Through the cour- tesy of the Public Works Depart- ment during the wood fire season a light Chevrolet truck was loaned to this department to carry hose, water cans, brooms, etc. This truck traveled a total of thirty- five miles in extinguishing wood- land fires.
There were 201/2 tanks of oxy- gen used for first aid and medical purposes during the year 1941.
The fire apparatus, Engine No. 2, and Ladder No.1, and the G.M.C. Tender are in fair condition and good for many years to come pro- viding they do not meet with ac-
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
cidents. The Oldsmobile Sedan the chief's car is in fair condition. Engine No. 1, the Seagraves pump- ing engine is very old and show- ing signs of needed repairs that will be very costly as it is very unreliable and in the past few years has had several expensive repair jobs done on it. We recom- mend this engine be replaced with a new pumping engine.
The fire Department has done excellent work in keeping the fire loss down to such a small amount approximately $36,158.00 when it is noted that the department must cover a large territory nearly 111/2 square miles, and do so with a small number of men to man the apparatus and extinguish fires.
We recommend that the program calling for the installation of new hydrants every year be continued
as there are several parts of the Town where hydrants are too few and far between.
In conclusion we wish to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen, Superintendent Ernest Merrithew of the Public Works Department, Chief John T. Stuart of the Police Department all the Town officials and the citizens of Saugus, who, bv their co-operation have aided this department to n maintain a high degree of efficiency.
Signed by the Chief,
WILLIAM R. SALSMAN
Signed by the Board of Fire Engineers
HAROLD P. RICE, Chairman. GEORGE H. QUARMBY EDWARD GIBBS, Jr.
Report of the Forest Fire Warden
To the Honorable Board of Sel- ectmen and the Citizens of the Town of Saugus:
I hereby submit the annual re- port of the Forest Fire Warden for the year ending December 31, 1941.
During the year 1941 there were 271 brush and woods fires and 80 grass fires.
During the year 109,000 feet of hose was laid to extinguish these fires.
The State Forestry Fire Pump was called upon twice during the year and 11,000 feet of 11/8 inch state forestry hose was used.
Respectfully submitted. WILLIAM R. SALSMAN, Forest Fire Warden.
Report of the Fire Alarm Division
January 1, 1942
To the Honorable Board of Sel- ectmen and the Citizens of the Town of Saugus:
I herewith submit the annual report on the condition and activi- ties of the Fire Alarm system for the year ending December 31, 1941.
Due to the short time available to me after appointment as super- intendent of fire alarm my report is brief.
During the year 1941 the system sent out 88 box alarms and 58
transmitter alarms for a total of 146 alarms.
There was also
the normal amount of trouble, due to wind, rain and lightning storms. We had one open circuit due to van- dalism and one open circuit at headquarters due to battery trou- ble.
After a partial survey I would say the system is in good condi- tion. With the partial or whole re- placement of batteries and a pro- gram of maintenance and improve- ments I shall try to keep the Sau-
119
REPORT OF CEMETERY DEPARTMENT
1941]
gus Fire Alarm system trouble free and dependable.
In closing I wish to thank town officials and citizens of Saugus and to ask their continued support of this department.
I wish at this time to pay re- spect to the late Ray Wade and
to say that he was a conscientious and high type fire alarm superin- tendent and I shall endeavor to carry on in his absence.
Respectfully submitted,
KARL M. NICHOLS,
Acting Superintendent of Fire Alarms.
Report of the Cemetery Department RIVERSIDE CEMETERY
In spite of the increased cost of labor and materials the Cemetery Department out of the appropria- tion of $12,475.00 made by the Town for 1941 a small amount was returned unused.
In going over the records of the past six years, we can report that the payments to the Town Treas- urer were $13,395.00 above ex- penditures. Receipts in the Ceme- tery fell off slightly during 1941, together with a very material drop in the interest rate in our Trust Fund, also increase in costs of supplies and labor. In spite of this fact, we have not raised our prices on lots or interments, as yet. Our expenditures for the en- tire year only exceeded our re- ceipts by $128.58.
Your Commissioners have taken up during the past year with the proper authorities the matter of perpetual care funds. In view of the small returns on Savings Banks Deposits it was recommended by your Commissioners that an in- vestment of $93,000. (the total of our perpetual care fund on hand) be invested in Defense Bonds with a guaranteed yield over a ten year period greater than savings banks. It is felt that the low rate now paid by the Savings Banks will be further reduced within the ten year period. However satisfactory arrangements could not be made to carry out this idea and after a conference with our Town Treas- urer and Town Council they ad- vised against it.
In the early spring the Hugh Montgomery property came on the
market and Mr. Montgomery had long desired the Cemetery Depart- ment to have first option on the property. The Town Meeting ap- proved $3,375. for its purchase and due to its location the prop- erty is properly included within the Cemettery limits. Your Com- missioners, instead of immediate- ly selling the buildings at a sac- rifice, decided in view of the fact that the land tract would not be needed for several years, to rent the property to one of our em- ployees and this procedure will in- crease the income of the Cemetery by $300.00 a year. This shows at present a yield of more than 8% on the purchase price. The garage is used to store our second truck which is now loaned to the Defense Committee and located in Clifton- dale.
With the Nation at war it will be necessary shortly to prepare a suitable place for the veterans of this war. A few years ago a plot was set aside by your Com- missioners for the burial of Legion- naires and Veterans of Foreign Wars and it was anticipated that this plot would be sufficient for several years to come. With the second war raging there will be no room in the present lot for present World War Veterans. We have land available in a favorable lo- cation in the Cemetery but it will require a considerable expenditure to make it suitable for a lot of this description.
We again want to express our appreciation to the Public Works Department through its Superin-
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
tendent and employees of the Ceme- tery Department who have been efficient and loyal during the en- tire year.
HENRY A. B. PECKHAM, Chairman.
WILLIAM E. LUDDEN BENJAMIN A. FULLERTON
Report of the Harbor Master
To the Honorable Board of Sel- ectmen
Gentlemen :-
For the year 1941 I have exe- cuted the duties of this office to the best of my knowledge and ability.
I have taken care of complaints, notifications by police of boats
adrift, located and notified owners of boats stolen or adrift. Personally supervised moorings and kept the boats lined up so as to insure a clear passage at all times.
Respectfully submitted, WALLACE A. OSGOOD, Harbor Master.
Report of the Board of Selectmen
The Board of Selectmen, dur- ing the year 1941, have continued their policy of strict economy in the departments under their juris- diction. We have held fifty-two regular and four special meetings. All of these meetings have been open to the public and all sugges- tions to the board have been acted upon after careful consideration. We have attended several confer- ences with State and Federal offi- cials, Trustees of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway and the Boston and Maine Rail Road. Through these conferences we have endeavored to obtain for Saugus the rights and privileges due the town. Additional transportation for workers in Lynn, especially at the plants of the General Electric Company, has been obtained and the board is at present trying to increase the transportation for these workers to Lynn.
During the past year many let- ters have been sent to Federal Departments and to all of the large gasoline and oil companies in an attempt to procure for Sau- gus manufacturing plants, storage warehouses and oil and gasoline storage plants. Many replied stat- ing that Saugus locations would be considered if and when they contemplated additional construc- tion.
All applications for licenses and permits have been carefully ex- amined and investigated before this board granted or rejected them with a view not only to the general revenue to the town but to the betterment thereof. In the matter of liquor licenses your board has kept a constant check on the conditions of the establishments and the manner in which the busi- ness has been conducted, with the result that there have been no complaints that would cause the management to appear before this board. The revenue for the 1942 liquor licenses, issued in Decem- ber 1941, amounts to $8,650.00.
Propositions brought before the board received careful study and consideration, such as public hear- ings on the Federal Food Stamp Plan and the Federal Housing Program. In the matter of the Food Stamp Plan meetings were held at which official representa- tives of the plan explained it in detail to the Selectmen, Board of Welfare, Merchants Association and others interested in the propo- sition. This was presented in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant, Article 49 with the result that it was indefinitely postponed, by unanimous vote. In the matter of the Federal Housing proposi- tion several public meetings were
1941]
TRUSTEES AND STAFF OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
121
held with representatives of a con- cern that desired to develop the Town Farm Land. The proposi- tion was inserted in the Special Town Meeting Warrant as Article 35, on September 29, 1941. At the postponed meeting on November 19, 1941 this proposal lost by unanimous vote. Since that date the Selectmen appointed a com- mittee to investigate housing by future development of Saugus Lands consisting of the following business men of the town:
Mr. Horace C. Ramsdell
Mr. Frederick B. Sawyer
Mr. Henry A. B. Peckham
Mr. Herman C. Bunker
Mr. Frank Sloan
Mr. Fred England
Mr. Frank P. Bennett, Jr.
Mr. Earl Gaylor
Mr. John J. Mullen
Other committees appointed
throughout the year include the following: Defense Savings, Water Investigation, Necessities of Life and Tire Rationing.
On December 13, 1941 the board
declared a State of Emergency due to war between our country, Germany, Italy and Japan and authorized $5,000.00 for use by the Saugus Committee on Public Safe- ty for defense purposes.
In setting up the budgets for 1942 we have in mind the necessity of protecting and improving the water supply of the town and the vital extension of the water ser- vice and the improvement of pres- s:re in North Saugus and other locations. We believe that water and sewer constructions should be continued. Labor for any of this extension work will be paid through the WPA set up in Saugus. In sewer construction we have many WPA workers skilled in this work. Continuance of these types of work are acceptable by the Federal Government as improvement to health conditions.
GEORGE H. QUARMBY, EDWARD GIBBS, JR. HAROLD P. RICE,
Board of Selectmen.
Report of the Trustees and Staff of the Saugus Public Library
January 23, 1942 To the Board of Library Trustees Report for the year ending De- cember 31, 1941.
The year 1941 marked a change in the staff of the library, Miss Margaret Cameron resigned her position as Librarian in August. She was popular and certainly an efficient librarian as the results of her many efforts for progress show. In the same month I was appointed Librarian and Miss Jean Brooks, who graduated from Sim- mons College in 1940 and worked a year at the Clark University Library in Worcester, was ap- pointed Assistant Librarian.
Last spring the Saugus Public Library entertained over 70 li- brarians of the North Shore Li- brary Club at its organization meeting. Miss Cameron was el-
ected vice president of the club. It was an especially enthusiastic meeting and the group seemed to take an unusual interest in the progress of our small library.
Our summer reading project for the children stimulated vacation reading a great deal in the East Saugus' and Cliftondale Branches as well as in the Main Library. Children's story hours began as usual the first week in November. The attendance certainly justifies the effort for such a program, many times overflowing the space in our children's room.
Seventh grades at both Saugus Center and Cliftondale have had special classes at the library for library instruction and leisure reading. Through the helpful co- operation of the teachers, it is hoped that more plans may be
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
carried out for the students' better acquaintance with the library and its opportunities for pleasure and study.
The library has recently sub- scribed to a pamphlet index service which will better enable us to get up-to-date information, through free and inexpensive literature, about developments and events concurrent with the world situa- tion. The place of the library at this time is also to provide plea- sure reading for those few mo- ments when people wish to turn aside from world affairs, and to build against the time when lack of money and material may pre- vent the acquisition of new books and supplies.
As or registration records are much out-of-date, plans are already under way to re-register all our borrowers. Every new registration will expire at the end of every three years, thus keeping our files correct to date.
The main library and its branches now circulate an average of almost 100,000 books a year. Obviously it requires a great deal of work to prepare the new books, repair the old ones, and keep the records. Therefore there is an ur- gent need for more trained help to do this work according to up- to-date methods, and at the same time to give the public the pro- fessional attention it deserves.
Space, both at the branches and at the main library, is a glaring need. At Cliftondale there is hardly room to move, especially at rush times. At Main a new and much larger library is a necessity, with plenty of storage room in the base- ment. There is a definite lack of space, not only for shelves for books in circulation, but also for stacks to hold older books neces- sary for reference and copies of recent periodicals. Then, too, there is littte or no room to carry on administration. The office has to be a workroom too, which arrange- ment is extremely unsatisfactory; and mending, etc. has to be done on one of the public reading tables. tables.
I wish to thank and express my appreciation to the people who have so kindly supplied us with flowers and plants, and to those who have presented us with books and magazines. The Lynn Tele- gram-News, Lynn Dail Evening Item, and the Saugus Weekly Ad- vertiser also deserve a vote of thanks for their cooperation in taking our news and notices to the public.
Respectfully submitted,
VIVIAN B. COPP, Librarian.
We, the Board of Library Trus- tees of the Saugus Public Library accept the report of the librarian and submit it as our report.
JOHN B. LANG KALER A. PERKINS
ALBERT R. MAGEE CHAUNCY V. WHITTREDGE
WALTER D. BLOSSOM
LEAVERET B. MEARS
American Library Association Form of Statistics
Annual report for the year end- ing December 31, 1941
Name of Library-Saugus Free Public Library
Town-Saugus, Massachusetts
Librarian-Vivian B. Copp
Date of Founding-1887
Population served-16,194
Assessed Valuation of Town- $15,623,323
Library Appropriation per Capita -- $.50
Terms of Use-Free for Lending and Reference
Total Number of Agencies-7 Consisting of : Main Library
Cliftondale Branch
East Saugus Branch
Lynnhurst Branch
North Saugus Branch
High School Oaklandvale (Book Deposit)
Hours Open Each Week for Lend- ing and Reference
Main Library 3412
Cliftondale Branch 21
East Saugus Branch 101/2
North Saugus Branch 4
1941]
Lynnhurst Branch 3
High School 828
(hours per school year)
Book Stock
Volumes at beginning of year 22,625
Volumes added
1,350
Volumes withdrawn 226
Total 23,749
Circulation Record
Main Library 32,017
Cliftondale Branch 30,982
East Saugus Branch
10,255
North Saugus Branch 3,633
Lynnhurst Branch 2,354
High School
3,242
Total
82,483
Trustees
John B. Lang, Chairman
Leverett B. Mears, Secretary
Walter B. Blossom
Albert R. Magee
Kaler A. Perkins
Chauncy V. Whittredge
Staff
* Margaret L. Cameron, Librarian #Vivian B. Copp, Librarian Jean Brooks, Assistant Librarian
Alice Lang, Branch Librarian, Cliftondale Branch Library
Aguiness I. Blossom, Branch Li- brarian, East Saugus Branch Library
Maude Moses, Branch Librarian, North Saugus Branch Library Anna Swanson, Branch Librarian, Lynnhurst Branch Library
Hour Workers
Jeanne Anderson
Patricia Cotting
Lorraine Karlson
Elaine MacLaren Marjorie Walkey
Janitor-Main Library *Ernest Castle +Robert Vatcher
*Resigned
¡Appointed
Report of the Bureau of Old Age Assistance
To the Citizens of the Town of Saugus :
In recognition of the fact that brevity is desired in the compiling of a report to be submitted to the inhabitants for their inspection, this Bureau desires to render this brief account of its stewardship of the old Age Assistance pro- gram during the past year. With this object in mind, we have en- deavored to eliminate statistical data which is not of a financial nature.
Town Funds appropriated at the annual town meeting were $38,000. which was augumented by grants from the Federal Government in the amount of $32,173.88. In ad- dition reimbursements from the Commonwealth in the amount of $27,935.85 and other Cities and Towns in the amount of $1,667.32 were received. Total expenditures for this category of aid were $73,- 324.44 resulting in an actual cost to the town of $11,547.39. Of the original appropriation $38,000.00
the sum of $585.60 was returned to Surplus Revenue.
The sum of $1200.00 was ap- propriated at the annual town meeting for the purpose of ad- ministering this program. This sum was later augmented by trans- fers of $125.00 and $25.00 making a total of $1350.00 of town funds allocated to administration and of this sum $8.41 was returned to Surplus Revenue giving a net cost of $1341.59. Federal Funds re- ceived for Administration were $1174.72.
A slight decline in the number of recipients was noted during the year which, to a great extent, is directly attributable to the im- proved economic conditions in our community. We regret to point out, however, that this reduction has been offset, to a great extent, by the needs of many of our clients for increased allowances to care for necessary medical, nursing and hospitalization charges. It may be well to bear in mind that many
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REPORT OF BUREAU OF OLD AGE ASSISTANCE
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
of our clients are in the later years of life and that these extra char- ges will tend to increase as the average age increases.
We feel that we would be re- miss in our duty if we did not say a word concerning the year 1942. As is very well known, the State Legislature passed several meas- ures liberalizing Old Age Assis- tance during the past year. The principal change was one increas- ing grants of Old Age Assistance in certain cases. This, and other measures of liberalization, will benefit a great number of Old Age Assistance clients and represents,
in our opinion, a great forward stride in our effort to provide real security for our aged. These benefits cannot be provided, how- ever, without additional cost to the taxpayer and it is our estimate that an additional cost of $7500.00 will have to be borne by the town in order to provide such benefits.
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