USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1895 > Part 4
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61
RECORDS OF THE TOWN CLERK.
1894.]
82 yrs. 9 mos., 24 dys., Brain Disease; Martha A. Phillips, 80 yrs., 7 mos., Heart Disease; Harriet Stone, 76 yrs., 3 mos., 14 dys., Heart Disease.
DOGS LICENSED.
Males, 133; Females, 15; Total, 148.
GEO. T. TILL, Town Clerk.
62
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Feb. 28,
LIST OF JURORS.
Prepared and posted by the Selectmen, for the consideration of the Town at the Annual Meeting, March 18th, 1895.
ALBREE, JOHN, JR. ANDREWS, ISAAC H. ASHTON, HERMAN F. BAIN, WELLSLEY BAILEY, SIDNEY E. BECKETT, DANIEL C. BESSOM, JAMES H. CAHOON, LEWIS F. CANN, JOHN W. COLLINS, WILLIAM H. EARP, WILLIAM G. FARRINGTON, CHAS. GALEUCIA, NATHAN'L GARDNER, PELEG GILLEY, RICHARD G. HALEY, MICHAEL HAMILTON, GEORGE F. HASKELL, CHARLES A. TENNEY, WILLIAM N. HATCH, WILLARD M. HEATH, GEORGE A.
IVERSON, WILLIAM J. JACKSON, CHARLES T. KEHOE, JAMES W. LAMPARD, GEORGE MARTIN, EBEN S. MELZARD, GEORGE T. MERRITT, JOHN R. MORRIS, OSCAR F. MOTT, JAMES A. NIES, MARTIN NISBETT, JAMES E. O. PARKER, SAMUEL R. PEARSON, SYDNEY N. PETTINGELL, LUTHER D. RICH, BENJAMIN F. ROGERS, WILLIAM H. SEGER, WILLIAM
THURSTON, FRANK D. ULMAN, ISAAC A.
63
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
1895.]
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
FELLOW CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS :- -
Your Board of Selectmen beg to submit for your consider- ation the following report for the fiscal year ending February 28, 1895.
APPROPRIATIONS .- After consultation with the different departments, and in accordance with Article 2 part of Section 3 of our By-Laws, we recommend the following detailed esti- mates of the amounts of money which will be required for the current financial year :
Selectmen's Department
$4,500 00
Highway Department
4,5'00 00
School Department
14,000 00
Health Department 1,500 00
Poor Department
2,500 00
Fire Department
4,500 00
Police Department
2,600 00
Sidewalks
1,000 00
Concrete and Curbstones ยท
500 00.
Cemetery Department 500 00
Town Hall (and receipts)
400 00
Library (dog tax and receipts)
400 00
Memorial Day
100 00
Catch Basins and Paved Gutters
400 00
Care Monument Lot
25 00
64
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Feb. 28,
Water Rates
600 00
Soldiers' and Sailors' Aid
400 00
Interest and Discount
3,000 00.
State Tax, (estimated)
4.500 00
County Tax, (estimated)
5,500 00
THE ABOLITION OF GRADE CROSSING ON BURRILL STREET. With the exception of a few minor matters, we can announce with pleasure the completion of this long looked for im- provement.
At the beginning of the year it was hardly known what portion of the work was to be done by the Town, hence our inability to recommend a consistent appropriation. Accord- ing to the decree of the superior court however, the Common- wealth of Massachusetts was to pay twenty-five (25) per cen- tum; the Town of Swampscott ten (10) per centum ; and the Boston & Maine R. R. Co., sixty-five (65) per centum of the whole cost actually incurred in such alterations. The Town had for its part of the work, the furnishing of the labor and material necessary for the construction of a ten-inch drain with suitable man-holes from the catch basins to King's brook 850 feet distant ; the paving of the gutter three feet wide on both 'sides of Burrill street, with granite blocks; and the macadamizing of the road-beds which were left from one to two feet below grade. All other labor and material being furnished by the Boston & Maine Railroad Co. To carry on this work as well as many other incidentals that constantly suggested themselves, necessitated an expenditure much larger than was appropriated, and in fact much more than the Town's proportional part of the expenses will be. At this writing, the bills for the different parts of the work have not been audited, but we are led to believe that the whole cost of the improvement will not exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) in which event the Town will be reimbursed all over three thousand dollars ($3,000) it has expended. In
BURRILL STREET CROSSING, 1894.
-
-
BURRILL STREET CROSSING, 1895.
f
Y
-
65
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
1895.]
other words all over ten (10) per centum of whatever the whole cost may be.
CEMETERY .- In accordance with the vote passed at our last Annual Town Meeting, instructing the Selectmen to make investigations toward procuring a suitable location for a cemetery, we would report that some difficulty was experi- enced in finding land that was suitable for this purpose. Among those which we can mention as best adapted is a parcel of about nine (9) acres situated on the easterly side of Salem street and owned by the John Phillips' heirs; another parcel of about eight (8) acres on the westerly side of said street and owned by Mr. W. F. Lewis. Both of these lots are conveniently located, well tilled and drained, and at a small expense could be laid out and beautified as a cemetery.
The price asked for both of these lots is five hundred dol- lars per acre, which we consider rather exorbitant and would recommend that this matter be again referred to a committee for further investigation.
At the beginning of the year we recommended the removal of the old tool house to the rear part of the cemetery and the building on thereto, an addition suitable for a waiting-room for the owners of lots. On looking more fully into the mat- ter we found the avenues were not of sufficient width to admit of said removal without destroying some of the orna- mental trees and a probable damage to the adjacent lots. This we considered imprudent and upon consultation with the Superintendent decided it would be fully as convenient in its present location, which proved to be part of the public reservation, and with some improvement that would harmon- ize with the surroundings, be made an ornament to the cemetery. With this end in view we had the old building enlarged sufficiently with a hip-roof, to provide a waiting-room as mentioned above and forming on three sides spacious covered verandas inclosed by balustrades and turned posts. Water pipes have also been extended from the street main to
66
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Feb. 28.
a central location, all of which must serve as great conven- iences to lot owners.
ESSEX STREET LEDGE. - The projecting ledge on Essex street nearly opposite Burrill street, which has long been a menace to public travel, has been removed at a small expense, by vote of the Town at its last annual meeting. This admitted of the extension of the sidewalk from the school- house to the corner of Cherry street, and provided sufficient room for a roadway between the railroad tracks and the side- walks. Thus removing great liability of accident.
HIGHWAYS .- Humphrey street is one of our most traveled thoroughfares, and is at present in bad condition in the cen- tral portion of the Town. Experiences in other cities has demonstrated the fact that a properly macadamized road-bed is much cheaper to maintain than a graveled one, and with our well equipped stone-crusher would be more economical. We therefore recommend that a certain amount of this work be done each year, and that Humphrey street from the hay- scales to the monument be thoroughly macadamized the com- ing year, and that the sum of fifteen hundred ($1,500) dol- lars be appropriated for the same.
PETITIONS .- During the year we received a petition nu- merously signed, praying for the laying out of a Town way from Highland street to Greenwood court, across the Breed and DeLory lots.
We also had in our possession a petition which was referred over from the preceding year for the extension of King street to said Greenwood court. We submitted both, peti- tions to the same careful consideration, employing compe- tent engineers to survey and make plans and profiles of both ways with estimated costs thereof.
As the laying of water pipes to the new schoolhouse was an important factor in the case, its cost had to be taken into
67
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
1895.]
consideration with other things. Suffice it to say, however, that the fifty (50) foot street through the Breed and DeLory lots proved to be not only the better but the cheaper of the two ways, which from a sense of duty of course, we recom- mended and reported upon favorably. But at a Special Town Meeting held September 17th, 1894, action on said report was indefinitely postponed. Later, we again received peti- tions for both ways.
While we feel that there should be a suitable and easy ave- nue of approach to our new schoolhouse, and inasmuch as your Board of Selectmen had previously acted, as it supposed, wisely and fairly in the matter, they can but feel that only one of two things remain for them to do, either to extend King street at its much larger expense, which would surely be entailed, provided it be laid out straight, with a suitable grade, and at least forty feet wide, which seems to be the ex- pression of the majority of our citizens; or to refer the mat- for the adjudication of their successors in office. Bearing in mind the fact that the Town during the past year has been engaged in two large improvements involving a large finan- cial outlay, and inasmuch as the water pipes to the new schoolhouse have been constructed at the expense of the Marblehead Water Co., we feel it our official duty to adopt the latter.
TOWN HALL REPAIRS .- For the past few years that por- tion of the tower above the main roof has been a source of annoyance and expense, caused by the water penetrating through and running down upon the clock and fire-alarm machinery in the room below. A thorough examination was made and the cause was found to exist largely at the bell-deck, where its space was nearly covered by the frame-work sup- porting the bell and fire-alarm machinery. As patching had been thoroughly tried, with no good result, it was decided to remove the bell, frame and other machinery for convenience
68
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Feb. 28,
in working, strip off the tin, add a new and well crowned deck which has been covered with heavy roofing copper. Other necessary repairs to complete the work were made. The room below the deck has been improved by placing a good-sized window in the west wall. This room contains the clock and fire-alarm apparatus and is much used. Previous to the improvement it has been without light or ventilation. : The main entrance to the hall has been improved by adding more light and the construction of the much needed vestibule doors. The expenditures in this department are in excess of the appropriation, but the work was considered imperative.
SALEM STREET SIDEWALK .- With an appropriation of five hundred dollars ($500) and a large accumulation of coarse material at the gravel-pit, we were enabled to extend one of the culverts and construct a sidewalk nearly the whole length of the easterly side, also remove the brush and do considerable filling on the westerly side. As the idea of the Town was to do a portion of the work each year, we recommend that the sum of three hundred dollars be appropriated to continue the work.
STREET CROSSINGS .- In compliance with a vote of the Town, granite crossings have been laid as follows :
Across Humphrey street, near land of Wm. R. Blaney ; across Pine street, at its junction with Railroad avenue ; across Humphrey street, near the store of S. J. Pettingell ; across Columbia street, from depot entrance ; across Thomas road, at its junction with Burrill street ; across Burrill street, from New Ocean to Paradise; across Paradise road, at its junction with Burrill street. We have also replaced the con- crete crossing, which was nearly obliterated, in front of the Town Hall, with one of granite.
PUBLIC PARKS .- We call special attention to the report of
69
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN.
1895.]
the Board of Park Commissioners, with which we are in sympathy.
Respectfully submitted,
H. C. BULFINCH, Board A. R. BUNTING, of
W. ERNEST STONE, Selectmen.
SWAMPSCOTT, Feb. 18, 1895.
70
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Feb. 28,
REPORT OF THE PARK COMMISSIONERS.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
The establishment by our Town of the Board of Park Commissioners was a step forward into the line of the pro- gressive towns of the Commonwealth. This was done by the acceptance of the Park Act, at the March meeting, in 1893. [For a copy of this act, see appendix to this report.] In 1894 this first Board of Commissioners were elected. At once upon organization, (March 26), we took steps to put our- selves in close relations with our townspeople, feeling that the success of our work was dependent upon the co-operation of all classes and interests among us. To this end we sent out several hundred copies of the following letter :
Dear Sir :- The undersigned, having been chosen Park Commissioners of the Town of Swampscott, desire to enlist their fellow-townsmen, and all other per- sons interested in the work of securing such Parks and Driveways as are needed to beautify our Town. You could contribute to this end in various ways :
I. As a Board, we should prize suggestions from you as to desirable sites, either for Parks or Driveways.
II. Again you could materially assist by placing, or inducing some friend to place, in the hands of the Town, plats of ground, which you may control ; some- thing of little value perhaps to the owners, but which might be made of much value to the public.
III. Once more, any gift of money, large or small, which your generosity may prompt you to entrust to us, would be carefully used for securing or beautifying places of public resort.
Any communications with regard to this work may be addressed to The Park Commissioners, Swampscott, Mass.
Very respectfully yours,
GEORGE A. JACKSON, BENJAMIN POTTER, Park Commissioners. ROBT. B. WARDWELL,
71
REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS.
1895.]
APPEAL TO THE METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION.
Meantime, even before we had been elected, there had been a vigorous movement in favor of a park in Swampscott. In 1893, the State had constituted the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners. This body was endowed with remark- able powers and had received an appropriation of a million dollars for carrying out its plans. Accordingly two hundred and fifty of our townspeople, knowing that we were liable to be taxed for a portion of this money, had petitioned the said Commissioners to lay a park upon and inland from King's Beach. This movement your board at once endorsed officially, and made earnest and repeated efforts to secure the help of the Metropolitan Board. Finally, on July 26, the members of the Commission, accompanied by their consulting engineer, Mr. Charles Eliot, came to Swampscott and were shown the possibilities of our shore for public uses by our Selectmen and local commissioners. They expressed themselves as highly pleased, and strongly advised an attempt to secure both of the beaches and a driveway along the edge of Black Will's Cliff. Such expressions, and subsequent interviews with individual members of the Commission, emboldened us to hope for substantial aid from them. In that hope we de- layed aggressive steps of our own perhaps too long, for finally we were informed that their money was exhausted and that for the present they could not help us. Our park, it was re- cognized, would be of value to the Metropolitan District. In the future, when the Commission had money, it was intimated that we might be aided, but that, meantime, we ought to be helping ourselves.
OUR FIRST WANT, THE BEACHES.
But while thus acting for so long a time the part of un- successful suitors, your Board were not idle. They had been studying the natural features of our shore and highlands, and of the wooded waste above Upper Swampscott, and had be-
72
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Feb. 28,
come convinced that a system of parks and boulevards may yet be developed which will make ours one of the most attractive towns in the State.
These things however, are in the future.
What we want first, and as quickly as may be. is the possession by the public of our beautiful beaches. These are Swampscott's. They are our joy, our pride. And they should be made accessible, at high as well as at low tide, to every one of our citizens. Further, there should no longer exist in the minds of our fishermen that haunting fear, which most of them feel, lest the encroachments of private owners shall in a few years cut them off from their privileges and their livelihood.
And it may be added that there are sixty odd million of people in our country that would like to visit the sea at this delightful point, if we would make them welcome, and render their stay agreeable. A condition it should be noted, which can only be met by concerted and authoritative action on the part of our citizens. Individual action will not avail.
THE INTERESTS INVOLVED.
Accordingly it has been our chief effort to ascertain the present status of the beach property ; the kind and value of business interests there represented; the effect which the acquisition of the beaches would have upon those interests, as well as upon the general interests of the Town; and the feeling of our townspeople towards our project.
As to the status of the beach property, it is sufficient now to say that we have thoroughly informed ourselves. The business interests directly connected with the shore, are fish- ing, boating and bathing. Fishing which fifty years ago made the Town, is now of less importance ; but still it is carried on by a highly respected portion of our citizens. In acquiring the beaches, these men should be considered and provided for, first of all. This, not only for their own sakes, but also for the picturesqueness which their calling adds to our shore.
73
REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS.
1895.]
Next, yachting and pleasure boating is a source of income to not a few. Whatever is done should be made to foster this interest. Bathing is a source of some profit, mainly at the upper beach. Of course provision should be made for the supply of bathers' wants.
Finally we have considered the probable effect of park- bordered beaches upon the largest business interest of the Town, our summer hotels and boarding houses, and our cottages rented to summer visitors. Our opinion is that the additional influx of money to the Town from this source alone would speedily overbalance the cost of the proposed improve- ments. Our views upon these topics have been matured after much consultation with our fishermen, our property holders, and our summer entertainers, and after a public hear- ing at the Town Hall.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE TOWN.
We therefore deem ourselves justified in recommending to the Town the following action :
To take immediate steps to acquire Blaney's Beach, from Edwin Farnham's line to John Stanley's line, and the whole of King's Beach to the Lynn line; a requisite portion of Blaney's Beach to be devoted to, and guaranteed forever as a fisherman's landing, and to be provided with suitable fish houses owned by the public ; the remaining portion to be used for a park. For this purpose we recommend that the Town appropriate thirty thousand dollars, not to be used or borrowed until the Metropolitan Park Commissioners have appropriated, or public spirited persons have paid to the Town fifteen thousand dollars for park purposes in Swampscott ; the time for such appropriation or payment being limited to six months from the dissolution of the town meeting.
As to the recommendation for a fisherman's landing, it may be said that fishermen already have especial rights along the whole shore ; they do not need any particular spot guaran- teed to them. Their own reply to this is that if they have
74
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Feb. 28,
such rights, they have not yet found it out; there is nothing in the public statutes to assure them, and recent events have dissipated all trust in their old tradition to that effect. At all events, they would much rather have some legal title to a convenient landing place than have a vague and baseless theory of right along the whole shore.
The cost involved in acquiring this territory, though it seems to us a considerable sum, is now slight compared with what it may be a few years hence. We have secured options for six months on a large part of the property at equitable terms. It may also be said that if the Town acquires the upper beach before further changes, there is good reason to believe that the low land opposite will be purchased by private parties and presented to the Town, thus giving us an ample park with perhaps a skating pond.
WHAT OTHER TOWNS AND WATERING PLACES DO.
Other towns are awakening to such needs as these. Win- chester, with a valuation very near our own, appropriated last year $ 50,000.00 for park purposes. From a money point of view, we ought to be far more eager than Winchester to establish attractive parks, for they cannot see any prospective financial return. Swampscott as a watering-place can antic- ipate speedy re-payment. We should learn wisdom from the great watering-places of the Old World. There they have spent fabulous sums in beautifying their resorts; and now they are reaping returns from the whole world.
We conclude then, that first of all our fishermen ; then all persons interested in our summer traffic ; then all property owners ; then every citizen interested to have his family and friends enjoy the sea which the Almighty has spread before us to be enjoyed by all, should see to it that the Town ac- quires the beaches this year.
GEORGE A. JACKSON, BENJAMIN POTTER, Park Commissioners.
ROBERT B. WARDWELL, S
75
REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS.
1895.]
APPENDIX.
Of the Laying-out of Public Parks by Towns and Cities.
ACTS OF 1882. CHAPTER 154, AS AMENDED BY CHAPTER 240 OF THE ACTS OF 1890.
SECTION I. Any town in this Commonwealth which accepts the provisions of this act in the manner hereinafter prescribed may, at a legal meeting called for the purpose, elect three competent persons who shall constitute a Board of Park Commissioners for such town, and may prescribe their terms of office; and the Mayor of any city which in such manner accepts said provisions may, with the approval of the City Council, as soon as may be after such acceptance, appoint five competent persons who shall constitute a Board of Park Commis- sioners for such city, and who shall hold their offices until the expiration of terms of one, two, three, four and five years respectively, from the first Mon- day in May next following such appointment; and the Mayor shall, before the first Monday in May in each year thereafter, with like approval, appoint one such commissioner to continue in office for five years from the expiration of the term of the commissioner then next outgoing. No person shall be such commissioner who is at the same time a Selectman or Treasurer or Clerk of such town, or a member of the City Council, Clerk or Taeasurer of such city; and any such commissioner may be removed by a vote of two-thirds of the legal voters of such town, at a legal town meeting called for the purpose, or by a concurrent vote of two-thirds of the whole of each branch of such City Council.
SECT. 2. Any vacancy occurring in such board shall be filled for the residue of the term of the commissioner whose place is to be filled in the manner in which such commissioner was originally appointed. Such commissioners shall serve without compensation.
SECT. 3. Such Board of Park Commissioners shall have power to locate within the limits of their respective towns or cities a public park or parks, and for that purpose from time to time to take in fee by purchase, gift, devise, or otherwise, any and all such lands as they may deem desirable therefor, or to take bonds for the conveyance thereof to their respective towns or cities; to lay out and improve any such park or parks; to make rules for the use and govern- ment thereof, and for breaches of such rules to affix penalties not exceeding twenty dollars ($20) for one offence, to be imposed by any court of competent jurisdiction ; to appoint all necessary engineers, surveyors, clerks and other officers, including a police force to act in such parks; to define the powers and duties of such officers and fix the amount of their compensation; and generally to do all acts needful for the proper execution of the powers and duties granted to or imposed upon such town or city or upon such boards by this act; provided, however, that no land shall be taken, or any other thing involving an expenditure of money be done under this act, until an appropriation sufficient to cover the estimated expense thereof shall in the town have been made by a vote of two thirds of the legal voters present, and voting in a legal town meet-
76
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Feb. 28,
ing called for the purpose, or in a city by a vote of two-thirds of each branch of the City Council; and such expenditures shall in no case exceed the appro- priations made therefor, and all contracts made for expenditures beyond the amount of such appropriations shall be void; provided, further, that in a town no taking of land otherwise than by purchase shall be valid unless such taking is reported to the town, filed, accepted and allowed, as provided by section seventy-one of chapter forty-nine of the Public Statutes in the case of laying out town ways.
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