USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1906 > Part 7
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Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE NEWHALL, Local Superintendent of Moth Work.
123
REPORT OF MILK INSPECTOR.
1906]
Report of Milk Inspector.
SWAMPSCOTT, February 19, 1906.
To the Board of Selectmen, Swampscott, Mass. :
GENTLEMEN,-I beg leave to submit my report as Milk Inspector for the past year. I have taken six samples to be tested and issued ninteen (19) licenses for the sale of milk.
No complaints have been made to me from any parties.
Amount received from licenses and paid to the Town Treas- urer, nine dollars and a half ($9.50.)
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE C. WEBSTER, Milk Inspector.
124
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
REFORT OF
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
The following is the report of the Sealer of Weights and Measures for the year ending February 23, 1906 :
Total number of balances and platform scales tested from
April 1, 1905, to February 23, 1906 . 71
Number of weights tested 215 ·
Number of measures tested
169
Number of weights condemned
7
Number of measures condemned
·
16
Number of balances condemned
·
9
Total number of milk jars tested
1,26I ·
Total number of milk jars condemned
·
48
Total amount received, $20.15 for the above, which I turned over to the Town Treasurer, for which I received a receipt.
The standard embraces the following :
One avoirdupois balances, fifty pounds.
One set avoirdupois weights, sixteen divisions ; drachms, one two divisions ; ounces, one-quarter, one-half, one, two, four, eight; pounds, one, two, four, five, ten, twenty, twenty-five, fifty.
One set of dry measures, five divisions, one quart, two quarts, one-half peck, one peck, one-half bushel.
One set of liquid measures of six dimensions, one gill, one- half pint, one pint, one quart, two quarts, one gallon.
125
1 906] REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
One yard measure, ten fifty-pound weights; one balance for testing small weights, one steel stamp, 1906; one hammer, two drills, one bitstock, one breast drill, one tripod, one tin tube, ten graduating glasses.
ALFRED G. WATTS, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
I26
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
Report of Street Lights Committee
Your committee herewith submit a copy of the new contract made with the Lynn Gas & Electric Co., of Lynn, Massachusetts, to date August 7, 1905, to run for five years, which your con- mittee consider the best agreement ever entered into between the Town and the above company. We made a thorough investi- gation of the subject in the four months intervening between the Annual Town Meeting and the expiration of the old contract, considered the radical change which a new system would necessitate in the doing away with the modern electric light and substituting the only available light at present on the market, the Welsbach, using either gas or naphtha, and finally concluded after receiving the Electric Company's final proposition, that it would be for the best interests of the Town to continue our present system, the company agreeing to replace our old lamps, both arc and incandescent, with the very latest pattern of lamp of increased candle power, similar to those being used in Lynn and Boston, and at an expense to the company of thousands of dollars and a saving to the Town of one dollar and fifty cents per lamp per year on a five year contract, the price on the incandescent lamp to remain the same though stronger in power by eight candles, for eighteen dollars per year, being thirty-two candle power each, and your committee suggest that the incandescent lamp be used more extensively along streets and in dark places between corners or junctions of streets, thus saving the larger expense of an arc lamp. Citizens will notice the change now made by the company and the installation of our new lamp and steady light with no dark circle on the ground beneath the lamp. This is the new alternating type of a nominal twelve hundred
127
REPORT OF STREET LIGHTS COMMITTEE.
1906]
candle power lamp, as near by actual candle measurement as the testing machine can verify, and our citizens can feel assured that no town or city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, has a better electric light then we do, or at a less price, or even as low in price, and considering the matter thoroughly, your com- mittee unanimously agreed by signing the contract, as submitted below.
Your committee estimate the Town will require ten thousand dollars, to maintain our lights for the current year, and recom- mend that amount be appropriated for the same.
E. A. FARNHAM,
J. R. MERRITT, M. L. QUINN, F. J. LINNEHAN, J. F. CATON,
Committee.
Agreement With Lynn Gas & Electric Co.
THIS AGREEMENT made this seventh day of August 1905 by and between the Lynn Gas & Electric Company, a corpora- tion duly, organized under the laws of Massachusetts, and estab- lished in the City of Lynn in the County of Essex in said State, hereinafter called the Electric Company, and the Town of Swamp- scott in said County and State acting by E. A. Farnham, M. L. Quinn, J. R. Merritt, J. F. Caton, F. J. Linnehan, its Commit- tee on Street Lights hereunto duly authorized by vote of the Town, witnesseth that
Whereas, said Town desires to continue to light certain of its streets and public places by electric light supplied by both the arc and incandescent systems,
And whereas, the Electric Company is ready to continue to furnish such light for the term of five years upon the terms and
128
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
conditions and for the prices hereinafter mentioned provided the Town grants the necessary licenses, permits, and easements therefor.
Now then, in consideration ot the mutual covenants and agree- ments herein contained to be kept and performed by the parties hereto respectively, it is hereby mutually covenanted and agreed as follows :
I. The Electric Company agrees to furnish one hundred fourteen (114) or more arc lamps of the enclosed alternating type of nominal twelve hundred candle power each and sixty (60) or more incandescent lamps of nominal thirty-two candle power each, said lamps to be operated in the locations already established. The Electric Company agrees that it will at its own cost and expense maintain all the necessary poles, wires, circuits and other apparatus required for the operation of said lamps, and properly connect said lines and circuits with the generating and controlling apparatus at its Electric Light Station in Lynn, so as to constitute a complete and efficient lighting plant for the purposes above named, but all the property, apparatus and fixtures mentioned in this article shall be and remain the property of the Electric Company.
2. The Electric Company agrees, during the term of this contract so to maintain and operate its generating and controlling apparatus, wires, circuits and lamps, as to furnish light from said lamps at their respective capacities, during the times and hours hereinafter specified, and in such manner that said light shall be practically steady and continuous. The Electric Com- pany guarantees that each so-called 1, 200 candle power arc lamp and each so-called 32 candle power incandescent lamp shall be as efficient, as regards steadiness and quantity of light, as any lamp of like rated capacities now in general use.
3. The Electric Company agrees to light and keep lighted all the arc and incandescent lamps upon each and every night of the year whenever the moon is not out or is obscured and to keep lighted such lights such parts of the nights in the year as the moon may be temporarily obscured, as well as upon such nights as the moon is not out.
129
REPORT OF STREET LIGHTS COMMITTEE.
1906]
The Town of Swampscott agrees to pay for said lighting on and after the seventh day of August 1905 to the Electric Com- pany the sum of seventy-three dollars and fifty cents ($73.50) per annum for each and every arc lamp, and eighteen dollars ($18.00) per annum for each and every incandescent lamp.
4. All amount accruing under the above items or any of them shall be paid by the Town of Swampscott to the Electric Com- pany in instalments as follows :
On the first day of each and every month there shall be due and payable such sums as shall according to the rates and prices hereinbefore specified pay for all the lights furnished up to said first day of the month.
5. It is further agreed that in case the Town should desire to change the location of said lamps or any of them, the Electric Company will re-locate the same and put them in such new places as the Committee on Street Lights for the time being may designate, provided, however, that actual cost and expense occasioned the Electric Company for such changes in location, shall be paid by the Town in addition to the other amount accruing from it to the Electric Company.
6. If for any reason not due to the fault or negligence of the Electric Company, there shall be any cessation of, or interrup- ion to, the supply of electric light under contract, the Electric Company shall not be liable in damages therefor, but there shall be deducted from the consideration to be paid as aforesaid, uch amounts as shall be a just proportionate discount on account of such failure to supply light, except that such temporary ailures of the lights to burn, as are ordinarily incident to the ›peration of electric light plants, shall not entitle the Town to iny rebate or discount. The Electric Company shall neverthe- ess be bound, throughout the terms of this contract to use its est endeavors to start the lights again with all reasonable dis- batch, and burn the same continuously, after any cessation or nterruption.
7. It is agreed that the lights herein contracted for shall be in peration as soon after the seventh day of August 1905 as is possible and that this contract shall be and remain in force for a period of five (5) calendar years from and after said date.
130
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
8. Finally, it is understood and agreed that if during the continuance of this contract the Town of Swampscott shall vote to establish a municipal lighting plant after the expiration of two (2) years from the date thereof, in accordance with Acts of Legislature now in force or hereafter to be enacted, the Town of Swampscott shall not be liable for the balance of this contract, and all further liability under this contract shall cease.
In witness whereof, said Town of Swampscott has caused these presents to be signed in its name and behalf by said E. A. Farnham, M. L. Quinn, J. R. Merritt, J. F. Caton, F. J. Linnehan, its Committee on Street Lights hereunto duly author- ized ; and said Lynn Gas & Electric Company has caused same to be signed in its name and behalf, by its Committee on Con- tracts hereunto duly authorized.
The Town of Swampscott by :
EDWIN A. FARNHAM, FRANK J. LINNEHAN, MARTIN L. QUINN, JOHN R. MERRITT, JAMES F. CATON,
Committee on Street Lights.
Lynn Gas & Electric Company by :
CHARLES H. BAKER, M. P. CLOUGH, J. W. BARTLETT,
Committee on Contracts.
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131
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES.
1906]
Report of the Library Trustees.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
The addition of 514 books, including 18 bound magazines, makes the whole number of volumes in the Town Library, 9,749
Parts of sets, and in some instances whole sets of the works of Dumas, Cooper, George Eliot, Shakspeare, and Dickens have been added.
The list of magazines is increased by Everybody's, Appleton's Booklovers, Good Housekeeping, Educational Review and Journal of Geography.
Fifty-nine books have been replaced, and 357 have been rebound. Eight were destroyed on account of contagious diseases.
The circulation has been 27,928.
Books presented include 49 volumes of The War of the Rebellion from the War Department; a set of Robert Louis Stevenson's works, from Mrs. Robert Beattie ; Book of Job, and Memoirs of Dr. James Jackson, from Mr. C. P. Curtis ; Memorial Sketch of the First President of the Lynn Historical Society, from Mrs. Philip A. Chase ; The Family of Zaccheus Gould of Topsfield, from T. P. Nichols; and Ravages of the Gypsy Moth in Medford.
It is our pleasure to state that Mrs. Joanna Morse of Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, has bequeathed to the Library the rest and residue of her estate, after paying certain annuities and gifts, the income of which fund is to be devoted to the purchase of books. The trustees learn that this fund will amount to about
132
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
$5,500, and will soon be paid over to the Town and become available for Library use for purchasing books.
We wish to express our appreciation for the gift. The gift is the first of its kind the Library has ever received and we trust that it may remind others of our needs and that additional legacies will follow. To that end all possible encouragement we feel should be given and we trust that the citizens will not, in making their appropriations consider that the Library has other income but will continue to make the usual appropriations and allow the Library the full benefit of all bequests.
We solicit the same appropriation that was made for the Library last year.
Respectfully submitted,
ELIZABETH J. HADLEY, FRANK F. STANLEY, FRANK E. INGALLS,
Trustees.
133
REPORT OF WATER COMMISSIONERS.
1906]
Report of Water Commissioners.
To the Citizens of the Town of Swampscott :
The Water Board respectfully submit their eighth annual report.
But little has been done in extension of pipes during the year just past. Having received a petition from the residents of Out- look road for a hydrant for fire purposes in that locality, after a conference with the Board of Selectmen it was decided to locate the same as petitioned for. This made it necessary to run 837 feet of 6-inch main to give satisfactory service. The cost of this work was $680.39.
The re-laying of clogged up service pipes was a rather expen- sive item during 1905, as well as the year previous; 80 galvan- ized-iron services were replaced with lead-lined pipe, we having bought 6,780 feet of this pipe last year, at a cost, with connec- tions, of $1,061.63.
Last spring we bought seven large meters with the intention of metering the large hotels, and especially to get remuneration for the amount of water used for elevators, but at the earnest request of the proprietors, who claimed that we had not given them sufficient notice, a compromise was made, and the install- ing of the meters was delayed until the spring of 1906.
By glancing at the financial report which follows you will notice that the revenue received for water in 1905 was $2,252.70 in excess of the amount which was received during 1904; also that our cash balance on February 20, 1905, of $3,058.31, has increased to $5,072.09 on February 2, 1906, notwithstanding the fact that $735.20 was expended for meters. While we feel that
10
134
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
this is a very good showing, it is, of course, a natural outcome of the healthy growth of your Town. We see no reason why the receipts of this department for the coming year should not be as large as those for the year just closed, as there are already sixteen new houses to be added to the water roll April I, besides numerous other sources of revenue which are added each year.
Cost of Construction, Including Hydrants and Gates.
Walker road .
$466 90
Outlook road .
213 49
Phillips street
117 91
Bertha street .
85 00
Elmwood road
83 42
Eureka avenue
69 67
$1,036 39
Value of Swampscott Water Plant,
January 1, 1906 .
$171,272 58
Hydrants were located as follows :
Outlook Road
I
Total length of main and distributing pipes, 109,760.50 feet, or 20.79 miles.
Total number of hydrants . I 26
Total number of gates
· 275
Number of services added during 1905 · 48
Total number of water takers
. 1,219
Extension of Pipes.
Walker road . 505 feet of 6-inch pipe.
332 “ " 6 "
Outlook road
·
348 “ 2 6
Phillips street
Bertha street .
·
241 66 “'2 "
Elmwood road
225 200
2 "
Eureka avenue
66
.
·
I35
REPORT OF WATER COMMISSIONERS.
1906]
Gates were located as follows :
Walker road near Devens road I 6-inch gate
Junction of Outlook and Walker roads .
I
Walker road, near residence of Dr. Lindstrom, Outlook road
I
I 2 66
Corner of Elmwood road and Thomas road
I
Corner of Humphrey street and Phillips street,
I
66
66
Financial Statement for the Year Ending February 2, 1906.
RECEIPTS.
Cash on hand February 20, 1905
$3,058 31
Received for water
23,403 36
Received for services ·
679 24
Received for rights in old stand pipe
lot
·
100 00
Sale of horse (H. J. Wilson) .
91 50
Sale of horse (E. B. Roberts)
25 00
Land rent (J. F. Brown)
12 00
Land rent (E. S. Sawyer)
25 00
Land rent (Highway Department) .
25 00
Sale of old iron
66 38
Sale of old brick
2 00
Rent of land for signs
36 50
Interest on bank deposits
63 61
$27,587 90
EXPENSES.
Maintenance account
$7,689 74
Construction account
.
3,880 75
Repairs .
2,480 01
Meter account
735 20
General expense
229 62
Amount carried forward, $15,015 32
I
66
Junction of Eureka avenue and Jessie street
I36
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
Amount brought forward
$15,015 32
Service expense · .
267 25
Taxes
14 24
Sinking Fund
2,800 00
Interest on bonds
4,419 00
Balance in hands of Town Treasurer,
5,072 09
Inventory of stock, January 1, 1906,
$27,587 90 2,934 55
WILLIAM H. BATES, C. S. HASKELL, S. M. KEHOE, Water Commissioners.
Report of the Trustees of the Sinking Fund.
As Trustees of the Sinking Fund and in compliance with Chapter 293 of the acts of 1898, we submit the following report :
Amount of funds as per report of
$22,424 98 1905 .
RECEIPTS.
Interest received from the following banks :
Lynn Institution for Savings $18 50
Commonwealth Savings, Lynn
37 17
City Institution for Savings, Lowell, 20 00
Wildey Savings, Boston 41 20
Newburyport Institution for Savings, 46 62
Salem Five Cent Savings
37 40
Andover Savings ·
9 75
Westboro Savings .
7 06
Natick Five Cents Savings
41 34
Brookline Savings . .
41 20
Amounts carried forward, $300 24
$22,424 98
137
REPORT OF WATER COMMISSIONERS.
1906]
Amounts carried forward,
$300 24
$22,424 98
People's Savings, Worcester
39 21
Worcester Mechanics Savings
43 42
East Boston Savings
50 25
Cape Cod Five Cents Savings, Har- wich
38 91
Salem Savings
38 99
$511 02
Interest on $10,000 Swampscott
Water Bonds, August 1, 1905 ·
$175 00
February 1, 1906
175 00
350 00
Reserved for Sinking Fund as required
by law, 2 per cent. on $140,000 bonds, 1905-1906
2,800 00
Total
$26,086 00
INVESTMENTS.
Ten $1,000 34 per cent. Swampscott Water Bonds ·
$10,000 00
On deposit in the following banks : Institution for Savings in Newbury- port . ·
1,200 90
Salem Savings, Salem
1,143 75
Cape Cod Five Cents Savings, Har- wich .
1,141 33
Peoples' Savings, Worcester . 1,150 67
Worcester Mechanics, Worcester ·
1,128 63
Salem Five Cents Savings, Salem
1,097 26
Commonwealth Savings, Lynn
1,090 58
Natick Five Cents Savings, Natick .
1,064 90
Wildey Savings, Boston . ·
1,061 20
Brookline Savings, Brookline .
1,061 20
Amount carried forward,
$21,140 42
.
138
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb . 2
Amount brought forward, $21,140 42
East Boston Savings, Boston .
1,039 93
City Institution of Savings, Lowell, 1,000 00
Broadway Savings, Lawrence .
1,000 00
Andover Savings, Andover
984 75
Lynn Institution for Savings, Lynn, 738 84
Westboro Savings, Westboro .
182 06
Total
$26,086 00
WILLIAM H. BATES, C. S. HASKELL, S. M. KEHOE,
Trustees.
139
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
1 906 ]
Report of Sewer Commissioners.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
The Board of Sewer Commissioners respectfully present the following report for the year ending February 28, 1906.
The Board organized by electing Aaron R. Bunting, Chair- man and Superintendent and George T. Till was appointed clerk and collector. The work of the year has been the construction of sewers in Grant road and that portion of Middlesex avenue from Ellis road to the new school building. The number of house connections for the year is 96; underdrains, II ; surface drains, two.
The general system is in a very satisfactory condition and is very generally appreciated by the citizens.
Bids were received for the Grant road sewer as follows :
F. D. Mayo
$1,198 75
James T. Lyons ·
.
887 25
M. McDonough
791 85
The contract for the work was awarded to M. McDonough, the lowest bidder.
Bids were also received by the Selectmen and Sewer Commis- sioners for the relaying of the Town drain on Hampden street as follows :
F. D. Mayo
$896 30
M. McDonough
842 42
James T. Lyons
731 54
140
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
This contract was awarded to James T. Lyons, the lowest bidder. The work was done under the supervision of the Sewer Commissioners at the request of the Selectmen, the results on the completion of the work are reported by Mr. Ryan, Highway Surveyor, as very satisfactory.
When the pumping station was built it was expected that in the near future, to guard against possible accident, a third pump would be required, therefore the foundations and necessary con- nections were provided at that time. The Board believing the third pump to be now needed to insure absolute safety to the system, called for bids and on November 3, opened the following proposals :
George F. Blake, regular . . $3,888 00
George F. Blake, special .
· 3,723 00
Deane Steam Pump Works
5,475 00
Platt Iron Works 3,898 25
Francis H. & Charles W. Boyer
3,401 04 .
Lynch & Woodward
3,326 00
The awarding of the contract was deferred one week when the contract was awarded to Lynch & Woodward, this expense does not appear in this year's financial report as the work is not yet completed.
The Commissioners recommend that payment for this addition be made from money now in the treasury accruing from sewer assessments.
Hillside Avenue.
The Sewer Commissioners have during the past year had referred to them the question of the most practicable route to sewer the territory in the vicinity of Hillside avenue. The petition submitted covered certain streets lying northerly of the Boston & Maine railroad which were indicated on a preliminary sewer plan to form the drainage outlet of the Hillside avenue section, the desire, however, of the petitioners was to provide a sewer largely for Hillside avenue. The Sewer Commissioners
141
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
1906]
were of the opinion that a more economical route might possibly be provided when the situation was studied, with this object especially in view, and the matter was referred to the Sewer Commissioners after being considered at a Town meeting the past year with instructions to report thereon.
In accordance with this action the Sewer Commissioners have had this matter carefully investigated by their engineer whose conclusion is that the most available route from Hillside avenue to Essex street is across property owned by the Boston & Northern Railroad and Robert L. Fowler. The Commissioners have in both of these cases arranged for the rights of way across private property so that there will be no expense to the Town and by adopting this route the Town will save practically $1,400.
The route for the main sewer from Essex street through to the present sewer construction, south of the Boston & Maine Railroad at the station, has also been the subject of very careful study, this route must provide not only for Hillside avenue, but also for an outlet for the greater portion of the territory of Swampscott, lying north of the railroad. The sewage from this territory can all be collected at the junction of Cherry and Essex streets. The route asked for in the petition, calls for a very expensive piece of sewer construction in getting through the rocky elevation at the junction of Burrill and Essex streets, at this point a seventeen foot cut would be required, it is also prob- able that certain changes in water pipes would have to be made.
The other route is through a street known as Essex court and recently laid out by the Selectmen, but not yet accepted by the Town, and thence through Columbia to Burrill street. By adopting the last route the heavy rock cutting is saved. The total difference in the cost of construction as reported by the engineer is practically $2,500.
If the street known as Essex court is accepted by the Town the Sewer Department will be able to make assessments upon this street as upon any other public way, if it remains as a private way the Sewer Commissioners will be obliged to secure releases to conduct the sewer therein.
The total expense of this construction, including sewer con-
142
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 2
nections within the highway, is estimated at about $10,000, with the sewer through Essex court. A plan outlining the route is on file in office of the Town Clerk.
With the present rate of taxation, the Commissioners feel that no sewer construction should be voted this year, except such, as could be paid for from the receipts of sewer assessments.
Respectfully submitted,
A. R. BUNTING, HENRY B. SPRAGUE, OSCAR G. POOR,
Sewer Commissioners.
143
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
1906]
Sewer Department Receipts.
Balance March 1, 1905 ·
$13,211 76 3,500 00
Appropriation for maintenance, 1905,
March 31, interest . ·
35 01
August 25, interest .
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