USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1907 > Part 10
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I
$350
Value of property restored . $176
.
I
Search warrants for stolen goods served
.
Disturbances suppressed without arrest
Lights found burning in buildings
Persons killed on R. R. and cared for
161
REPORT OF CHIEF OF POLICE.
1907]
Receipts and Reimbursements.
W. H. Stuart
$4 00
Percy F. Munsey
1 00
Ladies' Union
.
2 50
H. M. Priest .
8 50
Edward Tillotson
9 50
Eugene M. Ong
.52 00
Samuel J. Mixter
39 75
Charles H. Conway
8 75
Albert R. Ellis
1 00
B. & N. R. R. Co.
7 75
Telephone tolls
2 71
Cemetery Department
2 25
School Department
6 22
Sewer Department .
79 30
Park Department
61 25
Police court fines .
725 00
Fines collected at jail
.
40 00
$1,051 48
Due from sundry parties .
$49 50
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES H. DUNLAP, Chief of Police.
162
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Surveyor of Highways.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
During the past year, 4,000 tons of stone, have been crushed. The greater part of this stone has been used in macadamizing the following streets : Orient street, from the roadway to the beach, near the estate of George Brooks, to the new Ocean House : Humphrey street, on both sides of the railroad track, from the entrance to the " Cliff " house, to Blaney street : New Ocean street, from the Lynn line, to a point opposite the old pumping station : Essex street, from the corner of Burrill street, to the old Pitman nursery. Also, the different streets have been patrolled and hollow places have been filled with crushed stone and gravel.
There have been used on the different streets, 2,993 loads of pit stone and gravel, at the following places : Middlesex avenue, at the Clarke schoolhouse : Stetson avenue, from the Boston & Maine railroad bridge, to Essex street : Orient street, from the Lodge estate, to the entrance, to the Little estate : Berkshire street, from Hampden street to the State Highway : Essex street, from the Pitman nursery, to the Bessom estate: also from the Salem line, to the Martin Nies estate : Rock avenue, from New Ocean street, to the top of the hill : Huron street from the Lynn line, to the school house : Danvers street, both sides of the rail- road bridge : Portions of Sheridan road, Phillips street, High- land street, Elmwood road, King street, Humphrey street, Mon- ument avenue, Boynton street, Shaw road and New Ocean street.
Stetson avenue received a coating of stone and gravel which averaged one foot in thickness; this work necessitated the rais- ing of all the manhole tops.
163
REPORT OF SURVEYOR OF HIGHWAYS.
1907]
Also, Essex street from the Salem line to the Nies estate, was filled with stone and gravel to a depth of eighteen inches. This part of Essex street was in a very bad condition, especially in the spring, when the frost was coming out of the ground. This work ought to be continued this year as far as the cemetery.
The ledge on Orient street, opposite the entrance to the Lodge estate, has been blasted and removed for a width of about 20 feet, and the street put to grade and gravelled.
New Streets.
In rebuilding Grant road, the following amounts of material were used :
Number of loads of filling removed 57
Number of loads of stone and gravel fur- nished 119
This street was practically reconstructed, for while it had been laid out forty feet wide, the Swampscott Land Trust, who originally had built it, had only graded a street thirty feet wide. This required that the sidewalks on both sides of the street should be drawn back five feet and the driveway recrowned.
Essex avenuè, a new street, running from Essex street to Columbia street, has been constructed and is now open for public use. For this work the following amounts of material were used :
Number of loads of filling furnished sand, etc. . · · 523
Number of loads of gravel for surfacing, I55
The greater part of this filling was given to the Town by Mr. Oscar G. Poor the Town having only to do the necessary carting.
This gift greatly aided the Town, in reducing the cost of building this street.
Gutters.
The gutters on all the streets in the Town, have been cleaned twice, and on the main streets, six times. All gutter scrapings have been removed and placed on the different dumps of the Town.
164
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
New Fences.
New fences have been built, as follows : At the lower beach there has been built 438 feet of three rail, two inch iron pipe fence. The wall has been raised some two feet, to get it to the grade of the street. At Danvers street, 319 feet of new fence has been built, to replace the old fence. At Essex street, 109 feet of fence has been built and at Humphrey street, at the Rowe estate, 84 feet has been built.
All the Town fences have been painted.
Sidewalks.
Material used, 936 loads of gravel, of which, 129 loads were screened.
Number tons of stone dust 95
Number of loads of gutter scrapings
IO2
Number of yards ledge, removed 26
Number of loads of sand, used
61
A side walk on Atlantic avenue, at the Smith estate, has been built, causing a fill of about three feet, which had to be filled in so that curbstones could be set.
At the Williams estate, on Atlantic avenue, curb stones were laid thereby causing the town to build sidewalk and grade the same.
Concrete and Curbstones.
Number of yards of concrete laid · 923.90 Number of feet of curb stones laid · 1,251.
Number of feet of curbstones relaid . 701.
Continuous Sidewalks.
Number of yards of concrete laid
·
2,026.75
Number of feet of curbstones laid
.
· £ 1,075.50
1907 ]
REPORT OF SURVEYOR OF HIGHWAYS. 165
I would recommend that an appropriation of $1,000 be made, for continuous sidewalks, and that the northerly side of Middle- sex avenue, from Burrill street, to the Clarke School, be curbed and concreted. Monument avenue from Burrill street, to the crossing at Thomas road, be concreted, and that Humphrey street, from the point at which the town stopped, this last sum- ner, to Marshall street, on Orient street, be concreted and curbed this year.
Catch-Basins and Gutters.
Number of yards of gutters paved with cobblestones . · 391
Number of yards of gutters repaved with cobblestones . 387
Number of loads of stone used in paving gutters .
89
Number of loads of sand and gravel used in paving gutters
97
Number of feet of 6-inch pipe laid, for catch basins . 72
Number of feet of 8-inch pipe laid for catch basins .
54
Number of catch basins built, Andrew road,
I
Number of crossings laid .
3
Number of paving blocks used . .
95 I
Number of crossings relaid · .
5
Crossings were laid at the following places : across' Columbia treet, at Essex avenue; across Middlesex avenue, at Berkshire treet ; across Atlantic avenue, at the Plummer estate.
Danvers Street Bridge.
There has been built, at Danvers street, a new bridge, to eplace the old one. The work was done by the bridge depart- ent of the Boston & Maine Railroad, for the sum of $462.24. The abutment walls were pointed up by Mr. James T. Lyons,
12
166
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
for the sum of $41.67. The guard fence to the bridge was painted by Edwin Russell, for $12.00.
The street, on both sides of the bridge, has been gravelled.
The town was very fortunate in getting the Railroad to build this bridge, as they did a good job, and at a very reasonable cost to the town, and this bridge will now last the town for quite a number of years.
New Storage Building.
This building is situated on land belonging to the town, at the stone crusher lot on the State Highway.
Bids were asked for and opened in the Selectmen's room, two being received as follows : Levi Hudson, $688 or $765 and Wm. J. Waters, $650 or $700.
William J. Waters being the lower bidder, was given the con- tract.
The building is sixty feet long, 25 feet wide and 14 foot post, pitch roof, shingled and clapboarded, and contains ample room for all town tools.
Town Brooks.
The different town brooks have been cleaned, but not as they should have been, for the reason that there was no money appro- priated for this work.
The brook running past the old pumping station from the Boston & Maine railroad tracks, was in a very bad condition from ashes and other matter falling therein, from the dump on the Lynn side. The town ought to adopt some system or find a way to enclose this brook, so that it may be kept clear.
Recommendations.
I. That the town purchase a new steam boiler, for the stone crusher plant, as the present one is not fit, and cannot do the work that is required of it.
2. That the town purchase a road machine.
3.' That all underdrains, water courses and culverts, be put in the hands of the Sewer Commissioners and appropriation be
167
REPORT OF SURVEVOR OF HIGHWAYS.
1907]
made for their maintenance. My reason for this recommenda- tion is that in the construction of the various sewers in town, the different underdrain and other pipes are being constantly inter- fered with and disturbed, and the Sewer Commissioners are the board who should have full control of them.
Respectfully submitted, MICHAEL J. RYAN, Surveyor of Highways.
168
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Report of Chief Engineer.
FIRE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS, SWAMPSCOTT, MASS., Feb. 10, 1907.
To the Board of Selectmen :
GENTLEMEN,-We have the honor to submit herewith the annual report of the Fire Department for the year ending February 1, 1907, this being the twelfth annual and the twenty- eighth since the organization of the paid department of the Town.
Manual Force.
The department consists of thirty-four men, assigned as fol- lows : One chief and two assistant engineers, seven permanent men, including the chief, one captain, two lieutenants, five pipemen, seven hosemen, six laddermen and four men on steamer.
Apparatus.
The apparatus is in good condition at the present time. It consists of one steam fire engine with three horse hitch, one two-horse hose wagon, one two-horse ladder truck, one two-horse chemical, one two-horse hose reel, one relief wagon, one single wagon, and three hand-hose reels, one two- horse hose pung.
Fire Alarm.
The past year there has been added several miles of new wire to take the place of old wire. No new boxes have been added the past year and the system is in good order at the present time. 1
169
REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER.
1907]
Water Supply.
The water supply has been all that has been required the past year. The hydrants have been kept in good order and all needed repairs have been attended to by the Water Board when reported to them. There have been three (3) new hydrants added the past year which makes one hundred and thirty-four (134) at the present time.
Hose.
There are thirty-one hundred and fifty (3,150) feet of two and one-half inch cotton hose (rubber lined, classified as follows : First quality, twenty-six hundred (2,600) feet; worthlesss five hundred and fifty (550) feet. There are also four hundred (400) feet of three-quarter inch rubber hose.
Horses.
The department owns ten horses and some of them are unfit for fire service and should have been exchanged long ago. It is hoped for the efficiency of the Department, this matter will receive early attention.
Fires and Alarms.
There have been twenty-one (21) bell alarms, twenty-two (22) telephone calls, and one (1) still alarm, making a total of forty- four (44) alarms this year. No school signal has been sounded twelve (12) times and the department has responded to six (6) out of town calls, Chemical No. 1, Phillips Beach, called in service nineteen (19) times, Chemical No. 4, Lynn, ten (10) times.
Loss by Fire.
The value of property endangered, amount of insurance carried, amount of insurance paid and net losses at fire where portion of the department have responded is as follows, viz. :
170
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Value of buildings ·
.
.
$52,240 00
Value of contents .
·
.
41,375 00
Total
$93,615 00
Insurance on buildings
$28,900 00 ·
Insurance on contents
.
20,000 00
Total
$48,900 00
Damage to buildings
$5,707 65
Damage to contents
2,889 05
Total
$8,596 70
Insurance paid on buildings
$5,482 65
Insurance paid on contents
2,749 05
Total
$8,291 70
Net loss above insurance
$305 00
$8,596 70
Total
Recommendations.
We would recommend that five hundred dollars ($500.00) be appropriated for the purchase of two new horses. We also recommend five hundred (500) feet of two and one-half inch lead- ing hose and that three hundred dollars ($300.00) be appropri- ated for the same. We also renew our recommendation of last year, that the permanent men receive an increase of $2.00 a week this coming year, and that seven hundred and twenty-eight dollars ($728.00) be appropriated for the same. We consider this a reasonable request. They are on duty at the stations twenty-one hours out of twenty-four and answer alarms which may occur during meal hours.
We also recommend that a Committee be appointed to look
I71
REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER.
1907]
into the advisability of building a new engine house in some other location, and report at an adjourned Town meeting. The Central Fire Station is in bad condition and it will cost the Town a large sum of money to repair the same.
Conclusion.
In closing our report we revert with pride to the manual force, their willingness and undaunted courage in performing the dan- gerous and arduous duties of their calling. We desire to tender our thanks to the Honorable Board of Selectmen, the members of the Fire Department, the Police Department, and all others who have in any way assisted the department. We also wish to thank the press for the competent way in which they have reported the fires and other matters pertaining to the depart- ment.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE P. CAHOON, G. H. LAMPARD, FRANK L. CHAPMAN.
Attest :
FRANK L. CHAPMAN,
Clerk of Board.
172
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Jan. 31
Park Commissioner's Report. FOR 1906=1907.
The past year has been a very pleasant one for your commis- sioners. The amount of money appropriated by the town being $500 less than was asked, a number of repairs and improve- ments were left undone and should be done this coming year.
On April 11, 1906, the following letter was received from Mr. W. H. Niles, Town Counsel, which is self explanatory.
LYNN, MASS., April 11, 1906.
Park Commissioners of the Town of Swampscott :
DEAR SIRS,-The Smith cases have been settled as directed by your board, he releasing his suit against the town, we releasing our claim for rent for storage of property up to the time of set- tlement which was Sept. 13th, 1905.
Very truly yours,
WILLIAM H. NILES.
On May 11, 1906, it was voted by your commissioners that Mr. E. A. Farnham be allowed to erect a division fence between his property and the Park, the Town to pay one half the cost with fence and work satisfactory to both parties. Mr. Farnham built the fence but the location according to surveys made by C. W. Gay of Lynn is not correct, and for that reason we have never approved the bill of Mr. Farnham amounting to $30.50,
173
REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS.
1907]
on advice of Mr. Niles, our Town Counsel. The difference in the location of the present fence from the old is & of an inch on Farnham property on rear to 74 inches on Park land on the front, or in other words Mr. Farnham has fenced in 26 sq. ft. of land belonging to the Town according to the survey of Mr. Gay. Mr. Farnham having positively refused to remove the fence, we would recommend that the Town take some action in regard to the matter.
The insurance on Fish House having expired, we have renewed policies for three years.
Having heard a great deal of talk regarding disorderly conduct at the beach Sundays and holidays, we have during the summer maintained an officer on such days and the results have been very satisfactory to the public and the commissioners as well.
We have kept the play ground in as good condition as our limited appropriation wonld admit and have during the winter flooded it when the weather would permit and given the children a good place to skate with safety.
The care of the Monument Ave. Reservation was placed with Mr. Geo. Newhall at $175 for the season and the work has been very satisfactory to everybody. The only other figures sub- mitted were by D. W. Nesbett, $200.
The commissioners were notified by the Board of Health that the drain from the Fish House must be connected with the sewer, but we have been unable to do so from lack of funds.
Some grading and care will have to be given the play ground in order to place it in condition for the summer games.
This spring the Fish House will have to be painted on the outside.
The lower part of the Beach reservation will have to be regraded and in order to carry out the work of this department properly, we would recommend that the sum of $1,500 be appro- priated for general park purposes.
FRED C. MARSH, JOHN J. BLANEY, ELIAS G. HODGKINS, Sec'y.
174
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Cemetery Report.
To the Board of Selectmen :
Year 1906 to 1907, lots sold, four at $50 each $200 00
Year 1906, number of interments 41
Year 1907, number of interments . .
.
4
List of Public Property.
Receiving tomb .
.
$2,000 00
Old tomb
20 00
House
500 00
Implements
50 00
Lots unsold, 13 at $100; 12, at $50 each.
I would recommend that more lots be staked out and graded the ensuing year, and an appropriation be made for the same.
I would also recommend that an appropriation of $1,000 be made for the ensuing year for the Cemetery.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES P. M. S. PITMAN,
Superintendent of Cemetery.
175
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN.
1907]
Report of Tree Warden.
There has been a large increase in the number of trees on the Town roads and public property during the past six years, both by the acceptance of new roads and by trees set out by the Tree Warden. So the number of trees on Town roads and public property is double of that of six years ago. The whole number at the present time is about 1, 700.
Trees Planted, Cut in 1906.
Burrill street, 1; Farragut road, 3; Thomas road, I ; Berk- shire street, 3; Ellis road, 6; Norfolk avenue, 2; Middlesex avenue, 3 ; Pine street, 2 ; Boynton street, 2 ; Stetson avenue, 4 ; Maple avenue, 2 ; Humphrey street, I ; total 30.
Set out at expense of abutters, 3 ; destroyed by horses, 3, gas, 3 ; trees protected by wire, 52; by iron bolts, I.
Most of the pruning has been done during the process of moth work.
Tools belonging to the department, are I extension ladder, 2 shovels, I pick.
There have been no trees set against vacant land, as they get no care or protection from the owner and are liable to be destroyed during building operations.
Remarks.
As there has been some roads accepted and put in order the past year and most of the lots are occupied by dwelling houses, and by looking over the situation, I find it would require about fifty trees on the roads mentioned and other roads where houses have been built the past year, I recommend that number of
176
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
trees be set out where needed, and that the sum of $250.00 be appropriated for the use of the Tree Warden department. The use of telegraph spurs or climbers have not been allowed on any town trees, and I also recommend that their use be prohibited in the future as it causes the trees to look unsightly and to decay in a short time.
All respectfully submitted,
GEORGE NEWHALL, Tree Warden.
Report of Local Superintendent of Moth Work.
The present law on moth work was passed May 6, 1905. It requires all work in this department to be done under direction of the State Superintendent and his assistants. The report of the State Inspector shows that in 1906 there was seventy-five to eighty acres of brush land cut and nearly all burned over, 8,000 trees were burlapped, over 400 were banded with tanglefoot, 1,750 square yards of burlap cut eight inches wide, 175 pounds of tanglefoot, 50 pounds of jute twine, 5 barrels of creosote, 15 barrels of fuel oil and 500 pounds of arsenate of lead used.
Previous to May I, of the past year, the amount of assessment for work on private property rendered into the assessors was $770; largest number of men employed, 29; smallest, 5. Tools belonging to the department are, I large hand force pump for spraying, 2 Johnson pumps for oil burning, 2 grindstones, I extension ladder, 12 chopping axes, 18 bush axes, a number of pruners, 100 feet of rubber hose, 5 bush scythes, 2 pair of clide shears, 18 tree knives, 4 pitchforks, I cross cut saw, I pair of opera glasses, 1 galvanized iron tank, 12 small mirrors, and a lot of brushes. These tools when not in use have been kept stored in a dry shed on my premises.
177
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN.
1907]
The work of cutting, burning, and creosoting was carried on until May 1, then burning and banding with tanglefoot till about June 15, then burning, spraying, and burlapping till July 10, after that time examining burlap and spraying until the caterpillars changed into the pupæ state, then all burlap was removed and burned, cutting, burning, and creosoting has been the work since September 1.
State report shows that there was less than two per cent. of brown tail and less than fifty per cent. of gypsy moth in town December 1, 1906, than December 1, 1905. There has not been any stripped area in town the past year. The state authorities call this a good showing for one and a half year's work.
All respectfully submitted,
GEORGE NEWHALL, Local Superintendent.
178
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Report of Milk Inspector.
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 seven samples to be tested and issued thirteen (13) 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, six dollars and a half ($6.50).
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE C. WEBSTER, Milk Inspector.
SWAMPSCOTT, February 9, 1907.
179
1907] REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
REPORT OF Sealer of Weights and Measures.
The following is the report of the Sealer of Weights and Measures for the year ending February 23, 1907 :
Total number of balances and platform scales tested from
April 1, 1906 to February 23, 1907
60
Number of weights tested . .
I68
Number of measures tested
164
Number of weights condemned
.
4
Number of measures condemned
.
3
Number of balances condemned
.
I
Total amount received, $19.00 for 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 of avoirdupois weights, sixteeen 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 liquid measures of six dimensions, one gill, one- half pint, one pint, one quart, two quarts, one gallon.
One set of dry measures, five divisions, one quart, two quarts, one-half peck, one peck, one-half bushel.
180
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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.
FRED WATTS,
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
18I
REPORT OF STREET LIGHTS COMMITTEE.
1907]
Report of Street Lights Committee.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
There seems to be very little to say in this year's report rela- tive to street lights. We are now on our second year of the contract and your committee hear no complaints from citizens relative to the quality of light we are getting.
Slowly but steadily the number of lights is increasing and the cost growing larger. The ten thousand dollar mark is practic- ally reached, and nothing short of this amount will be safe to appropriate for the current year for the department, to keep within the appropriation.
The quality of our lights is unexcelled for the candle power used. The new inclosed alternating type of nominal twelve hundred candles is a clean, clear and steady ray and great improvement on the old system, also being a surer light, no mat- ter how high a wind the lamp still burns, which could not always be said of the original lights.
Your committee will continue to recommend that on the side streets the incandescent lamps be used instead of the arc. On many of these streets three of the smaller lights would give ample light, costing fifty-four dollars a year where an arc lamp will cost the town $73.50 for the same time. This should be borne in mind when citizens are petitioning for new lights. At present we are maintaining 117 arc and 71 incandescent lights, with two Welsbach gas lights at the Burrill street bridge. Our monthly pay roll to the company is $826.40, added to this $50 a
13
182
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
year for the care of the bridge lights makes our bill for the year about $9,966.80.
Your committee would recommend that the amount to be appropriated for this department for the current year be $10,000.
E. A. FARNHAM, J. R. MERRITT, M. L. QUINN, F. J. LINNEHAN, J. F. CATON.
Committee on Street Lights.
183
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES.
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