Town annual report of Swampscott 1908, Part 4

Author: Swampscott, Massachusetts
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 314


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1908 > Part 4


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ART. 6. Burrill street from Essex street to the bridge would be improved by macadamizing but with the exception of that portion directly under and approaching the bridge the surface


61


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK.


1908]


is in good condition. Such repairs as are imperative should be made at moderate cost and we recommend that no appropriation be made at this time.


ART. 7. The appropriation of $3,218.55 for moth work is required by the Commonwealth and we recommend that this sum be appropriated. It will be remembered that of this amount 80 per cent. will be refunded by the state.


Respectfully submitted,


ELGAR H. TOWNSEND, Chairman. ROBERT B. WARDWELL, ALLEN H. COLE, GEORGE A. HEATH, JAMES E. PHILLIPS.


Voted, To accept the report.


Voted, To appropriate $1,000 to macadamize and resurface Monument avenue, from Burrill street to Devens Road, as far as the money will allow, amount to be raised by loan.


Voted, To adopt the Committee's recommendations on Arti- cles 2 and 3.


ART. 4. Voted, To amend the vote of the Town of April 16, 1907, authorizing the issue of $8,000 of Water bonds by substituting the words " first day of May, 1907, and the first day of February 1908," for the words " first day of August 1898," so that said vote shall read as stated in the Warrant calling this meeting.


ART. 5. Voted, That Jessie street be repaired and put to grade, and that $400 be appropriated for the purpose, to be raised by loan.


ART. 6. Voted, To appropriate $800 to regrade and mac- adamize Burrill street, from railroad bridge to Essex street, amount to be raised by loan.


62


TOWN DOCUMENTS.


[Jan. 31


ART. 7. Voted, To appropriate $3,218.55 for moth work as required by the Commonwealth, 80 per cent. of which sum is to be refunded by the State, and the remaining 20 per cent. to be assessed this year.


Voted, At 8.32 P. M. to dissolve this meeting.


Attest : MILTON D. PORTER, Town Clerk.


Adjourned Annual Town Meeting, June 25, 1907.


Meeting called to order at 8.35 P. M., immediately after the dissolution of the special meeting.


Voted, To dispense with the reading of the records of the previous meeting.


Report of the Committee on Article 20.


Citizens of the Town of Swampscott :


Your committee appointed to look up subject matter on Arti- cle 20 beg leave to report as follows : We have carefully gone into the matter regarding compressed air whistles, holding inter- views with the agents for same. We do not deem it advisable at this time to recommend to the Town the use of such appara- tus for its fire signal, as there are still chances for marked improvement in the working of them. We do, however, recom- mend the installing of a bell to be operated by the present fire alarm system. We also recommend that $875 be appropriated for the same.


Respectfully submitted,


GEORGE BARKER, E. M. TUTTLE, GEORGE P. CAHOON.


63


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK.


1908]


Voted, That the report be accepted and adopted, and that $875 be appropriated for the same, to be raised by loan.


Voted, That the Board of Selectmen and Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, be a committee to purchase and install a Bell under the above vote.


Report of the Committee on Repairs on Engine House. Etc.


Mr. Moderator and Citizens of the Town of Swampscott :


Your committee appointed at the last town meeting on loca- tion for a new Central Engine House, also probable cost of the same and cost of repairs on New Ocean street house would report as follows :


We have looked at a number of sites in different parts of the center of the town and find that but few locations that would be suitable are available at reasonable prices and it would seem to your committee that the Morris lot next to the Town Hall on which the Town holds an option would be well suited for such a purpose.


The Blaney lot, corner of State Road and Norfolk avenue can be bought for $1,500.


Having had the Howe estate, corner Rock avenue and Burrill street suggested by a number of citizens, we investigated with the following results :


First price given to committee $4,000 by those who spoke to us about it.


Price asked by agent who has it for sale $4,500, and during the last week Mr. Howe informs us that he has already given option to private party at $5,000.


The cost of repairs, temporary, on New Ocean Street House, doing as little as possible and making it tenantable for two or three years, estimated $300.


The cost of permanent repairs on the old house would be very hard to estimate as the building is in very bad condition and it would be very hard to tell how much would have to be done to it until you commenced to tear it out. The lowest possible


64


TOWN DOCUMENTS. [Jan. 31


estimate we are able to give is from $1,800 to $2,000, possibly more.


The cost of a new house suitable for the Town for years to come, estimated, would be as follows :


Built entirely of wood, $12,000 to $15,000. Built entirely of brick, $15,000 to $20,000. Built of stone with upper stories wood, $17,000.


These figures are taken from prices paid for about such a building as it would seem to your committee that the Town might want recently built by towns and cities in the state during the past two years and also are rough estimates of architects.


We recommend that a committee of five citizens be appointed by the Moderator to get out plans and estimates without cost to the Town for a new Engine House and Police Station combined to be located on the Morris lot, and report at the next annual Town meeting.


We also recommend that the sum of $300 be appropriated to make the necessary repairs on the old engine house.


J. M. BASSETT, E. G. HODGKINS, ROBERT LESLIE.


Voted, To accept and adopt the report of the committee and the following were appointed by the Moderator as the committee : Joseph M. Bassett, Eli G. Hodgkins, Robert Leslie, U. M. Corson and O. G. Poor.


Voted at 8.45 P. M. to dissolve the meeting.


Attest : MILTON D. PORTER,


Town Clerk.


D


65


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK.


1908]


Special Town Meeting July 16, 1907.


TOWN WARRANT.


ESSEX, SS.


To either of the Constables of the Town of Swampscott, in said County, GREETING:


In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are directed to notify the inhabitants of the Town of Swampscott, qualified to vote in elections and in Town affairs, to meet at the Town Hall, in said Swampscott, on Tuesday, the sixteenth day of July, current, at 7.45 o'clock in the afternoon, then and there o act on the following Articles, viz :-


ARTICLE I. To see if the Town will vote to instruct the Selectmen to draw an order for $65 to pay the claim of Charles S. Haskell, on account of a safe bought by the Board of Health and approved by them over one year ago, as petitioned for by P. F. Munsey and others.


ART. 2. To see if the Town will vote to construct a sewer in the rear of certain houses on the south side of Claremont ter- race, as recommended by the Sewer Commissioners.


And you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the Town Hall, Depot, Post Office, and three other public and conspicuous places in the Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.


HEREOF FAIL NOT, and make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at the time and place of meeting as aforesaid.


66


TOWN DOCUMENTS.


[Jan. 31


Given under our hands this fifth day of July, in the year nine- teen hundred and seven.


MARTIN L. QUINN, FRED C. MARSH,


Selectmen of Swampscott.


A true copy. Attest :


RICHARD G. GILLEY,


Constable.


Return on the Warrant.


Pursuant to the within Warrant to me directed, I have notified the legal voters of Swampscott by posting attested copies of said Warrant at the Town Hall, Depots, Post Offices and twenty other public and conspicuous places in said Swampscott on Monday, the eighth day of July, 1907, the posting of said notices being at least seven days before the time of holding said meeting.


RICHARD G. GILLEY, Constable.


Meeting called to order by the Moderator at 7.45 P. M.


Mr. Townsend from the Ways and Means Committee sub- mitted their report upon the matters contained in the Warrant as follows :


SWAMPSCOTT, MASS., July 15, 1907.


To the Citizens of Swampscott :


In the consideration of the Town Warrant for meeting to be held on the 16th inst., we find but one Article (the first) calling for the expenditure of money, and this for so small an amount that it would not require a special appropriation, but could be paid from the funds set aside for the department in question.


67


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK.


1908]


In advising the voters present as to this article, however, we wish to call their attention to what we believe to be a most unfortunate precedent and one which, if followed, may lead to complications and a decidedly unsatisfactory method of conduct- ing the Town's affairs. We refer to the calling of a Special Town Meeting for the purpose of inducing the comparatively few voters who attend such meetings to dispose of matters which should properly be settled by the various Board's eleeted to con- duct the Town's business.


Should this method be followed the result would be the calling of a special meeting for the consideration of any bill presented to the Board of Selectmen and, for any cause, disap- proved by them.


The duty of passing upon bills for articles purchased rests with the Selectmen and they are undoubtedly better qualified to decide upon the propriety of such bills than the voters assembled in Town Meeting who may have given the subject but cursory attention.


ARTICLE I, is "to decide if the Town will instruct the Selectmen " to pay a bill of $65 for a safe purchased from Charles S. Haskell by the Board of Health. This bill has been before two Boards of Selectmen and rejected by both - but one member of the five favoring payment.


That portion of Chapter 35, Sections 18 and 19 Revised Laws of Mass., which bears upon the purchase of safes for the use of the Town is as follows :


SECT. 18. Selectmen shall, at the expense of the town, pro- vide and maintain safes or vaults for the safekeeping of the public records.


SECT. 19. All such records shall be kept in the rooms in which they are ordinarily used . ... when not in use they shall be kept in the safes provided for them.


It would therefore appear that it is the duty of the Selectmen and not the Board of Health, to provide a safe, and that the pur-


68


TOWN DOCUMENTS.


[Jan. 31


chase by the latter, without the approval of the Selectmen, was without their province.


In view of the apparent fact that the purchase was made by the Board of Health without authority and that the approval of all bills rests with the Selectmen, it is our opinion that the ques- tion of paying this bill should be decided by the Selectmen and not by the Town.


We therefore recommend that Article I be referred to the Board of Selectmen with instructions to dispose of it in such manner as in their judgment may be for the best interests of the Town.


Respectfully submitted,


ELGAR H. TOWNSEND, Chairman, JAMES E. PHILLIPS, GEORGE A. HEATH, ALLEN H. COLE.


A motion to adopt the Committee's report was lost.


ART. I. A motion by. W. R. Hastings to instruct the Select- men to draw an order for $65 to pay the claim of Charles S. Haskell for a second hand safe sold to the Board of Health was lost, 65 to 68.


ART. 2. Voted to accept and adopt Article 2 of the Warrant provided the owners of the estates benefited agree to comply with the same requirements as regards assessments as those on public streets, and also release to the Town without costs, a sufficient right of way for the construction and maintenance of the sewer, and that the cost of said sewer be taken from money now in the treasury to the credit of the Sewer Department, accruing from sewer assessments.


Upon the reading by the chairman of the Board of Select- men, of the communication from the commission in charge of erection of the Pilgrim Monument at Provincetown, it was resolved, that it is the expression of this meeting that the Select-


1908]


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK. 69


men be empowered to order a memorial stone for the Cape Cod Pilgrim Monument now building at Provincetown, Mass., the cost of stone to be $45.


Voted at 8.50 P. M. to dissolve the meeting.


Attest : MILTON D. PORTER, Town Clerk.


Annual State Election, November 5, 1907.


TOWN WARRANT.


ESSEX, SS.


To either of the Constables of the Town of Swampscott, in said County,


GREETING :


In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are directed to notify the inhabitants of the Town of Swampscott, qualified to vote in elections, to meet at the Town Hall, in said Swampscott, on Tuesday, the fifth day of November next, it being the Tuesday next after the first Monday of said November, at six o'clock in the forenoon, then and there to bring in their votes to the Selectmen, on one ballot, for Governor, Lieutenant- Governor, Councillor for the Fifth Essex District, Secretary, Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney-General, Senator First Essex Dis- trict. Two Representatives in General Court for Twelfth Essex District, County Commissioner and two Associate Com- missioners, District Attorney, Sheriff and Amendment to the Constitution.


The polls to be kept open until 4.30 o'clock, P. M.


And you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the Town Hall, Depot, Post Office, and three other public and conspicuous places in the Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.


-


70


TOWN DOCUMENTS.


[Jan. 31


HEREOF FAIL NOT, and make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at the time and place of meeting as aforesaid.


Given under our hands this twenty-fifth day of October in the year nineteen hundred and seven.


ARTHUR C. WIDGER, MARTIN L. QUINN, FRED C. MARSH,


Selectmen of Swampscott.


A true copy. Attest :


RICHARD G. GILLEY, Constable.


Return on the Warrant.


Pursuant to the within Warrant to me directed, I have noti- fied the legal voters of Swampscott by posting attested copies of said Warrant at the Town Hall, depots, post offices and twenty- five other public and conspicuous places in said Swampscott, on Tuesday, the twenty-ninth day of October, nineteen hundred and seven, the posting of said notices being at least seven days before the time of said meeting.


RICHARD G. GILLEY, Constable of Swampscott.


Meeting called to order at 6 o'clock A. M., by Arthur C. Widger, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, chief election officer presiding.


The following were qualified by the Clerk : James H. Moul- ton, Special, Thomas Thumith, (Rep.), and Willis C. Paul, (Dem.), Ballot Clerks ; Lyndon B. Jeffers, Frank V. Porter, R. B. Wardwell, Jr., Freeman A. Baker, (Reps.), and Albert A. Stone, Sidney M. Shattuck, John A. Finnegan, George W. Harris, (Dems.), as Tellers.


71


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK.


1 908 ]


The polls closed at 4.30 P. M., 754 ballots having been cast, at 6.45 P. M., the following was declared as the result of the vote.


Governor.


Charles W. Bartlett, of Newton . IO


Thomas F. Brennan, of Salem .


6


John W. Brown, of Worcester . 9


Hervey S. Cowell, of Ashburnham


12


Curtis Guild, Jr., of Boston


489


Thomas L. Hisgen, of West Springfield


119


Henry M. Whitney, of Brookline 82


Blanks


.


27


Lieutenant-Governor.


E. Gerry Brown, of Brockton


131


John T. Cahill, of Lawrence


3


Eben S. Draper, of Hopedale


450


Walter J. Hoar, of Worcester


2


Robert Lawrence, of Clinton


II


Jonathan S. Lewis, of Stoneham


13


George A. Schofield, of Ipswich


117


Blanks


27


Secretary.


Solon W. Bingham, of Newton .


9


Odilon Z. E. Charest, of Holyoke


53


John Hall, Jr., of Chicopee


17


William M. Olin, of Boston


534


Arthur E. Reimer, of Boston


6


Dennis J. Ring, of Lowell


63


Blanks


·


. 72


Treasurer.


Albert Barnes, of Fall River


I


Edward J. Cantwell, of Fall River


68


Arthur B. Chapin, of Holyoke .


504


William P. Connery, of Lynn


40


72


TOWN DOCUMENTS.


[Jan. 31


Daniel F. Doherty of Westfield .


46


Charles C. Hitchcock, of Ware . ·


1 I


Edward Kendall, of Cambridge . 12 .


Blanks


72


Auditor.


Joao Claudino, of New Bedford .


3


Joseph A. Conry, of Boston


56


Thomas E. Finnerty, of Clinton


63


George G. Hall, of Boston


15


James F. Pease, of Merrimac


I5


Henry E. Turner, of Malden


511


Blanks


91


Attorney-General.


Allen Coffin, of Nantucket . .


17


Dana Malone, of Greenfield


.


.


·


498


John McCarthy of Abington


15


James E. McConnell, of Boston


56


William N. Osgood, of Lowell


77


Harvey H. Pratt, of Scituate ·


4


Gilbert G. Smith, of Lawrence .


.


.


3


Blanks


84


Councillor.


Ludlow J. Berkley, of Lynn


98


Samuel Cole, of Beverly .


515


John F. Putnam, of Danvers


27


Willard O. Wylie, of Beverly


18


Blanks


96


Senator.


Lawrence Cunningham, of Lynn


I2


Wilbur D. Moon, of Lynn


I4


Michael F. Phelan, of Lynn


278


William R. Salter, of Lynn .


.


403


Blanks


47


.


.


73


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK.


1908]


Representatives in General Court.


Casmir Cloutier, of Lynn .


15


William E. Dorman, of Lynn


.


418


Bernard W. Gidney, of Lynn


14


Fred S. Hutchinson, of Lynn


28


William E. Iverson, of Swampscott


62


James T. Lyons, of Swampscott


183


Sylvester P. Miles, 2nd, of Lynn


52


George H. Newhall, of Lynn


.


469


Blanks


267


County Commissioner.


Joseph Bartlett, of Lynn · 86


John M. Grosvenor, Jr., of Swampscott


379


T. Dexter Johnson, of Nahant .


211


Granville A. Kelly, of Haverhill


20


Blanks


58


Associate Commissioners.


John W. Bridge, of Methuen


24


George A. Doucet, of Lawrence


68


Fred L. Johnson, of Lynn .


43


Clarence E. Kimball, of Wenham


464


Richard D. Long, of Salem


70


Joseph A. Marshall, of Haverhill


29


426


Sherman Nelson, of Georgetown Angus N. Wilbur, of Amesbury Blanks


23


361


District Attorney.


Clarence O. Libby, of Merrimac


68


W. Scott Peters, of Haverhill .


571


Blanks · .


.


115


.


.


.


·


74


TOWN DOCUMENTS.


[Jan. 31


Sheriff.


Samuel A. Johnson, of Salem .


570


Jason Spofford, of Amesbury ·


·


36


Alpheus E. Tuttle, of Gloucester


34


Blanks


I14


Amendment to Constitution.


Yes .


.


,


.


424


No


.


.


.


.


66


Blanks


·


·


.


-


.


264


Special Town Meeting, January 14, 1908.


TOWN WARRANT.


ESSEX, SS.


To either of the Constables of the Town of Swampscott, in said County, GREETING :


In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are directed to notify the inhabitants of the Town of Swampscott, qualified to vote in elections and in Town affairs, to meet at the Town Hall, in said Swampscott, on Tuesday, the fourteenth day of January, current, at seven forty-five o'clock in the afternoon, then and there to act on the following articles, viz :


ARTICLE I. To see whether or not the Town will vote to use unexpended balances and receipts of the various depart- ments of the Town to defray the current expenses of the Town for the remaining period of the year.


ART. 2. To see what action the Town will take to defray Town charges for the remainder of the current year, and appropriate money for the same.


.


75


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK.


1908]


And you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the Town Hall, Depot, Post Office, and three other public and conspicuous places in the Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.


HEREOF FAIL NOT, and make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at the time and place of meeting as aforesaid.


Given under our hands this third day of January, in the year nineteen hundred and eight.


ARTHUR C. WIDGER, MARTIN L. QUINN, FRED C. MARSH,


Selectmen of Swampscott.


A true copy. Attest :


RICHARD G. GILLEY, Constable.


Return on the Warrant.


Pursuant to the within Warrant to me directed, I have notified the legal voters of Swampscott by posting attested copies of said Warrant at the Town Hall, Depots, Post Offices and twenty other public and conspicuous places in said Swampscott, on Monday, January sixth, 1908; the posting of said notices being at least seven days before the time of said meeting.


RICHARD G. GILLEY, Constable.


Meeting called to order at 7.45 P. M. by the Moderator.


Mr. Townsend, Chairman of the Ways and Means Commit- tee, submitted the following report upon the matters contained in the Warrant :


76


TOWN DOCUMENTS.


[Jan. 31


SWAMPSCOTT, MASS., January 14, 1908. To the Citizens of Swampscott :


On receipt of reports from the Town Accountant, as to the standing of the various departments on January 1, the Selectmen found that in various cases the appropriations were substantially exhausted, and that there were not sufficient funds in sight to defray the expenses of the Town between that time and the Annual Town Meeting in March.


Therefore, in accordance with Chapter 3, Section 8 of Revised By-Laws, this special Town Meeting has been called to see whether the Town will vote to raise sufficient money to defray such charges.


The Committee on Ways and Means, after a full examination of the present conditions of our finances, with the assistance of the Selectmen and Town Accountant, and in consultation with the heads of the various departments, consider that the Town should be informed in detail of such conditions, and of the causes which, in their opinion, are responsible for the shortage.


Without endeavoring at present to place the responsibility upon either the voters assembled in Town Meeting or the officials who administer their wishes, or both, we must call your atten- tion to the fact that there exists today an excess of expenditures and a shortage of receipts which must be equalized or we face a condition which can only be relieved by lessening the first and materially increasing the second.


The Town has in the past adopted the plan of maintaining a low tax rate by borrowing money on long time loans to meet current expenses. This policy is loading us with a debt on which interest and principal must be paid in a future year which will have its own full demand for money, and we have no reason to doubt that the cost of running the Town will be greater rather than less as the years come.


Our various departments are in a condition of which the Town need not be ashamed, but the expense of their maintenance cannot be met with low taxes.


A conservative estimate of the amounts of money needed to pay our bills until March 16, is as follows :


77


RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK.


1908]


Highway Department


$1,000 00


School .


· 5,300 00


Selectmen


2,000 00


Poor


.


440 00


Police


1,000 00


Fire ·


2,620 00


Street Lights .


2,526 00


Cemetery


275 00


Sidewalks


155 00


Town Hall


320 00


Tree Warden


75 00


Board of Health


800 00


Soldiers' Relief


550 00


Fences .


200 00


State Aid


500 00


Park


250 00


Moth Work .


3,000 00


Cemetery Improvement


30 00


Assessors


475 00


Ambulance


100 00


Engine House Repirs


200 00


$21,816 00


To meet this, there was available on January I, amount in Treasurer's hands, about $1,300. Amount of unpaid taxes about $8,800 of which about $6,000 will probably be collected. Loans authorized, but not yet borrowed, covering appropriations for Monument avenue, Jessie street, Burrill street, bell for Phillips Beach Engine House, etc., $3,375 ; total, $10,675, leaving a shortage of $11, 141.


It is possible that some of the departments may have some small additional receipts but these will amount to so little in the aggregate that they will not considerably affect the sum needed.


The question naturally arises, "Why this shortage? Why was not this money raised by taxation ?" A number of causes have combined to produce this condition, the principal of which we find to be first overdrafts of several departments beyond their


1


78


TOWN DOCUMENTS.


[Jan. 31


appropriations, about $5,200 ; second, cash in Treasurer's hands March 1, 1907, considered available by Assessors, $4,000; and third, surplus discount and abatements from the tax levy, beyond that estimated by the Assessors, $1,500, making a total of $10,700. This sum nearly accounts for our present shortage.


Of these items, the amount for discount and abatements could not be forseen. The inclusion of the amount in Treasurer's hands March 1, was manifestly an error, as such funds were collected to pay appropriations then current. It is probable that the slight confusion incident to the inauguration of the new by-laws was responsible for this amount. The departmental overdrafts beyond the sum of $200 are as follows :


School .


$586 00


Selectmen


.


1,532 00


Police .


324 00


Fire


1,219 00


Street lights


662 00


Curb stones


629 00


Health .


400 00


Continuous sidewalks


1,160 00


.


.


The apparent reasons, therefore, are, in the case of the School Department, $586.00, the natural increase in the number of children to be cared for and probably the increased expense in maintaining the Clark School.


Selectmen, $1,532.00. This department is, of course, that which takes the odds and ends and unappropriated expenses, and the drains from this source have been more than usual. In addition, there has been between eight and nine hundred dollars, bill for legal expenses for work contracted in previous years, but for which bills had not been rendered.


Police, $324.00. The appropriation for this department allows but $86.00 beyond the salary list, and this amount, together with receipts, must pay current expenses. This year, the receipts up to the time of our information, were $707.00 as




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