USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1911 > Part 6
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other overseers 60 00
6195 Poor
Edmund Russell
Not approved by
other overseers 25 00
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
92 No. Department
Name
Remarks Amt.
7236 Poor
J. F. Crowell
Not approved by
other overseers 50 00
5733 Poor
Edmund Russell
Not approved by
other overseers
25 00
6937 Poor
J. H. Moulton
Not approved by
other overseers 60 00
7669 Moth Work
Collins Hardware Co. Not receipted
2 94
1169 Sewer
W. E. Shephard
Not approved 3 00
1323 Sewer
Lynn Gas & Elec. Co. One approval
48
6005 Cemetery
Pay Roll
Not approved
71 73
7604 Town Hall
Philbrick & Pope
Not approved
31 38
7684
Selectmen's
Arthur E. Harris
Not receipted
1 75
7296 Selectmen's
Leon L. Dennis
Not receipted
I S5
7454 Monument Lot
Swamp. Water Works
Not approved
10 00
6967 Street Watering
Allen S. Rowe
Not approved
59 50
7347 Street Watering
Fire Department
Not approved
974 00
6782 Health
Loring Grimes
Not approved
70 00
7572
Health
John B. Cahoon
Not approved
60 00
6128
Continuous Sidewalks
M. McDonough
Not approved
500 00
6168
Continuous
Sidewalks
M. McDonough
Not approved
250 00
6169 Concrete and
Curbstones
M. McDonough
Not approved
250 00
1526 Water
Pay Roll
One approval
127 56
No.
Department
Name
Amt.
7497
Fire
N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co.
$9 32
7493
Fire
N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co.
5 53
6672
Fire
Repairs Engine House
5 10
1168
Sewer
Pay Roll
50 00
7588
School
Manual Arts Press
2 20
7531 Selectmen
Lambert Jackson
10 50
74.56 Health
Lambert Jackson
5 50
5982
Town Engineer
Oscar G. Poor
3 95
Errors and Omissions for the Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 1910. Police Department book, folio 3, amount of fines charged
. $1,033 00
Police Department, received from the District Court only
1,026 00
Missing Vouchers
93
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1911]
Police Department book, folio 4, shortfooted . $2 00
Assessors' Tax List 1909, folio 58, shortfooted 1 00 Collector's Cash Book 1909, folio 161, shortfooted . I OO Water Works receipt book, overfooted, Oct. 16, 1909 I 00
Water Works receipt book, shortfooted, Oct. 29, 1909
I 00
Annual Report, p. 211, Temporary Loan of $50,000, due February 20, 1909, omitted from the list. Borrowed March 20, 1909, due and paid October 30, 1909.
Fees for Weights and Measures for the year, $25.68, do not appear to have been handed over to the Treasurer during the year.
The expenditures for the Health Department exceed the amount called for by the Town Accountant's ledger in the sum of $26.46, for which no entry appears in the ledger.
The coupons cut from the bonds in the Sinking Fund have been filed in the coupon book without being cancelled.
Water Works receipts for the year exceed the amount called for by the Treasurer's cash by $25.00, for water and service, and are short $25.00 for rental of land, signs, etc.
No books of original entry were available showing the amounts that should have been received from rentals of Fish House and Town Hall, or from Boat permits and Library fines. Every officer or agent making charges or collections should be required to keep a record of such charges and collections.
On June 27, at the request of the Selectmen, the Town Offi- cials met in Water & Sewer Commissioners rooms to hear the report of the Expert Accountant, and after the same had been read, the following explanations were made.
By the Town Treasurer.
.
That the shortage of $5.46 was accounted for by the fact that some small silver and pennies was in the hands of the Treasurer, but was not on deposit in any bank to the credit of the Town.
In relation to proper vouchers for the disbursement of moneys as called for on Schedule I.
The Treasurer has proper warrants for all disbursements, and the omissions if any are in the Accountant's Department.
94
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
By the Chief of Police.
That the amount of Fines due the Town was of the amount recorded, but the amount allowed by the Police Court was of a smaller amount. This the Chief considers as no error on his part.
By the Water Commissioners.
The difference of $25.00 in Water receipts as between the Treasurer and the Water Department is accounted for by the fact that the amount was credited to land rent. The total amounts are the same.
The fees from the Sealer of Weights and Measures were re- ceived after the books had closed, but the amount is now on record.
Of the list of vouchers reported as not approved, thirteen of the number were not so required.
Offsetting this, there may be amounts due for water used, but not paid, and there are certain materials and supplies on hand- the cost of which does not appear in the financial statement.
All supplies purchased are charged to maintenance or con- struction when the money is disbursed, although the supplies may not be used until the succeeding year or later, so that actual results of operation-profit or loss-are not clearly shown by the report.
The Water Department bookkeeping should show the differ- ence between annual cost of operation, plus annual fixed charges, on the one side, against annual income on the other side. This difference would be the actual Department profit or loss for the year, provided the actual charges and income had been compiled for the exact twelve months under consideration.
I venture to assert that it would take an abler accountant than the average citizen to determine from the Annual Report what profit or loss the Water Department has made during the year.
Modern accounting furnishes exact information to a town or a business enterprise, first, whether it is solvent or insolvent, and to what extent ; second, whether it is improving its financial condition or going backwards, in other words, running at a profit or a loss.
95
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1911]
With the knowledge thus gained, the policy of either increas- ing income or decreasing expenses can be intelligently studied and applied as conditions may require or permit.
Very respectfully, C. C. BARON, Certified Public Accountant.
JUNE 3, 1910.
To the Board of Selectmen, Swampscott, Mass. :
DEAR SIRS,-I find on looking over copy of my report that an omission has been made in the next to the last paragraph of Schedule 2. Said paragraph should read as follows :
"Water Works receipts for the year exceed the amount called for by the Treasurer's cash by $25.00, for water and service, and are short $25.00 for rental of land, signs, etc."
Please note this correction and very much oblige,
Yours very truly, C. C. BARON,
Certified Public Accountant.
Voted, to accept the report.
ART. 8. Voted to adopt the Committee's report on this Article.
ART. 9. Voted, to adopt this Article.
ART. 10. The Committee appointed at the meeting of Feb- ruary 28, 1910, in regard to the nuisance existing on Jessie street submitted the following report which was read by the Clerk :
96
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
Your Committee appointed at the Town Meeting of February 28, 1910, in regard to the nuisance existing on Jessie street submit the following report.
We have examined the ground at this point and the topography of the country in the immediate vicinity and find that this nuisance is caused by the waters which flow into Jessie street from Tidd street, which is a private street and the natural drain- age outlet for the territory immediately north of same. Jessie street being quite flat at this point, the waters stand there and during this time of year disappear by evaporation. In the fall and winter time ice is formed at this place, we understand, to the extent of three or four feet in thickness, so that it becomes necessary for the Surveyor of Highways to chop and team away same at an estimated expense of from $75 to $100 each year. To relieve this nuisance it will be necessary to build a catch- basin and carry the water away by a surface water drain along the northerly line of Jessie street to Eureka avenue, and thence along Eureka avenue to a point within about one hundred feet of the end of that portion which is accepted. Eureka avenue at this point although accepted, is undeveloped, and the water will flow over this ground, thence over land of Breed, and will eventually find its way into Jackson's brook, so that it will be necessary to obtain the consent of the Breed estate before doing this work. The estimated cost will be about $500, and in order to receive any benefits this winter the work should be done at once.
Signed. CLARENCE B. HUMPHREY, ELIAS G. HODGKINS, JAMES F. CATON, MICHAEL J. RYAN.
Voted, unanimously to adopt the Committee's report on Article 10, Article 11. The report of the Committee appointed at the April Town Meeting in reference to School-house sites and build- ings was submitted, and read by Mr. J. H. Welch, Secretary as follows ;
97
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1911]
To the Citizens of the Town of Swampscott :
Your Committee appointed at the April Town Meeting under Article 17 to inquire into the different locations for school-house sites, the cost of same and whether two eight room or one sixteen room building woud be better, and report at a Town Meeting to be called by the Committee, respectfully submit the following report :
The Committee, realizing the importance of this subject to the Town has given it careful and painstaking study that the financial and educational interests of the Town may be subserved. In con- sidering the location of a school-house, we deem it of first importance that it shall be centrally located both as to present and future growth. Within the territory between the Boston & Maine tracks and Redington street nearly two-thirds of all the children of school age reside. The Clarke and Essex Street buildings will accommodate the scholars of the northerly part of this section if they are not encroached upon by pupils from other districts. Your Committee has therefore not considered any location north of Redington street believing any other site would remove the school from the center of the district it is intended to serve.
Your Committee has found it difficult to find many available locations from which to select that would fill the requirements. Much of the territory is so thickly settled that to obtain a suitable lot would necessitate the destruction of considerable taxable property and inconvenience many families. Many excellent sites are too expensive to acquire.
We have made a study of three locations as follows :
I. The present school-house lot on Redington street with the addition of the two adjoining estates including all the the land on the north side of said street between Holden's store and the Methodist church.
2. Land on Redington street situated between the Methodist church and Stone court.
3. Land on Redington street situated between Mapledale place and the adjoining estates on Sheridan road.
7
98
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Site One.
The present School-house lot with the adjoining Wiley and Chick estates have a frontage of 176 feet and a depth of 157 feet, making a total area of 27,233 feet. This lot is centrally located, but has other features that are not desirable. Reding- ton street at this point is only 36 feet wide and offers a poor approach to a large school-yard. A building here would be in proximity to a large three-story business block on one side and a church on the other. These conditions would interfere with proper lighting of the building and add to danger of destruction by fire. Another undesirable feature is the danger of accident to pupils due to the outpouring of several hundred after school hours into Humphrey street, one of the most congested and most travelled highways in Essex county.
The assessed valuation is as follows :
Land
Building
Total
Wiley
$600 00
$600 00 $1,220 00
Chick
900 00
5,000 00
5,900 00
Total
. $1,500 00 $5,600 00 $7,100 00
We have been unable to get any price from Mr. Chick as he does not desire to sell. Mrs. Wiley's price is $5,000.
Site Two.
This location includes the Martin, Otis Stone and Delano properties situated on Redington street, comprising all the land between the Methodist church and Stone court on the northerly side. These lots give a frontage of 216 feet and a depth of 157 feet, a total area of 33,179 feet. This lot is about the same depth as site one but it has 60 feet more frontage. The assessed valuation is as follows :
Land
Building Total
Combined estates . $4,350 00 $4,500 00 $8,850 00
This site is larger in area than site one and affords more yard room and better light and air for the building. In acquiring
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TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1911]
this site your committee would be advisable for the town to take a twenty-foot strip of land from the Chick estate for the con- venience of pupils residing to the north who would otherwise travel via Humphrey and Redington streets. This would entail additional cost. The stone property is an entailed estate with many heirs. Mr. Delano will not name a price for his property and Mr. Martin declines to set any value upon his.
Site Three.
This location comprises the Kehoe and Delano properties situated on Redington street and the Delory estate on Mapledale place having an aggregate area of 50,982 square feet. The land is in an undeveloped state with the exception of the Delano estate which is graded to a level with the street and upon which are two small cottage houses. A majority of your committee favor this site for a school-house for several reasons, Mr. Jeffers dissenting.
I. It is more centrally located with reference to the district to be served when the direction of the future growth of Swamp- scott is considered.
2. In area this site is nearly as large as the other two sites combined. A lot of these proportions bounded by streets on two sides would give an easy and adequate approach to a large building and afford plenty of light and yard room. Its distance from other buildings would minimize the risk from conflagration and if at any future time the town should wish to expand, the acquiring of the three estates on Sheridan road would give a lot bounded by streets on three sides.
3. A study of the map of the Town shows that the streets converge at this point, making the site easy of access from all directions.
4. The larger part of this area is unsightly and undeveloped. The grading of this lot and the erection of a building would tend to appreciate rather than depreciate property in its immediate vicinity. School-house locations in many instances are opposed
IO0
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
by abutters and residents of the immediate vicinity. We feel that a school building here will meet with little or no objection of this nature. The taking of this property will inconvenience only two families. The assessed valuation of site three is as follows :
Kehoe estate 31,490 feet square $1,900
Delory estate 1 1,478 feet square 600
Delano estate 8,014 feet square 3,000 including houses.
Total 50,982 $5,500
Mr. Kehoe's asking price is 25 cents square foot or $7,872. Miss Delory's asking price is 25 cents square foot or $2,869. Mr. Delano declines to set a price.
With regard to the Kehoe and Delorey properties your Com- mittee feels the price named in each instance is excessive and we would therefore recommend that if this location meets with the favor of the tax payers, the Town make a taking in each case as provided by law. As previously stated this lot is largely in an undeveloped state and considerable filling and grading will be necessary in order to bring it to a grade with the basement. Your Committee has made investigation and is satisfied that a sum not exceeding $4,000 will do the necessary excavating, grading and foundation work. We believe this to be a liberal estimate.
Building.
A study of the development and growth of the schools, as shown by the annual town reports, furnishes us with information that should enable us to avoid the mistakes of the past and assist us in estimating the needs of the future. The report of 1899 says "if the growth of the Town continues as in recent years the erection of a new building containing at least two large rooms cannot be long deferred." As an illustration of how much in excess of the estimate of this committee has been the growth of the Town it is well to recall that within seven years from the time of this recommendation the Town has erected an eight-room building and filled it. During this period, also,
IOI
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1911]
the attendance at the Redington street school had increased by 120 pupils. The following year, 1900, the report of the com- mittee states "it has been suggested that we erect a new two- room high school building and have it occupied exclusively by the high school scholars. This would give us two rooms in the Phillips school building for future growth." This recommenda- tion of ten years ago seems amusing to-day when we recall that the Phillips school building of eight rooms is now occupied exclusively for high school purposes. The average annual increase of school attendance for the past five years has been 40 pupils and this average will necessarily increase as the Town continues to grow in population. At the present rate of increase this would necessitate one new room each year. The last annual report of the Town Clerk records 155 births with only 17 deaths among children under 15 years of age making a net gain of 138. Your committee, considering these facts, of past and present growth of population, recommends the erection of a 16-room building to contain a suitable assembly hall. Your committee favors one centrally located large building. It is more econom- ical to build under one roof than two and one building can be maintained at less expense than two smaller ones accommodating the same number of pupils. If work on the proposed building should begin at once 12 rooms will be needed for occupancy on completion. It is an important feature in a large school building to have an assembly hall which every school building of con- siderable size should contain. A centralized school system results in better and stronger organization. The progressive towns throughout the state are amalgamating their schools. Educationalists everywhere are advising such a course and among whom are our present superintendent, Mr. Ford, and former superintendents, Pelo and Martin. Your committee, from its limited study of the situation, fully concurs in their opinion.
It is difficult for your Committee to state the exact cost of an eight-room or sixteen room building, but from investigation, we would estimate the expense of an eight-room building of brick of modern type and requirements without audience hall to be about $45,000. A sixteen room building of similar construction
102
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
with audience hall, can be built for $85,000 or $90,000. School furniture is not included in either case.
We recommend, therefore, that the Town take site number three as the location for the proposed school building and that a committee be appointed with authority to secure plans for a sixteen room school builiding with assembly hall which shall be submitted with exact cost of same at a future Town Meeting to be called as early as possible.
Respectfully submitted,
S. PERRY CONGDON, Chairman, J. HENRY WELCH, Secretary, EDWARD H. KITFIELD, ARTHUR W. STUBBS, CLARENCE B. HUMPHREY, JOHN FERNALD.
Filed with the Town Clerk November 1, 1910.
MILTON D. PORTER, Town Clerk.
Mr. Jeffers of the Committee here read and submitted the following Minority Report on the same subject.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
It was very evident to the citizens at last April's Town Meet- ing that another school-house or school-houses must be provided. Just where to build was an important question on which more light was desired. Expression of your will is explicitly given in Article 17, the meat of which is found in these words, " Inquire and report."
It is my idea that we as a Committee should give all the facts concerning each site as impartially as possible and leave it for you to weigh and decide. It is with the design of supplement- ing the majority report on sites 2 and 3, that this minority
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TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1911]
report is presented. In my judgment more that is favorable might be said for site 2, and more that is unfavorable may be said about site 3. This location number 2, it seems to me, can easily be demonstrated to be the most central location possible.
From districts to the north, Redington and King streets would easily serve all. From the east, Rockland and Blaney streets. From points farther east, including Salem street, Phillips Beach, Beach Bluff, and Orient street, all streets naturally discharge into Humphrey street, whose cars bring the pupils from distant points.
Last year 30 pupils came on the cars to school. They were so well accommodated that being allowed to leave a very few min- utes before its close, it was possible for them to go home for their dinners and return in time for the afternoon session. This would be absolutely impossible if you force them to climb the hill, travelling nearly three times as far as to site No. 2. Can you so disregard the health and happiness of the many times 30 children who will be coming from this large part of the Town.
It cannot be urged that any such hardship be inflicted upon children who may come from parts beyond Redington street if the school-house be located on site 1 or 2.
Nobody has better understanding of the school problems in our town than our late Superintendent, Mr. Pelo. In a recent interview he told me it would be a serious mistake, according to his judgement to build on site No. 3.
At present, beside those already attending Grammar grades here, 74 are now registered at the Palmer School, and these all eventually, must come to this school. This site can be almost as readily reached from the cars as the present one. No site far distant from Humphrey street can be central, because this is the only street running through the town from end to end. The nearest disembarking point from the cars is the corner of Humphrey and Redington streets. To be sure, there are the stairs from Ingall's court, which might be used, but they are dangerous to adults, to say nothing of young children.
For all parts lying to the West, an entrance provided through from Elmwood Road would complete every demand for
104
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
accessibility. It does not seem to me that it would be neeessary, as has been said, for the town to take a 20-foot strip of land from the Chick Estate. It would be a convenience, but no more a necessity than at present.
A possible solution for a Right of Way has been suggested to me by a Director of the Odd Fellows' Association, to the effect that the Association would sell its property at a reasonable figure. It might to advantage be temporarily used to relieve the present congestion in the schools, beside providing a Right of Way.
So favorably was this lot No. 2 which was suggested by a member of the School Board considered at one time, that with one exception all the members of the Committee expressed themselves as satisfied that this was the best location available. By vote of the Committee, a study of the lot was authorized to be made by an architect. From his findings I quote the follow- ing :
These lots contain about 33,912 square feet of area and a building of the area above noted, 9,600 square feet, would leave about 24,312 square feet for yard room, which would allow an average space of 35 square feet per pupil, if the entire enroll- ment of 700 pupils were assembled in the yard. This space means about 5 feet 9 inches by 6 feet of room for each pupil.
In Regard to Grading.
The excavated material taken from the cellar, would be more than sufficient to properly grade the entire yard, and will not entail the expense of building retaining walls on the lower lines of the lot to hold in check earth-banks.
The approximate cost of excavating for the cellar only of above noted building would be about $500, provided an average depth of five feet was maintained and no ledge encountered which is improbable, basing my calculations on the lot just above Stone court.
An approximate estimate of the grading is hard to obtain, unless drawings were made more in detail, but it is safe to
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TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1911]
assume that it would not exceed $350.00. This is due to the fact that the material is now on the lots, which comprise abun- dant loam, gravel and sand.
It is the writer's judgment that these lots combined make a pleasing school site, and a very economical one to develop. As to the matter of the lots being entailed, I have legal assurance that the Town may acquire clear title without difficulty.
It is reasonable to assume that property which bears a total assessed valuation of but $8,850.00 should be procurable at less than $15,000.00. However, for so valuable an acquisition, the Town could well afford to handsomely remunerate the present owners.
Concerning Site 3.
At the time when the majority of the Committee were most favorably considering site 2, a blue print was presented by one of the Committee showing results of a study of site 3.
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