USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1913 > Part 9
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123
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
1913]
Humphrey Street.
The matter of widening and straightening Humphrey Street, as is probably known to every citizen of the Town, has, by the action of the Legislature of 1913, been ordered, and the plans and specifications have been prepared by the Highway Commis- sion and approved by this Board and the Board of County Com- missioners for the County of Essex.
The County Commissioners have already commenced their work, and work upon the ground will probably be commenced shortly. The Act under which the work is to be done is as follows :
SECTION I. The Massachusetts Highway Commission is hereby authorized and directed to prepare forthwith detailed plans and specifications for the laying out and construction of Humphrey Street in the Town of Swampscott, from Monument Square to the junction of Humphrey and Orient Streets to a uniform width of seventy feet, in such manner as to widen, straighten and relocate said street. Said plans and specifications shall be subject to the approval of the County Commissioners of the County of Essex, and the Selectmen of the Town of Swamp- scott, or a majority thereof. Copies of the plans and specifica- tions shall be filed with the Massachusetts Highway Commission, with the County Commissioners of the County of Essex, and the Selectmen of the Town of Swampscott.
SECT. 2. Upon the approval of the plans and specifications provided for in Section 1, the County Commissioners of said County are authorized and directed, subject to the provisions of Chapter 48 of the Revised Laws and all amendments thereof, and all other general laws which may be applicable, to lay out said Humphrey Street in accordance with said plans and specifi- cations.
SECT. 3. For the purpose aforesaid, said County Commis- sioners are hereby authorized to relocate, alter, widen and dis- continue existing highways or other ways or parts thereof, and to order specific repairs thereon, and to take in fee simple or to acquire by purchase or otherwise, any lands, rights or easements and any property which, in their judgment, may be required to carry out the purpose of this Act ; to purchase or take in fee any or all of the lands and property adjoining the proposed highway between said Monument Square and said Orient Street, but not
124
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
exceeding two hundred feet in width of said property on each side of the proposed highway measured from the boundary line thereof. Upon the completion of the layout of said highway, said Commission are hereby authorized to sell any land or prop- erty taken or purchased by them under authority hereof, and not needed for the purpose aforesaid. In order to take any land or rights in land the Commissioners shall cause to be recorded in the Registry of Deeds for the Southern District of the County of Essex, a description of the lands or rights taken with a statement signed by them, of the purpose for which they were taken and with a plan of any land so taken.
SECT. 4. Said County Commissioners shall estimate the dam- age to property, if any, sustained by any person or corporation, by any taking of lands, rights or easements, relocation, altera- tion, widening or discontinuance of existing highways or other ways or by specific repairs ordered to be made thereon. Any person aggrieved thereby may proceed, within one year after the filing of said statement, to have his damages determined in the manner provided by Chapter 48 of the Revised Laws, and any Act in amendment thereof or in addition thereto, but in no event shall interest be recovered against the County for more than 4 per cent per annum.
SECT. 5. Upon the completion of the layout of said Humphrey street as aforesaid, the Massachusetts Highway Commission shall construct said street to the finished subgrade line, and shall construct sidewalks with curbs, the necessary retaining walls, and all necessary means of drainage, including any changes which may be necessary in the present underground structures and connections, and shall build a roadway above the finished subgrade of wood block pavement upon a cement base, or some other suitable material, from a line eighteen inches out- side car tracks to the sidewalk curb on each side, in accordance with said plans and specifications.
SECT. 6. The Bay State Street Railway Company shall do the work within the double track location to be granted to it under the direction and to the satisfaction of the Massachusetts Highway Commission.
SECT. 7. The cost and expense incurred under the provisions of this act shall be borne as follows : The county of Essex shall pay the cost of the layout of said street, and the cost of all land
125
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
1913]
and grade damages. The Town of Swampscott?shall pay the cost of the necessary grading to the finished subgrade line, of the sidewalks, of all curbs and retaining walls, and of all necessary means of drainage, including any changes which may be neces- sary in the present underground structures and connections. The Commonwealth shall pay the cost of the remaining work, which shall include the construction of the road above the finished subgrade from a line eighteen inches outside the car tracks to the sidewalk curb on each side.
SECT. 8. For the purpose of meeting the expenditures to be borne by the County of Essex under the provisions of this act, the County Commissioners of that county are hereby authorized to borrow from time to time on the"credit of the county sums not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate, for periods not exceeding twenty years.
SECT. 9. For the purpose of meeting the expenditures hereby authorized to be made by the Commonwealth, the Treas- urer and Receiver General is hereby empowered, with the approval of the Governor and Council, to issue bonds or certifi- cates of indebtedness to an amount not exceeding seventy-five thousand dollars, for a term not exceeding ten years. Such bonds or certificates of indebtedness shall be issued as registered bonds and shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding four per cent per annum, payable semi-annually. They shall be desig- nated Įon their face, "State Highway Loan," shall be counter- signed by the Governor and shall be deemed a pledge of the faith and credit of the Commonwealth. The principal and interest thereof shall be paid at the time specified therein in gold coin of the United States or its equivalent ; they shall be sold at public auction or disposed of in such other manner and at such time and prices, in such amounts and at such rates of interest, not exceeding the rate above specified, as shall be deemed best.
SECT. 10. For the purpose of meeting the expenditures hereby authorized by the Town of Swampscott, said Town is hereby empowered to issue bonds or notes to an amount not ex- ceeding fifty thousand dollars, for a term not exceeding twenty years. Such bonds or notes shall be payable by such annual payments, beginning not more than one year after the date thereof, as will extinguish each loan within twenty years from its date, and the amount of such annual payment of any loan in
I26
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
any year shall not be less than the amount of the principal of said loan payable in any subsequent year. Each authorized issue of bonds or notes shall constitute a separate loan. Said bonds or notes shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding 4 per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, and shall be signed by the Treas- urer of the Town and countersigned by a majority of the Select- men. The Town may sell the said securities at public or private sale upon such terms and conditions as it may deem proper, but they shall not be sold for less than their par value. The said Town shall, at the time of authorizing said loan or loans, provide for payment thereof as aforesaid, and when a vote to that effect has been passed, a sum sufficient to pay the interset as it accrues on the bonds or notes issued as aforesaid by the Town, and to make such payments on the principal as may be required under the provisions of this Act, shall without further vote, be assessed by the Assessors of the Town annually thereafter in the same manner in which other taxes are assessed, until the debt incurred by said loan or loans is extinguished. The indebtedness author- ized by this Act shall not be reckoned in determining the legal limit of indebtedness of the Town.
SECT. II. So much of Chapter 47 of the Revised Laws and of any Acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto as pro- vides for the repayment by a County to the Commonwealth of any part of the moneys expended by the Commonwealth within the County, shall not apply to any moneys paid by the Common- wealth for the purposes of this Act.
SECT. 12. No member of the Board of County Commission- ers for the County of Essex shall be disqualified from serving under the provisions of this Act by reason of his residence in a town within the limits of which said highway is situated, not- withstanding any provisions of Section 20 of Chapter 20 of the Revised Laws.
SECT. 13. All Acts and parts of Acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.
SECT. 14. This Act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved June 13, 1913.
The street when completed will be of a uniform width of seventy feet. There will be granolithic sidewalks nine feet in
127
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
1913]
width on either side. The surface of the street will be granite block pavement upon a cement base, will be grouted, and the surface will be smooth. The total cost estimated by the High- way Commission is $220,000, and upon this basis the Town's portion will be approximately $50,000. The remainder will be paid by the state, county and the street railway company. This estimate, however, it is agreed by the Highway Commission, is an outside estimate, and it is probable that the actual cost of the work will be materially less than this amount. We feel that the Town is particularly fortunate in securing this legislation, for in the first place the condition of this part of Humphrey Street sorely needed attention. It was in the power of the County Commissioners to compel the Town to make changes along the lines which are now to be made and bear the entire cost thereof. Though it was not likely that the Town would be compelled to pay the entire cost, there was no method by which the Town and County could compel the Commonwealth and the street railway to bear any part of the cost except the method which was pursued, namely, recourse to the Legislature, and by this method the cost to the Town will be minimized, and according to the estimates which this Board have secured will not exceed the sum of $30,000.
Street Watering and Oiling.
The street watering and oiling was performed by the Michael McDonough Company, under written contract. There has been some criticism of the manner in which the work was done.
We are informed that the cost of oil alone applied to the streets during the current year was $3,321.21, and the cost of labor in applying the same and of other material such as sand, crushed stone, etc., and of watering the streets exceeded the amount of $4,200. There was a delay in the early part of the season because of the fact that there was no oil to be had at any price. We feel that Contractor McDonough secured the oil and applied it as soon as was practicable under the circumstances.
It has been suggested that this work should be done by the Surveyor of Highways, and that the same could be done better and at a much lower cost. We therefore recommend that the street watering and oiling for the year 1914 be done by the Surveyor of Highways Department.
128
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Street Lighting.
Under a Special Meeting of June 6, 1913, the then existing con- tract with the Lynn Gas & Electric Co. was cancelled and a new one made, which expires July 11, 1918. The contract is as follows :
THIS AGREEMENT made this IIth day of July, 1913, by and between the Lynn Gas and Electric Company, a Corporation duly organized under the laws of Massachusetts, and established in the City of Lynn in the County of Essex in said State, here- inafter called the Electric Company, and the Town of Swamp- scott, in said County and State, acting by James F. Caton, Elias G. Hodgkins and Clarence B. Humphrey, its Selectmen, 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 with electric light,
AND WHEREAS, the Electric Company is ready to continue to furnish such light for the term of five (5) years upon the terms and conditions and for the prices hereinafter mentioned, pro- vided the Town grants the necessary licenses, permits and ease- ments therefor,
NOW THEN, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements 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 ninety-five (95) Magnetite Arc Lamps of the Pendant Type and two hundred ten (210) 60 Watt Series Incandescent Lamps.
The above numbers are approximate only and the Town may, whenever it so desires, and in its opinion the public service de- mands it, increase or diminish these numbers and designate at what place or places lights are to be discontinued or new ones placed, but in no calendar month shall the Town of Swampscott pay to the Electric Company a sum less than eight hundred and fifty dollars ($350).
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
129
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
1913]
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 plan for the pur- poses 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 con- tract, 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 Company guarantees that such so-called 4-Ampere Magnetite Arc Lamp and each so-called Series Incandescent Tungsten Lamp shall be as efficient as regards steadiness and quantity of light as any lamps 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.
The Town of Swampscott agrees to pay for said lighting on and after the first day of July, 1913, to the Electric Com- pany the sum of seventy-two ($72) per annum for each and every arc lamp, and seventeen dollars and fifty cents ($17.50) per annum for each and every incandescent lamp.
4. All amount accruing under the above items shall be paid by the Town of Swampscott to the Electric Company in install- ments 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 Selectmen for the time being may designate, pro- vided, however, that actual cost and expense occasioned the Electric Company for such changes in location shall be paid by
9
130
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 13
the Town in addition to the other amount accruing from it to the Electric Company.
6. It is further agreed should, during the life of this agree- ment, a lower price than that specified in this contract be given to any other Town, then the Town of Swampscott shall be granted such lower rate during the unexpired time of this con- tract.
7. If for any reason not due to the fault or negligence of the Electric Company, there shall be any cessation of, or interrup- tion to the supply of electric light under the contract, the Electric Company shall not be liable in damages therefor, but there shall be deducted from the consideration to be paid as aforesaid, such amounts as shall be a just proportionate discount on account of such failure to supply light, except that such temporary failures of the lights to burn as are ordinarily incident to the operation of electric light plants, shall not entitle the Town to any rebate or discount. The Electric Company shall, nevertheless, be ·bound, throughout the term of this contract, to use its best en- deavors to start the lights again with all reasonable dispatch and burn the same continuously after any cessation or interruption.
8. Finally, it is agreed that the lights herein contracted for shall be in operation on the first day of July, 1913, and that this contract shall be and remain in force for a period of five (5) calendar years from and after said date.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said Town of Swampscott has caused these presents to be signed in its name and behalf by James F. Caton, Elias G. Hodgkins and Clarence B. Humphrey, its Select- men, hereunto duly authorized, and said Lynn Gas and Electric Company has caused the same to be signed in its name and behalf by its President and Committee, hereunto duly authorized.
LYNN GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY.
By J. W. Bartlett, President. Charles H. Baker, M. P. Clough, Committee on Contracts. TOWN OF SWAMPSCOTT.
By James F. Caton, Elias G. Hodgkins, Clarence B. Humphrey, Selectmen of Swampscott.
131
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
1913]
The number of lights now installed are :
Arcs .
93 Incandescent
239
Moth Work.
This Board appointed Everett P. Mudge as Superintendent of Moth Work for the year 1913, and his report appears in the Annual Report. As heretofore, he has acted in a large measure under the direction of the State Forester, and we feel that the work has given satisfaction. The State Forester requests an appropriation of $5,000 for the continuance of the work the coming year. An Act of the Legislature of 1913 requires that in the future the appointment of a local Superintendent be made in the month of January.
Filing Space.
From the apppropriation for this purpose, the Selectmen have installed a bookcase of metal, a set of plan drawers and have had constructed a concrete vault in the basement for storage purposes, all of which are now in use. The balance unex- pended from this appropriation was $32.63.
Cemetery.
During the past fall, the appropriation of $1,000, voted at a Special Meeting for improvement, has been expended. About 600 cubic yards of earth was excavated, 95 cubic yards of rock removed and 400 square feet of sodding laid. The approximate area completed was a plot 200 feet by 12 feet, making about twenty small lots.
No further outlay for improvement will be asked for the cur- rent year.
Appropriations.
The following appropriations are recommended by the several departments for the current year :
132
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
DEPARTMENTAL.
I. GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
Legislative
$300 00
Selectmen
·
.
.
.
·
1,500 00
Auditing
.
.
1,000 00
Treasury
1,000 00
Collector of Taxes .
1,000 00
Assessors
1,700 00
Town Clerk . .
.
300 00
Law .
2,000 00
Election and Registration
725 00
Engineering ·
.
.
3,000 00 .
Town Hall
.
.
.
.
2,200 00
-$14,725 00
II. PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
Police
$10,800 00
Fire
16,174 00
Sealer Weights and Measures
125 00
Moth
5,000 00
Tree Warden
1,000 00
Dog Officer
170 00
$33,269 00
III. HEALTH AND SANITATION.
Health
$2,904 00
Sewer Maintenance
5,200 00
Sewer Connections
800 00
Refuse and Garbage
3,075 00
IV. HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.
Highways $24,000 00
Sidewalk and Curbing Maintenance, 1,500 00
Street Construction 2,000 00 ·
Street Watering and Oiling
2,500 00
Street Lighting . · 11,000 00
$41,000 00
.
.
.
$11,979 00
.
.
·
.
133
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
1913]
V. CHARITIES AND SOLDIERS' BENEFITS.
Poor
$3,800 00
State Aid
.
.
3,000 00
Soldiers' Relief . .
3,000 00
$9,800 00
VI. EDUCATION.
School .
$53,700 00
Teachers' Pensions
500 00
$54,200 00
VII. LIBRARIES.
Library Maintenance
$1,400 00
VIII. RECREATION.
Parks and Gardens
$2,550 00
Monument Lot
50 00
Memorial Day
200 00
Metropolitan Park Maintenance as- sessment (estimated) .
3,000 00
$5,800 00
IX. UNCLASSIFIED.
Printing Town Reports .
$800 00
Contingent Fund .
2,000 00
Heat and Light G. A. R. Hall
75 00
$2,875 00
PUBLIC SERVICE ENTERPRISES.
Cemetery
$1,600 00
INTEREST.
Temporary Loans (estimated)
$5,600 00
General Debt
10,998 02
Sewer Bonds
7,200 50
$23,798 52
Metropolitan Park Interest Assess- ment (estimated) 2,500 00
I34
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS.
General Debt .
$34,400 00
Sewer Bonds .
11,950 00
$46,350 00
Metropolitan Park Sinking Fund Assessment (estimated) 675 00
AGENCY.
State Tax (estimated)
$28,000 00
County Tax (estimated)
21,000 00
$49,000 00
$298,971 52
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES F. CATON, ELIAS G. HODGKINS, CLARENCE B. HUMPHREY,
Selectmen of Swampscott.
C. B. Humphrey in signing the above report takes exceptions to the appropriation of $2,500.00 for the Surveyor of Highways for Dust Laying Department, and recommends that the sum of $4,000.00 be appropriated.
1913]
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
I34 A
SWAMPSCOTT, MASS., January 21, 1914.
Chairman of the Board of Selectmen :-
DEAR SIR,- Inasmuch as there has been some controversy in regard to the amount of oil used, and the cost of applying same to the streets of Swampscott, for the year 1913, I think, with your permission, it would be a good idea to inform the tax- payers of the Town of Swampscott of the exact cost of same. I am enclosing statement, and I would like to have you insert same in the Town report.
Yours truly, M. MCDONOUGH CO. By M. MCDONOUGH.
Cost of Oil and Applying same to Streets of Swampscott, Mass., for the Year 1913.
April 26. 5 hours double team, watering cart, $6 . $3 33
29. I day double team, watering cart . 6 00
30. 5 hours double team, watering cart 3 33
May 7. I day double team, watering cart . 6 00
8. Io hours double team, $6 6 67
IO Io hours double team, watering cart
6 67
12. Io hours double team, watering cart 6 67
13. 9 hours double team, watering cart 6 00
14.
10 hours double team
6 67
3 hours labor
Getting 50c.
I 50
3 hours labor tank of oil 3ºc.
90
3 hours double team
ready $6 . 2 00
15. 44 hours labor, 30c.
13 20
13 hours double team, sweeper, $6 ·
8 67
27 hours double team, applying oil, $6, 18 00
12 hours labor, applying oil, 50c. · 6 00
16. 4 hours double team, $6
2 67
17. 9 hours double team, watering cart 6 00
18. 9 hours double team, watering cart 6 00
19. 9 hours double team, watering cart 6 00
20. 9 hours double team, watering cart 6 00
20 hours labor L applying 30c.,
6 00
9 hours steam roller oil,
15 00
9 hours labor
Farragut 50c.,
4 50
5 hours double team
road $6,
3 33
2I.
9 hours double team, watering cart
27. Io hours labor, 30c.
3 00
Io hours double team, watering cart, $6, 6 67
5 hours double team, sweeper 3 33
28. 9 hours foreman .
.
5 00
.
6 00
134 B
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
May 28. 45 hours labor, 30c.
$13 50
28 hours double team, $6
18 67
9 hours labor, 50c.
4 50
29. 6 hours double team
4 00
30. 30 hours labor, 30c.
9 00
6 hours foreman applying $5,
3 33
31. 27 hours double team
oil Mudge $6, 18 00
9 hours labor
estate 50c., 4 50
June I. 9 hours double team, watering cart
6 00
2. 24 hours double team, $6
16 00
2. 20 hours labor, team, 30c. .
6 00
3. 9 hours double team, watering cart
6 00
4. 9 hours double team, watering cart .
6 00
5. 9 hours double team, watering cart
6 00
6. 9 hours double team, watering cart
·
6 00
8. 5 hours double team, watering cart .
3 33
9. 9 hours double team, watering cart
6 00
IO. 9 hours steam roller
15 00
9 hours foreman .
5 00
4 hours labor, 50c.
2 00
1 7 hours labor, 30c. .
5 10
I I hours double team, $6
7 33
9 hours double team, watering cart .
6 00
II.
II hours labor, 30c. 3 30 .
II hours double team, $6
7 33
5 hours steam roller, $15 8 33
9 33
12. 9 hours double team, watering cart
6 00
13. 9 hours double team, watering cart ·
6 00
14. 9 hours double team, watering cart 6 00
16. 9 hours double team, watering cart 6 00
17. 4 hours double team, sweeper ·
2 67
4 hours double team, on tank
2 67
9 hours double team, watering cart .
6 00
4 hours labor, 50c.
2 00
8 hours steam roller, $15
13 33
IS. Io hours double team, $6
6 67
Io hours labor, 50c.
5 00
9 hours double team, sweeper
6 00
9 hours double team, double team after asphalt . 6 00
19. 13 hours double team, $6
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