USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1916 > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
The Fourth of July appropriation on the part of the town was $500. Soon after the organization of the committee demands began to come from all sections of the town that an evening display of fireworks be added to the program for the day. To do so, inside of the appropriation, was out of the question. Therefore your committee resorted to the popu- lar subscription plan, and through the cooperation of liberal citizens were able to raise funds enough to care for this additional expense of $250. The task was a tedious one and your committee would recommend that another year an appropriation large enough to cover all the expenses of the day be made. Through an experience of several years on the part of several members of the committee it is estimated that $800 should be the amount. The expenses of the committee were as follows :
Oscar G. Poor, lumber, labor and expense . $9 50
Laura G. Murray, circular letters
I 50
Hadley B. Dodge, prizes 63 00
Oscar G. Poor Company, lumber
18 52
North Shore Express Company
3 50
Andrew Olsen, secretary's expenses
5 35
Blaisdell & Company, pop corn and peanuts 48 75
Charles F. Cuddy, preparing and conducting athletics, 10 00
Morse & Prentiss, printing . 3 75
The R. S. Bauer Company, confetti
50
Lynn Cadet Band, S. S. Lurvey, music 220 50
Grant S. Hilton, flags .
75 00
151
FOURTH OF JULY COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
1916]
Swampscott Ice Company
50
Frank L. Connell, electric wiring
2 00
W. E. Shepard, expressing .
7 50
Balance on hand .
$499 87
13
Through the cooperation of W. L. Terhune, of Phillips Beach, and Congressman A. P. Gardner the United States Torpedo Boat Destroyer Jenkins was assigned to spend the Fourth of July in Swampscott Bay. The boat came to anchor in the bay on July 3, at about 5 P. M., and remained just off Blaney Beach until the afternoon of July 5. During her stay here her officers were entertained at the New Ocean House by Edward R. Grabow, president of the E. R. Grabow Company, proprietors of the hotel. The boat was open to the public all day the Fourth and many availed themselves of the opportunity of making an inspection. A temporary landing was maintained during the day at Blaney Beach, and small motor boats took the people out and back.
In closing this report your committee wishes to thank those citizens who so kindly contributed to the fund raised for fireworks, and also to thank all of those who contributed in any way towards the success of the day or the making up of the program.
Respectfully submitted,
ALFRED F. FRAZIER, OSCAR G. POOR, JAMES T. LYONS, STUART P. ELLIS, ANDREW OLSEN, FRANK A. B. STANTON, EVERIT B. TERHUNE, JAMES SHARP.
Committee.
SWAMPSCOTT, December 31, 1916.
152
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Park Commissioners' Report.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
The Park Commissioners herewith submit their report for the year 1916. The organization of the board was effected at a meeting held in the room of the Park Commissioners at the Town Hall, Friday evening, February 25, by the choice of Alfred F. Frazier as chairman and Stuart P. Ellis as secretary. Regular meetings of the board have been held each week, together with a number of special meetings during the spring and sum- mer. Friday evening, March 3, the board elected Perley C. Foss as superintendent of the Blaney Beach Reservation, pursuant to a change in the system to be used in the care of the reservation. The changed system has worked to great advantage, both to the Park Department and the tenants of the reservation building. Many of the minor repairs formerly done by outside parties have been done by Superintendent Foss, who has also performed the duties of a police officer on the reservation during the summer months without extra expense. Inquiries made among the tenants of the park property and personal observation on the part of the commissioners have shown that the change of system was a good one and that much has been gained, both in efficiency and economy, by it. It is the purpose of your commissioners to further change the system of caring for the property under the control of the Park Commissioners during the coming year, so that still more of the work upon the several reservations will be done under their personal supervision. Experience has shown that both time and money can be saved by this system. Your commissioners wish to report that the work of the year has been com- pleted with a small balance left in every department.
Monument Avenue.
The Monument avenue reservation is one of the most important nnder the direction of the Park Department. Situated as it is near the joining of Lynn and Swampscott, it is looked upon as a sort of a gate- way to the town. Since its acquisition by the town it has always been regarded as the one show place among the several pieces of park property. It has always been the plan of the Park Department to so arrange matters that the appropriation for this plot should be about the same each year. During the past year it was necessary to thoroughly prune all of the shrubs and trees upon the reservation and to replace some of the smaller shrubs which had died out. To do this and not neglect work necessary every year, some things that really needed to be done had to be left undone.
In their report last year your commissioners recommended a relaying of the Thomas road drain, the old drain having outlived its usefulness. The lower part of the reservation was under water all winter and during the spring and even up to the time that work was started on the new
153
PARK COMMISSIONERS' REPORT.
1916]
drain. In the estimate last year an allowance was made for the repair of the damage caused by the winter flooding. When the work was done, however, it was found that the cost was a little more than twice as much as was estimated, owing to the fact that the exact condition of the grounds could not be learned until after the water had been drained off.
Your commissioners were during the past summer up against a serious problem in grass cutting. The extremely wet spring and the frequent rains during the summer made caring for the grass an extremely difficult proposition. Your commissioners believed that the methods on that portion of the reservation from Elmwood road to and including the Bluff section in previous years were too expensive. Letters asking for estimates for caring for the grass on this section were sent out twice. In answer to the first request only one bid was received, and this was more than the cutting of the grass on the whole reservation cost the year previous. Accordingly a second call was made. In answer to this call three bids were received. These like the first were higher than the commissioners could pay. As a result your commissioners were obliged, in order to keep within the appropriation for the reservation, to cut the grass on this sec- tion as few times as possible and to get it done in the cheapest possible way. This method of caring for the grounds was not at all satisfactory to your commissioners and the appearance of the grounds was not up to the standard maintained in previous years. Owing to the increased price of labor and the excessive bids which were received for the work, your commissioners did the best it was possible to do. The coming year your commissioners plan to have the work done under their own supervision and by a different method. There is on the different reservations under the control of the Park Department a large grass area, which has to be cut once every week or at least once every two weeks. Your commissioners have found by investigation that by procuring a horse lawn mower, which can be used in all places at a comparatively small expense, that much time can be saved in labor and consequently considerable expense.
Attention must be given the coming season to the hardy plants and shrubs which are located at what is termed the foot of the "Bluff" on the Thomas road end of the reservation and the "Elmwood road circle." The shrubs here have received but little attention since they were first planted. Many of them need renewing and all of them need resetting. The face of the "Bluff" also needs considerable attention. To protect the interests of the town the lines of this portion of the Monument avenue reservation must be run off and staked out, as a portion of this property is now used by private individuals and has been since the plot was turned over to the town. The cost of maintaining the decorative plot upon the reservation is about the same each year. Owing to the carelessness of automobile and carriage drivers the sides of the grass plot have been con- siderably cut up and more or less regrading will have to be done.
Some sort of protection will also have to be placed on the Monument square end of the plot to protect the bedding plants from the oily dust which comes from the pavement on Humphrey street and which has badly damaged the grass and flowers on this end of the plot for the past two years. Your commissioners have carefully gone over the expense of the maintenance of the reservation for the past several years and would recommend that $700 be appropriated for the monument avenue reserva-
I54
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
tion. Your commissioners also recommend that $75 be appropriated for a horse drawn lawn mower for the use of the department. A separate appropriation is asked for this, because it is to be used upon nearly all of the park reservations.
Phillips Park.
Little has been done at Phillips park the past year by your commis- sioners except to care for the several fences which were considerably out of repair and do a small amount of rubbish grading. The appropriation for the year was only $200, and even this has not all been used. During the year a cement culvert drain has been constructed the entire length of the park under the direction of the Water and Sewerage Commission. This has done much towards properly draining the park land and in the carry- ing off of the water which for years has come on to the property from out- side sources. Under the provisions of a contract from the Board of Health, ashes from a certain section of the town is dumped on to the property. Your commissioners have made an arrangement with the contractor doing the work whereby the ashes from other sections of the town can be dumped on the property instead of being sold to outside parties.
Owing to the small appropriation and the small amount of ashes avail- able during the summer months, little ashes under'this arrangement was put on the park the past year, but it is hoped to secure more during the winter and spring. At present this is being used to fill that portion of the park along the new cement culvert not previously filled to subgrade. The plan of securing the ashes was explained to the Ways and Means Committee of last year, and met with its approval, but owing to a misunderstanding no appropriation was made. The matter was again brought to the attention of the committee just previous to a special meeting, but owing to the fact that no appropriation for running expenses can be made at a special meet- ing the project was laid aside for a second time. The plan now has the endorsement of the Town Engineer, the Board of Health and the Select- men, together with that of the Park Commissioners. There is under consideration by a number of prominent citizens a plan for the develop- ment of Phillips park under the provisions of the act recently passed by the legislature, allowing the town to borrow money for park improve- ments. This plan will be brought to the attention of the citizens and the Committee on Ways and Means by an article to be inserted in the warrant for the annual town meeting. Your commissioners recommend the adoption of this article and the appropriation of the necessary money, as under the provisions of the plan Section One of the park can be developed and made ready for almost immediate use at a comparatively small expense to the town each year for ten years. For the purpose of securing the ash filling referred to during the coming year and for the necessary upkeep expenses your commissioners recommend that the sum of $1,300 be set aside as the regular appropriation for Phillips park. At a town meet- ing held during 1916 it was voted that the brook along the rear lines of the Phillips park property be cleaned out under the direction of the Water and Sewerage Commission, and $200 was appropriated for the purpose. This work has not been done. If it could be done, as authorized, the draining of the back portion of the park would be greatly benefited and the water level considerably lowered.
155
PARK COMMISSIONERS' REPORT.
1916]
Paradise Road.
The Paradise road playgrounds are without question used more, especi- ally by the children of the town, than any of our other park reservations. From the opening of spring until late in the fall they are the baseball grounds for the smaller boys, the boys of grammar school age. No High School games are played on the grounds. They are used by the High School, however, for outdoor track athletics, and it is likely that at least three meets will be held on them the coming season. From early in the fall until after Thanksgiving they are used for High School football, and during the winter they are flooded for skating. A rink has been installed for hockey, which is used for all of the High School games. The playing of hockey on the large area outside the rink is forbidden and police officers are kept on duty afternoons and evenings for the purposes of enforcing this rule. Owing to the several uses to which they are put these grounds need much attention. The Fourth of July sports are held each year on the grounds and much cleaning up has to be done after the day's celebration. During the past year the leveled portion of the grounds was extended 35 feet. This work cost considerably more than was anticipated owing to the rise in the price of labor and material, and much other work which your commissioners intended to do during the year had to be left undone for this reason. The band stand is in need of repairs and painting, the flag pole needs painting and considerable regrading must be done in the spring. It has also been found necessary to install added facilities for flooding.
The supply of rope which has been in use for a number of years has almost entirely given out and more must be secured at once, as it is needed many times during the spring, summer and fall. More iron posts for holding the rope are also needed, as the custom of using wooden ones has been found to be very unsatisfactory and expensive, as they can be used only once. Here, as on the other park reservations, the grass cutting ' problem is an important one, as the expense incurred each year for this purpose is considerable. During the past year the commission was pre- sented with a blue and white Swampscott pennant for use on the play- grounds flag pole by Harry R. Stanbon of Swampscott, for which thanks are returned. After carefully considering all needs at the playground your commissioners recommend that the sum of $400 be appropriated for the care of the reservation.
Jackson Park.
In the early summer of 1916, the base ball field at Jackson Park was improved considerably by loaming and seeding a large additional area. With favorable weather conditions, the new growth made an excellent showing and the entire field was in a very satisfactory condition during the season. The adjoining hillsides, which serve as very convenient seats for spectators at the ball games, were improved by the removal of a large amount of undergrowth, and it is the purpose of the commissioners to still further improve the grounds in this manner. A blind drain has been constructed on the eastern border of the field, and this effectively cares for all the ground water from the nearby hill.
The construction of a substantial fence adjacent to the first base line has reduced the possibility of accident to the players and will also serve
156
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
the purpose of keeping the spectators clear of the playing field. A small section of ledge in front of this fence should be removed this spring to complete the enlargement of the grounds. During the past year the commissioners have started to reforest a portion of the hilly section of the park, and in the late fall 100 hemlock trees were planted in a location which is believed to be an ideal spot for a growth of this character. Act- ing under the advice of the State Forester, who has personally inspected the park and the adjoining property within a few months, the commis- sioners plan to set out a limited number of various kinds of pine trees in ยท sections of the park best adapted to their particular needs. By the con- tinuation of this policy for a few years we feel that in a comparatively short period, and with the expenditure of a small sum each year, that the hills may be brought to a condition greatly to be desired in this public woodland reservation.
As the sidewalk lines on the Essex street border of the park were changed during the reconstruction of the street, it was necessary to erect a long section of new fence on the edge of what would otherwise be a dangerous depression. The expense of this fence was shared with the Highway Department. As considerable gravel was dumped on the field during the work on Essex street in 1916 in localities other than desig- nated or requested by the commissioners, it will be necessary to rehandle and grade this material before the opening of the base ball season in the spring.
The sum of $500 is recommended for the care of Jackson Park.
Blaney Beach.
During the past year the Blaney Beach reservation has been conducted under a new system. This system has proved to be productive of good results. Early in the year Perley C. Foss was chosen by your commis- sioners as the superintendent in place of Horace W. Blanchard, who had held the position since it was created at opening of the reservation. For many years Mr. Blanchard served the town faithfully, and it was with much regret that any change was made. Your commissioners had no criticism to make of the duties performed by him, and had it not been that a change in the policy of managing the reservation was found neces- sary it is very doubtful if any change would have been made.
Superintendent Foss has during the year been assigned many duties not performed by the former superintendent, and has done much of the work about the reservation formerly given to outside parties. He has given all of his time to the duties and has also performed the duties of park police officer. His work has been highly satisfactory, both to the commissioners and to the tenants of the property, and the new arrangement has saved the department much time and expense.
During the year many repairs have been made upon the reservation building. The portion of the roof not shingled some two years ago has been reshingled, new gutters and conductors have been added and a number of repairs made to the inside of the building, including the toilets. There is still considerable to be done. The building has been built for a num- ber of years and practically no repairs have been made upon it until within the past two years. The end of the building adjacent to the water is in bad shape and must be repaired the coming spring. It was badly
157
PARK COMMISSIONERS' REPORT.
1916]
damaged by storm a few winters ago and was only temporarily repaired at that time. A new platform is needed, a new sill, and the shingles, door frames and other wood work are badly rotted.
The drainage system of the compartments let for fish houses is also in poor shape in some cases, and needs immediate attention. The deck at the top of the building, where is located the flag pole, must be repaired. It leaks badly and the railing about it is not safe. The bathing raft also needs some attention, painting and repairing. Your commissioners are endeavoring to keep the expenses of the department at as low a figure as possible, but it does not seem good policy to allow town property to depreciate for the sake of saving a few dollars. After the repairs on the building and raft are made considerable painting will have to be done. Your commissioners have secured estimates as far as possible on the work, but it is impossible to tell exactly what will come up that must be . done when repairs are started. Your commissioners therefore recom- mend the appropriation of $1,200 for the Blaney Beach reservation.
Water Rates.
In previous years it has been the custom for the Park Department to pay the water rates of the several reservations under the control of the depart- ment out of the appropriations for that reservation. The general public does not know that under this method the water rates paid by the Park Department are one of the most important factors of expense. Therefore your commissioners have decided this year, for two reasons, to place the water rates of the department under a separate heading. First, that the citizens of the town may know how much the Park Department is paying to another town department, or rather how much of the Park Department appropriation does not really leave the town treasury, and, second, that the paying of water rates, which are not the same each year, may not interfere with the other work to be done on the several reservations.
Blaney beach
$75 00
Monument avenue
11 00
Paradise road
86 00
Jackson park
II 00
$183 00
Your commissioners therefore recommend that the sum of $225 be appropriated for the water rates of the Park Department.
Sundries.
From the appropriation set apart as "sundries " is taken the secretary's salary, telephone bills, printing, stationery, postage, and many other small items that cannot be foreseen at the beginning of the year. The coming year there will be necessary, your commissioners find, considerable office expense. Your commissioners are, according to the present plan for the remodelling of the town hall, to be changed to another office. Some new office equipment will be needed. The commission is also almost entirely out of stationery and supplies and considerable will have to be purchased, together with several new business-keeping books. It is therefore recommended that $300 be appropriated for sundries.
158
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Recapitulation.
After carefully considering the cost of upkeep, the cost of necessary repairs, and the cost of needed improvements, your commissioners recommend the following appropriations for the running expenses of the department :
Blaney beach reservation
$1,200 00
Jackson park reservation
500 00
Phillips park
1,300 00
Monument avenue
700 00
Paradise road
400 00
Water rates
225 00
Sundries
300 00
Lawn mower
75 00
In closing their report your commissioners wish to thank all those who have in any way assisted them during the past year, especially Superin- tendent Ryan and the employees of the Highway Department.
Respectfully submitted,
ALFRED F. FRAZIER, STUART P. ELLIS, JAMES T. LYONS,
SWAMPSCOTT, December 31, 1916.
Park Commissioners.
-
159
WATER AND SEWERAGE BOARD REPORT.
1916]
Report of Water and Sewerage Board.
Water Department.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
We submit herewith our annual report for the year 1916 :
The greatest amount of work for many years has been done by the board during this year, about one mile of 6-inch cast-iron pipe having been pro- vided for, although at the expiration of the financial year much of it remains uncompleted. Work on these uncompleted projects is progressing as fast as weather conditions will permit, and if conditions are in any way favorable, the chances are that the whole work will be completed by the time of the town meeting.
The whole of this uncompleted work is in the Shaw estate, so-called, and the additional expense, inconvenience to prospective water users, and disagreeable features of winter work, could have been avoided if the peti- tion for articles in the warrant for this work could have been received in time to put in the annual meeting warrant, thereby enabling the depart- ment to clean up all such work before cold weather. A strong argument in favor of this proposition is the fact, as is well illustrated by this year's bond issues, that when two or more issues are made in one year it doubles the payment to be made in each succeeding year on the debt, when, with one issue, the same amount can be carried over twice the number of years.
In view of the above, the board calls it to your attention, and strongly urges that in any case of extension of the mains, petition for such extension shall be presented in time to be inserted in the annual town meeting warrant.
The Galloupe's point appropriation of $700 is still on hand, as the board has been unable, as yet, to arrive at any satisfactory agreement with the owner, Mr. E. A. Bardol, regarding an easement. The matter may be satisfactorily adjusted during the present year (1917).
The unexpended balances from special appropriations, as is shown on page 163 (with the exception of the Galloupe's point $700) the amount of which, we are unable at this time to state, owing to the uncompleted projects, we believe should be placed at the disposal of the board for use in emergency cases, and
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.