Town annual report of Swampscott 1917, Part 8

Author: Swampscott, Massachusetts
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 300

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1917 > Part 8

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Through conversation with members of the Library Committee, we understand that there are sufficient funds to meet all bills contracted, and therefore the appropriation is deemed unnecessary.

We recommend that this article be indefinitely postponed.

Article 13. To see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of $2,400 dollars to purchase and equip and maintain a portable school build- ing at the Farms School, as petitioned for by Calvin S. Tilden, et als.

After conference with the Special Committee appointed at the adjourned annual meeting, and examination of the recommendations contained in their report,

We recommend the appropriation of the sum of $2,400 for the pur- poses of this article ; $400 to be taken from current revenue and $2,000 to be raised by bonds or notes of the town.

Article 14. To see if the town will vote to take in fee, for the purpose of erecting thereon a building to be used for a public school, and appro- priated money for the same, a certain parcle of land, located in Swamp- scott and bounded and described as follows :

Southerly by Essex street, 156.05 feet; westerly by Burpee Road, 150 feet ; northerly by land of George D. R. Durkee and Frederick M. Nichols about 153 feet by a line 150 feet from and parallel to Essex street, and easterly by Jackson Park about 162.5 feet.

Article 15. To hear and act on the report of the Machon School Build- ing Committee.

Article 16. To see if the town will vote to accept the plans submitted by the Machon School Building Committee for the erection of a school- house on Essex street, together with all appurtenances thereto, including furniture and grading, and appropriate money for the same, as recom- mended in the report of said committee.

Articles 14, 15 and 16, if adopted, call for an appropriation of not less than $90,000, entailing an annual expense to meet maturing notes of

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[Dec. 31

$4,500 for the next twenty years, together with annual interest charges. The figures submitted do not include the expense of grading, which has not been estimated. The present bonded debt of the town for general pur- poses is $303,000. The debt limit is $463,000. The increase proposed is a matter for very serious consideration by the citizens. The subject of the articles has been before the town in various stages for over a year, but the details of the project, as recommended by the Special Committee, were first available to this committee one week before the date fixed for this meeting. Although the matter has received prolonged consideration by a committee appointed by vote of the town for the express purpose of considering the necessity for a new building, its site, plans and costs, we feel that the project is of too great magnitude for investigation by this committee on the short time at its disposal for the purpose of recommen- dation, and indeed for determination by the small number of citizens pres- ent at a special Town Meeting.

We recommend that when this meeting adjourns, it be to Friday, May 18th, current, at twelve o'clock, noon, and that the Board of Selectmen be directed to prepare a ballot containing the following questions :

I. Shall the town vote to take in fee, for the purpose of erecting thereon a building to be used as a public school, and appropriate therefor the sum of forty-six hundred ($4,600) dollars, a certain parcel of land, located in Swampscott, and bounded and described as follows : Southerly by Essex street, 156.05 feet ; westerly by Burpee road, 150 feet ; northerly by land of George D. R. Durkee and Frederick M. Nichols about 153 feet by a line 150 feet from and parallel to Essex street; and easterly by Jackson Park about 162.5 feet.

2. Shall the town vote to accept the plans submitted by the Machon School Building Committee for the erection of a school on the above described land, together with all appurtenances thereto, including furni- ture, and appropriate therefor the sum of eighty-five thousand four hun- dred dollars, ($85,400), as recommended in the report of said committee.

3. Shall the following be fixed as the particulars of the bonds or notes to be issued by the town pursuant to and for the purposes specified in the above questions, relating respectively to the appropriations of forty-six hundred dollars ($4,600), to pay for the taking of said land, and eighty-five thousand four hundred dollars ($85,400), for the erection and equipment of said school building, said appropriations aggregating ninety thousand dollars ($90,000).

There shall be sixty (60) bonds or notes of the Town, twenty (20) for the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) each, and forty (40) for the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000) each. They shall be dated during the cur- rent year. One $500 bond or note, and two $2,000 bonds or notes shall be payable one year from their date and one $500 bond or note, and two $2,000 bonds or notes shall be payable each year thereafter.

Said bonds or notes shall bear the town seal, shall be signed by the Town Treasurer and countersigned by a majority of the Board of Select- men, shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding four and one-half per cent (42 per cent) per annum, payable semi-annually, shall be authenticated by some Bank or Trust Company or by the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics, shall be subject to registration at the holder's option on pres- entation to the Town Treasurer for cancellation of coupons, if coupon bonds or notes are issued, and appropriate endorsement. Principal and interest shall be payable at the office of the Town Treasurer or such Bank or Trust Company, as the Town Treasurer and Board of Selectmen shall designate. Said bonds or notes shall bear on their face the words "Machon School Loan, 1917." Said bonds or notes shall be sold under the direction of the Town Treasurer and the Board of Selectmen.

All other particulars as to form, issuance and sale of said bonds or notes shall be determined by the Town Treasurer and the Board of Selectmen, but said bonds or notes shall not be sold for less than par and interest.

We further recommend that the voters of the town assemble at the Town Hall at the above stated time for the purpose of voting by Australian

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Ballot on the above questions ; that the polls open at 12 o'clock, noon, and close at 8 o'clock, P. M., and that the voting list be used.

We further recommend that the Board of Selectmen cause to be delivered by mail to each voter of the Town a facsimile of the ballot to be used at least three days before the above date.

Article 17. To see if the town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to pay for preparing plans and specifications for the Machon School Building.

As the appropriation called for by this article is necessary only in the event that the town decides not to proceed with the construction of the new Machon School, we recommend that this article be indefinitely postponed.

Article 18. To see if the town will appropriate the sum of $5,000 for grading newly accepted streets as recommended by the Surveyor of Highways.

We recommend the appropriation of $3,500 for grading the following newly accepted streets : Harrison avenue, Manton road, Stanwood road, Bradlee avenue, Stimpson road, Sargent road, Prospect avenue, Arbutus road, Aspen road and Hillcrest circle.

Article 19. To see if the town will vote to construct a drain in Thomas road and appropriate money for the same as recommended by the Surveyor of Highways.

In order to correct faulty drainage conditions in Thomas road, we recommend the appropriation of $1,800 for the purpose of constructing a drain in Thomas and Shaw roads to connect with the drain in Paradise road, said sum to be raised by bonds or notes of the town.

Article 20. To see if the town will vote to extend the Marshall street concrete drain from the beach to Puritan road and appropriate $1,000 for the same.

For the purpose of extending the Marshall street concrete drain 107 feet from Blaney's beach to Puritan road, we recommend the appropriation of $1,000 to be raised by bonds or notes of the town.

Article 21. To see if the town will vote an additional appropriation of $500 for interest on estimated temporary loan for 1917.

Owing to the stringency of the money market, a further appropriation of $500 is recommended for interest charges on temporary loans for 1917.

Article 22. To see if the town will vote to continue' a concrete pave- ment and curbing on Essex street, from Lynn line to Burrill street, and appropriate money for the same.

At the last adjourned town meeting, the town voted to lay a concrete pavement on, and curb both sides of, that portion of Essex street from the easterly side of Burrill street to the Lynn line, one of the conditions of the vote being that the Bay State Street Railway Company should con- tinue the present double track on Essex street to the Lynn line. We are informed that the Bay State Street Railway is financially unable to per- form this work at present. The street is in such condition that we believe it inadvisable to postpone this work.

We recommend that $11,500 be appropriated for the purpose of laying a concrete pavement'on, and curbing both sides of, that portion of Essex street from the easterly side of Burrill street to the Lynn line, the work to be done in accordance with the specifications of the Massachusetts High- way Commission, by the Surveyor of Highways, or if he deems it best, under contract ; the money to be raised by bonds or notes of the town, provided, however, that the bonds or notes shall not be issued, or the work started, until the Bay State Street Railway Company shall have made such repairs to the present tracks as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Selectmen ; all other public service corporations, having rights on or under Essex street, to be notified to install all contemplated, and repair all existing underground construction before the work is started, or failing to do this, to be debarred from disturbing the pavement for at least ten years.

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Article 24. To appropriate and raise by borrowing or otherwise such sums of money as may be necessary for all or any of its purposes men- tioned in the foregoing articles.

We recommend that the following be fixed as the particulars of the bonds or notes to be issued by the town pursuant to and for the purposes specified in Articles 4, 5 and 6, which relate, respectively, to the appro- priation of $925.00 for the laying of a six-inch water main in Bellevue road; $1,975.00 for the laying of a six-inch water main in Aspen road ; and $1,600.00 for the laying of a six-inch water main in Magnolia road, said appropriations aggregating $4,500.00.

There shall be nine bonds or notes of the town, each for the sum of $500.00. They shall be dated during the current year. The first bond or note shall be payable one year from its date, and one bond or note shall be payable each year thereafter.

Said bonds or notes shall bear the town seal, shall be signed by the Town Treasurer and countersigned by a majority of the Board of Select- men and Water (now Water and Sewerage Board), shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding four and one-half per cent per annum, payable semi- annually, shall be authenticated by some Bank or Trust Company, or by the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics, and shall be subject to registration at the holder's option on presentation to the Town Treasurer for cancella - tion of coupons, if coupon bonds or notes are issued, and appropriate endorsement. Principal and interest shall be payable at the office of the Town Treasurer or such Bank or Trust Company as the Town Treasurer and Board of Selectmen shall designate. Said bonds or notes shall bear on their face the words "Swampscott Additional Water Loan, Act of 1912." Said bonds or notes shall be sold under the direction of the Town Treasurer and the Board of Selectmen.

We recommend that the following be fixed as the particulars of the bonds or notes to be issued by the town pursuant to and for the purposes specified in Articles, 8, 9, 10, 19, and 20, which relate respectively to the appropriation of $3,500, for the construction of a sewer in Roy street ; $3,000 for the construction of a sewer in Greenwood terrace; $2,000 for the construction of a sewer in Greenwood avenue ; $700 for the construc- tion of a sewer in Lodge road; $1,800 for the construction of a drain in Thomas road ; and $1,000 for the extension of the Marshall street drain, said appropriations aggregating $12,000.

There shall be 24 bonds or notes of the town, each for the sum of $500. They shall be dated during the current year. The first bond or note shall be payable one year from its date, and one bond or note shall be payable each year thereafter.

Said bonds or notes shall bear the Town Seal, shall be signed by the Town Treasurer and countersigned by a majority of the Board of Select- men, shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding four and one-half per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, shall be authenticated by some Bank or Trust Company or by the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics, and shall be subject to registration at the holder's option on presentation to the Town Treasurer for cancellation of coupons, if coupon bonds or notes are issued, and appropriate endorsement. Principal and interest shall be pay- able at the office of the Town Treasurer or such Bank or Trust Company as the Town Treasurer and Board of Selectmen shall designate. Said bonds or notes shall bear on their face the words, Swampscott Sewerage Loan, 1917." Said bonds or notes shall be sold under the direction of the Town Treasurer and the Board of Selectmen.

We recommend that the following be fixed as the particulars of the bonds or notes to be issued by the town pursuant to and for the purposes

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specified in Article 13, relating to the appropriation of $2,000 for the con- struction and equipment of a portable school building at the Farms school.

There shall be four bonds or notes of the town, each for the sum of $500. They shall be dated during the current year. The first bond or note shall be payable one year from its date, and one bond or note shall be payable each year thereafter.

Said bonds or notes shall bear the Town Seal, shall be signed by the Town Treasurer and countersigned by a majority of the Board of Select- men, shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding four and one-half per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, shall be authenticated by some Bank or Trust Company, or by the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics, and shall be subject to registration at the holder's option on presentation to the Town Treasurer for cancellation of coupons, if coupon bonds or notes are issued, and appropriate endorsement. Principal and interest shall be payable at the office of the Town Treasurer or at such Bank or Trust Company as the Town Treasurer and Board of Selectmen shall designate. Said bonds or notes shall bear on their face the words, "Swampscott School Building Loan, 1917." Said bonds or notes shall be sold under the direction of the Town Treasurer and the Board of Selectmen.

We recommend that the following be fixed as the particulars of the bonds or notes to be issued by the town pursuant to and for the purposes specified in Article 22, relating to the appropriation of $11,500 for the construction of a concrete pavement and curbing on Essex street from the Lynn line to Burrill street.

There shall be twenty-three bonds or notes of the town, each for the sum of $500. They shall be dated during the current year. The first five bonds or notes shall be payable one year from their date, and two bonds or notes shall be payable each year thereafter.

Said bonds or notes shall bear the town seal, shall be signed by the Town Treasurer and countersigned by a majority of the Board of Select- men, shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding four and one-half per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, shall be authenticated by some Bank or Trust Company or by the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics, and shall be subject to registration at the holder's option on presentation to the Town Treasurer for cancellation of coupons, if coupon bonds or notes are issued, and appropriate endorsement. Principal and interest shall be payable at the office of the Town Treasurer or such Bank or Trust Com- pany as the Town Treasurer and the Board of Selectmen shall designate. Said bonds or notes shall bear on their face the words, " Street Pavement Loan, 1917." Said bonds or notes shall be sold under the direction of the Town Treasurer and the Board of Selectmen.

All other particulars as to form, issuance and sale of said bonds or notes shall be determined by the Town Treasurer and the Board of Select- men, but said bonds or notes shall not be sold for less than par and interest.

(Signed) WESTON K. LEWIS, Chairman, JOHN F. LUTHER, Secretary, F. WALKER JOHNSON, HERBERT A. WOOFTER, C. FRANK HATHAWAY, HERBERT A. CAHOON.

Voted, Article I. To appropriate the sum of $2,640 for the purpose of advancing $100 per year the salaries of all teachers in town who are now receiving less than $1,000 per year.

Voted, Article 2. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee appropriating $241 for the purpose of making the salary of the First Assistant Chief of the Fire Department $1,275 per year and the salary of the two permanent Captains $1,225 per year.

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[Dec. 31

Voted, Article 3. That the the salary of the Chief of Police be increased to $30 per week and that an appropriation of $260 be made for the same.

Voted, Article 4. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee appropriating $925 to be raised by bonds or notes of the town for the purpose of laying a 6-inch water main in Bellevue Road for about 450 feet beginning at Humphrey street, under conditions as stated in said report.

Voted, Article 5. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee appropriating $1,975 for the purpose of laying a 6-inch water main northerly in Aspen road for about 500 feet from Arbutus road, the money to be raised by bonds or notes of the town, the work to be done under the conditions stated in said report.

Voted, Article 6. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee appropriating $1,600 to be raised by bonds or notes of the town, for the purpose of laying a 6-inch water main northerly in Magnolia road for about 500 feet from Arbutus road, under conditions as stated in said report.

Voted, Article 7. To appropriate the sum of $547.50 to defray the cost of a certain water main trench in Stimpson road.

Voted, Article 8. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee appropriating $3,500 to be raised by bonds or notes of the town, to extend the sewer in Roy street about 470 feet northeasterly.

Voted, Article 9. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee appropriating $2,000 to extend the sewer in Greenwood avenue and $3,000 to construct a sewer in Greenwood terrace, the money to be raised by bonds or notes of the town.

Resolution.

Voted : To adopt the following resolution.

Resolved, that the citizens of Swampscott, Massachusetts, in special Town Meeting assembled, in view of the serious food shortage facing the world and of the great shortage of labor for producing munitions, ships and food products, and in further consideration of the damages of the saloons of America to the efficiency of our soldier boys, hereby ask of the Congress of the United States that they enact laws of National Prohibition for the period of the war with Germany.

The Town Clerk is hereby instructed to forward a copy of this resolu- tion to the member of Congress from this district. (Unanimous.)

Voted, Article 10. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee, appropriating the sum of $700 to be raised by bonds or notes of the town for the purpose of constructing a sewer in Lodge road for a dis- tance of about 300 feet westerly from Bates road.

Voted, Article 11. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee appropriating the sum of $300 to pay an annuity to the widow of Everett Smith as long as she remains his widow, under the provision of Section 1, Chapter 134, Special Acts of 1916.

Voted, Article 12. To appropriate the sum of $1,300 to reimburse the Public Library Fund for expenses incurred in cataloguing and removing the books from the Town Hall to the new building.

Voted, Article 13. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Com- mittee appropriating $2,400 to purchase, equip and maintain a portable school building at the Farms School, $400 to be taken from the current revenue and $2,000 to be raised by bonds or notes of the town

Machon School Building Committee.

Article 15. The report of the Machon School Building Committee was read by Edward Tillotson, Chairman.

To the Voters of the Town of Swampscott :

Acting in accordance with a vote of the last regular town meeting your committee has taken the necessary steps to place before you plans and specifications for an eight room school building with an assembly hall,

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for the lot on Essex street, steps for the taking of which were voted by you. These plans and specifications were prepared by Charles V. Bur- gess, architect, and meet with all the requirements of the situation. They comprise a modern school building, containing all the sanitary and other features necessary for the welfare and comfort of your children. In accordance with the by-laws of the town, bids for the general contract and the heating and ventilation were called for through the medium of adver- tisements in the daily papers. It was realized that the high cost of labor and material at this time would bring the estimated cost to a somewhat higher figure than was anticipated some months ago. But expert author- ities on the subject do not hesitate to say that the figures obtained are very reasonable and certain to go much higher as time advances. In fact, conservative engineers express the opinion that it will be several years before a building of the character proposed can be erected at the figures submitted. The lowest bidder for the general contract was the C. S. Cunningham & Sons Construction Company, which offers to erect the schoolhouse at a cost of $62,889. For the heating and ventilating, M. A. Dame & Son submit the lowest bid, the amount being $13,975. Based on these figures, the architect's fee will be $4,611,84. For providing the building with the necessary equipment, consisting of desks and chairs for the students, desks for the teachers and seats for the assembly hall, the sum of approximately $3,000 will be needed. The total of these four items is $84,475.84, and your committee, therefore, recommends the acceptance of these plans and the lowest bids thereon and an appropria- tion of $85,000 for the erection and equipment of the proposed structure. this sum to be raised by notes or bonds of the town.

(Signed) EDWARD TILLOTSON, Chairman, ROBERT F. KIMBALL, Secretary, ARTHUR W. STUBBS, HENRY S. BALDWIN WILLIAM E. CARTER, CLARENCE B. HUMPHREY.

Voted, To accept the report as read.

Voted, To take up for action Articles 14, 15, 16 together.

Voted, Articles 14, 15, 16. To accept and adopt the report of the Finance Committee, recommending as follows, as amended :

That when this meeting adjourns, it be to Friday, May 18th current, at twelve o'clock, noon, and that the Board of Selectmen be directed to prepare a ballot containing the following questions :

I. Shall the town vote to take in fee, for the purpose of erecting thereon a building to be used as a public school, and appropriate therefor the sum of $4,600, a certain parcel of land, located in Swampscott, and bounded and described as follows : Southerly by Essex street, 156.05 feet ; westerly by Burpee road 150 feet; northerly by land of George D. R. Durkee and Frederick M. Nichols about 153 feet by a line 150 feet from and parallel to Essex street and easterly by Jackson Park about 162.5 feet,

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Town annual report of Swampscott 1917, Part 8

Author: Swampscott, Massachusetts Publication date: 1917 Publisher: The Town Number of Pages: 300

Author: Swampscott, Massachusetts
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 300