USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1935 > Part 18
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802 Humphrey st.
Salesman
Retired
Thompson, Bertram H.
Tibbetts, Edwin W. Viles, Bertram S.
RESIDENCE
202
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Trustees of Public Library
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
The Board of Trustees of the Public Library herewith present their annual report:
Attendance and Circulation
The attendance and the circulation have been slightly less than in 1934, except in the juvenile department, where there has been an increase both in attendance and in the circulation of fiction.
Increased employment, due to improved business conditions, is the ex- planation offered by the American Library Association, which reports for the country as a whole a slight decrease in circulation. People, apparently, have less time to spend in reading.
Repairs
Last summer iron railings to match the fence were erected on the steps at the front entrance to the library, the urns and the fence were repaired and painted, and minor repairs were made to the building itself.
The proper care and preservation of the building require that it be painted during the current year.
Additional room for books must be found, and the most economical solution is to prepare a large room in the basement for the purpose. To this room will be transferred those books which are most inactive, thus making room in the main stacks for the new and the more active books.
For a list of those who have presented books and magazines during the year and for the statistics of circulation, attendance, and the number of volumes in the library, you are referred to the librarian's report which follows:
Respectfully submitted,
GUSTAVUS J. ESSELEN,
LEE T. GRAY,
RALPH H. NUTTER,
Board of Trustees.
Report of Librarian
Circulation :
Adult fiction
52,575
Adult non-fiction
13,370
Adult periodicals
2,587
68,532
Juvenile fiction
19,712
Juvenile non-fiction
7,695
Juvenile periodicals
1,234
28,641
Sunday attendance
607
Adult attendance
66,795+
Juvenile attendance
18,736
86,138
New books added during the year
1,521
Books discarded
423
Books in the library January 1, 1936
18,598
Fine receipts turned over to the town
$444.67
During the year gifts have been made to the library by the following persons: Miss Delphine Bisegna; Mrs. George E. Cooper, 3 Broad street, Lynn; Miss Marjorie Hussey; Mrs. Alice Locke; Miss Kathleen McNamara; Mrs. David Sloan; Miss Ruth Shattuck; Mrs. Elihu Thomson; Harold Whitmore; Mrs. William Winslow; Ernest L. L. Mansfield.
LUCY M. EVELETH, Librarian.
97,173
203
REPORT OF BOARD OF SELECTMEN
1935]
Board of Selectmen
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
The Board of Selectmen submits herewith its annual report for the year 1935, together with the reports of all other officers, boards and committees submitted in accordance with the by-laws. There is also appended the budget of appropriation asked for the conduct of the various departments during the year 1936.
The year 1935 has been a busy and an interesting one. ERA-WPA workers have been kept employed up to our full quota throughout the year, with the result that much has been accomplished on various projects.
While the attention of the board has been employed in many activities, we mention below only those for which we are directly responsible or which from their importance merit special mention.
ERA and WPA
One of the major problems with which the Board was faced early in the year was the Federal Unemployment Relief program. This had been started in 1933 as a C.W.A. program and changed in April, 1934, to the Emergency Relief Administration.
During the year 1935 approximately $93,000 was paid in wages by the Federal Government to 150 men and women of Swampscott, representing a weekly payment of nearly $1800. In addition to this money distributed as wages for work done large quantities of surplus commodities, clothing, etc., were distributed. The official figures from the surplus commodity division in Boston show that from October 1, 1934, to the end of the year 1935, the market value of food granted to Swampscott was $5,341,49 and of clothing. bedding, etc., $11,478.30. This includes over 800 pounds of prunes, 275 bushels of potatoes, 114 tons of cabbage, 800 pounds of rice, 300 pounds of butter, 300 pounds of sugar, 1900 cans of milk, 550 pounds of cheese, 212 tons of veal and 812 tons of canned meat. The clothing included 12,626 articles. A very large percentage of the persons benefitting from this Federal program would ordinarily be required to seek relief from the Public Welfare Depart- ment of the town.
Sanitary sewers were constructed on Stanley road, Allen road, Dale street, and Sumner street. Drains were laid on Forest avenue, Humphrey street, Atlantic avenue and Sherwood road. Approximately twenty acres of brush adjoining private property in the town were cleared of tent caterpillars and other pests. Construction of a football gridiron was started at Phillips Park and five acres in the Jackson Park area were cleared and grubbed of underbrush. A canvass of town property owners was conducted to encourage building and repairs under the Federal Housing Administration. In No- vember of this year the Emergency Relief Administration was discontinued, the local office closed and the Federal Government launched its Works Progress Administration with a district office located at Salem and the various town departments acting as their own sponsors for projects.
As this plan of departmental sponsorship would entail a great deal of detail work and possible confusion, the board established a central office to which all WPA matters could be referred. Under this program further de- velopment is proceding in the Town Cemetery; work of clearing Jackson Park is continuing; Danvers road has been improved; a rodent pest project for extermination of rats in the vicinity of Phillips Park has been completed; a project for preparing outlines and plans for a proposed Civic Center is underway and a substantial start is being made towards the proper control of Hawthorne brook. A recreational project has been laid out and started. About 150 men and women are now employed on WPA in the town and their continuous employment throughout the winter is assured.
204
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Fire and Police
Early in the year the police regulations, which were the cause of con- siderable controversy last year, were rescinded. Later the Selectmen voted that each member of the Fire and Police Departments be given a physical examination. Dr. Loring Grimes was selected for this work and rendered a complete and satisfactory report.
On the resignation of Capt. Eugene P. Brogan from the Police Depart- ment, the office of Police Captain was abolished and the office of Police Sergeant established. Appointment to this office was made after civil service examination, the appointment going to officer Wall, who received the highest marks.
The physical examination brought to light a number of cases in each department where the men were not in good physical condition. Efforts have been made to correct these disabilities in each case and next year's examination, should it be held, will doutless show considerable improvement in the physical condition of the men. The board strongly recommends that these examinations be held each year.
On vote of the town, a new fire pumper was purchased for the Phillips Beach station, thus providing that section of the town with protection which was badly needed.
Liquor Licenses
Under the statutes, the Board of Selectmen are constituted the licensing authorities for the town. Recognizing that the town is a residential com- munity, we have shaped our policies accordingly. In a number of cases we have felt obliged to refuse licenses for reasons which we considered sufficient. In every case where appeal was taken to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the board has been upheld by the Commission.
Permanent Road Construction
It is the opinion of the Board, confirmed by discussion with the Sur- veyor of Highways, the Finance Committee, and the Town Engineer, that our present policy of patchwork road repair is inefficient and uneconomical. A road which is patched this year requires attention each year, whereas a permanent surface would last indefinitely with very little attention.
We believe that an amount should be spent each year for permanent road construction, and are inserting an article in the warrant for the annual town meeting for consideration at that time. We recommend favorable action by the voters.
Economy
During the past two years the town has been committed to extraordinary expenditures. The High School addition, the Hawthorne brook culvert, welfare costs and ERA projects, are the outstanding examples of these. It is hoped that with the improvement of industrial and business conditions these expenditures will in part diminish. Paying for a High School addition, how- ever, will require fixed payments over a number of years to come.
We feel it is now important to take a definite stand against increasing expenses of government. We do not refer to wages paid to labor and others in the employ of the town. On several occasions the voters have indicated their desire not to cut wages. Apparently many feel wage cutting is question- able economy.
It is generally felt, however, that there are small economies which could be practiced in each department which, taken all together, would effect an appreciable saving for the town. Other than to say whether expenditures are within the law, the Selectmen have no control over money spent by elective departments other than their own. We think it proper, however, to urge each department head to scrutinize with great care every expense, and to incur commitments or indebtedness only as absolutely necessary. It is our purpose to apply this principle in our own department, and in those de- partments under our supervision.
During the past two or three years it has been stated by an increasingly large number of citizens that a substantial economy in the public service could be effected by consolidating some of the departments under a Board of Public Works.
205
REPORT OF BOARD OF SELECTMEN
1935]
Two committees have reported in favor of such consolidation, namely the committee appointed in 1934, which reported to the annual town meeting in 1935, and the 1935 finance committee, which reported to the special town meeting of January 13, 1936. Neither report was sufficiently convincing to receive the endorsement of the majority of the town meeting members, although each committee gave time and consistent effort to the same.
It is an open question whether departments like the highways, parks, etc., can be operated at less expense and with greater efficiency if consolidated with a Board of Public Works at the head and a superintendent over each division, or by leaving each department under an elective head or board as at present. We express no opinion on the matter. It is doubtful if there has yet been gathered together sufficient data on which to base an opinion. Com- parisons with other cities and towns are of no value unless the comparative statistics are detailed and complete.
There is so much public interest in this question, and its recommendation means so much to the town, that we feel the study of the question should continue. We believe it would be advisable to appoint a small committee of men experienced in business and municipal affairs to carry on a further study and investigation, and to make a written report to the town, and that said committee should be provided with a sum not exceeding $100 for steno- graphic and clerical work and for printing a sufficient number of reports to mail to town meeting members when ready. We also believe that the scope of the committee's work should be broadened, so that their study may not be confined merely to the question of a Board of Public Works, but to any other method of effective economical management. To that end we have inserted an article in the warrant for the annual town meeting to provide for the appointment of such a committee.
Finance Committee
Prior to the time that Swampscott adopted the representative town meeting act in 1927, the finance committee of the town consisted of six mem- bers selected at large by the Moderator. The representative town meeting act requires that there be a finance committee of one member for each precinct, and as there are eight precincts this means eight members.
Ever since this went into effect there have been frequent complaints as to the unwieldiness of a committee of eight, the difficulty of getting them all together and the further difficulty of getting work done without a waste of too much time in general discussion.
Moderators seem to experience increasing difficulty in finding a repre- sentative town meeting member in each precinct who is willing to give the time properly required for finance committee work.
The finance committee is a non-political body. Its functions are of great importance. Finance Committees have proved of great value in town affairs. As a rule the citizens place strong reliance upon their recommendations. The service required of them is not easy, nor is it popular. The duty of a finance committee is that it shall be a non-partisan body of hard headed citizens with the power to look into all undertakings, commitments, and expenditures and with the duty of reporting to the town meeting its recom- mendations relative to each proposed appropriation.
A number of persons deeply interested in town affairs have spoken of the advisability of having a committee of five instead of eight, and of allow- ing the moderator to select them at large instead of by precinct. In the past this has not been detrimental. There have been finance committees prior to adoption of the representative town meeting act which are still remembered for their ability and accomplishments. Moderators, when having the right to pick a committee at large, have always endeavored to have the different parts of the town represented. Indeed, a finance committee from one section only might have difficulty prevailing upon the town to adopt its recom- mendations. The drawing of precinct lines in selecting a committee, however, has proved a handicap to the moderator in obtaining at times services of competent men.
For this reason we have placed an article in the warrant which will enable the town meeting members to take whatever action they deem proper.
206
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
ADMINISTRATIVE Bonds of Town Officers
Bonds of the following officers are given except as noted by the American Surety Co. of New York, in the amounts stated:
Ralph D. Merritt, Collector of Taxes
$46,500.00
James W. Libby, Town Treasurer (Massachusetts Bonding and Insurance Co.)
46,500.00
The above amounts are set by the State.
Ralph D. Merritt, Town Clerk
1,000.00.
Ralph D. Merritt, Collector of Water Rates
5,000.00
James W. Libby, Custodian of Trust Funds
10,000.00
Licenses
Auctioneers:
George W. Foster, 50 Bradlee avenue
Earl E. Wells, 2 Neighborhood road
George W. Smith, 57 Monument avenue
Charles Cole, 70 Bay View drive
Clifford E. Myers, 61 Morton road
Bowling:
James D. Bentley, 215 Burrill street Express:
Thomas E. Andresen, 9 Railroad avenue
Willis E. Shepard, 645 Humphrey street (with Sunday privilege)
William H. Carroll, 148 Burrill street (with Sunday privilege)
Emilio Iarrobino, 670 Humphrey street
Thorner's Express, 12 Harris street, Marblehead.
Victor E. Trenholm, 28 Blaney street
Common Victualers:
Louis A. Hershman, 156 Humphrey street
Doane's Inc., 131-141 Humphrey street
Fred M. Eichel, 15 Railroad avenue
Johnny's Lunch, 422 Humphrey street, John A. & Mary M. Dedrick Spinney's Cafe, 408-410 Humphrey street, Harold D. Spinney . Eaton the Druggist, 146 Humphrey street
Gerould's Ice Cream Shop, 1009 State road
Sunbeam Inn, 1010 State road, Lillian A. Little
Karmelkorn Shop, 148 Humphrey street, William H. LeBlanc
Robert B. Hegarty, 357 Essex street Blaisdell Confectionery Co., 149 Humphrey street
Grant's Cafe, 60 Humphrey street
Blaney's Inc., 153-155 Humphrey street
Ruth L. Eaton, 426 Humphrey street
Karmelkorn Shop, 148 Humphrey street, Clara M. White
Mrs. Ethel Fish, 27 New Ocean street
Oceanview Restaurant, 402 Humphrey street
Samuel Levitsky, 416 Humphrey street Innholders:
New Ocean House, Inc., 216 Puritan road
Willey House Co., 80 Humphrey street
General Glover Inn, Lillian A. Little, Salem street
Hotel Preston Operating Co., Atlantic avenue
Hotel Bellevue, Anton & Leila Squillari, 1098 Humphrey street Samovan, G. Talcoff, 28 Claremont terrace Junk:
Nathan E. Zletz, 97 Eastman avenue Jacob Goldberg, 26 Elm place Louis Zletz, 36 Cherry street Hawkers and Peddlers: Speros Kolatsonis, 18 Richmond place, Lynn Nicola A. Pirro, 7 Fremont court, Lynn Gino R. Spedeacci, 30 Melvin avenue, Lynn Charles Foundas, 70 Arlington avenue, Revere
207
REPORT OF BOARD OF SELECTMEN
1935]
Used Car Dealers:
J. W. Rose Chevrolet Co., 182 Paradise road William Welch, 12-24 Pine street Bert P. Allen, Stetson Avenue Garage, Stetson avenue Edith Larsen, 219 State road
Pool Tables:
James D. Bentley, 215 Burrill street
Taxi:
J. W. Bruley, 26 Puritan road
William H. Carroll, 148 Burrill street
Zoning Permits:
Edward P. Curley, 256 Humphrey street, Funeral Parlor, (subject to ap- proval of Board of Health)
George Morris, 402 Humphrey street, Restaurant
Albert C. M. Ochs, 154 Humphrey street, Real Estate office Essex Oil Co., 646 Humphrey street, Gasoline Filling station
Oren F. White, 152 Humphrey street, Beauty Parlor (withdrawn) Blanche Cummings, 252 Humphrey street, Beauty Parlor
Ruth Eaton, 426 Humphrey street, Restaurant George E. Southwick, 653 Humphrey street, Variety Store Russell Metcalf, 169 Burrill street, Variety Store Frank Gregoria, 402 Humphrey street, Restaurant Tony Paradise, 180 Humphrey street, Shoe Repairing James R. Mackie, 345 Essex street, Wholesale Bakery Gladys D. Olson, 252 Humphrey street, Beauty Shop Ethel Fish, 27 New Ocean street, Lunch Room Rose Grennfield, 658 Humphrey street, Variety Store K. Thomas Call, 49 Hillside avenue, Grocery Store Maurice D. Dinerman, 162 Humphrey street, Bakery Nelson LaBossier, 29 New Ocean street, Barber Shop, not granted John Aslaniam, 150 Humphrey street, Barber Shop, not granted Ralph Soucy, 29A New Ocean street, Real Estate and Insurance Liquor Licenses:
Louis A. Hershman, 156 Humphrey street, Retail Package, all alcoholic Shore Line Import Co., cor. Puritan road and Humphrey street, Retail Package, all alcoholic
Joseph G. Clancy, 119 Burrill street, Retail Package, all alcoholic
Robert B. Hegarty, 357 Essex street, Retail Package, malt beverages only New Ocean House, 216 Puritan road, Hotel, all alcoholic
General Glover Inn, Salem street, Hotel, all alcoholic
Willey House, 80 Humphrey street, Hotel, Wines and Malt beverages Bellivue Hotel, 1098 Humphrey street, Hotel, Wines and Malt beverages Fred. M. Eichel, 15 Railroad avenue, 7 Day Common Victualer, Wines and Malt beverages
Harold D. Spinney, 408-410 Humphrey street, 7 Day Common Victualer, Wines and Malt beverages
John & Mary Dedrick, 422 Humphrey street, 7 Day Common Victualer, Wines and Malt beverages Joseph L. Stevens Post, 1240 V. F. W., Pine street, Club, all alcoholic
1 Day Beer Permits: San Giovanni Battista Society Philip Dagnese L. O. Mastromarino (2)
208
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
THE TOWN BUDGET
The following are the amounts requested by the various officers, boards. and committees for the conduct of their departments during the year 1936:
General Government
Moderator
$100.00
Finance Committee
150.00
Town Meeting
100.00
Selectmen
3,200.00
Selectmen's Contingent Fund
500.00
Accounting
4,051.00
Treasury
5,456.50
Certification of Notes and Bonds
2,000.00
Law
1,000.00
Collector of Taxes
5,187.00
Assessors
5,000.00
Valuation Book
800.00
Town Clerk
812.00
Election and Registration
4,975.00
Engineering
7,335.00
Town Hall
5,152.00
Board of Appeals
63.81
Planning Board
160.00
$46,042.31
PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY
Police
$42,000.00
Fire
44,315.00
Moth
5,592.50
Tree Warden
3,375.00
Forest Warden
282.00
Inspector of Buildings
1,125.00
Care of Prisoners
100.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures
590.00
Dog Officer
450.00
Constable
100.00
Inspector of Animals
200.00
$98,129.50
Health and Sanitation
Health
$7,594.50
Sewer
9,730.00
Refuse and Garbage
10,480.00
Nurse
1,375.00
Dump
1,665.00
Dental Clinic
1,200.00
Brooks
200.00
Particular Sewers
500.00
District Nurse
600.00
Emergency Sewer
1,000.00
$34,344.50
Highways and Bridges
Highway
$58,458.00
Seal Coating
5,000.00
Street Watering and Oiling
1,500.00
Sidewalks and Curbing
4,000.00
Snow and Ice
10,000.00
Lighting Streets
24,500.00
Street Construction
1,000.00
Cleaning Beaches
1,000.00
$105,480.00
1935]
REPORT OF BOARD OF SELECTMEN
209
Charities and Soldiers' Benefits
Public Welfare Pensions Soldiers' Relief State Aid Military Aid
$46,491.00 3,970.64
12,500.00
300.00
150.00
$63,411.64
Schools and Libraries
Schools
$187,622.00
Traveling expense outside State
150.00
Library
17,904.00
$205,676.00
Recreation and Unclassified
Parks
$16,336.00
G. A. R. Hall
1,160.00
Legion Lease
1,350.00
Insurance
4,797.79
Memorial Day
600.00
Printing Town Reports
1,200.00
Trust Fund Custodian's bond
55.00
Veterans' exemption
75.00
$25,573.79
Enterprises
Water
$74,543.25
Emergency Water
5,000.00
Cemetery
7,216.25
$86,759.50
Interest, Maturing Debt and Agency
Interest
$22,686.00
Maturing Debt
41,050.00
$63,736.00
Total
$729,153.24
Respectfully submitted,
PHILIP E. BESSOM, LESTER B. MORLEY, R. WYER GREENE, Board of Selectmen.
.
210
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
In Memoriam
CLARENCE B. DELANO Selectman 1896, 1901, 1902, 1903 and 1922 Died March 22, 1934
ERNEST C. BLANCHARD Selectman 1934 Died September 17, 1935
EDWARD A. MAXFIELD Auditor March 15, 1897, to March 20, 1899 Selectman 1899, 1900 and 1902 Sewer Commissioner 1900 Assessor March 16, 1903, to May 20, 1935 Chairman of Board from March 1904 Died in office May 20, 1935
BERNARD B. KENNEDY Tree Warden, Moth Superintendent and Forest Warden From November 22, 1930, to October 2, 1935 Died in office October 2, 1935
WILLIAM F. NORCROSS Auditor 1889, 1890 Died June 15, 1934
FRANK A. THURSTON Registrar of Voters 1907 to 1931 Chairman from 1908 Died October 19, 1935
VIRGIL A. WIDDOES
Town Meeting Member, Precinct 8 Died January 14, 1936
211
TOWN WARRANT
1935]
Town Warrant
Monday, February 17, 1936.
Essex, ss.
To either of the' Constables of the Town of Swampscott in said County: Greeting:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are directed to notify the inhabitants of the town of Swampscott, qualified to vote in elections and in town affairs, to assemble in their respective precincts, in said Swamp- scott, on Monday, the seventeenth day of February, at 6 A. M., then and there to act on the following articles, viz:
At the close of the election the meeting will adjourn to Monday, Feb- ruary 24, 1936, at 7:45 P. M., at the Town Hall.
Article 1. To choose a Moderator for one (1) year.
To choose a Town Clerk for one (1) year.
To choose three members of the Board of Selectmen for one (1) year. To choose one member of the Board of Assessors for three (3) years. To choose one member of the Board of Assessors for two (2) years to fill vacancy.
To choose two members of the School Committee for three (3) years. To choose one member of the Board of Public Welfare for three (3) years.
To choose one member of the Board of Health for three (3) years. To choose one member of the Water and Sewerage Board for three (3) years.
To choose one member of the Park Commission for three (3) years. To choose one member of the Board of Trustees of the Public Library for three (3) years.
To choose one Tree Warden for one (1) year.
To choose three Constables for one (1) year.
To choose two members of the Planning Board for three (3) years. To choose one member of the Board of Commissioners of Trust Funds for three (3) years.
To choose eight (8) representative town meeting members in each precinct for three (3) years; To choose three representative town meeting members in precinct one for two years and two (2) repre- sentative town meeting members for one year.
To choose one (1) representative town meeting member in precinct eight for two years.
All to be chosen on one ballot.
Article 2. To vote by ballot: "Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year nineteen hundred and thirty-six, entitled 'An Act making the provisions of the Civil Service Laws applicable to the town of Swampscott with respect to certain appointed officers and employees of the Accounting, Assessors, Cemetery, Engineering, Health, Library, Moth and Tree Warden, Park, Police, Public Welfare, School and Water and Sewerage Departments and of the Board of Selectmen, and to the janitor of the Town Hall,' be ac- cepted?"
Article 3. To hear and act on the reports of town officials, boards and committees.
Article 4. To see what amount of bonds will be required of the Town Clerk and Custodian of Trust Funds for the ensuing year.
Article 5. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money, from time to time, in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year, beginning January 1, 1936, and to issue a note or notes, therefor, payable within one year, and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one year, in accord- ance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws.
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