USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1939 > Part 11
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Proposed Land Developments
The Board drew up rules and regulations relative to the sub- mission of plans for proposed land developments in Swampscott and during the year there were submitted to the Board five plans respect- ing such developments of land. On these the Board held public hear- ings as required by law and gave their approval to such of those submitted as conformed to the by-laws of the town and the rules and regulations of the Board.
121
REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
1939]
Limitations on Business Districts
The Board has noted a tendency on the part of certain types of business establishments to seek locations in close proximity to sim- ilar types of businesses already established, and a tendency on the part of others to seek locations encroaching upon residential areas. The Board seriously doubts whether an unreasonable increase in the number of such establishments, furnishing services far in excess of town requirements, will, under a long-term planning program, serve the best interests of the town. The Board, on this ground, has seen fit to voice its disapproval on several applications for gas- oline service stations on which the Board of Selectmen held public hearings. The Board has in mind, however, that it may be necessary to enact a by-law in order to limit the number of such establish- ments within a given area.
Underground Utilities
The Annual Town Meeting for 1939 commissioned the new Planning Board to investigate and study the problem of Under- ground Utilities in the town. The Board has held numerous confer- ences with the State Planning Board in Boston, the Lynn Gas & Electric Co. and the New England Tel. & Tel. Co. Based on its in- vestigation and study the Board has prepared a report with its re- commendations for submission to the Annual Town Meeting.
S-Curve Eliminations
The Annual Town Meeting of 1939 also commissioned the Plan- ning Board to investigate and study the matter of eliminating the S-Curve at the junction of Paradise road and Burrill street. The Board has conferred with the State Department of Public Works, the Board of Selectmen and the Town Engineer and has prepared a report with its recommendations, which will be submitted to the next Annual Town Meeting.
Zoning
The Board considers that one of the most important pieces of town legislation during the year was the adoption of a zoning by- law regulating the frontage and area of building lots in District 3 and District 2-B. The Board held public hearing on the by-laws as proposed by the Zoning Committee and gave the said by-law its whole-hearted recommendation and approval. It is considered by the Board that a definite step in the right direction has been made in the adoption of this by-law, and, accordingly, the Board feels strong- ly that it should be extended to the other districts within the town. In general, the Board feels that the time has come for a thorough investigation and revision of the zoning by-laws of the town, be- lieving that such action is most appropriate in view of changed needs and conditions of the town, together with advancements made in the science of city and town planning.
Long-Term Planning
The town saw fit to delegate one of its members to attend a meeting in Worcester sponsored by the State Planning Board. The discussion at this meeting covered various phases of town planning, but the report on the discussion of long-term planning, now in ef- fect in various communities throughout the country, was of particu- lar interest to the Board. The nearest community in this state hav- ing such a program is Winchester. We believe that there may be considerable merit in long-term planning and the Board is presently
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
engaged in the study of the procedure and merits of such a program as it might be made applicable to the Town of Swampscott. The Board would welcome any constructive information and suggestions relative to such a program.
JOHN S. McKENNEY, Chairman, GEOFFREY NICHOLS, Secretary, JAMES R. MADDOCK, THOMAS DUNCAN, A. L. RICHARDS.
Surveyor of Highways
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
I herewith submit my annual report for the year of 1939.
All asphalt and road oil used this year was bought under con- tract.
A great number of our old macadam streets in town were built fifteen to twenty years ago. The surfaces of these streets have never been touched since and are all dried out, cracked and badly worn. Our appropriation for sealcoating is far too limited so only a few of these could be taken care of this year. A coat of hot asphalt is applied on the surface of these streets, then covered with crushed stone and rolled with our steam roller. Following is a list of streets done this year showing the amount of material used on each. Stetson avenue, 3000 gallons asphalt, 158 tons of stone; Nor- folk avenue, 3000 gallons asphalt, 158 tons of stone; Elmwood road, from Monument avenue to Sheridan road, 1000 gallons asphalt, 53 tons of stone; Burrill street, from Essex street to Boynton street, 2500 gallons asphalt, 146 tons of stone; Grant road, 500 gallons asphalt, 26 tons of stone; Bradlee avenue, from Phillips avenue to HIumphrey street, 1800 gallons asphalt, 96 tons of stone; and Mount- wood road circle, 250 gallons asphalt and 15 tons of stone. After the cars have traveled over these streets, a week or more, a cer- tain percentage of the crushed stone is thrown to the side into the gutters. This is all reclaimed by the department, taken to the town yard and mixed into our asphalt patch.
Repairs on tar, asphalt or cement sidewalks either in whole or in part, have been made on the following streets: Blaney, Boynton, Burrill, Humphrey, King, New Ocean, Pine and Redington streets, and Beach, Franklin and Palmer avenues, and Andrew, Banks, Barn- stable, Devens, Farragut, Outlook, and Walker roads, and Bay View drive, Kensington lane and Claremont terrace.
All patching material used for the maintenance of streets and sidewalks is mixed by our department using sand, crushed stone, and asphalt. This material was used to resurface the driveway around the Police Station, also seal coat the Town Hall parking space. This material was also used on Eulow street to bring same up to grade as the road had been sinking. The car tracks were cov- ered over with this material on Essex street from the Lynn line to the corner of Cherry street.
The end of Eureka avenue was extended 50 feet further by re- moving trees and boulders, bringing same to grade by filling in with gravel and surfacing same with patch material.
At the corner of Redington street and Banks road, a bad blind corner for auto drivers was overcome by cutting down the trees and brush on a vacant lot there.
123
REPORT OF SURVEYOR OF HIGHWAYS
1939]
Our catch basin digger cleaned out our basins in town at least three times this year. There are a few basins too small for the digger to handle and these are taken care of by hand. There is now approximately about 500 of these in town.
Seventy-five new street signs made from wood were placed around town to take care of those that were found broken.
The decking on Essex street bridge, also the board sidewalk had to be repaired.
All the streets in town were cleaned at least twice during the year. Burrill street from Essex street to the Monument, and Hum- phrey street, from the Lynn line to Millet road were cleaned every day during the summer months.
Essex street from the Lynn line to the cemetery and New Ocean street were cleaned once a week. The Danvers and Essex street bridges were cleaned three times a week.
Starting May 29, 1939, both Fisherman's and Whales beaches, the latter being in front of .the New Ocean House, were cleaned every day during the summer months. Phillips Beach, in front of the Beach Club and in front of the Hotel Preston, were cleaned 20 times during the summer.
In various sections of the town, 21 curbstones had to be lowered to make driveways.
Five new basin tops were purchased to replace broken ones and one old catch basin had to be rebuilt owing to a cave-in.
A fence 40 feet long was built in front of the Hotel Preston on Atlantic avenue.
On Millett road for a distance of 65 feet, a new 10-inch drain pipe was relaid to replace the broken ones.
In the fall of the year, the leaves falling from the trees keep this department very busy for about four weeks cleaning them up and carting them to the dump.
This fall, the department bought a sand spreader which is used on our 1936 5-ton White truck. To date, it has been used once and proved very satisfactory.
One new cement mixer, the old one turned in toward the pur- chase price.
Our snow fighting equipment now includes the following: one 5-ton White truck, 13 years old; one 5-ton White truck, bought in 1936; one 11/2-ton Ford truck, five years old; one 5-ton tractor, bought in 1927 which can only be used to plow snow after a depth of 10 inches or more has fallen; and two sand spreaders.
All trucks are equipped with removable bladed plows and the tractor has a V plow. We also have on hand at the yard, over 500 yards of sand treated with calcium of chloride, to be used on slip- pery sidewalks and streets. We also have 14 sidewalk snow plows which are horse drawn.
Our snow fences this year were taken down in April and put up again in December as follows: Salem street, Crosman and Linden avenues, Stanley and Sumner roads, Dale street, Dennison avenue, and Atlantic avenue near the Marblehead line. Two hundred and fifty feet of this fence had to be replaced this year to take care of that which was broken.
All our equipment was overhauled and tuned up this year as follows: Both White trucks, Ford truck, Pontiac, Meade Morrison tractor, two mixers used for mixing cement or asphalt patch, and catch basin digger. Four new tires and tubes were put on the rear of the Ford truck to take the place of worn out ones.
W. P. A.
All WPA projects are under the supervision of the Surveyor of Highways. Following is a list of projects done this year:
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
On Beach Bluff avenue a drain was laid with eight new man- holes and seventeen catch basins. Reinforced concrete pipe was used here including 590 linear feet of 18 inch, 960 feet of 15 inch, and 1000 linear feet of 12 inch.
On Crosman avenue a drain was laid with six new manholes and eight catch basins. Reinforced concrete pipe was used includ- ing 576 linear feet of 18 inch, 484 linear feet of 15 inch, 584 linear feet of 12 inch.
On Elmwood road a drain was laid with two new manholes and five catch basins. 444 linear feet of 15 inch reinforced concrete pipe was used.
Tid street had a 200 linear foot drain laid, 3 new catch basins built, using a 10 inch metal culvert pipe. Sidewalks were built of type D mix, and the street brought up to grade. The road surface was then sealcoated with asphalt using 800 gallons and sand spread over this.
Continuous sidewalks and curbstone program WPA labor is used and the material including type E asphalt mixture and curb- stone are all bought under contract. Following is a list of streets done this year and the amount of material used: Phillips avenue, 3605 square yards of type E, no curbing; Orchard circle, 1057 linear feet of curbing and 922.4 square yards of type E; Neighborhood road, 2695 linear feet curbing and 262.5 square yards of type E; Nason road, 273 linear feet of curbing and 184.3 square yards of type E; Aspen road, 1937.9 linear feet of curbing and 1225.2 square yards of type E; Ocean View road, 458.7 linear feet of curbing and 290.3 square yards of type E; Sargent road, 966 linear feet of curb- ing and 51.1 square yards of type E; Essex street, 417 linear feet of curbing and 338.8 square yards of type E.
I wish to recommend that the town purchase the following new equipment: Compressor, 5-ton gasoline tandem roller and one 212- ton truck, and buy new street signs to be placed over the town. That the car tracks on Humphrey street from the Marblehead line to the junction of Atlantic avenue and Puritan road be taken up and replaced with bituminous macadam or other suitable material. That Puritan road from the junction of Humphrey street near the fish- house to Galloupe's Point be resurfaced with bituminous macadam.
Respectfully submitted,
T. J. RYAN,
Surveyor of Highways.
Public Library
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
The members of the Board of Trustees of the Public Library herewith present their annual report for the year ending December 31, 1939.
Circulation and Attendance
The total circulation (adult plus juvenile) for the year 1939 was 103,157, an increase of 2076 over 1938. It is particularly grati- fying to report an increase of 2241 in non-fiction. This indicates that the importance of the Library as a means of adult education is recognized each year by a larger number of people. The attendance also shows an increase of 644 over 1938.
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125
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
1939]
Changes in the Library Staff
Resignation: Through the resignation of Mrs. Elizabeth Walker Forbes in July the Library lost a willing and efficient member of the staff.
Retirement: Because of ill health, Mrs. E. Louise Wherren was retired on pension December 15th. Mrs. Wherren had given fifteen years of conscientious service in the Library. Her retirement is a source of regret to the Trustees.
Children's Librarian: After carefully considering the qualifica- tions of a number of candidates, the Board of Trustees elected Miss Greta L. Rose as Children's Librarian. Miss Rose is a graduate of Acadia University also of Simmons College where she completed the course in Library Science and specialized in children's work. She has had previous experience both in teaching and library work and is well equipped to take charge of the Children's Department in our library.
Assistant: In July Miss Dorothy Fox of Swampscott was elected to the Library staff. Miss Fox is a graduate of Wheaton College, has taken a course in Library Science at Simmons College and ac- quired a wide knowledge of books during her employment at Good- speed's Book Store in Boston.
Pamphlets and Pictures
The library has established during the year two new collections to supplement its book stock, one of the pamphlets in the Adult De- partment, the other of pictures in the Children's Room. Much worth- while information is published today in loose, pamphlet form and the library recognizes its duty to make such material available for reference and for circulation.
The use of and demand for illustrative material has increased in recent years, both for school work and for individual needs; in order to satisfy this demand, a collection of approximately 400 pictures on various subjects have been mounted and classified, and are avail- able for circulation. This collection, like the pamphlet file, is con- stantly growing.
Gifts
Friends of the library have been generous in their gifts during the year and 104 books have been added to the collection through gifts made by these friends. In addition to the aforementioned vol- umes, Mrs. A. Leroy Ellis presented the library with over 200 tech- nical and scientific books, with the understanding that those not suitable for a small public library might be used as exchanges with some other library. To that end, negotiations are in progress with Harvard College to exchange about 150 of these books for some they can give us which are of more value to us.
The library has also had given it many magazines and pictures which have been of use for the picture collection.
A list of those from whom gifts have been received during the year follows:
Mrs. Sarah Houghton
Mr. Abram French
Miss Ruth Shattuck
Mr. Floyd Soule
Mr. Lee T. Gray
Miss Winnifred Chapman
Mr. Harold C. Whitmore
Mrs. Fred D. Morrill
Mrs. Arthur Parsons, Sr. Mrs. A. Leroy Ellis
Mrs. Robert L. Morey
Dr. A. L. Morse
Mr. Lynn M. Ranger Mrs. Ralph E. Bicknell
Mr. Lennart Bjorkman Mrs. John E. Shannon
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Children's Room
During the summer months, a Reading Club called "To the World's Fair by Books" was sponsored and aroused much enthu- siasm among the school children. Over 80 readers were enrolled in the club, of whom 53 received their badges for having read a requi- site number of books on various subjects.
Book Week was celebrated November 12-18 with a display of books and articles from foreign countries, generously loaned by Swampscott citizens. The Children's Room was appropriately deco- rated and many special displays of books were in evidence.
Co-operation with Town Organizations and Groups
The library has co-operated in various ways with different or- ganized groups within the town, in an effort to increase further use of the library and to make its resources of greater value. To that end, booklists have been prepared and displays of books have been made available for such organizations as the Parent-Teacher Asso- ciation, The Swampscott Women's Club, and the Visiting Nurse Association.
Co-operation with the School Department
In an effort to aid the School Department in its teaching pro- gram, the library has set aside a section of shelves to be known as "The High School Bookshelf" and on which are kept books selected from the outside reading lists of the High School students. Each of these books is suitably labeled to indicate the course to which it pertains.
During the Spring the library had on deposit at the High School a group of about 50 books especially requested by the teach- ers for use in their assignments.
Additional Hours
In April a feature of additional helpfulness was inaugurated when the Library began a schedule of ten additional hours of ser- vice each week, opening at 9 A.M. each Tuesday and Saturday, mak- ing a total of 52 hours per week during which the library is open. This has been found to be helpful to an increasing number of people and this schedule of hours will continue indefinitely, thus surpass- ing the minimum standard of hours recommended by the State Divi- sion of Public Libraries.
Changes in Equipment
New shelving has been added in the Children's Room, and the circulation desk in the Main Reading Room has been re-adjusted to provide for the more efficient handling of incoming and outgoing books.
The 120 feet of chain-link fence authorized by the Annual Town Meeting has been erected, making a distinct addition to the property of the Library and it has proved to be of decided value in protecting the property and adjoining lawns.
127
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
1939]
Library Statistics
Circulation :
Adult fiction,
52,701
Adult non-fiction,
18,672
Adult periodicals,
3,494
74,867
Juvenile fiction,
20,804
Juvenile non-fiction,
4,975
Juvenile periodicals,
2,511
28,290
Gross Circulation
103,157
Attendance:
Adult attendance,
61,897
Juvenile attendance,
19,538
81,435
Books:
New books added,
1,689
Books discarded,
295
Books in the library January 1, 1940,
22,176
Fines:
Fine receipts turned over to the Town
$662.49
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH H. NUTTER,
LEE T. GRAY,
JAMES D. CUMMINS,
Board of Trustees.
Board of Health
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
The Board of Health herewith submits the following report for the year ending December 31, 1939, together with those of its vari- ous officers.
The past year was a very satisfactory one from a public health standpoint in spite of the fact that there was a slight increase in the number of communicable diseases reported.
Two news cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were reported dur- ing the year but there were no deaths from the disease. At the pres- ent time there are three patients at the Essex Sanatorium, two of the patients being admitted during the past year. Forty-nine per- sons have been examined and X-rayed at the sanatorium out-patient clinics. During the year check-up visits have been made, to the homes of all persons who have had tuberculosis in one form or an- other, at regular intervals and advice and instructions given when necessary.
Forty-six residents and eleven non-residents have been bitten by dogs this year and one case of cat bite was reported. Anti-rabic treatment was necessary in three cases because the persons bitten were unable to obtain the name of the owner or the license number of the dog and we were unable to locate the dog. The expense of the vaccine and the services of the physician had to be borne by this department as the County Commissioners will not reimburse the
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TOWN. DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
town unless it is proven conclusively that the dog doing the biting was duly licensed. It is accordingly important that the person bit- ten makes every effort to obtain the name of the owner, the lic- ense number or as complete a description of the dog as possible in order that the Inspector of Animals may locate the dog. We are still getting reports of persons being bitten by unlicensed dogs.
Dental and Pre-School examinations have been made as usual. One hundred eighty-two pupils in the ninth and eleventh grades of the parochial and public schools were given the Von Pirquet test for tuberculosis under the supervision of Dr. McHugh of the Essex Sanatorium. Twenty-one of those tested showed a positive reaction and were accordingly X-rayed.
The water situation in the Swampscott Highlands district is a serious problem and has been especially so since the cold weather made it necessary to shut off the town supply. Many of the wells have dried up and in those cases where water was available it was barely enough to care for the needs of the owner. The situation be- came so acute and the need for water so bad that the chain on the pump on the well driven by the town was broken and the water used in spite of the fact that the State Department of Public Health had declared the water unfit for domestic use. In order to prevent the use of the water it was necessary to remove the pump to protect the residents of that district from the dangers which the use of the water involved.
During the summer innumerable complaints were received from all sections of the town relative to mosquitoes. The matter was taken up with the Finance Committee who transferred funds to the use of the Tree Warden in an effort to eliminate the nuisances. 'All known breeding places were sprayed with oil and where possible ditching and draining was done. In most instances the treatment was effective but in the Palmer Pond and Phillips Park areas it was impossible to obtain any abatement of the conditions. Conditions in these areas were so bad that the guests at the Hotel Preston and New Ocean House were threatening and in some instances did leave the hotels. In an effort to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the problem we requested the assistance of the State Reclamation Board who sent Robert W. Wales, Entomologist, here to study the situa- tion and advise us as to procedure.
On July 19, 1939, the following were received by the health of- ficer:
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS STATE RECLAMATION BOARD 136 State House, Boston
July 18, 1939.
Mr. C. W. Horton, Health Officer
Board of Health
Swampscott, Massachusetts
Dear Sir :-
At the request of Mr. Robert W. Wales, Field Agent and En- tomologist for the State Reclamation Board, I am enclosing a copy of his report on mosquito breeding conditions at Swampscott based on his survey of last week.
129
REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH
1939]
In looking over our records as to a previous investigation of conditions in Swampscott we find that Mr. Wales made a report in December, 1933 which will probably be of interest to your board. In February, 1934 at our request Mr. F. L. Sellew, District Waterways Engineer of the Department of Public Works, made an estimate of the cost of draining Palmers pond for the purpose of reducing mos- quito breeding in the town. It has occurred to the board that this estimate and the blueprint and sketches covering same might be of interest to your board in your consideration of possible means of correcting the present mosquito nuisance. We are, therefore, en- closing two copies of Mr. Wales's report of July, 1939, one copy of his report of December, 1933, two copies of Mr. Sellew's estimate and two copies of his report both dated February and January, 1934, together with blueprint and sketches. Of course Mr. Sellew's esti- mate was based on the costs of labor and materials at that time.
As the blueprint and sketches are the only copies in our file we would appreciate it if they could be returned after they have served their purpose with you.
If we can be of any further service to the Board of Health in its endeavor to improve the mosquito situation in Swampscott do not hesitate to call on us.
Yours very truly, GEORGE R. STRATTON, Secretary.
The following is a copy of the 1939 report of Mr. Wales to the State Reclamation Board:
TO: State Reclamation Board
FROM: Robert W. Wales, Entomologist
SUBJECT: Mosquito Nuisance at Swampscott
In response to a telephone request from Mr. C. W. Horton, Health Officer for the Board of Health of Swampscott, for assist- ance in combating the serious mosquito nuisance occurring in the town the writer went to Swampscott Tuesday morning, July 11th, 1939.
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