Town annual report of Swampscott 1945, Part 14

Author: Swampscott, Massachusetts
Publication date: 1945
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 210


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1945 > Part 14


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I. Murray Adams, Co-Chairman Kathryn B. Ingell, Secretary Henry H. Freeto


Boardman G. Steadman Mrs. Edward L. Jackson


Mrs. John T. Lee Robert G. Byrne Roger N. Howes


Mrs. Benjamin B. Blanchard


Dr. Benjamin F. Cornwall Wilbert J. Arsenault


Manuel Ross Ernest Manchin


Raymond P. Miller Philip E. Bessom


Education and Counciling Frank L. Mansur, Chairman John G. Beebe-Center, Co- Chairman Manuel Ross, Co-Chairman Arthur Cronk


Sub-Committees Information on Laws & Aid John J. Foley, Chairman


John D. Malone, Co-Chairman Cedric Arnold


State and Federal Aid


Henry H. Freeto, Chairman


Alfred B. Jones, Co-Chairman


Mrs. John H. Hollis


Wilbert J. Arsenault


Boardman G. Steadman


Donald Redfern


James A. Hegarty


Medical Care, Clinics and Hospitals Dr. Benjamin F. Cornwall, Chair- man


Dr. H. Graham Pope, Co-Chairman Mrs. J. Harold Fletcher, Co-Chair- man Jobs John J. Nestor, Chairman James H. Dunn, Co-Chairman Howard E. Batchelder


Insurance


Raymond P. Miller


Among the benefits that you may be entitled to are compensa- tion for disabilities, hospitalization, home, farm and business loan guarantees, readjustment allowance, educational courses, assistance in obtaining employment and provision for your dependents. Eligibil- ity for each one is dependent upon the facts in the individual case.


If you are interested in any of these provisions Mr. I. Murray Adams, Co-Chairman, located in the new Town Administration build- ing, will be glad to talk with you and make arrangements for the particular benefit in which you or your dependents may be interested.


Those serving on the Committee are giving their time in your behalf without compensation and you may rest assured the considera- tion you are entitled to will be given.


I would like to call your attention to your Discharge Certificate (or Certificate of Service) which is a valuable document to you and you will be wise to have it recorded. To do this, take your Discharge Certificate to the New Town Hall where your certificate will be re- corded and duplicate copies made without charge to you. Again in behalf of the Citizens I wish to thank the Leon E. Abbott Post, No. 57, American Legion, for this most useful gift, the photostat machine, contributed by them for your use.


JAMES W. BUCHANAN, Chairman Pro-Tem, "Veterans' Service Committee."


182


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


Selectmen's Report


To the Citizens of the Town of Swampscott:


For the first time in several years we are reporting to the citizens with the guns of war stilled. All peoples everywhere, including the anxious parents of those in the service of our country, feel an inde- scribable relief that the holocaust is over at last and our sons and daughters are returning home.


Our home town played an important part in the victory with ap- proximately fourteen hundred persons in the service and thousands of others aiding in countless ways. Nowhere in our country was there a better type of war service rendered than here in our own town town by our numerous groups-Red Cross, Women's Auxiliaries, Veterans' Groups, Home Guard, Public Safety Committee, Police and Fire De- partments and their Auxiliaries, all other Town Departments, Selec- tive Service and Advisory Boards, Bond Drive Committees, Rationing Board and assistants, and many others. The utmost cooperation was given by our townspeople to the efforts of our country in the common cause. Suitable recognition of these splendid services is being planned by us and will be executed later.


Our Honor Roll now has approximately fourteen hundred names and will be kept up to date with available information. The forty- seven gold stars on it will ever be a sober reminder of the supreme sacrifices rendered and our deepest sympathy is extended to all the families of those heroes who gave their all for their country. It re- mains for all of our people to express and demonstrate the heartfelt gratitude due the veteran. We in official positions have done and shall continue to do everything in our power to recognize the veterans' right to a job at a good wage. We have appointed a Rehabilitation Committee to handle the specific problems of the returning veteran, and the Leon E. Abbott Post, No. 57, American Legion, is doing a fine job in this direction.


Three veterans of World War II are employed part-time in taking care of veterans' papers at the Town Administration Building and the photostat machine used was donated by our home town Legion Post; and, we are very grateful for this most useful gift. In our appoint- ments fair consideration is always given to the veteran and we shall continue that policy.


Police Department


We take this opportunity to compliment the Chief of our Police Department, Francis P. Wall, for the splendid work he has done in reorganizing that department since his appointment. He has done his work in a dignified, quiet, efficient and effective manner. We feel that the town is very fortunate in having him in this important position. We were very glad to appoint the high man on the list, J. Warren Doherty, as a Captain in that Department, on the recommendation of our Chief; and feel that he will render valuable service in that capacity.


General


There are a number of services of interest to the townspeople which can be improved upon. While many of these do not come under our jurisdiction, owing to municipal law and procedure, yet we take an interest in them and try to assist. Without going into detail a few of them are listed here.


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SELECTMEN'S REPORT


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Flooded Cellars


Many of our people are in the unfortunate position of having cellars flooded during heavy rains. These result in burners being put out in very cold weather and sickness and suffering result, together with damaged property. The Surveyor of Highways and his men have done a fine job on this with the limited equipment which he has and we commend him for it. We have asked our Town Engineer to make a study of this problem in order to see what steps can be taken to broaden this kind of service and also have asked the Town Counsel to advise us what procedure can be adopted by the town in order to do so.


Street Signs


We have been trying for years to get a suitable appropriation for this work with only limited success. We feel that this matter should be placed under one town department and an adequate appropriation made in order that every street in the town may have a good looking street sign with the name of that street clearly stated thereon. This is our aim for this year.


Collection of Rubbish


This service, which comes under the Board of Health, should be improved immediately. At the present time it is very unsatisfactory. We recommend that before that Board signs the next contract for this work, a conference be held with the bidder, the Board of Health, and the Board of Selectmen, to see if the service cannot be improved and the needs of our townspeople more fully taken care of. We shall insist that this be done before we will countersign the next contract to be made for this work.


Bus Service


During the past year we have been very active in trying to ob- tain for the residents of the town better service from the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company in the matter of buses. During the rush hours, particularly, those who board a bus in Lynn to go to Swampscott find that many of them are filled to capacity with people who live on the outskirts of Lynn; consequently, it is either difficult or impossible to obtain seating or standing space on these buses during those times. The Board has protested these conditions to the Company frequently and have conferred with the officials thereof. The reply of the Company has always been that they do not have enough buses to satisfactorily solve this problem. With the termina- tion of the war emergency however, and with better conditions pre- vailing with the manufacturing industries, we have high hopes that during this coming year we shall be able to announce that the Com- pany has agreed to furnish a much more satisfactory service during the times referred to. We shall continue our efforts in this matter.


We have also sought to obtain cross-town bus service in Swamp- scott in order to accommodate those going to churches within the town and returning to their homes. The Company has likewise de- clined to furnish this kind of service despite our repeated request to them.


We are preparing and intend to submit to the Company our pro- posals for specific improvements of bus service during the coming year to be afforded the people of Swampscott and shall press the Company to adopt this program for the convenience and benefit of our townspeople.


184


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


Improved Street Lighting


We have exerted our efforts with the Lynn Gas & Electric Com- pany in order to have lighting facilities in certain parts of the town where there has not been adequate lighting in the past. We have also made a study to determine whether changing the locations of certain lights would give better lighting at less cost to the town. We are glad to announce that there was a reduction of $1,200.00 in our cost of lighting the streets in the town.


Sidewalk Program


For a number of years many people in the town have sought to have sidewalks constructed near their homes. It has only been pos- sible to satisfy a few of these because of conditions caused by the war and resulting in lack of materials with which to do the work. Now that the war is over, however, we intend to press the town meeting for an adequate appropriation to permit a broad and extensive side- walk construction program so that every part of our town may be recognized. During this year, therefore, if the town meeting sup- ports us in our recommendations, we hope to see the beginning of this program during the summer months.


Youth Recreation Program


For the past few years we have been actively interested in having a recreation program for the youth of our town. We started this by organizing a baseball league for those interested and formed a com- mittee to take charge of this. During the past year there were a num- ber of games played by the teams in this league on our playgrounds. We were fortunate enough to obtain an appropriation from the town meeting to help carry on this good work.


We are satisfied that the benefits to be derived from a program of this kind are far reaching and beneficial to the youth of the town in countless ways. Accordingly, we intend to continue our efforts for and our interest in this program and will again seek to obtain an appropri- ation from the town meeting in order to carry on this work. Any par- ent in the town who is interested in having his son play baseball in this league will kindly get in touch with us and we shall see that it is attended to.


We also would appreciate the assistance of any of the townspeople who might be interested in further assisting us with this program.


Economy in the Tax Rate


In common with all of the other taxpayers of the town, we re- joice in the low tax rate enjoyed by the Town of Swampscott. This past year, for example, the rate has been $29.00 per thousand which compares very favorably with other towns in the Commonwealth of similar size. Such a rate is only possible when all town officials co- operate in maintaining their departments on an economical basis. We are glad to say that we have received this cooperation in the past and hope that it will continue. Fortunately, in Swampscott we have a high type of public official who seeks to do his best for the town. Therefore, public funds are carefully guarded and prudently expended. So long as this continues there need be no concern on the part of the taxpayers that they will receive the usual services at a very favorable cost basis.


We shall continue our efforts in examining with care all depart- mental appropriations and expenditures and check the bills of each town department weekly. We shall do everything in our power to maintain the tax rate in Swampscott at a very low level.


185


SELECTMEN'S REPORT


1945]


Town Hall vs. New Administration Building


It is important to furnish in this report all of the details in con- nection with the acquisition by the town of the New Administration Building, so-called. After receiving the report of a special committee appointed by the Moderator for this purpose, the town meeting mem- bers voted overwhelmingly to acquire the so-called Thomson Estate. The Moderator was subsequently directed to appoint another com- mittee to handle the problem of renovation for town usage.


There has been a great divergence of opinion among the towns- people on the advisability of using this building for administrative purposes. Many felt that it would have been better to have repaired the old town hall and continue to operate that structure for municipal purposes. Some also felt that it would have been desirable to have acquired the Thomson property without necessarily committing the town to using it for administrative purposes at the time but that such a decision could be made at a later date. These people felt that such a procedure would have prevented this desirable tract of land from being acquired by others and from being put to a use which might be ob- jectionable to either the town or the residents of that neighborhood. Still others felt that it was advisable to acquire the property and to make an immediate decision to use it for administrative purposes. This latter group prevailed at the town meeting and thereby the town was committed to it.


Many still feel that on so important a matter as this the town meeting members should have been given a printed report to study before they were called upon to act. However, they listened to the reading of a report and the presentation of the subject matter in behalf of the building committee for the first time and after debate were called upon to vote immediately on the subject.


Many others felt that the question should have been presented so as to afford an opportunity to those town meeting members desiring to vote favorably on the matter of acquiring the property but defer- ring a decision on the use of it. Because of the way the subject was presented those who favored acquisition but were undecided on use were in the position of being compelled to vote on both subjects at the same time and rather than be recorded against acquisition voted in favor of both purchase and use.


We felt then and feel now that this subject matter was important enough to have warranted action by all the voters and that the towns- people should have had the opportunity to express their sentiments through the ballot.


In any event this was not done and the town now owns the prop- erty and it has been converted to use as an administration building. Therefore, this must be accepted by all of the townspeople.


Contrary to the impression issuing from some quarters we have had no personal quarrel with the building committee. We did have and still have different opinions as to what should have been done and how. So long as we are retained in public office as Selectmen we shall consider it our duty to the townspeople to call to their attention all of the merits and demerits of important matters for their considera- ion. The people should never be ignored by any committee, individual, or Board of the Town. Neither should the will of a smaller group be imposed upon the majority.


After the town departments were installed in the New Adminis- tration Building it was reported to us that some people were endeav- oring to have the old Town Hall torn down. We were opposed to this and we were determined that on this matter the townspeople should


186


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


not be ignored but rather should be consulted before they lost their Town Hall. Accordingly, after determining that the movement had gained some force, we immediately made plans for notifying the voters of this proposal and asked them to express their sentiments by returning a card to us. As we expected, of the 4,275 cards returned to us 4,000 people in the town wished to retain their Town Hall. This was certainly an overwhelming mandate and should be respected. Therefore, we have asked for funds with which to repair that build- ing and continue it in use. There are many organizations in the town who should be permitted to use the hall or the offices as they may de- sire on occasions. Certain veterans' groups in our town who do not now have a satisfactory meeting place should be permitted to use the building, as well as a number of women's groups and boy and girl scout troops. While there are meeting places in the school halls, these are not open to groups in the town for use at all times. We can im- agine no better use to which the building can be put than for the ben- efit and use of the worthwhile organizations and groups within the town and there are many of them. We favor this and we shall do everything in our power to bring it about.


JAMES W. BUCHANAN, PHILIP E. BESSOM, *ROBERT G. BYRNE, Board of Selectmen.


*Dissenting from certain statements in this report made by the majority members of the Board.


PERMITS AND LICENSES


During the year the Board held hearings on applications for permits and licenses.


We herewith submit a list of all licenses and permits which we have issued during the year.


AUCTIONEER:


Arthur G. Cronk, 99 Paradise Road


Willard F. Stearns, 105 Rockland Street


BOWLING:


James D. Bentley, 217 Burrill Street


George D. Etter, d/b/a Phoenix Bowling Alleys, 217 Burrill Street


EXPRESS:


New Ocean House, Inc., 316 Puritan Road


Willis E. Shephard, 645 Humphrey Street


David Sherman, 196 Burrill Street


Victor E. Trenholm, 147 Redington Street


HAWKERS AND PEDDLERS:


Charles Foundas, 98 Florence Avenue, Revere


INNHOLDERS:


Keegan Hotel Corporation, d/b/a Willey House, 80 Humphrey Street Lillian A. Little, d/b/a General Glover Inn, Salem Street


New Ocean House, Inc., 216 Puritan Road


Preston-Hollywood Corporation, d/b/a Hotel Preston, 440 Atlantic Avenue


JUNK:


Jacob Goldberg, 26 Elm Place


Louis Zletz, 36 Cherry Street


Nathan E. Zletz, 15 Spring Street


187


SELECTMEN'S REPORT


1945]


LIQUOR LICENSES:


Innholders, All Alcoholic Beverages:


Keegan Hotel Corporation, d/b/a Willey House, 80 Humphrey Street


Lillian A. Little, d/b/a General Glover Inn, Salem Street


New Ocean House, Inc., 216 Puritan Road


Preston-Hollywood Corporation, d/b/a Hotel Preston, 440 Atlan- tic Avenue


Retail Package Goods Stores:


All Alcoholic:


Joseph G. Clancy, d/b/a Clancy's Market, 115-119 Burrill Street Louis A. Hershman, 136-138 Humphrey Street


Shore Line Import Co., Inc., 503 Humphrey Street


Wines and Malt Beverages:


Robert B. Hegarty, 357 Essex Street


Chris Janakas, 71 Roy Street


OVERHANGING SIGNS:


Blaney's Inc., 153-155 Humphrey Street


Almerida Chabot, d/b/a Al's Variety Store, 509 Humphrey Street


Essex Oil Co., Inc., 197 Essex Street


John J. Harrigan, d/b/a Judy's Coffee Shop, 443 Humphrey Street Louis A. Hershman, 134-138 Humphrey Street


Parisian Dry Cleansing Co., 138 Humphrey Street


Progressive Cleansers Co., d/b/a Lee Cleansers Co., 162 Humphrey Street


Ripley & Fitzpatrick, 26 Puritan Road


Shore Line Import Co., Inc., 503 Humphrey Street


William Welch, d/b/a Oceanside Garage, 12 Pine Street


Charles F. Young, d/b/a Bickford's Pharmacy, 135 Burrill Street


POOL LICENSE:


James D. Bentley, 217 Burrill Street


George D. Etter, d/b/a Phoenix Bowling Alleys, 217 Burrill Street


SEVEN-DAY COMMON VICTUALLERS:


Blaney's, Inc., 153-155 Humphrey Street


John F. Campbell, d/b/a Jack's Annex, 410 Humphrey Street


John F. Campbell, d/b/a Jack's Variety & Spa, 434 Humphrey Street Philip D. Cass, 15-17 Railroad Avenue


Beatrice Chipman, d/b/a Pine Variety Delicatessen, 52 Pine Street Doane's Inc., 131 Humphrey Street


F. Elmer Eaton, d/b/a Eaton the Druggist, 146 Humphrey Street John J. Harrigan, d/b/a Judy's Coffee Shop, 443 Humphrey Street Robert B. Hegarty, 357 Essex Street


Louis A. Hershman, d/b/a Hershman's Delicatessen, 136-138 Hum- phrey Street


C. P. Jeffers' Drug Store, 164 Humphrey Street


Mary C. Mair, d/b/a Mair's Home Bakery, 112 Burrill Street Francis L. Smith, d/b/a Flounder Inn, 420 Humphrey Street


Mildred Snell & Gladys Clark, d/b/a "Gladmil's", 149 Humphrey Street


Charles F. Young, d/b/a Bickford's Pharmacy, 135 Burrill Street TAXI:


Wilbur C. Fuller, 19 Railroad Avenue (4)


Ray W. Griffin, 489 Humphrey Street


Helen F. Waldron, New Ocean House Garage, Humphrey Street (3)


USED CAR DEALERS:


Anthony J. Gandolfo, 182 Paradise Road


John A. Purdon, d/b/a Swampscott Standard Garage, 460 Hum- phrey Street


William Welch, d/b/a Oceanside Garage, 12 Pine Street


188


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


ZONING PERMITS:


Booma-Breed Inc., Building Addition, 142 Stetson Avenue


Boston Machine Works Co., Manufacture of Combustion Chambers, 247 Burrill Street


Edison R. Brandt & Robert Howie, d/b/a The Edison Engineering Co., design wood & metal products, 438 Humphrey Street Briggs Coal Co., Building Addition, 33 Columbia Street


Philip D. Cass, Restaurant, 15-17 Railroad Avenue


Beatrice Chipman, d/b/a Pine Variety Delicatessen, 52 Pine Street Gladys G. Clark & Mildred E. Snell, d/b/a Gladmil's, Restaurant, 149 Humphrey Street


Henry Dinan, Shore Drive Studio, 60 Humphrey Street


George D. Etter, d/b/a Phoenix Bowling Alleys, 217 Burrill Street Attilio Gay, Variety Store, 304 Essex Street


John J. Harrigan, d/b/a Judy's Coffee Shop, 443 Humphrey Street Earl B. Hooten, d/b/a Hooten's Orange Car, Fruit Store, 27 New Ocean Street


Keegan Hotel Corporation, d/b/a Willey House, Building Altera- tions, 80 Humphrey Street


Edward T. Lotti, d/b/a Power Lawn Mower Service, 330 Essex Street George G. Maccai, Variety Store, 653 Humphrey Street


Evelyn Morin, Beauty Shop, 505 Humphrey Street


Loring F. Nies, Plumbing and Heating, 440 Humphrey Street Caleb F. Peabody, Variety Store, 304 Essex Street


E. F. Powers, d/b/a Ted's Radio Service, 31 New Ocean Street Preston-Hollywood Corporation, d/b/a Hotel Preston, Building Al- terations, 440 Atlantic Avenue


John A. Purdon, d/b/a Swampscott Standard Garage, sell new and used cars, 460 Humphrey Street


Francis L. Smith, d/b/a Flounder Inn, 414-420 Humphrey Street Albert D. Stone, Trading Post, 179 Burrill Street


Samuel J. Weinstein & George W. Johnson, d/b/a Atlantic Appli- ances Inc., electrical store, 463-465 Humphrey Street


BUDGET FOR 1946


The following are the amounts requested by the various officers, boards, and committees for the conduct of their departments during the year 1946:


General Government


Budget 1946


Expenditures 1945


Moderator


$ 100.00


$ 100.00


Finance Committee


700.00


559.62


Town Meeting


145.00


38.00


Selectmen


4,990.85


5,829.99


Accounting


5,515.70


5,214.48


Treasury


6,950.00


5,106.03


Certification of Notes & Bonds


50.00


8.00


Law


1.250.00


1,250.00


Collector of Taxes


5,837.70


5,514.25


Town Clerk


2,776.20


2,823.51


Elections & Registration


6,493.70


4,672.91


Assessors


12,406.00


5,865.18


Engineering


12,409.40


8,777.08


Town Hall


11,983.60


7,785.79


Planning Board


100.00


83.24


Board of Appeals


157.50


157.02


Contributory Retirement Funds


12,020.10


21,529.15


Totals


$83,885.75


$75,314.25


189


SELECTMEN'S REPORT


1945]


Protection of Persons and Property


Police


Fire


Budget 1946 $50,574.40 69,118.00


Expenditures 1945 $49,574.49 61,257.52


Forest Warden


393.00


388.20


Inspector of Buildings


1,900.00


970.32


Sealer of Weights & Measures


820.00


820.00


Dog Officer


1,180.00


812.36


Constable


100.00


100.00


Insurance


6,500.00


5,012.15


Totals


$130,585.40


$118,935.04


Health and Sanitation


Health


$10,060.00


$ 8,924.34


Health Nurse


1,870.00


1,690.88


Dental Clinic


1,350.00


1,277.62


District Nurse


825.00


825.00


Refuse and Garbage


18,500.00


18,500.00


Sewer


20,148.60


10,754.90


Brooks


300.00


44.86


Particular Sewers


200.00


166.78


Emergency Sewers


1,000.00


711.41


Totals


$54,253.60


$42,895.79


Highways and Bridges


Highway


$107,292.85


$99,341.77


Lighting Streets


27,000.00


25,417.18


Totals


$134,292.85


$124,758.95


Charities and Soldiers' Benefits


Public Welfare


$15,326.50


$ 8,872.07


Old Age Assistance


51,000.00


42,071.74


Soldiers' Benefits


8,430.00


3,995.00


State and Military Aid, War Allowance #2


1,370.00


597.00


Pensions and Compensation


10,618.33


9,362.95


Aid to Dependent Children


6,250.00


4,875.01


Totals


$92,994.53


$69,773.77.


School and Library


School


$233,420.00


$232,619.78


Travel Expense Outside State


100.00


37.52


Library


16,730.00


14,897.98


Totals


$250,250.00


$247,555.28


Recreation and Unclassified


Park


$37,466.85


$36,515.69


Legion Lease


1,350.00


1,350.00


Veterans of Foreign Wars Lease


650.00


650.00


Printing Town Reports


1,918.19


1,586.76


Memorial Day


400.00


600.00


Reserve Fund


7,500.00


6,685.02


Totals


$49,285.04


$47,387.47


190


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


Enterprises


Budget 1946 $45,181.00


Expenditures 1945


Water


$20,312.95


Emergency Water


10,000.00


718.92


Metropolitan Water Tax


35,000.00


32,695.86


Pipes and Fittings


4,000.00


4,000.00


Cemetery


10,226.20


$9,228.11


Totals


$104,407.20


$66,955.84


Grand Totals


$793,576.39


JAMES W. BUCHANAN, PHILIP E. BESSOM, ROBERT G. BYRNE, Board of Selectmen.


191


TOWN WARRANT




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