Town annual report of Weymouth 1912, Part 13

Author: Weymouth (Mass.)
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 342


USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1912 > Part 13


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1907 Taxes collected


$141 91


Interest collected .


28 43


G. M. and B. T. collected


30 80


$201 14


1908


Taxes collected


$572 92


Interest collected .


79 14


G. M. and B. T. collected


62 60


$714 66


1909 Taxes collected


7,037 18


Interest collected .


788 91


G. M. and B. T. collected


58 18


Street Watering


246 96


1910 Taxes collected


$14,998 88


Interest collected .


1,213 79


G. M. and B. T. collected Street Watering collected


245 12


1911 Taxes collected


$29,713 60


Interest collected .


965 86


G. M. and B. T. collected Street Watering collected


224 55


449 80


1912 Taxes collected


. $119,848 81


Interest collected .


48 72


G. M. and B. T. collected


944 80


Street Watering collected


.


1,924 40


Sidewalk tax collected .


719 07


$123,485 80


.


$8,131 23


93 17


$16,550 96


$31,353 81


Respectfully submitted, WINSLOW M. TIRRELL, Tax Collector.


REPORT OF SURVEY OF TOWN.


To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth :


GENTLEMEN-I submit herewith my sixth annual report on the town survey, together with a brief mention of other engineering work or surveying made necessary either by petition to the Select- men from citizens or occassioned by the increasing growth of the town and the adoption, in some measure, of various improve- ments. This latter work has included the making of plans for use in court in various suits against the town ; giving grades for town drains ; the measurement of the frontage of abutting own- ers along the streets treated with oil, for the use of the Assessors ; the measurement of the amount of tar concrete of various grades and prices, laid the past year, to determine the proportion charge- able to each abuttor; the giving of a doubtful street line to an adjacent owner, or staking out one to show an encroachment ; preparing plans for the purpose of a hearing on streets petitioned for by citizens of Weymouth; and in several cases the laying out or relocation of a street with plan and description for record. In nearly all of the cases cited the town survey sheets have been of great help, and, by eliminating in most cases, much of the field work, have materially reduced the cost of said work.


In regard to the question of new streets, it would seem advisable that when laid out by private parties (contemplating an accept- ance by the town) a plan acceptable to your Board for both line and grade should be prepared and adopted and I would respect- fully recommend that when any future street is laid out and accepted by said town that it be marked by stone bounds with drill hole in the centre. It might be wise also to have one or more of the important streets made definite each year and thus marked.


A set of town survey sheets has been sold the Electric Light Company on which they have had shown the location and kind (either arc or incandescent) of every street light in town and also the position of their intervening poles. This is I understand to be filled by them at the town office.


215


The same thing could be done in the matter of showing the entire water system (size and location of all pipes, important gates, etc.) throughout the town. The hydrants have already been located and shown on said sheets.


In towns having sewers such sheets are used to show the loca- tion and size of the various pipes; also the location of every branch is indicated, so that the proper connection for any building may be easily seen by inspection of the plans, and located on the ground by distances (given on said plans) to the nearest manhole. The area covered by sewer assessments is also often shown. While Weymouth has not as yet taken up to any extent the ques- tion of sewers and may not for several years to come I note that at a meeting this month of the Weymouth Board of Trade, the President, who is also the Chairman of your Board includes the subject under the list of suggestions of things to be considered, a number of which seem likely to receive attention at the coming March meeting.


Some towns also have a set of so called street numbering plans whereby a person applying to the town engineer or selectmen, as the case may be, can immediately obtain the proper number for any house either old or new.


A comparison of the number of town survey sheets sold dur- ing the past year with the sale in previous years is the best indi- cation of the extent to which the sheets are being used, while the constantly increasing number of transfers shows how the assessors' work is growing larger and more important each year.


Assuming the entire survey to be completed with an appropri- ation in 1914, that is two more years of work, it will probably still be necessary to appropriate some amount annually for the purpose of maintenance or the keeping of the plans to date for the assessors use. I doubt that (with the card index, the card system of transfers now in use together with the increasing valu- ation and growth of the town) the old system without plans. or even with plans not up to date, would be either acceptable to the town or profitable from a financial standpoint. I would respect- fully call the attention of your board and also the citizens of the town, to this what seems to me, important fact. At the present time this revision from year to year is being done in addition to the new works, from the amount appropriated each year. Dur- ing the past year, however, the same acreage (about 1500 acres)


216


has been covered as has been done each year since the work was commenced.


The work in general the past year has been continuous, con- necting with previous year and running southerly, as has been the policy of your Board from the first, a policy the wisdom of which I think has been shown by the results obtained. "The method of doing a little each year is a common one in towns, and satisfactory in that it allows a closer inspection of detail and tends toward uniformity throughout the entire town. Within the month I have answered a query regarding our Weymouth sheets and cost of same from an engineer in Amesbury, which town is, as he states, contemplating the plotting of assessors' sheet. Also I have gone over this work with an engineer who is doing some- thing along these lines (and comparing notes with other towns) for the town of Belmont.


At the present writing there are in the hands of the assessors 45 sheets, with 10 or more (embracing the field work of 1912) in various stages of construction. The 45 sheets mentioned will be revised to April, 1913, for the assessors' use. and a part of those under way will also be completed for their use.


I have sold for the town subsequent to my last report prints amounting to $201, of which amount $157 was received from the sale of 157 town survey sheets at $1 each, and the balance from the sale of five prints of the index map referred to in my report for 1911. In addition Mr. Worthen, the town counsel, has been supplied with a full set of prints to date.


In the district being covered at present, continuity of extension has been sacrificed somewhat in order to economize on the work ; for instance, taking advantage of extremely low water, the entire shore line of Weymouth Great Pond has been located, although only a portion of it properly comes into the so-called 1912 work. Probably at high water, with the necessary cutting for lines in- volved, the expense would be more than doubled, while even when covered with ice it would be increased.


Referring to the above index map, it is the intention, in addi- tion to revising those they already have, to supply the Assessors the coming year with six additional sheets numbered 45, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51.


The southerly limit of the work for 1912 will be in general a straight line extending nearly due east and west across the town


217


and passing somewhat south and nearly parallel with Hollis Street and also south of the South Weymouth Depot. Adjacent the Braintree line, however, considerable work south of this line has been done.


The transfers for the years 1908 to 1911 inclusive were listed in the report for 1911, and commencing in 1908 with about 365 transfers increased each year to a total in 1911 of about 570. While I have not the exact figures before me this has been aug- mented the past year, the result being about 600 transfers. Above figures are exclusive of tax sales.


There are at present 17 plans of land in Weymouth registered in the land court showing some increase since the number noted in my report for 1909.


This report has perhaps deviated somewhat from the strict in- terpretation of the town survey work, but the uses to which the resultant plans have already been put, although anticipated, have given rise to these and other questions which space does not allow me to touch upon at this time.


In concluding I would refer to what I have written in various reports regarding doubtful and obscure lines ; temporary omissions where owners or boundaries were uncertain : and would extend herewith my thanks and appreciation to those who have loaned me plans, and by other information have assisted me in eliminating to some extent said omissions.


To all others who have aided either myself or my assistants in any way, I take this opportunity to express my thanks.


I have retained two of the men during the past year who were on the work in 1911; Mr. Libbey continuing in my office as first assistant.


As in the past I have had the fullest confidence and courtesy shown me by your Board and by other town officers, for which I wish to extend my thanks.


Respectfully submitted,


RUSSELL H. WHITING,


Civil Engineer.


REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.


To the Citizens of the Town of Weymouth :


Board organized, Dr. George E. Emerson, Chairman, Nelson B. Gladwin, Secretary. The general health conditions seemed to have improved during the past year, there being fewer diseases dangerous to the public health reported than for several years.


Along the water front improvements in the way of caring for house drainage are being made by many of our summer residents. It is important that all cottages should be connected with under- ground drainage of some kind. If this is done it will do away with the obnoxious surface drainage, which not only serves as a breeding place for insects, but is also a menace to the public health. In some cases where there is not room enough for this improvement we would suggest that several property owners have common cesspool, provided that there is proper soil for carrying off the surplus water.


There is no doubt but that within a very few years it will be necessary to provide sewers in the thickly settled sections, because at present it is almost impossible to enforce strict sanitary regu- lations.


The matter of garbage disposal has been brought to the atten- tion of the Board during the year and we have found that in one congested community satisfactory results have been obtained by the occupants of houses paying a small fee to some one to collect offal frequently. This seems to us the best way, because of the distance between centres it would be expensive for the Health Department to collect froni all parts of the town.


The dairy farms are showing improvements. We want to impress the citizens who furnish milk that they cannot go too far in the way of cleanliness in its care and production.


The premises around the water supply have been inspected sev- eral times during the year, and while we found it in the immedi- ate vicinity satisfactory, we feel that some arrangement should be made to safeguard cur residents, as it is impossible to keep out the impurities which are constantly washing in from the watershed.


219


The town having accepted the Tenement House Act, we de- cided that we should adopt the State plumbing laws necessitating all new work and all alterations should be performed by licensed plumbers in a manner satisfactory to the Inspector of Plumbing, thus insuring an improved sanitary condition.


Contagious diseases reported during the year :


Anterior Poliomyelitis


1


Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis


°1


Diphtheria


10


Measles


28


Ophthalmia Neonatorum


3


Scarlet Fever


6


Tuberculosis


9


Typhoid Fever


1


Varicella


1


-


Total


60


REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF LICENSED SLAUGHTER HOUSES.


SOUTH WEYMOUTH, Mass., January 1, 1913 To the Honorable Board of Health of the Town of Weymouth :


I herewith forward report as Inspector of Licensed Slaughter Houses for the year 1912.


Number of animals inspected :


Swine


488


Calves


170


Cattle


8


Sheep


2


Total


668


.


Respectfully submitted,


GEO. B. BAYLEY, Inspector. GEORGE E. EMERSON, JOHN S. WILLIAMS NELSON B. GLADWIN Board of Health.


2


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


1


Trustees of .


THE TUFTS LIBRARY


WEYMOUTH, MASS.


1912


TRUSTEES.


Louis A. Cook,


William A. Drake,


Francis M. Drown,


James H. Flint,


Joseph E. Gardner,


William F. Hathaway, John B. Holland, Frederick T. Hunt,


Clarance P. Whittle.


SELECTMEN, EX-OFFICIO.


A. Francis Barnes,


Bradford Hawes,


Willard J. Dunbar, Edward W. Hunt, George L. Newton.'


OFFICERS. Clarance P. Whittle, President. Francis M. Drown, Secretary and Treasurer.


LIBRARIAN. Abbie L. Loud.


ASSISTANTS.


Louisa C. Richards, Alice B. Blanchard,


JANITOR. Frank D. Sherman.


The Library hours are 2 to. 8 P. M. ; Wednesday, 2 to 5 P. M. ; Saturday, 2 to 9 P. M. ; Sundays, Legal Holidays, New Year's Day and the 17th of June excepted.


REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE TUFTS LIBRARY.


The thirty-fourth annual report of the Board of Trustees of the Tufts Library is respectfully submitted to the Town of Weymouth as follows :


The library was open to the public 304 days with a circulation of 52,552 volumes, an average of 173-a day ; 4761 of the total number were delivered through the schools, 19,988 through the delivery stations. The largest number issued on any one day was 372 on April 10 and the smallest was 24 on December 24.


The number distributed through the several delivery stations was as stated below :


PRECINCT.


DELIVERY STATION. LOANS.


1


J. W. Bartlett & Co.


5,493


1


W. J. Sladen 2,139


2 & 6


J. P. Salisbury


5,959


2 & 6


Bates & Humphrey


2,918


4


W. W. Pratt


1,565


4


Marshall P. Sprague 1,128


5


Fogg Memorial Library


786


19,988


CLASSIFICATION OF CIRCULATION.


CLASS.


LOANS.


PER CENT.


Arts .


1,980


3.77


Biography


878


1.67


Fiction


36,281


69.01


History


1,923


3.66


Literature


1,043


1.99


Natural science


1,378


2.63


Poetry


682


1.30


Social science


920


1.75


Theology


.


285-


.55


Travels


.


1,555


2.96


Periodicals .


5,627


10.71


52,552


100.00


224


WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS.


The teachers have borrowed 745 volumes on their cards for school work besides the 4761 volumes which have been sent to the schools.


This year the depositing of collections of books has been ex- tended to one Sunday school. Other Sunday schools desiring to borrow books in the same way are cordially invited to arrange with the librarian for a similar deposit.


STUDENT'S CARDS.


Sixty-eight Student's cards have been used and 923 volumes have been borrowed on these cards during the year.


VACATION PRIVILEGES.


Few of the patrons of the library have availed themselves of the vacation privilege this year, only 95 books having been loaned in this way, possibly because so many of the people spent their vacations near home or made too short a stay out of town for this privilege to be of advantage to them.


REGISTRATION OF BORROWERS.


The applications for cards since the last registration, April, 1909, number 2629, of which 349 have been received this year.


EXAMINATION OF BOOKS.


The annual inventory was made as usual, 9 volumes are un- accounted for, 20 books have been lost, of which 3 were paid for by the borrowers, and 4 of those previously reported as missing have been found. 69 books have been discarded because unfit for circulation.


ACCESSIONS.


953 volumes have been added to the library including 72 do- nations, 65 replacements and 60 periodicals bound. 337 volumes have been rebound.


Some books in great demand have been duplicated but in many cases several copies have not been sufficient to satisfy the call, particularly when the book desired has been a new and popular work of fiction.


225


More suggestions for purchase have been received than in some previous years and in nearly every instance the trustees have been able to act upon the suggestions offered.


A special inventory made this year shows that we have now in the library 26,790 volumes exclusive of pamphlets.


A list of books, outside of fiction, purchased during the year, except those listed elsewhere in this report, may be found under General litera- ture in Appendix A.


For a list of books purchased from the Susannah Hunt Stetson Fund see Appendix B.


READING AND REFERENCE ROOM.


Every year the efficiency of this department is increased by the addition of valuable works of reference. The additions for 1912 are : American year book, 1911; Bailey's Cyclopedia of American agriculture, 4v. ; Boston directory, 1912 ; Bryant's New library of poetry and song ; Cassell's cyclopædia of photography ; Dyer's Compendium of the war of the Rebellion ; National cyclo- pædia of American biography, 13 v., with Supplement I, and Conspectus volume ; New international year book for 1911; Sax- elby's Thomas Hardy dictionary ; Statesman's year book, 1912; Tribune almanac, 1912 ; Weymouth directory, 1910-11 ; Whitaker's almanack, 1912 ; Who's who, 1913; Who's who in America, 1906- 1907, 1912-1913; World almanac and encyclopedia, 1912; Young's Dictionary of the characters and scenes in the stories and poems of Rudyard Kipling.


The A. L. A. catalog, 1904-1911, and the List of subject head- ings for use in dictionary catalogs, 1911, both published by the American library association ; and the United States catalog, books in print January 1, 1912 ; have been added to the catalogu- ing department.


The list of periodicals varies somewhat from last year, as may be seen by reference to Appendix C.


Among the deep sea fishers, The American monthly, and the Herald of the cross, have not been given to the library this year. The subscription for the World to-day, now published as Hearst's magazine, has been discontinued. Child lore has been merged into Little folks and Current literature is now Current opinion.


The Boston common, The Nautilus, Râja Yoga messenger, The Record, The Theosophical path, and Weymouth times have been added through the kindness of friends.


22€


ART EXHIBITIONS.


Twelve groups of pictures, as stated below, have been received from the Library Art Club and exhibited in the Reading Room, during the year: Indians of the West; The Yosemite Valley ; Photographs by Wallace Nutting ; The deposits of Italy ; Foods from Southern climes ; The Medici women in France, England and Spain ; Thirteen plates by John James Audubon ; Venice, no.5 ; What grandmother wore, 1840-1870 ; Mythological pictures ; Twenty large photographs ; Classic French art.


GIFTS.


Public documents have been received as in previous years, also books and pamphlets from many sources ; annual reports, bul- letins and other publications have been presented by 41 libraries.


Of the periodicals added to the list this year, Mr. Francis E. Berg- eron presents the Nautilus ; Miss Eliza Ivers, the Theosophical path and Râja Yoga messenger; the Weymouth times, the Record and the Boston common are received through the courtesy of the pub- lishers. The trustees hereby express their thanks to the donors, a list of whom may be found in Appendix D.


THE TIRRELL DONATION.


The largest gift of the year was made to the town for the library by the will of the Hon. Charles Q. Tirrell, late of Natick, wbo, in his earlier years, was a resident of Weymouth.


This gift consists of a valuable collection of books comprising about four hundred volumes. These books are to be kept "apart by themselves . . . so that the collection shall be a distinctive one" and the collection is to be called "The Tirrell Donation," as a memorial to Mr. Tirrell's father, the late Dr. Norton Quincy Tirrell, a native of Weymouth, and for many years a beloved physician of this town.


In order that there should be a fund to purchase books for this memorial, Mr. Tirrell also bequeathed to the town, to be used for the library, one thousand dollars, the income of which is to be applied to the purchase of books to be added to the said named gift.


The trustees acknowledge this gift with feelings of deep grati- tude to the donor, Charles Quincy Tirrell, who although he won success and honor in the home of his adoption, did not forget the .


227


home of his youth and early manhood, and this memorial to his father will be to the people of Weymouth a memorial also of the giver.


It is regretted that these books could not be catalogued this year, but it was necessary to delay the work until the town should take action on the acceptance of the gift at the next town meeting.


With the growth of the library, the shelves have become so congested that it has been necessary from time to time to remove some of the less used books to the floor above, but this year even such rearranging has left the shelves so crowded that relief must be sought soon in the addition of new stacks, with which it is hoped the much desired free access may be brought about.


This year the necessity of rebuilding the top of the chimney and repairing the boiler called for an extra expenditure.


An electric fan installed early in the summer served to render the rooms more comfortable on those days when the heat was ex- treme, and a new typewriter has been purchased which makes the work of cataloguing much easier.


CLARANCE P. WHITTLE,


By order and in behalf of the Trustees.


APPENDIX A .- GENERAL LITERATURE.


Abbott, F. F. The common people of ancient


Rome. 1911.


225.112


· Abbott, Lyman. America in the making. 1911 . 230.175 Addams, Jane. A new conscience and an ancient evil. 1912


310.73


Newer ideals of peace. 1906 315.122


Alford, L. P. Bearings and their lubrication. 1911 . Allen, W. H. Woman's part in government.


723.215


1911


315.176


Angell, J. R. Chapters from modern psychology.


1912


316.128


Antin, Mary. [Mrs. A. W. Grabau. ] The prom-


ised land. 1912 .


917.138


Autobiography of an elderly woman. 1911 . 132.77


Bacon, E. M. Manual of navigation laws.


1912 314.146


Manual of ship subsidies. 1911


315.203


228


Bacon, Mrs. M. S. H. ( Dolores Bacon), ed.


Operas that every child should know. 1911 j Songs every child should know. 1907 .


j


721.336


313.158


Bagley, W. C. Classroom management. 1911 . Bates, E. W. Pageants and pageantry. . [1912] Bates F. A. How to make old orchards profitable. 1912


310.81


Begbie, Harold. The ordinary man and the extra- ordinary thing. [1912] 836.123


Other sheep ; a missionary companion to "Twice- born men." [1912]


836.122


Bell, A. F. G. The magic of Spain. 1912 · Bell, F. E. E. O., lady, comp. Singing circle ; a picture book of action songs, other songs and dances. 1911 .


j


721.337


Bennett, Arnold. The truth about an author. [1911]


917.125


What the public wants ; a play in four acts. [1911] .


823.68


Your United States. 1912 · ·


230.177


Benson, A. C. The child of the dawn. 1912 834.85


Bergson, H. L. Laughter. 1911.


316.129


Bigelow, W. S. Buddhism and immortality. (In-


gersoll lecture, 1908. ) .


834.77


Black, Hugh. Happiness. [1911]


833.60


Blaisdell, A. F. & Ball, F. K. The American his- tory story-book. 1911 j


613.141


Boyd, I. E. When mother lets us cut out pictures. 1912 j Bradford, E. S. Commission government in Amer- ican cities. 1911


723.206


Brooks, Phillips, bp. Sermons for the principal festivals and fasts of the church year. 1904. Vol. 7 of 833.29


Brown, F. K. (Al Priddy.) Through the mill ;


the life of a mill-boy. [1911] 315.130


Bryce, James. South America. 1912 . Bullivant, C. H. Home fun. [1910] j


230.167


· 723.196


Cabot, W. B. In northern Labrador [1912]. 227.173


721.335


726.197


226.124


315.200


1


229


Cadman, S. P. Charles Darwin and other English thinkers. [1911]


917.141


Children's library of work and play. 11v. 1911 j 723.195


1. Carpentry and woodwork ; by E. W. Foster.


2. Electricity and its every day uses ; by J. F. Woodhull.


3. Gardening and farming ; by E. E Shaw.


4. Home decoration ; by C. F. Warner.


5. Housekeeping ; by E. H. Gilman.


6. Mechanics, indoors and out ; by F. T. Hodg- son.


7. Needlecraft ; by E. A. Archer.


8. Outdoor sports and games ; by C. H. Miller.


9. Outdoor work; by Mrs. M. R. Miller.


10. Working in metals ; by C. C. Sleffel.


11. Guide and index ; by C. L. Boone. Childs, R. S. Short-ballot principles. 1911. 314.157 Clappé, A. A. The wind-band and its instru- ments. 1911 . 721.334


Claudy, C. H. The battle of base-ball. 1912 723.230


Colvin, F. H. Machine shop mechanics. 1911 723.214


& Stanley, F. A. Machine shop primer. 1910 723.218


Cope, H. F. The evolution of the Sunday school 1911


836.119


Crawford, M. C. Little pilgrimages among old


New England inns. 1908 · ·


224.196


Cross, I. B. The essentials of socialism. 1912. . 311.145


726.208


Curtis. A. T. The story of cotton. 1911. . j Daniels, H. K. Home life in Norway. 1911. . Debaters' handbook series.


226.133


Bullock, E. D., comp. Selected articles on child labor. 1911 315.184


Fanning. C. E., comp. Selected articles on capi- tal punishment. 1909




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