USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1920 > Part 15
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In conclusion I wish to convey my thanks to your Honorable Board for the assistance and co-operation during the past year.
Respectfully submitted, ARTHUR H. PRATT, Chief of Police.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
The Committee appointed at the Special Town Meeting of April 30, 1920, to act cooperatively with representatives of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company, for the purpose of provid- ing and maintaining a transportation system for the Town of Weymouth, report as follows :
As a result of the Special Town Meeting previously mentioned, the Committee commenced active duty on June 1, 1920.
With regret the following resignations were accepted: That of Mr. E. W. Hunt on account of health and business cares, and that of Mr. W. A. Hodges, Secretary, for business reasons. Mr. W. H. Cowing was appointed to serve in place of Mr. Hunt.
The Committee in performing the duties imposed upon them have operated and maintained the following routes-Jackson Square to the Braintree Depot and Lincoln Square to the Rockland Line-and provided Motor Bus service for accommodation of people on Pleasant and Pond Streets-in doing which their sole object has been to provide the best possible transportation facilities commen- surate with their finances.
Generally speaking, a great deal of the necessary repair work on road beds has been completed, which item is reflected in the in- creased deficit from month to month. Retarded business naturally has had its effect on transportation. While we are not attempting to apologize for excess of net operating expense over net income, we deem it best to mention these features as being vital and necessary to the maintenance of any transportation system whatever.
As to quality and regularity of service, the people may judge for themselves.
The Committee feel that under existing conditions the towns- people have had about what could have been expected. Continuance of service depends entirely upon the cooperation of the people.
Diminishing material cost-greater efficiency of labor-and greater economy in operation by use of one-man cars-will, if
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combined with a maximum amount of patronage, enable the Town of Weymouth in the near future to enjoy a fairly satisfactory transportation service and reduction of anticipated deficit.
According to vote of the Town, the Committee were allowed $28,000 for expenditure under agreement with the Eastern Massa- chusetts Street Railway Company.
According to latest report of the Comptroller of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company showing statement of Weymouth Subdivision Operations for the seven months ending November 30, 1920-a copy of which is appended hereto-the de- ficit is $27,531.63, one-half of which amount, $13,765.81, will have to be assumed by the Town, leaving an unexpended balance of $14,234.19.
Detailed report of operations and copy of agreement under which we are operating have been filed with the Clerk of the Se- . lectmen.
Respectfully submitted, COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION,
A. C. Heald, Chairman, Joseph Kelley.
William H. Cowing, Elmer E. Leonard,
George E. Cuniff, Parker T. Pearson,
John W. Hanley. William L. Swan,
Stanley T. Torrey.
EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS STREET RAILWAY COMPANY
BAY STATE SYSTEM
STATEMENT OF WEYMOUTH SUBDIVISION OPERATIONS 7 MONTHS ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 1920.
Operating Income . $57,672.97
Non-Operating Income 24.01
Total Income $57,696.98
Operating Expenses :
Maintenance of Way and Structures . $27,332.48
Maintenance of Equipment 7,333.29
Power Expenses . 8,811.12
Conducting Transportation 23,295.88
Traffic 17.45
General and Miscellaneous Expenses 6,464.76
Taxes Total Operating Expenses
. $73,254.98
588.04
Total Operating Expenses and Taxes $73,843.02
Gross Income or Loss
$16,146.04
Deductions from Gross Income :
Miscellaneous Debits 10.59
$16,156.63
Required for Investment Income
11,375.00
Net Income or Loss
$27,531.63
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REPORT OF THE SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Weymouth, Mass., December 31, 1920. To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth. Gentlemen :
During the year normal conditions have existed in my line of work. Owing to a change in the law of sealing fees my receipts were $9.67 less than the previous year, being this year $190.39.
Four convictions were made during the year as follows: Peddling without License, three. Paid fines $20.00.
Short Weight on Ice, one. Paid fine $25.00.
During the year thirty-one Fish, Fruit and Vegetable Licenses were granted at $10.00 each, being five more than the previous year. Also eleven Junk Licenses were granted during the year. Once again I call your attention to the purchase of ice. I have many complaints by townspeople of short weight, who do not want to prosecute fearing they would be unable to secure the same after prosecution. That is a very poor stand to take and I can assure all that they would receive ice just the same. If you think you are not getting just weight notify me and I will do the rest.
My general work for the year for sealing is as follows :
Sealed
2445 Articles
Nonsealed
11 Articles
Condemned
29 Articles
Gasoline Pumps (public)
28
Reweighings
465
Articles correct
446
Articles incorrect
19
Respectfully submitted,
RUSSELL B. WORSTER, Sealer.
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REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TOWN HISTORY
Weymouth, Mass., January 1, 1921.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth. Gentlemen :
The Weymouth Historical Society has had in contemplation for many years the publication of a worthy history of the town of Weymouth and has been working constantly along that line, hav- ing collected a large amount of material having to do with the settlement, the early days, and the aspirations and achievements of the second oldest town in the Commonwealth. With the tercenten- ary almost at hand it was thought that this was the auspicious time for the work to be completed, and accordingly an appropriation from the town was asked for and one thousand dollars was voted for the stated purpose.
The scope of the history will comprise all the known facts concerning the town since the date of settlement, also much newly discovered information which our investigations have brought to light.
The departments will comprise chapters on The Early Settlers and the Incorporation of the Town, Early Town Records, Military History, Ancient Landmarks, Ways and Places, Eccles- iastical History, Educational History, Legislation, Commercial Interests, Fire, Police and Water Departments, Botany, Agricul- ture and Kindred Subjects, The Geology of Weymouth, Native and Resident Lawyers and Physicians, Lodges and Societies, Century- Old Houses and People, Weymouth Folk Lore, Corner Posts and Old Time Pictures, Weymouth Music and Musicians.
Special volumes of the Genealogy of every Weymouth family from the earliest records to the middle of the nineteenth century, Weymouth men in 1678-1679, and the first Weymouth Census in 1790, and much other useful and instructive matter. It is the aim to make the books readable and interesting, and the public may rest assured that everybody will find something of interest in its pages.
The work will probably be completed in four volumes and the cost will not exceed ten dollars for the set.
All the money received for the sale of the books will revert to the treasury of the town to pay for the publication.
The edition will be a limited one and persons desirous of ob- taining a copy are advised to send in their subscriptions without delay as the early orders will be distributed first.
No money will be required until the books are ready for delivery, but your order should be sent in now to either of the Selectmen or to the undersigned.
Respectfully submitted,
HOWARD H. JOY,
For the Committee.
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REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS
To the Board of Selectmen.
WEBB PARK.
This park has had a very successful season, and has been used daily by the boys and young men from this part of the town for baseball, and by the women and children as a recreation and rest ground.
The swings, teeter boards and bars have been enjoyed to their fullest extent. New chains have replaced the old ones that had become unsafe for further use. We had a bubbler drinking foun- tain installed in the park, which was much abused, and we trust that the parents of the children will instruct them to be more careful in the future, as it is the parents who pay for this mali- cious destruction.
To the efforts of two young men, James O'Connor and Russell Dexheimer, band concerts were given weekly, which were enjoyed by a very large number of our people. Several churches in this part of the town used the park for picnics and field days very successfully.
The one great drawback to this park is the need of a conven- ience station, which should have immediate attention, and an ap- propriation made for this purpose. The Commissioners have in- stalled a cesspool ten feet in diameter and eight feet deep, out of their very small appropriation. It has become a nuisance and a source of annoyance to those living in the vicinity of the park, feeling obliged to open their homes to those using the park. The Commissioners feel that something should be done at once to straighten out this very important matter. A great deal of interest has been shown and a great deal of voluntary work done by the people living close to the park, and the young men who use the park.
GREAT HILL PARK
The commissioners feel that at the cost of labor and materials it would be inadvisable to start any improvement on this beauti- ful town property at the present time.
BEALS PARK
As suggested in the report of. 1919, it was the intention of the Commissioners to make a start on a cement curbing around the unsightly pond, but we found that the people of that vicinity were unanimous in the belief that this mosquito and malaria breeding place should in some manner be filled up and grassed over. We hope to start this work this year, if our finances will permit.
This park has been extensively used as a playground, and is provided with electric lights, swings and slide, which have been kept in first class condition. The grounds and shrubbery have also been well cared for.
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BAILEY GREEN.
The town voted $500 as a special appropriation for curbing this property. After the survey was made, and grade determined, the car tracks, running parallel with the eastern boundary, as well as the surrounding street, were raised seven and one-half inches, making a new grade necessary, at a considerable expense.
The curbing was finally completed under the supervision of Mr. Whiting's office, at an expense of $449.63, including 31 1/2 yards of loam, purchased to bring enclosure to new grade. For itemized account see auditors' report.
LOVELL'S CORNER PLAYGROUND.
The Lovell's Corner Playground has been taken over by the town, and has been a source of much enjoyment to the people of Lovell's Corner and baseball fans from all over the town.
As soon as possible after the March meeting, the Commission- ers got in touch with Mr. Burns, the owner of the land, to see if arrangements could be made for its purchase. After meeting him and finding that nothing could be done for the money appropriat- ed, the matter was put into the hands of the town counselor, Mr. Worthen, to take the land by right of eminent domain, and was completed in June, and the Commissioners awarded him $500 for the land, which contained about 234 acres, with an entrance from the street 150 feet by 15 feet wide.
The Lovell's Corner Improvement Society donated about $100 which was spent in enlarging the summer house, 30x10 feet, and also for a back-stop for the baseball field. The town water has been put in, and a cesspool built, and a convenience station of stone started, the stone being donated by the Improvement So- ciety. This we are hoping to finish in another year.
The playground has been in constant use during the summer, and ball games were held nearly every evening. The Odd Fel- lows League played six or seven games of its series, and also the championship game.
Several chain swings have been put up for the children, and nearly all the work has been given, except putting in the con- venience station.
The annual Fourth of July celebration was held on the grounds, and also several field days have been held during the summer. . The people appreciate the generosity of the town, and will co- operate in every way possible.
APPROPRIATIONS.
Our appropriation of $600 is entirely too small to carry on the work of the Commission as it should be carried on. We earnest- ly hope that not only the Appropriation Committee, but the peo- ple of Weymouth, will realize the importance of this work. The town can spend money to no better advantage than in building up a permanent asset.
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MEETINGS.
Regular monthly meetings have been held by the Commission- ers to take up matters of interest, and all of the parks have been inspected by the Commissioners in a body. We well know the conditions and requirements.
FRANCIS W. REA, JOSEPH KELLEY, ALONZO M. NEWBERT,
Park Commissioners.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
To the Citizens of the Town of Weymouth:
Gentlemen :-
Herewith is submitted the annual report of the Board of Health for the year ending Dec. 31, 1920.
The Board organized in March, electing G. E. Emerson, M. D., chairman, F. L. Doucett, M. D., clerk, and J. S. Williams, agent.
Geo. B. Bayley was appointed inspector of milk and dairies, also inspector of slaughtering.
Thomas Fay was granted a license to slaughter.
J. E. Ludden was appointed inspector of plumbing, and Geo. Marshall deputy inspector.
Mrs. Mary Haché was appointed public health nurse, retaining that position until May 31, when arrangements were made with the Visiting Nursing Association to have the public health carried on by Miss Dowling.
During the year there was reported 415 cases of contagious disease, as follows :-
Anterio Poliomyelitis
21
Chicken pox
39
Diphtheria 26
Epidemic cerebro spinal meningitis
2
Ophthalmia Monatorum
2
Influenza 118
Lobar pneumonia
19
Measles
97
Scarlet fever
34
Pulmonary tuberculosis 17
Whooping cough
40
415
This is the largest number of cases of contagious disease ever reported in one year. Many of these cases required hospital care, greatly increasing the expenses of the Board.
Respectfully submitted,
GEO. E. EMERSON, F. L. DOUCETT, JOHN S. WILLIAMS,
Board of Health.
Weymouth, Mass. May 1st, 1920, to January 1st, 1921.
New Cases of Tuberculosis Reported to Nurse Disposition.
3 admitted to Norfolk County Sanatorium (1 died). 1 admitted to Lakeville Sanatorium.
1 waiting admission to Rutland under supervision.
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Cases examined at Dispensary
1
Questionable
4
Negative
Total number with private physician :
13
Positive tuberculosis 11
Total number of Tuberculosis cases under supervision for house visits 91
Number of house visits Left town . 4 Deaths from tuberculosis, 1920. 10
Unsanitary conditions reported, 3; action taken, 2.
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF MILK AND DAIRIES.
To the Honorable Board of Health of the Town of Weymouth.
Gentlemen :-
I submit herewith my report as Milk and Dairy Inspector for the year 1920.
Permits issued .150
Having received several complaints, I have obtained several samples, and the results of the analysis were satisfactory, except in one case.
Respectfully submitted,
GEO. B. BAYLEY,
Inspector.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING AND SLAUGHTER HOUSES.
To the Honorable Board of Health of the Town of Weymouth. Gentlemen :
I herewith submit my report as Inspector of Licensed Slaughter Houses for the year 1920, as follows:
Hogs 584
Calves 265
Cattle
14
Total 863
Animals condemned, 7.
Respectfully submitted,
GEO. B. BAYLEY,
Inspector.
5
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REPORT OF INSPECTORS OF PLUMBING.
Weymouth, Mass., Dec. 31, 1920.
To the Honorable Board. of Health of the Town of Weymouth.
Gentlemen :-
We herewith submit our report for year ending December 31, 1920. There has been issued from this office 227 permits, to- gether with two left over from 1919, of this number 228 have passed inspection and one remains unfinished for 1921.
There was installed in old and new buildings 88 bath tubs, 143 lavatories, 224 closets, 188 sinks, 64 laundry trays, (1) urinal, (1) foot bath, (1) dish washing machine, (1) drinking fountain, (3) shower baths, (1) slop sink and (1) refrigerator, making a total of 716 fixtures, the value of which was $53,675.00.
The number of buildings in which plumbing was installed was as follows: (114) new one-family houses, (72) old one-family houses, (7) new two-family houses, (21) old two-family houses, (2) new stores, (2) old stores, (2) old school houses, (1) laun- dry, (2) barber shops, (1) old bake shop, (1) old storehouse, (1) new pool room, (1) new gasoline station, (1) old ice cream parlor and one old factory, making a total of 228 buildings.
Respectfully submitted,
J. E. LUDDEN, Inspector of Plumbing.
GEO. MARSHALL, Deputy Inspector.
1 REPORT OF ELECTRIC COMMITTEE
Weymouth, Dec. 31st, 1920.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
The Electric Committee respectfully submit the following re- port.
At the Annual Town Meeting held in March, 1920, $15,500 was raised and appropriated for electric lighting.
We have installed during the year seven 40 c. p., thirteen 80 c. p., and one 250 c. p., and with the present number of lights $15,- 413.40 will have to be raised and appropriated, the committee recommend that $16,000 be raised and appropriated to install the new lights that are called for.
Our contract with the Weymouth Light & Power Co. expires April 1st, 1922, and your committee recommend that a committee
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be appointed to present a new contract at the Town Meeting in 1922.
The rebates for the year were $185.
Respectfully submitted,
SIDNEY G. DUNBAR, WINSLOW M. TIRRELL, RUSSELL B. WORSTER, WALTER W. PRATT, MATTHEW O'DOWD,
Committee.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE FOR RELIEF OF TORNADO SUFFERERS.
1
To the Citizens of Weymouth:
On August 31, 1920, South Weymouth was visited by a tornado, causing considerable damage to property and suffering to some of the inhabitants. Some of the citizens of the village immediate- ly formed a Relief Committee, comprising the following :
Fred Waite
Frank C. Torrey
Matthew Sproul
John Reidy
B. B. Wright Louis Borlenghi Edward Marr Peter J. Healy
which Committee took action towards securing relief for those in need. Thereafter, a public meeting of the citizens of the town was held in the Music Hall Building, at which meeting it was voted that the Selectmen of the town appoint a Relief Committee, and on September 3, 1920, the Selectmen appointed the follow- ing Committee :
Hon. George L. Wentworth
John Reidy D. Frank Daley
Hon. Kenneth L. Nash
James W. Santry
George Marshall
Matthew O'Dowd
J. Leonard Bicknell
John F. Reardon
Emerson R. Dizer
William J. Holbrook
which Committee immediately organized and commenced its duties and it found that various organizations and individuals were rais- ing funds and collecting contributions for relief purposes. It found a marked desire upon everyone to help in this worthy cause. Various articles for household consumption, wearing ap- parel, etc., were donated by the local merchants.
After the Committee had made a survey of the damaged area, they in conjunction with the original Relief Committee, decided to hold a Field Day at the Agricultural Society Grounds. Tickets for the Field Day were printed and distributed to the various or- ganizations for sale. Much credit is due to the members of St.
Hon. Edward W. Hunt Frederick L. Alden John H. Tower Prince H. Tirrell
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Francis Xavier Church, to the Knights of Columbus of East Wey- mouth and to the American Legion for the large number of tickets sold by them, and to the Special Aid Society for their splendid work.
The Field Day was held on September 18, 1920, at which many of the churches, societies and individuals participated with booths and attractions, and assisted in the sale of tickets, programs and scorecards, all of which services were cheerfully given. The pro- gram included horse trotting under the direction of the Old Col- ony Driving Club, a ball game between the Knights of Columbus and the All Stars of Weymouth and foot races, the prizes for the foot races being donated by the Stetson Shoe Company, Edwin Clapp & Son, Inc., and Weymouth Trust Company. Advertising in the local press and the printing of the programs was donated. The town officials and police and fire departments generously co- operated with the work. The merchants closed their stores and everyone joined in making the Field Day a success.
The Committee desires to thank all those who helped in this good cause.
Net amount available for relief $6105.66 Division of relief $6105.66
.
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REPORT OF TOWN ENGINEER
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth. Gentlemen :
I submit herewith my fourteenth annual report on the town survey work and also note other surveying or engineering work done during the past year.
Referring to a system of sixty-five assessors' sheets in use by the town, which is perhaps the major result of the survey and mapping of the town, the present work consists mainly in revising these sheets to April 1st (the date of assessment) of each year and obtaining new prints for the assessors from the sheets thus revised. The cost of this work is governed largely by the number of transfers (changes in ownership) during the year and is also dependent upon the cost of labor, materials and transportation. All of the items mentioned have steadily increased to date and tend to diminish the value of any fixed appropriation, the largest increase (in percentage) being in transportation; the fare between the town limits having increased from 5 cents to 35 cents.
In my report for 1918 the approximate number of transfers are given, starting with 365 in 1908 and ending with 600 in 1918; the transfers for 1919 were in excess of the estimated number, 770; while during 1920 there were about 850 recorded.
While the total amount of the appropriation asked for last year ($1500) was recommended by the committee and granted by the town it was, due to above increase, insufficient to do all the work desirable. I should, however, not recommend any increase, but that a similar sum be tried the coming year.
It has been the custom in the past for the Board of Selectmen, through me, to sell prints of the various town survey sheets at cost and during the past year it was necessary to increase the price of these prints in order to prevent loss. The money obtained by the Selectmen from these sales was credited to the appropria- tion for the survey work to replace the amount used therefrom in obtaining the prints.
During the latter part of the past year, in accordance with a State law allowing, as I was informed by the town accountant, no credits, the money thus spent for prints was not replaced and the appropriation suffered to that extent.
The logical outcome of the sale of prints under past condi- tions, with the present law, would be to reduce (depending on the amount of the sales) the appropriation to the point of elimination, allowing either insufficient money, or none, to be used on the work for which the appropriation was made. This situation will need to be adjusted to fit the changed conditions as it would seem inad- visable to stop the sale of prints.
In addition to the revision work it is hoped to eliminate each year some of the few unidentified or undefined parcels throughout the town and we are constantly on the lookout for information toward this end.
During the past year there have been various petitions to the land court for the registration of Weymouth land, and when grant- ed the results are entered on the assessors' sheets.
In my report for 1912 and in several subsequent reports, it was recommended that all new streets when laid out and accepted
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by the town be marked by stone bounds and also that various old streets be thus made definite each year.
About 73 bounds were set in 1914, some in 1916, and a few in 1919.
This represents. the extent of the work along this line and covers only a small percentage of the streets laid out within the time mentioned.
It is a matter that merits attention as the true location of a street line is in many cases of vital importance; also a permanent marker saves considerable expense to the town when the location of a street line is asked for by an abuttor or by other persons.
Hardly less important to my mind is the taking of elevations or at least the establishing of a system of benches throughout the town which was recommended in the report for 1913 and in sub- sequent reports.
A little done each year along either or both of the above lines would be of constant use in the various construction departments of the town, and of permanent value otherwise .:
Notwithstanding the curtailment or omission of various work done previous to the war, there has been considerable routine work this year as heretofore.
In the Park department the Lovell's Corner Playground was defined and taken by eminent domain; Bailey Green was bounded by a concrete curb, set to line and grades given, and partly re- graded. Various street lines have been staked out upon request to and instructions from your Board. Several plans for a hearing on various streets, petitioned to be laid out, relocated, or widened, were made; record plan and proposed street made; profile grades given for raising track and grading street; the street line used in making various land court surveys and land sought to be reg- istered (of which notice was sent to the town) was tested to protect the interest of the town; measurement of macadam sur- face; a plan for use in court prepared; a plan of a parcel sold by the town; and other minor work done.
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