USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1920 > Part 2
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Police Department
Article 26. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for police service.
Water Department
Article 27. To see if the Town will appropriate from the rev- enue of the Water Works the current year the sum of $48,955, to be expended for the following purposes, viz .:
Superintendence, Maintenance and Pumping Station $22,000
Commissioners, Office and Current Expenses $5,300
Interest on Sinking Fund 4 Per Cent. Bonds $1,760
Interest on Serial 41/2 Per Cent. Bonds
$3,375
Interest on Serial 4 Per Cent. Bonds $520
Principal of Serial Bonds Due 1920 $9,500
New Service, Minor Extensions and Meter Installation
$6,500
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Article 28. To see if the Town will authorize the Water Com- missioners to appropriate, if necessary, from the revenue of the Water Works the current year and transfer to the Trustee of the Sinking Fund the sum of $3,000 to be set apart and invested as a sinking fund for the payment at maturity of the "Weymouth Water Loan Bonds."
Article 29. To see if the Town will confirm the vote of the Town on March 4, 1918, under Article 21, whereby it voted: "That the Town, for the further construction of the water system, author- ize the issue of bonds to the amount of $5,000, under authority of Chapter 276, Acts of 1913, entitled: 'An act to authorize the Town of Weymouth to make an additional water loan.' "
Article 30. On petition: To see if the Town will vote to ap- point a committee to ascertain the cost of connection to the Metro- politan Water System, or act in any other way in relation thereto.
Health Department
Article 31. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the services and expenses of the Board of Health.
Article 32. By request: To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the employment of district or other nurses, under the provisions of Chapter 72, of the Acts of 1911.
Town Officers, Election and Town Offices
Article 33. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the payment of town officers.
Article 34. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for election expenses.
Article 35. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for rent and expenses of town offices.
Ways and Bridges
Article 36. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the repair of highways, townways, bridg- es, and street oiling, and for the removal of snow.
Article 37. To see if the Town will authorize its Selectmen to procure by lease or otherwise the right to remove for street pur- poses, sand or gravel from the land of Ernest R. Dixon on Essex . Street, and make the necessary appropriation therefor.
Article 38. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,500 for the building of permanent sidewalks, the same to be expended under the provisions of the Betterment Act.
Article 39. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the purpose of removing the ledge on the southerly side of Broad Street, near its crossing of Middle Street, in Central Square.
Article 40. To see if the Town will vote to incur debt to the amount not to exceed $5,000 in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 719, Section 5, Clause 8, of the Acts of 1913, as amended by Chapter 317, of the Acts of 1914, for macadam pavement or other
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road material under specifications approved by the Massachusetts Highway Commission, or act in any manner in relation thereto.
Article 41. To see if the Town will authorize and instruct its Treasurer, with the approval of its Selectmen, to prepare and issue notes or bonds of the Town to an amount not exceeding $20,000, under the provisions of Chapter 719, Section 5, Clause 8, of the year 1913, the same to be payable within five years of the date of issue in such amounts annually as may be determined; the pro- ceeds to be devoted to reconstruction of existing townways with asphalt macadam construction, such as used on permanent work on Washington and Broad Streets during year of 1919.
Article 42. By request: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500 for working of Birchbrow Ave.
Article 43. By request: To see if the Town will lay out Oak- den Avenue for a distance of nine hundred feet as a townway, and raise and appropriate the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) for working of the same.
Article 44. On petition: To see if the Town will vote to pur- chase land adjoining land owned by Town located on Whitman Street, in connection with James Humphrey School, or take any other action in relation thereto.
Article 45. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sufficient sum to extend the improvement of sidewalk on westerly side of Pond Street to Thicket Street.
Article 46. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred dollars ($200) for improving sidewalk on Lakewood Road.
Article 47. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars for the working of Filomena Street.
Article 48. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate any amount of money for the improvement of drainage conditions on Broad Street, in the vicinity of Jackson Square.
Street Railway
Article 49. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the purpose of secur- ing continued service to date from January first to November first, 1920, on the Pleasant Street route of the Eastern Massachu- setts Street Railway Company between Jackson Square and Co- lumbian Square, or take any action relative to contributing to the cost of operation of street railways in town.
State and Military Aid and Soldiers' Relief
Article 50. To see what sum of money the Town will appro- priate for the payment of State and Military Aid and for burials under the provisions of Chapter 587, of the Acts of 1914, and to determine how much of the same shall be raised by taxation.
Article 51. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the relief of disabled soldiers and sea- men and families of disabled soldiers and seamen under Chapter 79 of the Revised Laws and amendments thereto.
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Public Charity
Article 52. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the relief and support of the poor.
Article 53. To see if the Town will authorize the Overseers of the Poor to lease the Town Farm, or take any other action in re- lation thereto.
Public Library and Reading Room
Article 54. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for Tufts Library.
Article 55. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the maintenance of a reading-room in the Fogg Library.
Article 56. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Trus- tees of Tufts Library to execute a lease, for not exceeding five years, of the store in the library building.
Street Lighting
Article 57. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the lighting of streets.
Article 58. By request: To see if the Town will vote to place two (2) electric lights on Pond Street, between Fountain Square and the town line, one to be in front of Mr. Harris' house, and the other in front of Mr. Anderson's house.
Article 59. By petition : To see if the Town will consider the placing of three lights, or as many as deemed necessary, on Drew Avenue, East Weymouth.
Article 60. To see if the Town will consider the placing of two or more lights on Filomena Street, or as many as may be deemed advisable.
Town Survey
Article 61. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the maintenance of the Town survey system, or take any other action in relation thereto.
Taxes and Interest
Article 62. To determine in what manner taxes shall be col- lected the current year, and to fix the rate of interest on all taxes remaining unpaid after the time fixed for payment.
Article 63. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the abatement and remittance of taxes.
Article 64. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the payment of interest which may be- come due during the current year.
Shade Trees and Suppression of Moths
Article 65. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the preservation of shade trees, the same to be expended under the direction of the Tree Warden.
Article 66. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the suppression of gypsy and brown- tail moths, or take any other action in relation thereto.
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Printing and Advertising
Article 67. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for printing and advertising.
Three Hundredth Anniversary of the Town
Article 68. By request: To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or appropriate, for the purpose of celebrating its three hundredth anniversary, or act in any man- ner in relation thereto.
Miscellaneous Account
Article 69. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for miscellaneous expenses.
Miscellaneous Articles
Article 70. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for Memorial Day.
Article 71. To determine in what manner the alewive fishery shall be conducted the present year.
Article 72. To see if the Town will instruct its Selectmen to in any way control, regulate or prohibit the taking of clams from the shores and flats of the town.
Article 73. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to commence suit for the recovery of any money or property due it, or to prosecute a bill in equity or any other proceedings in court when in their judgment it is expedient in the interests of the Town to do so.
Article 74. To see if the Town will authorize its selectmen to sell any real estate of which it may be possessed and for which it has no further use.
You are further required to notify and warn said inhabitants of Weymouth, qualified to vote in elections, to meet at the polling places in their respective precincts, to wit: In Precincts One, Three, Five and Six, in the halls of the Fire Engine Houses located in those precincts respectively, in Precinct Two, at the Odd Fel- lows Opera House, and in Precinct Four, at the Hose House at Nash's Corner, on Monday, the Eighth Day of March, 1920, at five o'clock and forty-five minutes in the forenoon, then and there to bring in to the wardens of their several precincts their votes on one ballot for the following named public officers, to wit: Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, five Selectmen, five Overseers of the Poor, two Assessors for three years, Collector of Taxes, three Auditors, two School Committee for three years, one Water Commissioner for three years, one member of the Board of Health for three years, one Park Commissioner for three years, three Trustees of Tufts Library for three years, one Commissioner of the Sinking Fund of the James Humphrey Schoolhouse for three years, one Tree Warden and ten Constables; and to vote on the same ballot, "Yes" or "No" upon the following question :
"Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town?"
The polls will be closed at one o'clock in the afternoon.
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And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting a copy thereof attested by you in writing in each of two public places in each voting precinct in said town seven days at least before the time for holding the first meeting called for in this warrant.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk of said Town on or before the twenty-sixth day of February, 1920.
Given under our hands at Weymouth this twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and twenty.
BRADFORD HAWES, JOSEPH A. FERN, GEORGE L. NEWTON, JOHN F. DWYER, ALFRED W. HASTINGS,
Selectmen of Weymouth.
A true copy-Attest :
Constable of Weymouth.
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Pursuant to the foregoing warrant the annual meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Weymouth, was held at the Fogg Op- era House, South Weymouth, on Monday, March first, 1920. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 o'clock in the evening and the warrant from Artice 1 to 15 inclusive was read by the Town Clerk.
Voted, On motion of Mr. Albert P. Worthen, that the further reading of the articles in the warrant be dispensed with.
Article 1. Voted, That Mr. J. Leonard Bicknell be instructed to cast one ballot bearing the name of George L. Barnes for Moder- ator of this annual town meeting, he was declared elected by the Town Clerk, and the oath of office was administered to him by the Town Clerk.
Motion offered by Mr. Peter Healy, that the meeting proceed to the business of the warrant and that each person be limited to five minutes' speaking on each question.
Mr. Bradford Hawes offered as a substitute motion that this meeting adjourn to three weeks from this date and place at 7:30 o'clock p. m. This question was put before the voters and de- clared not a vote.
Voted, That each person be limited to five minutes' speaking on each question.
Article 2. That a committee of five be appointed by the Mod- erator to nominate all officers not required to be elected by ballot.
The moderator appointed on this committee Parker T. Pearson, Emerson R. Dizer, Patrick Casey, Thomas V. Nash and A. Spencer Marsh.
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Article 3. Voted, That the reports of the several boards of Town Officers and Committees appointed at former meetings be accepted as printed, to wit: Town Clerk, Selectmen, Overseers of the Poor, School Committee, Town Treasurer, Trustees of Tufts Library, Board of Health, Burial Agent, Sealer of Weights and Measures, Inspector of Animals, Park Commissioners, Trustees of Fore River Bridge, Moth Superintendent, Tree Warden, Town Engineer, Electric Light Committee, Fire Engineers, Superinten- dent of Streets, Planning Board, Town Accountant, Water Com- missioners, Auditor, Commissioners of Ward 2 School House Sink- ing Funds, Welcome Home Committee, Memorial Town Hall Com- mittee, and the Three Hundredth Anniversary Committee of the settlement of the town.
Voted, That the report of the committee appointed at the last annual town meeting, to investigate the subject of City Government, be laid on the table.
The following resolution was offered by Mr. Francis W. Rea and was unanimously adopted.
Resolved, "That we, citizens of Weymouth in town meeting as- sembled to consider the action of our appropriation committee in calling and holding a public meeting on Sunday, February 22, 1920, the sole reason for such meeting being the utter lack of transportation in some parts of our town, was an honest attempt of said committee to serve the town and its citizens as a whole in the best and fairest manner possible, and it is further resolved,
"That we publicly express our confidence in the sincerity of the action of our committee; and our belief that their action was war- ranted and should not be considered as an offence against the sanc- tity of the Sabbath Day, nor an offence against any Church or member thereof."
Voted, "That the report of the committee to investigate the sub- ject of City Government, etc., be taken from the table."
Voted, "That the report of the committee to investigate the sub- ject of City Government be accepted." (See Report of Committee)
Article 4. Voted unanimously, "That the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to bor- row money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1920, and to issue note or notes therefor, payable within one year, any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year."
Article 5. Voted unanimously, "That the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to bor- row money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1921, and to issue note or notes therefor, payable within one year, any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of the financial year."
Article 6. Voted, "To appropriate from any money in the treas- ury not otherwise appropriated the sum of $14,000 for a reserve fund."
Article 7. Voted, "To designate the Weymouth Trust Company of South Weymouth, Mass., the First National Bank of Boston, Mass., and the National Shawmut Bank of Boston, Mass., as legal
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depositories for the funds of the town, and the First National Safe Deposit Company of Boston, Mass., as a legal depository for the securities of the town."
Article 8. Voted, "To raise and appropriate the sum of $2,872.31 for the payment of this town's portion of the cost of repairs and maintenance of the Norfolk County Hospital for the year 1919."
Voted, To take up Article 12.
Voted, "To appropriate from any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $1,323.50, being the amount of the dog licenses for the year 1919, and further to raise and appro- priate the sum of $140,793.47 for the support of the public schools and for the transportation of pupils to and from schools; and that the maximum salary of the grade teachers be established at $1,200, and those of the high school at $1,400 per year, the increase in sal- aries provided by this article to be retro-active from January 1, 1920."
Article 9. Motion offered by Edward C. Barker, secretary of the Appropriation Committee, that no action be taken under this article.
Mr. Edward W. Hunt moved that this article be laid on the table.
Mr. Arthur C. Gerstley moved, as an amendment, the following: "That for the purpose of a Town Hall and Memorial Building the Town shall purchase the Fogg Building and site in Columbian Square, and that for that purpose a sum of $40,000 shall be raised by borrowing, for which purpose the Town Treasurer is hereby authorized to prepare, issue and sell with the approval of the Se- lectmen, bonds of the town in an aggregate principal not exceeding $40,000, payable within twenty years of the sale. That the amount of the annual payment and period of the loan be determined by the Treasurer and Selectmen, that said bonds bear interest at a rate not to exceed six per cent per annum, payable semi-annually; that said bonds be in a form not inconsistent herewith or of legal requirements as the Town Treasurer may determine unless authen- ticated by the First National Bank of Boston."
The question to lay on the table having precedence, was put be- fore the voters and was declared, not a vote.
Mr. Charles R. Greely moved, "That the subject matter of this article be referred to the next annual town meeting."
Mr. Albert P. Worthen. moved, as an amendment, "That the time to which the subject matter of this article referred, be the next meeting of this adjourned town meeting," and was declared not a vote.
The question upon Mr. Charles R. Greely's motion was put be- fore the meeting and was declared a vote.
Article 10. Voted, "That the town instruct its Selectmen, that the date on the Town Seal be changed from 1623 to 1622, and also the figures 1900 be omitted from the Seal."
Mr. Peter Healy moved, "That the town reconsider the vote whereby it was voted to refer the subject matter under Article 9 to the next annual town meeting." Not a vote.
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Article 11. Mr. Edward C. Barker, secretary of the Appropria- tion Committee, moved "That no action be taken under this ar- ticle."
Mr. Howard Joy moved, "That the town raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000 to defray the expense of publishing a history of the Town, said money to be expended under the direction of the Weymouth Historical Society."
Mr. John F. Dwyer moved as an amendment, "That said money be expended under the direction of the Selectmen and Weymouth Historical Society."
The amendment being accepted by Mr. Joy as a part of his orig- inal motion, it was put before the voters, and was declared a vote.
Mr. Howard Joy moved, "That this meeting do now adjourn."
Mr. Fletcher W. Howe moved, as an amendment, "That this meeting adjourn to four weeks from this date and place at 7:30 o'clock."
This amendment was put before the voters and declared not a vote.
Mr. Fisher moved as an amendment, "That this meeting adjourn to three weeks from this date and place at 7:30 o'clock.'
This amendment was put before the voters and was declared not a vote.
Mr. Alfred S. Tirrell moved as an amendment, "That this meet- ing adjourn to one week from this date and place at 7:30 o'clock."
This amendment was put before the voters and was declared not a vote.
Mr. Edward C. Barker offered the following substitute motion, "That when the hour of eleven o'clock arrives, this meeting ad- journ, to meet at this place at 7:30 o'clock.
The question was put before the voters and was declared not a vote.
The vote being doubted by seven legal voters of the town the Moderator appointed William L. Swan and Joseph Kelly as tellers, after being sworn in as such by the Moderator, on a recount being taken the tellers reported 174 in favor and 20 against the question. Mr. Joseph A. Fern moved, "That this meeting take up Articles 36 to 41 inclusive."
The question was put before the voters and was declared not a vote."
Voted, To take up Article 49.
Mr. John E. Inkley moved, "That further consideration of this article be indefinitely postponed."
Mr. Edward C. Barker moved as an amendment, "That the town vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,000 for the purpose of securing continued service, to date from January first 1920, on the Pleasant Street route of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Rail- way Company, between Jackson Square and Columbian Square.
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Mr. Joseph A. Fern raised a point of order that a quorum was not present, on a count by the tellers, they reported that 188 voters were present.
Voted, to now adjourn.
A true record.
CLAYTON B. MERCHANT, Town Clerk.
ADJOURNED ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
The adjourned meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Wey- mouth was held at Fogg's Opera House, South Weymouth, on Monday, March 22d, 1920, the meeting being called to order at 7:30 p. m. by Hon. George L. Barnes, Moderator.
The question before the meeting, was the amendment offered by Mr. Edward C. Barker at the regular meeting held March 8, 1920, under Article 49.
Mr. Michael Sheehy offered the following substitute motion. Moved, "That we instruct the Board of Selectmen to try and ar- range with the trustees of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Rail- way Company to run the electric cars on the Braintree and Front Street lines, to South Weymouth, and that the town guarantee any deficit there may be in running said lines to June 1st, 1920, said guarantee not to exceed $5,000 to June 1st, 1920.
"And also that an agreement be made for a line of jitneys to run from East Weymouth to South Weymouth and Nash's Corner by way of Pleasant Street during working hours, and any other trips that in the judgment of the Selectmen may be advisable; and that the Town guarantee reasonable remuneration in case such trips are not self-supporting to June 1st, 1920.
"Be it further moved that a committee of three from each pre- cinct be selected by the Moderator, to look into the Street Railway situation and make a detailed report at a special town meeting not later than May 13th, 1920, said committee to act with the Select- men."
Mr. Bradford Hawes, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, read a report he and Mr. Albert P. Worthen, Town Counsel, had with Mr. Homer Loring, chairman of the Trustees of the Eastern Mass- achusetts Street Railway Committee.
The report is as follows:
Weymouth, Mass., March 22, 1920.
Report of Bradford Hawes, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Weymouth, to the Board, of a conference with Homer Lor- ing, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Eastern Massa- chusetts Street Railway Company, at 1 Beacon Street, Boston, Tuesday, March 15, 1920. (Mr. Hawes was accompanied by the Town Counsel.)
"At our interview Mr. Loring stated in substance as follows:
'That the street railway situation in Weymouth had been in a
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critical condition for some time, and that perhaps the trustees had already operated the cars there longer than the financial showing justified, but that they had felt very kindly toward the town on ac- count of its honest effort to help out the railway company by adopt- ing efficient jitney regulations. That the city of Quincy had stren- uously objected to having Weymouth included with it as an oper- ating district; that Quincy itself was having a hard time in being able to show justification for continued service; that the city had adopted jitney regulations and there seemed to be a growing moral support which it was hoped would enable the cars to be retained. He said the law did not permit them to operate the cars at a loss and the trustees had no other alternative; that they had previously decided to discontinue service on April 1st, although they regretted being obliged to do so; that when the jitney regulations were sus- pended by the Selectmen, they made observations as to the result and ascertained that the only jitneys that ran immediately after- wards did so in the parts of the street where the company had ploughed out the snow and only on streets where the company was furnishing service; that they were very glad the regulations had been suspended because it enabled them to discontinue service ear- lier than they had issued notice so to do and therefore they had decided to stop on the night of Saturday, March 20, 1920.'
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