USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1921 > Part 12
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The appropriation for this work the past year was $1,500, and although this was not sufficient to allow new tracings to be made to replace several completely worn through in places from repeated erasures (made in revising same), I do not think the amount should be increased, and I would recommend to the town a similiar appropriation of $1,500, for 1922.
Under the recent law allowing no credits, the sale of prints by the town will have to be provided for in some new way. these are intended to be sold at cost but generally the aggregate a- mount received, as compared with the cost, shows a slight profit for the total sold during any year. The profit to the town the past year (not including the sale of lithograph maps) was $8.35.
At the annual meeting the town appropriated $300. for the purchase and setting of stone bounds to mark important street angles and later the Selectmen voted that this should be spent under my direction. It is necessary to stake out all points where bounds are to be set; but in several cases a saving was effected by utilizing street points put in for other work, or for other pur- poses. Thirty bounds were set and I have on hand, belonging to the town, twenty-four bounds for future .use.
I would recommend a similiar appropriation for the coming year to be used on streets already laid out.
The establishment of a system of benches throughout the town, recommended in previous reports, seems to me constantly increasing need. and one that should be considered by your Board.
There has been considerable routine and new work done the past year. I would mention :- layout, plan and description of sev-
158
eral new streets; widening of Bicknell Square, North Weymouth; takings, with plan and descriptions, by the town for school pur- poses; plan and descriptions of lands to be deeded to the town; street lines given at the request of abutting owners; profiles of streets, gutters, and locations for drains; staking and grades for drains and catch basins; investigation of street lines as shown on plans presented to the land court for registration in which a notice was sent to the town by the land court; and the survey of the site of several alleged accidents and preparation of plans for court purposes.
Among new work was the preparation of precinct maps in triplicate as required by law; topographical plan of location, de- sign, staking and grades for curbs around Newton's Pond at Beals Park, North Weymouth; and recently a seven day tally and schedule of the Fore River Bridge motor and vehicle traffic for use at the Monatiquot River Bridge hearing now in progress.
This covers substantially the work done in 1921.
I wish in closing to express as heretofore my thanks to your Board, to other town officials, and to the citizens of Weymouth in general for any and all assistance given and courtesy shown me or my assistants in our work throughout the town.
Respectfully submitted
RUSSELL H. WHITING Civil Engineer.
159
REPORT OF THE FIRE ENGINEERS
r
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Inhabitants of the Town of Weymouth.
The Fire Engineers respectfully submit the following for the year ending December 31, 1921.
The Board organized as follows:
May 1st, 1921: Philip W. Wolfe, Chief; John Q. Hunt, Clerk; Henry W. Phillips; Walter W. Pratt; James J. Carley.
During the year in July, John Q. Hunt resigned and Harold W. Hawes was appointed which made a vacancy as Clerk of the Board and Walter W. Pratt was elected Clerk.
HOUSES AND APPARATUS
The houses need some repairing as they are growing old. In the past year Hose 4 and Hose 7 have been disposed of and the men transfered to the nearest Fire Houses in their District.
FIRE TRUCKS
The Fire Trucks are in fair condition at present, we intend to do some repairing on all trucks the coming year. Such as paint- ing Combination 2 and Combination 5. New tires for Combina- tion 2 and new rear tubes for Combination 1. In fact their is something to do on all of them besides troubles which occur to all of them during the year.
FIRE LOSSES
Value of Buildigs when fire occurred $940,000.00
Damage to buildings when fire occurred $9 20
Value of contents of buildings where fire occurred
$39,850.00
Damage to contents of buildings where fire occurred $2,943.00
Number of Bell and Telephone Calls in each Ward January 1,1921 To January 1, 1922.
Combination No. 1.
50 Calls
Combination No. 2
79 Calls
Combination No. 3.
45 Calls
Combination No. 5.
81 Calls
Total 255 Calls
In concluding our Report we wish to thank the Officers and Men of the different Departments. Also the Chauffeurs of the different Combinations and the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the people at large for their hearty Cooperation of the Fire Depart- ment.
Respectfully submitted
PHILIP W. WOLFE, Chief WALTER W. PRATT, Clerk HAROLD W. HAWES, Engineer HENRY W. PHILLIPS, Engineer JAMES J. CARLEY, Engineer Fire Engineers for the Town of Weymouth
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE ALARMS
To the Board of Engineers Fire Dept:
Dear Sirs :-
Following is the report on the Fire Alarm System for the year 1921.
During the year there were 104 bell alarms, 87 of these for fires, the remainder being test alarms, lost child calls and no school alarms.
There has been much trouble on the system due to both de- preciating batteries and weak overhead construction, there being many miles of wire, almost completely rusted away, which should be replaced.
The batteries must be replaced right away with new ones in order to insure proper working of the system. Also I recommend as much replacement of old wire with new as can be accomplished in the year 1922.
An appropriation of $1,000 will no more than cover the im- mediate needs of the system for 1922.
Respectfully submitted
C. F. COOLIDGE Supt. of Fire Alarms.
REPORT OF THE REGISTRARS OF VOTERS
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town of Weymouth
Gentlemen :-
The Registrars of Voters submit the following report:
Number of voters at the close of registration February 26, 1920, 5356.
By
Registered Voters
Precincts
Assessed polls
Male
Female
Total
1
899
591
331
922
2
661
524
278
802
3
880
651
362
1013
4
616
409
244
653
5
811
644
441
1085
6
802
556
325
881
4669
3375
1981
5356
Respectfully submitted
BENJAMIN F. SMITH, Chairman CLAYTON B. MERCHANT, Clerk MARSHALL P. SPRAGUE PATRICK E. CORRIDAN Registrars of Weymouth.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen.
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit my sixth annual report of the Street De- partment for the year ending December 31, 1921.
The work accomplished the past year has made a decided im- provement in our street system and if like appropriations are made for the next few years the cost of maintenance and general repairs should be materially lower, although it is difficult to forecast the demands for new street layouts or the amount of traffic our pres- ent streets will be subjected to.
Present building operations in the north part of the town in- dicate that several new streets will be needed very soon and it would seem advisable for the town to adopt some regulations re- garding the acceptance of new streets.
Material and labor costs are still high although not as high as during 1920. There has been a noticeable improvement in the efficiency of labor and the introduction of labor saving machinery has helped to keep down the costs.
Special Appropriations
A larger amount of money was appropriated at the last March meeting for special work than for several years.
Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) was raised by bond issue for permanent construction, continuing the policy adopted in 1919. This money was expended on North Street extending from Thomas's Corner to Church Street, a distance of 4,405 feet making a total of 10,017 square yards. The type of construction was bitu- minous penetration and the method of construction as follows: The old road surface was excavated wherever necessary to allow for six inches of pavement, this sub-grade was shaped to corres- pond to the finished grade and thoroughly rolled. Four inches of crushed stone (2 in. size) was then uniformly spread and rolled, the voids being filled with stone dust or sand; upon this base course two inches of similar stone was spread and lightly rolled, after whch one and a half gallons of Tarvia X to the square yard was applied, heated to 275 degrees. This course was then rolled and about one inch of inch stone spread and thoroughly rolled. A seal coat of Bermudez Asphalt, one half gallon to the square yard was applied heated to 300 degrees. This was then covered lightly with pea stone and thoroughly rolled. From Thomas's Corner to Neck Street the road was made 24 feet wide and from there on the average width was 20 feet making the traveled way much wider than previously. A catch basin was constructed at the corner of Neck Street, another near Poland's Turn-out, another opposite the property of Mr. Bridges and one at the corner of East Street there- by improving the drainage conditions.
The Eastern Massachusetts St. R. R., relaid their track con- forming to a new grade and paid $125.00 towards the construction of a concrete curb and gutter on the hill between Pierce Court and Neck Street, also for the construction between the tracks at the junctions of Pearl Street.
The surplus material excavated from the old surface was used to good advantage in resurfacing Leonard Road, and parts of
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Green, East, Lincoln, Curtis and Lovell Streets also in the con- struction of Babcock Avenue and Rosalind Road.
The sidewalk adjacent to the road was improved and the great- er part of it resurfaced with stone dust. A large Elm tree near Neck Street was removed to allow a wider road surface, also a tree near Poland's Turn-out was cut down as it was in the middle of the sidewalk. The cost of this work was $19,787.11.
Babcock Avenue: A new layout extending from Birchbrow Road to Bartlett Street was next constructed. $800.00 was appro- priated for this short street and it was hardly enough as a large amount of filling was required. Six inches of gravel was used for surfacing and a sidewalk built on the south side, also a catch basin and drain constructed.
Lovell Street: Sidewalk, for which $300.00 was appropriated was built for $236.23 making a decided improvement to that part of Lovell Street which runs at right angles to Neck Street.
Bicknell Square: Widening for which $400.00 was appro- priated was next completed but owing to the unexpected cost of taking care of the drainage problem the amount was insufficient to complete the work and $250.00 was appropriated from the re- serve fund to complete the job. A concrete curb was constructed according to the new line, a distance of 137 feet and a guard rail built along the street line. A new catch basin was built also a drain and manhole. That portion of the road that required build- ing due to the widening was constructed with crushed stone sim- ilar to North Street.
Rosalind Road, which extends from Bridge Street to Evans Street, a new lay out accepted at a special town meeting and for which $800 was appropriated was surfaced with six inches of gravel and sidewalks constructed where needed.
Union Avenue :- $2,000.00 was appropriated at the March meeting to macadamize Union Avenue and East Street or to make suitable repairs. It was obvious that this amount would not do both streets if a stone road was to be constructed and that it would be poor policy to expend $2,000.00 for graveling for the sake of doing both streets as the graveling would not last long. It was therefore decided to build Union Avenue with crushed stone. Prac- tically the same methods were used as in the construction of North Street, except that Texaco Asphalt was used entirely instead of Tarvia X and Bermudez Asphalt. The work extended from Com- mercial Street to the railroad crossing a distance of about 1000 feet and was built 18 feet wide making about 2000 square yards. The sidewalk was improved and two trees removed and a drain near the railroad crossing relaid with corrugated iron pipe. East Street, especially from the Art Leather factory to North Street should be resurfaced and the Commercial Street end is also in bad condition.
Emerson Street .- A new lay-out running at right angles off East Street was constructed as far as the appropriation of $500.00 would allow. Very little gravel was needed for this job as good gravel was found in the cuts which were greater than the fills. The job needs about $300.00 more to complete it and a sidewalk built on one side.
On Filomena Street, a short street extending from Broad. Street to Madison Street, in the rear of Alden. Walker and Wilds factory, $200.00 was expended. About half of the appropriation was used to build a retaining wall on the Madison Street and and the balance for grading the worse parts of the roadway. The con-
163
dition of this street is still bad as there is at present no provision to take care of the surface water.
Union Street: $15,000.00 was appropriated to complete re- surfacing Union Street to the Rockland line, the County agreeing to pay one half the cost. The same form and method of construc- tion was followed as in the cnstruction of North Street. At it was late in the season before this work was started it was impossible to complete the remaining 600 feet to the Rockland line. 2400 feet of roadway, 20 feet wide was constructed at a cost of $10,277.88 leaving more than enough balance to complete the work which will be done next year. $400.00 was appropriated to relay a drain on High Street. A careful survey of this problem was made and it showed that the greater portion of the present drain is on private property and that $400.00 would nowhere near cover the cost of the job. Property owners concerned in the project were consulted with regard to paying for the construction of that portion on pri- vate land but no definite arrangement was made. I would advise that the appropriation be held over until a definite arrangement can be obtained from the abuttors.
Oiling
The item of street oiling is the largest item of expense that comes out of our regular highway appropriation and one that the average citizen does not realize is so large. $20,132.35 was expend- ed this past year for oiling and there is a demand for extending this work. It is certain that streets tarred or oiled could not be kept in as good acondition any other way unless permanent con- struction was made and it is also certain that the Town can do but a limited amount of new construction each year.
The increase in cost each year is due principally to the fact that more streets are treated each year, several miles more were oiled this year than ever before. There is certainly a demand for increasing the work and it all comes down to what the tax-payers are willing to pay for. Ten years ago Weymouth did not consider oiling streets at all but very few would be willing to go back to those conditions. During the past year 79,021 gallons of Tarvia B, 7819 gallons of Texaco 45 per cent. Asphalt and 4000 gallons of non-asphaltic oil were used for this work.
Equipment and Department Buildings
The Austin Wagon Loader purchased late in the fall of 1919 and partly paid for out of this year's appropriation proved a valu- able addition and was used to good advantage in connection with our new work as it is possible to load with this machine a truck with crushed stone or gravel in less than five minutes.
A new two horse road machine was purchased for $330 to re- place one that had become worn out. The Monarch tractor pur- chased late in 1919 for snow work did not prove entirely satisfac- tory on snow but did good work during the summer scraping and moving excavation with a road machine. This tractor has been replaced by a Cleveland tractor of greater power and present tests indicate that it will do great work especially in connection with snow plowing.
Last year I recommended trading in our old Netco truck for a new one but the matter was not approved by the Appropriation Committee. This truck has seen nearly six years of hard usage and the repair bills for the past year of $747.02 clearly indicate that it is not an economical proposition. The other Netco truck
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was operated at a very low figure and has gven excellent service and is in good condition having been recently overhauled and paint- ed. The Ford runabout used by your Superintendent should be traded in this year and I am thoroughly convinced that a Ford is not an economical car for the department.
The old 10 ton roller was not used at all last year as the ex- pense of making necessary repairs did not seem to warrent the outlay. I would recommend that this roller be traded in for a tan- dem or sidewalk roller as our Maintenance roller is in excellent shape and capable of taking care of the greater part of our work.
The department buildings on Commercial street are in good repair but need to be painted this year. The crusher situated at the Plymouth Quarries did excellent work and was operated al- most continually from early summer until the middle of December, outside of needing new jaws and a few minor repairs the plant is in good condition. A new Champion snow plow for truck use was purchased for $264 and did excellent work.
Snow Removal
Until the latter part of February but little money was expend- ed for this work and it looked as if we would get through the win- ter without much expense, but on February 20 occurred the heav- iest fall of snow recorded in twenty-two years. The snow plows on the trucks did fine work but were not able to keep all the main streets open as the wind drifted the snow in about as fast as it was plowed out. Pleasant street was kept open so that the jitney hardly missed a trip whereas all other car lines were tied up. This storm cost over $4,000. With the present equipment for handling snow with two trucks and a tractor it is safe to say that all the main streets can be kept open unless an exceptionally heavy storm occurs.
Crusher Plant
The stone crusher located at the Plymouth Quaries produced more stone this year than ever before and at a substantial saving to the Town. The price of grout bought from the Plymouth Quar- ries was increased from ten to twenty cents a ton but at that the cost of production was but $1.27 a ton. 4,149.04 tons of stone were produced and distributed as follows: Union street 1018.81 tons, North street 2106.25 tons, Union avenue 335.97 tons, general re- pairs 201.49 tons, sidewalks 198.87 tons, Bicknell Square 30.55 tons, to individual 207.10 tons and on hand 50 tons. The cost of production was $5,244.61 divided as follows: Labor $3,517.72, electricity $674.69, repairs and supplies $418.19 and for grout $634.01. It was necessary to buy considerable stone in addition to the above as we were unable to produce it fast enough to proper- ly carry on the work.
General Repairs and Maintenance
Under this heading comes the second largest item of expense and it is difficult to innumerate all of the different pieces of work done. The amount expended was $18,091.64 divided as follows: Labor and teams, $12.867.58, sand and gravel $385.11. supplies and repairs $659.13, tarvia and patching material $1065.52, coal for
165
roller $510.73, freight and express $42.45, truck hire $817.56 and for blacksmith work $180.94. The principal jobs consisted of grav- eling Manatiquot street, Howard street the entire length, consider- able work on Lincoln, Curtis and Lovell streets was done due to heavy washouts, Green street was greatly improved by graveling and extensive patching was done on Neck, River and Parnell streets. Portions of Commercial, Middle, High, Broad, Pleasant and Water streets were broken up with the steam roller, scarified and surfaced treated with screened gravel and minor repairs made . to many side streets. Essex street from Broad to Spring was re- surfaced with gravel and work done on that portion beyond the Town Farm. In Ward Three, work was confined to general main- tenance and small repairs. This portion of the Town is the least expensive to keep in repair due to the large amount of permanent construction and the number of streets surface treated with Tar- via. A portion of Summer street north of Federal should be sur- face treated and the Tarvia continued to Federal street.
In Wards Four and Five considerable work was done on Park and Oak streets as they received heavy travel due to the closing of Washington street from the Weymouth line to Queen Ann's Cor- ner, Hingham. Parts of Pleasant, Union, Hollis and Middle streets were scarified with the roller and surface treated. Repairs were made to Columbian, Park Avenue, Pond, Randolph and West streets by graveling and rolling. Constant patching with tar and pea stone was done at intervals throughout the season on all tar treated streets. Considerable work was done under this heading for individual for which the Town received payment but is credit- ed to Private Work account.
Under this general heading are several items that are carried as separate accounts n the budget as shown in the Summary of Ex- penditures, namely Street Cleaning, Gravel Sidewalks, Signs and Fences and Drains and Catch-basins. The amount expended for street cleaning was $2,860.36 being less than for several years, due principally to the fact that there was but little money available for Fall cleaning. More money was spent this year on gravel side- walks than for several years.
Stone dust was used extensively to resurface sidewalks and good results obtained. A new sidewalk was built on Common street and several other walks reshaped. More money should be spent on this work as gravel sidewalks in all parts of the Town are in poor condition as a whole. Several new street signs and guide boards were erected, two large guide boards at the junction of Washington and Main streets receiving much favorable com- ment from the traveling public. There are quite a number of fences that will need repairing next season.
$1,383.57 was expended on drains and catch-basins, several new catch-basins were built but the chief expense was in keeping them clean, due to the number of heavy storms. A new catch-basin and drain was constructed to take care of the surface water on Granite street opposite the property of Mary J. Condrick. There still remains quite a job to properly take care of the water in this vicnity, several conferences with parties interested did not pro- duce a satisfactory solution.
Recommendations
That a larger sum of money be appropriated for general re-
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pairs and oiling and that the policy of raising $20,000 for perm- anent construction be continued, the work to extend on North street, from the point where we left off this year to Central Square, thus completing a permanent road from North Weymouth to East Weymouth.
That more money be expended for gravel sidewalks and that a special appropriation be made for permanent walks. The pur- chase of a new truck and the trading in of the ten ton roller are urgently needed.
The matter of acquiring sand or gravel pits is one that I have . recommended for several years and it is hoped that some action may be taken this year.
Summary of Expenditures
1921 Budget $ 2.500.00
Amount Expended $ 1,575.44
*Superintendent's salary
General repairs
13,500.00
18,091.64
Maintenance of Trucks
2,000.00
1,938.84
Signs and Fences
700 00
381.16
Street Cleaning
3,500.00
2,860.36
Equi ment and Supplies
2 800 00
4,849.72
Fore River Bridge
800 ^^
700.00
Gravel Sidewalks
2.000 00
1,88.77
Maintenance of. Dept. Buildings
500.00
343.99
Clean-up Day
150.00
166.26
Drains and Catch-basins
2,000.00
1,383.57
Snow Removal
2,500.00
6,552.72
Sundries
150.00
42.10
Street Oiling
16,000.00
20,132.35
Crusher
5,244.61
Private Work
3,000.00
Regular appropriation
$52,100.00
Credits and transfers
16,174.90
Total receipts
$68,274.90
Total expenditures
$66,146.53
Balance to treasury
$ 2,128.37
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Special Appropriations
Filomena street
$ 200.00
$ 199.76
Drain on High street
400.00
11.42
Lovell St., sidewalk
300.00
236.23
Union Ave.
2,000.00
2,000.00
Union St. Macadam
15,000.00
10,277.88
Permanent Construction
20,000.00
19,787.11
Emerson street
500.00
481.98
Bicknell Square
650.00
650.00
Granite St. drain
300.00
300.00
Rosiland Road
800.00
799.92
Babcock Avenue
800.00
799.93
Total
$40,950.00
Total expenditures
$35,544.23
Balance unexpended
5,405.77
$40,950.00
*Note: The balance of the Superintendent's salary was paid out of specials.
Note : Cost of operating was not included in the budget as cost of producing stone was charged to each job.
*** Note: $2,165.25 was spent under Private Work but this amount is included in general repairs account.
Respectfully submitted,
IRVING E. JOHNSON,
Superintendent of Streets.
THE FORTY- THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF
THE TUFTS LIBRARY
WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS
WESSAC
USSET 1622
LABORA
VINCERE
MASSACHUSETTS
635
7.1635.
1921
170
FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF TUFTS LIBRARY
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