USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1952 > Part 15
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The several Town services possessing heavy machinery, such as trucks, power shovels, excavators, trench diggers, bulldozers, hoisting equipment, etc., have united in a very effective unit whose vehicles will ultimately carry sufficient equipment at all times to render emergency aid to a stricken area without the necessity of returning to their several headquarters to pick up such equipment.
Recruiting of fire-fighting personnel has been retarded somewhat, but
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efforts to obtain and train recruits to man the regular and emergency equipment persist with good prospects of success. 0
Specialists in engineering and chemical work have organized recon- naissance and detection units, which will be charged with responsibility of the highest character in determining when it becomes safe or advisable for our many services to enter an area which might be radioactive or contaminated. These units have reached a peak of efficiency which led to their selection to lay out and conduct some of the state-wide tests held recently. Their first service will, of course, be available to Weymouth.
First-Aid training has progressed rapidly through the plans laid down by the School Department, the Auxiliary Police, the wardens' group and others so that at present we have over fifteen hundred trained first-aid workers and classes continually adding to that number. This has been made possible through the very welcome and efficient aid of Weymouth Chapter of the American Red Cross. As now volunteers come forward, new courses will be organized.
We have been able to recruit over a hundred wardens to date, but our needs are much greater, and we require at least ten times that number. There are, in Town, many wardens who rendered service during the recent war period. The training they received at that time varies but little from present requirements, and we would welcome them back to duty at the earliest possible moment.
Our medical division is well laid out and ready to function as soon as equipment is at hand. Nurses, nurses' aids, first-aid trainees, clerical help, pharmacists and similar personnel can be added in numbers to the present enrollees and additional units will form as capable assistants join up. Every physician in town has proffered his services and accepted assignment.
The several utilities serving Weymouth are efficiently set up to cope with disaster of any size and, should one of magnitude occur, assistance from other areas will be promptly dispatched here.
Presently we are in the process of setting up housing and "mass feed- ing" centres where persons rendered homeless here or in surrounding towns might be cared for temporarily. To accomplish this, we have surveyed the various church, fraternal, veteran and similar groups having halls or places of assembly with cooking and serving facilities. Injured persons would have first call in these buildings, but the feeding facilities might be available to all who need them. This would, generally, be accomplished by requesting the women's organizations which generally function in such buildings, and who are familiar with the equipment and capacity at each location, to set up a committee to perform this work. Groups not yet con- tacted in this effort will soon be requested to serve in such capacities.
There are many other services, such as evacuation, mobile canteen, mass transportation, public information, motor corps, and kindred groups to be filled, and Civil Defense could utilize many times the number who have presently volunteered. A call to the Town Hall office would start enrollment proceedings.
In justice to those who have given so much time and effort to this work, it should be stated that help, advice and the setting of policy from the State and National level has been slow. Only recently has help in the procurement of vital material become an actual promise. We have not seen fit to burden Weymouth with the full expense of materials required when it has so long appeared probable that such could be procured at least on a "matched fund" basis from the State or National organization. This . appears now to be realized, but the deliveries are still uncertain. Funds
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appropriated, as shown in the accompanying schedule, have been held for this purpose and now are mostly committed for supplies that are vital.
A large item in the requirements is a warning system. In the past emergency we placed eight sirens at locations about the Town, but there are many areas where they could not be heard .. These were removed at the close of the war and disposed of. New ones, of a different character, but of an expensive variety, are under order. There will be a lesser num- ber, but each will be of greater power, and the cost of maintenance and installation will be considerably less than that with the greater number previously used.
The Federal "matched fund" program will aid us not only in a warning system, but in protective clothing and fire-fighting equipment, emergency radio receivers, medical and hospital equipment, rescue kits, radiological materials, and many other strategical lines, the greater portion of which are not available in civilian markets. In order that we may obtain these materials, it is essential that the Town make sufficient appropriations at its Annual Meeting.
In conclusion, may we repeat what we said in our last year's report, that there are many vacancies in our staff, and we need many more trained workers as well as those who are willing to undertake such training courses as their assigned duties would require. Only with this additional help can we give Weymouth an organization sufficient to meet its needs.
Respectfully submitted,
ALFRED C. SHEEHY Director of Civil Defense
CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL
Estimated total
Service or
number persons required
Estimated total number persons enrolled
Administrative
30
25
Emergency Welfare
12 (Key Workers)
10
Engineering
300
180 (includes personnel paid by town)
Fire Dept. & Aux. Firemen
300
100
Health & Special Weapons Defense
650
Police, Auxiliary & Regular Police Force
350
300
Public Affairs
25
12
Rescue and Supply
400
None
Training & Education (not other classified)
400
378 (includes Wey- mouth School Teachers)
Transportation
300
None
Wardens
1,000
100
Warning & Communica- tions
150
50
Trained First Aiders
11,000
1000
Clergymen in Weymouth
20
20
165
100
Program
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL DEFENSE - ANNUAL REPORT, 1952
December 31, 1952
Balance on hand January 1, 1952
$ 8,571.09 10,000.00
Funds Appropriated for 1952
Total Funds Allotted for 1952
$18,571.09
EXPENDITURES
Office Expense
$1,785.72
Auxiliary Police Equipment
1,800.42
Report Centre
184.20
General Expenditures, Arm Bands, Film Strips, Civil Defense Pamphlets
153.98
Radiological (Geiger Counters, etc.)
287.26
Total Expenditures on Books, December 31, 1952
4,211.58
Balance on Books as of December 31, 1952
$14,359.51
MATERIAL COMMITMENTS:
Communications Equipment
$ 842.05
Receiver and Calling Device Equipment
314.00
Installation Cost of Above Equipment now on order (estimated) 450.00
Reefer Jackets for Auxiliary Police
2,098.50
Additional Expenditures on Purchase Orders, December 31, 1952 3,704.55
Balance
$10,654.96
*Air Raid Signals, which are under consideration at this time, and for which we can submit only an estimated amount of
10,000.00
Balance of Funds Available as of January 1, 1953 $ 654.96
*NOTE: It is anticipated that a substantial portion of the cost of the Air Raid Signals will be reimbursed to us from the Federal "Matched Funds" Program.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AT COLUMBIAN SQUARE
Honorable Board of Selectmen
Weymouth, Massachusetts
Under Article 69 of the 1952 Annual Town Meeting, the appointment of a committee was authorized to study traffic conditions at Columbian Square, South Weymouth, and to recommend definite measures to improve the handling of traffic in that section of the Town for the next Annual Town Meeting. Pursuant to this Article, the Moderator appointed the undersigned committee, which duly met and organized on April 11, 1952, and we report as follows:
A survey of Columbian Square and the approaches thereto was made by the committee in conjunction with the State Traffic Engineers, and the following conclusions were made by the committee:
166
1. That there was a definite traffic problem existing, inasmuch as there was a serious piling up of traffic in all parts of the Square, and particularly in the section from the present traffic circle to the southerly end of the business section on Pleasant Street, and that this pile-up extended at times as far as the intersection of Central Street with Pleasant Street.
2. That this traffic block made it very difficult for automobile traffic to pass through the Square and for potential shoppers to get to the store locations, and made it difficult for foot traffic to cross Pleasant Street. .
3. That the main causes of this condition were the tremendous increase in automobile traffic volume using the Square-and espe- cially Pleasant Street-and the interference with free passage of this traffic by the backing out of automobiles from their angle parking positions at the curb. It was confirmed by actual observation that it was common practice for both lines of traffic on Pleasant Street to be halted by one car backing out of a parked position.
4. That the excessive speed of through traffic was placing pedes- trians and vehicles in jeopardy of serious collisions.
The State Traffic Engineers made a comprehensive study of the situa- tion and submitted a definite recommendation to cure the difficulties, con- sisting of the following:
A. That the parking of automobiles be parallel to the curb in all parts of the Square.
B. That there be a new disposition of traffic islands, with specific control of the traffic in the passing of these islands; and they have substantiated their recommendations with a sketch showing the pro- posed location of the islands.
C. The engineers estimated that this would reduce the amount of parking in this business district to approximately one-third of what is now possible under the method of angle parking; and they further recommend that adequate off-street parking space be pro- vided to take care of the parking space lost by the rearrangement ..
In the light of the foregoing, this committee recommends the adoption of the State Engineers' suggestions, and in appreciation of the imperative necessity of providing adequate parking space in order not to affect the business of commercial establishments in this section, we further recom- mend that the present parking space (owned by the Cameo Theatre Cor- poration) be added to by the purchase of the abutting vacant land now in the title of Angus Montgomery by the Town for parking purposes, and also the taking of the proposed passageway from Union Street to Chauncy Street by the Town and the development of it as an accepted street.
To the end of making these recommendations effective, this committee recommends to the Board of Selectmen that they have an Article inserted in the Annual Warrant for the Town Meeting of March, 1953, that would provide for the carrying out of these recommendations, with whatever ap- propriation of money is necessary to do so, or to take any other action that the Town Meeting sees fit.
It is the thought of this committee that this provision for traffic con- trol in Columbian Square should be undertaken in conjunction with and at the same time that the resurfacing of Pleasant and Union Streets is carried out, the same being provided for under Chapter 90 work by vote
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of the Town Meeting of 1952, and which we are informed will be undertaken in the Spring of 1953.
For your information, there is enclosed herewith a blueprinted sketch showing the proposed location of islands prepared by the State Traffic Engineers' Office, and we would request that the Selectmen have the Town Engineer make sufficient copies of the same so that they will be available for the future consideration of this report. This committee is prepared to provide definite figures as to the cost of the acquirement of the land that is involved in Town taking for the above purposes, and requests an oppor- tunity to present these figures with amplified reports to the Finance Com- mittee, and ultimately to the Town Meeting.
FRANCIS A. GUNN, Chairman FRANK LOUD, JR., Secretary EDWARD F. BUTLER JOHN J. O'LEARY GEORGE O. CRAWFORD
REPORT OF PLUMBING INSPECTOR
January 2, 1953
Weymouth Board of Health Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1952:
During the year, 919 plumbing permits were issued.
Receipts for permits were $3,913.00.
During the year, 507 permits were issued for cesspools and septic tanks. Receipts for permits were $507.00.
There was a total of 3,913 fixtures installed in new and old buildings.
New Buildings 503
Old Buildings 416 Estimated Cost $391,300.00
Respectfully submitted, THOMAS J. MacDONALD Plumbing Inspector
REPORT OF BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
January 6, 1953
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town of Weymouth Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
The Board of Appeal for the Building and Zoning Laws of the Town of Weymouth held 16 formal meetings during the year 1952 and considered 53 different applications.
Of the above, 8 applications were denied and 37 approved.
Eight applications were tabled, 4 later being approved and 2 denied. Two applications were carried over to 1953.
Each application was given careful consideration consistent with the building and zoning laws.
Respectfully submitted, RUSSELL H. WHITING Secretary, Board of Zoning Appeals
168
REPORT OF THE TOWN ENGINEER
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of Weymouth
Gentlemen:
I submit herewith my forty-sixth annual report as Town Engineer of Weymouth.
The usual work done each year in the preparation of the Assessors' maps (65 sheets) covering the Town has been continued and is still in progress.
This includes, during the last few years, obtaining photostat copies from the Norfolk Registry of Deeds of all documents, including those in the Land Court division, showing a change in ownership of Real Property; these are copied (typewritten) on cards, approximately 2000, and are on file at the office of the Assessors at Weymouth Town Hall.
Approximately 100 cards from the Norfolk Registry of Probate also showing disposition of Real Estate are used in the annual revision of the maps, and in turn filed with the Assessors.
In order to plot these land transfers on the Town maps, it is necessary in some cases to make surveys to locate physical marks existing on the ground and referred to in the deeds; in other cases we are able to obtain either from the Registry of Deeds, from private Engineers or Surveyors, or from a developer or owner a subdivision plan on which the lot is shown, or perhaps a plan of the particular lot in question.
Many are made by my office for private parties.
Each year there are many new buildings to locate, measure and add to the maps. These maps, revised each year to January first, the date of assessment, show the location of the property, the buildings thereon, the area and the owner of record.
The importance of recording all legal papers affecting such ownership in order that all property may be properly assessed and also that the true owner may not suffer loss from the sale of his property for taxes wrongly assessed and unpaid is apparent.
The block system referred to in previous reports has increased the work of this department, but has proved its value and has been continued.
Complete sets of the Assessors' sheets are sold each year to several departments of the Town for their use.
In addition to the above major item, other work done by the Engi- neering Department during the past year is breifly listed herein, as follows: Work ordered by your Board or other Town departments include: Staking and giving grades for street construction; survey, staking and giving grades for drains, and making plans for drainage easements; surveys and plans for proposed street widenings; topographical surveys and plans at the Bicknell, Nevin, South Junior High, Central Junior High, and Pond School grounds; staking property lines at the Homestead and Humphrey Schools and at the High School; investigation of street line as shown on plan filed in the Land Court; layout of streets and giving streets lines for abutters; descriptions of land sold by the Town; court attendance on case, Town of Weymouth vs. Crowley (land at Weymouth Heights); establishing and giving grades for parking area at Bicknell Meadow, East Weymouth; stak- ing for sidewalk construction; staking for curbing at Central Square; plan for study of traffic lights; and other incidental work.
169
The opportunity to use the men at times on work not charged to the Town has made it possible to maintain the Engineering Department at a considerable lower cost than could have been done otherwise.
I extend my thanks to your Board and to all other departments of the Town and their employees for assistance rendered to me or my assistants in our work throughout the Town during the past year, and also to many private citizens.
Respectfully submitted, RUSSELL H. WHITING
Town Engineer
REPORT OF THE TOWN COUNSEL
January 5, 1953
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen Town Hall East Weymouth, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my report as Town Counsel beginning August 4, 1952, and ending December 31, 1952.
Most cases of importance set forth in detail by my predecessor, Hon- orable Kenneth L. Nash, in prior reports, are still pending.
Several other matters of lesser importance have been terminated, either in Court or in settlement that seemed fair to the Town.
Some matters have been satisfactorily concluded without resorting to legal proceedings, naturally resulting in a financial saving to all parties concerned.
There have been a considerable number of conferences with various committees and officials of the Town on matters pertaining to the conduct of the business of the Town, and such opinions as have been requested have been rendered.
Deeds, contracts and other legal documents have been prepared or reviewed as necessary.
I wish to express my appreciation to the members of your Board, to the various officers and employees of the Town for their willing co-opera- tion, support and assistance which they have shown me.
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR A. CICCHESE
Town Counsel
170
REPORT OF REGISTRARS OF VOTERS
Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town Hall
Weymouth, Massachusetts
Attention: Joseph Crehan, Chairman Gentlemen:
Submitted herewith is the Annual Report of the Board of Registrars of Voters for the year 1952.
During the year the Board held the following sessions:
Business Meetings 9
Registrations 17
Elections
5
Along with the 12 Special Registration Sessions, citizens had the op- portunity to register daily in the Registrars' Office in the Town Hall, except during the time when registrations are not permitted by law. As a result of the above-mentioned registration sessions and the daily periods, the total number of new registrations for 1952 amounted to 4420.
The five elections referred to are broken-down as follows:
The Annual Town Election in March, the Presidential Primary in April, the State Primary in September, the Special Town Election in Octo- ber, and the State Election in November.
Following is the total number of registered voters as of December 31, 1952:
Male
Female
Total
Precinct 1
1765
1822
3587
Precinct 2
924
972
1896
Precinct 3
1478
1599
3077
Precinct 4
696
701
1397
Precinct 5
705
749
1454
Precinct 6
1239
1229
2468
Precinct 7
775
835
1610
Precinct 8
997
991
1988
Precinct 9
919
1019
1938
9498
9917
19415
We wish to take this opportunity of thanking your Board and all De- partments for courtesies and assistance extended during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD C. McINTOSH, Chairman
HELEN R. CORRIDAN JOHN J. SANTRY HARRY CHRISTENSEN, Clerk
171
REPORT OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
January 2, 1953
Board of Health Town of Weymouth Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
Following is the report of the Health Officer for the year ending De- cember 31, 1952:
During the past year, four hundred and twenty-three cases of Con- tagious Diseases were reported. In 1952, the Town had only three cases of polio. According to the report of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, 1952 had the largest number of polio cases in history throughout the United States. Swamp lands and other breeding places for masquitces and flies were sprayed with D.D.T. four times during the past year.
Dairies and pasteurization plants have been inspected regularly. Sam- ples of milk, cream and dairy products have been taken for bacteriological examinations.
Swab tests of eating and drinking utensils have been taken and all establishments inspected for sanitary conditions. New rules and regula- tions of the Health Department have been posted in these places.
Convalescent homes, day nurseries, kindergarten and infant boarding homes have been inspected and properly licensed.
Two hundred and seventy lots were inspected and approved for building.
During the year, meetings were held each month on the second Thurs- day.
In the month of June, an invitation was accepted from Vlado A. Get- ting, M.D., Dr. P.H., Commissioner of Public Health, to attend a meeting of the State College at Amherst to talk over Health Problems. This meet- ing was attended by Paul V. Coffey, Chairman; Norman J. Reilly, Norma I. Lyons, Public Health Nurse, and Henry F. Godin, Health Officer. Many phases of Public Health were discussed, such as "Organization of Civil Defense," "Present Status of Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies," "New Developments in the Union Health Program," and "Progress of 1952 Health Legislation."
In November, a meeting on "The Fluoridation of the Water Supply" was held at the Weymouth Town Hall. William D. Wellock, D.M.D., M.P.H., Director of the Division of Dental Health, and Mr. Ralph Soule, Senior Sanitary Engineer, Division of Sanitary Engineering, Department of Public Health, were the speakers. This meeting was well attended by the Parent Teachers' Associations, local dentists, Water Commissioners, Mr. Sidney C. Beane, Superintendent of Water Department, and others interested in the Fluoridation of the Town Water Supply.
New Rules and Regulations of the Health Department were adopted on June 5, 1952. These new regulations were distributed to the local physicians, kindergarten and day nursery organizations, eating and drink- ing establishments and dairy farms.
I wish to thank the members of the Board of Health for their co-opera-
172
tion; also Mr. John O'Leary, Superintendent of the Street Department; Chief Edward F. Butler; Leslie Hebert, Tree Department; Cecil L. Evans, Harbor Master, who have given their help and assistance during the past year.
Sincerely yours,
HENRY F. GODIN
Health Officer May 5, 1952
DENTAL CLINIC REPORT - 1952
January 2, 1953
Total Patients
886
New Patients
232
Anesthesia:
Local
285
General
6
Fillings:
Porcelain .
50
Amalgam:
One Surface
925
Two Surfaces
253
Three or More Surfaces
28
Bases:
Cement
171
Zinc Oxide
32
Thymozin
17
Treatments :
Zinc Oxide
37
Agno3
56
Gum
7
Root Canal
1
Pulprotex
1
Prophylaxis
156
X-rays
117
Extractions:
Permanent
158
Deciduous
89
Patients Completed
130
Total Clinic Hours
438
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
January 2, 1952
Weymouth Board of Health
Town Hall
East Weymouth, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
I am pleased to submit to you my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1952.
TUBERCULOSIS
A program for the control of Tuberculosis in Weymouth is now a major function of this department, having been transferred from the Visiting Nurses' Association.
I am endeavoring to originate a system in which the contacts to this disease are notified when their recommended x-rays are due. The records are still in the process of being made adequate, complete and up to date, as they are the only permanent and continuous picture of an individual or family.
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
The following is a list of the communicable. diseases reported by the physicians during 1952:
Chicken Pox
70
Dog Bites
175
German Measles
17
Influenza
1
Measles
89
Meningitis
2
Mumps
29
Polio (Non-Par.)
3
Salmonellosis
1
Scarlet Fever
20
Tetanus
1
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
2
Typhoid Fever
1
Whooping Cough
12
At the end of each month a letter is sent to the physicians regarding the total number of diseases reported. I feel that this establishes better rapport between the physicians and the local health department.
NURSING HOMES
In this district there are six nursing homes and four rest homes. They were visited periodically to see that the owners were complying with the Rules and Regulations established by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. On these visits, I was often accompanied by Miss Helen F. Adams, R.N., Hospital Inspector, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. A report of the conditoins found in these homes was compiled and filed for future reference.
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