USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1955 > Part 14
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All catchbasins were treated twice during the season, and some three times.
Next year we shall be able to begin the year with two units and expect to have a third one in service by July 1. It is anticipated that all basins will be treated at least three times and, if found necessary, a fourth treat- ment will be applied.
DRAINAGE
Drainage and elimination of mosquito breeding places has been con- sidered the keystone of mosquito control by leaders in the mosquito control field from the very beginning.
The project has limited its action to work on the minor streams in the area. The altering of major water courses requires detailed engineering study and considerably more equipment or money for contracting for such equipment than this project has available.
The August floods, while they produced large broods of mosquitoes at the time, had an additional and even more costly effect on the operation of the project when one considers the drainage problem.
Many of the streams and culverts previously cleaned were refilled with debris and sand, and must receive further attention. Some drainage formerly considered to be in fair shape has now become critical. In ad- dition, the floods in many cases made bad situations even worse.
The above has greatly increased the amount of work the project must do.
The matter of drainage on the salt marshes has been approached from a different viewpoint this year. In former years all such work was done by hand. This year the project purchased an Oliver OC-6, crawler type tractor equipped with a scaval plow.
This plow is designed specifically for cleaning standard salt marsh ditches. In addition, it is possible to cut new ditches with the machine by making several trips along the line of the desired ditch, each trip dig. ging deeper than the last.
The first time a ditch is cleaned with this machine, two or sometimes more trips down the ditch are necessary to push out the accumulation of mud and debris. It is expected that after a ditch has once been cleaned, the ditch will be relatively clean and the sides relatively square. Under these conditions only one trip per ditch will be necessary, and much more rapid coverage of the marshes will be possible in future years.
Although this machine is very efficient, it is by design limited to salt marshes and similar fresh water situations. It must be complemented by hand work where ditches are too wide and where terrain is too rough.
In the Town of Weymouth, 6,150 feet of ditches have been cleaned, 10,955 feet reclaimed and 1,115 feet of new ditch has been dug. This figure includes both fresh and salt marsh work.
FOGGING
This past two seasons the project has had in operation a Todd Insecti- cidal Fog Applicator, commonly called a Tifa. This machine emits a fog
179
containing small particles of insecticide which drift with the air currents over the area, wiping out all mosquitoes and other flying insects contacted.
The machine is of considerable value in cutting down invasions of mosquitoes from large breeding places, and is our only means of control in areas where our chemicals may contaminate water supply.
The emergence of large numbers of mosquitoes following the floods of August demanded that this machine be operated every night conditions permitted. This work was, for the most part, in excess of figures budgeted for labor and insecticides. Provisions have been made for such work in plans for next year's operations.
EQUIPMENT
Equipment now on hand:
1 Ford F-350 truck
2 Ford F-250 trucks
1 Ford F-100 truck
1 Willys 1-ton truck
1 Chevrolet Handyman
1 Oliver OC-6-68 tractor with scaval plow
1 Trailer for transporting tractor
1 Cushman Truckster (catchbasin unit)
1 Harley-Davidson Servi-car (catchbasin unit)
3 50-gal. Bean hydraulic sprayers
1 Todd Insecticidal Fog Applicator
1 Hoffco power brushing tool
1 Gorman-Rupp centrifugal pump Pack sprayers Various hand ditching tools
1
Equipment to be added:
1 Catchbasin unit Miscellaneous hand tools
PLANS FOR WINTER
Throughout the months between the past and coming breeding seasons, much attention will be given to ditching. Work on the salt marshes will be done in the Fall and early Spring, and the colder Winter months will be spent in the more protected fresh water areas.
When snow and ice conditions are right, prehatch dusting, as was done the last two years, will be done. The success of last year's work along these lines makes it feasible to expand this program to as much as help and weather permit.
In addition to the ground dusting as noted above, it is planned to make small scale prehatch application of DDT and DDT granulated in- secticide from the air.
Success with either or both materials would enable us to split our application to spray breeding swamps between late Winter and early
180
Spring. This would relieve the early Spring load, which is now very heavy, make it possible to pick optimum weather conditions for application, and relieve the pressure on the air spray companies who are in demand everywhere at that time of the year.
PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR
All phases of the work carried on last year will continue. Two phases will be intensified: catch basin work and ditching. Modifications will be applied to the fogging program.
Since weather conditions and terrain have such an effect on fogging operations, certain changes in materials used in the machines and changes in method of operation will be made, based on the experience of other projects and recent research.
Catchbasin work will be speeded up by the addition of another unit and operation of the present two for a full season. In addition, in line with recent experience elsewhere, the concentration of the spray will be raised. Indications are that longer residual effect will be achieved.
Ditching with the tractor will proceed throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall. This is in contrast to the past, when such work was done by hand in the Spring and Fall.
In addition, the crew working with the tractor will be available for fresh water drainage work when tide makes it impossible to work on the salt marsh.
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED
The major problems of this project are three: drift in of adults from uncontrolled areas, weather conditions and availability of aircraft at the time of Spring spraying, and the condition of main water courses in the several towns.
Events are occurring which point toward the correction of these problems.
In the matter of "drift-in," the formation of this project has increased interest in mosquito control in surrounding areas. There is now before the Legislature a bill to establish mosquito control in all towns of Norfolk County not now in a project. This will give us protection along approxi- mately one-third of our perimeter. In addition, interest has been inten- sified in other bordering towns so that in the near future we may get protection from these towns.
Weather conditions and availability of aircraft at the proper time for Spring application has always been a problem. The superintendent will, therefore, carry on limited field trials of new methods for making such applications during a season when time is not so pressing and good weather can be taken as it occurs.
The recent floods have focussed attention on the condition of the major water courses of the area. In many cases these streams are not adequate to carry off the water now entering them from newly built up areas, which in their natural condition tended to absorb the precipitation and thus lessen flood levels. In some cases man-made blockages compound the problem.
181
It is probable that this problem will be dealt with in the near future; indeed, steps have already been taken in several of the towns.
Any strides in this direction will contribute to mosquito control since large ponded areas on the local meadows will be cut down and when the streams are at a low enough level, lateral ditching can be put into the adjacent swampland.
Respectfully submitted, HENRY F. GODIN, Commissioner.
REPORT OF THE PARK COMMISSIONERS
December 26, 1955
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town of Weymouth, Mass.
Gentlemen:
The year 1955 saw a major improvement in the Town recreation program with the appointment of a full-time Recreation Director in the person of William F. Kirrane. With limited funds, Mr. Kirrane started a full-time year-round recreation program for all ages, and has made plans for a more varied and complete program for the future years.
The waterfront program, under Director John Lonergan, continued to provide enjoyment and instruction to all ages in great numbers. The continued application of sand to Wessagusset Beach was appreciated by all the residents using this beach.
The playground program continued and improved under the experi- enced handling of Mr. Kirrane. George Christensen and Joan Gould were selected as the most outstanding boy and girl on the playgrounds during the summer program.
With the continued use of part-time workers on the major parks during the evening hours, vandalism was kept at a minimum, and the residents enjoyed an evening program on a small scale.
Our parks were used extensively during the evening hours and cn weekends by the various ball leagues in town, there being a ball game in every park every night of the week.
We sincerely extend our thanks to the various town officials and the various other town departments for their splendid co-operation with the Park Department during the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
EVERETT J. McINTOSH, Chairman JOSEPH D. SLATTERY, Clerk OTTO C. MASON
182
REPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT
January 3, 1956
The Honorable Board of Selectmen Town of Weymouth Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit the annual report of the Fire Department for the year ending December 31, 1955.
The department responded to eleven hundred and thirty-eigth alarms during the year. One hundred and four of these alarms were for fires in- volving buildings. Ten hundred and thirty-four were for all other emer- gency calls as listed below.
Many of these calls were due to the floods which occurred in August. Total alarms consisted of two hundred and thirty-four bell alarms and nine hundred and four still alarms. In spite of the record number of calls the fire loss for the year was low.
The condition of the apparatus and stations is good and should require only small ordinary repairs.
Residential 90
Non-Residential Assembly
3
Mercantile 4
Manufacturing
4
Storage
1
Miscellaneous
2
Grass or Brush
364
All other Fires (Auto, Boats, Outdoor, Lumber Yards, Machinery.)
80
False Alarms
30
Smoke Scares, Accidental Alarms,
Wrong Locations, Honest Mistakes
160
First Aid, Accidents, Emergency Calls, (Including 61 for Resuscitator)
379
Mutual Aid
21
A
Total 1138
Permits issued for the year totaled 957
Oil Burners
840
Explosives
68
Bottle Gas
42
Fireworks
1
Inflammable of Liquids
4
Removal of Tanks
2
Respectfully submitted, WALTER R. MURRAY Chief of Fire Department
183
REPORT OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING COMMITTEE
Weymouth, Massachusetts
December 31, 1956
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
We have continued our contract with the Weymouth Light and Power Company to light the streets of the Town.
Having added 104 lights during the year, we are now maintaining 2,582 lamps of which 2,315 are of the regular 100 candle power size, and 161 are of the 15,000 lumen mercury variety.
Our monthly bill is now almost $5,100.
For 1956 we are asking for sufficient funds to maintain these lights and add 100 new 100 candle power lights: also, 20 new 20,000 lumen mercury lights.
This will require $64,750.76.
The increase of about $4,000 is due to the increased number and size of lights, there being no change in rates.
Back River bridge is still without lighting as the State authorities have not as yet installed any fixtures and there is nothing we can do until the State has done its part.
Respectfully submitted:
Chairman, Roger P. Loud, 171 Commercial Street Charles B. Turnesa, 592 Main Street Arthur W. Sargent, 34 Partridge Road Richard Reidy, 150 Lake Street
Clerk, J. Herbert Libbey, 283 North Street
REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
December 31, 1955
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my Annual Report for the year 1955.
The sealing fees amounted to $669.80.
My general work for the year is as follows:
Tested and sealed 1,331 weighing and measuring devices.
Trial weighings and measurements of commodities sold or put up for sale and summary of inspections after sealing 1,154 articles and devices.
Respectfully submitted, CHARLES W. BURGESS Sealer of Weights and Measures
184
SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE ALARMS
January 3, 1956
Chief Walter R. Murray Weymouth Fire Department
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my report of the Fire Alarm System for the year ending December 31, 1955.
Bell Alarms for Fires 234
Second Alarms 2
False Alarms 30
Out of Town 1
Lost Child Signal 1
The outside lines are in good condition.
Ten Fire Alarm Boxes have been added to the system at new locations. I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all for service and cooperation rendered at all times.
Respectfully submitted, EDRIC J. SALISBURY Supt. of Fire Alarm
REPORT OF WIRE INSPECTOR
January 3, 1956
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Weymouth, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my annual report for the ending December 31, 1955: During the year, 1,521 wiring permits were issued.
Receipts for permit fees totalled $2,754.00.
I wish to extend to the Board of Selectmen and to other Town officials my thanks for all courtesies and assistance given me during the year 1955.
Respectfully submitted, JOSEPH W. ROSS
Wiring Inspector
185
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 1955.
The following sessions were held during the year:
Business Meetings
2
Registrations
7
Elections
1
The year 1955 was what has been considered an off year, with 7 regis- tration sessions, 2 Board Meetings and one election. The Board held 2 spe- cial registration sessions, one in October and one in November with the hope of avoiding last minute registrations for the 1956 elections, but the result was not too satisfactory.
During the year a new desk was purchased for the Registrars' Office. The number of new registrations for 1955 totalled 745.
Following is the total number of registered voters as of December 27, 1955.
Male
Female
Total
Precinct 1
783
802
1585
Precinct 2
846
873
1719
Precinct 3
671
799
1470
Precinct 4
697
702
1399
Precinct 5
643
688
1331
Precinct 6
1187
1222
2409
Precinct 7
800
759
1559
Precinct 8
1009
1012
2021
Precinct 9
847
926
1773
Precinct 10
638
635
1273
Precinct 11
863
868
1731
8984
9286
18270
We wish to extend our thanks to your Board and all departments for courtesies and assistance during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD C. McINTOSH, Chairman HELEN R. CORRIDAN JOHN J. SANTRY HARRY CHRISTENSEN, Clerk
186
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' SERVICES
East Weymouth, Mass. December 30, 1955
The Honorable Board of Selectmen Town Hall East Weymouth, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
We wish to submit herewith to your Board and through your Board to the townspeople our Annual Report for the year 1955.
It has been a very busy year in our department and we have especially noticed the increased case load during the past few months. We all realize that Weymouth has grown considerably in population over the past few years and that veterans and their families comprise a large part of this increase. Further, many of these veterans have been in Weymouth long enough to become settled here insofar as our program is concerned, and this accounts somewhat for the increase in our expenditures under Veterans' Benefits. Because of this we have included in our 1956 Budget a request for $115,000.00 for Veterans' Benefits. This figure may or may not take care of our needs for 1956, but we feel it is a fair request.
Because all town department expenditures are covered by our Town Accountant we are not giving detailed expenditures of our office in this report. However, it must be borne in mind that our town is reimbursed fifty percent of all department expenditures for Veterans' Benefits, War Allowance, and State Burial allowance.
As I have only recently taken over this department, after Mr. Stein's retirement, I am not fully aware of the year's transactions.
We wish to take this opportunity to express our thanks to all those who assisted us in the performance of our duties this year. Also we wish to thank your Board and various Town Departments for their kind co- operation.
Respectfully submitted,
FLURANCE I. LYONS, Director
187
REPORT OF THE DRAINAGE COMMITTEE
January 4, 1956
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen Weymouth, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
In accordance with the vote of the Annual Town Meeting of 1955, under Article 24 (on petition of George E. Lane and others). To see what sum of money the Town will vote for a study, report and plans and specifi- cations for a town wide drainage system or take any other action in re- lation thereto.
Upon motion duly made by the Appropriation Committee, it was
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That the sum of $30,000.00 be raised and appropriated for the preparation of a detailed engineering report, which would include plans and profiles of all existing and recommended main drains with estimates of cost. It is further recommended that the Modera- tor appoint a committee of five to obtain said report.
The committee of five appointed by the Moderator on April 14, 1955 held their first meeting April 29, 1955 and met the second Monday evening of each month throughout the year.
In preparation of a comprehensive report on drainage for the Town of Weymouth the committee entered into contract with Metcalf and Eddy, Engineers on July 11, 1955 to assemble available data of drainage facilities from Town records, and make field surveys of existing drains and other waterways; and studies, preliminary designs and estimates of cost for proposed drains.
The assembling of data from records and field surveys is substantially completed.
The basis of design and basic unit costs have been determined, and studies and preliminary designs are well along or in progress for all drainage districts.
Studies for the Smelt Brook drainage district were started early in the program. Preliminary designs for the relief of existing drains in Washington Street and in Weston Park in that district are well advanced
The engineers for the Southeast Expressway have met with the com- mittee and have given assurance that drainage plans for the expressway, when completed, will be discussed with the committee for the best interest of the Town.
The committee have endeavored to assist all who presented drainage problems and have advised the engineers of these problems so that they may be incorporated in the master plan.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew A. Chisholm (chairman) Lolyd Crowther Edgar Walker Laurie Estabrook Arthur Mosher (secretary)
188
REPORT OF BUILDING INSPECTOR
January 3, 1956
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town of Weymouth Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1955.
During the year 1955 permits were issued for the following new build- ings:
349 one-family dwellings
Estimated cost
$2,807,500.00
37 one-car garages
60
66
22,285.00
12 two and three-car garages
66
17,800.00
1 Commercial garage
8,000.00
1 garage & carpenter shop
7,000.00
3 office & salesrooms
23,500.00
1 service station
66
66
51,000.00
1 sales stand
66
8,500.00
1 antique & gift shop
66
350.00
1 movie screen
66
8,000.00
1 boiler room
500.00
1 rest room
4,200.00
1 plumbing shop
66
8,000.00
1 summer cottage
66
60
4,500.00
3 tool houses
2,575.00
1 sewage pumping station
66
72,000.00
1 doctor's office
66
15,000.00
1 private power station
66
66
4,000.00
1 sign business bldg.
1,000.00
1 private library bldg.
66
66
8,000.00
427 new buildings
Total estimated cost
$3,109,660.00
435 alterations permits
66
$514,981.00
Yearly receipts new building permit fees
3,172.50
Yearly receipts alterations permit fees
678.50
Respectfully submittted,
ANDREW A. CHISHOLM Building Inspector
189
66
66
66
425.00
2 greenhouses
10,000.00
2 supermarkets
3 retail stores
66
23,500.00
200.00
1 sample dwelling
REPORT OF THE TOWN ENGINEER
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of Weymouth
Gentlemen:
I submit herewith my forty-ninth annual report as Town Engineer of Weymouth.
In 1907 the town of Weymouth appropriated a small sum to start a survey of the town of Weymouth and to prepare Assessors' sheets each year as the work progressed.
I was employed to do this and the usual work of triangulation, observa- tion to establish a true north point, layout of a proposed system of sheets to cover the entire town, the necessary survey work, etc. incidental to the proper plotting of any town was begun and one sheet numbered 7 of the Assessors' sheets was finished in 1907.
The work was continued with a small appropriation each year, the finished sheets revised for assessment purposes each year, the entire set of 65 sheets finished in 1915; and complete annual sets of Assessors' sheets covering the entire town exist for the past 40 years.
The preparation of these maps each year involves work at the Nor- folk Registry of Deeds, at the Norfolk Registry of Probate and at the Land Court; obtaining information from other surveyors or from land owners, and in general from any accurate and available source; and also locating all new buildings or substantial changes in old building in order that the Assessors may make the proper assessment to the owner of record.
Weymouth, the last few years has had the Norfolk Registry of Deeds furnish the town with photostat copies of all deeds or legal papers affect- ing ownership in Real Property and these are copied (typewritten) on cards and filed in the Assessors' office.
The photostats are afterword bound and will be later filed in the Engineering Department of the town.
There are, at present, about 48 books already bound and indexed and others to be bound.
All of the cards copied from photostats received from the Norfolk Registry of Deeds are filed with the Assessors, averaging between two and three thousand each year.
There are also between one and two hundred cards received each year from the Norfolk Registry of Probate; these are also given to the Assessors.
Surveys to locate boundary lines on the Assessors' maps, and not available from surveys made by my office for private parties or developers, are made when necessary.
Each year the complete set of 65 maps is revised to January first of that year, a set on paper and a set on cloth (block system) furnished the Assessors; and a print of any sheet or a complete set may be purchased from the town.
The block system has been established by the town and any parcel in question can be designated by its lot number, block number and sheet number and thus be easily located on the Assessors' sheets.
The importance to all concerned of promptly recording all legal papers
190
affecting the ownership of land remains the same as in previous years.
An atlas (the 7th one from my office) was published in 1954 and many copies were sold by the town. The six prior atlasses were published in 1938, 1940, 1944, 1946, 1949 and 1951.
Small street maps were revised and printed in 1955 and are on sale in the Town Hall.
I append a brief list of other work done by the Engineering Department during 1955; this includes work done for various departments of the town and is as follows :
Street lines for abutters; staking, taking profiles, establishing and giving grades for street construction; taking elevations, staking and giving grades for drainage; staking, plans and descriptions of drainage ease- ments; staking and giving grades for curb and sidewalk construction; taking prints for various town departments; surveys, plans, typographical plans of land for School Department; descriptions of land sold by the town; and in general the engineering work common to all cities and towns.
In closing, I herein extend my thanks to your Board; to all other de- partments and employees of the town; and also to many other citizens of the town for courtesy shown and aid given to me and also to my assistants in our work throughout the town in 1955.
Respectfully submitted, RUSSELL H. WHITING Town Engineer
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL DEFENSE
Honorable Board of Selectmen
Weymouth, Massachusetts Gentlemen:
I submit herewith a report covering the activities of Civil Defense for the year 1955.
Weymouth Civil Defense organizations during 1955 continue to be on approximately the same level as previously outlined. There is little of substantial progress that can be reported. The government has failed to inform the services and others interested of any potential threat and has apparently failed to convince the public that Civil Defense under present day conditions is of real importance. During the year, there has been considerable discussion of Mass Evacuation, but due to any realistic program eminating from C. D. Headuarters, the entire complex subject appears to have been dropped for the present.
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