USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1937-1939 > Part 38
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The Planning Board believes that a Building Code should be considered and studied by the town as it would be a step toward better building and proper design, especially in the business areas.
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH C. ACKERMAN, Secretary, RICHARD A. LEVANGIE, H. W. WELCH, S. C. WEBSTER, ALEXANDER K. WILLIAMS,
Planning Board.
LIST OF JURORS FOR 1939
Allen, Walter S., Country Way, Trainman
Bamber, John E., Mitchell Avenue, Civil Engineer Barry, Frank H., Beaver Dam Road, Contractor Brown, Ralph S., Hollett Street, Farmer Bearce, Eben E., Tilden Road, Painter Brown, Wilson S., Stockbridge Road, Farmer Brown, Wilmot M., Ann Vinal Road, Retired Cole, Harold W., Barker Road, Salesman Damon, Prescott A., Clapp Road, Farmer Drew, Arthur W., Country Way, Trainman Finnie, James, Tilden Road, Farmer Foster, Walter S., Front Street, Carpenter Gannett, W. Prescott, Beaver Dam Road, Plumber Gardner, Robert, Tilden Road, Foreman Gurney, Chester A., Wampatuck Avenue, Carpenter Hyland, Ellery B., Cedar Street, Farmer Lee, Nelson W., County Way, Insurance Litchfield, Warren M., Country Way, Farmer Litchfield, Fred L., Clapp Road, Painter Manson, William A., Stockbridge Road, Machinist
63
TREE WARDEN REPORT
Mitchell, Archie L., Hollett Street, Farmer Morehardt, Carl L., Marshfield Avenue, Builder
Murphy, James W., Tichnor Court, Mosser Murrell, Mark W., Gilson Road, Manufacturer Nickols, Benjamen, Country Way, Barber Peters, Horace H., Grove Street, Painter Secore, George J., Tichnor Place, Chauffeur Shea, Maurice, Gannett Road, Proprietor Gas Station Steverman, James J., Elm Street, Commission Merchant Stone, Walter C., Sea View Avenue, Chauffeur Sylvester, Ralph C., Beaver Dam Road, Carpenter Taylor, John, Hazel Avenue, Clerk Tilden, C. Bertram, Gannett Road, Boat Builder Turner, Lloyd A., Gannett Road, Farmer Webster, Stephen C., Cornet Stetson Road, Farmer Westerhoff, Frank L., Morton Place, Builder Bearce, Eben E., Tilden Road, Painter Wheeler, Clarence G., Stockbridge Road, Poultryman Whittaker, Carl A., Turner Road, Garage Proprietor Wilson, Edward I., Tilden Road, Architect Young, Howard H., Greenfield Lane, Farmer
JAMES W. TURNER, W. IRVING LINCOLN, PHILIP S. BAILEY,
Selectmen of Scituate.
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN
To the Citizens of Scituate:
During the year 1939 I have planted 179 trees: namely, Maple, Elms, Linden and Lombardy Poplars.
The town has been very fortunate to have a W.P.A. project that has helped our shade trees. All dead branches have been removed. Where trees were split open from the hurricane, they have been bolted. There is considerably more work to be done in other sections of our town. The work is slow and very dangerous.
The Elm Tree Beetle has been kept under control. I have tried to spray twice this year, but was unable to do so because the season started too late.
The Dutch Elm Disease still threatens us. The latest report says that the Dutch Elm Disease is not in Massachusetts yet, but it is very near our border.
The only hope of saving our Elms lies in an early discovery and prompt destruction of the first infected trees.
Watch for dying branches, wilting and yellowing of leaves on terminal twigs, and premature leaf falling. If these signs appear, cut a six inch section of the diseased twigs and send it to the State Agricultural College in Amherst, Mass., giving them your name and address.
WILLIAM F. FORD,
Tree Warden.
64
CHIEF OF POLICE REPORT
REPORT OF CHIEF OF POLICE
Scituate, Mass.
Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen:
The report of the Police Department is herewith submitted for your approval.
This report is based on the activities of the Department from January 1, 1939 to December 31, 1939.
Arrests 178
Assault and Battery
4
Breaking and Entering with intent to commit Larceny
2
Bastardy
1
Distruction of Real Estate
1
Disturbing the Peace
15
Drunkenness
91
Illegitimacy
2
Insane
1
Larceny by check
1
Lewd and Lacivious Cohabitation
2
Non Support
9
Neglected Children
6
Non Payment of Wages
1
Suspicious Person
1
Motor Vehicle Violations
Leaving the scene after causing damage to property
1
Operating under the Influence of Liquor
14
Operating so as to Endanger
1
Speeding 25
Summary
13
Fines imposed
24
Placed on file
17
Probation
10
Released-first offence-drunkeness
59
Suspended sentences-placed on probation
39
Turned over to other police departments
5
Complaints investigated by Police Officers
2749
Cottages Inspected
2527
Fires discovered by police officers
2
Fires covered by police officers
61
Intended sale and transfer of motor vehicles
86
Motor vehicle accidents investigated by police officers
55
Operators-booked
175
Windows unlocked and lights left on
310
Unlocked buildings 214
28
Pistol permits issued
Summonses served for other police departments
98
65
Found not guilty
Sentenced to County and State Institutions
11
January, 1940
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE REPORT
AMBULANCE SERVICE
The ambulance was used on 168 occasions to convey patients to and from hospitals with a total of 6783 miles for the year 1939. Maintenance charges in- cluding-gas and oil-repairs-replacements of linen-laundry-etc., cost $317.91. Charges were made on five non-resident cases and bills amounting to ninety dol- lars were submitted. This service required 441 hours of an officers time which is readily computed into 49 working days at nine hours a day.
The ambulance has been in service for five years. During this period, several hundred patients have been conveyed to and from hospitals. Most of these trips are to hospitals in the City of Boston-many to the Weymouth Hospital and a lesser number to hospitals closer at hand. We feel that service, in each and every case where service was required, has been rendered promptly and with courtesy. We further feel that this utility has been a boon to the unfortunates requiring such service and has reflected favorably to the credit of the Town of Scituate.
At the present time, this conveyance is suffering the natural and expected deterioration and we are now faced not alone with the added expense of constant garage service but with the likelihood that at some critical moment we may suffer a breakdown on the way to a hospital. We, therefore, recommend that your Board consider inserting an article in the warrant asking for a sum of money to replace the present ambulance.
1877 JOHN STONEFIELD 1939
It becomes our sad duty-to once again record the passing of one of our members-one whose loyalty and devotion to the Community and to the Department he served-stand as a monument to his memory. John "Jack" Stonefield-ever willing regardless of the hour or type of service to which he was assigned-always cheerful and friendly-his passing leaves a great void which time alone can fill. So, therefore, be it resolved-that whereas his Maker has seen fit to call him to a higher and greater service-we who are left to carry on-take inspiration from him and his deeds and find consolation in the thought that he has gone to his just reward.
May we extend our thanks and appreciation to your Honorable Board for your co-operation throughout the year.
Respectfully submitted,
M. E. STEWART, Chief of Police.
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE
Selectmen,
School Committeemen,
Board of Health Officers,
Directors and Members of the Scituate Public Health Nursing Service.
The twelfth annual report of work for the various departments in carrying on the health program is as follows:
Number of Nursing Visits 238
Number of Free Nursing Visits 197
Number of Prenatal Visits 11
Number of Infant Welfare Visits 107
66
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE REPORT
Number of Visits for Preschool Children
64
Number of School Visits
197
Number of Home Visits for School Children 166
Number of Children taken home ill
48
Number of Welfare Visits
14
Number of Office Visits 126
Number of Doctor's Office Visits
51
Number of Local Clinic Visits
98
Number of Hospital Clinic Visits
143
Number of Follow up Visits 218
Number of Conferences with Health Workers 146
Number of Public Health Meetings attended 25
Number of Unclassified Visits pertaining to Public Health Work 533
TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITS 2382
1. The Well Baby Conference was held in the high school annex, the fourth Wednesday of each month, with an average attendance of fifteen (15) at each meeting.
2. The School Department sponsored a Summer Round-up. Dr. Nathan Gorin was in charge. Thirty-eight (38) children were examined, many of whom had defects corrected before entering school in September.
3. The Board of Health sponsored the Dental Clinic for school children, grades one through six. Also a dental clinic for pre-school children.
4. The program of the Plymouth County Hospital for the yearly examina- tion of school children in designated grades, was omitted this year. In 1940, the opportunity to have the Tuberculin Test will be given to the entire high school group as well as to other children whose parents request it.
5. The school and health authorities have complied with recommendations made by the doctors in charge of the special clinic for retarded children.
6. The Tonsil Clinic, sponsored by the Scituate Nursing Service, was held at the Cohasset Hospital in July. It provided for the needs of twenty (20) cases.
7. During the year, effort was made to encourage the parents to assume the responsibility for immunizing their children against Diphtheria. The desired results were not obtained. Plans are now being made to have group immuniza- tion in April. Every child should be immunized by the end of its first year or as soon afterwards as possible.
There has been a marked decrease in the number of nursing visits. This was probably due to the fact that most of the maternity cases were cared for in hos- pitals and other arrangements were made for the care of the few home cases.
An outbreak of measles during the early part of the year, and whooping cough and scarlet fever during the latter part, increased the number of home visits for school children and follow-up visits. It also disclosed the need for health education in communicable disease control. The Program Committee of the Nursing Service will soon be ready with plans to disseminate knowledge on this and other very important subjects. It is a moral obligation of every mem- ber of a community to report to the health authorities, cases and suspected cases of contagious diseases.
Some of the clinic work was given over to the assistant, who also relieved the nurse of the bulk of clerical work, making of supplies and similar duties which did not require the nurse's services, but nevertheless, had a significant bearing on the entire health program. Telephone communications were ap- proximately one thousand.
67
PLYMOUTH COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE REPORT
We are constantly striving to meet new problems effectively and with this in mind, plans are being made for a Health Council which will have represen- tation from all departments. This Health Council will endeavor to bring closer relationship of all groups concerned with community problems.
To my Board Members and co-workers and all others who have helped in multiple ways to carry on the health program, I express my sincere thanks.
Respectfully submitted,
MARGARET J. O'DONNELL, R.N.,
Public Health Nurse.
REPORT OF THE THE PLYMOUTH COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE
Twenty-five years of Agricultural leadership has been provided the towns of Plymouth County through the Extension Service, officially recognized as County Aid to Agriculture. During this period of time, great agricultural achievements have been made through the initiative and leadership of agricultural associations, farmers' co-operatives, homemakers' groups, 4-H clubs and their many allied con- tributing sources.
This service available to all co-ordinates the efforts of the U. S. D. A., the Massachusetts State College, and local groups in the interest of rural people.
Educational programs are largely determined by county committees, assur- ing the practicability of meetings, speakers, and subjects of interest to com- modity, homemakers' and 4-H club groups.
During 1939 the Extension Service agents directed personally in Plymouth County 813 meetings with an attendance of 21,485 people; made personal con- tact with 12,237 people on individual problems; and reached 87,000 people through circular letters.
Information and assistance has been available to everyone in the subjects pertaining to Agriculture, Home Economics and the 4-H Club. These include for farmers the subjects of: dairy, poultry, fruits, vegetables, cranberries, forestry, general livestock, farm accounts, and many others. For Homemakers in 1939 emphasis has been placed on Money Management, Nutrition, Child Develop- ment, Home Furnishing and Recreation. Additional work has been done in Clothing, Food Preservation, Home Grounds Improvement. For 4-H activities, clubs in Poultry, Dairy, Garden, Conservation, Handicraft, Food, Canning, Cloth- ing, Home Furnishing and others have been used by 1959 enrolled members in the county.
The people of Scituate have been afforded this service in the best manner possible to meet the demands and interest of groups and individuals. The sup- port of each town financially and morally is greatly appreciated by the Exten- sion Service, and by the people who know its value as an influence in adult education.
CHARLES E. MITCHELL.
68
WATER COMMISSIONERS' REPORT
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONERS
The continued expansion of the Scituate Water system has been carried on to a considerable extent with the help of W. P. A., and in the early part of the year, the main on Mann Lot Road was laid from the new standpipe to Grove Street, and in the latter part of the year W. P. A. labor was again employed to lay a main on Tilden Road, and Norwell Avenue. In each case a circuit was completed and very much improved fire service was extended through larger mains.
The insertion of two valves in the main on Front Street, and the comple- tion of the main on Hazel Avenue, with connections at Allen Street and Otis Street, have greatly reinforced the fire service in that section.
A recent very bad fire in the O'Hara property, very capably handled by the Fire Department, was quickly brought under control and extinguished, entirely by the use of hose directly connected to the hydrants. The Fire Department had sufficient water and pressure at all times for the required fire service, without recourse to the use of the Fire Department pumps.
The present shortage of water all over the country is apparently going to continue for some time, and while we were never near the limit of our supply in Scituate, during 1939, it is certainly well worth while to keep in mind the development of new sources and particularly the conservation of the supply already developed.
Advantages of soft water are numerous and might be obtained by the instal- lation of a water softening plant at Webster Meadow where the greater part of the Scituate water supply is obtained.
The following report of the Superintendent, gives the details of the work car- ried on by the Water Department throughout the year.
Respectfully submitted,
S. C. WEBSTER, Chairman
W. B. JAMES, Secretary
J. F. McJENNETT.
The Honorable Board of Water Commissioners.
Scituate, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen:
The eighth annual report of the Scituate Water Department is herewith sub- mitted, and therein a chronicle of the work completed during the year 1939 and also recommendations for future consideration of the Commissioners.
Installation of a water main on Mann Lot Road, westerly from Route 3A, was carried on as a W. P. A. project until the last of January, at which time work was suspended on account of the winter weather conditions. This project was reopened in April and the work completed July 5, 1939, affording another feed line to the westerly part of the town, as well as domestic service and fire pro- tection for a number of houses.
A 6" main was laid on Wampatuck Avenue to replace a small service line, from Hatherly Road to Oceanside Drive, thereby improving the fire service in the Sandhills section as well as giving better service to the consumers.
When the water system at Humarock Beach was taken over by the Scituate Water Department, all of the water lines were small and were covered only from 6" to 18" with sand. This meant shutting off water service and draining the
69
WATER COMMISSIONERS' REPORT
pipes in the fall, and turning on the water again in the spring, with considerable repairs and cleaning every year, at the expense of the Water Department. Re- placement of these small lines has been started and this spring the section south of Marshfield Avenue and east of River Street was completed, allowing twelve months service to all of the houses in that section, and eliminating the cost of draining and repairing small lines.
Reconstruction and regrading of streets by the Highway Department, in- volved the installation of mains on Irving and Jay Roads during April and on Edgar Road during December.
These mains replaced small, shallow lines and completed a grid of six inch mains between Norwell Avenue and Hatherly Road.
Further construction under W. P. A. completed the eight inch line on Til- den Road and Norwell Avenue and thus added another main line feeding into the Hatherly Beach section, and reinforcing that section of the system to a very considerable extent.
A section of main on Greenfield Lane was lowered during the reconstruction of that street.
Another section of Gannett Road was rebuilt in addition to the comple- tion of the section started last year, and this work required the relaying of a por- tion of the water main through a culvert and resetting several hydrants as well as the installation of main valves.
The main on Front Street from Beaver Dam Road to Brook Street was laid by the previous owners, without valves, and with the present conjested condition, particularly during the summer, it seemed necessary, as a matter of protection and safety to have valves in the line at shorter intervals.
Accordingly two valves were inserted in the main during the early part of June. These valves were put in place and in service without shutting off the water pressure at any time, and that section is under much closer control than before.
Following a custom of the past several years, the Water Department installed mains on Marion Road and Hazel Avenue, thereby providing work for some 65 men, just before the holidays. The main on Marion Road completed the line from Hatherly to Oceanside Drive. The work on Hazel Avenue completed the line on Hazel Avenue from Beaver Dam Road to Brook Street and with con- nections on Allen and Otis Streets, reinforced the supply on Front Street.
Further replacement of small lines should be carried on and possible cir- cuits completed. One of these possibilities is Tilden Road, where there is no main from Turner Avenue to Garden Road. This section should have an eight inch main to complete the loop and provide another line to feed the beach sec- tions.
The present 6" line on Jericho Road is entirely inadequate to furnish water to the Sandhills and Light House Point in case of fire, and this line should be replaced with a larger main in the very near future. If funds to carry on the work of replacing this main were to be taken from the Water Department Budget, several years would be required to complete the work, but it would, however, be a very desirable project to be provided for under W. P. A. authority.
While the electric power lines have been stabilized to a very considerable extent, relative to continuity of power, there is always the possibility of storms such as snow and sleet disrupting the service in its entirety for a time. We have at present a standby unit for such an emergency but it is not capable of produc- ing sufficient power to operate more than one pumping unit, and then only under fairly good conditions.
Part of this standby unit is a diesel motor in the Greenbush Pumping Sta- tion, used primarily to pump water from the Old Oaken Bucket Pond. This motor is of sufficient size and power to operate a much larger generator than the one
70
WATER COMMISSIONERS' REPORT
to which it is now connected. A larger generator could be installed to re- place the present one and it would then be possible to operate two pumping units in Webster Meadow with power generated in the Greenbush Station, and this operation would be entirely independent of the power company service. With power to operate pumps in Webster Meadow, the possibility of using water from the Old Oaken Bucket Pond would be very remote.
Your attention is respectfully called to the table showing the relative costs per million gallons for actual pumping which includes all labor and repairs as well as material and power. These costs have been decreasing each year as the system has been revised and improved. The considerable reduction in the cost per million gallons pumped during the last two years, particularly in 1939 is to a very great extent due to the increased storage capacity afforded by the new standpipe on Mann Lot Road.
During the spring, the National Research Committee of the Rockerfeller Institute spent several days investigating the electrical grounding conditions in Scituate. This research work is very important as there are many times when it would seem reasonable to think that poor grounding conditions cause elec- trolytic action and corrosive failure of the service pipe.
WILLIAM J. LUMBERT, Supt.
GENERAL STATISTICS
Population by census of 1935-3,846.
Construction of system started-1893.
Now owned by the Town of Scituate. Valuation, December 31, 1939-$927,410.22.
Sources of Supply. Ground water from wells, and the Old Oaken Bucket Pond. Water is supplied to the system through pumps as shown.
PUMPING STATISTICS
1. Smith Vail Triplex pump electrically driven by 10 H.P. Century Motor.
2. Fairbanks Morse Turbine pump driven by 30 H.P. Fairbanks Morse electric motor.
3. Fairbanks Morse Duplex pump driven by 15 H.P. Howell Motor.
4. Dean Hill centrifugal pump driven by DeLaVergne 130 H.P. Diesel engine.
5. Smith Vail Triplex pump driven by DeLa Vergne 35 H.P. Diesel engine.
6. Byron Jackson centrifugal pump electrically driven by 40 H.P. G. E. Motor.
7. Byron Jackson centrifugal pump electrically driven by 75 H.P. G. E. Motor.
8. Byron Jackson centrifugal pump electrically driven by 75 H.P. G. E. Motor.
9. Sterling deep well pump electrically driven by 10 H.P. U. S. Motor with Mor- ris centrifugal booster pump driven by 10 H.P. G. E. Motor.
10. Sterling deep well pump electrically driven by 10 H.P. G. E. Motor with Mor- ris centrifugal booster pump driven by 71/2 H.P. G. E. Motor.
11. Peerless deep well pump electrically driven by 15 H.P. G. E. Motor with Morris centrifugal booster pump driven by 71/2 H.P. G. E. Motor.
12. Fairbanks Morse deep well pump driven by 15 H.P. Fairbanks Morse Motor.
14. Fairbanks Morse Turbine driven by 3 H.P. F. M. Electric Motor.
15. Fairbanks Morse turbine driven by 3 H.P. F. M. Electric Motor.
16. Gardner Denver centrifugal driven by 20 H.P. G. E. Motor. All pumping is done by Diesel engines or electric motors. Fuel oil purchased from the Gulf Refining Co.
Trade name, Gulf Solar Oil 33 degree Baume-19306 B.T.U. per lb.
Electric power is purchased from the Brockton Edison Co. Average price per K.W.H. $0.0148.
71
WATER COMMISSIONERS' REPORT
Total Fuel Oil used-none.
Total K.W.H. used-262,505 K.W.H.
Total Water put into Dist. System-173,649,500 Gals.
Average Dynamic Head-69.9.
Average Static Head-67.9.
Average Number of Gallons per K.W.H .- 623 G. P. K.W.H.
Average cost per K.W.H .-. 0148.
Maximum pumpage in one day. August 13, 1939 .- 1,091,200 Gals.
Maximum pumpage in one week August 11 to 17, 1939-7,004,200 Gals.
Water pumped Diesel Power-none.
Water pumped Electrical power-173,649,500 Gals.
WEBSTER MEADOW OUTPUT
Station Number 10
14,427,000
Station Number 11
106,014,000
Stations Number 14, 15, 16
1,265,500
Total
121,706,500
BEAVER DAM OUTPUT
Beaver Dam Well Group
33,616,000
Total
33,616,000
KENT STREET MEADOW
Unit Number 2
18,327,000
Total
18,327,000
BOUND BROOK OUTPUT
Unit Number 12
none
POND WATER-none PUMPING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Year
Total Cost
Cost Per Million
Water Pumped
1930
$19,550.00
$102.46
190,893,300 Gallons
1931
18,311.28
92.81
197,228,900 Gallons
1932
14,124.04
81.08
174,220,000 Gallons
1933
11,602.46
62.65
185,197,900 Gallons
1934
10,743.75
52.66
204,221,800 Gallons
1935
9,356.70
50.38
185,718,200 Gallons
1936
8,937.13
45.41
196,793,700 Gallons
1937
6,773.21
45.35
149,351,700 Gallons
1938
6,511.89
44.34
146,856,300 Gallons
1939
6,546.90
37.70
173,649,500 Gallons
Kind of pipe, cast iron, Transite: Extended 1939. 5,089 feet 8 inches, and 4,994 feet 6 inches.
Total 6 inch diameter or over now in use:
16"
301 feet
14"
2,316 feet
12"
8,256 feet
10"
37,832 feet
8"
98,833 feet
6"
150,333 feet
297,871 feet
72
TOWN FOREST REPORT
Equals 297,871 linear feet or 56 miles, 2191 feet.
Number of hydrants in use., 327.
Range of pressure, 18 lbs. to 75 lbs.
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