USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1940-1942 > Part 21
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An NYA project to employ young ladies as school lunch assistants in the High School Cafeteria was approved, but owing to the demands of private em- ployment, the operation of the project was held in abeyance.
With so many movements started during the year, looking toward the training of youth for present day requirements, the opportunity for expansion of NYA projects has been seriously curtailed. It has been impossible to secure a sufficient number of young people to carry on the work desired to be undertaken in Scituate.
I wish to thank the Board of Selectmen and other Departments for their helpfulness and assistance during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
HERBERT A. WHITING,
Town W. P. A. Agent.
REPORT OF BOARD OF ASSESSORS
Detail of 1941 Assessments
Number of Polls Assessed 1474
Amount of Poll Tax Warrant $3,110.00 Number of persons, partnerships and Corporations assessed on - Property 3180
Value of Assessed Real Estate:
Buildings $8,822,300.00 Land
3,238,415.00
54
ASSESSORS' REPORT
Total Value of Real Estate
Total Value of Personal Property
$12,060,715.00 995,181.00
Total Valuation January 1, 1941
$13,055,896.00
Total Valuation January 1, 1940
12,816,790.00
Increase in valuation
239,106.00
Omitted Assessment December 31, 1941
10.210.00
Assessed
Horses
56
Cows
57
Yearlings
19
Swine
7
Sheep
6
Fowl
5,253
All Other
314
Automobiles
2,210
Budget for 1941
Town Appropriations
$542,701.65
Voted to be taken from available funds in 1941
$23,230.33
Voted to be taken from available funds in 1940
5,000.00
28,230.33
$570,931.98
State Tax and Assessments:
State Tax
$30,690.00
Auditing Municipal Accounts
658.55
Hospital and Home Care for Civil War Veterans
408.00
State Parks and Reservations
365.61
County Tax and Assessments:
County Tax
$23,423.33
Tuberculosis Hospital
6,897.62
Overlay for current year
10,813.03
Gross Amount to be raised
$639,188.12
Estimated Receipts :
Income Tax
$34,770.42
Corporation Taxes
2,894.36
Reimbursement on account of State owned land
19,300.42
Motor Vehicle Excise
15,500.00
Licenses
5,000.00
Fines
250.00
Special Assessments
400.00
General Government
1,100.00
Protection of Persons and Property
500.00
Health and Sanitation
200.00
Charities
4,575.00
Old Age Assistance
11,500.00
Soldiers' Benefits
1,225.00
Schools
650.00
Water Department
60,805.31
Interest on Taxes and Assessments
5.275.00
55
PLANNING BOARD REPORT
Veterans' Exemptions
Additional Fees
Total Estimated Receipts
$164,454.46
Overestimates of previous years
50.99
Appropriations voted by Town to be taken from available funds
33,230.33
Total Estimated Receipts and Available Funds
$197,735.78
Net amount to be raised by taxation on polls and property
441,452.34
Number of polls-1,555 at $2.00 each
3,110.00
Total Valuation of Personal Property at $33.60
$995,181
33,438.11
Total Valuation of Real Estate at $33.60
12,050,715
404,904.23
Total Taxes levied on Polls and Property
$441,452.34
Special Assessments:
$4,410.00
Moth Water
317.20
Total amount of all Taxes and Assessments committed in 1941
$446,179.54
Tax on Omitted Assessment, December 31, 1941
401.06
Abatements in 1941:
To Joseph R. Dillon, Collector, for 1936
$3.00
To Joseph R. Dillon, Collector, for 1937
63.35
To Joseph R. Dillon, Collector, for 1938
269.61
To Joseph R. Dillon, Collector, for 1939
3,684.18
To Joseph R. Dillon, Collector, for 1940
382.39
To Joseph R. Dillon, Collector, for 1941
4,493.61
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY A. LITCHFIELD, Chairman, HENRY T. FITTS, W. IRVING LINCOLN,
Assessors of Scituate.
PLANNING BOARD REPORT
January 23, 1942.
To the Citizens of Scituate:
The duties of the Planning Board are many, especially when working under the laws passed in 1936. Our board is still functionnig under the original laws and can only do most of its duties at the request of some other department or individuals.
Many of our projects for the past year have been postponed by the unsettled condition of the world in general.
Advertising the benefits of the Town to prospective Summer residents, enum- erating Scituate's fine beaches, weather, etc., was one small item we thought might help our Town to grow.
56
58.95 450.00
LIST OF JURORS
One of our board is very interested in finding the opinion of the voters as to the advisability of a Town Manager. We have arrived at a time when Govern- ment is costing more money than a human can visualize. To have that extra burden on top of our Town and State taxes to care for, it behooves all depart- ments in our Town to cut as much as good government and business can allow. A Town Manager (or purchasing agent) should be able to save the Town many times his salary.
Many new houses have been built in the past year, most of them small cottages, very neat, good looking for the most part; and with large lots around most. Even the few that have small lots, are too many in a town such as Scituate which has much available land. Some definite lot size will have to be decided on in the very near future.
All these improvements will take time, yet we hope to see them in Scituate.
THE PLANNING BOARD,
R. A. ACKERMAN, Chairman R. A. LEVANGIE, Secretary, H. W. WELCH, G. A. GRAUER, M. W. MURRILL.
LIST OF JURORS FOR 1941
Prepared as provided for in Chapter 234, Section 4, General Laws
Allen, Walter S., Trainman, Country Way
Ahern, Frederick E., Automobile Salesman, Cedarwood Road
Brenchick, William P., Clerk, Jericho Road Bailey, Philip S., Plumber, Booth Hill Road Brown, Wilson S., Farmer, Stockbridge Road Brown, Wilmot M., Retired, Ann Vinal Road Cole, Harold W., Salesman, Barker Road Chipman, Henry E., Salesman, Country Way Drew, Arthur W., Trainman, Country Way Dwyer, Robert W., Painter, Off Jericho Road Finnic, James, Farmer, Tilden Road Flynn, Thomas J., Lumberman, Off Town Way Flaherty, Marcus T., Plumber, Stockbridge Road Gannett, W. Prescott, Plumber, Beaver Dam Road Gurney, Chester A., Carpenter, Wampatuck Ave. Haartz, Louis O., Electrician, Mann Lot Road Hill, John F., Poultryman, Country Way Kingsley, Robert, Carpenter, Clapp Road Killifer, D. Allen, Broker, Mann Hill Road , LaVange, Fred A., Laborer, First Parish Road Lincoln, Charles C., Mech. Engineer, Henry Turner Bailey Road Litchfield, Ralph M., Merchant, Driftway
57
CHIEF OF POLICE REPORT
McCarthy, Edward P., Plumber, Otis Place Mitchell, C. Nathan, Farmer, Hollett Street Morehardt, Carl L., Builder, Marshfield Avenue"
Murphy, James W., Mosser, Ticknor Court Nichols, Benjamin, Barber, Country Way Reynolds, Paul, Mosser, Barker Road Secor, George J., Chauffeur, Tichnor Place
Shea, Maurice, Gas Station Proprietor, Gannett Road
Stone, Walter C., Chauffeur, Seaview Avenue
Russell, John A., Gas Station Proprietor, Country Way
1
Webster, Stephen C., Farmer, Cornet Stetson Road Westerhoff, Frank L., Builder, Morton Place Wheeler, Clarence G., Poultryman, Stockbridge Road Whittaker, Carl A., 'Garage Proprietor, Turner Road White, Edward P., Bank Clerk, Capt. Pierce Road Young, Howard H., Farmer, Greenfield Lane Young, John H., Clerk, Stone Road
Yenetchi, George V., Highway Maintenance, First Parish Road Gardner, Robert, Transportation Superintendent, Tilden Road
JAMES W. TURNER, W. IRVING LINCOLN, WILLIAMS B. JAMES,
Selectmen of Scituate
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen:
The report of the Police Department is here-with submitted for your ap- proval.
This report is based on the activities of the Department from January 1, 1941 to December 31, 1941.
Arrests
Assault and Battery
11
Breaking and Entering
2
Drunkenness
84
Disturbing the Peace
17
Damage to Property
4
Dope Addict
1
ar
8
Illegitimacy
2
W
Insane
vịt
58
CHIEF OF POLICE REPORT
Lareeny
5
Lewd Person
1
Non-Support
7
Neglected Child
4
Negleet of Minor Children
1
Stubborn Child
1
Hunting not being licensed
1
Motor Vehicle Violations
Leaving the seene
3
Operating under the Influenee
17
Operating without license
3
Operating so as to Endanger
4
Speed
26
Refusing to stop upon a signal of Offieer
2
Violation of traffic lights
11
Summary
Found not guilty
4.
Fines imposed
72
Placed on file
45
Released-first offenee-Drunkenness
48
Suspended sentences-placed on Probation
13
Turned over to other Police Dept's.
6
Sentenced to County and State Institutions
26
Complaints investigated by Police Officers
2733
Cottages inspected
2568
Fires covered by police officers
85
Fires discovered
5
Intended sale and transfer of motor vehicles
94
Motor vehicle accidents investigated by police officers
62
Operators booked
249
Windows unlocked and light left on
264
Pistol permits issued
32
Summons served for other police dept's.
92
SPECIAL POLICE SERVICE
Regular Intermittent Police Officers were placed on nine hour per day shifts from May 30th to Labor Day at Humaroek Beach and North Seituate Beach. This service was rendered following a petition from the residents of these two districts. The Board of Seleetmen, Advisory Board and this Department viewed the request as reasonable and necessary to augment the regular poliee service at these points. A similar request by petition was made by the Sand Hills Beach Association and while this seetion was given additional police service no one regular officer was assigned there during the past season. Many clubs of young men rented cottages and some of them conducted themselves in such a manner as to prove themselves a nuisance. Such elubs have a tendency to congregate late in the night when other people are seeking their rest. This ealled for added police surveillance from the mid-night on. Some arrests were made and in some instances the clubs were ordered to vacate. We feel that the "Club Nuisance" should be discouraged along the beach front.
MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT
Motor vehicles now in use by the department inelude two cars, four motocycles and the town ambulance. The eruiser and the ambulance are equipped with two way radio. We are of the opinion that in the present emergency that it is of vital importance that our communications system be as extensive as possible.
59
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE REPORT
With this in view an appropriation necessary to equip the four motocycles with receiving sets and the Chief's car with a two way set will be asked. Due to priorities and the difficulty to be experienced in obtaining new cars, it is deemed advisable to consider the exchange of but one of the cars at this time. The cruiser should be exchanged if possible. This car is in service practically 24 hours of each day and therefore is run many thousands of miles in the course of a year.
AMBULANCE SERVICE
This service was called upon for 221 trips to various hospitals, mostly Boston, Weymouth and Cohasset, for a total of 8,981 miles. The hours of this service required a total of 501 man hours or 55 nine hour working days. This depart- ment received many letters of appreciation from patients and those related who have had occasion to utilize this service and the operators of the ambulance have been commended for their careful drivin~ and sympathetic consideration of the patients.
The Police School sessions were omitted this year for the first time over a period of years. Each officer in the Department however took an additional course in First Aid.
In conclusion may we express appreciation to your Honorable Board for your assistance and advice in the conduct of this department. Your very evident desire to be co-operative has been encouraging and your sympathetic under- standing of our problems has made our task less difficult.
Respectfully submitted,
M. E. STEWART, Chief of Police.
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE
Board of Health
Board of Welfare
School Committee
I hereby render my annual report from the time of my appointment, March 20 to December 31.
Number of Bedside Nursing Visits
1062
Number of Old Age Visits
200
Number of Soldiers Relief Visits
25
Number of Hospital Visits with Patients
44
Number of Ambulance Cases to Hospitals
12
Number of Doctors Office Visits with Patients
50
Number of Infant Welfare Cases
72
Number of Pre-School Dental Clinics
4
Number of Baby Clinics
10
Number of Unclassified Visits for Public Health Work
250
Number of Prenatal Visits
50
Number of Maternity Cases
2
60
PLYMOUTH COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE REPORT
Number of Follow Up Visits
150
Number of Public Health Meetings Attended 5
Number of Conferences with Health Workers 10
Number of Times Assisted at Local Clinies
8
Total Number of Visits 1954
Number of Telephone Communications (Approximately) 200
The morbidity service has increased considerably, due to the fact that the
nurse was relieved for transporting patients to Hospital Clinies in which the Red Cross Motor Corp cooperated generously.
Maternity services are few since nearly all patients receive hospital eare.
Respectfully submitted,
ALICE M. DOWD, R.N., Publie Health Nurse.
THE PLYMOUTH COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE
The Plymouth County Extension Service during 1941 has carried on its usual work of assisting rural and village people with their problems pertaining to agriculture, homemaking, and 4-H training. Demands are ever-increasing on the Extension Service to organize, administer and teach programs of national, state, county, and town importance. In view of the present crisis programs of work are being organized so that every effort will be directed towards informing the farm people of the ever-changing developments in agriculture, and to assist them with their problems during these critical times.
The agricultural department is organized primarily on a commodity basis, working with commodity committees, associations and groups of farm people. Major agricultural enterprises are cranberries, dairy, poultry, vegetables and fruit, but many smaller projeets are covered such as forestry, general livestock, farm accounts, etc. The agricultural department renders service and receives fine co-op- eration from such ageneies as Agricultural Conservation Program, Farm Security Administration, Surplus Marketing Administration, Farm Credit Administration, and various co-operatives.
The Home Demonstration Department conducted some work in each of the towns of the county during 1941. The major program during the spring and fall was in elothing construction. Emphasis was also made on the eare, repair and renovation of elothing.
Over five hundred different women attended nutrition meetings held during the year. More families were helped this past year to plan home gardens and 18 food preservation demonstration working meetings were conducted.
Homemakers were also helped in various ways in the fields of home manage- ment, home furnishing. home grounds improvement and recreation.
Four-H Club work is that part of the Agricultural Extension Service which deals with rural youth. Young people between the ages of 10 and 21 in a com- munity organize themselves into a group with their own officers and own local program with the guidance of an adult man or woman leader (who serves volun- tarily). Each member has an individual project eentering around a problemn
61
WATER COMMISSIONERS' REPORT
of the home or the farm. They raise livestock, crops, make clothing, prepare foods, etc. They serve as officers and on committees of their own club. They have camps, games, songs, exhibits, tours, hikes, and social meetings. They work and play together. They learn to co-operate by co-operating.
COMBINED STATISTICAL OF THE THREE DEPARTMENTS
Days in office
6831/4
Days in the field
98734
Leaders and Committeemen
465
Farm and Home Visits
2,783
Office and Telephone Calls
9,716
News Articles
418
Individual Letters
4,392
Number Circular Letters
340
Copies
124,247
Total number of meetings participated in by agents Attendance
31,053
Total number of 4-H club members enrolled
1,701
Total number of different women attending meetings
3,097
The financial assistance and moral support of Scituate is greatly appreciated by the people the Extension Service assists. A continuation of its support is justified on the record it has achieved. Its influence cannot be measured by monetary values, but its educational programs and individual assistance constitute one measure in the first line of national defense.
CHARLES E. MITCHELL,
Town Director.
STATEMENT OF BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
The activities of the Water Department of Scituate for 1941 are carefully set forth in the report of our Superintendent, William J. Lumbert, and merit your attention and study.
The general improvement of the entire water system continues. Large addi- tions of mains to supply new takers have been added, again this year with only a fractional part of the expense falling on the tax payer or water user. Para- graph 5 in Mr. Lumbert's report is an example. A whole development is acquired by the Town of Scituate at practically no cost, yet it will yield a good return 'in both taxes and water rates, as it is building up rapidly.
We are facing a problem on water supply. It is imperative that the available amount of potable water be increased. To date our efforts to find new sources have failed. This need is so urgent that we will keep crews constantly at this work until we have secured an ample supply.
WATER RATES REDUCED $2.00 TO EACH TAKER
The water takers will be pleased to notice that once again we are able to reduce the water rates. This we are able to do because our income was $4,570 in excess of our estimate; from our appropriation of 1941 we are able to turn back $1,377.00 and the bond interest which is paid out of water income will be $1,185.00 less than in 1941.
The three items amount to $7,132.
J. F. McJENNETT, S. C. WEBSTER, RUSSELL J. WILDER, Board of Water Commissioners.
62
804
WATER COMMISSIONERS' REPORT
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT
To the Honorable Board of Water Commissioners,
Gentlemen:
It is my pleasure to submit for your consideration, the tenth annual report of the Water Department, setting forth the work accomplished during the year 1941 and to offer recommendations for future activity of the Department.
Continuation of work on Tilden Road, under W. P. A. Authority, installing an eight inch waer main, resulted in the completion of a circuit, with the excep- tion of approximately one hundred feet. The W. P. A. work was stopped and later on the line was completed by the Water Dept., and now there is a water main installed, the entire length of Tilden Road, providing fire service from both ends, or either end, from either standpipe.
Approval of another W. P. A. project permitted work to be started to replace the old 4 inch and six inch main on Jericho Road, with a ten inch line extending from Beaver Dam Road to Turner Road. The new pipe of larger diameter will make available nearly three times the volume of water at the Sandhills and Light House Point sections, and augment the fire service to a great extent. The installa- tion of this new main was completed October 12, 1941.
In March, a project to revise and bring up to date and install a card index system, with new maps, was approved by the W. P. A. and the work on this project was started April 9th of this year. Work on this project is still in progress and will be completed in 1942.
Development of the southerly section of Humarock, known as "New Humarock" required the installation of a main to supply domestic and fire service. All pipe and fittings were paid for by the developer and the trench opened and backfilled at his expense. The main pipe and fittings were placed by the Water Department to insure a proper installation, as the main was eventually turned over to the Town for operation. At the same time additional short mains were laid in some of the side streets in Humarock, to provide service for new houses being erected.
During May the main on Hatherly Road was extended to and along Bailey Causeway to complete a loop in the northerly section of the North Scituate Beach Development. This loop provided a second line of supply and obviated the neces- sity of shutting off the entire northerly section of this development in case of a broken main.
In September, the badly corroded 16 in drain through the dyke at Webster Meadow was replaced with 16 inch Transite pipe and a concrete header was placed at the easterly or ocean end, to prevent errosion by the tide water. The drains as now constructed will last a great many years.
The year 1941 has proved to be the dryest of the last one-hundred years. There has been a deficiency of 15.59 inches in 1941 and the total deficiency for the last three years 1939, 1940, 1941 has been 27.65 inches.
As a result, there is a very severe shortage of water throughout this section of the country, more particularly on the Atlantic coastal plain. Unless the conditions governing the undergrond water supply become very much more favorable, it will be necessary to take drastic action, regulating, if not entirely prohibiting the use of hose and sprinkler.
63
WATER COMMISSIONERS' REPORT
Exploration for new water supply, which is now being carried on, should be continued until all possible prospects have been covered.
For immediate work, I would recommend the replacement of small lines in Bramble Avenue and Grasshopper Lane, with six inch mains. Further replace- ment of small lines in Humarock should be considered as money becomes available.
The mains at the bridges on Gannett Road are in a very precarious con- dition and should be replaced. These mains are subjected to the extreme con- ditions of exposure at low tide and the action of salt water, salt muck, and salt ice on tidal flows. Replacement of these cast iron mains with Transite pipe buried three feet below the bottom of the creek would eliminate this condition.
For the duration of the war, it is very probable that considerable difficulty will be experienced in obtaining material priorities through the O. P. M. for any new work other than that required for Army or Navy developments. This period is absolutely indefinite and of course all the work that can be prosecuted, after the emergency, will be very necessary to take up unemployment.
WILLIAM J. LUMBERT, Superintendent.
SUPERVISOR CARE OF VETERANS' GRAVES
January 19, 1942
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Scituate, Massachusetts,
Gentlemen:
I submit my report as Supervisor Care of Veterans' Graves, in the Town of Scituate for the year 1941.
During the past year 157 graves situated in the various Cemeteries of the Town have been cared for. Many of the graves were in a deplorable condition, but thanks to the unselfish and whole-hearted cooperation of all Cemetery Corpora- tions and caretakers we have made great strides toward our ultimate goal, namely, to have every grave where a Veteran rests put in A No. 1 condition. Due to the fact that I had difficulty establishing the right of way to the Damon Tomb, that particular place was not taken proper care of, however I assure you that in the coming year that will be remedied.
I wish to thank all who helped me to accomplish so much this year.
Respectfully submitted,
ELMER F. RAMSDELL, Supervisor Care of Veterans' Graves.
64
TREASURER'S RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES REPORT
TREASURER'S REPORT OF THE RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES For the Year Ending December 31, 1941
RECEIPTS
Receipts for the Year 1941
$918.093.15 93,089.62
Cash on hand, January 1, 1941
$1,011,182.77
EXPENDITURES
Payment as per Warrants of Selectmen
$906,678.94
Balance on Hand, December 31, 1941
104,503.83
$1,011,182.77
Respectfully submitted,
ROSE A. SMITH, Town Treasurer.
REPORT OF THE TOWN COLLECTOR For the Year Ending December 31, 1941
Total Payments to Treasurer
$555,751.82
Total Taxes Collected
$464,563.62
Total Interest Collected
4,536.45
Total Costs Collected
1,098.70
Total Water Rates Collected
60,767.34
Total Water Liens Collected
1,669.30
Total Bills Receivable Collected
23,116.41
$555,751.82
TAXES OF 1937
Personal Taxes Uncollected January 1, 1941
$224.78
Collected
$170.18
Abated
54.60
$224.78
Interest Collected
$17.95
Costs Collected
2.55
TAXES OF 1938
Polls Uncollected January 1, 1941
$14.00
Collected
$14.00
$14.00
65
TOWN COLLECTOR'S REPORT
Interest Collected
$1.62
Costs Collected
2.45
Motor Excise Uncollected January 1, 1941
$14.57
Collected
$14.57
Interest Collected
$1.66
Costs Collected
1.70
Personal Taxes Uncollected January 1, 1941 Collected
$326.64
Abated
244.36
Interest Collected
$36.43
Costs Collected
5.50
TAXES OF 1939
Polls Uncollected January 1, 1941
$296.00
Collected
$198.00
Abated
72.00
Uncollected
26.00
$296.00
Interest Collected
$18.45
Costs Collected
33.95
Personal Taxes Uncollected January 1, 1941
$1,845.12
Collected
$1,109.48
Abated
476.59
Uncollected
259.05
$1,845.12
Interest Collected
$62.24
Costs Collected
54.40
Real, Moth and Water Liens Uncollected January 1, 1941
$47,987.22
Collected
$38,100.19
Abated
3,133.10
Takings
753.93
Interest Collected
$2,347.92
Costs Collected
293.45
TAXES OF 1940
Polls Uncollected January 1, 1941
$722.00
Collected
$240.00
Abated
188.00
Uncollected
294.00
Interest Collected
$7.29
Costs Collected
41.30
Motor Excise Uncollected January 1, 1941 Committed in 1941
22.70
Refunded
21.89
$731.59
Collected
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