USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1885-1889 > Part 49
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Messrs. Wm. E. Rogers and J. B. Wiley were chosen to fill vacancies on the Board of Health. Mr. Wm. E. Rogers refused to qualify.
Another meeting was called by the Selectmen for June 21st, and Mr. George H. Sweetser was elected and was qual- ified as a member of the Board of Health.
After the May 3d meeting the Board was organized with J. B. Wiley as chairman, and John M. Cate secretary.
The Town of Wakefield has been greatly favored during the past year in the small number of cases of contagious dis- cases.
The Board feels that the rule requiring all cases of conta- gious diseases to be reported to the Board of Health should be strictly enforced, according to law, in order that an account may be kept and inspection made.
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Public Statutes, Chapter 80, Section 79 .- When a physic- ian knows that a person, whom he is called to visit, is infec- ted with small-pox, or any other disease dangerous to the public health, he shall immediately give notice thereof to the Board of Health of the town, and, if he refuses or neglects to give such notice, he shall forfeit for each offence not less than fifty or more than one hundred dollars.
Public Statutes (1884), Chapter 98, Section 1 .- " When a house-holder knows that a person within his family is sick of small-pox, diphtheria, scarlet fever, or any other disease dangerous to the public health, he shall immediately give notice thereof to the Board of Health of the town in which he dwells, and upon the death, recovery, or removal, of such person, the room occupied and the clothing used by him, shall be disinfected by such house-holder, in a manner approved by the Board of Health. Any person neglecting or refusing to comply with either of the above provisions shall forfeit a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars."
The law also requires the placarding of houses in which there are dangerous contagious diseases.
We have examined many wet cellars. We believe all such should be cemented.
No ashes, garbage, or dirt, of any kind, should be allowed to accumulate or remain in the cellar during the spring and summer months, aud pure air should be allowed to circulate at all times in pleasant weather. Experience teaches that many cases of sickness might be avoided by observing the above suggestion.
It is not necessary for this Board to say anything in regard to sewerage, as that ground will be covered by a re- port of the committee appointed by the town last year.
The Board was made a committee to cause the relaying of the drain over and upon the land of John Day and the Pack- ard estate. After investigation, it was deemed best to use drain pipe, in place of laying a rough stone drain. We are very much pleased with the result of our decision.
134
For the year ending February, 1889, there have been re- ported to the Board, the following cases of contagious dis- eases :
Typhoid Fever, 1 ·
Scarlet Fever, ·
. ·
4
Diphtheria,
5 . Measles, .
21
In conclusion, the Board recommend the Town to make a separate appropriation for the use of the Board of Health, to be drawn on its order. This would save much perplexity and annoyance to the officers, and largely increase the effic- iency and promptness of the Board's aets. We would also recommend that the salary of the Board be increased to at least one hundred dollars per year. In the many cases of nuisances reported to the Board, we have had a ready com- pliance with the wishes and suggestions of the Board in all cases but one, and that one is in process of adjudication.
J. B. WILEY, G. H. SWEETSER, JOHN M. CATE,
Board of Health.
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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
OF THE
BEEBE TOWN LIBRARY.
Following will be found the 33d Annual Report of the Trustees of the Beebe Town Library. Some of its needs and requirements, such as increased accommodations and a card catalogue, have been so frequently urged in previous reports and are so apparent to any- one making use of the Library, that they need not be again dwelt upon. We are confident that the citizens of our town will bear us out in the statement that this important institution is steadily advancing both in usefulness and popular esteem. A glance at the appended report of the Librarian will show the Library to be in a good working condition. The Trustees have been again reminded of the interest taken by their late associate, Mr. Wake- field, in the welfare of the Library, by the receipt of a bequest of $500, given to it in his will, which sum has been paid over to the Treasurer and added to the other interest bearing funds. In life he was one of its chosen guardians, in death his ward was not forgotten. For this act of thoughtfulness the Trustees take this opportunity to express their gratitude.
The Board has lost another efficient and zealous member by the removal of Rev. Mr. Grant from town.
THE NEW LAW RELATING TO THE TRUSTEES.
The Legislature of last year very wisely enacted a law which materially changes the manner in which the Trustees shall be elected, their number and duties. It provides that every town sup porting a free public library which has not been, or may not be acquired in whole or in part by a bequest or donation containing other conditions as to the election of the Trustees, or as to the care and management of the Library and which conditions have been accepted by the town, shall elect by ballot at its annual town meeting, or at a town meeting appointed and notified for that pur-
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pose by the Selectmen, a Board of Trustees consisting of any number divisible by three according as the town may direct. At the first election they shall elect one third for one year, one third for two years, and one-third for three years, but thereafter only one- third of the Board shall be elected each year, and they shall serve three years. No person is ineligible by reason of sex. In case of a Trustee-elect declining to serve there is a provision allow- ing the vacancy to be filled at a joint meeting of the Selectmen and the remaining Trustees. The Trustees shall have the entire custody and management of the Library and Reading Room, as well as of all money appropriated by the town or donated by others for the Library or Reading Room, and also of all expenditures relating thereto. The Board shall elect a Chairman and Secretary from their number, and, if the town at a town meeting so directs, a Treasurer from its number, who shall give a bond similar to the bond of the Town Treasurer, and in amount and with sureties sat- isfactory to the Selectmen, but until the town so directs the Town Treasurer shall act as the Treasurer of the Board. They are also required to make each year an explicit report to the town in effect similar to those heretofore given.
The wisdom of this act cannot fail to be apparent to everyone. as it ensures the presence of some members on the Board at all times who have become experienced in its service hy holding over, thus precluding confusion arising by the possible election of an entirely new board unfamiliar with the wants and requirements of the library.
In view of the coming election under the new law the trustees caused an article to be inserted in the warrant for the last town meeting, asking the town to fix the number of trustees to be elected, and on recommendation of the trustees the number was fixed at nine. These will be elected therefore at the annual town meeting, three to serve one year, three for two years and three for three ycars.
SYSTEM.
"The method by which books are obtained from the Library, so obnoxious to some at first, does not prevent more books going out than ever before. Under the courteous and painstaking service of the Librarian, Mrs Shepard, and her deft and willing assistants, aided by the present system of cataloging, a great many books can
137
be given out in a few moments. It is to be regretted, however, that more of our citizens do not have catalogues of their own, enabling the members of their families to fill out their slips at home. The space reserved for those who make out their request- slips at the Library is so contracted that it causes considerable delay when the room is crowded, which would be obviated if the slips could be filled out before coming there.
Catalogues can be obtained of the Librarian for twenty-five cents, and with this in view, one who notices the amount of time consumed by those using the free catalogues at the Library, cannot help thinking that they do not regard their time as of much value.
BOOKS.
During the year the books of reference in the Library have been consulted much more than in the past, inasmuch as High School scholars have been allowed to take several books at a time to the Reading Room, and there make such use of them as the particular subject of study on hand required. It can readily be seen that in this way the purposes for which these books were bought are being carried out. Our books are purchased by the town and are only valuable to its citizens for the good they do. Books are educators, but if they are double-starred in the Catalogue and only to be looked at while some one stands over the reader, they will be but of little practical utility.
We trust no one will ;efrain from using starred books because .our rules do not permit them to be taken from the Library. The Reading Room furnishes facilities for consulting all books which may not be taken out.
Among the note-worthy books added to the Library in the pas, year we invite attention to the following :
Bryce's American Commonwealth.
Fiske's Critical Period of American History.
The Century War Papers.
Sheridan's Memoirs.
Richardson's American Literature.
McCulloch's Men and Measures of half a Century.
Eiy's Labor Movement in America.
Arnold's Civilization in the United States.
Johnson's Short War of Secession.
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Greeley's American Weather.
Froude's English in the West Indies.
Heap's Ancient and Modern Lighthouses.
Lanciani's Excavations in Ancient Rome. De Lesseps' Recollections of Forty Years. Curtis' Creation vs. Evolution.
Solon's Art of the Old English Potter.
Nichols' Art as applied to Industry.
Crawford's translation of the epic The Kalevala.
The completing of the series of George Meredith's works, the addition of works by the Russian Tolstoi, the Spanish Valdes, the Germans, Freytag and Schefel, and the famous trio, John Ward, Preacher, Robert Ellsmere, and Story of an African Farm.
A larger number of Juvenile books have been added than usual. partly owing to the desire of the Trustees to complete the series of works by such healthful writers as Oliver Optic, Elijah Kellogg, Horatio Alger, and partly because they believe that hitherto the boys and girls have not had quite the attention that they are enti - tled to. The appetite for sensational, impure and unhealthy literature is acquired only in youth, and if in the Public Library no such books can be found, but, on the other hand. there is no lack of pure and wholesome books, bright and vigorous in tone, which may be obtained for the asking, who will question the expediency of devoting so large a share of the appropriation to the needs of the boys and girls ?
READING ROOM.
We think we are justified in saying that the attendance at the Reading Room still continues to increase ; certainly the apprecia- tion shown by the towns people in general is extremely gratifying to the Trustees. Under the supervision of the janitor, Mr. Hall, the room is kept clean and in good order, the pamphlets and pub- lications in a fairly attractive condition. No complaints of torn or defaced papers or periodicals have reached the Trustees during the year. We doubt not it would surprise one who has not hitherto. availed himself of the advantages of this important institution to. see how many citizens may be found there, men and women, school-boys and school-girls, those in the trades and those in the professional walks of life. A perusal of the list of publications to ...
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be found on the tables will show that. there is reading matter enough to interest and instruct far more than now attend. We do not pretend to say that our Reading Room is a model of its kind, nor that it could not be improved ; we think it can be, but we have done our best to make it attractive to all and to make the most of the small appropriation which we ask for. We are satis- fied that no appropriation of anything like the size of this is more appreciated or productive of better results. During the year we have taken from the Reading Room to be bound up, thirty three volumes of magazines and papers, which will be placed in the Library as soon as returned from the bindery. The room must be re-tinted, walls and ceiling, and provided with a new carpet at once, and to meet this expense the Trustees recommend that the sum of $50 be added to the necessary appropriation for Town Hall expenses, said sum to be for use in the Reading Room. In con clusion we recommend that the town appropriate for the Library the sum of $400 and the proceeds of the dog tax, and for the Reading Room the sum of $175.
For the Trustees,
WILLIAM E. ROGERS, Sec'y.
140
ORGANIZATION OF TRUSTEES.
Chairman,
Sam'l K. Hamilton.
Treasurer,
. · Chester W. Eaton.
Secretary,
William E. Rogers.
Thomas Winship, John R. Mansfield, *Roland D. Grant,
George H. Teague, William E. Rogers, Chester W. Eaton,
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE.
Solon O. Richardson, Junius Beebe,
Michael Low, Preston Sheldon,
Chester W. Eaton.
COMMITTEE ON BOOKS. .
Reuben H. Mitchell,
Chester W. Eaton, *Roland D. Grant. Harry Foster,
Otis V. Waterman,
Preston Sheldon, Thomas Kernan,
William E. Rogers.
COMMITTEE ON BOOKS.
William N. Tyler, Otis V. Waterman,
William E. Rogers,
George H. Teague, Charles A. Dean, George B. Sinclair,
Samuel K. Hamilton.
COMMITTEE ON CATALOGUE.
Reuben H. Mitchell,
Charles A. Dean,
Harry Foster.
PURCHASING AGENT. Preston Sheldon.
LIBRARIAN. Harriet A. Shepard.
ASSISTANTS.
Mabelle W. Newman,
Forrest Mitchell.
JANITOR OF READING ROOM. Henry C. Hall.
*Removed from town.
. .
.
COMMITTEE ON LIBRARY.
141
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
Number of volumes in the Library March 1, 1888, 9,123 Added by purchase during the year, 361
to replace worn out volumes, 31
66 donation, ·
38
66 Magazines bound, from Reading Room, 33
Volumes worn out during the year,
28
Total number of volumes in the Library March
1,1889, ·
9,558
VOLUMES ADDED IN VARIOUS CLASSES AS FOLLOWS :
Fiction, 109
Juvenile, .
·
78
Magazines, ·
. 33
History, .
71
Biography,
21
Travels, .
23
Moral and Religious.
12
Natural History, .
.
3
Scientific, .
·
.4
Social and Domestic,
13
Political, .
13
Poetry, ·
9
Public Documents,
30
Miscellaneous, .
13
9,586
142
Donations from
Volumes.
Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge,
24
Franklin Poole, Esq.,
3
T. B. Kernan, Esq.,
·
2
Hon. Carroll D. Wright,
2
R. H. Mitchell, Esq., ·
1
Rev. C. D. Bradlec, ·
1
E. A. Moseley. Esq.,
.
.
1
United States,
2
State of Massachusetts,
2
38
Pamphlets received from various sources, . 56 ·
Boston Public Library Bulletins, . 4 .
Persons having signed Application Cards to March 1, 1888, 1,603
Persons having signed from March 1, 1888 to
March 1, 1889, 378
Total number of cards issued, . 1,981
Number of books delivered during the year, 22,376 ·
66 March, 1888, ·
2,397
Largest number delivered in one day, ·
404
Number of volumes replaced, .
.
31
66 rebound, .
120
HARRIET A. SHEPARD,
WAKEFIELD, March 1, 1889.
Librarian.
143
OVERSEERS' REPORT.
So long as the dispensing of charity is not one of the exact sciences, perfection can not be expected in the opera- tions of the Poor Department ; but while we have the poor always with us, improvement in dealing with them should be a constant aim, and progress can reasonably be expected and fairly demanded. We have used our best judgment and given careful attention to the circumstances of each case in distributing the alms of the town, so that those who can not help themselves should receive aid, and those who can should have an opportunity to do so.
To the duties that belong perforce to a Poor Department are added the cares of an Agricultural Department in the shape of our town farm. Here improvements and progress are visible to all and no less gratifying, under the energetic management of Mr. Donald, the keeper. We can reiterate all we said last year as to the increasing productiveness of the farm and its constant improvement in appearance and value. During the past year a wire fence, (with cedar posts, ) 1,200 feet in length, has been built from Nahant street to Saugus River. The reclaiming of meadow land along the river has been continued to the extent of three-fourths of an acre.
The value of the farm in its relation to the Poor Depart- ment in furnishing work to those who need it and would otherwise become a charge to the town, is not a small one, and its usefulness in this direction will doubtless largely increase in the future. We call attention to the figures and comparisons we have furnished the Auditors, to be found on pages 56 to 67.
In accordance with our recommendation of last year, the town voted to have a survey made of the farm, and we
144
employed Mr. Bancroft of Reading. From the plan made by him and the town records, we present the following facts and figures, and a copy of the deed given by Thomas Emerson to the town of South Reading, December 6, 1825, (from the records at Cambridge), so far as it relates to the boundaries. Boundary description : "Beginning at the north- westerly corner thereof by the road leading from said South Reading to Saugus, thence running northeasterly as the fence now stands by land late of Paul Sweetser of South Reading, yeoman deceased, to land of the Widow Elizabeth Emerson, thence northerly and northeasterly by said Elizabeth's land as the fence now stands to the end of the fence, thence easterly to a stake and stones, thence north to Saugus River so called, thence down said river to land of Eli Wiley, thence southerly by land of said Wiley, land of John Sweetser and land of Noah Smith as the fence now stands to a stake and stones at the corner of James Emerson's land, thence westerly by said Emerson's land to land of James Walton, a corner there at stake and stones, thence northerly by land of said Walton to the corner of the wall, thence on the same course as the fence now stands by land of said Widow Emerson to a corner, thence westerly by the land of said widow as the fence now stands to the said road, thence by the said road to the first . mentioned bound, containing eighty acres be the same more or less, (saving and excepting the right enjoyed by said Widow Emerson to pass and repass across a part of the premises to and from her meadow to carry off hay, and also excepting any right that may or does exist in the public to pass to and from Eli Wiley's house), and also a piece of woodland and meadow lying near the said farm and bounded as follows : Beginning at the corner by the road aforesaid, thence westerly on Saugus line to a heap of stones, about four poles west of the three county heap to land formerly of Dr. John Hay, thence northerly by said land of said Hay to a heap of stones being the corner of land formerly of
2
145
Jeremiah Brown deceased, thence easterly by said land of said Brown to a stake and stones by the said road, thence southerly by the said road to the bound first mentioned containing ten acres more or less, with all the privileges and appurtenances to the premises belonging." The considera- tion paid was $3,220. From Mr. Bancroft's survey it appears that the original purchase contained ninety-seven acres, which has been diminished as follows : By one-half acre devoted to a school-house lot as early as 1843, located on Farm street, although the street was not laid out till 1853 apparently, being then built at a cost of $337. By the opening of this street two acres were taken from the farm. In 1856 a strip of land containing nine and one-half acres on the west side of Farm street, reaching from Nahant street to Saugus River, was sold for $794. (In this year a new almshouse was built at cost of $3,766, and occupied on November 20. ) Deduct- ing these twelve acres, the present area of the town farm is 85 acres, divided as follows : Meadow, 11 1-2 acres ; pas- ture, 18 1-2 acres ; tillage, 21 acres : woodland, 34 acres. At the same time the town purchased the farm they also bought of Mr. Emerson for $55 "a certain piece of salt marsh lying in Saugus, in the county of Essex, containing six acres more or less." The deed of this was not recorded till March 6, 1838, in the Registry of Deeds at Salem, and the boundaries are described as follows : "Beginning at the westerly corner, by the Dike, thence running southeasterly by the ditch to land of one Alley ; thence northeasterly to a corner on land of Benj. Gerry ; thence northwesterly by said Gerry's land to the Dike ; thence southwesterly by the Dike to the first mentioned bound, with all the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging." At the time of these purchases the town employed Robert Gerry to make a plan and survey of the same for $4. We have not been able to find this plan. The present owners of adjoining lands, beginning at the point on Nahant street, named in the deed, are : James Devlin to Saugus River ; from casterly
146
point on river, Enos Wiley, Rodney Edmands, George R. Tyzzer, William Houston, John G. Morrill, Lois Emerson, B. W. Oliver and George E. Wanamake to Nahant street. The owners of the land sold on Farm street are William, Benjamin W. and Fremont Oliver, and J. B. Murray. The adjoining owners on the detached woodlot are Thomas Miller, E. H. Walton, Heirs of John White, Heirs of Suel Winn, and Heirs of James Emerson. We have not had a survey made of the salt marsh, the appropriation not being suffi- cient. We will close our account of the town farm in the words of the Overseers of the Poor for the year ending March 3, 1845 : "It is the opinion of the Overseers that the Farm continues to increase in value."
During the past year we have aided 58 individuals and families, representing 152 persons, ontside the Almshouse. We have engaged Mr. Donald as keeper for the coming year.
In conclusion we recommend an appropriation of $5,000. together with all receipts, being the same as last year.
Respectfully submitted,
SILAS W. FLINT, HIRAM EATON, MICHAEL LOW,
Overseers of the Poor.
WAKEFIELD, March 20, 1889.
147
Report of Forest Firewards.
WAKEFIELD, February 1, 1889.
To the Board of Selectmen :
The Forest Fire Wards herewith submit their report for the year ending at this date. We have paid during the year for services with Johnson pumps, buckets, &c., in accord- ance with prices published,
84 men at 23 fires, . $48 46
Paid for pump repairs, ·
2 50
Paid for printing notices, receipts and returns, . 5 50
Total expenses, $56 46
Average cost of each man paid,
$0 57 .
Amount of loss by the 23 fires,
.
104 00
Average loss by each fire,
4 52
The location of the fires was as follows :- 3 in South District, 3 in East District, 12 in West District and 5 în Centre District.
Respectfully submitted,
RUFUS KENDRICK, BENJ. W. OLIVER, AUSTIN L. MANSFIELD,
Forest Fire Wards.
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Report of Committee on Sewerage.
At the annual meeting in April, 1888, the subject of a system ot Sewerage for the town was introduced by an article in the Town War- rant, and a Committee was chosen, consisting of the Selectmen and Dr. S. W. Abbott, to consider the subject. This Committee was authorized to employ an Engineer to devise a system of sewers for the town, (the expense of the survey being limited to $300) and to report upon the same at the succeeding town meeting in April, 1889.
For this purpose the Committee secured the services of Fred. Brooks of Boston, a well known Engineer, who has made a survey of the town. His report is herewith presented.
The importance of the introduction of such a system in a popu- lous town of rapid growth, like that of Wakefield, cannot be overes- timated, since it has been abundantly proven from the experience of other communities, that such a measure has invariably contributed, not only to the growth and material prosperity of cities and towns, but also to the health, comfort and convenience of their citizens.
It is to be hoped that favorable action in this direction will be taken by the town.
COMMITTEE,
SAM'L W. ABBOTT, S. K. HAMILTON, S. O. RICHARDSON, GEO. E. RICKER.
TO SELECTMEN S. K. HAMILTON, S. O. RICHARDSON AND G. E. RICKER, AND DR. S. W. ABBOTT. Committee on Sewerage of the Town of Wakefield.
GENTLEMEN :- Agreeably to your instructions I have examined the subject of Sewerage for the Town of Wakefield and submit the following REPORT :-
The population of Wakefield in 1885, was 6,060. The portion of .. the town which especially requires sewerage is the thickly settled part, consisting of about 5,000 people occupying about 900 houses, and now having probably about 600 cesspools for the reception of house refuse. There are about 100 water-closets in the town. The
149
annual cost of cleaning out the cesspools is estimated at $2,500 per annum, which capitalized at 5 per cent. gives $50,000 as the amount which the owners might as well pay now as to pay that annual ex- pense forever. The construction of an adequate system of sewers would get rid of that expense. It would besides save the annoyance, and it would protect the subsoil from the pollution caused by the cesspools.
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