USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1894-1896 > Part 21
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This required thought and care in procedure, as we be- lieve the duties of these officers are exceedingly important, perhaps second to none. On wise laws and purity in elections our very liberties depend. Precinct officers become assistants to Selectmen upon the day of election, and their doings must be certified to in writing by the appointing board.
124
Their terms of office expire in November, 1895, and they hold office until successors are appointed.
While adding somewhat to expense, the convenience of voters justifies it, and the town seems well pleased with the change. We suggest, however, that no further division into voting precincts be at present made.
SWEETSER LECTURE COURSE.
The selection and management of the course devolved upon Messrs. Harrington and Evans of the Board, the chair- man being unable to give it his personal attention but agreed to introduce the lecturers.
The gentlemen in charge decided to give a course, four in . number, and each by first-class talent, with admission fee slightly in advance of former prices.
The terms of the bequest demand that the lectures shall be educational in character, an admission fee be charged, and that the net excess of receipts over expenditures shall be devoted to charitable uses.
These conditions must necessarily be complied with, and this, and preceding Boards of Selectmen have zealously tried to conform to them and to swell the charity fund.
Both higher and lower prices of admission have been ex- perimentally tried by different Boards of Selectmen, yet re- sults have not been attained that doubtless were desired and hoped for by the testator.
The industrial depression, and very stormy lecture nights, have doubtless had a depressing effect on this year's attend- ance, but we believe there is another bar to success. The hurried exactions of our daily business lives calls for enter- tainment of a lighter character, rather than lectures of in- struction, however solid. We suggest that the town recon- sider its vote of 1886, and taking the lectures out of the con- trol of Selectmen, put the management of this whole subject into hands of a select committee of its choice for a term of five years, who, by reason of longer continuance in office,
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125
will learn the art of lecture management, for it is an art, and they will be far more likely to give satisfaction to their fel- low-townsmen than a Board subject to frequent changes, like Selectmen, and whose time is fully occupied with more important details of municipal management.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR BEEBE TOWN LIBRARY.
This matter has been successfully accomplished by remov- ing certain partitions and utilizing room formerly occupied by closet and entry space in the Town Hall building and by extending old tiers of shelves and building new ones ; thereby nearly fifty per cent. more of shelf room has been obtained, besides additional floor space for the public.
The use of electric lighting has much facilitated the work of our librarian and is a help to library patrons ; and that which threatened to be a vexed problem has been solved for some years to come.
We suggest a judicious economy in appropriation for books.
REWARDS.
Our town has been a sufferer during the past year from incendiaries ; also from those viciously inclined to wanton or malicious destruction of its property. Three rewards have been offered by us for the conviction of these pests of soci- ety, and we trust that they may be made to feel the iron hand of the law.
INSURANCE.
The slight fire occurring early in the year in the basement of the Town Hall was settled by the various insurance com- panies, the award amply covering the loss. Three policies of insurance which were effected by the Municipal Light Board, expire during the next fiscal year. Net amount named in the policies, forty-five thousand dollars ; net pre- miums five hundred and forty-four dollars, which latter sum must be raised at the next annual meeting.
126
CLAIMS AGAINST THE TOWN.
The claim of Albert W. Merrow for injuries received on Broadway, is still pending in the Superior Court for Mid- dlesex County .
The claim of Philip H. Eager for injuries received on Lake street is also pending in said Superior Court.
Mary E. Rice of Stoneham has brought an action against the town for injuries which she claims to have suffered on Gould street, and that is pending in the Superior Court for Middlesex County.
Hattie M. Chamberlain of Stoneham has also brought an action against the town for injuries claimed to have been suffered by her on Gould street. She and Mrs. Rice were driving together at the time of the accident claimed, but Mrs. Chamberlain makes claim only for injuries to her team.
Edward B. Kelley of this town has brought an action against the town for injuries claimed to have been suffered by. him on Valley street, and this action is pending in the Mid- dlesex Superior Court.
Jeremiah J. Hanglin suffered very severe injuries while engaged near the stone crusher, and claims that it was through the negligence of servants of the town and that the town is liable. He has brought action, and the same is now pending in the Middlesex Superior Court.
Albert W. Hunt has brought action against the town for injuries claimed to have been suffered by him on Church street, and this action is pending in the same court.
Mrs. Arlon S. Atherton has brought action against the town for injuries claimed to have been suffered by her by reason of a defect on Albion street, and this action is pend- ing in the same court.
Charles J. Winterbottom made claim against the town for injuries suffered by him at the intersection of Hart and Mel- vin streets ; this claim the Selectmen settled by the payment. of $75.
127
Mr. Josiah Laybolt has accepted the award of the County · Commissioners for land taken to widen Water street, and Mrs. Anderson's claim in accordance with the same decree has been paid.
The claim of Dr. Horatio C. Merriam for land taken in building the new street in Greenwood, and amounting to one thousand dollars as awarded by the County Commissioners, has been paid.
The claim of estate of Arna Cotter, in accordance with the same decree, and amounting to one hundred dollars, has been paid.
SUGGESTIONS.
High art in correct living is to see things rightly, and then to choose the best; this is equally as true of munici- palities as of men, and applicable to both legislation and ad- ministration.
A glance at our rate of taxation must convince our citizens that it is altogether too high for this latitude, and calls for judicious economy in appropriations and their subsequent expenditure ; that taxable property of every kind should be found and made to bear the burdens the law puts upon it, and that valuations be properly increased or diminished by assessors, as seems fit and expedient, in order to do justice to all.
This question of taxation is a very important one, and in- vites a little further thought upon the subject.
It is a fair assumption that all classes of our citizens are desirous that capital, settlement and new business enter- prises should come into our town to permanently re- main, and that a low rate of taxation be held out as an in- ducement to that desirable end, but it is evident that the question has its limitations. For instance, a city or town whose tax rate was but one dollar on a thousand, might be one of the least desirable places for capital, settlement or new business ventures, in consequence of the entire want of those facilities for residence or trade, which the taxes are in-
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128
tended to provide. It is true, the people might save money in their tax bills, but if their streets were impassable in win- ter, or dangerous to travel for want of repair, or if there were no means of pure water supply for domestic, mechan- ical and manufacturing purposes, nor for fire protection ade- quate for saving life and property ; if, from the sanitary con- ditions of the place, the death rate was abnormally large ; if police and fire department were inadequate or inefficient and school facilities poor, the money saved in the tax rate would be lost over and over again, year after year, in the social and mercantile stagnation which such an order of things would inevitably superinduce.
The whole tendency of your modern life goes to show that one of the surest ways to create municipal wealth is to know how (which is seeing things rightly) to spend money freely but yet judiciously, and that economy in expenditures to save the cent or the dollar one has then in his pocket, may be just as disastrous in its results to the future well-being of the individual, or the municipality, as extravagance. The public sense governing a town is a standing advertisement of it spread before the public. Municipal affairs of our town should be so conducted as to realize to its people the full value of every cent expended, and this calls for time, thought and labor from municipal officers.
Municipal wealth does not take care of itself any more than private wealth. It needs, and has got to have human care, to preserve it from the " tooth of time." The machin- ery and housing of an idle mill will soon rust out and go to decay without human care. Perhaps it can all be summed up by saying, that sometimes trying to save money ends in travagance, and sometimes freely spending it ends in economy.
Our vision, as a tax-paying citizen, must be larger than our nose or the street we live on, and larger than the lot of land we occupy, and must be directed along the line of the future needs of our municipal growth (not wants).
129
Spending before earning, is often necessary in both indi- vidual and municipal life, to maintain our position intact, but, nevertheless, it mortgages the future to the present and should not be indulged in any more than is absolutely neces- sary by any person or community. Every worthy success in life is the result of an intelligent plan, with a thinker and a worker behind it, and we ask our good citizens, one and all, to harness their thoughts to the car of progress, and, entering the race, make Wakefield second to none.
Respectfully submitted,
OTIS V. WATERMAN, S. J. PUTNEY, DANIEL EVANS, CHARLES E. WALTON, G. W. HARRINGTON,
Selectmen of Wakefield.
130
REPORT OF CHIEF OF POLICE.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :
GENTLEMEN,-I have the honor of submitting to you the annual report of the doings of the police department for the year ending January 31, 1895.
WORK DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT.
Number of arrests,
I30
Arrested on warrants,
4I
Without warrants,
89
Males,
I20
Females,
IO
Adults,
108
Minors,
22
Residents,
.9I
Non-residents,
39
NATIVITY OF PERSONS ARRESTED.
Canada,
2
France,
I
Ireland,
52
Nova Scotia,
I2.
New Brunswick,
I
Scotland, .
I
Sweden, ·
2
United States,
59
Total, .
130
131
NATURE OF ARRESTS.
Assault,
6
Adultery,
2
Bastardy,
6
Breaking and entering and larceny,
Bonfire,
Boarding house (defrauding),
I
Bicycle without bell, .
I
Capias,
I
Drunkenness,
56
Disturbing peace,
I4
Default warrant,
3
Exposing and keeping intoxicating liquors,
9
Evading car fare,
I
Embezzlement, .
I
Illegally removing dead body,
I
Larceny,
4
Lewdness, .
I
Neglect to provide,
I
Neglected children,
4
Runaway, .
I
Stubbornness,
I
Threats,
I
Throwing stones at railroad train,
I
Truancy, .
2
Violation town by-law,
8
Vagrancy, . ·
I
Total, . . I30
DISPOSITION OF CASES IN DISTRICT COURT.
Continued (still in court)
I
Dismissed,
4
Discharged,
IO
Defaulted,
3
Delivered to out of town officers,
3
Fined,
79
Filed, · . .
6
I
2
132
Grand jury,
2
House of correction,
8
Lancaster school,
I
Mass. reformatory,
3
Married and discharged,
5
Nolle prosequi,
2
Probation,
3
Total, .
I30
Aggregate amount of sentences to house of correction, 2 yrs. I mo. Sentences to Massachusetts reformatory are for indefinite periods.
Amount of fines imposed, $1,157.
Number of search warrants for intoxicating liquors, 17.
Number of patients committed to Danvers insane hospital, 3.
Number of persons furnished lodgings at station, 2303.
MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES.
Accidents reported,
8
Assisted home, .
I3
Cases investigated,
I73
Disturbances suppressed, .
I2
Defective streets and sidewalks reported,
water and gas pipes 66
6
Dogs killed,
4
Dead bodies cared for,
2
Fires discovered and alarms given, put out without alarm,
2
Lanterns hung in dangerous places,
I5
Lost children restored to parents,
3
Medical examiner's cases, . ·
5
Places of business found open and secured,
76
Sick and injured persons cared for,
5
Stray teams cared for,
I
Street and sidewalks obstructions removed,
14
Unlicensed dogs caused to be licensed,
.
.
. 67
The year has been an uneventful one to the department, all the
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133
old officers being retained, and all have performed the duties re- quired of them in an acceptable manner. There has been a com- paratively small number of crimes of a serious nature during the year. Burglars and thieves paid us a few visits, but none of them were very successful ; the losses were small even with the most suc- cessful. There was also a large falling-off in the minor offences. Our most serious affliction has been fires of incendiary origin, caus- ing loss of property.
I have endeavored to suppress the illegal sale of liquor, and have done all I could do with a small amount of money and small num- ber of officers. The fact that there were but 56 arrests for drunk- enness and 14 for disturbing the peace in 1894 against 115 for drunkenness and 34 for disturbing the peace in 1893, is good evi- dence that there was less liquor sold in 1894 than in 1893.
I would renew my recommendations of last year, that at least two more regular officers be added to the force. During the year a special officer was put on duty Sundays with excellent effect and I think that our law-abiding citizens will sanction our efforts to main- tain the sanctity of the Sabbath.
In conclusion I desire to thank the Honorable Board of Select- men for their assistance and co-operation with the department. To his Honor, Judge John W. Pettengill, Clerk Wm. N. Tyler and assistant Wilfred B. Tyler I extend my acknowledgments. I also desire to thank the night officers and each member of the department for their faithfulness and efficiency.
Respectfully submitted,
ALVIN L. VANNAH,
February 1, 1895.
Chief of Police.
134
REPORT OF FOREST FIREWARDS.
During the twelve months ending Dec. 31, 1894, there have been eighty-eight fires. They have all been attended by the For- est Firewards system ; seventy-two have been stopped by it alone.
January. 5
July. .
2
February . 4
August .. 6
March. 16
September.
II
April
I6
October
6. May.
November
3
June. 0
December
3
There have been sixteen building fires stopped by this system alone-4 in South district; 2 in Woodville district; I in North district ; I in East district ; 5 in Centre district ; 3 in West district ..
NUMBER OF FIRES IN EACH DISTRICT.
DISTRICT. FIRES.
BUILDING FIRES ..
Centre. IO 8
4. I North.
South. 17.
8
East.
19.
2
West. 16.
7
Woodville.
17
2
Centre Junction 5.
O
-
88
28
Total cost of 88 fires attended by forest firewards,. $432 16 Average cost of each. 4 87
Average cost per man. 66
Average number of men at fires 7 Whole number of persons working at these fires 654
16
135
The above includes the expense of horse and wagon with loads of water at twenty fires.
The causes of these fires are divided about equally between sparks from railroad engines, children, gunners, accidents, incen- diarism and reckless setting of fires by people on their own land, which was allowed to run upon the land of others.
Town fire appliances in charge of the Forest Firewards : 128. Johnson pumps, twenty-two of which have been presented to the town by this system this year, 67 balloon valves for pumps, 6 top valves, 6 discharge pipes, 12 bottom valves, 12 plungers, 6 tips, 5 dozen sprinkler nozzles, 150 2-gallon cans, 50 buckets, 5 water scoops, 100 feet of garden hose with its appliances and 20 feet of Johnson pump hose. In addition to the above this system has added from its earnings 200 12-quart iron clad pails, which are located in 200 places and kept in readiness for instant use at fires, also 25 15-foot poles with leather buttonhole tips. Have been the only parties to use water at 72 out of 88 still and gene -- ral alarms.
FOREST FIREWARDS' BILLS.
Appropriation ·$350 00.
Expense of 88 fires. $432 16
Repairs on Johnson pumps, water cans, buckets,
and other appliances used by this system .. 77 91
$510 07
Balance due Firewards, overdrawn. . . 12 75
$522 82
Appropriation.
350 00
Overdrawn ..
--- $172 82
The above report is respectfully submitted by
R. KENDRICK, S. T. PARKER, B. W. OLIVER,
Forest Firewards.
136 JOHNSON PUMPS.
In compliance with the vote of the town at its annual meeting, the Forest Firewards herewith furnish a list of the present loca- tions of the town's Johnson pumps, now numbering one hundred and twenty-eight as follows :
No. 1, John A. Meloney, Prospect street, West District.
2, John F. Whiting, Pleasant street, Centre District.
3, William H. Atwell, Prospect street, West District.
" 4, Richard Britton, Main street, Centre District.
5, W. V. Taylor, Main street, Centre District.
6, C. C. Eldridge, Myrtle avenue, South District.
66
7, Noah M. Eaton, Park street, Centre District.
" 66
9, Z. P. Alden, Court off Greenwood avenue, South District. 10, W. D. Parker, Wiley street, Woodville District.
66
12, A. A. Currier, West Albion street, West District.
66 13, E. H. Walton, Pleasant street, Centre District.
14, H. P. Hill, Summer street, Centre District.
15, August Zweeper, Water st., n. Saugus line, Wood'e Dist.
66 16, Alden Crocker, Green street, South District.
66 17, G. W. Braxton, cor. W. Chestnut and Cedar sts., W. Dist.
18, John Miniken, Church street, Centre District.
19, William Mellett, Nahant street, Centre District.
66 66
20, In doubt. Not found.
21, Michael Low, Bennett street, Centre District.
22, W. A. Cutter, grocer, Mechanic street, Centre District. 23, J. M. Perley, Railroad street, Centre District.
24, Henry Harper, Nahant street, Centre District.
25, Geo. K. Gilman, Charles street, Centre District.
26, Chas. Gorham, Lowell street, North District.
66 27, Alvin B. Woodman, Sweetser street, North District.
66 28, Wmi. K. Perkins, Central street, North District.
66 29, Samuel Parker, Main street, North District.
66 30, T. H. Evans, Water street, Centre District.
66 31, J. R. Reid, Salem and Lowell streets, East District.
32, F. Nickerson, Lowell street, East District.
66 33, Geo. K. Walton, Salem street, East District.
1
·
S, Caleb Putney, Water street, Woodville District.
66
II, T. C. Welch, Wiley place, Woodville District.
66
137
No. 34, M. P. Parker, Lowell and Vernon streets, East District.
66 35, Harris Pratt, Vernon street, East District.
66 36, Isaac E. Green, Main street, Centre District.
66 37, F. A. Edson, Main street, South District.
66 38, J. G. Brooks, Forest street, South District.
66 39, W. H. Taylor, Grove street, South District.
66
40, Rodney Edmunds, Court off Water street, Woodville Dist.
66
41, Mrs. Ellen Denehey, Water street, Woodville District.
66
42, John McGlory, Jr., Railroad street, West District.
66 43, W. W. Bessey's stable, Albion street, Centre District.
66 44, A. S. Philbrook, Railroad street, West District.
66 45, Thomas Kernan, Gould street, West District.
:46, Mrs. B. W. Oliver, Nahant street, Woodville District.
66 47, Geo. E. Donald, almshouse, Farm street, Woodville Dist.
66 48, Geo. R. Tyzzer, Court off Water street, Woodville Dist.
66 49, E. S. Hopkins, Hopkins street, West District.
66 50, Wm. Mortimer, Travers street, Centre District.
51, Is missing ; search has been made for it, but it has not been found.
66 66 6!
52, A. G. Baxter, Forest street, South District. 53, Geo. F. Roby, Greenwood and Spring streets, South Dist. 54, S. M. Gates, Green street, South District.
66
55, A. L. Oliver, Nahant street, Woodville District.
56, Alex. Murray, Farm street, Woodville District.
66 57, W. M. Ward, Nahant street, Woodville District. 58, Geo. M. Leavens, Salem street, East District.
59, Jonathan Buxton, Lowell street, East District.
66 60, Albert Phinney, New Salem street, East District. 61, L. Dana Draper, Jr., Salem street, East District. 62, Jonathan N. McMaster, Vernon street, East District.
'66 63, J. S. Newhall, Lowell street, North District.
64, Timothy McAuliffe, Railroad street, West District.
66 65, Geo. H. Teague, Converse street, West District. 66, D. D. Douglas, Broadway street, West District.
66 67, John F. Stimpson, Prospect street, West District.
68, William Darling, Main street, South District.
" 69, Chas. S. Merrill, 72 Morrison avenue, West District.
66 70, Chas. W. Sunman, Pitman avenue, South District.
71, E. E. Lee, Oak street and Greenwood ave., South Dist.
138
No. 72, J. R. Pow, Pine street and Greenwood ave., South Dist.
66 73, Chas. Cloudman, Prospect st., n. Stoneham line, W. Dist. 74, A. F. Cutter, cor. Oak and Nahant streets, Woodville Dist.
66 75, C. R. Hamilton, Elm street, West Dist.
76, W. S. Morse, Greenwood street, South District.
77, F. L. Smith, Byron street and Prospect ave., West District.
66 78, C. R. Counihan, Water street, Woodville District.
66 79, A. C. Albee, Converse, cor. Gould street, West District.
66 So, Louis Roberts, Water street, Woodville District.
66 81, Patrick Fay, Salem street, East District.
82, H. I. Eaton, 60 Elm street, West District.
66 83, Morrison Stevens, So. Spring street, Drake farm, S. Dist. 66 84, H. W. Savage, Oak, near Green street, South District, kept in hose house, Oak and Franklin streets.
85, J. R. Marble, Greenwood avenue, South District.
66 86, C. A. Toomey, 814 Main street, (G) South District.
87, J. G. Floyd, Pleasant street, North District.
88, E. J. Wheeler, apothecary, Connell & Curley's block,. Main street, Centre District.
66 89, M. P. Foster, printer, Main and Lincoln sts., Centre Dist.
66 90, F. A. Bergh, 214 Main street, South District.
66 91, A. S. Taylor, Spring street, South District.
66
92, C. B. Nickerson, market store, Main street, Centre Dist. 93, E. N. Smith, fruit, etc., 454 Main street, Centre District. 94, S. H. Gowing, market, 404 Main street, Centre District .. 95, G. W. Jennings, Albion house, 8 & 10 Albion st., C. Dist.
66 96, John F. Alexander, flag station, Albion street, W. Dist.
66
66
66 97, Geo. N. Whiting, flag station, Elm st. crossing, W. Dist. 66 98, B. F. Shedd, 25 Cordis street, North District.
99, T. M. Ward, Oak street, Woodville District.
" 100, E. E. Lee, grocery, Main street, South District.
" 101, Geo. L. Tyler, near head West Chestnut and Prospect streets, West District.
" 102, Philip Orme, Myrtle avenue, South District.
" 103, S. H. Lowe, Park street, upper plains, South District.
104, R. H. Ryland, 71 Prospect street, West District.
" 105, E. G. Daland, 390 Main street, Centre District.
" 106, S. T. Parker, 203 Lowell street, East District.
" 107, C. H. Cheever, cor. Main and Salem sts., Centre District.
139
No. 108, Geo. M. Kelley, Mechanic street, Centre District.
" 109, Wm. M. Wanamake, Nahant, n. almshouse, Woodville D.
" IIO, Fred A. Sweetser, Main and Water sts., Centre District. III, Sam'l L. White, Fairmount ave., off W. Chest. st., W. D. 112, L. A. Green, Charles street, Centre District.
113, Wm. Leet, Oak street, South Dist.
114, C. W. Park, Main street, South Dist.
115, S. J. Putney, corner Main and Salem streets, Centre Dist. 116, S. E. Ryder, druggist, 416 Main street, Centre District.
66 117, Andrew Macdonald, Nahant street, Woodville District.
66 118, John W. Harnden, barber, 426 Main street, Centre Dist.
" 119, Thomas Kenney, Charles street, Centre District.
" 120, Jas. A. Sederquest, wheelwright, Main street, Centre Dist. 12I, T. L. Munier, 34 Valley street, Centre District.
122, Harvey B. Evans, Temperance Boys club Salem st., C. D. 123, Crozier Latimer, express, 6 Albion st., Centre District. 124, Thomas Savage, Centre street, Centre District.
66 125, George W. Eaton, grocer, 394 Main street, Centre Dist. 126, John Rood, Quannapowitt club rms., Main st., Cen. Dist. 127, Thomas Webb, Mechanic street, Centre District.
" 128, Charles Blanchard, 714 Main street, South District.
140
REPORT
Of the General Committee on the Celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Settlement and Incorporation of the 'Town.
To the Citizens of Wakefield :
At a town meeting held January 22, 1894, acting under article 7 of the warrant the following vote was passed:
That the town of Wakefield hereby resolves to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its original incorporation, and that a committee of thirty citizens be chosen to make preliminary plans and arrangements for a worthy observance of such anniversary, either alone or in con- junction with the towns of Reading and North Reading, and report progress and receive further instructions at the next annual town meeting, and this committee were given power to increase their number and fill vacancies.
At the annual town meeting held by adjournment March 12, 1894, and acting under article 45 of the warrant it was
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