USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1903-1905 > Part 44
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This figure represents the saving in one direction only ; it does not take into account the gain in efficiency, nor the fact that the cost of hiring ($1.50) is for 8 hours only, and that the cost of keeping (50 cents) is for 24 hours. If the exigencies of work made it necessary to work overtime, this difference would represent an added saving. The matter of efficiency may be estimated :
Having direct control will mean a gain in time worked per day which may be safely set at 1-2 hour per team, which would mean for the busy season, or 200 days, 300 hours for single teams = 37.5 days or $131 25 200 hours for double teams = 25 days or 125 00
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The drivers would all have to help load; saving the time of one man in this work for practically one- half the season, · Under a system of hiring we can not obtain equality of service ; some teams are better than others, the driv- ers of them cannot be expected to feel the same interest in the work that regular men would have, nor can a full measure of responsibility be exacted of them ; the efficiency of work performed by men who are regularly employed over that done by men who are not so employed, may reach a large figure, we will put it low and say,
200 00
150 00
$606 25
Call $600.00.
It is fair therefore to say that the aggregate saving in ownership of 7 horses will each year mean the accomplish- ment of $1900.00 worth of work which we now do not ob- tain.
The yard question has been a serious and long felt obsta- cle to economy. There is constant use of material in large or wholesale quantities, which has to be bought at retail prices ; there is involved in this question, aside from that of prices paid, an excessive amount of labor and teaming to and from the various places we now have to use for storage.
The saving effected by an adequate yard, store house and sheds may be estimated as $150 yearly. The price of ce- ment in car load lots will be 25 per cent. less per barrel, than by the single barrel or in small lots ; the price of pipe will also range from 4 per cent. to 6 per cent. less, and there will be a margin worthy of consideration on all other material. The difference in the repair and painting bills of watering carts, and other equipment will be an ap- preciable amount if provision is made for protecting them from the weather.
The steam roller we now have, while it may be used, can
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not do good work ; the machine is old and practically worn out ; the repair bill the past season has been large, and there is the probability of a breakdown at any moment, which will cause still larger bills. The roller has a value which may be applied in the purchase of a new machine and this should be taken advantage of this season. The new roller recommended should be a 15 ton machine, 3 tons heavier than the old one, and will be capable of doing 1-5 more work.
Streets kept clean wear longer and require less repair ; there is an undoubted value in clean and well kept streets to the general appearance of a town, and the comfort of its people. The worn out material if allowed to accumulate is detrimental, and destructive to the road surface and is in the highest degree a danger to the public health. Streets in the centre of the town require constant cleaning ; if for no other reason than that of sanitation they should receive it. The ratio of cost of cleaning by hand and by machinery is as 20 to 9. The saving effected by the use of a sweeper would amount to $430, the price of a sweeper is $250.
Requests for additional street watering have assumed large proportion and should be answered ; one cart in the centre of the town cannot do more than is now done, and a new cart would allow of extension, and would be of mate- rial aid to this department. It is submitted, that the work of street watering, is better suited to the horses of the Fire Dept. than is the work they now do on the streets.
In the sixteen years that the town has owned a crusher the amount of macadam street constructed will not reach 6 miles. That gravel is costly to maintain and is unsuitable for many of our streets is particularly in evidence this win- ter. Their improvement by the use of macadam is desirable and will prove economical in the end ; the cost of doing this work will depend directly upon the length of haul, and in
107
many instances it is evident that the work will be very costly unless means are provided to equalize it.
This can be done with a portable crushing plant. For the purpose of an illustration the case of Albion St. may be taken : this street needs macadamizing from Lake to Byron and from Jordan Ave. to Stoneham line. The cost of crushing may be taken as fixed or equal ; the first mentioned strip will require about 1000 tons ; from the stationary plant on Valley St. the average haul will be 5300 feet, say 1 mile, and the cost of hauling (at 25c. per ton-mile) will amount to $250. With a portable crushing plant the stone could be obtained in the vicinity ; (the grade of Bartley St. could be cut down, and the street benefited ; so also on Broadway ) the haul be reduced to average 1600 feet, making the cost of teaming $75.75.
The portion from Jordan Ave. to Stoneham line will re- quire about 825 tons ; average haul from Valley St, 7800 feet, cost of hauling that distance $304.78, with a portable plant haul would be 400 feet and would cost $15.63. Gross saving on the two jobs is therefore $463.40; allowing for moving and setting up machinery, the net saving will be $300.
In like manner it may be shown that a portable plant would save :
On Main, Lawrence line, . $765 00
On Vernon, Wave ave., line, 600 00
In Greenwood the proportion would be still larger.
In the above figures no account is taken of the benefit which Bartley street and Broadway would receive from cut- ting down the ledge grade thereon, and thus obtaining ma- terial for macadamizing Albion street, virtually a three fold result is obtained for one cost ; as the cutting down would improve their grade, facilitate their drainage, and at the same time cheapen the work on Albion street.
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPROPRIATIONS, 1906.
For a general system of drainage,
$40,000 00
For equipment,
13,200 00
New steam roller, old one and, . $2,200 00
Street sweeper, ·
250 00
Watering cart, .
350 00
Portable crushing plant, . 2,000 00
7 horses, .
. 1,750 00
2 double carts, . 250 00 ·
3 single carts, . 225 00 .
1 express wagon,
150 00
2 sleds,
100 00
Harnesses, stable furniture and
horse clothing, 300 00
Stable, sheds, storehouse and yard 5,625 00
$13,200 00
For macadamizing Main street, . 3,000 00
For general highway work, 15,000 00
The amount asked for drainage is intended to provide a complete system for the built up areas of the Town. The expenditure of this sum is intended to extend through more than one season, but it is difficult and impracticable to de- termine what the exact rate of expenditure would be. The whole sum is asked for that advantage may be taken of fav- orable opportunities and conditions for doing the work. The rate of progress would be regulated by the following :
The use which could be made of the material obtained from the excavations ; the cost of pipe, brick and cement which will have to be used ; (there should be money avail- able to buy in large quantities and at favorable prices, the material will cost nothing to keep and the saving may be large.) Full advantage should be taken of a favorable sea-
109
son ; conditions may arise where the necessary rights of easement can be acquired more cheaply if the money is im- mediately available.
Whatever is undertaken in this line should fit in with the regular Highway work, for mutual economy. This expen- diture if authorized and made will return more than 4 per cent. in the decreased annual charges which will follow its completion.
The appropriation for Equipment will return 25 per cent. as has been shown.
The appropriation for Main street will give us a mile of street, equal in quality to the best the State has built, at one half the cost.
The appropriation recommended for General Highway purposes is put at the lowest figure which, from careful esti- mates, will allow doing the work necessary to keep the bulk of the streets from growing worse, and the putting in good condition of a very few which are dangerous to travel.
RICHARDSON STREET.
In September, 1905, a special appropriation was made for the rebuilding of this street; the necessary work has not been completed ; the drainage has been installed, and the stone purchased and crushed; everything is in order for its early completion the coming season.
Appropriation, $1,400 00
Expenditures, . .
. $1,217 65
Due from Highway Dept. .
96 13
Credit balance, . 278 48
$1,496 13 $1,496 13
The inventory of tools and property in the care of this Department remains practically unchanged from that sub- mitted to you for insurance purposes.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY O. PECKHAM.
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SUMMARY OF PAY ROLLS : LABOR AND TEAMING.
Atherton, Willard
$ 9 25
Holden, Michael
4 00
Asburby, John
9 00
Horrigan, Michael
40 00
Ayscough, Harry
50
Houston, Henry
249 75
Baxter, A. D.
3 00
Hurton, Patrick
85 63
Bennett, Samuel
535 33
Kelley, Frank
71 25
Bowditch, Edw.
1 00
Landers, John
454 08
Branch, G. W.
1 00
Landers, William
272 80
Butler, Chas.
107 75
Landers, Daniel
I 00
Calnan, John
85 63
Lane, Paul E.
2 00
Cheever, Charles
77 75
Magee, A. A.
16 26
Crowley, William
76 00
Mahoney, Dennis
I 50
Curran, Patrick
81 75
McGlory, John
415 08
Deveau, Edmond
72 00
McMahon, John
7 00
Dignan, Patrick
II 75
McKeon, John
30 00
Donahue, John
32 00
McNeil, Henry
5 00
Drugan, Dennis
45 25
Merril, M.
5 00
Drugan, John
6 00
Mooney, James
31 00
Duggan, Patrick
52 25
Murray, John
13 00
Eager, George
234.50
Murphy, Daniel
34 50
Farrington, Patrick
I 00
Murphy, Jerry
IO 50
Fitzgerald, Thomas
361 50
Murphy, Patrick
I 00
Flynn, Thomas
13 33
Muse, S. B.
130 75
Freeman, Allen
74 50
Neiss, Fred
IO 50
Glynn, Martin
72 00
O'Connell, Thomas
208 75
Hart, Howard
352 50
O'Neil, William
4 00
Hale, Horace
126 58
O'Neil, Thomas
34 00
Hartshorne, F. M.
7 00
Qualters, Michael
25 00
Hatfield, John
46 00
Regan, James
68 25
Heath, Frank
20 00
Reardon, James
188 76
Heath, F. A., Jr.
5 50
Rhodes, Frank
5 00
Henry, John
509 33
Rich, Royal
4 00
Hennessey, James
I 50 . Roche, John
8 00
Hickey, W. J.
270 50
Rooney, Thomas
23 75
111
Sullivan, Fred
404 25
White, W. F.
31 13
Sweeney, William
22 25
Wheeler, P. W.
2 00
Vail, Charles
63 50
Winters, Ira
3 00
Welsh, William
15 00
Woodis, Hiram
277 08
Welsh, Patrick
46 00
Turner, A.
6 00
White, John
457 83
TEAMS.
Fire Dept.,
978 92
Skinner, C. F.
28 50
Hoyt, F. P.
454 44
Shea, J. F.
17 00
Mears, George
518 44
Hickey, Thomas
22 30
Reid, Henry
437 76
Lee, W. J.
80 50
Killorin Cont. Co.
482 63
Hunt, D. W.
29 40
Hunt, J. G.
205 12
Curley Bros.
8 25
Cutler, F. E.
70 94
Gates, S. M.
4I 25
Butler, A. A.
33 00
Doyle, Charles
70 25
Landers, Edw.
IOI 25
Reid, J. R.
116 77
Mansfield, A. L.
196 00
Perley, J. M.
14 00
Bolton, R. J.
I 25
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Insurance.
The Board of Selectmen acting in conjunction with the Town Treasurer as a committee appointed by the town at the March meeting to reorganize and take charge of the town's insurance, entered upon their duties soon after their appointment. On looking into the matter of insurance, as carried by the town heretofore, the Board found that the present system was faulty to a great extent, inasmuch, that the forms attached to the several policies were non-concur- rent, that the contracts of one policy did not agree with those of another, and that some buildings were insured for more and others less than could be collected from the com- panies in case of a fire loss.
It was also found that some towns, where the character and construction of public buildings, and where the risks of fire loss were similar to those of the town of Wakefield, were enjoying a much less rate or cost of insurance.
The town of Arlington, having recently secured a reduc- tion in its rates of insurance, was visited by the Board, where Chairman Bailey and other members of the Board of Selectmen of that town extended every courtesy and con- ducted the Board on a tour of inspection of its public prop- erties. After careful consideration, this Board adopted the policy of inviting the co-operation of the several Agents, representing the companies carrying town insurance, in se- curing a reduction in rates for the town of Wakefield. The Municipal departments of the town were requested to sub- mit a schedule of such town property as was in their charge with an appraisal of same, and after careful revision, a schedule was drawn showing the property to be insured, the appraisal of same, and the amount of insurance desired, on the basis of carrying insurance to the amount of 80 per
113
cent. of value on buildings and 90 per cent. of value on contents.
This schedule was submitted to the New England Fire Insurance Exchange, together with a petition for a reduc- tion in rate, of which the following is a copy :
WAKEFIELD, MASS., SEPT. 28, 1905.
To the New England Ins. Exchange,
55 Kilby street, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen :-
We hereby make requests for a reduction of the rate of Insurance now applying to the Municipal buildings and their contents in the town of Wakefield, for the reason that we deem the rates excessive con- sidering our well equipped Fire Department, the construction and location of our buildings, etc. We desire to have you give us an average rate on all the Town's property, with a specific amount on each building and its contents the same to carry respectively 80 per cent. and 90 per cent. of their appraised value.
Other municipalities in Massachusetts have been given a reduced rating, and many are doing their own insuring, others in part, and a great number are establishing municipal insurance funds in lieu of paying premiums to insurance companies. We desire and feel that we are entitled to a flat rate not exceeding 25 cents, as we consider our insurable property less hazadous than that of some of the towns enjoying the reduced rates.
We hand you herewith our schedule of appraised values of our various properties, showing their construction and location, and de - sire to insure the same on the basis of our submitted valuation, up to the full So and 90 per cent.
You will notice that 76 per cent. of the appraised value of build- ings are of brick, and comparatively new in their construction and equipment.
We request also, that existing policies may be cancelled pro-rata.
In making this application, the Board of Selectmen, acting as a committee in conjunction with the Town Treasurer, under authority of the town ; are joined by all the local Insurance agents of the Town of Wakefield with one exception, who are now enjoying the benefits of the Town Insurance.
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We ask for an early consideration of our request and petition. Respectfully,
(Signed)
THOMAS G. O'CONNELL,
NATH. E. CUTLER, LEVI FLANDERS, GEORGE W. ABBOTT,
FRANK T. WOODBURY, Selectmen of Wakefield.
ALBERT W. FLINT, Town Treasurer.
Committee for the Town of Wakefield.
We, the following insurance agents of the Town of Wakefield, en- dorse the above petition.
(Signed) GEO. O. CARPENTER & SON. FRED B. CARPENTER,
GEORGE H. S. DRIVER, ALBERT R. PERKINS,
WALTER G. HUNT,
WILLIAM H. BUTLER,
A. H. THAYER & Co.,
CHAS. F. HARTSHORNE & SON.
A committee from the exchange visited the Town, where they were received and entertained by this Board, conducted on a tour of inspection of the Town buildings, and were given such other information as they desired. Further con- ferences were held at the rooms of the Insurance Exchange in Boston, and on November 18, the New England Fire In- surance Exchange passed the following vote :
November 18, 1905.
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD :-
(Policies may be written on all property of the Town of Wake- field under a Schedule Form, with specific amounts on each build- ing, the contents being written Blanket; the Standard 80 per cent. Reduced Rate Clause to apply to building Item, the Standard 90 per cent. Reduced Rate Clause to apply to the Contents Item. Policies to cover all the Town property, buildings and contents as follows : Hamilton School, Albion st., Pumping Station, Storage
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Building, Coal Sheds, and two frame Dwelling Houses on Broadway, Warren School, Converse ave., Lincoln School, Crescent st., F. P. Hurd School, Cordis st., Woodville School, Almshouse and Alms- house Barn on Farm st., Town Hall, Main st., High School on Common st., Armory on Main st., New Franklin School on Nahant st., Greenwood School on Main st., Central Fire Station on Cres cent st., Greenwood Hose House on Oak st., West Ward School on Prospect st., Montrose School on Salem st., Stone Crusher Plant on Valley st., Road Roller House and Tool House connected on Valley st., Fire Department apparatus, located in Volunteer Hose House on Foster st., Fire Department appurtenances in frame building northerly side Lowell st., Montrose District, Fire Department appur- tenances in frame building at Town Farm, Woodville District, Farm street., Office Furniture and Supplies located in Water Department Office, Flanley's Brick Block on west side Main st., Bath House on Lake Quannapowitt, and Machinery, Tools and Supplies used by Highway Department.)
(Policies not to include vacant School House Building known as Old Franklin School. south side Franklin st., and the Municipal Light Plant on Railroad st; Rate to be Buildings and Contents .45 a; the Bath House and Contents, Coal Sheds and Storage Build- ings and Contents, Machinery, Tools and Supplies used by High- way Department, Stone Crusher Plant, Road Roller House and Tool House connected and contents, Rate to be .27 c ; the rates not to apply unless policies cover on all property of the Town of Wake- field, with the exceptions above enumerated.)
(Existing policies may be canceled or rebated pro rata.)
This shows a reduction from the old average annual rate of about 46, to an annual rate of 27. This reduction in . rate was based on the condition that the Town carry insur- ance on its buildings to the extent of 80 per cent. and on contents 90 per cent. of appraised values. In order that this may be better understood, we insert the following ex- planation.
Property under protection of a fire department is rated with the understanding that you carry upon it insurance aggregating in amount at least 80 per cent. of the actual cash value of the prop-
116
erty. You get a lower rate and pay a lesser premium by reason of the 80 per cent. clause. You are not restricted to just 80 per cent. -you can carry 85 per cent. or 90 per cent. or any amount up to the total value or 100 per cent. In case you do not comply with the conditions of the clause-that is carry at least 80 per cent in- surance of the actual cash value of your property, in the event of a fire loss, the insurance companies will pay you for the loss or dam- age in full up to the amount of your insurance, be the loss total or partial. You are not obliged to carry 80 per cent. insurance by rea- son of the clause. You can carry 70 per cent. or 60 per cent or even 50 per cent. or less, and in case of a total loss the company will pay the loss up to the amount of its policy. You have lost heavily because you did not insure high enough.
The best way to understand just how a partial loss would affect you with less than 80 per cent. insurance, is to consider yourself an insurance company for the amount between what you do insure and 80 per cent. of the valuation of the property insured, and charge yourself your pro rata part of any loss as explained by the following illustration :
Property value $1,000. You should insure it for $800. You do insure it for $700. You are an insurance company for $100. The com- pany pays 7-8 of any loss up to the amount of its policy and you yourself contribute 1-8. On an $800 loss or above, the company pays you $700, because 7-8 of the loss is $700 or more, and takes its whole policy. On any loss less than $800, the company pays 7-8 of it and you stand 1-8 of it yourself. If loss is $400, the company pays you $350. Of course if you insure for a less amount than 70 per cent. as illustrated above, you contribute a greater amount in case of loss, but from above examples you can figure out just what you would contribute, by changing the amounts and fractions.
As an illustration of the above the attention of the citi- zens is called to the fire loss which occured at the Alms House a few years ago. This property not being insured up to 80 per cent. of its value, the Town suffered a shrinkage of several hundred dollars on the actual loss incurred. If the Alms House had been insured for 80 per cent. of its
117
value the Town would have been reimbursed for the entire loss.
The following shows the new arrangement of the Town's Insurance, and is the schedule upon which the reduction in rate was obtained.
NOVEMBER 18, 1905.
On and after this date, this policy shall attach and cover as follows, and not as heretofore :
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD, MASS.
LOSS, IF ANY, PAYABLE TO THE TOWN TREASURER.
On the following-described property, located and situated in the Town of Wakefield, Mass.
Division 1. $344.000. On Buildings and Foundations and all additions, including permanent fixtures, fences, gates, towers, flag- staffs, engines, crushers, boilers, and their foundations and settings, pumps, stacks, heating, ventilating and lighting apparatus and ap- purtenances, fixed and movable machinery of all kinds, belting, hangers, piping of all kinds, tanks, dynamos, motors, switch-boards and other electrical apparatus and devices, wiring, landlord's fix- tures, and all fixtures and apparatus which may be properly consid- ered a part of any building, including all counters, rails, desks, fur- niture and fixtures of every description which are fastened to the building.
CONSTRUCTION, DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION.
Amount in- sured on property described under Division No. 1.
Item
No.
I. Brick Building, known as Town Hall, Square bound- ed by Main, Lincoln, Water and Smith Streets, . $80,000
2. Brick Building, known as Lincoln School, Easterly side of Crescent Street, corner of Otis Street, 43,200
3. Brick Building, known as H. M. Warren School, South-
erly side of Converse St., corner of Jordan Ave., . 29,600
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4. Brick Building, known as Hamilton School, Southerly side Albion Street, corner Lake Street, . 14,800
5. Brick Building, known as F. P. Hurd School, North- erly side Cordis Street, . 12,700
6. Brick Building, known as New Franklin School, North- erly side Nahant Street, corner Traverse Street, 29,700
7. Brick Building, known as Greenwood School, Easter- ly side Main Street, 25,500
8. Brick Building, known as Central Fire Station, Wes- terly side Crescent Street, corner Mechanic Street,
14,000
9. Brick Building, known as Pumping Station, Southerly side Broadway, 14,000
IO. Frame Building, known as High School, Westerly side Common Street, corner Lafayette Street, 49,700
II. Frame Building, known as West Ward School, North- erly side Prospect Street, 2,100
12. Frame Building, known as Montrose School, Souther- ly side Salem Street, 2,100
I3 Frame Building, known as Woodville School, Easterly side Farm Street, . ·
2,500
14. Frame Building, known as Greenwood Hose House, Southerly side Oak Street, 2,100
15. Frame Building, known as Almshouse, Easterly side Farm Street, 4,800
16. Frame Building, known as Almshouse Barn, Easterly side Farm Street, . ,
1,200
I7. Frame Building, known as Armory, Easterly side Main Street,
6,400
18. Frame Building, known as Bath House, Southerly border Lake Quannapowitt, . 300
19. Frame Building, known as Storage Building at Pump- ing Station, Southerly side Broadway, 700
20. Frame Building, known as Coal Sheds at Pumping Station, Southerly side Broadway, . . 600
2I. Frame Building, known as Dwelling House, Souther- ly side Broadway, . 2,000
22. Frame Building, known as Dwelling House, Southerly side Lakeside Avenue, . 2,800
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23. Frame Building, known as Stone Crusher Plant, sit- uated Westerly side Valley Street, . 2,800
24. Frame Building, known as Road Roller & Tool House, Westerly side Valley St. at Stone Crusher Plant, . 400
Division 2. $47,300. On Furniture and Furnishings, useful and ornamental ; metals, scientific cabinets, collections, pictures, paint- ings, sculptures, curiosities, specimens, statuary, works of art, pat- terns, plans, models, drawings and designs ; plate and plated ware ; books, music, manuscripts, maps, clocks, musical instruments, flags, stationery and office supplies, books of record and account at not exceeding their value blank ; fire extinguishing and fire alarm towers and apparatus and appliances ; safes, town scales, fixtures, tools, im- plements, apparatus, appliances ; utensils, fuel, materials, supplies and equipment ; animals, no one horse to be valued exceeding $400.00, and no other animal to be valued exceeding $100.00 ; ve- hicles, steam rollers and ambulances and harnesses and parts of same ; robes, blankets and all other horse and vehicle furnishings and equipments ; hay, feed, straw and bedding ; signs and awnings and any and all other property, except money and evidences of debt, not covered by the first division of this policy, in or on prem- ises of assured or elsewhere in the State of Massachusetts.
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