USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1910 > Part 11
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William W. Brewster moved that the Town authorize the Selectmen to release to the Trustees of the Stickney Fund all the land lying between Carver and Water streets and Middle and Leyden streets, in Plymouth, and to execute and deliver in the name and behalf of the Town the necessary instruments of conveyance, and the motion was carried.
William W. Brewster moved that the Town authorize the Selectmen to determine the rights of the Town in the Barnes Mill Pond and Town Brook, and to adjust the claims of the abutting owners therein, in such manner as said Selectmen may deem for the best interests of the Town.
William W. Brewster moved that the Town appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars for the purchase of the shore rights on Water street, now belonging to the estate of the late Josiah A. Robbins, to be expended by the Selectmen, and the motion. was carried.
On motion of William W. Brewster: Voted, that the Director of the Bureau of Statistics be hereby petitioned to make such an audit of the accounts of the Town as may be necessary for the installation of such system of accounts as may be approved by him in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 598 of the Acts of 1910.
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Report of the Selectmen
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1911.
GENERAL REMARKS.
Departing from past custom the account of work done and expenditures made in the various departments under the direct supervision of the Superintendent of Streets will be found in his report following this.
In pursuance of the desire of the Town as indicated by the vote at the annual meeting of 1911 relative to the pay of the men employed by the Town, the wages have been increased from 25 cents to 30 cents per hour.
As the estimates for 1911 appropriations were based on a 25 cent per hour rate and no additions were made to the appropria- tions as estimated, this increase of twenty per cent. in labor cost resulted in a considerable overdraft in the Roads and Bridges and Court Street appropriations, as shown in the re- port of the Superintendent of Streets.
The increasing use of automobiles and the consequent de- mand for better roads, together with the increased cost of labor, necessitates larger appropriations for that depart- ment, and we are recommending appropriations totalling $2,400.00 net more than for 1911.
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In recommending appropriations for 1912 we follow the suggestions of the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics, under whose supervision a new system of Town accounting will be installed as soon as his department can send a man here. This new system is in pursuance of votes of the Town at the annual meeting of 1911 and the special meeting of July 29, 1911.
These suggestions of the Bureau of Statistics call for an appropriation for the several items, sufficient to cover the es- timated expenditures, disregarding any estimated receipts or undrawn balances of annual appropriations. Such estimated receipts and undrawn balances of annual appropriations are then totalled and deducted from the aggregate of the several appropriations to ascertain the net amount to be raised by taxation, the net result to the Town being the same as here- tofore when the several undrawn balances and the estimated receipts of the various accounts have gone to the credit of their individual accounts for the ensuing year.
The undrawn balances of appropriations for specific work uncompleted, remain to the credit of their several appropria- tions.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $18,000.00, and of $3,020.63 to cover the overdraft of 1911.
DARBY ROAD.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $2,837.00, to- gether with the sum of $663.00, the amount of the final divi-
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dend on the Town's subscription to the stock of the Plymouth, Carver & Wareham Street Railway Company, to complete the macadam to the Carver line on both the North Carver and the Wenham roads, a distance of 2,700 feet, and an appropriation of $182.98 for the 1911 overdraft.
We also recommend appropriations for special items of road work, as follows :
For Tarvia grouted macadam on Water street, from Leyden to Sandwich street, 738 feet in length, $2,300.00.
For the same type of road on Summer street, from Newfields to Oak street, 840 feet, $2,000.00.
For a Tarvia coating (including a change in the crown of the road) on Court street, from Shirley square to Lothrop street, $5,000.00. The distance here is 3,024 feet and the job proposed the same as was done on Main street in the fall of 1911.
For a bituminous surface on Sandwich street, from Training Green to Jabez Corner, 4,480 feet, $2,000.00.
For a bituminous surface on Court street, from Russell ave- nue to Cherry street, 3,800 feet, $1,600.00. This includes widening the macadam in several places, which it seems advis- able to do to get rid of some muddy places between the present macadam and the sidewalk.
As authorized by the Town at the special meeting, July 29, 1911, the Selectmen have purchased a new 12-ton, Buffalo-Pitts steam road roller.
The price was $2,300.00 and the old roller. This was paid for out of the money received from the State for the Armory.
SUMMER STREET.
The overdraft on this item of special work is $142.01, for which sum we recommend an appropriation.
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COURT STREET.
The overdraft on this work is $3,320.13, for which sum we recommend an appropriation.
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NEW ROADS.
Petitions have been received to lay out Town ways as follows:
Two extensions of Cherry street, a way from a point on Allerton street northerly of the Pilgrim Monument to Standish avenue; Lewis street, Savery's avenue, a way parallel with the shore at White Horse Beach, running southerly from the pres- ent Town way to the shore, for a distance of about 1,000 feet; a way from Warren avenue, at Cliff street, to the shore, and the widening of Water street from the end of the 1908 layout to Sandwich street.
Hearings on the Cherry street extensions, Savery's avenue and the White Horse road have been held and layouts will be reported to the Town for action at the annual meeting.
On acount of the number of new street layouts already accepted by the Town, on which in some cases no work has been done, and which in other cases are only partially worked, no hearings have been held on the other petitions. We recom- mend that a number of these unworked and unfinished Town ways be taken up promptly the coming spring and completed as far as possible.
A favorable opportunity offering to secure a piece of land on the easterly side of Water street at the foot of Leyden street for the future widening of Water street, the title to it was taken for the Town from Ellis W. Harlow. The area was about 940 square feet and the price $385.40.
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Title to another piece of land, corner of Summer street and the way leading to the Almshouse, was taken from Bessie M. Markus, allowing a widening of the entrance to the above way five or six feet. The price of this was $250.00.
The undrawn balance of 1911 is $1,834.54. For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $5,600.00.
SIDEWALKS.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $3,000.00, and $389.56 to cover the overdraft.
SEWERS.
The undrawn balance of 1911 is $2,908.42.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $3,000.00.
Except for laying the new iron outlet at the north part of the Town, which should be done as soon as the weather will permit, no particular item of sewer work is in sight. The es- timated cost of laying this iron pipe is $2,000.00, and we think there should be at least $1,000.00 available for general purposes.
WELLINGSLEY SEWER.
The cost of this will greatly exceed the original estimate of $6,000.00, as will be seen by the financial report of the Super- intendent of Streets.
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This is due largely to the nature of the material in the line of the trench from Sandwich street to the shore, for part of the distance there being rocks which had to be blasted, and in other places the material was so soft as to greatly impede the progress of the work.
The pipe, manhole frames and covers and the most of the brick to complete the work are paid for and we estimate the completion of the job to cost $3,000.00, and recommend that the Town appropriate this sum from the money received from the sale of its Plymouth & Middleboro R. R. Co. stock to com- plete the work.
The undrawn balance is $233.23.
STREET SPRINKLING.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $4,000.00, and of $961.05 to cover the 1911 overdraft.
MAIN STREET EXTENSION.
The undrawn balance is $457.40.
REMOVAL OF SNOW.
The undrawn balance is $615.25.
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $600.00.
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STREET LIGHTING.
Last year's report was in error in stating a total of 336 in- candescent lights. The correct number was 339.
Three lights have been added during the year, one on Sum- mer street, near the residence of John A. Palmberg; one on Cherry street, between Court street and Standish avenue, and one on Main street at the head of Middle street.
Under date of July 28, 1911, a decision was received from the Board of Gas and Electric Light Commissioners in response to our petition of April 18, 1910, relative to the price of street lights.
This decision recommended that on and after August 1, 1911, the prices of street lights supplied by the Plymouth Electric Light Company shall not exceed $16.00 per year for 50 watt 40 candle power tungsten lamps burning until midnight, or $20.00 per year burning all night.
For 250 watt 200 candle power tungsten lamps or their equivalent in clusters of five 50 watt 40 candle power lamps burning until midnight not more than $71.00 per year, or not more than $89.00 per year burning all night.
Prior to that incandescent lights cost the Town $20.00 each per year for midnight lighting, and clusters of five lamps cost $125.00 each per year for all night lighting.
By authority of the vote of the Town at the annul meeting of 1911 the Selectmen decided to adopt all night lighting from September 1, 1911.
There are now-
342 incandescent lights at $20.00,
$6,840 00
8 clusters of five each at $89.00,
12 00
$7,552 00
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The undrawn balance of 1910 was, Appropriation for 1911,
$102 00
7,600 00
$7,702 00
Expenditures,
7,544 49
Undrawn balance,
$157 51
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $7,700.00.
CONTINGENT.
A large item of expense charged to this account in 1911, and more than equalling the overdraft, was for dredging.
In building the new dam at the foot of the Barnes Mill Pond in 1910, considerable mud from the bottom of the pond went into the harbor and settled in the channel and basin around the wharves, shoaling the water to such an extent as to neces- sitate some dredging. This work cost $854.70.
Heretofore our Contingent account has been a general dump- ing ground for unclassified expenses and receipts, but under the Bureau of Statistics system it is proposed to be an account from which transfers may be made to other accounts by the Selectmen, under proper restrictions and for good and sufficient reasons.
For this account we recommend an appropriation of $5,000. The undrawn balance of 1910 was, $1,260 09
Appropriation,
5,000 00
Reimbursements,
3,008 64
Overdraft, 708 28
$9,977 01
Expenditures,
$9,977 01
We also recommend an appropriation of $708.28 to cover the above overdraft.
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WATCH AND POLICE.
The State Board of Health has condemned the present lockup- as unfit to keep prisoners in and we therefore recommend that the Town building now occupied by Mr. J. W. Mixter be util- ized for a lockup. A plan has been prepared and an estimate of cost made. The estimate is $3,000.00. The plan must be approved by the State Board of Health.
It provides for nine cells, three toilets and one bath, and' gives ample room for the Chief and officers.
We recommend that $3,000.00 of the money received by the - Town for its Plymouth & Middleboro Railroad Company stock be applied to this purpose.
In line with the advance in pay of the men employed by the Town in other departments, the pay of the patrolmen was in- creased May 1st to $18.90 per week. As this was not antici -- pated in making the appropriation an overdraft results.
In view of the expense of a new lockup, which cannot be- avoided, and the fact that the streets are now lighted all night, which latter is a measure of protection, we do not feel like en -- dorsing at this time the recommendations of the Chief of Police- to instal a police signal system and to add two more men to the. force.
The undrawn balance of 1910 was,
$776 76
Appropriation, 6,000 00
Reimbursements,
7 44
Overdraft,
421 31
$7,205 51
Expenditures,
$7,205 51
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $8,000.00, and of $421.31 to cover the overdraft.
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CULTIVATION, PROPAGATION AND PROTECTION OF SHELL FISH.
One grant was made in 1911, that to Orrick A. Robbins of the Middle Ground, so-called, for a term of five years.
No clams have been planted by the Town during the year. The three years close season on White Flat and Corey's Flat expired in 1911, and the clams that had accumulated during the close season were very quickly dug out.
Also the close season on the part of Plymouth beach north of Pavilion wharf expired and the Board restricted the dig- ging to one bucket per day to a person. These clams, too, have now been practically dug out. A close season of one year has been placed on Wine Flat. As noted last year, there is a gen- eral indifference or unwillingness of people here who would most naturally be the greatest gainers to engage in the cultiva- tion of clams.
Since last summer, however, a gentleman who is engaged in the clam canning business elsewhere has looked over the Plymouth, Kingston and Duxbury flats with a view to locating a canning plant here if suitable areas of flats could be leased for a sufficient length of time to warrant the necessary invest- ment.
A change in the 1870 clam law applying to these three towns has been secured from the Legislature, extending the maximum. term for which grants can be made from five years to fifteen years, subject to acceptance of the act by the Town.
This is Chapter 57, Acts of 1912, and there is an article in the warrant to see if the Town will accept it. Also there is- another article to see if the Town will reconsider its vote limit- ing to one acre the area to be granted an individual.
It is hoped that the Town will act favorably on both arti- cles.
Up to November 1, 1911, the supervision of the clam busi -- ness has been by the Police, but believing that the possibilities-
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of the business warranted a trial of some other method of su- pervision whereby the Town could have the benefit of the -advice, knowledge and experience of some one who could de- vote more time to the work than could be given by any of the police, and in view of the possible establishment of a clam busi- ness, in which event it would seem desirable to have some one to look closely after the Town's interest in any grants that might be made, the Board has appointed Alfred Holmes for that duty, from the above date to May 1, 1912.
It is hoped that the Town will approve of this action and ap- propriate a sufficient sum to continue the arrangement through the year to give it a fair trial.
Mr. Holmes' duties cover the supervision and care of Pilgrim Wharf now leased to the Town. He has also been appointed Harbor Master.
His pay for the care of flats, shores and the wharf is $50.00 "per month, which includes the use of his power boat.
Salary as Harbor Master $150.00 per year. The undrawn balance of 1910,
$172 50
Appropriation,
150 00
$322 50
Expenditures,
325 60
Overdraft,
$3 10
For 1912 we recommend an appropriation of $800.00, and of $3.10 to cover the overdraft.
There have been 11,347 buckets of clams dug on the shores and flats during the year, as near as can be told under the method of supervision in effect up to November 1, 1911.
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SUNDRY MATTERS.
Pursuant to a vote of the Town at the Annual Meeting of 1911, the Selectmen have divided the Town into two voting- precincts, a description of the proposed precincts being filed with the Town Clerk, to be presented for consideration at the- Annual Meeting, March 23, 1912.
By authority of a vote at the Annual Meeting of 1911, the- Selectmen have leased from the Pilgrim Society, Pilgrim Wharf, so-called. The lease is of date May 1, 1911, and is filed. with the Town Clerk.
An appropriation of $1,500.00 was made for repairs to this. property.
The repairs as far as contemplated for 1911 have been completed, at a cost of $1,490.35, leaving an undrawn balance- of $9.65.
The work was done and material furnished by D. H. Craig.
The south side, the end and about sixty feet of the north side were replanked, using about 20,000 feet of 3-inch spruce. Forty-four new piles were driven, new stringers and plank floor for the end put in, new plank cap log for four hundred feet or- more, and all new planking was packed to prevent filling from washing out.
This puts the wharf proper in very good condition for a number of years, except that some filling is needed to bring the- surface to the proper grade, and the bulkhead between Pilgrim and Atwood's wharves needs some repairs.
The new fire station at the north part of the Town, begun in 1910, has been completed and turned over to the Fire Depart- ment.
The cost of the building was $12,038.60, as below :
Ernest L. Sampson, general contractor, $10,179 00
John E. Jordan, heating contract, 525 00
John E. Jordan, gas piping contract, 25 00
John E. Jordan, gas piping, extra, 10 00
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John E. Jordan, hardware, etc.,
96 43
Thomas M. James, architect, 394 16
Joseph Barnes, supervision, 265 97
Plymouth Cordage Company, sewer permit, 105 00
Stuart-Howland Co., electrical supplies, 64 74
Western Electric Co., electrical supplies, 51 63
20th Century Electrical Co., electrical supplies,
5 95
John J. O'Brien, electrical supplies,
5 80
John F. Waters, electrical supplies,
45
Edwin C. Lewis, Inc., electric fixtures, 66 75
McKenney & Waterbury, electric fixtures, 24 00
Labor connecting sewer,
22 75
Street Department, grading lot and paving front of station, 178 50
Water Dept., connecting with water main, 7 50
.C. W. Blackmer, horse hire, 1 00
E. D. Bartlett, expense to Boston to consult architect, 4 80
ยท State of Massachusetts, boiler inspection, 2 00
A. J. Smith, machine work,
1 35
N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co. freight,
82
$12,038 60
Appropriation,
12,000 00
Overdraft,
$ 38 60
For which sum we recommend an appropriation.
The Warren Fund, Murdock Fund and Nathaniel Morton Park Fund have up to 1911 been carried on the books as a lia- bility of the Town, interest being paid by the Town and credited to the several accounts entitled to the income from said funds. This was due to the fact that the money for the several funds had been turned into the Town Treasury, so that the funds "existed in name only.
The Treasurer has now by direction of the votes of the Selectmen deposited in the Plymouth Savings Bank the several
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sums belonging to the three funds, viz: Warren Fund, $1,000; Murdock Fund, $730.00; Nathaniel Morton Park Fund, $2,000.00, this complying with the provisions of the several wills establishing them and creating funds in fact in place of funds in name only.
By authority of the vote of the Town, August 20, 1910, the engine house and lot at Seaside have been sold, and the pro- ceeds, $250.00, placed to the credit of contingent account.
Alexander McLean, Jr., paid $200.00 for the lot, and Joe Furtado $50.00 for the building.
Under the vote of the Town at the Annual Meeting of 1911, the Selectmen have purchased all but one of the Armory bonds then outstanding, the owner of the bond maturing in 1915. declining to sell.
Disposition to date of the money received from the State for the Armory is as follows :
Received from the State,
$28,771 89
Bonds repurchased :
Principal,
$21,000 00
Accrued interest,
235 33
Premium,
124 50
$21,359 83
Paid for road roller,
2,300 00
$23,659 83
Undrawn balance,
$5,112 06
As authorized by the Town at the 1911 Annual Meeting, the Primary School building at Manomet has been sold, the pur- chaser being James W. Hazen, and the price $100.00. The ex- pense of selling was $10.00. No purchaser has been found for the lot.
By authority of a vote of the Town at the special meeting of July 29, 1911, the 500 shares of the Plymouth & Middleboro R. R. Co., owned by the Town, have been sold at $78.50 per
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share, aggregating $39,250.00. This sum was received October 19, 1911, and on October 24, 1911, was deposited with the State Street Trust Company of Boston at a 3 per cent. interest rate, pending the decision of the Town as to the disposition of the money.
We recommend that, except for the $6,000.00 recommended to be taken from this for completing the Wellingsley sewer and fitting up a new lockup, the money and its accumulated interest. be used to liquidate outstanding indebtedness of the Town.
By authority of a vote of the Town at the special meeting, July 29, 1911, the contention between William C. Chandler and the Town as to the ownership of certain land bordering the southeasterly side of Barnes Mill Pond, so-called, including part of the bottom of said pond, has been settled by an exchange of deeds between Mr. Chandler and the Town, which deeds have been recorded, and the deed from Mr. Chandler to the Town is filed with the Town Clerk.
During the year title has been taken to the land at and north- erly of the foot of Nelson Street, from Nelson Sherman and the Jeremiah Murray Estate, appropriations for which were made several years ago.
Appropriations,
$5,200.00
Cost of land,
5,200.00
On a petition from this Board the County Commissioners: have altered, widened, and relocated the Plymouth and Sand- wich road at Ellisville from the end of the 1911 State Highway layout to the Bettysfield road, so-called, the Plymouth & Sand- wich St. Ry. Co., having agreed to reimburse the Town for any expense of land damage or working the said section. This agreement is filed with the Town Clerk.
Because the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics has up to the present time been unable to spare a man to install the new system of accounting, which the Town has voted to adopt,
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the Board has not yet appointed the Town Accountant as in- structed by the Town at the Annual Meeting of 1911.
We recommend that the Town Accountant when appointed, be paid a salary of $1,000.00 per year.
The following appropriations are asked for by the different departments :
Roads and bridges,
$18,000 00
Darby road, 2,837 00
Water street,
2,300 00
Summer street, 2,000 00
Court street (Shirley square, north) 5,000 00
Sandwich street, 2,000 00
Court street, (Russell avenue to Cherry street),
1,600 00
New Roads,
5,600 00
Sidewalks,
3,000 00
Sewers,
3,000 00
Street Sprinkling,
4,000 00
Removal of snow,
600 00
Street Lighting,
7,700 00
Contingent,
5,000 00
Selectmen's dept.,
1,300 00
Accounting dept.,
1,300 00
Town Treasurer's dept.,
1,200 00
Tax Collector's dept.,
1,000 00
Town Clerk's dept.,
150 00
Law dept.,
800 00
Election and registration,
900 00
Maintenance of Town House, including new heater,
1,600 00
Miscellaneous, 1,800 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures dept., 500 00
Harbor Master, 150 00
Watch and Police,
8,000 00
Sexton,
125 00
Poor,
11,000 00
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Oak Grove and Vine Hills cemeteries, Burial Hill,
5,000 00
800 00
Chiltonville, Manomet, Cedarville and South Ponds, cemeteries,
150 00
Addition to Manomet cemetery,
150 00
Schools,
63,000 00
Town debt and interest,
33,000 00
Assessors,
3,200 00
Parks,
1,200 00
Training Green,
185 00
Shelter and bath houses at Beach Park,
500 00
Tree Warden,
1,000 00
Gypsy and brown tail moths,
2,200 00
Fire department,
14,500 00
Forest Warden,
2,000 00
Shell Fish,
800 00
Board of Health,
3,500 00
Board of Health (land for dump),
200 00
Inland fisheries,
500 00
$224,347 00
APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEFICIENCIES.
Military Aid, one-half,
$162 00
Sidewalks,
389 56
Street sprinkling,
961 05
Fire Department,
1,500 99
Town debt and interest,
188 34
Soldiers' Relief,
2,480 21
Watch and police,
421 31
Darby Road,
182 98
Manomet School loan,
1,608 22
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Roads and bridges,
3,020 63
Burial Hill,
36 92
Contingent,
708 28
Board of Health,
402 85
North Fire Station,
38 60
Shell fish,
3 10
Summer street,
122 01
Court street,
3,320 13
Main street extension (1910),
13 86
Stable (1903),
103 26
$15,664 30
$240,011 30
Less-
Undrawn balances :
New roads,
$1,834 54
Sewers,
2,908 42
Removal of snow,
615 25
Lighting streets and Town house,
157 51
Sexton,
26 04
Poor,
62 07
Oak Grove and Vine Hills
cemeteries, 493 41
Chiltonville, Manomet,
Cedarville and South Pond cemeteries,
101 41
Schools, 74 32
Schools, Medical Inspection, 31 66
Assessors, 240 57
Training Green,
2 45
Tree Warden, 266 27
Gypsy and brown tail moths, 633 67
Forest Warden,
550 70
Inland fisheries,
493 51
$8,491 80
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Estimated receipts :
Sewers,
$1,000 00
Miscellaneous, 1,275 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures,
125 00
Poor,
1,800 00
Oak Grove and Vine Hills cemeteries :
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