USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1913 > Part 13
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On motion of Richmond Talbot : Voted, that the Moderator appoint a committee of three persons to investigate the matter of purchasing a Tractor for the use of the Fire Department to report at a future meeting of the Town.
Mr. E. D. Bartlett moved that the Chief of the Fire Depart- ment serve as one of said committee and the motion was carried.
Article sixteen being under consideration :
On motion of Richmond Talbot: Voted, that the sum of ($800.00) be appropriated for the extension of the Street light- ing system from the Hotel Pilgrim to Fresh Pond with branches to White Horse and Manomet Point.
Article seventeen indefinitely postponed.
Article eighteen being under consideration :
On motion of Mr. Kyle : Voted, that the sum of two thousand dollars be expended on the playground at the foot of Nelson street, under the directions of the Selectmen. Of this amount a sum not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars to be used for the build- ing of a bath house, the remaining amount to be used for grad- ing the grounds.
Article nineteen being under consideration :
Mr. Talbot moved that the Stevens Meadow with suitable access thereto be acquired by purchase, and that the sum of ($2,500.00) be appropriated therefor to be expended by the Park Commissioner.
Judge H. B. Davis moved to amend by substituting the fol-
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lowing: That the town acquire so much of the Stevens Meadow so called as may be necessary for bathing and play ground pur- poses and that a sum of ($2,500.00) be appropriated therefor to be expended by a Committee of five to be appointed by the Moderator.
The amendment of Judge Davis was then put and carried, and the vote offered by Mr. Davis was then put and more than two- thirds having voted in the affirmative the motion was carried.
Article twenty being under consideration :
On motion of Richmond Talbot: Voted, that the sum of ($200.00) be appropriated for the purpose of erecting monu- ments at the graves of the persons who served in the war of the Revolution, the same to be expended under the direction of the Cemetery Commissioner.
Article twenty-one being under consideration :
On motion of Mr. Peterson : Voted, that the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars be appropriated by the Town to be expended under the direction of the School Committee for the purpose of enlarging the High School Building.
Article twenty-two being under consideration :
Wm. M. Douglass moved that for the purpose of raising money to be expended on the alterations of the High School building the Selectmen are hereby authorized to borrow the sum of thirty- five thousand dollars ($35,000.00) and to issue therefor bonds, or notes of the Town bearing interest at a rate not exceeding four percent per annum, payable semi-annually, and the prin- cipal payable in ten equal annual payments of thirty-five hun- dred dollars ($3,500.00) each, said bonds or notes to be signed by the treasurer and approved by a majority of the Selectmen. One hundred and ninety-one having voted in the affirmative and fifty-three in the negative, more than two-thirds having voted in the affirmative, the motion was carried.
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Article twenty-three being under consideration :
Mr. Peterson moved that the Town appropriate the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) to introduce sewing and cooking into the public schools, and to purchase the necessary equipment and the motion was carried.
Article twenty-four being under consideration :
On motion of Mr. Morrison : Voted, that the number of Select- men be increased from three to five members.
Article twenty-five being under consideration :
On motion of Richmond Talbot: Voted, that the town appro- priate the sum of one hundred eighty-five dollars ($185.00) for the purchase of a pulmotor to be under the care of the Selectmen.
Article twenty-six being under consideration :
Mr. Talbot moved that the Town transfer the balance of ($538.92) received from the sale of the Harriet Sampson estate and the balance of ($1,950.00) received from the sale of the Old School and lot at the corner of Court and Bourne Streets to the Contingent Account for 1914 and the motion was carried.
Article twenty-seven being under consideration :
On motion of Edward L. Burgess: Voted, that the town ac- cept and allow the lay out of a common landing place at Mano- met Beach as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article twenty-eight being under consideration :
On motion of Edward L. Burgess: Voted, that the Town ac- cept and allow the alteration of Summer Street, at Sparrow's Hill so called, as altered by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article twenty-nine being under consideration :
On motion of Edward L. Burgess: Voted, that the Town ac- cept and allow the alteration of Main Street Extension and
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Sandwich Street as altered by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article thirty being under consideration :
On motion of Edward L. Burgess: Voted, that the Town ac- cept and allow the lay out of Obery Street as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article thirty-one being under consideration :
On motion of Edward L. Burgess: Voted, that the Town ac- cept and allow the layout of an extension of Taylor Avenue as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article thirty-two being under consideration.
On motion of Edward L. Burgess: Voted, that the Town ac- cept and allow the layout of Water Street Extension as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article thirty-three being under consideration :
Richmond Talbot moved that the Town appropriate the sum of six thousand dollars ($6,000.00) for the extension of the macadam from the Darby road as far down Samoset Street as the sum will permit.
Mr. Dorr moved to amend by substituting to build from Court Street as far westerly as the sum will permit and the motion was carried.
The motion as amended was then put and carried.
Article thirty-four was indefinitely postponed.
Article thirty-five being under consideration :
Mr. Bagnell moved that the Town authorize the Selectmen to sell and convey the rights of the Town in a lot of land bounded Easterly by Main Street Extension, Southerly by Town Brook and Westerly and Northerly by land of others on such terms as they think proper and the motion was carried.
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Article thirty-six was indefinitely postponed.
Article thirty-seven being under consideration :
Mr. Talbot moved that this article be referred to a committee of three to be appointed by the Moderator to report at some fu- ture meeting of the Town and the motion was carried.
Article thirty-eight being under consideration :
Mr. Eldridge moved that the Selectmen be authorized to enter . into a contract or agreement for the erection of a tower and the installation of a Town Clock on the Government building and expenditures to be charged to the Miscellaneous Account and the motion was carried.
Article thirty-nine being under consideration :
On motion of Mr. Burgess: Voted, that the Town create a Planning Board to consist of three members to be chosen an- nually.
On motion of Edward L. Burgess: Voted, that Ephraim D. Bartlett, William T. Eldridge, and John L. Morton, serve as members of the Planning Board for one year.
Articles forty and forty-one indefinitely postponed.
Article forty-two being under consideration :
Mr. Talbot moved that the sum of ($3,500.00) from the Re- serve Fund be applied to reduce the Tax levy of 1914.
On motion of Edward L. Burgess : Voted, that the Collector of Taxes be authorized to receive taxes for the ensuing year at such places as he shall designate on or before the fifteenth day of October, that interest be charged on all taxes remaining unpaid on the said fifteenth day of October at the rate of six per cent. per annum and such rate shall continue until otherwise ordered by the Town, and all taxes and interest remaining unpaid on the first day of January following shall be collected forthwith by legal process and the Collector of Taxes is hereby authorized
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to collect at once by legal process all taxes of previous years out- standing.
On motion of Edward L. Burgess : Voted, that the sum of two hundred eighteen thousand seven hundred forty four and 32-100 dollars ($218,744.32) be raised and assessed upon the polls and estates of the inhabitants of the Town of Plymouth and upon the estates of non-residents to defray the expenses of the Town for the ensuing year.
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Report of the Selectmen
REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN FOR THE YEAR
ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1914.
In presenting this report of the conduct of the Town's affairs for the year 1914 we cannot call attention to anything of a very unusual nature. The ordinary business has been carried on in the usual manner; the finances have presented nothing in the way of difficulty and the different departments have attended to the matters pertaining to them in their usual manner. There has been no emergency to call for any extraordinary expenditure of funds with the exception of the construction of the Tower on the Post Office and the installation of the clock and bell. This work if completed when it was expected would have caused a large draft on the emergency fund. But the delay in the work has caused this matter to be attended to without making any shortage. The clock is now in position and when the contract for the building of the Post Office is completed will be placed in the care of the Town's officers.
ROADS AND STREETS.
The work that has been carried on on Main Street Extension has obliged your Board to delay the widening at the Drew cor-
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ner. It was thought better to wait until the new buildings in process of construction were completed and then make one job of the widening and surfacing of this street. It seems to be advis- able to macadam the lower end of this street from Water street towards the bridge which can be done without being hampered by the building now going on on the east side of the street. We recommend for this purpose the sum of $1,000.00.
Warren Avenue which has also been in very bad condition should certainly have some attention this year. There are two plans for the improvement of this important street. One is to release to the State Highway Commission the Town's rights there and secure to them a widening to fifty feet in which case the State will macadamize the street and maintain it. The other is for the Town to macadamize it themselves. These plans will both be presented and the people will have an opportunity to show their preference. In order to be in a position to take ad- vantage of whatever plan may be adopted the Selectmen recom- mend an appropriation of $12,000.00 for surfacing Warren Ave- nue.
A serious condition prevails on Court Street at the foot of Russell Street. There is so much surface water from Russell Street that the gutters are not able to take care of it in a hard rain. It has been proposed to take this water across Court Street under the present road bed and turn it down Brewster Street then the dangerous and unsightly gutter on the west side of Court Street could be filled up and the entire street surface be made available for use. We recommend $1,650.00 for this.
Water Street extension is also to be considered this year. This street has been laid out for some time and the abuttors have been assured that the Town would finish it this year. This is a large project but one that will be of great benefit to the people living in that locality as well as providing a numerous collection of houses with sewer facilities. This will call for an expenditure of $13,000.00.
ยท We recommend for the continuance of the work on Beaver
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Dam Road the sum of $500.00. The money already expended there is showing good results and should be continued until the road is completed.
The widening ordered at the corner of Main and Leyden Streets has been done as far as practical. This while not in exactly the shape that it will be on completion has relieved the congestion at that point very materially.
On petition from a large number of residents of Manomet the Board viewed the premises and have had plans made for the taking of the so-called boat landing at Manomet Point. It has developed very recently however that the United States has bought this land and the matter will therefore have to be aban- doned.
Samoset Street for which an appropriation was made at the last Town meeting has been macadamized and has now one of the best road beds in this vicinity. The extra width of this Street made the work seem to be expensive but when figured up on a basis of square yards the cost was well within the usual price. At some future time it will be found advisable to finish this road to the Darby Road.
The sidewalk question is one of great interest to the average citizen. At the last Town meeting the appropriation was in- creased and there was some feeling that this money should be spent in making improved walks on the main lines of travel. Your Board has deemed it better however to use this money in making passable walks in localities where there previously was none at all. It is much better that every citizen should have at least a fairly usable sidewalk than that all of the money be spent in making what must necessarily be a limited amount of gran- olithic walks in the center of the Town. At the same time we are always willing to cooperate with any person who will pay half of the expense of a granolithic walk and put in such a side- walk. We recommend an appropriation of $4,000.00 for side- walks. The North end of the Town is in need of attention in the way of sidewalks and an experiment that has been made this
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year with an oil and crushed stone proposition is working out well and we think will furnish a very good solution of the prob- lem of making a low priced as well as water proof and durable walk.
STREET LIGHTING.
This is a much debated subject. There have been a number of plans suggested for the improvement of the existing conditions. Most of them are too expensive for our use. We are strongly of the opinion that the conditions on Main and Court Streets should be improved and we have based our recommendations ac- cordingly. The amount appropriated last year was $8,550.00. In addition the Town made a special appropriation for the in- stallation of lights at Manomet of $800.00. We would recont- mend an appropriation carrying those amounts and an addition of $700.00 which will practically double the lights on Main and Court Streets.
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SEWERS.
The Sewer Department has gone ahead as usual and the property owners have taken advantage of it by entering the sewer wherever possible. A sewer has been put in on Pecks Avenue in accordance with the vote of the Town at the last meet- ing. This has been of great value in cleaning up one of the most unsanitary places in Town. We recommend an appropria- tion of $2,000.00. It would seem advisable at this time when we have a dredging outfit in the harbor to have a little digging done at the mouth of the sewer outlet in the harbor and we would ask for a small appropriation for this purpose.
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STREET SPRINKLING.
It has been the policy of the Street Department of recent years to substitute the use of oil for water in Street sprinkling. This has been a decided move for the better. The dust is not only laid better and more permanently but the roads on which this has been done are much improved in surface for travel and do not wash so badly in the heavy rains. We would recommend for sprinkling the sum of $6,000.00.
REMOVAL OF SNOW.
This must always be a matter largely of guess work. The past year the expense has been very light. But we may at any time be confronted with a heavy fall of snow and it is good policy to have an appropriation available for this purpose. We recom- mend $1,000.00.
POLICE.
The report of the Chief of Police will be found in another part of this report. The Board of Selectmen have given a good amount of time to the consideration of this Department and are of the opinion that it can be successfully carried on by a Chief and five Patrolmen. This is a reduction of two men on the permanent force. These men were added in license years when their need might perhaps have been expected. On the change to no license the men were still retained on the force. It would seem that with the Special Police at the command of the Chief at any time that the need for these permanent men was not very great. We recommend for this Department $8,500.00.
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PUBLIC SANITARIES.
This institution has been a success from the start. There has been much favorable comment from visitors in the Town and we have had a number of inquiries from other Towns as to the cost of installation and maintenance. We recommend for this Department the sum of $350.00.
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SELECTMENS' DEPARTMENT.
The Forest Warden's report will be found also in another part of this report and it will be readily seen that this is one of those matters which must fluctuate greatly. The work of this Department is one of great value to the community and one large fire may use up the entire appropriation.
Maintenance at the Town house we estimate the same as last. year. The appropriation was $1,800.00. This was to include the cost of painting the Town House. It was thought best in view of the fact that the new vaults were being installed to wait and do the painting after that work was done. The last year's appropriation thus becomes unavailable and we ask this year for the same amount to include the cost of painting.
We would ask for the expense of this Department $1,800.00.
CLAMS AND SHELL FISH.
The subject of shell fish has been of considerable interest the. last few years. Plymouth in former times was one of the largest producers in New England. For some reason the flats became depleted and our people were deprived of a very considerable supply of easily obtained food products. This condition has now happily been cured and the flats and shores are well seeded
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and with reasonable care should furnish a continuous supply of these valuable fish. The private grants are now in a condition to furnish all of the seed necessary to keep the Harbor well planted. So numerous were the clams this Winter that the Selectmen, influenced partly by the lack of work in Town, have issued special licenses, for a limited time, to ship the clams out of Town. This has furnished a chance for those so disposed to realize a small income in the digging and selling of clams and it has been largely taken advantage of. The continuance of this will depend on the condition of the shores and flats on the expir- ation of these licenses. Our policy being to retain a plentiful supply of clams for the use of our citizens at all times.
PILGRIM WHARF.
The condition of Pilgrim Wharf is one that calls for the most careful consideration. The severe storm of last January damaged the Wharf very much and it would seem to us that the repair or reconstruction of this Wharf was a matter that the Town had better consider in Town Meeting.
In May of last year Mr. Edward L. Burgess who had been Treasurer and Town Clerk announced his resignation. This was an unpleasant surprise to everyone connected with the Town Government. Mr. Burgess had filled these offices for seventeen years and proved himself to be an efficient official. However the Selectmen after much consideration selected Mr. George How- land for the position and he has acted in that capacity since with satisfaction to everybody concerned.
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APPROPRIATIONS RECOMMENDED.
Selectmens' Department,
$1,800 00
Accounting Department,
1,400 00
Town Treasurer's Department,
1,200 00
Tax Collector's Department,
1,400 00
Law Department,
300 00
Town Clerk,
450 00
Assessors' Department,
2,700 00
Assessors' Plans,
1,000 00
Election and Registration,
950 00
Maintenance,
1,800 00
Police Department,
8,500 00
Fire Department,
15,000 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures,
500 00
Moth Suppression,
3,800 00
Moth Suppression Power Sprayer,
250 00
Tree Warden,
1,200 00
Forest Warden,
3,000 00
Shell Fish,
600 00
Inland Fisheries,
300 00
Health Department,
6,000 00
Sewer Department,
2,000 00
Public Sanitaries,
350 00
Roads and Bridges,
25,000 00
Road Construction,
27,650 00
Sidewalks, +
4,000 00
Street Sprinkling,
6,000 00
Snow Removal,
500 00
Street Lighting,
10,000 00
Harbor Master,
150 00
Poor Department,
13,000 00
Aid to Mothers with Dependent Children,
3,000 00
Military Aid,
72 00
Soldiers' Relief,
3,439 01
School Department,
78,000 00
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Public Library,
1,000.00 and Dog Fund
Parks,
2,150 00 200 00
Park Department, Power Sprayer,
Training Green,
200 00
Memorial Day,
225 00
Sexton,
125 00
Miscellaneous,
3,500 00
Reserve Fund (formerly Contingent Account),
5,500 00
Town Debt and Interest,
48,000 00
Water Department, 16,000 00
Oak Grove and Vine Hill Cemeteries,
5,000 00
Oak Grove and Vine Hill Cemeteries Water Pipe,
300 00
Burial Hill, 1,000 00
Burial Hill Hearse House,
860 00
Chiltonville, Manomet, South Pond Cemeteries,
150 00
South Pond Cemetery Fence,
350 00
WILLIAM T. ELDRIDGE, EPHRAIM D. BARTLETT, JOHN L. MORTON, Board of Selectmen.
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
I herewith submit the report of the Street Department for the year 1914.
ROADS AND BRIDGES
Maintenance
Under this heading is included the maintenance of the roads in the outlying districts and also the ordinary repairs and the cleaning of the streets in the center of the town. The automo- bile traffic, which is increasing rapidly, causes a much larger amount to be expended each year for general repairs on the roads and streets of the town and also necessitates the build- ing of much heavier and more costly new roads and streets.
A tarviated surface has been laid as follows: Sandwich street, 1 mile, 13,328 square yards; Court street, north of Park avenue, 1-4 mile, 3,105 square yards; Darby road, 3.15 miles, 27,915 square yards. On Court street, from the residence of Mrs. Knapp to Cherry street, a surface coat of refined Mexican asphalt has been applied, the length of the section treated being 3,800 feet or about 3-4 of a mile. Court street, from Shirley square to the Armory, a distance of 1,300 feet, 24 feet wide has been given the same treatment. The Manomet Point road has had an application of the same material, the length of this road being 4,950 feet, or nearly one mile.
A section of five inch water bound macadam has been built
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on Billington street which is giving good satisfaction. This section should be given an application of bituminous surfacing early next season. The length of this work is 1,926 feet and the width, including gravel shoulders, 22 feet.
Jordan road. Owing the heavy traffic on this road, which includes the large trucks of the Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Co., a considerable amount of work has had to be done this year; 150 tons of crushed stone and 60 yards of gravel having been used.
Construction
New work has been done on the following streets :-
Lewis street. This street has been rebuilt and extended in a semicircular direction from Mt. Pleasant street, near the house of A. T. Magee, to Mt. Pleasant street again, near South street, the distance being 610 feet and the width, including sidewalks, 40 feet. A sidewalk of ashes and crushed stone edged with block pavers has been built on one side for the distance of 420 feet.
Taylor avenue. This avenue has been extended to the outlet of Bartlett's pond and the surface covered with gravel.
Summer street, from the entrance to the grounds of the B. M. Watson estate to the entrance to Morton park, has been widened on the south side and a sidewalk of gravel with block paver edging put in. At Sparrow's hill a widening has been made and the alignment and grade improved.
The sum of 500 was allotted for repairs on the Beaver Dam road and this amount will be used this year.
Main street, at the corner of Leyden street, has been widened as far north as the Bramhall shore store.
Samoset street. A seven-inch bituminous macadam has been built on Samoset street from Court street to the entrance to Oak Grove cemetery, the section between Court and Allerton streets being bound with Bermudez asphalt and the remaining distance being treated with Tarvia X10. The same amount of each material was used: 2 1-4 gallons per square yard. The
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result seems at this time to be much the same except that the asphalt has never bled while the Tarvia has had to be treated with a second coat of sand in several places. After completing the first layout on Samoset street, a small balance remained and an extension of 150 feet of water bound macadam was made on the west end. The entire length of this work is 2,200 feet and the average width is 27 feet, which would make this section equal 3,300 feet of 18 foot wide road, or nearly 3-5 of a mile. This work was done under a special appropriation.
STREET SPRINKLING
The use of non-asphaltic oil for dust laying purposes has been continued this year, five tank cars having been used. The result of the use of this oil has been very satisfactory as it not only gives good dust laying results but prevents, in a great measure, washouts on the streets where it is used.
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