USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1912 > Part 3
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Therefore, the Board of Selectmen, after consideration of the subject, decided to petition the General Court, for relief by extending the time of payment of notes, hearing before committee to be after annual Town meeting, by so doing al- lowing the Selectmen an opportunity to state the facts of the case to the citizens at our annual Town meeting.
As part of the requirements of the Town for the coming year, we report the following figures for debt and interest :
Sewer bond due October 1, 1913, $5,500.00
Bridge bond due November 1, 1913,
1,000.00
Pease district sewer notes, 1,000.00
Oxford sewer notes, 2,500.00
Manhattan avenue note, 500.00
Howland road sewer notes, 1,000.00
Bridge maintenance, etc., note,
687.50
Motor chemical note, 560.00
Southeast sewer note. 500.00
Oxford extension sewer note, 500.00
Wood, Buttonwood and Taber street note, 100.00
$13,847.50
Interest on bridge bonds, $1,440.00
Interest on sewer bonds,
1,100.00
Interest on notes, 1,875.96
Interest on temporary loans,
600.00
$5.015.96
Making a total for debt and interest, $18,863.46
We respectfully submit the following estimates for ap- propriations, to maintain the various departments for the ensuing year :
Debt and interest,
$14,000.00
Sewers,
5,000.00
Poor department,
2,500.00
Fire department,
2,500.00
Fire alarm, 150.00
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Highways.
3,000.00
Hydrants.
2,300.00
Police department,
700.00
Town Hall,
900.00
Salaries,
3,900.00
Street lights,
2,500.00
Park department,
1,200.00
Trees,
1,200.00
Board of Health,
700.00
Shell fish commission,
800.00
Industrial school,
1.000.00
$42,350.00
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES P. MAXFIELD, LEWIS E. BENTLEY, JOHN I. BRYANT,
Selectmen of Fairhaven.
64
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
The Board of Selectmen elected Mr. Charles P. Maxfield Superintendent of Streets. Mr. Henry C. Peirce was selected as foreman.
All bills for current expenses of the highway department were paid when they were presented. This leaves the entire department free from debt, and with a balance to the credit of the department.
It has been the aim, as usual, of the street department to keep the streets of the Town as clean and tidy as possible, keeping up the general character of our Town for cleanliness.
The use of oil on the streets we have found by the last four years' experience, to be one of the best investments the Town makes in the saving of our highways, and in the macadamizing of the roads, more especially if we have such dry seasons as the last. The use of oil not only makes one of the best binders, thus retaining the top covering of screenings, but it is also more economical than the use of water, as one application will last the season. Where with water a new road should be sprinkled every day, and for sanitary reasons the use of oil is the best product known to lay the dust.
We therefore bought 8.251 gallons of Dustoline Road Oil. and 14.301 gallons of Standard Road Oils. an oil with more asphalt in it, and having more body, which we consider has more staying properties, and does not evaporate as quickly. The cost of oil and applying to the highways was $1,325.00.
As voted at the annual Town meeting, the street depart- ment changed the grade of Linden avenue, also placed a 12-inch conduit across same, at a cost of $312.29, which was paid for from the street appropriation.
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As ordered by the Selectmen, the grade of Main street, at Bridge street corner was changed. In order to make the change, the Union Street Railway Co. were obliged to raise their rails about 6 inches. The cost of changing the rails and paving between rails was paid for by the Union Street Railway Co. All other expenses incurred in making the change, were paid for from the street department appro- priation. The work required to make this change consisted of repaving the street, building two catch basins, connecting with an iron pipe and resetting the curbing from Bridge to Cowen streets. The cost of making this change was $530.00.
The lowest grade of streets in Pease district is at the corner of Middle and Cowen streets. After storms it is very badly flooded. To prevent this, the department placed a 10-inch drain, from the catch basin west side of Middle street to the river, to take the place of a 6-inch drain; also placed 10-inch iron pipe across Middle street to connect catch basins, and one of 8-inch diameter to connect with Cowen street. The project has proved very satisfactory in draining the streets.
As ordered by the Selectmen, the following streets were graded and put in condition to be used as public highways : Wood, Buttonwood and Taber streets, at a cost of $341.63.
The following is a brief statement of the work done by the street department during the year :
The main work done by the Street Department has been macadamizing and resurfacing the streets and roads of the Town, Sconticut Neck road, Rotch and Adams streets, Cen- ter street, Green street, Middle street and Bridge street; other streets repaired where most needed.
The Town purchased during the year crushed stone to the amount of 9,300 tons.
Streets macadamized, 14,235 ft
Streets resurfaced, 1,500 ft
Gutters paved, various places, 250 ft
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Curbing and edge stone set for curbing in various locations, 700 ft
Sidewalks built, repaired and screened where most needed, 2,500 ft
As voted at the annual Town meeting the Street Depart- ment expended $435.25 in the repairs of sidewalks at the north end of the Town.
The worst storm of the year occurred Feb. 21st and 22nd, causing the Town a very large expense in repair- ing and rebuilding the roads and streets. The following roads and streets were attended to:
Alden road, at a cost of $143.75
Boston Hill road, at a cost of
126.67
Gilette road, at a cost of
144.55
New Boston road, at a cost of
37.00
Long road, at a cost of
40.00
Mill road, at a cost of 20.00
Sycamore street, at a cost of
88.38
North Main street, at a cost of
55.90
Washington street, at a cost of
45.00
East Bridge street, at a cost of
40.00
The Town has on hand 350 tons of stone crushed and stone for crusher purposes.
The attention of the citizens is called to the law which pro- hibits placing any rubbish or material in the highways of the town. As many of our citizens, janitors of our public build- ings and churches, have been in the habit of cleaning their yards and lawns of grass, leaves, &c., then raking or sweep- ing the same into the streets, this law applies. Trusting this notice will be sufficient, and that we all use barrels in which to place our refuse in the future, by so doing it will be re- ceived by the ash cart.
We would also recommend that the citizens of the town do all they can to separate the waste paper from the ashes.
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Perhaps if they would burn the paper, or have a separate barrel or box to place the paper in it would help the matter, but, we are fully satisfied something must be done to abate the nuisance which now exists.
CHARLES P. MAXFIELD,
Superintendent of Streets.
REPORT
OF THE
SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
70
REPORT OF THE SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
The Board was organized March 8, 1912; Clarence F. Delano was re-elected chairman and Zenas W. Dodge, inspector ; John A. W. Burgess was given general oversight of the power house, and Norman M. Paull was elected clerk.
Heavy rains in February and March, combined with solidly frozen ground with ice on its surface gave the de- partment much trouble with the shone ejectors, and many cellars were flooded. Hand pumps were used to give what relief they could, but in the heavy rain in March the system was not cleared for about 48 hours.
The exhaust pipe from the oil engine at the power house was led into a stone pit and mounded over with stone, old brick, etc., and the nuisance from the noise was thereby almost entirely eliminated.
A section of the gravity sewer in Green street, north of Cottage street, became partly filled with sand and it was necessary to relay about 700 feet of it.
Numerous repairs have been necessary on the power plant, ejectors and piping. Three leaking joints in the piping at ยท Rotch street station necessitated the removal of a large amount of sewage by hand pumping three different occa- sions before access could be had to make repairs. It was deemed advisable on one occasion to hire a centrifugal pump from New Bedford to clean the pit.
Three hundred feet of hose for flushing purposes were purchased in June. The experiment of using 2-inch hose instead of 21/2-inch was tried, and on the whole seems advantageous. But the Board recommends that further purchases of new hose be made for the fire department, they to turn over to the sewer department whatever old hose is of no use in their service.
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The outlet of the Oxford sewer, south of "the point," was examined and found to be partially covered with a deposit of sewage. A large basin was accordingly dredged about the mouth of the outlet at a contract price of $100. The outlet had been in use seven years previous to dredging; in the opinion of the board it should keep clear for at least another five years.
The horizontal boiler at the power house, which had been in use for sixteen years, was inspected in August and the allowable pressure was cut to sixty pounds per inch. As this would have been practically useless in wet weather, the sewer commissioners removed the old boiler, and substituted therefor a vertical boiler to carry 125 pounds pressure. The board would say, however, that this boiler is regarded by them only as a temporary expedient, and it seems imperative that in the near future, either to install duplicate units of from 50 to 75 horsepower each, or else to use some other means of lifting the sewage than the Shone system. The Board has begun an investigation along each of these lines and expects to report at a later meeting.
The experience of the board with hand pumps on one hand and a gasoline engine-driven centrifugal pump on the other convinced the board of the need of the Town's owning a power outfit of its own, and one is now on trial. It appears likely to prove satisfactory, and there is no question of securing greater effectiveness at a lower cost by its use.
There have been new sewers constructed during 1912 as follows :
SOUTHEAST EXTENSION, GRAVITY SEWER.
128.40 feet of 12-inch sewer in Green street.
1,214.60 feet of 10-inch sewer through Allen's land, contem- plated Smith, Chestnut and Church streets.
794.00 feet of 8-inch sewer in Pleasant street.
2,137.00 total feet of sewer.
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OXFORD GRAVITY SEWER EXTENSION.
1,080.20 feet of 10-inch sewer in Main street. 751.80 feet of 8-inch sewer in Main street.
206.30 feet of 8-inch sewer in contemplated Ball street.
182.00 feet of 6-inch sewer in Wood street.
2,220.30 total feet of sewer.
NORTH END GRAVITY SEWER.
408.00 feet of 18-inch cast iron pipe, outlet north of Coggeshall street bridge. 875.70 feet of 18-inch sewer in Howland road. 840.30 feet of 8-inch sewer in Howland road. 400.00 feet of 8-inch sewer in Oak street.
2,116.00 total feet of sewer (exclusive of outlet).
The grand total was 6,473 feet of sewer exclusive of the ontlet, more than has been built in any one year since the first installation of the shone system in 1895.
Twenty-three manholes and two lampholes were included in the construction.
Twenty connections have already been made with new sewers including the convent of the Sacred Hearts.
The supplies were furnished by the town under bids, U. S. Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Co., cast iron pipe ; Matthew Howard, H. C. Pierce, piles ; S. S. Paine & Bro., vit- rified pipe; N. B. Boiler Co., cement, oakum, etc .; Central Lumber & Supply Co., lumber; Sessins Foundry Co., man- hole frames and covers ; Croteau & Wood, sand and gravel ; sundry supplies from various dealers according to prices.
Brigham and Mogaveiro obtained the contract for the work of construction. Mr. Brigham assigned his interest to Mr. Mogaveiro early in the work and the final payments were made to Mr. Mogaveiro alone. The approximate costs were :
Southeast extension, Oxford,
$2,450.00
2,350.00
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There are several items paid for from the maintenance ac- count of 1911 and 1912, which must properly be charged to th the North End Sewer account and the cost of this has not yet been determined.
Extensions to the North End sewer of 150 feet in River avenue and of. 850 feet in contemplated Garrison street have been petitioned for. The Board would estimate the cost as follows :
135 feet in River avenue at $2.00 per foot, $270.00
850 feet in contemplated Garrison street at $1.00
per foot, 850.00
The assessments on the southeast and Oxford extensions will be levied March 1.
In furtherance of the vote of the town asking for an in- vestigation and report on storm water drains there have been surveys made of most of the low lying territory throughout the central part of the town; the commissioners hope to report early this coming summer on some definite project.
The Commissioners have turned over to the Highway De- partment some 8-inch iron pipe, some 8 and 10-inch vitrified pipe, broken pipe of various sizes and some lumber, in re. turn for their esteemed services in replacing and caring for the streets over the sewer trenches. They have also sold the old boiler and old hose, and this with other credits amount to about $25.
The commissioners will ask the town to adopt new rules relating to sewer connections, and also that new construction during this year be allowed by day work in co-operation with the Highway Department, if the Board should decide it was for the best interests of the town.
The Board also asks for $5,000 for maintenance expenses as in 1912.
Respectfully submitted, C. F. DELANO, J. A. W. BURGESS, NORMAN M. PAULL,
Sewer Commissioners.
REPORT
OF THE
BOARD OF HEALTH.
76
BOARD OF HEALTH REPORT.
TO THE CITIZENS OF FAIRHAVEN :---
The Board of Health respectfully submits its annual report for the year 1912. The Board organized March 23, 1912, with Joseph B. Peck, chairman, and Bertha F. Carl From- mell, secretary.
The Board has received numerous complaints of nuisances and unsanitary conditions. Upon notice to the owners of such property the nuisances in nearly every case have been attended to or abated.
There have been slaughtered and inspected by veterinary 1,550 annimals as follows:
Cattle, 698
Calves,
722
Hogs,
82
Sheep,
58
The town has been very fortunate in regard to the few infectious and contagious diseases reported. Typhoid fever shows a marked decrease, only two cases having been re- ported.
We have had few complaints in regards to the collection of garbage and judge by this that the service has been sat- isfactory.
The Board respectfully asks for an appropriation of $700.00 for the ensuing year.
JOSEPH B. PECK, Chairman. CHARLES W. HAMMOND, BERTHA F. CARL FROMMELL, Secretary.
77
TREE WARDEN'S REPORT.
Fairhaven, Mass., Feb. 12, 1913.
To the Citizens of Fairhaven :-
The Tree Warden herewith respectfully submits his annual report for the year of 1912.
The spraying of the trees was thorough and successful, and in almost every case one application was all that was necessary.
Some of the citizens decided not to have their trees sprayed, believing that the bug did not exist. Much to their surprise and disappointment, calling for the work to be done when too late, their trees were void of foiliage. In my opinion the bug has come to stay and the work of ex- termination must continue from year to year.
If the town would preserve a good general appearance of its streets the dead trees must be removed. Several of the largest trees have been removed (which in my opinion died from old age). We must not forget that many of the trees are old, and must be removed from time to time.
The Improvement Association, which has so ably and willingly assisted in preserving the beauty of the streets, has again appropriated the sum of three hundred dollars for the planting of young trees.
Adams street from Spring street to Dana Farm has been planted with the Oriental-plane tree; and many young trees have been planted where old ones have been removed.
The Tree Warden respectfully recommends that the sum of twelve hundred dollars be appropriated to continue the work of maintenance and preservation.
Respectfully submitted,
PETER MURRAY,
Tree Warden.
78
FOREST WARDEN'S REPORT.
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN :-
Gentlemen :- I herewith submit my report from Feb. 1, 1912, to Feb. 1, 1913.
Notwithstanding the dry summer we have had I take pleasure in reporting a very few forest fires. In all the de- partment has answered five alarms. A total acreage of less than 25 was burned over, at a very small loss.
After the arrival of the chemical wagon we were able to keep in very close touch with the outlaying districts and very few fires were able to get much of a start.
Respectfully yours,
WILLIAM P. SHAW, 149 Main Street. Forest Warden.
Deputy Wardens.
Charles F. Benson, 620 Washington Street. Archibald Flemming, Adams Street. George Lawton, Jr, Sconiticut Neck. Henry C. Pierce, Oak Grove Lane.
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AUDITORS' REPORT.
Fairhaven, Mass., Feb. , 1913.
We hereby certify that we have examined the accounts of the Tax Collector, Treasurer, Selectmen, Overseers of the Poor and the School Committee, of the Town of Fairhaven, for the year ending Jan. 31, 1913, and believe them correct.
NATHANIEL POPE, EDMUND S. COREY, Auditors.
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT REPORT
1913
Fairhaven, Massachusetts
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
LYMAN C. BAULDRY,
Term expires 1913
ALTON B. PAULL,
Term expires 1913
DANIEL W. KENDRICK,
Term expires 1914
DANIEL W. DEANE,
Term expires 1914
THOMAS A. TRIPP,
Term expires 1915
LEWIS E. BENTLEY,
Term expires 1915
Chairman, THOMAS A. TRIPP.
Secretary and Superintendent, CHARLES F. PRIOR.
Superintendent's Office Hours :
Town Hall :
8.15-9.00 A. M .- Monday, Wednesday, Friday. 4.00-5.00 P. M .- Every School day unless absent on special business.
High School : 9.30-10.00 A. M .- Monday. 12.30-1.00 P. M .- Monday.
Regularly out of Town : In Mattapoisett a part of Tuesday. In Acushnet a part of Thursday.
Telephone call at residence on Adams Street-3713-W.
84
SCHOOL CALENDAR.
1913
Tuesday, Dec. 31 (1912
All schools re-open
Friday, Feb. 21 All schools close. Mid-winter vacation Monday, March 3 All schools re-open
Friday, April 25
. Monday, May 5 Friday, May 30 Friday, June 27 Tuesday, Sept. 2 Thursday, Nov. 2 Monday, Dec. 1 Friday, Dec. 19 Monday, Dec. 30
All schools elose. Spring vacation All schools re-open Memorial Day All schools close. Summer vacation All schools re-open All schools close. Thanksgiving recess All schools re-open
All schools close. Christmas vacation . All schools re-open
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No School Signals.
For the benefit of those who have difficulty in remember- ing the significance of the school signals. the following is submitted for reference :--
The signal at 8.00 a. m. indicates no school for all grades one to four, inclusive.
The signal at 8.15 indicates no school for all grades.
The signal at 12.30 noon indicates no school for grades, one to four, inclusive.
The signal at 12.45 noon indicates no school for all grades
Notes.
Schools are often in session when weather conditions make it unfit for some children to attend, in which case parents must make their own decisions. At such times the schools are available for those pupils who wish to attend.
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of Fairhaven :
Herewith is submitted my first annual report as Superin- tendent of Schools, the sixteenth in the series of superin- tendent's reports since the formation of the union wih Acushnet and Mattapoisett.
My term of service began August fifteenth, 1912. This report is based on a knowledge of your schools and the conditions governing their administration gained since that date.
It is a pleasure to testify at the outset to the many ex- cellent features found in Fairhaven schools and related educational agencies. The quality of teaching for expendi- ture, the opportunities for manual training afforded pupils of the upper grades, the arrangements for the conveyance of children living at a distance from the schools, the co- operative spirit manifested by the Educational Art Club and other organizations, the superior opportunities afforded chil- dren by the public library, and, last but not least, the splendid high school facilities, are especially worthy of mention.
Buildings.
The amount expended on repairs and new equipment has been considerably less than last year. This has not been due to lack of occasion but rather to lack of knowledge of the exact amount of money that would be available in time to plan intelligently. Among the matters that will need your attention next year are the following :
Re-painting the Washington Street school.
Laying new floors in several rooms at the Rogers school.
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Re-painting all blackboards at the Rogers school.
New adjustable desks for two rooms at the Rogers school and one room at the Oxford school.
There are numerous minor repairs in addition to the above. It will require all of the unusually large balance this year to put your buildings and their equipment in good condition.
Since the beginning of the fall term, grades four, seven and eight of Oxford have been conveyed to the Rogers school. Grades seven and eight have previously attended the Old High building. The conveyance of grade four to the Rogers school has made possible a better distribution of pu- pils at Oxford which has increased greatly the efficiency of the work. The retention of this grade would have resulted in a school of over fifty pupils under one teacher, or would have required the organization of a fifth school. The only room available at Oxford for another school is the corridor on the upper floor. This for obvious reasons is entirely un- suitable for the purpose. Next year there promises to be nearly forty pupils in grade four. This is too large a num- ber to combine with the same grades at the Rogers school, and is large enough for a separate school. By combining a part of grade four with grade three at Oxford and conveying the remainder of the grade to the Rogers school, it may be possible to distribute the pupils in a way to obviate the ne- cessity of a new room at Oxford for another year. Such an arrangement will lead to a large enrollment per teacher in three schools and will be undesirable in other respects, but it seems the only way under present conditions. The time is not far distant when provisions of more room at Oxford will be absolutely necessary.
Organization.
No change in the organization of the schools has been made during the year. In number of grades per teacher the present organization makes for efficiency, as only two of the twenty elementary schools in town consist of more than one grade.
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Seven of the schools have more than forty pupils per teacher and in these it is obvious that time for individual work is not afforded.
Examination of the grade and age distribution table placed elsewhere in this report reveals the fact that, although our en- trance age is five years, more than half the pupils in grade one are six years old or more. It will be noted that there are one hundred and twenty-five pupils in grade one. Of these thirty-five are repeating the grade and ninety are in the entering class of this year. Thirty-two of the entering class are six years of age or more, making a total of sixty-seven pupils out of one hundred and twenty-five who are more than six. I believe it would be wise to recognize this fact in our organization.
Theoretically, the present elementary course is nine years in length; practically, it is expected that the common school branches will be completed in eight years and the ninth year be devoted to special preparation for the high school. In my opinion the efficiency of the entire system would be greater if the entrance age was gradually increased to six, and the length of the elementary course fixed at eight years. Many reasons might be adduced for this plan. It is in harmony with the present tendency in progressive school systems.
If it is deemed unwise to change the present entrance age, I would suggest the formation of a sub primary grade for the younger or less mature children. At the Washington Street school one of the two primary schools might under- take sub primary work and the other regular first grade. I feel strongly that it is unwise to try to give children of average maturity at five, in attendance only a half session daily, regular first grade work.
Teachers.
Eight changes in the teaching corps have occurred since the last report. The following table shows the number of new appointments for each of the past five years :
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Year.
Number of Teachers Employed.
Number of New Appointments.
Percentage of First Year Teachers.
1908
36
13
.36
1909
36
7
.19
1910
33
13
.39
1911
34
8
.23
1912
35
12
.34
It is evident that thirty per cent. of your teaching force are new to their schools each year. If the grades only were included the percentage would be larger. The disadvantages of such a condition are obvious. It is unfortunate that the most important business of any community, viz,-the devel- opment and training of the powers of childhood, should be handicapped by such frequent changes among those to whom the work is entrusted. In any business enterprise, where the standard of the product is maintained, it is necessary to retain skilled labor by paying it what it can secure else- where for a similar kind of labor. Unfortunately the standard product of the schools is not tangible or visible and is, therefore, but vaguely apprehended. The salary of the teacher varies with the educational ideals, the liberality and the wealth of communities. Educational ideals are high in Fairhaven. It needs only a brief acquaintance to recognize that public sentiment demands the maintenance of a high standard of efficiency in the teaching corps. This is well, but if the product of the schools is to compare favorably with that of the best systems, it should be remembered that high ideals not supported in like measure financially are unavail- ing.
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