USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1937 > Part 4
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While it is true that the state police and the local police have overlapping authority, there is a duty incumbent upon
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the Fairhaven people to realize that they are paying noth- ing to the state in return for any work done by the state police which according to the best procedure should be done by the local department.
The Great Jewel Robbery
The morning of October 15 found groups of people all over town discussing "the great jewel robbery". Big news- paper headlines and the fact that $12,000 in gems had disappeared emphasized the importance of the report. Although strictly speaking not a robbery but, rather, a burglary, the disappearance of the jewels called for a great deal of police work.
As reported in the newspapers, the case "broke" in New Bedford with information coming to a New Bedford police officer. Hard police work led to arrests in New Bedford, and more hard police work effected recovery-also in New Bedford.
All concerned may well be glad that apprehension and recovery came so promptly. The fact that the case assumed so many New Bedford angles is one in which we Fairhaven- ites may well rejoice. At the time the jewels were stolen the Fairhaven police department, by reason of the strike and the one-way street, was $865.42 in the red. The de- partment was in no position financially to carry on an expensive investigation. Circumstances decreed that much of the investigating be done in New Bedford, and, there- fore, Fairhaven saved what must have been exceedingly heavy charges.
The detective department of the New Bedford police and Massachusetts Department of Public Safety detectives worked hard with me to successfully close this case. We received tip after tip, and had hunch after hunch.
No sooner did an idea develop than we were off to Boston, Bridgewater, Providence and other distant points. A tremendous amount of work and traveling was done by day and by night before success came.
Significant Facts
I recommend an appropriation for 1938 of no less than $18,000.
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Our 1937 activities were upset by the strike and by the one-way street to an extent which makes our 1937 report of little value when used in comparison with other reports. True, this report can be compared with previous reports or with future reports; but unless the comparison is made carefully and intelligently true meanings will be left hidden and important facts will be distorted.
As pointed out in previous sections of this report, the strike cost $1,024.98 and the one-way street cost $218.20. Had the usual phases of our work been carried on in a normal manner the transfer of $500 to our account on December 10 would have been about $1,243 instead.
Insistence for "economy" forced me to "save" about $743 here and there in a budget which was not large enough in the first place to justify such "savings."
About $300 was clipped from our allotment for investi- gating. As a result our criminal record suffered-offenses falling sharply from 376 in 1936 to 296 in 1937. Fine money received by the town decreased accordingly.
The use of cruiser cars was cut. About $468 was "saved" on maintenance ; but even that does not tell the whole story. We closed the year with a gasoline deficit of 809 gallons! As this is written this deficit is worth about $110.
Even though we were called upon to effect all this "economy" incoming calls and complaints increased !
The one-way street raised our expenditures for traffic duty by something in excess of $100. Unless one takes cognizance of the one-way street cost he will most likely assume that highway safety work was increased during the year. Just the opposite is true: highway safety work was practically dropped the second half of the year. As a result we have fewer automobile court cases, twenty-three more accident reports than in the previous year, and 29 more persons injured in accidents than in 1936. Automobile owners must not be surprised if compulsory insurance rates are increased sometime during the next year or two.
One of the insurance companies bore the cost of a little educational work which I did in the schools and elsewhere. This cooperation is sincerely appreciated, and I have confi- dence in the merits of an educational program. However, it
81
cannot be expected to have the noticeable effect upon the safety record that police officers and suitable equipment have had in the past few years.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE T. SYKES,
Chief of Police.
OFFENSES
Males Females Total
Accessory before the Fact of Attempt to Extort Money
0
2
2
Accosting a Female in a Public Place
1
0
1
Allowing a Person to Operate a Motor
Vehicle Who had no Legal Right to Do So
1
0
1
Assault and Battery
13
2
15
Assault on a Police Officer
1
0
1
Assault to Rape
1
0
1
Assault with a Dangerous Weapon
2
0
2
Attaching Registration Plates to a
Motor Vehicle Other than for Which They Were Issued
1
0
1
Being a Delinquent Child
21
0
21
Being an Unlicensed Operator
11
1
12
Being an Idle and Disorderly Person
1
0
1
Breaking and Entering and Larceny in the Nighttime
8
0
8
Desertion
4
0
4
Disturbing the Peace
6
0
6
Doing Damage to Personal Property
1
0
1
Drunkenness
54
2
56
Failing to Slow Down at an Intersection 2
0
2
Failing to Stop when Signalled to Do So 1
0
1
Fairhaven By-Laws Violations
1
0
1
Fairhaven Traffic Rules and Orders Violations
2
0
2
Illegitimate Children Law Violations
1
0
1
Impeding the Operation of a Motor Vehicle
1
0
1
Indecent Exposure
1
0
1
1
0
1
Carrying a Dangerous Weapon
82
Males Females Total 5 4 9
Insane
Intent to Commit Larceny by Break-
ing and Entering in the Nighttime Keeping Unlicensed Dog
1
0
1
3
0
3
Larceny
5
0
5
Law of the Road Violations
9
0
9
Leaving the Scene of an Accident After Injury to a Person
1
0
1
Leaving the Scene of an Accident After injury to Property
5
0
5
Lewdness
1
0
1
Liquor Keeping With Intent to Sell
1
0
1
Neglect of Family
8
0
8
Operating a Motor Vehicle After License was Revoked
1
0
1
Operating a Motor Vehicle After License was Suspended
1
0
1
Operating a Motor Vehicle Over a Fire Hose
1
0
1
Operating a Motor Vehicle So as to Endanger
10
0
10
Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Intoxi- cating Liquor
15
1
16
Operating a Motor Vehicle with Defective Brakes
1
0
1
Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Having a Certificate of Registra- tion in Possession
1
0
1
Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Having an Operator's License in Possession
1
0
1
Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Lights
1
0
1
Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle
1
0
1
Operating an Unregistered Motor Vehicle
1
0
1
Permitting Alien to Serve Alcoholic Beverages
1
0
1
Possession of Lottery Slips
6
1
7
Promoting a Lottery
7
1
8
Rules of the Road Violations
1
0
1
Rules and Regulations, and Recom- mendations as to Structural
Painting Violations
1
0
1
83
Males Females Total
Selling Leased Property
1
0
1
Serving Alcoholic Beverages When Not a Citizen of United States
1
0
1
Shellfish Laws Violations
1
0
1
Speeding
41
1
42
Taking Scallops Out of Season
2
0
2
Taking Shellfish from Contaminated Areas
1
0
1
Threatening Bodily Harm
1
1
2
Threatening to Extort Money
2
0
2
Vagrancy
2
0
2
Weekly Wage Law Violations
1
0
1
Wilful Injury to Property
2
0
2
TOTAL LOCAL OFFENSES
280
16
296
OUT-OF-TOWN OFFENSES
27
1
28
307
17
324
DISPOSITION OF LOCAL CASES
Males Females Total
Framingham Reformatory-Suspended 0
2
2
House of Correction-Suspended
11
0
11
Fined-Suspended
39
1
40
Fined
62
2
64
Filed
53
4
57
Not Guilty
15
0
15
Dismissed
15
0
15
Continued
9
1
10
House of Correction
4
0
4
Grand Jury
3
0
3
Probation
42
0
42
No Probable Cause
1
0
1
Concord Reformatory
2
0
2
State Prison
1
0
1
Released Without Arraignment
15
1
16
State Farm-Suspended
1
0
1
State Farm
1
0
1
Taunton State Hospital
5
4
9
Fined and House of Correction- Suspended
1
1
2
280
16
296
84
ARRESTS BY MONTHS
Males Females Total
January
15
1
16
February
13
1
14
March
11
0
11
April
11
2
13
May
16
1
17
June
12
0
12
July
27
2
29
August
15
1
16
September
25
0
25
October
19
1
20
November
17
1
18
December
12
2
14
Total Arrests for Local Offenses
193
12
205
Arrests for Out-of-Town Offenses
26
1
27
219
13
232
ARRESTS BY AGES
6-10 years
1
0
1
11-15 years
7
0
7
16-20 years
32
0
32
21-25 years
31
1
32
26-30 years
24
3
27
31-35 years
19
1
20
36-40 years
15
0
15
41-45 years
19
2
21
46-50 years
9
1 2
14
56-60 years
7
1
8
61-65 years
9
0
9
66-70 years
4
0
4
71-75 years
2
0
2
76-80 years
1
1
2
Unknown
1
0
1
193
12
205
10
51-55 years
12
85
In Memoriam JAMES BUCKLEY Died March 13, 1937 Aged 47 years, four months, ten days
CHARLES F. BENSON Died April 2, 1937 Aged 77 years, nine months, 28 days
THOMAS MARTIN
Died June 10, 1937 Aged 61 years, three months, 19 days
Fines Imposed in Fairhaven cases
$2,313.00
Court Fines received by the Town
420.00
Telephones calls, etc., Jan. 1,- Dec. 31, 1937
32,273
Complaints Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1937
1,899
Reports Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1937
2,370
36,542
Resident Arrests
104
Non-Resident Arrests
100
Other Arrest-Address not known
1
Stolen property reported to the value of
$12,331.14
Stolen property recovered to the value of
$4,816.39
Number of persons injured in automobile accidents 122
Number of dead bodies found 4
Number of doors found unlocked or open
57
Number of windows found unlocked or open
16
Number of street lights reported out
161
Number of occasions when all street lights were reported out 2
Number of Motor Vehicle Accident Reports filed with the Police Department 78
86
Number of Motor Vehicle Sales and Transfers filed with the Police Department
Class 1 947
Class 2 0
Class 3 8
Individual 243
1198
Children lost and returned to their homes Motor Vehicle Licenses and Rights suspended or revoked
27
153
Motor Vehicle Registrations suspended or revoked 8
Traffic check-ups
4579
Radio Calls
1871
Mileage summary :
First Car No. 2 16,283
Second Car No. 1 42,843
Second Car No. 2 15,733
Chief's Car 8,310
83,169
POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURES
Regular Routine : Regular and Extra Duty : Chief George T. Sykes
$2,346.43
Investigating : Regular Men, Regular Duty (Greenwood, Jura, Axtell,
Besse, Shurtleff) $7,283.57
Regular Men, Extra Duty
(Greenwood, Smith) 253.60
Spare Men, Regular Duty
(Buckley died) 200.00
7,737.17
Police Duty : Regular Men, Extra Duty (Greenwood, Smith, etc.) 352.30
Regular Men, Regular Duty (Jura at Tack Works) 25.00
377.30
Traffic Duty : Regular Men, Extra Duty (Oxford School, funerals) 182.30
182.30
87
Desk Duty :
Regular Men, Regular Duty (Keen, Britian) 2,862.20
Regular Men, Extra Duty (Keen, strike, etc.) 16.00
Spare Men, Regular Duty (Isabelle, Lebeau, Eddy) 475.00
3,353.20
Total Regular and Extra Duty $13,996.40 Vacations and days and nights off for Regular Men:
Investigating : ยท Regular Men, (Green- wood, Smith, etc.) 187.20
Spare Men 455.80
643.00
Desk Duty:
Spare Men
330.80
330.80
973.80
Total Cost of Regular Routine
$14,970.20
Extra Work:
Investigating : Spare Men
6.00
Police Duty :
Spare Men (Including Dart-
mouth officers)
874.70
Traffic Duty :
Spare Men (Isabelle-Extra
Car Saturday nights) 777.10
Desk Duty :
Spare Men (Time off)
50.80
1,708.60
Total Cost of Labor $16,678.80
88
Flashlight batteries and bulbs Telephones
$5.22
379.89
Auto Hire
205.00
Maintenance of Automobiles and Motorcycle
901.98
Printing
19.00
Stationery, Postage, Office Supplies
37.73
Physicians
65.00
Town Clerk's Fees
19.50
Traveling Expense
4.20
Obtaining Evidence in Liquor Violation Supplies
7.70
Office Expense
12.49
Equipment for Men (Mostly gas bombs)
148.48
Boat Hire
7.00
Total Expenditures Unexpended Balance
$18,499.99
.01
APPROPRIATION ANNUAL TOWN MEETING $18,000.00
TRANSFER OF FUNDS SPECIAL
TOWN MEETING 500.00
$18,500.00
8.00
Report of the Dog Warrant Officer
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen, Fairhaven, Mass.
I hereby submit my report of the Annual Dog Warrant ending October 1, 1937.
All persons on the warrant have been properly investi- gated and dealt with according to law.
There were 361 persons on the warrant with unlicensed dogs including the people who had moved out of town, had dogs killed by accident or removed by other causes. There were three prosecutions for non-payment of licenses. I removed five dogs and the Animal Rescue League estimates they removed about sixty dogs during the year. I found many new dogs and pups that had come to Town from time to time.
My calls to date show the following results :-
225 males licensed, 62 females licensed, and 24 spayed females, totaling 321 dogs with fees of $808.00.
I have made 1,300 calls and investigations to date, and any new business coming up will be properly taken care of, and any complaints that have been made to me, in all cases, have received prompt attention.
This statement covers my personal activities but not the Town Clerk's collections.
Respectfully,
TRACY W. MARKS,
Dog Officer.
Report of the Assessors
January 10th, 1938.
To the Board of Selectmen and the Townspeople of Fairhaven:
The Board of Assessors submit the following report for the year 1937.
RECAPITULATION
Appropriations
Annual Town Meeting
$489,590.90
Special Town Meeting
13,339.12
State Assessments
State Tax
$20,355.00
Audit
1,699.84
Gas and Corporation Tax
103.99
Parks and Reservations
233.51
Old Age Assistance Tax Abatements 1933
2.00
Old Age Assistant Overlay Deficit
12.00
County Tax
15,863.26
Underestimates assessed
509.16
Overlay of the current year
12,919.77
$554,628.55
Estimated Receipts
Income Tax
$40,325.76
Corporation Tax
14,465.66
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax
10,147.19
Licenses
4,232.50
Fines
799.25
Overestimates deducted
53.38
Special Assessments
703.41
General Government
1,189.55
Protection of Persons and Property
373.79
Health and Sanitation
3,022.41
Highways 57.27
Charities
24,872.51
Old Age Assistance
4,909.24
Soldiers Benefits
518.00
91
Schools Veterans Exemptions
7,114.25
109.42
Trust Fund 13.75
Interest on Taxes and Assessments
6,748.87
Wharves Tax Title Loan
1,237.10
25,000.00
Total Estimated receipts
$145,893.31
Net amount raised by taxation on Polls and Property
$408,735.24
Number of polls, 3207; at $2.00
$ 6,414.00
Total valuation, $11,175,590.00- Tax Rate, $36.00 per M
402,321.24
$408,735.24
Sewers
$ 513.09
Committed interest
49.84
Excise on certain ships and vessels
183.50
Total Commitment to Tax Collector
$409,481.67
Value of Buildings
$ 7,741,180
Tax $278,682.48
Value of land
2,356,720
Tax 84,841.92
$10,097,900
$363,524.40
Value of Personal
Estate
$1,077,690
$ 38,796.84
$11,175,590
Tax $402,321.24
Polls
$ 6,414.00
Total amount raised
$408,735.24
Total amount to be raised
$395,815.47
Total overlay
$ 12,919.77
To find the amount to be raised, add the annual Town Meeting Appropriations, the State and County Taxes and deduct from this sum, the total Estimated Receipts, minus Available Funds.
The Tax Rate is determined by deducting the sum of the Estimated Receipts Polls, (Free Cash, if any) from the total Town Appropriations and dividing the balance by the
92
total Valuation. The rate may be in fractions and is cor- rected by increasing or decreasing the Overlay.
Statistics
Number of horses assessed 79
Number of cows assessed
722
Number of neat Cattle
17 (other than cows)
Swine
74 5
Sheep
Number of fowl
4940
Dwelling houses
3225
Number of acres of land
7497
Additional Assessments, as of December 20th, 1937
Number of persons assessed-2
Value of Real Estate $2,910.00 Tax $104.76
Value of Personal Est. 130.00
Tax 4.68
$3,040.00
$109.44
Three dwellings, 2 acres, 12,224 sq. feet
40 additional polls at $2.00
$80.00
Recapitulation of Motor Vehicle
Total Number
Value $103,690
Excise
$3,622.27
Second Commitment
1810
336,600
10,755.83
Third Commitment
380
101,980
1,808.03
Fourth Commitment
95
31,510
280.31
Fifth Commitment
49
15,870
115.13
2906
$589,650
$16,582.07
Before closing we would like to express our deep regret at the death of Mr. Lewis E. Bentley. Mr. Bentley had been a member of our Board for three and one half years and in that time had formed a strong bond of friendship that was hard to break. He was ever a kindly man, always willing to do his share of whatever came up. As a friend and co-worker, we shall miss him.
Yours very truly,
CLARENCE A. TERRY, CHRISTOPHER J. BIRTWISTLE,
Assessors of Fairhaven, Mass.
First Commitment
672
Report of the Auditors
Feb. 12, 1938.
We hereby certify 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 December 31, 1937 and find them correct.
CHARLES E. SHURTLEFF, GEORGE A. GREENE, RICHARD A. DENNIE,
Auditors.
Report of the Highway Department
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
I hereby submit my annual report of the activities of the Highway Department for the year of 1937.
We have penetrated 20,000 square yards of gravel streets with tar-10,000 yards of these have also been sealed; 11,000 square yards of old macadam has been sealed with asphalt. About 800 square yards of new macadam was penetrated and sealed on Cowen Street.
Permission from the Public Utilities Commission for the crossing of the New Haven Railroad tracks, at Pleasant Street, was secured during the year. The concrete curb has been constructed, the gravel base of the street laid, and the macadam top will be built when weather conditions permit.
According to the vote of the Annual Town Meeting $2,500.00 was expended on Main Street from Huttleston Ave., north to Benoit's Square. This has resulted in a great improvement in the surface but the vibration of the trolley cars, on rails that are far from good, is bound to be a source of trouble in the maintenance of the surface of the street.
The Highway Department has sponsored and supervised a number of worthwhile W.P.A. projects during 1937 and I feel the Town has received considerable benefit from this work, especially from streets and drains.
The construction of granolithic sidewalks has been an- other project of vast value to this department as the soil conditions in this Town make poor dirt walks. The relief work program will be reported in detail elsewhere in the Annual Report of Town Officers.
I would recommend an appropriation of $30,000.00 for the Highway Department and that $2,500.00 of this amount be used for surface work on the following streets :
Washington Street North Street Francis Street
Massasoit Avenue Linden Avenue
95
The cut-off on Sconticut Neck Road, constructed by W.P.A., has been graded by the Street Department and penetrated with tar in conjunction with Chapter No. 90, but no doubt will require sealing in the coming Summer.
The Highway Department is called upon to furnish much equipment for relief projects and is also called upon, when needed, to help in other departments. I am pleased to say that a spirit of cooperation exists between all.
Respectfully submitted, HENRY T. HOWARD, Supt. of Highways.
Report of the Planning Board
To the Board of Selectmen :
Gentlemen:
The Annual Report of the Planning Board for 1937 is as follows :
The Planning Board held eight meetings during the past year, three of which were public hearings. The public hearings were held for a change of zone on the south west corner of Howland Road and Oak street, the change being from Residential to Business. This amendment has been passed at town meeting. A public hearing was held on re-zoning of the east side of Water street one hundred feet deep from Ferry to Washington streets. This amendment was recommended favorably by the Planning Board with fire hazard protection and suitable set-back, and was also passed by the town meeting. Both of these changes were asked for by property owners or abuttors.
A public hearing was held on the re-zoning of the balance of the property between Water and Middle streets in order to get the reaction of the property owners. This hearing was attended by five abuttors, and as they all objected to any further change of zone at this time, the Board voted to lay the matter on the table.
At this last hearing the Board took up the question of a fee being asked of the petitioner for a change of zone, and voted to place an article in the town warrant asking for a charge of $5.00.
The Board has sent publicity pamphlets advertising Fair- haven to the State Planning Board. Favorable reports have been received from the Department of Public Works on the further enforcement of the Bill Board Laws in town. The Department of Public Works has approved the placing of a drain in Washington street easterly from Huttleston Avenue to the brook in the Duff Field. They have also promised to take care of that part of Washington street where the car tracks have been removed, making for a wider road and eliminating a hazard.
97
We hope to have introduced in 1938 with the cooperation of Supt. of Schools Chas. F. Prior a Zoning Contest in the High School. We believe such a contest held annually would be of far reaching value.
The Board recommends that various town officials or their representatives attend the hearings and meetings of the Planning Board so that the matter of Zoning and its problems may be better understood.
Let us peruse the following with the hope of a better understanding :
It is human for the citizen to want a finger in the pie. It is human to like to be drawn in on a problem. Planning deals with people and land- people are human. Too many consultants have lost sight of that fact. People are much more in- terested in something they have had a hand in even though they have been skillfully led to be- lieve that the technicians' ideas are theirs. This applies to officials and laymen alike. Too many technicians have concrete opinions-thoroughly nursed and permanently set-and they lose that priceless advantage of developing in their clients a feeling of participation that their board and the public should have.
It is a consultant's job to bring to a board for their use the best skill and experience that he can. He mustn't speak for them-if they aren't strong enough to speak for themselves, they aren't worth advising.
In this role, we believe, lies the greatest contri- bution of the planner. It isn't as thrilling as pos- ing as the big I am, but it's the soundest procedure. The present day successful consultant realizes that he's not the prima donna but just one member of the cast.
Respectfully submitted,
KENNETH S. PEIRCE,
Secretary.
Report of the Board of Appeals
Board of Selectmen, Fairhaven, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :
During the year 1937 this Board received fourteen peti- tions to vary the application of the provisions of the zoning by-laws.
After public hearings, eleven of the petitions were granted, one laid on the table, and two denied for reasons set forth in the individual reports which are on file.
Respectfully submitted,
FAIRHAVEN BOARD OF APPEALS,
Stanley H. Packard, Chairman, Raymond T. Babbitt, Howard E. Odiorne, James M. Young, Gilbert W. Tuell, Secretary.
Board of Fire Engineers
To the Honourable Board of Selectmen of Fairhaven, Massachusetts And Tax Payers of the same.
Gentlemen :
The Board of Engineers present the following report as for 1937.
The Board, as appointed in May, organized with Mr. P. D. Brown as Chairman and Clerk. The following were re- appointed ; Mr. E. G. Spooner as Chief, Alexander Price, Jr., as Deputy Chief, Charles H. Lawton as First Assistant Chief. The personnel as then serving, at the Central Sta- tion, as Permanent men were reappointed.
The Board reports :
I. Completion of new station at East Fairhaven as a W.P.A. Project sponsored by this Board. The requirements as to cost of materials established by vote of the Town were fully met, as well as those for labor, as established in the project and approved by W.P.A. authorities, in both instances under the estimate.
II. The purchase of a new 600 Gallon Pumper as voted at a special Town meeting.
Bids were considered from and representatives of seven manufacturers were heard. The Board of Engineers sub- mitted their recommendations to your Board and the pur- chase of a Maxim Pumper was authorized by you. This new equipment has been in commission, since December 4th, and is more than meeting the requirements, as estab- lished at the factory test by the Board of Underwriters and at the acceptance test before this Board.
Out of the unexpended balance of the appropriation, $400. was transferred by vote of special Town meeting to meet overdrafts in other departments.
III. In accordance with the vote of the Town meeting, the combined Boards purchased a Ford V-8 Chassis, equipped with booster tank and body especially constructed according to specifications of this Board, to replace Engine
100
No. 2. The cost of this equipment was within the appro- priation. In installing the pump taken from old Engine No. 2 onto the new chassis, it was found to be in need of extensive repairs. These repairs were made, to the extent of practically rebuilding the old pump by replacement with new parts, at the cost of $293.50. It is this item of unex- pected emergency expenditures that caused the overdraft in the funds at the disposal of this Department, which over- draft was met by transfer from Reserve Fund of $155.44 upon vote of the Finance Board. This new equipment has likewise shown on several occasions its ability to do more than required of it, in regard to specified capacity with ample power in reserve for increased capacity if demanded.
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