USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1938 > Part 4
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Fugitive from Justice
1
0
1
Illegitimate Children Law Violations
4
0
4
Incest
1
1
2
Insane
4
0
4
Keeping Unlicensed Dog
9
0
9
Larceny
52
0
52
Law of the Road Violations
1
0
1
Leaving the Scene of an Accident after Injury to Property
1
0
1
Lewdness
1
0
1
Making a Fraudulent Check
1
0
1
Neglect of Family
8
0
8
Operating a Motor Vehicle after License was Suspended
1
0
1
Operating a Motor Vehicle So as to Endanger
11
0
11
Operating a Motor Vehicle While
Under the Influence of Intoxicat- ing Liquor
16
0
16
Permitting an Uninsured Automobile to be Operated on Way
1
0
1
Permitting an Unregistered Automo- bile to be Operated on Way
1
0
1
Possession of Lottery Slips
8
0
8
Promoting a Lottery
10
0
10
Selling Leased Property
2
0
2
Speeding
18
1
19
Unlawful Appropriation of a Motor Vehicle
1
0
1
Vagrancy
2
0
2
Wilful Injury to Property
1
0
1
TOTAL LOCAL OFFENSES :
252
3
255
OUT-OF-TOWN OFFENSES
17
0
17
269
3
272
82
DISPOSITION OF LOCAL CASES
Males Females
Total
Continued
4
0
4
Not Guilty
8
1
9
Dismissed
14
1
15
Fined-suspended
30
0
30
House of Correction-Suspended
20
0
20
Fined
47
0
47
State Farm
2
0
2
Probation
15
0
15
Lyman School-Suspended
2
0
2
Filed
32
0
32
House of Correction
2
0
2
Grand Jury
42
0
42
Defaulted
1
0
1
Released Without Arraignment
14
0
14
Appealed
7
0
7
State Prison
1
0
1
Sherborn Reformatory
0
1
1
Taunton State Hospital
4
0
4
Fined : House of Correction- Suspended
5
0
5
Massachusetts Reformatory- Suspended
2
0
2
252
3
255
ARRESTS BY MONTHS
Males Females Total
January
4
0
4
February
7
0
7
March
6
1
7
April
25
0
25
May
11
0
11
June
25
2
27
July
15
0
15
August
20
0
20
September
22
0
22
October
5
0
5
November
13
0
13
December
9
0
9
Total Arrests for Local Offenses
162
3
165
Arrests for Out-of-Town Offenses
17
0
17
179
3
182
.
83
ARRESTS BY AGES
Males Females
Total
11-15 years
12
0
12
16-20 years
23
1
24
21-25 years
30
1
31
26-30 years
14
0
14
31-35 years
18
0
18
36-40 years
17
0
17
41-45 years
16
0
16
46-50 years
14
0
14
51-55 years
10
1
11
56-60 years
2
0
2
61-65 years
4
0
4
71-75 years
2
0
2
162
3
165
Fines imposed in Fairhaven cases
$2,460.00
Court Fines received by the Town
609.55
Telephone calls, etc., Jan. 1- Dec. 31, 1938
35,771
Complaints Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1938
1,825
Reports Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1938
2,579
40,175
Resident Arrests
75
Non-Resident Arrests (1 arrest unknown)
89
Stolen property reported to the value of
$4,118.10
Stolen property recovered to the value of
$1,920.55
Number of persons injured in automobile accidents
105
Number of persons killed in automobile accidents
2
Number of dead bodies found
15
Number of doors found unlocked or open
34
Number of windows found unlocked or open
20
Number of street lights reported out
198
Number of occasions when all street lights were reported out
2
Number of Motor Vehicle Accident Reports filed with the police department
65
84
Number of Motor Vehicle Sales and Transfers filed with the police department
Class 1 318
Class 2 111
Class 3 12
Individual 267
708
Children lost and returned to their homes 50 Motor Vehicle Licenses and Rights suspended or revoked 161
Motor Vehicle Registrations suspended or revoked
6
Traffic Check-ups 462
Radio Calls
1959
Mileage summary :
Car No. 1
75,527
Car No. 2
22,083
Chief's car 8,761
106,371
POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURES
Regular Routine :
Regular and Extra Duty :
Chief George T. Sykes
$ 2,346.43
Investigating and Patrol Duty :
Regular Men, Regular Duty $6,629.28
Regular Men, Extra Duty 163.00
Spare Men, Regular Duty
878.57
7,670.85
Police Duty :
Regular Men, Extra Duty
186.20
Traffic Duty :
Regular Men, Extra Duty Desk Duty :
142.50
Regular Men, Regular Duty $2,027.57
Regular Men. Extra Duty 56.60
Spare Men, Regular Duty
1,309.57
3,393.74
Total Regular and Extra Duty $13,739.72
85
Vacations and days and nights off for Regular Men :
Investigating and Patrol Duty : Regular Men $303.80 Spare Men 339.20
643.00
Desk Duty :
Spare Men
277.90 277.90
920.90
Total Cost of Regular Routine
Extra Work :
Investigating and Patrol Duty :
Spare Men
$120.10
Police Duty :
Spare Men
385.50
Traffic Duty
Spare Men
347.60
Desk Duty :
Spare Men
41.60
Dog Duty :
Dog Officer
90.00
Town Hall Duty :
Spare Men
10.50
995.30
Total Cost of Labor
$15,655.92
Flashlight batteries and bulbs
9.96
Telephones
336.28
Auto Hire
170.00
Maintenance of Automobiles and Motorcycles
1,491.40
Printing
6.50
Stationery, Postage, Office Supplies
53.32
Physicians
15.00
Town Clerk's Fees
21.50
Traveling Expense
2.00
Supplies
3.20
Office Expense
15.15
Equipment for Men
105.62
First Aid Supplies
4.90
$14,660.62
86
Boat Hire
13.00
Furniture and Fixtures
2.75
Directory
15.00
Moving Signal Light
3.75
Using Drag
10.00
Shooting Dogs
5.00
Total 1938 Expenditures
$17,940.25
Unexpended Balance
59.75
Appropriation Annual Town Meeting
$18,000.00
Report of the Dog Warrant Officer
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen: Town of Fairhaven, Mass.
Appointed by the Police Department to take care of the Dog Warrant for the past year, I wish to report the following business completed.
There were 392 persons on the list given me by the Town Clerk, in addition I found about 40 unlicensed dogs during the summer.
The total number of dogs licensed from June 1st to Octo- ber 1st are :-
293 males, 71 females and 19 spayed females, making a total of 383 dogs.
Every person on the list was properly investigated unless they had moved out of Town, and every case taken care of according to the law.
There were 8 cases that required Court Action and these were taken care of by October 1st.
Any further complaints will be given proper attention.
Respectfully,
TRACY W. MARKS,
Dog Officer.
Report of the Assessors
To the Board of Selectmen :
The Board of Assessors submit the following report for the year 1938.
RECAPITULATION Appropriations
Annual Town Meeting
$496,465.37
In 1937, since 1937 tax rate was fixed
$5,259.62
Deficit due to abatements in excess of overlay
of prior years, G.L. (Ter. Ed.) Chap. 59, Sec. 23 $4,721.95
State Tax and Assessments
1938
1937 Under-
Estimates
State Tax
$14,400.00
estimates $1,327.50
Auditing
1,167.21
Soldiers Relief
360.05
105.77
$15,927.26 $1,433.27 $17,360.53
County Tax
$15,910.44
$ 532.06 $16,442.50
Overlay, current year
13,262.11
Gross amount to be raised
$553,512.08
Estimated Receipts and Available Funds
Income Tax
$47,052.60
Corporation Taxes
14,650.32
Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes
12,515.49
Licenses
3,284.50
Fines
420.00
Special Assessments
1,770.17
General Government
794.00
Protection of persons and property
440.56
Health and Sanitation
2,943.80
Charities
23,621.12
Old Age Assistance
16,024.21
Soldiers Benefits
800.00
Schools
6,835.16
Wharves
1,824.21
89
Int. on Taxes and Assessments Veterans Exemptions
9,065.51 100.44
Total Estimated Receipts $142,142.09
Appropriations voted by Town Meet- ing to be taken from available funds October 17th, 1938 9,981.57
$152,123.66
Total Estimated Receipts and Available Funds
$152,123.66
Net amount to be raised on polls and property
$401,388.42
Number of polls, 3256 at $2.00 each
$ 6,512.00
Total valuation Personal Property $1,068,850 at $35.50 37,944.18
Total valuation Real Estate $10,054,180
356,923.39
Gain or loss on account of frac- tional divisions of tax rate
8.85
Total taxes levied on polls and property
$401,388.42
Betterment and special assessments
Sewers
$132.15
Committed interest
20.40
Excise on certain ships and vessels
319.03 471.58
Total amt. of all taxes and assessments on polls and property committed to the collector in 1938
$401,860.00
Value of Buildings $7,705,510.00 Value of land 2,348,670.00
Value of personal property
$10,054,180.00 Tax $356,930.74 1,068,850.00 Tax 37,945.68
Total value of assessed estate Polls
$11,123,030.00
$394,876.42 6,512.00
Total taxes assessed Total amount to be raised
$401,388.42
388,126.31
Total overlay
$13,262.11
90
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 Meeting Appropriations and dividing the balance by the total valuation. The rate may be in fractions and the sum over or under the total tax, is corrected by increasing or decreasing the Overlay.
Statistics
Number of horses assessed
79
Neat Cattle 1 year and over
811
Yearlings, bulls, heifers
36
Swine
60
Sheep
Fowl
4940
Number of dwelling houses assessed
3264
Number of acres assessed
7497
Additional Assessments as of December 20th, 1938
Land
Real Estate $ 100.00
$ 100.00
Tax $ 3.55
Personal
Stock in trade
$1,000.00
$35.50
Cow
50.00
1.78
All other
250.00
8.88
$1,400.00
$49.71
Houses assessed, 3264
Acres, 7,497
91
Recapitulation of Motor Vehicles
Total Number
Value
Excise
First Commitment
2045
$348,800.00
$12,290.81
Second Commitment
653
122,050.00
2,814.10
Third Commitment
128
34,720.00
406.04
Fourth Commitment
54
29,060.00
198.59
Fifth Commitment
40
16,190.00
87.52
Sixth Commitment
19
7,560.00
41.40
2939
$558,380.00
$15,838.46
Respectfully submitted,
CLARENCE A. TERRY, Chairman CHRISTOPHER J. BIRTWISTLE, ALFRED F. NYE,
Board of Assessors.
Report of the Auditors
Jan. 24, 1939.
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, 1938 and find them correct.
CHARLES E. SHURTLEFF, RICHARD A. DENNIE, GEORGE A. GREENE,
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 1938:
Pleasant Street, from Union Street across the railroad tracks to South Street, was completed in the Spring and has proven a great convenience to many people travelling to the Atlas Tack Corp. and sections immediately to the south.
About 15,000 square yards of road surface has been sealed, with either tar or asphalt, during the past year and approximately the same amount will require sealing next year.
During 1938 the Highway Department has cooperated with the Works Progress Administration in a number of construction projects that have tended to improve our high- ways. It is interesting to note that since the inception of Governmental Relief projects there has been installed in Fairhaven streets approximately 22,000 feet of drain, 173 catchbasins and 33 manholes. It is, of course, an es- tablished fact that drainage is the first essential of road maintenance and from the comments of our citizens this type of work is appreciated and recognized as worthwhile relief projects. All work supervised by this department is covered in the report of the Co-Ordinator, found else- where in the Town Report.
It is earnestly hoped and urged that all citizens, who can possibly do so, file applications for granolithic sidewalks under W.P.A. project. The Highway Department main- tains considerable equipment used in conjunction with W.P.A. work.
Several of our trucks should be replaced because their age and condition require a high maintenance cost. I recommend the appropriation of $3,500.00 for the purchase of a new dump truck with necessary auxiliary equipment and I also recommend an appropriation of $30,000.00 for the maintenance of highways for the year of 1939.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY T. HOWARD, Supt. of Highway Dept.
Annual Report of the Planning Board
To the Citizens of Fairhaven:
The Planning Board has had a very busy and satisfactory year during 1938. The Board has held fourteen regular meetings, five of which were Public Hearings. The Board also called a joint meeting of the Selectmen and the other Town Boards relative to the extensive property loss due to the Hurricane of September 21, 1938. Since that date five joint meetings have been held with the Board of Sel- ectmen and other Town Boards and property owners from the various beaches in town.
The Planning Board received six petitions for changes of zones. Four changes have been recommended and one is still under consideration. The Board hopes to have this last one settled in time to make its recommenda- tions at the Annual Town Meeting together with those already approved.
It was voted to have the amendments to the Zoning By-Laws drawn up in duplicate for the use of the Building Department and the Planning Board. This was done under the direction of the Town Clerk, Mr. William Champlin.
The Planning Board gave $18.00 in prizes in a contest on zoning a section of the town. This contest was open to the members of the two upper classes of the High School. The Board hopes to have such a contest each year taking in different sections of the town each year.
On account of the $5.00 fee charge recommended by the Planning Board $35.00 in fees have been turned over to the Town Treasurer.
Members of the Board went to Boston to consult with the Department of Public Works on the widening of Washing- ton Street from Huttleston Avenue easterly and providing suitable drainage for it. Also the widening of the highway on the north side at the ice pond in order to do away with a bad traffic hazard. The State has completed the installa- tion of the drain and will take care of the widening when money is available.
95
The question of extending the sewer in Washington Street further east was taken up with the sewer department and we were informed that the sewer could be extended to take in the two or three houses beyond Sconticut Neck Road, but that the cost would be too high because of the depth re- quired. The sewer department felt that there were not enough houses to justify the expense involved.
The Planning Board has been successful in having several illegal bill boards torn down. We wish to acknowledge the cooperation given us in this matter by the Board of Sel- ectmen, Improvement Association and the Businessmen's Association.
The local Planning Board was honored by the State Plan- ning Board at the Springfield Conference where our Chair- man, Mr. Slater, was asked to give a talk on "Local Board in Action."
The Planning Board is on record urging that permits for bill boards should be granted by local authorities and not by the State Department of Public Works.
We recommended the acceptance of the following streets : Tripp St. from the north line of Centre St. south to the Town Yard and 40 ft. wide. Pheonix St. from the east line of Green St. to the east line of Coe St. Coe St. from the north line of Watson St. to the south line of Cedar St. and the discontinuance of Centre St. for a distance of 63.8 ft., west of the west line of Water St.
After the Hurricane of September 21, 1938, the Planning Board had Mr. Tohmforde of the State Planning Board come to Fairhaven in order to make a survey of devasted area and report back to our board. Several members took Mr. Tohmforde to the different beaches and later that same day the full board together with Mr. F. Eben Brown, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen met with Mr. Tohmforde to hear any suggestions that he might make before he had time to make a complete report. The full report is in our files. Mr. Tohmforde felt that the Town of Fairhaven was very for- tunate in that we have the complete organization of Plan- ning Board, Zoning Laws, and Building Code together with the enforcing boards to carry on the rebuilding of our beaches. He also suggested that we have a very difficult problem to solve and that we should not break down our
96
Zoning By Laws, or be in too much of a hurry to rebuild on some of the beaches, as the sanitary conditions were very poor and should be improved.
We feel that the towns-people are cooperating very whole- heartedly with the Planning Board and the Zoning By Laws, and many are beginning to realize what a distinct advantage they have in these laws which are for the good of the whole community.
Respectfully submitted,
Kenneth S. Pierce, Secretary, Victor O. B. Slater, Chairman, William Tallman, George Hayward, Herbert Candage, George A. Steele, Charles R. Dugdale, Bates S. Coy,
Fairhaven Planning Board.
Report of the Board of Appeals
Board of Selectmen, Fairhaven, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen:
During the year 1938 this Board received twenty-one petitions to vary the application of the provisions of the zoning by-laws.
After public hearings, twelve of the petitions were granted, and nine denied for reasons set forth in the indi- vidual 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 Honorable Board of Selectmen, Fairhaven, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :
The Board of Fire Engineers present to you and the citi- zens the following report for the year 1938.
This Board organized in June with the selection of the following members which comprises the official personnel of the Department; E. G. Spooner, Chief; Charles H. Lawton, Asst. Chief; William Cabral; James M. Young, Chairman and Arthur S. Richards, Clerk. Alexander Price was select- ed to serve as Deputy Chief of the Department.
The Department reports 36 Box Alarms and 161 Still Alarm calls responded to during the year. Altho the Still Alarm calls showed an increase of 44 over last year, a con- servative effort was made to reduce our labor cost for this work which fortunately we were able to do.
Response to calls as a result of the hurricane and not to fire work are not listed in the above resume. The ac- companying Hurricane Report explains other work perform- ed by this Department.
The apparatus and its equipment is in good condition.
The three stations are in good condition with the exception of the heating systems in Station 2 and Station 3 which could and should be improved.
Engine 5 Company, situated in East Fairhaven at Sta- tion 5 was organized during the early part of the year. Of the six enrolled members of this company only two were elected to serve as Regular paid members. Forced economy prevented increasing the membership to full combat strength.
Four of the members of this Station attended the Fire- men's Training School in New Bedford during the year and they received certificates both for first course work and also for advanced study. To date 16 members possess certificates for completion of courses of instruction at the school.
99
Practice sessions for all companies, and there are seven in all, were held out-of-doors during the year from May to September inclusive, when weather permitted. During in- clement weather, sessions were held indoors and some com- panies have held practice sessions on each regular meeting night throughout the year.
The Department is very fortunate in having in its per- sonnel. a qualified Red Cross instructor in first-aid to the injured, Mr. R. H. Whitten of Engine 5 Company. A course of instruction was commenced at Hdqrs. Station and was open to all members of the Department. These classes have been excellently attended and certificates will be granted to all who qualify in the course.
It is the desire of the Department that more citizens visit any of our Stations, particularly the Hdqrs. Station and ac- quaint themselves with one of the most interesting and in- structive public organizations in the Town. We are grateful for the co-operative interest of all our citizens, especially in fire prevention and welcome the opportunity to extend our personal thanks.
Respectfully submitted,
Edward G. Spooner, Charles H. Lawton, James M. Young, Arthur S. Richards, William Cabral,
Board of Fire Engineers.
HURRICANE REPORT
The duties of the Fire Department during 1938 were varied and manifold.
The citizens are entitled to know and it is our privilege to relate the activities of the Dept. during the disastrous period attendant upon and subsequent to the catastrophe of the hurricane and flood.
On the afternoon of September 21, 1938 an unpredictable
100
catastrophe occurred, the results of which most of us are quite familiar. To the Fire Dept. a new problem presented itself. As a public safety organization devoted and trained to the preservation of human lives and property especially in the profession of fire fighting and prevention of fire, a new emergency arose in the wind and water damage of the hurricane and consequent distress to many of our citizens in the devastated areas. The urgent need for help actuated the Dept. and its men to render prompt service until such time as the residents of the areas were safely administered to by various relief organizations.
In order that the citizens may be apprised of the efforts of their Fire Dept. this report is offered with a few facts that may be of interest, and we hope a measure of satisfaction to all that this Dept. as a whole, demonstrated its ability to meet the situation of such swift, vast destruction and con- tinue salvage operations until the emergency conditions were somewhat abated.
At the onset of the storm, when trees and poles were being toppled and the waters rising to flood stage, the emergency signal of ten blows on the audible fire alarm system was sounded calling all firemen, policemen and legionnaires to their respective commands immediately.
Firemen assembled at their respective stations to await instructions. The first duties were to preserve the Fire Dept. apparatus and equipment. The fire engines had to be hur- riedly removed from the Central Fire Station to higher land as the tidal waters entered the station to an actual height of two feet. Three groups of firemen were dispatched with three boats to aid in rescue of persons in distress either marooned in cottages or aiding persons floating on wreckage, and in the inky blackness of the night with the accompany- ing high wind this problem presented a hazardous under- taking. Other groups of firemen set about rescuing, actually carrying persons to safety that were marooned in dwellings along the waterfront or further inland flooded sections.
Still another grave problem arose; fire prevention and fire protection. With trees and poles down on many of our streets it became necessary to maintain a patrol and several men were detailed for this work. It was their duty to note and report all streets that were passable for the engines and the shortest available run to any given point in case of fire.
101
The wires cf our street signal box system were crippled through poles and trees being down and our patrolmen throughout the entire town were obliged to be vigilant in detecting fires and either checking same or holding same to an incipient stage with prompt notification to Fire Hdqrs. Noteworthy praise can now be extended to all citizens in their careful and cautious use of heating and lighting equipment of various makeshift varieties such as, kerosene lamps, lanterns, candles and kerosene heating devices. At no time during and subsequent to the storm was a fire re- corded to careless use of any temporary heating or lighting equipment.
Let it also be noted at this time that the Dept. air whistle atop the Central Station was always in working order and could be manually operated for signal purposes. When first installed such curtailment of electric power and crippled wires had been considered, and in this emergency, the use of the whistle was available when all other electric power and wires had failed. Approximately two days after the storm, temporary repairs to the entire street signal system had been made and with the exception of four street boxes destroyed by submersion, the service had been restored to near normalcy. Three days after, four new boxes had been installed to replace those damaged and the waterfront area again provided with proper fire alarm coverage.
The local electric service company and the telephone com- pany are to be commended for their excellent service in re- storing service to the Fire Dept.
After rescue work had been completed and the engines could be returned to the Central Fire Station a large group set about cleaning and washing the station of the accumula- tion of silt and refuse cast up by the tidal waters. Several days were occupied to complete this task.
The Dept. was then called for another duty. The Bridge Street sewer was so seriously affected and many homes flood- ed and could not be drained by the regular sewer station pumping equipment that two pumping engines of the centri- fugal type were pressed into service. They pumped con- tinuously for many hours in order that health and sanitation in the area served might be preserved.
Above all, and a fact of which we are justly proud is that
102
during the entire emergency the Fire Fighting equipment was not crippled. The regular, normal fire service was al- ways immediately available, and the willingness and co- operation of the call firemen in all their spare time from their regular employment helped to maintain a more com- plete fire service perhaps than under ordinary conditions. Many men of the Dept. had their own homes flooded and their business locations inundated, yet they found time in their "off-hours" to report to this Dept. for further duty and assistance to others, a sacrifice that in most cases was with- out recompense.
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