USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1909-1912 > Part 6
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177
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CLASS OF '08
SOUTHBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Thursday Evening, June 18.
"RIEN SANS EFFORT."
PROGRAM
ORCHESTRA
MARCH .- "Ford." PRAYER. REV. MERRILL C. WARD
SALUTATORY AND *ESSAY .- "The Great Gift."
ORATION .- "The Weather."
KATHLEEN AMES CLARKE
COIT OLIN COLBURN ORATION .-- "Shall we Increase our Navy." JOSEPH VINCENT FLOOD ESSAY .- "Esperanto." LILLIAN FRANCIS O'CONNELL
CHORUS .- "The Heavens Resounding." THE SCHOOL
ORATION .- "Forestry Problems." DEAN JEWETT LOCKE
ORATION .- " The Coming Struggle in Asia." STUART LELAND AUSTIN
ESSAY .- "Castles." CATHERINE FAY HARTWELL
ORATION .- "Results of the Pacific Cruise." JOSEPH ALBERT BLAIN ORATION .- "Animal Instinct." ROBERT HAMLIN WILLIAMS ORCHESTRA
SELECTION .- "American Beauty."
ESSAY .- "The Origin of Certain Americanisms." UNA BELLE MORTON ORATION .- "Banks." JOSEPH EDWARD O'SHAUGHNESSY
ORATION .- "Worn out Paper Money." HARRY OSGOOD ESSAY .- "The Worldly Wisdom of Franklin." ADDIE ELIZA DAVIS ORATION .- "Patriotism." LOUIS EUGENE TETRAULT CHORUS .- "Hope." THE SCHOOL
ESSAY .- "The End of the Rainbow." MARY INEZ HARWOOD ORATION .- "The Development of Thought." ROY ALFRED PLYMPTON ESSAY .- "The Highlander of the United States. " HELEN TERRY GRANT ESSAY *- "The Twentieth Century." MABEL STINSON REED
ESSAY* AND VALEDICTORY .- "The Panic of 1907."
GEORGE WILLIAM TULLY
CHORUS .- "Comrades, Awake !"
THE SCHOOL PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS.
BY CHAIRMAN OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
BENEDICTION. MARCH .- "Down the Line." ORCHESTR
*Excused.
178
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CALENDAR FOR 1909-1910.
Spring term, eleven weeks, begins Monday, April 12; ends Friday, June 25.
Fall term, sixteen weeks, begins Monday, August 30 ; ends Friday, December 17.
Winter term, thirteen weeks, begins Monday, January 3 ; ends Friday, April 1.
Spring term, eleven weeks, begins Monday, April 11; ends Friday, June 24.
HOLIDAYS.
' Every Saturday; Washington's Birthday ; Patriot's Day ; Memorial Day; Labor Day ; Thanksgiving and the day following.
Patriotic exercises will be held in all the rooms the afternoon preceding Memorial Day.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SEWER COMMISSIONERS
The Sewer Commissioners are able to give a more complete and satisfactory report of their work for the past year than they could do last year, as it is completed both on the Mechanics street line and the new filter beds, the construction of which was in opera- tion when last year's report was made. In addition to this, the Sewer Commissioners during the past year have constructed sewers voted at the November town meeting, viz., Elm, South, Main and Sayles, Hamilton, Marcy and Dresser streets, a full report of which is given in our engineer's report. These sewers were not given out by contract, they being short sections, but were built under the supervision of the Board of Sewer Commissioners, thus enabling our local laborers to get employment during the hard times. The Mechanics street sewer line was completed and accepted August 31, 1908, and the new filter beds accepted September 21, 1908.
The work done on sewers during the past year in- creased the mileage to 10.62 miles. There are con-
180
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
nected with this mileage 652 buildings, including five manufacturing establishments, six school buildings and three public buildings. These buildings empty into the sewer 1299 sinks, 1410 closets, 310 baths, 309 bowls. 51 urinals, 16 wash trays, 1 dentist's spittoon, 1 slop hopper, 1 air pump and 7 rain leaders.
In addition to the completion of the Mechanics street sewer and that of the new filter beds, and the construction of the above named sewers, the pipe line was built from the old to the new filter beds, the con- tract for which was given to George M. Bryne Co. of Boston.
The new filter beds, a complete report of which will be found in our engineer's report, are certainly a great credit to the town; they were built with the latest improvements, and have proven so far to be very satisfactory. The Sewer Commissioners have in- vited our heavy taxpayers, business and influential men to see and observe the good results derived from these new beds, and all have agreed that, although it has cost the town a good sum of money for the con- struction of these beds, the town may be proud of having some of the best constructed beds in this vicin- ity. These beds receive the daily flow of between seven and eight thousand gallons of se werage and are able to take care of several hundred thousand more.
W. J. LAMOUREUX, Clerk. JAMES K. EGAN, HENRY C. CADY, Sewer Commissioners.
181
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
Board of Sewer Commissioners, Southbridge, Mass.
GENTLEMEN :-
Herewith I submit a report of the Sewer Con- struction during the year 1908, under my direction as representative of your Board.
A departure from contract work was made this year, owing to the number of unemployed citizens caused by the general depression of business. Your Board early in the season decided to put in by day labor the short sections voted at the annual meeting, thus giving employment to citizens of the town who were out of work.
The labor thus secured while willing, were not accustomed to the class of work and required close attention and much advice at the beginning of the season; but they soon learned what was required and gave better results. To do this work required additional . tools, which were purchased by the contingent account. A charge for the use of same based on a percentage of the labor payroll being refunded to said account.
The work on Elm street from the dead end near the Central Optical Company's factory, southerly to Marsh street was first started. This digging at first was through fine gravel and sand, but later was through course gravel and boulders some of which required blasting. Work was started April 7. The lenghth of sewer constructed is 614.4 feet.
On South street the line was from the manhole at the corner of High street westerly to Winter street.
4
182
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
At the start, ledge was encountered. Tnis extended and required blasting for a distance of 175 feet. The remainder of the distance was through hardpan material. Water was in the trench in such quantity that pumps were required. This, with the lack of good drilling gangs prolonged the time of work. However considering the difficulties, it was done in reasonable time and at moderate expense. The length of sewer laid is 350 feet.
The Main and Sayles street line started with the manhole at the junction of Main and Mill and extended easterly on Main to manhole at Uuion street; also on Sayles street from Main to the premises of M. L. Paul- hus at the present end of the water pipe.
On Main street the material was hardpan and most of the surplus was used in grading and crowning the street near Hamilton street. On Sayles street water gave some trouble and the southerly end of the line was through ledge nearly the whole depth of dig- ging. At the corner of Sayles and Ash streets, was encountered an old fire well through which an iron pipe was laid. The walls of the well were relaid in cement mortar. The total length of sewer constructed is 1022 feet.
The laying of brick pavement on Hamilton street from Marcy to Pine required the building of a sewer for the accomodation of the St. Mary's parish buildings,-house and school. By an agreement with the Street Railway company the sewer was not laid in the center of the street under their tracks. The com-
183
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
pany paid $50 to the Town Treasurer to cover the estimated extra expense involved by this change in the line of the sewer. One hundred and forty feet of this line required blasting. As a large water pipe was exposed by the digging, great care was required not to break it. A result successfully accomplished. 275 feet of pipe was laid on this street.
The Marcy and Dresser street sewer started near the Dupaul, Young Optical Company's factory and extend southerly to Dresser street, thence on Dresser street easterly a distance of 219 feet.
This line required blasting nearly its whole length, either in the form of boulders or ledge. The water main was broken by the blasting causing extra expense to the town and inconvenience to the abuttors. The completion of this work ended the season, and the men were discharged on August 19, 1908. The length of sewer laid on Marcy and Dresser streets is 860 feet.
The work done by contract consisted of the Mechanics street section which was not completed, as stated in my report of last year. The contractors C. E. Trumbull Co. of Boston, Mass., again began con- struction on April 6, 1908. The lower end, from the Woodstock road to the Lendsdale yard was first com- pleted, after which progress was continuous to the end of last year's work, near Lens street on Mechanics.
Owing to the amount of water in the trench near Morris street a 5 inch underdrain was laid with an outlet in the Lensdale pond. This being a deep cut
184
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
with much rock requiring blasting, two gangs of men were ; employed : one on Main Street and one on Mechanics street.
On Mechanics street the old sewer was abandoned and the new line was laid about four feet west of the center of the street in front of the works of the Amer- ican Optican Company. In front of the Clemence box shop the new line was on the easterly side of the old sewer.
While this work was being done the siphon under the Quinebaug river was completed with an overflow pipe giving an emergency outlet on the north side of the river. When this was finished the pipes north of the river were inspected and connections allowed to be made.
At the east side of the entrance to the old filtra- tion area, an outlet, controlled by a 12 inch gate in the manhole, was constructed so that in case of trouble with the outlet pipe the sewage can be turned into the river at this point.
Final estimates of the work were dated August 31, 1908.
The Sandersdale Filtration Area is situated about one-third of a mile northerly from the Sandersdale de- pot and on the westerly side of the road leading to Charlton. The area is bounded on the east by the road to Charlton, south by the Quinebaug river, west by land of E. T. Torrey and William Dahn and north by land of William Dahn. At all angles on the west and north stone bounds were placed and where not
185
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
marked by walls a wire fence was built, using as often as possible trees, when they were in the line, in place of posts.
As stated in my report for 1907, work was begun by the C. E. Trumbull Co., December 9, 1907. It was completed on September 3, 1908, and the work was immediately accepted by your board.
The work as finished consists of eleven beds with a total of 7.6 acres of filter service, thoroughly under- drained with unobstructed outlets into trout brook and thence to the Quinebaug river. Also one other bed of 0.77 acres in which only the center line of un- derdrain has been laid. A concrete settling tank 53 feet by 81 feet divided into three pair of chambers which may be used separately or in combination. Each pair of chambers have a capacity of 52,000 gallons of sewage.
The sewage will pass through the settling basin, in which the solid matter will be, to a large extent, removed by sedimentation. The clarified sewage will pass from the settling basin and be discharged on the filter beds.
Provision has been made for drawing the deposit from the settling basins on to the sludge beds of which 0.77 acres were constructed They are thoroughly underdrained and have a free and open outlet into the Quinebaug river. These beds should be used only at times when the weather conditions are favorable for quickly drying the sludge.
186
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
The filter beds are of the ordinary type known as intermittent sand filters. The function of these filters is to furnish a home for the bacteria which act upon the organic matter of the sewage and transform it into inorganic substances. This process changes the substances in the sewage matter which are liable to decomposition, into materials which do not putrify and become offensive. In view of the fact that this process involves the life of multitudes of minute organ- isms, it is obvious that care should be exercised in the treatment of the filters so as not to produce conditions unfavorable to their development and work. As the name implies the sewage should be applied to the filters intermittently, and great care should be exercised not to overdose them. It is also necessary to remove the accumulated sewage matters at frequent intervals ; to watch the action of the beds under varying conditions and to have these operations properly and carefully supervised.
The channel of Trout brook was straightened and lowered for the whole length of the line of beds. This gives the town additional filtration area and a free outlet to the Quinebaug river.
A new entrance and road were made near the southeast corner of the beds and a concrete bridge was constructed over the channel of Trout brook.
I believe the contractor has done his work thor- oughly throughout, a belief that is apparently justified by results, both at the filtration area and also on the pipe line represented by the Mechanics street system.
187
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
The Outlet Pipe Contract, so called, was in com- pliance with a vote of the town at the April meeting, appropriating money to connect the present end of the sewer on Main street near the old filtration area with the new area at Sandersdale.
Bids for the work were received on April 9, 1909, and were as follows :-
G. M. Bryne Co., Boston, Mass', $7,748 40
C. E. Trumbull Co., Boston, Mass., 9,082 00
Charles N. Taylor, Wellesley, Mass., 9,565 00
F. L. Allen, Worcester, Mass., 10,028 00
Frank Williams,
Boston, Mass., 16,767 25
The contract was awarded to the G. M. Bryne Co., the lowest bidder, and on July 13, construction was started.
The line extended through lower Main street towards Sandersdale to a point near the canal of the Southbridge Printing Co., where it entered and crossed land of A. E. Vinton and the Southbridge Printing Co. to the new filtration area. From the street to the filter beds the pipe is laid in an inverted siphon. The size of this pipe is 18 inches. It is laid with from 4} to 5 feet of cover and the joints are calked with lead in the ordinary manner? The outlet or low end of the siphon discharges into the settling tank on the filtra- tion area.
The siphon is laid on such a grade that it will drain from each end back to the river, A blow-off is placed on the North side of the river, connected by a 14 inch gate valve. Inverted siphons have been in use for
188
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
conveying sewage for many years and have been en- tirely successful. Hence no fear need be entertained of its failure to operate with perfect satisfaction. The capacity of the siphon is sufficient for the present and future needs of the town for many years to come.
The work of laying the pipe under the river and the canal was greatly aided by the Southbridge Print- ing Co., who diverted the water at needed times to the great benefit of the contractor.
The completion of this work was delayed by the inability of the contractor to get sufficient number of laborers and by the formation of the material which required much blasting near the junction of the Wood- stock road.
The quality of the work is apparently equal to that of former years by Mr. Bryne and I feel I can add no further commendation to that given in past reports.
Work was finished September 19 and the line im- mediately put into use thus abandoning the old filtra- tion area and putting the new area at Sandersdale into active operation.
I wish at this time to thank the American Optical Company, the Southbridge Printing Company and the J. M. & L. D. Clemence Company for their efforts and aid in controlling the water in the Quinebaug river and their courteous treatment of the contractors. Also to thank Superintendent Brown and the employees of the street railway company, who willingly obeyed re-
189
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
quests and were careful in the management of cars where work was being done. Particularly so at dan- gerous places and while the sewer was being laid un- der the tracks of the company.
There were ninety-seven applications for house connections with the sewer system during the year 1908. About half os these were for houses containing three or more families.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN A. WHITTAKER, Engineer.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN CLERK.
INSURANCE ON TOWN PROPERTY.
Town hall building and contents,
$86,000 00
Boilers in Town hall, 6,000 00
Boilers in Marcy street school,
4,000 00
Armory and contents, 7,500 00
Engine house and contents, Elm street, 16,300 00
Engine house and contents, Globe Village, 8,500 00
Almshouse, barn and contents, 12,312 50
School house, Marcy street, and contents, 40,500 00
School house, Main street, and contents, 5,000 00
School house, Pleasant street, and contents, 3,700 00
School house, School street, and contents, 3,000 00
School house, corner of Morris street, 1,500 00
School house, Sandersdale,
2,000 00
School house, Elm street,
1,600 00
School house, Dennison district,
400 00
School house, Hooker district, 600 00
School house, Bacon district,
600 00
191
REPORT OF TOWN CLERK.
School house, Mechanics street, 10,000 00
Storage barn and contents, Goddard court, 1,100 00
Library building, 5,000 00
Boilers in Elm street Engine house,
3,000 00
Printed books, paintings, furnishings, etc., in Library building, 20,300 00
Police station, 2,000 00
VITAL STATISTICS.
For year ending December 31, 1908.
Number of marriages,
137
Number of deaths,
197
Number of births,
391
Number dogs licenses issued
for 1908 :-
Males,
400
Females,
38
Breeder's, 1
439
Respectfully submitted,
W. W. BUCKLEY, Town Clerk.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
LIBRARY COMMITTEE.
LIBRARY OFFICERS.
F. E. CORBIN,
- Term expires 1909
ALBERIC THIBAULT,
Term expires 1909
JAMES F. EARLS, -
J. A. WHITTAKER,
- Term expires 1909 Term expires 1910
GEORGE W. LAUGHNANE,
PITT H. HEBERT,
- Term expires 1910 Term expires 1910
JOSEPH METRAS, - CARY C. BRADFORD, DANIEL T. MORRILL, -
- Term expires 1911
Term expires 1911
- Term expires 1911
LIBRARIAN ELLA E. MIERSCH
ASSISTANT MABEL W. PLIMPTON
JANITOR JOHN W. COGGANS
LIBRARY HOURS Week days, except legal holidays, 10 to 12 a. m .; 2 to 5.30 ; 6.30 to 9 p. m.
194
REPORT OF LIBRARY COMMITTEE.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
RECEIPTS.
Balance to credit of account Feb-
ruary 8, 1908, $119 91
Appropriation at the annual
town meeting, 1,800 00
Received from the Librarian, fines, etc.,
113 84
996 80
Dog fund,
$3,030 55
EXPENDITURES.
Ella E. Miersch, librarian, salary and sundry expenses, $913 22
Mabel W. Plimpton, salary as assistant, 366 00
John Coggans, salary as janitor,
100 00
Webster & Southbridge Gas and Electric Co., 252 33
H. P. Oldham, agent, rent of ex- tra rooms, 75 00
E. C. Ellis, coal, 86 25
Library Bureau, supplies,
13 50
Susan Sayles, cleaning,
18 84
R. A. Beckwith, stamped envelopes, 10 62
Southbridge Press, printing, 13 25
Oldham & Ranahan, repairs, 13 64
Library Art Club, subscription, 6 00
195
REPORT OF LIBRARY COMMITTEE.
Southbridge Water Supply Co., water,
$10 00
Alexis Boyer, repairs, 5 60
H. W. Wilson, Reader's guide,
6 00
Gaylord Bros., supplies,
7 94
Carter, Rice & Co., cardboard,
6 25
Perry pictures Co., pictures, 10 95
J. C. Dana, "1000 of the best novels", 3 50
M. Egan & Son, staining box, 1 75
A. D. Cornell, wood, 3 30
3 12
Barrett Bindery Co., binders,
J. M. & L. D. Clemence Co., box, 5 20
J. Wm. Barnes, electric wiring, 4 29
R. T. Reed, repairing clocks, 5 00
$1,941 55
BOOK ACCOUNT.
Charles E. Lauriat Co., books,
$475 46
Cedric Chivers, books, 32 30
J. L. Sullivan, binding,
30 08
Michelson Bros., binding,
127 00
H. W. Wilson Co., books,
10 50
E. F. Dakin, magazine and news- paper subscriptions, 163 65
F. S. Blanchard, Mass. year book, 2 00
E. A. McFadden, List of plays,
2 06
De Wolfe & Fiske Co., books,
3 25
13 75
H. R. Huntting Co., books, A. L. Clarke Co., books, 2 70
196 . REPORT OF LIBRARY COMMITTEE.
G. E. Stechert Co., books, $27 57
Hall & Locke Co., books, 16 50
J. T. White and Co., books, 10 00
J. L. Freeman Co., books,
3 82
Charles Scribner's Sons, books, 1 21
W. T. Robinson, Southbridge Herald subscription, 4 00
George Wahr, portfolio of libraries, 2 50
Directors of Old South work, book, 1 25
Publishers weeky, American catalog, 7 50
Western architect, bungalow and
library numbers, 1 50
Edward Godfrey, book, 2 50
A. L. A. publishing board, book, 1 69
Bruno Hessling & Co., book, 5 00
H. A. Kent, recasing books, 15 00
$962 79
Total amount received for library,
3,030 55
Amount expended, expense ac- count,
$1,941 55
Amount expended, book account,
962 79
2,904 34
Balance to credit of account Feb- ruary 1, 1909, $126 21
MYNOTT FUND.
RECEIPTS.
Balance to credit of account Feb-
ruary 1, 1908,
$1,001 22
-
197
REPORT OF LIBRARY COMMITTEE.
Interest on fund to Jan. 1, 1909, $40 40
$1,041 62
EXPENDITURES.
Arthur H. Clark Co., books, $40 00
Balance to credit of account Feb-
1, 1909, $1,001 62
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
Unusual activity has marked every department of the library. More books have been purchased than in previous years (despite a lack of room which makes double rows of books a necessity, as well as book stor- age on shelves which can only be reached by means of a stepladder). 320 volumes have been rebound or re- sewed; as the books are used møre they naturally wear out faster. New copies have been purchased of 73 wornout volumes. The increase in the circulation of books has been unusually large. 20 per cent more books were circulated during the year 1908-9 than dur- ing the previous year. During the last ten years the circulation of books has been almost doubled ; in 1898- 9, 19,696 books were circulated, in 1908-9, 36,185 books were taken out of the library for home use. Part of the unusual increase during the past year was proba- bly due to the lack of work in the mills and factories giving people more time for reading. The books for
198
REPORT OF LIBRARY COMMITTEE.
boys and girls show the greatest increase in circula- tion. Non-fiction books- i. e. excluding French books and current periodicals as well as children's books and fiction-show an increase of 8 per cent, a very satis- factory increase. Short lists have been printed during the year of "Interesting books of travel", "How to suc- ceed," "Stories of adventure", in an effort to draw the attention of more of the library patrons to some of the interesting books in the library which are not fiction.
Among the books purchased, or given, the 14 new volumes of "Vital records" of Massachusetts towns should be of interest to students of genealogy ; the 3 volumes of Carl Schurz's "Reminiscences" might almost be called a resumé of the history and politics of the United States from '48 to 1900. "The government of England", by A. Lawrence Lowell, the new President of Harvard University, is said to do for the English government what Bryce's "American commonwealth" does for the American government. The most popu- lar books in the library, beside fiction, are undoubtedly, the books of travel and of these the library has added an unusual number during the past year.
139 volumes of public documents were returned to the Supt. of documents. These volumes were either duplicates or documents which had never been used and, probably, never would be used, such as Land office reports, Reports of the Sec., of the treasury, etc.
Twenty-five books of general religious interest, "not doctrinal", have been loaned to the library by the Woman's education association of Boston from Jan.
1
199
REPORT OF LIBRARY COMMITTEE.
1st until June 1st.
Several hundred Perry pictures have been pur- chased, mounted and added to the collection of pic- tures for circulation among the schools or any others interested. Printed lists of the pictures, as well as a short reading list for teachers, were sent to each public school teacher in September. During several weeks before each holiday all the books in the library con- taining material on the subject of the holiday are placed together on special shelves for the use of the schools.
During 1909 the Library will have extra copies of the following magazines, which can be taken out together with a book: Century, Harper's magazine, Harper's bazaar, Atlantic, Scribner's magazine, World's work, Outlook, Everybody's (gift), St. Nicholas, McClure's.
The reading-room will contain, during 1909, in addition to the periodicals subscribed for in 1908, the following periodicals: Motor age, Life, Textile world record, Ladies' home journal, Cosmopolitan, American homes and gardens, Children's magazine, Educational review. The Boston journal of commerce and Le monde moderne are no longer published; the library no longer subscribes for the American architect.
One hundred copies of printed lists of "1000 of the best novels" were obtained from the Newark, N. J., public library. These are sold at four cents each.
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