USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1960-1963 > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
22 Helen M. (Swan) Bump
68
8
7
Acute infarction of myocardium
July
21 Frank J. Boyd
52
Asphyxiation by hanging Gallstone Ileus
August
8 Hayward D. Munro
49
1
15
Bronchopneumonia
21
Albert J. Porter
59
8
13
Sudden death-presumably coronary occlusion
September
2 Sally Roy Ohlson
18
10
14
FiGrosarcoma with Metastasis
5 Sarah Davison
80
5
18
Bronchopneumonia
12 Elmer W. Hunt
83
10
16
Bronchopneumonia
October
15 John L. Downs, Jr.
47
1 22
Hemorrhage of Brain, Natural Cause
35
-
31 Henry Franklin Allen
78
-
-
-
-
Date Name
Y
M
Cause
15 Catherine S. Mahoney (Gillis)
80
-
28 John P. Cavanagh
24
9
23
Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm Gunshot wound of head, Suicide
November
17 Daniel T. Sulllivan
87
-
-
19
Thomas J. Kelley
37
0
23
22
Karen M. Bystrom
12
3 10
29 Ejnar W. Johnson
46
9 15
Heart disease presumably Coronary Thrombosis
December
16 Anna L. Peterson
81
1
1
Carcinoma of Breast
17 James MacLean
34
8
17
26 Elizabeth Millet
92
4
29
Bronchopneumonia
30 John Cosgrove
74
2 23
Coronary Thrombosis
Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
Hepatic Failure
Acute Rheumatic Pancarditis
Fractured Skull with brain laceration
36
37
Fish and Game Licenses Issued, 1961
Res. Citizen Fishing Lic.
182
@$4.25
$773.50
Res. Citizen Hunting Lic.
196
4.25
833.00
Res. Citizen Sporting Lic.
75
7.25
543.75
Res. Citizen Minor Fishing Lic.
38
2.25
85.50
Res. Citizen Female Fishing Lic.
31
3.25
100.75
Res. Citizen Minor Trapping Lic.
4
2.25
9.00
Res. Citizen Trapping Lic.
5
7.75
38.75
Non-Resident Citizen Hunting
2
15.25
30.50
533
$ 2,414.75
Less Clerk's Fees
533
.25
133.25
$2,281.50
Duplicates
5
.50
2.50
Archery Stamps
4@1.10 4.40
Lee Clerk's Fees
4
.10
.40
4.00
Number of Licenses Issued
542
Amount Paid to Division of Fisheries and Game
$2,288.00
Res. Citizen Sporting Licenses (free) 29
ANNA E. BROWN Town Clerk
38
Dog Licenses Issued in 1961
Male
326
@$2.00
$652.00
Female
56
5.00
280.00
Spayed Female
192
2.00
384.00
Kennel
18
10.00
180.00
Kennel
3
25.00
75.00
595
$1,571.00
Less Clerk's Fees
595
.25
148.75
Total Paid to Treasurer
$1,422.25
ANNA E. BROWN
Town Clerk
LIST OF JURORS 1961-1962
Name
Residence
Ahlborg, Arnold W.
70 Prospect St.
Almquist, Kenneth O.
8 Purchase St.
Almquist, Robert W.
149 Copeland St.
Anglim, William
Barros, Arthur
Bishop, Henry A., Jr.
Boyd, Luke M.
273 Crescent St. 11 High St.
Carlson, Rebecca Eaton, Alton S.
491 West St. 141 Crescent St.
Falzarano, Mario Giilis, Robert C.
92 Union St.
494 E. Center St.
Gordon, Herbert G.
2 Crescent St.
Hall, June J.
58 South St.
Hamilton, John, Jr. 2 Copeland St.
Hollertz, George V., Jr.
216 Matfield St.
Horton, Earle L.
94 East St.
Business or Occupation and Address of Employer or Business
Ass't Treas., Brockton Edison Co., Brockton Proj. Eng., N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton Carpet Installer & Salesman, H. W. Robinson Carpet, Brockton
Off. Mgr., Nat'l Biscuit Co., N. Montello St., Brockton Shoeworker, Knapp Shoe Co., Brockton
Mach. Op., Ind. Nail & Packing Co., Bridgewater
Cost Estimator, W. R. Grace Co., 62 Whitemore Ave., Cambridge
Husband, Warehouseman, Ind. Nail Co., Bridgewater Supt. of Buildings, Howard School for Girls, West
Bridgewater
Refrigeration Maintenance, V.A. Hospital, Brockton Foreman, N. E. Trans. Co., 402 Congress St., Boston Real Estate & Ins. Agt., Self Employed
Husband, Machinist, Self Employed
Foreman Construction, N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton Clerk, Brockton Machine Co., Inc., 55 First St.,
Brockton
Stockkeeper, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton
39
9 Crescent St. 15 Progressive Ave.
Name
Residence
Keeler, Florence M.
352 W. Center St. 17 W. Center St.
Keith, Richard E.
Krugger, Richard E.
71 Pinecrest Rd.
Lendh, Alton J.
47 Sunset Ave.
Lendh, Helen C. Lindskog, Harold L.
57 Francis Ave. 69 Belmont St.
MacDonald, John A.
26 Prospect St.
Manzer, Winifred
129 Turnpike St.
Mahoney, Peter C.
Martelli, Reno Nelson, Albert S.
Newman, Raymond L.
Ohlson, Sumner H.
Perry, George L.
Raleigh, John S.
76 So. Elm St.
Rohnstrom, Nina M. Shurtleff, Robert A. Sigren, Fred S.
266 Pleasant St. 40 Highland Avc. 75 East St.
11 Arch St.
Business or Occupation and Address of Employer or Business Husband, Retired, U. S. Civil Aeronautic Admin. Dispatcher, W. Bridgewater, Fire & Police Dept. Sales Rep., Ogden Grain Co., Utica, N. Y.
Pro. Exp., Simplex Wire & Cable Co., 79 Sidney St., Cambridge
Bank Clerk, B'water Savings Bank, W. Bridgewater Truckdriver, Intercity Trans. Co., Brockton Retired
Secretary, E. C. Young Co., Randolph Electrician, The Gamewell Co., Newton Salesman, Producers Dairy Co., Brockton Payroll Clerk, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton Ass't Foreman, Barbour Welt Co., Brockton Lineman, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton Mill Foreman, General Mills Feed Store, N. Abington Engineer, Taunton Engineering Works, W. Water St., Taunton
40
Husband, Electrician, U. S. Coast Guard Die Setter, Campello Shank Co., Brockton Factory Worker, Circle Products Corp., 1382 S. Main St., Brockton
Husband, Troubleman, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton
Silva, Emily R.
262 No. Elm St. 393 Matfield St. 135 No. Elm St. 48 C'wealth Ave. 116 Prospect St. 108 Ash St.
Name
Residence
Steptoe, Arthur
24 Oliver St. 12 East St.
Stuart, Ronald M., Sr.
Thomas, Francis E.
138 No. Elm St.
Walsh, John H.
24 East St.
Wardwell, Lawrence W.
395 Crescent St.
Shoe Last Mkr., Woodard & Wright, E. Bridgewater Mechanic, Self Employed
Williams, Albert E.
231 River St.
Willis, Mildred I.
408 Crescent St.
Foreman, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton
Wright, Fred L., Jr.
384 E. Center St.
Business or Occupation and Address of Employer or Business Safety Eng., Liberty Mutual, Brockton Foreman, Test, N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton Accountant, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton Cable Splicer, N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton
41
JURORS DRAWN
Boyd, Luke M.
Civil Session
Brown, William R.
Grand Jury Criminal Session
Hall, June J.
Civil Session
Miller, Frank S.
Civil Session
Perry, George
Criminal Session Civil Session
Souza, Walter B.
Stuart, Donald M., Sr.
Criminal Session
Sullivan, Marion L.
Civil Session
Greenhouse Foreman, Self Employed
Buckley, Vincent V.
42 BOARD OF ASSESSORS
Total Appropriations at Annual Town Meeting,
March 15, 1961 $919,236.30
Other Amounts to be raised
62.250.00
Total Appropriations since 1960 Tax Rate was fixed: $981,486.30
State Parks & Reservations
3,253.28
State Audit of Municipal Accounts
1,236.76
County Tax
23,093.94
Tuberculosis Hospital Assessment
12,834.40
Plymouth County Mosquito Project
2,170.41
$1,024,075.09
Overlay
12,845.63
Total Amount to be raised
$1,036,920.72
Less: Total Estimated Receipts
352,512.02
684,408.70
Less: Overestimate of Previous Year, County Tax
15.34
$684,393.36
Less: Amounts taken from Available Funds
97,250.00
NET AMOUNT TO BE RAISED BY TAXES ON POLLS AND PROPERTY
$587,143.36
TABLE OF AGGREGATES
Number of Persons, Partnerships, Corporations, etc.
assessed :
On Personal Estate Only
25
On Real Estate Only
1,300
On both Personal and Real Estate
145
1,470
1,488
Number of Polls Assessed
43
Value of Assessed Personal Estate:
Stock in Trade
$64,450.00
Machinery
92,500.00
Live Stock
6,650.00
All Other Tangible Personal Estate
469,677.00
Total Value of Assessed Personal Estate
$633,277.00
Value of Assessed Real Estate:
Land
$1,187,872.00
Buildings
6,406,550.00
Total Value of Assessed Real Estate
$7,594,422.00
TOTAL VALUE OF ALL ASSESSED PROPERTY
$8,227,699.00
Tax Rate per $1000
71.00
Tax for all purposes spread as follows:
On Polls
2,976.00
On Personal Property
44,962.68
On Real Estate
539,204.68
TOTAL TAXES ASSESSED
$587,143.36
Number of Acres of Land Assessed
8,448.28
Number of Dwelling Houses Assessed
1,352
Number of Horses Assessed
22
Number of Cows Assessed
26
Number of Yearlings, Bulls and Heifers Assessed
7
Number of Sheep Assessed
15
Number of Fowl Assessed
1,400
FARM ANIMAL EXCISE
Number of Horses Assessed
10
Number of Cows Assessed
1,084
Number of Yearlings, Bulls and Heifers Assessed
15
Number of Swine Assessed
98
Number of Sheep Assessed
3
Number of Fowl Assessed
21,401
Number of Geese Assessed
48
MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE - 1961
Number of Cars Assessed 3,613
Total Value of Cars Assessed
1,913,840.00
44
Total Excise of Cars Assessed
95,896.63
Average Value per Car Average Excise per Car Excise Rate per $1000
629.07
26.54
66.00
EXEMPTED PROPERTY REAL ESTATE
Trustees of Howard Funds
168,050.00
Old Bridgewater Historical Society
15,500.00
Baptist Society
11,900.00
Methodist Society
13,800.00
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston
111,800.00
Unitarian Society
20,200.00
Cemeteries (Privately owned )
6.240.00
Town Hall and Lot
15,500.00
Fire and Police Station
52,000.00
Highway Garage and Lot
9,500.00
Forestry Garage
2,000.00
Library
3,400.00
School Department (Land and Buildings)
727,900.00
Parks
8,800.00
Water Department
29,000.00
Cemeteries (Town Owned)
600.00
Various Lots owned by the Town
8,845.00
Property of the Commonwealth
4,998.00
Total Value of Exempted Real Estate
$1,210,033.00
PERSONAL PROPERTY
Old Bridgewater Historical Society
8,000.00
Trustees of Howard Funds
5,000.00
Town of West Bridgewater:
Fire Department
30,000.00
Water Department
297,500.00
Library
8,000.00
School Department-Junior-Senior High School
12,000.00
All Other Schools
10,000.00
Highway Department
4,000.00
Town Hall and Offices
3,000.00
Moth Department
2,000.00
45
Police Department
1,500.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures Tree Warden
250.00
100.00
Total Value of All Exempted Personal Property $381,350.00
TOTAL VALUE OF ALL EXEMPTED PROPERTY
$1,591,383.00
WILLIAM W. PHILLIPS, Chairman HERBERT A. HOLMES ELMER L. ANDERSON Board of Assessors
INSPECTOR OF WIRES
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town of West Bridgewater, Mass.
I hereby submit my report for the year ending 1961:
Inspections
216
Edison Permits
125
Services
83
Locked Locations
15
Rough Wiring
31
Added Wiring
30
Not Accepted
6
Oil Burners
16
Electric Dryers
26
Electric Ranges
18
Electric Water Heaters
14
Signs
3
Storm Damages
2
Power Work
1
Trailers
4
Fires
4
Carnivals
2
46
All inspections were based on the 1959 National Electric Code as adopted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with no special rules.
I wish to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Town Tax Collector's Office at this time for the assistance in issu- ing permits and aid to this department.
Respectfully submitted, ALBERT M. GREINER Inspector of Wires
PLYMOUTH COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL PROJECT
In reporting the project's activities for 1961, we have been able to continue our primary objective in each town. Namely, the reduction of the mosquito population at source of breeding. This was accomplished either by drainage of wetland areas or the periodic treatment with insecticide of such water areas where mosquito larvae were found in the samples taken.
One or more major drainage projects were completed in each of our towns by our power ditching unit and many other small breeding wetlands were corrected by use of hand tools.
As indicated and emphasized in previous reports, our major control problem continues to be the early spring brood which orig- inates from the vast woodland swamp areas of the county. This nuisance species persists from early May until June and as the cost of an aerial spray over such swamps would range up to $50,000.00 I would never recommend such an expenditure for control of a specie that is not a disease vector.
Our county program is divided into five work districts with
47
a district foreman in charge of the control work in three or more towns. Each of these foremen have now completed four seasons in their respective districts, their experience and knowledge of breeding wetlands in their respective districts has enabled us to maintain very good control after mid-June.
In addition to the winter use of insecticide dust on isolated wet areas when frozen over, we have increased our use of insecti- cide dust in the summer season to reduce the hazard of foliage burning by repeated oil sprays.
As areas are located or reported with an abundance of adult mosquitoes, residual type spraying is completed, this effort affords temporary relief in troublesome sections and the spot treatments are specific enough to eliminate the breeding entirely in contami- nated waters where disease vector species are indicated.
Many breeding areas which require continuous alert control and pre-hatch treatment each week during the summer would come under some of the following: municipal sewer beds, dumps and disposal areas used by commercial cesspool pumping con- cerns and in residential developments where inefficient septic tanks are leaching into streams and ponds. Storm sewer catch basins in the streets are also a continuous breeding source all season.
As all of these specific places represent breeding of both the nuisance and vector type of mosquitoes, it is the number one priority for each district foreman.
Since the start of the project in 1957, we have not had a single case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in horses or humans, yet the Federal and State research units produce evidence each summer of this virus in bird life. We sincerely hope that our emphasis on this type of control has had a part in preventing a new outbreak of this disease, such as this area suffered in 1955 and 1956 when 35 deaths resulted from 50 cases.
Respectfully submitted,
WARREN G. HARDING
Superintendent
48
TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
1961 TRUSTEES
ELECTED
TERM EXPIRES
Jessie Anderson
1959
1962
Kenneth Buker
1959
1962
Lillian Kundzicz
1960
1963
Allen Foye
1960
1963
Anna Howe
1961
1964
Stanley Carlson
1961
1964
ORGANIZATION
Chairman
Kenneth Buker
Secretary
Jessie M. Anderson
Treasurer
Anna Howe
BOOK COMMITTEE
Jessie Anderson
Kenneth Buker
Anna Howe
Stanley Carlson
MAINTENANCE Allen Foye
The Trustees of the Public Library have had a very active year. Through frequent board meetings many new problems were discussed and settled satisfactorily. Constructive consultations were held with the library staff concerning the new problems aris- ing in their immediate department.
Our new library building is already under construction and the board is making plans for shelving, equipment, arrangement of floor space, etc., related to this building. Also, tentative plans have been made for the actual moving day.
The responsibility for the proper functioning of our new Public Library rests upon the cooperative efforts of the library trustees, library staff and our many library users and friends. We are certain that this cooperation will insure the present and future
49
academic and enjoyment needs of our young people and fulfill the varied interests of our ever increasing adult population.
This is your library. Use and enjoy it.
Respectfully submitted, for the Trustees JESSIE M. ANDERSON, Secretary
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT Report of the Year ending December 31, 1961
To the Trustees of the West Bridgewater Public Library:
This year at the Public Library has been a most rewarding one. There have been 108 children and 42 adults registered as new subscribers. Each year there is a greater call for reference books by both children and adults. The library purchased the new Compton's Encyclopedia in May to help bring us up to date on reference material and we still need more replacements of our encyclopedias.
Owing to severe cold weather and two bad storms in January and February, when both the library and schools were closed our total circulation dropped.
Miss Ellen R. Foye, High School Junior, is assisting with the part time work of keeping both adult and juvenile shelves in order; as well as the reference room and magazine table. She is also checking the juvenile catalog files with the books on the shelves which is very slow work because of lack of space for our children's books.
Mr. Roy S. Fletcher remains as custodian. During the sum- mer vacation he painted the front steps and floor of the veranda and also painted the lavatory. This fall he has caulked the win- dows which has noticeably stopped the drafts that have made the building so hard to heat each year.
Under Inter-Library Loan we continue to borrow the non-
50
fiction books that are too expensive for our budget or would not circulate often enough to put them on our shelves. Many of our patrons know of this service and use it frequently.
Mrs. Hazel Fletcher, Librarian and Mrs. Vivian Bassett, Assistant Librarian attended both meetings of the Old Colony Library Club this year. The May meeting, held at North Easton was especially interesting with panel discussion by a group of men from several different professions, telling what the Public Library meant to them.
In October we went to East Bridgewater and saw demonstra- tions of new mending materials and methods of using them.
The annual "Book Week" in April and November were ob- served with many classes from the elementary school coming in groups to see the new books and have the card file and reference room explained. Appropriate book marks were distributed to school children and to the two kindergartens that called on us. The official poster was on display, beside those loaned us by the "Magic Carpet" and the "Cochesett Kindergartens."
During the year 150 worn and old books were discarded and we have about finished replacing standard copies of the classics.
Beginning in October and continuing for ten weeks Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Bassett attended a class in "Cataloging and Classification for small libraries" held at the Millicent Library in Fairhaven with Miss Rita Steele, Librarian, as Instructor. It was sponsored by the State Division of Library Extension and certificates were given.
The Library has had many gifts of books from publishers, business firms and interested patrons for which we are grateful.
We wish to thank the trustees for their continued help and advice and we also hope to give our patrons continued service in our present quarters.
Respectfully submitted,
HAZEL C. FLETCHER
Librarian
7977 2394 3000 13,3 88 1
52 12 14,70 1
1808 13 388
74 52
155 28.375
51 14987
STATISTICS 1961
SCHOOL CIRCULATION
Elementary Fiction
1913
Elementary Non-Fiction
1720
Total
3633
Secondary Fiction
1784
Secondary Non-Fiction
2035
Total
3819
Elementary Total
3633
Secondary Total
3819
School Total
7452
*
28375
GENERAL CIRCULATION
Adult Fiction
7994
Adult Non-Fiction
2394
Juvenile Fiction
5572
Juvenile Non-Fiction
1808
Magazines
3155
Total 20,923
*
BOOKS PURCHASED
Adult
344
Juvenile
124
Total 468
COLLECTOR OF TAXES
Following is a list of unpaid taxes and water rates as of December 31, 1961:
1961 Poll Taxes $ 16.00
1961 Real Estate Taxes 21,818.35
1961 Water Liens added to Taxes 839.48
20, 92 3 7 452
52
1961 Personal Property Taxes 2.985.55
1961 Farm Animal Excise 170.02
1961 Motor Vehicle Excise
7,789.91
1960 Motor Vehicle Excise
111.51
1961 Water Rates
5,766.95
Total Gross Collections 1961
$ 733,271.56
WALTER C. DUNBAR
Collector of Taxes
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Board of Selectmen
West Bridgewater, Mass.
The following is report of the Sealer of Weights and Measures for the Town Report of 1961:
SEALED
Scales under 100 lbs. 35
Scales over 100 lbs.
1
Gasoline pumps
39
Weights
27
Oil trucks
2
Package reweighing
87
WARREN A. TURNER Sealer of Weights and Measures
TREE WARDEN
I hereby submit my report for the year 1961 as Tree Warden.
The Town Shade Tree Nursery, started in 1953, now contains over 500 various species of shade trees for planting along the Town's roadsides. Each year, young seedlings are placed in the nursery where they are fertilized, cultivated and pruned for 4 to
53
5 years before they have the growth necessary for transplanting to the roadsides. From this supply the past year, 114 trees were planted and staked in various locations around town.
Trimming and pruning for deadwood and road clearance was done throughout this year. Also, four tons of a complete fertilizer were applied with the aid of the power auger to trees which war- ranted such. This work makes the town's trees take on a healthier appearance as well as build up a resistance to the many diseases which attack them.
This year, the department removed 49 elms because of the Dutch Elm Disease. This is the lowest figure of elm removals since I became your Tree Warden. This reduction in victims can be attributed to a well-knit spraying program coupled with fertil- izing and a large amount of rainfall during the 1961 growing season. All town elms received three sprays, one dormant of 12 percent DDT and two foliar sprays of 9 percent DDT, plus Mala- thion and Lindane wherever they were needed. All other shade trees received two foliar sprays, this work being done at night when wind and automobile traffic are at a minimum . The depart- ment's mist blower is in good condition and has proved to be an efficient method for applying insecticides. Also, during the sum- mer months, our portable fogger has been made available to all residents for outdoor functions such as lawn parties, cookouts, etc., for mosquito control. This service will apply to 1962 - all that is requested is that I am notified at least two days before the func- tion. There is no charge for this service.
As in past years, the Tree Department sprayed Poison Ivy on private property. This is in conjunction with the spot treatments of Poison Ivy eradication along town roads. Since starting this program in 1952, Poison Ivy has slowly become non-existent along West Bridgewater roadsides. I would urge all residents to con- tact me if they feel they now have Poison Ivy on their property. Again, there is no charge for this service.
A new pick-up truck was purchased this year and is fully equipped for 24 hour duty at all times. The department's power saws still remain the useful tool of our trade; without these time and labor saving machines, the work done up to now would still
54
be in front of us. All equipment, which is housed in the depart- ment's quarters in the rear of the Town Hall, is painted regularly and kept in clean and workable condition. I would welcome the townspeople inspecting our fine quarters at any time. Our one large vehicle, the 1956 platform hoist is also used by the Highway Department for snowplowing and for this reason I recommend that this truck be traded, in 1963.
During the summer of 1961, in conjunction with the Board of Health, the department supervised the application by aerial spraying to 3300 acres of residential areas for the control of mos- quitoes. Our work was coupled closely with the excellent mosquito control of the Plymouth County Mosquito Control Project.
Our first and foremost duty as a department is the mainten- ance of existing shade trees-it is the statutory duty of towns to maintain highway trees for the protection of the public. The in- creased demand and need of our citizens for service and informa- tion regarding trees has been felt this year more than ever before. Every resident is a prospective client for service of some kind. Every tree in a residential area, be it public or private is a pros- pective patient of ours if only for a diagnosis of its ills.
It is only through the loyalty of my workmen and their pride in their work; the splendid support of the townspeople in my efforts and the fine co-operation of our many department heads who are also leaders in their respective fields, that we have progressed.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS B. MACQUINN Tree Warden
WATER DEPARTMENT
We, the Water Commissioners and Superintendent of the Town of West Bridgewater, respectfully submit our annual report for the year ending December 31, 1961.
During the year a total of 116,654,574 gallons of water were
55
pumped. The greatest amount pumped on any one day was 569,772 gallons on July 13; the highest month was August with 11,207,440 gallons pumped.
With 116,654,574 gallons of water pumped plus 11,838,750 gallons of water we buy from Brockton, plus the 531,300 gallons of water we buy from Easton, the result is a total of 129,024,624 gallons consumed. This is a daily average of 353,492 gallons; a weekly average of 2,481,242 gallons, and a monthly average of 10,752,052 gallons.
There were 28 analyses of our town drinking water made dur- ing the year by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. As usual all reports were most satisfactory, showing highly accept- able quality and much greater freedom from bacterial elements.
A total of 38 new services were installed and there were 13 old services renewed. Two six inch connections were made for proposed roads, one six inch connection for a sprinkler system, and one six inch connection was made for an industrial building. There were three two inch connections made and a one inch serv- ice connection made. We have sealed and tagged 152 meters. There were 240 calls for meter removal and installations, 159 miscellane- ous calls. We had 80 leaks, 27 frozen services, and we repaired 134 meters. There was a total of 6501/2 hours of overtime spent on emergency calls and maintenance. There were 119 new service charts recorded.
The expression of the year 1961 "starting off with a bang," sure hit us. The first day we had a service line break, then with the severe cold weather we had plenty of trouble, two hydrants froze, a hydrant broke at Lincoln Street, a hydrant at North Main Street had to be repaired. Then, on old lucky thirteenth we had another service line break and had to cut through twenty-six inches of frost. More leaks, hydrant at Howard and West Center Street broken, more leaks, then a storm, which knocked out our controls. Then around the twenty-second, services started freezing; by the end of January the frost was from forty-five inches to fifty-three inches deep. February, still having trouble with service lines freez- ing. The fifth brought more snow and trouble, lost our power and had to use auxiliary power for thirty-two hours. The thirteenth
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.