USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1876-1880 > Part 8
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14
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
outlet is no greater than at the point of entrance. This fishway, after its completion, remained closed, so that during the months of August and September,-a period of the year when the young alewives return to the sea,-the fish following the course of the brook to the river, and barred at the tidal gates, both by a closed fishway and the accumulated sewage, died by thousands along the banks. Your Board, for the second time, petitioned the Fish Commissioners for a hear- ing, relative to the approval of the fishway, and the . maintenance of the same by the City of Cambridge, open and unobstructed, during those months required by law. Mr. Brackett, in behalf of his associates, accepted the fish- way and gave assurance to the Board, that another season proper legal notices would be served, fixing the times when the fishway shall be opened for the passage of fish to the ponds, and their subsequent return. Three sewers now empty their contents into this brook, and serve to drain a large portion of northern Cambridge. As the population in this district increases, the sewage will increase, and the time when the stench from this present system of drainage shall become absolutely unbearable, and the increased death- rate of those resident in the vicinity shall be only too apparent, cannot be far distant. If the City of Cambridge persists in finding an outlet for her sewage by a system of drainage, following the course of the brook, the citizens of Arlington will demand the construction of a sewer, entirely independent of the brook, so that its waters shall flow pure and unobstructed, as in the memory of our oldest residents. Certain it is, that Arlington will, and ought to look with jealous eye on this encroachment on the part of Cambridge, affecting as it does the health and welfare of our citizens.
Concrete.
We have laid upwards of five hundred yards of concrete in yard of Cutter School, besides doing quite extensive
15
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
work around the Russell School, and the sidewalk fronting the same.
Street crossings have been laid on Main Avenue, near residence of Geo. Tufts and Wm. L. Clark, also a crossing on Charlestown Street, near the Fowle estate. The cost of all the appliances, necessary to the work of putting down concrete, is but nominal in comparison with the saving effected. Every year we are reminded of the large amount saved in this way, over the old system of hiring the work done by outside parties. In the ordinary use of concrete, for sidewalks and paths, free from heavy travel, we estimate the saving at least thirty cents per yard. In the matter of street crossings, requiring a heavy base of stone, for which the town formerly paid one dollar per yard, we estimate the cost of construction at sixty cents per yard.
Coal.
There was no special vote passed at the annual meeting, relative to the purchase of coal by contract for town purposes.
Regarding, however, the usage of former years as the will of the town, the Board acting with the School Committee, issued the usual letter inviting proposals from the dealers, for the town's supply. The lowest bid, of $4.58 per ton, was received from Messrs. J. A. Wellington & Co., and to them the contract was awarded.
Cemeteries.
Appropriation,
$400 00
Expended,
365 94
Balance unexpended,
$34 06
The care of both cemeteries has been under the charge
16
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
of Mr. Hartwell. Foliage plants and flowers we set out in the spring, in the grounds of the new cemetery, at a small expense.
The Board have adopted this plan, of adornment of the public beds, to a limited extent, for the past three years, and believe that considering the small outgo required, the idea is a good one, and we most heartily recommend its future continuance to our successors in office.
Watering Streets.
In accordance with the custom of the last few years, the Board caused a subscription paper to be circulated, early in the season, soliciting a portion of the expense from residents on the avenue and Pleasant Street, on the line of the proposed watering. The amount thus subscribed exceeded two hundred dollars. We have used our own carts and horses for the work, and have watered the avenue, from Linwood Street to the Baptist Church, and Pleasant Street, from the centre to residence of Geo. Hill.
Licenses.
By vote of a majority of the Board, ten licenses, for the sale of intoxicating liquors, have been issued the pres- ent year, inclusive of two licenses granted to each of the druggists in town. There have been seven arrests for ille- gal sale and violation of the conditions of the licenses granted. Licenses of the first, third and fourth classes were issued. Under the first class, " allowing the sale of any kind of intoxicant, to be drunk on the premises," four licen- ses were granted at one hundred and fifty dollars each. Under the third class, " allowing the sale of malt liquors and cider, to be drunk on the premises," four licenses were issued at seventy-five dollars each. Under the fourth class . (druggists), "allowing the sale of any kind of liquor, not to
17
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
be drunk on the premises," two licenses were granted. The total amount received from all licenses issued, stands as fol- lows :
First class, 4 licenses at $150, $600 00
Second class, 4
at 75, 300 00
Fourth class, 2
at 50, 100 00
Total,
$1,000 00
Police.
From the annual report of John H. Hartwell, Chief of Police, to the Selectmen, the following statistical informa- tion may be of interest.
Whole number of arrests for the year ending Dec. 31, 1877, 116
Males,
104
Females,
12
116
Assault and battery,
28
Drunkenness,
24
Disturbing the peace,
21
Malicious mischief,
9
Illegal keeping and sale of liquor,
7
All other causes,
27
116
Increase of arrests over last year, 37
At the annual meeting in March, two thousand dollars. were appropriated for this department. The Selectmen re-elected Mr. Hartwell as Chief, and appointed P. J. Shean and Garrett Barry as assistants. With this increased force one officer remained in charge of the centre day and night, 2
18
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
while to the other two was. delegated the care of the upper and lower sections of the town. Considering the extent of territory thus allotted to each man, it is next to impossible to more than partially guard the districts.
The Chief compliments his assistants for their willing and efficient aid during the year. The same appropriation is recommended for another year. No expense has been in- curred by way of repairs at the Station-house, nor will any outlay be required in the spring, other than the usual bright- ening and cleansing with whitewash of walls and cells.
Tramps.
The number of vagrants lodged and fed by the town the present year over the last season shows a serious increase. The law is yet to be enacted which, by the severity of its penalties, shall free our cities and towns from this dreaded nuisance. The total number provided for for the year end- ing Dec. 31, 1876, was 805; the whole number for the pres- ent year, as shown by the report of the Chief of Police, is 1,413, showing an increase of 608 over the number cared for last year. The Board adopted, early in the season, the plan of referring all tramps requesting permits to the Chief of Police. This method brings every applicant under his im- mediate notice, and tends to diminish too frequent applica- tions from the same party. All tramps applying for permits before nine o'clock in the evening are sent to the Almshouse ; all others are put up at the Station-house. During certain months the tramps have been compelled to work until eleven o'clock on the highway, as allowed by law; while, during other portions of the year, when it was more difficult to util- ize their labors, they have been allowed to depart early in the morning, before breakfast, or remain and work out their meals, as they should elect. In nearly every instance they prefer to start on their tramps unfed, than to perform this enforced labor.
19
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
The statistics for the year certainly show, without ques- tion, that none of the requirements as yet demanded from this wandering class in lieu of food and lodging are suffi- cient to deter them from soliciting public support.
The following exhibit shows the number provided for each month :
January,
146
February,
205
March,
268
April,
171
May,
110
June,
43
July,
1 -
31
August,
32
September,
46
October,
109
November,
105
December,
147
Total for the year,
1,413
Outside Poor.
Appropriation,
$2,000 00
Expended,
1,644 26
Balance unexpended,
$355 74
To your Overseers of the Poor no more difficult problem has presented itself than the wise and economic distribution of the funds placed at our disposal for the partial mainten- ance of the deserving poor. The labors attendant on the general care and management of the town's affairs are as nothing compared with the time required, both in the collec- tion of facts relative to the pressing needs of the applicant
.
20
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
and the bestowal of aid with a liberal and at the same time judicious hand. The men employed on the highways, so far as circumstances and the character of the work will permit, have been those with families in needy condition. The pay during most of the season was $1.50 for the day men. At the close of the year this was reduced to $1.00 per diem. It has been intimated to us frequently that the wages thus allowed were in excess of those paid elsewhere, and that the town could readily employ men without number at $1.25, or even at $1.00, per diem. We have by no means been insensible to these suggestions on the part of our citi- zens, and in defence of our action in the matter, would avail ourselves of this opportunity to say that the subject has repeatedly and again been introduced and discussed at the sessions of the Board; and the conclusion arrived at was this : That in view of the continued wide-spread depression in all industrial interests, we found ourselves in this di- lemma,- to either grant aid outright to certain resident families, or, by offering work at a fair compensation, these families, with extreme prudence, would become self- sustaining and not be a direct charge on the town. So that the whole subject in a nutshell is this : Shall we or shall we not, so far as possible, receive a return in labor for money expended for the resident poor ? It will be remembered, also, that the force employed by the town are, for the most part, day men and that they are frequently cut short from their pay by severity of the weather. For the ten months ending Nov. 1, 1877, the average pay received per man was $215, or $21.50 per month, an amount not more than suffi- cient for the proper maintenance of themselves and families. It is a noticeable fact in the distribution of the funds in this department that, as a rule, the first requirement for aid from a public source touches to the quick the pride and feelings of the applicant, while for the second and third time the solic- iting party becomes more emboldened, until finally, in some cases, the previous modest request degenerates into unwar-
21
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
rantable demands and effrontery. When to give and when to withhold are the serious and perplexing questions ; when to throw wide open the doors of your Almshouse and when to render just sufficient aid to tide the applicant over a dull working-season, preserve his self-respect and enable him to maintain his family without the notoriety which shadows a pauper's home, is the problem of too frequent recurrence.
Street Lamps.
Appropriation,
$1,500 00
Expended,
1,442 82
Balance unexpended,
$57 18
Town House.
Appropriation,
$400 00
Received from rents, 712 50
$1,112 50
Expended,
760 25
Balance unexpended,
$352 25
Almshouse.
Appropriation,
$1,600 00
Expended,
1,472 14
Balance unexpended,
$127 86
Counsel Fees.
Appropriation,
$500 00
Appropriation, Nov. 10, 300 00
1
$800 00
-
Expended,
733 40
Balance unexpended,
$66 60
22
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
The Town Treasurer was authorized to borrow $300, the amount of the second appropriation, on town note ; but the funds at his command arising from unexpended balances were amply sufficient to liquidate all bills under this head, and the same have been paid and the amounts charged to excess and deficiency account.
Fire Department.
Appropriation,
$3,800 00
Expended,
3,792 59
Balance unexpended, $7 41
The report of the Chief Engineer, herewith submitted, affords a detailed account of the condition of this Depart- ment, to which reference may be had.
Incidentals.
Appropriation,
$1,600 00
Auctioneer and billiard licenses, and court fees, 15 60
$1,615 60
Expended,
1,276 71
Balance unexpended,
$338 89
State Aid.
Appropriation,
$500 00
Expended, 308 00
Balance unexpended, $192 00
23
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
Insurance.
Appropriation,
$300 00
Expended,
192 50
Balance unexpended,
$107 50
Public Library.
Appropriation, old balance,
$431 49
Dog tax,
395 58
Interest on $100 note,
6 00
Pratt Fund income,
599 95
$1,433 02
Expended,
988 39
Balance unexpended,
$444 63
Repair of Hearse.
Appropriation,
$150 00
Expended,
123 00
Balance unexpended,
$27 00
Salaries of Town Officers.
Appropriation,
$4,100 00
Expended,
4,100 00
Monuments.
Appropriation,
$500 00
Not used.
24
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
Interest on Water Debt.
Appropriation,
$7,000 00
Expended, 7,000 00
Town Documents.
The Board have caused a cabinet to be placed in the Clerk's room, for the reception of the public documents and reports yearly received. The books are protected by glass sliding-doors, and easy of access to those desiring them for reading or reference.
Town Notes.
At the annual meeting it was voted to borrow on town notes, the sum of eight thousand dollars, being one-half of the town debt maturing the present year. At a subsequent meeting the town voted to borrow in addition to the above, the sum of eight thousand dollars, the proceeds to be used for the erection of a school-house on Park Avenue. It will be seen by a glance at the schedule of town indebtedness, in the annual report, that all demands against the town, payable at a future date, and not on demand, with a single exception, are drawing interest at the rate of seven per cent. per annum. It would have been a fortunate occur- rence for the town, had this entire seven per cent. debt matured within the last two years; the case of the money market having been such that our whole indebtedness could have been funded at a rate of interest not exceeding five per centum per annum. This one item of reduced interest would effect an annual saving of more than twenty-four hundred dollars. Your Board availing themselves of the low rate of interest, caused to be printed town notes with sufficient coupons attached to effect a time loan for twenty
25
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
years, with blank spaces for writing in the amounts, thus enabling the Treasurer to borrow any sum for any length of time, not exceeding twenty years, and at any agreed rate of interest. These coupons are made payable at a Boston bank, the same as the water scrip issued by the town. Attached to each note is the attestation of the Town Clerk, giving the date of issue of the town warrant, the time of holding the meeting, a copy of the article in the warrant, together with the special vote of the town, author- izing the loan. These notes are more desirable to investors than the old way of giving a written note, which requires the holder to reproduce the same semi-annually for indorse- ment of interest; while they are strictly town notes they possess all the merits of a town or municipal bond, affording the holder the same facility for collection of interest through any bank. Bids were solicited the latter part of April, from the leading bankers and brokers, for the purchase of eight thousand dollars of these notes, of one thousand dol- lars each, dated May 1, 1877, and payable in twenty years from date with interest semi-annually, at the rate of five per centum per annum. At the same time were also offered five thousand dollars of water scrip, bearing interest at six per cent. The highest bid received was from Messrs. Charles A. Sweet & Co., and to that firm were awarded the notes and bonds at prices as follows :
$8,000 00 town notes May 1, 1877, twenty years, five per cent. $101 65 $5,000 00 town bonds (water), six per cent, 108 25
The loan for building Park Avenue school-house, was offered the latter part of October, at a time when five per cent. loans were looked upon with less favor by capital- ists, and the outlook of the market seemed tending towards a higher rate of interest. The time of these notes was cut
26
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
down to fifteen years from Nov. 1, 1877, and bids solicited as before. To Messrs. Brewster, Basset & Co., the notes were awarded at the following rate :
$8,000 00 town notes Nov. 1, 1877, 15 years, five per cent. interest, $100 67
Town Debt.
The floating debt of the town is the same as last year. Of the sixteen thousand two hundred dollars which matured the present year, eight thousand two hundred dollars were raised by taxation, and the balance borrowed, as before stated, on town notes, for a term of years. The eight thou- sand dollars borrowed for Park Avenue school-house was offset by the amount liquidated this year, so that in round numbers our floating debt is the same. During the coming year one note of five thousand dollars matures, which we recommend the town to make provision for, in the annual appropriation.
Lawsuits.
Excepting the suits instituted by the mill owners and others, arising from the introduction of water, which by express vote of the town, are under the management of the Water Commissioners, there are no lawsuits pending against the town. During the summer, a suit was brought to recover $290, by the City of Cambridge, for the support of one Harrington, a pauper, alleged to have her residence in Arlington. The Board offered to settle the case - without recourse to the Courts - by the payment of $100, which Cambridge refused. The case was argued by counsel for both parties, on an agreed statement of facts, and to Cambridge was awarded the sum of $34.62. Whether
27
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
this case will be carried to the Supreme Court, for final set- tlement, remains with the officials of that city.
Conclusion.
With this report, our official administration of the affairs of the town virtually ceases. The remaining two months prior to the election of our successors, cover a portion of the year in which our labors as Surveyors of Highways are necessarily light, nor can our other duties, excepting as Overseers of the Poor, be very arduous. Four years ago, we received at your hands our election as Selectmen of the town, and for four successive years our ranks have remained unbroken, by the re-election of all its members. We as- sumed our responsibilities at a 'time when ill-feeling had been engendered among the citizens, from grievances both fancied and real, lawsuits had been commenced, and were in process of litigation, and your town fast acquiring an unenviable notoriety in the courts. To-day, in this our last official report as a Board, we relinquish the burdens of office, with the record of a single pauper suit for the year, with no new suits commenced or threatened, and with a financial sheet showing no expenditure during the year in excess of your appropriations.
We leave behind no legacy of unfinished business, but a clean record for our successors in office, and invoke for them the same courtesy and kindly consideration which the citizens have ever accorded to us. If during the last four years, which cover a period of business depression, more trying to every industrial interest than any hitherto known, your town has made no rapid strides forward, may we not justly pride ourselves, that she has at least held her own and has suffered no detriment at our hands ?
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN SCHOULER,
JAMES DURGIN,
WILLIAM G. PECK, 1
Selectmen Town of Arlington.
TREASURER'S REPORT.
EXPENDITURES.
Highways and Bridges.
Paid Daniel Benham,
labor,
$271 49
James Beevens,
66
246 81
Norman G. Barstow,
6 75
John Bradley,
75
William Bradley,
66
10 50
John Brady,
15 25
Patrick Breen,
9 00
John Burns,
379 21
William Burns,
66
8 25
Michael Burns,
66
63 75
James Canniff,
66
63 75
Peter Connors,
63 00
Peter Connolly,
66
9 00
Michael Collins,
79 40
Thomas Collins,
66
75
Patrick Clifford,
143 63
James Coursey,
66
2 25
Michael Coursey,
66
42 75
Daniel Crowley,
66
4 50
Jeremiah Crowley,
288 44
John Curtin,
66
172 13
Amount carried forward,
$1,881 36
29
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Amount brought forward,
$1,881 36
Paid Michael Dennen,
labor,
8 25
Thomas Donnelly,
6 37
John Donahue,
66
13 50
James Farrell,
7 50
Michael Fermoyle,
266 81
John J. Fermoyle,
*21 00
John C. Fisher,
66
22 50
Thomas Flynn,
66
78 75
Michael Gearn,
2 25
John Gee,
66
31 00
James Gillespie,
22 50
Michael Harrington,
66
13 88
Thomas Hill,
66
8 25
Patrick Hourty,
66
280 80
Daniel Hurley,
66
28 50
Patrick Hurley,
66
9 00
Andrew King,
60
45 75
S. E. Kimball,
66
1,100 00
Michael Lane,
66
3 00
Edward Lacy,
66
330 37
Jeremiah Maloney,
66
14 50
John Mahoney,
42 75
Cornelius McAuliffe,
66
12 00
John McCue,
7 50
Peter McCue,
4 50
Bernard McGowan,
66
6 00
Thomas Mehan,
66
3 00
Franklin Motree,
66
3 75
Conrad Motree,
66
3 00
William Morrow,
66
162 68
John Murray,
66
6 75
G. C. Muller,
66
42 75
Asa Niles,
: 6
9 00
Amount carried forward,
$4,499 52
30
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Amount brought forward,
$4,499 52
Paid James Noon,
· labor,
468 38
John O'Brien,
278 69
Patrick O'Neil,
66
294 67
George Oliver,
1 50
J. W. Peirce,
110 65
J. A. P. Peirce,
50 00
John Reagan,
353 99
Jeremiah Reagan,
66
39 75
Dennis Reardon,
66
85 50
Morris Roach,
66
20 25
David Roden,
66
504 60
Cornelius Ryan, .
27 00
Dennis Ryan,
66
6 00
E. T. Sargent,
278 50
William Shay,
66
75
Joseph Shepard,
66
85 50
Patrick Slattery,
66
344 61
John Stingel,
209 83
Daniel Sullivan,
307 13
Daniel Sullivan 2d,
66
7 50
Daniel J. Sullivan,
75
Lawrence Sullivan,
66
24 00
Patrick Sullivan,
66
285 69
Timothy Sullivan,
75
William Sullivan,
66
6 75
William Taylor,
66
6 00
Patrick Terry,
66
1 50
George White,
66
10 50
Richard Welch,
66
143 24
Samuel A. Fowle, grain,
350 85
A. P. Cutter, oats,
80 90
J. S. Pinkham, hay,
43 70
Amount carried forward,
$8,934 95
6 00
John Roden,
31
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Amount brought forward, $8,934 95
Paid I. L. Cragin, hay,
26 21
Wm. Prentiss, " 84 41
Ensign Kimball, straw,
33 08
W. L. Clark & Co., repairing harnesses, . 63 85
A. Lawrence, repairing har- nesses, 15 75
Hill & Gott, blacksmithing, 149 64
Thomas Higgins,
172 15
S. C. Bucknam, wheelwright work, 8 50
Wmn. O. Menchin, wheelwright work, 22 00
Parker & Gannett, road plow, grindstone, etc., 32 40
Welch & Griffiths, tools, 6 40
Wm. L. Watson, pick handles, 2 50
Dodge, Gilbert & Co., pick handles, 3 50
Franck, Shute & Co., hammers,
4 88
D. J. Sullivan, sharpening saws,
75
J. A. Merrifield, shovels, etc.,
19 00
C. G. Locke, repairing plow, 5 00
McQuade & Harrington, bungs
for tar barrels, 1 40
Arlington Gas Co, coal tar, 183 75
Chapman & Soden, tar and pitch, 102 60
Boston, Lowell & Nashua Rail-
road, freight on tar, 1 53
Thomas Parks, tar barrels, 48 45
J. M. Bailey, tar kettle, etc., 6 00
Amount carried forward, $9,928 70
32
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Amount brought forward, $9,928 70
Paid D. W. Bailey, Agt., concret- ing, 35 85
A. Needham, freight on tar, 8 00
Kendall & Roberts, tar kettle, 27 50
Kendall & Roberts, repairs of crusher, 71 99
D. P. Green & Co., repairs of crusher, ·
13 77
J. C. Hobbs & Son, repairs of crusher, 6 10
H. Wellington & Co., coal for crusher,
71 31
J. A. Wellington & Co., coal for crusher, 40 37
Robert Jost, putting in coal at crusher, 1 43
Arlington Water Commission- ers, water for crusher, 7 50
George H. Sampson, powder and fuse, 38 30
T. H. Russell, powder and fuse, 1 15
R. K. Carpenter, roller, cess- pool stones, etc., 62 60
Andrew King, stone for mac- adamizing, 18 85
Joseph Shepard, stone for mac- adamizing, 14 36
Peter Connors, stone for mac- adamizing, 7 15
Henry Burns, stone for mac- adamizing, 11 53
John Curtin, stone for macad- amizing, 13 47
Amount carried forward, $10,379 93
33
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Amount brought forward, $10,379 93
Paid Conrad Motree, stone for mac- adamizing, 25 92
Dennis Reardon, stone for mac- adamizing, 10 50
Thomas Flynn, stone for mac- adamizing, 2 50
City of Cambridge, stone for macadamizing, 1 00
Albert Winn, stone and gravel, 4 80
Wilson W. Fay, gravel, 25 00
Fire Department, work of horse, 177 75
Davies Dodge, horse medicine, 1 48
O. W. Whittemore, horse medicine, 2 06
G. P. Stevens, oatmeal,
1 76
C. W. Bastine, soap,
20
Jesse Bacon, laying sidewalk,
110 50
J. W. Russell, mason work, 231 06
James M. Chase, labor and materials, 38 51
A. L. Teel, labor and materials, 8 15
James Baston, labor and
materials, 38 79
F. E. Foster & Co., lumber, 25 64
Josiah Crosby, plank, 13 06
E. & F. King & Co., oil,
1 50
M. F. Whiton & Co., cod line, 62
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