USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1904-1906 > Part 68
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The reading of the remaining articles in the warrant was dispensed with, as printed copies had been distributed to the voters.
Frederick A. Bisbee called up article three of the warrant, calling for the reports of committees.
Article 3 taken up.
Frederick A. Bisbee, Chairman of the Committee of Twenty-One, to whom all articles in the warrant calling for appropriations had been referred, pre- sented the report of said committee in printed form, and copies of the report were distributed to the citizens.
The report of the Committee was received and it was
Voted : That the articles of the warrant calling for appropriations be con- sidered in the order in which they appear in the report of the Committee of Twenty-One.
Article 5 taken up. (Tablet to soldiers killed in 1775).
Voted : That the sum of twenty-eight dollars ($28), to be taken from the overlayings of the tax of 1906, be appropriated for procuring and inserting a tablet of stone or other durable material in the monument to soldiers killed April 19, 1775, the same to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen.
Article 6 taken up. (Ringing curfew bell) .
Voted : That no appropriation be made under this article.
63
TOWN RECORDS.
Article 10 taken up. (Additional appropriation for insurance).
Voted : That the sum of four hundred twenty-six dollars and eighty-seven cents ($426.87), to be raised by general tax in 1907, be appropriated for insurance account, this amount to be in addition to the amount appropriated at the March meeting.
Article 11 taken up. (Additional appropriation for sidewalks).
Voted : That the sum of seven hundred fifty-one dollars and eighty-seven cents ($751.87), to be raised by general tax in 1907, be appropriated for the permanent sidewalk account, this amount to be in addition to the amount. appropriated at the March meeting.
Article 12 taken up. (Painting interior of Town Hall) .
Voted : That the sum of twenty ($20) dollars, to be taken from the over- layings of the tax of 1906, be appropriated for painting the new window sash in the Town Hall Building.
Article 13 taken up. (Repairing fire apparatus).
Voted : That the sum of eleven hundred and fifty dollars ($1,150), to be raised by general tax in 1907, be appropriated for the purpose of repairing. the fire apparatus of the Town, causing rubber tires to be placed on its trucks and carriages, and to make all other necessary repairs on apparatus.
Article 14 taken up. (Additional appropriation for moths).
Voted : That no appropriation be made under this article.
Article 15 taken up. (Suppression of moths in 1907).
Voted, by a two-thirds vote : That the sum of six thousand three hundred and twenty dollars ($6,320) be appropriated to be expended from January 1, 1907, to May 1, 1907, under the direction and control of the Selectmen in sup- pressing the gypsy and brown-tail moths in the Town of Arlington in accord- ance with the provisions of Chapter 381 of the Acts of 1905, and amendments thereto. That two thousand eight hundred and forty-eight dollars ($2,848) of said sum be raised by general tax in 1907 and the balance, three thousand. four hundred and seventy-two dollars ($3,472) be borrowed, and the Town Treasurer be authorized to give the Town's note therefor, payable in not. exceeding one year, bearing interest, signed by the Treasurer and counter- signed by the Selectmen.
Article 17 taken up. (Additional appropriation for Fire Alarm Department).
Voted : That the sum of fifty dollars ($50), to be taken from the over- layings of the tax of 1906, be appropriated for Fire Alarm Department, this amount to be in addition to the amount appropriated at the March meeting.
Article 18 taken up. (Additional appropriation for Inspector of Wires De- partment).
Voted : That the sum of fifteen dollars ($15), to be taken from the over- layings of the tax of 1906, be appropriated for Inspector of Wires Depart- ment, this amount to be in addition to the amount appropriated at the March. meeting.
Article 19 taken up. (Additional appropriation, Health Department).
64
TOWN RECORDS.
Voted : That the sum of two hundred fifty dollars ($250), to be taken from the overlayings of the tax of the year 1906, be appropriated for the Health Department, this amount to be in addition to the amount appropriated at the March meeting.
Article 20 taken up. (Municipal lighting report).
Voted : That the subject matter of this article be indefinitely postponed.
Article 4 taken up. (Celebration appropriation).
Voted, by a two-thirds vote : That the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), to be raised by general tax in 1907, be appropriated for the observance of the one-hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the Town, said sum to be expended under the direction and control of the com- mittee appointed by the Town for that purpose.
Article 21 taken up. (Acceptance of Wyman Street).
Voted : That the town accept and establish as a Town way Wyman Street, so-called, from Broadway to Warren Street, as laid out by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, under the provisions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, said way being more particularly described in Article 21 of the warrant, and appropriate for constructing the same the sum of five hundred dollars ($500).
Article 22 taken up (Acceptance of Palmer Street).
Voted : That the Town accept and establish as a Town way Palmer Street, so-called, from Broadway to Warren Street, as laid out by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, under the provisions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, said way being more particularly described in Article 22 of the warrant, and appropriate for constructing the same the sum of nine hundred and fifty dollars ($950).
Article 23 taken up. (Acceptance of Tanager Street).
Voted : That the Town accept and establish as a town way Tanager Street, so- called, now a private way, as laid out by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, under the provisions of law authorizing the assess- ment of betterments, said way being more particularly described in Article 23 of the warrant, and appropriate for constructing the same the sum of four thousand one hundred and fifty dollars ($4,150).
Article 24 taken up. (Acceptance of Avon Place).
Voted : That the Town accept and establish as a Town way that part of Avon Place, so-called, as laid out by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, under the provisions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, said way being more particularly described in Article 24 of the warrant, and appropriate for constructing the same the sum of one thousand four hundred and fifty dollars ($1,450).
Voted, by a two-thirds vote : That two thousand and fifty dollars ($2,050) of the sum appropriated for the constructing of Palmer Street, Wyman Street and Tanager Street and Avon Place be raised by general tax in 1907, and the balance, five thousand dollars ($5,000), be borrowed and the Town Treasurer be authorized to give the Town's note therefor, payable in not exceeding two years, bearing interest, signed by the Treasurer and counter- signed by the Selectmen.
65
TOWN RECORDS.
Article 26 taken up. (Charges for filling on park lands) .
Voted : That the sum of $119.30, to be taken from the overlayings of the tax of 1906, be appropriated to meet the charges for filling deposited on the park lands adjoining Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, in accordance with the vote passed by the Town May 5, 1902. The charges are as follows :
168 double loads at
$0.30
$50 40
226 single loads
.15
33 90
20 days' labor
1.75
35 00
$119 30
Article 25 taken up. (Authorize the Treasurer to borrow money).
Voted : That for the purpose of procuring a temporary loan to and for the Town of Arlington, in anticipation of the taxes of the municipal year 1907, the Town Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to borrow on and after January 1, 1907, from time to time, with the approval of the Board of Select- men, a sum or sums in the aggregate not exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and to execute and deliver therefor the note or notes of the Town, payable within one year from the time the loan is made. Any debt or debts incurred by a loan or loans to the Town under this vote shall be paid from the taxes of said municipal year.
Voted : That the meeting be now dissolved.
Meeting dissolved at ten minutes after nine o'clock.
A true record. Attest :
THOMAS J. ROBINSON, Town Clerk.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN.
The Board of Selectmen submit the one hundredth annual re- port for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1906.
The Board met March 5, 1906, and organized by electing James A. Bailey, Jr., chairman, and Horace A. Freeman, clerk.
Standing committees were appointed as follows : - James A. Bailey, Jr., Police and State Aid.
S. Frederick Hicks, Outside Poor, Town House and Buildings. Frederick S. Mead, Fire Department, Public Lands, Almshouse.
TOWN DEBT AND TAX RATE.
On December 31, 1905, the fixed debt was. $653,598 64
On December 31, 1906, the fixed debt was. 644,148 64
Decrease during the year $9,450 00
On December 31, 1905, the sinking fund was. $82,706 59
On December 31, 1906, the sinking fund was. 99,528 18
Increase during the year $16,821 59
By this decrease in the fixed debt of $9,450 and increase in the sinking fund of $16,821.59 the net gain in the Town's financial con- dition for the year is . $26,271 59
The net debt of the town on December 31, 1903, was. . 597,020 42 On December 31, 1906, was. . 544,619 82
A decrease in three years of $52,399 96
The Town has made a good start in the work of reducing its debt, and the Board again advises that liberal appropriations be made for the sinking fund, and that all obligations of the Town be paid at maturity. The amount of the Town debt payable in the year 1907 is $11,450.00, which sum is $3,000 less than the amount which matured and was paid in 1906.
The tax rate for 1906 was $18.10 on $1,000, which is the lowest tax rate for the last six years.
The Board has attempted to practice wise economy in all Town departments under its charge. The cost of maintenance of the Police department, Fire department, Outside poor, and Almshouse
67
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
department have been kept at substantially the same figures as last year. All these departments have unexpended balances to the their credit.
FIRE DEPARTMENT. The department suffered a great loss during the year by the death of Assistant Engineer George W. W. Sears. Mr. Sears had been connected with the department for many years, was greatly interested in its welfare, and had contri- buted much time and thought to its improvement. The Board desires to record its appreciation of his integrity, ability and faith- ful performance of duty. Walter H. Peirce was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Sears.
The losses by fire have again been small, although they were somewhat larger than in the preceding year.
During the year one horse was pronounced unfit for further ser- vice in the fire department. This horse and its mate were sold and a pair of young, strong horses was purchased.
At the November Town Meeting an appropriation of $1,150 was made for making repairs and putting rubber tires on portions of the fire apparatus. This work is now in progress, and upon its completion the fire apparatus will be in better condition than it has been for many years.
Harmony and good feeling have marked the relations between the Board and the officers of the fire department ; and a spirit of friendly co-operation has prevailed among the men. In personnel and in equipment the department is in excellent condition. -
The Board recommends that the subject of further extension of high service water pipes and the renewal and enlargement of exist- ing low service mains near the centre of the town be given early and careful consideration by some committee or board.
POLICE DEPARTMENT. Under the aggressive leadership of Chief Urquhart the police department has maintained a high standard of efficiency and usefulness. Questionable resorts of former years, with a single exception, have remained closed, or have been devoted to new and proper uses.
An application was received in October for an inn-holder's license at the Cooper Tavern. A careful investigation was made of the record of the applicant and of the record and reputation of places kept by him, and the license asked for was not granted. In defiance of the Board and in spite of the warning of the Chief of Police the Tavern was opened for business in November in a quiet and some- what secret manner. The police department has been gathering evidence with skill and discretion, and is about to raid the place and summon the alleged offenders into Court. The Board believes that no road house ought to be tolerated in Arlington, and encourages and supports the police department in every effort to keep the Town clean.
68
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
In this and in neighboring towns and cities an unusual number of burglaries have occurred during the past year. Several dangerous and much wanted burglars and other criminals have been arrested by Arlington officers to whom credit is due for zeal and courage.
A modern police signal system of the Gamewell type has been installed at a cost of $3,500 and is giving entire satisfaction. It has so increased the efficiency of the department that although the number of. patrolmen was reduced by one in April the present force is of more use and value than the former larger force.
FIRE INSURANCE. The Board recommends the discontinuance of all town fire insurance, for the reasons stated in the report of last year's Board.
The amount of insurance carried by the Town December 21, 1906, was $313,600 on buildings and $81,000 on contents. The pre- miums for fire insurance paid during the year were $1,401.87. The amount received by the Town for fire losses in the last twenty-seven years was about $5,540. The amount paid in premiums for the same period was about $20,013.32.
TOWN HOUSE SITE. The work of grading and seeding the land from which the old buildings were removed was completed early in the year. The Board recommends an appropriation of one hundred dollars for the purchase and setting out of ornamental shrubs, and an annual appropriation of one hundred dollars for mowing the grass and caring for the grounds.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS. New windows and shades have been placed in the Town Hall, and the exterior woodwork has been painted. The outside appearance of the building has not been so good for many years. The Board advises a thorough renovation of the in- side of the building by painting and tinting. It believes that with the probable acceptance of the act relative to town meetings the Town Hall building will be reasonably sufficient for the needs of the Town for a considerable time.
ALMSHOUSE. At the beginning of the year there were four in- mates, all of whom remained during the year.
There has been very little sickness during the year; no tramps have been lodged or fed.
Some minor repairs have been made, and the buildings, taking their age into consideration, are in good condition.
A new hot water boiler and a new refrigerator have been installed in place of the old ones.
69
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
The present inmates are : -
Mary Scanlon, 50 years old, admitted May 10, 1892.
Timothy Linehan, 70 years old, admitted Nov. 21, 1896 .. Winslow Sullivan, 78 years old, admitted Feb. 2, 1900. James Farrell, 60 years old, admitted Oct. 29, 1904.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
(Almshouse.)
Appropriation in March, 1906.
$1,750 00
Expenditures
$2,131 73
Less reimbursements
For board $353 43
Sale of produce
27 85
Sale of wood .. 28 00
65 50
474 78
Net expenditure
1,656 95
Balance unexpended $93 05
The Board is of the opinion that the Town ought not to longer maintain an almshouse. The present institution may be compared to a fair-sized hotel with a very small number of boarders, in which the cost per boarder is necessarily excessive. Maintenance charges alone equal about eight dollars per week per inmate and if interest on the value of the plant is added it will raise that cost to about ten dollars. For a much smaller sum the Town can board paupers out- side the almshouse, or it may unite with other towns in maintain- ing a joint institution where the number of inmates will bear a rea- sonable ratio to the size and cost of maintaining the plant. It seems wise to close the almshouse, sell the property if a fair offer can be obtained, and establish a stable and yard at some convenient place nearer the centre of the Town.
POOR OUTSIDE OF ALMSHOUSE :--- An expenditure of more than two hundred dollars in securing proper treatment of a child bitten by a mad dog carried the total expenditures to a slightly higher figure than last year. On account of the careful scrutiny of details ยท by the clerk of the Board and his good judgment in dealing with the cases which arise, adequate relief has been furnished without exhausting the appropriation.
....
Outside Poor-wood
70
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
FAMILIES AND PERSONS AIDED.
1906
1905
1904
1903
Regular List :
Families aided
27
24
22
19
Children connected with same
70
56
51
50
Occasional List :
Families. .
7
9
16
18
Children connected with same
7
25
:35
50
Hospital List:
Persons
14
6
13
9
Reimbursements :
Regular list, families .
4
1
1
1
Occasional list, families
1
1
4
1
Hospital list, persons.
2
3
4
5
Burial list, persons
1
1
4
. .
Persons aided, not including reimbursements.
108
119
132
140
FINANCIAL STATEMENT. (Outside Poor. )
Appropriation in March, 1906. $5,000 00
Reimbursements from old accounts over bills paid on old accounts 78 02
$5,078 02
EXPENDITURES.
For aid to regular list.
$3,619 56
For aid to occasional list.
80 85
Aided here, but having settlement elsewhere $370 55
Less reimbursement . 269 82
100 73
Aided here, but being State charges.
267 74
Aided elsewhere, but having settlement here.
72 59
For care of sick in hospital.
134 93
For care of feeble minded.
126 74
For care of epileptics
$338 93
Less reimbursement 338 93
For care of dipsomaniacs
49 21
For expenses in rabies cases
207 00
For clerk's services.
300 00
For burials. .
$15 00
Less reimbursements 15 00
For miscellaneous
8 90
Paid bills 1904 and 1905 accounts. $163 25
241 27
Reimbursements
4,968 25
$109 77
71
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. During the past year the Town has expended in the moth work $15,668.10. Of this sum .65 has been spent on street trees, $3,983.55 on Menotomy Rocks Park, and the balance as shown in the financial statement annexed to this report.
The condition of the Town as a whole is far better than it was one year ago. The number of nests on street trees last fall probably did not exceed one fiftieth of the number in the preceding year. In Menotomy Rocks Park there were few nests where the year before there were tens of thousands. Other public lands and most private property are in much better condition than formerly. On the other hand much woodland is in as bad condition as it has ever been ; and the owners of property generally are not exerting them- selves as they did a year ago. About 940 dead trees have been cut in the Park and its usefulness and beauty have been materially lessened by this wholesale dying of trees.
While the Board believes that much of the improvement in con- ditions is due to intelligent effort and wise expenditure of money, particularly in spraying, it is doubtless a fact that weather con- ditions in May and June helped materially to save the trees. Frequent rains caused abundant foliage, and a decrease in the eating of leaves by the caterpillars. A serious disease among the brown-tails greatly decreased their number and destructive power. If in the coming year weather conditions are more favorable to the caterpillars, greater destruction of foliage may occur. In any event constant vigilance and considerable expenditure by Town authori- ties and individual land owners will be required.
The Board deems it proper to state that the work done in Town has been directed in accordance with law by the State Superinten- dent, and that some of the work directed to be done was in the opinion of the Board unwise. In particular responsibility is dis- claimed for the burning of Menotomy Rocks Park, and for the burlapping of trees at too early a date, and in an improper manner.
On June 23, Walter R. Caswell ceased to be Town Superinten- dent, and William H. Bradley succeeded to the position. On June 30, Herbert M. Day resigned from the work of keeping the accounts and records, and James F. Higgins was selected at a small salary to continue this branch of the work. In establishing a system of record keeping and in carrying on the detailed work Mr. Day's service was intelligent, accurate and valuable.
PURIFICATION OF ALEWIFE BROOK AND ADJACENT AREAS. Chapter 529 of the Acts of 1906 provides for the improvement of Alewife Brook and its tributaries and the drainage areas of said brook and tributaries substantially in accordance with the report of the State Board of Health. The work is to be done by the Met- ropolitan Park Commission and to be paid for by Cambridge, Som- erville, Belmont and Arlington. The act takes effect upon its
72
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
acceptance by the City Council of each of said cities and the Select- men of each of said towns. The Board made a careful investiga- tion of the probable effect of the proposed improvement upon the level of Spy Pond. Conferences were held with the State Board of Health, Metropolitan Park Commission, and the officials of Cam- bridge, Somerville and Belmont. It appeared probable that Spy Pond would be lowered several feet, large areas of mud banks and flats would be exposed and that Arlington would be compelled to spend a large sum of money to remedy the bad conditions thus created.
The Board believed that the general improvement of Alewife Brook and adjacent territory was highly desirable and that Arling- ton ought to pay its fair share of the cost, but on account of the probable effect on Spy Pond it voted not to accept the act. Later as the result of a conference of representatives of the towns and the Metropolitan Park Commission, and after receiving a copy of a vote of the Commission, the Board accepted the act. The vote of the Commission is as follows :
Voted : That if it shall be deemed wise by the cities and towns mentioned in Chapter 529 of the Acts of the Legislature for this year, in the exercise of the discretion left to them in said act, to accept the provisions of said act, that this Board will at once pro- ceed to prepare detailed plans and estimates for the work contem- plated by said act and any other work which this Board deems necessary thereto, and will present such plans to the mayors of the cities and the Board of Selectmen of the towns mentioned in said act, but will not proceed to construction unless said plans be approved unanimously by said mayors and boards. In the event that such plans as presented or as modified by this Board are approved unanimously by the mayors and boards aforesaid, this Board will carry out the provisions of the act substantially in accordance with said plans, provided the same can be done within the appropriation provided in said act, but if said plans cannot be carried out within said appropriations, this Board will then join with said cities and towns in asking for such furthur appropriation as may be approved by all of said cities and towns and by this Board.
In the event that said plans are objected to by any mayor or Board of Selectmen mentioned in said act, this Board will join with said cities and towns in asking the Legislature to repeal said act un- less amended in accordance with the agreement of all of said cities and towns and said Board. This Board reserves the right within a reasonable time after presenting said plans as aforesaid to determine that the unanimous approval of action contemplated by this agree- ment cannot be obtained, and it is the understanding that in such event all of said mayors and Boards af Selectmen and this Board are to join in asking the Legislature to repeal or amend said act as aforesaid.
The engineers of the Commission are now at work on plans for the proposed improvement
73
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
LICENSES.
Licenses were granted as follows :
VICTUALLERS. Florence Acorn, 458 Massachusetts Avenue; A. C. LaBreque, 606 and 608 Massachusetts Avenue ; James Hutchin- inson, 55 Teel Street ; Miss I. M. MacDonald, 1406 Massachusetts Avenue; Robert H. Fall, 459 Massachusetts Avenue; A. C. La- Breque, 606 Massachusetts Avenue ; Mary MacDonald, 965 Massa- chusetts Avenue ; A. O. Sprague, 5 Mystic Street ; H. F. Moore, 252 Forest Street; Catherine Brady and Rose Callaghan, 1410 and 1412 Massachusetts Avenue ; James A. Cuddy, 1399 Massachusetts Ave- nue ; Charles H. Kimball, 1385 Massachusetts Avenue; Charles F. Ford & Co .; N. J. Hardy, 657 Massachusetts Avenue; Mary Mac- Donald, 965 Massachusetts Avenue ; Julia M. Welch, 1399 Massa- chusetts Avenue.
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