USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1908-1909 > Part 12
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Chauncey Redding Frances M. Robbins
Eleanor Russell
Chester W. Savage Arthur C. Smith
S. Abbot Smith
Irene M. Smith
Miriam Stevens Sadie Tenneson
J. Henry Trainor
Rachel C. Tuttle Frances H. Walsh
Alice Walsh Florence Webber
Blanche L. Whelpley
Clara L. White
James Wiggins
Oliver Wood
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
ARLINGTON, MASS., Jan. 1, 1909.
Mr. John F. Scully, Superintendent of Schools:
I herewith submit my report as school physician for the year ending December 31, 1908.
The total number of pupils examined during the year is 1570. Of these, 289 were examined as to vaccination. A small number were found to be without a satisfactory scar or physician's certifi- cate of unfitness and were required to comply with the law.
The total number of children temporarily excluded from school is 89. Of the contagious diseases, I was found suffering from scarlet fever, and 3 who had been exposed to scarlet fever ; 3 had been exposed to diphtheria ; 7 had measles and 16 had been ex- posed to measles ; 7 had chicken-pox, 8 mumps and 10 whooping cough.
There was one case each of refusal or neglect to be vaccinated, personal filthiness, headache; nausea and alveolar abscess, 5 of impetigo contagiosa, 5 of tonsillitis, and 18 of pediculosis. The daily routine work has gone on as usual.
The problems which concern us are different in some respects from those of a large city or a largely manufacturing community. For instance, the question of free eye-glasses or free breakfasts very seldom comes up in our schools. Of course delay is some- times experienced in getting a child to an oculist, but this is rarely on account of lack of means. Very few of the pupils are insufficiently fed; very many are unsatisfactorily. This is not due to poverty, but to indifference on the part of parents. Many times on questioning a complaining child as to what he ate for breakfast the reply is "cake and tea." The same cost certainly would have furnished at least a bowl of cereal or bread and but- ter and a glass of milk. I have it on the authority of an eight- year-old boy and his mother that he habitually drank ten to fifteen cups of tea daily. As far as possible warning and advice is given the children on the matter of diet.
A kindred subject is the care of the teeth. From 60 to 70 per cent. of pupils have markedly defective teeth. Many parents seem to think the temporary teeth are not worthy of care, as they are to be replaced. This is entirely wrong. A mouth full of decaying teeth is an unsavory object, and many a case of malnutri- tion and chronic indigestion perhaps permanent, originated in de-
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
cayed, sensitive, aching teeth. In many cases molars, appearing later in childhood, and which are never replaced by Nature, are lost under the mistaken idea that they, too, are renewed.
The contagious diseases in relation to the public schools is a subject of great importance. The idea seems ineradicable among parents that a mild case of contagious disease is very little men- ace to others. This is not true, and if mild cases are not strictly quarantined, they are a much greater public danger than the patients who are too ill to be about. Another false idea is that whooping cough and measles are trifling ailments. In robust children of school age there may be few deaths from these diseases, but in infants and weakly children the mortality is high.
Occasional cases of whooping cough and mumps have been found during the year. A boy suffering from scarlet fever was found seated in the corridor of one of the schools. He and his brothers were at once dismissed, and the chairs and surrounding floor were at once scrubbed with sulpho-napthol. The same articles were later scrubbed with a corrosive sublimate solution, and fumigation was carried out by the Board of Health. No cases of the disease followed.
On another occasion it was found that a teacher who had not been feeling well for a few days had diphtheria. Her indisposi- tion was so slight that it was not called to my attention. Her school room and the room occupied by her in a private house were fumigated by the Board of Health and fortunately no secondary cases were reported.
I wish to thank the Teachers, Principals and Superintendent for their assistance and evident desire to co-operate in making the work effective.
Respectfully, CHARLES F. ATWOOD,
School Physician.
REPORT OF THE JOINT BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
The Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works herewith present their fifth annual report for the year 1908:
The Board met March 9, 1908, and organized by electing Frederick S. Mead, chairman, and Horace A. Freeman, clerk. Regular meetings have been held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, and special meetings whenever called by the chairman. Twenty-two meetings have been held dur- ing the year.
STREET WATERING. Bids for street watering for the sea- son of 1908 were received from eight different parties, the bids varying from $80 to $90 per month. The parties, to whom the contracts were awarded, were as follows, the price being $85 per month :
Route I. Joseph Pichette.
Route 2. P. J. Lennon.
Route 3. W. A. McDonald.
Route 4. James Wilson.
Route 5. Timothy J. Ryan.
Route 6. John Kelly.
The contracts covered the season from May 1, 1908 to November 1, 1908, subject to specifications.
Street watering before May Ist and after November Ist, was generally done by the highway division, chargeable, however, to street watering appropriation.
The cost for the year is $3693.95, the same being met by an appropriation by the Town of $1000 by general tax, $2500.97 assessed on abutters, and an overdraft of $192.98, the assess- ment being 21/2 cents per front foot. Last year it was 27-10 cents per front foot.
STREET LIGHTING. A clause in Article 8, of the new street lighting contract, reads as follows :
"If, during the continuance of this contract, the company's regular prices for arc or incandescent lights furnished to other
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JOINT BOARD.
municipalities are reduced, a like reduction shall be made in the prices of the arc or incandescent lights herein provided for."
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co., having revised their general street lighting rates, the Board of Selectmen deemed it advisable to take advantage of the fact, and addressed the fol- lowing letter to the company :-
August 25th, 1908.
EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY,
39 Boylston St., Boston, Mass.
GENTLEMEN :- Application is hereby made for a change in the billing of arc and incandescent lamps furnished the Town of Arlington, to agree with your schedule dated 7-1-'08, the Town being entitled to the lowest price therein, and also for a change in the incandescent lamps from the 32 C.P., now in use, to the 40 C.P., as provided in said schedule.
It being expressly understood that the Town reserves all its rights under and by virtue of the agreement entered into by and between the Town of Arlington and the Edison Elec- tric Illuminating Company of Boston, dated July 1, 1907, and does not hereby waive any of the provisions thereof.
JOINT BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
By Clerk.
A reply to the above was received as follows :
BOSTON, MASS., August 26, 1908.
JOINT BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS,
Arlington, Mass.
GENTLEMEN :- We have your letter of August 25th, and in accordance, therewith, we will proceed to change the lights in the Town of Arlington from the old carbon to the new Tung- sten lamps.
The work of changing the lights will be done during the month of September, and the billing will begin from Septem- ber Ist. Yours very truly,
THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY OF BOSTON.
By W. H. Lott,
Supt. Right of Way and Street Lighting.
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JOINT BOARD.
And later the following, notifying the Board that the change had been made :
BOSTON, MASS., Sept. 8, 1908.
JOINT BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, Arlington, Mass.
GENTLEMEN :- This is to notify you that the street lights in the Town of Arlington have been changed to the Tungsten system, in accordance with your letter of August 25, 1908.
Yours very truly,
THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY OF BOSTON.
By W. H. Lott,
Supt. Right of Way and Street Lighting.
By this change of rate our streets are lighted by lamps of greater candle power at reduced cost, the estimated saving be- ing about $100 per year.
The rates under the new schedule are as follows :
Incandescent lamps, 40 C.P., $10.80 per year, I-4c. per hr. per lamp ; incandescent lamps, 80 C.P., $14.40 per year, 4 4-IOC. per hr. per lamp; arc lamp, 425 Watt. A.C., $36.00 per year, I 5-IOc. per hr. per lamp.
On these prices a discount of 10 per cent. is made. There is also a discount of Ic. per hour per incandescent lamp, and 3c. per hour per arc lamp for outages.
The street lighting during the year, under the new contract, has been satisfactory and has improved under the revised schedule of rates, the candle power of the incandescents being increased from 32 to 40 C.P., while the arcs have about the same candle power as before.
During the year two incandescent lights have been dis- continued, and eight incandescents and two arcs have been in- stalled, making a net increase of six incandescents and two arcs. Four incandescent and one arc light have been relocated.
The number of lights in commission Dec. 31, 1908, is as follows :
Arcs, 425 Watts A.C .. 83 Incandescent 40 C.P. 241
80 .C.P. I
The Town of Belmont continues to pay for half the cost of the arc at the corner of Lake and Pleasant Streets, and the
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JOINT BOARD.
Arlington Boat Club for one-half the cost of the arc at the foot of Whittemore Street. As heretofore, the lights are turned on in the early morning when needed by the Highway Depart- ment for snow ploughing.
Inspector LeBaron reports the current as having been up to the required standard during the year.
Comparatively few outages have been reported during the year.
In July, one 80-C.P. incandescent lamp was installed at the entrance to Pleasant Street, near the watering trough, and burns all night. The lamp was installed as an experiment and appears to give good satisfaction.
The question as to the advisability of readjusting lights in the centre of the Town and replacing present arcs by incan- descent Tungsten lamps of 80 C.P., is worthy of considera- tion. It may be advisable to do this to the end that the lamps in Arlington Centre burn all night.
Twelve petitions for lights have been received, seven of which were granted and five refused.
It is the opinion of the Town Counsel that the Board has no authority to install lights on private ways, hence petitions for lights on said ways cannot be considered.
PERMANENT SIDEWALKS. Attention is called to the reports of the Town Engineer and the Board of Public Works for ex- tensions and renewal of permanent sidewalks and detail rela- tive to the same.
In accordance with the policy of the Joint Board most of the extensions installed have been of brick.
Sidewalk assessments, as authorized by Chap. 49 of the Re- vised Laws, to the amount of $653.66, were committed to the Collector of Taxes. These assessments are for construction of sidewalks on Bacon, Brattle, Gray, Water Streets, Massachu- setts Avenue, and Broadway.
Sidewalk assessments are a lien on abutting property, and may be collected in the same manner as taxes on real estate. . The lien is good for two years after said assessment is com- mitted to the Collector.
No apportionments of sidewalk assessments are authorized as the statute permitting the same does not appear to have been accepted by the Town.
All permanent sidewalk construction, of whatever character, must be done in accordance with Town specifications and to the satisfaction of the Town Engineer.
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JOINT BOARD.
The present policy of the Joint Board is to allow abutters, relative to the cost of permanent sidewalk construction :-
For tar concrete, one-half the cost.
For brick, one-half the cost.
For granolithic, 55 cents per square yard.
Three thousand dollars were appropriated in March for permanent sidewalks, not less than $1500 of this amount to be used for extensions carried out under the Sidewalk. Act, Sec- tion 43, Chap. 49, of the Revised Laws.
The total amount expended during the year is $3180.32, of which sum $2013.53 is for extensions, and $1166.79 for re- newals.
POLE LOCATIONS. Seven petitions for pole locations have been granted to the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston, on four of which hearings were given, as required by law. The three petitions granted without hearings were for purposes of relocating and reconstructing existing lines, hear- ings not being required.
Three petitions for pole locations were granted to the New England Telephone and Telegraph Co. of Massachusetts, two of them being without hearings.
For further detail as to pole locations attention is called to the report of the Inspector of Wires.
PLANS APPROVED RELATIVE TO STREETS. Plans contemplat- ing the laying out or constructing of streets must be approved by the Board of Survey before said streets can be laid out by the Joint Board. Neither can the Town, nor any other public authority, place any public sewer, drain, water pipe, or lamp, in or do any public work of any kind on a private way open to public travel until the plans of said private way have been approved by the Board of Survey, except in case of a trunk- sewer, water or gas mains as engineering demands may re- quire.
Plans relative to laying out of streets on the Bacon prem- ises on Pleasant Street, and adjacent territory, were executed by the Board of Survey under authority of Sect. 3 of Chap. 249, Acts of 1897, and approved in due form, special study of the territory having been made by Town Engineer Pond as sug- gested in last year's report.
The Board of Survey also under authority of Sect. 3 of the above Chapter, executed plans contemplating the laying out or constructing of Alpine Street, through Churchill Park, and in due form approved of said plans.
The Board of Survey being of the opinion that the present
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JOINT BOARD.
and future interests of the public require that streets should be located through territory adjacent to Tanager Street, and Wollaston and Wachusett Avenues, gave a public hearing on the matter April 13, 1908, but have taken no further action on the matter. Further study of this territory will probably be inade next year.
Petitions for the approval of plans relative to Lombard Ter- race, Park Avenue extension, Oakledge, Belknap and Web- ·cowet Streets, were received, hearings given, and said plans approved.
Petition for the approval of plans relative to Albermarle Street was received, and hearing given, but the plans were not approved. Petitions for the approval of plans relative to Dow Road, Hilton and Edgar Streets were received, but the peti- tioners were granted leave to withdraw and advised to confer with the Town Engineer relative to new plans.
Hearing was given on petition for the extension of Schouler Court and the matter laid on the table.
Petition for the relocation of Laurel Street was received and plans relative to the same were approved.
The Joint Board are of the opinion that steps should be taken towards the lay-out of desirable 'streets through terri- tory adjacent to Mystic and Summer Streets, the extension of Gray Street to Oakland Avenue, the extension of Summer Street to Bow Street, and the extension of Water Street to Mystic Street. To this end a larger appropriation than usual should be made for the Board of Survey in order that careful study of said propositions may be made.
NEW STREETS LAID OUT OR CONSTRUCTED. The following streets were laid out in due form under the provisions of law, authorizing the assessment of betterments :
Sawin Street, from Teele Street to Henderson Street ; Wol- laston Avenue, from Wachusett Avenue to Tanager Street ; Woodland Street, from Jason Street to Bartlett Avenue; Bart- lett Avenue, from Gray Street to Woodland Street; Gray Street, from Walnut Street to Robbins Road.
The following streets have been constructed under the Betterment Act, as authorized by the Town and appropriations made for that purpose, namely :
Summer Street, from Grove Street to Pine Street; Sawin Street, from Teele Street to Henderson Street, Wollaston Avenue, from Wachusett Avenue to Tanager Street.
Betterment assessments amounting to $5,099.88 were made arising from the construction of the following streets under the Betterment Act :
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JOINT BOARD.
Avon Place, from Mass. Avenue northerly to certain point ; Palmer Street, from Broadway to Warren Street; Wyman Street, from Broadway to Warren Street; Tanager Street, from Wollaston Avenue to Wollaston Avenue ; Summer Street, from Grove Street to Pine Street; Wollaston Avenue, from Wachusett Avenue to Tanager Street; Sawin Street, from Teele Street to Henderson Street.
These betterment assessments were based on the assessed valuations of the land and in case of all except Summer Street and Sawin Street were equal to one-half the cost of construc- tion ; the assessment on Summer and Sawin Streets was equal to one-third of the cost.
Taking plans were executed and accepted by the Board in each of the above cases and awards for land damages voted in the case of Summer and Sawin Streets.
The total cost of constructing these seven streets was $II,- 608.57.
For further particulars in the construction attention is called to the reports of the Town Engineer and the Board of Public Works.
TRANSPORTATION.
Further correspondence with the Boston Elevated Railway Company relative to better car service for Arlington people in transit from Boston to Arlington was had in the early part of the year, also additional counts of passengers at Harvard Sq. on cars for North Cambridge and for Arlington were made through the police force.
The Boston Elevated also have taken counts of passengers at different points placing the same in tabulated form to de- termine just when the over crowded condition of Arlington cars complained of exists and in a communication dated Feb. 24, 1908 say that "we have arranged, commencing as of Thurs- day Feb. 27, as a means of relieving the conditions complained of, to operate between the hours 4:00 and 6:00 P. M., 10 ad- ditional cars per hour between Dudley Street Transfer Station and Arlington Centre. The riding on these cars. will be watched very carefully and if it is found they do not afford the necessary relief more trips will be added between Harvard Square and Arlington."
It will be remembered that the Railroad Commissioners in their answer to the petition of this Joint Board rendered in March 1907 said that "It seems unnecessary to say more than that proper accomodation ought to be furnished either in one way or the other, either by granting the transfer which is de-
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JOINT BOARD.
sired or by providing at Harvard Square a sufficient number of extra cars, and that the company ought to be allowed its op- tion as to which method it adopts."
The above remedy appears to be somewhat in accordance with the instructions of the Board of Railroad Commissioners. Whether the change is affording satisfactory relief we are un- able to say at present. Probably another count of passengers will be necessary before knowing how the change works. It should be said, however, that since the change was made we have heard little complaint. It is intimated that if passengers in transit for Arlington should more frequently improve the opportunity of changing cars at Harvard Square they would secure seats on the special cars running from the Square to Arlington during rush hours.
The arrangement of having the Medford Hillside cars come to Water Street and immediately return to Sullivan Square appears to be satisfactory, except the delay, noise and conges- tion sometimes made in transferring said cars at Water Street from the outgoing to the incoming tracks. An official of the Elevated Company stationed at this point during rush hours shows a disposition on the part of the Elevated to reduce trouble here to a minimum.
The great noise occasioned by the cars of the Boston Elevated in passing over its tracks in the Town of Arlington is exceedingly annoying and from various complaints made to the Board, as well as from the Board's own observation, must be adjudged a nuisance, especially that caused by the semi- convertible cars. This noise is particularly noticeable at curves insufficiently oiled or greased, at railroad crossings, and when cars are moving at high speed. The Board believed this nuisance could and should be abated and to this end on Sep- tember 10th called the attention of the Boston Elevated to the matter. The Board appears to have authority to make regulations governing the speed limit of cars in the Town, and it may be necessary to do this. The grade of Massachusetts Avenue from the Heights to the Centre, the narrow width of the Avenue, the protection of the public, and the cost to the Company consequent from possible accident, should impel the Boston Elevated to exercise special care towards limiting the speed of their cars on this section of the Town.
Rapid transit cannot be permitted to the sacrifice of all other considerations.
The attention of the Lexington & Boston Street Railway Company has been called to the congestion of that part of Massachusetts Avenue near the car station at Arlington Heights occasioned by standing cars of said company obstruct-
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. JOINT BOARD.
ing travel and endangering life. Officials of this company met the Joint Board on the evening of August 24th and the matter was informally discussed. These officials seemed anxious to relieve the situation and asked that they have further time to consider the matter and confer with officials of the Boston Elevated relative to certain schemes they had in mind, which in their opinion if carried out would greatly help the case. The Board granted this request.
GAS MAINS.
Three petitions were received from the Arlington Gas Light Co. to lay gas mains and the same were granted under con- ditions covered by agreements filed.
These gas mains were on Mass. Ave., Appleton St., Oak- land Ave., Park Ave., Wollaston Ave., Hillside Ave., and Claremont Ave.
The location and laying of said mains were to be to the satisfaction of the Town Engineer.
This Company was also granted permission to run an oil pipe line from the freight yard on Water Street through Water, Russell and Mystic Streets to their works on Mystic Street. An agreement covering conditions was drawn up and signed and placed on file.
HENDERSON STREET EXTENSION. As was intimated in last year's report a hearing was given by the County Commissioners on the petition of this Board to extend Henderson Street across Alewife Brook. This hearing was given Jan. 17, 1908. After the hearing a letter was received from the County Commissioners, who say that while they believe the street should be laid out, the question as to jurisdiction in Somerville would probably not per- mit the decree to become effective. The petition, however, is continued on the Commissioners' docket.
A committee from the Joint Board has been appointed to confer with Somerville authorities to the end that said extension may be accomplished.
ASSISTANT SUPT. OF WIRES. Special attention is called to that part of the report of the Supt. of Wires when he refers to the need of an assistant.
The present efficiency of the Wire Department is due to the expert character of Mr. R. W. LeBaron in this line of work, and he it too valuable an officer for the Town to lose.
The Board, therefore, recommend the favorable considera- tion of appointing such an assistant.
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JOINT BOARD.
POLICY OF THE BOARD. The following votes indicating the policy of the Board have been passed.
(a) Width of Streets. At a meeting held Oct. 14, 1907, it was
Voted, That it was the sense of the Board of Survey not to ap- prove of plans for the laying out or constructing of streets less than forty feet wide.
(b) Crosswalks. At a meeting held Oct. 28, 1907, it was
Voted, That whenever a sidewalk is changed by the construc- tion of a new street the sidewalk, including the new crosswalk, must be relaid in as good and permanent a form as before the change, the cost to be a charge against the party constructing the street. In case the Town desires a higher cost walk than existed before the change was made the additional cost must be made by the Town in case of permanent sidewalks only.
(c) Rough Grading of Private Strects. At a meeting held Dec. 9, 1907, it was
Voted, That after Jan. 1, 1908, no water or sewer 'pipes shall be laid in streets approved by the Board of Survey until such streets, including sidewalks, have been brought to subgrade satis- factory to the Town Engineer.
FREDERICK S. MEAD, J. HOWELL CROSBY, WALTER B. DOUGLASS, PETER SCHWAMB, WILLIAM N. WINN, HENRY W. HAYES,
Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works.
REPORT OF THE TOWN COUNSEL.
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