USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1908-1909 > Part 50
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 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM. This system has continued to give good satisfaction at a very small operating expense. New bat- teries were placed in all of the Signal Boxes for operating tele- phones. Police Box No. 12, located at corner of Massachusetts Avenue, was out of commission twice during the year by break- age of aerial wires. These breaks occurred on August 17th and December 26th. The wires to the box broken on December 26th were entirely put out of commission below Lake and Henderson Streets, so severe was the effect of the storm in this part of the Town. The electric light and telephone wires were also com- pletely disabled, which were on same poles with the Police wires in this part of the Town. All other Signal Boxes of the Police System were in commission at all times on this date. The Police Signal is a valuable auxiliary to the Fire Alarm System as same can, in many cases, be used for sounding an alarm of fire in case any section of the Fire Alarm is out of commission. I would recommend that a direct connection be made between the Police Station and the Central Fire Station of this system, as much time could be saved in giving notice of a fire which might be reported over the Police Signal and not have to use the telephone service as now. The delay in getting the Central Telephone Office, especially in the night, might be of a serious nature, as the response from this office is not always as prompt as it should be.
RECOMMENDATIONS. I would respectfully recommend that at least two additional Fire Alarm Boxes be purchased the coming year, as there are many sections of the Town which should be protected by this system. A liberal appropriation should be
208
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES
made for extensions of underground wires of the Fire Alarm and Police Signal. With wires underground added security is given to the whole community from a fire and police standpoint, and in time of severe storms these systems are ready for service. If trouble is to occur to poles and wires it is more liable to happen in the time of a severe storm, and at such times the Fire Alarm and Police Signals should be ready for instant operation. The more wires placed underground the more efficient will be the service of these systems.
CONCLUSION. Thanking your Honorable Board for the many courtesies shown me in the discharge of my duties and to the members of the Fire and Police Departments I wish to tender my thanks for assistance given, I remain,
Yours respectfully, R. W. LE BARON, Superintendent of Wires.
BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS.
ARLINGTON, MASS., January 14, 1910.
The Park Commissioners submit the following report for the year 1909 :
Meetings have been held at various times during the year to carry on the general work necessary for the care of the park areas under our supervision. On account of the very small appropriation given this Board, comparatively little could be accomplished. It would seem to your Commission that all the public grounds should be con- trolled by the Board of Park Commissioners and that one appropria- tion should be made for the care of the same. At the present time responsibility is greatly divided, making it impossible for much of the work to be carried on to the best advantage.
MENOTOMY ROCKS PARK.
At Menotomy Rocks Park it was considered advisable not to em- ploy a patrolman, and arrangements were made with the Chief of Police to send one of the Town police to the park if his services were required. By dispensing with the park patrolmen much ex- pense has been saved and has been spent for other purposes which seemed necessary for the care of the grounds in our charge.
Three thousand small pine trees have been planted in the park, the entrance from Jason Street has been beautified by the planting of bulbs and flowers, the mowing of the grass and more or less work on the walks. The roadway by the Devil's Den has been regraded and gutters built in order to prevent washing. Owing to the large number of dead trees, arrangements were made early in the spring with the superintendent for the suppression of gypsy and brown-tail moths for removing this dead wood and also for fighting the brown- tail and gypsy moths. The greater part of the trees in this park have either been killed or have very little life left in them, so that we would recommend re-planting the entire area with immune trees
210
PARK COMMISSIONERS
as rapidly as possible. At the present time there are very few wooded areas in Arlington, and if this park can be thoroughly planted it should become of much more value, both as a wooded park area, and as a resting point for the citizens. Under these con- ditions this should be considered a valuable asset to the Town as it could be made to largely take care of itself.
RUSSELL PARK.
This park has had the usual care as during previous years. The grading of the cross walks has been completed and are being used by a great many travelers. During the coming year it is hoped that the grass along the edge of the walks may be made to grow as there will be no reason for travelers encroaching on the side areas. Estimates have been secured and accepted for the planting of a row of trees on the entire south side and will be finished early in the spring of 1910.
MEDFORD STREET TRIANGLES AND WELLINGTON PARK.
These areas have been kept mowed and in good condition through- out the entire season.
MEADOW BROOK PARK.
A fair amount of filling has been put in this park and shows an appreciable increase. The work of caring for the grass plots and flower beds was let out by contract in the spring of 1909 and proved very satisfactory. In this way quite an amount of money was saved and the contractor has carried along his work very well.
Respectfully submitted :
C. H. GANNETT, Chairman H. L. FROST W. E. LLOYD.
-
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
I respectfully submit my report as Tree Warden for the year ending December 31, 1909 :
We have about 3500 shade or street trees. The Town has become accustomed to appropriating the sum of $300, which amount is entirely inadequate for the care and preservation of this number of trees. There are a number of old and worthless trees on the streets, a few of which should be removed each year and be replaced by young trees. There were a number of requests made by property owners on this department for the planting of trees on the highway in front of their property. All could not be attended to, and a great many had to go unheeded, owing to lack of funds. I should, therefore, respectfully request that the sum of $700 be appropriated for this department for the ensuing year.
TREE PLANTING .- There is opportunity on several streets in the Town for the planting of young trees, which would enhance the beauty and make such streets more attractive. Property own- ers desiring to plant trees on the public highways adjoining their property should consult the Tree Warden as to the species of tree to be planted, and also as to the location. In past years, before the office of Tree Warden was established, any and all kinds of trees were planted, regardless of conditions or the nat- ural development of different species of trees. This has brought about a condition on sections of some streets, particularly on Pleasant street, where the trees have been planted so close that their natural development has never been attained, thus causing, in many instances, to be unsightly, ugly or ill shaped what would otherwise have been a fully-developed, ornamental and useful tree.
INSECT ENEMIES OF TREES .- Trees at present have more insect enemies than have heretofore been known, or at least noticed. Perhaps the first and the ones with which the citizens are most familiar, are the Gypsy and Brown-tail Moths. These pests, through the liberal appropriations made by the Town and State, have been kept in check and are not so noticeable on our trees as in previous years.
212
TREE WARDEN
ELM LEAF BEETLE .- This pest differs from the Gypsy and Brown-tails in that it is not a foliage-eating insect. While the latter eats the entire leaf, the Elm Leaf Beetle in the caterpillar or slug form is of the sucking species ; making a very slight open- ing on the under side of the leaf it will then suck the sap there- from, causing the leaf to turn brown and fall off, and oftentimes where the infestation is bad, the trees are denuded of their foli- age in mid-summer. This, of course, causes serious damage and a few successive strippings means the death of the tree. The only effective method thus far known in combating this pest is spraying with arsenate of lead, and this to be effective particular care must be taken to spray the under side of each leaf, other- wise good results cannot be obtained.
LEOPARD MOTH .- This pest while comparatively new in this section, is, according to experts, the most dangerous and causes more injury to the trees than any or all the other insects. It dif- fers from the above-mentioned pests in that it is neither a foliage- eating or sucking insect. On the contrary, it is of the boring spe- cies, gaining its sustenance by boring beneath the bark of the limb, and continuing in an irregular circle and emerging very near the hole in which it entered. This cuts off the flow of sap, which is the life blood of the tree, and causes each limb so girdled to die.
Owing to the fact that the presence of this pest is not noticed until that part of the tree which has been attacked shows signs of decline, and by which time it is almost certain that the slug has departed therefrom, makes it a rather difficult problem to com- bat this particular pest with any degree of success. The poling back of the trees, that is, cutting the limbs back to or almost to the trunk, has been tried in some places as an experiment. This would be rather severe treatment on our street trees, and should not be attempted only as a last resort.
ENEMIES OF THE TREES OTHER THAN INSECTS .- The over- head electric light wires cause a considerable amount of damage to the street trees by burning off the limbs. They are also a menace to the life and limb, and the cause of much anxiety among tree workers. While we have been very fortunate in having no serious accidents thus far from this source, other sections have not fared so well, as many accidents and fatalities occur each year among tree workers coming in contact with live wires. Tele- phone and feed wires for trolley cars, while not dangerous for men to handle except while crossed by a live electric light wire, are to a certain extent injurious to the street trees from the fact
213
TREE WARDEN
that they are almost constantly swaying, causing the wires to wear through, thus killing many limbs. While the corporation owning the wires running through the Town have always been prompt in answering calls to alleviate any trouble from this source, the fact remains that the wires are injurious to the trees, and are the most dangerous enemies that men caring for the trees have to contend with.
GAS PIPES LAID IN THE PUBLIC STREETS .- Many of our street trees have undoubtedly been either killed or affected by leaking gas pipes. This matter has probably been remedied, as all gas pipes laid in the streets in the future will be laid under the super- vision of a Town Inspector.
MODERN HIGHWAYS-STREET TREES .- The construction of the highways enters largely into the material welfare of the street trees. With the advent of the macadamized and oiled road-beds, paved gutters, brick concrete or asphalt sidewalks, the rain, the natural water supply of the trees, is denied them, as under the present conditions the greater portion flows into the catch-basins, very little, if any, perhaps, reaching the roots of the trees. While it is undoubtedly essential that we should have the modern con- struction of our highways, it can hardly be expected that the trees will thrive under such conditions.
HORSES-STREET TREES .- The street trees were never intended and should not be used for hitching-posts for horses. Through the carelessness of drivers in allowing them to stand unweighted, and unattended, horses do a great deal of damage in cribbing the bark off of street trees. This is a matter that with reasonable care could be avoided, and I would call the attention of owners of horses to the fact that there is a severe penalty for each offence of this kind.
Respectfully, WILLIAM H. BRADLEY, Local Superintendent.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
The Board of Health respectfully submits the following report for the year ending December 31, 1909 :
The present Board, consisting of Dr. Laurence L. Peirce, Al- fred H. Knowles and Dr. Guy E. Sanger, met March 5th, and organized with Dr. Peirce as chairman and Mr. Horace A. Free- man as Clerk.
The appointments made by the Board may be found in the list of Town officials.
The general health of the Town in regard to contagious dis- eases has been exceptionally good, and although it has been deemed necessary that the Board recommend the closing, for a few days, of the High and Locke Schools, it has been for the pur- pose of fumigating the buildings rather than because of any extensive outbreak of scarlet fever or other contagious diseases.
COLLECTION OF ASHES AND OFFAL. Under this head, it can be readily seen that as the Town grows more or less rapidly, that the expense of this department must necessarily increase. This past year we have been able to keep within the appropriation, as can be seen per tabulation and comparison with the previous year.
1909
1908
Labor
Horses
Total
Labor
Horses
Total
Offal
$1657 44 $ 540 06 $2197 50 $1620 70 $ 705 31 $2326 01
Ashes.
2231 02
960 01
3191 03
2164 56
809 23!
2973 59
New Offal Cart.
225 00
Repairs and Supplies. .
210 23
270 79
$5795 39
Unexpended balance ..
$5598 76 61 24
89 61
$5660 00
$5885 00
DISPOSITION OF TOWN OFFAL. June 30, 1909, the five-year contract between the Town and Mr. W. W. Rawson terminated, and the Board advertised for bids for the disposal of the Town Offal. Five bids were received and the contract was awarded to
215
BOARD OF HEALTH
Mr. John Runkle of Cambridge, the highest bidder, for a term of five years, for the sum of $950 a year, said offal to be called for daily and used outside of the Town limits. This new contract brings to the Town an increase of $450 over the old one.
GARBAGE PLANT. The disposition of the offal to an out-of- town party necessitated the building of a station or garbage plant where the offal could be deposited until called for. Accordingly, the Board asked for and received from the Town, the sum of $1000 for the erection of a garbage plant on the land recently pur- chased by the Town for town purposes. 'This plant is now com- plete and ready for use. It is a two-story brick and cement build- ing, built with two levels, the bottom level being for the con- tractor's wagon, and the top level for the collection wagons, the offal being dumped through an opening directly from one wagon into the other. After the building was completed we found it necessary to ask for an additional sum of $200 in order to grade and build a roadbed to the same.
BY-LAW RELATING TO THE COLLECTION OF OFFAL. At a meet- ing of the Board held May 17th, the following By-Law was adopted in order to protect Mr. Runkle, the contractor for the offal :
"No person shall collect garbage within the limits of the Town without a permit from the Board of Health."
Several parties have since applied for permits to collect, but in all cases the same have been refused.
SANITARY CONDITIONS. We feel that the present sanitary con- ditions of the Town are good and with the gradual extension of the sewers, will be even better in the future. We refer you to the report of the Inspector of Plumbing.
LIABILITY OF THE TOWN FOR CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. By an act of the Legislature which as amended reads as follows :
CHAPTER 213, ACTS OF 1902, As AMENDED.
SECTION 1. Reasonable expenses incurred by the Board of Health of a city or town or by the Commonwealth in making the provision required by law for persons infected with smallpox or other disease dangerous to public health shall be paid by such person or his parents, if he or they be able to pay, otherwise by the city or town in which he has a legal settlement, upon the approval of the bill by the Board of Health of such city or town, or by the State Board of Charity; and such settlements shall be determined by the
216
BOARD OF HEALTH
Overseers of the Poor,, and by the State Board of Charity in cases cared for by the Commonwealth. If the person has no settlement such expenses shall be paid by the Com- monwealth, upon the approval of bills therefor by the State Board of Charity. In all cases of persons having settle- ments, a written notice sent within the time required in the case of aid given to paupers, shall be sent by the Board of health, or by the officer or board having the powers of a Board of Health in the city or town where the sick per- son is, to the Board of Health, or to the officer or board hav- ing the powers of a Board of Health in the city or town in which such person has a settlement, who shall forthwith transmit a copy thereof to the Overseers of the Poor of the place of settlement. In case the person has no settlement, such notice shall be given to the State Board of Health, in accordance with the provisions of Section fifty-two of Chap- ter seventy-five of the Revised Laws, and also in any case liable to be maintained by the Commonwealth when public aid lias been rendered to such sick person, a written notice shall be sent to the State Board of Charlty, containing such information as will show that the person named therein is a proper charge to the Commonwealth, and reimbursement shall be made for the reasonable expenses incurred within five days next before such notice is mailed, and thereafter until such sick person is removed under the provisions of Chapter three hundred and ninety-five of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and four, or is able to be so removed without endangering his or the public health.
SEC. 2. No person for whose care and maintenance a city or town or the Commonwealth has incurred expenses in consequence of smallpox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, tuberculosis, dog bite, requiring anti-rabic treatment, or other diseases dangerous to the public health, shall be deemed to be a pauper by reason of such expenditure.
The Town has become responsible for eighteen cases of con- tagious diseases, including diphtheria, scarlet fever and tubercu- losis, the cost for which is in the near neighborhood of $800. These cases include claims not only in Arlington, but Cambridge, Somerville, Newton and Boston. It can readily be seen that in the future these claims are bound to increase. Physicians of today, recognizing that epidemics arise more frequently among the poorer classes, take the earliest opportunity of sending such cases to the nearest contagious hospital, to insure proper treatment and caution. Observation of the next few years will be the only means of determining what proportion of expense this legislation will cost the Town.
SMALL POX HOSPITAL. A communication was received early in the year from the Board of Health of the city of Somerville, asking that we co-operate with several of the nearby cities and towns in the purchasing and maintaining of a small pox pest
217
BOARD OF HEALTH
house, against an emergency for the same arising. The Board did not wish to take any action in regard to this matter until a more definite plan could be presented, possibly in the future.
FUMIGATION. In regard to fumigation, we refer you to the report of the Fumigator, whose services have in every way been extremely satisfactory.
EXAMINATION OF PLUMBERS. Heretofore it has been the duty of the Board to appoint each year an Examining Board, consist- ing of three members, to examine and issue licenses to persons wishing to become master and journeyman plumbers. In accord- ance with recent legislation this matter now comes under the State.
CIRCULARS OF INFORMATION. Circulars of instruction for the general care of patients, suggesting means for preventing the spread of diphtheria, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, measles and consumption or tuberculosis, have been printed, to be sent to families in which any of said diseases occur.
FUMIGATION. A more thorough system of fumigation has been adopted, and on the recovery or death of each case of diph- theria, scarlet, fever, and tuberculosis the Board attends imme- diately to the fumigation of the premises. The expense is met by the Town, except where extra fumigation is requested.
REPORTABLE DISEASES. The Board has adjudged the diseases known as scarlet fever, measles, typhoid fever, diphtheria, small- pox, membraneous croup, cholera, yellow fever, typhus fever, cerebro-spinal meningitis, hydrophobia, malignant pustule, lep- rosy, trichinosis, tuberculosis, ophthalmia of the newly born, acti- nomycosis, glanders, tetanus, varicella, whooping-cough as infec- tious or contagious, and dangerous to the public health and safety within the meaning of the Statutes. Physicians are required to report immediately to the Board every case of either of these diseases coming under their care, and postal cards conveniently printed and addressed are supplied to them for this purpose. On receipt of a card from a physician the Superintendent of Schools, Principal of High School, Trustees of Robbins Library, and School Physician are notified. Mr. Charles T. Hartwell acts as fumigator. in behalf of the Board.
CULTURE STATIONS. Culture tubes for diphtheria, sputum bottles for suspected tuberculosis, and anti-toxin are provided by the State Board of Health and placed by this Board with H. A. Perham, druggist, for the use of physicians.
218
BOARD OF HEALTH
MISCELLANEOUS-BOARD OF INFANTS. The Board has given its approval to applications for licenses to board infants or chil- dren as follows: Rosa Simmonds, 32 Appleton street; S. A. Gil- patrick, 14 Teele Street place ; Mary E. Smith, 16 Walnut place ; Mary E. Hallice, 43 Massachusetts avenue; Georgiana A. Fou- quet, 51 Teele street ; Sarah Scanlon, 41 Teele street ; Emma Hill,. 17 Cottage avenue; Flora A. Hill, 13 Cottage avenue ; Jennie H. Goodwin, 928 Massachusetts avenue.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS OF THE BOARD. The reports of the sev- eral officers of the Board are appended, to which attention is called.
FINANCIAL. For detail as to expenditures reference is made- to the report of the Auditor.
LICENSES. Licenses have been granted as follows :
STABLES. George Clark, 30 Mystic street ; John Lyons, Buck -- nam court ; Mary A. Law, Mill street.
UNDERTAKERS. J. Henry Hartwell & Son, Medford street ;. Daniel W. Grannan, and William D. Grannan, 378 Massachu- setts avenue ; James P. Daley, 20 Franklin street.
SLAUGHTERING. William Borman, rear 27 Broadway.
PLUMBING. Joseph A. Tole, 30 Lewis avenue; Andrew Bain, 49 Lowell street; George M. Bruce, Frank E. Gallagher, Charles. F. Burton, Mathew H. Rowe.
LAWRENCE L. PEIRCE, M.D.V., ALFRED H. KNOWLES. GUY E. SANGER, M.D., Board of Health.
Attention is called to the following regulations of the Board of" Health and extracts from the Revised Laws :
DISEASES DANGEROUS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
From Regulation of Board of Health.
SECTION 3. Upon the outside of every house in which there is a person sick with smallpox, diphtheria, membrane- ous croup, measles or scarlet fever shall be placed a suit- able placard with the name of the disease. The Board of Health may in special cases permit the placard to be placed
219
BOARD OF HEALTH
upon interior apartments only. This placard shall not be defaced or removed by any person without authority of the Board of Health.
SEC. 4. No person shall remove or permit to be removed from any house or apartment upon which a placard has been placed, as provided in Section 3, any clothing, books or other property without a permit from the Board of Health; nor after a house is established as a hospital, under provisions of Chapter 80 of the Public Statutes, shall any occupant of such house take up a residence elsewhere without such per- mit. No public or circulating library book shall be taken into any house or apartment whereon a placard has been placed, as provided in Section 3, before the authorized re- moval of said placard. All books, papers, toys and other articles in a room where there is a person sick with scarlet fever or diphtheria which cannot be thoroughly disinfected must be destroyed.
SEC. 5. No person living in a house or interior apartment upon which a placard has been placed, as provided in Sec- tion 3, shall attend or visit any school in the Town without a permit from the Board of Health.
SEC. 6. No person who has visited a house in which there was at the time a case of smallpox, diphtheria, membraneous croup, or scarlet fever, shall attend school until the expira- tion of two weeks from such visit.
SEC. 7. Danger of conveying small-pox, diphtheria and scarlet fever shall not be considered to have passed until two weeks have expired after the rooms occupied by a per- son who has been sick with either of said diseases, and the articies used by him have been disinfected to the satisfaction of the Board of Health.
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.