USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1912 > Part 6
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ARTICLE 1. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting.
ART. 2. To hear and act on the reports of committees hereto- fore appointed.
ART. 3. To hear and act on the partial report of the Com- mittee appointed April 9, 1912, for further consideration of High School alterations and the advisability of erecting a new High School Building.
ART. 4. To see if the Town will authorize the purchase of a site for a new High School Building, make an appropriation there- for, and determine how the money shall be raised.
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TOWN RECORDS
ART. 5. To see if the Town will vote to accept Chapter 635 of the Acts of 1912, being an Act relative to tenement houses in towns.
ART. 6. To see if the Town will make an appropriation for purchasing and installing a new boiler in the Locke School, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 7. To see if the Town will make an appropriation for furnishing the Locke School with manual training equipment, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 8. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation for the Police Department, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
(Inserted at the request of William C. Drouet, et. al)
ART. 9. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation for insurance, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 10. To see if the Town will make an appropriation sufficient 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, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 11. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation for Soldiers' Relief, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 12. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation for repairs on the Summer Street Estate, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 13. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation for the Board of Health, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 14. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation for Ballot Clerks and Tellers, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 15. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation for the Fire Department, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 16. To see if the Town will make an appropriation for the construction of Gray Street, as accepted by the Town Novem- ber 20, 1911, the sum so appropriated to include land damages
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
necessary for such construction, and to determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 17. To see if the Town will make an appropriation for the clearing of Sucker Brook above Park Avenue, determine in what manner the money shall be raised, or take any action thereon.
ART. 18. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation to be expended from November 30, 1912, and for the twelve months next ensuing, for suppressing the Gypsy and Brown Tail Moths, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 381, Acts of 1905, and amendments thereto, and determine in what manner the money shall be raised.
ART. 19. To see if the Town will adopt the following Amend- ment to Section 4 of Article 13 of the By-Laws of the Town:
"No person shall, except in the performance of some legal duty, discharge any firearms, or any flobert rifle, so-called, or any air gun, within the limits of the Town, except by permission of the Board of Selectmen."
Hereof, fail not, and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon, to the Selectmen, on or before said day and hour of meeting.
Given under our hands at said Arlington, this seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twelve.
JACOB BITZER, HERBERT W. RAWSON, FRANK V. NOYES. Selectmen of the Town of Arlington.
1
CONSTABLE'S RETURN.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY. Arlington, November 18, 1912.
By virtue of this Warrant I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs, to meet at the time and place, and for the pur- poses herein named by causing a printed attested copy to be left at every dwelling house in the Town, and also by posting an attested copy on the doors of the Town Hall seven days at least before said day of meeting.
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TOWN RECORDS
I further certify that a notice of said meeting was published in the Arlington Advocate.
GARRITT BARRY, Constable of Arlington.
In pursuance of the foregoing Warrant, the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, qualified as the constitution directs to vote in elections and Town affairs, met in the Town Hall in said Arlington, on Tuesday the nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twelve and were called to order at seven thirty o'clock in the evening, by the Town Clerk, who read the Warrant calling the meeting and the return thereon of the Constable who served the same upon the inhabitants.
Article 1 taken up. (Choice of Moderator.)
John G. Brackett was unanimously elected Moderator and was sworn to the faithful performance of his duties by the Town Clerk.
Article 2 taken up. (Reports of Committees.)
On motion of Frank W. Hodgdon Article 2 was laid on the table and Article 3 taken up.
Article 3. (Report of Committee on High School.)
Frank W. Hodgdon presented the following report of the Com- mittee appointed April 9, 1912, to consider the High School alteration's and the advisability of erecting a new High School.
After considering the report of the previous Committee, it seemed to us that the plan they presented for enlarging the present High School building, was about as good as could be- devised. As this apparently did not meet with the approval of the Town at this time, we decided to inquire into the opportuni- ties for erecting a new building, as, from the statistics presented by the School Committee, additional accommodations will be required in the near future. At the present time, while there is room in the existing buildings for all the pupils, still, a portion of the High School pupils now have to be housed in some of the vacant rooms in a Grammar School building, which is inconvenient.
The Committee has examined a number of sites which it thought might be suitable for a location for a new High School building and advertised in the local paper for proposals for such a site, but received no replies to the advertisement. Such a site should
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
be located reasonably near the center of the Town and preferably on fairly high ground, and should be about four (4) acres in area. A lot on Highland Avenue seemed to meet the requirements most nearly, but the owners, while being willing to sell, set a higher price than the Committee thought the Town should pay.
A number of other sites were examined which would make good locations and the Committee recommends that an appropriation be made and a lot purchased if a suitable one can. be purchased within the appropriation.
Some study has been given to the type and style of building and the School Committee has been asked to state its opinion as to just what accommodations should be provided in a new building; but as yet no reply has been received.
From information obtained from the study of a book on "American Schoolhouses" published by the United States Bureau of Education last year and from architects and others, it appears that two-story, flat roofed buildings are found to be most desirable.
The desirability of erecting a building of the above described character has been kept in mind in studying the proposed sites, also the desirability of planning a large building, so designed that a portion only may be built first and later added to without interfering with the use of the portion first built.
No architect has been engaged or plans drawn, as it was deemed best not to do so until a lot had been secured.
In September Mr. George W. Chickering resigned as a member of the Committee. As the Town had not given the Committee power to fill vacancies his letter of resignation was forwarded to the Selectmen.
Respectfully submitted, FRANK W. HODGDON, PHILIP EBERHARDT, CLARENCE A. MOORE, Committee.
The report was accepted as progressive and the Committee continued.
Article 2 taken up. (Reports of Committees.)
Mr. Hodgdon reported for the Committee on the Revision of the Building Laws and recommended the acceptance by the Town
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TOWN RECORDS
of Chapter 635 of the Acts of 1912, relative to tenement houses in towns. The report was accepted as progressive and the Com- mittee continued.
Frank W. Hodgdon presented the report of the Committee of Twenty-One and it was
Voted: That the various articles in the Warrant calling for an appropriation be now taken up, and that the recommendations made by the Committee of Twenty-One, under these articles, so far as they appear in the printed report, be considered as now before the meeting, to be voted on, without further motion, separately, and in the order in which they appear in said report.
Article 4 taken up. (Land for High School purposes.)
Voted by a two-thirds vote: That the Selectmen be authorized and empowered, in the name and behalf of the Town, to purchase for School purposes, by good and sufficient deeds conveying the same, a lot of land at a cost not exceeding $12,000. The lot so purchased to be first approved, in writing, by the School Com- mittee and the Committee appointed April 9, 1912, for further consideration of High School alterations and the advisability of erecting a new High School building.
That the Town borrow the sum not exceeding $12,000 for the purchase of such lot, and for this purpose, issue twelve negotiable notes or bonds, each for the sum of $1000, two payable on Decem- ber 1, 1913, and two on December 1, in each of the five succeeding years. Said notes or bonds to be designated on the face thereof "School Lot Loan of 1912" and to bear interest payable semi- annually at a rate not to exceed four percentum per annum, to be dated December 1, 1912, signed by the Treasurer and counter- signed by the Selectmen.
Article 6 taken up. (Boiler in Locke School.)
The Committee recommended and it was so voted that no appropriation be made under this article.
Article 7 taken up. (Manual training at Locke School.)
The Committee recommended and it was so voted that no appropriation be made under this article.
Article 8. (Additional appropriation for Police Department.)
Voted: That the subject matter of this article be referred to the Committee of Twenty-One, to report at the next Annual Meeting.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Article 9 taken up. (Additional appropriation for insurance.)
Voted: That the sum of $1200 be appropriated for insurance in addition to the sum appropriated at the Annual Meeting. Said sum to be taken from the Treasury Account.
Article 10 taken up. (Filling in Park lands near Mount Pleas- ant Cemetery.)
Voted: That the sum of $1703.40 be appropriated to pay for filling deposited upon park lands under vote of the Town passed May 5, 1912. Said sum to be taken from the Receipts from Side- walk Assessments and Moth Assessments.
Article 11 taken up. (Additional appropriation for Soldiers' Relief.)
Voted: That the sum of thirty (30) dollars be appropriated for Soldiers' Relief. Said sum to be taken from the Military Aid Account.
Article 12 taken up. (Additional appropriation for Summer Street Estate.)
Voted: That the sum of $210 be appropriated for repairs on the buildings of the Summer Street Estate, in addition to the sum previously appropriated. Said sum to be taken from rents of Town Hall.
Article 13 taken up. (Additional appropriation for Board of Health.)
Voted: That the sum of three thousand five hundred (3500) dollars be appropriated for the Board of Health, in addition to the sum previously appropriated. Said sum to be taken from receipts from interest and sales of Cemetery lots.
Article 14 taken up. (Additional appropriation for Ballot Clerks and Tellers.)
Voted: That the sum of one hundred twenty-five (125) dollars be appropriated in addition to the sum previously appropriated, for the payment of ballot clerks and tellers. Said sum to be taken from the overlayings.
Article 15 taken up. (Additional appropriation for Fire Department.)
Voted: That the sum of four hundred (400) dollars be appro- priated for the Fire Department repairs, said sum to be taken from the receipts from sale of offal.
Article 16 taken up. (Proposed construction of Gray Street.)
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TOWN RECORDS
The Committee recommended and it was so
Voted: That the subject matter of this article be referred to the Committee of Twenty-One, to report at the next Annual Meeting.
Article 17 taken up. (Clearing of Sucker Brook.)
The Committee recommended and it was so ·
Voted: That no action be taken under this article.
Article 18 taken up. (Gypsy and Brown-tail Moths.)
Voted: That the sum of three thousand (3000) dollars be appro- priated to be expended from November 30, 1912 to November 30, 1913, under the direction and control of the Selectmen, in suppressing the Gypsy and Brown-tail Moths in the Town of Arlington, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 381, Acts of 1905, and amendments thereto; $1250 of said appropria- tion, together with the machine now owned by the Town, to be applied to the purchase of a new spraying machine. Said sum of three thousand (3000) dollars to be raised by general tax in 1913.
Article 19 taken up. (By-Law prohibiting shooting.)
Voted: That Section 4 of Article 13 of the By-Laws of the Town, be amended so as to read as follows:
"No person shall, except in the performance of some legal duty, discharge any firearms, or any flobert rifle, so-called, or any air gun, within the limits of the Town, except by permission of the Board of Selectmen."
Article 5 taken up. (Acceptance of Chapter 635 Acts of 1912.)
This Act being an "Act relative to tenement houses in towns" was discussed by a number of citizens and it was
Voted, by a two thirds vote: That the Town accept Chapter 635 of the Acts of 1912, being an Act relative to tenement houses.
All business calling the meeting having been transacted the meeting was dissolved at twenty minutes after ten o'clock.
Arlington, November 19, 1912.
We, the undersigned, Constables of the Town of Arlington, appointed by the Selectmen to have charge of the incoming and outgoing turnstiles at the Town Meeting held this date, on oath depose and say that three hundred twenty-seven (327) voters attended said meeting. This result we determine by deducting
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
from the total number entering the hall, the total number leaving the hall during said meeting.
(Signed) JOHN DUFFY, CHARLES F. DONAHUE, Constables of Arlington.
A true record of the meeting. Attest:
THOMAS J. ROBINSON, Town Clerk.
1
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN.
The Board of Selectmen herewith submit the following report on the fiscal year ending December 31, 1912.
On March 4, 1912, the newly elected Board, consisting of Jacob Bitzer, Herbert W. Rawson and Frank V. Noyes, met in the Selectmen's room in Town Hall, where the oath of office was administered to them by the Town Clerk. The Board organized as follows: Jacob Bitzer, Chairman; Thomas J. Robinson, Sec- retary.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Jacob Bitzer, Fire Department and State Aid.
Herbert W. Rawson, Police Department and Public Lands.
Frank V. Noyes, Outside Poor, Town House and Public Buildings.
The Board of Selectmen is composed of three members, elected at the regular annual town meeting, the first Monday in March, all for the term of one year.
The Board also acts as Overseers of the Poor and as Board for the Suppression of Gypsy and Brown-tail Moths.
The regular meetings of the Board are held Monday evenings at 7.30 o'clock, in the Selectmen's room, in Town Hall.
TOWN DEBT AND TAX RATE.
On December 31, 1911, the fixed debt was $747,700.00
Amount paid during the year 113,950.00
$633,750.00
Amount added during the year
22,000.00
On December 31, 1912, the fixed debt is. $655,750.00
The above figures show a decrease in the fixed debt of the Town of $91,950.00.
SINKING FUND.
On December 31, 1911, the Sinking Fund was. . . . . $107,522.42 During the year the following amounts have been
added to the Fund as follows:
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
For interest $4,337.69
By Town appropriation 12,000.00
$16,337.69
$123,860.11
During the year the following amount has been paid from this Fund:
Rent of Safety Deposit Box.
10.00
On December 31, 1912, the Sinking Fund is.
$123,850.11
The total fixed debt remaining is $655,750.00, or $91,950.00 less than it was a year ago.
The tax rate for 1912 is $20.80 on $1000.00, which is forty cents more than it was in 1911.
The total increase in personal and real estate April 1, 1912, as compared with the year 1911, was as follows:
Personal Property
Real Estate
1911 1912
1911 .
1912
$1,672,875.00 $1,748,750.00
$11,437,608.00
$12,231,799.00
Increase in 1912 in Personal Property
$75,875.00
Increase in 1912 in Real Estate.
794,191.00
Increase in 1912 both Real and Personal Property
870,066.00
STATE, COUNTY AND METROPOLITAN TAXES.
1912
1911
Increase
State Tax.
$18,875.00
$16,610.00
$2,265.00
County Tax.
10,388.47
10,605.00
216.53*
Metropolitan Sewer Tax.
11,166.80
10,948.00
218.80
Metropolitan Water Tax.
18,996.13
18,249.50
746.63
Metropolitan Park Tax. .
6,914.95
9,226.69
2,311.74*
Charles River Basin Tax.
934.79
2,879.39
1,944.60*
Alewife Brook Tax.
2,497.50
1,803.33
694.17
$69,773.64
$70,321.91
$548.27
The total State, County and Metropolitan taxes for 1912 are $69,773.64, or $548.27 less than the amount assessed in 1911.
This showing is due largely to the fact that in 1911 the Town paid $2,879.39 on the Charles River Basin assessment, which rep- resented three years' assessments. This year we start paying our yearly proportion.
*Decrease.
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT
The amount of $548.27 paid in 1912 less than in 1911 is ac- counted for by the following assessments paid less than in 1911:
County Tax.
$216.53
Metropolitan Park Tax.
2,311.74
Charles River Basin Tax.
1,944.60
$4,472.87
Paid more than in 1911:
State Tax.
$2,265.00
Metropolitan Sewer Tax.
218.80
Metropolitan Water Tax.
746.63
Alewife Brook Tax.
694.17
3,924.60
$548.27
CORPORATION AND BANK TAX RECEIVED BY THE
1912
1911
TOWN. Increase
Corporation Tax.
$6,781.94
$5,787.32
$1,094.62
Bank Tax.
7,124.50
7,216.99
92.49*
Street Railway Tax.
15,310.50
16,816.33
1,505.83*
Boston Elevated Ry. Tax.
2,898.09
2,949.17
51.08*
Bay State St. Ry. Tax. .
349.89
226.93
122.96
Middlesex St. Ry. Co ..
96.29
68.04
28.25
.
$32,561.21 $33,064.78 $431.83*
The total receipts, as shown above, for 1912 amount to $32,561.21, or $431.83 less than the amount received in 1911.
DEBT MATURING.
In the next five years the debt maturing as it stands December 31, 1912, amounts to $160,350.00, divided as follows:
1913.
$88,550.00
1914.
20,450.00
1915
19,450.00
1916
16,950.00
1917
14,950.00
$160,350.00
*Decrease.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Of this amount $64,600.00 High School Bonds mature in 1913 and will be paid from the Sinking Fund, leaving the balance due this year of $23,950.00, to be raised by general tax.
In 1914 the debt maturing is $20,450.00, all of which must be · raised by general tax.
No payments on Town debt will be paid from the Sinking Fund until 1922, when $92,000.00 of Water bonds become due.
BONDS OF TREASURER, COLLECTOR AND TOWN CLERK.
As required by law, bonds covering the services of the Treasurer, Collector of Taxes and Town Clerk have been filed with the Selectmen.
The bonds have been approved by the Town Counsel, as to form, and are for the following amounts, in the following com- panies: Town Treasurer, $20,000.00 in the American Surety Company of New York; Collector of Taxes, $10,000.00 in the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Baltimore, Md .; Town Clerk, Clerk of Departments and Clerk of Cemetery Com- missioners, $1,500.00 in the American Surety Company of New York.
These bonds cover all of these officials in all their acts and until their successors are elected and qualified.
The bonds are in the custody of the Board of Selectmen.
TOWN HALL.
No special work has been done on the Town Hall building during the year. As suggested in our report last year, new booths for voting have been procured and a new ballot box purchased. The new arrangement was used at the March election of 1912, and gave entire satisfaction, allowing the citizens to cast their votes without confusion and in the shortest possible time. The cost of the booths and ballot box was about $100.
Some provision must be made for the maintenance of the build- ing on the completion and occupancy of the new Town Hall by the various offices, as the Police and Wire Departments must continue to occupy this building. What further disposition the Town desires to make of the building the Board leaves to the Town to decide.
The hall has continued to bring in a revenue of about $500.00 per year.
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT
NEW TOWN HALL.
On January 8, 1912, the Misses Ida F., Eliza P. and Caira Robbins, as legatees under the will of their cousin, Winfield Rob- bins, made a proposal to the Town to erect and furnish a new town house, on the land purchased by the Town some fifteen years ago for that purpose.
Drawings of the proposed building were shown and details explained at the Town Meeting held that date.
The proposal to present this magnificent gift to the Town was unanimously accepted, and the Town voted to allow the Misses Robbins and their agents to enter upon the land and erect a build- ing thereon substantially as shown on plans drawn by R. Clipston Sturgis, architect, together with a memorial to the memory of the generous donor of the building, Winfield Robbins.
The Selectmen were appointed to represent the Town in the details of the building.
Conferences were held with the architect and the various town officials, as to the requirements of the town offices.
Work was started on the building about April first, 1912, and has progressed rapidly. While no definite time has been set for the removal of the town offices to the new building it has been inti- mated that the dedication will take place about June 1, 1913.
The Town is indeed to be congratulated on being the recipient of this, one of the most beautiful and complete municipal buildings in the Commonwealth.
The noble thought which inspired the donor, and the broad and liberal interpretation of that thought by his legatees, sets an example of that civic pride which should be an inspiration to all our citizens and an incentive to all to promote and uphold, in whatever sphere of life we may be, that grandest of all vanities- pride in our Town and her advancement in all things tending toward the general welfare and uplift of our people.
METROPOLITAN PARK ASSESSMENTS.
In accordance with the vote of the Town passed January 22, 1912, the Board petitioned the Metropolitan Park Commissioners to establish as a Metropolitan Parkway an extension of the present boulevard across Medford Street and along the southerly shore of
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
lower Mystic Lake, through Meadow Brook Park to a point on Mystic Street opposite Summer Street.
The Board was informed by the Commission that owing to lack of funds the Commission could not undertake this work. As the Legislature has, during the year, made an appropriation of $1,000,000.00 to cover a period of five years and designated in the Bill where the money shall be expended, it would seem that this improvement cannot be made in the near future.
The Town continues to pay the proportion of tax assessed for Park purposes, as assessed by the decree of the Commissioners appointed by the Supreme Court to apportion said taxes between the cities and towns making up the Metropolitan District, as follows:
For Parks. .00564
For Boulevards . .01057
For Nantasket Beach Reservation . .00515
For Charles River Dam and Basin .00517
For Charles River Sinking Fund and interest requirements. .00462
MILITARY AID, STATE AID AND SOLDIERS' RELIEF.
MILITARY AID. This aid is rendered only on occasions where, through sickness or accident, the recipient is unable to support himself on his pension and State Aid. Only one has been aided from this account during the year, and that only for a short time. One-half of the amount expended under Military Aid is returned by the State.
STATE AID. As stated in previous reports, the number of per- sons receiving this Aid increases each year, and probably will for some years to come, as our population increases.
All applications must be approved by the Commissioner of State Aid before being paid, as the whole amount paid to persons under this list is reimbursed by the State the following year.
SOLDIERS' RELIEF. The number of persons receiving this aid has been reduced during the year by one, making the total number being aided from this account five (5). This Aid is rendered only in urgent cases, and the Town bears the whole expense.
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