Town of Arlington annual report 1948, Part 14

Author: Arlington (Mass.)
Publication date: 1948
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 386


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1948


Lewd and Lascivious Cohabitation


6


Missing Persons


19


Assault and Battery


17


Indecent Exposure


7


Building Inspector


3


Suspicious Persons


76


Outside Police Departments


107


Accidental Deaths


8


Domestic Relations


20


Non-Support


31


Miscellaneous Investigations


448


Home Conditions


14


Suspicious Automobiles


40


Mental Cases


9


Forgery and Larceny


13


Property Damage


20


Sudden Deaths


16


Suicides


7


..


Indecent Assaults


1


234


ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


Investigation for the District Attorney's office. 14


F. B. I.


7


Gaming


4


Prowlers


21


Lewdness


10


Former Residents 30


Investigations for the U. S. Civil Service. 349


U. S. Army


2


U. S. Navy 8


U. S. Marines 2


Selectmen's office


Jury Service 53


Licenses 229


Secretary of State's office 18


Vicious Dog Complaints 9


Claims against Town and sidewalk accidents 20


1822 cases were investigated by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation for the year 1948.


RADIO AND PATROL CARS


Messages broadcast in 1948


12,214


Calls direct to specified cars Arlington patrol cars 4,316


Arrests made by patrol car operators Without warrant


331


With warrant 125


By Car No. 7-A 179


By Car No. 8-A 153


By Car No. 9-A 124


Total arrests by Arlington Patrol Cars .. 456


POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM


1947


1948


Duty Calls


145,917 160,079


Telephone Calls 67 48


235


REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT


CRIME REPORT TO FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION TOTAL OF MONTHLY CRIMES RETURNS-YEAR 1948 OFFENSES KNOWN TO THE POLICE-TOWN OF ARLINGTON


Offenses Cleared


Reported Un- Actual or Known founded Offenses


Criminal Homicide


0


0


0


(Murder or Non-Negligent Manslaughter)


Manslaughter by Negligence.


0


0


0


0


Rape


1


0


1


1


Robbery


4


0


4


4


Aggravated Assault


0


0


0


0


Burglary-Breaking and


Entering


70


6


64


35


Larceny (Over $50.00) .


24


4


20


2


Larceny (Under $50.00) .


66


20


46


12


Auto Thefts


19


6


13


4


Total


184


36


148


58


NOTE: Attempts to commit the above crimes are included in all totals.


CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY, STOLEN AND RECOVERED AS PER THE ABOVE REPORT


Offense


Number


Value Property Stolen $227.00


Robbery


Breaking and Entering : . .


(a) Residence (dwelling)


(1) Committed during night


12


2,593.61


(2) Committed during day ..


5


152.60


(b) Non-residence (store, office, etc.)


(1) Committed during night


44


1,983.89


(2) Committed during day.


3


*Larceny :


Over $50.00


20


4,986.45


$5.00 to $50.00


43


1,134.07


Under $50.00


3


4.00


Auto Theft:


13


9,075.00


Total


147


$20,156.62


** 18 stolen outside town recovered here, not included in above total.


Offense


Number


Value Property Stolen


*Nature of Larcencies:


(a) Pocket Picking


1


$30.00


(b) Purse Snatching


0


(c) Shop Lifting


6


385.95


(d) Thefts from autos (exclude auto accessories)


8


247.00


(e) Auto accessories


1


25.00


(f) Bicycles


15


833.00


(g) All others


35


4,603.57


Total


66


$6,124.52


4


by Arrest 0


236


ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


Automobiles Recovered


(a) Number stolen locally and recovered locally 3


(b) Number stolen locally and recovered by other jurisdictions. 10


(c) Total locally stolen automobiles recovered. 13


(d) Number stolen out of town and recovered locally. 18


VALUE OF PROPERTY STOLEN AND PROPERTY RECOVERED DURING THE YEAR


Value of Property


Value of Property


Stolen


Recovered


(a) Currency, notes, etc ..


$2,202.93


$1,263.28


(b) Jewelry and precious metals


2,306.45


1,175.00


(c) Furs


(d) Clothing


174.79


25.00


(e) Locally stolen automobiles.


9,075.00


9,075.00


(f) Miscellaneous


6,397.45


1,781.00


Total


$20,156.62


$13,319.28


TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEPARTMENT


The Department is responsible for the proper installation and maintenance of all aids to the regulation and control of automobile traffic such as curb marking, traffic lines, signs, street markings, traffic lights, etc., and during the year main- tained the following :


Bus Stops


6


Coasting


35


Cross Road


1


Curve Danger


1


Dead End Street


2


Flashers


4


Heavy Trucking Prohibited


5


Hospital Zone


2


Isolated Stop


33


Keep to Right


6


No Left Turn


1


No Parking Around Island


5


No Parking Between Signs


7


No Parking Beyond This Point


1


No Parking Here to Corner


27


No Parking on Crosswalk


1


No Parking on Curve.


3


No Parking Taxi Stand


7


No Parking This Side


95


One Hour Parking


9


One Hour Parking Between Signs


1


One Hour Parking Right Rear Wheel to Curb .. 3


One Way 8


237


REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT


One Way Do Not Enter


13


One May Enter Here


2


Parallel Parking


59


Pedestrians Cross on Red and Amber Only.


2


Railroad Warning


6


Red Reflectors


30


Right and Left Turns


1


Safety Platform Bases.


4


Safety Platform Flood Lights


9


School


11


Single Line


8


Spot Lights


4


Thirty Miles Per Hour


11


Through Way Ends Here


3


Through Way Stop


193


Traffic Lights


37


Traffic Signal Ahead


28


Twenty Miles Per Hour


6


U Turn


18


Total


718


Installation of curbs, lines, street markings, repainting and replacing of signs and posts were as follows :


CURBS, LINES, STREET MARKINGS


Bus Stop


118'


Center Lines


35,285'


No Parking


190'


Parallel Parking


2,950'


Taxicab Stands


242'


Total


38,785'


The Center Lines covered a distance of 6.68 miles


Crosswalks


85


Island Curbs


4


Slow


30


Slow School


16


Stop Lines


71


Stop Line (Words)


71


Parallel Parking Stalls


302


Traffic Light Posts


11


Total


590


238


ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


SIGNS EDUCATIONAL AND ENFORCEMENT


Heavy Trucking Prohibited


5


Isolated Stop


7


Keep to Right


2


No Parking Around Island


5


No Parking Between Signs


4


No Parking Bus Stop


5


No Parking Here to Corner


8


No Parking on Curve.


3


No Parking This Side.


95


One Way


12


One Hour Parallel Parking


50


School Slow


9


Slow


5


Slow Playground


8


Thirty Degree Angle.


9


Thirty Miles An Hour


6


Through Way Stop


93


Traffic Signal Ahead


15


U Turn


18


Total


359


TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEPARTMENT


The two men assigned to this work, in addition to the foregoing, prepare paint and letter all signs, repair all damaged or defective equipment, including the installation and main- tenance of the traffic light signal system.


Motor vehicle traffic conditions are steadily growing worse as the number of motor vehicles increases. The congestion in our business centers is probably greater than any of the cities and towns of Greater Boston. Routes 2A, 3 and 60 pass directly through Arlington Center which, of course, is the principal reason for such congestion, and has definitely created a hazardous accident condition. There are no off street park- ing lots for persons desiring to do business with our merchants ; therefore, the lack of parking facilities, together with the con- gestion, has driven our citizens to other communities to do their shopping.


The installation of Parking Meters in June and the change to parallel parking in Arlington Center has definitely relieved the congested traffic condition in this area and has decreased the accident rate by approximately fifty per cent.


I want to again this year recommend that a study be made of traffic conditions in Arlington, especially in Arlington


239


REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT


Center and over our main arteries, with the idea in mind of procuring some long range plan for the rerouting of these through routes and constructing new arteries which will help in the development of our business centers. This, in my opinion, if done properly, will not only alleviate congestion in the business centers but will attract to our town large business concerns which should increase the income from taxes and partially offset the low cost houses whose small income in the form of taxes is immediately used up because of chil- dren of school age residing in such houses.


I further recommend that all so-called apartment blocks erected in the future be required to provide at least one off street automobile parking space for each separate apartment in such building. This may be done through a change in the building code or in the town by-laws. Similar ordinances are being adopted by many cities throughout the country.


JUVENILE DELINQUENCY


During the past year there were one hundred and sixty-six (166) children, under the age of seventeen years, apprehended by the Department for various crimes, five (5) of which were females, one hundred and forty-eight (148) Arlington children and eighteen (18) Out of Town children. Twenty-four (24) of these children were brought before the Court. The others were taken in hand by the Juvenile Officer, who, through his work with the parents, school, church and the child, en- deavored to correct the delinquent habits of the child. In all cases of property damage or larcenies, restitution was made wherever possible to the satisfaction of the injured party.


All members of your Police Department have been diligent in their duties throughout the year, and it is well known by the criminal element that Arlington is a good place to stay clear of. We shall continue to do everything possible to assist the criminal element to retain this feeling.


In the investigation of juvenile crime, police experience has definitely determined that in the vast majority of cases the juvenile's trouble starts, because of the lack of proper parental training and supervision in the home. It has been said that "PARENTS" are the world's most influential pro- fessional people, yet never trained for their job. Possessing the biggest responsibility in the world: 1. Producing life; 2. Supporting life; 3. Preparing proper background for impres- sionable life; 4. By nature the original teachers of all human habits-language-religion-cultural elements-morality- manners, etc.


The actions of the child in almost every case reflects the training or lack of proper training given by the parents. Be-


240


ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


cause of the failure of so many parents to properly carry out their responsibilities, delinquency in children is a police prob- lem but the elimination or correction of conditions which give rise to it, such as bad home environment, deficiencies in school facilities, lack of properly supervised recreational play centers, is purely a community problem.


In order to combat the problem of delinquency of the chil- dren, the Auxiliary Police Department, which was organized for the war emergency, have volunteered to assist the regular police department in their crime prevention program.


Again this year so-called Teen-Age Dances were conducted at the Town Hall for all of the Senior High School pupils and those Arlington youngsters under twenty-one (21), who were out of school. These dances were held on Friday nights and were well supervised under the leadership of Jack Keefe and members of the Arlington Auxiliary Police Association. They have proven a decided success as evidenced by the attendance and lack of crime committed by this age group in Arlington. I strongly recommend their continuance.


In addition to the Friday Night Dances conducted by the Arlington Auxiliary Police Association, they organized and supervised two baseball leagues for all the boys between the ages of ten to sixteen years, with eight teams in each league consisting of fifteen boys on each team. Both Leagues were equipped with full uniforms and all necessary equipment. Baseball, as it was conducted by the Arlington Auxiliary Police Association, under the expert guiding hand of William Sin- clair and his committee, proved a decided factor in curbing delinquency in our Town.


The Arlington Auxiliary Police Association has also con- ducted a very successful Rifle Club with membership made up of approximately one hundred High School students. The instructors in this group, headed by Fred Bodemer, are all members and qualified instructors in the National Rifle Association.


I wish to take this opportunity to thank the many citizens of our town for their very generous monetary as well as moral support in the carrying out of this most worthwhile program. Without your support it could not possibly be so successful.


I consider the Town of Arlington to be very fortunate to have such a group as the Arlington Auxiliary Police give so freely of their time and effort in this most worthy work which has proven such a decided success in curbing Juvenile De- linquency.


The finest cooperation has existed between the Superin- tendent of Schools, the various principals, and this Department


241


REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT


in the investigation and correction of delinquency. Credit must also be given to the character building organizations, such as, the churches, the Boys' Club, the Boy and Girl Scouts, the C.Y.O. and other organizations who have done yeomen service for the benefit of Juveniles.


MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES


This particular report section shows the multiplicity of work performed by the members of the Department.


Take the sick and injured cared for; this shows 267 per- sons, 2,395 separate cases investigated. There were 116 lost children cared for. In some instances with children three, four and five years of age, they were held at Police Head- quarters for hours before parents were aware they were miss- ing.


In addition, investigations were made for several different Federal organizations, many of which overlapped one another. Also many investigations were conducted for various commer- cial organizations throughout the country. Under the head of MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES can be found an enormous amount of detail work accomplished.


I am deeply grateful to the members of the Arlington Auxili- ary Police Association who have never failed to assist the Department wherever their services were requested through- out the year.


To the Town, State and Federal Departments I am deeply grateful for their earnest and kind assistance, especially grateful to the Members of my own Department. I sincerely appreciate the wholehearted attention to duty exercised by all Members of this Department during the year. It was through their diligent attention to their many duties that Arlington continues to be comparatively free from crime and a good place in which to live.


In closing I wish to express my sincere appreciation to your Honorable Board, Officials of the Town Government, as well as the Citizens of Arlington for their splendid assistance and cooperation during the year.


Respectfully submitted,


ARCHIE F. BULLOCK, Chief of Police.


242


ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


Report of the Fire Department


Honorable Board of Selectmen


Arlington, Massachusetts


Gentlemen :


I have the honor as Acting Chief to present the Annual Report of the Arlington Fire Department for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1948.


Daniel B. Tierney, Chief of the Department since 1923, retired because of the Compulsory Retirement Law on April 26, 1948, after fifty-one years a fireman.


He began his life long career in 1896 when the then existing Board of Fire Engineers appointed him a Substitute Callman. In 1897 he was made a Regular Callman and in that same year was appointed Permanent Fireman assigned as Driver of Hose 2 stationed at the old Highland Fire House. In 1902 he was advanced to Lieutenant and to the position of Second Assistant Chief in 1922.


On May 1, 1923, Daniel B. Tierney was appointed the first permanent full-time Fire Chief with Life Tenure of Office. In 1928 he reorganized the Department changing it from one of Call Firemen to a department of permanent firemen.


During his years as Chief, three beautiful stations were con- structed which are conceded as ideal for fire department pur- poses. With his able leadership, the Department progressed rapidly to a high standard of efficiency and is recognized as one of the best by fire department officials. A real fireman, one intensely active in matters relating to fire fighting and fire protection, Chief Daniel B. Tierney will be long remembered as Arlington's great Fire Chief.


MANUAL FORCE


The normal permanent force consists of ninety-one men : the Chief, three Deputy Chiefs, ten Captains, one Inspector- Fireman who is in charge of the Fire and Police Signal System, eight Lieutenants, and sixty-eight Privates ; also a Department Surgeon, Dr. Edward W. Feeley, and a Department Secretary, Anna B. Hurley.


243


REPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT


PROMOTIONS


March 28, Captain Charles J. Flynn was advanced to Deputy Chief to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Deputy George W. Corbett; Captain Richard J. Tierney was advanced to Deputy Chief filling the vacancy caused by the retirement of Deputy John M. Tierney.


April 26, Deputy Chief Richard J. Tierney was appointed Acting Chief of the Department by the Honorable Board of Selectmen.


April 26, Captain Thomas H. Egan was advanced to Deputy Chief (Temporary).


June 20, the following were made Permanent Captains : James A. Doherty, Anthony P. Lopez, Francis M. Doherty, Thomas Burchill and Charles J. O'Neil.


July 25, the following Privates were advanced to Lieutenants (Temporary) : George J. W. Kenney, John M. Fahey, Albert G. Lennon, Henry T. Scannell and Francis R. Donahue.


November 28, Captain Bartholomew J. McGreevy was ad- vanced to Deputy Chief (Temporary).


APPOINTMENTS


Appointed eight permanent firemen :


January 18, Vincent J. Zaloga (replacement).


May 2 (for 48-Hour Week) Alton F. Young, Harold W. Pompey, John C. Dudley, Donal Corbett and Joseph W. White.


June 26, appointed twenty-six provisional firemen pending the establishment of a Civil Service list.


November 14, Francis L. Ryan (replacement).


October 3, Arthur J. O'Connell (replacement).


FORTY-EIGHT HOUR WEEK


At the 1948 March Town Election by a vote of 5326 for, and 3934 against, Chapter 48, Section 58B of the Massachu- setts General Laws (48-Hour Work Week for Firemen) was accepted.


Accordingly, on June 6, 1948 the shorter work week was established for the firemen. This necessitated the employ- ment of thirty-one additional men, five of whom were per-


244


ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


manent appointments and twenty-six on a provisional basis pending a Civil Service entrance examination for firemen. One hundred applications were received.


The 48-Hour Schedule required considerable reorganization, and Captain Charles J. O'Neil was appointed Personnel Officer. This system has worked smoothly and to the satisfaction of all concerned.


APPARATUS


In active service are : Engine 1 (1926), Engine 2 (1929), En- gine 3 (1927), Engine 4 (1931), Ladder 1 (1937), Ladder 2 (1925), Special Service Unit (1945), Chief's Car (1948) and Deputy's Car (1946). Two 600-gallon trailer pumps are in reserve for emergency use.


The Quintuplet Truck, contracted for June 3, 1946, at a cost of $19,000, was delivered November 26, 1948, and will replace Engine 3 at Park Circle Station. The present value of this new unit is $36,000. It is known as Ladder 3.


Due to the age of apparatus, having twenty or more years of service, it is planned to annually overhaul each unit begin- ning with Engine 4 in 1949.


RESPONSE


The Department responded to 710 calls, of which 149 were Box Alarms, 461 Still Alarms (telephone calls), and 100 Mutual Aid (out-of-town calls). There were 985 calls in 1947.


A summary of alarms revealed that the greatest number of such calls occurred in the month of April; that more occurred on Saturdays than any other day of the week, and also that of these calls the largest number occurred between the hours of 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. and between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.


The Special Service Unit responded to sixteen emergency calls for use of the Resuscitator and the Inhalator to supply Oxygen to persons who were in critical condition.


Forty-four false alarms were sounded compared with forty- two in 1947.


FIRE LOSSES


Fifty-eight losses occurred, five of which accounted for $15,392.93 of the entire yearly loss.


The total assessed value of property endangered, insurance thereon, loss sustained, and the insurance paid are as follows :


245


REPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT


Buildings Contents


Assessed Value $321,050.00 43,015.00


Insurance $571,800.00 42,015.00


Damage $18,769.43 6,003.72


Insurance Paid $18,769.43 5,903.72


Total


$364,065.00


$613,815.00


$24,773.15


$24,673.15


Bayburn Vault- Total


$336,250.00 $400,000.00 $316,828.00 $316,828.00


FIRES WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF MORE THAN $1,000


January 20-Thomas O'Loughlin, 18-20 Osborne Road


$4,512.15


February 16-David Beattie, 36 Addison Street. 6,500.00


May 23-M. Ernest Moore, 129 Broadway. 1,258.00


July 17-Rose O'Connor, 40-42 Pondview Road.


1,054.02


September 25-Angelo Caterino, Jr., 81 Warren Street


2,068.76


$15,392.93


October 23-Bayburn Incorporated, 1 Broadway .... $316,828.00


LOSS AT BAYBURN PLANT


Building


Assessed Value $36,250.00


Insurance $100,000.00


Damage $16,828.00


Insurance Paid $16,828.00


Contents


of Fur


Storage


Vault


300,000.00


300,000.00


300,000.00


300,000.00


Total loss $336,250.00


$400,000.00


$316,828.00


$316,828.00


October 23, 1948 at 5:31 p.m. The Department responded to a fire in the Bayburn Dry Cleaning Plant, 1 Broadway. The interior of the fur vault with about ten thousand garments stored therein, both fur and fabric, together with a quantity of rugs and woolen blankets of value, were heavily damaged. These were in a reinforced concrete vault with no openings other than the vault door located below street level.


The storage vault had no automatic fire protection or signals of any kind other than a burglar alarm.


246


ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


The fire was investigated by Inspectors from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the cause of the fire is still unde- termined.


For responding so promptly to our request for use of its demolition unit for purposes of ventilation, the Public Works Department is to be commended for the timely and valuable assistance at the Bayburn Fire.


APPROPRIATION


1948 Appropriation


$256,454.81


Expended


251,361.58


Balance


$5,093.23


CREDITS


Fees for 40 permits to blast


$20.00


Fees for 11 permits for inflammable fluids


5.50


Sale of junk


37.00


$62.50


REPORT OF DEPARTMENT SURGEON


Dr. Edward W. Feeley, Department Surgeon, investigated cases where firemen failed to report for duty because of sick- ness and submitted a written statement as to their physical condition.


The most important duties during the year consisted of complete physical entrance examinations for thirty-eight new men. In addition, there were fifteen office calls, seventeen house calls, three fire station calls and response to many alarms.


FIRE PREVENTION


Each month firemen inspected all places of business and public buildings, a total of 13,627 inspections.


Eight fires occurred in these regularly inspected places, seven causing a loss of $1,798.44 and one (Bayburn) a loss of $316,828.


247


REPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT


INSPECTION OF DWELLINGS


The Twenty-fifth Annual Voluntary Inspection by the fire- men of the cellars of each home in Arlington was made during Fire Prevention Week, October 3-9.


Eighteen fires occurred in residential cellars as compared with fourteen in 1947.


Through this routine inspection, faulty conditions which were found were corrected and many fire hazards were elimi- nated which otherwise could be a source of potential trouble.


The following is compiled as a result of Dwelling House Inspections :


Total houses 8,326


(In 1924 for the first House Inspection there were


3918 houses in Arlington)


Single houses


5,177


2-apartment houses


2,970


Of more than two apartments


179


Vacant apartments


Combustible roofs


2


Houses with power oil burners


4,920


Houses with range oil burners


3,764


INSPECTIONS


Dwellings


8,326


Mercantile


13,627


Power oil burners


385


Range oil burners


137


Total inspections


22,475


FIRE DRILLS IN SCHOOLS


The annual fire drill under the supervision of the Officers . of the Department was conducted in public, parochial and private schools.


A record was made of the number of classrooms, pupils, exits used and the time required to vacate each building, a copy of which was sent to the School Department.


November 19, conducted Fire Drill at Symmes Arlington Hospital and instructed the personnel in the methods of evacua-


248


ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


tion of patients and the procedure of calling the Fire Depart- ment.


EXTINGUISHERS


Four hundred and sixty-seven fire extinguishers were re- charged (no fee) in public buildings, schools, garages and factories.


TRAINING OF FIREMEN


In providing additional men for the 48-Hour Week, it was necessary to train those men who reported for duty having no knowledge of the work they would be called to perform. A training program was organized two weeks previous to June 6 and with the generous cooperation of our Officers, the group received preliminary training at the Department Drill School. This proved quite beneficial. When these men receive permanent appointments they will be given a full sixty-hour course in practical fire fighting evolutions.


RECOMMENDATIONS


On December 27, 1948 at the Special Town Meeting, the Town Meeting Members voted against the passage of


ARTICLE 17-APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEE-SITE FOR A FIRE STATION IN EAST ARLINGTON.


Such additional fire protection for East Arlington was asked since two Engine Companies quartered at Headquarters Sta- tion, Arlington Center, cover a cross section of the Town from Mill Street and Jason Street to the Cambridge, Somerville, Belmont, Winchester and Medford Lines, an estimated popu- lation of approximately thirty thousand. Additional fire protection should be provided in the near future since these two units have too many potential customers.




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