USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1955 > Part 12
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
Emergency appointments 141
Appointments-temporary, provisional,
renewals 164
Permanent appointments
36
Promotions - temporary and permanent
Loyalty Oaths 45
201
Termination of temporary and
permanent employment 150
Life Insurance 22
139
REPORT OF THE PERSONNEL BOARD
It is again suggested that employees and department heads try to anticipate any requests for reclassification or reallocation and bring their problems to the Board before November of each year. It is impossible to give proper consideration to the many requests for hearings and other matters brought to the attention of the Board just prior to the closing of the Warrant.
There are at present 518 full-time, 41 part-time, 19 temporary and 17 seasonal part-time employees in the service of the Town. These figures do not include personnel under the direction of the School Committee.
The Board appreciates the cooperation and assistance given by the Town Manager, Finance Committee, Officials, Boards, Town Counsel and employees in our effort to fairly administer the duties and responsibilities involved.
Respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL R. CARLISLE PATRICK F. REDDAN HUGH R. FARRINGTON WARREN E. O'LEARY ARTHUR J. MANSFIELD, Chairman
140
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Report of the Fire and Police Signal System
Mr. Edward C. Monahan Town Manager Arlington, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
As Superintendent of the Fire and Police Signal System, I sub- mit my First Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1955.
The System is maintained by Assistant Superintendent Lester W. Cameron together with Signal Maintainers Nicholas J. Bucciero and Frederick J. Manning.
Fire Alarm and Police Signals
Many difficulties were experienced as the result of general breakdown in aerial and underground lines. Severe damage was inflicted by the Hurricane Rains, August 19. Practically all circuits were out of service from time to time and particularly during torren- tial rain storms.
Automobiles struck and damaged:
Police Box 122 Pleasant Street-Concord Turnpike (damaged twice)
Police Box 216 Mystic Street-College Avenue
Fire Box 2431 Elmhurst Road-Newcomb Street
Fire Box 314 Medford Street-Jean Road
Fire Box 441 730 Massachusetts Avenue-Town Hall
Made routine repairs and tests of fire alarm boxes, police signal boxes, police signal desk and signal registers. Painted fire and police signal boxes and placed "FIRE" decals on boxes throughout the town. Replaced local battery for police signals.
Installed new police signal box:
Box 422 Massachusetts Avenue-Appleton Street.
Relocated:
Police Box 321 Warren Peirce Playground.
Installed the following new fire alarm boxes: Box 138 Oxford Street-Raleigh Street
Box 178 River Street-Fordham Street
Box 3912 Crosby Street-Upland Road
Box 3931 Morningside Drive-Hodge Road
Box 3971 Longmeadow Road-Ridge Street
Box 3972 Country Club Drive-Foxmeadow Lane
Box 4621 Kensington Park-Opposite No. 55
141
REPORT OF THE FIRE AND POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM
Box 513 Mill Street-Bacon Street
Box 624 Walnut Street-Walnut Court
Box 6841 Eastern Avenue-Grand View Road
Box 7343 Park Avenue Extension-Cypress Road Box 7921 Thesda Street-Opposite No. 76
Box 8241 Park Avenue-Florence Avenue
Box 8453 Sylvia Street-Modena Street
Box 8662 Rhinecliff Street-Oakland Avenue
Box 8671 Concord Turnpike-Rhinecliff Street
Relocated:
Box 684 Eastern Avenue-Chester Street to Park Circle- Eastern Avenue
Reset:
Box 77 Lowell Street-Park Avenue; lowered to new grade of sidewalk.
Changed:
Box 1391 Crosby School, 40 Winter Street, from Peerless Succes- sion Box to Peerless 3-fold Box and connected to sprink- ler system.
Box 48 Massachusetts Avenue-Bartlett Avenue from Model-720 Box to type-740 and installed new 7-Call Standard Police Box Combination Pedestal.
Replaced with 3-fold type boxes:
Box 156 Massachusetts Avenue-Teel Street
Box 157 Henderson Street-Sawin Street
Connected auxiliary boxes to:
Box 3351 Bishop School, Columbia Road
Box 441 730 Massachusetts Avenue-Town Hall (new addition)
Cable Construction
Installed 2-conductor aerial cable on: Fayette Street, Langley Road, Thesda Street, Edmund Road, Peter Tufts Road, Oxford Street, Raleigh Street, Ridge Street, Egerton Road, Herbert Road, Kensington Park, Lake Street, Concord Turnpike, Forest Street, Park Avenue, Huntington Road and Pilgrim Road.
Installed 6-conductor aerial cable on: River Street, Exeter Street, Decatur Street, Overlook Road, Mountain Avenue, Ridge Street, Silk Street, Falmouth Road, Mystic Street, Crosby Street, Wollaston Avenue, Aberdeen Road, Williams Street, Fisher Road, Hillcrest Street, Forest Street, Mystic Street, Hutchinson Road, Overlook Road, Middlesex Path, Highland Avenue, Plymouth Street, Summer Street, Bow Street, Blossom Street and Winter Street.
Pulled in 6-conductor underground cable on: Forest Street, Oxford Street, Lake Street and Margaret Street.
142
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Pulled out old 66-conductor underground cable on Massachu- setts Avenue-Central Street from Police Test Terminal to Manhole on Massachusetts Avenue-Bartlett Avenue.
Respliced 20-conductor cable on Medford Street-Chestnut Street.
Replaced and cut over 10-conductor Laytex cable to 6-conduc- tor Anhydrex cable on Brattle Street from Dudley Street, Pedestal 551 to Manhole 4.
Replaced 6-conductor lead cable with 6-conductor Anhydrex cable on Walnut Street from Test Terminal, Highland Fire Station to underground pole, Walnut Street.
Rebuilt lines in underground pole loop to Fire Box 8212, Locke School, 88. Park Avenue.
Installed two 3-inch conduit to Test Terminal in Fire Alarm Room, Fire Department Headquarters, Franklin Street Side. Rod- ded conduit on Massachusetts Avenue from Medford Street to Frank- lin Street and from Franklin Street into Fire Alarm Terminal.
Opened 19-pair splice on Massachusetts Avenue-Forest Street and cut in 6-conductor underground cable.
Rodded conduit on Massachusetts Avenue-Park Avenue to Paul Revere Road; pulled in 10-conductor underground cable and cut over Police Circuit 4 and Lexington Mutual Aid Circuit.
Rodded conduit on Lake Street-Burch Street to Homestead Road for renewing 10-conductor underground cable.
Throughout the system, removed and trimmed trees and branches from aerial lines and installed wood mold where wires came in contact with trees.
Made 55 transfers of lines to new poles.
Air Raid Signals
Routine inspection was made of the following Air Raid Sirens throughout the town:
Massachusetts Avenue - Teel Street
Massachusetts Avenue - Winter Street
Massachusetts Avenue - Tufts Street Massachusetts Avenue - Mill Street Massachusetts Avenue - Brattle Street
Massachusetts Avenue - Forest Street Massachusetts Avenue - Park Avenue Florence Avenue - George Street Summer Street - Mill Street
Summer Street - Park Avenue Extension Broadway - Everett Street Lake Street - Margaret Street
143
REPORT OF THE FIRE AND POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM
Highland Avenue - Ottawa Road Mystic Street - College Avenue Medford Street - Sherborn Street
Pleasant Street - Gould Road Lowell Street - Park Avenue Extension
Trowbridge Street - Waldo Road
Details
Installed fluorescent lighting in the three fire stations.
Set up lighting unit at Heights Reservoir for sand-bagging, August 19 flood.
Transferred utilities on pole, Mystic Street-Summer Street, for traffic light, Police Department.
Set up public address system on eleven occasions.
Town clock in church steeple, Pleasant Street-Massachusetts Avenue, wound weekly on Fridays.
Arranged Christmas lighting and decorations at the Town Hall, on tree at Monument Park, at Fire Department Headquarters and at the Highland Fire Station.
Appropriation
1955 Appropriation $19,556.00
Expended 19,136.13
Balance $ 419.87
Recommendations
For the year 1956 recommend that $40,422.72 be appropriated to include the installation of signal boxes and the purchase of fire alarm truck.
Conclusion
To the Members of the Board of Selectmen, to Town Manager, Edward C. Monahan, to the Police Department and other depart- ments cooperating with the Signal System, my deepest thanks.
To Lester W. Cameron, Assistant Superintendent of the Fire and Police Signal System and to the Signal Maintainers, for best efforts, day and night, my appreciation.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS H. EGAN
Superintendent,
Fire and Police Signal System
144
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Report of the Wire Department
January 13, 1956
Mr. Edward C. Monahan Town Manager Arlington, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my sixteenth annual report as Inspector of Wires for the year ending December 31, 1955.
STREET LIGHTING
The street lighting in service December 31, 1955 was as follows:
800 Lumen incandescent lamps 1,563
1,000 Lumen incandescent lamps 154
2,500 Lumen incandescent lamps 38
4,000 Lumen incandescent lamps
68
6,000 Lumen incandescent lamps
375
10,000 Lumen incandescent lamps
125
15,000 Luman incandescent lamps
11
15,000 Lumen mercury vapor lamps
20
Total Lighting Units 2,354
STREET LIGHTING ORDERED
1,000 Lumen incandescent lamps 48
2,500 Lumen incandescent lamps
1
4,000 Luman incandescent lamps
5
6,000 Lumen incandescent lamps
2
POLES REPLACED
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.
140
Boston Edison Company
24
INSPECTION OF WIRES
Two thousand ninety-five (2,095) permits were issued during the year. Fees collected amounted to One Thousand and Forty-seven Dollars and Fifty Cents ($1,047.50).
I wish to express my thanks to you and the various Depart- ments of the Town for your cooperation and courtesy during the year. Respectfully submitted,
ROBERT L. REID Inspector of Wires
TREE WARDEN, MOTH AND TOWN HOUSE GROUNDS 145
Report of the Tree Warden and Superintendent of the Moth and Town House Grounds Department
Mr. Edward C. Monahan Town Manager Arlington, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my report as Tree Warden and Superintendent of the Moth and Town House Grounds Department for the year ending December 31, 1955.
TREE DEPARTMENT
During the year 300 trees were planted on new streets constructed by the Public Works Department and private contractors, also in various sections of the town to replace trees that were lost in the 1954 Hurricanes. Due to the limited amount of trees available, all of these trees were not replaced but we will try to have them com- pleted in the near future.
Public hearings were held on petitions of property owners for the removal of five trees. All petitions were granted due to the fact that there were no objections against them. The trees were removed with the petitioners assuming all expenses.
Many requests were received at the office during the year for trimming of trees that were growing close to houses and overhanging roofs and a continuation of our program of raising up and trimming of trees to alleviate obstruction from high delivery trucks and buses traveling along our highway was continued. Trees were raised the whole length of the Lovell Bus Line Route from Park Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue.
A continuation of cleaning up trees from the 1954 Hurricanes was continued.
The Hurricane Relief Board set a date of March 31, 1955, when all Hurricane damage had to be cleaned up, but as we were far from completed, I appeared before the Board and was granted a continu- ation of thirty days. At that time, I engaged the services of two private tree concerns to augment my own forces and they helped considerably.
During the floods of the summer the men of the Department worked with the Public Works Department pumping out cellars, setting out sandbags, etc. The spray pumps of the Department were reversed and they also were used pumping out cellars. The truck which is equipped with a winch was used extensively pulling out tree stumps and debris from Mill Brook and other areas.
After that work was completed we sprayed thirty five areas where stagnant water had accumulated with D.D.T. and Koltarol dis- infectant as a preventative measure to guard against any disease that might come from contaminated water. I believe this was very worth
146
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
while because this community was not affected by the mosquito plague that affected many towns and cities after the floods.
A freak storm struck Arlington the night of October 24, 1955 and toppled trees in the vicinity of Marion Road and Belknap Street. Both streets were blocked and due to the fact that live wires were dangling amidst the limbs on the ground, the streets were not opened to travel until 1 A.M.
A new Brush Chipper was purchased by this Department during the year and has proved its worth over and over again. At the present writing, it is being used chipping up Christmas trees throughout the whole town which eliminates the expense of hiring extra trucks.
Trees were trimmed, pruned and removed for the Cemetery, School, Highway and Park Departments, at the request of the respective Boards and Department Heads.
The motor equipment of the Department was used by the Public Works Department whenever requested by the Superintendent.
The Board of Survey ordered twenty seven trees to be removed to make way for street and sidewalk construction or for other reasons. These trees were all removed either by this Department or private contractors.
The Boston Edison and Telephone Company engaged the services of the Superior Tree Company to trim trees for the clearance of their wires.
GYPSY AND BROWN TAIL MOTH DEPARTMENT
The regular spraying schedule of this Department was carried on as usual including a dormant spray given to Elm trees to combat the Scolytus Beetle which is the carrier of the Dutch Elm Disease. During the year thirty two samples of Elm trees were taken from trees that were suspicious of the disease and after laboratory tests were made fifteen trees were found to be afflicted, fourteen of these were on private property and one was a street tree. I have no doubt there are many more but we have not had an opportunity to scout the whole town. There is no known cure for the disease outside of removing the trees and burning them up or burying them. Spraying at the proper time and a continuation of our sanitation program will be adhered to.
The Japanese Beetle still continues to be a major part of our program and as I have said before, eradication of this pest would be made much easier if property owners would spray their own property and treat their lawns whenever possible.
An increase in the amounts of European Earwig was very notice- able this year and although it is not a tree pest it is a nuisance and very unsightly around gardens and homes.
The Tent Caterpillar was prevalent in some sections of the Town which required us to start our spraying earlier than usual. The largest outbreak appeared to be in the section off Dodge Street adjacent to the Standpipe.
All of the main streets and many side streets had to be sprayed in the early morning hours due to heavy traffic conditions during the middle of the day.
TREE WARDEN, MOTH AND TOWN HOUSE GROUNDS 147
There were 920 private estates sprayed on request of property owners, who in turn made a remittance to the town for the cost of the work. Both Housing Projects were also sprayed for Japanese Beetles.
Menotomy Rocks Park was again sprayed this year by airplane and very favorable results obtained from it.
TOWN HOUSE GROUNDS DEPARTMENT
As has been the custom in past years, the personnel of the Tree Warden and Moth Departments maintain the grounds bordering the Town Hall and Robbins House. These men also take care of the lawn and hedges at the Police Station and the grass area adjoining the parking lot on Mystic Street.
The regular maintenance of the grounds and shrubbery was attended to as usual. Four hundred pounds of Chlordane dust was spread over the lawns of the Town Hall and Robbins House for the control of the Japanese Beetle Grub. The lawns were also fertilized with Vigoro.
The pool located on the Town Hall Grounds was painted on two different occasions. The floor of the pool had to be patched with cement but it is getting so bad that I recommend that a new floor be put in.
All the trees and shrubbery in the rear of the Town Hall had to be removed because of the new addition to the building. Five Dog- wood trees were salvaged and they were set out in other locations on the grounds.
The Patriot's Day celebration again attracted an enormous crowd of adults and children, which necessitated the men of the Department to rope off the entrance to the Town Hall and police the grounds.
A watchman was employed during the summer months to patrol the grounds every evening as well as all day Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.
The bases of the fountains on the front platform of the Town Hall were not planted this year because of the excessive price asked for doing it.
Snow removal from the front platform of the Town Hall, the walks through the grounds, also the parking area in the rear of the building and at the Robbins House was taken care of by this Department.
In conclusion, I wish to gratefully acknowledge the cooperation given me by you and your staff, the personnel of this Department and all other departments of the Town.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE M. DOLAN Tree Warden and Superintendent of Moth and Town House Grounds Departments
148
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Annual Report of the Department of Veterans' Services
The Honorable Town Manager Robbins Town Hall Arlington 74, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
Submitted herewith is the eleventh annual report of the Depart- ment of Veterans' Services covering the calendar year 1955. The Department is bound by law to furnish financial assistance to veterans of all wars and their legal dependents who qualify under the terms of Chapter 115, General Laws of Massachusetts. In time of war the dependents of service men and women who may be in need are also eligible for aid. Under the terms of other laws the Department has a mandate to furnish to veterans, their dependents and other kin, such information, advice and assistance as may be necessary to enable them to procure the benefits to which they are or may be entitled relative to employment, vocational or other opportunities, hospitali- zation, medical care, pensions, compensation, insurance and other veterans' benefits and must have on hand copies of current booklets and other printed matter pertaining to the statutory rights of war veterans provided by Federal and State laws. Close liaison must be maintained with the U. S. Veterans Administration, the Departments of the Army, Navy and Air, the Selective Service Boards, the Depart- ment of Labor and other Federal agencies with which veterans and service men come in contact and the various departments of our State government. Close liaison is also maintained with the United Spanish War Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and other organizations of veterans, the auxili- aries of the organizations of veterans, the American Gold Star Mothers and like organizations and with all groups having an active interest in the welfare of veterans. In this report the services furnished which were not directly connected with the granting of financial aid will first be summarized under the title of Veterans' Services. The second part of the report will deal with financial aid and will be entitled Veterans' Benefits, War Allowance and Burial Aid.
VETERANS' SERVICES
Photostatic copies made
3,804
Documents notarized 71
Discharges recorded in the Town archives 317
Contacts made in furnishing counsel, information and as- sistance in prosecuting claims of veterans and process- ing applications for all types of benefits 6,814
Visits to hospitals and homes
877
Letters, history entries and records
940
Veterans Administration forms completed
254
Veterans Administration claims handled as agents for claimants
94
Totals for the year 1955 13,171
Total of cash benefits from. Veterans Administration accru- ing to claimants in 1955 through the efforts of this department
$21,255.20
149
REPORT OF THE DEPT. OF VETERANS' SERVICES
Estimated total of money saved the Town in 1955 by reason of successful prosecution at the Veterans Adminis- tration of claims of persons who might otherwise be- come recipients of financial aid from the Town in the form of Veterans' Benefits 11,695.00
VETERANS' BENEFITS, WAR ALLOWANCE AND BURIAL AID A tabulation of the administrative work connected with the dis- bursement of financial aid to the needy follows:
Contacts (Visits, interviews, etc.)
2,634
Applications copied, history entries, records and letters 2,951
Cases on rolls (a) Settled in Arlington 109
(b) Settled in another community (c) State settled
1
1
Applications and re-applications for aid received
128
Applications and re-applications for aid accepted
111
Applications and re-applications for aid rejected 7
Applications referred to other communities 6
Applications pending 4
Refund cases
15
A tabulation of actual disbursements to needy applicants during the year 1955 follows:
VETERANS' BENEFITS
(needy cases) State participation 50% of authorized payments
$37,923.83
WAR ALLOWANCE
(Needy dependents of persons in active service) Full reimbursement by State 6.20
BURIAL AID
Chapter 115, General Laws of Mass. (Needy cases) State participation 50% in Arling- ton settled cases and 100% in all others 0.00
Chapter 573, Acts of 1946 as amended. (Reimburse- ment of recognized organizations of veterans for expenses incurred in providing military honors at funerals of veterans who died overseas in the World War II and Korean Wars) State participation 100 % 0.00
Total disbursements $37,930.03
Reimbursement and Refunds
Reimbursement by State is usually several months in arrears. The Town Treasurer received from the State Treasurer in 1955 amounts due for the last months of 1954 and the first four months of 1955 (No War Allow- ance nor Burial Aid included) $13,749.89
Received from other municipalities 128.50
Refunds received from beneficiaries 1,832.25
Total returned to Town Treasury 15,710.64
Net expenditure for aid $22,219.39
150
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Note: The last notice of reimbursement received from the State covered the month of May, 1955. Seven months in. arrears.
In December 1955, the quarters of the Department of Veterans' Services were changed from the Robbins House, the home of the Department since its inception in 1945, to new quarters on the third floor of the new addition to the Town Hall.
It is well to bear in mind in reading this report that, although no Federal allotment of funds is made directly to this Depart- ment, indirectly the work of the staff is the cause of Federal money flowing into the Town in the form of Veterans Administration com- pensation and pensions and U. S. Employees' Compensation and serves to keep off our aid rolls many potential applicants.
In conclusion we wish to gratefully acknowledge the help and cooperation extended by the Town Manager, the members of the Board of Selectmen and the Personnel Board and their executive secretaries, the Advisory Board of the Department of Veterans' Ser- vices and the efficient and faithful service of the employees of the department.
Respectfully submitted, CHARLES R. ARMOUR Director
Annual Report of Inspector of Animals
January 10, 1956
Subject : Annual Report of Inspector of Animals
To: Town Manager
1. A total of 142 animals in Arlington were examined and quaran- tined for biting during the past year.
2. There were no cases of rabies in Arlington in 1955.
3. It was necessary to remove the head of one animal and deliver it to the Wasserman Laboratory in Jamaica Plain to be examined. It was found to be free of rabies.
4. The Inspector of Animals wishes to express his appreciation to the Police Department and the Board of Health for their co- operation.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN J. MURPHY, JR., D.V.M.
151
REPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Report of the Fire Department
Mr. Edward C. Monahan Town Manager Arlington, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
As Chief of the Arlington Fire Department I submit my First Annual Report of its activities and condition for the year ending December 31, 1955.
Manual Force
The force consists of 94 men: the Chief, 4 Deputy Chiefs, 10 Captains, 8 Lieutenants, 70 Fire Fighters, and an Assistant Super- intendent of the Fire and Police Signal System; also a Depart- ment Surgeon, Dr. Edward W. Feeley, and a Department Clerk, Anna B. Hurley.
Reverend Father Charles A. McCarthy, Curate at St. James Church, and Reverend Milton F. Schadegg, Minister of the Park Avenue Congregational Church, serve as Department Chaplains, Retirements
June 16, Richard J. Tierney was retired as Chief of Depart- ment on disability pension. Chief Tierney was appointed a per- manent Fire Fighter May 24, 1925, Drillmaster May 1, 1927, Lieu- tenant January 1, 1930, Captain December 5, 1933, Deputy Chief March 28, 1948, and Chief February 21, 1949. Through the years he gave his best efforts to the fire service. He was a willing worker and a loyal Fire Fighter.
Retired on disability pension after years of faithful performance of duty were:
January 15, Fire Fighter James N. Deane, appointed December 2, 1928.
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.