Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1904, Part 5

Author: Reading (Mass.)
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 246


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1904 > Part 5


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


$6,686 21 $6,709 65


.


.


78


Amount brought forward $6,686 21 $6,709 65 L. W. Allen, supplies and miscellaneous expenses 23 44


$6,709 65 $6,709 65


STREET SPRINKLING


Appropriation


EXPENDED


$449 00


O. O. Ordway, repairs $ 16 80


J. S. Bond, awning 3 00


Prentiss & Viall, insurance watering cart 3 00


J. J. Cameron, supplies


3 00


L. W. Allen, supplies 25


John Stock, labor and use of horses 285 75


Herbert Stock, labor and use of horses 136 50


Unexpended


70


$449 00


$449 00


CONCRETE SIDEWALKS AND EDGESTONES


(Abutters to pay one-half )


Appropriation $200 00


Amount received from Old South M. E.


Church 48 39


Amount received from account of Im- provement of Common (Civic League) ·


12 04


Amount received from account of


School Dept.


.


39 92


$300 35 Amount carried forward


79


EXPENDED


Amount brought forward


$300 35


Boston & Maine R. R., freight


$ 29 75


Lovejoy Granite Co., edgestones


108 23


John Muse, setting edgestones


63 98


Unexpended


98 39


$300 35


$300 35


CONCRETE


GUTTERS, CROSSWALKS AND PAVED


GUTTERS


Appropriation


$250 00


EXPENDED


Labor


$ 25 84


Labor and teams


3 67


Geo. W. Killorin, concreting


12 00


Unexpended


208 49


$250 00


$250 00


REPAIRS OF CONCRETE


Appropriation


$350 00


A portion of amount received from street railway franchise and excise tax


28 37


EXPENDED


Geo. W. Killorin, concreting $378 37


$378 37


$378 37


80


BEACH STREET


Appropriation


$150 00


EXPENDED


Labor


$99 08


Labor and teams


41 33


Unexpended


9 59


$150 00


$150 00


BRIDGE AT READING-NORTH READING LINE ON MAIN STREET


Appropriation


$450 00


EXPENDED


Aberthaw Construction Co., part payment of


contract


$450 00


$450 00


$450 00


REMOVAL OF SNOW AND ICE


Appropriation


$800 00


A portion of amount received from street railway franchise and excise tax


641 96


Amount received from bill overpaid


10 50


Amount received from bill underpaid .


4 00


EXPENDED


Labor and teams, 1903


$ 78 68


Labor and teams, 1904 .


.


812 62


Amount carried forward


$891 30


$1,456 46


81


Amount brought forward


$891 30 $1,456 46


Labor


346 46


A. G. Emerson, labor and team


191 20


Samuel Brown, repairs


11 75


O. O. Ordway, repairs


75


R. C. Totten, repairs


12 50


John Blunt, repairs


1 50


F. Wallace, supplies


1 00


$1,456 46 $1,456 46


STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF STREET RAILWAY TAX


Unexpended balance


$ 40 43


Amount received from excise tax, 1904


2,098 23


Amount received from franchise tax, 1904


2,310 02


EXPENDED


Account repairs of concrete


$ 28 37


Account highways


3,662 24


Account snow and ice


641 96


Unexpended


116 11


$4,448 68 $4,448 68


FIRE DEPARTMENT


To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of Reading :


The Board of Engineers herewith submit their annual report for the year nineteen hundred and four.


During the year the Department have responded to 24 bell alarms.


The Department consists of


One Chief Engineer and two Assistant Engineers.


Steamer No. 1, two enginemen.


Hook and Ladder No. 1, twelve men.


Hose No. 1, thirteen men, Central Fire Station.


Hose No. 2, fifteen men, Woburn Street.


Hose No. 3, seven men, North Main Street.


Hose No. 4, seven men, Hopkins Street.


Hose No. 5, Volunteer Co., Grove Street, at Elwin J. Roundy's.


Mr. Leonard T. Eames was re-appointed Supt. of the Fire Alarm and the system is in good condition. The Storage Battery is doing all that was expected from it and in another year will have saved in supplies the amount expended to install the same. We have replaced with new, five miles of old wire and poles for same, this being a part of the original system and had been in use from ten to fifteen years.


We have had the house of Hose No. 2 painted, also the wagon of Hose No. 2 and the Hook and Ladder, and the buildings and apparatus are all in good condition.


We have by vote of the Town placed Tower Strikers on the houses of Hose No. 3 and No. 4, and they have proved to be a great help to the members of those companies, as well as to school


83


children, by enabling them to hear the alarm for no-session of the schools.


We have by vote of the Town located a new fire alarm box, No. 68, on Haven Street, opposite the G. A. R. Hall, and relocated box No. 17 on Prescott Street, near the corner of Arlington Street.


The Department held its third Field Day on Wednesday, Sept. 28. The Committee thought it best not to hold the exhibitions on So. Main Street, and instead the Board of Engineers gave the Department a trial run by pulling in box 46, corner of Charles and Pearl Streets, at 12.50 P. M. The first piece of apparatus arrived at the box in 4 minutes and 2 seconds, and the last in 9 minutes and 55 seconds, bringing every piece of apparatus to the box inside of 10 minutes. Considering that the horses were at their stables and that no one knew just when nor what box was to be pulled, and that the distance from the nearest house is 6-10 of a mile, and from the farthest 1 and 6-10 miles, we consider this a very good show- ing. We wish to thank the citizens, members of the Department and the drivers for the interest taken in making the day a success.


We were unable to pay off the Department Jan. 1, 1905, from the 1904 appropriation, owing to the fact that from March 25 to May 1 we responded to eleven alarms which ran our pay roll up to over $1,700. We would recommend that the Town vote to pay the members of the Department a stated sum per year so that the pay roll can be figured on to a certainty.


We would call attention to the need of a fire alarm box near the corner of Main and Forest Streets.


We would also call attention to the need of building something suitable to carry the ladders on during the winter months, as there are times every winter when it would be impossible to get the Hook and Ladder to a fire.


We would recommend the purchase this year of 1,000 feet of new hose, also a life-saving net.


In conclusion, we would thank the members of the Department and all who have in any way assisted the Department the past year,


84


and especially the Reading Rubber Mills for the free use of steam for the fire whistle, and the Boston & Northern Street Railway Company for the free use of their current for charging the storage battery.


FRANK G. NICHOLS, Chief Engineer, GEORGE L. PRATT, Secretary, ORVILLE O. ORDWAY, Ass't Engineer, Board of Engineers, Reading Fire Department.


DETAILED STATEMENT OF FIRES FOR THE YEAR 1904


Date


Box


Time


Owner


Occupants


Loss on Building


Ins. on Building


Ins. Paid


Cont'ts Cont'ts


Paid


Feb.


25


64


11.10 a m


Town of Reading. .... S. E. Claggett ..


Union Street School. S. E. Claggett.


$848 50


$4500 00 800 00


$848 50 450 00 100 00


None $200 None


None $175 None


Unknown ..


Mar.


25


15


7.25 p m


Sparks from Chimney


Mar.


27


33


10.45 p m


Careless use of Matches.


April


4


33


10.25 a m


S. E. Winslow.


B. F. Allen.


1200 00


April


5


13


4.15 p m


Brush Fire.


April


6


24


3.10 p iM


Brush Fire.


April


15


37


10.30 a m


Defective Chimney


April


18


18


1.45 p m


Bl'st of Rocks. No. Main st.


April


19


1.42 p m


Caught fiom Fireplace ..


April


21


64


5.30 a m


Mrs. H. F. Bigelow ...


Dr. F. L. Smalley. ..


100 00


100 00


100 00


Small 75


1500 None None


None


Unknown


April


22


15


Albert Ells . ..


Albert Ells ..


175 00


1000 00


175 00


None None 150


None


None


Caught from Sparks.


May


26


61


1.45 p m


A. F. Newhouse


A. F. Newhouse.


4000 00


3000 00 800 00


None None


None None


None


Incendiary ..


Jnne


15


16


11.55 p m


Charlotte Nokes.


Unoccupied.


20 00


June


25


6.35 p m


Unknown.


July


2


18


1.13 p m


July


4


24


1.12 a m


July


30


35


3.20 a m


Reuben Friedman ..


Reuben Friedman


75 00


500 00


75 00


10


None


None None


|Naptha


Aug.


1


68


1.43 p m


Fowle, Leonard and C. C. W. Hill.


Tillinghast, Executors


Grass Fire ..


Nov.


12


44


4.21 p m


Brash Fire.


Dec.


1


27


2.40 p m


Unoccupied.


650 00


16 00 3000 00 Unsettl'd


None


None


Lightning.


May


26


15


3.15 p m


None


Incendiary .


June


9


24


11.30 p 11


Richard McCoy


Thomas Turner.


Thomas Turner


None


1000 00


Small


False Alarm


Canght from Oven


Small


1500 None


1500


Burning Grass


April


5


16


1.30 p m


None


Burning Grass


Robert Hodson.


Robert Hodson.


10 00


Small $175 50 None 2000 None


Loss on Ins. on


Ins.


Cause


450 00


Highland Rubber Co ... | Highland Rubber Co ...


125 00


100 00


Mrs. Ambrose Froton |Mrs. Ambrose Froton


25 00


.


Est. Jeremiah Driscoll


15 00


None


None


Unknown.


May


20


24


8.40 p m


Richard McCoy.


Richard MeCoy ..


Mrs. Jennie H. Gould C. D. Wells.


16 00


250 00


Lightning.


1


9.55 ₽ m


The Department has travelled 252 miles. Laid 17,950 feet of hose. Used 452 feet of ladders. Used 45 gallons of chemicals.


Caught from Heater.


86


FINANCIAL STATEMENT


Appropriation $4,000 00


Appropriation, available assets 1,000 00


Amount received from sale of material 15 00


EXPENDED


F. G. Nichols, salary Chief Engineer, from May 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904 125 00


F. G. Nichols, labor 3 00


Geo. L. Pratt, salary engineer, May 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904 100 00


Geo. L. Pratt, clerk of Board and postage to April 30, 1904 6 50


O. O. Ordway, salary engineer, May 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904 100 00


I. T. Eames, salary engineer Steamer 1, Jan. 1, 1904, to Dec. 31, 1904 75 00


Adolph Turner, salary ass't engineer Steam- er 1, May 1, 1903, to Aug. 31, 1904 66 72


W. H. Bancroft, steward Hose 2, Nov. 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904 .


75 00


E. H. Crowe, steward H. & L. No. 1, May 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904 · H. E. McIntire, steward Hose 4, Sept. 1, 1903, to May 30, 1904 · Parker Nichols, steward Hose 3, May 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904 50 00


75 00


22 50


WV. S. Tucker, steward, June 1, 1904, to Aug. 31, 1904 7 50


Geo. A. Shackford, horse service, Nov. 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904 587 33


R. A. White, horse service, May, 1903 33 33


Amount carried forward


$1,326 88 $5,015 00


87


Amount brought forward $1,326 88 $5,015 00


E. P. Bancroft, horse service, Nov. 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904 116 67


Parker Nichols, horse service, May 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904


77 50


John Stock, horse service, Nov. 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1903


41 66


John Stock, horse service, Jan. 1, 1904, to Aug. 31, 1904 166 67


Herbert G. Stock, horse service, Sept. 1, 1904, to Dec. 31, 1904 83 34


C. H. McIntire, horse service, May 1, 1902, to Sept. 30, 1904 .


92 50


Wm. C. McKinley, horse service, May 1, 1904, to Dec. 31, 1904


25 00


O. O. Ordway, repairs


25 34


Samuel Brown, repairs


75


Wm. C. Taylor, repairs


3 15


J. J. Cameron, harness and repairing


63 65


Otis H. Brown, horse service, May 1, 1903, to April 30, 1904 32 50


Otis H. Brown, use of pung


6 00


Jason Zwicker, labor and team, use of wagon


17 00


Chas. J. Haag, care of hose and labor, Nov. 1, 1903, to Dec. 31, 1904


53 85


Firemen's pay roll, year ending April 30, 1904


1,704 34


Chas. M. Garry, labor


3 50


Alfred Dulong, labor


2 50


F. A. Butters, labor and supplies


3 50


L. T. Eames, labor and supplies


15 62


M. E. Nichols, labor and supplies


1 55


C. K. Littlefield, care of flag


2 00


E. H. Crowe, labor


25 00


Amount carried forward


$3,890 47 $,5015 00


Amount brought forward $3,890 47 $5,015 00


H. E. McIntire, labor 5 17


W. S. Tucker, fire service 2 75


H. G. Stock, fire service 7 08


C. L. Martin, supplies 4 25


E. L. Chamberlain, supplies 1 00


J. A. Murphy, supplies 2 50


E. C. Metcalf, supplies 1 12


Geo. M. Stevens Co., Inc., supplies 30 75


Henry K. Barnes, supplies 1 30


W. Bancroft & Co., supplies and fuel, 1903 18 79 W. Bancroft & Co., supplies and fuel, 1904 25 40


F. Wallace, supplies . 12 85


Geo. H. Atkinson, supplies


5 86


Nathan Bancroft Est., supplies


11 25


O. P. Symonds & Sons, supplies


2 00


Boston Coupling Co., supplies


1 50


Francis Bros., supplies


6 87


A. J. Wilkinson & Co., supplies


1 50


Jas. A. Healey & Co., supplies


60


Wm. H. Wightman, insurance


23 00


Municipal Light Board, electric light and supplies, 1903 10 98


Municipal Light Board, electric light and supplies, 1904 19 52


Reading Water Works, water rates, 1903 6 00


Reading Water Works, water rates, 1904 6 00


Walter F. Cook, painting hose houses 65 00


Mitchell Mfg. Co., badges and replating 12 60


Fred Batchelder, labor 50


Merrill Hutchinson, painting H. & L. and supplies 45 00


Cummings Express Co., expressing 11 45


F. W. Danforth, painting hose wagon 25 00


Amount carried forward $4,258 06 $5,015 00


89


Amount brought forward Field Day Expenses 150 00


$4,258 06 $5,015 00


$4,408 06


FIRE ALARM


EXPENDED


L. T. Eames, salary Supt. fire alarm, year ending Dec. 31, 1904 $100 00


L. T. Eames, labor, material and car fare 94 64


J. W. Gleason, labor 69 88


Henry F. Haag, labor


17 26


F. G. Nichols, labor


49 35


A. B. Matthews, horse hire


26 75


Harry Walter, supplies


82 73


O. L. Milbury, supplies


75


Municipal Light Board, supplies


16 40


R. Mitchell & Co., supplies


22 98


Geo. M. Stevens Co., Inc., supplies


13 88


T. C. Fife, supplies


3 46


W. Bancroft & Co., supplies


6 50


Francis Bros., supplies


13 53


J. A. Blunt, repairs


35


American Express Co., express


50


Unexpended


87 98


$5,015 00 $5,015 00 .


FOREST FIRES


Appropriation .


$150 00


EXPENDED


J. N. Weston, salary, year ending April 30,


1903


$15 00


Amount carried forward $15 00


$150 00


90


Amount brought forward $15 00 $150 00


W. A. Bancroft, salary, May 1, 1902, to Dec. 31, 1904 40 00.


A. G. Nichols, salary, May 1, 1903, to Dec. 31,1904 25 00


H. E. McIntire, salary, Sept. 1, 1903, to Apr. 30, 1904 10 00


Geo. Lampro, salary, May 1, 1902, to April 30, 1903


15 00


Asa Parker, salary, May 1, 1903, to Apr. 30, 1904


15 00


J. W. Davies, salary, May 1, 1904, to Dec. 31, 1904 10 00


C. W. C. Trask, salary, May 1, 1904, to Dec. 31, 1904


10 00


Labor


5 10


Labor and teams


8 75


Overdrawn


3 85


$153 85 $153 85


FIRE ALARM BOXES NO. 17 AND 68


(Installing No. 68 and relocating No. 17)


Appropriation


$75 00


EXPENDED


Geo. M. Stevens Co., Inc., fire alarm box and keys $43 00


Labor installing same and relocating No. 17 16 01


Unexpended 15 99


$75 00 $75 00


91


FIRE ALARM TOWER STRIKERS ON HOSE HOUSES NOS. 3 AND 4


Appropriation


$500 00


EXPENDED


Geo. M. Stevens Co., Inc., tower strikers


$404 50


Wendell Bancroft & Co., material


13 29


Francis Bros., supplies


12 06


American Express Co., expressing


1 55


Labor and team


5 00


Labor


53 07


Unexpended


10 53


$500 00


$500 00


REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE ALARM


READING, JAN. 1, 1905.


To the Honorable Board of Fire Engineers of the Reading Fire Department :


I submit the following report :


There have been added to the fire alarm system during the year two tower strikers: one at Hose 3 house, the other at Hose 4 house; and one signal box, No. 68, corner of Gould and Haven Streets.


Box 17 has been moved from Lincoln Street, near the depot, to Prescott Street, near Arlington Street.


The storage battery continues to give the best of satisfaction.


The keys taken from boxes 13, 15, 16, 24, 27, 28, 29, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 44, 45, 46, 47, 67 have been replaced as voted by the Town.


Three miles of old wire has been replaced by new.


LOCATION OF BOXES


13-Corner of Ash and Avon Sts.


15-Corner of Walnut St. and Summer Ave.


16-Main St., near South.


17-Prescott St., near Arlington.


18-Park Ave., corner of Minot St.


22-No session, High School House.


23-Corner of Woburn and Temple Sts.


24-Mineral St., corner of Hancock.


93


25 -Prospect St., near King. 26-Hose 2 House, Woburn St.


27-Summer Ave., south of Prescott St.


28-West St., near W. A. Bancroft's. 29 -- Corner of West and King Sts. 32 - Franklin St., opp. second house from Grove.


33-Lowell St., Eastern Rubber Co. Works. 34-Corner of Grove and Forest Sts. 35-Corner of Main and Locust Sts. 36-Corner of Bancroft Ave. and Locust St.


37-Main St., near Brooks Nichols'. 39-Corner of Franklin and Main Sts. 41-Corner of Village and Green Sts. 42-Corner of John and Haven Sts.


44-Corner of Salem and Pearl Sts. 45-Corner of Salem and Belmont Sts.


46 -- Corner of Charles and Pearl Sts.


47-Corner of Haverhill and Charles Sts.


55-Reading Rubber Mills.


61-Corner of Main and Washington Sts.


62-Corner of Main and Haven Sts.


63-Congregational Church.


64-Central Fire Station.


65-Corner of Bancroft Ave. and Middlesex Ave.


67-Corner of High St. and Middlesex Ave.


68-Corner of Gould and Haven Sts.


I would recommend that some of the old wire be replaced by new.


Yours Respectfully, LEONARD T. EAMES, Supt. Fire Alarm.


Y


REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE


READING, MASS., JAN. 1, 1905.


To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :


GENTLEMEN :- I have the honor of submitting to you my annual report of the doings and condition of the Police Department for the year ending Dec. 31, 1904. The department at present consists of


Chief-Frederic D. Merrill.


Patrolmen-J. Henry Orr and William H. Manning.


Reserves-Robert Powers, Jason Zwicker, Reuben J. LeFave, Asa Parker, Eugene L. Lovejoy, Samuel Brown, J. J. Cullinane, John W. Saunders, Clement Gleason, Frank A. Butters, J. Mande Doucette, John Stock, Herbert Stock.


Keeper of Lockup-Frederic D. Merrill.


Number of arrests during the year


88


ARRESTS BY MONTHS


January


9


July . 12


February


5 August


.


5


March


8


September


24


April


5 October


2


May


2


November


5


June


5 December


·


6


Males, 77; Females, 11; Adults, 69; Minors, 19; Residents, 49 ; Non-residents, 39. Tramps lodged, 187.


CRIMES FOR WHICH ARRESTS WERE MADE


Assault


. 10


Adultery


.


.


.


. 3


.


95


Bigamy


1


Cruelty to animals


2


Disturbing the peace


8


Drunk


39


Breaking street lamp


1


Exceeding speed limit


1


Illegal gaming


4


Insane


5


Larceny


7


Non-support


1


Truancy


2


Trespass


1


Violation of milk law


2


Vagrancy


1


VOCATIONS OF PERSONS ARRESTED


.


Boiler maker


1 Paver


1


Broker


2


Paper maker


1


Blacksmith


3


Student


4


Clerk


1


Shoe worker


8


Cabinet maker


2


Salesman


1


Dress maker


1 Stone mason


1


Druggist


1


Steam fitter


2


Fisherman


1


Saloon keeper


1


Farmer


5


Metal polisher


1


Gasfitter


1


Tailor


1


Housekeeper


7


Telephone operator


1


Kitchen man


1


Tobacconist


1


Laborer


9


Teamster


8


Laundry


1


Rubber worker


4


Peddler


3


None


9


Painter


5


NATIONALITY OF PERSONS ARRESTED


America


·


61


British Provinces


9


Greece


1 Russia


6


.


.


96


Germany


2 Scotland . 1


Ireland


.


DISPOSITION OF CASES IN COURT


Fined 42


Committed for non-payment


10


Sentenced to House of Correction


10


Sentenced to Reformatory


1


Discharged


5


Placed on file


10


Nol Prossed


2


Sentenced to Reform School


1


Ordered to leave county


1


Committed to hospital


·


Total of sentences, one year, seven months, ten days.


MISCELLANEOUS WORK


Accidents reported


6


Dogs killed


11


Dead bodies cared for


3


Disturbances quelled


8


Defective water pipes


2


Defective electric wires


8


Defective streets and sidewalks


.


7


Fire alarms given


2


Fires extinguished without an alarm


2


Cases investigated


68


Complaints received


75


Horses found cast


14


Injured persons assisted


13


Lost children restored


5


Lanterns placed in dangerous places


7


Officers in Court, days


103


Officers at fires


44


Places of business found open


. 183


.


·


.


.


.


5


·


.


.


.


8


97


Requests for police


· 26


Runaway boys found and returned home


2


Persons reported missing


3


Stray teams and horses cared for


8


During the past year there have been 88 arrests. Of this number 77 were males, and 11 females ; 49 were residents and 39 non-residents; 69 adults and 19 minors ; number of tramps lodged, 187.


The life and activities of a community are sometimes guaged by the Police Court record. It is a factor, variable it is true, but nevertheless a factor in determining the life and character of a community. It has been said that a place whichi cannot find business for the police must be dead ; for it is reasoned that where there is life and business activity there must also be the inevitable accompaniments, namely, vice and crime.


Strangers in the town, while remarking on the great number of people brought in on the many lines of electric cars, have also commented on their good behavior. This may not be due to police supervision alone, but to respect for the law. When each tries to do his share towards the maintenance of good order by observing the general law and local ordinances, when each feels for the town as he should for his own household, the result cannot but be an exalted and peaceful community. I am sensible of the fact that this lies at the bottom as cause of peace and good order which characterizes today the life of this community.


An item in the work of the department which does not appear on the surface, except when a sensational capture is made, is the sharp lookout for rogues, who, when suspected of evil intent, are followed up and driven out of town. Reading is certainly not a safe place for the habitual tramp or the crook. I wish to call attention to the fact that there has been a steady decrease for twelve years in the number of tramps, which I attribute to the manner in which they have been dealt with. Each and every one has been sharply questioned, and if not able to give a good account of their doings previously, they have been ordered to leave town.


98


I wish once more to call the attention of the merchants to the care of their places of business. One or two acts of forgetfulness may be excusable, but when such becomes frequent it amounts to blameful negligence; and not until a heavy loss occurs will such merchants realize that it is a duty they owe themselves to see that their places of business are properly secured at night, and not depend entirely upon the police to discover and remedy such carelessness, for it must be remembered that the sleepless vigilance of a police officer cannot cover every detail, and that to watch a place found open until the owner is notified and arrives on the scene often prevents the officer from continuing his rounds of inspection.


Some time ago I directed the officers to insist on a better observance of the By-Law regarding loafing in doorways and public places, and of the ordinance of the Board of Health in regard to spitting upon sidewalks. In these matters there has been an improvement but, as in everything else, best results require the co-operation of the individual citizen, for it is just as easy to be a clean town as it is to be considered an orderly one.


The number of arrests made during the past year has been the greatest in the history of the town. The instalment of a day patrolman would, in my opinion, have a tendency to decrease crime, for a crime is seldom committed in the presence of an officer.


In concluding my report, I wish to acknowledge my apprecia- tion of the courtesies extended the police by your honorable Board, the Judges and Clerk of the Fourth District Court, and the many citizens who have aided us by kindly acts and words. 3 I also wish to thank the members of the department for the faithful discharge of their duties, and kindly treatment to me in the past.


Most respectfully submitted,


FREDERIC D. MERRILL, Chief of Police.


POLICE DEPARTMENT


Appropriation . Appropriation for Police at fair, 1902 . Amount received from 4th District Court fines 153 00


$2,800 00


83 40


Amount received from Master of House of Correction 33 00


Amount received from County Treas-


urer for transportation of patients 24 00


Amount received for police duty at private parties 6 42


Amount received for use of telephone 30


EXPENDED


F. D. Merrill, salary, 1904 $819 00


F. D. Merrill, miscellaneous expenses 24 00


F. D. Merrill, transportation of prisoners 33 94


F. D. Merrill, use of horse 25 00


Wm. H. Manning, salary, 1904


780 00


J. H. Orr, salary, 1904


780 00


J. H. Orr, special duty


5 89


J. H. Orr, car fare and expenses


2 98


Wm. II. Manning, special duty


3 50


Robert Powers, special police


215 91


J. W. Saunders, special police


15 00


H. G. Stock, special police


2 14


R. J. Lefave, special police


14 22


Amount carried forward


$2,721 58 $3,100 12


100


Amount brought forward $2,721 58 $3,100 12


C. H. Stinchfield, special police at fires, 1903 2 50


B. F. Manning, special police at fires, 1903 3 14


N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co., telephone rent 53 32


O. O. Ordway, repairing cell


50


L. M. Ham & Co., repairing lock 1 50


W. E. & J. F. Twombly, printing


4 85


F. W. Barry, Beal & Co., supplies


2 80


E. C. Metcalf, supplies


75


Francis Bros., supplies


75


A. A. Magee, supplies


4 75


H. A. Winship, supplies 3 50


Geo. W. Nichols, stop watch 7 00


Newton Graphic Publishing Co., automobile register 1 00


S. M. Spencer, badges


9 00


Borthwick Bros., carriage hire


5 00


Geo. E. Lang, carriage hire


4 00


W. Bancroft & Co., fuel


1 95


F. Wallace, supplies .


45


Special police, July 3d, 4th and 5th 112 88


George A. Shackford, carriage hire 27 00


F. H. Martin, meals for prisoners, 1903 18 25


C. W. McDougall, special police at fair, 1902 10 80


Jason Zwicker, special police at fair, 1902


11 40


John Stock, special police at fair, 1902 14 40 Samuel Brown, special police at fair, 1902 11 40


W. J. Allen, special police at fair, 1902 9 90


Asa Parker, special police at fair, 1902 11 70


W. A. Bancroft, special police at fair, 1902 1 80


F. W. Davis, special police at fair, 1902 17 25


Robert Powers, special police at fair, 1902 12 00


Unexpended 13 00


$3,100 12


$3,100 12


REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH


To the Citizens of the Town of Reading :


Your Board of Health herewith submit its annual report of the doings of the Board and health conditions in the Town.


Number of contagious diseases reported


23


Diphtheria


3


Scarlet fever


6


Measles


4


Membraneous croup


1


Typhoid fever


Complaints of nuisances received


51


Permits to do plumbing granted


81


Permits to lay drains granted


41


Burial permits issued


78


Whole number of deaths in Reading


78


Appendicitis 1 Gastritis




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.