USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1916 > Part 11
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366 67
Paid W. C. Mansfield, Treasurer, account certi- ficates . 8 00
Paid W. C. Mansfield, Treasurer, account paid after abatement 2 20
Uncollected taxes, account 1916
54,168 68
$252,324 27
Respectfully submitted,
HERBERT M. VIALL, Collector of Taxes.
Reading, Dec. 31, 1916.
Approved :
JOHN H. SHELDON, Town Accountant.
189
ASSESSORS' REPORT, 1916
Valuation of real estate :
Buildings, excluding land . $4,253,615 00
Land, excluding buildings . 2,429.355 00
Total real estate . $6,682,970 00
Personal estate, excluding resident bank stock $1.550,535 00 Resident bank stock 22.590 00
Total personal estate $1.573,125 00
Total real and personal estate assessed April
1. 1916
. $8,256.095 00
Building increase over 1915 $146.235 00
Land increase over 1915 . 44,260 00
Personal estate over 1915
160,102 00
Total increase
$350,597 00
Tax on real estate
$137,668 45
Tax on personal estate
32,406 71
Tax on polls 4,228 00
Tax on real estate for moth work
1,264 25
Total tax assessed April 1, 1916 $175,567 41
Personal estate assessed Dec. 19, 1916 $57.655 00
Real estate assessed Dec. 19, 1916 85,225 00
Polls, 14 at $2 . $28 00
Tax assessed as supplementary on personal estate Dec. 19, 1916 . $1,187 70
$107 64
Tax assessed as supplementary on real estate Street railway excise tax on 11.846 miles of track
$2,894 33
190
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Total personal estate assessed in year 1916 . $1,630,780 00
Total real estate assessed in year 1916 6,688,195 00
Total real and personal estate, April and December assessments
$8,318,975 00
State highway tax
$1,965 00
General State tax . .
13,360 00
Metropolitan Fire District
118 71
County tax
8,621 76
Total, 1916
$24,064 47
Total, 1915
23,540 74
Excess in 1916 $523 73
Balance used for Town purposes . $148,542 28
Rate of taxation, $20.60 per $1,000.
Number of persons assessed on property April 1, 1916 . 2053
Number of persons assessed a poll tax only
1203
Additional assessed in December
26
Additional polls .
14
Total-assessed on property 1916
2079
Total assessed on polls 1916
1217
Total number of separate assessments 3296
Polls assessed in 1915
2052
Polls assessed in 1916
2128
Increase of polls in 1916
76
Number horses
261
Number cows .
255
Number neat cattle
76
Number swine
94
Number of fowls
14,425
Number of dwellings .
1798
Number of new dwellings
49
Number of acres of land
5755
Population in 1915
6805
192
ASSESSORS' REPORT ON THE SURVEY OF LAND UNDER THE BLOOK SYSTEM
We have now completed 49 plans which contain 2260 separate lots. During the past year we have added three plans with a total of 405 lots.
The financial account is as follows :
Balance on hand from 1915
$116 06
Raised and appropriated in 1916
500 00
Making a total of
$616 06
We have expended as follows :
Clarence E. Carter, plans and look- ing up records .
$432 02
Indexing plans
49 80
$481 82
Balance on hand $134 24
This balance is nearly all expended by the Engineer but no bill is presented as he has no plan complete.
We recommend that the sum of $500 be raised and appropriated to continue this work the coming year.
We invite anyone to inspect these plans, which we think are of great benefit to the Board of Assessors and others who make use of then.
MILLARD F. CHARLES
GEORGE E. HORROCKS
ARDINE M. ALLEN
Board of Assessors.
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS
READING, MASS., Jan. 1, 1916.
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN :
GENTLEMEN - I submit the following report covering work done by the Highway Department during period of September 1 and December 31, 1916 :
Arriving, as I did, with the best half of the construction season over and, in general, the appropriations nearly spent, we attempted to finish our work. The work accomplished could readily be sub-divided into four headings: Mainte- nance, New Construction, Sidewalks and Drainage.
Under maintenance, we have cleaned a greater portion of the catch-basins, flushed out several pipe lines where trouble seemed to be quite evident, taken care of leaves, and cleaned the mud in Reading Square several times. There were quite a number of catch-basins, mostly in the vicinity of Reading Square, which take a considerable volume of water and naturally filled with sediment quite quickly after cleaning. These required that we clean them about two or three times in this period.
Harnden Street and Salem Street we picked up, scari- fied, and put in shape from opposite Austin's Lunch to the end of tar macadam on Salem Street. This work was done the week prior to the fair. We then treated surface with hot tar and stone screenings.
The department also patched such macadam as we had money to do with, and will in all probability get us through the winter, but these roads need quite extensive patching in the spring.
In conjunction with the construction of Haven Street (Linden to High Streets) the old flagstones were removed from the intersection of Gould and Haven Streets and a tar
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macadam approach built. The edgestones on Haven Street were reset and and a catch-basin built at the corner of Haven and High Streets.
The street patrol was kept up through the Square and vicinity until the middle of November, when our money was depleted.
The water cart was sent out nearly every day dust was in evidence but was not wholly satisfactory, as on extremely dry days the water upon striking the dry dust, and espe- cially when the road had been treated with non-asphaltic oil, rolled off in little globules to the gutters and raced the water cart down hill. On cloudy days the water formed puddles which stood for hours to be splashed through.
The department has built new construction on Woburn Street, from Berkeley to West Streets, Haven Street, from Linden to High Streets. Have temporarily surfaced Main Street, Ash to Washington Streets, and are now working on West Street, from Woburn Street to Oak Street, in con- junction with the County Commission and State Highway Commission.
A sidewalk has been completed on Lowell Street, a dis- tance of 1,500 feet, and the guard rail moved back. Side- walks are now under way on Avon Street and on the west side of South Main Street, near Stoneham line.
Tar concrete sidewalks were built under contract by F. A. Mulroney, of Stoneham, on Prescott Street and Wo- burn Street. The tar concrete sidewalks, built a year ago this fall by the Killorin Contracting Company, of Wake- field, were resurfaced by this concern, at their expense, on Middlesex Avenue, High Street, and Woburn Street.
A drain has been built on Mineral Street from Summer Avenue to'the Reading Highlands bridge, a distance of 750 feet, and five catch-basins built. Three catch-basins have been installed on Locust Street, together with a pipe line and retaining wall near the right of way between property of Emery and Jeffrey. A catch-basin and pipe have been installed on North Main Street, near property of George
195
Putnam. Drainage, already begun, was completed on Dud- ley Street (corner High) and Prescott Street Extension.
Oil was applied to Woburn Street from railroad cross- ing to the Square, Village Street and Washington Street, about 5000 gallons being used of 45% asphaltic oil.
One new snowplow route was added, taking care of Salem Street, Woburn Street to depot, Reading Square and streets between Pleasant and Salem Streets. We now have fifteen snowplow routes. The rate has been increased for plowing from 50 cents per hour for single horse routes and 70 cents per hour for double team routes to a flat rate of 75 cents per hour for single or double.
A piece of water-bound macadam, together with drain- age, was installed in Laurel Hill Cemetery for the Trustees of this cemetery by the department.
An electric sign, bearing the letters "READING," was erected on the Common. The posts were cast by the de- partment of reinforced Portland cement concrete.
At the request of those interested in a municipal Christ- mas Tree, one was also procured and set by the department Christmas week.
RECOMMENDATIONS
I would suggest that the Town of Reading purchase the stone crusher now used by the Highway Department. I feel that the Town would benefit thereby, as I am aware of the fact that, in the neighborhood of perhaps thirty towns, having sections of road similar to West Street, were practically at a standstill as far as construction was con- cerned, owing to labor troubles at the quarries and delays in shipping this season. Reading was able to keep a mod- erate gang of workmen busy and consequently the men lost only about four or five days' work from August to Decem- ber outside of holidays.
Let me also suggest that that portion of Summer Ave- nue, between Prescott Street and Mineral Street, be con-
196
structed of water-bound macadam, together with such drainage as is necessary, as the prospect of sewers in this street seems sometime hence. Meanwhile, the travelling public are in need of more comfortable travel.
This type of surface is easily renewed after sewer con- nections are completed and with some sort of bituminous treatment would hold exceptionally well under the wear of traffic and become a base if properly constructed and main- tained for the later bituminous pavement.
That section of Prescott Street, from the end of the present tar macadam to Summer Avenue, should be con- structed of tar macadam upon completion of sewer, if this street is to be one of the first sewer connections. If the sewer would not be contemplated till later, I think I should recommend putting in the bottom course and binding that.
High Street, from Vine to Middlesex Avenue, should be constructed of water bound macadam and drainage gone into extensively to do away with pipes in gutters which are a nuisance in time of storm and a menace to public safety. The practice of gutter pipes has been discontinued by the Department and another year I hope we will have very few in town. Nothing detracts beauty from a street so much as two or three gutter pipes in a short distance and in many cases on both sides of streets. (The street instead of being twenty or thirty feet in width is narrowed to about fifteen or eighteen feet where we might easily have twenty to thirty feet.)
I am of the opinion that in case of accidents the Town would be liable for damages, as these are obstructions in public ways not lighted.
High Street. from Middlesex Avenue to Lowell Street, should be either gravel or water bound macadam with tar treatment,
That an appropriation for resurfacing tar concrete side- walks be made.
Vine Street and Charles Street could be constructed of gravel.
197
Lowell Street, from Middlesex Avenue to Square, of bituminous macadam, and sidewalk in front of new library site should be lowered considerably.
There are probably many other streets deserving of attention, but I am quite unacquainted with the public need as yet.
Respectfully submitted,
W. CLARE H. STEVENSON, Supt. of Streets.
REPORT OF CHIEF OF POLICE
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN OF READING :
GENTLEMEN-I herewith submit the report of the Police Department for the year ended December 31. 1916.
ARRESTS FOR THE YEAR 1916
Total number of arrests
103
Males
93
Females
10
Residents
45
Non-residents
58
American born
72
Foreign born
31
Adults
73
Minors
30
CAUSES OF ARREST
Accosting
1
Assault
6
Bastardy .
1
Disturbance in public conveyance
1
Drunkenness
26
Escaped from institutions
9
Evading care fare
1
Having in possession revolver
1
Insane
2
Keeping and exposing liquor with intent to sell
1
Larceny
5
Non-support
6
Participating in a bonfire
3
Riding on sidewalk
1
Runaway boys .
3
198
199
Setting fire to a building 1
Taking auto without consent of owner
2
Violating auto laws
23
Violating light law on vehicles
4
Violating traffic rules
6
DISPOSITION OF CASES
Adjudged guilty and appealed
1
Committed to Danvers Insane Hospital
2
Committed to House of Correction
5
Committed to Lyman School
1
Committed to State Farm
1
Continued
1
Discharged
7
Dismissed
2
Fined
28
Held for grand jury
1
Ordered to pay for support of parents
1
Placed on file
14
Released .
9
Returned to parents
2
Returned to Taunton Insane Hospital
1
Sentenced to House of Correction (appealed)
1
Sentenced to House of Correction (suspended)
1
Sentenced to Mass. Reformatory (appealed) .
1
Turned over to out of town officers
21
103
MISCELLANEOUS
Accidents reported .
. 15
Buildings found unsecured
143
Cases investigated .
107
Defects in streets and sidewalks
5
Disturbances quelled
2
Dogs killed
23
Horses found cast
2
Lights reported out
16
.
103
200
Raids made .
1
Vacant houses given special protection
14
Automobiles, taken by joy riders, recovered
5
Amount of property reported stolen
$196 00
Amount of property recovered
50 00
Fines imposed
137 00
Fines awarded state
62 00
Fines collected from 1915
72 00
Fines due from 1916
33 00
Total fines received
124 00
LIST OF PROPERTY IN CUSTODY OF DEPARTMENT
Two roll top desks
$20 00
One table
5 00
Five chairs
6 00
Fourteen helmets
35 00
Seven caps
21 00
Thirty badges
30 00
Six pairs handcuffs
20 00
Eight belts
15 00
Three pairs twisters
3 00
Twelve clubs
10 00
Two stop watches
14 00
One dark lantern
1 50
One watchman's clock
5 00
Six lockers
30 00
Four revolvers .
15 00
Four automatic pistols
52 00
One shot gun
10 00
Four holsters
6 00
One auto trap .
14 00
Two telephone boxes
30 00
One bulletin board
6 00
One stretcher
7 00
Seven street signs
60 00
Six lanterns
5 00
$420 50
201
ROSTER
CHIEF William E. Swain
PATROLMEN
Jeremiah Cullinane
Oscar H. Lowe George C. Stock
SPECIALS
Ardine M. Allen
Willard A. Bancroft
Samuel Brown
William C. Cram Edward H. Crowe
Timothy J. Cullinane
Clement Gleason
Jesse N. Hutchinson
* William H. Kidder
David J. Whelton
* Deceased
William H. Killam
William H. Manning William C. Mckinley
William J. Murphy Thomas M. Palmer William Quillen James W. Sias William F. Welch
CONCLUSION
I wish at this time to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen, the judges and officers of our district court and all others who have assisted in promoting the welfare of this department. It has has been a great pleasure to have your Honorable Board keep in such close touch with this department and its work the past year.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM E. SWAIN, Chief of Police.
Reading, Jan. 1, 1917.
REPORT OF BOARD OF FIRE ENGINEERS
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN :
GENTLEMEN-We herewith submit the annual report of the Board of Fire Engineers, giving the record of alarms that have been received during the year ending December 31, 1916, together with such information as we believe may be of interest to the Town.
MANUAL FORCE
The Department consists of a Chief Engineer, two Assistant Engineers, five permanent men and twenty-five call men.
APPARATUS
Combination A has been in service over three years and still continues to give the best of service. Ladder No. 1 has been in service about four months, Combination B has been in service about three months, and have proved very satis- factory.
FINANCES
Our financial transactions are all embodied in the re- port of the Town Accountant, to which we refer you for any information in that line.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we wish to extend to your Honorable Board and to the Town Accountant and Treasurer, and Finance Committee our thanks for the courtesies and co- operation we have received during the year. We wish to compliment the officials and members of the department on the prompt and efficient manner in which they have per- formed their duties. We also wish to express our thanks to the Bay State Street Railway Company for the use of cur- rent, to the Chief of Police for services rendered by his de- partment at fires, and to the employes of the New Eng. land Telephone and Telegraph Company for the prompt and efficient service rendered in receiving alarms by telephone.
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203
RECORD OF ALARMS FOR YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1916
Bell
Telephone
January
7
5
February
3
6
March
5
2
April
5
7
May
3
7
June
ยท2
3
July
3
13
August
2
5
September
1
2
October
0
5
November
3
7
December
5
1
-
Total Alarms
. 102-39
63
Miles travelled
317
Hours of duty
108
Number feet of 2 1-2 inch hose laid
24,250
Number feet ladders used
944
Gallons of chemicals used
690
Number feet chemical hose used ..
1250
Covers spread
8
Loss by fire
. $56,231 00
Insurance paid
. $39,243 50
Uninsured
. $15,987 50
O. O. ORDWAY, Chief W. R. ZWICKER, Sec'y, Ist Asst. E. B. EAMES, 2d Asst.
Board of Fire Engineers.
204
FIRE PREVENTION
During the past year the following permits have been issued :
Fire out of door permits 369
Fireworks and firecracker permits
2
Inflammable fluid permits 25
There have been 158 inspections of buildings.
Fourteen complaints have been investigated.
O. O. ORDWAY, Chief.
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE ALARM
TO THE BOARD OF FIRE ENGINEERS :
GENTLEMEN-I herewith submit the following report for the year 1916 :
During the year the system has given efficient service at all times.
There still remains some of the old line which should be rebuilt at once.
A charging set for the fire alarm battery is very neces- sary as the power from the street railway company is not efficient.
No changes or additions in the fire-alarm boxes have been made.
During the year there have been 2,080 blows on the system, caused as follows :
Alarms
1,253
No school signal
72
Tests .
703
2,028
Contraction
3
Lightning .
43
Linemen
2
Unknown .
4
1 52
2.080
205
206
NUMBER AND LOCATION OF BOXES
-- Test 11.45 A. M. and 5.45 P. M.
121-Main and Haven.
122 -- Haven and Gould. 13-Ash and Avon.
14-Hill Crest Road and Oak.
15-Summer Avenue and Walnut.
16-South Main and South.
17-Prescott, near Arlington.
18-Park Avenue and Minot.
19-Walnut and Curtis. 2-Recall.
21-Summer Avenue and Temple. 212-West and Howard.
22-No session of school, 7.40 A. M. and 12.30 P. M.
221-Union Street School. (Private.)
223-Center School. (Private.)
224-High School. (Private.) 225-Highland School. (Private.) 226-Lowell Street School. (Private.)
227-Prospect Street School. (Private.)
228-Chestnut Hill School. (Private) 23-Woburn and Temple. 231-West, beyond Willow. 24-Mineral and Hancock.
25-Prospect, near King.
26-Hose 2 House, Woburn Street.
27-Summer Avenue, near Prescott.
28-West, beyond Oak.
29-West and King. 3-Followed by a box number, second alarm. 31 -- Lowell beyond Grove.
32-Franklin, near Golf Links.
33-Lowell, Grand and Gould Avenue.
34-Grove and Forest. 35-North Main and Locust. 36-North Main and Ridge Road. 37-North Main, near Hose 3 House.
207
38-North Main and Forest.
39-North Main and Franklin.
4-Police call.
41-Village and Green.
412-Car barns, Willow Road.
42 -- Haven and John.
43-Salem and John.
44-Salem and Pearl.
45-Salem and Belmont.
46-Charles and Pearl.
47-Charles and Haverhill.
48-Pine, near Salem.
51-Main, Washington and Ash.
55-Reading Rubber Mills. (Private.)
6-C. H. Bangs Co. (Private) 61-Lowell, near Sanborn.
612-Bancroft Avenue and Locust.
63-Woburn and Sanborn.
64-Central Fire Station.
65-Middlesex and Bancroft Avenues.
67-Middlesex Avenue and High.
69-Mt. Vernon, opposite Chute.
8-Out of Town.
10-Brush Fire Signal.
INSTRUCTIONS
To GIVE AN ALARM: Open door of box, pull down the hook once and LET GO. Remain at the box to direct firemen.
To GIVE AN ALARM BY TELEPHONE: Say to telephone operator, "Fire Department Emergency." Give fireman exact location of fire, street and street number, and name of person calling.
L. T. EAMES, Supt. of Fire Alarm.
REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
The Planning Board respectfully submit to the Town their first annual report covering the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1916 :
On March 15, 1915, the Town voted that a Town Plan- ning Board, to consist of five citizens, be created as pro- vided by Chapter 494 of the Acts of 1913, as amended by Chapter 283 of the Acts of 1914, and that provision for the same be included in the official ballot for the next and sub- sequent annual Town elections.
At the annual Town election, held March 6, 1916, the following citizens were elected to the Town Planning Board : James P. Carleton, Chester J. Wallace, Leone F. Quimby. Willard P. Adden and Raymond B. Temple.
On April 4, 1916, the Board met and organized as fol- lows: James P. Carleton, Chairman, and Chester J. Wal- lace, Secretary.
On June 15, 1916, Mr. Willard P. Adden tendered his resignation as a member of the Planning Board of the Town of Reading, to take effect at once, and thereafter he served only in an advisory capacity as architect.
On November 24, 1916, the Planning Board. at a joint meeting with the Selectmen, duly appointed Mr. Clarence C. White to fill the vacancy of the unexpired term.
The duties of the Board fall naturally into two groups. One concerns public improvements. The other concerns developments on private property as affecting the public welfare, and especially concerns the present and retrospec- tive conditions in and about rented dwellings.
The second group comes largely within the province of the Board of Health. and the Planning Board will undoubt-
208
209
edly arrange to conduct its investigations in that field as far as possible through that office.
Under the first group, the Board .had a topographical survey made of the area bounded by Woburn, Sanborn and Lowell Streets as a basis for studying the future develop- ment in regard to placing the Library and Town Office Build- ing on the Grouard or adjacent lots. The Board served with other citizens as a committee on Town Office Building and a report was made by that committee at the special meeting held May 22, 1916, and upon its recommendations the Town acted favorably. Since then several meetings have been held with the heads of the different departments to ascer- tain as far as possible their future needs, and also with the architects in regard to the arrangement and design of the Town Office Building. At the close of the year this subject is still under consideration.
The Board also served with the Selectmen as a commit- tee to report on sidewalk construction. A careful study of the methods and cost of construction was made and a full report given at the special meeting held May 22, 1916. The Board unanimously recommended to the Selectmen that the Acts and Laws relating to the Town of Reading from the time of its incorporation to the present time, The Town By- Laws, The Town Building Laws, The Traffic Regulations, and the rules and regulations of the several departments be compiled and published for the use and convenience of the citizens. Other matters have been discussed by the Board and considered to some extent but no definite con- clusion reached.
The Board wishes to call attention to the fact that most of its time and attention during the year was given by necessity, and instruction from the Town, to special town building work. We feel that our duties in this connec- tion will soon be better handled by a special building com- mittee, thereby leaving the Planning Board free to con- sider numerous other important matters. We earnestly hope that the Town will approve and adopt the recommen- dations as set forth in this report.
JAMES P. CARLETON LEONE F. QUIMBY RAYMOND B. TEMPLE CLARENCE C. WHITE CHESTER J. WALLACE
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS
READING, MASS., Feb. 8, 1917.
TO THE CITIZENS OF READING :
Your Board of Sewer Commissioners submit the follow- ing report :
This Commission was created under the Acts of the Legislature of 1909, Chapter 314, and the Commissioners are proceeding under the authority of this Act. The Town has taken no action under Article 11, of this Chapter.
On Oct. 17, 1916, the Board submitted a special report embodying a report of the Engineer, Frank A. Barbour, C. E., whom the Board employed to devise a system of Sewers. On Oct. 23, 1916, at a special town meeting, the Town voted to accept the report as submitted by the Commission.
The Town further voted to authorize the Town Treas- urer to issue Bonds or Notes to the amount of $100,000 to provide for the payment for cost of first year's construction as recommended in the above mentioned report.
On Dec. 28, 1916, Sealed Bids or Proposals for furnish- ing and delivering Vitrified Salt Glazed Sewer Pipe, neces- sary for first year's construction, were opened and read in the presence of the bidders.
On Jan. 20, 1917, the contract was awarded P. N. Sweetser, and on Jan. 31, 1917, a contract for unloading and storing pipe was awarded to P. N. Sweetser.
210
211
The following is the financial report :
Appropriation .
. $1,200 00
EXPENDED
American Furniture Co., desk
$39 00
Reading Garage, auto hire
4 00
Smith Bros.' Garage, auto hire
12 75
Fred A. Turner, rubber stamps
2 50
Postmaster, Reading, envelopes and P. O. box rent 11 18
W. K. Badger, auto hire
2 50
W. E. & J. F. Twombly, printing
12 50
W. E. & J. F. Twombly, printing reports
102 50
Heliotype Co., maps
101 00
M. F. Charles, stationery
4 95
Municipal Light Board
2 25
Lyceum Hall Association, rent
39 00
N. E. Telephone & Telegraph Co. 5 50
F. A. Barbour, engineering and report
600 00
$939 63
Unexpended .
260 37
$1,200 00
O. R. HERRICK, Chairman H. A. BANCROFT, Secretary J. W. OWEN
REPORT OF BUILDING INSPECTOR
READING, MASS., Jan. 27, 1917.
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