USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1919 > Part 4
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8 Emma L. Bowker
55
0 3 Carcinoma
13 Inez Cook
28
3 17 Epilepsy
19 Edna Rose McDavitt
34 11 0 Nephritis
-
47
DEATHS REGISTERED IN TOWN OF READING FOR YEAR 1919
Date
Name
Y M D Cause of Death
26
Beverly Hill
0 10 10
Enteritis
26 Eben W. Roberts
25
3
8 Hemorrhage
27 John W. Clough
68
1
13
R.R. Accident
28 Sara R. Wilkins
75
1
0
Hemorrhage
Oct.
6 Arthur F. Morrison
71
1 18
Arterio Sclerosis
7 Charles Tufts Robinson
84
21
Septic Infection
9 Adelia A. Hasell
83
5 29
Heart Disease
18
Elijah F. Ingraham
57 0
0 Heart Disease
22
Louise Merrill
3
0 14
Diphtheria
28
31 Lucinda R. Smith
89
5
3
Senile Decay
Nov.
1 Thomas Turner
56
6
0
Tuberculosis
5 Harriett S. Chamberlain
63
0 0
Heart Disease
6 Albert J. Bancroft
71
11
12
Carcinoma
6 Althea E. Nelson
0
1 28
Pertussis
9 David McCrum
68
0 24
Pneumonia
10 Susan Frances Colburn
72
5 28
Hemorrhage
16 Simeon O. Poliquin
67
11 0
Nephritis
18 Martha H. A. Brown
76
2
7
Myocarditis
19 Clarence A. Dow
25
1 29
Tuberculosis
21 Thankful H. Stanley
64
7 17
Carcinoma
22 Edwin B. Kimball
73
8 17
Automobile Accident
22 Ellen Dingle
69
10 28
Myocarditis
24 Katherine H. Cooper
56
8
3
Myocarditis
25
James Henry Richardson
64
1 17
Pneumonia
Dec.
13 John M. Doucette
82
0 0
Endocarditis
13 Mary E. Hanscomb
51
1 28
Nephritis
18 Harold G. Morris
1
0
5
Convulsions
23 Albert M. Ricker
76 10 17
Pneumonia
30 Miller Nichols Foster
71
2
8 Myocarditis
Total number of deaths, 97. Males, 48; Females, 49 Born in United States: Males, 36; females, 41. Foreign-born: Males, 12; females, 8.
REPORT OF SELECTMEN
O
101
639; INCORPOR
To the Citizens of Reading :
We are proud to include in our report a list of
READING'S WORLD WAR HEROES
The Town may well feel proud of the service they rendered.
J. EDWARD FROST WILLIAM S. KINSLEY EDWIN L. HUTCHINSON
51
In Memoriam
BRITTAIN, WILLIAM S., JR.
BUCK, ROBERT L.
COOMBS, CARL L.
CUMMINGS, TIMOTHY EDWARD
EATON, CLARENCE SAWYER
HAINES, EDWARD J.
HARSTHORN, CHESTER GOULD
HILL, STANWOOD ELLIOTT
LEACH, ERNEST H.
MEUSE, THOMAS EDWARD
MOREY, RALPH E.
RILEY, WILLIAM A.
WALSH, EDWARD
WHITE, WILLIAM ALBERT
"THEY GAVE THEIR ALL"
52
Reading's World War heroes
* Died in service
Abbott, George W.
Abbott, Henry K.
Ainsworth, Richard H.
Burke, John H.
Akerly, Elmer C.
Bowley, Edward H.
Allen, Gordon H.
Boardman, Harold H.
Ambler, Arley A.
Bisbee, George H.
Austin, Irving C.
Beacham, Herbert M.
Anderson, John L.
Barrett, Richard
Atkinson, Edward P.
Barnes, George S.
Alger, James W.
Badger, Clarence I.
Ames, Albert B.
Canty, Charles A.
Carnes, Harold A.
Cail, Wilbur S.
Canty, Paul C.
Carney, John J.
Baldwin, Arthur G.
Castine, Simon A. Chapman, George D.
Barr, Robert J.
Batchelder, Harold W.
Charles, Norman P.
Charles, Avery W.
Connelly, William A.
Blethen, Henry S.
Cummings, Paul J.
Borthwick, Arthur H.
Currell, Harold B.
Bosson, George C.
Caldwell, Byron P.
Campbell, William F.
Bowman, Richard J. Bradley, Henry J.
Canty, Timothy A.
*Brittain, William S. Jr. Brooks, Arthur E. Brooks, George C. Brooks, Norman C.
Card, George M. Carr, Fred T.
Castine, William F.
Chapman, Harold W.
Charles, Warren F.
Brown, Chester W. Brown, Clarence L.
Bryant, Forest H. Buck, Lawrence H. *Buck, Robert L. Babcock, Ernest G. Babcock, Harold J.
Charlton, Charles W. Christianson, Otto W. Christianson, Percy E. Christianson, Rolf L.
Clements, Joseph R. Cobb, Richard E.
Ambler, Martin H.
Anderson, H. Everett
Andrews, Howard A. Arsenault, Peter J.
Bennett, Austin F. Benton, Albion M.
Butler, Norman L.
Burnham, William L.
53
Cummings, Clarence C. Cummings, John F. Curiston, Charles R. *Cummings, Timothy E. *Coombs, Carl L.
Davis, Elmer
Damon, Philip A.
Dacey, Cornelius J.
Forbes, George P.
Forbes, Malcolm
Fowler, Fred K.
Frotten, John R.
Davis, Charles E.
Frotten, William H.
Davis, Louis
Fuller, Albert S.
Davis, Russell W.
Felton, George E.
Davis, Samuel H.
Fowle, Herbert L.
Dearborn, Walter A.
Field, Charles H.
Dennison, Robert A.
Farpelia, Joseph J.
Dickey, Hazen G.
Frotten, Benjamin L.
Freeman, Wallace E.
Doran, Daniel F.
Fowler, George F.
Doucette, Albert J.
Florence, Earl E.
Doucette, Albert James
Doucette, Arthur L.
Doucette, Frank E.
Downing, Willard C.
Dulong, George E.
Dulong, Joseph W.
Dulong, William A ...
Doucette, Louis S.
Dow, George F. Doucette, Arthur J.
Granfield, Maurice F. Goodridge, Carl
Goodridge, George Gaffney, John E.
Gonnam, Harold E.
Gibbons, Lawrence Gibbons, Norman
Glover, Perry A. Gonnam, John C.
Goodridge, Harold S.
Graff, Leland S.
Grant, Ethel E.
Gray, Freeman M.
Gray, Robert A.
*Haines, Edward J. Hale Albert F.
Eames, Forrest B. Eames, Harlan D. Ellison, Arthur N. Emery, Elmer L. Evans, John S. Edmondson, George E. Ells, Alfred W. Ells, Fred W.
Galvin, Gerald J.
Geary, James L.
Gerard, Stanley R.
Geary, Paul S.
Gleason, Clement T.
Granfield, John J.
Danforth, Harold E.
Davis, Malcolm C. DeMerritt, Robert E.
Desmond, Daniel J. Dulong, Frank E.
Enerick, J. Paul Esterberg, Herbert L. Estes, Cyrus *Eaton, Clarence Sawyer .
Ferrick, John J. Field, Edwin F.
Flint, Russell A.
Forbes, Frank D.
Dane, Albert K. Dane, John C. Davis, Harold F.
Dodge, Harry L.
Fellows, Horace W.
54
Halloran, Martin J. Hazlewood, Sumner Herbolzheimer, Harry W. Heselton, Arthur W. Heselton, Leslie R.
Heselton, Robert M. Hildreth, Donald U.
Hill, Charles H. Hill, Harold L.
Hobby, Harry R.
Hodgdon, Carl A.
Horovitz, Max G.
Hunt, Edgar N.
MacLellan, Harry R.
Macleod, Herbert W. McCaughey, Irving W.
Hill, William H.
McDonald, Leon F.
Hill, Charles A.
Hall, William H.
Hickey, George T. Hickey, William J.
Hill, Lester D.
Maguire, John F.
Marchetti, Frank F.
Hopkins, Warren D.
Howard, Charles P.
Howes, Ellsworth B.
Hudson, Albert L.
Hunter, Alice G.
Hutchinson, Lester B. Hynes, E. J.
* Hill, Stanwood E. *Hartshorn, Chester G.
Moore, Henry E. . Morse, Donald H. Moses, George R. Murray, Thomas J.
Murdock, Malcolm W.
Muse, Hervie Martin, David
McDavitt, Alfred A.
McDavitt, Daniel G.
McHale, Martin J.
McKenna, Robert Melonson, Fred P. Meuse, Andrew Meuse, Frederick A.
* Meuse, Thomas Edward Meuse, Melvin H. Malarkey, Thomas J. *Morey, Ralph E.
Jewett, Henry H. Johnson, Herbert Johnson, Francis Jordan, Patrick F. Judkins, Perley O.
Keene, Edward B. Kennard, Dimond Kearney, Harry M. Kershaw, Warren R. Killam, Phineas S.
Lane, Melvin C. Lee, William H.
LeFave, John H. Livingstone, William R.
Long, Patrick J. Lumsden, Blinn
Lumsden, R. Bruce
Lyons, Thomas J.
LeFave, Albine A. Long, Henry Loring, John A. Lowell, Arthur K. *Leach, Ernest H.
Hutchinson, Earl L. Hutchinson, Leroy C.
McKay, Raymond J. McKenney, Frank L. McLeod, August McNeil, Hugh J.
Hines, Fred C. Hook, Homer W.
Maxwell, Albert C.
Maxwell, James I.
Mellen, Ernest E.
Merrill, Ashley L.
Michelini, Arthur Middleton, Charles H.
55
Morrison, William E. Murray, John Murray, Fred F.
Newell, Wendell G.
Nichols, Clifton S.
Nowell, Foster
Nichols, Chester L. Newhall, Howard D. Nichols, Roy R.
O'Brien, William F. O'Donnell, Michael
Ordway, Earl B. O'Connell, Walter E. O'Connor, William Oliver, Arthur G. Olmstead, Robert S.
Quinlan, Francis S. Quinlan, John J. Quinlan, Thomas E.
Rogers, Clarence C.
Ramsay, Donald
Ramsay, John A.
Rich, Charles H.
Rich, Guy E.
Richardson, Elmer H.
Richardson, George W.
Richmond, Ernest
Riley, John J.
Riley, Thomas E.
Robertson, Herbert L.
Robinson, Howard B.
Rowell, Walter L.
Ruggles, Gould B.
Ruggles, Otis B.
Rodden, William H.
Ricker, George V.
Reid, Harold H.
Reed, Harold
Regan, Arthur W.
Page, Edward
Parker, Elmer F.
Parker, Lawrence H.
Parsons, Melvin L.
Patrick, Herbert L.
Pendergrace, Frederick G.
Peters, Joseph B.
Robinson, Donald C.
Pinkham, Carl W.
Poland, Foster C.
Porter, James W.
Pratt, Lester K.
Stevens, Harry
Pendergrace, Albion R.
Sawyer, Frank A.
Saunders, Wendell M.
Parkins, William J.
Sawyer, Harry L.
Shepardson, Robert B.
Shepardson, Robert W.
Shepardson, Rowland R. Sherman, Erville B. Slack, Francis T.
Slack, William E.
Smith Guy L. Smith, Harry E.
Pratt, Lyman E.
Pratt, Wilfred E.
Putnam, Chester A.
Painting, Samuel
Reeves, Norman
Richardson, Gordon D.
Richardson, Robert H.
Reissle, Fred L.
Riley, Harry
Riley, James F.
Perry, Gardner A.
Robinson, Gerald C.
Rogers, George
*Riley, William A.
Park, James A.
Parks, Harry F. Parmelee, Albert Pendergrace, Emil F.
Parker, Henry B. Perry, John A. . Peters, Lawrence
Pinneault, H. P. Pippin, Eyra
56
Springford, Frederick L. Staples, Malcolm L. Steele, Amos A. Stembridge, Alfred R. Stembridge, Stanley R. Stevens, Donald B. Stevens, Eugene L. Stokes, Clifton H.
*Thorn, Jesse P. Treamer, Harold W. Tuttle, A. Norman Underwood, William T. W.
Villiers, Isabella
Wall, John T.
Stratton, Charles P.
Wall, Thomas E.
Sullivan, Daniel L.
Webb, William P.
Symmes, Willard
Whitaker, Robert L.
Scanlon, Daniel T.
Whitchurch, Louis E.
Smith, Loris J.
White, Melvin A.
Sherman, Herbert
Whitney, Glenn E.
Spavin, Edward M.
Sweetser, Walter I.
Whitton, James F. Wilcox, Loring F.
Surrette, Lovett P.
Stockwell, Philip J.
* Walsh, Edward. Williams, Harold V. Wilson, Ralph E.
Stevens, Chesley G.
Wadsworth, George F.
Stafford, Fred S.
Walsh, Albert H.
Smith, Raymond T.
Walsh, Frank I.
Steadman, Russell Smith, Albert J.
Waters, James C. Wheeler, Bertha L.
Simonds, Clyde M.
White, George A.
Seward, Carroll G.
White, Harold E.
Seaman, Frank T.
White, Harry A.
Sylvester, Wilfred B.
White, Irving J. Whittier, Irving M.
Tasney, Charles E.
Thomas, Clarence L.
Thompson, John E.
Thornton, John F.
Townsend, Harland A.
Yates, John L.
Turner Owen F.
Turner, John E.
Thomas, Percy E.
Thorburn, George E.
*White, William Albert Whittier, Sumner C. Williams, George B. Walsh, Joseph P.
Zyniewski, Antonio Zanni, Julio Zanni, Antonio
Stevens, Marion C.
57
The present Board, during the past year, departed somewhat from the customary method of handling the work, aiming at better service and more efficiency. We felt that by dividing the responsi- bilities, each member overseeing his particular departments, better results could be obtained. Accordingly we divided the work as follows: Mr. Frost handled the Fire Department and the Town Build- ings; Mr. Kinsley supervised the Highway Department; Mr. Hutchin- son had the overseeing of the Police and Moth Departments.
This method worked out wonderfully well, and we urgently recommend that it be followed in the future.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
This department is one of which the town may well be proud.
Under the leadership of Chief Orville O. Ordway, our fire de- partment is in our opinion far ahead of any town the size of Reading for miles around.
During the past year we have done away with the last horse- drawn apparatus at Hose 2, Woburn Street, replacing it with a combination hose and chemical truck.
We were unable to complete the alterations on Hose 2 house with the money appropriated, and the work must be finished to com- ply with the law.
We wish also to call attention to the condition of the Central Fire Station. Many minor repairs are needed and we recommend the work be done the coming year.
FINANCES
There has been a net decrease in the Town Debt for the fiscal year of $2,800.00.
Notes and bonds paid in 1919
$ 44,300.00
Loans made in 1919:
Municipal Light
$ 35,000.00
Municipal Light Emergency Loan 6,500.00 $ 41,500.00
Net decrease
2,800.00
Town Debt, Dec. 31, 1918
509,000.00
Town Debt. Dec. 31, 1919
506,200.00
2,800.00
The amount necessary to raise by taxation for notes and bonds maturing in 1920 is $26,200, a decrease of $1,100 over 1919.
58
53,000.00
Maturing in 1920
Less amounts to be paid :
Water Department
3,000.00
Municipal Light Department
24,800.00
27,800.00
$ 25,200.00
Amount raised in 1919
26,300.00
Amount to be raised in 1920
25,200.00
Decrease
The amount of revenue estimated in 1919 to apply on, the Tax Levy was $47,343.20. The amount received was $48,000.35.
TAX COLLECTIONS
Total amount of the Commitment to to the Tax Collector in 1919 and 1918 is as follows:
Town purposes
1918 $206,947.46 44,741.65
$245,262.34 46,027.42
Total
251,689.11
291,289.76
Less estimated income
45,704.80
47,343.20
Total commitment
205,984.31
243,946.56
205,984.31
Increase over 1918
37,962.25
Valuation®
8,082,434.00
8,164,234.00
8,082,434 00
Increase
81,800.00
Of the total tax commitment of 1919 of $243,946.56 there was collected up to the close of the fiscal year, 67 3/4 %. We consider this a wonderful showing, and wish at this time to congratulate Mrs. Viall upon the very efficient manner in which she has conducted the . office during the illness of Mr. Viall, who has our best wishes for a speedy recovery.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
When the Spring season opened the highways were in very bad shape, owing largely to the fact that for the two previous years it was almost impossible to get material. After considering the matter
1,100.00
1919
State and County Taxes
59
thoroughly we decided that the only way to do good work was to purchase the necessary equipment and material.
There had been provided $500 to buy a scarifier, but this was insufficient for the one best adapted to the needs. We, therefore, took $500 from the maintenance account and bought the one now in use. It more than met our expectations. The work on Salem Street alone more than paid for it. Dump carts are a slow process in hand- ling material, so we discarded them and purchased a truck, and from actual work done it has proved that it will do more than six double teams and at much less cost.
The gravel pits, available in Reading, had been pretty well depleted, so it became necessary to open up a new one. We bought a very good pit on Willow Street, covering about 32,000 square feet, and which will last for a number of years. It will then be avail- able for house lots.
We gave considerable thought to sidewalks and decided that we could put in granolithic sidewalks at a cost very little in advance of the price for concrete, and we purchased a cement mixer for the purpose.
We would have made several hundred square yards of this kind of walks but were unable to on account of the rain, which was almost continuous after September first and until the ground froze up.
We made arrangements with the School Committee to take over the old John Street schoolhouse for use of the Highway Department, and we now have headquarters ample to house all the equipment for a good many years. It is well lighted and heated and there is in- stalled machinery enough to do all repair work. As soon as the building is painted and the grounds graded, the Town will have a place that it may well feel proud of.
We installed the stone crusher in the gravel pit this Spring after an idleness of two years and it is a great asset to the Town. If it had been possible to obtain crushed rock, we should have finished West Street and made a beginning on Prospect Street, going as far as the appropriation would have allowed. Salem Street has been rebuilt from the Wakefield line to the entrance of Memorial Park, at a cost much under the estimate, this being possible, as above stated, by having the scarifier.
There has been built new macadam on the hill extending from Main Street to the intersection of Harnden, on Lowell Street from Woburn to Middlesex Avenue, and on Main Street from Washington Street to the Railroad Crossing, including the crossing at Ash Street. The new macadam has been carried from curb to curb, and not eighteen feet width as formerly. It not only makes a much better appearance, but saves the roadbed, as the water is kept from seaping under the surface.
60
We were able to put in very good shape several of the principal gravel streets, although very late in starting, including Summer Ave- nue from Mineral to Mayall Park, Prescott Street from Perkins Ave- nue to Pratt Street, and from Washington Street to the Depot, Lin- coln Street from Woburn Street to Minot, Minot from the Railroad to Main Street, Washington from Prescott Street to Minot, Ash Street from Electric Light Station to Wakefield line, Grove from Franklin to Lowell, High from Lowell to Middlesex Avenue, Salem from Memorial Park to Harnden Street, Harnden from Salem to the Square, Salem Street from Lowell to Main, Woburn from the Square to Railroad, Gould from Ash to Haven Street, and Haverhill from Franklin to North Reading line. These roads were kept in very good condition until Fall and then the rainy spell was disastrous.
Reading Square has been scarified and laid down three different times. We have made extensive fills on the lower end of John Street and also on Brook Street. We have also made about five hundred running feet of new sidewalks.
The money appropriated for concrete sidewalks was expended on resurfacing the older walks, which were sadly in need of attention.
We have had the old barn, in rear of Fire Headquarters, torn down, it being of no further use, and it had been an eye-sore for a great many years.
We wish to publicly thank the employees of the Highway Depart- ment for the very loyal support given, as it would have been impos- sible without it, even with the new equipment, to accomplish the amount of work done.
LOOKING FORWARD
Reading Square is in very bad shape owing to conditions that could not be helped. Now that the sewers are in, it is time some- thing was done and the only way is to do it right. Practically the whole Square, from Woburn Street to Willis's Corner, is underlaid with a sandy clay on which macadam cannot be laid, and it will be impossible to do anything permanent without the outlay of a consid- erable amount of money.
The main thoroughfares should also be macadamed. There is great need of street drainage, as this is largely responsible for the poor condition of most of our streets.
To meet these conditions, and not have them continue indefi- nitely, we recommend a bond issue of $125,000, the bonds running for a number of years. In this way we can have our Square made right and our main thoroughfares macadamed and street drainage laid. We can then have the benefit of these improvements imme- diately and pay for them in such a manner that it will not be a burden
61
on the Town. This work should be let out to contractors, as the town force, with its regular work, would be unable to handle so large an undertaking.
The Square will have to be dug out at least eighteen inches deep, filled with gravel and then surfaced. We would recommend that the surface of the Square be treated the same as North Main Street, as this is practically noiseless and absolutely dustless, and after once laid would, with an occasional dressing, last for years. If laid with paving it would be more expensive and would yearly cost considerable money to keep it sprinkled.
We also recommend the purchase of one more dump truck. With it the Highway Department would be equipped in first-class condition.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The past year has been the busiest in the history of the depart- ment. Your attention is directed to the detailed report of the Chief.
The policing of the State Highway which runs through Reading Square is becoming a serious problem for the Town. With the con- stantly increasing automobile traffic it is and will continue to be a large share of the activity and expense of the department.
There have been installed four police signal boxes in the busi- ness centre which insures a regular patrol of this district during the entire night. It makes for extra protection and security and is a val- uable safeguard against fire. This system should be extended this year with the addition of two more of these boxes.
The force has been increased by the addition of one more patrol- man as voted by the town. Frank T. Slack was appointed in Sep- tember from list furnished by the Mass. Civil Service Commission. We also in October appointed Timothy J. Cullinane a regular pa- trolman from list furnished by the above commission to fill a vacancy in the department.
The police officers should be paid more money and we are asking for $5.00 per day for the patrolmen and $6.00 for the Chief.
CONCLUSION
We thank the various boards of the Town and Town Officers for their co-operation with us during the past year, and acknowledge the courtesies which they have extended to us.
J. EDWARD FROST WILLIAM S. KINSLEY EDWIN L. HUTCHINSON
Selectmen of Reading.
62
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS
I herewith submit to you a general summary of the work of the Highway Department for the year 1919.
A plan of road work was laid out after the March election, under the personal direction of Mr. Kinsley, who has given much time and thought to this work. They were carried out all the season with hardly a variation and I think that the results show for them- selves.
From the last of February to the first of April road drags were used on about 20 miles of roads, which gave fairly good results. About this time the crusher was moved from Oak St. to a gravel bank on Willow St. (purchased by this department). Fifteen hundred tons of stone and 1100 cubic yards of gravel were crushed there during the season. Owing to delays in waiting for new equipment, actual work was not started until the last of May. What teams were in use May 1st were laid off and no teams were hired the rest of the season, with the exception of a single team at the crusher; all the work has been done with our new two-ton dump truck. It has been used to haul the oil distributer and road machine and for all general work, and the only outlay for repairs on it up to the present time has been one single item of $27.00.
I consider the scarifier the most practical and greatest labor- saving device that any road department could own. We have used it on the whole or part of the following streets: Grove, High and Woburn Sts., Summer Ave., Prescott, Lincoln, Ash, Washington and Minot Sts., and the Square, with good results.
On Aug. 11th work was started on the rebuilding of Salem St. (one mile of old water-bound macadam) and completed and open to traffic on Aug. 30th at a cost of 24c per sq. yd., the estimated cost of which was 43c. This saving was accomplished by the scarifier and truck and a first-class working crew. Part of the money left was used to lay 733 sq. yds. of tar macadam on Salem St. hill between Harnden and Main Sts., and I would recommend that the balance be carried over to 1920. During Sept. and Oct. the Dept. laid 3333 sq. yds. of asphalt macadam on Lowell St., between Woburn St. and Middlesex Ave., at a cost of 48c per sq. yd., and 2096 sq. yds. of tar macadam on Main St., between Washington St. and the B. & M. crossing, at a cost of 79c per sq. yd.
63
SIDEWALKS
Nineteen hundred and forty sq. yds. of old concrete was repaired and put in first-class condition, and minor repairs were made to' gravel sidewalks in various sections.
DUST NUISANCE
Approximately 295,000 sq. yds. of road surface were treated with one application of 45% asphalt oil at a cost of 9c per sq. yd .; 4500 gallons of Tarvia B was also used for surface treatment. The water cart was used in the early Summer until we began to put oil on.
DRAINAGE
One new catch basin has been built at the corner of Chute and Woburn Sts. There are a number of places where new ones are needed and this has been taken up with Mr. Kinsley. The surface drainage of the Town is a matter which needs a good deal of care and thought.
SNOW AND ICE
The Department has tried to take care of the Snow and Ice the best we could under present conditions. Three new plows were added this year.
NEW EQUIPMENT
This Department has now a home of its own (something it never before had.) The School Department turned over to the Street Depart- ment the old school building at the corner of John and Union streets and under the direction of Mr. Kinsley and myself it has been re- modeled to meet the needs of this Department. The basement is used for a garage and for storage. Up-stairs is used as a repair shop.
There has been added to the equipment this season a two-ton dump truck, pressure scarifier, gravel bank, mixing machine, tar heating kettle and the necessary machine and tools for the repair shop at an outlay of about $6000.
RECOMMENDATIONS
New construction work should be done on a larger scale and I will leave the recommendations to your Honorable Board.
CONCLUSION
I take this opportunity to thank your Honorable Board, and Mr. Kinsley especially, for your helpfulness to this Department, also to the employees who have worked hard and faithfully for the benefit of the Department. We would be very glad to have any of the citi- zens visit us at our new home as we feel very proud of it.
I would refer you to the Town Accountant's report for financial details.
Respectfully submitted,
E. H. CROWE, Supt. of Streets.
Reading, Mass., January 14, 1920.
64
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF WIRES
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN :
Gentlemen :-
I respectfully submit herewith my report as Inspector of Wires for the year ending December 31, 1919.
INTERIOR WIRING FOR LIGHT AND POWER
Number of new buildings wired 20
Number of old buildings wired 67
Number of buildings re-wired or in which additional wiring has been installed 79
Number of inspection notices received from electrical con-
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