USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1934 > Part 8
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The Annual report of the Board of Selectmen for the year end- ing, December 31, 1934, is herewith submitted.
At the Organization Meeting, held on March 7, 1934, the Board organized as follows :-
Albert N. Leman, Chairman J. Warren Killam, Jr., Secretary Newell H. Morton Leon G. Bent, Clerk
Appointments
Keeper of the Lock-Up-Jeremiah Cullinane.
Superintendent of Fire Alarm-Hugh L. Eames.
Inspector of Buildings-A. Russell Barnes.
Burial Agent-Alfred E. Goodwin.
Custodian of Soldiers' and Sailors' Graves-Harry A. Turner.
Sealer of Weights and Measures-Carl M. Smith.
Board of Appeal-Henry Q. Millett, Chairman; Fred L. Nutter, Secretary ; Benjamin B. Piper.
Fence Viewers-Carl B. Sawyer, Albert E. Temple, Wendell B. Newell.
Weighers of Coal and Hay-W. Irving Bancroft, Bertha D. Mac- Lellan, Wendell B. Newell, Charles W. Lee, Thomas E. Brogan, Mabel L. McKay, Percy N. Sweetser, Katherine L. Sweetser, Charles H. Sweetser.
Field Drivers-Willard A. Bancroft, Adolph S. Larson, Rolland L. Perry.
Inspector of Wires-Hugh L. Eames.
Gas Inspector-David Taggart.
Inspector of Animals-Cornelius Thibeault, M. D. V.
Forest Warden-Orville O. Ordway.
Superintendent of Moth-Henry M. Donegan.
Special Police-John F. Maguire, J. Fred Richardson, Sylvanus Thompson, Edward McBrien, Walter Smith, James L. Healey, Henry W. Bryden, William H. Killam, Frank F. Strout, Kenneth L. Crocker, George O. Flanders, Ralph F. Plouff, William P. Pierpont, William H. Manning, Charles H. Melendy, Gardner A. Perry, Thaddeus F. Shaw, William F. Campbell, Robert O. Chesley, Rolland E. Ellis, Thomas F. Classen, Sidney Frederick, Ralph C. Carter, Forest H. Bryant.
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Town Forest Committee-Leland W. Kingman, 3 years.
Registrar-Ralph S. Keneely, 3 years.
Reading Safety Council-Charles A. Schmitt, Chm., Clarence Gay, Maurice Reebenacker, Leone F. Quimby, Marjorie L. Schoppelry, Jo- seph Schimpfke, Sara G. Harnden, Timothy G. Green, Elmer R. Batch- elder, Dorothy G. Cronin, Sidney S. Wheeler.
Finance Committee-Margaret R. Ellison, reappointed for 3 years. William A. Connelly, D. M. D., reappointed for 3 years, John L. Dev- aney, reappointed for 3 years, Allan H. Sturges for 3 years, George A. Cotton for 3 years., Louis Davis for 2 years.
Dog Officer-Charles H. Melendy.
Committee on Elm Tree Protection-John F. Sawyer, Henry M. Donegan, Andrew Christensen.
Fire Department
A vote was passed at the annual Town Meeting, for the purchase of a new Triple Combination Pumping Engine, to replace the Knox Combination, then in service for a period of twenty-one years, it having outlived its usefulness and being beyond successful repair. Your Board considered a great many types of apparatus, investigated equipment, went to other communities and received bids from a ma- jority of the larger fire equipment manufacturers. After bids had been submitted, there was a substantial drop in fire equipment prices and all bids were, therefore, rejected and new bids required. Subsequent to the new bids, your board determind to standardize the department and purchased a Seagrave 1,000 gallon pumper, at a net cost of $12,047.90. This equipment is now housed in the Central Fire Station, and has already operated very satisfactorily at the fire in the old rubber shop buildings off Lowell Street.
The Forest Warden truck, which is a small piece of equipment, has been reconstructed at a very low cost to the Town, by the per- sonnel of the Fire Department. We believe that the portable pump now carried on this equipment is not sufficiently reliable for the work which it may be called upon to do and that it should be replaced by a more certain and dependable pump. With this exception and with the exception of certain small pieces of equipment which are neces- sarily lost or destroyed at a fire, your Board believes that the ap- paratus of the department is in very good condition and affords ample protection to the Town.
Fire Alarm
As previous boards have stated, the fire alarm system is anti- quated and hardly adequate for present day demands. The outside plant, namely, wires, cable, etc., is in fairly good condition, except that each circuit carries more boxes than advisable for first class operation.
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The repeater, however, which is installed in the fire station has been in the department since its inception, accommodates only four circuits and for proper protection should be replaced immediately if the financial condition of the town will permit.
Police Department
Modern times have brought modern types of crime and modern methods of perpetration and it was, therefore, necessary to equip our police department with new methods and new equipment to combat such crimes. New equipment purchased this year for the police de- partment consists of teletype, cruise car, radios in station and cruise car, machine gun, rifle and practice revolvers. The radios are tuned to the State Broadcasting Station at Framingham and in that way immediate contact can be had with the cruise car, wherever it may be. This, of course, lessens the time consumed in sending the cruise car from point to point. The entire department is now under compulsory instruction in the use of firearms and has, in a comparatively short period of time, become very proficient in this portion of police work.
Ambulance
In accordance with a vote at the annual Town Meeting, your Board has purchased a new ambulance. This ambulance consists of a Gallahad body mounted on a Dodge chassis and contains the most modern equipment.
Traffic
Reading is so situated, geographically, that it now has one of the most serious traffic problems in the commonwealth, its Main Street being comparable only with the new Worcester Turnpike and the New- buryport Turnpike. The state has constructed into and out of our town a super-highway which in being a direct route from Boston to Lawrence, Haverhill and points North, is heavily traveled. Numerous surveys have been made of this highway, both by your board and by state officials for safety purposes. It seems to be the opinion that speed is the prevailing cause of accidents and must be reduced. The survey shows further that a majority of accidents occur in our square; but that these are more or less of a minor nature and that the serious and fatal accidents are found to occur outside that area and are attri- butable, in most instances, to excessive speeds and attendant causes. To the end that this speed may be controlled, your board has ordered "Speed Traps" to be operated at various points. Courtesy warnings have been delivered and mailed to minor violators. Persons guilty of flagrant violations have been summonsed to court and speed has been greatly diminished on this highway, because of this action and the necessary publicity concerning it. It is necessary for a great many of the younger children to cross this super-highway in traveling to and
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from their homes and upon request of the School Superintendent, and numerous other interested citizens, your board has stationed two reserve police officers for five days per week, at difficult crossings to provide safe conduct for our smaller children.
Emergency Finance Board
In the latter part of the year 1933, due to the tremendous in- crease in demand upon our welfare department and after the tax rate had been fixed, it became necessary for the town to have ad- ditional funds. These funds were obtained by borrowing from the Emergency Finance Board the sum of $30,000, $15,000 of which was repaid in 1934, and $15,000 of which will be repaid in 1935. As a result of the rules for borrowing from the Emergency Finance Board, no monies can be spent by a municipality in excess of the amount spent the year before, or for any purposes for which there was no appropriation the preceding year, without the permission of that board. This ruling made it impossible for your town boards to act on any special articles passed at the annual town meeting until that appropriation had been approved. Your board, together with the chairinan of the Finance Committee and the Town Accountant, went before the Emergency Finance Board and obtained the authority necessary for all of Read- ing's appropriations.
Lake Quannapowitt
Considerable investigation has been had with regard to the level of Lake Quannapowitt. The matter has been thoroughly investigated by the State Reclamation Board. Joint conferences have been held by your board with the Wakefield Board of Selectmen to determine a method by which the lower areas in Reading, bordering upon the lake, can be drained without injury to the lake. Various methods have been suggested, and various plans have been submitted. The one that meets with the most favor, is that one presented by the State Reclamation Board, which calls for a weir along the north-easterly end of the lake, together with a system of ditches which would con- duct some of the water around the lake and into the Saugus River below the weir. No definite estimates of cost are available at this time, but it is believed that they would be of a substantial nature and attempts are being made to interest the state in this proposition, in order to relieve the burden on the Towns of Reading and Wake- field.
Parking
The parking rules and regulations now in effect have been amended by further restrictions in that no parking is permitted on Sanborn Street for a distance of 130 feet from the northerly side-line of Haven Street.
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Town Forest
A taking of land was made in the area of "Great Island" to finish a complete section of development. The Town Forest, in its present condition, is quite an impressive sight and should be, within a period of ten years one of the beauty spots of Reading.
E. R. A.
The first of this year witnessed the transition of C. W. A. to E. R. A. Under the system of operation of E. R. A., the rules were much more stringent in that "Need" was the controlling factor. The Federal Government supplied the monies for labor, but in no instance, in Reading, has supplied the monies for material. The drain on the regular appropriations of the various departments for material for this work has been exceedingly heavy. A great many projects have been commenced and completed under E. R. A. administration. A great deal of this work consists of pipe lines, underground, straightening of roads, and other things which cannot be quickly discernible, but which all lead to the improvement of the community. There are, how- ever, other projects which can be pointed to with pride, for ex- ample, the new Junior High School Football Field, the partial com- pletion of Birch Meadow, the painting of Municipal Buildings, etc. The appropriation, under Soldier's Relief, was not entirely exhausted this year, not due to the diminishing demand, but because your board was able to transfer the majority of the able bodied Soldier's Relief cases to E. R. A.
Zoning Law
There was one violation of the zoning law specifically called to the board's attention this year, for selling confection in a residential area. The board investigated this matter, determined it to be a viola- tion and ordered the violation stopped. In accordance with the pro- visions of the law, the matter was presented to the Board of Appeal in a Petition for A Variance.
Vacancy
The Library Trustees met, in joint session with your board and elected Louis M. Lyons to fill the vacancy on the Library Trustees, caused by the resignation of Arthur M. Mansfield.
Conclusion
May we, at this time, express our appreciation to the various town boards, town officials and town employees for their hearty loyalty and co-operation in trying times.
ALBERT N. LEMAN J. WARREN KILLAM, JR. NEWELL H. MORTON
Board of Selectmen.
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REPORT OF TOWN COUNSEL
"To the Honorable, the Law Committee of the Town of Reading :
I herewith submit my report as Town Counsel for the year ending December 31, 1934.
At the Annual Town Meeting in March, the Town voted to lay out five streets and relocate the lines of two other streets. This necessitated the examination of titles to about eighty parcels of land to secure the required information so that the Board of Public Works could make proper takings of the parcels and land affected thereby. Throughout the year, the Board of Public Works has made takings for drainage purposes and easements in private streets for the construction of water mains therein. Such takings have required my services in the matter of examination of 54 titles and preparation of orders of taking and in many cases the drafting of agreements waiving claims for dam- ages. Since the acceptance by the Town of the provisions of Chapter 391 of the Acts of 1923, the Board of Public Works have deemed it advisable for the protection of the Town to file water liens against Estates of delinquent water users. In connection with the filing of such liens, examinations of the records at the Registry of Deeds were made necessary in order to ascertain the present owner of the prop- erty. During the current year, I have examined the records covering sixty Estates to ascertain the necessary information for the purpose of recording such water liens. The titles to twenty parcels were ex- amined for the purpose of levying assessments for the construction of granolithic sidewalks. The usual matters under the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Works have required my services and I have rendered opinions, prepared street lay outs, reports, orders of tak- ing, relocations of streets, easements for sewers and drains, and or- ders for construction of granolithic sidewalks. Under instructions from the Board, I performed services in the matter of the enactment of the bill previously filed with the Legislature authorizing the changing and establishing of part of the boundary line between the City of Woburn and the Town of Reading to include within the Town of Reading the entire area of South Street and a portion of land abutting said Street. After negotiations with the City Officials of Woburn resulting in an agreement as to the location of the boundary line and after hearings before the Legislative Committee, the Legislature established the new boundary line which is defined in Chaper 177 of the Acts of 1934.
The collections of certain overdue accounts have been handled by me for the Water Department, the Municipal Light Department and the Cemetery Trustees.
At the beginning of the year, three cases were pending before
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the State Board of Tax Appeals against the Board of Assessors. Dur- ing the year six cases were brought before the State Board of Tax Appeals. Pleadings in behalf of the Board have been drafted, nego- tiations for settlement have been carried on with counsel represent- ing petitioners, and satisfactory adjustments have been effected of five cases. After hearings before the State Board of Tax Appeals in three cases a favorable decision was obtained for the Board of Assess- ors in two of the cases, and in the third case an abatement was grant- ed the petitioner. There are pending at the present time one undisposed of case, and three recent cases have been commenced in which the pleadings have not yet been completed.
In the Land Court three cases for the foreclosure of the right of redemption of tax liens were commenced. Pleadings were drafted, hearings were held before the Court, and as a result thereof two cases have been disposed of by entry of decree foreclosing the right of redemption and declaring the title of the Town to said parcels to be absolute. The third case is still pending before the Court and it is expected will be disposed of in the near future. Proceedings were commenced under the provisions of the statute to foreclose two other parcels of land of low value. The proceedings are still pending and it is hoped the same will be disposed of shortly so that the title to said parcels will be acquired by the Town.
I have prepared four contracts and accompanying bonds for the School Committee, relating to the alteration and addition to the High- land School Building, and also an agreement between the Town and the architect who supervised the work. I also drafted for the Com- mittee an agreement with the contractor for the erection of the steel grand stand in the playground at the Walter S. Farker Junior High School.
I have rendered assistance to the Board of Public Welfare on several matters requiring my attention and advice.
I have drafted release deeds covering three parcels of land sold by the Board of Selectmen and acquired by the Town by foreclosure of tax liens.
At the beginning of the year, there were five cases against the Town pending in the Courts and during the year two of these cases have been satisfactorily adjusted. At the present time there are four cases against the Town now pending in the Courts. Ten claims against the Town which have not been made the subject of litigation are pending, which claims arise from accidents on the high- ways.
I have filed in behalf of the Town Trustee's answers in suits brought against Town employees, have attended hearings of the vari-
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ous boards, have given advice and opinions on Town matters, drafted all documents and legal instruments, prosecuted all claims brought in behalf of the Town, appeared in defense of all actions and suits insti- tuted or pending against the Town, and performed every profession- al act required of me in the performance of the duties of my office. Respectfully submitted, SAMUEL H. DAVIS, Town Counsel. .
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen : Gentlemen :
I herewith submit the annual report of the Police Department of the Town of Reading for the year ending December 31, 1934.
Arrests for the year 1934-494.
Males, 485; females, 9; residents, 220; non residents, 274;
Adults, 429; minors, 65; American born, 463; foreign born, 31. Causes of Arrests
Assault with intent to commit murder, 1; Assault with intent to commit robbery and did rob, 2; Assault and battery, 7; Drunkenness, 301; Driving under the influence of liquor, 36; Non Support, 5; Insane, 2; Arrests for out Town officers, 22; Breaking and entering, 5; Man- slaughter, 1; Larceny, 12; Violation of the Automobile Law, 71; Capias, 2; Rape, 2; Neglected Children, 4; Fornication, 2; Receiving Stolen Property, 1; Carnal abuse on Minor Children , 1; Bastardy, 1; Dis- turbing the peace, 6; Non payment of wages, 1; Damage to prop- erty, 5; Habitual truancy, 1; Delinquent children, 2; Runaway children, 2; Violation of Gen. Laws Chap. 186-Sec. 14-1.
Disposition of cases in Court
Fined, 87; Filed, 56; Released, 220; Discharged, 17; Grand Jury, 10; House of Correction, 7; House of Correction suspended, 23; Cases Continued, 2; Turned over to out Town officer, 32; Appealed, 6; Turned over to State, 5; Dismissed for lack of prosecution, 1; Shirley School, 3; Shirley School suspended, 2; Probation 1.
Amount of Fines Imposed by Court
44 at $5.00 each, $220.00; 7 at $10.00 each, $70.00; 2 at $15.00 each, $30.00; 2 at $20.00, $40.00; 4 at $25.00 each, $100.00; 17 at $30.00 each, $510.00; 10 at $50.00 each; $500.00; 2 at $100.00 each, $200.00
Miscellaneous
Cases investigated, 392; doors found open and secured, 159; windows found open and secured, 19; pay rolls guarded, 72; Auto accidents, 210; wires found down and reported, 13; dogs killed by of-
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ficers, 21; dogs killed by autos, 18; Autos reported stolen by out Towil officers, 35; dogs restrained served, 7; dogs found and returned to the owners, 18; people put up for night, 147; street lights reported out, 41 ;. air rifle taken away from boys, 2; summons served for out of town officers, 61; Telephone messages delivered after hours, 47; search warrants served, 4; fires put out by officers, 2; people away and spe- cial attention asked, 22; mail guarded, 70; dead bodies taken care of, 5; lost children found and taken home, 26; Ambulance made the runs to hospitals as follows : Winchester Hospital 30; Choate Memorial Hospital in Woburn, 11; Mass. General, 7; Lowell General, 3; Melrose Hospital, 5; Wakefield, 2; Carney Hospital, 2; Danvers State Hospital, 2; Tewksbury State Hospital, 11; Trumbull Hospital, Boston, 2; Peter Bent Brigham, 1; Lawrence General 2; North Reading Sani- torium, 1. Bicycles reported stolen and recovered, 4; notified Fire Dept. of fires, 2; defective streets reported, 17; escort to funeral, 2; serious sickness signs put out, 16; lanterns put out in dangerous places, 8; miss- ing persons not found, 1; property found and turned over to owners, $150.00 ; property left outside stores and brought to station and later turned over to the owners, $1000.00; property reported stolen, $4500 ; property recovered, $4100.00; property recovered for out Town officers, $1000.00.
Conclusion
At this time I wish to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen ,the Judges of the District Court, the Clerks of the Court, our local Press, and all others who assisted in promoting the welfare of this depart- ment, also the members of the force for what they have done.
Respectfully yours, JEREMIAH CULLINANE, Chief of Folice, Reading, Mass.
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
"To the Honorable Board of Selectmen : Gentlemen :
The annual report of the Fire Department is herewith submitted giving a record of fires that have occurred during the year ending De- cember 31, 1934, together with such information as I think may be of interest to the town.
Finances
My. financial transactions are all embodied in the report of the "Town Accountant to which I would respectfully refer you for any in- formation you may desire in that line.
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Manual Force
The department consists of nine permanent men (including the Chief) and twenty-one call men.
Apparatus and Equipment
The department has five pieces of motor apparatus and a sedan for the use of the Chief. The Chief's car and four pieces of apparatus are at the Central Fire Station as follows : Engine 1, a Seagrave triple combination of 1000 gallons per minute capacity which was purchased in 1934. Engine 3, a Seagrave triple combination of 600 gallons capacity which was purchased in 1929. Ladder 1, a Robinson combination service ladder truck purchased in 1916, in which a White motor was installed in 1920. And a Chevrolet hose truck equipped for grass and brush fires purchased in 1932.
Engine 2, a Seagrave triple combination of 400 gallons per minute capacity is stationed on Woburn St.
Engine 1 was purchased this year to replace Combination A, a Knox truck which was in service 21 years. I have purchased 1000 feet of hose this year which gives me a complete change for all trucks. I have also purchased 5 waterproof covers, new nozzles and tips, and small appliances.
Recommendations
I would recommend the appropriation of $350.00 for the purchase of more waterproof covers and the further standardization of nozzles and gates. Also the replacement of whatever hose is taken out of service, thereby making the expenditure a small amount each year in- stead of a large amount every fourth or fifth year.
Fire Prevention
I have issued 1854 permits for fires out of doors, 5 permits for the sale of fireworks and 6 permits to conduct blasting operations. There are 1742 permits now in force for the storage of oil in various amounts up to 2000 gallons.
Record of Alarms
Month
Telephone
Bell
Total
January
7
1
8
February
6
6
12
March
8
3
11
April
53
15
68
May
21
11
32
June
7
7
14
July
12
1
13
August
12
3
15
September
8
1
9
.
.
.
99
Telephone
Bell
Total
Month
October
15
4
19
November
12
2
14
December
15
9
24
Total
176
63
239
Miles traveled
1,262
Number feet 2 1-2 inch hose laid
16,450
Number feet 1 1-2 inch hose laid
19,300
Number feet chemical hose laid
2,500
Number feet ladders raised
298
Gallons chemical used
60
Covers spread
30
Gallons of gasoline used
1,025
Gallons oil used
62
Value of property
endangered
$183,450.00
Insurance thereon
167,150.00
Loss thereto
29,678.00
Insurance paid
22,820.00
In concluding, I wish to extend to your Honorable Board, the Town Accountant, Treasurer and the Finance Committee, my thanks for the courtesies and co-operation I have received during the year. I wish to compliment the officers and members of the department on the prompt and efficient manner in which they have performed their duties. I also wish to express my thanks to the Chief of Police for the services rendered by his department at fires, and to the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company for the prompt and efficient service rendered in receiving alarms by telephone.
Respectfully submitted, O. O. ORDWAY, Chief of Fire Department.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE ALARM
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Gentlemen :
The following is the report of the Superintendent of Fire Alarm for the year of 1934.
Through C. W. A. Project No. 4885 the entire fire alarm system was measured from pole to pole which will be of great help in drafting maps of the system and planning future extensions. This project also provided for the tree trimming and insulation of two circuits.
.
Underground cables were installed on Main Street from Haven and
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