USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1940 > Part 9
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Four petitions for variations of the application of the Zoning By- Law were presented to the Board of Appeal during the year 1940. After public hearings, two of these petitions were granted, one was granted in part, one was denied.
One appeal was made to the Board from a ruling of the Building Inspector, under the Building Laws. After a hearing, the ruling of the Building Inspector was upheld, and the appeal was denied.
Full reports of all cases heard by the Board are on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
Respectfully submitted, HENRY Q. MILLETT, Chairman FRED L. NUTTER, Secretary, BENJAMIN B. PIPER,
Board of Appeal.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF PLUMBING
To the Board of Health,
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1940.
Number of permits granted
122
Number of fixtures installed
678
Bath tubs
109
Lavatories
121
Closets
130
Sinks
104
Sink and Tray Combination
20
2 Part Trays
60
Drinking Fountains
4
Boilers
75
Stall Showers
5
Bath Showers
50
I have made 294 inspections covering plumbing.
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID TAGGART,
Inspector of Plumbing.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS For the Year 1940
Valuation of Taxable Property
Buildings, exclusive of land ..
$12,833,960.00
Land, exclusive of buildings ..
3,552,940.00
Personal Estate
696,698.00
Total Taxable Valuation
$17,083,598.00
Amount appropriated for
Town Purposes ..
$780,989.75
Amt. of Overlay Deficit '36 ..
182.65
Amt. of Overlay Deficit '37 ..
725.93
Amt. to be paid for State and County Taxes
76,221.82
Amount of Overlay
7,786.09
$865,906.24
Less Estimated Receipts $ 204,214.80
Excise Tax
23,171.00
3654 Polls @ $2.00
7,308.00
Over Estimate State and
County Taxes '39
1,511.74
Available Funds
21,050.00
257,255.54
Amount to be raised
$608,650.70
Tax Rate for 1940 (Amount to be raised divided by total taxable valuation) is $35.20 per M.
Recapitulation
Real Estate Tax
$ 576,818.85
Personal Estate Tax
24,523.85
Poll Taxes
7,308.00
Excise Taxes
27,714.05
Moth Assessment
464.00
Betterments :
Sewer
596.09
Sidewalk and Curbing
1,239.64
Highway
2,417.01
Water
217.71
Additional Polls
14.00
December Commitment
32.56
$541,345 76
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Detail of State and County Taxes
State Tax, 1940
$ 40,800.00
State Parks, 1940
541.93
Metropolitan Sewer, 1940
12,822.92
Civil War Veterans Care, 1940
120.00
Civil War Veterans Care, 1939 Deficit
20.00
County Tax, 1940
21,916.97
Total State and County Tax for 1940
$ 76,221.82
Valuation Comparison
1939
1940
Inc.
Dec.
Val. of Bldgs Only
$12,652,430 $12,833,960
$ 181,530
Val. of Land Only
3,578,290
3,552,940
$ 25,350
Val. of Personal Prop.
696,306
696,698
392
Val. of Town Prop. ..
1,495,960
1,702,535
206,575
Val. of Exempted Prop.
557,320
564,120
6,800
Val. of Excise Tax . ...
842,300
975,355
133,055
December Commitment
1,450
925
525
Total Town Valuation
$19,824,056
$20,326,533
$ 528,352
$ 25,875
Net Change in Valuation
$ 502,477
Tax Rate
$34.00 Per M $35.20 Per M
Miscellaneous Data
1939
1940
Inc.
Dec.
Number of Persons, Partnerships and Corporations Assessed
3165
2903
262
Number of Automobiles Assessed
3470
3772
302
Number of Polls
3608
3661
53
Number of Horses
35
37
2
Number of Neat Cattle
175
196
21
Number of Swine
100
157
57
Number of Dwelling Houses
2732
2790
58
Number of Acres of Land
5570
5570
Number of Fowl
16579
18793
2214
GEORGE E. HORROCKS, ARTHUR S. COOK,
EDGAR FROST,
Board of Assessors.
111
REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH
To the Citizens of Reading :
There were three hundred nineteen contagious diseases reported during the year 1940.
Chicken Pox
23
Dog Bite
30
German Measles
2
Influenza
3
Lobar Pneumonia
14
Measles
193
Scarlet Fever
8
Whooping Cough
46
Number of Deaths
Male
49
Female
63
6 were between
90 and 100
21
were between
80 and 90
33 were between 70 and 80
28 were between 60 and 70
16 were between
50 and 60
2
were between
1
was between
30 and 40
3 still births
Respectfully submitted,
E. M. HALLIGAN, M. D.
R. B. SHEPARDSON, M. D.
C. F. ATKINSON
Board of Health.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS
This is a report of work done in Reading during 1940 by the Middle- sex County Extension Service.
The Metropolitan Reading Poultry Association held regular meet- ings at the Reading Municipal Building during the year. Mr. William Johnson of West St. served as president of this association, Mr. Ray H. Cleary as secretary and Mr. Cecil Keith of Lowell St. as treasurer. Several Reading poultry men have kept accounts in co-operation with the Extension Service.
112
40 and 50
2 were under
1 year
319
112
Spray schedules were sent to fruit growers before each spray, giv- ing time of applications and materials to use. Vegetable spray charts for the major crops were sent monthly during the growing season to the vegetable growers. Several farm visits were made, giving personal in- fomation on the growers' crops. Several meetings were held through- out the growing season in neighboring towns where growers could obtain any requested information.
The only project the Reading homemakers took with the Extension Service was the making of slip covers. Besides this project there was a series of meetings on leadership. Two single meetings were given, one on Better Lighting in the Home, and another on Christmas Gift Sugges- tions.
4-H Club work was successfully carried on under the direction of a 4-H town committee, of which Mrs. Howard Perley was chairman. Committee members were Miss Annie F. Poock, Mrs. Harry U. Camp, William T. Fairclough. Twenty girls were enrolled in the clothing pro- ject in two clubs. Leaders of these clubs were Mrs. John O'Brien, who has completed six years of leadership work, and Miss Lois Connor, who has served for four years as leader. Mrs. William Connor was an as- sistant leader. Miss Lois Connor was also leader of a boys' handicraft club. Mr. Ernest Johnson had a group of boys in poultry, and Miss Barbara Marshall a group in gardening, eighteen boys in all.
The annual exhibition was held at the Highland School. A style revue was given by the girls in clothing and an amusing play was en- acted by the boys in Miss Connors' Club. Mrs. Howard Perley presided as program chairman.
Local leaders attended leader training meetings in Woburn and Wakefield.
Seven girls from the two clothing clubs participated in the county- wide dress contest in Concord on County Girls' Day. Blue ribbons in the contest were awarded to Eleanor McLeod and Madelyn Squires These girls were invited to model their dresses at the annual Home- makers' Day program in Lexington.
Mrs. John O'Brien spent a week at the 4-H local leaders' camp on the campus at Massachusetts State College.
Richard Burns and Russell Carter won recognition by the County Office on their garden work.
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD
To the Town of Reading
The Board organized with Richard F. Drew as chairman and A. Lloyd David as secretary.
Regular meetings were held at the Municipal Building on Friday evenings until October 14th and thereafter on Monday evenings for the rest of the year.
113
Members of the Board have attended various local hearings. Mr. White has continued as a member of the Special Drainage Committee.
Considerable interest was revived in the proposed by-pass around Reading and Stoneham, and several joint meetings were held with the Stoneham and Wakefield Planning Boards to discuss the project. A committee consisting of the chairmen of these Boards was created to take the matter up with the Division of Metropolitan Planning and the State Board of Public Works and the State Planning Board. As a result, a bill has been introduced in the legislature for the construction of the by-pass.
During the year several delegations of pupils from the schools have visited the Board and the functions and work of the Board have been explained to them.
RICHARD F. DREW, Chm. A. LLOYD DAVID, Sec'y. WINTHROP D. PARKER PHILIP R. WHITE SHERBURNE J. WATTS
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Gentlemen :
The 1940 report of the Chief of the Fire Department is herewith submitted.
Manual Force
The manual force of the department consists of 9 permanent men including the Chief, and 23 call men.
Apparatus
At the Central Fire Station are located a 1937 Packard Chief's car; Engine 1, a 1,000 gal. per min. Seagrave pumping engine with a 100 gallon booster tank, purchased in 1934; Engine 3, a 600 gal. per min. Seagrave pumping engine with a 85-gallon booster tank, purchased in 1929; Engine 4, a 1932 Chevrolet 1 1-2 ton truck used for forest and grass fires, (which carries a 100 gal. per min. portable pump, a 65 gallon booster tank and 3,000 feet of 11/2 inch hose) Ladder 1, a Rob- inson city service ladder truck with a 40 gallon chemical tank purchased in 1916.
The Robinson ladder truck will be replaced within a few days with the new ladder truck received from the Seagrave Corporation December 31st. This truck is a modern junior aerial ladder truck with a 3-piece power raised ladder which extends 65 feet from the ground, 338 feet of various hand ladders, a 100 gallon booster tank, 300 feet of booster hose and a 200 gal. per min. fire pump. It also carries the in- halator, first aid kit, waterproof covers and other equipment. in fact
114
it is a complete fire fighting unit and is a valuable addition to the de- partment.
Engine 2, a 400 gal. per min. Seagrave pumping engine with a 65 gallon booster tank is located at the Woburn Street Station.
With the replacement of the Robinson ladder truck the apparatus is all in good condition and no replacement of apparatus should be re- quired for many years
Service Record
The department has answered 67 bell alarms, 27 still, 152 telephone and 52 service calls. This is a decrease of 129 from 1939.
Value of property endangered by fire
$171,355.00
Insurance on same
131,750.00
Loss
24,973.92
Insurance paid
20,203.11
Uninsured loss
4,770.81
Miles apparatus traveled
6,283
Feet of Hose laid, 21/2 inch
18,900
11/2 inch
19,650
1 inch
7,650
3/4 inch
4,400
Feet of ladder raised
1,390
Booster tanks used
90
40-gallon chemical tanks
1
3 gallon soda and acid extinguishers
10
1 quart carbon-tetrachloride extinguishers
1
Carbon-dioxide extinguishers
15
Foam extinguishers
0
Chimney fusees
3
Hours engines pumped
55
Calls for inhalator
4
Salvage covers spread
15
Hours lighting unit used
6
Recommendations
The supply of both 21/2 inch and 11/2 inch hose should be increased.
Consideration should be given to the installation of more fire hy- drants, the tying in of dead end water mains and the installation of larger mains in some locations.
The permanent force should be increased and a radio transmitter installed in the Chief's car.
Conclusion
In conclusion I wish to thank the Honorable Board for its co- operation, the members of the department for the faithful performance of their duties, the employees of the telephone company for their valu-
115
able assistance in the transmission of emergency calls to this depart- ment, and all town departments and persons who have assisted this department.
Respectfully submitted, HUGH L. EAMES, Chief of the Fire Department.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE ALARM
To the Honarable Board of Selectmen,
Gentlemen :
I hereby submit my report for the year of 1940.
The following underground conduits have been laid : Pleasant Street from opposite the Central Fire Station to Middle Street; Pearl Street in front of the new school property and to connect with the conduit entering the school building; Linden Street from Woburn to Mt. Ver- non; West and Woburn Streets and into Westcroft Park; Lowell Street from High to Hartshorn; from Franklin Street across Haverhill; from Sanborn Street into the High School, and on High Street, in connec- tion with a W. P. A. project, a conduit has been laid from Mt. Vernon Street to Woodward Ave. Cables have been installed as follows : 4 conductor cables into the new Pearl Street School and the High School; an 8 conductor cable from Sanborn and Woburn Streets to Mt. Vernon and Linden; a 19 conductor cable on Woburn Street from Sanborn to Bancroft Avenue; a 19 conductor cable on Lowell Street from Salem to Middlesex Avenue; a 22 conductor cable on Wo- burn Street from Pratt to Summer Avenue. The work of installing underground conduits and cables should be continued.
No boxes were added to the system this year. As there are many locations not within reasonable distance of a fire alarm box, I recom- mend the installation of four boxes the coming year.
A larger fire alarm switch board should be installed to permit the system to be divided into more box circuits with fewer boxes on each circuit.
I wish to thank the Honorable Board for its co-operation, and all others who have assisted this department.
Respectfully submitted, HUGH L. EAMES, Superintendent of Fire Alarm.
116
رسمي.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
To the Citizens of the Town of Reading :
The annual report of the Board of Selectmen for the year ending December 31, 1940 is hereby submitted :
At the meeting held March 8, 1940 the Board organized as follows :
Newell H. Morton, Chairman Robert E. Fowle, Secretary Carl W. Goodridge Leon G. Bent, Clerk
Meetings were held regularly on Friday evenings until September 27th, when the Board voted to change meeting nights to Monday eve- nings beginning October 7, 1940. Many special meetings were held as occasion required.
Appointments Made in 1940
Board of Registrars-Three years-Walter A. Scanlon.
Board of Appeal-Three years-Fred L. Nutter.
Associate Member Board of Appeal-Howard T. Clinch.
W. P. A. Sponsor's Agent-Arthur C. Michelini.
.Soldiers' Relief Agent-Charles W. H. Smith.
Sealer of Weights & Measures-Carl M. Smith.
Gas Inspector-David Taggart.
Dog Officer-Charles H. Melendy.
Building Inspector-A. Russell Barnes.
Burial Agent, Soldiers' and Sailors'-Charles E. Tasney.
Custodian Soldiers' Graves-Harry A. Turner.
Keeper of the Lock Up-Jeremiah Cullinane.
Supt. Fire Alarm-Hugh L. Eames.
Inspector of Wires-Albert C. Maxwell .
Contributory Retirement Board-J. Warren Killam, Jr .- three years.
Weighers of Coal and Hay-Thomas E. Brogan, Charles W. Lee, Mabel L. Mckay, Bertha D. MacLellan, Wendell B. Newell, Percy N. Sweetser, Henry C. Floyd.
Field Drivers-Ernest T. Wakefield, Adolph S. Larson, Edward E. Nichols.
Fence Viewers-Wendell B. Newell, Carl B. Sawyer, Albert E. Temple.
Committee on Elm Tree Protection-Andrew Christensen, Henry M. Donegan, John F. Sawyer.
Committee on Town Forests-Leland W. Kingman.
Inspector of Animals-Bernard Schimpfke.
Game Warden-James T. Putnam.
Moth Superintendent-Henry M. Donegan.
117
Finance Committee-John L. Devaney, William A. Connelly, Ben- jamin Howe, Allan H. Sturges, Clarence M. Kimball, for three years; Clinton L. Bancroft, for two years.
Special Police Officers-John F. Maguire, Reading High School; Charles L. Cummings, Reading High School; Sylvanus Thompson, Low- ell St. School; Edward McBrien, Pearl St. School; Walter Smith, Junior High School; James L. Healey, Highland School; Henry W. Bryden, Junior High School; William H. Killam, Municipal Building and Lib- rary; Frank F. Strout, Pumping Station; Ralph F. Plouff, William P. Pierpont, William H. Manning, Charles H. Melendy, Gardner A. Perry, Edgar C. Stuart, American Legion Quarters; John Chase, Unitarian Church and Community Hall; Thomas F. Classen, Edward E. Harnden, Union Street Building; Arthur C. Michelini, Union Street Building; Charles L. Gowing, Jr., Reading Theater; Fred Reissle, Junior High School; Daniel J. O'Keefe, Town Dump; J. Edward Black, Herbert F. Carter, J. Winthrop Sias, Norman H. Jewett, George O'Keefe, George W. Hall, Frederick W. Burns, Town Forest; Charles E. Langdon, Se- curity and Odd Fellows Hall; H. Harvey Quigley, Funerals ; M. Russell Meikle, Reading Rifle & Revolver Club; Wm. N. Richards, Baptist Church and First National Bank; Charles A. Benner, Traffic Lights, Salem and Pearl Sts .; Jacob C. Neilson, Skating Ponds; William H. Miller, Hugh L. Eames, William E. Slack, Town Dump.
Police Department
A new cruising car was purchased to replace the one which was two years old. There are two cars in service and they travel over fifty thousand miles in a two year period. The practice of replacing one car each year should be continued.
Two Reserve Officers have been given regular duty throughout the year and a third Reserve Officer has been on duty much of the time. The Board recommends that inasmuch as two Reserve Officers have been given full time for a number of years, they should be made per- manent members of the force.
Ambulance
The Board has found it necessary to make a charge for the use of the ambulance, effective March 1, 1941. Charges will be made as fol- lows :
Within radius of 7 miles $3 00
Within radius of 17 miles $5.00
Over 16 miles $5.00 plus 25 cents per mile on all over 16 miles, based on mileage one way.
Fire Department
Funds were voted at a special town meeting on May 1, 1940, for the purchase of a fire truck. On August 6th the Chief, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, purchased a Seagrave 65-foot Junior Aerial
118
Fire Truck. The truck arrived late in December and has been tested and accepted.
With the replacement of the ladder truck, the equipment is now in excellent condition, and no new apparatus will be required for some time to come.
Tree and Moth Department
Regular replacement of trees removed has been carried out and many new trees set out as new streets are developed. The W. P. A. working in conjunction with the Moth Department, has carried on in- sect extermination. There should be no let-up in this work lest the situation get out of control.
Traffic and Parking
The parking situation in and around the square has been a prob- lem for the Board and one difficult to solve in order that there will be no partiality and that both shoppers and merchants will be aided. Hearings have been held in order to allow all to express their opin- ions as to the best way to solve this problem. The Board is nearing a solution and new regulations will be issued very soon. It is the in- tention of the Board to have the Police Department strictly enforce these regulations as soon as they are placed in effect.
Speeding on our highways has brought in an unusual number of complaints during the year. These matters have been given as much attention as possible with the limited number of police officers avail- able.
Signs have been erected at all main highways leading into the Town, with the exception of Main Street which is under the control of the State Department of Public Works, limiting the speed to 30 miles per hour. The State Police are now patroling South Main Street as well as North Main Street.
W. P. A.
Many worth while projects have been carried out under our effi- cient Sponsor's Agent. Outstanding among them are the grading of the Pearl Street School grounds, Pearl Street sewer, underground con- duits, Charles Street widening, etc.
Local Defense Committee
Sudden successes by the German blitzkreig on several small coun- tries and the fall of France awakened our country to the possibilities of attack, particularly by airplane.
At the call of the Governor, Civilian Defense Committees were set up in towns and cities throughout the Commonwealth. The Board issued a call and one hundred per cent of those contacted responded and attended the first meeting on July 7, 1940, about forty being pre- sent.
119
On advice of the State House, the Board of Selectmen was set up as the executive committee and other committees were formed as follows :
Selective Service, Public Works, First Aid, Public Utilities, Trans- portation and Commodities, Home Guard, Fire Protection, Police Pro- tection, Public Housing and Publicity and Education.
Each of the committees has met individually and has made plans and gathered data which is in a main file in the Selectmen's office.
Volunteers have augmented the committees, both individuals and organizations, and the Board is confident that should an emergency arise the response would be as spontaneous and general as during the Lowell floods of 1936, and the hurricane of 1938.
Town Forest
New roads and more water holes have been constructed for fire protection. Several hundred trees were planted to replace those that were lost through various causes.
Due to the number of people who walk or ride through the area, a man has been on duty to police the area and his worth has been proven in prevention both of fires and the thoughtless destruction of the small trees, and his services should be continued until the trees have grown to several feet in height.
The Board wishes to express its appreciation for the co-operation of all Boards, officials and employees during the past year.
Respectfully submitted, NEWELL H. MORTON, Chairman. ROBERT E FOWLE, Secretary. CARL W. GOODRIDGE. Board of Selectmen.
REPORT OF THE W. P. A. SPONSOR'S AGENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit my annual report as W. P. A. Sponsor's Agent for the year 1940.
During this period, twenty-one Federal projects were in operation, employing an average of 192 workers who received in wages, $134,908.43.
A brief description of projects operated during the past year fol- lows. An itemized account of expenditures of funds for W. P. A. ma- terials will be found in the report of the Town Accountant.
120
Federal Pay-Roll Expenditures for Works Projects
W. P. A. Wages-January 1, 1940 to December 31, 1940 $134,908.43 Value of Surplus Food Commodities Distributed 22,214.15
Value of Surplus Clothing Distributed 8,512.45
Total
$165,635.03
School Grounds Project
The grading of the Pearl Street School grounds was completed this year. The following are the main items involved. Grass area graded, loamed and seeded, 13,700 square yards; Play areas graded and stone dusted, 3,000 square yards; five foot chain link fence erected, 970 lineal feet; Concrete retaining wall constructed, 878 lineal feet; Concrete curb with brick top constructed, 753 lineal feet; Asphalt-pea stone sidewalk constructed, 147 square yards; Granolithic sidewalks constructed, 285 square yards; Catch basins constructed, 5.
At the Highland School a granolithic sidewalk was constructed along School Street completing the Highland School project.
At the Lowell St. School a granolithic sidewalk was constructed along Lowell Street. The sidewalk on Hartshorn Street will be com- pleted in the spring of 1941.
Re-conditioning Public Buildings
The exteriors of the following buildings were painted under this project : Police Station, Fire Alarm Shop, Senior High School, Walter S. Parker Junior High School, Highland School and Lowell Street School. At the Lowell Street School new windows were installed and the south and west sides reshingled.
Underground Conduit Project
This project calls for the laying of underground ducts for electric main transmission lines, laterals and service connections, the construc- tion of transformer vaults and manholes on High, Lowell, Linden and Sanborn Streets. A total of 41,558 feet of ducts have been laid, 10 manholes built and 1131 square yards of granolithic sidewalks con- structed. This project will be completed in 1941.
Charles Street Widening
Charles Street under this project is to be widened, graded and resurfaced throughout its entire length. This will require the removal of trees and ledge, removal and resetting of walls, installation of neces- sary drainage and the construction of three new culverts. Work was started on December 26, 1940 and will be completed in the spring of 1941.
121
Union Street School Remodeling
The Union Street School Building, vacated in January, 1940, was re- modelled under this project into a thirteen room office building. It now furnishes offices for the Welfare and Old Age Assistance Depart- ments, Sponsor's Agent, Federal Commodities Distribution Center and W. P. A. White Collar Projects and Time Control Department.
Tree Pest Elimination
Under this project 544 acres of woodland were creosoted for egg masses and nests of gypsy moths. The project also included cutting browntail webs, destroying tent caterpillar webs and eggs. Also 81 acres of treeland were sprayed with arsenate of lead.
Preservation of Shade Trees
Trees along 30 miles of the town's highways were trimmed and cleared of dead branches, trees bolted where necessary, cavities filled and unsafe trees removed.
Grove St. Water Main
This project approved for the installation of a 12" auxiliary water main from Franklin Street to the new Pumping Station was completed on October 31, 1940. Under this project, 1744 lineal feet of 12" water mains were laid.
Town Forest Roadways
Under this project an additional 2000 feet of roadways in the Town Forest were graded, widened and gravel surfaced. Work on this pro- ject was suspended on June 18, 1940.
Pearl St. Sewer
The trunk sewer line from Salem Street to the new Pearl Street School was completed on May 21, 1940. Total length of sewer pipe laid was 1700 lineal feet.
Emergency Snow Removal
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