USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1946 > Part 10
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The Board is grateful for the splendid co-operation of the Superin- tendents and their assistants for maintaining the high standards in the care and operation of both Cemeteries.
Respectfully submitted,
FRED L. NUTTER, Chairman JAMES W. FAIRCHILD, Secretary HARRY C. BARR EDOUARD N. DUBE
DAVID E. HERSEE
WILLIAM P. PIERPONT
Board of Cemetery Trustees
119
LAUREL HILL AND FOREST GLEN CEMETERIES REPORT FOR .1946
To the Board of Cemetery Trustees :
Town of Reading, Mass.
Gentlemen :
The Superintendent's Report on the operation of the Reading Cemeteries for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1946 is herewith sub- mitted.
It should be noted that this report includes statistics of my predeces- sor, Mr. William P. Pierpont. His duties as Superintendent terminated on June 30, 1946, having attained the statutory age for retirement.
The normal yearly functions of maintenance and interments were augmented by several tasks. Acts of VANDALISM on the ornamental iron gates at both the Highland and Lowell Street entrances to Laurel Hill Cemetery necessitated extensive and expensive repairs.
At the Laurel Hill service yard building now serving as a work shop and garage, modern sanitary conveniences were installed within and a connection made to a newly constructed septic tank, the present heater room enlarged and a reinforced concrete foundation poured for a garage stall to be constructed on the unner level.
The removal of dead trees, namely two large elms and one willow at Laurel Hill Cemetery was accomplished with the able and co-opera- tive assistance rendered this Department by both the Public Works and Tree Departments of the Town.
At Forest Glen a stonedust sidewalk with tree lawn was constructed along the frontage of the town owned dwelling at No. 270 Pearl Street. A small building was moved from the service yard at Laurel Hill and placed upon a foundation at Forest Glen to serve as a temporary tool house. The present fieldstone masonry wall of 1950 lin. ft. in length was repointed where needed throughout its entirety, and sections of this wall not capped with North River Blue Stone Slab, (1090 lin. ft. total), were capped with cement mortar to prevent further deterioration caused by the weather elements.
Laurel Hill Forest Glen Total
Interments
56
28
84
Foundations :
Monuments
7
19
26
Markers
39
14
53
Lots Repaired
5
0
5
Graves Repaired
82
8
90
Winter Graves Repaired
21
15
36
Cement Crypts Used
20
12
32
Cement Vaults Used
36
16
52
120
Lots Sold :
6 Grave
1
1
2
5 Grave
3
0
3
4 Grave
0
12
12
3 Grave
0
1
1
2 Grave
1
8
9
Single Graves
7
4
11
Baby Graves
3
0
3
Ten old lots in Laurel Hill were placed under perpetual care and the perpetual care on one lot was increased to provide for flowers on Memo- rial Day.
Many times during the year the planned functions of this Depart- ment were interrupted and the man hours increased as a result of in- adequate motor equipment. This equipment consists of two 11/2 ton trucks, one a 1929 Model A Ford and the other a 1936 Dodge. Repair bills on the Dodge in the past two years alone have equalled more than two-thirds its initial cost. It is not considered economically feasible to operate under these conditions and the purchase of a new truck is recommended.
As there now remains only six single graves in Laurel Hill for sale, all future purchase of lots must be made from those now developed in Forest Glen. It is recommended that a sum of $1,000.00 be allocated for further study, construction and layout of certain undeveloped sec- tions of Forest Glen Cemetery.
At this time I wish to express my appreciation to all employees of the Cemetery Department for their co-operation.
The financial statement will appear in the report of the Town Ac- countant.
Respectfully submitted, HAROLD F. DAVIS
Superintendent
REPORT OF CUSTODIAN OF SOLDIERS' and SAILORS' GRAVES
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :
Town of Reading :
I respectfully submit my annual report as Custodian of Soldiers' and Sailors' Graves for the Town of Reading for the year ending December 31, 1946.
Nine Veterans' graves and one lot were repaired in Laurel Hill Cemetery and one grave in Forest Glen Cemetery, and the Veterans' Plots in Laurel Hill and Forest Glen Cemeteries were taken care of dur- ing 1946, besides the usual care of all Veterans' graves :
121
1
Appropriation
$ 800.00 Pay Roll $ 564.20
Care Veterans' Plot Laurel Hill Cemetery 33.30
Care of Veterans' Plot Forest Glen Cemetery 150.00
$ 800.00
The following Veterans have passed on during 1946:
Spanish American War William A. Haley-Lot 396, Forest Glen Cemetery, died April 24, 1946, buried April 27, 1946.
World War I
Patrick J. Long, Grave No. 1, Veteran's Plot, Forest Glen Ceme- tery, died Feb. 22, 1946, buried Feb. 26, 1946.
John A. Gowing, Lot No. 149, Laurel Hill Cemetery, died Jan. 17, 1946, buried May 5, 1946.
World War II (Omitted in 1945)
Norman Florence, Lot No. 1, Forest Glen Cemetery, died Sept. 15, 1945, buried Sept. 18, 1945.
Respectfully submitted, HARRY A. TURNER Custodian Soldiers' and Sailors' Graves Town of Reading
REPORT OF VETERANS' BENEFIT AGENT
February 10, 1947
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Town of Reading, Massachusetts
Gentlemen :
I respectfully submit my annual report as your agent of Veterans' Benefits
Our case load has been comparatively light as to financial assistance. We have aided 43 cases, with a total of 92 persons. Employment has been good and the Re-adjustment Allowances of the U .S. Government have helped to keep our load down.
December 31st terminated Soldiers' Relief, State and Military Aid; being replaced by a new Chapter 115, of the General Laws, and combin- ing all three former classes into one class called "Veterans' Benefits."
Our office has also cared for Veterans' Services of all kinds. An Ad- visory Committee consisting of: Irving C. Austin, H. Wilson Powers, W. Gardner Long, Frank D. Tanner, George B. Pease, Ralph G. Bab-
122
cock, Gerrit Oldenbrook, Jr., DeMelle G. Garey, J. Henry Carleton and William A. Sorenson, were appointed by the Selectmen to assist in mat- ters of Rehabilitation. Except for individual instances, we have not found it necessary to make any demands on our Advisory Committee. We feel however, it is a well informed group of citizens, capable of assisting in the purpose they were selected, and we hope they will con- tinue to be available, when the occasion demands.
During the year ending December 31, 1946, the office of Veterans' Service has issued over 2600 Photo copies of discharges of veterans of World War II, we have issued over 400 copies of Nav. papers 553, all without cost to the veteran.
We have notorized and assisted over 300 who have applied for Ter- minal Leave Pay.
We have issued over 500 applications for the State Bonus and most of the applicants we have assisted in making out the forms. We have notorized 66 other required forms for veterans applying for benefits un- der the G. I. Bill of Rights, etc. We have had occasion to assist in plac- ing many returned veterans both in employment and in Training-On- The Job.
Our Contact with Mr. Edwin Hall, the representative of the Vet- erans' Administration in Reading Tuesdays and Thursdays, has been very pleasant and helpful. We have referred many hundreds of cases which we believe was to the advantage of the veteran.
Altogether we consider our year's work very successful.
Yours respectfully, CHARLES W. H. SMITH Agent
REPORT OF THE WELFARE BOARD
We have been requested by the Selectmen's Office to hand in our report of 1946 activities in order that the same may be printed in the forthcoming Town Report. In accordance with our oft expressed opinion that the citizens are more interested in economy than in a lot of dry reading, we simply append hereto the very clear and concise report made to this Board by our Welfare Agent. If after reading his report any citizen desires further enlightment as to the work of the Department, the Board will be pleased to arrange a personal interview and furnish such information as can properly be divulged without violating the privacy to which all recipients are entitled.
JOSEPH D. KNIGHT, Chairman CLARENCE J. STALLIDAY, Secretary MILES C. HIGGINS
Respectfully submitted,
Board of Public Welfare
123
REPORT OF WELFARE AGENT
To the Board of Public Welfare :
I submit the following report as Welfare Agent and Director of Old Age Assistance for the year 1946:
Our over-all case load for the past year has not shown any great variation in numbers from that of the two previous years. For the record, we have assisted 46 General Aid Cases, involving 96 persons; 19 cases of Aid to Dependent Children, affecting 64 persons; and 274 cases of Old Age Assistance.
Expenditures, however, have followed the universal trend upward because of the increased cost of every item of subsistence. Rents, having been under rather rigid control, have increased only 4.8% since 1941, but over this same five-year period food has increased in cost over 100%, clothing 55.7%, fuel 28%, and sundry other items taken together as "necessaries of life" by the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Industries, have risen 20%. The same bureau that issues these figures, the Division on the Necessaries of Life, also states that 5 points may be added to the over-all increase from January 1, 1941, to date, to cover changes in quality, availability of goods, etc., as arrived at by the Presi- dent's Committee on Cost of Living.
Under mandatory laws this department budgets the need of its recipi- ents in accordance with figures issued from time to time. by the State Department of Public Welfare. Twice during 1946 certain items in these schedules, notably food, fuel, and clothing, have been substantially in- creased, once in May and again in September. This means that in ad- dition to the constant process of routine review it became necessary twice to make special reviews in every case where Old Age Assistance or Aid to Dependent Children was involved. In these reviews, as the Board will well recall, action on each case is taken by the Board, so that our formal records will show compliance with the legal requirements as to assistance allotments in such form as may be checked on our assistance pay rolls, both as to correct amount and effective date, by the state and federal auditors in due course.
The annual reimbursement to the town, through federal grants to our own departmental accounts and through payments received from the state and from other cities and towns, amounts in round figures to $130,000.00. To assure this income we must present a program of ad- ministration and a regularity of report which is strictly in accordance with state department regulations.
Your administrative staff has given its best effort to accomplish this and we venture to say that financial loss to the town because of misadministration has been practically nil. We have been aided in this by full co-operation on the part of the Board and the general attitude
124
of the Board toward maintaining a high morale within the staff. Other town departments and officials have been helpful whenever possible and the Town Counsel has responded in all cases where his assistance seemed indicated, several times to the financial benefit of the town.
We are glad to report that our relations with state and federal representatives and departments have continued on a mutually helpful basis, and that our business with other cities and towns, mainly in the somewhat complex matter of settlement and reimbursement, has been conducted on a friendly understanding for the the common benefit. Our outstanding claims against other municipalities have reached the lowest figure within my memory, standing as of this writing at less than $200.00 with immediate prospect of payment in full of the few outstanding items.
Detailed figures of expenditures for General Aid, Aid to Dependent Children and Old Age Assistance, as well as the classification for adminis- trative expense, have been furnished to the Town Accountant and will appear as usual as a part of his report.
Because of the interest shown in the brief statements as to actual local real estate tax costs for relief, which have appeared in these reports in several recent years, a condensed schedule is appended giving similar statistics for the year 1946-round figures :
Total expenditure for all forms of relief coming under the jurisdic- tion of the Public Welfare Department, including the entire cost of ad- ministration and building maintenance $179,800.00 Total received through federal grants, state payments, payments from other cities and towns, and from individuals, and from collections and recoveries from estates 132,800.00
Net cost from local tax levy $ 47,000.00 Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD E. HARNDEN,
Welfare Agent and Director of Old Age Assistance
125
REPORT OF MOTH SUPERINTENDENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Gentlemen :
I submit my report as Moth Superintendent for the year 1946.
The spray work on private property has more than doubled in the past six years. This increase in private spraying as well as the spraying of the street trees has kept the Gypsy Moth and Elm Leaf Beetle at a minimum in the residential sections.
Several sections of woodland in the northern part of the town are badly infested with Gypsy Moths. Some of the woodland north of Franklin Street, adjacent to Dividence Road was completely defoliaged. There is also a very bad infestation in the woodland across Franklin Street southeast of this area.
The best method of control for Gypsy Moth is spraying. The spraying season lasts about eight weeks. With our present equipment, after we do the spraying on private property and the roadside work, there is not much time for the woodland spraying.
I wish to thank the Board of Selectmen and all others who have assisted me in the past year.
Respectfully submitted, MAURICE H. DONEGAN, Moth Superintendent
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
To the Citizens of Reading :
There were one Hundred ninety-six cases of contagious diseases reporte 1 during the year 1946.
Chicken Pox
26
Dog Rite
47
Malaria
1
Measles
84
Scarkt Fever
25
Spinal Meningitis
1
Tuberculo i-
Whooping Cough
-+
Respectfully submitted,
E. M. HALLIGAN, M. D.
C. R. BAISLEY, M. D.
C. F. ATKINSON
126
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN
To the Citizens of Reading,
I submit my report for the year 1946.
The department did the usual amount of dormant spraying for the control of scale and pear psylla.
During the past year several elms have been discovered infected with the Dutch Elm Disease in and around Quincy. As far as is known the elm bark beetle is the principal carrier of this disease. These beetles infest dead or dying elm wood laying thir eggs under the bark. When these eggs hatch, if the wood is infected with the disease, the young beetles carry it to the surrounding elms. The best protection so far discovered against this disease is to keep the elms as healthy as possible, by the removal of all dead or dying branches, as well as a thorough spray program. All elm wood not stored under cover should have the bark removed immediately after cutting or be destroyed.
It was necessary to remove twenty-five dangerous or dead trees from the roadside. The severe storm of June eighth blew down five trees and badly damaged a great many more, several of these had to be removed.
Seventy-eight trees were planted on the roadside. The price of these trees has increased from two dollars to five dollars each at the nurseries. For the first time in many years, several of these newly planted trees have been deliberately broken off.
The men worked eighteen weeks during the past year on line clearance for the Electric Light Department. The entire expense of this work is paid by the Electric Light Department. While this work is principally for line clearance, it is a very substantial help to this de- partment in the removal of dead and weakened branches.
Due to the increase in the amount of time necessary on the road- side trees, we are unable to keep up with all the requests for work on private property.
I take this opportunity to thank the employees of this department, the Board of Public Works, the Police and Fire Departments, the Electric Light Department and all others who have assisted me in the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
MAURICE H. DONEGAN,
Tree Warden
127
REPORT OF BUILDING INSPECTOR
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :
Gentlemen :
I hereby submit building report for the year 1946.
The restrictions on building have eased off considerably, there- fore one may feel more free to plan his future building activities with- out fear of being clamped down on by government inspectors.
This I believe is very evident by the following report :
Since my report of last year, more responsibilities have been added to the local building inspectors by new State regulations.
Reading is one of very few that have a part time Building Inspector and the amount of work that is required to fulfill the job as it should be needs more inspection. The Board should consider very seriously ap- pointing a full time inspector.
However, here are the results of permits as issued with the esti- mated cost of same as stated by the applicants. My estimate would be at least 20% more than that of the applicants.
102 New Dwellings 597,620.00
35 Alterations and additions to all types of Buildings 65,917.00
2 Public Garages 32,000.00
20 Private Garages 18,100.00
5 Hen Houses 2,050.00
2 Miscellaneous buildings 3,350.00
Total estimated cost of all buildings 719,036.00
Th sum of six hundred twenty-one ($621.00) dollars was received by me in fees for the above building permits.
There have been many cases of complaints for violation of the Zoning By-laws which have been investigated and have been enforced. This alone takes a considerable amount of the Building Inspector's time, aside from the inspection of buildings and then again the question arises -why not a full time inspector.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE H. SIDEBOTTOM
Building Inspector
128
FIFTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD
for the year ended December 31, 1946
IN MEMORIAM
ARTHUR G. SIAS
MANAGER 1909 - 1946
On April 14, 1946 the Town was saddened when Mr. Arthur G. Sias, Manager of the Municipal Light Department for over a third of a century, passed away. Mr. Sias will be remembered for having successfully guided the development of the plant from the early pioneering phase of the electric utility field through the intervening years to its present comparatively vast and complex status.
Through his promotional efforts in load building and merchandising, he attracted international attention.
The Department notes his passing with sadness.
MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD
-
Henry R. Johnson, Chairman
Resigned Dec. 28, 1946
Herbert G. Evans, Chairman
Term-expires 1948
Louis Ellenwood, Secretary
Term-expires 1949
Joseph H. Reed
Appointed to fill vacancy
Manager Clarence L. Thomas Office 25 Haven Street, Reading, Mass.
MANAGER'S REPORT
To the Municipal Light Board :
Gentlemen :
I submit herewith my report of the operation of the Municipal Light Plant for the year ending December 31, 1946.
My first annual report is regarded as an opportunity to tell cus- tomers and others who are interested about matters of particular con- cern in this department.
The volume output of the plant was seven times the average annual increase during the past 20 years or so and nearly double the previous greatest annual increase established from 1928 to 1929.
We purchased 16,938,312 kilowatt hours, an increase of 15 percent over the previous year at an average cost of 1.285 per unit, as compared to 1.2196 in 1945. The increase is largely due to higher fuel charges reflecting recent increases in coal prices.
The greatest load on our system was 5,200 kilowatts which was in- dicated between 5:30 and 6:00 P.M. on the 24th, and again on the 26th, 27th, and 31st days of December. This was 275 kilowatts higher than the maximum load in 1945.
The relation between the output of current for the year and the maximum or peak load for the year has been more favorable than in previous years. This relation has an important effect on the cost of current.
Distribution losses for the year were 8.3 percent of purchased current which means that 1,404,034 kilowatt hours were used in the dis- tribution system between the Edison high tension switch to the cus-
131
tomer switches. This loss is nearly the lowest on record and is hardly greater than used in 1929 to deliver about one third of last year's output.
Revenues from all sources were $510,085.18 as compared with $437,755.12 in 1945, an increase of $72,330.06. Included in the stated total revenue is the $15,175.98 net income derived from the sale of ap- pliances and jobbing.
A breakdown of revenue and current sold to each class of service may be of interest and is briefly summarized as follows :
Kilowatt Hours Sold and Income from Each Class of Service
No. of Kilowatt Customers Hours Sold Income
Residential
6,816
9,797,386
$353,492.26
Com. Service
587
2,322,043
70,790.25
Power - Wholesale
12
1,800,370
26,785.43
Municipal Service
41
207,267
3,822.79
Municipal Service - Wholesale
5
416,300
7,411.68
To other Utilities for resale
24
38,643
1,188.40
Private Street Lights
18
3,052
169.96
Public Street Lights
2,164
863,256
30,542.71
TOTAL
9,667
15,448,317
$494,203.47
Another frequently quoted yardstick of electric utility operations is the average residential customer's use of electricity. In 1946 this average was 1,458 kilowatt hours, an increase of 131 kilowatt hours over the previous year.
Operating expenses including taxes, interest, and other expenses were $415,116.11 leaving a credit balance to profit and loss of $94,969.07 before payment of bonds and notes.
Bonds and notes amounting to $18,000 were retired and $50,000 was transferred to the Town's general funds as in 1945. The total thus transferred now amounts to $412,800.00.
The Profit and Loss credit balance is $256,284.46 an increase of $34,869.07 for the year.
Operating cash received totalled $613,471.11 and expendtiures for operating accounts, fixed charges, depreciation, and other charges amounted to $620,888.12 leaving a cash balance of $58,980.80.
Deduction from the latter figure of $50,000 transferred to the Town's general funds left a cash balance of $8,980.80 which has been transferred to the Construction Fund for extension and additions.
Three percent depreciation on the total plant cost as of the end of the year amounted to $39,078.80 and has been transferred to the Depreci- ation Fund in accordance with the statutory requirements.
Current assets at the end of the year exceeded current liabilities by $254,103.16.
132
Additions to the plant last year cost $62,376.61. Of this amount $8,555.77 was paid out of the Construction Fund and the remainder taken out of the Depreciation Fund.
Power Station
The present power transformers have been taken off the concrete mat and temporarily reconnected. This was necessary to provide room for the two new 7500 KW transformers which are due to arrive in a few months.
The five old boilers at the plant have been sold, and a new H. B. Smith boiler has been installed to heat the station and garage.
We have installed a York oil burner in the new boiler, burning No. 5 fuel oil, supplied from a new 5,000 gallon oil tank located outside the north wall of the boiler room.
The brickwork that enclosed the boilers has been demolished and a concrete floor has been laid in part of the boiler room.
The 600 KW General Electric turbine has been sold to Brew-Walt- man Co. of New York and the 500 KW General Electric turbine sold to the Otsego Falls Paper Co., Inc., Otsego, Michigan. Both machines have been removed.
The sale of the station equipment is in accordance with the vote of the Town at the 1946 Town Meeting.
The boiler plant and generating equipment with a capacity of supplying less than one third of our current requirements has been dis- posed of at a most favorable time in several respects.
Present scarcities of plant apparatus has enabled us to obtain a considerably higher sales price than was possible in previous years or than might be expected in the future.
Much floor space has thus become available which will accommodate the additional operating facilities that our growth will require in the near future.
The capital charges which have been eliminated offsets the slight difference in the cost of purchased current that may exist between the Boston Edison N rate and D rate.
The change from the former to the latter became effective at the beginning of the service year last May.
Distribution
The role that electricity has occupied in recent years is one of in- creasing importance. Greater reliance is placed on continuity of electric supply as the number of vital tasks performed by current multiplies. At the same time it must be acknowledged by all that the distribution of electric energy, particularly overhead systems, still have to contend with factors beyond their control.
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