USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1950 > Part 9
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80 10 12 Cerebral hemorrhage
9 Louise Octavia Bowser 73 1 26 Malnutrition
14 Arthur Thomas Campbell
15 Clarence William Baker
18 James Winthrop Sias
19 James Burton Rood
20 Charles Vail
24 Louise F. Dalton (Townes)
84 6
8 Sudden Death-Arterioscler- otic Heart
1 hour Cerebral Hemorrhage
June
3 Louise E. Pratt
3 Annie Lawrence Morse
5 David S. Shea, Sr.
58
7 12 Coronary Occlusion Coronary Thrombosis
79 23 Cerebral hemorrhage
8 Margaret I. Coates
79
1 13 Cancer of uterus Stillbirth
13 Baby Birdsall
13 John Andrew Robinson
13 Luke Terrance Devaney
59
4 19 Acute Coronary Occlusion
19 Helen Karine Grant
80
2 22 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
20 John Wiliam Webster 80 7 7 Carcinoma of rectum
24 Jenny Bradford Bancroft 66 30 Carcinoma of Colon
27 Prescott Raymond Nichols 65
1 19 Coronary sclerosis
July
2 Frederick Dutton Sawyer 46 9 25 Bronchogenic Carcinoma
9 Viola (Cummings) Phillips 74 8 28 Acute Pulmonary Edema
13 George Garden 63 10
14 Margaret Quinn Toohey 76
19 Aaron A. Gill 79
7 10 Carcinomatosis of peritoneum
23 Charles Raymond Herald 56
24 Emma Cora Graupner
24 Robin Johnson
24 Bert LeRoy Rand
64
7 13 Acute Necrotic hemorrhagic pancreatitis
26 Martha Elizabeth Erickson
31 Herbert Steadman
55 10 1 Coronary Thrombosis
72 5 17 Coronary Occlusion Richardson
84 4 6 Chronic Cardio. vascular disease
64
78 4 6 Paralysis Agitans
58 1 5 Chronic myocarditis
25 MacBrien
1 Cerebral Hemorrhage
78 10 16 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
63 3 26 Carcinoma of Rectum
69 8 24 Coronary thrombosis
68 10 24 Coronary occlusion
5 Minnie Louise Dockindorff
91 10 3 Bronchopneumonia
1 Metastatic Carcinoma Arteriosclerosis
1 14 Acute myocardial infarction
73 8 28 Hypertensive Heart Disease 2 Atelectasis, pulmonary
92
DEATHS REGISTERED IN READING FOR THE YEAR 1950
Date Name
YMD
Cause of Death
August
8 Grace Parker (Harrington) 84 11 Subdural Hemorrhage
11 Julia (Flanby) Barrett
13 Jennie L. Higgins (Babb) 93
81 3
9 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
7 27 Fracture neck Right Femur- Accident
14 William Edward Richards 40 8 4 Coronary Occlusion
14 Sybil Marcia Burrage
14 Ella May Reeves
14 George Theodore Wheeler
19 Edith Thornquist (Maxwell) 66
24 Arthur Leon Campbell
24 Raymond Marston Adams
25 Cora Marston
25 Harry A. Jenkins
80
9 17 Cerebral Thrombosis
89 4 6 Cerebral vascular accident
67 9 9 Carcinoma of biliary tract
5 15 Congestive failure
37 8 7 Coronary Occlusion
67 8 0 Carcinoma of Colon
76 3 12 Diabetes Mellitus
53 0 29 Coronary Occlusion
September
1 Bertha L. Skinner
1 Harry C. Barr
3 Agnes Riley Cuneo
5 Henry P. Collins
6 Mary Jordan (nee Brown)
8 J. Norman Doucette
8 Michael Joseph Gaffey
8 Ora Amanda Tay Cox
91
3 20 Arteriosclerosis
12 Catherine Winifred Peters 69 Progressive peripheral nerve degeneration of undetermin- ed origin
18 Chester Randall King
57
2 2 Hypertensive Heart Disease
90 6 13 Hepatic failure
October
2 Isaac Chase 4 Palmer
10 Annie Lowry Poore
16 James W. Brown
17 Pearl S. Beighley
18 John Stewart Hoyt
18 Frank William Parsons
19 Angie P. Williams
21 Edward Tenners (Kneeland) 39
22 Anna Elizabeth Robinson
25 Lillie Irene Tappan 27 Robert Lee Raley
28 Helen Mae Ritchie
77 5 23 Cerebral Thrombosis Prematurity
73 11 3 Cerebral hemorrhage
74 6 23 Uremia
35 5 12 Carcinomatosis
88 82 0 17 Cerebral Hemorrhage 0 7 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
43
3 19 Acute tracheobronchitis Gun shot wound of head
76 28 Coronary Thrombosis
80 7 27 Acute Dilation (Cardiac)
79 10 15 Acute Myocardial Failure
75
4 27 Carcinoma of lung (Meta- static)
72 11 29 Carcinoma of uterus
67 Cerebral Thrombosis 64 Metastatic Carcinoma
28 10
9 Inanition
88
19 Adhesive peritonitis
75
6 Coronary Heart Disease Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
79
23 Ella Augusta Baker
93
DEATHS REGISTERED IN READING FOR THE YEAR 1950
Date
Name
YMD
Cause of Death
October
28 Alexander McKonachie Munro
30 Alice Kate Peck
88 7 25 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
November
6 Chester Walter Byron
8 Carrie Ella Blood
12 Mary Ida Beard
82
1 3 Coronary Occlusion
84 9 3 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
12 Arthur Norman Waterhouse 75 5 3 Coronary Occlusion Acute Myocardial failure 73 13 Frank Pike Lane
15 Ariana (Foster) Colson
17 Elnora Augusta Emerson
21 Emma Beatrice Coombs
26 John J. Donovan
28 Grace Gerritson Sprague
71
8 28 Drug Poisoning-Self Admin- istered
December
2 Annie (Maki) Williams
9 Bessie (Sargent) Hutt
70
5
9 Chronic Myocarditis Auto Accident
11 Clarence McIntire
60
1 0 Uremia
12 Rev. Charles Frederick Lancaster
70
0
3 Coronary Occlusion
14 Laura Etta Carrigan
63
9 10 Chronic Myocarditis
14 Frank Joseph Lodi, Jr.
20
2 11 Lobar Pneumonia
14 Edgar C. Haselton
67 2 5 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
27 6 Fractured skull-Accident
21 Albert L. Tuttle
86
5 13 Bronchopneumonia
25 Maurice Whittemore Mather 84 2 9 Hypertensive Heart Disease
27 George E. Martin
65
4 14 Cerebral Hemorrhage
75 12 Cerebral Hemorrhage
29 Kenneth M. Nute
66
1 24 Carcinoma of liver
9 John William Hovey 20
72
88
2 11 Cerebral Hemorrhage Senility
57
2 16 Gun Shot Wound of Head Broncho pneumonia terminal
72
16 Raymond Francis Plumb
28 Eva Arevesta Litchfield
44 11 29 Cerebral Anoxia and Uremia
78 7 11 Coronary Thrombosis
72 9 24 Cerebral Hemorrhage
94
NOTICE TO PARENTS, HOUSEWIVES, PHYSICIANS AND MID-WIVES
Your attention is called to the sections below taken from the revised laws. Blank forms for return of birth can be obtained from the Town Clerk
General Laws, Chap. 46, Sec. 3 (Tercentenary Edition) (As Amended By Chapter 326, Section One, Acts of 1939)
Every physician, or hospital medical officer registered under section nine of chapter one hundred and twelve, in this chapter called officer, shall keep a record of the birth of every child in cases of which he was in charge, showing date and place of birth, the name, if any, of the child, its sex and color, the name, age, birthplace, occupation and resi- dence (including the street number, if any, and the ward number if in a city) of each parent, the maiden name of the mother and the name of the physician or officer, if any, personally attending the birth. If the child is illegitimate, the name of and other facts relating to the father shall not be set forth except upon written request of both the father and mother; provided that if an illegitimate child shall have become legitimate by the intermarriage of his parents and the acknowledgment of his father, as provided in section seven of chapter one hundred and ninety, prior to the mailing or delivery of any report herein required, such report shall read in all respects, as if such child had been born to such parents in lawful wedlock. Said physician or officer shall, within 15 days after such birth, mail or deliver to the clerk or registrar of the town where such birth occurred, a report stating the facts herein above required to be shown on said record and also the said written request, if any; provided that if said report is not so made within forty-eight hours after such birth, said physician, or officer shall, within said forty- eight hours, mail or deliver to said clerk or registrar a notice stating the date and place of the birth, the street number, if any, the ward number, if in a city, and the family name. Upon presentation to him of a cer- tificate of the town clerk stating that any such birth has been duly reported, the town treasurer shall pay to such physician or officer a fee of twenty-five cents for each birth so reported. Any physician or any such officer violating any provision of this section shall forfeit not more than twenty-five dollars. The said town clerk or registrar shall file daily with the local board of health a list of all births reported to him, showing, as to each, the date of birth, sex, color, family name, residence; ward and physician or officer in charge.
Within sixty days after the date of the birth of any child born in the commonwealth with visible congenital deformities, or any condition apparently acquired at birth which may lead to crippling, the physician in attendance upon said births shall prepare upon a form provided by the state department of public health and file with the clerk of the town where such births occurred a report setting forth such visible congenital deformity, or any condition apparently acquired at birth which may lead to crippling.
95
Said clerk shall transmit forthwith to said department such supple- mentary report of such birth. The contents of such report shall be solely for the use of said department in connection with its functions relative to crippled children, and such report shall not be open to public inspection or constitute a public record.
General Laws, Chap. 46, Sec. 6
Parents within forty days after the birth of a child, and every householder, within forty days after a birth in his home, shall cause notice thereof to be given to the clerk of the town where such child is born.
General Laws, Chapter 111
Sections 110 and 111, require physicians, registered hospital medical officers, nurses or other attendants to report at once to the local board of health, every child one or both of whose eyes become inflamed, swollen and red and show an unnatural discharge within two weeks after birth.
96
SELECTMEN'S REPORT - 1950
At the regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen on March 13, 1950, the Board organized with Kenneth C. Latham as Chairman, Charles E. Wilkinson as Secretary, and G. Lawrence Roberts.
The Board has held weekly meetings on Monday night, with the ex- ception of June, July and August, when meetings were held every other week.
The practice of having those who wish to see the Board make a definite appointment with the Clerk of the Board has worked out so well that it has become, and will most likely continue to be, a regular custom.
During the year the Grouard House and Chestnut Hill School build- ing were sold at auction. This method of disposing of town property by sale at auction worked out so well that we recommend it for considera- tion in all future sales.
Several meetings were held with representatives of the Boston and Maine Railroad and, as a result of these meetings, the situation at the Woburn Street crossing was improved to a great extent when the rail- road moved the switch to the easterly side of the crossing. This eliminat- ed the necessity of an engine, while shifting, crossing Woburn Street, thus holding down the gates and tying up traffic.
It was further agreed at these meetings that the Town would elimin- ate left turns from Woburn Street into Lincoln Street and Arlington Street.
Arrangements were made with the School Committee and St. Agnes Parish to allow the Prospect Street School building to be used by the St. Agnes Parish as a Parochial School until the completion of their new building.
We have followed our custom of the past few years of not allowing mobile loud speakers in the streets of the town.
Have discussed the possibility of the closing of the Center School building but, as no suitable quarters could be found to house the Wel- fare Department, we were unable to dispose of that property.
It was with regret that we accepted the resignation of Horace A. Bailey and Walter S. Hopkins from the Finance Committee, both of whom had rendered valuable service to the Finance Committee. Mr. Hopkins resigned to take a position on the Board of Public Works. Mr. Bailey's resignation was due to business reasons.
To fill these two positions the Board appointed Samuel J. Malone and William D. Mackinnon.
The various departments under jurisdiction of the Board have made their individual reports, which appear on other pages.
The Board wishes to express appreciation to the various depart- ments in the Town for their fine spirit of cooperation, and to the Reading Police Reserves Association and Reading Auxiliary Fire Service for their fine, outstanding work on several occasions during the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES E. WILKINSON
Secretary
97
REPORT OF THE TOWN COUNSEL
January 15, 1951
To the Law Committee of the Town of Reading:
I submit my report as Town Counsel for the year 1950 as follows:
The pending suit in the Middlesex Superior for damages for taking by right of eminent domain of land in Birch Meadow for the proposed new High School has been duly settled for $7,500.00, and the confirma- tory deed running to the Town has been recorded in the Registry of Deeds and the case closed.
L have approved the contract for the architect's services in the mat- ter of the design, preliminary plans, specifications, etc., for the construc- tion of the proposed new High School. The procedure relative to the bids and the awarding of the contract for the equipment for the addition to the Public Library Building has been supervised by me, and I have pre- pared the contract documents in connection therewith.
Proceedings were commenced to foreclose ten properties under the Statute of Low Value, and the Affidavit establishing the Low Value of the properties has been obtained from the State Tax Commissioner and recorded in the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds. The prop- erties will be offered for sale under the statutory requirements in the near future.
Two cases were commenced during the year before the Appellate Tax Board involving valuation of real estate, and one of the cases has been disposed of by decision in favor of the Town, and the other has been continued on the docket awaiting trial.
Numerous claims have been made in behalf of the Town for dam- ages to motor vehicles owned by the Town, and ten claims have been made against the Town for damages sustained as a result of accidents on the highways and blasting operations carried on by the Public Works Department. Claim has been made against the Town for damages re- sulting from a tree falling upon dwelling house owned by the claimant.
Several claims have been filed in the Middlesex Probate Court in behalf of the Welfare Department seeking recovery of expenses incurred for persons supported and aided by the Town, and three claims for the reimbursement of taxes from the estates of deceased persons who were relieved from the payment thereof during their lifetime. Such action has resulted in the recovery by the Town of substantial sum. Also claim for which the Town was liable for the payment of expenses, for a pa- tient in the Massachusetts Hospital School, was adjusted with the hos- pital by the father of the patient.
Contract documents were prepared by me for the Electric Light De- partment for the survey of cost analyses for the department, and an- other contract drafted for the engineering services in connection with the study and report relative to the future growth of the department.
There is still one case pending in the Middlesex Superior Court in which the claimant is seeking damages resulting from water being dis- charged in premises owned by the claimant. This case will be disposed of as soon as the case is reached for trial on the docket of the Court.
98
As required by law the Town has assumed the defense of a suit pending in the Middlesex Superior Court against a Police Officer of the Town, and the necessary pleadings have been filed and action taken to protect the interests of the defendant named in the case.
As provided by the regulations of the Town I have performed every professional act required by me in the performance of the duties of my office including in part, appearances in Court and hearings before Boards or Commissions, prosecution of claims in behalf of the Town, opinions to all Town Boards and Committees, investigation of claims against the Town, preparation and filing in Court of Trustee's answers in cases where employees' wages have been attached, drafting release and redemption deeds, amendments to traffic regulations, by-laws, dis- charge of Old Age Assistance bonds and mortgages, articles and mo- tions for Town meetings, lease of school building, pleadings in the Su- perior Court, and such other legal documents and matters referred to me for my attention.
Respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL H. DAVIS Town Counsel
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD
Meetings of the Board have been held regularly during the year and the board has engaged in a number of activities, the most important of which are as follows:
1. A study has been made of a number of proposed changes in the zoning by-law and conferences have been held with a number of in- dividuals concerning this.
2. The map of the Town has been brought up to date during the course of the year by the addition of the new streets and buildings which have been constructed since the last revision.
3. The Board has attended many public hearings, including a large number held by the Board of Appeals on applications for variations in the zoning law, and by the Board of Survey on the laying out of streets and other developments, and by the Selectmen on several mat- ters.
4. The Board has also had conferences with the Board of Health with reference to the adoption by the Town of recent State legislation relating to health and zoning.
5. A study has been made of possible municipal parking areas in various places in the Town.
6. Consideration has been given to the proposed sale of various parcels of land owned by the Town.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES WILSON, Chairman PHILIP R. WHITE, Secretary GEORGE B. PEASE A. LLOYD DAVID WINTHROP D. PARKER
99
REPORT OF THE PLUMBING INSPECTOR
To the Board of Health
Gentlemen:
The annual report of the Plumbing Inspector for the year ending December 31, 1950 is as follows:
Number of permits issued
318
Number of fixtures installed
..
1,798
Oil Burner Storage-Hot Water Heaters
8
Gas Storage-Hot Water Heaters
31
Electric Storage-Hot Water Heaters
52
30 Gallon Water Tanks
24
Tankless Heaters
88
Toilets
347
Lavatories
346
Bath Tubs
250
Sinks
238
Stall Showers
7
Urinals
12
Sink and Tray Combinations
5
Laundry Trays
89
Drip Sinks
4
Washing Machines
7
Dish Washing Machines
8
Garbage Disposal Units
3
Floor Drains
2
Sewer Connections
57
Septic Tanks
24
Cesspools
194
Food Chests
2
Respectfully submitted, KENNETH G. SHAW
Inspector of Plumbing
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF APPEAL FOR THE YEAR 1950
During the past year, the Board of Appeal held twenty hearings under the Zoning or Building By-laws, of which twelve were granted and eight denied. Records of the Decisions of the Board are on file with the Town Clerk.
CLIFTON S. NICHOLS, Chairman RICHARD JACKSON, Secretary ERNEST L. NIGRO
100
THIRTIETH
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
for the year ended
December 31, 1950
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
To the Citizens of the Town of Reading:
The Board of Public Works submits herewith its Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1950.
The Board organized with Mr. James E. Calvin as Chairman and Mr. Coleman Donahue as Secretary. Philip Welch was reappointed Superintendent.
Regularly scheduled meetings were held during the year, as were several special meetings and conferences. Individual members were appointed to and served on special committees.
Public Hearings were advertised and held on street acceptances, sewer extensions, drain easements and pole locations. Acting as the Board of Survey, several hearings were held on proposed housing de- velopments, and for the establishment of lines and grades on existing and proposed private ways and new streets.
Petitions for sever extensions, storm drains, water mains, grano- lithic sidewalks, granite curbing, and other services have been filed with the Board, the cost of which greatly exceeds the amount of the usual appropriations made for these purposes. The Board, consequent- ly, has tried to install the various utilities based on the greatest need and value to the Town and on a planned basis.
Storm water drain requests are continually being received. This presents a serious problem. A large backlog of requests now exists, the estimated cost of which is far in excess of normal yearly appropri- ations. A point has now been reached where a sizeable bond issue would be necessary to install storm drains as requested.
The rapid development of the Town during the past four years has created distinct problems for the Water Department both financial and physical. Development in outlying sections has necessitated the in- stallation of water main extensions. The installation of services is far in excess of prewar levels. Coupled with the advance in prices over pre- war levels, this has resulted in the expenditure of relatively large sums. It has been necessary to raise bond issues in each of the years, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950 to meet these demands.
The rapid development has naturally resulted in a substantial in- crease in the number of consumers. Hence, the facilities of the Depart- ment are reaching the saturation point. It is now necessary to expand the entire system to adequately supply the Town. This will mean most- ly added supply and treatment facilities but will also mean expansion of the distribution system and other minor but important parts of the Department.
Consulting Engineers were employed by the Board and they made a comprehensive report during 1950. Acting on their advice a 24 inch gravel packed well was constructed on Town owned land and connected into the system in late July. This well enabled the department to cope with the large consumption requirements of the summer months of 1950.
102
In addition articles and motions were presented to the Town Meeting which proposed the construction of two additional 24 inch gravel packed wells and a 750,000 gallon elevated water storage tank. The Town Meeting voted to approve both proposals and approved bond issues for the cost of the wells and the storage tank.
One well is now in the process of construction and the other will be started as soon as the necessary land can be acquired. The contract for the storage tank has been awarded and work will start as soon as the materials can be acquired.
The Town Meeting also voted to instruct the Board of Public Works to petition the Metropolitan District Commission for admittance to the Metropolitan Water System. This has been done and the MDC has formally acknowledged receipt of the petition.
The bonded indebtedness of the Water Dept. as approved by the Town is $277,000. Obviously when a connection is made with the MDC this amount will increase substantially. Consequently the Board of Public Works has given much time and thought to the income structure of the Water Dept. especially as it relates to the requirements of new developments. While no changes were made in the rate structure. during 1950 the Board may be forced to make changes in 1951 should conditions make such a move imperative.
The Board has endeavored to cooperate with other Town Boards and Departments during the past year and wishes to acknowledge the courtesy, help, and cooperation extended to them by other Town De- partments.
The Board wishes to extend its thanks to the employees of the Department for their loyalty and cooperation. Many of these employees have, in cases of emergency, worked for long hours under trying con- ditions and the Board feels that they are deserving of the thanks of the Townspeople.
Reference is made to the report of the Superintendent, which fol- lows, for a more detailed account of the activities of the various divi- sions which comprise the Departments supervised by the Board of Public Works.
JAMES E. CALVIN, Chairman COLEMAN J. DONAHUE, Secretary JOHN W. HARRISON WALTER S. HOPKINS HARRY R. WALKER
Board of Public Works
DETAILED REPORT
There follows herewith a short statement of the activities of some of the subdivisions of this Department.
WATER DEPARTMENT
Main Pipe Construction
The residential boom continued on a high level exceeding in volume any previous year in the history of the Dept. This construction required, in many cases, extensions of water mains. In addition, the program of
103
replacing small mains with larger sized mains was continued. In two streets, 114 inch mains were replaced with 6 inch mains. In all cases, hydrants were installed at proper intervals. These replacements will result in a better service to consumers plus better fire protection for the entire Town.
6,189.30 feet of new mains was laid, all 6 inches or larger.
Main Pipe Maintenance
No serious troubles were encountered during 1950 in the distribu- tion system. Many routine tasks were accomplished such as, raising and lowering gates, testing gates, relaying pipes to lower grades, gravel filling and patching trenches.
Service Pipe Construction and Maintenance
New water services totalled 216 in number. A total of 12,991.00 feet. This is an increase of 50% over 1949.
In addition, 26 old services were replaced. A normal number of defective shutoffs were replaced and a normal number of leaks were repaired.
Rodding of partially clogged service pipes was continued exten- sively. .
Meter Maintenance
Much effort was concentrated on the meter problem. In addition to placing 304 new meters on new services, 19 old meters were junked and replaced with new ones and 1045 meters were removed, repaired and reset.
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