USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1955 > Part 8
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65
11 23 Coronary thrombosis
December
2 Francis D. Stratton
6 Francis Cullen Averill 88
6 Charles Herbert Sullivan 74
8 Phyllis B. Woodside
9 Katherine Nutt Mclaughlin 90
12 Winifred Agnes Page True 13 Harris B. Haley
14 George Francis Murphy
18 Francis W. Wall 67
21 George Albert Melanson 60
70
- Heart disease -
9 Hypostatic pneumonia 1
1 20 Cerebral thrombosis
7 18 Melanoma of brain
7 27 Pernicious anemia
7 18 Acute coronary thrombosis 1 6 Heart disease
5 7 Carcinoma
8 10 Heart disease
- Natural causes -
(also known as White)
24 George Winifred Sargent
24 Francis J. Sullivan
24 Annie McHugh Sullivan 65
25 Grace J. Kean (Johnson)
26 Ella G. Sawyer
27 Charles Eugene Langdon 79
63
5 8 Congestive failure
65
- Auto accident
- Auto accident -
2 28 Hypertensive heart disease
86
7 18 Heart disease
0 10 Cerebral hemorrhage
81
11 - Heart disease
7 26 Carbonmonoxide poisoning
11 20 Cerebral hemorrhage
8 Cerebral embolism 2
- 23 Coronary thrombosis 9 1 Acute coronary thrombosis
3 8 Interstitial pneumonia
6 Calcific aortic stenosis 1
1 28 Arteriosclerotic heart dis ease
-
ยท Presumably killed by train
48
77
77
57
68
-
86
DEATHS REGISTERED IN READING FOR THE YEAR 1955
Date
Name
Y M D
Cause of Death
December
27 John Mansfield
72
8 27 Diabetic Acidosis
30 Rhoda Leone Johnstone
73
-
- Heart disease
4 5 Heart disease
31 Anna Mary (Waldron) Norton
84
DELAYED RECORD OF DEATHS IN TOWN OF READING 1954
Date
Name
Y M D
Cause of Death
December
31 Paul McNamara
11 mos. Hemorrhage
NOTICE TO PARENTS, HOUSEWIFES, 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 and mother; provided that if an illegitimate child shall have become
87
legitimate by the intermarriage of his parents and the acknowledgement 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.
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.
88
REPORT OF THE TOWN COUNSEL
January 10, 1956
To the Law Committee of the Town of Reading:
I submit my final report as Town Counsel for the year 1955 as fol- lows:
Opinions were rendered to Town Officials and Boards during the year. All tax titles have been duly foreclosed under the Statute of Low Value or by appropriate proceedings in the Land Court.
Articles and Motions have been drafted for Annual and Special Town Meetings held during the year.
Proceedings were commenced in the Middlesex Superior Court for damages resulting in taking of land by right of eminent domain for highway purposes in connection with the layout of access street to serve the new High School. The Pleadings have been completed and the case remains on the docket for trial or other disposition.
The Planning Board have taken three Appeals from the decisions of the Board of Appeals under the Zoning By-law. Pleadings were com- pleted in behalf of the Board of Appeals and in the three cases the Petitioners seeking the variance under the Zoning Law were permitted by the Court to intervene as party respondents in order to allow such applicants to urge the Court to sustain the variance granted by the Board of Appeals. One case has been tried in the Superior Court re- sulting in a favorable decision to the Planning Board and the petitioner for the variance has appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court for final decision on questions of law. The other two cases are pending in the Court awaiting trial or other disposition.
During the year many cases were handled under the Old Age As- sistance Law in the matter of securing reports concerning the financial resources of children in order to determine their liability to contribute to the support of their Aged Parents. Also monthly sums have been collected from such children and Petitions under recent law have been filed in Court to compel children to contribute to the support of the Old Age Assistance Recipient. A Mortgage covering the New Hamp- shire property was drafted by me to secure the reimbursement in an Old Age case which resulted in the recovery by the Town of $1,285.29. Also notices of claims in behalf of the Town for reimbursement in Old Age Assistance cases have been filed in the Middlesex Probate Court against the Estate of deceased persons and in one case the sum of $158.85 has been collected.
Three Appeals from the valuation established by the Board of As- sessors upon real estate are pending before the Appellate Tax Board. During the year a favorable decision was rendered by the Appellate Tax Board sustaining the decision of the Board of Assessors in refusing to grant an exemption to a taxpayer,
Litigation is now pending in the United States District Court and the Middlesex Superior Court involving the Town and the Contractor
89
who was engaged in constructing the trunkline sewer to serve the new High School and several statutory liens have been filed by sub-contrac- tors against the funds of the General Contractor in the hands and pos- session of the Town. This controversy has not yet been settled.
All Contract Documents were prepared by me for installing the heating system and power oil burner for the Highland School.
I also prepared and had executed Contract with Architect for the preliminary plans and surveys for a new Fire Station on Woburn Street.
Options were prepared for the acquisition of land for school pur- poses and also for land as proposed site for sub-station in the Town of Lynnfield for the Electric Light Department and an Option was pre- pared and executed for the acquisition of a small triangular piece of land for Forest Glen Cemetery in exchange for another piece of land adjacent to the Cemetery.
I caused the title covering these parcels to be examined, the Deeds and other documents to be prepared and recorded in the Middlesex South District Deeds.
Petition in behalf of the Electric Light Department was prepared and filed with the Public Utilities requesting a statutory order to locate a substation on Main Street, Lynnfield Centre, in order to furnish the Town with more adequate service and after public hearing, the matter was taken under advisement.
The titles to land to be acquired by the Town for public purposes were caused to be examined by me and Deeds and Orders of Taking were prepared so that the land was acquired by the Town for the pur- pose designated in the Vote adopted at Town Meeting assembled.
The final claim for damages for taking of land for trunkline sewer to serve the new High School has been settled under the supervision of the Law Committee and the necessary confirmatory Deed and Release were prepared and recorded as required by law.
Procedings in behalf of the Town were commenced in the Middle- sex Superior Court against property owner and his tenant to prevent them for committing further violations of the Zoning By-law and after hearing and by stipulation of the parties an order was entered by the Court requiring the buildings in the restricted area to be removed and certain other trailers and mobile storage units to be also removed from the premises.
Claims of the Electric Light Department have been prosecuted and a suit and real estate attachment have been commenced to collect a substantial account. Also several proofs in Bankruptcy have been filed based on claims of the Electric Light Department.
Three suits were brought against the Town in Middlesex Superior Court resulting from accidents on the highway. Several claims have been made against the Town for personal injuries and damages to motor vehicles resulting from accidents on the highways and several claims have been made for blasting operations carried on by the Board of Public Works. One suit involving serious injuries has been settled by authorization of the Law Committee and vote of the Town. There are
90
still pending ten suits against the Town in the Middlesex Superior Court. Seven claims have been settled by approval of the Law Committee.
I have attended on Monday evening throughout the year the regu- lar meetings of the Board of Selectmen and as provided by the regula- tions of the Town I have performed every professional act required by me in the performance of the duties of my office including in part ap- pearances in Court and hearings before Boards or Commissions, prose- cution of claims in behalf of the Town, opinions to all Town Boards and Committees, investigation of accident cases and claims against the Town, drafting Deeds, Releases, Redemption Deeds, retirement of Vet- erans employed by the Town, decisions in dog cases, preparation and filing pleadings in the Superior, District and Land Court and such other legal matters referred to me for attention.
As I am retiring as Town Counsel at the end of this month after twenty-eight years and ten months of service I take this opportunity to publicly thank the Law Committee, All Town officials and Boards and the Citizens of Reading for the fullest measure of co-operation extended to me during my service for the Town and to my successor in office I extend my sincere wishes for a long and successful period of adminis- tration. To him also I pledge my full cooperation and counsel at any time in connection with the performance of the duties of his office.
Respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL H. DAVIS,
Town Counsel
REPORT OF BOARD OF APPEAL
To The Board of Selectmen Reading, Massachusetts
The undersigned submit their report for the Board of Appeal of the Town for the year 1955.
The Board heard 24 cases on 14 hearing days. All were for varia- tions of the Zoning By-Laws. Of the total, 17 were granted and 6 were denied. 1 was conditional.
At the close of the year, one petition brought before the Board has not been heard. Decisions have been rendered on all of the aforemen- tioned 24 cases.
GERALD E. FOSBROKE LAWRENCE A. INGHAM ERNEST L. NIGRO
91
REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Honorable Board of Selectmen
Municipal Building
Reading, Mass.
Gentlemen:
The report of the Police Department for 1955 is hereby submitted. Two Officers resigned to go into private employment, one of these had served a little over 14 months, the other had served 8 years.
There was 1 Patrolman, Robert P. Jones, appointed during the year to fill vacancy.
In August of this year an examination was held for promotion to Sergeant. John F. Beaudoin was appointed Sergeant.
Personnel of the Department at present consists of Chief, 4 Sergeants and 18 Patrolmen.
Following are the arrests and other servcies performed: Drunkenness 96
Breaking and Entering
6
Larceny 12
2
Non-Support
2
Manslaughter
1
Arrests by warrants for other Departments 6
Juvenile Delinquents
6
Automobile Violations
Parking violations
230
Speeding
410
Driving to endanger
2
Operating under influence
10
All others
12
Other Services
Recovered bicycles
26
Value of stolen property recovered
$ 1,238.00
Ambulance trips
281
Automobile accidents investigated
121
Lost children returned
14
Fees Collected and Turned Over to Town Treasurer
Ambulance fees $ 1,468.00
Bicycle Registrations
117.25
Automotive Equipment
1 1946 Cadillac Ambulance
35,200 mileage
1 1955 Ford 5,500
1 1956 Country Sedan 4,000
"
1 1955 Ford
31,000
1 1954 Ford
17,000
92
Assault and Battery
Recommendations
That the Department be increased by at least three (3) Patrolmen in 1956. That new Police Call Boxes be installed so that more foot patrols can be added.
That our 1946 Ambulance be replaced. That plans be made to enlarge the Police Station within the next five years.
During the year our Police Reserves served the Town on many oc- casions in addition to their Sunday Traffic Control at the Churches. Reading is indeed fortunate to have such a fine public spirited group of men who are so ready and willing to serve the Town without recom- pense.
In closing I wish to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen and all the members of the Department for their continued co-operation throughout the year. Thanks also to Fire Chief Eames and his able firefighters who have rendered assistance to our Department on many occasions.
Respectfully submitted, ROLAND E. ELLIS Chief of Police
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen:
I hereby submit my report for the year 1955.
The building construction for the past year was as follows:
181 New one family dwellings at an estimated cost of $1,762,700.00
64 Alterations and additions to dwellings at a cost of 77,250.00
6 Alterations and additions to business properties at an estimated cost of
15,225.00
27 New private garages at an estimated cost of
30,225.00
3 Signs
3,700.00
4 Business Buildings
45,500.00
3 Sheds
1,000.00
1 Hobby Shop
400.00
6 Raze Buildings
1 Church Alteration
1,200.00
Total estimated cost of all new and remodeled buildings for the past year $1,937,200.00
Total Number of Permits 296
Fees were received in the amount of $1,075.00. These have been turned over to the Town Treasurer and receipts received for same.
Respectfully submitted, HAROLD B. CURRELL
Inspector of Buildings
93
BOARD OF CEMETERY TRUSTEES
Term expires 1957
Edouard N. Dube, Chairman
M. Russell Meikle, Secretary
William P. Pierpont
1958
Ernest E. Brown
"
1957
Stanley F. Maxwell
1956
Lawrence A. Partelow
1956
Fred L. Nutter (deceased)
1958
David E. Hersee (retired)
1956
Superintendent HAROLD F. DAVIS
Office Room 5, Municipal Building
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To The Board of Cemetery Trustees,
Town of Reading, Mass.
Gentlemen:
The Superintendent's Report on the operation of the two Town Ceme- teries, Laurel Hill and Forest Glen, for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1955, and the Department's 218th year of operation, (first burial Dec. 7, 1737), is herewith submitted.
Our records show 126 interments for the year. The statistics for the calendar year 1955 are as follows:
Laurel Hill Forest Glen Total
Interments
46
67
113
Cremation Interments
11
2
13
Foundations:
Monuments
10
32
42
Markers
28
10
38
Graves Repaired
76
11
87
Lots sold:
7 Grave
2
0
2
6 Grave
0
2
2
4 Grave
0
9
9
3 Grave
0
5
5
2 Grave
0
23
23
Single Graves
0
2
2
Baby Graves
0
4
4
Welfare Graves, gratis
0
2
2
Veterans Graves, gratis
0
5
5
"
1956
Nine old lots and one single grave in Laurel Hill Cemetery had perpetual care put on them and one old lot had additional care put on during 1955.
94
The total number of lots and graves sold and interments made to date are as follows: Cemetery Lots Single Graves Interments Laurel Hill 1415 1142
6957
Forest Glen
371
108
484
Total
1786 1250
7441
At Laurel Hill, Aster Path and that portion of Hazel Path running easterly from Cypress Avenue, was filled in and turfed. Ninety linear feet of a fieldstone retaining wall was constructed along the Cypress and Elm Avenue frontages of lots 38, 39 and 40. Repairs were made in the retaining wall south of Federal Street by closing in the tree wells where sixteen trees have been removed within the past nine years. Extensive repairs were made to lots 187 and 219 by regrading and the construction of retaining walls. Hurricane damage to the chain link fence south of Federal Street was repaired.
The October 27, 1955 Special Town Meeting voted to acquire a triangular lot of land containing 3,048 square feet for the enlargement of Forest Glen Cemetery, from land of Reading Acres, Inc., and in exchange therefor convey to the Reading Acres, Inc., a triangular lot of land containing 3,048 square feet. This exchange provides an access to the parcels of land purchased at the December 6, 1954 Special Town Meeting, without demolishing a rubble masonry wall.
On March 15, 1955 our Chairman, Mr. Fred L. Nutter, passed away after having served on the Board for twenty-seven years, including eight as Secretary and eight as Chairman. As one who was closely associated with Mr. Nutter for many of these years, it seems appropriate to express my personal appreciation of his valued counsel and unstinted devotion to the work of this Department.
At this time appreciation is expressed to the other Departments of the Town for their cooperation.
The financial statement will appear in the report of the Town Accountant.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD F. DAVIS Superintendent
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF CEMETERY TRUSTEES
The Report of the Superintendent as submitted by him is hereby approved by the Board of Cemetery Trustees and constitutes its Report to the Town.
EDOUARD N. DUBE, Chairman M. RUSSELL MEIKLE, Secretary WILLIAM P. PIERPONT ERNEST E. BROWN STANLEY F. MAXWELL LAWRENCE A. PARTELOW
Board of Cemetery Trustees
95
REPORT OF CUSTODIAN OF SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' GRAVES
January 3, 1956
To The Board of Selectmen,
Town of Reading, Mass.
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my report as Custodian of Soldiers' and Sailors' Graves for the year ending December 31, 1955. This report is predicated upon the requirements of Sec. 9, Chapter 115 of the General Laws of Massachusetts and Clause 12, Chapter 44 of the Acts of 1947.
Where Veterans of the armed services have served in more than one war of insurrection, the following listing gives the Veteran credit for only one:
Veterans
Credited Service
41
Revolutionary War
12
War of 1812
2
Mexican War
291
Civil War
1
Indian War
25
Spanish War
113
World War I
26 Mass. State Guard Service in W. W. I
32
World War II
2
Korean Service
Total
545
Appropriation for 1955
$ 1,200.00
Pay Roll
$ 1,112.87
Repairs on Veteran Graves
87.13
$ 1,200.00 $ 1,200.00
There were nineteen Veterans interred during 1955 in the Town Cemeteries as follows:
World War I
Maurice O. Reebenacker, Lot. No. 405, Forest Glen, died Dec. 29, 1954, buried Jan. 3, 1955.
Philip S. Munch, Grave No. 29, Veteran Plot, Forest Glen, died Jan. 5, 1955, buried Jan. 7, 1955.
Laurence H. White, Lot No. 268, Forest Glen, died Jan. 29, 1955, buried Feb. 1, 1955.
Robert A. Packard, Grave No. 28, Veteran Plot, Forest Glen, died Feb. 1, 1955 buried Feb. 4, 1955.
Edward B. Keene, Lot No. 288, Forest Glen, died Mar. 3, 1955, buried Mar. 7, 1955.
Dana S. Stulce Lot No. 322, Forest Glen, died Mar. 9, 1955, buried Mar. 12, 1955.
Loring W. Hamm, Lot No. 21A, Forest Glen, died Mar. 14 ,1955, buried Mar. 18, 1955.
96
Victor E. Olsen, Lot No. 600, Forest Glen, died Apr. 20, 1955, buried Apr. 29, 1955.
Quinn W. Jordan, Grave No. 57, Veteran Plot, Forest Glen, died July 11, 1955, buried July 13, 1955.
Thomas E. Wall, Lot No. 424, Forest Glen, died Sept. 28, 1955, buried Oct. 4, 1955.
William A. Connelly, Lot No. 163, Forest Glen, died Nov. 6, 1955, buried Nov. 10, 1955.
George A. Melanson White, Grave No. 2, Veteran Plot, Forest Glen, died Dec. 21, 1955, buried Dec. 24, 1955.
George W. Sargent, Lot No. 437, Forest Glen, died Dec. 24, 1955, buried Dec. 27, 1955.
World War II
Thomas H. Ratchford, Jr., Lot No. 628, Forest Glen, died Mar. 10, 1955, buried Mar. 14, 1955.
Louis C. Babine, Jr., Lot No. 109, Forest Glen, died Aug. 20, 1955, buried Aug. 23, 1955.
Stuart F. Taylor, Lot No. 90, Forest Glen, died Oct. 11, 1955, buried Oct. 14, 1955.
Korean Service
Charles A. Ogden, Grave No. 79, Veteran Plot, Forest Glen, died in Korea Dec. 1, 1950, buried May 26, 1955. (Also World War II).
Mass. State Guard
Carl B. Sawyer, Lot No. 701, Laurel Hill, died Feb. 7, 1955, buried Feb. 25, 1955.
Charles E. Langdon, Lot No. 967 Laurel Hill, died Dec. 27, 1955, buried Dec. 29, 1955.
OMITTED IN 1944 TOWN REPORT
Spanish War
Ernest P. Nowell, Lot No. 326, Laurel Hill, died Aug. 30, 1944, buried Sept. 1 1944.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD F. DAVIS
Custodian of Soldiers' and Sailors' Graves
97
AGENT FOR VETERANS' BENEFITS
January 9, 1956
Honorable Board of Selecmen
Reading, Massachusetts
I respectfully submit my report as Agent of Veterans' Benefits for the year 1955.
While employment conditions have been good our load has in- creased over 1954.
We have had 46 cases varying in size from an individual to a family of nine, with a total of 102 persons having been assisted with Veterans' Benefits.
In addition to the above, we have received and investigated six other applications for benefits that were rejected through ineligibility.
Our work has been under strict supervision and investigation by the State Commissioner's office through his investigators and authorizers, thus insuring the best interest for the town and the applicant.
The influx of new people coming into Reading with a large percent- age of wars among them may mean a potential increase in Veterans' Benefits.
The work as Director of Veterans' Services continues to be in great demand.
We have assisted veterans to solve their problems in many ways and too numerous to keep a record of.
The expense for this service is very small compared to the results obtained.
Veterans and their dependents can readily obtain answers to their questions and help if needed.
Yours very truly, CHARLES W. H. SMITH
Agent
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
To the Citizens of Reading:
During the past year we embarked on what proved to be an abortive program of Polio immunization with the Salk vaccine. After one dose was given to grades 1 to 3 the program was suspended. Fortunately the situation has now clarified and we anticipate that during 1956 most Reading children, ages 1 through 9, will be vaccinated. During the 1955 Polio epidemic Reading was severly hit, however, the next few years should be relatively light because we will have a highly immu- nized population.
Our multiple other functions have operated smoothly. Due to the increasing size of the town it is becoming urgent that this Board have a full time clerk and a public health nurse. Such requests will be in- cluded in our 1956 budget.
Respectfully submitted, CHARLES R. BAISLEY, M.D. Chairman
98
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF WIRES
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