USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1914-1919 > Part 38
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Reformatory for Women, flag repairs. .
51.45
Westford Water Co .. water rates at Keyes House . 10.00
Lexington Flag Staff Co .. .50
J. E. Knight. building roadway 8.00
John M. Farrell. auctioneer. 25.00
Hobbs & Warren, four tax deeds.
.25
E. B. Richardson, M. D., birth returns. . .
6.00
C. A. Blaney, M. D., medical attendance to A. W. Sutherland. 11.00
.J. A. Healy & Sons, teaming fish.
2.50
J. A. Healy & Sons. transportation of State Aid man 7.00
Abbot Worsted Co .. handcuffs. 21.60
John Spinner. conveying ballot box.
3.00
S. H. Balch, conveying ballot box 2.60
Healy's Hall. for election 5.00
5.00
* 476.00
MOTH DEPARTMENT.
The department has been in charge of H. L. Nesmith who has received $3.50 and $4.00 per day, and has been paid $1.00 per day for use of his automobile. The men have been paid $3.00 and $3.50 per day.
The items of expense are as follows :-
HI. L. Nesmith $ 995.24
II. L. Nesmith. auto. 272.50
Labor
833.25
Freight and express 3.41
26.00
T. Sullivan. team
126.00
-$2,256.40
Gasoline
John F. Fay, services.
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Amount to come from private work and sale of lead. 884.26 $
Amount to come from State. Net cost to Town, $1,100.00. Appropriation, $1,100.00.
272.14
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT By orders (see School Report). $23,406.87
PUBLIC BURIAL GROUNDS. By orders (see Commissioners' Report) .. $ 686.97
J. V. FLETCHER LIBRARY.
By orders (see Library Report) . $1,456.32
DELIVERING LIBRARY BOOKS.
F. H. Meyers
$ 100.00
Appropriation, $100.00.
MEMORIAL DAY.
By orders of Veterans' Association. . Appropriation, $150.00.
$ 150.00
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
By orders (see report) . $ 449.74
HYDRANTS
Westford Water Co.
$2,080.00
Appropriation, $2,080.00.
ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
Lowell Electric Light Corp. $3,780.00
SIDE WALKS.
J. A. Healy & Sons, labor on side walks in Graniteville $ 382.00
One-half to be paid by the abbutters.
WHITNEY PLAYGROUNDS.
By orders (see Report) $ 473.31
SUPPORT OF POOR
By orders (see Report) $3,262.00
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PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE.
By orders (see report)
$1,621.85
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
Chas. H. Pickering, labor $ 15.00
Income, $80.00.
1
Co. L, 19TH INF., M. S. G.
Robertson Co., supplies.
$ 24.35
Fred L. Fletcher, supplies 3.80
P. Donavan, teaming 36.00
Iver Johnson Sporting Goods Co., supplies
153.00
Wm. Flanders & Co., supplies.
11.40
Simons, Hatch & Whitten Co., supplies. . 61.50
J. A. Cameron, supplies. 13.55
Transportation 100.00
$ 403.60
Appropriation, $300.00.
DEMONSTRATION WORK IN AGRICULTURE.
Middlesex County Bureau. $ 50.00 Appropriation, $50.00.
ELECTRIC CAR LINE.
Alex McDonald, labor
$ 65.00
WAR MEMORIAL COMMITTEE.
Loring Underwood, services. $ 75.00
Appropriation, $300.00.
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.
Badger Fire Extinguisher Co. $ 156.00 Appropriation, $150.00.
FISH AND GAME WARDEN.
Joseph Wall, salary. $ 50.00
Appropriation, $50.00.
ROAD DEPARTMENT.
Alex McDonald was appointed superintendent at a salary of $4.00 per day. Teams have been hired for $7.00 per day. Laborers have been paid $3.00 and $3.50 per day.
1
40
The following are the items of expense :
Alex McDonald, superintendent. $ 660.00
Teams 3,491.30
Labor 3,064.11
New England Sheet Metal Co., supplies. . . 132.00
Standard Oil Co., oil. 3,404.32
Davis & Sargent Lumber Co.
46.98
Wright & Fletcher, supplies
136.35
J. E. Knight, repairs.
16.00
Eastern Clay Goods Co., supplies
24.75
Geo. O'Brien, blacksmith.
6.65
Oscar R. Spalding, lumber
15.56
Pratt & Forrest, lumber
33.28
Gravel at 10c. per load.
214.30
$11,245.60
GRANITEVILLE ROAD-Items of Expense.
Alex McDonald, superintendent
$ 304.00
Teams
1,513.00
Labor
1,505.83
Hildreth Quarry, bound posts. 15.00
H. E. Fletcher Co., explosives
14.81
Eastern Clay Goods Co., pipe.
146.25
Graniteville Foundry Co., castings
10.56
$3,509.45
Received from State.
$1,169.81
Received from County .
1,169.82
Net Cost to Town
1,169.82
$3,509.45
Total amount expended on roads.
$14,755.05
Total amount received from State and County, Graniteville Road. $2,339.63
Amount received from County for Road Account 300.00
2,639.63
Net cost to Town $12,115.42
ยท Total amount of orders, $64,805.66. Total number of orders, 849.
OSCAR R. SPALDING, SHERMAN H. FLETCHER, FRANK L. FURBUSH. Selectmen.
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LIST OF JURORS PREPARED BY THE SELECTMEN OF WESTFORD.
NAME
OCCUPATION
ADDRESS
Beebe, Walter O.
Mechanic
Graniteville
Blaisdell, Frank L.
Farmer
Westford
Buckingham, William F. Machinist
Graniteville
Burnham, Chester A.
Farmer
Westford
Caunter, Franklin R.
Machinist
Graniteville
Charlton, Frank E.
Carpenter
Graniteville
Daley, Hugh
Wool Sorter
Forge Village
Flagg, William L.
Farmer
Westford
Fletcher, Harry N.
Granite Dealer
Graniteville
Gregory, Frank
Weaver
Littleton Common
Gumb, Harry M.
Retired
Westford
Hanscom, Frederick A.
Farmer
Westford
Hartford, Harry O.
Farmer
Westford
Howard, John H.
Farmer
Westford
Jarvis, Everett P.
Farmer
Westford
Jordan, Frederic A.
Surveyor
Westford
Kimball, George A.
Farmer
Westford
Lundberg, Axel G.
Monument Dealer Westford
McCoy, Fred L.
Farmer
Westford
Prescott, E. Clyde
Farmer
Westford
Rosenberg, Samuel
Retired
Westford
Spinner, John
Janitor
Forge Village
Sullivan, William T.
Farmer
Westford
Whall, George E.
Retired
Westford
Williams, William P.
Farmer
Westford
Wright, Bradley V.
Farmer
Westford
Wright, Ernest T.
Farmer
Westford
Wright, Frank C.
Farmer
Westford
OSCAR R. SPALDING, SHERMAN H. FLETCHER, FRANK L. FURBUSH, Selectmen of Westford.
Westford, January 15, 1920.
42
Report of the Street Railway Committee.
The joint committee, consisting of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee and Finance Committee, appointed at the last annual meeting to investigate and report in regard to the advisability of the Town expending money for the continued operation of the "Branch Line," so called, of the Lowell & Fitchburg Street Railway Company, respectfully report as fol- lows :
During the winter of 1909 and 1910, on account of the severe storms, the tracks became blocked with snow and ice which the Company refused to remove and for that reason the line was closed during that season.
On the petition of the Selectmen of Westford, and while the matter of reopening and operating the line was pending before the Railroad Commission, and while it seemed apparent that unless some arrangement was made the line would not be reopened for operation, a memorandum of agreement was entered into between the Company and the Selectmen with the approval of the Railroad Commission whereby operation was to be resumed on May 1st for a period of six months, on condition that the operating expenses be mnet, and if the revenue therefrom was insufficient the balance must be contributed from some source or the Company would have the right to discontinue operation. In case there was a gain, this gain was to be carried on to the next six month period. Under a further arrangement later made between the Selectmen and the Company, the Town was to be allowed $75.00 at the expiration of each six month period as the value of this line as a feeder to the "main line," so called.
Under this memorandum, a deficit was found to exist on November 1st which was met by voluntary contribution and the line has been maintained ever since under this memorandum and in a great majority of instances, a deficit has resulted which also has been met by voluntary contributions.
Under the arrangement made some time ago by the School Committee with the approval of the Selectmen, a greater sum was paid the Company for the transportation of the school
43
children than was required by law. This arrangement was made because it seemed clear that this method of transporting school children was preferable to any other method and the price paid was no greater than it would have been necessary to expend if any other method of transportation was adopted. Under this arrangement, the Town has been allowing one dollar per week for each scholar, which would amount to between fifty or sixty dollars a week, the number of children transported varying from day to day.
In spite of this fact, instead of an increase there has been a falling off in the receipts and also a continued increase in the expenditures on account of the increased cost of material and labor. The deficit for the period of six months ending with October 30, 1918, was $615.10, for the six months ending April 30, 1919, $608.30, making a total of $1,223.40 for the year. The deficit existing October 30, 1917, was met in full by voluntary contribution but there is still an unpaid deficit for the six months ending in April 30, 1918, of $421.32, making a total deficit to April 30, 1919, of $1,644.74. The car has not been operated since the middle of June of this year and an additional deficit has ac- crued to that date, the exact figures of which are not available at the present moment, but the entire deficit to June 1, 1919, amounts to $1,723.86.
It is well known that the road bed is in need of extensive repairs and the wires and overhead structure are also in need of considerable attention. The Board of Selectmen, last fall, requested the Public Service Commission, through its inspection department, to inspect the road and an inspection was made and the report was filed with the Public Service Commissioner on October 24, 1918, a copy of which is on file with the Board of Selectmen. According to this report, there was required to be paid out during the fall the sum of $621.00. In addition, the report called for the expenditure of approximately the sum of $3,060.00 each year for five consecutive years, this would make a total of $15,300.00. No repairs were made in the fall of 1918 so that in accordance with this report, approximately $16,000.00 would be required to be expended and with the increased cost of labor and material, it is assumed that these figures should be increased rather than decreased.
Under Chapter 288, of the General Acts of 1918, towns are authorized during the present war and two years after to appro- priate not exceeding one dollar per thousand of the assesssed
44
valuation of the preceding year towards the operation and fixed charges of street railway and acting under this act, the Town could annually appropriate during this period approximately $3,000 to aid in operating this line and in addition, the Town, we assume, has the right to expend money in so far as is necessary to maintain the line for the transporting of school children.
It will be noted that the deficit for the past year in the operation of the line amounted to approximately $1,200.00 with practically no repairs having been made and, there is no reason to believe with the advent of the automobile that the revenue of this line can be increased without a larger appropriation being made by the Town for the transportation of scholars. The amount that it will be necessary to expend annually to maintain the road bed and overhead fixtures is not easy to determine but it would be safe to estimate that it would not be less than $1,000.00.
Your committee has held meetings and made investigation in regard to other method and means of maintaining trans- portation but, thus far, has not succeeded in interesting anyone in undertaking any project. In some communities, a local cor- poration has been formed to operate a street railway, or bus line, so called, but thus far no evidence is available that anybody in Westford is sufficiently interested to assume such respon- sibility.
The School Committee has found it necessary in trans- porting the scholars to and from Brookside, during the ensuing year, to employ auto trucks at a total cost of $100.00 a week making the cost for the school year, $3,800.00. This amount is nearly fifty per cent. more than has been heretofore paid to the Street Railway Company.
At the Special Meeting held September 3, 1918, the sum of $1,200.00 was appropriated and the Selectmen were authorized to expend this sum for the purpose of continuing the operation of the "Branch Line," so called. At the last annual meeting. the Town appropriated a further sum of $1,500.00. Under the law, no portion of this can be expended without the approval of the Public Service Commission which approval, thus far, has not been obtained.
Under the act of 1918 above referred to, the Town can an- nually expend during the period allowed therein, about $3,000.00 a year unless, of course, the provisions of this act are extended by the Legislature, and the balance needed to repair the road
45
bed and to meet the annual deficit would have to be appropriated, if at all, under the head of, providing transportation for school children.
Your committee, after considerable effort and delay, at last succeeded in arranging a meeting with Mr. Sargent, President of the Lowell & Fitchburg Street Railway Company. This meeting was held at Westford and after going into the matter in detail, Mr. Sargent, speaking for the Street Railway Company, stated that the Company would not bear any portion of the burden of putting the road bed and overhead fixtures in repair.
While under the terms of the memorandum above referred to, the Town has a right to ask a ruling of the Public Service Com- mission whether or not this entire expense must be borne by the Town or the operation of the street railway cease. There seemed little occasion to present such a question to the Public Service Commission as undoubtedly the Commission would rule that this burden must be borne by the Town and not by the Company so that the situation at present is as follows :
1st : In order to put the road bed and overhead fixtures in proper condition for operation and make repairs on the car, as stated above, the inspection department of the Public Service Commission has reported that it would take approximately $16,000.00 to be expended in five years and your committee has not assumed the right to dispute these figures.
2nd: The annual deficit in operation of the street railway, taken from last year's figures, amounts to about $1,200.00, and it is safe to presume that the annual cost of repairs, etc., will increase this amount at least to $2.000.00 per year.
3rd : Unquestionably, in a short time a new car would have to be provided or provisions would have to be made for hiring one, the cost of which it is not attempted at the present time to estimate.
4th : The Town, during the past year, paid approximately $2,000.00 for the transportation of the school children and in order to continue the operation of this line, the Town would have to expend, if the above estimates are correct, approximately $4,000.00 a year.
5th : It is true that under the present arrangement entered into by the School Committee, it will cost the Town $3,000.00 to transport the scholars during the ensuing year.
6th : But, the Town avoids the responsibility and obligation of expending, as shown above, approximately $16,000.00 and the
46
further obligation of purchasing or hiring another car in the near future, and still further, the complications which might arise in case of an accident occurring. Under the memorandum, in case of an accident for which the Company is held liable, it is within the power of the Public Service Commission to determine whether or not the Town must pay the whole or any part of the damages as a part of the operating expenses, and then a situation might arise where an accident occurred and the Company is liable that the Town would be called upon to meet this liability or the line be discontinued, if the Town had already expended a considerable sum of money in repairing the road bed, etc., the above situation might be an unfortunate one to say the least.
Under these circumstances, and without going into the matter more in detail, your committee does not feel justified in recommending that the Town should undertake to appropriate the money necessary for securing the restoration of operation on the "Branch Line." Your committee, however, does feel that whatever is justly due the Company should be paid by the Selectmen at such time as, in their judgment, may seem advisable.
Respectfully submitted,
OSCAR R. SPALDING, SHERMAN H. FLETCHER, FRANK L. FURBUSH,
Selectmen.
ARTHUR E. DAY, JOHN SPINNER, T. A. E. WILSON, CHARLES O. PRESCOTT,
JOHN P. WRIGHT, FRANK L. FURBUSH, School Committee.
HERBERT V. HILDRETH, JULIAN A. CAMERON, ELBERT H. FLAGG, WILLIAM R. TAYLOR, Finance Committee.
47
Report of Committee for a Suitable War Memorial for the Town of Westford
Your Committee appointed to investigate and report on a suitable form of memorial for those who served in the World War organized with Edward M. Abbot as Chairman, and Lucy A. Cameron as Secretary.
The Committee felt that they were appointed to report on some permanent memorial and that the memorial should be located in the centre of the town.
A number of projects were discussed and suggestions were invited. As the town seemed well supplied with public buildings it was the unanimous opinion of your committee that by grading and seeding down the common to well kept lawns and paths, and placing on same a flag pole with an attractive base that a fitting memorial would be provided and that a spot sadly in need of attention could be turned into a beautiful green.
Two landscape architects have been consulted. Mr. Loring Underwood and Major Bremer W. Pond. The plans and sug- gestions of the latter seemed much the best to your committee.
Briefly they are as follows:
a. To regrade and seed down the common to a beautiful lawn.
b. To change the location of the present flag pole and erect the present flag pole with a memorial base of granite, and place a suitable inscription on the base.
c. Plant an inner row of elm trees to replace the present trees as they gradually die out.
d. Put paths between the rows of trees and from the post office across the common, made from seam-faced granite.
e. Remove the town scales to another location.
f. When the above is completed, to set aside sufficient money to insure the green being well kept.
TOWN HALL, WESTFORD CENTRE.
a. Put up a memorial tablet to those who died in the World War.
b. Place a tablet to those who died in the Spanish War.
1
48
FORGE VILLAGE.
a. Regrade and plant the small triangular spot at the corner of the road, nearly opposite Cameron School. Place a boulder with a suitable tablet to the memory of those who went from Forge Village and were killed.
GRANITEVILLE.
a. Grade, plant and seed down the small plot of land on the shore of the mill pond at Graniteville, opposite the driveway to Mr. C. G. Sargent's house.
b. Place on the lot a suitable boulder and mark same with a tablet as above.
We have not had figures on the work but have an estimate from Major Pond of about $7,500. This of course would vary considerably according to the amount of work and the material used.
I have here the full report of Major Pond together with sketches showing what he suggests.
If the town wishes to get an accurate estimate of the work required, your Committee suggests that some more money be placed at the disposal of your Committee and that the necessary instruction be given them.
Signed for the Committee, EDWARD M. ABBOT, Chairman, LUCY A. CAMERON, Secretary.
TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAR MEMORIALS, WESTFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.
October 25, 1919.
Mrs. J. A. Cameron.
Secretary, Committee on War Memorials.
Westford, Massachusetts.
My dear Mrs. Cameron :
As a result of my trip to Westford, Massachusetts, Sep- tember twenty-ninth, and the conference with Mr. Abbot, Mr. Harrington and yourself, during which a visit was made to
49
Westford Common, Forge Village and Graniteville, I would like to submit certain definite recommendations to your Committee in regard to war memorials for these three towns.
A war memorial in these days may take almost any form, from such utilitarian constructions as buildings and halls, to a small bench, or stone, or memorial tree. The objection which is frequently raised to a building, aside from the fact that it is seldom properly endowed, is that it becomes so utilitarian in time that the original purpose for which it was built and dedicated becomes merely a name, and is soon lost sight of by the com- munity at large. The spirit in which the building was erected is very apt to be forgotten within a few decades. A monument on the other hand serves its purpose, if well designed and exe- cuted, as a constant reminder of the event which it commemorates and cannot very well be concealed or lost sight of through the development of other purposes or new local conditions.
The principal thing in considering the selection of a war memorial is the character of that memorial-that it be well de- signed and (equally important) well kept and maintained; second that it be suitable not only to the event which it com- memorates, but also to the locality in which it is placed. An over elaborate or very expensive memorial is more out of place in a small town or village than a simple boulder and tablet in the very architectural surroundings of a large city. The proposed memorials for the three villages of Westford, Forge Village and Graniteville, I feel very strongly should be both simple and dignified, in keeping with the spirit and the place.
Your Committee stated that it had been suggested that the three villages combine in one memorial, which should be erected on the Westford Common. I feel this to be a mistake, partic- ularly as the three villages are some distance apart. Each town has its own group of individuals with their work and homes quite separated.
FORGE VILLAGE.
In line with my previous recommendation, that a separate monument be erected in each town, not only for the men who were killed in the war, but also those who served in our army, I heartily concur in the suggestion of your Committee that this monument be erected on the small triangular piece of ground in Forge Village which was shown me on my visit. I regret to say that I have not the location more definitely in mind, but as it was practically the only one considered feasible for this pur-
50
pose, I feel confident that the Committee will recognize the site at once.
I would suggest that the monument take the form of a large granite boulder with two approximately parallel and rather flat faces, on each of which will be fastened a bronze tablet with suitable inscriptions, stating for example: "This monument is placed here by the citizens of Forge Village to commemorate the participation in the world war of the following-"
With regard to the landscape treatment of the triangle as a setting for this stone, the telephone pole now at one corner should be moved across the street, the entire plot regraded and smoothed over, if possible making it 6 or 8 inches higher along the sur- rounding sidewalks and roadways, and separating it from these latter by a low, rough curbing. The general appearance of the triangle should be improved by a small amount of planting at each end of the boulder.
At present the street intersections at this point are rather bare and unattractive. I would therefore suggest that an elm tree be planted in the southeast corner of this triangle in memory of the two soldiers from Forge Village who died in Europe. This tree in time will overshadow the triangle and add to the general attractiveness of that part of the village. I have tried to indicate roughly in the accompanying sketch these ideas which I have just described.
GRANITEVILLE.
In regard to the monument for Graniteville, I noted four possible locations, any one of which I think would be suitable, but I will describe them briefly in their order of preference. I think that the most attractive location would be on the small plot of ground opposite the Sargent place and between the car tracks and the shore of the mill pond. This small grassy point is overshadowed by trees, in full sight of the road, and offers a most attractive setting for a war memorial. Any monument placed here would have a good background of foliage, through which are obtained glimpses of the mill pond and the opposite shores.
I would suggest, if possible, this small area be deeded to the town as a contribution toward the proposed memorial. The ground can be of little use to the owners, as it is across the street car track and the road from the rest of their place, and is too
51
small to be used as a building site of any importance. It can therefore have little value commercially but has great possi- bilities as the site for a war memorial.
The second location would be on the edge of the mill pond near the gate to the Abbot Worsted Mills office and on land prac- tically adjoining that office. This would necessitate the removal of two or three bays of the present fence, folding them back so as to leave a small plot of land open to view from the roadway, and then giving the memorial a proper setting by means of a few shrubs and one or two trees. This site would probably not be seen as often by persons passing through the town as the first one, and furthermore has what might be considered by some the disadvantage of practically adjoining the property of the Abbot Worsted Mills.
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