USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1921-1922 > Part 8
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You are well aware of the conditions existing in our town relative to the children attending our public schools. According to law we can only take such children as live within a certain distance of the school. This means that our little ones within a mile or mile and a quarter are obliged to walk to school through all kinds of storms and weather, and it seems a shame and not humane that this should be permitted.
In order to put before you a figure that would install a bus system, we beg herewith to submit the following.
The bus cars generally used can be bought for the following figures :
The Mack Car .
.
$6,900.00
The Stewart Auto Corporation
.
3,056.00
The Dodge Bus Company
.
2,440.00
The Oldsmobile
1,850.00
The Imperial Bus
$7,500.00-8,000.00 .
Cost of Operating 212 Ton Dual 25-Passenger Car Price of car F. O. B. Boston . $6,900.00
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Fixed Charges
Interest on $6,900.00 at 6%
$414.00
Fire and theft insurance at $1.00 per $100
69.00
Liability insurance (Approx.) 75.00
Property damage insurance (Approx) .
35.00
$100 deductible collision insurance (Approx.)
76.00
Garage at $15.00 per month
180.00
Driver at $30.00 per week
1,560.00
Mass. license
20.00
Fixed charges per year
$2,429.00
Fixed charges per day (365 day year) 6.75
Operating Charges
Tires 7000 mile guarantee-cost per set
$175.00
Tires per mile .
.025
Gasoline 10 miles at 28c per gallon . 028
Grease allowance . 002
Repairs and maintenance, including overhaul
at end of each 15,000 miles to cost approx- imately $100 . .03
Depreciation total in 100,000 miles, deducting tires . 042
. 127
Figuring 50 miles per day at .127 mile would amount to $6.35 plus the fixed charges of $6.75 per day would make a final total of $13.10 per day operating costs.
NOTE: The above figures are based on our observation and inquiry and are gathered from sources we believe to be reliable. However, they are in no sense guaranteed.
We are paying today $3,854.00 for the transportation of school children, which is only for 40 weeks during the year, and very poor accommodation, and not half of the children
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take it. This means an outlay of $96.00 a week, and at the rate of five days a week means an expenditure of $19.20 for the trans- portation of school children whereby we could run a car and accommodate the public and all school children for $13.10 a day on an investment of $6,900.00.
We are not criticising the amount paid for this transporta- tion, but we do believe that all the children should have a means of getting to school and a comfortable and warm car, which is not the case at .present. The children must be got to school and everyone of them in a decent way and at a legiti- mate cost.
We believe that in order to accommodate the public and school children whereby people could depend upon transporta- tion to and from the trains at Wilmington or North Wilmington, it will require the services of two cars. Taking this as basis of one car costing $6,900.00, the two cars would cost $13,800.00.
365 days-Fixed Charges for 2 cars $13 a day . $4,745.00
365 days-Operating Expenses for 2 cars, $10 a day 3,650.00
Total cost per day for 2 cars . $8,395.00
Total cost . $8,395.00
Deduct present transportation cost of school children 4,000.00
Leave a balance of. $4,395.00 to be accounted for by public travel or cash fares which is approximately $12.00 a day and it does seem more than this amount can be depended upon from the general public.
Respectfully,
C. J. SARGENT
LUCY A. WOODSIDE LOUIS T. McMAHON
W. E. BUCK F. M. TIFFANY
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and on motion it was voted the Committee be continued and enlarged by the addition of the Board of Selectmen and two additional members appointed by the Moderator, who ap- pointed Joseph P. Ring and George Priggin and to report at a future meeting.
The report of the Committee on title to the North, East and West School Lots was read by Mr. James E. Kelley and was as follows:
Report of Committee on Title to School House Lots:
In regard to the West School Lot, we find the Town has a deed from the Carter Heirs of said lot. The consideration paid was $25.00, the area 14 acre, date of deed August 16, 1875, recorded June 21, 1877. No deed of the East School Lot could be found on record, but in searching the Clerk's Records of the East School District, which covered a period from 1839 to 1869. The old or original schoolhouse was located on land of Mr. Lemuel C. Eames, for the use of the same the district paid one dollar per year. For several years the subject of repairing the old schoolhouse or building a new one came up in the warrant for the annual meeting and was regularly turned down, until under Article 10 of the warrant for the annual meeting held February 17, 1847. It was voted: To choose a Committee of Three to investigate the subject of building a new, or repairing the old schoolhouse, and also to see how a piece of land can be obtained to set it on and report at an adjourned meeting to be held March 8, 1847. Met according to adjournment and voted: To accept the report of the Com- mittee on building a new schoolhouse. Voted: To build a new schoolhouse. Voted to choose a Committee of Three to carry the above vote into effect. Voted: To instruct the committee to obtain terms of different persons for a piece of land to set it on and report at an adjourned meeting to be held March 13, 1847. Met according to adjournment on March 13, 1847 and voted: To accept of Mr. Jonathan Carter's terms for land to set the schoolhouse on, at his first offer which was as follows, viz :- That the District may have for the sum of Twenty-five dollars ($25.00) a certain piece of land situated on the corner
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between the Boston and Andover road and the Neck Road "so called" and bounded as follows: Beginning at the corner and running northerly by the Andover Road about three and one-half rods; and thence westerly by said Carter's land to land of Jonathan Gowing; thence by said Gowing's land to the Neck Road, and thence by said road to the corner first mentioned. Estimated to contain seventeen square rods. Provided that the District shall erect and forever maintain a tight-board fence against said Carter's land. On November 12, 1847, at a meeting duly called, voted: That the Committee have the whole business of completing the schoolhouse, building the fence and procuring all necessary furniture and out-build- ings. Voted: To adjourn to November 26th; agreeable to adjournment met in the old schoolhouse and on motion: Voted to adjourn this meeting to the new schoolhouse; thereupon the meeting was convened in the new schoolhouse. The District occupied the land and buildings, repairing and rebuilding the fence once within a period of twenty-two years, or until 1869 when under an Act of the General Court. The Town took over all the school property in the five districts paying to each the amount appraised by a Committee of Five appointed for the purpose. Their appraisal was as follows: North District $2,000.85 of which $1,612.27 was for debt and interest due on the property which the Town paid and the balance was paid to the taxpayers of the district pro rata. The same principle being carried out in the other districts, they however, having no outstanding debts. The East District received $850.00. The Center District $615.00. The West District $348.00 and the South District $132.00.
The town has had undisputed possession for fifty-one years, which taken in connection with the districts twenty-two years covers a period of seventy-three years and the lives of three generations of the Carter family, who never claimed any fee in the land.
In regard to the North School Lot, the Town never had a deed. The lot was taken and laid out as a schoolhouse location by the Board of Selectmen in 1868 and $100.00 awarded to the
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owners, which they refused to accept. Under the law at that time, a lot so taken shall be held and used for no other purpose and shall revert to the owner, his heirs and assigns upon the discontinuance for one year of such school as is required by law, to be kept by the town. The town has had undisputed possession of said lot for fifty-two years, but from present indications, it seems to be the opinion of some, that there is no law requiring the town to keep such school open. In con- clusion we would suggest that a petition be presented in the Land Court, praying that the nature and extent of the Town's rights and interests in the North and East School Lots be determined and defined and a decree recorded.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH PATCHETT JAMES E. KELLEY HOWARD M. HORTON
Committee
On motion to accept the report it was voted in the affirm- ative.
The report of the Finance and Warrant Committee was deferred to be taken up later under Article 15 of the Warrant.
On motion it was voted to take up Article 39. Motion then made by Mr. A. M. Horton, that a Committee of Three be appointed by the Moderator, one from each of the three districts named in the article, to consider the subject in relation to the disposition of the school buildings in said districts and report at the adjourned meeting. On being voted on it was declared in the affirmative. Moderator appointed Chester W. Nichols, Alden N. Eames and Joseph Patchett.
On motion it was then voted to return Article 39 to its original place in the Warrant.
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General Government
Article 5. On motion voted: That the Town raise and appropriate the several and respective sums recommended by the Selectmen on page 136 of the Annual printed reports and that the motion be divided and put upon each item sepa- rately and subject to amendment.
Selectmen, salaries and expenses . $850.00
Town Accountant, salaries and expenses 650.00
Treasurer, salaries and expenses . 500.00
Collector-action deferred until after Article 8 of the Warrant was acted on
Assessors, salaries and expenses . 1,250.00 ·
Town Clerk, salary and expenses 120.00
Election and Registration, salaries and expenses ---
amendment made that $15.00 be added to pay- ment for the Moderator's services and that the total sum be $415.00 which was voted in the affirmative. 415.00
Town Hall, janitor, fuel, light and repairs .
.
300.00
Town Constable 50.00
Protection of Life and Property
Police Department receipts, etc., and amendment that $2,000.00 be the amount and on being put to a vote was declared in the negative, the vote was then taken on the original motion and $2,500 was voted
2,500.00
Fire Department, receipts etc., and 2,500.00 Suppression of Moths (compulsory, $1,007.97) Incidentals, Telephone, Insurance, etc. 1,267.97
Sealer of Weights and Measures, receipts, etc., and 173.00 Building Inspector, amendment made that $300 be the amount voted in the negative, the vote was then taken on the original motion and voted 200.00
Tree Warden receipts, etc., and 2,508.00
Forest Fires, receipts, etc., and .
500.00
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Health and Sanitation
Board of Health Agent's salary, quarantine wages, Inspector of Animals, Inspector of Meats and Provisions, Vital Statistics, receipts, etc., and . 500.00
Highways
Highways, roads and bridges, including street rail- road excise and Franchise Tax, after some re- marks in relation to highways an amendment was presented as follows: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $10,500 for highway pur- poses, $6,125 of this amount to be expended under Sections 26, 27, 28, 29 of Chapter 81, General Laws, $500 to be expended for maintenance on Salem and Lowell Streets and $3,875 for general repairs and construction, on being put to a vote it was voted in the affirmative, the vote was then taken on the original motion as amended and it was voted to raise and appropriate 10,500.00
On motion it was then voted, the appropriation for electric street lights be laid on the table until all articles in relation thereto in the Warrant be acted upon.
Charities
Care of Poor, receipts, etc., and $2,200.00
Aid for Dependent Mothers, receipts, etc., and 200.00
Town Indebtedness ·
2,650.00
Contingent Fund
2,000.00 .
Soldiers' Benefits
State Aid-appropriated $400.00
Soldiers' Relief 144.00
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Education
Schools, including salaries, books and supplies, repairs, fuel, furnishings, tuition at vocational schools, outside tuition, transportation, including estimated receipts of $7,252.00, $39,976.00 and on motion it was voted to appropriate $39,976.00 of which $32,724.00 shall be raised by taxation 32,724.00
Library receipts and 650.00
Cemetery receipts and 600.00
Unclassified, printing Town Reports, care of Town Clock, etc., receipts, and 800.00
Interest
On loans for general purposes, receipts and 3,025.00
Article 6. Motion made that $400 be raised and appropriated and a committee of three be appoint- ed by the Moderator, one Civil War veteran, one Spanish War veteran and one World War veteran to expend the same, amendment made that the committee be enlarged to seven members, voted in the affirmative. The vote was then taken on the original motion as amended, and it was voted in the affirmative · 400.00
The Moderator appointed the following named persons as said Committee: Mr. George W. Buck, John H. Simpson, Walter L. Hale, Le Roy B. Bedell, Percy P. Kidder, Joseph B. McMahon and John J. Kenney.
Article 7. Voted. That the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year, beginning January 1, 1922, and to issue a note or notes therefor payable within one year. Any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Article 8. Voted: To pay the Collector of Taxes 2% of his collections as his compensation for the ensuing year and that he collect the taxes according to law
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Article 9. On motion voted to raise and appro- priate for the up-keep of Regan Park . 15.00
Article 10. On motion voted, the Selectmen be empowered to sell, to the members of Post 136 American Legion, the Fire Engine House at North Wilmington at any time within ninety days for the sum of One Dollar
Article 11. On motion voted: To raise and ap- propriate for Public Health Work the sum of
Article 12. Motion made to raise and appropriate $200.00 vote declared in the affirmative. Vote was doubted and on a showing of hands 135 voted yes and 18 voted no, and the vote was declared in the affirmative . 200.00
Article 13. On motion voted: The Selectmen be instructed to sell the Town Hearse for $100 or more.
Article 14. On motion voted: To raise and appro- priate for the improvement and care of the Old Cemetery 100.00
On motion voted to adjourn until Monday, March 20 at the Grange Hall at 8 o'clock p.m.
1,000.00
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TOWN MEETING
Adjourned Town Meeting, March 20, 1922 Record of Proceedings
The meeting was called to order at 8 o'clock p.m. by the Moderator who announced that owing to an oversight the appropriation for the Collection of Taxes was overlooked and that a motion would be in order.
Mr. H. M. Horton moved that the sum of $1,500 be raised and appropriated and it was voted in the affirmative $1,500.
Article 15 was then read and a motion made that the By-Laws as read be accepted and that the Moderator appoint a Committee of Three to bring in a list of nine names as nom- inations for said Committee at the conclusion of remarks in favor and against, on the motion being put it was voted in the affirmative. Moderator appointed the following named persons as the nominating committee: Edward M. Neilson, Maurice P. Gallagher and Edward L. Roberts. Mr. Gallagher not being present, Mr. Joseph P. Ring was appointed in his place.
Who submitted the following list:
For Three Years: Caleb S. Harriman, Frank M. Tiffany, A. Chandler Manning.
For Two Years: Waldo L. Dean, Louis T. McMahon, David P. Howe.
For One Year: Oscar A. Lundgren, Louis T. Doucette, George H. Voter and on motion the list was accepted and declared elected.
Article 16. On motion voted to raise and appropriate $10.00.
Article 17. Voted to pass by the article.
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Article 18. Motion that a Committee of Three be ap- pointed by the chair to consider changes in the Building By- Laws, of the Town, and report at a future Town Meeting. Voted in the negative. .
Article 19. On motion voted a Committee of Three "to serve without pay", be appointed to investigate and report at the next Annual Meeting, Moderator requested the Select- men to appoint said committee and forward names to Town Clerk. The following are the names of the committee appointed : Mrs. Ellen S. Perry, Harold Fay and Oliver A. McGrane.
Article 20. On motion voted to raise and appropriate under Sec. 34, of Chap. 90 of the General Laws, $2,000.00.
Article 21. On motion voted to indemnify the Common- wealth against claims for land grade damages, which may result from the laying out and constructing of the proposed State Highway (part of Main street).
Article 22. On motion voted to accept Grove Avenue Extension as laid out by the Selectmen.
Article 23. On motion voted to raise and appropriate $300 to repair and improve Grove Avenue Extension.
Article 24. On motion voted to accept Swain Road from Burlington Avenue to Taft Road, as laid out by the Selectmen.
Article 25. On motion voted to raise and appropriate $350 to grade Swain Road as far as accepted.
Article 26. On motion voted to accept Hillside Way extension, as laid out by the Selectmen.
Article 27. On motion voted to raise and appropriate $300 to grade Hillside Way extension as accepted.
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Article 28. On motion voted to authorize the Selectmen to renew the contract with the Municipal Light Board of Reading, for electric street lights for a term of three years.
Article 29. Motion to raise and appropriate $229.50 for lighting the streets daily, except Sundays, between 5.00 o'clock a.m. and daylight and instruct the Selectmen to contract for the same during any part of the year. Amendment made to shut off the lights one hour earlier at night and put on one hour earlier in morning, point of order raised that under the article the amendment could not be acted upon. Moderator ruled the amendment in order. An appeal from his decision was made, and on vote on the same the decision was not sustained. A vote on the original motion was declared in the affirmative-$229.50.
Article 30. Motion to instruct the Selectmen to contract for two electric lights to be installed on Beacon Street. Vote on same declared in the affirmative. Vote doubted, and on a showing of hands 67 voted yes and 5 no and the motion was declared carried.
Article 31. On motion voted to instruct the Selectmen to contract for seven lights on Boutwell Street.
Article 32. On motion voted to instruct the Selectmen to contract for four lights on Hillside Way.
Article 33. On motion voted to instruct the Selectmen to contract for four lights on Main Street from existing lights to Tewksbury line.
Article 34. On motion voted to instruct the Selectmen to contract for six lights on Marion Street.
Article 35. On motion voted to instruct the Selectmen to contract for two lights on Veranda Avenue.
Article 36. On motion voted to instruct the Selectmen to contract for two lights on Washington Avenue.
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Article 37. On motion voted to pass by the article.
Article 38. Motion to pass the article, voted in the negative. Motion to raise and appropriate $1,000 to construct a sidewalk along Main Street from Lake Street to Clark Street, beginning at Lake Street. Voted in the affirmative $1,000. At this time on motion voted to take the appropriation for Electric Street Lights from the table and on motion voted to raise and appropriate $7,018.50.
Article 39. After remarks by Mr. Patchett a member of the committee to report relative to the disposition of the North, East and West Schoolhouses, on motion it was voted to defer further action in relation to the disposal of the three school- houses.
Article 40. On motion, voted to raise and appropriate $200.
Article 41. On motion, voted to raise and appropriate $150.00.
Voted to dissolve the meeting.
Attest :
JAMES E. KELLEY.
Clerk
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TOWN WARRANT
Special Town Meeting held July 28, 1922
-
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss.
To Walter A. Hill, Constable of the Town of Wilmington,
Greeting ;-
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the manner prescribed in the By-Laws of said Town, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town qualified by law to vote in Town affairs, to meet in Town meeting at the Grange Hall, Wildwood Street, in said Wil- mington on Friday, the twenty-eighth day of July next A.D. 1922 at 7.30 p.m., then and there to act upon the following articles :
Article 1. To elect by ballot a Moderator to preside at said meeting.
Article 2. To hear the report of the Committee on Trans- portation and act thereon.
Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to rescind the action taken under Article 9 of the special Town Meeting held May 28, 1920.
Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Chapter 293, Acts of 1916 known as the Jitney Act) or take any action in relation thereto.
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Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at the time and place of said meeting.
Given under our hands and seal of said Town this the nineteenth day of July, A.D. one thousand nine hundred and twenty-two.
FRANK W. DAYTON CARL S. PETTENGILL ARTHUR W. EAMES Selectmen of Wilmington
(Seal)
Record of Proceedings of Special Town Meeting held July 28 A.D. 1922
The meeting was called to order at 7.30 o'clock p.m. by the Town Clerk, the Warrant read and Article 1 acted upon.
Article 1. Bancroft Abbott was elected Moderator by ballot, the check list being used.
Article 2. Mr. Frank M. Tiffany for the Committee read the following report :
Report of Transportation Committee
To the Citizens of Wilmington ;---
Since we made our report at the annual Town Meeting our efforts have been directed toward the establishment of bus accommodation, since trolley service is entirely out of the question.
The first plan advanced was the possibility of the Town purchasing busses and running a Municipal Bus Line. It was found however, after a careful study of the cost of equipment,
44
supervision required, etc., that the plan was not a practical one and was consequently dropped.
We then turned our attention to the possibility of securing a private owned company to consider giving us a service that would be acceptable to the citizens. It is the plan that we are making a report on tonight.
When the Trolley Company discontinued the Perry Corner- Woburn Line, we were shut off from Transportation with Woburn, except by the Boston and Maine. The train schedule drawn up to accommodate people going to Boston does not provide an adequate or satisfactory connection between the two towns.
We found Mr. Lovell of Woburn a man who has had con- siderable experience in bus transportation. He is operating a line successfully between Woburn and Reading, and between Woburn, Burlington and Billerica, and also transports the school children in these same towns.
The proposition was laid before Mr. Lovell and he has agreed to give a bus service between Woburn and Wilmington, give a service to early morning and evening trains, give service on Sundays to churches, to halls, etc. Thus service will be given without any cost to the Town except the fares collected.
Before we can proceed or recommend to the Selectmen that a license be granted Mr. Lovell it is necessary to raise the question of a bond. The Town according to a Vote previously taken requires a $5,000-$10,000 bond. Such a bond is pro- hibitive and eliminates the possibility of any bus transportation as the cost of such a bond would eliminate all possibilities of a profitable enterprise. It may have been the intention of the framers of this article to prohibit any jitney service. This may have been the right idea in the early days when everyone that owned a car was starting in the jitney service. That need, however, has passed and the motor bus has become a necessity.
If it is necessary for a bond let us rescind our former vote and place a reasonable amount that can be met. The City of Woburn requires $500.00, Town of Reading $500.00, Burlington and Billerica require nothing, as under the Jitney Act a man is.
45
only required to deposit in one city or town where he is doing business in both.
The routes and fares will have to be worked out by the committee, and Mr. Lovell, and approved by the Selectmen. Several routes will have to be tried in order to try and accom- modate the most people who will use such a service. The fare between Woburn and Wilmington will be fifteen cents each way. The bus will run express from Wilmington-Woburn Line to Woburn Square, and will not take on or leave off passengers between those points. Notices announcing the routes and fares will be posted later.
The committee recommends to the citizens that our former vote be rescinded and any new plan passed upon. With this matter adjusted we can recommend to the Selectmen that a license be granted, and we believe that in a few weeks we can assure you a transportation service that will be beneficial to Wilmington.
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