Attleboro City

Attleboro City

Attleboro has schools of a high order, parks in which native and visitor take great pride, a library of unusual excellence, progressive hospitals and banking institutions, a public works administration, a hustling newspaper. Attleboro, with its population of 21,000, has a present total valuation of $22,917,800, the Massachusetts income tax law of 1916 having taken considerable personal property out of local assessments. The total estimated appropriations for the departments are over $865,000; the city has a sewer system whose value is placed at $500,000; it has a $175,000 high school; the city's own library was paid for by public subscription: its macadamized streets are particularly well kept; the grade crossings have been eliminated and the work paid for; the Chamber of Commerce and City Planning board are practical working institutions. The manufactured produce turned out here in 1920 was $35,364,707, and the number of people employed in the different industrial establishments was 6,930.

For a period of twelve years, the proposition of establishing the town upon a city basis received discussion, the population of 1902 - the yeat when the matter was first projected - being about 12,000. Then for eight years or thereabouts the subject became dormant. But in 1910 interest in the topic was revived, and the town government appointed a committee of seven to study the matter. Again in 1911 the Company C Association of Attleboro, noted as being the oldest Republican club in the State, with Representative George M. Worrall as leader, gave new life to the proposition. It was during that part of the campaign that former Representative Edward A. Sweeney presented a proposed charter that had been prepared in conjunction with John J. Coady, Esq., and Charles C. Cain, Jr. The town's committee upon examination favored this charter, and in its turn the town meeting of 1912 sent their report to a committee of twenty-six, with Frank I. Babcock, Esq., the town clerk, as chairman; and, with some changes suggested, they too favored the town-city charter as presented. Then were held two special town meetings that began December 30, 1912, whose discussions resulted in placing with the original charter a series of amendments, and the eventual return of the proposition to the committee of twenty-six. Yet again for a time, the question was relegated to a condition of dormancy, to be aroused when Rev. Fred A. Moore, who was at the time secretary of the Board of Trade, pushed the project to the fcre. Then came the popular test vote, which resulted in a majority favoring the change, with division as to the commission, one-board city, city manager, and two-board city.

A bill was filed in the 1914 Legislature by Representative Worrall. desiring that Attleboro be made a city, and a charter was drawn by the legislative committee on cities, headed by Senator William A. Bellamy of Taunton, with Representative George M. Worrall, former Representative Edward A. Sweeney, John J. Coady, Esq., and Charles C. Cain, Jr. The Legislature passed the bill, and Governor David I. Walsh signed the law, June 17, 1914, in which the old name of Attleborough was changed to the present form. In Attleboro the city charter was accepted November 3, 1914, by a vote of 1581 to 784. Hon. Harold E. Sweet was elected the city's first executive, his opponent being J. H. Leedham, Jr., and the result of the vote being 2,326 to 804. Former Town Clerk Frank I. Babcock, Esq., was elected city clerk and treasurer; Charles R. Manchester was elected city collector, and the first city councillors were: At large, Philip E. Brady, Stephen H. Foley, Harry P. Kent, William H. Saart, Charles O. Sweet, Oscar Wolfenden; by wards, William H. Garner, William A. Spier, S. B. Jacobs, Samuel M. Holman, Joseph E. Gaynor. In 1917, Mayor Sweet was reélected without opposition, receiving 1933 votes. In 1918 Hon. Philip E. Brady was elected mayor over Samuel M. Holman, the result of the vote being 1123 to 1013, with 134 votes for G. M. Gustin. Mayor Brady was reélected in 1921. The total vote cast for Mayor Brady upon his reélection was 1662. His opponents and total votes cast for them: William H. Saart, 1362; George A. Sweeney, 1370; Samuel M. Holman, 851; Eliza G. Daggett, 84. Hon. George A. Sweeney was elected third mayor of the city, beginning with the year 1923. Total number of votes cast for Mayor Sweeney, 1893; for other candidates: Harlan A. Allen, 1454; Philip E. Brady, 1433; William H. Saart 1041.

The final reports submitted for the town of Attleboro were those for the year ending December 13, 1914, the last selectmen of the town being Millard F. Ashley, chairman; James W. Orr, James H. Leedham, and W. J. Newman, clerk of the board. Frank I. Babcock, Esq., was town clerk; Charles E. Wilbur, chief of police; Lewis A. Fales, superintendent of schools. Upon the establishment of the city in 1915, the population was 18,840, the total valuation of the community was $22,345,995 - real estate $13,835,145; personal $8,510,850.

A résumé of data relating to the incorporation of the town itself, the event of the division of the township, and, 1n particular, the annals of the more recent and rapidly accumulating matters of chief importance, will find place here. By act of the General Court of Massachusetts the Town of Attleboro was incorporated October 19, 1694, the township territory then including North Attleboro, a part of Wrentham, and of Cumberland, Rhode Island, and with less than ninety settlers therein, all told. A part of the town was annexed to Wrentham, February. 18, 1830, and on June 14, 1887, nearly one-half the territory of the town was incorporated as North Attleboro.

Just previous to the division, happenings of leading value that had occurred since the Civil War included the formation in November, 1875, of the "Attleborough Improvement District," within the limits of the Attleboro Water Supply District; the separation of the office of overseer of the poor from that of selectmen and overseers, in March, 1879; the installation of the Providence Telephone Company's service in the office of town clerk in May, 1881; the recognition of the qualification of women to vote for school committee, in April, 1881; the flood of February 13, 1886, with damage estimated at $50,000.

As to the division of the town, which took place in 1887, that proposition had been frequently presented, and had received intermittent consideration from the town during a period of thirty-two years, the question arising for the first time in town warrant of date October 20, 1855, the article reading thus: "To see if the town will choose a committee to take into consideration the propriety of making a division of the town, and report at some future meeting,' the committee chosen being George Price, Harvey M. Richards, Lyman W. Dean, Joseph W. Capron, Elkanah Briggs.

Historian John Daggett then being upon the scene, gives the processes of the movement toward division in elaborate detail. The gist and principal data concerning the breaking up of the old community relationships is contained in the following abbreviated report of the general transactions: In 1856, the town then having over 5,000 inhabitants, and more than 1,000 voters, J. W. Capron, H. M. Richards and L. W. Dean presented the results of their deliberations, signed by themselves, but which the other members of the committee had not signed, and in which they had drawn a proposed line of demarcation which would leave 2800 inhabitants in the north part and 2600 on the south. When the result thus obtained had been submitted on April 7, the following-named committee was appointed to present a petition to the Legislature, desiring a division of the town: W. D. Whiting, James C. Hidden and Lyman W. Dean. But it is recorded that nothing came of the presentation of the appeal. Again, on March 17, 1884, it was the sense of the town meeting that it would be to the best interests cf the town that the town territory be divided, there being 225 votes in favor of the proposition, and 168 against it. Further to survey the entire matter, a committee of thirteen was then appointed, five from the north section, five from the east, and three from the south, as follows: Francis S. Draper, Oscar M. Draper, William H. Rogers, William H. Kling, Joseph G. Barden, William P. Shaw, Edwin A. Robinson, Elisha G. May, Charles E. Bliss, George A. Adams, Philip Brady, George N. Crandall and Everett S. Horton. Twelve days later, on March 29, the committee made their report in favor of the proposition. Thereupon, G. A. Adams, C. E. Bliss, E. G. May, O. M. Draper and J. G. Barden were appointed to bring in their results as to a plan for the proposed new line, which they did on May 17, when by popular vote the subject was again turned down - 225 against it, and 180 in its favor - the line then being adjudged as unsatisfactory to the town. Once more, a petition that was signed by O. M. Draper and twenty-five other townsmen, asked the Legislature to make provision for town division, as well as for the incorporation of the northerly portion as a new town. The matter was given a hearing May 10, 1887, and the decision was arrived at July 30, 1887, the town deciding favorably by but twenty-three votes. The entire number of votes cast was 1307 - yeas, 665; nays, 642. The first town meeting at Attleboro under the new order was held in the South Main street engine-house, August 13, 1887.

Thenceforth, leading town and city annals aside from those referred to specifically in the Public Utilities department and elsewhere were as follows: The sewer commission was established in 1892. The first extensive fire here took place May 18, 1898, when sixteen buildings were destroyed, with a loss of $139,345 on buildings, and $575,900 on their contents. 'lhe same year the fire house at Hebronville was built. William H. Goff was appointed superintendent of streets in 1899, and Hugh A. Smith was one of the division superintendents. The Union street fire station was built in 1899. In 1900 Town Clerk and Treasurer John T. Bates died, and Frank I. Babcock, Esq., was appointed to that position, the town's valuation at the time being $7,086,709. That year, the Bristol County Street Railway Company was granted the right to lay tracks to the town centre, and work was begun on building Bacon, Allen, Pond and Lord streets. The grade crossings were eliminated by the building of the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad bridges in 1906-1907. The new bridge over the Ten Mile river at Olive street was erected in 1907. The town's valuation in 1908 was $13,543,770, an increase over the previous year of $938,995, and the tax rate was $17.50 per $1,000. The Soldiers' and Sailors' monument on the Common was dedicated June 20. This year John H. Nerney was appointed the town's first chief of police. Hugh A. Smith was made superintendent of streets, and was macadamizing many of the principal streets.

In 1910 the assessed valuation was $16,896,725, nearly $1,000,000 over the previous year. The new bridge over Ten Mile river on County street was erected. Charles E. Wilbur was appointed chief of police. The population of the town at this time was 16,215. During the past ten years fiftyfive new streets had been accepted by the town. August 1, 1913, the filter beds of the sewer department were put into actual service. Fire stations were built in South Attleboro and on South Main street. In 1915 the city health department established the local tuberculosis dispensary at the Sturdy Memorial hospital. The fire of December 12, 1917, destroyed the Horton, Pierce and Sanford blocks, with their contents, and great damage was done to Bates, Monroe, Gifford, Sturdy and Brownell blocks, and the Smith, Dexter and Jacobs buildings and other structures on Union and Pine streets, the fire loss of the year totalling $210,503.47.

The city's total payments on outstanding obligations for the first two years as a city amounted to $164,200. The sinking funds had increased $18,403.79, and there was a reduction in the net debt of $183,003.79. The last payment of the assessment for the grade crossing abolition was made, the total amount having been $108,081.75. In 1916 a combination hose and chemical wagon was placed in the Union street fire station, with motor chassis, thus reducing the horse-drawn apparatus at this time to three.

It was during 1918, that the city purchased that portion of the track and fixtures of the Taunton and Pawtucket street railway between Attleboro and Briggs Corner, and entered into an agreement with the Inter- . state Consolidated Street Railway Company to operate the line on a cost basis. This year an Ahrens-Fox combination hose and pump engine was added to the equipment of the fire department. The health department during the period of the epidemic this year divided the city into six districts, with Mrs. Helen M. Cummings in full charge of all nurses and volunteer aids. Every doctor in town worked to the limit of his capacity, aided by volunteer nurses and general helpers, the Sturdy Memorial Hospital and the diet kitchen. Mrs. Cummings, as head of the Attleboro nursing committee, performed a wonderful work, assisted throughout the disaster by scores of valiant men and women. On March 9 this year, occurred the fire that destroyed part of the Odd Fellows' building and the Sun plant, with loss of $125,000.

World War service; the dedication of Memorial avenue at Capron Park; the great parade of October 6. This year the Municipal Council assumed its share of the control of the Norton, Taunton and Attleboro street railway. The death occurred of Benjamin P. King, eighteen years a member of the Board of Overseers of the Poor.

The population of the city in 1920 was 19,700, the total valuation theti being placed at $22,106,770; the borrowing capacity of the municipality, $222,438.55. Edmond H. Gingras was appointed chief of police, and the department was at this time well motorized for the prevention of excessive speeding of automobiles. Joseph V. Curran (appointed postmaster in 1923) was chairman of the Board of Overseers of the Poor, and his colleagues were William L. Elliott and Mrs. E. Grace King.

Assessors were Walter J. Newman, Thomas E. McCaffrey and Harry E. Carpenter. Superintendent of Public Works was John O. Taber, Jr. City Forester W. E. S. Smith. The West Street bridge was built over Ten Mile river. In 1921, Fire Chief Hiram EK. Packard voluntarily resigned from duty after fifty years of service, leaving a fully motorized fire department; and Fred A. Clark was appointed chief.

The valuation in 1921 was: real estate $15,861,665; personal $7,389,535. The city's tax rate had been advanced $6.40 over 1920, making it in 1921, $32.40. The total net debt was $939,487.30, and the borrowing capacity was $214,989.81. Four acres of land in the centre of the city were purchased as a site for the proposed City Hall. 'Two new concrete bridges were built on Mechanic street. During 1921 the city appropriated $5,000 towards putting the Hayward field in condition for sports, as contemplated by the donor, Hon. Harold E. Sweet. The charity department appropriation was more than $26,000. The deaths occurred of Everett S. Capron, one of the donors of Capron Park, in his 89th year; Charles Phillips, for years a selectman, in his 90th year; and Mark E. Rowe, public library trustee, in his 73rd year. Herman N. Collins was elected assessor.

While Attleboro is thus making substantial progress as a municipality, its population takes a commensurate pride in its homes and industries, both long established. Many of the most pleasing residences are built upon or near old foundations - descendants of many early comers yet remain. Yet. as in the history of all communities, the newcomer is establishing his home for his own generations, adding to the numbers in the skilled industry, and sharing in the problems of the growing city.