USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > City Officers and the Annual Reports to the City Council of Newburyport 1922 > Part 1
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NEWBURYPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY
PUBLIC
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NEWBL
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FOUNDED
1854
FOUNDED 1854
Received
refi No. 914.4512 M96 Am 1922
PRESENTED BY
MICHAEL CASHMAN Mayor.
73632
CITY OF NEWBURYPORT
CITY OFFICERS
AND THE
ANNUAL REPORTS
TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FOR THE YEAR
1922
CITY OF NEWBURYPORT
TERRA MARIQUE MDCCCLI
PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL
PRINTING AND BINDING by the HERALD PRESS, CENTRAL WHARF NEWBURYPORT, MASS.
132
PUBLIC LIBRAS
MAYOR Hon. Michael Cashman
CITY COUNCIL
President Edward G. Perkins
COUNCILLORS AT LARGE
William J. Cusack
Term Expires 1923
William G. Dodge
Term Expires 1923
Gayden W. Morrill
Term Expires 1923
Herbert S. Noyes
Term Expires 1923
Edward G. Perkins
Term Expires 1923
Councillor Ward 1, Albert H. Reynolds Term Expires 1922
Councillor Ward 2, Francis M. McGlew Jr. Term Expires 1922
Councillor Ward 3, Elmer C. Hansen
Term Expires 1922
Councillor Ward 4, Arthur W. Southwell
Term Expires 1922
Councillor Ward 5, Mathew A. Twomey
Term Expires 1922
Councillor Ward 6, William Peebles
Term Expires 1922
CLERK
Henry W. Little
COMMITTEES
Public Service-Councillors, Reynolds, Morrill, Peebles.
Public Safety-Councillors, McGlew, Southwell, Hansen.
Public Welfare-Councillors Cusack, Dodge, Twomey. General Government-Mayor Cashman, Councillors Perkins, Noyes.
CITY CLERK
Henry W. Little
70 Purchase Street
CITY GOVERNMENT 1922
4
ANNUAL REPORT
Office: City Hall. Tel. 170 TREASURER AND COLLECTOR
Charles E. Houghton 9 Hill Street Office: City Hall. Tel. 499-M
CLERK TO COLLECTOR
Alice F. Currier 78 Federal Street
CLERK OF COMMITTEES AND SOLDIERS' RELIEF -
J. Hermann Carver
9 Horton Street
CITY AUDITOR
William Balch 4 Summit Place Office: City Hall. Tel. 969
DEPUTY COLLECTOR
Frank W. Goodwin 13 Orange Street
CITY MESSENGER
Frank H. Rundlett 11 Spring Street
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS AND SEWERS
John E. Colburn C. F. Station
Tel. 19
CITY SOLICITOR
James F. Carens, Jr. 39 State Street Tel. 921-M
CITY PHYSICIAN
Dr. Abram F. Thomas 1 Orange Street Tel. 173
CITY MARSHALL
John L. McClean
35 Broad Street
Tel. 45
CAPTAIN OF THE WATCH
Edward R. Ayers
7 Vernon Street
Tel. 45
5
CITY GOVERNMENT
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES AND FIRE ALARMS
Orrin J. Welch 45 Green Street Tel. 326-M
CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
George P. Osborne 40 Fair Street Tel. 1200
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Orrin J. Welch 45 Green Street Tel. 326-M
INSPECTOR OF MEATS AND PROVISIONS
Timothy D. Donahue 174 Merrimac Street Tel. 454-W
INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS
F. C. Blakeley 17 Parsons Street
Tel. 44
HARBOR MASTER
Benjamin W. Stevens 4 Madison Street
TREE WARDEN
Charles P. Kelley 7 Dove Street
Tel. 380
BUILDING INSPECTOR
George W. Hussey 55 Kent Street Tel. 532-M
ASSESSORS OF TAXES
Office: City Hall. Terms: Three Years. Tel. 499-W
Cornelus C. Kiley Eben C. Knight (Chairman) Term Expires 1924 Term Expires 1922
Henry B. Little Charles W. Johnson, Secretary
Term Expires 1924
Term Expires 1923
€
ANNUAL REPORT
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR
Tel. 536-M Michael Cashman, (Mayor), ex-officio.
Timothy McCarthy Term Expires 1925
Grace C. Fernald
Term Expires 1923
Wilbur Abbott
Term Expires 1924 Frank L. Lattime, Clerk; Charles H. Davis, Superintendent Almshouse; Mrs. Charles H. Davis, Matron Almshouse.
Meeting last Monday of each month.
BOARD OF HEALTH Term: Three Years
Orrin J. Gurney Term Expires 1922 .
Dr. T. Raymond Healey
Term Expires 1923
Alfred W. Kimball Term Expires 1924 William Thurston, Agent and Clerk of Board; Dr. R. D. Hamilton, City Bacteriologist, Harold G. Little, Inspector and Collector of Milk; Dr. J W. Shaw, School Physician; Ralph W. Nelson, Inspector of Plumbing.
REGISTRARS OF VOTERS
John J. Creeden
Term Expires 1923
Albert W. Hopkinson (Chairman) Term Expires 1924
John J. O'Brien
Term Expires 1925
Henry W. Little, Clerk, ex-officio
ATKINSON COMMON COMMISSION
Michael Cashman, (Mayor), ex-officio. Edward G. Perkins, (President), ex-officio.
Alvah Hoyt Term Expires 1924
William C. Coffin Term Expires 1925
Orlando F. Hatch Term Expires 1923
SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS
Michael Cashman, (Mayor), ex-officio. Edward G. Perkins, (President), ex-officio. William Balch, (Auditor), ex-officio
Henry B. Little Term Expires 1922
Lawrence B. Cushing Term Expires 1923
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
Henry B. Trask
Term Expires 1922
Dr. Chas. F. A. Hall
Term Expres 1923
Herbert S. Noyes Term Expires 1926
Warren B. Flint Term Expires 1925
Ernest Foss
Term Expires 1924
Harold S. Noyes, Secretary
CITY GOVERNMENT 7
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Michael Cashman (Mayor) Chairman, ex-officio Woodland Street
Walter N. Brown Vice-Chairman
51 Pleasant Street
Arthur P. Brown Term Expires 1923 40 Broad Street, Telephone 699-W
Walter N. Brown Term Expires 1923
51 Pleasant Street, Telephone 272-R
Edward M. Coffin
Term Expires 1924
108 High Street, Telephone 265-R
Peter I. Lawton Term Expires 1924 57 High Street, Telephone 316-R
Term Expires 1922 Alfred W. Kimball 69 Washington Street, Telephone 952
Edward G. Moddy Term Expires 1922 230 High Street, Telephone 1006-M
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS AND SECRETARY
William C. Moore Office at City Hall
CLERK
Grace W. Piper Office at City Hall
TRUANT OFFICER
Edward H. Porter
Office with Superintendent
TRUSTEES PUTNAM FREE SCHOOL
Hallet W. Noyes, Henry B. Little, Nathaniel N. Jones, Secretary and Treasurer; Norman Russell, Chas L. Davis, John T. Lunt, Erskine Clement. TRUSTEES WHEELWRIGHT SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL Michael Cashman, (Mayor), ex-officio. Lawrence B. Cushing, President; Edmund D. Codman, Treasurer; Hon. Thomas C. Simpson, Secretary; Lucius H. Greeley; Randolph C. Hurd.
PUBLIC MARKET PLACE (Chapter 119, Acts 1915) Market Square
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ANNUAL REPORT ,
MAYORS OF NEWBURYPORT
The original charter of the city was adopted by the inhabitants June 3, 1851.
The Mayor is elected annually.
Hon. Caleb Cushing* 1851-1852
Hon. Henry Johnson 1853-1853
Hon. Moses Davenport 1854-1855-1861
Hon. William Cushing 1856-1857-1858
Hon. Albert Currier 1859-1860
Hon. George W. Jackman, Jr. 1861 -- 1862-1864-1865-1877
Hon. Isaac H. Boardman 1863
Hon. William H. Graves 1866
Hon. Eben F. Stone
1867
Hon. Nathaniel Pierce 1868-1869
Hon. Robert Couch 1870-1881
Hon. Elbridge G. Kelley
1871-1872
Hon. Warren Currier
1873-1874
Hon. Benjamin F. Atkinson
1875-1876
Hon. Jonathan Smith
1878
Hon. John James Currier
1879-1880
Hon. Benjamin Hale 1882
Hon. William A. Johnson 1883-1884
Hon. Thomas C. Simpson 1885
Hon. Charles C. Dame 1886
Hon. J. Otis Winkley 1887
Hon. William H. Huse*
1888
Hon. Albert C. Titcomb
1888-1889
Hon. Elisha P. Dodge
1890-1891
Hon. Orrin J. Gurney
1892-1893-1894-1895
Hon. Andrew R. Curtis
1896-1897
Hon. George H. Plumer
1898
Hon. Thomas Huse
1899-1900
Hon. Moses Brown
1901-1902
Hon. James F. Carens
1903-1904
Hon. William F. Houston
1905-1906
Hon. Albert F. Hunt
1907
Hon. Irvin Besse
1908
Hon. Albert F. Hunt
1909
Hon. Robert E. Burke
1910-1911-1912
Hon. Hiram H. Landford
1913-1914
Hon. Clarence J. Fogg
1915-1916
Hon. Walter B. Hopkinson
1917-1918
Hon. David P. Page
1919-1920-1921
Hon. Michael Cashman
1922
* Resigned. ** Died in office.
9
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF MICHAEL CASHMAN, MAYOR
·Gentlemen of the City Council:
It seems but a short time since we were here in this hall at the beginn- Ing of the year 1922, but twelve months have elapsed and we are here to start the conduct of business for the city of Newburyport for another year, it being the seventy-second year of Newburyport as a city.
The custom has been on the occasion of Mayor's inaugural to submit to the Honorable City Council recommendations of what seem to be the most important problems which we will be called upon to solve. It will also give to the citizens and tax payers an opportunity to make suggestions that may prove of great assistance to us.
We must remember that it is easy to be generous with the public purse and in view of the large amount we will have to spend, we must not forget that we are spending the tax payers money and in some instances it is put into the city treasury only after a great struggle and personal sacrifice.
We have reason to look back on the financial result of the past year with some pride; after paying all bills obtainable, we shall close our books with about $8,000 on the credit side, and while we have issued bonds and notes to the amount of $148,274.91 for Highways, Parks and Plum Island Bridge, after deducting debts paid, Sinking Funds, Bills Receivable and cash on hand, we have increased our net debt but $30,000. Schools :
Some of our school buildings are in poor condition. Those at the lower end of the city will not call for any repairs on account of the new building to be erected. It is planned to have the new building ready for occupancy December 31, 1923.
The Jackman School is fast nearing a time when quite extensive re- pairs will have to be made, but for the present we will have to try to get along with minor repairs.
The Currier School is in the best condition of any of our schools and does not call for anything but ordinary upkeep repairs.
The Curtis School is in good condition and one of the pleasantest schools in the city, both for scholars and teachers.
The Davenport School has had quite a lot of repairs made during the past year and will have to do with very minor repairs for the next few! years, just ordinary upkeep, such as any building would require.
The Kelley School has been built about fifty years and in that time has had few repairs made, but the condition of the building at the present
10
ANNUAL REPORT
time is far from being what it should be, and within the next year or two a general repairing on this building must be made.
Our greatest and most expensive problem for this year, outside of the grade school at the lower end of the city, is the High School. Our present High School has accomodations for from 300 to 325 pupils, but between 500 and 600 pupils are crowded into this building and it can readily be un- derstood that conditions cannot be what they should be with this building so crowded.
If we are to educate our children according to the State laws and we are undertaking to do it, we should give to the pupils and to the teachers an opportunity to perform their work somewhere near in keeping with present day school conditions.
In order to relieve the congestion at this school, while many plans have been mentioned, the plan that seems most favored and at the same time gives the greatest amount of accommodation is that suggested by Councilor Morrill.
That is-to take the Central Church Parsonage, remove that house and build the necessary accomodations, and connect the present High School with a corridor. We are having tentative plans made now (with- out expense to the city) showing the whole bulding from Court to Green Streets, with the idea in mind that we can use the present High School, building for several years and later when it will require too many repairs the present High School building can be removed and the entire plan for a new High School be carried out, of which the part we are to build now to relieve the present congestion, will be a portion.
Modern school architecture is so different and so much better adapted to present day requirements that it would seem to be a great mistake to carry out the architecture of our present high school building.
While the cost of education has greatly increased in Newburyport in the past few years, a comparison of the cost per pupil in Newburyport with cities such as the following:
Melrose $72.24
Gardner
52.74
Woburn 47.31
Newburyport 50.03
Greenfield
60.50
Methuen
49.97
Marlboro
58.61
Weymouth
47.18
Southbridge
54.06
Haverhill
63.06
Average $55.57 or $5.54 above Newburyport cost per pupil
shows that Newburyport is near the bottom.
I wish to say this in defense of the School Board-that while there have been many who have criticized them on account of the increased cost of education, my observation of the way they have carried on the work dur-
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INAUGURAL ADDRESS
ing the past year convinces me that the School Committee has just one ob- ject in view and that is to give to the children of Newburyport proper school accommodations. I do not believe that anyone who investigates closely will feel that there has been any extravagance practised by the school board during the past year. I speak of this in justice to members of this Board and also because if criticism of such officials continues, in a few years no one will want to take a position of this kind where there is no re- muneration or financial gain to him, knowing that whatever he does, an improper interpretation will be placed on every act. Just criticism al- ways should continue, and I believe that when criticisms of any public of- ficial are made, they should be accompanied by specific instances and also by constructive suggestions.
Highway Department:
This department has a busy season ahead to complete Merrimac street from Ashland to Boardman street. We are not going to have money enough to complete this piece of work on the present bond issue and I be- lieve we should provide enough to complete the work from Ashland street to Boardman. If this is done, a good road bed is provided between New- buryport and Amesbury.
'Also, there is left undone of the work outlined last year the part of Water Street from the city railroad track to the gas works. Most of this section has a good foundation and if scarified and re-surfaced, this piece of road will be in good condition. The part of Water street from the gas works to the junction of Ocean Avenue can be re-surfaced and a bitumin- ous binder applied which will make this section satisfactory, as there is no great amount of traffic on this section.
During the past year the city put on the streets about 12,000 tons of crushed stone. If this stone was purchased in Salem or Peabody where large stone crushing plants are located, the freight from Salem to New- buryport would have been approximately $10,800. On account of crush- ing the stone here, a substantial saving to the city was made, or enough to pay for the crusher.
Merrimac Street :
Merrimac Street from the foot of State Street to Boardman Street should be re-paved, and widened from the foot of Green Street to the Bridge Road, on the lower side of Merrimac Street. The Newburyport Building Association has kept their two buildings back and all buildings should be kept back to the line of these two buildings.
On account of the great amount of automobile and truck traffic, con- gestion has become acute. On several days during the past year, from one to three miles of a solid line of automobiles' and trucks have been held up on account of the congestion at the corner of Merrimac Street and Bridge Road, and to relieve this condition the late John N. Cole, Chairman of the
12
ANNUAL REPORT
Public Service Board, wrote to me and made suggestions to remedy this matter.
The street railroad must be re-built and they have the new rails on hand at the present time to re-lay them from the foot of State Street to the foot of Boardman. It would seem to me a great mistake to allow this new work to be installed without making the improvements as outlined.
The County Commissioners have made plans and also assisted in making estimates of the probable cost of widening and block paving on concrete base, including property damage. In order to carry out this work in what seems to be the most satisfactory manner, beginning at the foot of State Street across Market Square, remove the present curbed circle that is now in the center of the square, also all poles and watering trough, re- build and re-grade all sidewalks from Inn Street to Winter, having all curbstone uniform, all widths and grades of sidewalk uniform, and' on the lower side of Merrimac Street, beginning at Market Square and continuing to Bridge Road, all walks to be made uniform in width and grade. This is an improvement that will add materially to the City of Newburyport and be of great benefit to the merchants, by diverting all inter-state traffic down State and through the business section of our city.
The County Commissioners have promised to assist Newburyport in financing this work. I have also taken the matter up with the State authorities and been promised aid from them. Just what per cent of the total cost the State and County will finance, they have not as yet stated but in view of the great necessity of this improvement being carried out, and the promise of financial aid, it would seem to be an opportune time to undertake the work and I would recommend that your Honorable Board would appoint a committee to take up this matter, and if deemed advis- able to undertake the work. All details and plans should be made so that the work could be started as soon as the frost is out of the ground in the spring, to insure its completion by the latter part of the summer.
For this work we will have to issue bonds.
Other work that should be done is: beginning on Kent tsreet, which is in very bad condition, on account of the large stones protruding above the surface, and the many holes in it, the street should be scarified and re- graded, the large stones removed and a bituminous binder applied such as has been applied in many of the streets at the lower end of the city during the past year.
The same thing should be done with Broad, Oakland and Woodland streets. .
The amount appropriated for street repair work should be increased and if we can see our way clear without imposing too much of a burden on the tax payers, we should for the next couple of years increase the high- way repair appropriation. If that were done, and the streets properly cared for after that, I believe that we could reduce the appropriation to about what it has been the past few years.
Toppan's lane, from Low Street out to the West Newbury line should be repaired. On account of the wet clay nature of the soil and the fact that
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INAUGURAL ADDRESS
practically no repairs have been made on this piece of road in the last 15 or 20 years, leaves the road in a poor condition and at times well nigh impassible. Last year one of West Newbury's citizens had his horse's leg broken and the city of Newburyport had to pay for the horse.
When our streets become in such condition that they are not passible and accidents happen and the city has to pay the bills, it would seem that it would be much better if we could in some way get our streets in passable condition and save what money would have to be paid out in law suits. Common Pasture road, and Parker Street to the Newbury line is in practi- cally the same condition that Toppan's lane is in and this road also should be repaired.
Many of our tar sidewalks that were put down years ago, have out lived their usefulness and while some spots are good, a great many holes appear in the surface of the sidewalks. If it meets with the approval of your Honorable Board, I believe that we should instruct the Superintendent of Highways to remove any tar sidewalk that is left where the walks have become dangerous and restore the surface with gravel. In doing that, the sidewalks will be better and much safer to walk on, and we will not have so many law suits to contend with on account of defective walks.
I believe it would be economy for the city to start underdraining all the up and down streets beginning at Marlboro and continuing to Plummer Avenue, to do a few streets each year, and I am going to recommend that Boardman, Olive, Buck and Merrill Streets be done this year from Wash- ington treet down, to connect with outlets to the River near Merrimac Street.
If this is done, then Washington Street can be scarified and all the large gutters at each of the above named streets can be filled and Wash- ington Street will be all smooth and a needed improvement will have been made.
Assessors :
Last year there was a vacancy on the Board of Assessors and Mr. Cornelius J. Kiley was appointed to take the place ofMr . Eben C. Knight, who refused to serve and wished to retire. Also, Mr. Charles Perkins was incapacitated on account of illness and in his place we were able to get Mr. Henry B. Little to serve, and it seems to me that the city is under ob- ligations to Mr. Little, for his willingness to act. He makes a valuable man for the position, as probably no man in the city has had a better opportunity to learn the buying and selling price of real estate than he, and I feel under personal obligation to him for serving and take this method of thanking him publicly.
I believe that our Board of Asesssors as it is composed is as competent as that of any city or town in the state and as this department is the most important of any city office, it should be composed of able and competent men.
During the past year we let the contract for city maps to John T.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Desmond, While maps for the entire city will not be available for the coming year, we will have enough to be of great assistance to the assessors and I do not believe I over estimate the value of these maps when I say that they will prove so valuable that they will pay for themselves in three years, besides the convenience of having them for general reference.
Fire Department :
The Fire Department is composed of sixty-four men and a chief and an assistant chief. We have three horse drawn steam fire engines and one chemical engine and gasoline pump or motor truck and three hose wagons.
I believe it would be in line of efficiency if we could purchase a motor hook and ladder truck. In some respects, the hook and ladder is the most important piece of apapratus connected with the department. While the pumping engine is important and will put out fires, it cannot save lives in case persons are trapped in the upper stories of buildings, and if your Honorable Board of Councillors agree, I would recommend that the surplus received during the last year, above the amount estimated, be used toward the purchase of a motor hook and ladder truck and if we have not a suffi- cient amount to pay for the same, to issue short time notes to take care of the balance. We have left $8,000 and a motor truck will cost approximately $10,000.
Old Hill and Highland Cemeteries:
Old Hill and Highland Cemeteries are in a disgraceful condition. Dur- ing the past year, I have tried to interest the Newburyport Improvement Society, but up to date, I have not been able to create any great amount of interest, and consequently it seems as if the only way the cemeteries will be redeemed from their present condition is for the city to undertake the work.
In order to do this, there will have to be an appropriation made an- nually to take care of the expense. While it would have been a fine under- taking for the Newburyport Improvement Society, it really belongs to the city to do.
The city received the money for the lots and if the amounts received from the sale of such lots had been kept in, a separate fund, there would have been quite a substantial amount on hand now, but as the city took the money and used it for general purposes, it should now assume the care and bear the expense of putting the cemeteries in order and keep them so. I hope a start can be made on this work this spring.
During the past year, I have noted in the Boston press that a sugges- tion has been made to take $300,000 from the George White Fund to obtain a piece of ground and make a rose garden. I believe that these two ceme- teries, if properly taken care of and shrubs and flowers were made use of, could be made into beautiful flower gardens and that the people of New- buryport would be getting some return for the money expended, as well as
15
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
showing proper respect for those who sleep under the sod.
In improving these two pieces of ground, I would like to see the plan in- clude a rustic wall around each cemetery.
Tree and Moth Department:
Our shade trees, like many of our other obligations suffer for the lack of funds, on account of the severe ice storm of November 1921, when our trees were broken and injured.
If they were treated as. they should be, it would call for an approp- riation of at least $25,000, but we have so many demands for money so we must let this department get along with its regular annual appropriation and trim the trees we can and let nature heal the rest.
I am going to ask your Honorable Board to consider well when asked to remove trees. Our shade trees are a great asset to Newburyport and should not be removed unless good reasons are presented for doing so.
Junk Dealers:
A survey of our city would soon convince a stranger or a resident of the city that the greatest number of enterprises carried on in Newburyport is the collection of junk, and all kinds of second hand material. It seems to me that this business is getting to be more or less a fire menace and also making our city the center for old cast off material for a radius of five or six miles around.
We have junk piled in twenty-one places in all parts of our city, both in residential sections and otherwise. It gives the city an untidy appear- ance and if some measures are not taken to regulate this business, there is no knowing where it will stop.
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